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Building A Better Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time
By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department **NOTE** Breathitt Online is not responsible for you, the reader, for using anything in our health articles for your personal gains. As always you should seek your physicians approval when trying any new health treatments. We encourage healthy eating and good exercise. Boost Your Metabolism 5-23-05 As we get older, our metabolism will slow down. Metabolism is the rate at which our body burns calories to sustain life. A human body burns calories 24 hours a day, everyday – regardless of whether or not you workout. Remember that your body needs energy all the time, even while you’re asleep and that is why skipping meals is the absolute worst thing you can do if your goal is to lose weight (body fat). Muscle tissue has the biggest affect on how our body burns calories. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn regardless of how active you are, how old you are, etc. It’s live tissue and it’s there working for you and burning calories 24 hours a day. The longer you go between meals the more your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Another factor that could lead to the slowing down of metabolism is hydration. Over 70% of bodily functions take place in water, not enough water caused all your systems to slow down and to have unnecessary stress. Genetics also can play a role on how fast your body can burn calories. Your metabolism does not slow down when you reach the age of 30 but does slow down due to a lack of muscle. You lose muscle because of lack of physical activity. Our activity level tends to decrease, as we get older. It doesn’t make any sense to start an exercise program if you end up consuming more calories than your burning off. This is a problem that is very common among people who start an exercise program in an attempt to lose weight. We gain extra pounds due to a lack of exercise and of course off all the bad, fatty foods we eat. Most of the time, we supply the body with more calories than it needs at a given time. We need to make an effort to include 5 to 9 pieces of fruits and vegetables in our daily diet. Certain foods and drinks such as lemons, peppers and green tea will also help speed up the rate of which our body burns calories. We also need to cut back on our food portions when we sit down for a meal and drink more water. We don’t have to diet,but we can make healthier food choices and those small changes in our diet will prove to be very beneficial in the long run. You have to force the body to make changes and improvements. Strength train three times a week and change exercises every couple weeks will help add muscle mass which will help burn calories. In time, add more reps to each exercise and gradually add more weight to each exercise, only when the body gets stronger. Also include cardiovascular training such as jogging or running. Interval training is also good to add to your exercise routines. A good of example of this type of training is walking for 3 minutes then jogging for 1 minute and repeat. Walk on inclined surfaces such as up hills or stairs. Walking is very beneficial and very low impact on the knees. Be sure to stretch before and after workouts. Fruit Of The Week Honeydew Melon is a large melon with a creamy white rind that ripens to a creamy yellow. All three melon groups (muskmelons, cantaloupes and winter melons) are closely related and can interbreed if given the chance. Color: Green In Season: Spring. Summer, Fall High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C Grams of fiber per serving:1g Calories per serving: 35 The Importance of Eating A Healthy Breakfast 5-20-05 Whether you are young or old, there is no question that you should start each day with breakfast. Breakfast is considered by many to be the most important meal of the day, yet it is the meal most often skipped. Some people don’t make time for breakfast because of their rush to get to school, work or a misguided dieting effort. Eating a healthy breakfast each morning plays an essential role in helping keep you feeling full and promotes healthy metabolic functions, which are important for weight management. Not all breakfasts are created equally, grabbing a doughnut and a cup of coffee does not qualify as a healthy breakfast. Here are some bits of information that may benefit you: *According to the American Dietetic Association, starting your day by eating a healthy breakfast can actually help people lose weight or maintain their weight better than those who choose not to eat breakfast each day. *The National Institutes of Health recommend eating breakfast every day because people who do are less likely to overeat later in the day. *Regular breakfast consumption is a common characteristic of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off. *Oatmeal is an ideal food to incorporate into a healthy diet for those trying to control their weight. The fiber in oatmeal slows down digestion, which helps you feel fuller, longer. The ideal breakfast should contain unrefined complex carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat. The problem with the doughnut and coffee breakfast is that it consists of mostly refined carbohydrates and caffeine, with very few unrefined complex carbohydrates or protein. Instead, choose foods that are rich in unrefined carbohydrates. Foods that are high in unrefined carbohydrates are loaded with fiber and other vitamins plus minerals which help you digest your food. While all foods can give you some amount of energy, protein-rich foods help manage blood sugar fluctuations, thereby preventing spikes and crashes that can leave you feeling hungry and drained. You should choose lean sources of protein for breakfast such as soymilk, tofu, low-fat dairy products, egg whites, egg substitutes or lean meat. Fats are an important component of a healthy breakfast. Your body requires fat in order to function properly, and it also helps you feel full. Heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are your best choice. Olive, canola, nuts and peanut oils provide heart-healthy fats. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can help you maintain your focus and energy for the rest of the day, and help your appetite as well. If you have been making poor breakfast choices, or skipping it altogether, it is time for you to change your ways and start sitting down to a healthy breakfast each morning. Your body and mind will thank you for it! Fruit Of The Month Kiwifruit is brown and fuzzy on the outside and bright green on the inside with tiny black seeds. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall High in Vitamin C Good source of Magnesium, Fiber, Potassium Calories per serving: 61 Grams of fiber per serving: 4g You can eat the fuzzy skin on the outside of the kiwifruit. The outside is very thin and just needs to be rinsed and rubbed lightly to dry Kick Butts Day at Rousseau Elementary 5-4-05 The Breathitt County Health Department and Rousseau Elementary teamed up for the first ever “Kick Butts Day”. “Kick Butts Day” is the campaign for tobacco-free kids and is an annual celebration of youth advocacy, leadership and activism. This is the tenth annual nationwide movement. Rousseau Elementary students grades K-6 participated in this program. James Elliott Turner, from the Breathitt Co. Health Department, talked to the students about the dangers of smoking and second hand smoke. Mr. Turner showed a video, gave the students several handouts, pamphlets, posters, and stickers showing the deadly effects of smoking. Then the students either made posters or wrote a letter to someone they knew trying to convince them to quit smoking. Mr. Turner then gave each student an “It Takes A Butt Head To Smoke” frisbee and water bottle. A special thanks to the faculty and staff of Rousseau Elementary for their participation. Healthy Snacks For Youngsters 4-27-05 Snack foods too often result in the downfall of good nutrition and what our ideal weight should be. The snacks one eats often lead to undesirable weight gains in youngsters and adults. So snacks need to be considered from the viewpoint of nutritional value, calorie count and the activity of the person eating them. Without an adult teaching them the benefits of good nutrition and guiding them in their habits, youngsters often tend to want snacks that aren’t beneficial to their health and weight. Generally an active person burns more calories in a day so they can eat more snacks in addition to meals without gaining weight. A less active person has to eat lower calorie snacks or fewer snacks. Too often candy, cake, cookies, potato chips, and soft drinks top the list of after school or recess snacks. Teach children to eat these in moderation for they’re generally high in calories and lower in nutrition. Foods high in sugar content have energy, but their nutritional value is not as high as many snacks. Fruits that rate high on the list of desirable snack foods are: apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, pears, and plums. Use canned or dried fruits when fresh ones are not in season. Fruit juices are better than soft drinks for a refreshing beverage. Low fat milk is good, too. However, remember, when you use flavorings, such as chocolate and strawberry, you can add calories to the drink. Water is also a very good drink and necessary to maintain life and good health. Although carrot sticks and celery sticks aren’t always a favorite on the snack list, they can be enhanced in appeal when accompanied by low fat cheese and peanut butter. (There are also lower fat types of these spreads.) Raisins and peanuts are good snack foods that are full of nutrition. Of course, the dry roasted peanuts are lower in calories than those roasted in oil. If it is awhile before dinner, when a youngster gets home from school starved, try a sandwich instead of sweets. Sandwich filings such as tuna fish, cheese, peanut butter (without much jelly), or egg will supply protein. Serve crackers with peanut butter or cheese. If cookies have big appeal as a snack, try making types with the most food value and nourishment. Cookies with cereal ingredients, such as oatmeal and crispy rice, generally have more nutritional value than rich chocolate brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Adding wheat germ to the cereal cookie recipe also gives additional nutrition. Vegetable Of The Week Green Onions, also known as scallions or spring onions, are a part of the lily family. Green Onions have a small bulb with long green stems. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Good Source of Vitamin A, Iron High in Vitamin C, Iron Grams of fiber per serving:1g Calories per serving:10 Get a Workout In Your Garden 4-21-05 If you dislike exercising in the gym, you can get plenty of exercise in your garden. Doing garden work, such as mowing, shoveling, lifting, and pulling weeds can provide you with quality health benefits. When done on a regular basis, gardening can help condition your body, build muscle and bone strength. You can also improve your coordination and flexibility. Exposure to sunlight helps boost vitamin D production, which improves your body’s ability to absorb calcium. Just remember wear sunscreen and sunglasses after awhile because too much sunlight can be harmful. Always warm up and cool down before gardening. It is important that you gently stretch your muscles for 5 to 10 minutes before and after your gardening routine to reduce the chances of muscle injury or strain. Use a push mower instead of a riding mower. Mowing your lawn is an excellent way to get exercise once or twice each week. If your lawn is too large to mow without the assistance of a rider, set aside a certain amount that you will cut with a push mower. Vary your gardening activities. Try breaking up strenuous gardening tasks such as lifting rocks or digging holes with less vigorous ones, such as planting seeds. Lift with care. You should always bend from your knees, rather that your back when lifting heavy items such as rock or bags of soil. Be careful not to twist as you lift, as this is how many gardening-related injuries occur. You should also never lift more than you can comfortably handle. Drink plenty of fluids. Gardening, like any fitness activity, requires you to replenish the water you lose through perspiration. Be sure to keep plenty of cool water or Gatorade on hand to help keep hydrated. Keep track of how much time you spend doing each activity. Try to spend at least 30 minutes each day gardening. You can break your gardening activities up into smaller intervals of ten minutes or something similar. Calories Burned Per 30 Minutes Watering Lawn or Garden (61) Weeding (192) Clearing Land (202) Mowing Lawn with push mower (243) Raking (162) Laying Sod (200) General Gardening (212) Bagging Leaves (192) Planting Trees (174) Chopping Wood (243) Planting Seeds (172) Clearing Land (222) Digging, Spading, Tilling (204) Gardening with heavy power tools (244) Fruit Of The Week Green Grapes are sweet, juicy clusters of small green, red or purple oval shaped berries. The grape is one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world. Color: Green High in Vitamin C Grams of fiber per serving: 1g Calories per serving:71 Phtochemicals: Flavonoids, Phenols Proven Ways To Boost Our Metabolism 4-14-05 Metabolism: Simply put, it’s the process by which the body makes and uses energy (calories) for everything from the cellular absorption of nutrients to running a marathon. We need to know how efficiently metabolize calories could translate into a healthier body. Whether you’re trying to lose extra pounds or preparing for the inevitable metabolic slowing that comes with age, here are some surefire ways to boost your metabolism to keep your energy pulsating and your body in shape. Build lean body mass. As mentioned above, metabolism slows as we age – by as much as 2% a year. But there is something you can do to counterbalance nature. “Muscle is the single most important predictor or how well you metabolize your food, how well you burn calories and burn body fat,” insists Shari Liberman, author of Dare to Lose. Strength training with dumbbells or resistance bands at least twice a week is essential to boosting your metabolism. Your metabolism stays pumped for many hours after you finish your workout. Get moving. You know the drill, but here’s a reminder. At least 30 to 60 to minutes of jogging, cycling, swimming or some other form of aerobic exercise a minimum of three times is the other half of the exercise equation. Eat. It may sound crazy to those trying to lose weight by severely restricting their diet intake but that actually slows down metabolism. A recent study shows that smaller meals every three to four hours aid metabolism and weight loss. Ditch the sugar. Of course, you still have to make good choices about what eat. When you eat sugar, you throw your metabolic switch into fat storage mode. A low glycemic index diet, meaning foods, unlike sugars, are broken down gradually to help maintain an even blood-sugar level. Don’t skip breakfast. It’s a fact that people who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to be at a healthier weight then those you don’t. A breakfast bowl of vegetables and brown rice is a great way to kick-start your metabolism. Include hot foods. If Mexican and Thai are among your favorite foods, you’re in luck. Spicy food that has hot peppers in it appears to boost metabolism. Drink green tea. This drink is a powerful anti-oxidant and its healthier than soda or coffee. Green tea, a known stimulate, boosts metabolism longer than coffee. Don’t forget water. Staying well hydrated is essential to flushing the body of toxic byproducts that are released when fat is burned. Cold water may give your metabolism a small boost because energy is required to heat the body. Avoid stress at all costs. Stress can cause weight gain, particularly around the stomach. Physical and emotional stress activates the release of cortisol, a steroid that slows metabolism. Sleep. Research shows that people who sleep less than seven to eight hours a night are prone to weight gain. We also know that lean muscle is regenerated in the final couple of hours of sleep each night. Vegetable Of The Week Cabbage is a round head of closely layered green leaves, eaten raw or cooked. Cabbage is an inexpensive food that is easy to grow, is tolerant of cold and keeps well. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall High in Vitamin C, Folacin Grams of fiber per serving: 2g Calories per serving: 24 Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department JamesE.Turner@ky.gov Most of us get a burst of energy this time of year that makes us want to get out and move. If you want a healthy change, but have been holed up with a good book or the remote control all winter, you may want to consider where and when to begin your walking program. The simple answer is that you can walk anytime you want, anywhere you want. That’s what makes walking such a great activity: its convenient. But if you’re just starting a walking program and your trying to make it a habit, then you need to do a little more planning. You can’t rely on a spur-of-the-moment urge to take a walk, unless you get those urges every day. When you’re deciding where to do your walking, the best place is the one you find most attractive and most convenient. These two qualities are inseparable. You may know a wonderful trail through a beautiful park across town. But it maybe twenty minutes away, are you willing to make that trip every day or several days a week to that park? If you can walk out your front door and safely walk through your neighborhood, I think that would be the most convenient. But if you live in area with no sidewalks and cars going 50 mph, being safe comes into play. Consider these venues: Tracks: Often found at a local school. Tracks are great when you want to work on your walking technique and when you are trying to improve your speed. Usually, 4 laps is a mile on most tracks. Local Parks: You may find the best place to walk is a nearby park such as Douthitt Park. Parks are well lit and safe. If you have been inactive for a while, set realistic goals. Too much can lead to sore shins, blisters and even tendonitis or heel pain. Here is a walking program for beginners. Weeks 1 and 2: Walk 10 to 15 minutes, most days of the week. Stretch your calves every day to prevent soreness. Weeks 3 and 4: Walk 20 minutes, most days of the week. Walk on you wheels and tap your toes for a few minutes as warm-up to stretch and strengthen your calves and shin. Weeks 5 and 6: Walk 30 to 45 minutes most days of the week. Do walking lunges to strengthen your thighs. Vegetable Of The Week Green Apples: A firm fruit with a central core. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Good Source of Vitamin C Grams of fiber per serving: 5g Calories per serving: 59 Pytochemicals: Beta Carotene Green Apples are a member of the rose family, the apple has a compartmented core and is thus classified as pome fruit. Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department JamesE.Turner@ky.gov 4-7-05 What Is Lead Poisoning? Lead poisoning of one of the most common environmental child health problems in the United States and is caused by too much lead in the body. Lead is especially harmful to children younger than 6, but anyone who eats, drinks, or breathes something, which has too much lead, can get lead poisoning. Large amounts of lead in a child’s blood can cause brain damage, mental retardation, behavior problems, anemia, liver and kidney damage, hearing loss, hyperactivity, developmental delays and other mental problems and in extreme cases, death. Lead poisoning affects three to four million young children-one in six under age 6. What can we do to reduce our risk of lead poisoning? Housekeeping: Keep children from peeling or chipping paint and accessible or chewable surfaces painted with lead-based paint, especially windows, window sills, and window wells. Wet mop and wet wipe hard surfaces, using trisodium phosphate detergent (found in hardware stores) or automatic dishwashing soap and water. Do not vacuum hard surfaces before this activity is believed to scatter dust. Wash children’s hands and faces before they eat. Wash toys and pacifiers frequently. Nutrition: Make sure children eat regular nutritious meals, since more lead is absorbed on an empty stomach. Make sure children’s diet contain plenty of iron and calcium. Examples of foods high in iron are liver, fortified cereal, cooked beans, spinach and raisins. Example of foods high in calcium are milk, yogurt, cheese, and cooked greens. Soil: If soil around the house is likely to be lead-contamined (such as around a home built before 1960 or near a major highway), plant grass or other ground cover. If lead-based paint is the source of soil contamination, most lead will be near painted and surfaces such as exterior walls. In such cases, plant brushes next to the house to keep children away. If the soil is contaminated with lead, provide a sandbox with a solid bottom and top cover, and clean sand for children to play and dig in. Water: If the lead content of tap water in the house is higher than the standard drinking water, let the water run for several minutes (until the temperature changes) before using it. To conserve water, collect drinking water in bottles at night after water has been flushed from the tap. Food: Do not store food in open cans, especially imported cans. Do not store or serve food in pottery that is meant for decorative use. Also, do not store food or beverages in lead crystal or china. Vegetable Of The Week Green Beans, also called snap beans because of their tender, crisp pods that snap when bent, most familiar colors are green and yellow. Good quality green beans should have long, straight pods and be well colored. They should also be free of decay or blemishes and snap easily when bent. Color: Green In Season: Summer, Fall Good Source of Iron, Vitamin A High in Vitamin C, Folacin Grams of fiber per serving: 3g Calories per serving: 31 Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department 3-25-05 Almonds: Grab A Handful For Heart Health Almonds are tiny packages of heart health nutrients in a tasty, crunchy, kernel. The monounsaturated fat in almonds reduces LDL cholesterol and increases the HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. They are also a good source of protein and dietary fiber, two nutrients that have been shown to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels. Researchers at the University of Toronto have been studying the combined effects of a diet that included a variety of heart-healthy foods. Study participants ate a diet that included almonds, soy protein, margarine spreads containing plant sterols, and dietary fiber. The study found that LDL cholesterol was lowered by 29 % for those following the heart healthy diet. This compares favorably to prescription medication that lowered cholesterol by 30%. Almonds are a good source of vitamin E, providing the most vitamin E per serving. Just one ounce of almonds, about a handful, contains 7.3 mg of alpha-tocopheral vitamin E, the form of vitamin E the body prefers. This is about half of the recommended daily allowance (15 mg). Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that helps protect cells from everyday damage. In July 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a qualified health claim for most nuts. The claim states: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.” The following nuts are included in the new claim for food labels: almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts and peanuts. Nuts containing foods can have this claim on the food label if they meet criteria for healthful levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, and contain at least the minimum amount of nuts per serving. When eating more almonds, weight-conscious consumers should substitute them for other foods. Research has shown that when almonds are eaten in place of less nutrient-dense foods, there is no sufficient change in body weight. Fortunately, with six grams of protein, three grams of fiber, and heart-healthy fat, almonds are very satisfying. Keep in mind that one serving of almonds is one and a half ounces or about one third cup. Almonds are more than just an indulgence with taste and crunch. They can be a part of a heart- healthy, weight –conscious eating plan when eaten in moderate portions. Experts agree that a handful a day of almonds may lower cholesterol levels and heart disease risk. Choose a handful of almonds for a snack instead of cookies or chips. Sprinkle almonds on a salad or bowl of cereal. Add almonds to yogurt and top with fruit. Toss chopped almonds into a vegetarian stir-fry. Give rice and pasta dishes an extra crunch. Vegetable Of The Week Endive is grown for its tightly packed curly leaves. This vegetable is often confused with chickory, endive sprout from the chickory root. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Good Source of: Calcium, Iron, Potassium Grams of fiber per serving: 1g Calories per serving: 10 Phytochemicals: Beta Carotene Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department JamesE.Turner@ky.gov 3-22-05 45 Smart Diet Tips Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, and then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal. Resolve never to super size your fruit portions, unless you want to super size your clothes. Make eating purposeful, not mindless. Start eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day. Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner. When you eat out, eat half and bag the rest. A typical restaurant entrée has 1,000 to 2,000 calories, not even counting the bread, appetizer, beverage and dessert. When dining out, make it automatic: Order one dessert to share. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. See what you eat. Plate your food instead of eating out of the jar or bag. Eat the low-cal items on your plate first. Start with salads, veggies, soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you’ll be full to be content will smaller portions of the high-calorie choices. Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you’ll lose 5lbs in a year. 13. Juice has as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8 – oz glass a day. Get calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice. Keep a food journal. It really works wonders. Follow the Chinese saying: “Eat until you are eight-tenths full” Use mustard instead of mayo. Eat more soup. The non-creamy ones are filling but have lower calories. Cut back on or cut out caloric drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. People have lost weight by making this one change. If you have a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola everyday and switch to Diet Coke. You should lose 25lbs in a year. Occasionally take your lunch to work. Sit when you eat. Dilute juice with water. Have mostly veggies for lunch. Eat at home. Drink more water. Have a V8 or tomato juice instead of a Diet Coke at 3 pm. Doctor your veggies to make them delicious. Mix three different cans of beans and some diet Italian dressing. Eat this three-bean salad all week. Don’t forget that vegetable soup counts as a vegetable. Rediscover the sweet potato. Use prebagged baby spinach everywhere: as “lettuce: in sandwiches, wilted in hot pasta, and added to salads. Spend the extra few dollars to but vegetables that are already washed and cut up. Really hate veggies? If you love fruits, eat plenty of them; they are just as healthy (especially colorful ones such as oranges, mangoes and melons) Keep several bags of your favorite vegetables on hand. Mix any combination, and top with your favorite low-fat dressing. Enjoy 3 to 4 cups a day. Makes a great quick dinner. The best portion of high-calorie foods is the smallest one. The best portions of vegetables are the largest one. Ride the wave. Your cravings will disappear after 10 minutes if I turn my attention elsewhere. I want to be around to see my grandchildren, so I need to exercise more. Make small strides. Just think how much healthier you will be when you lose those unwanted pounds. Do not diet by day and binge by night. Don’t “graze yourself fat. You can easily munch 6000 calories of pretzels or cereal without realizing it. Avoid late night meals. Eat lighter and healthier. Do not eat super size bagels of 400-500 calories for snacks. Always read the serving size on the Nutrition Facts panel. Be cautious of eating nuts, there loaded with calories. Vegetable Of The Week Cucumber: Good quality cucumbers should be firm, well-shaped, and have an even dark green color and uniform size. Cucumbers have been growing around human dwellings since at least 7750 B.C., coming originally from India and Burma to Europe. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Good Source of: Vitamin C Grams of fiber per serving: 1g Calories per serving: 13 Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner, Breathitt Co. Health Department 10 Health Tips Than Will Improve Our Health 3-14-05 1. Move More: Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and an elevator. Walk your dog, play with your kids, mow the lawn, or rake the leaves. Anything that moves the limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think, “move” in small time frames. Any movement is better that no movement at all. 2. Cut Fat: Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers, bacon, ham, etc. Dairy products such as chesse, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts, sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most of these products are available in low fat versions. 3. Quit Smoking: Tobacco use of any kind is extremely harmful to your health. 1 out of 2 long-term smokers will die from a smoking related disease. Every 13 seconds, someone around the world will die from a smoking related disease. For every cigarette a person smokes, they will lose 7-12 minutes of their life. For every pack of cigarettes someone smokes, they will lose 2 hours of their life. A can Copenhagen dip is equal to 40 Winston full flavors. Tobacco is a killer. 4. Reduce Stress: Try to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you enjoy. Listen to soothing movie or watch a funny movie. Count to ten before losing your temper or if you feel yourself getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when ever possible. 5. Protect Yourself from Smoke: Try to avoid smoke filled rooms. If you’re in a smoke filled room for an hour, that’s equal to 2 cigarettes. Try to dine in the non-smoking section in restaurants. Secondhand smoke kills 40,000 Americans each year. 6. Wear Your Seat Belt: Statistics show that seat belts add longevity and help protect from potential injury during car crashes. Make it a habit to buckle up every time. 7. Floss Your Teeth: Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t. 8. Avoid Excessive Drinking: While recent studies show that a glass of wine or drink a day can protect against heart disease but more than that can cause other health problems such as liver disease, kidney disease and cancer. 9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook: There’s a definitive connection between living well and having a cheerful outlook. You can’t be unhappy when you’re smiling. 10. Sleep: Studies have proved that having a goodnight sleep can have tremendous healthy benefits such having more energy and letting your body repair itself. 7 to 8 hours of sleep is recommended. Vegetable of the Week Celery has green stalks of 10 to 12 inches in length, firm and very crisp with a glossy surface. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Good Source of Vitamin C, Folacin. Grams of fiber per serving:2g Calories per serving: 16 Phtochemicals: Flavonoids Building a Better Breathitt County James Elliott Turner, Breathitt Co. Health Department 10 Health Tips Than Will Improve Our Health Move More: Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and an elevator. Walk your dog, play with your kids, mow the lawn, or rake the leaves. Anything that moves the limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think, “move” in small time frames. Any movement is better that no movement at all. Cut Fat: Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers, bacon, ham, etc. Dairy products such as chesse, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts, sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most of these products are available in low fat versions. Quit Smoking: Tobacco use of any kind is extremely harmful to your health. 1 out of 2 long-term smokers will die from a smoking related disease. Every 13 seconds, someone around the world will die from a smoking related disease. For every cigarette a person smokes, they will lose 7-12 minutes of their life. For every pack of cigarettes someone smokes, they will lose 2 hours of their life. A can Copenhagen dip is equal to 40 Winston full flavors. Tobacco is a killer. Reduce Stress: Try to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you enjoy. Listen to soothing movie or watch a funny movie. Count to ten before losing your temper or if you feel yourself getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when ever possible. Protect Yourself from Smoke: Try to avoid smoke filled rooms. If you’re in a smoke filled room for an hour, that’s equal to 2 cigarettes. Try to dine in the non-smoking section in restaurants. Secondhand smoke kills 40,000 Americans each year. Wear Your Seat Belt: Statistics show that seat belts add longevity and help protect from potential injury during car crashes. Make it a habit to buckle up every time. Floss Your Teeth: Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t. Avoid Excessive Drinking: While recent studies show that a glass of wine or drink a day can protect against heart disease but more than that can cause other health problems such as liver disease, kidney disease and cancer. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook: There’s a definitive connection between living well and having a cheerful outlook. You can’t be unhappy when you’re smiling. Sleep: Studies have proved that having a goodnight sleep can have tremendous healthy benefits such having more energy and letting your body repair itself. 7 to 8 hours of sleep is recommended. Vegetable of the Week Celery has green stalks of 10 to 12 inches in length, firm and very crisp with a glossy surface. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Good Source of Vitamin C, Folacin. Grams of fiber per serving:2g Calories per serving: 16 Phtochemicals: Flavonoids Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department 2-21-05 The Dangers of Cigars Since 1993, cigar use in the United States has increased by nearly 50%, according to the National Institutes of Health. This news is particularly troubling, as more and more scientific evidence links cigars with a variety of diseases, including lip, tongue, mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx and lung cancer. Nicotine is the harmful, addictive ingredient found in cigars. People who smoke cigars are likely to become addicted to nicotine, even if they don’t inhale. The nicotine in a cigar enters the bloodstream directly through the lining of the mouth. The smoke is usually too irritating to inhale. Big cigars can contain as much nicotine as whole pack of cigarettes. People who smoke three or more cigars a day have a 7 to 8 times higher risk of getting lung cancer compared with non-smokers. Cigar smokers who inhale deeply have 53 times the risk of cancer of the larynx, 27 times the risk of oral cancer, and 15 times the risk of esophageal cancer. Smoking just one to two cigars a day increases the risk of developing cancer of the larynx by more than six times than of a non-smoker. Smoking one to two cigars a day doubles the risk for oral cancers and esophageal cancer. Cigar smokers have higher death rates from heart and lung cancer than non-smokers. Cigar smokers may spend up to an hour smoking a single large cigar that can contain as much tobacco as an entire pack of cigarettes. Compared to a cigarette, a large cigar gives off up to 20 times the ammonia, 5-10 times more cancer causing cadmium and up to 90 times more cancer causing nitro amines. Cigars can give off 22 times more carbon monoxide (which can cause heart attacks) than cigarettes. The smoke of a big cigar can yield 12 times as much nicotine as cigar. Cigars are a major source of secondhand smoke, which contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 200 poisons and carcinogens. Cigars make more smoke than cigarettes, and they can contain many times more tobacco. Even a small cigar (cigarillo) contains about twice as much tobacco as a cigarette. Evidence has shown that smoke of one cigar is more dangerous to non-smokers than the smoke of one cigarette. Second-hand smoke from cigars includes toxins such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia and volatile aldehydes. Vegetable of the Week Brussels Sprouts are a small green swollen, similar to a small cabbage. Color: Green In Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Good Source of: Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Folacin Grams of finer per serving: 5g Calories per serving: 43 Photochemical: Beta Carotene Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department 2-15-05 Washing Fruits And Vegetables We know that eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to get essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and other substances that are important for good health. Fresh fruits and vegetables present unique food safety challenges. Fruits and vegetables consumed raw are a particular concern for food safety. Washing can decrease but not eliminate contamination. Consumers should be concerned about the potential for salmonella, bacteria poisoning and pesticide residues. The American Institute for Cancer Research reports that eating lots of fruits and vegetables far outweighs any potential risks from low-level pesticide residues on the produce. Each year, the FDA tests about 20,000 shipments of domestic and imported foods for pesticide residues. But the FDA is not only able to test every shipment, so educating the consumer not only is important, it’s smart. Always wash produce in cold, drinkable water. Recently, a number of outbreaks of food borne illness have been traced to fresh fruits and vegetables that were processed under unsanitary conditions. These outbreaks show that the quality of the water used for washing and chilling the produce after it is harvested is critical. Using water that is not clean can contaminate produce. Here is something to think about: On average four strangers will touch all fruit before you choose it and up to 20 may have handled your vegetables. Tips On Washing Produce Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. When long storage and long-distance shipping are not required, fewer pesticides are used. Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food. Washing produce thoroughly with running water that is safe enough to drink is considered the best way to remove dirt and reduce microorganisms that may be present. When washing vegetables such as lettuce or cabbage, remove and discard the outer leaves. Rub gently under running water to loosen any dirt. Do not use detergents, soap or bleaches when washing any fruits or vegetables. Fruits and vegetables that have a firm surface, such as melons, potatoes and carrots should be scrubbed with a clean brush. Commercial produce sprays or washes are available in supermarkets. However, governmental agencies do not recommend these sprays or washes. 6. Cut out any bruised areas of the produce because bacteria may grow and cause illness if consumed. 7.Keep raw meats separate from fresh fruits and vegetables. Use different cutting boards, knives, and utensils when preparing meals. 8.Always wash cutting boards, knives, utensils, and your hands after handling raw meats and before handling fresh fruits and vegetables. 9.Be sure to keep your refrigerator clean and cold. Wrap or cover any fruits or vegetables that you have cut and store them above raw meats. 10. Wait until just before preparation to wash or immerse your produce in clean drinking water. When appropriate, scrub with a brush. This removes nearly all insects and dirt, as well as bacteria and some pesticide residues. Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department 1-27-05 Top 10 Worst Snacks Most people want to lose weight but they hate to diet. We all want to improve the way we look and live longer. If we make healthier food choices and not necessarily diet, we can lose those unwanted pounds and improve our health. The snacks listed below are by far the worst snacks known to man but on the other hand, probably taste the best. Try to snack on fruits and vegetables and eat less of the snacks listed below. 1. French Fries: Don’t be assured by the fact that many big name fast food chains are changing their cooking oil. French fries are starchy white potatoes cooked in hot fat and flavored with chemicals and sugars. If you have to eat French fries, try baking them. 2. Donuts: Fried bread with a sugary cream filling of more sugar. Eat an apple or banana instead. 3. Potato Chips: These are really a packaged version of French fries. However you can still enjoy potato chips but try the baked version. Baked Lays are a great substitute. 4. Soda: Regular and diet have nothing but carbonated water full of chemicals. Water is healthier and will help in weight loss. 5. Cupcakes and Snack Cakes: The creamy filling is full of whipped cream, and the rest of it is sugar, flour and flavoring. 6. Candy Bars: You might squeeze a gram of protein out of the nuts in some of them, but by and large they’re nothing but sugar and a nutritional nightmare. Again, you can move slightly up the food chain but switching to one of the “energy” bars. Most of them are just candy bars disguised as health food but they often have 1/3 fewer calories, quite a bit more protein and a bit less fat. 7. Pork Rinds: Fried pork skin. Not a good thing! 8. Fat-Free Cookies: Remember fat-free doesn’t equal calorie free. 9. Crackers: Most crackers are loaded with trans-fats. Read your labels carefully to find the few that aren’t. 10. Pretzels: Just because something that doesn’t have fat doesn’t make it good. Crackers are just white flour, water and sugar pretending to be a healthy snack. Runner up: This drink is full of cream, carmel, coconut. That’s why the coffee _mocha-latte drinks are so very popular. These drinks are full of caffeine, sugar, and whipped cream. Vegetable Of The Week Broccoli Rabe: Despite the name this vegetable is not a type of broccoli but it is actually in the brassica family. Broccoli Rabe is a leafy green vegetable and has a slightly bitter taste and it its flower looks similar to the Broccoli florest. Color: Green In Season: Spring, Fall Good Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Iron High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Iron Grams of fiber per serving: 50 Phytochemicals: Beta Carotene Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department 1-20-05 What Is A Serving Size? One serving of fruits and vegetables should fit within the palm of your hand, it’s a lot smaller than most people think. The palm of your hand is an easy way to think about serving sizes and to see how easy it is to follow the 5 to 9 a day plan. Portion sizes at many types of restaurants, and even at home-have grown in recent years. Unfortunatetely, studies show that larger portions encourage us to keep eating even when we’re no longer hungry. Plus, these giant sized meals make it harder to follow dietary recommendations based on standard sizes. What’s the difference between a portion and a standard serving size? A portion is how much you eat of a particular food at one meal. A standard serving size, on the other hand, is a specific amount that is used to give nutritional information or diet advice. But rather than trying to match your portions to the standard serving size, look at the total amount of food you eat during a day. Your portions, added together, should equal the total amount of standard servings from each food group recommended for a healthy diet. For example, a 4-½ inch bagel actually supplies from the grains group, according to the U.S. government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Following amounts count as one serving: *1 ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta or cereal *2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish *1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables *1 ½ cup of other vegetables- cooked or raw *1 ½ cup of canned, cooked, or chopped fruit To help maintain a healthy weight, choose sensible home, and use these tips when eating out: *Order a small or medium portion. *If meal portions are large, order an appetizer. *Ask for a “doggie bag” at restaurants. *Avoid “all-you-can-eat” buffets. Vegetable Of The Week Broccoli has light green stalks topped with umbrella shaped clusters of purplish green florets. Color: Green In Season: Fall, Winter, Spring Good Source of Vitamin B6 High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folacin Grams of fiber per serving: 5g Phytochemicals: Beta-carotene, Lutein and Zeaxantin Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II 1-14-05 10 Easy Ways To Kick-Start A New Healthy Eating Lifestyle There is a huge amount of sometimes conflicting, often confusing, nutrition and diet information available. Therefore, it’s very understanding when people become discouraged about selecting an eating plan for themselves. Even scientific studies often contradict each other. We need to focus on the basics. Unless you’re going to follow a strict diet that restricts or eliminates certain food groups (which should be carefully studied prior to starting) you can begin by striving for balance in your diet. Below are some common-sense guidelines that you can use to identify what kind of an eating plan works best for your lifestyle and your body. Start drinking more water. Most experts recommend eight (8-ounce) glasses per day. The easiest way to do this to spread out your water intake throughout the day and use containers that will help you keep track how much you drink. If you aren’t drinking much water currently, try easing into it. You can add one cup every few days until you reach 8 or more day. Strive to eat 2-3 servings of fruits or vegetables at each meal or snack. This will add up to several servings a day, which is recommended for optimal nutrition. Our goal is to eat 5-9 fruits and vegetables every day. Switch to whole grains. Go for the healthier whole grains in breads, pasta, tortillas, and cereals. Also eat brown rice instead of white. You’ll be taking in more beneficial fiber all the other benefits of whole, rather than processed, grains. Get your sweet tooth under control. Start to slowly reduce the portion sizes and frequency of your intake of sugared treats. Try switching to unsweetened breakfast cereals. Go from full-sized candy bars to bite-size. The less you sweets you eat, the less you’ll crave over them over time. Switch to lean meats. Avoid highly marbled beef, high fat pork ribs and chops, regular ground beef and other fatty cuts. Try substituting lean ground beef and turkey, pork tenderloin and shellfish. Switch to low fat dairy products. You can really influence your calorie and fat daily totals by switching to lower fat milk, cottage cheese, cheese, sour cream and more. If you enjoy fat-free, work your way down to that. If you really don’t enjoy the taste, then go to the lower fat varieties. Find a couple of low fat salad dressings that you enjoy. With all the vegetable you’ll be eating as part of your new eating style, healthier dressing options will go a long way toward making them more enjoyable. Slowly reduce your portion sizes. Most people who are carrying around some extra weight probably are eating too much food. By slowly reducing your portion sizes, you’ll feel less deprived as you make your way down to a portion size you fell comfortable and satisfied eating. Slowly reduce your portion sizes. Most people who are carrying around some extra weight probably are eating too much food. By slowly reducing your portion sizes, you’ll feel less deprived as you make your way down to a portion size you feel comfortable and satisfied eating. Increase your physical activity. Healthy eating is only half of the equation. For ideal health, your body needs to move and move often. Many experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise three times a week as a minimum for overall health. Vegetable Of The Week Asparagus is a bright green or white stalks, usually 10 to 12 inches in length. Color: Green In Season: Spring, Summer Good source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folacin Calories per serving: 22 Grams of fiber per serving: 2g Phytochemicals: Beta-carotene and Lutein Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner, Breathitt Co. Health Department Eat A Variety of Fruits and Vegetables 1-7-05 By eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables- green, yellow, orange, red, blue, purple and white, you’re giving your body a wide range of nutrients that are important for good health. Each color provides something different, like vitamins, minerals and disease fighting phytochemicals, that work together to protect your heatlh. Here are some examples: Peaches are rich in Vitamin A and C. Eat with or without the skin. Peaches are great to add to cereal. Oranges and other citrus fruits are very high in Vitamin C. Navel oranges are good to eat whole. You can also mix oranges with other fruits to make fruit salad. Try mixing an orange with half a sliced banana for a quick fruit salad that counts as two fruit servings. Green and red bell peppers are great in salad or eaten alone. You can put raw green peppers on top of cooked dishes or in a sandwich like an onion or pickle. They are also great on pizza. Add green peppers to your chili and in other meat dishes. Green peppers are almost as rich in Vitamin C as citrus fruits. Peppers are high in VitaminB6, A and C. Cauliflower is very mild tasting and does not smell like cabbage when you eat it raw. It is very crunchy and makes a great snack with dip or alone. Its also very tasty when eaten raw plus. Broccoli and Cauliflower re both high in Vitamin A, C and B6. Celery is one of the most popular raw vegetables. Celery is also used in many cooked dishes and adds color and texture to stew and soups. Celery is a great source of potassium. Watermelon is a favorite summer treat. Watermelon contains Vitamin C and anthocyanins which helps with cell and nerve function. Carrots are a great snack. Carrots are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Beta-carotene. These vitamins help promote health skin, health immune system and eyesight. Carrots are also a great source of fiber. Green Beans are high lutein, potassium, Vitamin K and indoles. Green Beans are a great source to help maintain healthy blood pressure and helps fight cancer. Apples are full of nutrition and vitamins. Apples are an excellent source of Vitamin C. By including apples in your diet, this fruit helps keep your heart healthy, teeth shiny and helps fight cancer. Mushrooms make an excellent topping to any pizza and great in spaghetti sauce. Mushrooms are high in iron, folacin, niacin, riboflavin and phosphorus. Vegetable Of The Week Artichoke is a green cone-shaped bud with overlapping outer leaves, an enclosed choke, and a firm fleshed base called the heart. Artichoke is a good source of iron, phosphorus and magnesium. Also high in Vitamin C and Folacin, The artichoke contains 3 grams of fiber and 47 calories per serving. Great American Smoke Out At Highland Turner 12-29-04 The Breathitt County Health Department and Highland Turner Elementary teamed up for the first ever Great American Smoke Out. The Great American Smoke out is a program designed to help people to quit smoking and to prevent students from taking up the habit. Mrs. Lillian Trent’s class was selected for this project. James Elliott Turner, from the Breathitt Co. Health Department, talked to the class about the dangers of smoking and second hand smoke. Mr. Turner showed a video, gave the students several handouts and posters showing the deadly effects of smoking. Mrs. Trent’s class then wrote a letter to someone they knew that smokes trying to convince them to quit smoking. Mr. Turner then gave each student an “It Takes A Butt Head To Smoke” frisbee. A special thanks to Mrs. Lillian Trent and her students for their participation. Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II 12-29-04 Fire Safety On average in the United States, someone dies in a fire nearly every 3 hours, and someone will be injured from a fire every 37 minutes. Four out of every five U.S. deaths in 2003 occurred in homes. In 2003, fire departments responded to 401,000 home fires in the U.S., which claimed the lives of an estimated 2, 670 people and injured another 14,050. Most victims of fires die from smoke or toxic gases and not from burns. Cooking is the primary causes of residential fires, smoking is the leading cause of fire-related deaths. Fire safety is very important to everyone and these few simple tips may not only save your office, home or pet but these tips may save a life. In the Office: *Know the emergency phone number 911. *Have smoke alarms in your office. Check monthly. *Know the location of the fire alarm pull station. *Know location of fire extinguishers and how to use them. *Use extension cords for temporary reasons only. *Keep trash and recycle bins empty. This will reduce the amount of material that can burn. In the Home: Being displaced from your home can be a dramatic experience. Avoiding this can be as simple as following these tips for preventing a house fire. *Have an escape plan and practice it. Know the emergency phone number 911. *Have smoke alarms on every floor of your house. Check all smoke alarms monthly. *Smoking and drinking are a lethal combination. Smoking carelessness is a leading cause of fire. Never throw cigarette butts or ashtrays in the trash. *Keep matches, lighters, and candles away from children. *Never leave candles unattended. Never go to sleep with candles burning. *Make sure fire extinguishers are on every floor and they are charged. *DO NOT overload electrical sockets. *Check all appliances and extension cords for exposed wires. Open or damaged wires start many house fires. *Remove electrical cords from under rugs and behind radiators. Never nail or staple the cord to walls or molding. *Have heating and cooling systems cleaned annually. *Do not use space heaters near combustible materials such as upholstery and drapes. *Make certain space heaters are cool before refueling. *Unplug heat-producing appliances that are not in use, such as toasters and kettles. *Do not use gasoline or other flammable materials to clean. *Turn off appliances when not in use. *Use the proper fuses in your home. Never use pennies, wires or fuses of higher amperage than required to replace burned out fuses. Building A Healthier Breathitt Co. One Step At A Time By: James Elliott Turner II, Breathitt Co. Health Department 5 Nutritional New Year Resolutions It’s an American tradition. Every January 1st, people make New Year’s Resolutions. Whether it’s exercising more, eating more vegetables, or losing weight. Health and nutrition resolutions often top the list. What will you change this year? For some timely ideas, here are 5 nutritional resolutions to consider in 2005. Slow down and eat. Experts are blaming the growing, obesity epidemic on many factors, including fast food, dwindling family dinners and hectic lifestyles that seem to leave little time for eating healthy and exercising. We need to slow down and enjoy life, family, and friends. As often as possible, eat home cooked meals with family and friends. Cook from scratch more often, using fresh ingredients rather than boxed or canned foods. Establish or reclaim family traditions at mealtimes. Create a calm, pleasant mealtime atmosphere and turn off the TV during meals. Eat your greens, reds and purples. Many people have memories of their mother or grandmother reminding them to eat their greens. Expert now recommend eating reds, yellows, purples and white vegetable. The colored fruits and vegetables come from natural plant compounds called phytochemicals. You may be familiar with some of these: lutein from greens, lycopene from tomatoes, and beta-carotene from carrots. The main role of phytochemicals is to protect the plant. In turn, these protective factors benefit the person who eats the plant. Phytochemicals can help prevent disease, slow down aging and improve immunity. Cut back on rice and pasta. For many Americans, favorite grains include white rice, flour tortillas and white bread. Although in moderation, any of these foods can be part of a healthy diet, as diet staples they have shortfalls. First they are low in fiber. This is a problem because, according to the American Dietetic Association, the average American gets less that half of their fiber quota daily. Second, many nutrients are lost in the processing. While certain vitamins and minerals are returned in the enrichment process. Most disease-fighting phytochemicals are lost forever. This year, give your diet a facelift by adding more high fiber grains. Brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, bran cereal, whole-wheat tortillas, and 100 percent whole wheat bread are well known options. Go Nuts!! For over a decade, nutrition research has been glowing about nuts. Eating several small serving of nuts a week reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Although nuts contain a high percentage of fat, the majority is unsaturated fat, the heart healthy fat that lowers the LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Nuts are also packed with nutrients such as fiber, vitamin E, magnesium and other phytochemicals. If you have shunned fat-laden nuts due to weight concerns here’s some good news. Studies have shown that nuts in moderation aren’t a deterrent to weight loss. In fact, since nuts curb hunger better than some low fat snacks, including nuts in your diet may actually help you eat less. Drink milk for weight loss. For decades, people were told to drink milk for strong bones. In recent years, dairy products have also been found to improve blood pressure, reduce the risk of diabetes and protect against certain types of cancer. Now a growing body of research links consumptions of calcium-rich milk, yogurt and cheese to a lower risk of obesity. Make sure the dairy products you consume are low fat. |