Send comments to the editor: well@wellsource.com The Sugar Rush Myth Looking for a quick boost of energy? You might gulp down a sugary drink or munch your way through some sweet treats. That’s how you get a sugar rush, right? It’s all in your head. It’s a myth. Nothing to see here but empty calories. There’s really no such thing as a sugar rush. New research sugary foods has on mood.1 In fact, researchers found that you’re more consuming sugary food or drinks. clearly indicate… sugar will probably make you feel worse,” says lead researcher Mantantzis. Ten years later, Kata is still healthy and fit. And she’s helping others as a health coach and fitness instructor. In a recent study, researchers found that regular exercise is the key to keeping weight off after you lose it.2 Step up to lose weight and keep it off If you want to lose weight and keep it off, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity a day. In the study, the most successful dieters to lose weight and keep it off walked an average of 12,000 steps per day. How many steps per day do you take? In the U.S., the average adult only walks 3,000 to 5,000 steps per day. It’s not enough to maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk for chronic disease. But you can change that. Aim for 10,000 steps per day or more. Start today. Follow the ‘Walk It Off, Keep It Off’ Plan Regular exercise key to keeping weight off INFORMATION FOR KEEPING HEALTHY MAY 2019 The Glass-Half-Full Secret to Prevent Heart Disease An optimistic outlook supports heart health When Illinois resident Lynn Kata stepped on the scale just before her 50th birthday, she was 40 pounds overweight. Her diet included lots of sugary foods. She wasn’t very active. And she realized something needed to change. That’s how it all started. She cut out most sugary foods and drinks. She started exercising, even though it was just a short, slow walk at first. When she could walk three miles at a time, she added 30-minute home workouts to her plan. And she tipped the scale in the right direction. “I reached my fiftieth birthday 40 pounds lighter,” says Kata. “I was thrilled that I had accomplished my goal.” Are you an optimist of a pessimist? Is the glass half full or half empty? Can you look on the bright side of things, even when things aren’t perfect? Your answer could have an impact on your heart health. Research shows that a positive outlook can help prevent heart disease or slow its progression.3 In a recent study, researchers found that being happy can lower the risk for heart disease. And that’s regardless of your age, income, body weight, or even if you smoke. In fact, the happiest people were 50 percent less likely to have heart problems. CO M M EN T S? Walk it off: Take 10,000 steps a day tinyurl.com/ y42nzovb M O R E They were also more likely to have lower blood pressure and normal body weight. It’s an important finding. That’s because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. About 635,000 people die from heart disease each year. What can you do to prevent heart disease? Exercise. Eat a healthy diet. Maintain a healthy weight. Don’t smoke, or quit if you do. Manage stress in healthy ways. Take medication if necessary. And be happy. It appears that an optimistic outlook can help prevent heart disease, too.