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Exercise and Nutrition, Vitamins and Aspirin
 
Posted March 2000
 

Exercise will sometimes help headaches. It certainly is crucial for weight loss. To get 80% of the benefits of exercise, you only need to think of exercising in little chunks of time - 10 to 20 minutes. Most people are able to fit it more easily into their life when thinking this way. First thing in the morning, getting up and walking or using the treadmill or riding the bike for 10 or 15 minutes provides you with at least the minimum daily exercise. We are looking for 20 to 30 minutes on average, but 10 or 15 minutes will do. When we get into the mindset that we need to go to the club for 40 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise and work hard three times a week, very few people in our society will sustain that level. They then, of course, end up doing nothing for months at a time, particularly in the winter. If we can think of exercise in little bits at a time, more people will be able to continue exercising on a consistent basis. Yoga is an excellent way of combining stretching and breathing; some people's back pain or headaches are better with yoga.

In addition to eating the right things, we also need to count calories. Unfortunately, as many of us get into our 40's and 50's (and sometimes at younger ages also), the metabolism dives down, and many people need to stay at 1,500 calories per day or lower to maintain or lose weight. It is not enough to stay away from fats and sugars; we also need to keep track of calories. We are not advocating dieting. Dieting does not work. We need to change our eating lifestyle towards better foods and better eating patterns, such as grazing throughout the day on little bits of food and not just eating two huge meals a day.

Vitamins and Aspirin for Heart and Stroke Prevention
Vitamin E (400 units per day), and Vitamin B Complex B-100 (one per day) can help prevent heart disease (among other benefits). Vitamin B can also help headaches. In people at risk for heart disease, ½ or one aspirin per day with food can help prevent heart attacks (as well as colon cancer). However, aspirin can cause stomach irritation or ulcers. If you do take aspirin and experience stomach aches or pains, stop it and inform your physician.