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The most common misconception about weight training is that it adds bulky muscle mass, a fear of some women. While elite male lifters can — and want to — get very developed, for most people the result is simply well-toned muscles. Other benefits are increased mobility, more support for your joints and the ability to stay self-sufficient into your late years. As an added bonus, having more muscle can also help you with your weight goal. That’s because the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate and the more calories you burn. Add a calorie cut into the mix and you’ll lose weight. Muscle is denser than fat and it also takes up less room. That’s why you can look leaner yet actually weigh more than someone without muscle definition. To make the most of strength training, lift heavier weights than you think you’re able to. Yes, challenge yourself, staying within safe limits. You don’t want to try to lift a weight you can barely pick up off the weight rack, but most people underestimate the amount they can handle or fail to progress to heavier weights, according to the American Council on Exercise, and that limits the effectiveness of strength training. Keep in mind, too, that you don’t have to spend hours in the gym. All you need are 20 to 30… read on >

There’s a healthy new twist in the farm-to-table movement: Getting farm-fresh food to school lunchrooms and even having students grow their own crops as part of learning. Colorado was a pioneer in passing the “Farm-to-School Healthy Kids Act” in 2010. The move was designed to increase the use of local farm and ranch products in school food service programs to both improve childhood nutrition and strengthen the state’s agricultural economy. Today, a handful of other states have similar programs. Some schools also have added programs for growing food to their curriculum. An example is in place at Community School 55 in New York’s South Bronx, thanks to the Green Bronx Machine. Educator Stephen Ritz founded the nonprofit as an after-school alternative program for high schoolers. It’s fully integrated into the core curriculum from kindergarten through high school. Students have grown tens of thousands of pounds of vegetables that go from classroom-to-community. Ritz turned an underutilized library into the National Health, Wellness and Learning Center, considered the nation’s first career technical education elementary school. The program features a year-round, indoor vertical farm that grows crops regardless of the weather, and a food processing and training kitchen with solar and alternative energy generators. It has served as a model for schools in many areas of the country. You can learn more at greenbronxmachine.org. National organizations are also… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis, is a medical condition that happens when a person sweats more than necessary. People with hyperhidrosis sweat when the body does not need cooling, says the American Academy of Dermatology. Many people with hyperhidrosis sweat from their palms, feet, underarms or head. The condition can interfere with daily activities, and cause unsightly sweat marks. Treatment options range from antiperspirants to Botox injections to prescription medicine.

If you’re Hispanic and missing out on needed sleep, a new study suggests that could make you more prone to memory problems and possibly Alzheimer’s disease. “This finding is particularly important because Hispanics have a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared with non-Hispanic whites,” said study leader Dr. Alberto Ramos. He is a sleep expert and associate professor of neurology at the University of Miami. For the study, the researchers assessed the brain function of more than 5,200 Hispanics, aged 45 to 75, in Chicago, Miami, San Diego and New York City at the start of the study, and again seven years later. “We observed that prolonged periods of sleep and chronic insomnia symptoms led to declines in memory, executive function and processing speed. Those measures can precede the development of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease,” Ramos explained in a university news release. The study also included measures of sleep apnea, which has been linked to memory and thinking problems. “No previous studies used data from a representative sample of U.S. Hispanic/Latinos for these multiple types of sleep disturbances,” Ramos said. The findings should help make doctors aware that sleep problems may be connected with mental decline, particularly in Hispanics, according to Ramos. “We may also be able to identify at-risk patients who may benefit from early intervention to prevent or reduce the… read on >

Looking for a simple yet delicious way to enjoy whole grains? Start with nutritious, easy-to-cook barley, a great swap for processed grains like white rice. When shopping, choose hulled barley instead of pearl. Hulled barley retains more of the outer bran layer with its fiber and nutrients. Pearl parley has had most of the bran layer “polished” off. Hearty barley is a staple in Europe. In the United States, it’s often used as an ingredient in soups and stews, but there’s no reason to relegate it to those dishes. To cook barley for a fast breakfast or side dish, for every two servings, use a half-cup barley to a cup and a half of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the grains are tender and most of the water has evaporated. Top with cinnamon in the morning or herbs for dinner — it’s that versatile. But don’t stop there. Try this twist on traditional risotto for a one-pot meal. Mushroom Barley “Risotto” 1 cup dry hulled barley 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 red onion, minced 3 garlic cloves 5 ounces mushrooms, such as button or crimini, sliced 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, chopped Place the barley in a… read on >

Sore from a workout? You don’t have to reach for pain relief medicine when ice or heat will help. But when should you go cold and when should you go warm? Ice is the go-to therapy when an injury first happens. It can stop the swelling of a sprained ankle, for instance, and numb the pain. The traditional approach is 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off at first. You might step this down to 20 minutes every two or three hours on the second and third days. If you have a long-term injury, icing the area for 10 to 20 minutes after a workout can be soothing. Ice options include a plastic bag of crushed ice, a reusable ice pack or even a bag of peas that can be refrozen for use again — label it so no one eats them. Whatever you use, always place a thin towel between the ice and your skin to prevent skin damage. Once the swelling of an injury is gone, you can switch to heat. Heat eases discomfort and promotes healing. With a chronic condition like arthritis, it can soothe achy joints and lessen your pain. You can follow the same type of schedule you would when icing. Just as you don’t want to freeze your skin with ice, you don’t want to burn it with heat. So… read on >

THURSDAY, Oct. 10, 2019America’s child obesity epidemic shows no signs of shrinking. About 4.8 million American kids aged 10 to 17 — just over 15% — were obese in 2017-2018, according to a new report. “These new data show that this challenge touches the lives of far too many children in this country,” said Dr. Richard Besser, the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which produced the new report. It found that the five states with the highest youth obesity rates were Mississippi (25.4%), West Virginia (20.9%), Kentucky (20.8%), Louisiana (20.8%) and Michigan (18.9%). The lowest rates were seen in Utah (8.7%), Minnesota (9.4%), Alaska (9.9%), Colorado (10.7%) and Montana (10.8%). Progress against child obesity seems to have stalled: The report’s authors said that no states had statistically significant changes in obesity rates between 2016 and 2017-2018. The report also noted large racial and ethnic disparities. Obesity rates among black and Hispanic youth (22% and 19%, respectively) were sharply higher than among whites and Asians (about 12% and 7%, respectively). “Black and Hispanic youth are still at greater risk than their white and Asian peers,” Besser said in a foundation news release. Family income also had a major impact, the findings showed. The obesity rate among youth in households with incomes below the federal poverty line was nearly 22%, compared to about… read on >

Married folks not only live longer than singles, but the longevity gap between the two groups is growing, U.S. government health statisticians report. The age-adjusted death rate for the married declined by 7% between 2010 and 2017, according to a new study from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Not only is the rate for married lower, but it’s declining more than any other group,” said lead author Sally Curtin, an NCHS statistician. Statistically, death rate is the annual number of deaths for every 100,000 people. It’s adjusted so that a 26-year-old and an 80-year-old married or widowed or divorced are on equal footing. The new study reported that the death rate for never-marrieds declined only 2%, while that for divorced people hasn’t changed at all. Worst off were the widowed, for whom the death rate rose 6%. They have the highest death rate of all the categories, researchers said. Married men in 2017 had an age-adjusted death rate of 943 per 100,000, compared to 2,239 for widowers. The death rate was 1,735 per 100,000 for lifelong bachelors and 1,773 for divorced men. Married women had a death rate of 569 per 100,000, two-and-a-half times lower than the 1,482 rate for widows. The death rate was 1,096 for divorcees and 1,166 for never-married women.… read on >

You might think of a slow cooker as your grandma’s favorite timesaver, but this countertop device has many modern benefits — from making healthier meals and cutting calories to saving you time at the stove. Because almost all you need to do is cut, measure and add ingredients, you can set a slow cooker in the morning and have a meal ready when everyone rushes in at dinnertime. That’s a nutritious and inexpensive alternative to fast food. A slow cooker draws the maximum flavor from the ingredients you put in and makes delicious dishes with little or no added fat. It’s also a great way to make less expensive cuts of meat more tender. Do rub the inside of the machine with a few drops of oil or spray it with nonstick cooking spray before using for easier cleanup — or use a special liner made for the purpose. Always carefully clean it out afterwards. Adding lots of vegetables to a one-pot meal means you don’t have to worry about cooking separate side dishes to get in vegetable servings. Just place them in first, then add your protein and liquid in that order for the most even cooking. Note: Cutting larger pieces of food into small pieces will also ensure that everything cooks evenly. Typically, you’ll fill the slow cooker between half and two-thirds full,… read on >

If you’re an adult managing sleep problems, you likely know that part of creating an environment conducive to sleep includes turning off all gadgets at least an hour before bed because of the effects of the light they emit. This same advice goes for kids, too. Using smartphones, tablets and other gadgets has become more and more linked to sleep problems in children, such as not getting enough sleep or enough quality sleep. This can set up a chain reaction that seems to increase youngsters’ obesity risk. Not getting enough sleep leads to being sleepy at school, ramping up hormones that cause cravings for sugary or starchy foods, eating to get the energy to stay awake and, in turn, gaining unwanted weight. To help restore a healthy sleep pattern, turn off gadgets an hour before bed and create a family charging station away from all bedrooms. Not having the phone handy avoids the temptation for kids (and adults) to check messages just one more time before putting their head on the pillow. Make the hour before bed a calming time with quiet activities, like reading and choosing clothes for the morning. See to it that your children get an hour of exercise every day, outdoors if possible. Add time to any school-based physical activities to reach 60 minutes. Even though adults are encouraged to get… read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

The Surprising Benefits of Weight Training

Farm-to-Table Movement Goes to School

Health Tip: Understanding Excessive Sweating

Lack of Sleep May Cause Thinking Declines in Hispanics

Barley: A Tasty Alternative to Rice

Pain Relief: When to Use Cold, When to Use Heat

Nearly 5 Million American Kids Are Obese, New Study Finds

Tying the Knot Is Tied to Longer Life Span, New Data Shows

The Slow Cooker Makes a Comeback

Kids + Gadgets = Less Sleep and More Risk for Unwanted Weight