May 8th, 2010 by admin

STEP ONE: Your Healthy Diet

Instead of ”three squares,” try eating three small meals and three snacks daily. Frequent small meals keep your blood sugar stable and avoid energy highs and lows. As you plan your meals and snacks, include a mix of these healthy foods:

• Lean sources of protein – most women do not eat enough!
• Legumes (lentils and beans)
• Foods with soy protein (soy nuts, soy milk, or tofu)
• Raw and leafy vegetables and fresh fruit
• Low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt
• Whole grain bread, cereal, and pasta
• Fish with Omega-3 fatty acids (tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines, salmon, shellfish)

Foods to avoid include salty lunch meat, sausage, bacon, high-fat cheeses such as brie, white bread, cake, cookies, jam, honey, molasses, high-salt snacks like potato chips, caffeinated drinks, coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol.

STEP TWO: Get Physical!
Moderate exercise is great for overall fitness and helps reduce stress. Exercise raises HDL (”good cholesterol”) and reduces triglycerides (fats) in the blood. It builds strong bones, increases heart and lung capacity, and reduces fluid retention. It also causes the release of endorphins, nature’s mood elevators, and increases oxygen and blood flow to muscles, reducing tension. Research shows even a moderate amount of exercise can help. In one study as little as 1 hour and 10 minutes of aerobics, 50 minutes of running, or 1 hour and 20 minutes of swimming a week relieved symptoms.