Fitness expert gives tips for healthy living

Pam Schroller, owner of Marysville Health & Fitness, shared several tips on healthy lifestyle, including a regular exercise routine, proper nutrition, flexibility and joint maintenance and stress management, at a workshop Feb. 10 at the fitness center.

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When reading food labels, watch serving sizes, Schroller suggests.

She suggests eating fresh foods as much as possible and avoiding  processed foods. A multi-vitamin is a good idea, too, she said.

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"Swap white flour for whole wheat flour when possible," she said. "It's less refined and has a lower glycemic index, which means it won't cause your blood sugar to spike the way foods made from white flour will. Lower glycemic index foods, which boost blood sugar more slowly, generally include higher-fiber foods, such as whole grains and legumes. Most fruits and vegetable have relatively low glycemic index rankings because of their fiber content as well."

Try combination eating, she said, such as beans and rice, apples with peanut butter, or cottage cheese and fruit, she said.

"Variety is so important in our diets," Schroller said. "Think outside your box. Be brave."

She suggested trying new grains such as quinoa, taboule and couscous.

Also vital to a healthy life is daily exercise.

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"Find a method to address stress reduction and flexibility to protect your joints," she said, adding that yoga is a good way to reduce tension.

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The importance of nutrition is often overlooked, she said.

"Everyone can benefit from the positive impact good nutrition has on health, ranging from disease risk reduction to improved quality of life," Schroller said. "Nutrition¹s effect on performance and injury prevention is important to athletes and active individuals."

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The basic building blocks of nutrition include three macronutrient types: proteins, carbohydrates and fats, each with a specific role in the body, she said.

Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for the body, supplying energy to think and move. People should include these food in their diets: beans and legumes such as lentils and peas, oatmeal, barley and other whole grains, fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, cereals, pastas and crackers, winter squash and sweet potatoes.

Certain types of carbohydrates are not as beneficial because they lack vitamins and minerals and may burn unevenly in the body, leading to unwanted weight gain in some individuals, Schroller said. It is best to limit these types to small portions and only occasional eat them.

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These include sugar-laden sodas, candy, pastries, cookies, cakes, breads, cereals and pastas made with refined flours.

Protein is a primary component of muscles, ligaments and bone. Adequate protein intake allows the body to repair muscular wear and tear and to build new muscle and stronger bones. The immune system depends heavily on proteins to help fight infection, and the hormone system requires proteins to carry chemical messengers to their target tissues within the body.

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Insufficient protein in your diet can lead to poor healing, injuries, increased susceptibility to infections, hair loss, muscular weakness and inability to build muscle mass.

Sources are dairy products such as yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat milk, beans and legumes, high-protein soy products, poultry, seafood and lean meats.

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Fat might get a bad rap, but it is important. The kind of fat is what should be monitored.

"Dietary fat provides some of the energy for daily living and energy needed for endurance exercise," Schroller said. "Fats are important for the brain and nervous system and for immune and reproductive function. They help keep the skin and hair healthy. Fats should supply 18 to 25 percent of the total daily caloric intake."

Insufficient fat intake can lead to dry skin or hair, poor exercise endurance capacity and increased susceptibility to infections, she said.

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Plant and fish sources of fats are the most beneficial. Animal fats should be limited because they promote cardiovascular disease and can increase the risk for heart attack or stroke.

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Include these types of fats such as avocado, olive, canola, flax oils, nuts, nut butters, seeds, salmon and mackerel.

"Water is the forgotten nutrient," Schroller said. "Water provides a liquid medium to transport nutrients and waste products to and from the body tissues via the circulation. Digestion requires water to break down foods we eat." Fluids cushion joints and prevent injury.

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"Adequate hydration helps us maintain a normal blood pressure and heart rate," she said.
Water requirements, she said, are about half a person's body weight in fluid ounces per day.
Insufficient water intake can lead to headaches, dizziness, reduced exercise capacity, rapid heart rate, fatigue, decreased perspiration and overheating.

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Good sources of fluids are water, sports drinks, herbal teas and diluted juices, she said.
Schroller said vitamins and minerals are important components of a good nutrition plan. They are involved in most chemical reactions that take place in the body, and they protect the body from injury and illness. Sources are vegetables, especially dark green or deeply colored, fruits, beans and legumes, whole grains and shellfish.

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Schroller said people should eat three meals and two to three snacks daily, depending on activity level.

She said people should include these foods in their daily diets: six to 11 servings of grains, cereals, breads, crackers (whole grain); two to three servings of fruit; three to four servings of vegetables; two to four servings of healthy fats; two to four low-fat dairy; two to three servings of other lean protein including fish, poultry, lean meats, beans or soy products.

Schroller also discussed exercise nutrition before, during and after workouts.

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She listed the five entry points to healthy living: listen to yourself, take the long view, see the whole picture, make healthy choices and create a healthier world.