Always sit straight, Right? Wrong!

Here is why it is the worst thing for your back.

A study of MRI Scans revealed that sitting at a 90 degree angle puts pressure on your lower back. In fact the pressure is strong enough to squeeze fluid out of the discs that cushion your vertebrae. They saw dramatic changes after 10 minutes of being in this position.

So what is the best way to sit? According to research, you should adjust your chair height until your hips are 3-4 inches higher than your knees. Then you should recline slightly so your back is at 135 degree angle to your thighs. For added support , you can put a small pillow behind your lower back. (Prevention magazine)

Another article from Health magazine supports this. They say you should sit with your knees level or tilting down from your thighs and your feet flat on the ground. They say that the best way to sit is not bolt upright at a 90 degree angle, but, rather, reclined at about 100 to 110 degrees.

Adjust the chair at your desk so you can lean back a little. The slight tilt helps your back and leg muscles relax, and it leaves your spine less compressed, sparing you aches and pains.

They say that it may feel strange at first, but in a few days it will feel very natural.

The New Mood Booster

Turn your thoughts into a race - it can lift the blues in minutes, says a Princeton University Psychologist.
Apparently speed thinking even negative thoughts can still improve your mood.

Researchers say rapid thinking may release feel-good neurotransmitters, or it could just be a helpful distraction.

(Prevention magazine, February 2009)

Storing Foods in the Fridge

Keep your most perishable items toward the back of the refrigerator, where it is consistently cool - unlike the oft-opened fridge door

Washing Produce

The kitchen sink is often the dirtiest place in the kitchen, so never place food directly in the sink.
Use a colander to wash fruit or veggies

Build the perfect snack

Smart Cheese Choices

Cheddar cheese - it is high in essential nutrients, and it packs 12 grams of protein and about 360 milligrams of calcium into a single serving. Choose a lighter version and you will cut the fat in half and reduce the calories by 1/3

Cottage cheese - A premium source of protein with 16 grams per 1/2 cup. Cottage cheese is also low in fat and calories.

Brie/Camembert- These creamy, spreadable cheeses are good source of protein (10-14 grams) and calcium (90-200 milligrams) but be careful not to overindulge because they also contain up to 200 calories and 12-14 grams of fat per serving.

Cream cheese - is not considered a proper serving of dairy due to its low protein (2 grams) and calcium(24 milligrams) counts per 2 tablespoon serving

The Good Mood Diet

Try raising your mood-lifting serotonin levels a couple of times a day by doing the following

-include protein in each of your three meals. this will raise blood levels of tryptophan , a chemical that eventually turns into serotonin. The best sources of tryptophan are poultry, seafood, and lean meat.


Also Have a small carbohydrate snack about 3 or 4 hours after each meal and about 1 hour before your next one. Make sure that your stomach is empty and that you eat no protein between meals. The carbohydrates should be easily digestible- such as one or two oatmeal cookies, or a piece of whole wheat bread. This will cause tryptophan in your blood to enter the brain,where is is metabolized into serotonin. Elevated serotonin will improve your mood within 20 - 30 minutes.

If you follow the rules, you will also fall asleep more quickly at night, because at the end of the day, your brain metabolizes serotonin into the natural sleep aid melatonin.

From happy to sleepy, all by way of a cookie. It doesn't get much cheerier than that.

(Prevention magazine - July 2008)