Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease With Magnesium

 Rebound To Health – Get Fit For Life!

Did you know that getting enough magnesium is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of heart disease? It is. And it is also a very good way to reduce your risk of diabetes. In fact, one of the diagnostic criteria for diabetes is a low level of magnesium.

Magnesium is essential for over 300 functions in your body, including the production and use of insulin. A Harvard study that followed 127,000 people for 18 years found that those who consumed the most magnesium were the least likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. And a number of studies suggest that seven out of 10 people do not get enough of this mineral.  

The best source of magnesium is food – including leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and avocados. If you don’t eat a lot of these foods, it would be wise to supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin or multi-mineral that has magnesium in it.

Get Fit For Life!

Denise Griffitts
Rebound To Health

High Blood Pressure and Lyc-O-Mato

 Rebound To Health - Get Fit For Life! 

65 million people in the U.S. have high blood pressure. That’s one out of every three adults. And with no symptoms, many are unaware they even have it – which is why it is often called “the silent killer.”

Most doctors treat hypertension with drugs – drugs that are expensive and carry significant risks. But new research shows there is a promising natural alternative – lycopene.  Numerous studies have shown that lycopene – a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes – can protect against prostate cancer, breast cancer, and heart disease.

And a recent trial published in the American Heart Journal suggests that it can lower blood pressure too.  Researchers studied the effects of a lycopene supplement called Lyc-O-Mato on 31 participants whose blood pressure was mildly elevated. (Unlike isolated lycopene, Lyc-O-Mato extracts and concentrates the entire complex of phytonutrients that are found in tomatoes.) The results indicated an average 10-point reduction in systolic blood pressure and a 9-point drop in diastolic pressure. The researchers considered this reduction to be significant.   

You can find this inexpensive supplement in your local health food store or online. Research has also shown exercise to be extremely beneficial in treating a host of ailments, so get on your rebounder for a few minutes a day and boost your immune system with fun and easy exercise.

Get Fit For Life! 

Denise Griffitts
Rebound To Health

Snack Food and Weight Loss

Rebound To Health - Get Fit For Life!

Most snack foods pack hundreds of calories into very small portions. Potato chips, carbonated drinks, and candy bars are all examples of “energy-dense” foods. And while they are convenient, they provide excess calories in a small volume of food that will not satiate hunger. That’s part of the reason they can lead to weight gain.

Instead of snacking on energy-dense foods, add low-calorie foods that can be eaten in high volume to fuel your fat-loss nutrition plan. These “nutrient-dense” foods include most soups, fiber-rich vegetables, and lean sources of protein.

Researchers at Penn State University tested the ability of nutrient-dense foods to help weight loss. The study followed 200 men and women for a year. All subjects were instructed to follow a calorie-restricted diet. One group had two servings of nutrient-dense soup every day. Another group ate an equivalent number of calories in energy-dense snack foods. While both groups lost weight, the subjects who ate the soup lost twice as much. Why? Because their appetites were satisfied and that made them less inclined to “cheat” on the diet.    

It should go without saying … if you want to lose weight, focus on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean sources of protein, and calorie-free beverages (like water and green tea). These foods will fill you up, but they won’t make you fat.

Get Fit For Life!

Denise Griffitts
Rebound To Health