Alcohol Brain damage risks

What is the summary report?
Harmful Consequences of Alcohol Use on the Brains of Children, Adolescents, and College Students is a compilation and summary of two decades of comprehensive research on how alcohol affects the brains of youth. The report's aggregation of extensive scientific and medical information reveals just how harmful drinking is to the developing brain and serves as a wakeup call to parents, physicians, elected officials, law enforcement, purveyors of alcohol – including the alcohol industry – and young drinkers themselves.

Why is this report important?
The average age of a child's first drink is now 12, and nearly 20 percent of 12 to 20 year-olds are considered binge drinkers. While many believe that underage drinking is an inevitable "rite of passage" that adolescents can easily recover from because their bodies are more resilient, the opposite is true.

The adolescent brain
The brain goes through dynamic change during adolescence, and alcohol can seriously damage long- and short-term growth processes. Frontal lobe development and the refinement of pathways and connections continue until age 16, and a high rate of energy is used as the brain matures until age 20. Damage from alcohol at this time can be long-term and irreversible. In addition, short-term or moderate drinking impairs learning and memory far more in youth than adults. Adolescents need only drink half as much to suffer the same negative effects.

Drinkers vs. non-drinkers: research findings

• Adolescent drinkers scored worse than non-users on vocabulary, general information, memory, memory retrieval and at least three other tests
• Verbal and nonverbal information recall was most heavily affected, with a 10 percent performance decrease in alcohol users
• Significant neuropsychological deficits exist in early to middle adolescents (ages 15 and 16) with histories of extensive alcohol use
• Adolescent drinkers perform worse in school, are more likely to fall behind and have an increased risk of social problems, depression, suicidal thoughts and violence
• Alcohol affects the sleep cycle, resulting in impaired learning and memory as well as disrupted release of hormones necessary for growth and maturation
• Alcohol use increases risk of stroke among young drinkers

Adverse effects of alcohol on the brain: research findings
Youth who drink can have a significant reduction in learning and memory, and teen alcohol users are most susceptible to damaging two key brain areas that are undergoing dramatic changes in adolescence:

• The hippocampus handles many types of memory and learning and suffers from the worst alcohol-related brain damage in teens. Those who had been drinking more and for longer had significantly smaller hippocampi (10 percent).
• The prefrontal area (behind the forehead) undergoes the most change during adolescence. Researchers found that adolescent drinking could cause severe changes in this area and others, which play an important role in forming adult personality and behavior and is often called the CEO of the brain.

Lasting implications
Compared to students who drink moderately or not at all, frequent drinkers may never be able to catch up in adulthood, since alcohol inhibits systems crucial for storing new information as long-term memories and makes it difficult to immediately remember what was just learned.

Additionally, those who binge once a week or increase their drinking from age 18 to 24 may have problems attaining the goals of young adulthood—marriage, educational attainment, employment, and financial independence. And rather than "outgrowing" alcohol use, young abusers are significantly more likely to have drinking problems as adults.

What can be done to stop this epidemic?
The AMA advocates numerous ways to combat this growing epidemic, including:

• Reducing access to alcohol for children and youth
• Reducing sales and provision of alcohol to children and youth
• Increasing enforcement of underage drinking laws
• Providing more education about the harmful effects of alcohol abuse
• Reducing the demand for alcohol and the normalization of alcohol use by children and youth

A major source of the normalization of alcohol use by children and youth is alcohol advertising. Television networks and cable stations have profited tremendously from the alcohol industry's aggressive marketing to underage drinkers. These ads are proven to heavily influence the normalization and glamorization of drinking in the minds of children, and television has continued to endanger the health of these young viewers in spite of such findings.

With these new findings of the adverse effects of alcohol on the brain of children and adolescents, the AMA calls on cable TV and the TV networks to pledge not to run alcohol ads targeted at underage youth. This means no alcohol ads before 10 p.m., none on shows with 15 percent or more underage viewers and no commercials with cartoons, mascots or other youth-focused images.

Food Facts - Getting the Balance Right

It is important that we eat the right amounts of food from each of the groups. It’s a bit like building blocks – we have to balance the blocks carefully to make sure we get the correct nutrients, otherwise the body will not work properly. The biggest proportion of our food should come from bread, potatoes and cereal, and fruit and vegetables. Milk and dairy foods, and meat, fish or alternatives should follow this. Only small amounts of food containing fats and sugars should be eaten.

The role of calcium

Strengthening bones and teeth
Regulating muscle functioning, such as contraction and relaxation
Regulating heart functioning
Blood clotting
Transmission of nervous system messages
Enzyme function.

Carbohydrates

Examples of food containing carbohydrates:

Potatoes

Pasta

Cereal

Rice

Bread

Noodles

How do carbohydrates help the body?Carbohydrates help fuel the body by providing energy. When we exert the body with activities such as riding a bike, running or playing sport the body uses up large amounts of energy. We have to make sure we balance the energy that goes out, with food and water that comes into the body. We can replace lost energy by eating foods rich in carbohydrates and drinking plenty of water.

You can increase your carbohydrates by:

• always having a breakfast
  having thick sliced toast like whole grain bread
  eating brown rice or pasta
  having boiled potatoes rather than chips which are cooked in fats

Healthy Eating for Lifetime

GRAINS
Make half your grains whole
Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day
1 ounce is about 1 slice of bread, about 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, cereal or pasta
Eat 6 ounces every day

VEGETABLES
Vary your veggies
Eat more dark-green veggies like broccoli, spinach, and other dark leafy greens
Eat more orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes
Eat more dry beans and peas like pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils
Eat 2-1/2 cups every day

FRUITS
Focus on fruits
Eat a variety of fruit
Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit
Go easy on fruit juices
Eat 2 cups every day

MILK
Get your calcium-rich foods
Go low-fat or fat-free when you choose milk, yogurt, and other milk products
If you don't or can't consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources such as fortified foods and beverages
Get 3 cups every day; for kids aged 2 to 8, it's 2 cups

MEAT & BEANS
Go lean with protein
Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry
Bake it, broil it, or grill it
Vary your protein routine -- choose more fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds
Eat 5-1/2 ounces every day

For a 2,000-calorie diet, you need the amounts listed above from each food group.

Find balance between food and physical activity

Be sure to stay within your daily calorie needs.
Be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
About 60 minutes at day of physical activity may be needed to prevent weight gain.
For sustaining weight loss, at least 60 to 90 minutes a day of physical activity may be required.
Children and teenagers should be physically active for 60 minutes every day, or most days.
Know the limits on fats, sugars and salt (sodium)

Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
Limit solid fats like butter, margarine, shortening, and lard, as well as foods that contain these.
Check the Nutrition Facts label to keep saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium low.
Choose food and beverages low in added sugars. Added sugars contribute calories with few, if any nutrients.

LIfe Style Guide

Every sports player knows that a satisfactory life style is of great importance. Every part of a way of living is dependent on another. Good food is not effective if the training schedule is irregular. Training is of less value to a heavy smoker than a non-smoker and so on.
The basis of the life style should be:

1. Plan a sound training schedule.

2. Have sufficient rest.

3. Cut out smoking

4. Eat nutritious simple food

5.Drink plenty of water and other recommended fluids. Alcohol including beer is not recommended. It is a waste of money and can cause social problems. It will also interfere with your performances by slowing your reactions, increasing fatigue and causing your body too lose water.

Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant fruit are naturally rich in vitamin C, containing up to four times as much as oranges on a per weight basis. Despite the already high levels of vitamin C, there is a requirement amongst growers and processors to develop short-term agronomic methods and longer-term accelerated breeding to maximise the vitamin C content of blackcurrant fruit.

Healtly living.Maximizing Medication Benefits With Natural Therapies

Antiretroviral therapy has changed the face of HIV over the last decade and a half. Patient life expectancy has increased tremendously and we no longer associate many of the opportunistic infections as early-onset symptoms. Drug regimen pill burdens have also decreased for most, making adherence to protocols easier as well.

When changing protocols or adding in new therapies, however, sometimes side effects can interfere with quality of life and the likelihood that a patient will want to maintain the therapy. I have worked for almost 10 years with HIV-positive patients and have seen firsthand how natural therapies dramatically help manage side effects of medications, improve quality of life, protect the body from the chemical processing of the medications, and possibly prevent 'drug failure'. The following is a review of natural therapies for optimizing the benefits of antiretroviral drug treatment.

Getting Enough Rest and Exercise

Getting enough rest and exercise is another important part of a healthy lifestyle. Resting after working or playing helps tired muscles recover. Rest also can help relieve stress. Sleep is a special kind of rest. During sleep your breathing, heartbeat, and some other body processes slow down. Then more energy is available to build or repair body cells. You should get 9 or 10 hours of sleep each night.

Regular exercise benefits your body in many ways. For example, exercise can help you keep a healthy body weight. Exercise helps keep arteries clear of fatty substances. Exercise makes muscles flexible. Exercise also strengthens muscles, including the heart muscle, diaphragm, and muscles between the ribs.

A stronger heart muscle can pump more blood with beat. A stronger diaphragm and rib muscles make it possible for your chest cavity to expand more as you inhale. That means you can take in more air with each breath. The result is that your body cells get the oxygen they need with less effort by your heart and lungs.

Sports like soccer and basketball are good for your whole body, including your heart and lungs. But you don't have to play sports to be healthy.

You don't have to do exercises that you think are boring. Riding a bike, skating, jogging, swimming, and jumping rope are all good exercises. Walking, dancing, and skiing are also good for you. Try to do some vigorous activity every day.

Before you exercise, warm up. Get your muscles ready for vigorous activity by doing slow, gentle stretches or by walking or jogging slowly for a few minutes. After you exercise, cool down the same way. That will loosen up tight muscles and help to prevent soreness.

A healthy lifestyle

One in three people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. There are simple ways, however, of reducing your risk.

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight can significantly increase your risk of developing cancer, heart disease and strokes. If you are concerned about your weight, your GP should be able to provide you with information and support in finding a healthy weight for you.

Keep active

Taking regular exercise is key to keeping your weight down. Exercise doesn’t have to be hard work or limited to the gym. Walking, swimming and even vigorous housework and gardening are all excellent forms of moderate activity. Try to aim for 30 minutes a day of exercise that leaves you slightly out of breath but still able to hold a conversation. As your fitness increases, you will find that you have to work harder to become out of breath and this in turn will increase your fitness level.

Eat a balanced diet

Making sure you eat a wide range of foods is another way of helping to keep your weight down as well as making sure you get the nutrients you need. You should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day and try to eat fresh produce rather than processed food.

Limit your alcohol intake

There is strong evidence that indicates that too much alcohol increases your risk of several cancers. It can also make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight. The Department of Health guidelines advise that men should limit their intake to between three and four units of alcohol per day. Women should limit their intake to between two and three units.

A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal strength lager, cider or bitter, a pub measure (25ml) of spirits, or a 50ml pub measure of fortified wine (such as sherry or port).

Quit smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the easiest ways to cut the risk of developing cancer. Smoking is a significant risk factor for a wide range of cancers as well as being a direct cause of nine out of 10cases of lung cancer. This is because cigarette smoke contains approximately 4000 compounds, some of which are known to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

Quitting isn’t easy but the NHS can provide you with help and support. You can find out more about the risks associated with smoking and how you can get support from the NHS at Giving up Smoking.

Stay safe in the sun

Most cases of skin cancer are caused by damage from UV (ultraviolet) rays in sunlight. Sun beds also emit UV rays that damage your skin. Taking care to cover up in the sun and not using sun beds can help you to cut your risk.

Learn what is normal for you

While being aware of changes in your body will not prevent cancer, it can be a useful way of detecting the early stages of the disease. If you notice a change in bodily functions or come across a lump whilst examining your breasts or testicles, you should visit your GP as soon as possible.

Simple ways to live a healthy lifestyle

Exercise
One of the biggest problems in Lithuania today is lack of activity. We know it's good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we're used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you'll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.
Just adding a little movement to your life can:

• Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
• Improve joint stability
• Increase and improve range of movement
• Help maintain flexibility as you age
• Maintain bone mass
• Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
• Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Enhance self esteem
• Improve memory in elderly people
• Reduce stress
  So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.

Simple Ways to Move Your Body
You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

• Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk...almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.


• Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.


• Do some chores. Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.


• Pace while you talk. When you're on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.


• Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.

Vegetarian Diet

A vegetarian diet focuses on plants for food. These include fruits, vegetables, dried beans and peas, grains, seeds and nuts. There is no single type of vegetarian diet. Instead, vegetarian eating patterns usually fall into the following groups:
The vegan diet, which excludes all meat and animal products
The lacto vegetarian diet, which includes plant foods plus dairy products
The lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, which includes both dairy products and eggs

Vitamins

Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. There are 13 vitamins your body needs. They are vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate). You can usually get all your vitamins from the foods you eat. Your body can also make vitamins D and K. People who eat a vegetarian diet may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement.

Grapefruit

Tart and tangy with an underlying sweetness, grapefruit has a juiciness that rivals that of the ever popular orange and sparkles with many of the same health promoting benefits. Although available throughout the year, they are in season and at their best from winter through early spring.
Grapefruits usually range in diameter from four to six inches and include both seed and seedless and pink and white varieties. The wonderful flavor of a grapefruit is like paradise as is expressed by its Latin name, Citrus paradisi.

Healthy Eating

Good nutrition and a balanced diet will help your child grow up healthy. Whether your kid is a toddler or a teen, you can take steps to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits. Five of the best strategies are:

1. Have regular family meals.
2. Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks.
3. Be a role model by eating healthy yourself.
4. Avoid battles over food.
5. Involve kids in the process.

But it's not easy to take these steps when everyone is juggling busy schedules and convenience food, such as fast food, is so readily available. Here are some suggestions to help you incorporate all five strategies into your routine

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 3/4 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
nonstick spray

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
2. Beat eggs well in a small bowl.
3. In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat the vegetable shortening until it's creamy. Add the sugar a little bit at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy.
5. Add the eggs to the mixture in the large bowl and beat well.
6. Add some of the flour mixture to the large bowl and beat well.
Then add some of the mashed bananas and beat some more. Continue adding flour, then bananas, then flour, then bananas, until everything is mixed in.
Pour mixture into a baking pan coated with nonstick spray.
Bake for 70 minutes.
Flip your banana bread out of the pan, let it cool for a bit, and cut it into slices to eat and share!

Five Healthy Life Styles to Quality Life

1. Eat 3 times a day.
2. The last meal (dinner or supper) has to be taken at least 3 hours before you go to sleep.
3. Avoid junk food
4. Eat fruits as part of your meals but after 1 hour from the main course – not to bloat your stomach.
5. Avoid much sweets and chocolates. Although a portion of chocolate per day (0.5 ounces or so) are said to be good for one’s health.
6. Drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water (not juice, coffee of any other liquid) per day – this will help your kidneys function well and prolong their activity (and hence your life)

Cigarette Smoke Damage

Although most smokers are aware of the harmful effects of smoking, this may not be enough to overcome the reasons why they are smoking. A careful review of these reasons may help them come to the conclusion that it is time to quit.

How many people look back at the end of their lives and think "I'm sure glad I was a smoker" or "I really regret giving up smoking"? Now is the time to begin taking action and getting the help necessary to break this habit. You'll be glad you did.

Please note that it is extremely important to obtain an accurate diagnosis before trying to find a cure. Many diseases and conditions share common symptoms: if you treat yourself for the wrong illness or a specific symptom of a complex disease, you may delay legitimate treatment of a serious underlying problem. In other words, the greatest danger in self-treatment may be self-diagnosis. If you do not know what you really have, you can not treat it!

Knowing how difficult it is to weed out misinformation and piece together countless facts in order to see the "big picture", we now provide simple online access to The Analyst™. Used by doctors and patients alike, The Analyst™ is a computerized diagnostic tool that sits on a vast accumulation of knowledge and research. By combining thousands of connections between signs, symptoms, risk factors, conditions and treatments, The Analyst™ will help to build an accurate picture of your current health status, the risks you are running and courses of action (including appropriate lab testing) that should be considered. Full information is available here.


Smoking is associated with significantly increased overall morbidity and mortality. This was recognized early in the era of industrialized cigarette production and mass use. In the 1950s there were already reports linking cigarette smoking with the fast rise in the rate of lung cancer. Today, knowledge of the negative health consequences of smoking is widely recognized, but smoking still remains the number one cause of preventable death in developed countries.

Tobacco smoke is a dangerous substance with more than 500 known cancer-causing chemicals. Every time a smoker lights up he or she is being injured to some degree by inhaling these poisons.

Incidence
Lung cancer is presently the number one killer in both men and women; in the year 2000 some 300,000 people died from lung cancer in the United States alone.

Facts:
Among smokers aged 35 to 69, smoking accounts for a threefold increase in the death rate.
Approximately half of all regular smokers that begin smoking during adolescence will be killed by tobacco (WHO).
In 1985 it was estimated that more than one in every six deaths in the USA was the result of smoking.
Smokers have more acute and chronic illnesses than those who have never smoked, more bed-ridden days, and more days missed from school and work.
Smokers make greater use of inpatient and outpatient hospital services and lower use of preventive care services.
Of all cancer deaths in the US, 30% could be prevented if cigarette smoking were eliminated.

Cold beet soup

Ingredients:
2 boiled beets, coarsely grated, 2 medium cucumbers, cut into small cubes, 2 hard boiled eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 4 cups buttermilk, 1 cup boiled water, chilled10 sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped, 1/2 cup finely chopped, green parts of scallions or chivessalt, fresh squeezed lemon juice, to adjust acidity if needed.

- mix buttermilk with sour cream and water; then add the beets, cucumbers and finely cut egg whites, stirr gently.

- take the egg yolks and mash them with 1/4 tsp. salt and scallions. This is done to release the onion flavor. Add the yolk mixture to the soup. Stirr.

- the soup should have a slightly acid taste, use 1 or 2 tsps. of fresh lemon juice to adjust acidity.- the finely cut dill is sprinkled on top of individual bowls, just before serving.

- this soup is eaten with hot boiled potatoes, and is a summer favorite.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Excess body fat leads to health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Health professionals use a measurement called body mass index (BMI) to classify an adult's weight as healthy, overweight, or obese. BMI describes body weight relative to height and is correlated with total body fat content in most adults.

BMI range:
18.5-25 -- healthy range
25-30 - overweight
30 or higher -- obese

Having excess abdominal body fat is also a health risk. Men with a waist of more than 40 inches around and women with a waist of 35 inches or more are at risk for health problems.
To lose weight, you must eat less and move more. Your body needs to burn more calories than you take in.
Exercise improves heart function, lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol, helps manage diabetes, and helps control weight.

Didzkuliai

Ingredients:

1 kg uncooked potatoes,

3 or 4 boiled potatoes,

ground beef,

milk curd or nushrooms.

Peel and grate the raw potatoes, then squeeze out the excess liquid from them through a cheesecloth. Let the starch settle to the bottom of the liquid, then pour the liquid off and add the starch back to the potatoes. Peel and mash the boiled potatoes, then add them to the grated ones. Add a dash of salt and knead the mass well. Then take approximately egg-sized pieces of this mixture and form into patties. Place spoonfuls of the previously prepared filling into the center of the patties. Most often such a filling is made from ground beef, milk curd or mushrooms with salt and spices. Close the patties aroubd the filling and form them into ovoid shapes. Then place the cepelinai in salted boiling water and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Cepelinai are eaten with bacon or melted sour cream and butter sauce. This dish is very filling, and was traditionally only served for guests or during heavy labor seasons.

How can I start eating healthier?

Healthy eating means choosing a variety of foods from the basic food groups: meat and meat substitutes; dairy; fruits and vegetables; grains, such as breads and pasta; and a limited amount of fats and sweets. As simple as this sounds, it’s not always easy to get the nutrition you need. You may eat more of your favorite foods from only one food group, and as a result, get less of other food groups. Or perhaps you opt for convenience over quality when you are hungry.

Lifestyle choices

A healthy lifestyle encompasses many things:
Eating healthy foods
Avoid excessive fats, sugar, and alcohol
No nicotine
Drink plenty of water
Exercise...

Simple Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn't it?
The trick to healthy living is making small changes...taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water...these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.
Exercise
One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it's good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we're used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you'll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.
Just adding a little movement to your life can:
Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
Improve joint stability
Increase and improve range of movement
Help maintain flexibility as you age
Maintain bone mass
Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
Enhance self esteem
Improve memory in elderly people
Reduce stress
So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.
Simple Ways to Move Your Body
You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.
Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk...almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.
Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.
Do some chores. Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.
Pace while you talk. When you're on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.
Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.
Learn about more ways to
Eating Well
Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You can use the new food guide pyramid to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on or, if you're looking for smaller changes, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:
Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you'll automatically eat less calories.
Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.
Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you're at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items.
Find more ideas for healthy foods with this.
Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today.

Children and Cholesterol

Cholesterol levels in children and adolescents 2–19 years oldTotal cholesterol (mg/dL)

Acceptable — less than 170

Borderline — 170–199

High — 200 or greater

LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)

Acceptable — less than 110

Borderline — 110–129

High — 130 or greater

Exercise & Fitness

Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, dancing, walking and dozens of other activities can help your heart. Whether it is included in a structured exercise program or just part of your daily routine, all physical activity adds up to a healthier heart.

Our 2006 Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations

A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease. It’s not as hard as you may think! Remember, it is the overall pattern of the choices you make that counts.
Make the simple steps below part of your life for long-term benefits to your health and your heart.

Use up at least as many calories as you take in.
Start by knowing how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight. Don’t eat more calories than you know you can burn up every day. Increase the amount and intensity of your physical activity to match the number of calories you take in. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week or — best of all — at least 30 minutes every day. Regular physical activity can help you maintain your weight, keep off weight that you lose and help you reach physical and cardiovascular fitness. If you can’t do at least 30 minutes at one time, you can add up 10-minute sessions throughout the day.

Eat a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups.

You may be eating plenty of food, but your body may not be getting the nutrients it needs to be healthy. Nutrient-rich foods have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients but are lower in calories. To get the nutrients you need, choose foods like vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products and fat-free or low-fat dairy products most often.

Comenius activity calendar for 2007-2008 academic year

October 2007
Meeting in Varna: further discussion on diet related problems presentation of the work; presentation of projects prepared by students according to the distribution of topics decided during the meeting in Poland; discussion of the results, sharing information and comparing results, picking up new ideas for the development of the project connected with illnesses caused by improper nourishment; distribution of tasks to be realized by partner schools in the second year of cooperation.
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November 2007
Updating the websites.
Organizing school Comenius groups responsible for the coordination of work of the project.
Lectures and meetings with dieticians, doctors and other specialists – broadening students knowledge on the issues connected with diet related illnesses and disorders . Gathering information and materials to work on School exhibitions of gathered materials.
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December 2007
Detailed identification of diet related illnesses and disorders: osteoporosis and posture defects; bulimia - anorexia; diabetes; obesity; heart disorders; digestive system disorders; mental disorders caused by improper nourishment.
Distributing the above topics between partner schools to continue the work on them.
The beginning of work on chosen diseases and malfunctions.
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January 2008
Continuation of the work on projects, multimedia presentations and materials to be published describing different diet related disorders.
Internet chats for students and teachers.
Sharing information and updating the website.
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February – March 2008
Continuation of the work on projects, multimedia presentations and materials to be published describing different diet related disorders.
The publication of the materials describing diet related disorders.
The preparation of students projects and presentations showing.
Easter national alimentary traditions of each country participating in the project.
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April 2008
The exchange of projects and multimedia presentations showing.
Easter traditions in partner countries.
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May 2008
Partner visit in Lithuania in Rokiskis to present and study together the illnesses and disorders caused by improper nourishment; lectures on studied disorders; distribution of materials and brochures presenting the disorders. The evaluation of the second year cooperation, further suggestions and ideas for the continuation of the project.
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June 2008
Local events – Comenius week – dissemination of the results of the project work within local community.
Updating the websites.