Why Supplement

---

Americans are some of the most overfed and yet undernourished people on the planet, and it shows. The United States ranks 40th in the developed world for life expectancy even though we spend far more per person on health care than any other country. A new study from the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine says that the life-expectancy gap between the US and other developed countries is only getting larger. Shocked? We should be!

Proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle plays an important role in helping prevent many major diseases (like heart disease, diabetes and even cancer), but getting proper nutrition in our modern world can be a challenge.
Let's take a look:

•	Our bodies cannot produce many of the nutrients we need, so they must be found in the food we eat and the supplements we take every day. Additionally, if the food we are eating is lacking nutrients, then supplementing can really be beneficial in staying healthy.
•	Most people say that they eat well, but research shows that 80 percent of Americans are not eating enough servings of fruits and vegetables.i We are also not getting enough Omega- 3 oils (EPA/DHA), antioxidants, B vitamins or a host of other nutrients our bodies need.
•	The nutritional content of our food has changed. A 2004 study of common crops showed a decline in the nutrient content between 6 and 38 percent over the past 50 years.ii
•	The amount of processed food that we eat has been on a steady climb ever since the invention of the refrigerator. Today, most of us eat more processed food than non-processed food. Convenience has become more prized than quality.
•	Our high stress and fast paced lives increases our needs for nutrients, especially the B vitamins.
•	The world is a much more toxic place than it used to be. Our bodies are exposed to more pollutants and under more oxidative stress than ever before. We need optimum nutrition in order to help our bodies battle these stresses.

None of us are perfect, there are days when you might eat well, but then days when you don't. A multivitamin, along with other key nutritional supplements can be the insurance policy you are looking for to fill in those nutritional gaps that may leave us vulnerable.

i	Krebs-Smith SM, Guenther PM, Subar AF, Kirkpatrick SI, Dodd KW. Americans do not meet federal dietary recommendations. J Nutr. 2010;140:1832–1838.
ii	Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82. PMID: 15637215.

Health Tip: Keep Active by Walking

Even if you're overweight

(HealthDay News) -- Walking is a great form of exercise, especially for people who are overweight and don't particularly like to do pushups or jumping jacks.
The Weight-control Information Network offers these suggestions for people who are overweight and want to begin a walking program:

• To begin, walk for five minutes each day. The second week, walk for eight minutes at a time.
• When you feel comfortable, increase your walks to 11 minutes each.
• Over time, slowly increase the duration of your walks, giving your heart, lungs and legs a good workout.
• Buy a pair of comfortable walking shoes that offer good support. Be sure to replace shoes when they show signs of wear.
• Make your exercise more fun by walking around a shopping mall or park, or by taking a friend with you.

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay .  All rights reserved.

HealthDayNews articles are derived from various sources and do not reflect federal policy. healthfinder.gov does not endorse opinions, products, or services that may appear in news stories. For more information on health topics in the news, visit Health News on healthfinder.gov.

Healthy Seasonal Tips from Dr. Jamie McManus

Posted by Dr. Jamie McManus on Jan 11, 2013 in Health

You might have heard (or noticed by way of your empty school or workplace) that this year’s flu season is off to a bad start. How bad? Reports are that this flu season is the worst we’ve seen in about 10 years. The flu is so bad this year that Bostonhas declared a public health emergency. You can also take a look at the flu tracker from Google, which lets you compare previous years to this one and shows the dramatic increase in people with flu this year (with no end in sight).
Having the flu is no fun, but there are ways to avoid getting it in the first place:

• Wash Your Hands: Despite all the high-tech wizardry we have, the best protection is still the simplest: wash your hands. The problem isn’t with what you get on your hands, it’s when you move your hands to your face. Estimates are that most people touch their face somewhere between 5 and 20 times every hour. That means whatever is on a doorknob, sink, desk, or the person’s hand you just shook is going to make it to your nose, mouth, or eye. Once there, it is a short trip until you are sick.
• Cover Your Nose and Mouth: When you cough and sneeze make sure you cover your nose and mouth. Throw away tissues after you use them.
• Be Healthy: Your body can better handle a bug if you are healthy. This means getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy, drinking plenty of fluids, and exercising.
• Boost Your Immune System: I like to include lots of garlic and onions in my food during flu season. Onions and garlic have long been used for their healing properties and they are a tasty addition to any meal (especially soups). There are many other herbs and nutrients that can also help support your immune system; make sure you get enough of them as well.

With a little planning you could make it through this flu season in your best health.

Jamie McManus, M.D., FAAFP
Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Science, & Education

Smart Hydration for Better Workouts

Did you know the human body is made up of 60% water? Physiologically, fluids assist in the transportation of oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream, provide lubrication in our joints and cushioning for our organs, and carry heat generated by exercise to the skin where it can be dissipated as sweat to cool the body. An adult loses about 2 liters of fluid per day through sweat, urine, respiration, and bowel movements, and that's why we often make the recommendation to drink eight glasses of water daily for proper hydration.

---

But as individuals, we all have different metabolic rates, we all live and exercise in different environments, and we all experience unique rates of sweat loss. Failure to replace lost fluids raises the risk of dehydration and increases the chance athletic performance and even health can be compromised. In addition to water, sweat contains electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that need to be replenished to support optimal fluid balance in the body.  Consider these hydration strategies to help get the most out of your workouts: PREHYDRATION is a relatively new concept, but the goal is to prevent dehydration from occurring by properly hydrating and assuring normal plasma-electrolyte levels prior to exercise. Prehydrating can be accomplished by drinking water or sports drinks, and by consuming foods with a high water content several hours before exercise. Most of us can benefit by drinking two to three cups of fluid in the hours before exercise. HYDRATION during exercise helps to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances and to minimize adverse effects on athletic and mental performance. Losing as little as 2% of body weight (or just 3 pounds in a 150-pound person) during exercise has been shown to compromise athletic performance. Drinking cool liquids early and often, and opting for sports drinks that contain electrolytes and energy-sustaining carbohydrates can be beneficial. In hot and humid conditions, you should drink half a cup or more of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes that you exercise. REHYDRATION after exercise is important to enhance the recovery process and to make up any remaining fluid or electrolyte deficits. In the hours after exercise, try to rehydrate with 2 cups of fluid (yes, 2 cups!) for every pound of weight lost during your workout. If weighing yourself is not an option, checking your urine color is a simple indicator of hydration status. A pale or clear color is usually a sign of proper hydration, whereas a dark yellow or tea-colored urine is a common indicator of dehydration. So let's all get out and exercise—and drink up for peak athletic performance!