October 2, 2001 - Vol1 Issue2

Welcome to the second edition of the Wellness Insider! We welcome your feedback and questions. To contact us, please click here. In light of the September 11th tragedy, we at The Cooper Aerobics Center would like to do our part in helping the families of the victims and the heroes taken from us. We are taking 10% of each purchase and donating it to the American Red Cross.  A Message from Dr. Cooper   The next time you are in a gym or a health club, try an experiment. Go to the rack of weights and pick up one of the 30-pound dumbbells. Then imagine carrying that around with you all day long with no break for 24 straight hours. I would imagine for most of us, just the thought of that is fatiguing. Now think of doing that for an entire year, nonstop. The reality is that the weight you were able to set down is the amount of pounds that is the commonly accepted definition of obesity. Think of the extra stress that this extra 30 pounds places on the body. more...  Nutrition Benecol: A Cholesterol Buster?  Lara Hassan M.S., R.D., L.D., C.D.E. At your last annual physical, you learned that your blood cholesterol levels were elevated. As a result, you decided to take your doctor’s advice and meet with a dietitian to fine tune your diet. Your nutritionist recommended a diet plan that was low in fat and cholesterol. You cut out most foods rich in saturated fats from your diet, but when it came to using butter or margarine you asked, “which one is better?” Butter and some margarines have been shown to raise the LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood, but now there is a butter substitute that has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol. more...  Vitamin Supplementation Power Up Against Prostate Cancer  Angela Marks, Cooper Concepts, Inc. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed form of cancer and the number two cause of cancer death among American men. It has been estimated that 198,100 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed and 31,500 U.S. men will die of it in 2001. This devastating disease has touched many of us either through a loss of someone close or even a personal battle. Although genetics is certainly a risk factor that cannot be controlled, there are things that you can do to “power up” against prostate cancer, including good nutrition and regular exercise. In fact, a study published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Urology found that eating a low-fat diet and getting regular exercise can slow the growth of prostate cancer by up to 30 percent. Meals low in fat may actually decrease levels of testosterone, a male sex hormone that may increase the risk of prostate cancer. more...  Physical Training It’s Never Too Late  Jill Armayor, Cooper Ventures The onlookers went wild as they saw the gentleman in yellow whizzing by on one foot, barely touching the glassy surface of the water. At 86 years of age, Banana George Blair gracefully glided past the spectators at 40 mph at the tail end of a ski boat, and to their amazement, he was wearing no skis. Even more amazing is the fact that Blair didn’t start water skiing until age 40. And at age 75, he decided to take up a completely new sport—snowboarding. “Extreme” is an understatement for the athletic endeavors of this man. He is an inspiration to us all and drives one point home: It is never too late to lead an active, healthy lifestyle, no matter what our age happens to be. more...  Women's Health The Low Down on High Blood Pressure.  Brought to you exclusively from the women physicians at Cooper Clinic What exactly is blood pressure? When the beating heart contracts, it pumps oxygenated blood through the arteries to your organs. Pressure is created by the force of heart contraction and by the muscular and elastic layers in the arteries. When the heart contracts and pumps blood, this is systolic pressure and when the pressure falls between contractions, this is called diastolic pressure. High blood pressure results when the elastic layers of the arteries are expanded or contracted beyond their normal capacity in a way that puts added pressure on the heart to circulate blood throughout the body. This additional stress can cause serious, and sometimes irreversible damage to vital organs and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. more...

Weekly Recipe Overnight French Toast with Apple Compote On Saturday afternoon, soak the bread, make the compote, and stick them in the refrigerator. Then, for Sunday morning, you can have a really special breakfast on the table in less than half an hour! Ingredients: 8 (1-inch) slices Italian bread 1 cup frozen egg substitute, thawed (or 2 whole eggs and 4 whites) 1 cup nonfat buttermilk 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 2 teaspoons vanilla extract vegetable cooking spray 6 medium-size Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and very thinly sliced 2/3 cup water 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons powdered sugar Directions: Arrange bread slices in an 11- x 7- x 2-inch square baking dish. Combine egg substitute, buttermilk, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla; stir until sugar dissolves. Pour over bread slices, and turn bread to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours, or overnight, turning bread occasionally. Combine apples, water, cinnamon, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a heavy, medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until apples are soft. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place soaked bread slices on a 15- x 10- x 1-inch jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes; turn and bake an additional 10 minutes or until toasted. Meanwhile, warm apple mixture on the stove. Transfer French toast to serving plates; sift powdered sugar evenly over toast. Spoon mixture evenly beside each serving. Per Serving: 250 Calories, 5 g Fat (1 g Saturated), 2 mg Cholesterol, 270 mg Sodium, 7 g Protein, 44 g Carbohydrates from: The Guilt-Free Comfort Food Cookbook. by Georgia Kostas, Georgia is the Director of Nutrition at the Cooper Clinic.  Shop Online: The Cooper Aerobics Center Sweatshirt Suit up for Fall with The Cooper Aerobics Center sweatshirt... Made of premium weight, 10 oz. fleece (90% cotton/10%polyester). The ultimate in natural comfort by Hanes. Available in Grey and Navy.