Benefits of Pears

5 benefits of eating pears

by Kavita Devgan

Known as butter fruit world over, pears have a scrumptiously delicate flavor and melt in the mouth texture. But that’s not all that is good about this delicious fruit. Apparently it is one of the most unsung healthy fruits around - one that we must eat more of. I give you 5 solid reasons:

A lot of studies have shown that regular consumption of pears actually help get the bad cholesterol down and thus help keep a lid on coronary heart diseases. They are loaded with flavonoids that help our body do that effectively. In fact one pear can provide half the total (14mg) flavonoids we need to stay healthy, so if you have two every day, you are sorted. By the way pears contain no cholesterol, no sodium and are free from saturated fat. In fact they are a good source of potassium (119 mg), which again helps in lowering blood pressure - good news again for our hearts. What a tasty way to take care of our heart!

Pears are a great Vitamin C source, and C is an effective antioxidant which helps prevent free radical damage that pollution and eating too much junk food may lead to. Now by that i don’t mean you have a burger and then a pear and think there I am good! But pears are definitely good to keep our body’s immunity chugging along fine.

Talking of taste… really I don’t think I need to even talk about it…  there is no doubt that it is delightfully juicy and has a fabulous “melt in your mouth” texture . Did you know that it has a nickname “butter fruit” world over. That’s probably because levulose, the sweetest of all known sugars, is found much more in pears as compared to other fruits. They in fact have large amounts of natural fructose and glucose, making them a quick source of healthy energy. Diabetics too can also enjoy pears to satisfy their “sweet tooth. In fact as they re a good source of fibre they actually help prevent diabetes.

Now this one you have been waiting to hear I am sure… yes, besides all the above benefits pears are low in calories too, a medium size 100 gm pear provides just 60 calories and with it gives a good 3 grams of fibre. Even if you have a large year it’’l sill be just 100 calories and a whooping 5 grams of fibre. So it is a great weight loss tool and is perfect for snacking in this in between times.
 
Pears are a fibre rich fruit, plus as their skin is tender and not bitter, they are usually eaten whole - which adds extensively to its fibre content. Fibre as we all know keeps our digestion chugging along well, helps reduce cholesterol levels and heart disease. Besides now we also know for sure that most of the health benefits and nutrients of fruits are concentrated in and just underneath the skin. So that’s advantage pears again. Like apples, the antioxidant quercertin is found in the skin of pears, which may help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Bite in: Eat as is, or chop and toss into salads to add a sweet flavor, or have them stewed with spices for a fancy dessert. Or poach it in wine - get a double dose of antioxidants.

Winter Health Problems

Solved: Winter health problems

by femina

Photograph: Shutterstoock
The change in the weather brings about changes is our health too. Winters especially can be very cruel on a women’s health. From physical and psychological, winter can affect your overall health. Here are four of the most common, yet lesser known ill-effects of winter on our health, and simple ways to get over them.

Low immunityEver wondered why so many people around you fall sick just at the onset of winters? We always blame it on the weather and rightly so. Your body spends some time in getting used to the weather changes. And during this time your immunity will be low, making you prone to common cold and flu.
Battle it:
--> As simple as it sounds, keeping your hands clean can go a long way in keeping you healthy. Always keep a hand sanitizer in your bag and keep washing them whenever possible.
--> You may not feel thirsty due to the cold weather, but it is important that you keep your water intake in check. Being hydrated helps your system to flush out germs and toxins.

Low on energyFeeling more tired or lazy during winter is more than just psychological. We don’t have enough light hours in a day and since our bodies are programmed to sleep when it’s dark, the gloominess we see in the winter months makes our bodies lethargic.
Battle it:
--> Longer nights and shorter days mean that it is time for you to go early to bed and rise early too. Make the most of your morning energy and the sunlight. This is the best time to out for a walk, work your body up and also feed on some natural Vitamin D.
--> Have protein the morning and carbs in the evening and night to keep your energy levels in check throughout the day.
--> Do not push your body. It is essential that you take breaks and give it time to refresh and recharge. So if you are really feeling tired or sleepy, take a power nap.

Unexplained mood swingsStudies suggest that women experience extreme mood swings during the winter months, also dubbed as winter depression. This can be blamed on the reduced levels of serotonin due to longer nights and shorter days. Serotonin is the chemical responsible for keeping us in a good mood.
Battle it:
--> Indulge! Since serotonin is the natural mood booster, what we can do to tackle its deficiency is keep our bodies and moods happier with indulgences that make us happy. So coffee, cheese, chocolate, whatever it is that works for you - grab a bite!
--> Go for a walk in the morning sun for a few minutes and soak up the light. Your natural and best energy source will be sun light. This will help control the winter depression symptom.

Weight gainFeeling low on energy or feeling depressed will all lead you to eating more and reaching out for the wrong eats. Also, the holiday and party season will be incomplete without some sweet indulgences. And if you do not get out of your snug zone and do some physical activity, you are sure to put on some calories.
Battle it:
--> Once again, make sure to make full use of the morning sun light and your energy. Do some kind of physical activity so that you can live guilt free the entire day. If you have a fitness routine that you follow in the evening, move it to the morning for the winter months since you will not be left with enough energy to workout in the evening on most days.
--> Instead of coffee breaks in office, go on short walks break. It will also up your body’s temperature, keep you warm and shake you up from your lethargy.
--> Winter is also the best time to try out some outdoor activities. Play badminton or tennis, have some fun and get fitter too.

Stress is Good For You and How to Respond to it

Why Stress Is Good for You and How to Respond to It

By Catarina Andrade

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~Viktor Frankl

These days we can’t seem to get away from stress. We all feel it, and we all hate it. Even my sister’s two dogs are on a special diet for their stress-induced digestive issues, and I’m pretty sure they hate stress too.

Recently it hit me: Our relationship with stress is dysfunctional. No wonder we’re stuck in an anxiety-ridden existence!

Stress is Love

Stress has gotten a bad rep, but it serves an important function—it keeps us safe from danger. Closely linked to our ability to feel fear, stress enables us to be alert and respond to perceived threats in our environment.

When we perceive a threat, the amygdala in our brain sends a distress signal to our hypothalamus, which activates our sympathetic nervous system. This switches our body into “fight or flight” mode, triggering a series of physiological responses to help us get away from whatever is threatening us.

Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are released, and our heart rate and blood pressure increase. Our blood sugar levels rise to give us more energy, and our breath quickens. This sharpens our senses and gives us a temporary boost in energy, strength, and reaction times.

All of this happens in the name of increasing our chances of survival and keeping us alive. We wouldn’t be here as a species if we were not able to feel stress and react accordingly in dangerous situations.

Bottom line? Stress loves us and wants to keep us safe. We owe stress a big fat thank you wrapped up in an apology for bad-mouthing it all the time.

This realization was a tough pill to swallow. A few years ago burnout brought me down to my knees physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I blamed stress and hadn’t quite forgiven it for all the suffering it caused me.

The truth? Stress wasn’t to blame. If I had properly acknowledged it, seen the red flags, and reacted sooner then maybe I never would have burned out in the first place.

This was hard to accept, but it was also incredibly empowering.

The Timing Problem

Historically, being able to pick up on external stressors such as predators and fighting, hiding, or running away was a matter of life and death. The problem is that what stresses most of us these days is very different from what used to stress our ancestors, yet our bodies respond to these stressors similarly.

In other words, our bodies overreact to stressors that aren’t life-threatening. This includes internal stressors like negative thoughts and external stressors like deadlines or, in my case, toddler tantrums.

It’s a timing issue. We live in a modern time where we experience stress 24/7, but we’re armed with a primitive stress response with which to cope. This stress response is activated so frequently that our bodily functions and stress hormones rarely have a chance to return to normal levels.

If fighting or sprinting away from deadlines, relatives, bills, responsibilities, toddlers, and traffic police was a socially acceptable way to deal with our daily stressors then we’d be all set. In most cases though, running away, hiding, or fighting makes matters worse.

And so we get stuck—bombarded by stressors and experiencing the physiological symptoms of stress that we’re biologically programmed to experience, yet unable to cope by responding how we’ve historically responded.

It is this prolonged stress that has a negative effect on our health and our life. Long-term effects can include disrupted sleep, a compromised immune system, poor digestive function, increased abdominal fat, blood pressure changes, brain fog, low mood, sugar cravings, inflammation, and chronic pain to name a few.

I’ve experienced most of these and they aren’t pretty. The hardest part was clawing my way out of bed every morning because I was so wiped out and exhausted down to my core.

No wonder I hated stress! 

Reset Your Relationship With Stress

When it finally hit me that stress comes from a place of love and protection, I decided once and for all to mend my dysfunctional relationship with stress.

I’m now convinced that our relationship to stress is one relationship we can’t afford not to heal. Our health, happiness, and sanity are riding on it.

Here are three steps you can take to reset your toxic relationship with stress and restore its rightful place as your ally.

1. Shift your stress mindset.

Stop badmouthing stress and blaming it for ruining in your life. It’s not an external evil force out to get you, so show it a little bit of respect. To get it on your side, you need to first believe that it is on your side and that you are in control.

Believing that stress has my best interests in mind, I now ask myself: What is my experience of stress right now trying to tell me?

For me, it is often a signal that I have taken on too many things at once and need to slow down. Or, that I have been prioritizing everyone else and haven’t been taking good enough care of myself.

2. Mend your relationship to stress.

Instead of judging stress, start making more of an effort to get to know your stress response. Like any supportive relationship that is based on trust and mutual respect, the first step is to listen. Pay attention and get curious:

• How does your unique experience of stress feel?

• What are your triggers?

• Where does stress show up in your life?

I experience stress as back, neck, and shoulder pain, coupled with a tightening sensation in my stomach that is often accompanied by digestive issues.

Some of my triggers include work deadlines, the travel hustle (scrambling to get a million things done before a trip), sleep deprivation, the deadly combination of gluten and dairy, my email inbox, feeling rushed, and having to get my son into his car seat.

3. Change how you engage with stress.

Learn how to de-escalate your stress response. Most of us don’t know how because we weren’t taught. It’s as simple as learning a few new skills to put to use when you feel stress getting the best of you, and committing to actually using them.

Mother nature wouldn’t have given us a highly sensitive stress response if we didn’t need it. She also wouldn’t have done so without equipping us with simple ways to switch it off. Breathing, laughter,meditation, and changing our internal dialogue are a few examples of this.

We’ve become so busy in our lives that we’ve lost touch with this and turned stress into the enemy. This is disempowering because we’re actually in control of our mind and body, so we’re in control of our experience of stress.

I use different techniques to switch off my stress response depending on the stress trigger I’m facing, how desperate I am, and where I am. Some are more conducive to being done in public than others. I recently did an eleven-minute kundalini meditation with my arms up in the air on an airplane, but many would find that awkward!

When it’s a person causing me to get flustered—like my toddler when he is in tantrum mode—I’ve found that it’s important to stay present, connected, and “be cool.” In these instances I choose techniques that don’t involve closing my eyes or doing anything outwardly visible or obvious with my body.

For example, I’m currently loving silently repeating the phrase “all is well” in my head when I feel my stress levels escalating, and combining this with belly breathing.

First, I bring awareness to my breath. Breathing from my nose, I consciously start to slow down and deepen my breath, making sure that my abdomen is also expanding out (on the inhale) and contracting in (on the exhale) with every breath. Placing my hand on my belly helps.

Then, I begin to repeat the phrase “all is well” in my head as I inhale, and repeat it again as I exhale. As I do this, I retain my awareness on my breath and on the movement of my abdomen. I keep repeating this phrase and breathing pattern for a minute, or longer if necessary.

Slowing down my breath connects me with the present moment and automatically turns off my body’s stress response. Repeating “all is well” reshapes my thoughts and signals to my mind that I am safe, also switching my body out of “fight or flight” mode.

Basically, I’m assuring myself that there is no predator in the room, so it’s okay to relax!

Artificial Sweeteners will Never Satisfy Your Cravings!

Why artificial sweeteners will NEVER satisfy your cravings: The brain 'desires sugar's calories - NOT its sweetness'

• Artificial sweeteners still leave people craving sugar, scientists revealed
• That's because the brain craves sugar's calories, not sweetness
• A study found the brain responds to taste and calories in different ways
• Sugar satisfies the area that deals with nutritional value, not taste
• Humans have a sweet tooth to ensure we eat enough calories, study said

By LISA RYAN

Many people assume replacing sugar with artificial sweetener can satisfy their cravings.

But after having a coffee or biscuit with artificial sweetener, they still feel a desire for a sugary treat.

That’s because the brain’s hankering for sugar is deeper than just sweetness, scientists revealed.

The brain responds to taste and calorie counts in ‘fundamentally different ways.’

And it is the brain’s yearning for calories – not sweetness – that dominates a person’s sugar cravings, according to a new study from Yale University.

Thus, those who resolved to crack down on sugar this New Year may still find themselves craving for a cupcake or chocolate.

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Replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners won't satisfy a person's sugar cravings, scientists revealed. That's because sugar activates the part of the brain relating to calorie intake, not taste

Senior study author Dr Ivan de Araujo, of the John B. Pierce Laboratory, said: ‘It turns out the brain actually has two segregated sets of neurons to process sweetness and energy signals.

‘If the brain is given the choice between pleasant taste and no energy, or unpleasant taste and energy, the brain picks energy.’

Sweet taste and nutrient value both register in the striatum – which is the ancient region of the brain involved in processing rewards.

Humans developed a sweet tooth as a way to ensure that we eat enough.

If we get enough calories, then we are able to give our large brains enough energy to operate at peak efficiency.

The scientists in the study examined the brains of mice.

They found that signals for taste and nutrients are actually processed in two separate areas of the striatum – the ventral and dorsal.

Signals that indicate the value of taste are processed in the ventral striatum.

Meanwhile, signals for nutritional value are processed in the dorsal striatum.

The scientists found the dorsal striatum remained responsive to energy – even when calories fed to mice were paired with adversive taste.

They then investigated which signal had more control over eating behavior.

The mice that were fed both sugar with sweet taste but no calories – or sugar that contained calories but was altered to taste horribly – preferred the sugar with energy.

Humans developed a sweet tooth over time as a way to ensure that we get enough calories. Scientists gave mice the option of eating something sweet but with no calories or high in calories but tasting poorly - and the mice picked the higher calorie option

And, when he neurons in dorsal striatum were activated by a light technique called optogenetics, mice also ate ‘copious amounts’ of bad-tasting sugar.

Dr de Araujo said: ‘The sugar-responsive circuitry in the brain is therefore hardwired to prioritize calorie seeking over taste quality.’

The scientists hope the findings lead to the development of new strategies to curb excess sugar intake.

The study was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. 

Water Needed by Your Body to Lose Weight

Here’s How Much Water Your Body Needs To Lose Weight

Water is life, and clean water is health. – Audrey Hepburn

Well, Ms. Hepburn was certainly right.

Water is an important element for so many different reasons. Let’s start with us: we’re made up of about 50-75% water depending on body composition. Water is responsible for a multitude of different body functions – regulating body temperature, carrying oxygen and nutrients to the cells, dissolving minerals and nutrients, aiding digestion, protecting body organs and tissues, lubricating joints, among others.

Oh, and it increases metabolism. Just in case you wanted to know if aqua can help lose some stubborn pounds – the answer is a resounding “YES!”

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, drinking 17 ounces of water increases metabolic rate by 30% in healthy men and women. The maximum effect was reached 30-40 minutes after the subjects drank.

Let’s look at another study that highlights water’s weight loss properties. Researchers from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom conducted a 12-week experiment in which 84 obese adults was given basic weight loss advice and assigned to one of two groups. The first group was instructed to drink about 16 ounces of water a half an hour before their meals, while the second group asked to quickly imagine their stomachs full before each meal. At its conclusion, the experiment revealed that the first group loss three pounds more than the second.

This is much-welcomed news to those who have a desire to lose a few pounds (dang near everyone), but we should be drinking an adequate amount of water – from six to ten cups daily – regardless. Before we delve further into the relationship between water intake and weight loss, let’s briefly list H2O’s other health benefits:

–  Helps keep us alert

–  Prevents headaches

–  Boosts cognitive abilities

–  Protects our heart

If you are indeed among the multitudes that is seeking to lose a few pounds, proper hydration needs to be a key factor. Aside from nourishing the body before, during and after any physical activity, we should be tracking our water intake throughout the day. This is very important, as the proper amount of water consumption can assure our metabolism is operating at capacity while suppressing the desire to overeat.

We’re going to provide the formula for calculating optimal water intake as well as a basic, numerical breakdown to serve as a quick point of reference.

Please note: it’s not necessary to be exacting in your water intake. Simply be as accurate as possible within reason. Although, if you feel better busting out the water beaker, feel free! Measuring cups could be beneficial, however.

FIRST, HERE ARE THE FORMULA STEPS AND A QUICK EXPLANATION ON WHY YOU NEED THIS MUCH WATER TO EFFECTIVELY LOSE WEIGHT:

STEP 1: GET YOUR WEIGHT

Obviously, it’s important to have an accurate number depicting weight in determining optimal water consumption. This is necessary since, as the pounds or kilograms increase, water intake will increase accordingly.

If the numbers on the scale show a decimal, round down if it is a .4 or lower; round up if it is a .5 or higher. If using an analog scale, get the most accurate reading possible

(Example: 200.4 pounds = 200 pounds. 200.5 is rounded to 201, etc.)

STEP 2: DIVIDE YOUR WEIGHT IN HALF

If this number includes a decimal, simply round up. The resulting number is our required water intake in ounces.

(Example: 201 pounds/ 2= 100.5, which is rounded to 101 ounces.)

STEP 3: DETERMINE ACTIVITY LEVEL

The level to which we physically exert ourselves has a direct correlation with our water intake. As we exercise or perform anything strenuous, our bodies will naturally expel water, which means this must be compensated for.

For every 30 minutes of exercise add 16 ounces.

STEP 4: CALCULATE WATER INTAKE

Simply add the numbers derived in steps 2 and 3.

Here’s an example of what the resulting calculation should look like:

1. Weight: 201 pounds
2. 201/2 = 101 ounces (rounded)
3. 30 minutes of exercise daily = 16 ounces
4. 101 ounces + 16 ounces = 117 ounces (or about 10 12-ounce glasses of water)

HERE’S HOW MUCH WATER YOUR BODY NEEDS TO LOSE WEIGHT:

Weight                       Intake             # of 12-ounce servings

80 lbs.                        40 oz.             3

90 lbs.                        45 oz.             4

100 lbs.                      50 oz.             4

110 lbs.                      55 oz.              5

120 lbs.                      60 oz.             5

130 lbs.                      65 lbs.            5-6

140 lbs.                      70 oz.             6

150 lbs.                      75 oz.              6

160 lbs.                      80 oz.             7

170 lbs.                      85 oz.              7

180 lbs.                      90 oz.             8

190 lbs.                      95 oz.             8

200 lbs.                      100 oz.          8-9

210 lbs.                      105 oz.           9

220 lbs.                      110 oz.           9

230 lbs.                      115 oz.           10

240 lbs.                      120 oz.           10

250 lbs.                      125 oz.           10-11

Here are a couple helpful pointers to help achieve our water intake:

1. Drink two 8 ounce cups of water before every meal. This adds up to 48 ounces.

2. When getting up in the morning and before going to bed, drink one 16 ounce glass to get another 32 ounces.

(Side note: if having to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom is a concern, drink this additional serving in the morning instead.)

In simply following these two tips, we’ll get 80 ounces of our water intake. This should make it much simpler to reach our daily goal!

Lazy Ways to Be Healthy

15 Lazy Ways to Be Healthier

If you’re searching for ways to be healthier without trying, it’s a matter of making small changes in your environment. If you had to take 3 flights of stairs for some M&Ms but veggie snacks were right in front of you, the lazy person would choose the healthy snack that was closer, right?

Think about your own habits and the small changes that you can make to put a healthy option in front of you rather than an unhealthy option; then, you’ll be able to get healthier without really trying.

HERE ARE 15 WAYS TO BE HEALTHIER (WITHOUT ANY REAL EFFORT):

1. COOK MORE AND FREEZE THE EXTRAS

While you’re busy making dinner, triple your recipe and freeze 2 full meals for the next time you are craving fast food or don’t have the energy to cook a healthy meal. This can also serve as a lazy way to lose weight, because you won’t have to cook for a few nights, and the food will be much healthier than what you could get at a restaurant.

2. SLEEP IN YOUR WORKOUT CLOTHES

Want to workout in the morning but find it hard to get moving? When you wake up wearing your gym shorts and sports bra, you’ll be more likely to slip on your sneakers and get going, making it one of the best lazy ways to lose weight.

3. TELL PEOPLE YOU ARE GOING TO THE GYM

The more people who know about it, for example on social media, the more people you will feel accountable to. You don’t want to let them down or have them call you a liar so you are more likely to follow through on your commitment. You don’t really have to do much extra for this to work, making it a lazy way to lose weight without really trying.

4. PARK FARTHER AWAY

Just a couple parking spaces further from the door will give you extra steps every day. That little bit of extra walking adds up over time, making it one of the easiest lazy ways to lose weight. We could suggest the same for stairs, but after all, if you’re reading this you might be a little lazy.

5. SLEEP MORE

One of the lazy ways to lose weight without trying is to sleep more. Get at least 7 hours per night to stay healthy; but not more than 8 hours per night. Researchers have shown that both too little and too much sleep are risk factors for obesity.

6. FLEX WHILE YOU SIT

Another one of the lazy ways to lose weight fast is to squeeze different muscle groups while you sit at your desk or watch TV. Squeeze your buttocks and hold for a count of 8, release and squeeze again. You can repeat this for your thighs, abs, etc.

7. EAT WITH YOUR NON-DOMINANT HAND

Eat with your left hand if you are right-handed. Another option for easy ways to get healthier, it will slow down the speed that you are able to put food in your mouth. Slowing your rate of eating can help you to feel full faster. Hopefully the extra time will lead you to stop eating before you clean your plate.

8. PICTURE SOMETHING GROSS ON WHATEVER YOU’RE CRAVING

Craving movie popcorn? Imagine a roach crawling over that buttery stuff and you might just change your mind about that craving. See, you can find ways to be healthier without trying, even if those methods seem a bit strange at first.

9. FIDGET

Even tiny movements can add up to big results over time, and plus, these are easy, lazy ways to lose weight. Fidgeting is better than sitting still when it comes to calorie burning. Constant, low-level activity over a long duration is like endurance training on a tiny level.

10. EAT OFF OF BLUE PLATES

There are very few foods that we naturally eat that are blue in color. Our brains are programmed to associate certain colors with food and appetite than others. Green, red, yellow, orange and brown are more common food colors and these are more likely to trigger our salivary glands and food desires than blue.

11. STOP EATING WHEN YOU ARE NO LONGER HUNGRY, NOT WHEN YOU’RE FULL

After a Thanksgiving meal you feel so full that you can hardly think about pie. Clearly you should stop eating before you feel that level of overly full. Think about your hunger on a sliding scale from haven’t eaten anything for 2 days to after a Thanksgiving meal. Instead of stopping when you are full, stop eating when you are no longer hungry; a very simple action, but nonetheless, an easy way to get healthier.

12. EAT THE SAME THING FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Have you ever noticed how you eat much more food at a buffet than you would at home? The more variety we have in our diet, the more we tend to eat. Make your meals boring and you’ll want them less. For example, restrict yourself to soup only for lunches all week; it might take some getting used to, but it is still an easy way to get healthier.

13. EAT OFF OF SMALLER PLATES

If you went to an antique store for dinner plates you would see that the size of our dinner plates has grown in the last 50 years or so. What we would call a salad plate today was the size of a normal dinner plate at in the 1950’s. The same is true for coffee cups, bowls and even glassware.

14. GO HIGH TECH

Technology is supposed to make our lives easier so enlist the help of some apps on your phone to keep you on track. You can find apps for healthy eating, physical activity, and personal health and wellness as well apps to help with mental and emotional health. Set up push notifications for reminders to get active or stay on track with your diet. This requires little work on your part, making it a truly lazy way to lose weight fast.

Wearable digital technology like the Fitbit increases your awareness of your activity level as well as other measurements of your health like heart rate. One study found that the more game-like fitness technology was, the more likely someone was to use it regularly. Find a device that you can have fun with and let it do the work of a personal fitness assistant for you.

15. BLAME SOMETHING ELSE, NOT YOUR LACK OF MOTIVATION

In a study of reasons why people might not exercise, those who gave reasons that were external, like a car breaking down or the gym not being open were more likely to exercise than those who blamed their own lack of energy or motivation.

It seems that if you don’t consider yourself too lazy to work out, you are more likely to make the effort. Change your attitude about exercise, and you’ll find this is one of the best ways to improve your health.

Key to Losing Weight -- Seeing yourself as a healthy eater!

You eat what you ARE: Seeing yourself as a healthy eater 'is key to losing weight'

• The 'self as doer' approach leads to better eating habits, a study found
• Some participants were asked to imagine themselves as healthy eaters
• Those people ended up developing healthier eating habits
• But, participants not given 'self as doer' instructions had no diet change

By LISA RYAN

New Year, new you – or so the saying goes.

But this New Year, it turns out ‘changing your identity’ could be the key to weight loss.

For when it comes to dieting, transforming the way you see yourself is key, experts said.

If you start thinking of yourself as a ‘healthy eater,’ your eating habits will change as well, a new study found.

Scientists from Winona State University determined the ‘self as doer’ concept was useful in changing people’s eating habits.

The finding presents a new approach to encourage people to make better diet choices.

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Thinking of yourself as a healthy eater will cause you to develop healthier eating habits, scientists revealed. That's because the 'self as doer' approach can inspire people to change their behaviors

The study authors said: ‘The more one identified with a particular role, the more likely one is to participate in role-related behaviors.

‘It stands to reason that the very process of conceptualizing the self as a “healthy eater” brings about greater identification with this role.’

The team of researchers attempted to influence the eating habits of 124 women as part of the study.

Each of the women were provided with information about portion sizes.

They were also asked to create food diaries for the six-week study.

The women were split into three groups: one that was provided with standard educational information about nutrition, another that was treated as a ‘control’ and one that was asked to create six identity statements.

Those statements took on the form of ‘identities’ that stemmed from the participants healthy eating goals.

For instance, those who wanted to eat more fruit were encouraged to think of themselves as ‘fruit eaters’.

Those who wanted to make better drink choices were encouraged to think of themselves as ‘less soda drinkers'.

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At the end of the study, women assigned 'self as doer' tasks had one portion more per day of healthy food than those in control groups

The study found that the ‘self as doer’ approach works.

The women in that group maintained their healthy-eating habits over the course of the study.

However, women in the other two groups ended up eating less healthy food as the study progressed.

Yet, women in the ‘self as doer’ group had one portion more each day of healthy food than those in the other groups.

Furthermore, the women in the ‘self as doer’ group gave the researchers positive feedback.

The authors said: ‘They reported how the exercise of thinking of themselves as “doers” motivated them to make different health behavior choices… [even] in situations where the imagined healthy choice was not preferred.’

The study was published in the journal Self and Identity. 

Eating Fat Could Save Lives

How eating fat could SAVE one million lives: Adding nuts, seeds and tofu to diets 'prevents early death from heart disease'

• Eating polyunsaturated fats can prevent heart disease deaths, study found
• These fats are found in soybeans, fatty fishes, tofu, seeds, nuts and more
• Polyunsaturated fats reduce bad cholesterol levels - and prevent disease 
• Scientists say heart disease deaths stem from too much saturated fats
• Global policies should work to boost polyunsaturated fat intake, they say

By LISA RYAN

It’s often said that fatty foods can be detrimental to heart health.

And yet, scientists revealed certain fats can actually prevent heart disease.

Eating healthier fats could save more than one million people worldwide from dying prematurely of heart disease, according to a new study from the American Heart Association.

The study revealed, for the first time, that global heart disease burdens can be attributed to insufficient intake of polyunsaturated fats.

Study author Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, said: ‘Worldwide, policymakers are focused on reducing saturated fats.

‘Yet, we found there would be a much bigger impact on heart disease deaths if the priority was to increase the consumption of polyunsaturated fats as a replacement for saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, as well as to reduce trans fats.’

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Eating healthier fats could save more than one million people worldwide from dying of heart disease, scientists revealed. Worldwide, most heart disease deaths can be attributed to excessive intake of carbohydrates and saturated fats, as opposed to polyunsaturated fats, the study found

Polyunsaturated fats help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood.

That, in turn, can lower the risks of heart disease and stroke.

Furthermore, oils that are rich in polyunsaturated fats provide essential fats that the body needs – including long chain fatty acids.

Polyunsaturated fats can be found in foods including soybeans, corn and sunflower oils, tofu, nuts and seeds.

They are also contained it fatty fishes, such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout.

The study sought to estimate the number of annual deaths related to various patterns of fat consumption.

The team of scientists used 2010 data from 186 countries.

They estimated worldwide that 711,900 heat disease deaths stemmed from eating too little healthy omega-6 polyunsaturated fats as a replacement for saturated fats and refined carbohydrates.

Those accounted for 10.3 per cent of total global heart disease deaths.

ABOUT POLYUNSATURATED FATS

Polyunsaturated fats reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood.

They can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

And, oils rich in polyunsaturated fats provide essential fats that the body needs - including long chain fatty acids.

These fats are contained in:

• Soybeans
• Corn and sunflower oils
• Tofu
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Fatty fishes 

Comparatively, only 250,900 of heart disease deaths occurred because of excess consumption of saturated fats instead of healthier vegetable oils.

Saturated fats can be found in meat, cheese and fat dairy products, in addition to palm and coconut oils.

The study also found that 537,200 deaths – representing 7.7 per cent of global heart disease deaths – came as a result of excess consumption of trans fats.

Trans fats are contained in processed, baked and fried goods – as well as cooking fats in certain countries.

The study also compared data from 1990 to 2010.

The researchers found that the proportion of heart disease deaths due to insufficient omega-6 polyunsaturated fat declined nine per cent.

Due to that, they also saw that high saturated fats decreased by 21 per cent.

On the other hand, however, deaths because of high consumption of trans fats great up four per cent.

Dr Mozaffarian said: ‘People think of trans fats as being only a rich country problem due to packaged and fast-food products.

‘But, in middle and low income nations such as India and in the Middle East, there is wide use of inexpensive, partially hydrogenated cooking fats in the home and by street vendors.

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Scientists recommend global leaders implement policies to increase peoples' intake of polyunsaturated fats, which can be found in fatty fish (including salmon, pictured), soybeans, corn and sunflower oils, tofu and more

‘Because of strong policies, trans fat-related deaths are going down in Western nations (although still remaining important in the United States and Canada).

‘But in many low- and middle-income countries, trans fat-related deaths appear to be going up, making this a global problem.’

The study found that nations in the former Soviet Union – especially Ukraine – had the highest rates of heart-disease deaths because of low polyunsaturated fat consumption.

Yet, tropical nations – including the Philippines and Malaysia – had the highest rates of heart-disease deaths from excess saturated fat consumption.

Dr Mozaffarian said: ‘These findings should be of great interest to both the public and policy makers around the world, helping countries to set their nutirtion priorities to combat the global epidemic of heart disease.’

The study was published in JAHA: Journal of the American Heart Association.