b
e
t t e
r
HEALTH
A fuzzy yellow ball can have remarkable
power: Tennis can whittle your middle;
improve strength and flexibility; improve
balance, agility, and overall coordination;
and get you into great shape. Plus, it’s
inexpensive, widely accessible year-round,
and the whole family can play. Little
wonder it’s the fastest-growing traditional
sport in America, based on statistics
tracked by the Sporting Goods
Manufacturers Association.
Molly Ferris,
45
, of Omaha, Nebraska, is
one of those newly enchanted by an
ancient sport created by European monks
'O rtY l!!1"'
several thousand years ago. She started
hitting the ball around tw o years ago after
her kids took lessons and now plays in a
women’s league. She’s met new friends and
even takes a one-hour cardio tennis class
once a week in which she does drills to
music. “ Tennis really works your core, and
after years of running it’s nice to do
something different,” she says.
A
135
-pound woman playing an hour of
tennis can burn
4 20
calories during a
singles match, according to the Cleveland
Clinic Heart Center. An average-size man
playing a similar match burns about
600
calories, making tennis one of the most
calorie-scorching activities out there. To
learn more about presiding over your own
court, visit the Web site of the United
States Tennis Association,
u sta .co m ,
or
call a local YMCA or tennis club.
— MARTHA MILLER JOHNSON
teen alert
Sanitizer Misuse
Used properly, liquid
hand sanitizer is a safe
and effective ally in
fighting the spread of
colds and flu. But some
teens aren’t using it
properly— they’re
drinking it fo r its
6 0
-percent alcohol
content. So add this to
the list of topics you
need to talk over with
your teen, says Amy
Garcia, R.N., executive
director of the National
Association of School
Nurses. “ They need to
know that hand sanitizer
is designed to kill germs
and could be very
harmful to anyone who
drinks it,” she says.
five to buy
CEREAL
If you house a particular species of eater known as a teenager, you know a box of cereal has a lifespan measured in hours.
So stock up on healthful brands to give kids much-needed nutrition. Here are five we like. — EDIE SHAW-EWALD, R.D.
BEAR NAKED
These nutrient-
dense cereals
are all-natural
and met with a
big thumbs up
fo r flavor from
our picky teen
testers.
BARBARA’S
BAKERY
W ith just-right
sweetness,
the Puffin
Multigrain is
low in calories
yet high in fiber
and vitamins.
MOM’S BEST
NATURALS
Some are high
in sugar (young
kids really like
them), but lots
of whole grains
help make up fo r
the sweetness.
KASHI GOLEAN
Seven whole
grains make up
this mix of
wildly different
shapes and
textures. And
it’s rich in fiber
and protein.
QUAKER
OATMEAL
SQUARES
These have all
the fiber of
regular oatmeal
and are good
sources of
calcium and
other nutrients.
2 3 8
NOVEMBER
2009
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
PHOTOS: (CEREALS) MARTY BALDWIN; (TENNIS) VEER
