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IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

• Strong Bodies, Strong Minds



• Upcoming Public Talks



• Reader Questions and Answers
• Are fat-free foods healthy?
• Bulking up with weights?



• From the Mailbox - Success Stories
  
  
• Recipe - Green Sauce

STRONG BODIES, STRONG MINDS

For a number of years we have known that exercise benefits our cardiovascular health, muscle strength, flexibility, bone density, etc. Only recently have we seen that exercise also improves our mental health, boosting our mood and improving our sleep patterns. The big question looming in all of our heads has been, “if I am physically active, will I reduce my risk of developing cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease?”

Some very promising news was just published in the Archives of Neurology by a group of Canadian scientists. These scientists studied 4615 men and women who were 65 years of age and free of any cognitive impairment at the start of the study. Five years later the scientists evaluated the study volunteers once again. The results of the study demonstrated that individuals who reported high levels of physical activity at the beginning of the study period had on average a 40 to 50% reduction in the development of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease five years later. The scientists concluded that physical activity could represent an important and potent protective factor for cognitive decline and dementia in older adults.

This study is yet another example of how important physical activity is to physical and mental health as we age!

More power to you,
Miriam E. Nelson
Author of
Strong Women Stay Young
Strong Women Stay Slim
Strong Women, Strong Bones
Strong Women Eat Well
Founder of http://www.strongwomen.com

UPCOMING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

I am doing a few talks and book signings this fall that are open to the public. I hope to see some of you at these events.

Penobscot Bay Medical Center Talk
Thursday October 4, 2001, 7pm
Location of talk: Camden Hills Regional High School, Strom Auditorium, Route 90, Rockport, ME
Contact Michelle Jura at 207-596-8443
Fee: $10 ($8 for students and seniors)


Especially for Women
Title of talk: Strong Women, Strong Bones
Organized by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare
Tuesday October 23, 13th, 2001, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
Location: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, 93 Worcester Street (intersection of Routes 9 and 128), Wellesley, Mass.
Phone: 1-800-457-0027
Admission is free but you need to pre-register now at the phone number listed above. There will also be a live audio web cast of the event. To register for the live web cast visit www.harvardpilgrim.org.

American Heart Association Talk
Saturday October 27th, 2001, 9am-2:30pm
(book signing and talk)
Location: Providence, RI
To register (and get location and directions):
Contact Glenda Rickabaugh at 401-274-4544
Note: You must register by Oct. 15th
Fee $10

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Be sure to check out the other questions posed to Miriam Nelson, PhD and Rebecca Layne, MS, CSCS on our web site at FAQs.

Q: I am trying to cut down on my fat intake but not sure how to do it. I see so many fat-free foods in the grocery store. Should I be buying these foods? Are they healthy?

A: This is a tricky question and the answer is not straightforward. There are some fat-free foods that I do think are healthy. Dairy foods that have had the fat removed are better for individuals who need to watch their weight because they are lower in calories and saturated fat. Generally speaking, reduced-fat dairy foods have simply had the fat removed with little else added back in. What’s problematic about certain fat-free foods is that they have had the fat removed but have had refined sugars added as well as a number of other food ingredients that are highly processed. This is true for many fat-free snacks such as cookies and cakes. In many cases, these food items have the same amount of calories but with much higher refined sugar content, and I don’t believe such foods to be healthy at all. In my house, we do use 2% milk. Otherwise we don’t buy any reduced-fat food products. We eat whole foods whenever possible. Eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains will help you to cut down on overall fat content without adding any processed foods to your diet.

Q: Would it be okay if I lift 12-15 times instead of 8 times, for 1-2 sets, 3 days per week? I am a muscular woman and tend to bulk up very easily. I watch my diet and am trying to slim down a bit. I understand the importance of both lifting weights and aerobic exercise, but in my case, the 8-repetition recommendation might be a little too heavy because it seems like it makes me bulkier. Thanks for all your help and for the wonderful books.

A: While there is no scientific evidence that lifting an amount of weight sufficient to fatigue your muscles by 8-repetitions will cause you to “bulk up”, anecdotal information suggests this may be true for a few individuals. For the majority of women, lifting this amount strengthens and tones muscles and actually causes them to drop a dress size or two.

However, there are some individuals (like yourself) who may build muscle more easily than others. If you prefer to lift a slightly lighter amount of weight - one which you can lift 12-15 times in good form before needing a rest - that is fine. You will still strength your muscles and bones, and enjoy the slimming effects of lifting weights regularly.

FROM THE MAILBOX

Here are excerpts from a few of the inspiring letters we've received recently. If you enjoy reading them, check out the collection of reader mail on our web site at Success Stories.

"I just wanted to let you know how successful your Green Sauce recipe was in my nursing home today. The residents loved the taste and the aroma. We served it over baked fish and chicken and even over the pureed fish! Thanks for the idea."

-- Jean

"I am a County Extension Educator in Pratt County Kansas. It is a rural county of slightly over 10,000 residents. I have been doing this work for 32 years, 30 of them in this county. I was so inspired by reading your books that I started lifting myself. It was an instant 'I feel better, this is wonderful' experience. As I continued to lift in my home, I kept thinking how can I share this will some of my clientele? I worried about the cost of the weights but started sharing my experiences in my weekly news column. I then decided to offer this as a class… The first group started October 24, 2000. I found a local fitness center that offered to order the weights for a great price.

To make a long story short, I have had 69 women who have enrolled and at least started lifting. That means that we have purchased about 5,934 pounds of weights (almost 3 tons)!

I have been able to add people, as they have been interested in joining. I also have a group that meets early in the morning in one lady's house, and a group of teachers that lift after school. The group of 7 that I started are among the oldest I have with some of them being in their 80s. The youngest is my office secretary who is 24…

Thanks for your time. As I am sure you know, your work has impacted so many women in this country."

-- Jean

RECIPE OF THE MONTH