Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Hmmm...

Bad habits can age you by 12 years, study suggests

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, Ap Medical Writer – Mon Apr 26, 9:26 pm ET

CHICAGO – Four common bad habits combined — smoking, drinking too much, inactivity and poor diet — can age you by 12 years, sobering new research suggests.

The findings are from a study that tracked nearly 5,000 British adults for 20 years, and they highlight yet another reason to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Overall, 314 people studied had all four unhealthy behaviors. Among them, 91 died during the study, or 29 percent. Among the 387 healthiest people with none of the four habits, only 32 died, or about 8 percent.

The risky behaviors were: smoking tobacco; downing more than three alcoholic drinks per day for men and more than two daily for women; getting less than two hours of physical activity per week; and eating fruits and vegetables fewer than three times daily.

These habits combined substantially increased the risk of death and made people who engaged in them seem 12 years older than people in the healthiest group, said lead researcher Elisabeth Kvaavik of the University of Oslo.

The study appears in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine.

The healthiest group included never-smokers and those who had quit; teetotalers, women who had fewer than two drinks daily and men who had fewer than three; those who got at least two hours of physical activity weekly; and those who ate fruits and vegetables at least three times daily.

"You don't need to be extreme" to be in the healthy category, Kvaavik said. "These behaviors add up, so together it's quite good. It should be possible for most people to manage to do it."

For example, one carrot, one apple and a glass of orange juice would suffice for the fruit and vegetable cutoffs in the study, Kvaavik said, noting that the amounts are pretty modest and less strict than many guidelines.

The U.S. government generally recommends at least 4 cups of fruits or vegetables daily for adults, depending on age and activity level; and about 2 1/2 hours of exercise weekly.

Study participants were 4,886 British adults aged 18 and older, or 44 years old on average. They were randomly selected from participants in a separate nationwide British health survey. Study subjects were asked about various lifestyle habits only once, a potential limitation, but Kvaavik said those habits tend to be fairly stable in adulthood.

Death certificates were checked for the next 20 years. The most common causes of death included heart disease and cancer, both related to unhealthy lifestyles.

Kvaavik said her results are applicable to other westernized nations including the United States.

June Stevens, a University of North Carolina public health researcher, said the results are in line with previous studies that examined the combined effects of health-related habits on longevity.

The findings don't mean that everyone who maintains a healthy lifestyle will live longer than those who don't, but it will increase the odds, Stevens said.

Monday, April 19, 2010

We did it!




So a few days ago, my s.o. and I completed 5 days, by the book, on the 80/10/10 Diet. Now, keep in mind, I have been a vegetarian for 17 yrs (albeit not a very healthy one) and my s.o. is a huge meat eater. So we both experienced a lot of detox symptoms (but his gas smelled like fruit - I know, TMI) but we both started feeling better almost immediately.
On our 6th day, we did have sashimi, and we each had a bit of rice (I had very minimal). It wasn't as cathartic as I thought it would be. At night our big treat was to make a hot n sour soup. We did this from scratch and though it was cooked, it was so healthy and delicious.
Now, days later, we're still eating low fat raw vegan but a bit more loosely so. Miraculous!
Here's some piccys of our soup just cut up and then done and in bowls. ;)
When this becomes what you crave, you know you're getting healthier!

The 80/10/10 Diet



Here are our dinners from last week when my s.o. and I were doing the 80/10/10 Diet to a tee. We ate tons of fruit as it tells you to, but by dinner time, even though the big salad was a needed break, we could hardly finish them! I know they don't look that big in the photos, but keep in mind that the blue bowl is HUGE in reality and the brown wooden one is very large.
Just showing a visual! :P

Friday, April 16, 2010

SOS Posting from Yesterday

This is what I wrote yesterday when I had a stomach ache almost all day. Ugh, thanksfully I feel much better today.

Hi everyone. So I have read the 80/10/10 diet in pieces before, but this last time it really inspired me. I actually got my s.o. to agree to do it with me! So we are on Day 4 of the spring menu.
I have felt a lot of mood changes and feelings of detox, but overall I have felt that this is RIGHT.
The one issue I have today is that I've had a pretty bad stomach ache for a few hours. I don't think it's "my lady parts"; it feels like my stomach. I had 4 cups of OJ this morning and then a couple hrs later felt the stomach ache. I then had my banana/mango smoothie for lunch to see if it would help, but it didn't.
I took a decongestant pill first thing this morning, but I also took one yesterday and was fine. I know I shouldn't be ruining my detox with this pill, but my head and right ear have been very clogged for almost a week.
Anyway, if anyone has any advice or similar experiences, I'd appreciate it!
Thnx.
p.s. I'm drinking a lot of water now to see if that will help.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Day 1

I'm embarking on a five day journey (which will hopefully turn into a 7 day and then longer journey)! My s.o., my darling man, has agreed to do it with me which makes it a lot easier than I thought. We went to our local whole foods and bought pounds and pounds of fruit! It was kind of fun and a lot zanier seeming than I thought.
It's funny how if you step out of the norm just a little, people really notice.
Anyway, we're doing the 80/10/10 spring diet exactly. Let me emphasize here, I have woken up feeling miserable for at least a week. It fades, but I've also had a clogged ear for about 4 days that won't go away. I think that will work itself out naturally. But more importantly, yesterday I felt my worst, emotionally, mentally, and especially physically. The food I've been eating has taken a huge toll on my body, even though I've worked in some healthier choices. It hasn't been enough. So I am truly at my wits end on ALL FRONTS. I don't want to forget that when I start feeling better.
I know I will, and I know we're going to thrive on this diet. I'm a little nervous about sticking to it, particularly during my "snacky" times, but I know I can do it.
This morning on Day 1 I started out by eating a whole huge papaya! Cut into halves, de-seeded, and smothered with blended kiwi "sauce". I feel very full and hopeful.
As for my start photo, that last one is what I look like now, maybe even slightly more bloated. I'll update soon if I see/feel progress before Day 5.
Wish me luck!
p.s. If you haven't read Dr. Graham's 80/10/10 Diet, you really should. It really truly makes a shitload of sense. I kid you not. It is what has inspired me to do this!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

ok, so i might have a problem with bread

Does anyone else have these issues? I'm around baked goods all day and I'm fine. I love cupcakes, but meh, I can leave them alone. But bread, whole different story.
I made a beautiful huge salad today with raw carrot ginger dressing, raisins, and raw cashews. It was so pretty I wanted to take a photo but realized I was a bit late.
Well, I choose to eat...not the big luscious salad...but a little piece of old italian bread and then two slices of wheat toast with earth balance and a bit of strawberry jam. Why? Why? Why?
To think that having one little piece will quelch a craving is ridiculous. It only makes you want more. I used to buy/eat Ezekiel bread but my s.o. doesn't like it so I kind of just stopped. Now we really don't eat bread at home. We occasionally get sourdough loaves, but other than that, not much anymore.
Does anyone have any advice about this? Eat Eonly Ezekiel? Try to indulge just a little every now and then? Or cut it out 100%? Is this last option really an option?
Thanks!