Botanica West

© 2010-2012 Botanica West All Rights Reserved

• How Not to Watch Your Weight

  So many women are overweight or obese these days that a surprising number of them just don’t see a problem: a new study reveals that nearly 25 percent of overweight women mistakenly describe their weight as “normal.” Their views aren’t based on numbers on the scale, but on how they perceive themselves, say researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The researchers noted that more than half of reproductive-aged women in the United States are considered overweight or obese by body mass index (BMI) standards, and that 82 percent of African-American women and 75 percent of Mexican American women meet the criteria for being overweight or obese. The investigators analyzed data on more than 2,200 women 18 to 25 years old. In addition to BMI, they collected information from the women about their weight perceptions and weight-related behaviors such as dieting, skipping meals, smoking cigarettes, avoiding carbohydrates and exercise. The study was published in the December, 2010, issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  My take? Experts have suspected for some time that people look to their peers to determine what constitutes acceptable weight. The women in this new study may have drawn their perceptions of normal weight from the people they see around them, rather than any reliance on the scale, BMI or “ideal” height/weight charts. “Average” is not the same as “normal” or “healthy,” and we’re not going to make any progress against the obesity epidemic if individuals who are overweight or obese don’t see their size realistically.

  If you want to look to others for something, positive attitudes are a better alternative.

• Worried about Lung Cancer?

  Breathing properly is fundamental to good health, and you shouldn’t take your respiratory system for granted, especially if you live in a big city. In addition to prudent supplementation and a diet rich in beta-carotene and other antioxidants, simple lifestyle steps can help promote healthy lungs for a lifetime.

  1. Don’t smoke. Tobacco addiction is the single greatest cause of preventable illness, greatly increasing the risks of developing lung cancer and respiratory diseases.
  2. Get regular exercise. It helps promote healthy lung function and optimal oxygen delivery throughout the body.
  3. Practice deep breathing exercises to increase lung capacity, improve respiratory efficiency, and promote general relaxation.
  4. Maintain a normal weight. Excess pounds tax both the heart and lungs. If you’re overweight, you’re more likely to experience shortness of breath.
  5. Avoid exposure to environmental air pollutants. High ozone levels, smog, car exhaust, asbestos and metal dusts are unhealthy for lungs and can lead to lung disease. Use a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter to reduce exposure to smoke and smog, and wear a protective mask when you are in close proximity to lung irritants such as drywall dust or fiberglass insulation fibers.
  6. Limit exposure to toxic household cleaners. Chlorine bleach, petroleum distillates, ammonia, formaldehyde and nitrobenzene can harm the lungs. Use safer alternatives for cleaning such as baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar.

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2011-01-20 17:33:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• The Ultimate Laptop Workout So you make money with your laptop, right? Cool, the handy slim, rectangular circuit box puts bread on the table. It also keeps you in contact with love ones, that’s an enriching component to its repertoire. It may even get you laid, thank God for Craig’s List…you know what I’m......
• What Have We Done to our Women? [caption id="attachment_3762" align="alignleft" width="246" caption="Photo Courtesy Rodrigo Basuare"][/caption]Being a woman isn’t always an easy job. On top of taking care of kids, managing a household and working a full-time job there is great pressure to have a look that society finds acceptable. At times, women may not only feel the......
• Are You Overweight? That’s an easy question to answer, but the answer is often difficult to accept. The answer lies in your Body Mass Index (B.M.I.). BMI is a ratio of your weight to your height. It is calculated by multiplying your weight (in pounds) by 703, then dividing by your height (in......