Friday, April 3, 2009
Studies show that people who walk between 30 and 60 minutes a day will live longer than those who don't. A pedometer can help measure steps walked in a day.
Eating healthy can be confusing. So many food and lifestyle plans exist, from organic to low-sodium to low-carb, that it can be hard sometimes to separate myth from reality. Lynn Marotz, assistant professor in the applied behavioral science department, and Anne Chapman, coordinator of nutrition services at Watkins Memorial Health Center, discuss the fact and fiction in these four health myths.
Myth 1: Drinking tea lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Marotz said as far as the studies are concerned, this claim is still pretty controversial. She said there was not a good consensus about the benefits of tea.
“If a person were really serious about that, they should go to a place that sells loose tea leaves,” Marotz said. “They have to learn how to brew it themselves, the right way, in order to get the benefit out of it.”
Chapman said there were antioxidants found in teas that do protect the heart.
“All teas — white tea, black tea and green tea — all have some kind of antioxidant properties,” Chapman said.
Myth 2: Walking at least thirty minutes a day keeps you fit.
According to the article “Surprising Signs You’ll Live Longer Than You Think,” on msn.com, people who walk for about 30 minutes a day are more likely to live longer than those who walk less.
Chapman said it was important to walk between 30 and 60 minutes a day.
“It reduces your risk for disease and promotes longevity and reduces stress,” Chapman said.
One national campaign called for people to walk 10,000 steps, roughly five miles, a day, Marotz said. Participants wore a pedometer to keep track of how many steps they took each day.
“It’s an easy way to exercise,” Marotz said. “The idea is to keep moving. Studies have shown that people who walk more tend to live longer.”
Myth 3: Eating purple foods such as grapes and blueberries keeps your blood vessels healthy.
The same article said these foods get their rich color from polyphenols, which reduce heart disease risk and may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
Marotz disagrees with this claim. She said there was no superfood.
“They are all equally important,” Marotz said. “The problem with pulling one out, and saying this is what you need to eat more of, is that you miss out on all of the rest.”
She said eating a diet that was colorful was key to getting all the vitamins and minerals needed.
Chapman also said it was essential to eat a variety of foods.
“One of the recommendations is to eat a rainbow of foods,” Chapman said.
Myth 4: Staying in school will help you live longer.
According to a Harvard Medical School study, people with more than 12 years of formal education live 18 months longer on average than those with fewer years of schooling. Researchers hypothesize that this is because people with more education are less likely to smoke.
Chapman said that education is power.
“The more educated people are, the more apt they are to make healthy decisions,” Chapman said.
Marotz said all people make bad decisions now and then. But she said it helps to surround yourself with people who do positive things, and that people with more education make more informed decisions.
— — Edited by Justin Leverett
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