Change is in the Air

In everything from food labels to thoughts on vitamins

Do you find yourself in need of a makeover this New Year? If you happen to be a food label, the answer is yes!


The Center for Science in the Public Interest is calling out the FDA on some of their tricky labeling antics. When Froot Loops are given a "Smart Choice" check of approval, you know something has got to be up. The CSPI thought so too. They imagine nutrition labels free of false claims and a clearer ingredient list: "For foods with several forms of sugar scattered around the ingredients list, those sugars would be combined so that they would show up higher on the list of ingredients. Percentages of key ingredients would be disclosed."

You can see a suggested version of the CSPI label at the New York Times Health Blog.

Still confused by all those numbers and strange chemical names? Eat more foods that eschew labels all together--fresh fruits and vegetables!





And speaking of looking at labels...

Do you ever find yourself deciphering the labels of vitamins, trying to decide which ones are best for you? You're not alone--but whether or not people understand what is in those daily tablets they take, sales of vitamins are going up by about 4% annually over the last decade. This New York Times article predicts that this year, with folks trying to save on medical bills and take their health into their own hands, vitamin sales will grow by 8%. That's a total of $9.2 billion. Spent in one year! On vitamins!

But are all these vitamins really working any wonders? Or forget medical miracles--are they doing anything at all? A slew of recent studies suggest that certain vitamins may not live up to all of their claims. Hmm, sound familiar?

An 8-year-long study by the Women's Heath Initiative, "provided convincing evidence that multivitamin use has little or no influence on the risk of common cancers or total mortality in postmenopausal women."

In another long-term study by JAMA, "neither vitamin E nor vitamin C supplementation reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events. The data provide no support for the use of these supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older men."

So what do the experts think you should do?

You're never going to believe what Eric Rimm, associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health says. "The evidence shows that a healthy diet and exercise are the best way to ward off disease; a vitamin cannot replace those benefits."

But doesn't healthy food contain some of the same components as in vitamins? Yes, but it may be that attempt to isolate the good stuff that's causing the vitamin-related shortcomings. The health aspect of health food comes from eating the whole fruit or vegetable.

As Dr. Peter H. Gann, professor and director of research in the department of pathology at the University of Illinois at Chicago puts it:

"There may not be a single component of broccoli or green leafy vegetables that is responsible for the health benefits. Why are we taking a reductionist approach and plucking out one or two chemicals given in isolation?"

All of this uncertainty surrounding vitamins and supplements is one reason you'll never find Recess hawking any kind of powder or pills. We're all about creating "happy, peppy people," but without the mysterious side effects...



Plus, with money you save by stepping away from the supplements, you could do something that actually makes you feel good. Massage, anyone?

Here's to a happy and bountiful new year filled with smart choices for you and your health. Froot Loops need not apply.


Feel better, no supplements necessary ! >>

How is Recess Like Your Dog?

We're always up for a walk!

A new study suggests that when it comes to walking partners, a canine companion may be the tops:

...research from the University of Missouri has found that people who walk dogs are more consistent about regular exercise and show more improvement in fitness than people who walk with a human companion.

The main reason humans were not each others best friends in this case? They kept discouraging each other!

Recess can bring a customized wellness program to your office that includes loads of encouragement and a strategically developed plan that works to fit the goals of your work place.

Find a walking partner that won't let you down. Request a Quote. >>

Oats of Steel

A rolling oat gathers no fiber.

On these cold winter mornings, try a bowl of steel cut oats. These oats are made by taking the whole inner oat kernel and cutting them into only two or three pieces, instead of rolling them flat.

Compared to pre-packaged, flavored oatmeal, steel cut oats have a lot less sugar, and a lot more fiber--they've got 8g per serving while the flat, rolled guys only have 3g!

While these oats take a little bit longer to cook, Martha Rose Shulman has a great suggestion on the New York Times health blog--make a batch in advance to keep in the fridge, and then heat up a portion each morning.




Add some oomph to your wellness routine>>

An Old Spice Shows New Promise

Forgive me Father, for I have cinned.

This season, consider adding an already festive spice to foods and drinks. According to a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, cinnamon lowered LDL cholesterol (that's the bad one) in patients with type 2 diabetes. In healthy patients, the study found that the addition of 6g of cinnamon to rice pudding lowered the glucose response in the body and slowed the rate at which food left the stomach, meaning subjects felt fuller for a longer period of time.

And chances are, you've already got some sitting in your spice rack right now! Mix ground cinnamon in your oatmeal, include it in your next stir-fry, or add a stick to a cup of eggnog. I mean, tea.


Add some zip to your wellness routine>>

Give the Gift of Recess

Warm up your wellness routine by bringing classes right to you!

US Workers put in the longest hours on the job in industrialized nations, clocking up nearly 2,000 hours per capita in 1997, the equivalent of almost two working weeks more than their counterparts in Japan, where annual hours worked have been declining since 1980.

Doesn't your office deserve a little Recess?

Bringing a weekly or bi-weekly office stretch or yoga class to work is safe, fun, and an extremely cost-effective way to help you and your co-workers stay healthy.

Magical, Multitasking Shoes? We're not buying it.

Real change comes from within.

One of the core beliefs at Recess is that life-long wellness is affordable and accessible to everyone. Between the tough economy and pressure to find holiday gifts for others, you may be way down the line on your own shopping list. But when the time comes to splurge, and you're thinking about buying something health-related, a little research can go a long way.

Take for instance, the unassuming pedometer. The Journal of American Medicinal Association recently pooled the results of 26 studies that measured the effectiveness of pedometers in motivating physical activity. Among the observational studies, pedometer users significantly increased their physical activity by 2183 steps per day (!) over the baseline. An important predictor of increased physical activity was having a goal such as 10,000 steps per day. Pedometer users also decreased their body mass index and lowered their systolic blood pressure.

Pedometers come in many affordable varieties and can be a great way to kick off a new wellness routine by keeping track of a daily, tangible goal. Stocking stuffers anyone?

But maybe a pedometer just doesn't ooze the charm or high fashion appeal you're going for. What about those shoes that promise to tone your legs and backside? Several varieties exist, and maybe you've seen the ads for the new EasyTone shoes. In the commercial, the camera continually drifts to well, the model's best asset.

Do they work? Well, the jury's still out, but according to a recent New York Times article, trials done on the shoes and their toning efficiency involved a whopping five subjects walking on a treadmill.

Furthermore, "The shoes are designed only for walking, and because of the instability design, wearers are discouraged from running, jumping and engaging in other athletic activities while wearing them."

Wait, a sec, are these walking shoes or high heels we're talking about? Oh, they're walking shoes that promise to tone your booty, even though you can't participate in any naturally bootylicious-building activities while wearing them. Got it.

Hold on. Where have we heard this before? Something else that promises to burn more calories while you're doing something you do everyday, but ends up being a hindrance to just about everything. Oh yes, the Hawaii Chair.

Click the pic to see Ellen putting it to the test.

That's not to say the shoes don't make a difference for some people. But perhaps, like the increased awareness brought on by wearing a pedometer, you walk more in your souped up shoes because you're conscious that they're supposed to be making you look better. The only difference is about $80. That, and you can still jump while wearing a pedometer.

There's a lot out there you can buy for your health, but anything with the claim, "you just do what you normally do and you'll get thinner/faster/smarter/stronger" should be taken with a grain of salt (or cinnamon?).

Real change requires some kind, well, actual change, an awakening of mindfulness. If you can integrate wellness into your life in a meaningful, purposeful way, and the effects will deeper and longer lasting, rather than the by-product of a new health gimmick.

And you don't have to go it alone! You can even incorporate your holiday giving into bringing wellness to you and sharing it with others. Pack a picnic for you and a friend and head out on a hiking or snowshoeing adventure. Take your kids ice skating (but you've got to lace up your skates too!). Sign up you and your sweetie for a healthy cooking class. This way, you're sharing the goodness and creating memories--and those will last longer than even the most high-tech sneakers.

Better health, gimmick free! >>

No Mushy Carrot Pieces For YOU!

Cook your carrots whole to maximize the benefit.

You always knew carrots were good for you, but did you know that if you chop them into little pieces you're losing valuable nutrients? A new study done by Newcastle University shows that by cooking carrots whole one maintains 25 percent more of their natural anti-cancer fighting nutrient, falcarinol.

"Chopping up your carrots increases the surface area so more of the nutrients leach out into the water while they are cooked," said lead researcher Dr Kirsten Brandt.

Keeping them whole also preserves their natural sugars, so they taste better. During a blind taste test the research team found that eight out of ten people favored the whole cooked carrots to those that had been chopped and boiled.

Even if you can't live without those little orange medallions then, go ahead, and chop them, but do it after they are cooked. Eat your carrots whole and, just like that apple a day, you won't have to say "Eh, what's up Doc?"

Learn To Love Carrots!