FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

5 Things: Your Skin

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:00:00 -0800

I don't think about my skin that much, except on sunny Summer days when I coat myself with sunscreen or when I get the occasional blemish on my chin. More than just a fleshy covering for our muscles, skin is an organ and without it, we would evaporate. Here are five facts you should know about the skin you're in.

Skin, not the liver, is the body's largest organ. Altogether, the skin of an average adult weighs between eight and nine pounds. Skin also grows faster than any other organ. In fact, we are constantly shedding skin cells, to the tune of 50,000 cells every minute.
The skin of an average-sized adult covers 21-square feet and contains over 11 miles of blood vessels. Skin is only 2 millimeters thick. So we are all truly thin skinned. Speaking of thin skin, the eyelids are the thinnest skin of the body and the soles of your feet are the thickest.
On a hot and humid day, your skin can produce up to three gallons of sweat in a 24-hour period. But not all of your body sweats. The nail bed, margins of the lips, tip of the penis, and eardrums do not sweat.

For a couple more cool facts about your skin,

5 Things About Epsom Salts

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Taking a relaxing bath is a wonderful way to reward yourself after a long run or a tough day at work, so while you're soaking in and letting go, why not reap the benefits of epsom salts? The salts are very inexpensive and can be found at the grocery store or the drug store — taking care of yourself doesn't have to be costly! Check out these five things about the salts and tell me, have you ever experimented with them in your bath water?

Muscle relaxer: Epsom salts are known to relax tight muscles and reduce inflammation. Just add about two cups of the salts to bath water.
Soak away the toxins: Soaking in the salts can flush toxins from the body.
Sleep more soundly: Epsom salts are made of magnesium sulfate, and soaking in them can reduce stress and help you sleep more soundly by restoring magnesium levels.

For two additional ways you can benefit from epsom salts,

5 Signs You’ll Live Longer Than You Think

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0700

I am always trying to do what I can to extend my own life expectancy. Sometimes I consciously make decisions that I know will keep me around longer (like not smoking), but there are also many things that we all do (some we have no control over), which influence how long we're going to live. Prevention recently listed some surprising signs you’ll live longer than you think. So instead of thinking you need to change up your habits, give yourself a pat on the back for the ones you already do. Check out my favorites from the list in this slideshow.

Source

5 Tips For Choosing Healthier Meats

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

While some folks choose to avoid meat altogether for their health, many folks do still incorporate meat into their diets, as it can be a great source of lean protein. The key is to incorporate meat in a healthy way and avoid cuts that are high in fat and cholesterol. The US Department of Agriculture offers a few easy suggestions for making healthier meat choices. Here are highlights:

Choose lowfat meats and chicken. Avoid fried chicken, or chicken with the skin still on it.
Make sure you account for how you've cooked your meat. For example, chicken cooked in butter can be a lot less healthy than chicken cooked in olive oil.
Eat more fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, anchovies, and tuna. Here are two recipes for salmon that I love.
Avoid meats that are high in cholesterol. Liver and other organ meats are super bad for your heart. Instead aim for meats low in cholesterol such as white turkey meat.
Processed meat such as hot dogs, ham, sausage, and lunch meats may be easy to prepare but they can also be very high in sodium and other additives.

FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

5 Things: Your Skin

5 Things About Epsom Salts

5 Signs You’ll Live Longer Than You Think

5 Tips For Choosing Healthier Meats

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