Best Fitness Blog

... By Karli Taylor

Obesity not only puts people at risk for a number of chronic conditions but may also increase the likelihood of dying in a car crash. In general, car crashes are the most common cause of injury-related death for those ages 3 to 33. New studies show how body weight plays into this statistic.

Results of a recent study show that moderately obese individuals, those with a body mass index between 35 and 39, have a 21-percent higher risk of dying during a severe car crash compared with normal-weight individuals. Morbidly obese individuals, those with a BMI of 40 and above, have a 56-percent higher risk.

The results suggest that having a larger stomach puts an individual too close to the steering wheel, and therefore can boost the risk of mortality because the body has less time to slow down before hitting the steering column after impact.

To add to the danger for obese individuals, they are also more likely to have serious illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and are more likely to have complications during surgery, which may contribute to their higher risk of death after a crash.

Some are now considering whether car manufacturers should consider redesigning their vehicles co protect the one-third of obese Americans from injury during car crashes. It may be as simple as allowing the driver’s seat to push further back than current vehicles allow. Also, manufacturers should use obese crash-test dummies, in addition to the normal-weight ones, when testing cars for safety. What do you think about that?

... by Karli Taylor

Did you know that the daily recommended intake of sodium is 2,400mg, which is the equivalent of one teaspoon of table salt?   If you have high blood pressure, the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your sodium to 1,500mg per day.
 
Most Americans, however,  consume anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 mg per day.

Even if you aren't in the habit of regularly picking up the salt shaker, your diet may still be high in sodium. In fact, if you're like most people, the salt you add at the table or during cooking only adds up to around 5 to 10% of the sodium in your diet.  A whopping 75% of the sodium that Americans consume each day is hidden in packaged, processed and prepared foods.

Following these steps will help you reduce the amount of sodium in your diet:

• Cut back on processed and prepared foods.  Food manufacturers often use salt to preserve food and help "improve" the flavor and texture. Processors also use sodium to mask the taste of chemicals and additives they add to foods.  
• Read labels.  Just because a food doesn't taste salty doesn't mean it is low in sodium. Even foods that taste sweet can contain a significant amount of salt.
• Make over your spice rack.  Seasoning mixes, rubs, and marinades can contain a lot of unnecessary sodium. Revamp your seasoning arsenal with fresh herbs, spices, and low-sodium seasoning blends like Mrs Dash.  Keep in mind that condiments such as soy sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, and even ketchup contain sodium. Remember to include them when calculating your sodium intake.

Look for low-sodium products.  Hoping to keep up with consumer demands, manufacturers have created lower sodium varieties of  our favorite soups, canned vegetables, deli meats, crackers, sauces, and many other products.
The good news is that as you start to cut back on added salt, you'll find that your taste buds start to adjust. You'll need less salt to make foods taste good and you may develop a taste for other seasonings in the process.