Important to recognize difference between tiredness and fatigue

Instead of dismissing grumblings about being tired or exhausted, people should take these complaints seriously before they lead to a worsened health state or even death, says a University of Alberta researcher investigating fatigue.

Dr. Karin Olson, a U of A professor from the Faculty of Nursing, argues that there are differences between tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion and that recognizing those distinctions will help health-care workers create better treatment plans for their patients. Her findings are published in the current issue of "Oncology Nursing Forum."
Olson has studied fatigue in six ill and non-ill populations: shift workers, recreational long distance runners, individuals with cancer in active treatment or palliative settings, and individuals diagnosed with depression or chronic fatigue syndrome. Having worked with cancer patients for many years, she saw how serious fatigue was and the impact it had on the patients' quality of life. Some patients even withdrew for a potentially curative treatment saying they were "too tired."
"The kind of fatigue experienced by individuals with cancer is different from the feeling that you or I have at the end of a busy week," said Olson. "Interestingly, when you start looking at other populations, such as people with chronic illnesses or shift workers and take a broad view, the descriptions of fatigue are the same. Thus, while the reasons for fatigue may vary, the kinds of adaptations required may not."
Olson, who is currently an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Health Scholar, has created new definitions for tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion and argues that they represent various points on an energy continuum. The amount of energy a person has influences how easily he can adapt to stress that comes his way. Individuals who are tired still have a fair bit of energy, so although they may feel forgetful, and impatient, and experience gradual heaviness or weakness in muscles following work, this is often alleviated by rest. Fatigue, on the other hand, is characterized by difficulty concentrating, anxiety, a gradual decrease in stamina, difficulty sleeping, increased sensitivity to light and the limiting of social activities once viewed as important. Individuals with exhaustion report frank confusion that resembles delirium, emotional numbness, sudden loss of energy, difficulty both in staying awake and in sleeping and complete social withdrawal.
"It is important to recognize the difference between tiredness and fatigue, because fatigue is a marker that the body is not able to keep up," says Olson. "The onset of the manifestations of fatigue, particularly if these are not normal states for you, should be taken seriously."

More reading:
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/01/31/21652.aspx

Healthy Eating

13 Keys to a Healthy Diet

Developing healthy eating habits isn’t as confusing or as restrictive as many people imagine. The first principle of a healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions.

Secondly, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol—should make up the bulk of the calories you consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat and poultry, and fish.

You should also try to maintain a balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don’t eat more food than your body can utilize. Otherwise, you will gain weight. The more active you are, therefore, the more you can eat and still maintain this balance.

Following these three basic steps doesn’t mean that you have to give up your favorite foods. As long as your overall diet is balanced and rich in nutrients and fiber, there is nothing wrong with an occasional cheeseburger. Just be sure to limit how frequently you eat such foods, and try to eat small portions of them.

You can also view healthy eating as an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don’t normally eat. A healthy diet doesn’t have to mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing.

The following basic guidelines are what you need to know to construct a healthy diet.

1 Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the “good” carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates, so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar, and provides other health benefits as well. Such foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals essential to good health).

2 Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods may help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat five or more servings a day.

3 Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our No.1 additive, is added to a vast array of foods. Just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can add up to 16 pounds over the course of a year. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re calorie-dense.

4 Cut down onhttp://www.wellnessletter.com/ucberkeley/foundations/13-keys-to-a-healthy-diet/# animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry, and nonfat or low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

5 Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.

6 Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

7 Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

8 Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy products, and egg yolks.

9 Eat a variety of foods. Don’t try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in one particular food.

10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can’t get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.

11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the “synergy” that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body.

12 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie) intake with energy output. Exercise and other physical activity are essential.

13 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.

For more details about these and other keys to a healthy diet, consult the 60-page report Eating for Optimal Health by the editors of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, which has been updated for 2012. It is available in print or, for immediate access, as a PDF.

Fitness Training

Rowing

Take the plunge

Make the transition from rowing machine to water

Triathlon

Get stuck in

Where to start, what gear to get and how to train

Picture guide

The warm-up

Gallery (4 pictures): With Christian Malcom

Picture guide

The warm down

Gallery (6 pictures): With Steph Twell

• Running plan: 1
  

  From 0 to 5km

  An eight-week running plan for beginners
• Running plan: 2
  

  10km run

  A six-week plan to stretch your fitness
• Running plan: 3
  

  Half marathon

  A challenging eight-week programme
• Running plan: 4
  

  Full marathon

  The definitive training schedule

• Cycling plan: 1
  

  Four hours

  Start riding regularly within eight weeks
• Cycling plan: 2
  

  Seven hours

  Increase your speed with the next plan
• Cycling plan: 3
  

  12 hours

  Get serious in the final programme
• Swimming plan
  

  Swimfast

  Improve endurance in four weeks

• Strength training
  

  For cycling

  Gallery (9 pictures): With Jamie Staff
• Strength training
  

  For rowing

  Gallery (3 pictures): With Jessica Eddie
• Strength training
  

  For running

  Gallery (8 pictures): With Jo Pavey
• Strength training
  

  For swimming

  Gallery (5 pictures): With Bill Furnisshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/getting-fit

Healthy weight

A combination of factors determines our weight, and that's why it's difficult to set an exact ideal weight that applies to everyone.
It's important to remember there's a range of healthy body weights. Aiming to keep within this means an end to aspiring to one magic weight you think you should be.
Many people have a distorted perception of what constitutes a healthy body weight. We're surrounded by images of celebrities, many of whom are underweight. Comparing yourself with these images isn't helpful. But comparing yourself to friends and family isn't that useful either, because as obesity becomes more common our perception of 'average' weight may in fact be too heavy.
It's important to make an objective assessment of your size. Looking at yourself in the mirror isn't a good way to assess whether you're a healthy weight.

Top

How do I know if I'm a healthy weight?

There are a number of ways you can work out if you're within a healthy weight range. You need to get an accurate idea because it's easy to underestimate or overestimate your own weight.

Body mass index

You can check your body size using the body mass index (BMI), which assesses your weight in relation to your height.
Work out your BMI with our calculator, with both metric and imperial results.

Waist circumference

Another method of assessing whether you're a healthy weight is to measure your waist.
This gives an indication of how much fat is stored around your middle. Excess fat in this area increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Body fat

You can measure the amount of fat in your body using scales designed for this purpose, often called body fat analysers. These pass a small, safe electrical signal through your body.
Lean tissue, such as muscle, and blood contain water and act as conductors of the electrical signal, while fat resists it. The greater the resistance, the more body fat you have.
Body fat is only one aspect of health.
Your GP can advise whether additional measurements such as blood pressure, resting heart rate, blood cholesterol, and fat and glucose tests are necessary.

Top

Are you overweight?

If your BMI and waist circumference indicate you're overweight, changes to your lifestyle could help to control your weight. Think about how you can make changes to your diet and physical activity over the long term.
For more advice, see Do you need to lose weight?

Top

Are you underweight?

Not weighing enough can also put your health at risk. If you're underweight because of a restriction of your diet, you're at risk of a number of nutritional deficiencies.
Young women especially are at risk of anaemia (a lack of iron), while insufficient calcium can lead to osteoporosis in later life. Amenorrhoea (missing menstrual periods) is also common among women who are underweight, and it can lead to infertility.
For more information, see Do you need to gain weight?

Are you a healthy weight but unhappy?

If your weight lies within the healthy range but you're unhappy with your shape, you'll probably derive more benefits from a supervised exercise programme than by restricting your diet.
This will improve your fitness, help to tone specific muscle groups and enhance your overall health and wellbeing.
Dr Susan Jebb last medically reviewed this article in June 2007.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/your_weight/whatis_healthy.shtml

Top Ten Weight Loss Tips

Weight Loss Resources members share the secrets of their success in our Top Ten Tips list. The list represents important ideas that come up time after time when members tell us about their weight loss success.

1. Don't cut out all the food you enjoy. I like the occasional takeaway, but now I save up calories to have one or earn it. If I restricted myself to just fruit and veg I'd give up very quickly. I also found that I could still eat my favourite foods if I 'tweak' them a bit: low fat cheese, low fat spread instead of butter, light mozzarella etc. Also the best thing I did was get olive oil spray! Sara
2. Write everything down. Even (or especially) on bad/splurge days. It’s only if you write things down that you know what you are doing. I’m not saying don’t have the Peking Duck. I am saying, at least know what having the Peking Duck means. Rachael
3. I find sticking a wedding invitation or holiday photograph of destinations I want to visit in a prominent place in the kitchen. This is a bit more subtle than a fat photograph of yourself and reminds you when you are tempted. Laura
4. Use scales in the kitchen - it's amazing how easy it is to deceive oneself! Mary
5. I think it is a good idea to buy some new clothes when you are down a size or two. That way, you are reminded of what you have achieved and not to go back to old sizes. Chuck out the old stuff or give it away. Steve
6. Life is too short so build in treats! Ok my weight loss is nice and slow but I don’t feel like I am on a diet or that I am depriving myself of anything (including chocolate and cheese. Lol!!!) Daniela
7. Be honest with yourself. Ok, if you go over the required cals, but keep a record, it's the average calorie intake that matters. Colin
8. It is not rocket science, but I am convinced that exercising is the key to success with sustained weight loss. I try to vary my routine, including the cross trainer and walking regularly, and cycling and swimming occasionally. Rob
9. Always measure alcohol consumed at home carefully, as it is easy to fool yourself. Maureen
10. Don’t ever give up! You are going to get bad days/weeks; it happens! Just get straight back on it and limit the damage. Joanna
11. Bonus Tip - my only tip really is to join up for the WLR 24 hour free trial and see for yourself. Everyone seems to adapt the site to their needs and if it works for me (never had much willpower and exercise was a bad word) then it has to be worth a try for everyone trying to lose either a few or a lot of kilos. Sarahhttps://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/weight_loss/weight_loss_tips.htm