Fat that’s healthy?

It’s no myth: There is such a thing as healthy fat. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—when eaten in moderation— can reduce bad cholesterol and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Monounsaturated fats are also usually high in vitamin E, while polyunsaturated fats contain omega-6 and omega- 3 fatty acids.

Where possible, replace the saturated and trans fats in your diet with the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated kind. Find them in such foods as avocados, peanuts, seeds, olive oil, vegetable oil, salmon and trout. The fats you eat should make up no more than 25 percent to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake (with each gram of fat containing nine calories), the American Heart Association recommends.

Get results in gym

If you’re looking for real results in the gym, pairing a regular weight training routine with your cardio regimen can help energize you, tone muscles and build strength. Here are some tips for staying safe and avoiding injuries:

Warm up and cool down with stretching, light jogging and calisthenics.

Wear proper footwear to ensure your stability when lifting.

Always follow proper technique; do research or ask a fitness trainer.

Have a spotter help you with free weights. Lift slowly and with control.

Never hold your breath while lifting. This could make you light-headed.

Allow time for muscles to rest between workouts.

Shower heads awash in germs

A new study finds that shower heads are home to bacteria that could actually sicken some people, HealthDay reports. Showering might have you breathing in germs that in those with weakened immune systems could cause lung disease, the study says. Researchers studied 45 shower heads from nine cities in the U. S.

Among other shower-head germs, mycobacteria, a type of bacteria associated with lung disease, were found at 100 times the level normally seen in tap water. Leah Feazel, a researcher at the University of Colorado and co-author of the study, told HealthDay that most healthy people don’t need to worry about the germs. Also, shower heads may not be any germier than other household surfaces such as faucets and counters, she said.

Compiled from News wire service sources