Barley For Breakfast

Oatmeal gets most of the attention concerning a nutritious breakfast. However, many do not realize that barley may be a better choice.

40 grams of dry oatmeal gets you about 4 grams of dietary fiber, while the same amount of dry hulled barley gets you a whopping 7.5 grams of dietary fiber.

Barley is also an excellent source of selenium, which is a powerful cancer fighter. Selenium also helps prevent heart disease.

Barley is also an excellent source of copper. Copper

• helps your body absorb and use iron to synthesize hemoglobin
• helps to maintain the integrity of myelin - the covering of nerve cells
• is needed for the maturation of collagen
• is needed for the formation of elastin and bone development
• is used in a number of enzymes required for energy production.

The various forms of barley are

• Hulled Barley - This form is truly a whole grain and the most nutritious form of barley. Only the outermost hull of the grain is removed. This form also required soaking and more cooking time.
• Pearl Barley - The outermost hull is polished off, and the grain's bran layer and perhaps some of the inner endosperm layer may be removed during processing. This makes this form less nutritious than the hulled form.
• Barley Flakes - the grain is flattened and sliced, and appears similar to rolled oats. The nutrition content can vary depending on how it is process and whether it is made from hulled or pearl barley.

Hulled barley should be cooked for about 90 minutes, while pearl barley requires about 1 hour of cooking. What I usually do is place the barley in boiling water, and then turn off the heat and cover. I let the barley soak in the hot water overnight. The next morning, I cook the soaked barley for about 20 to 30 minutes and serve hot.

For one serving, use 1/4 cups of dry hulled barley. Soak in 1 to 1 1/4 cups of boiling water overnight - turn off heat and cover for overnight soaking. The next morning, cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. Add salt to taste. I also add 1/4 teaspoons of cinnamon, and a drop of vanilla. I then add the cooked barley to 1 chopped banana, 1/4 cups of raisins and 1/4 cups of chopped walnuts in a cereal bowl.

Barley is more chewier than oatmeal. However, I enjoy the taste, and it gives me a hearty and nutritious breakfast.

For more information on Barley see http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=127

For oatmeal information and recipes see http://www.exercise-to-a-healthier-life.com/free-recipes-oatmeal.html

Charles

Americans Take Fewer Steps Each Day

Study results from the University of Tennessee have shown that Americans fewer steps each day than people from Australia, Switzerland and Japan.

Interestingly, study results also show that 34% of Americans are obese, compared with 16% in Australia, 8% in Switzerlan and 3% in Japan. Being more physically active by walking does have a major impact on our health. In another study by the Pennisngton Biomedical Research Center found that those who walk 10000 steps each day reduce their odds of developing cardiovascular disease rish factors by 72%. This is compared to those who walk less than 5000 steps each day.

We can increase our steps per day by taking more walking trips.

• Get your own coffee or water rather than asking someone else to get it for you.


• Walk to lunch or the store


• Walk to soccer practice


• Use stairs rather than an elevator or escalator


• Keep the TV remote on the other side of the room


• Use a push rather than riding lawn mower


• Hand deliver messages rather than using the phone or email

Click on " Walking 10000 Steps Per Day " for more information on the benefits of walking.

Also check out the " 10000 Steps Each Day " T Shirts.

Charles

Exercise Diet and Dementia

A presentation at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference at Honolulu, suggest that physical activity, tea, Vitamin D and Walnuts may reduce dementia risk in older adults.

Long term studies, according to the presentation, have shown that people who routinely perform moderate to heavy levels of physical activity had about a 40% lower risk of developing any type of dementia. Those reporting the lowest levels of physical activity were 45% more likely to develop any type of dementia.

The presentation also reported that people who consume tea at a variety of levels had significantly less cognitive decline by 17 to 37%.

It was also reported that "the odds of cognitive impairment were about 42% higher in those who were deficient in vitamin D, and 394% higher in people who were severely deficient."

Studies with mice have shown that there may be a protective effect of walnuts on cognitive abilities. Alzheimer's mice on a 6 to 9% walnut diet showed significant improvement in learning, memory and motor coordination.

Exercise-To-A Healthier-Life.com

Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet from WebMD

" Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet " by Kathleen Zelman of WebMD is a good summary of the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet combined with physical activity.

Recent studies have shown that the Mediterranean Diet provides thousands of micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help protect against cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. The fiber in this diet also slows down digestion, which prevents wild swings in blood sugar, reduces insulin resistance and improves insulin sensitivity, according to the article.

You can increase life expectancy and your health that by not smoking, eating a Mediterranean type of diet, drinking alcohol in moderation and doing 30 minutes of daily, moderate exercise.

Exercise-To-A-Healthier-Life.com

Brain Energy Restored by Sleep

In an article published by PsychCentral titled "Sleep Restores Brain Energy", it is reported that research conducted at the Harvard Medical School shows the energy levels in the brain are dramatically recharged in the initial stages of sleep.

The researchers measured a chemical that is responsible for energy transfer in cells called adenosine triphosphate or ATP. They found that ATP levels in certain areas of the brain increased when rats were in non-REM sleep as brain activity decreased. When the rats were awake, ATP levels remained steady. When the rats were kept awake 3 to 6 hours past their normal sleep times, there was no increase in ATP.

This shows that a sleep dependent energy capacity surge is necessary for restorative processes absent during hours of wakeful activity.

Exercise-To-A-Healthier-Life.com

New Gender Specific Formula for Peak Heart Rate

According to a report published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, women have a new formula that estimates the peak heart rate that a healthy woman should attain during exercise.

Previously, both men and women used the formula, 220 minus age, for the peak heart rate that should be obtained during exercise. Now the formula for women is 206 minus 88 percent of age. In comparison, the original formula gave a peak heart rate of 170 for 50 year olds. The new formula gives a peak heart rate of 162 for 50 year old women.

The peak heart rate becomes important when using the chronotropic index. Studies have shown that men who score less than 0.8 on the chronotropic index have a higher risk of dying prematurely. However, this study assumed that the peak heart rate is 220 minus age. It has been found that this assumption made the prediction of premature death less useful for women. The new formula for peak heart rate may improve the prediction of the chronotropic index for women.

Exercise-To-A-Healthier-Life.com

Breathing

Christy Matta published an excellent article on Breathing Exercises that calm the body at PsychCentral titled "Exercises to Calm The Body." Following are two additional views on the importance of breathing.

"The Complete Book of Pilates For Men" by Daniel Lyon, Jr.

"This brings us to the principle of breathing, which Joseph Pilates emphasized a great deal. 'Above all else learn how to breathe properly. Squeeze every atom of air from your lungs until they are almost as free of air as is a vacuum,' he wrote. But first, a caution: When drawing your navel to the spine during an exercise, sucking in your stomach in such a way that makes you hold your breath will only weaken your powerhouse. Do not hollow out your midsection. Instead, hold the abdominals in so that the stomach doesn't expand on the inhale but rather remains firm and - depending on your girth and powerhouse strength - hourglass-shaped at the waistline. Think of lying on the floor and tightening up your stomach because someone is about to stand on it. This will help you fully breathe into the sides and back of the ribcage while maintaining a strongly engaged powerhouse. Keep your stomach firm on the exhale as you pull your navel to the spine. Anything that hinders your breathing, such as sucking in your gut, will consequently slow or stop your movement. "

"Joyful Wisdom" by Yongey Mingyur

"Begin by sitting with your spine straight and body relaxed. If it's more comfortable, you can lie down. You can keep your eyes open or closed. Just breathe in and out naturally through your nose. And as you do, gently bring your attention to the changes in your body as you breathe, especially the expansion and contraction of your lungs and the rising and falling of the muscles in the abdominal region. Don't worry about concentrating too hard, thinking 'I've got to watch my breath...I've got to watch my breath.' Just let your mind rest in bare awareness of the changes occurring as you breathe in and out. Don't worry, either, if you find your mind wandering as you continue the exercise - that is simply another lesson in impermanence. If you find yourself thinking about something that happened yesterday, or daydreaming about tomorrow, gently bring your attention back to the changes in the body as you breathe. Continue this exercise for about a minute."

Exercise-To-A-Healthier-Life.com