Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

The steady stream of diet books making big promises never ends, does it? Although I’m more of an exercise-so-I- can-eat-what-I-want type of gal, I know that’s not for everyone. But how do you choose the right book? Fortunately, the American Dietetic Association has provided reviews of some of the more popular volumes.

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As long as we’re on the subject of gear, here’s an appealing offer: subscribe to Women’s Running magazine for $19.95 and get this shirt for free:

The Woman’s Health web site features a slide show of “The Right Stuff: 10 pieces of gear every woman—yes, even non-jocks—should own.” But there’s a catch: If you bought each of their recommended items, your tab would come to almost $2,700. That strikes me as a bit excessive, but I’ll let you judge for yourself.

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A couple people have eagerly brought a recent study about chocolate to my attention. My mother, in  particular, was almost giddy at the prospect of having a “medical reason” to continue her high chocolate consumption.

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The rapid approach of winter means more treadmill time for a lot of us. Working out on a treadmill multiple times per week can quickly get monotonous, and it’s easy to feel like you’ve hit a plateau. To fend off such frustrations, Women’s Health prescribes four programs that fight boredom.

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Strength training done right can produce numerous benefits, but if it’s done wrong, it can lead to injury. The Mayo Clinic has compiled a list of tips to maximize your training and minimize the risk of injury, summarized below.

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When it comes to strawberries, you can’t get too much of a good thing. At least not if you’re eating them for their antioxidants, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Scientists from the USDA/Agricultural Research Service conducted a study to determine if our capacity for absorbing certain antioxidant compounds (called anthocyanins) in strawberries maxes out after a certain level of consumption. They found we are indeed capable of assimilating more anthocyanin pigments as we increase our “doses” of strawberries.

Now what about chocolate-covered strawberries? Chocolate is considered a good source of antioxidants, too, right? Just thinking out loud here …

Having bad dreams lately? Try putting some roses in your room before you go to sleep. A study presented at a medical conference in Chicago last month suggests that what you smell as you sleep influences your dreams.

Researchers studied the effects of rose and rotten-egg odors on 15 healthy women in their 20s (young women have been shown to have the best sense of smell). The rotten-egg odor prompted emotionally unpleasant dreams. The rose scent led to more emotionally pleasing dreams. No details on the dreams, unfortunately.

“If odor has a strong effect on your emotions when you’re awake, it makes sense for it to have a strong effect on your emotions when you’re asleep,” the lead researcher said.

If you’re plagued by upsetting dreams, it can’t hurt to give the positive-smell approach a try. And let this serve as a warning to all of you who store eggs in your bedroom: You could be setting yourself up for bad dreams (among other problems)!

Well, it’s Friday. If you’re like me, you might celebrate the onset of the weekend with a drink or two. And we’re not the only ones. According to the American Dietetic Association, more than 100 million American adults drink alcoholic beverages responsibly. The ADA confirms that moderate consumption of distilled spirits, beer or wine can be “an acceptable diet and lifestyle choice” and has outlined some of the specific health effects.

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Your golf season may be wrapping up just about now, but you might find that this is a smart time of year to shop for new clubs. With the new season several months off, many dealers drop prices to bring in shoppers and clear out room for next year’s models. But how many of us really need the very latest clubs? You can save significant money by “settling” for the designs that were cutting-edge this year. I tend to take this approach to most purchases, actually—cars, electronics, sporting equipment, men, etc.—and I’ve yet to notice a difference, except in my checkbook.

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