4 Ways to Fit in Fitness

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“I don’t have time to exercise.”

Sound familiar? We all know many benefits of physical activity such as helping with weight, stress relief and lowering risk for some cancers, but still we have trouble fitting it in. If you’re one – keep reading for evidence-based ways you can get active without committing to one long block of time.

  1. Break Time. If you spend your days and evenings at a desk, TV or computer – make an effort to get up every so often. Use TV commercial breaks to run in place, do push-ups or put on some music and dance. Set a computer timer to remind you every 30 minutes to stand up & move. Research shows this makes a difference. Check out this video for a great office workout.
  2. Add It Up. Take at least three 10-minute periods every day to do something physically active. For example, walk around the block, sweep the sidewalk, wash your car (with a bucket and rag) or jump rope. You’ll get some exercise and you may also find that you have more energy or improved focus. Continue reading →

Can Substituting Sweet Beverages Help You Lose Weight?

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The news that sugary drinks link to being overweight is not new. Back in 2007, AICR’s report concluded there was enough evidence on the link to recommend that we all avoid  sugary beverages.

But suppose all you did was switch out a couple of your sweetened beverages for a diet soda or water? You may lose a few pounds, suggests a new study. The study is among a handful of randomized trials to look at how changing beverages effects weight loss.

You can read the abstract of the study here.

The 318 study participants were all overweight and all drank over 200 calories per day of sugary beverages, such as sodas, sports drinks, and juice. Participants were randomly split into three groups: one group replaced their sweet beverages with water; another group replaced them with diet beverages; the third group, called the Healthy Choice group, was not directed to alter their beverages but they were given general weight-loss information at monthly meetings. (All three groups attended monthly meetings, which is when the two beverage-substituting groups received their drinks.) Continue reading →


The Beet of Your Heart

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Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the deep red of beets in this week’s Health-e-Recipe for Spinach Salad with Creamy Beet Dressing. The velvety texture and sweet taste of beets is a natural companion to baby spinach leaves in this cancer-fighting dish.

Beets are a root vegetable that is popular canned, although fresh beets will win your heart once you’ve tasted them. Their red juice can stain your hands, so when handling and cutting them, slip your hands into plastic bags and you won’t have that problem. (In fact, the beautiful magenta of their juice can really add color to dressings that use low-fat plain yogurt.)

In this salad, we also feature fresh green beans, endive and sweet onion to make it even more interesting. Tossed with a dressing where tangy Dijon mustard and apple cider combine with olive oil and flavorful fat-free broth, this salad is one you’ll truly love.

For more delicious cancer-preventive recipes, visit the AICR Test Kitchen. Click here to subscribe to our weekly Health-e-Recipe.