Issue 10 - August 6, 2009

In This Issue:

• Don't Forget to Stretch

• Healthy Grilling Tips

• Agave - A New Healthy Sweetener?

• Fit Tips

Don't Forget to Stretch

Many people don't include stretching as a part of their fitness program, but stretching should be a part of any fitness program. Stretching increases flexibility, and increased flexibility will help you comfortably and fluidly perform life's daily activities and help reduce the risk of muscle, joint and tendon injuries.

Stretching can also often alleviate low back pain. Muscle tightness in the quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors and low back muscles is a common cause of low back pain. Stretching these muscles will often eliminate the pain.

Stretching is like any other type of exercise - it needs to be performed correctly in order to be beneficial. Visit the Proper Stretching Techniques page for tips on how to ensure that you're performing your stretches properly and maximizing the benefits of stretching.

Healthy Grilling Tips

Meat and poultry taste better when they're grilled, but grilling can produce carcinogens called HCAs. HCAs are produced from the natural amino acids in meat and poultry when they're cooked at high temperatures. While any form of cooking can produce HCAs, grills can reach such high temperatures compared to other forms of cooking that there’s a greater risk of HCAs associated with grilling.

Here are some tips for healthier grilling:

• Marinate your meat and poultry. Marinating cuts production of HCAs by up to 90%.

• Make kabobs. Small pieces of meat and poultry create fewer HCAs than large pieces.

• Precook meat and poultry in the oven and finish on the grill for that BBQ taste.

• Flip your meat and poultry frequently.

• Cook poultry with the skin on and then discard the skin before eating.

Agave - A New Healthy Sweetener?

Agave (ah-gah-vay) nectar is all the rage in sweeteners these days. It's four times sweeter than white sugar, so a little goes a long way.

Agave comes from Agave tequilana, the source of tequila. The plant's juicy sap is turned into syrupy nectar. The light syrups have virtually no taste, and darker varieties have a maple-like flavor.

Agave has a low glycemic index because it's 75% fructose. Agave might just be a healthier alternative to other sweeteners.

Fit Tips

• 2+ is the number of daily alcoholic drinks that may increase your risk of developing pancreatic cancer, compared with zero alcohol consumption.

• 15% is the percentage endurance boost you get when working out to music.

• In one particular study, dieters lost 22% more weight, 61% more body fat, and 81% more belly fat by eating three daily servings of low-fat yogurt.