FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

Yoga Poses for Swimmers

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:30:00 -0700

If swimming is one of your favorite cardio exercises, you probably suffer from tight shoulders and a tense upper back. Here are some yoga moves to stretch, strengthen, and open those areas.

What's the Deal with: Virgin and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:45:00 -0700

As we all learned from the Butter or Margarine Quiz olive oil is a much healthier alternative. Butter is bad for your heart since it is high in saturated fats, and most margarines are made from hydrogenated oil so they contain trans fats which raises your cholesterol.

OK back to olive oil - what's the difference between virgin and extra virgin? Is one healthier than the other? What about refined olive oil? Does refined mean better? Is one better suited for cooking?

Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives. It contains no more than 8% acidity (oleic acid), and is said to have a superior taste. Extra-virgin olive oil has higher levels of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, chlorophyll and magnesium. Contrary to popular belief, heating it will not cause it to lose its health benefits, it will only lose flavor.

Want to know about virgin olive oil and which one is best to cook with? Then

5 Things: You Should Avoid Putting Into Your Body

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 02:30:00 -0800

Of course everyone eats this stuff sometimes. A brownie here, a Coke with lunch - nothing wrong with moderation. But if you're consuming these ingredients daily, it'll affect your mood and your health. Check the labels. These ingredients are in everything these days.

1. Hydrogenated oil (often labeled as trans fat) - A process that turns free flowing oil into a lard-looking solid at room temperature. The food industry uses it to increase shelf life of products and maximize profits. Eating this stuff increases the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body and is bad for your heart.

2. Enriched flour – All the grain’s nutrients are destroyed in the refining process. Companies add a little bit of the lost nutrients back and label it “enriched” so it seems nutritious.

3. High Fructose Corn Syrup – Your body processes this differently than good old-fashioned cane sugar. It contains more fructose than sugar and converts to fat more easily, which adds to weight gain.

Are you ready to learn the rest? Then