FYI

The FYI section is changed weekly and contains all sorts of cool tips and information about exercise, nutrition and general fitness...we hope you check in often and have fun!

TAN IF YOU DARE

Craving that deep bronze look again, but a little worried about what tanning salons might be doing to your skin? Don't trust the folks at the tanning salon to fess up the truth. They have to keep the secret in order to stay in business, right! A new Consumer Reports study tells it straight. Among 296 tanning salons in the poll, more than a third of the salon operators said that indoor tanning would cause neither skin cancer nor wrinkles. The Truth...Just 20 minutes in tanning booth is the same as a whole day at the beach without using a sunscreen...Wow! Also, researchers in Sweden found that young adults under 30 years of age who use tanning beds or tanning lamps more than 10 times per year are seven times more likely to develop melanoma, which is a deadly form of skin cancer. Dermatologist agree, if you must tan, get it from tanning creams and lotions. Aloha!

GOOD TO THE CORE

Pilates, girls workout or good for guys too?
Hey guys, if you laugh at Pilates just because a lot of women do it, you're missing out on a great core exercise plan. Some top pro athletes know it works...Curt Schilling, Jason Kidd, Tiger Woods all train with it. "Pilates was invented and developed by a man, so it takes men's fitness needs into account", says Scan Gallagher, President of Pilates, Inc. The essence of the workout is yoga, with some calisthenics and stretching that increase your posture and flexibility. This translates into less lower back problems and improved athletic performance. So gentlemen, check it out...it pays to try something new!

POOL TIME

Which swimming stroke provides the best overall workout?
The Freestyle..."If you are a recreational swimmer, the freestyle is the stroke that you can perform longest and with the most intensity", says Emmett Hines, head coach of H2Ouston Swims. "Unless you are a really adept and efficient swimmer, you'll lack the skills to swim the other strokes at a high enough level to get a good workout". The freestyle stroke works a largest amount of muscle mass while improving aerobic fitness.

OIL DEBACLE!... in a frantic attempt to reduce the amounts of unhealthy trans-fats (food labels start carrying this info in January) - many product manufacturers are substituting Palm Oil for partially hydrogenated oils. Ah-Ha! New research from the University of Texas medical branch, Galveston, shows that these trans-fat alternatives may make you fat.

PUT THE BOIL TO IT!... weight lost in the tummy is always poised for a comeback. According to a Dutch study, GREEN TEA can help prevent you from regaining weight. For 3- months, researchers supplemented the diets of 76 people- each of whom had lost a significant amount of weight- with GREEN TEA or a placebo. The tea drinkers continued to lose weight, while the placebo group regained as much as 40%. Give credit to a compound called epigallocatechin (EGCG). When combined with caffeine, EGCG helps boost fat oxidation and resting metabolic rate, says Dr. Margriet Westerterp-Plantenga, PhD.

LET THE AIR OUT OF YOUR SPARE TIRE!... before it flattens you!... A study out of Boston University recently found that having a waist size of 40 inches or more, can double your risk of COLON CANCER.

SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE A NUT!... And when you do make it a WALNUT! Spanish researchers have discovered another reason why the Walnut deserves its recent FDA-approved heart-health claim: WALNUTS CAN HELP RECONDITION YOUR BLOOD VESSELS by making the lining of your circulatory system more pliable and less prone to cholesterol buildup. The net result, according to the researchers, is a projected 11% reduction in the risk of heart disease. Walnuts are a powerful source of OMEGA-3 acids, which improve membrane fluidity in all cells, and L-ARGININE, which is the precursor molecule of nitrous oxide, a vasodilator. The research recommends eating a handful every day...try them in trail mix, on salads or in oatmeal.

SWEET, SWEET THING!... High-Fructose corn syrup is tuff on your health. Honey, on the other hand may be heaven-sent, according to new research from the United Arab Emirates. In a two week study, people who ate 3 tablespoons of honey daily reduced several markers of cardiovascular disease. LDL cholesterol, triglycerides,and C-reactive protein. But, most surprisingly, eating honey may prevent diabetes, as researchers found that it also lowered blood-sugar levels by 6%. According to lead researcher, Noori Al-Waili, M.D. PhD, honey contains trace amounts of minerals, such as zinc and copper, which may help keep glucose metabolism and insulin levels in check. Honey also contains flavonoids, vitamins and other unidentified substances that make it more than just a source of energy.

DON'T LIGHT-UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS!... New York City was right!... Bars and cigarettes don't mix. Even a small amount of alcohol can increase the pleasurable effects of nicotine says Duke University researchers. Forty-eight smokers drank either booze or a placebo beverage and then lit up. Those who drank alcohol felt calmer and found their smokes more satisfying than those who had no hooch. Nicotine stimulates brain pleasure receptors and alcohol has shown to prolong the activation of those receptors. If you want to kick the ciggy's, lay off alcohol for the first few weeks, when nicotine withdrawal symtoms may be at their worst.

DON'T ABUSE THOSE MUSCLES!... You will see some guys in the gym targeting the same muscle groups several days in a row, but with different exercisies. Is that good? You will see a lot of bozo's in the gym! Don't copy them unless you check it out from a reliable source.

CORE POWER!... The middle of your body, your core, is the base of your athletic operations. The stronger it is, the better you perform. Serious strength requires well-conditioned abdominal and spinal structures...in addition... hip flexors, gluteals and hamstrings. So, don't forget your core exercises at least 2-3 times per week...each area...upper abs, lower abs & obliques. Get " GOOD TO THE CORE".

QUIT OGGLING!...In the short term, nonstop staring at your computer monitor will result in eyestrain. Long-term consequences are worse. If you are nearsighted, frequent, extended computer use can lead to glaucoma, a condition in which damage to the optic nerve causes vision loss. Japanese researchers evaluated myopic individuals who used their computers for 4 or more hours daily over a period of 10 to 20 years.

ZZZZZZZZZ"s...SECONDHAND SNORING?... more reason to fume at your nicotine friends...Secondhand smoke may cause snoring! When Swedish researchers analyzed more then 15,000 people, those with daily exposure to secondhand smoke snored a third more than their clean-breathing peers. The snoring may result from inflammation or toxic effects on nerves in the upper airways, say researchers. The side effect lessens if you avoid smoke, but barflies beware: Booze worsens snoring!

CUT THE CHEESE!...Don't like cottage cheese, but want to get the same weight- lose benefits...RIGHT-ON!...It's the CALCIUM in dairy products that's been linked to weight lose and you can pick it up from other dairy foods like...milk, yogurt, and other cheeses. Try string cheese- a single stick contains more CALCIUM than 1/2 cup of cottege cheese. ENJOY!