Your Health and Your WeightWritten by Susan Rutter
Healthy Living Through The Ages! Like a good friend, a good attitude towards fitness and nutrition doesn't abandon us as we age. It matures right along with us, evolving as our lives change. That means we don't have to give up activities or foods we love based on number of birthdays we've celebrated. "Research suggests that half drop in function assumed to be linked to aging is now thought to be related to inactivity," says Elizabeth Ready, an exercise physiologist and associate dean of education and recreation at University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. So healthy, active women can continue to pursue challenging physical activity even into old age. Still, a certain amount of common sense is in order. What was demanding and fulfilling in our 20s, for example may be too time-consuming in our 30s and 40s, too extreme in our 50s and just downright foolish in our 60s. Our nutritional needs also evolve as we age, says Rosie Schwartz, a registered dietician/nutritionist in Toronto. "What is considered a healthy diet for a 25- year-old woman in her peak reproductive years will be different than that of a 60-year-old at increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease." And women of all ages need to ensure that they're getting enough of female-friendly nutrients -- calcium, folate, iron and zinc -- that are essential for maintaining a woman's health throughout her life. Read on to discover how tweaking your fitness and nutritional goals can keep you looking good and feeling great at any age! Health Concerns: This is time to establish healthy lifestyle habits that will help prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and other diseases later in life, says "Dr. Miriam Kaufman, a specialist in adolescent health at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Proper nutrition, exercise and sleep are also first steps in managing stress and anxiety. This is a time of life, too, when mental health can be at risk -- major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and substance-abuse disorders have their onset at this age. Kaufman recommends that even healthiest young person visit a family doctor once a year. Fitness Goals: Our bodies are in peak form in our 20s, so now is time to expand aerobic capacity and sample some new sports. Since you're less likely to have financial constraints, children and a mortgage in your 20s, you may want to indulge in active vacations and invest in good-quality sports equipment. Suggested Activities: Team sports or rugged individual pursuits such as rock climbing and mountain biking, as well as high-impact activities such as jogging and aerobics, will help build strong bones for future. Nutritional Goals: No matter how energetic you are, late nights and skipped meals can take their toll and nutritional shortfalls each up with you, says Schwartz. Make sure you're getting enough iron - 18 milligrams per day -- since too little can lead to iron deficiency anemia, most common nutritional deficiency in Canadian women. As well, health experts recommend that all women of child-bearing age take 0.4 milligrams of folic acid (folate) daily at least three months before conception to help reduce chances of birth defects such as spina bifida. Studies have shown that folate may also help reduce risk of heart disease and cervical cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight also safeguards your ability to conceive, since being too heavy or too thin interferes with ovulation. And a health weight ha a major impact on your health later in life, helping to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes and high blood pressure. Healthy Living Through The Ages in 30s! Health Concerns: After age of 35, your body begins to exhibit first stage of aging, says Helen Perrault, an exercise physiologist and chair of McGill University physical education department in Montreal. Bone mass has reached it's peak, and endurance and muscle mass are starting to decline. Muscle loos in sedentary individuals can be as much as half a pound a year. Loss of muscle mass causes body to burn fewer calories daily, which can slow down metabolism by as much as two percent per decade, says Perrault. That, combined with lack of exercise, child-bearing and a busy work schedule, can have a nasty effect on weight. With women trying to juggle family and workaday demands, high levels of anxiety and stress are also a concern during this decade. Fitness Goals: Motherhood and fitness can be uneasy partners, according to a 1999 study at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis which found that physical activity dropped 14 percent after women had children. With time at a premium, traditional exercise programs may be too difficult to follow, says Robin Mech, a fitness co-ordinator at MacMab Street YWCA in Hamilton. Mech recommends trying two 15-minute workouts instead of one 30-minute workout. "You'll keep your fitness level up, and it'll be easier to fit them into your schedule," she says. Mech also recommends being flexible and what kind of exercise you pursue. For example, take stairs every chance you get and do bicep curls with milk/grocery bag while waiting in line at grocery store. Suggested Activities: Try activities such as jogging, walking or cycling, which can be performed close to home and involve a minimum of scheduling. Bicycle, walk or in-line skate when you're doing local errands or visiting friends in neighborhood. It may be easier to try to exercise as a family, cycling or hiking together, than to search for those elusive 30 minutes of private time. Nutrition Goals: These are time-crunch years, says Schwartz, and healthy meals can fall by wayside as work deadlines and kids'after-school schedules get in way. However, taking time to eat properly can help counteract effects of stress.
| | 5 Tips to Better Clothes ShoppingWritten by Barbara Myers
Shopping can be a pleasure or a chore. However you look at it, use these five tips to save money and look your best.1. Dress well. In order to spend less and buy wisely, dress up in comfortable clothes. It's same concept as going to grocery store on a full stomach. 2. Shop with a plan. Know exactly what you need and how much you can spend. Write it down. Create a budget. 3. Keep an ongoing list of needs in your closet. As you dress each morning, note items needed to better complete outfits.
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