By Kac Young PhD, ND, DCH

Many young women today are facing the health challenges of older women. They include:

• Coronary heart disease

• Diabetes

• Osteoporosis

• High cholesterol

• High blood pressure

• Arthritis

• Certain types of cancer, like colon cancer

But why? Because it all boils down to a lack of healthy eating, a lack of exercise, and too much time sitting. You may find you have obstacles to healthy eating and living like:

• A busy lifestyle

• The ready availability of high-calorie convenience foods

• Super-sized portions

• Too little time for physical activity

• Competing information on diet, nutrition, lifestyle and healthy eating

And yet, all of this is easy to manage and handle when you have some basic information to guide you and to keep yourself motivated. 90% of all heart disease related illnesses can be prevented through proper diet and exercise. You can avoid the top list by following these two tips:

#1) Make the SWITCH.

SWITCH OUT: Saturated fats like butter, cheese and whole milk FOR: Nuts, avocados and non-fat milk, “The Good Fats”.

SWITCH OUT: White pasta and white rice FOR: whole wheat and whole grain pasta or brown rice pasta or brown rice.

SWITCH OUT: Sugary breakfast cereals FOR: whole grain, plain cereals that you sweeten with fruit and berries.

SWTCH OUT: Sugary sodas, candy and cookies FOR: plain water, club soda, fruit and vegetable snacks accompanied by a tablespoon of freshly-ground peanut butter.

SWTCH OUT: Fast food smoothies (which contain 32 cubes of sugar) FOR homemade blended fruit drinks made with ice and non-fat milk.

SWTCH OUT: Premade pasta sauces (usually high in sugar and sodium) FOR: low-fat, low-salt versions or homemade sauces you make with fresh tomatoes and herbs.

SWTCH OUT: Sodium and sugar-rich barbeque sauces FOR: homemade versions where you control the sugar and salt.

SWTCH OUT: Canned soup (high in salt) FOR: homemade soup with plenty of beans and veggies.

SWTCH OUT: Canned vegetables (usually high in sugar and salt) FOR: fresh or frozen vegetables

SWTCH OUT: Fast foods like pizza, hamburgers, and fried chicken FOR: whole grain pizza you make yourself with veggies and cheese substitute, turkey or veggie burgers without the cheese and pickles, roasted chicken you make at home or use a Panko coating for a crispy taste.

#2) Exercise. It doesn’t’ matter what you do – brisk walking is just fine! But you have to DO something to offset the sedentary lifestyle we have at our desks, computers, and television sets that keep us inactive, not refreshing our bodies, not stimulating oxygen flow and stagnating our muscles and organs by immobility . The body was designed to be in motion. When we sit for hours at a time, we stagnate the life process.

If you still think you can’t fit exercise into your life then please, if nothing else, employ these activities:

• Adopt a dog and take it for walks every day.

• Do things the old-fashioned way — get up and change the television channel; open the garage door manually; use a push lawnmower, garden.

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

• Walk briskly whenever you can – and do it for at least a 20 minutes.

• Minimize use of your car; walk to destinations within a mile.

• Use a bicycle to do errands and local transport. (Wear a helmet!)

• Take up tennis or any other game or sport you enjoy.

• Join a sports team, play regularly and enjoy the benefits team play can bring you.

Here are some free sites to help you work out. Set aside 15-30 minutes day for your body toning and stamina- building workout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-VH0aTOOik

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToR4S5Oms2o

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tony-hortons-10-minute-workout

http://www.oprah.com/health/Ten-Minute-Workouts

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306919_1,00.html

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/thirty_minute_workout.asp

and my favorite:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daily-workouts-free/id469068059?mt=8

– Kac Young , a former television director and producer, has earned a PhD in Natural Health and is a Doctor of both Clinical Hypnotherapy and Naturopathy. She is the author of 10 books. Heart Easy™ is a system of nutritionally sound, delicious meals that promote heart health, long life and taste great. Traditional recipes are turned into heart healthy meals that anyone can make. The health results are outstanding. While earning her PhD in Natural Health and a Doctorate in Naturopathy, she completed 36 courses in nutrition from Baylor University.