Issue 1 - November 9, 2008

In This Issue:

• Can You Be Fit and Fat?

• Top 15 Foods to Reduce Cancer Risk

• Fit Tips

Can You Be Fit and Fat?

A study from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York found that overweight people who exercised were metabolically healthier than thinner people who didn't exercise. Measures of poor metabolic health included high blood pressure, elevated levels of trigycerides and blood sugar, insulin resistance and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.

The three most important risk factors for poor metabolic health are age, physical inactivity and waist circumference. The study found that physically active people had smaller waist circumferences, regardless of overall body fat. The study also found that people of normal weight with large waist circumferences were particularly at risk for poor metabolic health.

The study concluded that many people of normal weight are metabolically unhealthy because they don't exercise. Conversely, many overweight people who are physically active are relatively metabolically healthy.

Top 15 Foods to Reduce Cancer Risk

Here are the top 15 foods that studies have shown reduce the risk of various types of cancer.

1. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale
2. Garlic, onions, shallots and leeks
3. Brightly colored sweet bell peppers and chili peppers
4. Sweet potatoes
5. Carrots
6. Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, strawberries and blackberries
7. Grapes
8. Apples
9. Citrus fruits
10. Tomatoes
11. Extra virgin olive oil
12. Beans such as black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans and lentils
13. Nuts such as almonds, walnuts and cashews
14. Whole grain breads and cereals
15. Soy products such as tofu and soy milk

Fit Tips

• If weight lifting is not part of your weight loss program, it should be. Building more lean muscle mass will increase your metabolism, which will cause your body to burn more calories to maintain itself.

• One way to lose weight is to use the stairs instead of the elevator. Just adding two flights of stairs to your normal physical activity each day could lead to a weight loss of several pounds in one year.

• Tea has several health benefits because it contains antioxidants. Tea brewed from tea bags or loose leaves contains more active antioxidants than instant or bottled tea. Adding milk to tea interferes with the health effects of the antioxidants.