Presentation to the Visitors from Iran

Dr Fatemah Rakshani (DG, Health Promotion Department, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Iran) and Dr Hamid Allahverdipour (Dean, School of Health and Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran)  visited the University of Nizwa to meet the committee members of the Healthy Lifestyle Project.  The purpose of the visit is to share knowledge with the members.

Click here to see the presentation slides used during the discussion.

Exercise Program

 Due to unforeseen circumstances, the venue for the above program has been changed to:

MALE REST AREA (near Al-Shahba)

إستراحة الذكور (قرب  قاعة الشهباء)

 Please contact Ms Betty (ext 539) or Ms Leah (ext 583) for details.

Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Seven Walnuts a day…………..

“It takes only about seven walnuts a day to get the potential health benefits” Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania said in a statement. Walnuts can be considered the king of nuts for health benefits, with a combination of more healthful and higher quality antioxidants, U.S. researchers say. They are rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants such as Vitamin E.  Nuts in general are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 fatty acids, in particular, alpha-linolenic acid ALA) that have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Walnuts, indeed, have significantly higher amounts of ALA omega 3 fatty acids compared to other nuts. They contain plenty of high-quality protein that can substitute for meat; vitamins and minerals; dietary fiber; and they are dairy- and gluten-free.

Walnuts and cholesterol 

Eating a diet high in walnuts may decrease bad cholesterol and fight inflammation; two major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from Harvard University Walnuts in particular have a unique profile: they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and other cardiovascular disease risk factors." 

Walnuts and diabetes

Research is finding that including the right types of fat in the diet, such as those found in walnuts, is particularly important to those with diabetes.

A Yale study published in Diabetes Care finds walnuts improve blood flow in adults with type 2 diabetes.
A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that walnuts, known for their high content of polyunsaturated fat (13g), significantly improve metabolic factors in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes.

A study published in the December 2004 issue of Diabetes Care reported a positive effect of a moderate-fat diet, inclusive of walnuts, on blood lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes.  

Walnuts and brain

Adding a moderate, but not high, amount of walnuts to an otherwise healthy diet may help older individuals improve performance on tasks that require motor and behavioral skills, according to an animal model study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS).  

Walnuts and cancer

Walnuts have several ingredients that individually have been shown to slow cancer growth including omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin E and other antioxidants and phytosterols. Based on the mechanisms for how these ingredients act separately, it is probably that small amounts can act together to be even more effective at slowing cancer. 

Adding walnuts in an healthy diet…………. 

Walnuts add a flavorful crunch to dishes. Here are some simple ideas to incorporate walnuts in your diet to reap their health benefits:

• instead of snacking on cookies, crack some walnuts open and eat them as snacks
• instead of using meat, toss toasted walnuts in your salad or pasta to add some crunch
• instead of layering pepperoni, use chopped walnuts in your pizza
• instead of eating bacons or eggs, use walnuts as a protein choice by sprinkling chopped walnuts in your oatmeal or breakfast cereal

Program: Healthy Ramadhan

Date: 13 th July 2011

Day: Wednesday

Venue: Bldg 29-A

9.00 – 9.25 am
Arrival of Guests
 9.25 – 9.30 am
Arrival of Chief Guest
TH Chancellor, University of Nizwa
9.30 – 9.40 am
Recitation of Holy Quran
9.40 – 9.50 am
Welcome Address
9.50 - 10.30am
Significance of Ramadhan
10.30 – 11.10 am
Diet
11.10  - 11.50 am
Physical Activity and Exercise
11.50  – 12.00 am
Question & Answer session and Close

Occupational Health Tips

Work is not as gruesome as we make it to be.  A few tweaks here and there can make a huge difference in our work place.  Workplace wellness does not involve any heavy-duty concepts but a few age-old concepts that have been slightly tweaked for the modern day man.

Here are a few tips that will help you to increase your performance and decrease fatigue at work:


Breakfast like a king: This is a granny's saying which says "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper". You need to remember that breakfast is the first meal of the day and it needs to be a good one. Your breakfast should be rich in carbohydrates and proteins to perk up your metabolism. Most people prefer cereal and milk with fruits. Suits fine as long as you have your regular vitamins and minerals. Breakfast also reduces work related fatigue and weight gain.


Caffeine: Most of us have uncountable cups of coffee at work. The coffee machine is nearby, there is stress at work and you need something to give you a zing. So what could be more convenient than coffee? However, you need to remember that coffee may give you an initial boost for a couple of hours but like all stimulants those hours are followed by lethargy and drowsiness. So too much of coffee really doesn't make you fresh and instead leaves you tired in the long run. Try limiting your coffee to two cups a day and not more.


Exercise: The desk jobs have limited the exercises and caused a lot of backache. Most of it is due to poor posture. So next time you catch your self slouching, correct your posture and keep your spine upright and use a chair with a cushion for your back. While standing, remember to balance your weight on both feet and keep the knees bent slightly. Remember to exercise daily.


Take a break: Working for long hours can be tiring. So, you need to utilize your breaks to the maximum. Try some gentle stretching. You can also put your feet up and relax your calves and feet.


Small meals: It's not important to have three heavy meals. In fact the ideal thing is to have six to seven small meals that keep your energy high and lethargy at bay. Have a small snack in the interim and see your energy levels rise up.


Sleep: Finally sleep well and peacefully. Avoid watching violent movies or reading disturbing literature before sleeping!
Remember, you need to enjoy everything you do if you want to lead a good life. Try these little tips and watch work become fun!

HEALTHY TIPS

  

1. Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. Breakfast also gives you energy and helps you think and learn.
2. Use fats and oils sparingly. Olive, canola, and peanut oils, avocados, nuts and nut butters, olives, and fish provide heart-healthy fat as well as vitamins and minerals.  
3. Eat six meals a day. According to scientists at Georgia State University, active folks who skimp on calories and eat infrequently (only three times a day) may be training their bodies to get by on less energy and therefore more readily storing unburned calories as body-fat. Instead, these researchers and many others advise active people to eat frequently (about
   every three hours) to accelerate metabolism and maintain steady energy levels throughout the day.
4. Choose appropriate portion sizes. USDA statistics show that because of increased portion sizes, the average total daily calorie intake has risen from 1,854 calories to 2,002 calories over the last 20 years. Employ a common sense approach, such as using the palm of your hand or your clenched fist for gauging the portion sizes of food.
5. Drink 10 glasses of water everyday. It’s especially important to stay well hydrated when following a comprehensive training, nutrition, and supplementation program. Drink at least one glass of water with each of your six meals, and four more throughout the day. If you have an occasional diet soda, coffee or tea, you’ll need to drink an additional glass to compensate for the diuretic effect of these beverages.
6. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They fill up your stomach fast so you feel full earlier. They are also low in calories and help to keep your calorie count low.
7. Understand Food Claims and Labels. A product labeled with a fat-free claim does not mean that it is low in calories. Similarly a product labeled as low-sugar or low-carb does not mean it is low in fat or calories. Always read the nutrition label on the packaging.
8. Fueling up with carbs. If you're feeling down and lacking energy, eat more fruits, vegetables, and grain products. In addition to being convenient and loaded with vitamins and minerals, these foods are low in dietary fat and are good sources of complex carbohydrates.
9. Drink Fewer Calories. Drinking beverages such as soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, alcohol,specialty coffees and teas can add up to many "empty calories". Nutritionally speaking, these calories contribute little more nutrition to our diets except for plain, old calories.
10. Have "7-gram" Cereal. That means cereal with at least 7 g of fiber per serving, because eating cereal is your easiest chance to get lots of fiber in a small package. Not only is fiber a cancer fighter, but it actually cancels out some of the calories you eat!
11. Stick with Whole Wheat. Whole wheat is actually better for you. It offers more fiber, which helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diverticulosis, diabetes to name a few. When possible, set aside the white flour and bread and reach for products that are made from oats, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, rye, brown rice, millet, and wheat.
12. Some like it hot. Hot, spicy foods that contain curry, chilies, or other hot peppers such as cayenne, help to trigger endorphins. These hormones are what make people feel good and well balanced. In fact, endorphins are like a natural morphine that helps ease pain and provide a sense of well being.
13. Drink a glass of water before you start a meal. Water naturally needs some space so that you feel fuller without actually having to stuff yourself. Have another glass of water while you are having the meal. Again this is another way of making yourself full so that you can actually rise from the table eating less but feeling full just the same.
14. Eat fresh fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. Juice is often sweetened but fresh fruits have natural sugars. When you eat fruit, you are taking in a lot of fiber, which is needed by the body, and fruits of course are an excellent source of vitamins.
15. Avoid crash diets. Avoid crash diets. They are bad for health and you will gain what you have lost once you take a break. Crash diets are not a solution to weight loss.
16. Don’t forget Dairy. Your bones still need calcium to stay strong. Dairy foods and some dairy alternatives, such as enriched soymilk, provide  protein as well as calcium.

Slideshow of Health Run and Exhibition

Launch of the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign إطلاق حملة أنماط الحياة الصحية

All students and staff of the University of Nizwa are invited to the campaign launch.

Date: April 10th, 2011
Venue: Al-Shahba Auditorium 

Time: 9.30-11.30 am

Health Run: 4.00 pm

Come and support the campaign and participate in the health run.

To many people life is a struggle with an ever growing multitude of issues. Whether you are talking about weight loss concerns, or how to make more money, quit smoking, education, careers or business

....It is easy to feel overwhelmed.

إن حياة العديد من الناس  في صراع مع الكثرة المتزايدة من القضايا سواء كنا نتحدث عن كيفية كسب الكثير من المال والتعليم والحصول على وظائف وممارسة الأعمال التجارية أو فقدان الوزن والاقلاع عن التدخين كل ذلك يسهل من عملية شعور الإنسان بالإرهاق والتعب.

A healthy lifestyle is a valuable resource for reducing the incidence and impact of health problems, for recovery, for coping with life stressors, and for improving quality of life. It is generally characterized as a “balanced life” in which one makes “wise choices”. Creating a healthy lifestyle means adjusting your daily routine. If you can repeat something for 30 days, it becomes part of your routine and part of your lifestyle. You can adjust your lifestyle gradually over time, achieving your goals in a manner that can be sustained and maintained. For example, if you want to run a mile or two every day. Start by walking for ten minutes at approximately the same time every morning or every evening. If you can maintain this commitment for one month, then you can extend it to twenty minutes another month, and then later to thirty minutes. After several months, you will be able to adjust your time, five minutes jogging and fifteen minutes walking, and so on. By the time that you are running for one or two miles, you will have established a comfortable routine, and you will have continuously improved your healthy lifestyle during the course of the preparation.

Be responsible for your own health, only you know how you feel

هناك أنماط حياة صحية تعد موارد قيمة للحد من أنتشار ضغوطات الحياة والمشاكل الصحية وتساعد في تحسين نوعية الحياة وانتعاشها. وبشكل عام تتميز الحياة بأنها "حياة متوازنة" إذا كانت هناك " خيارات حكيمة" .  إن خلق نمط حياة صحية يعني ضبط الروتين اليومي. حيث أنه إذا تمكن الإنسان من تكرار شيء لمدة 30 يوما فيسيصبح جزءا من روتينه اليومي وجزءا من نمط حياته. كما أن الإنسان قادر على تعديل نمط حياته تدريجيا وبمرور الوقت. كذلك انه قادر أيضا على تعحقيق أهدافه بشكل دائم والحفاظ عليها.

على سبيل المثال إذا كان الإنسانيريد المشي أو الركض ميل أو اثنين كل يوم فأن عليه البدء بالمشي لمدة عشر دقائق تقريبا في نفس الوقت مساءا وصباحا بشكل يومي. وأذا استطاع الالتزام بهذه المدة لمدة شهر فأنه بذلك قادر على زيادة المدة إلى حوالي ٢٠ دقيقة لمدة شهر آخر ثم ٣٠ دقيقة في وقت لاحقا.  وبعد عدة  أشهر سوف يكون قادرا على ضبط الوقت ٥ دقائق ركض و١٥ دقيقة مشي وهلم جرا. وبحلول الوقت الذي يكون فية الشخص قادرا على الركض كليومترا واحدا أو اثنين سيكون قد أنشأ روتينا مريحا له.  وسيكون لديه قدرة لمواصلة تحسين نمط حياته الصحي.

عندما يكون الانسان مسؤولا عن صحته حينها فقط يمكنه أن يدرك الشعور بهذة الصحة.