Dish-Houston

DISHIES! There are so many reason to get your body moving and so many ways to make it happen! If you're just getting started in a new workout regimen or are looking to improve your performance in what you already do...Yoga is a great workout for multiple reasons! Yoga has many benefits to offer for beginners as well as for those who have practiced for years. It’s been around for centuries but is as relevant today as ever.

Here are 10 reasons Yoga is amazing for you!

1. Stress Relief– Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body. By encouraging relaxation, yoga helps to lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.

2. Pain Relief– Yoga can ease pain. Studies have demonstrated that practicing yoga asanas (postures), meditation or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases and hypertension as well as arthritis, back and neck pain, and other chronic conditions. Some practitioners report that even emotional pain can be eased through the practice of yoga.

3. Better Breathing – Yoga teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function, trigger the body’s relaxation response and increase the amount of oxygen available to the body.

4. Flexibility – Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains. Many people can’t touch their toes during their first yoga class. Gradually they begin to use the correct muscles. Over time, the ligaments, tendons and muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, making more poses possible. Yoga also helps to improve body alignment resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems.

5. Increased Strength– Yoga asanas (postures) use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. And, while these postures strengthen the body, they also provide an additional benefit of helping to relieve muscular tension.

6. Weight Management– Yoga (even less vigorous styles) can aid weight control efforts by reducing the cortisol levels as well as by burning excess calories and reducing stress. Yoga also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of well being and self esteem.

7. Improved Circulation – Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body’s cells.

8. Cardiovascular Conditioning – Even gentle yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.

9. Focus on the Present – Yoga helps us to focus on the present, to become more aware and to help create mind body health. It opens the way to improved concentration, coordination, reaction time and memory.

10. Inner Peace – The meditative aspects of yoga help many to reach a deeper, more spiritual and more satisfying place in their lives. Many who begin to practice for other reasons have reported this to be a key reason that yoga has become an essential part of their daily lives.

It's the Second annual Run For Your Life 5k Fun Run & Walk, a sanctioned road race and family walk in Houston’s Museum District benefiting the museum’s educational programs, exhibits and scholarships. For event details and registration CLICK HERE.

The spookiness starts Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011  8 - 11 a.m.  

With 8 a.m. race start time; post-race party to follow!

The Health Museum is located at 1515 Hermann Drive    Houston, TX 77004

 So grab the scariest Halloween costume out of the closet and best running tennies for the entire family and get to The Health Museum for Run For Your Life! Costumes are encouraged but not required. This is a 5k road race and 1k family walk.  Stay after the race for a spook-tacular celebreation.  All registered runners get free admission to the museum after the race ends. Prizes will be awarded to top finishers in all age groups. All children participating in the 1k will also receive an award. Plus, everyone who registers for the 5k run or walk will be entered automatically to win a bicycle courtesy of Regions Bank!

If you DARE to Enter....Here’s how to register: CLICK HERE

Entry fees are $20-$40. All runners who register for the 5K Run or Walk by Sept. 30, 2011, will be entered automatically to win a Regions Bank Beach Cruiser, complete with helmet and bell. Entry fees are non-refundable and include a race t-shirt and general admission to the post-race party at the museum.  Online registration ends 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21. Participants who register in-person on the day of the race will not receive a timing chip. 

Whole Foods stands by their products and their word that the products they sell are natural!! So much so that this week Real Housewife of New York and Skinny Girl Brand creator Bethenny Frankel's line of SkinnyGirl cocktails have been pulled from Whole Food shelves!

Turns out the Texas based healthy grocer discovered that the "natural flavors" aren't as natural as the company claims.

OH NOs!!! Guess it's back to vodka...=)

Good for Whole Foods for sticking to their quality standards!

Young, black gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) were the only population to see an increase in HIV infections between 2006 and 2009, according to the first multi-year estimates of domestic HIV infections, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday.

Overall, the annual number of new HIV infections in the U.S. was stable—at about 50,000 new infections each year from 2006 through 2009. But the new estimates show a worsening epidemic among young gay men, and particularly young, black gay men. While young, black gay men were the only subpopulation to experience a sustained increase during the time period, with about 10,800 new infections per year, white gay men (11,400 new infections), Hispanic gay men (6,000), and black women (5,400) were also heavily affected.

“We have known for a long time that gay men—especially gay men of color—are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, but this report confirms that the epidemic is becoming even more severe in these groups,” said Nike Lukan, Director of Prevention Services, AIDS Foundation Houston. “Now that we have the prevention and treatment tools to begin to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we must invest the proper resources and more effectively target the groups that are most at risk.”

Earlier this year amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, released a report with Trust for America’s Health calling for a new paradigm for HIV prevention among gay men in the United States.  The report argues that more must be done to address the context of risk for gay men, including expanded access to HIV/AIDS treatment and programs to address social drivers of vulnerability, including stigma.

“The science is showing us that HIV treatment and prevention are closely connected,” said Chris Collins, amfAR’s vice president and director of public policy. “To bring HIV incidence down, we must do a better job of reaching all those at elevated risk, particularly young, black gay men, with HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and support services. Unless we find ways to make

comprehensive health services work for young, black gay men, America’s epidemic is only going to get worse.”

The CDC report also found that:

 Gay men represent only 2 percent of the U.S. population but accounted for 61% of all new HIV infections in 2009.

 Young gay men (ages 13 to 29) were most severely affected, representing 27% of all new HIV infections. 

 Blacks, who represent 14% of the total U.S. population, accounted for 44% of new HIV infections in 2009. 

 Hispanics, who represent 16% of the total U.S. population, accounted for 20% of new HIV infections in 2009. 

The current level of HIV incidence in the United States is likely not sustainable.  Prevention efforts in recent years have successfully averted significant increases in new HIV infections, despite the growing number of 

people living with HIV and AIDS who are able to transmit the virus.  However, an analysis by CDC and Johns Hopkins University researchers indicates that the growing population of people with HIV and AIDS will lead to significant increases in new HIV infections if current prevention efforts are not intensified.  The study emphasizes the importance of ensuring that everyone with HIV knows their status and helping HIV-infected individuals avoid transmission to others.

The increasing number of new HIV infections among young, black gay and bisexual men underscores the importance of reaching young MSM with effective HIV prevention programs, and developing new programs that specifically address the needs of young, black gay and bisexual men.  In addition, public health and community leaders can help reduce stigma that too often surrounds HIV.  This includes encouraging frank discussions about HIV and the factors that can contribute to the spread of the disease, such as unsafe sexual or drug-using behaviors, homophobia, higher rates of STIs and lower awareness of HIV status.

About AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc.

AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc. (AFH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive social impact through the innovative management of HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases. Founded in 1982, AFH is one of the oldest HIV/AIDS service organizations in the U.S. and remains a national leader in HIV/STD programming. The agency’s 31 programs focus on preventing new HIV diagnosis and providing care to those already living with HIV/AIDS.  This year, AFH will provide care services to more than 6,000 men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS and will educate more than 50,000 people in Greater Houston through prevention outreach. For more information, please visit www.AIDShelp.org.

Young, black gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) were the only population to see an increase in HIV infections between 2006 and 2009, according to the first multi-year estimates of domestic HIV infections, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday.

Overall, the annual number of new HIV infections in the U.S. was stable—at about 50,000 new infections each year from 2006 through 2009. But the new estimates show a worsening epidemic among young gay men, and particularly young, black gay men. While young, black gay men were the only subpopulation to experience a sustained increase during the time period, with about 10,800 new infections per year, white gay men (11,400 new infections), Hispanic gay men (6,000), and black women (5,400) were also heavily affected.

“We have known for a long time that gay men—especially gay men of color—are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, but this report confirms that the epidemic is becoming even more severe in these groups,” said Nike Lukan, Director of Prevention Services, AIDS Foundation Houston. “Now that we have the prevention and treatment tools to begin to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we must invest the proper resources and more effectively target the groups that are most at risk.”

Earlier this year amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, released a report with Trust for America’s Health calling for a new paradigm for HIV prevention among gay men in the United States.  The report argues that more must be done to address the context of risk for gay men, including expanded access to HIV/AIDS treatment and programs to address social drivers of vulnerability, including stigma.

“The science is showing us that HIV treatment and prevention are closely connected,” said Chris Collins, amfAR’s vice president and director of public policy. “To bring HIV incidence down, we must do a better job of reaching all those at elevated risk, particularly young, black gay men, with HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and support services. Unless we find ways to make 

comprehensive health services work for young, black gay men, America’s epidemic is only going to get worse.”

The CDC report also found that:

 Gay men represent only 2 percent of the U.S. population but accounted for 61% of all new HIV infections in 2009.

 Young gay men (ages 13 to 29) were most severely affected, representing 27% of all new HIV infections. 

 Blacks, who represent 14% of the total U.S. population, accounted for 44% of new HIV infections in 2009. 

 Hispanics, who represent 16% of the total U.S. population, accounted for 20% of new HIV infections in 2009. 

The current level of HIV incidence in the United States is likely not sustainable.  Prevention efforts in recent years have successfully averted significant increases in new HIV infections, despite the growing number of 

people living with HIV and AIDS who are able to transmit the virus.  However, an analysis by CDC and Johns Hopkins University researchers indicates that the growing population of people with HIV and AIDS will lead to significant increases in new HIV infections if current prevention efforts are not intensified.  The study emphasizes the importance of ensuring that everyone with HIV knows their status and helping HIV-infected individuals avoid transmission to others.

The increasing number of new HIV infections among young, black gay and bisexual men underscores the importance of reaching young MSM with effective HIV prevention programs, and developing new programs that specifically address the needs of young, black gay and bisexual men.  In addition, public health and community leaders can help reduce stigma that too often surrounds HIV.  This includes encouraging frank discussions about HIV and the factors that can contribute to the spread of the disease, such as unsafe sexual or drug-using behaviors, homophobia, higher rates of STIs and lower awareness of HIV status.

About AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc.

AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc. (AFH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive social impact through the innovative management of HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases. Founded in 1982, AFH is one of the oldest HIV/AIDS service organizations in the U.S. and remains a national leader in HIV/STD programming. The agency’s 31 programs focus on preventing new HIV diagnosis and providing care to those already living with HIV/AIDS.  This year, AFH will provide care services to more than 6,000 men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS and will educate more than 50,000 people in Greater Houston through prevention outreach. For more information, please visit www.AIDShelp.org.

DISH posted these Top 5 FAT gain reasons... 1) Skipping Meals 2) Too Much Sugar 3) Excessive "High Glycemic" Carbs 4) Inadequate Sleep 5) Inactivity... to our TWITTER and FACEBOOK because we post thoughtful nuggets there daily! We had so many folks wanting to know more that we gave them to our contributing writer Whitney to flesh it out and help explain why these are true!

By DISH CONTRIBUTING WRITER: WHITNEY BROOKE ROBERTS:

1.)    Skipping meals has been a confusing topic as of late.  On one side, fasting has resulted in positive results for obese people, yet in other studies intermittent feeding reduces the risk of diabetes and has proven to increase cardiovascular health.

The most recent study Metabolism concluded that skipping meals during the day and eating one large meal in the evening resulted in harmful metabolic changes. More specifically, meal skippers had increased glucose levels and a delayed insulin response: two conditions that commonly lead to diabetes.

Adversely, the study Free Radical Biology & Medicine published in March of 2011, found that skipping meals could benefit health for sagnificantly overweight adults.  For 2 months, the participants followed a strict restrictive diet which resulted in an average loss of 8% loss in body weight.  

Conclusively, unless you are obese, skipping meals has more NEGATIVE results than positive.  Of course, always consult your doctor before trying any fad diets.

2 & 3)    Did you know that Americans now consume 19% more added sugar than they did in 1970? (according to recent figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture)

We all know that excess sugar can cause muffin tops, increased waistlines, and cavities.  But new studies have revealed that too much sugar can lead to high levels of blood fats which raise the risk of heart disease…YIKES!

More specifically, stay away from these toxic “ose’s”:  SUCROSE, DEXTROSE, AND GLUCOSE which are the ingredient culprits inside most vending machine treats.

The health guidelines most doctors will give you are: HDL levels below 50 mg/dL for women and 40 mg/dL for men are considered to be on the low side. According to resources 43% of the highest sugar consumers recorded low HDL, while only 22% of the lowest sugar consumers did. (NOTE: HDL is the "GOOD" cholesterol where as LDL is the "bad")

4) INADEQUATE SLEEP: William Kilgore, professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, recently concluded,

“When you are sleepy, there's a good chance that you won't be able to control how much you eat.  You may be drawn to unhealthy foods because you are not putting the brakes on as well as you would be if you were well-rested.” 

His study followed adults aged 19-45 who were persistently “sleepy”, dozing off at daily common activities, but not falling in the more aggressive category of “sleep disorders”…in other words, these people fell into the normal range of sleepiness.  Kilgore's conclusion?  The sleepiest people felt more hungry throughout the day.  More specifically, getting less sleep leads to an increase ghrelin, a hormone which tells you when to eat, and decreases in the hormone leptin which this tells you to stop eating.

Try going to bed 30 minutes before your regular bedtime.  Snooze away and watch the pounds go away.

5) You don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to believe that the more calories you burn exercising will take off weight.  It’s logical, right?  But actually sticking to a routine, or lifestyle consistently is the barrier most of us can’t overcome.  Solution?  Schedule appointments in your calendar, whether electronic or manual, with your gym, yoga studio, fitness trainer, or running buddies.  The biggest key to get moving is to block out sacred time for your cardio health.  You take time to feed yourself daily, why not schedule sacred time to make your body stronger, leaner, and more healthy?  Personally, I’ve found that scheduling daily dog walks is not only beneficial to my aerobic health, but my dogs enjoy the exercise as well.  Finding a win-win easy work out regimen will motivate you to continue even if you have a hangover! You may be able to make excuses to stay in bed, but Fido has to piddle!! 

Now get moving!

To Read more about these topics, here are our SOURCES:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/the-risks-and-rewards-of-skipping-meals/

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1983542,00.html

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/sleep/articles/2011/06/13/sleep-deprived-people-may-crave-high-calorie-foods

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20091106/even-a-little-exercise-fights-obesity