The Benefits of Being Fit

Being able to deal with and handle the daily stresses of life is a benefit afforded to the fit person. Making sure we take the time to accommodate our needs for stress relief, such as downtime, therapy time, massage time, or simply take the time for a nice, hot bath. The body tends to retain stress in the muscles of the shoulder and back. Taking the time to relax, do relaxation exercises, and combine this with physical exercise for the entire body benefits the fit and unfit.

The added exertion of physical exercise is often the catalyst our bodies needed to boost weight loss into high gear. For the individual trying to loose weight, the benefits of being fit far exceed an infringement on personal time, or detraction from television time that occurs. Not only is it good for your body, when you’re trying to cut back, it gives you something constructive to do with your time. Exercise also decreases our hunger pangs, increases our fluid intake, and helps our blood to circulate much better.

The peace of mind that comes from knowing your body is in top shape, ready to deal whatever comes along, is a priceless possession. To be able to ascertain that you’ve spent your day wisely, and invested in yourself is a real accomplishment. The benefit seen from adding just 20 minutes of exercise to your daily routine are unbelievable. I can attest to the tremendous increase in energy, as a participant in walking for exercise. I lost a total of 74 lbs. in one year, by simply adding walking to may routine. I had been dieting for almost two months, with very little in the way of results. Walking was suggested by my physician, and I’ve never been so impressed. My energy levels were three times what they were prior to beginning the exercise program. Increased energy levels are one of the greatest benefits of a fit body.

Raised self-esteem and confidence in your appearance are also benefits to keeping a fit body. A fit and healthy individual shines in how they look, how they treat others, and the pleasure they take in going about their daily activities.

How about the benefits of a fit mind? The onset of many age-related mental disorders occurs because we haven’t taken the time to keep our mind youthful, and involved in new learning. Learning new things forces our mind to form new neural pathways. We need those neural pathways for the transmission of information from the body to the mind, or with our ability to form new memories. If we don’t exercise the mind, we lose the fitness. There’s also the added benefit of being able to participate as a productive citizen, well into our retirement years. For many older citizens, keeping their bodies and minds fit means that they are also able to continue to interact in their chosen work profession, keeping them continually active, and serving as a continued source of enjoyment.

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IT  COULD  BE  A  SNICKERS  BAR

 12 oz. soft diet ice cream
1 c. diet Cool Whip
1/4 c. chunky peanut butter
1 pkg. sugar-free butterscotch
   pudding (dry)
3 oz. Grape-Nuts cereal

 Mix first 4 ingredients in mixer, then stir in cereal.  Pour into 8 inch square pan.  Cover and freeze.  Makes 4 servings.

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 SALMON  MOUSSE  WITH  CUCUMBER  VINAIGRETTE

 1/2 c. dry Vermouth
1 env. unflavored gelatin
1 c. smoked salmon, flaked
3 hard-cooked eggs, mashed
3/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. sliced green onions
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped fine
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. finely chopped onion

 Combine gelatin and dry Vermouth.  Heat gently until dissolved, and set aside to cool.  Combine all other ingredients into gelatin mix, blending well.  Pour into a 2-cup flat-bottom mold.  Chill at least 3 hours or overnight. –CUCUMBER VINAIGRETTE:–

1 med. unpared cucumber, very thinly
   sliced (about 2 c.)
1 med. green pepper, cut into thin
   strips (about 1 c.)
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. salad oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. pepper

 In medium bowl, combine cucumber slices with green pepper strips.  In measuring cup, combine rest of ingredients, mixing well.  Pour over cucumber mixture, tossing to coat well.  Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled–about 1 hour–tossing occasionally.  To serve:  Drain dressing from vegetables.  Arrange vegetables attractively on large platter.  To unmold mousse:  Run a spatula around edge of mold; invert onto vegetables.  Serve at once, with crackers as appetizer or as salad on bed of lettuce.

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 SUGAR - FREE  CRANBERRY  RELISH

 2 c. cranberries
2 apples
1 c. orange juice

 Grind together the cranberries and apples, using a sweet apple.  (May also use blender).  Add orange juice, chopped nuts and sweetener to taste.  Refrigerate several hours before using.

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SMOKED SALMON ECLAIRS

1/2 c. water
4 tbsp. butter, cut into sm. chunks
1/2 c. flour
2 extra lg. eggs, beaten lightly
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dry dill

–FILLING:–

1/2 lb. cream cheese, softened
(regular or lite)
1/4 c. sour cream (regular or lowfat)
6 oz. smoked salmon, chopped fine
Juice of 1/2 lemon and grated zest
1 tbsp. fresh dill, minced
Dash of nutmeg
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine water and butter in small saucepan, bring to boil over high heat. Add flour all at once; beat vigorously until dough forms ball, pulls away from sides of pan and leaves a thin film on bottom of pan. Transfer to mixing bowl. Save 1 tablespoon of beaten egg. Beat the rest of the egg into the dough in two steps, beating until dough is shiny and smooth. Put dough in pastry bag with #3 star tip. On lightly greased baking sheet, lay down 3 x 1/2 inch strips about 2 inches apart. Bake 15 minutes until puffed up and brown. Remove from oven. Split in half lengthwise. Reassemble and return to baking sheet. Brush top of each with thin film of reserved egg. Sprinkle on combined garlic powder and dill. Reduce oven to 200 degrees. Return eclairs to oven for 20 minutes until dry and crisp. Remove and cool. Mix filling ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, spoon filling onto bottom half of eclair and top with top half. Makes about 16. Serves 8.

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 CORN  CHOWDER

 6 slices bacon, diced
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
2 c. diced raw potatoes
1 1/2 c. water
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 c. cream style corn
2 tbsp. oleo, melted
2 tbsp. flour
3 c. milk
Parsley, shredded cheese, corn chips

 Fry bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon.  Saute onion in 2 tablespoons bacon drippings until transparent, not brown.  Cook potatoes in the water with salt, sauted onion and bacon in covered pan until tender.  Add pepper and corn.  Blend oleo and flour, stir in milk and cook until slightly thickened.  Add to corn mixture: sprinkle parsley, shredded cheese or chips over the top.  Serve immediately and piping hot.  Makes 6 servings.

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 BAR-B-QUED  SHRIMP

 1 lb. shrimp
Olive oil
Cracked black pepper
Salt
Lemon juice
Tabasco
Lea & Perrin’s
Butter

 Place whole shrimp, keep shells on, in single layer in oven-proof dish.  Drizzle olive oil on top of shrimp.  Pepper shrimp until they are black; when you think you have enough pepper, add more.  Add lots of salt, lemon juice, Tabasco and Lea & Perrin’s.  Remember you are seasoning through the shells.  Cut up butter on top of shrimp and broil until shrimp are cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.  Be sure and taste to see if they are done.  Serve these with newspaper on the table and lots of napkins.  Have French bread to sop up the oil and encourage guests to eat the shells, as well, if river shrimp are used.  With cold beer and green salad, you have the makings of a great informal party.  Base the amount of shrimp on the number of guests.

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 BROCCOLI  SOUP

 8 strips bacon
1/4 c. flour
4 c. milk
20 oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables
10 oz. pkg. frozen broccoli, chopped
   fine
Onion (chopped)
Garlic (optional)

 Boil frozen mixed vegetables and broccoli (chopped fine).  Set aside to drain.  Fry bacon until crispy.  Set aside bacon.  Pour enough bacon grease in soup pan to cover bottom of pan.  Simmer onions until clear.  Mix 1/4 cup flour.  Then add 4 cups milk.  Stir well.  Add vegetables and bacon.  Simmer until soup is thickened.  Salt and pepper to taste.  This soup has better flavor when eaten the next day.

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Acupuncture: A Benefit to the Well Individual?

Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, let’s talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities.

Now, let’s move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care.

Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain.

Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health.

But what about the well individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair.

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HERRING  TIDBITS

 2 c. (1 pt.) sour cream
1 (12 oz.) jar herring tidbits in
   wine, undrained, chopped
2 apples, peeled, quartered, cored
   and chopped
1 med. Bermuda onion, quartered and
   chopped
1/2 c. seedless grapes, halved
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Rye rounds

 Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Add grapes and eggs and toss lightly.  Turn into dish.  Serve with rye rounds.  Makes about 4 cups.

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