Hey, Start Walking!

One common myth about exercise: Unless you do it so vigorously that you huff and puff like the Big Bad Wolf, it offers little benefit to your health. This mistaken idea has caused some people to gravitate toward the couch instead of the track or the swimming pool.

If you’re in this category, think again. A study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. provides further evidence that even strolling, while it may not maximize cardiorespiratory fitness, can still improve your cardiovascular profile.

Most studies have explored this possibility in men and demonstrated some benefit. This trial was conducted with women between 20 and 40, who led sedentary lives. The women were assigned to one of three groups or to a control group. They were trained to walk at different levels of intensity, gradually working their way up to the desired pace by the 14th week of the study.

One group walked aerobically, moving along at eight kilometers per hour. (A kilometer equals a little more than .6 of a mile). A second group walked briskly, moving at 6.4 kilometers per hour. A third stepped along at 4.8 kilometers per hour. The control group was asked to walk as they had been accustomed to before the study. The 59 women who completed the trial walked on a track about three miles a day, five days a week, for 24 weeks.

Not surprisingly, maximal oxygen intake--a measure of fitness--increased in what’s called a “dose-responsive” manner. This means that the more vigorous the movement, the greater the rise in oxygen uptake. But intensity of exercise could not be correlated to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels--often referred to as “good” cholesterol, because it is linked to lowered risk of cardiovascular disease. Raised HDL levels were found in all three groups. Curiously, increases of about 6% above base-line were greater among those at the two extremes of activity than among the brisk walkers. There was no change among those who served as controls.

Earlier exercise studies conducted with men and women have not always demonstrated increased levels of HDL. One reason may be that the observation period was too short. Indeed, in most studies where HDL levels rose during an exercise program, the observation period lasted 13 weeks or more. Most of them where no rise was found ended the program in 12 weeks or less.

In commenting on the findings, J. J. Duncan, Ph.D, who conducted the study along with colleagues at the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research in Dallas, offers several important thoughts. Even though the increase in HDL cholesterol was not large, studies have shown that every 1% rise translates to as much as a 3% drop in risk of coronary disease. When viewed in terms of the entire population, that affects a lot of people. And, while many people are unlikely to adopt a total fitness program for a variety of reasons, more modest efforts seem to reap a reward.

Last, but certainly not least, the Duncan exercise study is a message for skeptics who say that vigorous physical activity can lead to injury and use that as a reason to remain on their couches. When it comes to safety, walking is hard to beat. Not a single injury requiring medical care occurred during the study.

We have long championed walking as a worthy form of exercise. No sport could be less expensive; all it takes is comfortable shoes and appropriate dress. And while you may prefer to go to a track or travel to some other part of town for a change of scenery, it’s also possible just to step outside your door and begin. Not only does that minimize the time involved, but it’s kinder to the environment than driving your car long distances just to take a walk.

If you haven’t already done so, now’s the time to take the first step--and follow it with another and another. Bear in mind that most evidence shows that the value of exercise in raising HDL-cholesterol levels doesn’t occur overnight. It may take a little time--but it will be time well spent.

Question: Recently I thawed out my freezer and discovered a pork roast and some pork chops that had been there for about a year. Are they still safe to eat?

Answer: As long as the meat has been held at a constant temperature of zero degrees or lower and was properly wrapped before it was packed away, in all likelihood it is safe to eat. But some of the flavor may have deteriorated.

Pork does not hold up as well as beef because of differences in fat composition. Pork contains a little more mono-unsaturated fat, which has the ability to take up oxygen and develop the flavors characteristic of rancid fat. For that reason, it’s usually recommended that pork chops and roasts be held no longer than three to six months, while beef roasts and steaks can be kept from six to 12 months. Smaller pieces, with a greater percentage of surface area, don’t hold up as long as larger cuts.

It’s not uncommon for foods to “get lost” in a freezer and stay longer than they should. We suggest you keep an inventory on the freezer door, recording the dates as packages are put in and withdrawn. It will ensure that you use foods at top quality and serve as a reminder when supplies are low. You’ll also know that, if your existing stock is ample, even the biggest bargains are better left in the meat case.

Q: Could you please provide me with nutritional information about acorn squash?

A: An average squash, weighing 1 1/4 pounds, would yield four servings of about 40 calories each--about the same as a half cup of other mashed squash. That figure refers to the plain vegetable, before it is baked with shortening or sugar, which can boost the caloric total considerably.

Acorn, and other winter squashes, are particularly good sources of beta carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A. They also provide some B vitamins and iron and are excellent sources of potassium, a mineral important to individuals taking certain types of diuretics.

While acorn squash is often baked with sugar and butter, it can also be steamed and tastes quite good “as is.” It tastes even better when flavored with a little lemon and some cinnamon or freshly ground nutmeg. Half an acorn squash also makes a fine vehicle for stuffing with a variety of mixtures, from leftover meat or poultry to vegetables, rice and dried fruits. Steaming the squash for a brief period before stuffing can shorten baking time.

Q: Is there any hard evidence linking quitting smoking to weight gain?

A: We’re sorry to say that most evidence shows that giving up smoking is associated with some weight gain. There is debate, however, about how extensive that weight gain is. For example, the Surgeon General’s report, “The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation,” states that weight gain is usually four pounds. Another recently reported study found it to be somewhat greater.

Data from individuals who participated in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Study conducted between 1971 to 1975 were compared with a follow-up study conducted from 1982 to 1984. Investigators found an average weight gain of about six pounds for men and about eight pounds for women, after factoring out other possible influences that might account for the increase. In the group who had stopped smoking for an average of five years, nearly 10% of men and more than 13% of women had gained just under 30 pounds. It’s interesting to compare smokers who quit to nonsmokers. It was found that smokers who give up cigarettes gain weight up to, but not beyond, the average weight levels of nonsmokers, who as a group tend to be a bit heavier.

If you’re thinking of renouncing cigarettes, don’t use gaining weight as an excuse to abandon the idea. The health benefits of quitting are likely to outweigh--to coin a phrase--any possible downside imposed by the few extra pounds most people gain. Besides, forewarned is forearmed. If you’re a smoker and your weight is where you want it to be, you can develop strategies involving activities other than food when you need to overcome the urge to light up a cigarette.

If you feel hesitant about embarking on this worthwhile path on your own, you can check around in your area for a behavior-modification program to help guide you through the process.