healthnumbers minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. “This is the minimum amount a healthy adult should aim for,” says Catrine Tudor-Locke, Ph.D., professor and chair of the department of kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, who insists that more is better. Before you hit the pavement with a pedometer, test it first by taking 20 steps. If the count falls between 19 and 21, that’s within a good margin of error.
INCHES, MAXIMUM WAISTLINE If your waistline measures 35 inches or more, that’s a red flag, no matter what the scale says. The concern? Toxic visceral fat, which is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer, Peeke says.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GET T Y IMAGES
GRAMS OF FIBER EVERY DAY According to the National Fiber Council, adults on average ingest only 10 to 15 grams daily through diet, but you should shoot for 20 to 30 grams. That will keep your bowel movements regular and ward of disease-promoting inflammation, says New York City gastroenterologist Valerie AntoineGustave, M.D., M.P.H. MG/DL, MAXIMUM TRIGLYCERIDE LEVEL Total cholesterol usually steals the spotlight, but triglycerides—fat in blood—may be more critical. “Higher triglyceride levels raise heart-disease risk in women,” says Caroline Cederquist, M.D., weight
management physician in Naples, Florida, and author of The MD Factor Diet (BenBella Books, Inc.). While levels below 150 mg⁄dL are normal, ideally, you should be under 100 mg⁄dL. To lower your levels, decrease your intake of simple sugars and simple carbohydrates, says Cederquist.
1,500
MILLIGRAMS, MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SODIUM PER DAY While you need salt to survive, too much of it can lead to high blood pressure and increase your risk of heart-attack risk, says Laxmi Mehta, M.D., clinical director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Program at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Like sugar, salt is hidden in many processed foods, so stick to whole foods and ditch the salt-shaker habit. FRIENDS IN YOUR INNER CIRCLES Friendships consist of various layers, but the center two make up the strongest bonds. “The interaction you have with these layers stimulates the production of endorphins, the brain’s natural pain killer, and boosts the immune system to help you resist diseases,” says Robin Dunbar, Ph.D., professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Your first layer contains five friends and family who provide you the most emotional support. Those 10 in your second layer are your best friends with whom you spend most of your time. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE EACH DAY Alcohol in moderation does have its benefits, including lowering incidents of diabetes and reducing heart-disease risk, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public
Health. Stick to no more than a drink a day, says Peeke, but women with a family history of alcoholism should nix alcohol. Didn’t get your one a day? Just as you can’t bank lost sleep, you can’t bank missed drinks.
INTERNATIONAL UNITS (IU), MINIMUM AMOUNT OF VITAMIN D If you’re not spending enough time in the sun, you may be low in vitamin D, which has been associated with numerous benefits, including protection from depression and stronger bones, Peeke says. Yet guidelines of 600 IU fall short of what numerous organizations recommend. The Vitamin D Council, for one, suggests adults get 5,000 IU daily. Get your vitamin D levels tested so you know how much is right for you.
HOURS OF SLEEP The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults ages 26 to 64 get seven to nine hours of shut-eye a night. Six hours may be okay for some people; just don’t dip below that. TEASPOONS, MAXIMUM, OF ADDED SUGAR IN A DAY The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar daily, which may be responsible for the rise in obesity and diabetes, says Mehta. New labeling laws will soon make it easier to spot hidden sugars. Until then, cut your intake by eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages, choosing whole foods over processed foods, and limiting sugar-laden condiments like ketchup. NEWYOU.COM
| 53
5/9/14
