HEALTH AND FITNESS continued
Eat, Kiss,
& Smile Better!
Terry Anne Sams, DMD
910.687.4423
200 Westgate Drive
West End
HEALTH AND FITNESS continued
HEALTH AND FITNESS con't. next column HEALTH AND FITNESS con't. next column
Leah King
CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER
CERTIFIED CONDITIONING SPECIALIST
Live Strong fitness
(910) 691.2639
CALL FOR APPOINTMENT
W 9:00A - 6:00P
T 9:00A - 4:00P
F 9:00A - 4:00P
S 9:00A - 2:00P
www.SandhillsWeekendDental.com
Summertime Can Be
Healthy & Tasty Too
by Mark C. Ford (CPT)
I’m going to shift focus a little bit in this
article and concentrate primarily on nutrition.
By no means a Registered Dietician (RD), my
Personal Training certification process along
with Continuing Education, has included a
significant amount of nutritional material,
which I am more than happy to share with my
readers.
I think one of the most accurate statements
I have heard regarding health is, “You are what
you eat.” How true! If you think about it, your
digestive, muscular and skeletal systems have
no control over what they have to work withthat
decision is yours. And there is plenty of
information available to help you make good
choices. You just have to have the will power
to avoid things you know are detrimental, no
matter how satisfying they may be and try to
concentrate on foods proven to be beneficial to
your health and well being.
For those of you who may not feel like they
are sure what to eat and what not to, both the
USDA and American Heart Association have
an endless amount of information that can be
accessed very easily. I particularly like their
Food Pyramid which describes the portions of
each food category that should be consumed in
order to maintain a healthy diet. The American
Cancer Society also gets on board with a low fat
/high fiber dietary recommendation.
I hate the phrase “comfort foods.” Generally,
these food items are high in calories, fat and
salt, and although they taste good at the time,
the excess weight they contribute will make
you anything but comfortable. A much better
alternative when feeling a bit anxious would be
a trip to the gym or even a brisk walk around the
neighborhood.
I am always amazed by the lines of cars
around the fast food drive in, when a few
hundred yards away is usually a grocery store
with plenty of healthy choices. Summer also
brings out the local farmers with their produce
they have worked so hard to cultivate. How could
anyone prefer a greasy burger and fries, when a
quick trip to the farmers’ market can provide
wholesome fresh fruits and vegetables that will
actually help maintain your physical well being.
I also believe that when you eat can be just as
important as what and how much. The saying is
you should “start the day like a prince and end
it as a pauper.” In other words, rather than skip
breakfast as a lot of people do, make sure you eat
a good breakfast followed by a substantial lunch
and maybe a more modest dinner. Whenever a
client is having trouble shedding pounds even
though they are working out, I also recommend
trying to not eat very much after about 5:00 PM
which gives your food plenty of time to digest
before you go to bed. A light snack of fresh fruit
in the evening will suffice if you become hungry,
while also providing much needed fiber. After
a while you will become accustomed to this
routine, and you will rarely feel the need to eat
in the later evening hours.
Having said all of the above, I do believe that
we were not meant to live on nuts and berries
our entire life; we need to enjoy some nice treats
occasionally. Personally, I have no problem
digging into a dish of home made ice cream
on a hot summer afternoon. And when the
majority of your diet consists of healthy foods
and portions, this can be done fairly guilt–free.
Unfortunately our high-tech lifestyle, while
providing many benefits has also made us a
more sedentary society. Every day more people
are spending the majority of the day at work on a
computer, just to go home and sit in front of the
TV or get on their home computer for a few more
hours. I read recently that the military is even
beginning to have trouble finding recruits that
they can get into shape in a reasonable amount
of time. This is because we are beginning to
see the first generations who have grown up in
the Internet and Iphone age—even more of an
argument for healthy dietary guidelines to offset
this lack of activity.
So as you are planning your families' meals
for the coming weeks, remember to try to keep
it fresh and healthy, and you might just be
surprised at how tasty it can be as well. ☐
Mark Ford is a local ACE (American
Council on Exercise) Certified Personal
Trainer who specializes in training
individuals age 50 and over in the
comfort of their homes. (910) 975-2572
mford42@nc.rr.com
Blueberries
Bold, blue, small, and sweet, the beloved
blueberries growing on bushes have become the
powerful super-foods of today’s desired palette.
Known for being good for our skin, joints and
heart health, blueberries are full of minerals
and vitamins such as Vitamin K, Manganese
and Vitamin C. A healthy treat, blueberries are
a low calorie snack at 80 calories at cup with 4
grams of fiber. Blueberries can be eaten fresh,
frozen, and cooked in pies, cakes, muffins,
jams, jellies, and preserves. A local favorite
remains blueberry pancakes with maple syrup.
Visit a favorite Farmer’s Market to enjoy some
blueberries all natural. ☐
All the money in the world
can't buy you back good health.
~ Reba McEntire
No. 135 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. p.35
/www.SandhillsWeekendDental.com
link
/www.ncchiro.com