Oatmeal for Dinner & Weight Loss

Putting oatmeal on the dinner menu has the potential to enhance weight loss. Oatmeal is filling, it is packed with ingredients that fight hunger, and it's lower in calories than other whole grains you might normally have for dinner, such as brown rice. Whole grains in general, and oatmeal in particular, are also associated with long-term maintenance of a healthy weight.

Oatmeal contributes to calorie control at dinner time. Photo Credit Arx0nt/Moment/Getty Images.

Oatmeal for Dinner Controls Calories

As your daily activity increases, you burn more calories and strengthen your heart, muscles and bones, and even improve your mood. But a boost in activity doesn’t guarantee you’ll lose weight. If you continue to consume more calories than your body uses, you won’t lose any stored fat. Having oatmeal for dinner is a healthy way to limit calories, which is essential for any weight-loss diet.

One cup of cooked oatmeal only has 166 calories, so having a bowl for dinner makes it easier to control the number of calories consumed. It also has fewer calories than other whole grains. For example, you'll get 248 calories from a cup of cooked brown rice and 222 calories from the same portion of quinoa.

Oatmeal makes a great base for various toppings that provide a serving or two of fruits and vegetables. Top it with sliced bananas, peaches, apples, almonds and any type of antioxidant-rich berries. Or go savory and add mushrooms, sweet peppers, chopped spinach, tomatoes, or any other favorite veggie. If you want to cook the veggies, toss them in when you're boiling the oats. Another tasty mix combines oatmeal with mashed sweet potatoes, walnuts, vanilla, cinnamon and a small amount of maple syrup.

Whole-Grain Oatmeal Supports Weight Loss

Including whole grains, such as oatmeal, in a weight-loss plan, may improve your total weight loss. When experts from UCLA reviewed studies investigating the relationship of whole-grain intake with chronic disease and weight gain, they found that people who consumed three to five servings of whole grains daily had less weight gain over 8 to13 years than people who never or rarely ate whole grains, according to the Journal of Nutrition in 2012.

Beyond its role as a whole grain, oatmeal may have another advantage for weight loss. After learning that oats regulated metabolism in lab animals, researchers conducted a study using human subjects. One group was the control group, which received a placebo, while the second group consumed oat cereal. After 12 weeks, the oat-eating group lost more total body weight and abdominal fat than the control group, reported the March 2013 issue of Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. While the information is promising, this was a small study that only included 34 subjects, which means the results may not apply to everyone. More research is needed to verify the impact of oats alone on weight loss.

Weight Loss Benefits of Protein and Fiber

Oatmeal is a good source of two nutrients, protein and fiber, that make a difference to weight loss efforts. A cup of cooked oatmeal has about 6 grams of protein, which is about 12 percent of the daily value. The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs water and forms a gelatinous mass, which pushes against sensors in the stomach wall and sends the message that you’re full. Protein and fiber both work to slow down the rate at which food leaves your stomach and travels through the small intestine. As a result, they help you feel full for a longer period of time, which in turn, makes it easier to eat less. Soluble fiber may also delay an increase in the hunger-causing hormone ghrelin, according to Current Obesity Reports in 2012.

Protein and fiber also prevent spikes in blood sugar. As a result, less insulin is released into the bloodstream -- and that’s an important benefit when you’re trying to lose weight. Insulin is responsible for getting excess sugar out of the bloodstream. To accomplish the job, insulin tells the body to turn extra blood sugar into fat, then it also stops fat from being used for energy. Insulin has a "fat-sparing effect," which stimulates fat storage, notes Colorado State University.

Low-Energy Density Nutrients From Oatmeal

Energy density refers to the number of calories in a specific weight of food, which is usually expressed as calories per gram. Foods with fewer calories per gram, called low-energy density foods, have the distinct advantage of letting you eat more food while trying to lose weight. Water and fiber are the components that determine low-energy density, because they contribute bulk without adding calories. Since cooked oatmeal is nearly 84 percent water, and 1 cup of cooked oatmeal has only 165 calories and 4 grams of fiber, oatmeal is a filling, low-energy density food.

Cutting calories can put you at risk for not getting adequate nutrients. Diets that include exercise and fiber-rich, whole-grain cereals, such as oatmeal, increase the quality of overall nutritional intake, according to a report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2006. Oatmeal for dinner increases mineral intake, as it is a good source of iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc.

www.livestrong.com

Made by Hand Digital Download

THE WOODWORKING DESIGN COLLECTION -  ORDER NOW !

By Tom Fidgen

Format: Digital Download 

Learn the simplicity of using hand tools, while you build!

Traditional woodworking using hand tools can offer a more satisfying relationship with the wood and the creative woodworking process. It's quieter, cleaner and maybe even a little spiritual. It's no surprise that many "plugged-in" woodworkers are returning to the roots of this treasured skill. Where some hand-tool books focus solely on the use of hand tools, Made By Hand takes you right to the bench and shows you how to start building furniture using these tools. 

By working through the six projects in this book, you'll learn the basics of hand-tool woodworking and how to use the tools effectively and efficiently, then add joinery skills and design complexity. The accompanying DVD includes valuable insight into the tools themselves and a look at the techniques that make these tools work so well. 

If you're interested in hand tools, start here!

SKU	U3786
Author/Speaker/Editor	Tom Fidgen
File Type	PDF, MP4
Format	Digital Download

For further information log on website :

http://www.shopwoodworking.com/made-by-hand-u3786?source=igodigital

Build an Arts & Crafts Mantel Clock with Robert W. Lang (Video Download)

THE WOODWORKING DESIGN COLLECTION - ONLY 69 LEFT !

By Robert W. Lang

Format: Video Download 

Expand your skills while making a clock you’ll be proud to display. 

Though it was designed in 1895 by British architect and designer C. F. A. Voysey, this attractive mantel clock will look at home in just about any setting. And making it offers big rewards, both in the reaction the finished clock receives and in the skills you will develop along the way.

You'll learn expert techniques to:

• Do fine woodworking on a small scale
• Make tapers safely on the table saw
• Create small mouldings with a router table
• Use a shooting board for perfecting joints
• Use pre-made inlay piece

SKU	U8632
Author/Speaker/Editor	Robert W. Lang
File Type	MP4
Format	Video Download
Runtime	137 Minutes

For further information log on website :

http://www.shopwoodworking.com/digv-bldg-voysey-mantel-clock-dl?source=igodigital

How to Compare Junk Food to Healthy Food

Some things just scream junk food. You know double-stuffed chocolate cookies and the cheese puffs that stain your fingers orange aren't good for you. But it's not always so obvious to identify healthier foods. This takes a little investigative work. Comparing junk food to healthy food means reading and understanding nutrition labels, identifying ingredients and thinking about how foods are prepared.

A young man is reading a nutritional label. Photo Credit Minerva Studio/iStock/Getty Images.

Step 1

Read the nutrition label of a food from top to bottom.

Step 2

Look at the number of calories per serving and examine the number of calories from fat. Junk food usually provides a large number of calories per serving, with the majority of the calories coming from fat. Healthy food should be low in calories and especially low in calories from fat. On a 2,000 calorie diet, you should consume less than 65 grams of fat a day.

Step 3

Analyze the types of fat the food contains. Junk food is usually high in the bad types of fat -- trans and saturated. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1 percent of total trans fat from calories, or less than 2 grams of trans fat a day if you have daily diet with 2,000 calories. Less than 20 grams or 10 percent of your total calories should come from saturated fat. Healthy foods have little to no trans and saturated fats.

Step 4

Study the amount of cholesterol and sodium in the food. For a daily diet of 2,000 calories, you should consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol and 2,400 mg of sodium. The higher the numbers, the more likely it's junk food.

Step 5

Read the percent daily values of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and iron. These are good nutrients often absent or low in junk food -- less than 5 percent of the recommended daily value for that nutrient is considered low. For a food to be rich in the nutrient, it must provide at least 20 percent of the nutrient's recommended daily value.

Step 6

Consider the food's overall content of nutrients such as fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. A healthy food doesn't have to be high in all of these nutrients. An orange, for example, provides 130 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, but it only has 2 percent of the daily value of vitamin A and no iron. Some healthy foods provide a lot of one nutrient, while others provide smaller amounts of a variety of nutrients.

Step 7

Look up the sugar content and compare it to the food's ingredients list. Foods such as fruit have naturally occurring sugars, and naturally occurring sugars won't appear in an the ingredients list. Junk food often has a large amount of added sugar, which you will see listed under a variety of terms, including sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, maple syrup and fruit juice concentrate.

Step 8

Read the ingredients list. The order of ingredients in the list indicates how much is in the product. The first ingredient comparatively makes up most of the product, the second listed ingredient is the second most plentiful, and so on. If you see sugar, salt or fat as one of the first ingredients, it's one of the main ingredients in the food. Junk food is often high in all three.

Tips

• When you're eating out, consider how the food is cooked. Junk food is often fried or batter dipped. However, healthier options may be baked or grilled.
• Keep healthy food healthy by limiting what you add to it. A healthy salad becomes high in fat when drowned in salad dressing, for example. Pasta and veggies are great, but a creamy sauce poured on top is likely high in fat and sodium. Mayo, sour cream and cheese add even more calories and fat.

www.livestrong.com

Afternoon Running

While going for a brisk run anytime of day or night can be beneficial to your health, the time of day that you choose to go out for a jog may affect how your body performs. Scheduling your workout in the afternoon could be helping the quality of your run, based on a variety of physical and mental factors.

Two runners in the park on a sunny afternoon. Photo Credit George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images.

Body Temperature and Lung Function

Many of the functions that are vital to putting in a good run tend to peak at the same time each day. One of those fluctuations is in body temperature. Scientists have found that body temperature is at its lowest in the early hours of the morning and peaks in mid- to late-afternoon, according to a 2006 "Running Times" article. Athletes perform better when body temperature is higher, which is perhaps why many people find they run better later in the day.

Weather

While athletes perform better at a higher body temperature, it’s also important to keep in mind the temperature outside. When the temperature is more than 55 degrees Fahrenheit you’re going to run more slowly and feel worse than you would at lower temperatures, according to marathoning expert Jeff Galloway. Acclimating the body to running in the heat improves athletic performance. But for the more casual runner, the best time to run on a hot summer day is before sunrise, Galloway says. The outdoor temperature is at its lowest before sunrise and will therefore be much more comfortable for a run.

Diet

Running first thing in the morning on an empty stomach might be much more difficult than running later in the day because your energy stores are likely to be depleted overnight while sleeping. “This means the same level of exertion is likely to feel much harder at this time of day than later on,” according to "Running Times." Running in the afternoon may give you enough time to digest and get energy from your lunch. However, you might want to wait a few hours to run after eating a big lunch in order to avoid digestion trouble.

Mental Factors

Although late afternoon is considered the best time to run physically, it’s not necessarily the best time mentally for many people. Many of the runners interviewed for a "Running Times" article said that the hardest part about running after work was finding the motivation after a full day at the office. However, if you can get past the psychological aspects of being drained after a long work day, you may be surprised by how well you perform once the running shoes are on your feet.

www.livestrong.com

Healthy Food to Eat at Lunch

Fruit is a healthful snack and can satisfy your sweet tooth. Photo Credit fruit salad with mixed fruit close up image by DuÅ¡an Zidar from Fotolia.com

Even if you are the most committed dieter or health enthusiast, you may find it difficult to find a healthful meal for lunch, particularly if you are on the go. If you are trying to build lean muscle or lose weight, missing meals is counterproductive to your fitness goals. Skip the temptation to eat fast food for lunch and prepare a healthful lunch the night before.

Fresh Fruit and Greek 

Yogurt

Yogurt with blueberries and raspberries Photo Credit Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Wavebreak Media/Getty Images

If you find yourself craving sugar for lunch, you do not have to eat the high-calorie doughnuts or candy that may be waiting for you at work. A lunch of fresh fruit and Greek yogurt will satisfy your sweet tooth, but will not hinder your weight-management efforts. Fresh fruit is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Make sure to choose fresh fruit and not canned, which may be covered in a sugary syrup. Non-fat Greek yogurt is a healthful treat as well. In addition, Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt.

Vegetables and Hummus

Humus with olive oil Photo Credit Fudio/iStock/Getty Images

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends eating vegetables and hummus to help manage your weight. Like fruit, vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Vegetables also contain water and dietary fiber that can suppress your appetite and keep you full until dinner. Eat a variety of colorful vegetables. Hummus, generally made from chickpeas, is also very low in calories. If you do not like hummus, substitute another low or non-fat dip. This lunch idea is particularly low in fat and calories and ideal if weight loss is your primary goal.

Tuna Sandwich

Tuna fish sandwich Photo Credit HandmadePictures/iStock/Getty Images

The American Council on Exercise recommends canned tuna on its list of 10 low-calorie foods. Tuna is high in protein and has no carbohydrates or sugar and virtually no fat. Fat that comes from fish includes polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain bread that does not contain high-fructose corn syrup, which is associated with diabetes and can contribute to weight gain and obesity. If you add mayonnaise to your sandwich, pick low-fat mayonnaise made with canola or olive oil. These oils are sources of heart-healthy, unsaturated fat. Add a side of fruit or vegetables to your healthful tuna sandwich for additional vitamins.

Healthy Snacks

Celery stick with peanut butter Photo Credit Jason Stitt/iStock/Getty Images

Many people ditch the breakfast, lunch and dinner concept and eat four to six smaller meals instead. Eating fewer calories more often can speed up your metabolism and ensure you are never so hungry that you binge on foods. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology lists lower-calorie snack ideas you can have for lunch or your afternoon break. Consider eating a 100 percent whole-grain pita with natural peanut butter, hummus and banana slices. Or try celery sticks with natural peanut butter and a glass of soy milk. Choose whole-wheat crackers with fresh tomato slices, small pieces of grilled chicken, low-fat mozzarella cheese, sliced black olives and salsa. These snacks incorporate a lean protein and complex carbohydrates. At just four calories per gram, protein and complex carbohydrates are the ideal substitutes for high-calorie foods high in saturated fat and sugar.

www.livestrong.com

Aging of wood under long-term storage in a salt environment

SPRINGERLINK

Wood Science and Technology
First online: 11 May 2016

• J. Tintner
• , E. Smidt 
• , J. Tieben
• , H. Reschreiter
• , K. Kowarik
• , M. Grabner

10.1007/s00226-016-0830-4

Abstract

Aging of archeological wood in a salt environment was assessed in Hallstatt, Upper Austria, where Bronze Age wooden findings of the archeological salt mining site were compared with recent wood samples from the same site. Three species (Picea abies, Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica) were investigated. Recent samples covered all main geological units within the salt valley. FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine differences in wood chemistry. Principal component analysis was used to display the segregation of the data set according to the different factors and to give a measure of the strength of the effects. Results revealed that deacetylation processes took place at the wood material. The aging process affects wood chemistry significantly stronger than differences in earlywood and latewood. Together these two factors accounted for 80 % of data variability. As a third factor, the tree species segregated the data set. Geological differences in the sampling sites were not mirrored in the FTIR spectra.

Introduction

Organic matter usually undergoes a rapid transformation process in our environment. Depending on the recalcitrance of the molecules, mineralization and humification take place within days to few years after exposure. Several conditions can inhibit these processes and lead to subfossil materials. Dry (deserts), cold (ice, permafrost) and wet (groundwater, lake sediments, bogs and moors) conditions are favorable to keep good preservation, but also salt or some metal oxides can prevent aging processes (Jacomet and Kreuz 1999). Archeological wood samples found in marine sediments are, for example, the wrecks of the Swedish “Wasa” (Rowell and Barbour 1990 —sank in 1628 and salvaged in the harbor of Stockholm 1961—the English “Mary Rose”—sank in 1545 and salvaged 1982—or the two Russian frigates St. Mikael and St. Nikolai—sank in 1747 and 1790 and salvaged in the Gulf of Finland (Reunanen et al. 1989, 1990).

The salt mine in Hallstatt, Upper Austria, housed prehistoric mining activities during the Bronze Age (1500–1100 BC) and the Early Iron Age (850–350 BC). Due to a geological disaster, both mines were filled with material. Huge amounts of soil, stones and whole trees liquidated the mining activities. Since that time, all organic material was covered by salt-rich clay. Since the nineteenth century, the prehistoric mines have been studied and therefore excavated. The high amount of organic findings gives reason for the high value of the archeological site of Hallstatt. Very rare insights into prehistoric life are possible due to textiles, wood handicrafts, leather, excrements and other findings, which usually are rotted and decomposed in other sites (Kern et al. 2009; Reschreiter 2013). In the salt environment, microbial activity can be seen as negligible (Sorokin et al. 2013). The good preservation of the findings regarding shape and even colors suggests that no aging process at all has taken place. Among the organic findings in Hallstatt, wood plays a special role due to the high number of wood pieces and the good status of preservation (Grabner et al. 2010). The latter allows dating by dendrochronology. Up to now, no study assessed the chemistry of these wood findings.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a proven method to assess wood and its main compounds lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose (Costa e Silva et al. 1999; Meder et al. 1999; Pandey 1999), but also other wood compounds. Attenuated total reflection (ATR) is a special technique which allows to measure surfaces directly and point by point. It combines two advantages. Influences due to sample preparation with milling are avoided (Schwanninger et al. 2004), and earlywood can be measured separately if it is large enough (Mohebby 2008; Müller et al. 2009).

It was the target of this study to reveal the influence of a salt environment over a period of 3500 years on wood chemistry. Better knowledge of wood preservation or degradation under special environmental conditions can complement archeological findings and support data interpretation. In order to clearly detect changes due to aging, other effects such as differences in earlywood and latewood and the tree species (Emandi et al. 2011) or heterogeneity of the geological underground and differences in the orographic origin (Rana et al. 2008) were taken into account.

Materials and Methods

Recent and prehistoric wood samples were taken in Hallstatt, Upper Austria. Altogether, 120 wood cores were measured. The heterogeneity of the geological situation in the salt valley of Hallstatt was covered by wood samples of trees grown on all important geological zones which are limestone, depleted Haselgebirge and a mixture of both (Mandl et al. 2012). Haselgebirge is the predominant breccia rock of the salt deposit in Hallstatt, containing mainly chlorides, clay, gypsum and carbonates. Depleted Haselgebirge is the cover material at the top, where rainwater leached mainly chlorides and gypsum. Furthermore, trees from different orographic origin were sampled (650 and about 1000 m asl.).

Only earlywood was measured from Picea abies and Abies alba. Both prehistoric and recent samples of Fagus sylvatica had such narrow tree rings that it was not possible to measure earlywood-like tissue separately. Therefore, 18 samples of prehistoric and recent samples of Picea abies with narrow tree rings were chosen and additionally measured at the whole ring to quantify this effect.

Sixty-eight cores from living Picea abies, 32 from living Abies alba and 20 from living Fagus sylvatica as well as 39 cores from archeological findings were analyzed (Table 1). Recent core samples were taken by random sampling of living trees on the respective geological underground. Cores with 5.5 mm diameter were taken using usual forestry increment borers, dried at room temperature, and polished on one side. Prehistoric samples were taken from inside the archeological mining site with the help of a machine-driven hollow corer. All findings were introduced into the mine either by Bronze Age men as mine timber or during a mass movement together with debris. In both cases, one can be quite sure that wood came locally from the high valley of the salt mine as the transport of huge logs would have been very complicated. Drilling cores with 7 mm diameter were taken, dried at room temperature, and polished on one side. Storage conditions in the mine can be described as follows: The wood was embedded in mass movement material. This material consists of partly depleted Haselgebirge with water contents between 10 and 15 % DM. The wood was stored under wet conditions with a saturated salt solution in its pores. The salt consists of 95 % NaCl. The solution features a pH slightly above 7. Other inorganic compounds play only a subordinate role.

For further details log on website :

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00226-016-0830-4/fulltext.html

Why Is Reading Food Labels Important?

All packaged foods come with a nutrition label meant to provide you with the information necessary to know exactly what you're eating. Understanding what's in the foods you eat helps you make healthier choices. Checking food labels also makes it easy for you to compare the nutrient content of different options. A healthy diet is crucial throughout your lifetime and paying attention to nutrition labels is a good step toward improving your overall diet.

A woman reading a food label in the grocery aisle. Photo Credit Cathy Yeulet/Hemera/Getty Images.

Provides Key Information

The nutrition label provides key information such as serving size, calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, protein, carbohydrate and vitamin content. The label also contains a list of the ingredients. This information helps you stay on track with your daily targets. It also helps you avoid certain ingredients if you have a food intolerance or are following a diet that excludes certain components, such as dairy.

Helps You Cut Back

Typically, Americans consume too much salt, saturated fat and added sugar. Checking nutrition labels so that you know what and how much you're eating plays a central role in being able to cut back on your intake. It's recommended that you cut back your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day and your intake of added sugar and saturated fat to no more than 5 to 15 percent of your daily calories, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Check food labels for guidance as to how to reach your goal of cutting back on these components.

Helps You Improve Your Diet

Despite a wide variety of available nutritious foods, many Americans fail to eat recommended amounts of key nutrients. For example, it's recommended that you increase your intake of dietary fiber. Aim to get 25 grams of fiber if you're female and 38 grams if you're male, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Checking food labels for the fiber content plays a role in helping you increase your intake. For instance, not all brown breads contain rich amounts of fiber, and some manufacturers use coloring to make bread look healthier, so it's crucial to read the label.

Getting the Most Out of Food Labels

It's crucial to determine your nutrition goals first, so that you can make the best use out of food labels. For example, if you're overweight, comparing the calorie content of various options allows you to choose a low-calorie, nutritious item to stay within your daily calorie goals. The information on serving size is particularly important since the nutrient information listed on a label is often for more than one serving. Another example is if you have a chronic condition. For instance, if you have high blood pressure, it's crucial to pay attention to the sodium content.

www.livestrong.com

Muscles Engaged While Walking

Walking is one of the easiest cardio exercises you can do, and it’s an exercise that comes loaded with health and fitness benefits. As well as helping you maintain a healthy cardiovascular and respiratory system, walking keeps many important muscle groups working, key muscles that you use every day. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. Engaging your muscles with a regular walk every day will contribute to your weekly exercise target, and it will also reduce your chances of suffering pulls and strains.

A simple walk engages many key muscle groups. Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images.

Pushing Off

As you walk forward, you move your thighs and hips backward. This movement engages the gluteus muscles in your butt and a number of key muscles in your hamstrings, which are located at the back of your thighs. These muscles include your semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris. This walking forward motion also engages one other small muscle located at the top of your inner thigh, which is your adductor magnus.

Walking Ahead

The second motion involved in walking is the action of moving your legs forward. This action engages all the major muscles in your thigh, including your quadriceps. These muscles are located in the front of your thighs, and this is also where another major muscle is engaged, your sartorius. This is the longest muscle in your body, and it stretches down from the top of your thigh, curving inside your thigh, ending at the inside part of your knee. The point where your hips and thighs meet will also get a workout, and the muscles engaged here include your iliopsoas, tensor fasciae latae, pectineus, and adductor longus and brevis.

Finding Your Stride

As your feet hit the floor, normally with a heel-to-toe movement, your calves interact with your ankles to allow each foot to be pulled back on forth. This part of your walk will engage your gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, and tibialis posterior and anterior muscles. Your flexor hallucis posterior and flexor digitorum longus muscles, thin muscles that help you to curl your toes, are activated here too. Also engaged when moving your feet and ankles are your extensor digitorum longus and hallucis longus muscles, which extend down from your knee on the front of your shin.

Strong Back and Sides

Walking will cause you to move from side to side as you shift your weight from one leg to the other, and this action engages your hips, abs, waist and the muscles that support your back and general spine area. The specific muscles used are the oblique muscles in your sides, which handle how you twist and flex your trunk. Also used are the quadratus lumborum and multifidus muscles, which do the same job, supporting your lower back. Your abs will also be engaged, as will the large group of muscles sitting on either side of your spine called the erector spinae.

www.livestrong.com

What Makes Up a Healthy Lifestyle?

Finding a way to relax and relieve stress must be a regular part of a healthy lifestyle. Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images

Healthy diet, regular sleep, daily activity, and a moderate approach to life’s stressful moments will all lead you in the right direction to a healthy lifestyle. Avoiding unhealthy habits that promote excess, such as smoking and drinking alcohol, will leave more room in your days for self-fulfilling practices. Pursuing a healthy lifestyle offers instant gratification as well, and increases your chances for longevity.

Good Nutrition

Consistent, proper daily nutrition contributes to signs of health. Photo Credit Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images

People who practice a healthy lifestyle look their best; they have a clear skin and a healthy weight. Consistent, proper daily nutrition contributes to these signs of health. Getting the vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein that your body needs within limited calories supports the optimal growth and maintenance of skin, organ, muscle and bone tissue. Restricting your intake of trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol keeps your weight down and your cardiovascular system working efficiently. Choose healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados and nuts. These products contain omega-3 fatty acids that can help prevent heart disease, dementia and even improve your mood, according to Helpguide.org. To preserve your nutritional levels, choose a variety of foods from each of the grain, vegetable, fruit, dairy and protein food groups every day.

Quality Sleep

Mental and physical activity takes a toll on your body, which uses sleep time to rebuild energy stores and repair cellular damage. Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images

Mental and physical activity takes a toll on your body, which uses sleep time to rebuild energy stores and repair cellular damage. People who are active but have erratic sleep patterns may suffer short-term trouble with concentration or weight gain, or long-term harm from a weakened immune system. Ideal sleep habits include relaxation before bed, a set bedtime, and between seven to nine hours of sleep nightly. Getting enough sleep allows you to perform well in work or school, take part in healthy lifestyle activities and improve your overall quality of life according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Daily Exercise

The overall body benefits of regular exercise include a better chance at a longer, more mobile life. Photo Credit Kane Skennar/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Putting physical stress on your muscles and bones also gives your heart and lungs a workout. The overall body benefits of regular exercise include a better chance at a longer, more mobile life. Get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on most days; this reduces your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and falls that result in broken bones, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling and sports play also contribute to stress reduction.

Healthy Outlets for Stress

Your body’s stress response can interfere with a healthy lifestyle. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that relieving stress can help prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and depression. You may be tempted to release tension by smoking or eating junk foods that compromise your equilibrium. Manage your stress before it gets out of hand by including relaxation techniques in your daily or weekly regimen. Take time out regularly to stretch, soak in a tub or spend time with friends or family. Avoiding the accumulation of stress hormones can prevent back pain, depression and high blood pressure.

www.livestrong.com