Can you recommend any free strength training resources?
How can I help my overweight niece?
From the Mailbox — Success Story
Recipe — Beets with a twist
LANDMARK SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT ON OSTEOPOROSIS AND BONE HEALTH
Osteoporosis is a silent disease that many people do not take seriously. It affects an estimated 44 million Americans (80% women and 20% men) and is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually. On October 14, 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General released a landmark report on osteoporosis and bone health.
This report is a milestone for combating this terrible disease. It outlines scientifically sound prevention and treatment strategies for improving bone health at any age. Included in the report are recommendations to get plenty of calcium and vitamin D, as well as plenty of weight bearing exercises (i.e. walking) and strength training. In addition to taking care of our own bones as we age, we also need to do more to ensure that our children's bones are as healthy as possible so they can avoid fractures down the road. The earlier we impact bone health in positive ways, the greater the reduction in osteoporosis risk later on.
I was honored to be invited by the National Osteoporosis Foundation and US News and World Reports to serve on the expert panel at the press conference with Surgeon General Carmona for the release of this report. I am thrilled that the U.S. government is taking a lead roll in the fight against poor bone health. I am confident that this report will stimulate people (individuals and medical professionals) to be proactive in fighting this devastating disease.
[Reference: Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General 2004.]
LAST CHANCE TO JOIN ME AT THE STRONG WOMEN SUMMITS
During the next two weeks I will be hosting the last two Stonyfield Farm Strong Women Summits.
American University (Washington, DC) Saturday, November 6
Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz, NY), November 12–14
Each summit has an outstanding cast of speakers. One or more of following inspiring women will be presenting: activist, Erin Brockovich; gold medallist, Kristin Lily; marathon pioneer, Kathrine Switzer; humorist Loretta LaRoche; White House Project director Marie Wilson; life coach and Oprah columnist, Martha Beck; and many more outstanding women. Our mission is to celebrate, educate, and motivate women to believe that positive thinking and activism begins with health, good nutrition, exercise and attitude. Seminars will explore new ways to create balance and reduce stress, while juggling all aspects of a modern woman's life.
Q: I am 68 and have been strength training for more than two years now. I try to encourage friends to also do so. However, I often meet resistance, because they are hesitant or unable to spend money purchasing the books and/or equipment. Can you recommend something free or low-cost that I could offer as an alternative?
A: We now have a resource that you can offer, and it is very inexpensive. Actually, the resource itself is free: it is the "Growing Stronger: Strength Training for Older Adults" book. It was written as a collaborative effort between our Center at Tufts University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The entire book can be downloaded for free at go.tufts.edu/growingstronger. Keep in mind that it is a large PDF file, so you may want to save it to a disk and bring it to a copy center that can print it out for you (or them). Alternatively, it can be used as an online program with animated exercise, and no printing is required at all. This is an excellent resource for midlife and older adults, particularly if finding a low-cost program is a priority.
Q: I have a niece in the fourth grade who currently weighs more than I do, and I am very concerned about her. The problem of childhood obesity is constantly in the news, but I still don't understand how this is happening or how to help. Do you have any suggestions?
A: As you know this is a very complex and serious issue, and your niece certainly is not alone in her weight struggles. There are a host of factors contributing to the epidemic of obesity among children, although the simple equation is, of course, that children are expending fewer calories and consuming more. How to address these issues is a more complicated matter. I believe you can help your niece in a couple of key ways. First, do everything you can to reduce the time she spends doing sedentary activities, such as television and computer time. Help her to identify activities that she enjoys—whether it is structured sports, jumping and skipping games before and after school, or going for walks or hikes. Secondly, try to encourage her (or her parents) to eat meals prepared at home, and ones that are rich in fruits and vegetables; discourage her from drinking her calories in beverages such as soda, and from eating sugary or salty snack foods. Along with her parents, try to be a role model by engaging her in physical activity and choosing appropriate portion sizes of healthful foods whenever you're together. These tips are helpful to her on an individual level, but you can also help by advocating for more physical education time and more healthful food choices in her school system. I commend you for being aware of the problem and wanting to contribute to the solution, because it is going to take efforts on an individual, community, and environmental level to truly have an impact on this devastating epidemic.
"Coming back from the NEAFCS Conference in Nashville, the travel agent was trying to get seats together for myself and another agent. The only seats available were in the emergency exit row. The flight attendant's question to me was do you think you could handle the responsibilities of opening the door? I was wearing a strong women's t-shirt, so I flipped back the shirt that was covering the emblem, and stated no problem: I am a strong woman! Good laugh and we were seated together on that row."
-- Connie
Beets with a Twist
I love to eat beets in the fall when they are fresh out of the farmer's field. My mother created this very simple recipe that our entire family enjoys.
6 medium beets with greens
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 T olive oil
1/2 T butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the greens off of the beets, wash, coarsely chop, and set aside. Boil the beets until cooked thoroughly. Remove beets from heat, peal the skins off and then slice. In a sauté pan, heat butter and oil on medium high heat. Add beet greens and cook until slightly limp. Then add orange juice and sliced beets. Cook until greens are done, beets are hot, and most of the orange juice has evaporated. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with brown rice and your favorite roast.
Nutritional information (per serving)
92 calories 2.5 g protein 4 g fiber
3.5 g fat (1 g saturated) 14 g carbohydrate
Portions: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Extra
