April 2011

This month spells the end of daylight saving and for those of you who got used to exercising after work, don't stop just because it will be dark. Try waking up a little earlier and exercise in the morning. If you are not a morning person, go for a longer walk when you’re out getting your morning coffee or lunch. Or exercise for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes after work. Remember, any activity is better than none.

In this month's newsletter:

1. Easter treats.
2. Lemon Detox Diet.
3. Mother's Day Classic.
4. Blogs.
5. Not on Facebook.

Easter Treats

There are still a few weeks before Easter but the supermarkets have been selling Easter eggs, chocolates and hot cross buns since the beginning of the year. But just be careful, they are packed with lots of kilojoules and could derail your weight management plans.

Below is a table showing the amount of energy in each chocolate or bun and the approximate amount of time you need to walk or run to burn it off.

Therefore, as with other treats, these should only be consumed in moderation. So, if you do not want to put on any weight this Easter, try to stay away from the buns until Good Friday and the eggs until Easter.

Lemon Detox Diet

It's amazing that the Lemon Detox Diet is still being sold and marketed as a weight loss option. Its website claims that celebrities who have done this diet include Beyoncé, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Naomi Campbell. In summary, YES you will lose weight, but when you come off the Lemon Detox you're most likely to put the weight back on plus some more.

There are a few versions of the Lemon Detox Diet program. The standard version is 7 days and the daily ritual involves six to nine glasses a day of Lemon Detox drinks (a mix of 20ml Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup, 20ml lemon juice, a pinch cayenne pepper and 250ml water). There are no other meals, snacks or foods allowed and it's also suggested that exercise should be avoided. Nutritionist Matt O'Neill has road-tested the Lemon Detox Diet and you can watch his video below.

For more information, check out Matt O’Neill’s website.

There are plenty of weight loss products and gimmicks on the market but this is definitely one you should avoid. However, if you want to spend between $85-90 and end up fatter, then the Lemon Detox Diet is for you.

Mother's Day Classic

The Mother’s Day Classic involves a 4km or 8km walk and run around The Domain. All proceeds from the Mother's Day Classic are donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Earlybird entry fees are available if you enter before 15 April 2011.

This event is about 3 months before the City to Surf so it’s perfect way to get your training underway.

For more information, visit the Mother’s Day Classic website.

Blogs

Here is a summary of our blogs during March.

• Think Before You Drink [Check what you need to do to burn off your favourite drink.]
• High Blood Pressure [High blood pressure is often called the silent killer because it usually has no symptoms. Some people may not find out they have it until they have trouble with their heart, brain or kidneys. Therefore it is important to have regular check-ups of your blood pressure.]
• Salt & High Blood Pressure [Do you know how salt increases blood pressure?]
• Better Out Than In [A recent review has concluded that there are benefits to mental and physical well-being from taking exercise outdoors.]

Not On Facebook

In addition to eNewsletters and blogs, we also provide other health and fitness information on our Facebook page. For those of you who are not on Facebook, below are our posts during March:

• Do doctors need to exercise caution when recommending products with the Heart Foundation Tick? [Nutritionist Rosemary Stanton believes that the Heart Foundation Tick program misguides consumers.]
• Skipping breakfast might sound like a quick way to cut kilojoules, but this can lead to unhealthy snacking by mid-morning and eating too much at lunch. Studies show people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. An ideal breakfast should be high in protein and fibre.
• Caffeine scene – what’s the right amount for good health? [Nutritionist Denise Leyden discusses the latest guidelines on caffeine.]
• What you should look for in a snack bar [Nutritionist Matt O’Neill explains what a snack bar should contain.]
• Will you take on old age fighting fit or lying down? [The lifestyle you lead when you're young will go a long way to determining how healthy your senior years are, but it’s never too late to make a change.]
• Top tips for a trim tummy [According to the Heart Foundation, the existence of visible fat around the belly is an indicator of internal fat around the organs, which increases the risk of heart disease.]
• Swap It, Don’t Stop It [The Australian Government’s health campaign – a call to action to all Australians to make healthier lifestyle choices to reduce their risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. For more information and swapping tips, visit swapit.gov.au.]
• 10,000 Steps [According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 65% of males and 74% of females are not sufficiently active for health benefits. 10,000 steps is the recommended daily step goal for a healthy adult.]
• Latin Seed: diet that could be deadly [This “natural weight loss product” has been recalled around Australia after tests indicated it was highly toxic and possibly lethal.]
• Café breakfast [Nutritionist Susie Burrell advises that breakfasts at cafes may contain too many kilojoules.]
• Doing the same workout over and over is not only boring, but your body will get used to the workout and quit responding - the body is very adaptive. Make every workout different in some way - by changing the exercises, the number or sets and reps, or the order in which you do them.
• Type 2 diabetes surges in people younger than 20 [Apparently fuelled by the childhood obesity epidemic, cases in people younger than 20 have ramped up from virtually zero to tens of thousands in the US in little more than a decade.]
• Top 10 Spices and What They Do [As well as adding flavours to your cooking, spices have many health benefits due to their intense concentration of phytochemicals (plant chemicals), disease-preventing nutrients and other anti-microbial properties.]
• If you are trying to give your body a total overhaul, chances are that you will stick with it for a few weeks only. A drastic change won't last. Commit to one new habit first and wait until it feels like second nature before committing to the next habit. It takes 7 days to make a good habit and 28 days to break a bad one. If you think something small can't make a difference, try going to sleep with a mosquito in the room.

Nothing contained in this Newsletter is intended to be used as medical advice and is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.