live well
h ea l t h b u z z
Story | Sally j. Clasen
Making a Fitness Connection
B Free Memory Screenings Nationwide
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ational Memory Screening Day is Nov. 18. As part of the public awareness event, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is offering free memory screenings at sites across the country. The screenings will help promote early detection and intervention for those concerned about memory loss as well as educate the public about successful aging. nationalmemoryscreening.org
y default, airports and exercise don’t mix. Travelers are rushing to make a connecting flight (via a moving walkway) or using their terminal time to grab a quick bite to offset mid-air hunger in favor of a workout. Yet, one airport is attempting to set an exercise trend in lieu of sedentary travel behaviors like watching TV, reading—and eating. In June, the Philadelphia International Airport became the first airport in the United States to provide low-impact stationary bikes for travelers to use in the terminal, free of charge, while waiting for their flights. The equipment includes 30 free-standing cycling machines with a seat and pedals. Four elliptical machines also are moved between terminals each month as a pop-up gym. So if you are making a connecting flight at PHL during the holidays, perhaps you can grab a bike instead of a cheesesteak.
Sweat: A Renewable Energy Source?
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ave you ever thought about using your sweat to monitor your workout and recharge your mobile device? A research team led by Joseph Wang, a distinguished professor of nanoengineering at the University of California, has developed an innovative biosensor that can track exercise progress and produce an electrical charge for smartphones and other electronic devices. The sensor, mounted in a temporary tattoo, contains an enzyme that produces an electrical current to measure sweat lactate levels during exercise. The sweat is then used to generate power via the principles of electrons. The advantage of such “biobatteries” over traditional batteries is they recharge more quickly, use renewable energy (your sweat) and don’t explode or leak toxic chemicals, according to the researchers.
Losing Fizz: Soda Consumption on the Decline
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oda sales dropped 3 percent in 2013, bringing volume to its lowest level since 1985, according to ABC News. Driven by health concerns over soda’s contents, consumers are grabbing more water and lowersugar beverage options as well as caffeinated energy drinks and coffee. Making the switch to healthier choices has been a slow fizz: Americans drank an average of 51 gallons of soda in 1998 but now drink nearly 20 percent less—44 gallons, based on data from Beverage Digest, a trade publication and data service. Diet sodas have taken a bigger hit with a 6 percent drop in sales in 2013, even though government studies suggest they are safe to drink.
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Meet Teff and Millet, Your November Powerhouse Grains
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eff and millet are not a comedy duo but they are in the spotlight for November as the Whole Grains Council’s featured grains of the month. The two pack a nutritional punch. Teff, a North African cereal grass, is glutenfree with a mild flavor that leads all grains by a wide margin in its calcium content. One cup of cooked teff offers 123 mg, about the same amount of calcium as in a half-cup of cooked spinach. In addition, teff is high in resistant starch, a newly-discovered type of dietary fiber that can benefit blood-sugar management, weight control and colon health. Millet describes an equally mild tasting group of small-seeded grains from the grass family Poaceae, which are gluten-free and loaded with antioxidant activity. Millet grains are especially high in magnesium, mineral which helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function. In recent years, researches also have discovered millet helps control diabetes and inflammation.