A NEW YOU

OVERCOMING MENTAL BLOCKS TO WEIGHT LOSS

2010-07-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes being on a diet just seems overwhelming. You might feel as though you don't have the heart to stay in the weight-loss fight. Well, it's not always your heart that keeps you from diet success — sometimes it's all in your head.

Weight Loss: Think Before You Eat

One of the main reasons that diets fail is because people approach weight loss the wrong way. "Targeting that diet mentality is really the key," says Martin Binks, PhD, assistant professor at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. "If I had to pick one thing I could fix to stop diets from failing, it would be all-or-nothing thinking and all-or-nothing acting,"

Binks works to get individuals to set small, realistic goals instead of big, sweeping ones. "If you went into every situation without thinking it's all or nothing, you're much more likely to moderate what you eat," he explains. "Start thinking about the hundreds and hundreds of mini-decisions we make in a day."

Small decisions and exchanges — like eating only half of a cookie instead of a whole one or adding a few short, quick walks to your overall exercise program — are what ultimate lead to weight loss. "If I could get people to think a little differently day to day, it would make a huge difference," he says.

Weight Loss: Overcoming Mental Obstacles

Another mental obstacle dieters face is giving up on themselves, says Anne Wolf, RD, a registered dietitian and researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. "They don't believe they really can do it," says Wolf. "But once they see that other people have lost weight, they realize, 'I can do that, too.'"

She also sees individuals begin a weight-loss plan out of anger or take a "no pain, no gain" mentality when it comes to weight loss. "Anger is not [the same as] a commitment," notes Wolf. "If you can stay on a program that causes no pain and you gradually lose weight over the year, that's great."

Weight Loss: Finding a Healthy Mindset

"I tried to lose weight twice before I made the permanent lifestyle changes necessary to accomplish my goals," says John from Fairfax, Va. When he made the decision to get serious about weight loss, it was because he realized that not only was his weight unhealthy, but so was the way he thought about his weight and his health.

"I remember going shopping for bigger pants again, and sitting in the store and looking at the 44W rack, thinking I could probably save money if I just got the 46W and grew into them — talk about surreal," says John.

That moment made him realize that his thought process had to change and led to a 70-pound weight loss. "Luckily, I had a moment of clarity and realized how self-destructive my logic was," says John.

The trigger that makes you realize you don't lose weight through a diet, but through a lifestyle change, is different for everyone. Drastic dieting can be a vicious cycle that leaves people angry, depressed, frustrated, and finally just giving up. But if you learn a healthy way to approach weight loss, both mentally and physically, you can ultimately find success.

BREAK THE BINGE CYCLE

2010-06-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like diet deprivation to make you crave the foods you've had to cut out, but binging on them can wreak havoc with your weight control and carefully counted calories.

Binging simply means you have temporarily lost control over the amount and type of food you planned to eat. So if you're rocking along with your fruit- and veggie-rich diet, but hear your child's birthday cake calling to you from the fridge, you're probably on your way to a binge breakdown. Here's what you can do to help protect your weight loss plan.

Better Weight Control: Budget Calories

Even occasional binging adds unwanted calories to your diet. The key to weight-loss success is to be aware of your weaknesses and actually make room for them in your diet.

"I don't think you should give up everything. That's the key. I have a sweet tooth so I budget in some sweets every day or else I would really be crabby," says Donna L. Weihofen, RD, MS, health nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Weihofen says she once calculated that a generous slice of gourmet carrot cake could contain as many as 1,400 calories, an entire day's worth of calories for many women. The desire to binge on such a treat would be lessened if you allowed yourself a smaller indulgence. Weihofen, for example, budgets a post-lunch square of chocolate into her daily calories.

Smart dieters find ways to adapt this strategy to their diet plan and achieve the right balance of calories. Andrea Carlton of Jacksonville, Fla., says, "I end up having a sliver of what it is I am craving or, if I am really dedicated during the week, then I make unday my cheat day." The cheat day isn't a binge, but more of a maintenance day — no calorie reduction, but no excess calories taken in either.

Better Weight Control: Managing Temptation

Another balancing option is to avoid temptation entirely when you're at home, and have strategies for when you eat out. In other words, simply don't buy food that will sabotage your weight-loss strategy. "I make sure my children have healthy snacks available, and the not-so-healthy ones are snacks I don't like," explains Charlene Gonzales, a mother of three in Houston.

An approach recommended by Weihofen is to find "calorie bargains" that are similar to the treats you crave. Look for healthier alternatives or "light" versions of favorite snacks. But be sure to read food labels carefully — some reduced-fat treats have more added sugar and are not lower in calories.

Gonzales says that eating out poses the biggest binging threat to her weight-loss success. "I know some women can eat salads when faced with better tasting options at a restaurant, but that's not me," she admits. So she opts for restaurants that she knows have tasty salad and healthy plate options.

Better Weight Control: When You Need Outside Help

Even though the occasional binge adds calories to your day and is a threat to your weight-loss goals, it isn't usually unhealthy. However, when binging becomes a way of life, it may signal an eating disorder that requires professional help to overcome:

Binge-eating disorder is when you binge frequently and feel shame or embarrassment, but cannot stop doing it. People with this disorder are often overweight or obese. Because it is associated with anxiety and depression, it can be treated with some antidepressants.

Bulimia nervosa is when you binge and then try to "purge" or get rid of the calories by vomiting, taking laxatives, fasting, or exercising to an extreme. People with bulimia often appear to be of normal weight, but are obsessed with weight gain or loss, unhappy with their body, and ashamed of their binging and purging. These eating disorders are more common in women, but can also be a problem for men and boys. If you are binging frequently and feel anxious or ashamed, seek help from your doctor.

For the occasional binger who wants to stop the overeating-dieting cycle, you should be able to avoid binging by budgeting calories to include the treats you love. When you find a way to balance these calorie-dense foods with better nutritional choices, you won't be as tempted to overindulge.

CARRY ON MEALS PERFECT FOR THE PLANE

2010-06-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

Airplane food used to be just bad. Now it’s bad and you have to pay extra for it, if it’s available at all. In addition, options at the terminal may be limited to fast food, and anything you buy costs a fortune. The alternative? Pack an easy-to-make meal and stick it in your carry-on luggage to enjoy during travel. Now, that’s the way to start your vacation or get a business trip off on the right foot!

Meal Planning: What You Can and Can't Carry On
These days, making sure your food is healthy and stored in a safe way aren't the only things you have to keep in mind when preparing a meal for your flight. You also have to consider what the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows you to take on an airplane.

Liquids still have a 3-ounce limit (exceptions are only for liquid medication, breast milk, and baby formula), so drinks are out until you pass through security. If you don’t want to rely on the beverage cart onboard the airplane, you’ll need to pick up bottled beverages on the way to your gate. Buy a large bottle of water, and possibly milk or juice if you have children, to get you through the flight, suggests David Lytle, editorial director of Frommers.com, the travel-guide Web site.

Food that you take through security must be wrapped or contained in some way. The exception is whole, fresh fruits; as long as they are uneaten and unpeeled, they do not need to be wrapped or in a container. Foods can be partially eaten, but they must be wrapped up before going through security.

In-Flight Food: Easy Meals and Snacks
Looking for ideas on what to bring with you to the airport? Try to put together an assortment of items that include some form of protein, which will help keep hunger under control until you’ve landed. The following list of healthy snacks and foods can be combined to make easy meals that will tide over most adults and kids alike:

Crackers with cheese or peanut butter
Pretzels
Popcorn
Fresh or dried fruit
Trail mix
Nuts
Granola bars
Sandwiches on whole-grain bread with cheese or peanut butter
Fresh-cut vegetables, like celery or carrots
Rice cakes
Low-fat or baked chips
Beef jerky
"A quick and portable snack list would include trail mix with dried fruit or just plain nuts and dried fruit. This is a good source of protein and some terrific antioxidants," says dietitian Roberta Anding, MS, RD, an instructor in the adolescent and sports medicine section of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "If sodium is not a problem, then beef jerky is quick and portable and does not spoil. This additional protein can help to stave off hunger."

Other Travel-Friendly Tips for Easy Meals

Here are several other pointers you should keep in mind:

Keep it solid. As a general rule, solid foods can get through security, but anything of a liquid or gel consistency probably won't. For this reason, stay away from foods like yogurt, applesauce, pudding, and gelatin.

Avoid bringing foods that are oven-hot or refrigerator-cold. According to safety guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture, two hours is the limit for hot and cold foods to stay fresh once they’ve been taken out of the oven and refrigerator, respectively. Insulated bags may help, but with common travel delays, many hours could pass between the time you leave home and your flight’s actual takeoff.

Shop wisely at the gate. You can, of course, buy meals and snacks once you've gone through security, and many airports now have healthy meal options like fresh sandwiches and salads that you can take onboard.

Be mindful of other passengers. Lytle also recommends that, as a common courtesy to other travelers, you consider how the foods that you bring on board will make the plane smell. "There are a lot of things to think about when you're in a contained space — you are not the only person on the plane," he says. "Your behavior does affect other people, and we're all in it together." Try staying away from strong-smelling, and often unhealthy, foods like pizza, French fries, and anything over laden with onions or garlic.

No matter where you're headed, you can get your trip off to a healthy start by bringing along some homemade snacks to enjoy on your flight. You'll arrive at your destination feeling satisfied and energized — and you won't have wasted a dime on bad plane food!

DOES MUSCLE WEIGH MORE THAN FAT?

2010-06-16T09:17:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of people, you might think that muscle weighs more than fat.

“When I hear this statement, I always think of the old riddle: Which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks?” says Laura Stusek, MS, fitness coordinator for Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. “A pound is a pound!”

Muscle vs. Fat: Clearing Up the Misconception

Common sense tells us a pound of muscle and a pound of fat have to weigh the same, but they do differ in density. This means if you look at five pounds of muscle and five pounds of fat side by side, the fat takes up more volume, or space, than the muscle. That’s important when you’re on a diet and part of your goal is the lean look of muscle, not the flabby look of fat.

So why do people say muscle weighs more than fat?

“I find people make this statement when they put on weight,” says Stusek. “One person will say, ‘I gained three pounds and I’ve been working out.’ The good-friend response is, ‘It’s all muscle.’ And while this is a very comforting thing to hear, it’s just impossible to gain three pounds of muscle in a week. It is common for exercisers to lose fat and gain muscle without a change in body weight, so I understand why people often get frustrated.”

Muscle vs. Fat: The Truth

The first step in a successful diet and exercise program is to banish the idea that muscle weighs more and is therefore bad. In fact, Stusek recommends tossing out the scale altogether.

“I try to get people to think about how they are feeling, how their clothes are fitting, and how their body has changed,” Stusek advises. “It’s a hard thing to do sometimes. The focus should not just be the number on the scale. If we only did things to make ourselves weigh less, we wouldn’t necessarily be healthier.”

Muscle vs. Fat: The Benefits of Muscle

In fact, not only should dieters stop thinking of muscle as the enemy, they should embrace it as their friend.

Muscle boosts a person’s metabolism, so a pound of muscle will burn more calories at rest than a pound of fat. What does this mean? Even when you’re not exercising — you could be sitting on the couch watching TV — you will be burning more calories just by having more muscle.

Muscle has other benefits, too. It’s critical in improving bone density and helps prevent the loss of muscle mass that occurs with aging, allowing people to stay active as they get older.

Muscle vs. Fat: Ways to Gain Muscle

There’s no doubt cardio workouts such as jogging, cycling, and walking are important for calorie burning and good health. But strength training is vital, too. “Of course, we always think of lifting weights to put on muscle, and many fear they will become ‘bulky,’” says Stusek. “Women need to stop worrying about this.”

There are plenty of options to build muscle, ranging from free weights to resistance bands and even plain old soup cans. Stusek recommends enlisting the help of a personal trainer to design a balanced, full-body workout for the best results. “Or if you want to bulk up, lift heavy weights and do low repetitions,” she says. And two or three times a week, with at least one day off in between for muscle recovery, is sufficient.

Ultimately, building muscle mass is a good thing. So find some enjoyable exercises and get lifting.

By Kristen Stewart
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

7 REASONS TO EAT MORE EGGS

2010-06-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

Who doesn’t love eggs? Whether scrambled, hard-boiled, poached, or folded into an omelet, eggs are versatile and tasty. Even better, eggs are a powerhouse of nutrition in a healthy diet and a great low-calorie addition to a weight-loss diet. With only 15 calories each, hard-boiled egg whites, for instance, can help you stick to your diet — the protein in them helps you feel full and being low in calories make them a great snack.

The Egg: Diet Facts

It’s time to get reacquainted with the egg, a great food whether you’re on a diet or just looking to manage your weight.

1.The egg is a low-calorie powerhouse. “The egg is a great source of nutrition and especially brain food,” says Susan B. Roberts, PhD, author of The Instinct Diet and professor of nutrition at the USDA Nutrition Center at Tufts University in Boston. “With only 80 calories per large egg and a useful 6 grams of protein, it can be scrambled or even fried with just a dab of butter and still come in at under 100 calories.”

2.Eggs have vitamins and other nutrients. Besides providing protein (making you feel full longer), an egg supplies many essential nutrients including vitamin A, the B vitamins B-12, riboflavin, and folacin, and the minerals iron, phosphorus, and zinc, along with choline and DHA, essential nutrients for brain health.

3.The egg has less cholesterol than we thought. It turns out early tests measured falsely high for the amount of cholesterol in an egg, unfairly giving it a bad rap. According to recent research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one large egg has 213 milligrams of cholesterol. Testing is also under way in the egg industry to see if that amount can be further reduced.

4.Egg whites can be part of your daily menu. It’s best to eat no more than three or four whole eggs per week, but egg whites have only 15 calories per egg, no cholesterol, and no saturated fat, so dieters can eat as many as they want. Not only that, egg whites taste better than store-bought egg substitutes.

5.Eggs make a great weekend breakfast. “One great role eggs can play is in making weekend food seem special without overdosing on calories,” says Dr. Roberts. “For example, scrambled eggs and whole-wheat toast or a fried egg and Canadian bacon on Sunday morning can become a special weekend breakfast without adding anything to calories beyond a regular weekday cereal meal.”

6.Eggs are an inexpensive protein source. Eggs are economical, especially when compared to steak or even a hamburger.

7.Eggs aren’t only for breakfast. “Think like the French and don’t dismiss eggs as a great dinner food,” says Roberts. “It takes a mere couple of minutes to whip up an omelet, so you can keep eggs in the fridge for quick dinners when you get home and are too tired to cook or go out. A two-egg omelet with a slice of whole-wheat toast and an apple or orange is a great weight control meal.”
Now that the egg has been cleared of any wrongdoing, think of it next time for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a quick healthy snack.

By Kristen Stewart
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

OH THAT NIGHTTIME SNACK

2010-06-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

A nighttime snack isn’t always harmful, but if you understand the reasons behind late-night eating and then modify your diet accordingly, chances are your midnight cravings will be reduced or eliminated, and weight loss can move full steam ahead.

Simple as it seems, many people overeat in the evening because they have not consumed enough calories during the day. Skipping breakfast, starting the day with foods high in sugar, and limiting your food to lose weight all make it harder for your body to sustain itself later into the evening.

Besides hunger, a nighttime snack can stem from stress, boredom, or habit. "Emotions and feelings like depression, anxiety, sadness, and frustration also trigger eating, particularly in people who have not developed healthy coping strategies to deal with negative emotions," says Cathy Leman, RD, a personal trainer and owner of NutriFit, Inc., nutrition consultants in Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Leman also notes that any positive psychological effects of eating tend to wear off quickly, leaving the person with a full belly, stressed digestive system, and unsettled sleep at night.

"Eating at night when you aren't hungry feeds a vicious cycle," says Michelle May, MD, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle. "You wake up in the morning feeling guilty and not hungry for breakfast, so you starve yourself all day to pay penance and binge again at night, or by mid-morning you are starving so you grab whatever is in the break room — usually doughnuts or bagels — which begins a downward spiral of overeating and guilt that lasts into the night again."

Nighttime Snack: Fight the Urge

To stave off the urge for a nighttime snack and to stick with your weight-loss strategy, keep your metabolism rolling during the day by eating breakfast and getting adequate portions of fruits, vegetables, healthy grains, and proteins. Then, if the urge for a nighttime snack arises, Dr. May recommends asking yourself, "Am I hungry?” She suggests look for physical signs that you need food. "Your metabolism doesn't shut off at 7:01 p.m.,” May says. “The problem is that most after-hours eating is not done because you need fuel, so the calories you consume are stored."

Eating out of boredom or habit can be controlled by introducing a new hobby that keeps your mind engaged. Sewing, reading, and playing cards are good options. "Finding an alternative can help develop a different habit that doesn't include food," says Leman.

Emotional eating is trickier to curb. Just as finding a new hobby engages your mind, it also helps you separate mentally from the stress of your day. Another strategy is to find a way to ease into the change of pace at night. An evening walk, yoga, and sipping herbal tea are effective ways to transition to a relaxed state of being.

Nighttime Snack: Give Yourself the Go-Ahead

Many people think late-night eating causes weight gain, but it's not when you eat that matters, it's what and how much you eat. If you find that you are truly hungry late at night, wait 10 minutes to shift the focus away from food, then if the craving doesn't subside, choose a small portion of a healthy nighttime snack such as yogurt, fruit, popcorn, rice cakes, low-fat cottage cheese, turkey deli meat, or crackers and low-fat cheese. Says Leman, "Giving in can sometimes stave off a binge later."

TEN EASY PORTION CONTROL TIPS

2010-05-24T13:11:00.001-07:00

When most of us sit down to eat, the last thing we want to think about is portion control. But for anyone on a diet or just looking to maintain their current figure, that’s exactly what they should be doing.

Gone are the days of eating a bagel or muffin and feeling safe about its calories. In fact, researchers measured typical servings from takeout restaurants, fast food chains, and family-style eateries and found that bagels were 195 percent larger than the standard set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), muffins were 333 percent bigger and cooked pasta exceeded the standard by 480 percent. Scariest of all were cookies, which were a whopping seven times the USDA recommended serving size.

Portion Control and Diet: How It Works

The first step in successful portion control is learning the correct serving size — the amount of food recommended by government agencies, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans put out by the USDA and Department of Health and Human Services, and the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The serving size can usually be found by reading nutritional labels. But the portion is the amount of food or drink a person chooses to consume. In many cases, the portion eaten is larger than the serving size simply because we don’t know any better.

“Portion control is limiting what you eat,” says Mary M. Flynn, RD, PhD, chief research dietitian and assistant professor of medicine at the Miriam Hospital and Brown University in Providence, R.I. “It is being aware of how much food you are actually eating and what calories are in that serving.”

The good news is that with a little practice, portion control is easy to do and can help people be successful in reaching and then maintaining a proper weight.

Here are 10 simple ways to keep your portions a healthy size:

1. Measure accurately. For foods and beverages, use gadgets like a measuring cup, tablespoon, teaspoon, or food scale.

2. Learn how to estimate serving sizes. “‘Ballpark’ food portion sizes by estimating serving sizes in comparison to known objects,” says Rose Clifford, RD, clinical dietitian in the department of pharmacy services at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. “For example, three ounces of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.” Other easy measurements to eyeball include:

½ cup is the size of an ice cream scoop
1 cup is the size of a tennis ball
1 ounce of cheese is the size of a domino
3. Use portion control dishware. Pick out smaller plates, bowls, cups, and glassware in your kitchen and measure what they hold. You might find that a bowl you thought held 8 ounces of soup actually holds 16, meaning you’ve been eating twice what you planned.

4. Dish out your servings separately. Serve food from the stove onto plates rather than family-style at the table, which encourages seconds.

5. Make your own single-serving packs. “Re-portion bulk quantities of favorite foods such as pasta, rice, and cereal into individual portions in zipper bags so that when you’re in the mood for some food you’ll instantly see the number of portions you’re preparing,” says Jennifer Nasser, RD, PhD, assistant professor in the department of biology at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

6. Add the milk before the coffee. When possible, put your (fat-free) milk into the cup before adding the hot beverage to better gauge the amount used.

7. Measure oil carefully. This is especially important because oil (even the healthful kinds like olive and safflower) have so many calories; don’t pour it directly into your cooking pan or over food.

8. Control portions when eating out. Eat half or share the meal with a friend. If eating a salad, ask for dressing on the side. Dip your fork into the dressing and then into the salad.

9. Add vegetables. Eat a cup of low-calorie vegetable soup prior to eating a meal, or add vegetables to casseroles and sandwiches to add volume without a lot of calories.

10. Listen to your hunger cues. Eat when hungry and stop when satisfied or comfortably full. “Try to gauge when you are 80 percent full and stop there,” says Clifford. “There will be more food at the next meal or snack!”

TEN SIMPLE WAYS TO STOP CRAVINGS

2010-05-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

10 Ways to Stop Cravings
Nothing weakens diet willpower faster than craving sweet, salty, or fatty foods. Find out how to stop cravings and stay on your diet.
Everybody has weak moments in their diet when they can practically taste the salty, sweet, crunchy, or fatty foods they crave. Yet these are often the very foods that undermine your efforts to lose weight. After all, when is the last time you complained about craving cauliflower?

Follow these strategies to stop cravings in their tracks.

10 Ways to Stop Cravings

1. Get enough sleep. Loss of sleep increases hunger during the day, which leads to cravings. Getting the right amount of shut-eye could stop cravings.

2. Eat a healthy breakfast. For some people, cravings are part of a cycle of blood sugar highs and lows that can be kicked off almost the moment their feet hit the floor in the morning. A breakfast featuring fiber and protein is more likely to control this cycle. Consider a scrambled egg on whole-wheat bread or a turkey sandwich instead of sugary cereal or a Danish.

3. Fight hunger. “The core [to fighting cravings] is hunger suppression, since hunger amplifies other triggers,” says nutrition researcher Susan B. Roberts, PhD, a senior scientist at Tufts University in Medford, Mass.

If you often feel hungry on your diet you may want to revisit your diet plan. You might do better eating more frequent, smaller, balanced meals throughout the day or eating more of the foods that will keep you full longer, like whole grains and vegetables.

4. Eat meals at scheduled times. The secret to stopping cravings is to manage hunger and “only eating at set times — no casual eating,” says Roberts.

5. Budget cravings into your diet. “Craved foods can be incorporated into meals if they are used as the 100-calorie treat allowance, but only in the middle of meals, never alone as snacks, when they are too hard to control,” says Roberts, author of The Instinct Diet: Use Your Five Food Instincts to Lose Weight and Keep it Off (Workman Publishing Company, 2008).

6. Make the foods you crave difficult or impossible to get to. No matter how much you love brownies, if you don’t keep any at home or at work, chances are your craving will pass unsatisfied. Instead, make healthy alternatives easy to access in your eating plan and prepare ahead for those times when you’ll need a healthy snack within easy reach, like when you’re on the road.

7. Find healthy alternatives. If you tend to crave sweet treats in the afternoon, having a light yogurt and some fruit on hand could prevent a mad rush to the vending machine for a chocolate bar. “I think the best way to replace a craving is with something similar that has fewer calories and more fiber — you fill up on a similar taste, but the food is digested slowly to reduce craving over time,” advises Roberts.

In a pinch, you could melt a little chocolate over high-fiber cereal and have it with milk — you get the chocolate taste but with more fiber, says Roberts. If you're craving salty chips, Roberts suggests, “have some with meals — a whole-wheat sandwich and salad, not chips alone — so they are more manageable.”

8. Keep a food journal. This may not totally stop cravings, but it could keep you from acting on them if the thought of writing down the calorie and fat content of a steak is more painful than going without it. A food journal will also help you identify the times of day when your cravings are the strongest.

9. Identify your craving triggers. Emotional eating is a real phenomenon. If you pay attention, you may find that your cravings are worse when you are stressed or depressed. Managing those situations will help stop cravings.

10. Eat a varied diet. Sticking to the tried-and-true may help you count calories, but it could also leave you feeling unfulfilled. People need variety in their diets, so try new dishes or combinations of foods to stop cravings. Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean it can’t be satisfying.

By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD

HOW TO HAVE AN "AWESOME" LIFE

2010-05-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

You can have a life filled with awe at any age. You can awake each morning, potentially inspired, centered, with a sense that many options and opportunities stretch before you. Awe is a power unto itself, and by its very nature transforms us. The best part is it is free, natural and continually available. All you need is the willingness to awaken to awe, and to do so by trying a new approach to life.

You’re alive. That in itself is a reason to rejoice each moment. You may have your rough days and your sad days, but as long as you are breathing you can access awe. When you get out of bed in the morning and put your feet on the floor, give thanks that you are part of a great adventure, an ever-expanding journey.

Find a way to subsist, that is, put bread on your table and a shelter over your head, otherwise it will be very difficult to pause and appreciate the marvels of creation. If you are currently without these necessities, then go to a city or county-run assistance program to get back on your feet. It is a start for which your body--and your soul--will thank you profusely.

Each moment is a gift. Savor it. Be in it. Even in the tough times, take a moment to breathe, ground yourself and become present in the moment. There is much more to your experience, right now, than you realize, such as the fact of your aliveness, the possibilities for discovery, and appreciation of a human connection.

Life will be much richer—livelier--if you can direct your attention to what really matters to you, whether that’s a person, a place, or an activity. Take time to consider bigger questions, such as how you are willing to use the space and time left to you.

Try to view your life as a passenger on an amazing journey. Realize that you are MORE than petty or narrow judgments about yourself. The destination is the journey as much or more than the journey simply leading to a destination.

An appreciation for the fact of life Tip: Stay open to the possibilities and surprises of life, they may be around the corner. When you’re in conversation or working, or just simply being, realize that change—often positive change—can spontaneously occur; and you can help to promote that process too.

Understand that as difficult as it is, pain can be an opening—as well as closure—to a new way of life. For example, if you are sad, perhaps you can view the sadness as a long neglected chance to slow down, appreciate subtleties, and consider life anew.

We all experience fragility and resiliency. To cope best with this life, acknowledge both your limits and your possibilities. Recognize that limits and possibilities play off one another and that to live fully one must be open to tearfulness as well exhilaration. Alone time, in depth therapy, and meditation, can each play a vital role in the cultivation of a life of balance.

Life is ever-evolving. An ability to stay present to, and accept, the evolving nature of life is a powerful skill. As painful as conflict can be, realize that, like everything else, it too shall pass, and something new will emerge.

Strive to develop the ability to give yourself over discerningly to the unknowable future. Realize that no matter how hard we fall, there is always a beyond that can “catch us.” To the extent you can risk being open in these ways, you can derive continual benefits, even in the most difficult circumstances.

There have been many people throughout history who have suffered unimaginably and yet found solace in the wonders and puzzlements of creation. They have found a way to rise above the worst of times and grow from them, and find gratitude for all that is good. You are so much more than what you think you are. So take the leap if you dare, follow your grandest visions and dreams, and partake of the greatest investigation ever known—your own awe-filled life. Breathe in the awesomeness of life!

-Dr. Kirk Schneider

TEN HEALTHY SNACKS YOU CAN MAKE IN MINUTES

2010-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Healthy snacks are important for both children and adults. Eating nutritious snacks can help you stay energized during the day, and help keep you from overeating at regular mealtimes or resorting to junk foods when hunger strikes. You can also use a healthy snack to bolster your nutritional intake over the course of your day.

"You should think of a quick snack as a mini-meal,” advises Debra J. Johnston, RD, registered dietitian and director of nutrition services at Remuda Ranch, a treatment program for eating disorders in Wickenburg, Ariz. “A healthy snack is a great opportunity to add the fruits, vegetables, fiber, protein, and dairy that you need in your diet. Mix your food groups and avoid unhealthy fats to snack smart."

10 Easy Snack Ideas

Here are healthy snack ideas that draw from different food groups to provide a good nutritional balance:

1. Up your dairy and fiber intake by mixing a 6-ounce container of plain, non-fat, Greek-style yogurt with 1/2 cup of berries and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed, says Lanah J. Brennan, RD, a registered dietitian in Lafayette, La., and a nutrition blogger.

2. Make your own trail mix. Start with raw almonds, chopped walnuts, and pistachios — look for nuts without added salt or oil. Then add raisins or dried blueberries and cranberries; again, be sure to look for those without added sugar.

3. Mix 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of no-sugar-added applesauce and sprinkle with cinnamon for a tasty dairy and fruit combination.

4. Dip sliced cucumbers, radishes, and grape tomatoes in hummus. You can substitute raw carrots or any other favorite vegetable for a great high-fiber snack.

5. One of the best healthy snacks is popcorn, says Johnston. It’s low in calories and provides good dietary fiber. For variety, try spraying popcorn with low-fat, olive oil-based cooking spray instead of adding butter.

6. An old snack favorite that combines dairy, vegetables, and protein is “bugs on a log.” Spread peanut butter on a celery stick and then sprinkle with raisins or dried cranberries for a nutritious mini-meal.

7. Another quick and healthy snack is a half sandwich. Use whole-wheat bread and layer on some lean meat such as turkey for protein, a slice of cheese for dairy, and lettuce and tomato for vegetables.

8. For a snack you can carry in your pocket, a bag of toasted almonds can give you a quick boost that is loaded with protein, healthy fat, and fiber, advises Joan Salge Blake, MS, a registered dietitian and clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University.

9. Healthy snacks can come from the freezer aisle, too. Frozen cubes of mango make a delicious snack. "Tropical fruit doesn't have to be just for vacation," says Blake. Frozen grapes and banana chunks are tasty, too.

10. Salsa is a great vegetable snack. One-half cup of salsa equals one vegetable serving. For a tasty salsa dipper, try whole-grain crackers.

Healthy snacks are not just a way to curb hunger during the day. A quick and easy snack can also be an opportunity to stick to your overall nutrition plan. "All foods can fit into a healthy meal plan when we incorporate balance, variety, and moderation," says Johnston.

WAYS TO SPICE UP LOW SALT MEALS

2010-05-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

Rather than focusing on what you can't eat, explore the new flavors of a low-sodium diet. You'll help control your high blood pressure — and enjoy delicious food.

Where to Start

The most important aspect of helping to change your loved one’s eating habits will be to limit their salt, or sodium, intake because salt contributes to hypertension. A low-sodium diet will go a long way toward helping to control blood pressure levels.

But you won't have to invent a new eating plan: You can adopt the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet to combat high blood pressure. The DASH plan can be followed at two levels — a plan for sodium intake of 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day and another modified for eating 2,300 mg per day. Talk to the patient's doctor for advice on which sodium level is most appropriate.

In addition to eating a low-sodium diet, the person with high blood pressure will probably need to reduce his calorie intake and shed some pounds or carefully watch his weight — another factor that contributes to high blood pressure. DASH includes foods high in fiber and protein and rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium — all of the elements needed to help reduce high blood pressure.

Healthy Meal Preparation

If a caregiver gets fresh ingredients but then fries them in grease, it defeats the purpose of buying healthy items in the first place. Ditch the deep fryer and try these simple, healthy steps to prepare food:

Roast meats and chicken on racks so that fat can drip off.
Use non-stick cookware and a little cooking spray to sauté foods.
Stew or braise meats and poultry on the stove or in your oven. Then cool the food so tha you can remove any congealed fat before reheating and serving.
Poach fish and chicken in fat-free liquids.
Broil or grill just about any meat, poultry, or vegetable and let the fat drip off.
Steam all kinds of foods over boiling water.

Cooking Dos and Don’ts

Salt can be a hard habit to quit, but not impossible. Instead of relying on sodium, use the following seasonings to flavor food and avoid contributing to high blood pressure:

Basil (fresh or dried) can be used with fish, lean meats, and in soups and sauces.
Thyme gives an earthy taste to sauces and soups.
Caraway seeds lend a nutty taste to breads, steamed cabbage, and noodles.
Chives add bite to salads and vegetables.
Rosemary works well in hearty dishes like meatloaf, potatoes, and beans.
Cider vinegar provides tang to sauces and vegetables.
Turmeric is great on rice with a flavor and color similar to saffron.
Cinnamon is tasty on many fruits.
Curry powder gives lean meats, particularly lamb, an exotic taste.
Dill is great in sauces or tossed on just about any vegetable.
Garlic adds another dimension of flavor to just about any savory food — be sure not to use garlic salt.
Bay leaves work well with soups and stews.
Lemon juice enhances the flavor of salads, vegetables, and fish.
Paprika gives a spicy kick to roasted meats and vegetables.
Sage can be a savory addition to stews, biscuits, and lean pork.
Peppermint and other extracts lend extra flavor to fruit and pudding.

If you want to stick with a low-sodium diet:

Don’t eat many packaged and processed foods.
Don't use too many pickled, cured, brined, or smoked foods.
Don’t cook with flavored pastas, rice, or cereal mixes, because they're typically loaded with sodium — add your own flavorings to plain pasta and rice instead.
Don’t choose salted nuts, chips, and crackers.
Rather than focusing on what your loved one can't eat, explore new options and flavors for a low-sodium diet that helps to get high blood pressure under control.

THE FAST FOOD TRAVEL GUIDE

2010-05-17T15:04:00.001-07:00

Get the essential tips for healthy drive-thru dining.

It's no wonder that too much fast food can contribute to obesity: A typical meal of a burger, fries and soft drink contains more than 1,000 calories and a POINTS® value of 21!

Worse yet, the chains are forever encouraging us to double our order size for a few pennies more, or to try the new signature sandwich that somehow squeezes in one more beef patty than the last one.

It's hard to eliminate fast food from your diet since it's cheap and convenient. But you can make better decisions at the counter or drive-through so that you can continue to enjoy the occasional fast-food stop.
Here's what you need to know:

Go for the small burger
If you really want a burger — and you probably do — the small plain burger is your best bet, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LD, of Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute in Chicago. The chart below shows how the small hamburgers stack up. The Wendy's burger has the fewest calories, but that's mainly because it's the smallest at 3.4 ounces.

Burger Oz. POINTS value
McDonald's Hamburger 3.5 5
Wendy's Jr. Hamburger 3.4 5
Burger King Hamburger 4.2 7

A quarter pound of beef
If a small burger just isn't enough to satisfy and you're willing to part with a few more POINTS values, here's how some popular 1/4-pound burgers weigh in.

Burger POINTS value
McDonald's Quarter Pounder 9
Wendy's Classic Single Hamburger with everything 10
Burger King Whopper without mayo 11

Have it your way
Order your burger without cheese or mayonnaise-based dressings and save 1 to 3 POINTS values. "These are small sacrifices that add up to huge savings," says Blatner.

Understand trans fat
An order of small fries has about 5 grams of trans fat — the harmful, cholesterol-boosting fat that has made news in recent years. Consumed daily, those fries would increase your risk of heart disease by as much as 23 percent. New York and, to some extent, other cities have banned the use of all but a tiny amount of trans fats in large restaurants. A better solution: "Don't fall into an ordering rut and always choose fries," says Blatner. "You can find mandarin orange slices from Wendy's with 80 calories or Apple Dippers from McDonald's with just 35 calories."

Look beyond the beef patty.
Here are some alternatives at...

Taco Bell
Chicken Burrito Supreme "Fresco Style"; i.e., without cheese or sauce

Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
330 8 49 18 7
Pintos and Cheese
Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
120 6 19 9 3

KFC
Tender Roast Chicken Sandwich, without sauce

Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
300 4 28 34 6
Side of Green Beans
Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
98 0 5 1 1
Corn on the Cob 3"
Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
71 0.5 16 2 1

Boston Market
1/4 White-Meat Rotisserie Chicken, No Skin

Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
240 4 1 50 7

Arby's
Regular Roast Beef

Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
320 13 34 20 7

Subway
6" Roast Beef Sub

Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
290 5 45 19 5

Wendy's
Ultimate Chicken Grill

Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
320 7 36 28 7

Drink smart
The calories and POINTS values from regular soda or juices like lemonade can increase the risk of weight gain of regular fast-food eaters. "Choose water, unsweetened iced tea or diet soda," advises Blatner.

Go green
Most large fast food chains have responded to consumer demand and added tasty salads, a meal-size version of which comes in at 100 calories or less, or about 2 POINTS values. But watch out for the add-ons such as meat, tuna, cheese and croutons. Additionally some fast food low-fat dressings are not low calorie. One way to get around this is to use only half the dressing in the packet.

Crunch on this.
Here are some salad selections from some national fast-food chains.

McDonald's Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
220 6 12 30 4
Burger King's Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad
Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
220 7 9 30 5
KFC's Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad, without dressing and croutons
Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
190 6 5 29 4
Wendy's Mandarin Chicken Salad (without noodles, nuts or dressing)
Cals Fat Carbs Protein POINTS value
180 2 16 24 3

Bar some items at the salad bar
Watch out for breaded and fried items that sneak their way into a salad, says Blatner. Some of the highest calorie dishes are salads with fried chicken on top or tortilla shell bowls; added cheese can also be sneaky. Burger King's TENDERCRISP® Chicken Garden Salad with cheese tops 400 calories and has a POINTS value of 9.

NUTRITIOUS BROWN BAG LUNCH IDEAS

2010-05-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

Bringing a brown-bag lunch to work has many benefits: Not only do you get foods you like but you can control your portion sizes, boost your nutrition, and save yourself a lot of time and money.

Nutritious Food at the Ready

“The benefits of a healthy lunch are enormous,” says Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, LDN, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and a clinical associate professor of nutrition at Boston University. When you pack your lunch yourself, you can choose nutritious foods rather than resorting to buying a fat-laden burger and fries, greasy pizza, or other fast food. Portions are more realistic when you bring a brown-bag lunch instead of ordering from a restaurant — and portion size is important because overeating, in addition to eating unhealthy foods, can put you at risk for many illnesses.

There are other advantages as well. “A brown-bag lunch is definitely cheaper, when you think about how much you would spend to go out to lunch every day,” says Blake. “Multiply the price of eating out by five and it’s unbelievably costly.” Brown bagging also makes for an easy lunch and is a timesaver. “By the time you go out, order a sandwich at the deli, come back and eat it,” adds Blake, “that's a lot of wasted time.”

Leftovers and Other Easy Options

Blake likes to cook extra food for dinner and then wrap the leftovers for a healthy lunch the next day. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same meal, she says. You can cut up leftover broiled chicken and roasted vegetables and add them to a salad. Or you can use the chicken and the vegetables in a sandwich on whole-grain bread or stuff them into a whole-wheat pita pocket. “When you cook dinner,” Blake advises, “double or triple the amount of vegetables you would normally make so you’ll have leftovers to make an extra-healthy lunch the next day.”

Lunches should contain some whole grains and some protein — protein in particular makes you feel full. And, Blake adds, “you need a little fat because fat makes food stay in the stomach longer, and it also gives you that feeling of fullness.”

People rarely eat enough fruits and vegetables, so always include them in your brown-bag lunch, Blake advises. “If you don’t make them part of lunch,” she says, “cut up carrot and celery sticks and pack them for a snack.” You can also pair low-fat cheese with cut-up fruit rather than crackers.

In winter, one of Blake’s favorite healthy lunches is a hearty bean soup that she makes at home on the weekend. “Making soup is not as difficult as people think,” she says. “You can make a satisfying bean soup with a can of diced tomatoes, a can of mixed vegetables or a bag of frozen vegetables, a couple of cans of beans, and low-sodium chicken broth. Accompany your lunch portion with a whole-grain roll, a piece of low-fat cheese, and some fruit, and you have a quick and inexpensive lunch that’s full of nutritious food.”

“Yogurt can also be a good part of any lunch,” Blake says. “A cup of yogurt isn’t a meal in itself — you’d be hungry pretty soon afterward. But it’s a great addition to lunch at work.” Add some whole grains or cereals or fresh fruit to your yogurt and it will be an even healthier addition. Also, low-fat yogurt contributes some dairy, which should be incorporated into your diet as a matter of course.

Tips for Lunches That Travel

Here are more suggestions on making brown-bag lunches:

Be prepared. Make your lunch the night before. In the morning before work, all you have to do is reach in the refrigerator and grab it.Assemble at work. Keep the bread and the filling in separate containers until you’re ready to eat. That way your sandwich won’t get soggy. If you like tomatoes on your sandwich, slice them and pack them separately. Add them to the sandwich just before you’re ready to eat.Make a hot meal. If you have a microwave at the office, pack your lunch in microwave-safe containers. “Today’s neat plastic containers with dividers are not only microwavable but also reusable,” Blake says.Be creative. You’ll tire of lunch if you bring the same thing every day. Shake things up: Have a salad one day, soup and a sandwich another — and don’t forget the leftovers. Dinner menus usually change from day to day, so using leftovers from dinner a couple of times a week is an easy way to add variety.

It doesn’t take much effort to pack a healthy lunch to take to work, and it has many benefits, including saving you time and guaranteeing that your lunch will be nutritious. Also, the menu is sure to be one that you like.

BUYING JEANS THAT FIT

2010-05-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

It's everyone's nightmare: Finding jeans that don't make you look—and feel—horrible. We asked fashion consultants for a few jeans-buying hints.

It's everyone's nightmare: Finding jeans that don't make you look—and feel—horrible. We asked fashion consultants for a few jeans-buying hints.

The scene: The department store fitting room. Unflattering lights glare. Irritating saleswoman chirps. You've already vetoed 20 pairs of too-short or too-long, too-tight or too-loose jeans.

You think, What's with all the fuss about bathing suits? This is awful.

You're not alone. Many women forgo wearing jeans altogether, because they just can't find a pair that fit. In fact, a recent eSearch survey (an independent California research firm) found that although 77 percent of the women surveyed said they wore jeans regularly, the percentage decreased as size increased.

Why? Not being able to find the right fit.

Denim Dos and Don'ts
But it doesn't have to be that way. Jeans may look like they've been the same for years, but designers are working to make better fits for every shape and size. We spoke to a couple of fashion consultants for a few dos and don'ts that could make buying jeans that fit a little less scary. Even — dare we say it — fun?

Here's what Donald Johannesson, a designer who's been working with women's jeanswear and sportswear for more than 20 years, and Anne Smock, a professor of fashion design at Philadelphia University, had to say:

Do look for stretch. "Not the tight stretch that you're thinking of; we're talking comfort stretch," says Johannesson. Stretch hides some things and holds in others. It allows for support, without sacrificing comfort. How do you know if it's stretch? "Look for jeans with a spandex blend," says Smock.

Do dark denim. "Everybody looks great in dark denim," says Johannesson. You know how black is slimming? Dark blue or black denim is the jeans equivalent.

Do find the right fit. Some relaxed fits have a lot of fabric room in the hip and thigh, and slim fits are slimmer all the way from hip to ankle. Try to find a middle-ground — some manufacturers call it an "easy" fit. Says Johannesson: "I find the easy fit to look the best, especially on plus-size women. It gives a straighter look throughout."

Do go for a boot cut. Now, we're not talking bell-bottoms, ("That looks sort of Popeye-ish," says Johannesson). But don't be afraid to go for a subtle, young-looking boot cut. They look great because they balance out the hip area.

Do balance the back pocket. "A back pocket looks best, as long as it's not too small," says Johannesson. "A good-size pocket that's proportionate to the rest of the jean takes the eye away from the behind."

Do consider cropped pants Especially with a good shoe, cropped pants really give you an opportunity to show off your ankles, says Johannesson. "But look for a straighter type of leg rather than a skin tight one."

Do look at the height of the rise. A slightly dipped rise in the front — just so the pants make a slight "u" in the front, right below your belly button — will make the top of your body look longer, suggests Johannesson. Plus, that will make your jeans more comfy, so you can bend easily. Smock agrees: "If you're shorter than 5'4" you may even see if there is a petite range with a shorter rise."

Don't go shopping alone. Bring a friend whose opinion you trust, who makes you laugh and who you can chat with over a healthy lunch afterward. Safety in numbers applies to department stores, too.

Do go when you feel good about yourself, your weight-loss progress and your body. Smock says it best: "A good self-image goes a long way."

COOKING ON THE GRILL

2010-05-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

For meat lovers, there’s nothing quite like cooking on a charcoal grill to bring out that great taste in steak and burgers. But grilling is not just for beef. It can add delicious flavor to many foods — lamb, shrimp, vegetable kabobs, ears of corn.

The Health Benefits of Grilling

According to Susan Kraus, MS, RD, a registered dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, there are many reasons why grilling is a healthy way to cook:

There is no need to add any fat to the food.
The fat on meat drains away from the food.
Grilling can be accomplished quickly, while keeping the kitchen clean.
When properly grilled, meat, fish, and chicken remain moist and tender. Other cooking techniques often involve using fat or adding a heavy sauce, whereas grilling might only require patting on some spices or basting with a low- or no-fat marinade. Also, fat drains from meat cooked on the grill, whereas with meat prepared in the oven, any fat that melts off sits in the cooking pan along and is harder to drain off.

Grilling and Your Cancer Risk

The downside to grilling is its link to an increased risk of some cancers in people who eat a lot of heavily grilled meats. Two types of cancer-promoting chemicals can form during the grilling process, explains Kraus:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are in the smoke that interacts with the meat on the grill when dripping fat causes flames to flare.
Heterocyclic amines, or HAs, are produced by a reaction created when the muscle substances of the meat are exposed to high heat or prolonged cooking. HAs are created inside the meat so they can’t be scraped away or trimmed off. (They can also be created when food is fried at high temperatures on the stove or cooktop). Both HAs and PAHs are thought to increase the danger of colon and stomach cancers. HAs have also been linked to pancreatic cancer.
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Another potentially dangerous substance has been traced to cooking at high temperatures: Both grilling and frying can create advanced glycogen end-products (AGEs), which have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, says Kraus.

Reducing Cancer Risk When Grilling

Kraus suggests these steps to reduce the amount of potential carcinogens in grilled foods and to minimize your cancer risk:

Cover the grill with foil (make tiny perforations to allow fat to drip through) before grilling — this protects the food from the PAHs in smoke. Even vegetables can be healthier if protected from PAH exposure. Cook the food slowly, taking care that it doesn’t burn or char.
Choose lean cuts to prevent fat from dripping and causing flares.
If you use a charcoal grill, wait until the coals have cooled before you start cooking.
When buying a new grill, consider a gas-powered one; you can more easily adjust the flame.
Use acid-based marinades, those made with vinegar, citrus juices, or red wine, and have some in reserve to use for basting. Research conducted at Kansas State University found that using an antioxidant-rich spice and herb marinade may decrease HA formation in steak by more than 80 percent, says Kraus.Turn the food often to prevent burning.
Scrape off any burned parts of meats before eating to remove PAHs (but this does not remove HAs).
Consider starting the cooking process inside, in the microwave for instance, and then finish your food on the grill — just long enough to get the grilled taste.
Avoid eating meat that is too well done. The longer it cooks, the more time HAs have to form.

Try These Grilling Recipes

There is no shortage of healthy recipes using acid-based marinades and herb-and-spice rubs to add extra flavor to your food and deliver a protective antioxidant effect. Here are three to try:

Cilantro-Lime Flank Steak is seasoned with a citrus-based marinade, which includes a delicious mix of tangy lime juice, pungent cilantro, garlic, and herbs.For a spicy flavor on chicken, try Grilled Cajun-Style Chicken Salad, which is grilled, sliced, and then served over crunchy vegetables.Cuban-Style Swordfish uses a tasty lime-based marinade flavored with a variety of spices, and it can be broiled in the oven when bad weather gets in the way of outdoor grilling. Grilling is delicious and easy; by following cooking guidelines to minimize the risks, it's a healthy option, too.

WHICK COOKING OILS ARE BEST FOR YOU?

2010-05-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Choose the Right Cooking Oils — for Great Taste and Nutrition
From olive oil to flaxseed and peanut oils, cooking oils can make or break a meal when it comes to taste and health benefits.

Before you reach for that stick of butter when sautéing veggies, consider a healthier alternative. Cooking oil, a tasty addition to many dishes, can be healthier than butter and other solid fats and add flavor. With so many vegetable oil and nut oil flavors to choose from, you'll never run out of healthy cooking options.

Choosing Nutritious Oils

Most liquid cooking oil is a better option than butter or margarine, but some types of cooking oil are healthier than others. What makes a cooking oil healthy or unhealthy is the amount and type of fat it contains. Healthy cooking oils are high in monounsaturated fats, which are some of the healthiest types of fats and may help lower blood cholesterol levels. Cooking oils may also contain polyunsaturated fats, which are also healthy and can help improve heart health.

Start your cooking oil selection with plant-based oils like:

Olive oil
Peanut oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Soybean oil
Flaxseed oil
Corn oil
Avocado oil

Next choose from a variety of seed- and nut-based oils, many of which make tasty bases for salad dressings and marinades, including:

Almond oil
Hazelnut oil
Sunflower oil
Grapeseed oil
Peanut oil
Sesame oil
Walnut oil

Cut Back on Unhealthy Cooking Oils

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Some oils contain higher levels of saturated fat, which is considered the "bad" or unhealthy fat because it can clog arteries and lead to high cholesterol levels and increased risk of heart disease.

Avoid these oil varieties, some of which are so high in saturated fat that they have more of it than some meat sources:

Coconut oil
Palm oil
Palm kernel oil
Safflower oil

In general, keep the amount of saturated fats you eat to a minimum; check the labels before you buy any cooking oil to see what types of fat it contains. You also want to avoid any oil-based products with trans fats and hydrogenated oils — even worse for you than saturated fats.

How to Use Cooking Oils

Certain types of cooking oil are best when used for specific styles of healthy recipes, or when you're preparing certain foods. Think about the flavor of the oil, and consider what it might best complement. For instance, nutty cooking oils go well in rich pasta dishes with grilled meats, while a lighter olive oil is a good complement to fish sautéed with herbs. Sesame oil tastes great in an Asian-inspired dish and lightly drizzled on top of an Asian salad.

Healthy Alternatives to Cooking Oil

You don't always have to cook in oil — there are other options that are even lighter and healthier. Try these alternatives:

Lightly coat your pan with cooking spray rather than adding liquid oil
Bake by wrapping food in parchment paper or aluminum foil to steam it and keep it moist
Use broth, such as a low-sodium vegetable, beef, or chicken variety, as a cooking medium and sauce base
Steam food above boiling water
Season food with lemon juice for a citrusy flavor
Marinate or cook with balsamic vinegar for a tangy, rich flavor
A variety of heart-healthy cooking oils can give your meal great flavor. Experiment with light sautés or marinades; if you avoid frying foods or using heavy amounts of oil, nut or vegetable oil adds taste and valuable nutrition to any meal. Just. And remember: A little oil goes a long way.

By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

HOW TO BE A GOOD LISTENER

2010-05-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

A magnificent array of diverse and unique individuals populate this beautiful planet, but as different as we are, we share at least one fundamental need: to feel heard and understood. Most of us would like to think we can easily satisfy that need with our friends and loved ones, but we often fall short. I know I do. I learned that when I had cancer, and instead of finding open ears, I often encountered open mouths eager to spout advice or share stories. I saw myself in those people, and consequently set out to do unto others as I wished they had done unto me. I wrote a book fundamentally about listening, and I discovered along the way a huge bonus. I was not only a better friend, but I was able to attract new ones. So listen up – learn the art of listening – and feel the love!

PRACTICE: Listening well is an art – a skill honed by practice, study, and observation. And though it seems passive – after all, people talk TO us - it is indeed an activity and can require great effort. Seeing genuine listening to be active listening will prepare you for the immensely satisfying work it takes to really hear someone.

OPEN YOUR EYES: Good listening isn’t just about ears, it’s about eyes. Maintain eye contact, and don’t give into the temptation to glance around. I’ll never forget meeting John Kennedy Jr. at a reception in New York, and noticing that while I spoke, his eyes never left mine, even though we were surrounded by luminaries. I felt like the most important person on Earth. Also, read the speaker’s body language; if their eyes are not meeting yours, they may feel uncomfortable or could be hiding something.

MOVE YOUR BODY: When you’re truly engaged, your body reacts by leaning forward, and your pupils dilate. Though you can’t control your pupils, you can show you’re listening by moving your body instead of your mouth. Nod; move forward in your chair; and if you’re close enough, physically and emotionally, gently touch the speaker’s arm.

KEEP YOUR MOUTH CLOSED: “Keep your ears and eyes open and your mouth shut!” commanded a boot camp officer in a documentary I made years ago. When I’m about to listen to a friend who needs to talk, I think of that or “You have two ears and one mouth; use them in that proportion,” and remind myself to count to at least two before speaking. (By the way, keeping your lips together still allows you to give that most vital vocal sign, a soft “mmm-hmmm” that shows you are listening.)

FORGET YOURSELF: It’s natural to relate what someone else says to your own experience and respond without thinking (I sometimes call that “blurting”), but considerate listeners keep their focus on the speaker. Even though you may have something important to say, try not to worry about how wise, clever, or empathetic you’d like to appear. Just concentrate on the speaker, which belies your wisdom and compassion more than anything.

DON'T INTERRUPT: As tempting as it is to interject your thoughts, hold back. It’s insulting to cut someone off when she’s voicing an opinion, but it’s even more hurtful when she’s sharing a feeling, especially a difficult one. When you interrupt, it can feel like a denial or discounting of your friend’s emotions.

RESIST MULTITASKING: Most of us have become adept at cleaning off our desks or even checking Facebook while talking on the phone, but if you really want to hear what someone’s saying, it’s a good idea to let go of everything else while you’re involved with your conversation. Even if you’re only cleaning the kitchen counter, it’s easy to get lost in the sponge or the stubborn stain instead of the details of your friend’s story

LIMIT POSSIBLE DISTRACTIONS: “I know my own face has fallen when someone listening to me [a caregiver who has trouble even asking for time for myself], stops me in the middle of some gut wrenching moment to answer a call,” said my friend Dana Hopkins, a cancer survivor who took care of her husband when he had cancer. She advises turning off your cell phone when you really want to listen. Not only will it limit distractions, but will signal to the speaker that you’re serious about hearing what he has to say.

BE A MIRROR NOT A WINDOW: Listening is not about inviting people into your soul; it’s about entering theirs. To let them know you’re hearing them, reflect back to them what you think they’ve just said, with a “What I think I hear you saying is that…” or “It sounds like what you’re saying is…”

MOTHER, MAY I?: Remember what your mamma taught you? “Say ‘please’”, or in other words, ask permission, especially before offering advice. Sometimes a loved one just needs to vent or talk, and feel heard. They may not want to hear what they should or shouldn’t say, do, or feel, and if you ask, “Would you like my take on this?” you let them know they’re not only being heard but also respected.

WITHHOLD JUDGEMENT: When I produced documentaries about homeless people, teen parents, and others facing tremendously difficult life challenges, they easily opened up to me about their deepest fears and desires, and I think it’s partly because I was able to suspend any judgment about them, and just listen with an open heart and mind. Most of us can tell when we’re being judged, and clamp up accordingly.

DON'T INTERROGATE, DO ASK GENTLE QUESTIONS: When you question someone too intensely, it can feel voyeuristic - like you’re more interested in learning something than actually hearing someone. So when you do get an opportunity to ask questions, ask open-ended ones that give the speaker a choice, such as “Do you want to tell me more about that?” Encourage your friend to elaborate or discover things themselves by asking, “What did that feel like?” Or “What options are you considering?”

EMPATHIZE: In addition to reserving judgment, try to put yourself in your loved one’s shoes. What are they feeling? How would you feel? When you put yourself in that head-and-heart space, you can’t help but listen well; that is when you feel compassion -- a word which means “to feel with” – and truly understand.

TEN THINGS TO DO WITH CHICKEN BREASTS

2010-05-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

Running out of ways to cook this quick and easy staple? Here are 10 tasty new ideas.

Bake them.
Place the breasts on a sheet of foil or parchment paper. Try one of these two toppings:

•Halved cherry tomatoes, sliced fennel and lemon wedges for Mediterranean flavor
or
•Shredded mustard greens, zucchini strips, thyme and a splash of apple juice for a Southern take
Bake in a 425°F oven for about 20 minutes.

Use a spice rub.
Grind dried spices in a spice grinder or in a clean coffee grinder. Our favorite combinations are:

•Rosemary, parsley, oregano and lemon zest
or
•Cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano and a pinch of cayenne
Massage the mixture into the chicken breasts, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours. Broil, grill or sauté chicken breasts for about 20 minutes over medium-high heat.

Pound them flat.
Arrange the breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap, then pound them to 1/4-inch thickness with a heavy saucepan or rolling pin. Spread one of these two mixtures over the breasts:

•Frozen, chopped spinach, dill and Dijon mustard
or
•Chopped, fresh arugula leaves, diced tomatoes and rosemary
Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Roll up the breasts with the filling inside and place the rolls seam-side-down in the casserole dish. Bake at 425°F for about 30 minutes, basting them twice with a splash of cranberry juice.

Try a stir-fry.
Cut the breasts into strips. Spray a wok with nonstick cooking spray, then sauté minced garlic, shredded ginger and chopped scallions over high heat. Add the chicken strips, some vermouth and a splash of reduced-sodium soy sauce; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Toss in sliced carrots, broccoli florets or watercress; continue stir-frying until the chicken is cooked through.

Use pre-made sauce.
Chop the breasts into 1-inch cubes, and then mix them in a saucepan with your favorite jarred marinara sauce. Cook the chicken mixture over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through; serve over whole-wheat pasta or brown rice.

Steam them.
Cut the breasts into strips and steam them with your favourite vegetables and an aromatic herb. For an Asian twist, try snow peas, shiitake mushrooms and crushed lemongrass. Discard the lemongrass before serving.

Make kabobs.
Cut the breasts into small pieces then slide them onto metal skewers, or wooden skewers soaked in water for 20 minutes. Add on your veggies of choice: onion wedges, green pepper slices or yellow squash. Grill or broil the skewers for about 20 minutes, basting occasionally with apple juice.

Chicken Cooking Tips
As you prepare the breasts, follow these three general tips:

Don't poke the breasts with a fork.
Use tongs or a spatula to turn the breasts over the heat. Every hole in the meat allows moisture to escape.

Salt them at the end.
Salt pulls out moisture; only add it to a completed chicken dish, just before serving.

Let the breasts rest.
After the cooking is done, let the breasts sit at room temperature for five minutes before serving so that the natural juices can reincorporate into the meat.

TEN TIPS TO GET OFF THE DIET PLATEAU

2010-05-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

It happens to virtually everybody on a diet: You reach a point where you can't seem to lose any more weight. But don't throw in the towel: These 10 tips can help you reach your goal weight.

No matter how dedicated you are to losing weight, you will hit a plateau at some point in your diet. This is when weight loss stalls and the numbers on the scale just don’t go down, even though you are still following your diet and exercise routine.

“Weight plateaus are the most frustrating thing that my clients face,” says personal trainer Kelly Guillory, a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified trainer at CrossGates Athletic Club in Slidell, La. “They are very real. The numbers on the scale do not move — it’s not just in your head.”

Guillory says weight loss is 70 percent diet and 30 percent exercise. For any given dieter, making small changes in either realm can get the numbers back in motion.

Beating the Diet Plateau

Try these tips for moving the scale in the right direction again — you may not even need all of them to start seeing a difference:

1.Ruthlessly clean up your diet. “I have the four deadly sins of food: butter, cheese, fried food, and sugar. These things will keep you from making progress. Examine your diet to make sure you’re being honest with yourself. You lose the right to complain if you aren’t eating what you are supposed to,” says Guillory.

2.Skip the alcohol. Alcohol not only adds calories to your diet, but it effectively slows your metabolism and reduces your motivation to work out and diet.

3.Go low-glycemic. If you still have refined carbs in your diet, get rid of them, especially before a workout. Eating a meal containing low-glycemic carbs about three hours before a workout results in more fat burned than a meal containing refined carbs.

4.Vary your exercise routine. “If you’re coming to the gym and you’re doing the same thing every time, change your workout,” says Guillory. Run today, lift weights tomorrow, swim on the next day, take a group exercise class the day after.

5.Try high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Working out at different levels of intensity is thought to increase weight loss. Guillory has her clients weight-train for about 20 minutes, exercise at 85 percent of their maximum heart rate for about 10minutes, do more weight training for about 10 minutes, and then finish with moderate cardio exercises.

6.Strength train. Use weight training to build muscle. Each pound of muscle burns about 50 calories a day at rest. According to a national survey of more than 6,000 adults, about 19 percent of people who were successful with weight loss included weight training in their workouts.

7.Use a heart rate monitor. “It keeps you honest about the intensity of your workout,” says Guillory. Figure out your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Target your workouts so your heart rate stays between 65 and 85 percent of your maximum most of the time.

8.Drink water. If you are not drinking enough water during the day, your body may be retaining water, adding to the numbers on the scale. Guillory recommends consuming about half your body weight in ounces of water every day if you work out a lot (more if you’re outside in the heat). A 145-pound woman should drink about 73 ounces of water.

9.Exercise for more than 30 minutes every day. People who exercise at least 30 minutes every day are more successful with weight loss. Try to get in at least this much exercise — and increasing the time you spend working out every day will increase the caloric burn.

10.Get the people in your life on board. Most people don’t sabotage your diet on purpose, says Guillory, but their food-related acts of love could be undermining your weight loss.

Plateaus are a diet downer, but by making these slight adjustments to your plan, you should get that scale back on track in no time.

By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

5 EASY WAYS TO MANAGE YOUR WEIGHT

2010-05-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

Losing weight, and keeping it off, can be easier than you think. Here are a few simple weight management strategies that will keep you off the weight rollercoaster.

When it comes to weight management, we now have more tools at our disposal than ever before to stay on track. Digital scales, online calorie counters, food journals, and a variety of different diets can help you win your weight management battle.

Considering this, it seems surprising that obesity rates in this country continue to rise. But that’s exactly what’s happening. About two-thirds of Americans are overweight, up from just 45 percent in 1960. And the trend shows no sign of reversing.

There are many reasons why Americans have problems with weight management, but the experts cite today’s busy lifestyles paired with an overabundance of convenience foods as two of the major culprits. “Everyone’s eating habits didn’t happen during a period of one day, week, or month — they took years,” says Jennifer E. Seyler, RD, president of the Chicago Nutrition Association.

Weight Management Made Simple

Thankfully, Seyler says it’s easy to turn things around when it comes to managing your weight. “Respect your lifestyle and build a healthy meal plan around your needs — work, family, health,” she says. Here are strategies that will help:

Make a Top 10 list. Most of us roll our eyes when someone suggests counting calories. Frankly, who has the time? That’s why Seyler recommends an easier approach. “Take some time to learn the calories in the top 10 foods you regularly eat,” she says. “After you master those foods and amounts, expand your base knowledge at your own pace — 10 per week or 10 per two weeks.” This will allow you to stay on track without all the tedious counting.

Pare down portions. One of the biggest weight management pitfalls these days is large portion sizes. It can also be difficult to keep track of all the portion recommendations for different types of food. Nutrition specialist and researcher William E. Wheeler, PhD, has a better approach: “The easiest portion control is the palm of your hand. A portion is roughly equal to the amount of a food that will fit in the palm of your hand.”

Get exercise in unexpected ways. Getting enough exercise is another challenge with today’s busy lifestyles. Since the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association just increased their exercise recommendations — 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise five days a week — it has become even more challenging. But Seyler says there are simple ways to work exercise in every day, without even changing your routine: “Exercise can be squeezed into any busy schedule. Just try 10 minutes of walking in the morning, walking to your co-worker’s desk instead of sending an email, joining or starting a lunch walking group, mini body weight workouts at your desk, or walking home from work instead of taking the bus or driving.”

Phase out soda. Recent research has shown that when many of us feel hungry, we might actually be thirsty, says Seyler. So drinking six to eight ounces of water before lunch and dinner is a good way to prevent over-eating. And by water, Seyler means water, not calorie-laden soda. “Regular soda is a great place to start decreasing calories,” Seyler says. “If you currently enjoy three sodas a day, try two weeks of two sodas a day and a glass of water. Continue to gradually decrease the soda and increase the water. Before you know it, you will be losing weight and feeling more hydrated.”

Beware of diet imposters. Sometimes calories can sneak up on you even when you think you’re being good. Restaurants are notorious for this kind of sabotage. “When eating out, it is great to order vegetables, but remember to ask for them steamed; many restaurants tend to drench them in oils, which can quickly add more calories than you might have expected,” says Seyler. “Also feel free to ask them to take the bread basket away. This will decrease the amount of ‘extra’ food you consume and allow you to focus on your main meal.”

With a little bit of planning and some self-control, your weight will stabilize, your body will feel better and you’ll feel better about yourself.

By Wyatt Myers
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

8 WAYS TO INCREASE HOPE

2010-05-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

"I've been so overwhelmed by what's going on these days," a mother recently said regarding world events. "I feel like there's nothing I can do and the world's spinning out of control." Her words echo the sentiments so many of us feel each time we pick up a paper or turn on the news. War on the horizon, nuclear weapons in North Korea, a family of six killed by a fire bomb in Baltimore, the massacre in Bali -- the list goes on. Right now, it's easy to lose hope. However, loss of hope doesn't have to be the path we walk down.

You see, hope is actually something we create. It's not something that magically appears from an outside source. We each have within us the capacity to generate hope. It's critical that we be absolutely intentional about nurturing hope in our lives and the lives of our children.

Now more than ever, overcoming fear and holding onto hope are essential. The eight steps below will enable you do this. Try these steps yourself and teach them to your kids. Do some of these as a family. Know that it is within your control to become more hopeful. Don't let the news be your undoing. You can take charge.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF: Think about what you need most, and then do it. Is it a cup of tea, a brisk walk, some downtime, quiet music, a little rest, or reading inspirational literature? Whatever it is, grant yourself permission to do it, even for just a few minutes. If you're at work, take a "care-break" where you take care of you for a brief moment. These small moments accumulate and transform the texture of our days.

CREATE A DAILY 5 MINUTE SILENT RITUAL: Light a candle and pray, meditate or reflect. You don't have to believe in any particular deity to make this work. Just silently reflecting in front of a lit candle is extremely nurturing and healing. This may be the one time of day when you feel connected to your own soul, and perhaps even something larger. Don't skip this step -- it's very powerful.

CURTAIL YOUR INTAKE OF NEWS: Oversaturation with news right now is detrimental to emotional health. If you read the newspaper in the morning, let that be enough. You don't need to turn on the TV or radio too, especially before bed. Consider putting a complete moratorium on news at least once a week. Anything you missed will be there tomorrow. Drastically curtail any news you let your children watch.

TREAT EACH DAY LIKE A PRECIOUS GIFT: Be vigilant in looking for things and people to appreciate. What if today was the last day of your life? How would you want to live it? Ask yourself this question throughout the day. It will help you let go of the countless petty annoyances that tend to throw most of us off balance. Shift your gaze to appreciation. Who and what are you grateful for? Make a list each day and add to it.

TAKE A BREAK: Every morning, afternoon and night, take a 30-second break to look at the sky, breathe deeply and offer thanks. Even though the world has its problems, the sun still rises in the sky each morning, and we're awake and alive when we get out of bed. Let the sky be a touchstone to hope. Think of other people around the world as you look at the sky, and know that we all share this planet together. Among all of us, we have the ability to create solutions to the problems that now exist. Trust that this is so.

EXPRESS LOVE TANGIBLY: Hugs, words, notes, acts of kindness -- be indiscriminately generous with all of them. Surprise a friend with a hug. Hug and kiss your kids longer and with deeper feeling. If you like how the clerk treated you in the store, thank her. Leave your partner small notes expressing gratitude for kind acts. Doing all of this adds warmth and positive energy to our lives and the lives of people around us. It's also very comforting both to the giver and receiver of each loving act.

SAY THIS AFFIRMATION EVERY DAY: Say this affirmation every day and see where it leads you: "I am the key to peace." Most of us believe, erroneously, that peace will come from people or institutions much larger than we. Just the opposite is true. Peace starts with each individual and it will only come to this world from the people themselves. It is critical that we each create peace in the small and large moments of our lives. We must live it in our words and actions rather than giving in to fear, hatred, or resignation.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Reach out beyond your normal scope. This is your opportunity to live your greatest promise, highest self. Don't wait. Each time we make a difference in the lives of others, we create hope in ourselves. By reaching out to someone in need, be it your neighbor, a Guatemalan orphan, or people in a homeless shelter, we add a little more peace and hope to the world. Our accumulated gestures of care and compassion will ultimately transform our lives and the lives of others. We are each the source of that transformation. Knowing this gives me hope.

-Naomi Drew

BOOST YOUR METABOLISM WITH MINI MEALS

2010-05-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

Spreading your calories throughout the day may help you stick to your diet and keep off the weight.

"This time I am going to stick to my diet," you tell yourself. You make every effort to follow a healthful eating plan, but in a moment of weakness, hunger strikes and you find yourself indulging in a feeding frenzy.

Is there any way to break this vicious cycle and lose weight for good? It might be time to consider not only looking at what you eat, but also when you eat.

Skip Meals Now, Overeat Later

If you are trying to lose weight, you probably know the importance of keeping an eye on the number of calories you're consuming. But you may not know that how many calories you eat at each sitting can make a difference in your weight-loss efforts, too.

There is evidence that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer, larger meals during the day tend to weigh more than people who eat a healthy breakfast and four or five smaller meals. This may be because they end up feeling hungrier, which makes it easy to give into temptation. "When you skip meals you will [eventually] overeat," says Pete McCall, MS, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise.

When you go for hours without eating, your blood sugar levels dip, which can leave you feeling hungry and shaky. A drop in blood sugar can also trigger people to lose their willpower and reach for a calorie-laden treat.

Smaller Meals, More Often

If you eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day, your appetite may be better controlled, helping you adhere to your weight-loss plan. By consistently fueling your body with calories — even limited calories — you avoid the feeling of starvation that derails so many diets.

"The idea is that if you have three meals and a couple of snacks throughout the day, you are regulating your blood sugar and maintaining your body chemistry," notes McCall.

When you are consuming fewer calories every day as part of a weight-loss plan, it's even more important to eat consistently throughout the day to reassure your body that you are not starving. According to Kimberly Lummus, MS, RD, when you eat too few calories, your body goes into starvation mode and actually holds onto calories, which can sabotage weight loss.

Managing Your Calorie Intake

Switching from two or three large meals to five or six "mini-meals" may help keep both your blood sugar and metabolism steady. McCall recommends restructuring the day's intake into smaller meals plus more substantial snacks. For someone who plans to eat about 2,000 calories per day, for example, he suggests eating three meals of 500 to 600 calories each and two 100- to 200-calorie snacks.

If eating larger meals is working for you and you're meeting your weight-loss goals, there is no reason to switch to smaller meals. Spreading your calories out may simply help you better control your appetite and perhaps increase your diet success, especially if you reach a weight-loss plateau.

Remember that the bottom line for weight loss remains the same: "Monitor your caloric consumption," advises McCall. "Do not over-consume."

By Krisha McCoy, MS
Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

12 STEPS TO RECOVER FROM A RELAPSE

2010-05-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

It's a dreadful place.

Relapse.

Maybe you had hoped you'd never go there. Or maybe you stay awake at night fearing you will. Maybe you’ve just realized you’re already there.

I prefer to use the term "setback" when I get sucked back into the Black Hole of depression--bam!--stuck inside a brain that covets relief, any form of relief, and will do just about anything to get it. I call it "setback" not "relapse" because such times are certainly not the end of recovery. From depression or any addiction, a relapse merely gives you a new starting place for healing.

Since I've been struggling with this recently in my own life, I've laid out a dozen strategies to get unstuck, or to recover from a relapse.

LISTEN TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE: If you're like me, you're convinced that you are lazy, ugly, stupid, weak, pathetic, and self-absorbed when you are depressed or have given into an addiction. Unconsciously you seek people, places, and things that will confirm those opinions. So, for example, when my self-esteem has plummeted to below-seawater status, I can't stop thinking about the relative who asked me, after I had just returned from the psych ward and was doing everything I possibly could to recover from depression: "Do you WANT to feel better?" The insinuation was that I was somehow willing myself to stay sick in order to get attention, maybe because fantasizing about death is so much fun. I can't get her and that question out of my mind when I'm pedaling backward. So, I draw a picture of her, complete with her question inside a comic-strip bubble. Then I draw me with my own bubble that says "HELL YES, DIMWIT!" Then I get out my self-esteem file and read a few of the affirmations of why I'm not lazy, ugly, stupid, weak, pathetic, and self-absorbed.

MAKE TIME TO CRY: I've listed the healing faculties of tears in my piece 7 Good Reasons to Cry Your Eyes Out. Your body essentially purges toxins when you weep. It's as if all your emotions are bubbling to the surface, and when you cry, you release them, which is why it is so cathartic. Lately I've been allowing myself 10 to 15 minutes in the morning to have a good cry, to say whatever I want without cognitive adjustments, to let it all out, and not to judge it.

DITCH THE SELF-HELP: Cognitive-behavioral adjustments can be extremely helpful for persons struggling with mild to moderate depression, or struggling with an addition that isn't destroying them. With severe depression or a crippling addiction, though, positive thinking can sometimes make matters worse. I was so relieved the other day when my psychiatrist told me to put the self-help books away. Because I do think they were contributing to my self-battery. Right now, when I start to think "I can't take it anymore," I try not to fret. I don't worry about how I can adjust those thoughts. I simply consider the thoughts as symptoms of my bipolar disorder, and say to myself, "It's okay. You won't feel that way when you're better. The thoughts are like a drop in insulin to a diabetic... a symptom of your illness, and a sign you need to be especially gentle with yourself."

DISTRACT YOURSELF: Instead of sitting down with some self-help books, you would be better off doing whatever you can to distract yourself. I remember this from my former therapist who told me, during the months of my severe breakdown, to do mindless things... like word puzzles and reading trashy novels. Recently, I've been going to Navy football games, which does take my mind off of my thoughts for a few hours on Saturdays. Not that I understand football... but there is a lot to watch besides the cheerleaders. Like my children trying to score all kinds of junk food.

LOOK FOR SIGNS OF HOPE: The little, unexpected signs of hope kept me alive during my mega-breakdown, and they are the gas for my sorry-performing engine during a fragile time like this. Yesterday a saw a rose bloom on our rose bush out front. In October! Since roses symbolize healing for me, I took it as a sign of hope... that I won't plummet too far... that there are things in this life that I'm meant to do.

PUT FAMILY AND FRIENDS ON NOTICE: The first five weeks of my recent depression setback, I tried to act like nothing was wrong. I didn't want to burden my husband with anything more than our everyday "stuff." By the eighth week, however, I knew I needed to fill him in, because it was becoming increasingly difficult to act as if all was peachy. A few nights ago, though, I finally burst into tears and expressed to him how difficult it was to have to work and take care of the kids when I'm combating such intrusive and destructive thoughts. He didn't say anything. He just rubbed my back. And I felt a whole lot better having opened up to him. Good, solid support is vital for any type of recovery, whether it be giving up cigarettes or booze or, for a manic depressive, trying like hell to temper your moods.

MAKE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS: Sometimes a relapse can signal that you need to make an adjustment in your life. Looking back, I know that mine was partly caused by my summer schedule. Eric and I were very short on cash last summer, so I wrote all of my summer blogs in five weeks. That way I didn't have to hire a babysitter for the other seven weeks. Moreover, I planned out the summer like a mathematician, blanking on one detail: I'm not built like other people. I am a fragile creature who has an illness called bipolar disorder. Because of that, I can't expect myself to work at a manic rate and not suffer some consequences. The adjustments? Eric and I recently sat down with the budget for 2010. I told him that I absolutely needed to put my health first, that we were going to have to come up with the income to hire a sitter next summer. "I'd gladly move into a small apartment, or take a second mortgage on the house," I said, "but I cannot repeat that mistake because I'm still recovering from the damage done in June and July." I'm also beginning to interview sitters for next summer right now, so that I am prepared come May of 2010.

SAY YES ANYWAY: In her book Solace: Finding Your Way Through Grief and Learning to Live Again, author Roberta Temes suggests a policy whereby you always say yes to an invitation out. That keeps you from isolating, which is so easy to do when you're grieving or stuck in a depression or off the wagon in a big way. I've been following this piece of advice. When a friend asks me to have coffee (and I really hope she doesn't!), I have to say yes. It's non-negotiable. Until I feel better and get back my brain.

BREAK YOUR DAY INTO MOMENTS: Most depressives and addicts would agree that "a day at a time" simply doesn't cut it. That's WAY too long. Especially first thing in the morning. I have to get to bedtime? Are you kidding me? So when rear-ended in the depression tunnel or fighting one of my many addictions, I break the day into about 850 moments. Each minute has a few moments. Right now it's 11:00. I only have to worry about what I'm doing now, until, say 11:02.

REMEMBER YOUR MANTRAS: Yep. Time to pull out those babies, and try to believe them as you're saying them. Here are some that I'm using now: "I'm okay." "It's okay." "I am enough." "I have enough." "I am loved." "I am good enough." "I will feel better." "This too shall pass." "Let it pass." "Hello???? Anyone there?????"

GET INVOLVED: A Beyond Blue reader commented a few weeks ago that what helps her more than anything when she is depressed is getting involved. I second this. I think that I've been able to buffer myself from a full breakdown this autumn by my efforts to stay involved: swimming with the masters program at the Naval Academy at least twice a week, participating in some of the parents' programs at the kids' school, and tutoring the midshipmen in writing once a week. Getting involved when you're depressed or disabled by addiction always feels counter-intuitive. Most of us want to isolate. But when you're with people, you don't ruminate as much. You can't. You're supposed to be paying attention.

ENJOY THE SMALL THINGS: This one sounds like one of those fruity affirmations you'd get with your palm reading. But if you can pull it off, you'll be well on your way out of a relapse. Here's an example: Yesterday, Katherine baked an apple pie in her cooking class. When I went to the school cafeteria to fetch her, the site of my kindergartener making her own apple pie was very sweet. So was the pie with vanilla ice-cream, which we enjoyed as an afterschool treat. I hung onto that moment for as long as I could. Just tasting the pie, and the fact that my daughter is healthy enough to bake one. It made me happy for like seven minutes. Progress, right?

-Therese Borchard

THE HUNT FOR ADDED SUGAR

2010-05-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Stand in almost any aisle in the center of the supermarket, close your eyes and reach out to touch any product on the shelf. Chances are it contains added sugar. This ingredient—or more accurately, a whole array of related ingredients—is a serious health hazard to everyone, particularly youngsters. Next time you’re in the supermarket with one of your older children, it could be fun to play this “game” with them. And once you know how to detect added sugars, you’ll be on your way to improving your family’s diet—and helping control your weight.

What Are Added Sugars?

Unlike naturally occurring sugars, which are an intrinsic part of fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy products, these sugars have been added to foods in the manufacturing process. Berries, green beans and cheese all contain natural sugars, but they are also full of vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients. But other than calories, most added sugars offer little or no nutritional benefits. Among the most obvious examples of added sugar are the candylike cereals marketed to children and most soft drinks. But these two so-called foods are only the tip of the sugar iceberg. One of the reasons many added sugars are hard to detect is that they go by not just names people recognize but also under a long list of misleading names.

Where Do You Find Added Sugars?

Soft drinks are the largest source of sugar in the American diet, delivering one-third of all added sugars. Another three-fifths come from baked goods, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, candy and cereals. The remainder is found in unexpected places such as barbecue sauce and other condiments, salad dressings and even baby foods and over-the-counter cold products. Purchase a salad plate at a deli and both the potato salad and coleslaw are likely to contain added sugar. Order a chicken entrée at fast food restaurant and the dipping sauce is almost sure to be packed with added sugar.

How Can You Distinguish Integral Sugars from Added Sugars?

An added sugar can be natural, such as maple syrup, or manufactured: high-fructose corn syrup, for example. When maple syrup winds up in a place it would never appear naturally, perhaps a container of yogurt or a breakfast cereal, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) deems it an added sugar. (The FDA regulates how the contents of foods are indicated on packaging.) The Nutrition Facts panel tells you the number of grams of sugars in a serving. However, it lumps together all sugars without distinguishing between integral and added sugars. To find out if even a natural sugar is integral, look at the ingredients list as well. If you see fructose listed instead of fruit, for example, even though that sugar has a natural source, you’ll know it’s an added ingredient.

What Are the Names to Look for?

The names of some added sugars will be familiar to you; others sound right out of the chemistry lab—and they probably are. To detect added sugars, scan the list of ingredients on any packaged food for these “aliases”: agave syrup; beet sugar or beet syrup; brown sugar; cane sugar, cane syrup or evaporated cane juice; corn sweetener, corn syrup, corn syrup solids or high-fructose corn syrup; dextrose; fructose; fruit juice concentrate; galactose; glucose; golden syrup; honey; invert sugar, lactose; malt or malt syrup; maltose; maple syrup; molasses; rapadura; raw sugar; rice syrup; sucrose; treacle; turbinado. Many ingredients ending in “ose” are also sugars, although exceptions include sucralose (a noncaloric sweetener) and cellulose.

What’s Wrong with Consuming Sugar?

Any form of sugar, whether integral or added, natural or manufactured, becomes a problem in excess. Although sugar is quickly metabolized, creating energy to power your body, excess sugar is converted to body fat. According to the USDA, each person consumes an average of 154 pounds of added sugar a year, up from an average of 123 pounds in the early 1970s. This translates to an average of nearly 750 calories a day. We each consume an average of 53 gallons of sugar-laden soft drinks each year and get 16 percent of our daily caloric intake from added sugars. For kids aged 6 to 11, it’s 18 percent, and for teenagers, it’s 20 percent. For every daily soft drink, a child’s chance of becoming obese increases by 50 percent. The twin epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes have occurred concurrently with the enormous increase in sugar consumption over the last several decades.

How Can You Reduce Your Family’s Sugar Load?

The fastest way to cut down on sugar is to eliminate added sugars, which means eliminating most packaged foods, and eat a whole foods diet. Among the carbohydrate foods with the lowest glycemic load—meaning the least impact on blood sugar—are leafy salad greens and many other vegetables, berries, nuts and seeds. Have whole grains and starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes in moderation and avoid products made with white flour and other refined grains. All these foods have a high glycemic load. Even eating too much fruit, particularly such tropical fruits as mangoes and bananas, dumps a lot of sugar into your system. Swap beverages laced with sugar and high-fructose corn syrup for those sweetened with noncaloric sweeteners, or better yet, sparkling water. A key principle of the Atkins Diet is eliminating added sugar and minimizing all sugar.

Dr. Eric C. Westman, a co-author of The New Atkins for a New You, is an associate professor of medicine at the Duke University Health System and director of the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic, where he combines clinical research and clinical care in treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

TEN WAYS TO CHEER UP FAST

2010-04-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Feeling cranky or sad? There is one thing that can snap you out of it in a nanosecond: Laughter. You can do it with anyone safely, and it’s mess free, drug free and it doesn’t require money. A good laugh alleviates tension and makes you feel good all over. We can help heal ourselves – and our friends and family – with humor and laughter. No matter how bad things get, or how awful they may seem, your world can change with the simple move of your facial muscles – a slight twitch of your lips that starts as a smile and grows into a big, loud, hilarious laugh.Even if you are not in the mood to laugh, the act of laughing will make you laugh. Ready to reclaim your smile? Here are some simple ways to bring laughter to everyday life.

APPLAUD: When you applaud like your mean it you cannot help but smile and chuckle. Just the act of clapping can awaken your body and senses. Clapping makes you feel happy and joyous! Remember that favorite kiddie song: “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.” So give yourself a hand as you begin your day!

LAUGH WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY: You don’t have to be outrageous and totally wacky. Friends can share a laugh together over the most mundane and silly things. From the suburbs to the middle of Manhattan, we can always gather with a friend or two to share some laughter.

SHARE A HAPPY MEAL: Just one breakfast meeting a week with people of a similar sense of humor is great medicine for the soul. Do you love jokes? Find friends who are good joke tellers and jokesters. Share funny stories, crack jokes, and enjoy. Stay in touch during the week by e-mailing each other the best Internet humor you can access.

CREATE A DECK OF "HAPPY CARDS": This may seem silly, but who cares? Happy thoughts come to those who can tap into the child within. Buy a pack of plain index cards and some pretty magic markers and write individual sayings, jokes and quotes that make you laugh and bring sunshine to your life and to others. Keep them in a special box, or a decorated coffee can, and reach in any time you need a laugh. Offer them to friends, like brownies, when they come to visit. Even if they laugh at you for having “Happy Cards” in a coffee can it is worth the effort.

LAUGH LIKE CRAZY: If you are with a small group of friends who are not feeling too peppy, or just one bummed out buddy or Debbie Downer type, and you want to break the bad mood…start laughing. This is not something you would NOT do at a funeral, obviously, but in a non-emotionally charged situation where the room, and people in it, need a new burst of energy and sunshine. Break out in laughter. Start slowly with a straight face, so they don’t even know what you are up you. Then formulate a smile…then turn it into a chuckle…then build into a contagiously happy laugh. They will think you are insane at first, until they can resist no more…the laughter will sneak up on them and out of them. Just keep laughing like crazy, and see if one person can resist the allure of that wild laughter. It will fill the room with a burst of laugher and sunshine!

TAKE HUMOR RISKS: When you are stuck in your own thoughts, do something just a little wild to get out of it. And do the same thing to help a friend who needs a good laugh. The Greek Goddess Baubo once lifted her skirt and exposed her privates in order to get the heartbroken Demeter to smile again and bring the sun and flowers back to the earth. What can you do to top that?

START A GOOD MOOD VIRUS: Take the lead in spreading good cheer. When we allow ourselves to feel good and filled with joy, we radiate it. Just as our bad moods can be contagious, our good moods can pave the way for many miles of smiles. If we smile, people smile back; if we laugh, they chuckle too!

KEEP SMILING: Every time the sun fades lift the sides of your mouth into a smile. Remember—you cannot be depressed when you are smiling.

LOVE LIFE: Don't let the bad times keep you down. They are fleeting and only make the days longer and your mood dark and heavy.

REMEMBER THIS WISDOM: “Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.”
—Maori proverb

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

2010-04-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

The everyday fatigue faced by people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a profound tiredness that affects their ability to function in even small ways. It’s not the kind of tiredness that a long nap or a good night’s sleep will eliminate — treating chronic fatigue takes a lot more than that.

The Effect of Chronic Fatigue Symptoms on Sleep Patterns

Chronic fatigue syndrome seriously alters the way patients sleep, and poor quality sleep is a common symptom of chronic fatigue. In fact, people who have CFS often complain that they feel more exhausted and depressed in the morning than they did before they went to sleep the night before.

Improving sleep is a key component of treating chronic fatigue because lack of sleep is a significant cause of patients’ low energy. The problem is that doctors and patients are not sure why chronic fatigue syndrome makes it so hard for people to sleep well.

“Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome really don’t have a higher rate of sleep apnea or restless legs than the regular population. There is a group of CFS patients that are sleepier after they sleep than before,” says neurologist Benjamin Natelson, MD, a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the school associated with Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.

In a recent study, Dr. Natelson and his team found a clue to the mystery of poor sleep for people with chronic fatigue syndrome: They spend less time than people without CFS in the periods of deep sleep that are important for feeling refreshed.

Tips for Better Sleep With Chronic Fatigue

“If people improve their sleep, their symptoms improve,” observes Natelson, but he adds that how this is accomplished varies for each patient. He suggests trying these strategies to see if you can get a deeper sleep:

Establish sleep routines. Even if you are not getting quality sleep, you can improve the chances of sleeping well by being consistent with the time you get into bed and the time you get up.

Protect your space. Your bedroom should be used for sleep and intimacy, not work, hobbies, or late night television viewing.Expose yourself to sunlight. When you get up, get some sunlight as soon as possible. During winter months, if it’s dark when you get up in the morning, you may want to invest in a full spectrum light box.

Managing Daytime Fatigue

Some people with CFS sleep well enough but face daytime fatigue, making it hard to think clearly and get on with living. They feel run down and are not alert. While some patients may benefit from medication that can ease their daytime fatigue symptoms, others can make some simple lifestyle changes to help cut down on fatigue.

Here are ideas for managing the causes of fatigue:

Pace yourself. During the day, whether you are at work, cleaning the house, or out with your kids, learn how to conserve your energy. People with chronic fatigue syndrome experience more profound fatigue after periods when they have pushed themselves too hard. Determine what level of activity you can manage without creating more fatigue.

Rest up. If you know you have some demanding days coming up, take it easy for a few days in advance and plan for downtime afterwards.

Move. If you have chronic fatigue syndrome, you may not be up to a vigorous hike, but even light stretching early in the day can help you get better sleep and give you more energy during the day. Plan for your most vigorous activity more than four hours before your scheduled bed time.

Get coexisting medical problems diagnosed. Is there a chance you have other treatable problems such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or depression that are adding to your chronic fatigue symptoms? Although most of these should have been ruled out when your chronic fatigue syndrome was diagnosed, it’s still worth asking your doctor about the possibility.

Consider medication. You may benefit from prescription drugs that can reduce daytime fatigue.

Manage stress. Stress is a common cause of sleep disturbance and overall fatigue. Learn and practice stress management techniques so you can avoid wearing yourself down with concerns and worries. A recent study suggests that CFS patients can experience some anxiety reduction from a daily probiotic supplement, but classic approaches such as meditation, journaling, and therapy can help, too.

Take care of yourself. Making sure you eat a varied diet and get plenty of fluids is an essential part of fighting fatigue. Work with a nutritionist if you’re concerned that some element of your diet may be contributing to your fatigue.
Fatigue during the day and poor sleep at night are the hallmarks of CFS, but with persistence and perseverance, you can find ways to lessen fatigue.

By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

THE SECRET TO A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEP

2010-04-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

By Carol Weeg
Medically reviewed by Ed Zimney, MD

Disturbed sleep is a common symptom of fibromyalgia, and now research indicates that it may also be an underlying cause of this painful muscular condition. In fact, a study at the University of Washington found that when 12 healthy women were deprived of deep, restorative sleep three nights in a row, they developed increased musculoskeletal pain as well as overall discomfort and fatigue — classic symptoms of fibromyalgia.

In some cases, chronically disrupted sleep appears to lead directly to fibromyalgia, especially in people with a family history of the condition. "Sometimes mothers who are up night after night with colicky babies go on to develop fibromyalgia," says Dr. Stuart Silverman, clinical professor of medicine and rheumatology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center UCLA. More often, poor sleep is part of a cascade of fibromyalgia-precipitating events. "If you have chronic pain, which then disrupts your sleep, you may develop a phenomenon called central sensitization — increased sensitivity to pain signals in the brain, and that can be a pathway to fibromyalgia," explains Dr. Silverman.

Pinpointing Sleep Issues

If you are at risk for fibromyalgia or even newly diagnosed with it, identifying sleep problems and getting regular rest becomes all the more important in becoming symptom-free. If the quantity or quality of your sleep isn't what it should be, start by talking to your doctor, who may refer you to a sleep specialist. "We try to find the causes of a person's interrupted sleep," says Dr. Ana Krieger, sleep specialist at New York's Weill Cornell Medical College, "so we may ask patients to keep a sleep diary or come to a sleep center so we can observe them overnight."

Experts find there are certain conditions that commonly rob people of the rest they need. And when these disorders are effectively treated, sleep problems improve. Among the most common sleep-related problems are:

Restless legs syndrome. Many people with fibromyalgia have restless legs syndrome, (RLS), a neurological disorder that causes a powerful urge to move your legs when you're sitting or lying down. This can interrupt your sleep repeatedly. Lifestyle changes may help, such as avoiding cigarettes, alcohol, and caffeine, all of which can aggravate the symptoms. Moderate exercise during the day and relaxation techniques at bedtime may also calm your restless limbs. If these strategies aren't enough, there are medications that can help reduce RLS symptoms.

Sleep apnea. If your sleep partner complains that you snore, or if you wake unrefreshed even though you're apparently getting enough sleep, the culprit may be sleep apnea, a condition where breathing stops for short periods during sleep. This can happen 20 to 30 times an hour, each episode waking you, but so briefly that you don't remember it in the morning. Sleep apnea not only leaves you drowsy during the day, but, left untreated, it can increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke, and some research suggests that it may be related to fibromyalgia as well. Treatment involves weight loss if obesity is the cause, and using a device called a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine when you sleep.

Following Good Sleep Hygiene

In our 24/7 world, getting the rest you need can be a challenge. "We think of sleep as a luxury, so we're busy up to the minute we go to bed, but it takes a while for the body to shut down," says Dr. Krieger. You can set the stage for a good night's sleep with simple changes to your lifestyle and bedtime routine.

Watch what you eat and drink. Avoid heavy eating for at least 2 to 3 hours before going to bed, and limit your caffeine intake to the morning only.

Keep to a regular schedule, both bedtime and wake time, and stick to it — even on weekends.Limit daytime naps. Although you may feel very tired, sleeping during the day often will make it harder to fall asleep at night.Wind down at night by taking a warm bath, reading, or listening to soothing music.

Learn to relax. If you have difficulty falling asleep, try a relaxation technique such as meditation or deep breathing.

Create a sleep-promoting environment. Keep your bedroom dark and cool, and use a fan or "white noise" machine to block noise, if necessary.

Bottom line: If you have chronic sleep problems, it's important to get them diagnosed and treated. Sound sleep will not only give you the energy to carry out daily activities, it could help you avoid developing fibromyalgia.

HOW SAFE IS QUICK WEIGHT LOSS?

2010-04-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Tempted by the fad diet that promises 15 or even 30 pounds of weight loss in the first month? While it would be lovely if excess weight could safely melt away (ideally before bikini season), quick weight loss is unlikely, and prolonged extreme weight loss is not safe.

Weight Loss: Understanding That First Drop

"We usually recommend about a half a pound to two pounds a week, which is a lot less than what these fad diets promise," says Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at the Houston Northwest Medical Center.

Banes acknowledges that some people may experience quick weight loss in the early stages of a new diet, but says it is important to be realistic about what to expect over the long haul. "If you have a lot to lose and you start on a diet and lose more than two pounds a week, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but know it's going to slow down," warns Banes, adding that some of the initial weight loss probably is water weight.

Even Banes' patients who have had lap-band or gastric bypass surgery and lose weight dramatically at first will eventually slow down to what feels like a crawl, but is actually a healthy rate of weight loss. Banes says she would worry about a person's rate of weight loss if they continued to lose five to 10 pounds (or more) a week.

Weight Loss: Safe Strategies, Best Strategies

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While not everyone, including Banes, focuses on counting calories, doing the math can help guide you to a safer weight loss. Generally, experts recommend trimming 500 to 1,000 calories from your daily intake by eating less and exercising more.

A pound is the equivalent of 3,500 calories, so if you can cut 500 calories each day for a week, you should lose one pound. Researchers who analyzed data from 1,801 Minnesota dieters over a two-year period found that the more strategies dieters used, the more likely they were to be successful in losing weight at this pace. Strategies that lead to success include:

Counting Calories
Increasing daily exercise (aim for 150 minutes a week or more)
Cutting out sweets and snacks
Reducing fat intake to less than 30 percent
Increasing fruit and vegetables
Decreasing portion sizes
The researchers noted that one crucial piece of information lacking from many diet strategies: persistence. Their conclusions support the fact that even though it will take a long time at the pound-per-week pace — longer than many people would like — with a slower approach you are more likely to develop the long-term healthy habits that will help keep the lost weight off.

Weight Loss: When the Rate Becomes Dangerous

If extreme weight loss means you are not getting enough nutrients — the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins needed for your body to function properly — you have entered the territory of unsafe weight loss. You may also be developing an eating disorder focused on your obsession with weight. Some of the warning signs that you may be losing too much weight are:

Thinning hair
Frequently becoming sick
Feeling cold more often than usual
Having fewer or no menstrual cycles
Disappointing though it may be, the reality is that slow and steady wins the weight-loss race. Take it easy and be patient — you will achieve your goal and, more importantly, maintain it.

CHOLESTEROL LOWERING SNACKS

2010-04-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Q: I can't stop snacking between meals, but I want to try to eat things that will help me lower my cholesterol (instead of raising it!). What would you recommend?

The good news — or the bad news, depending on what you're snacking on — is that "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is sensitive to diet, though less sensitive than triglycerides and good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Fortunately, the same foods that can help lower LDL may also improve HDL and triglycerides. So instead of snacking on chips and doughnuts, consider these healthier options:

Nuts and seeds. Sunflower seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, flaxseeds, and almonds are particularly high in plant sterols, which can help reduce LDL. But it's easy to overdo it on nuts and seeds (and they are calorie dense), so I suggest limiting your total intake to about one ounce, or 1/4 cup, a day if you are also trying to lose weight.

Apples. Research shows that eating two apples a day can slow down the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and help prevent plaque buildup. The protective antioxidants are in the apples' skin, so don't peel them.

Oat bran. An important source of water-soluble fiber, oats have long been recognized as a potential cholesterol-lowering dietary component. The soluble fiber in oat bran binds with bile acids in the intestine to block the absorption of cholesterol by the body. According to a study conducted at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, antioxidant compounds found in oat bran called avenanthramides can also prevent white blood cells from sticking to the artery walls, which is an important step in preventing plaque formation. So why not have a bowl of unsweetened oat cereal as a midmorning or mid-afternoon snack? Not only is it filling, it's good for your heart.

Grapefruit. Studies show that the phytochemicals called liminoids in pink and red grapefruit make them powerful LDL busters. But this snack is not for everyone. Because grapefruit can interfere with the breakdown of certain medications, including statins and calcium channel blockers, don't eat a lot of grapefruit or drink the juice as a snack if you're on these medications.

RECIPE: ROASTED POTATOES WITH FRESH HERBS

2010-04-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

POINTS® value | 4
Servings | 6
Preparation Time | 10 min
Cooking Time | 45 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy

side dishes | A fresh lemon-parsley topping gives these French-style potatoes incredible flavor. Slice the potatoes evenly for the best results.

Ingredients
• 3 pound(s) potato(es), Russet-variety (about 3 large)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 1/2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, flat-leaf, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp minced garlic
Instructions
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Place oven racks in top 1/3 of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or use nonstick baking sheets coated with cooking spray).
• Peel potatoes and slice horizontally into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on prepared baking sheets. Drizzle potatoes with oil and gently toss to coat (use your hands to rub oil onto both sides of each slice); season to taste with salt and pepper. Make sure potatoes are in a single layer and roast until browned on bottom, about 25 minutes. Flip potatoes and rotate baking sheets; roast until browned on other side, about 20 to 25 minutes more (you can season this side with salt and pepper too, if desired).
• Meanwhile, in bottom of a large serving bowl, combine parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Add potato slices; gently toss. Yields 1/2 sliced potato per serving.

STAYING SLIM ON BUSINESS TRIPS

2010-04-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

It's so easy to suspend your sensible-eating and exercise habits when you're on the road. But there are ways to stay on track while traveling - even when your job routinely jets you from coast to coast.

Even though you've been eating so well lately, this is where it ends. You just learned that next week you've got to hit the road for work. Might as well kiss all that progress goodbye — business travel and weight-loss do not play well together.

As a management and organization consultant, Gail Griffith spends about four days a month on the road. But, as a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, she makes the extra effort to stay on track when she's traveling. Ironically, says the Baltimore-based executive, "sometimes traveling can be easier because it requires so much more planning. I never go anywhere without food."

Pack a Smart Snack
A compact cooler stocked with carrots, vegetables and healthy snacks accompanies Griffith in her car up and down the East Coast. Because she snacks, she's not starving by the time that calorie-filled business dinner rolls around. A wise tactic, observes Dale Huss, a registered dietitian and American Council on Exercise spokesperson. Skipping meals is a very common diet trap. It leaves you ravenous by mealtime and more likely to overeat.

Cocktail Hour Traps
But overeating at mealtime is just one thing to watch out for when you are on the go. "Alcohol is one of the biggest ways to get off track," says Huss. Aside from adding nutritionally bankrupt calories, he says, drinking lowers your ability to resist tempting foods, "so you're likely to consume more."

Workout Worries
On the road, exercise can become a low priority. What's worse, when you finally get home, it can take a week to build back up to your usual routine. There are so many distractions: Work has piled up in the office, the house needs attention and the kids missed you. It's easy to let exercise take a back seat.

Healthy Tricks of the Travel Trade
There are, however, ways to beat the temptations:

Don't forget your sneakers. Pack workout clothes so you don't have an excuse to blow off exercise.

Healthy hotels. Book a hotel with a gym. If it's not possible, do a few sets of push-ups and sit-ups in your room. Or ask the concierge to direct you to the nearest safe park for a daily walk or jog.

Light in flight. Request low-fat meals on airplanes. Or, go a different route: Buy a salad with grilled chicken at the airport and eat it onboard with your own low-fat dressing.

Snack power. Power bars and peanuts (in moderation), bottled water, fresh vegetable sticks and fruit can prevent hunger between meals.

Buffeting buffets. The good thing about huge buffets is that, well, they're huge. Usually you can put together a diet-friendly meal somewhere along the mile-long display.

Just say no. Request water or seltzer with a twist instead of alcohol when traveling, especially on the plane. Water keeps you hydrated and may help you recover from jet lag faster. The result: You'll have more energy and motivation to exercise.

Moving plans. Put exercise on your schedule, and treat it like a business meeting that cannot be missed.

In the swim. Most large hotels and conference centers have a pool. Use it. It's a great whole-body workout. (But, if a dip is in your plans, don't forget to pack a swimsuit and goggles along with your workout clothes.)

Think out of the box. This might be your best defense. On a recent trip to Chicago, Gail Griffith realized that there wouldn't be time to exercise unless she made time. While packed shuttles transported her colleagues to nearby meetings, Griffith opted to walk. "I'd rather move than sit," she says. One night in Pittsburgh, she scheduled a 'walking meeting' with a coworker in a park. Walking meetings have now become part of their routine.

MANTRAS FOR STAYING ON TRACK

2010-04-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

Ironically, the closer you get to your weight goal, sometimes the harder it is to stick to your resolve, in part because the pace of weight loss slows with time. This slowdown can leave you vulnerable to instant gratification. “I’m not losing much anyway, so why not have that cupcake?” you may ask yourself. For a moment, that momentary pleasure seems more important than how you’ll look in your new bathing suit or business suit.

Let’s assume that you’re staying at or just below your Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CLL), the number of Net Carbs you can consume each day while continuing to lose weight. Let’s also assume that you’re eating enough fat, protein and fiber to remain satiated. Both these dietary habits should help with appetite control, but temptation is always around us. Often the ability to stay the course is a matter of having a list of reasons to remind yourself why it’s worth resisting temptation. They may reside in your head, on an index card, in your diet journal or even on your PDA. Try out the following ideas for size or come up with your own mantras. If you feel momentary temptation, your list should help you keep the big picture in mind.

1.I love to be able to see my feet when I look down.
2.It’s great to slide easily into my pants instead of waging a tug of war.
3.I enjoy the admiring looks I get.
4.It’s fun to have a busy social life.
5.Feeling satisfied but not stuffed after a meal is a pleasant feeling.
6.I finally feel at ease in the buff.
7.I feel sexually desirable again.
8.I enjoy wearing clothes that show off, rather than hide, my body.
9.I feel happy when I look in a mirror.
10.I’m bursting with energy.
11.It’s fun to participate in activities with my family.
12.My size no longer embarrasses my spouse or children.
13.I feel healthy and comfortable with myself.
14.I know that I’m in control of my destiny.

BELIEVING IN THE NEW YOU

2010-04-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Once you’ve achieved your goal weight on the Atkins Diet, your next objective is to remain at that healthy weight. That’s what Phase 4, Lifetime Maintenance, is all about. But your emotions also affect what you put in your mouth. That’s why it’s important to record in your journal your feelings about your accomplishments, your new looks and your sense of what’s possible.

Empower Yourself

If you’re like many people who’ve recently lost weight, you may be on an emotional high. Now that you know you can take charge of your eating habits, your health and your physical self, you probably realize that there are many other changes you can make as well. Consider how what you’ve learned about yourself by slimming down on Atkins may open other doors in your life—if it hasn’t already. List them as possible goals. As many of our Success Stories demonstrate, changing one’s appearance or making health improvements often leads to major life shifts. What have you dreamed of doing but put aside because you didn’t think you could achieve it? Now is the time to dust off those dreams and go for them.

Expect Some Mixed Emotions

Also record in your journal any disappointments that you may have experienced after reaching your goal weight. Among other things, that powerful motivator, ongoing reduction in your weight and measurements, is history. This is wonderful, but can also be a bit bewildering. You may need to find other motivators to stay on track. Many people find that adopting a fitness program or ratcheting up an existing one provides a new form of motivation through improved measurements, strength or endurance.

Moreover, if you blamed your weight for problems in the past, you may feel let down when certain issues remain after the pounds depart. You may have assumed that you’d quickly see your career or social life blossom. If you were always shy about your size, it may take you some time to achieve the confidence that goes with that terrific-looking person you see in the mirror.

Shift Your Old Self-Image

Sometimes, however, it isn’t just a matter of becoming comfortable with that changed person. Sometimes formerly heavy people find that they have a hard time letting go of their old self-image. It’s not that they don’t want to, but they’re so used to seeing themselves as unattractive, overweight and unworthy that they continue to think of themselves that way. Some of this can be dealt with at the conscious level. For example, simply taping before and after photos of yourself to your mirror can provide a constant reminder of how much you’ve changed for the better.

The real risk is that if you continue to hang on to your old self-image, sooner or later you may revert to that reality because it’s familiar territory. The new you, the one expressed by your new physique, is still filled with uncertainty. You may be looking and feeling great, but your kids will still get sick, talk back, break things, and bicker with their siblings. Your significant other will not always be a model of understanding and support. You may lose your job. Your car won’t promise to never break down. You’ve transformed yourself, but life still gets in the way.

Share Your Success—and Concerns

Just as it’s natural to share your excitement about the positive changes in your life, it’s important to find a way to air such concerns, whether in the Atkins Online Community or with your friends or family. Don’t let setbacks (whether real or perceived) in your personal and work life drive you back to your old way of eating. Just as you once struggled with your weight, you may now find that you are sometimes struggling with your sense of self. It may take some time before you feel completely comfortable with the permanently slim you. In the meantime, you need to consciously tell yourself, “I’m doing great, and I’m proud of myself.” Ultimately, that newfound confidence will be as powerful a motivator as the steady loss of pounds and inches once was.

THE LINK BETWEEN FOOD AND MOOD

2010-04-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

Does this sound familiar? You’re depressed, anxious or tired—or all three. You know what the solution is: food. And you’re right. What you eat can have a major impact on how you feel—and vice versa.

The High-Carb Mood Trap

When you're feeling down—no matter why—chances are your first instinct is to reach for the chips—or whatever is your favorite high-carb comfort food. That food may indeed lift your spirits a bit, because eating carbs can increase your level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in depression. While the pleasure of eating the food may cheer you up, and you may get a slight serotonin increase, those positive effects are far outweighed by the ultimate negative effect of the carbs. After a brief boost of energy, within a few hours you’re likely to experience an energy crash as your blood sugar level takes a dive. How will you feel then? Depressed, irritable, edgy, tired, unable to concentrate—and hungry. Then the cycle starts all over again.

Stable Blood Sugar, Stable Mood

What if you turned the food-mood equation around? Instead of using food to try to change your mood, what if you used food to improve your mood to begin with? Controlling your carbs can be a valuable way to lift and stabilize your mood. And when you do that, you lose the food cravings that can derail your weight-loss efforts, you regain focus and you enhance your mental alertness.

To understand why, think a bit about your blood-sugar levels. When your blood sugar jumps because you’ve eaten a high-carb meal, your body squirts out some insulin to clear all that sugar away. That big sugar spike, followed by a big insulin spike, will drop your blood sugar below where it needs to be leaving you tired and feeling under the weather.

But when you eat a meal low in carbs—especially one that's also rich in fiber from vegetables—you don’t go on the blood sugar roller coaster. Nor do you get the low-sugar blues a couple of hours after you eat. In addition, when you’re doing Atkins, can have a low-carb snack between meals. (Some people find it helpful to eat five or six small meals instead of three large ones.) That helps even out your blood sugar levels and keeps your mood on an even keel, and that in turn helps stop your cravings for high-carb foods. That doesn’t mean you’ll never feel down again, but once you’re following the Atkins lifestyle, you’re a lot more likely to reach for a healthful low-carb food instead of potato chips or cookies, and avoid repeating the sugar roller coaster ride, which will only make things worse.

Better Nutrition

If you've been eating the typical American diet full of carbs or if you've been following a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet as a way to lose weight, you may well have been short-changing yourself of B vitamins, iron, selenium and essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids. (In fact, a number of studies have shown that fish oil supplements can be a helpful treatment for depression.) When you start eating the low-carb way, you’ll be eating plenty of vegetables, nuts and, in later phases, some whole grains that will improve your nutritional profile. High-quality protein and whole grains will replenish your low levels of B vitamins; red meat and vegetables such as spinach will build up your iron stores; and nuts will increase your selenium levels. Similarly, fish, olive oil, avocados and nuts will provide plenty of essential fatty acids.

Caffeine Jitters

The caffeine in coffee acts as a stimulant, which can make you feel better, but, too much of it can make you feel jittery and on edge. Consumed too close to bedtime, it can also interfere with a good night’s sleep and leave you groggy the next morning. If you drink more than two to three cups of coffee each day, consider cutting back or switching to decaf. You could also substitute black or green tea, which has less caffeine but lots of valuable antioxidants. Many diet soft drinks, such as colas and Mountain Dew, contain caffeine. Cut back on the caffeine and you might be surprised at how much better you feel after a few days.

Be sure to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day, primarily as water, but some of which can be coffee, tea or herb tea. Mild dehydration from not drinking enough is a common but often overlooked cause of fatigue.

The Chocolate Connection

What’s the quickest food fix for a bad mood? Chocolate, of course. In fact, one study suggests that chocolate is the single most craved food in America. The value of chocolate for lifting depression probably comes from more than just the pleasure derived from its fat, sweetness, creamy texture and delicious aroma. A number of different stimulants naturally found in chocolate could help to raise your spirits, including caffeine. Chocolate is also good source of antioxidants. In fact, one 2-ounce chocolate bar has the same amount of polyphenols as a 5-ounce glass of red wine. Chocolate may cheer you up and even be good for your health, but a typical chocolate bar is high in carbs. To enjoy a low-carb chocolate treat, try an Atkins Advantage Bar . Or once you’re past Phase 1, Induction, you can have an Atkins Endulge Bar.

References

1. Stoll, A.L., Severus, W.E., Freeman, M.P., et al., "Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Bipolar Disorder: A Preliminary Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial," Archives of General Psychiatry, 56(5), 1999, pages 407-412.

2. Bruinsma K. and Taren, D.L., "Chocolate: Food or Drug," Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 99(10), 1999, pages 1249-1256.

HOT BEVERAGE BREAKDOWN

2010-04-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

There are many hot drinks one can choose from to start the day, but coffee is king according to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which says that 17% of Americans down a cup o’ Joe on a daily basis. On its own, a cup of black coffee (no full-calorie sweeteners or cream) is zero POINTS values — an excellent choice for those on plan.

But fall into the trap of buying an enormous specialty coffee from your corner coffee shop with cream, sugar and flavored syrups,and you can count on using somewhere in the vicinity of 8-12 POINTS values — or about the equivalent of a full healthy meal or even a big dessert. “Some people probably never thought they'd gain weight drinking coffee. After all, it's not cake,” says Weight Watchers nutritionist and recipe editor Leslie Fink. “But in some cases, it can be like having a pastry.”

The same goes for tea — drink it with water only and you won’t use up your precious POINTS values; add creamers and full-cal sweeteners and you’ll watch the POINTS values add up in a hurry. Use our interactive drink maker above to see how various coffee, tea and hot chocolate concoctions tally up.

Use your bean
When it comes down to it, you just have to watch what you’re adding to your coffee, says Fink. "In my opinion, there are no ‘bad’ ingredients, just too much of some things,” she says, referring to cream, milk, syrups, sugar, chocolate shavings and the like. “And all of those extra ingredients can turn an innocent cup of coffee into a caloric dessert."

Fink says you can avoid a POINTS values disaster drink by using sugar-free syrups, non-fat milk, and low-cal sweetners. But she’s also quick to point out that most drinks, hot or cold, lack fiber, protein and healthy fat — the three food components that can make a balanced meal. “That doesn't mean these beverages don't have a place in the American diet,” she says. “But they shouldn't be considered a meal or meal replacement.”

Tips from a java expert
Michaele Weissman, author of God in a Cup and longtime Weight Watchers member, has a very simple approach to the hot-drink dilemma. She says to ask yourself, "Would you put cream in a fine wine?" Her point is that coffee is so rich in flavor that it can be enjoyed with very few add-ins. She says keeping your selections simple and ordering drinks with simple ingredients will not only keep you on track, but will let you enjoy the aromas and tastes of coffee the way it is meant be consumed.

Weissman says that next to red wine, coffee has the strongest and most abundant flavor profile of any beverage. While it’s true that much of the coffee Americans drink comes from South America, Weissman points out that coffee actually originated in Ethiopia. Nowadays, coffee beans are fermented and packaged, then ground and brewed before serving, a process which is similar in many ways to making beer.

Some of the earliest coffee beans — which are actually considered fruit — were stolen from the African nation and grown in other parts of the world, creating more than 1,000 different types of beans. As such, she suggests experimenting with different coffee selections to find one to your liking. “You may be more inclined to drink it black rather than add condiments that actually mask the taste,” she says.

Size does matter
Since coffee drinkers are consuming an average of 2.63 cups of coffee a day, size really does matter. "Americans want the biggest bang for their buck and we live in a ‘super-size’ decade. Many Americans seem to value quantity over quality,” Fink says. And far too often we get the up-sell from the barista, offering you the 20 oz. drink for only 50 more cents. And that means trouble when you consider a 20 oz. caramel macchiato with whole milk packs a punch that will cost you a whopping 8 POINTS values.

Going big isn’t always the problem. You have to watch out for the little things, literally. Even though a splash of milk or pinch of sugar you put in your coffee might not add up to one full POINTS value, you can’t ignore it. You need to be aware that these things can add up. “If you really keep stock of every item that passed your lips, it should all balance out,” Fink says. “For instance, some food items round up to one but are closer to a half a POINTS value. Other times, items that are close to half a POINTS value round down to zero. So it should equal out in the end. Consistency (in tracking) is the name of the game.”

Food for thought
Here are a few substitutions that might make you think twice about your next latte: A 20 oz. Café Mocha with whole milk from a well-known coffee and snack chain has 12 POINTS values; a small has 7 POINTS values. To put that in perspective, you can have:

21 Hershey's kisses for 11 POINTS values
5 Oreos for 6 POINTS values
6 KFC BBQ chicken wings for 11 POINTS values
1 small fast-food hamburger for 6 POINTS values
1 large order of fast-food fries for 10 POINTS values
(For the hungry person...) Scrambled eggs made with 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites, 2 slices of whole wheat toast spread with 2 teaspoons of whipped butter, 3 slices of cooked crisp reduced-fat bacon, 1 cup of skim milk and a small clementine.

10 HEALTHY WAYS TO ENJOY SPRINGTIME

2010-04-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

It’s springtime, a great season for being outdoors. And while you’re enjoying the warmer springtime weather, you can also help your entire family get more active and stay fit. Here are 10 great springtime activities you can try together with family and friends.

1. Bring out the bikes. Gather the family and go for a bike ride around the neighborhood or through a nearby park. Biking is an aerobic exercise, so it’s great for your cardiovascular health, says Brad Schoenfeld, president of Global Fitness Services in Scarsdale, N.Y., and author of the Women’s Home Workout Bible. A convenient aspect of aerobic exercise, says Schoenfeld, is that you can burn the same number of calories with a short, intense workout as you can exercising at a longer, more leisurely pace. Just be sure everyone wears a helmet and follows the rules of the road, says Beth Ramer, RD, a fitness and life-balance coach in Reading, Pa.

2. Take a hike. Take in the beauty of springtime with a hike through the woods. Like biking, hiking provides cardiovascular health benefits. You may also find that hiking brings mental health benefits — it’s a great way to clear your head.

3. Plan a picnic. Fill your picnic basket with lean meats, whole grains, and colorful fruits and vegetables that are bountiful in spring. You can make healthier versions of traditional picnic fare like potato salad simply by using low-fat dressings or low-fat yogurt in place of mayonnaise. Head for a park, beach, or ball field to enjoy lunch in the sun — just be sure to wear sunscreen.

4. Plant a garden. Gardening can be good exercise: Planting, hoeing, and weeding all require bending and stretching, Ramer says. Gardening also has other rewards — the freshest, tastiest foods. Vine-ripened tomatoes are a classic garden staple, and research has shown that the lycopene in tomatoes may boost immunity and prevent diseases, as well as reduce the risk of prostate cancer. If you plan your garden well, you can enjoy a healthy harvest into the fall, and a healthier body, too.

5. Romp in the park. Parks are great places to stay active. You and your family can picnic, play games, go for a walk or jog, or climb on the jungle gym. “Playing on monkey bars is a great way to improve your kids’ motor skills,” Schoenfeld says. Parents can reap the health benefits by joining in on the fun and fitness.

6. Take a trip to the zoo. Zoos are a great place to visit during the spring, when animals give birth to adorable new offspring. Walking around the zoo is also a good way to get moderate exercise.

7. Participate in a charity walk or run. There are dozens of charity races for good causes in the springtime, says soccer coach Reed Maltbie of Oxford, Ohio, a specialist in sports performance and behavior. Pick a charity you feel passionate about and sign up for the organization’s 2-mile fun run, or take on a 5K if you’re looking for more of a physical challenge. You can help yourself stay active while supporting a worthwhile cause.

8. Take a swing at golf. Whether you enjoy 18 holes of golf with friends at the country club or a round of miniature golf with your children, golf is a fun, healthy activity to enjoy in the springtime.

9. Get game. Get the family together for some kids’ games at the park. Fun family choices include badminton, Frisbee, volleyball, soccer, tag, softball, and basketball. Afterward, you can celebrate your game with a healthy treat, such as low-fat frozen yogurt or low-fat ice cream.

10. Savor a seasonal meal. Fruits and vegetables are at peak quality when they’re in season. Treat your family to a meal with the freshest produce from the local farmer’s market or grocery store. A healthy springtime meal can include a salad with seasonal lettuces and greens; grilled chicken, fish, or lean meats; seasonal vegetables like peas and asparagus; and fresh strawberries for dessert.

However you choose to be active, you will benefit most if you can increase your heart rate and break a sweat. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week. Gather your family and friends and head outdoors to enjoy the many activities that springtime has to offer.

12 WORKPLACE DEPRESSION BUSTERS

2010-04-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

By Therese Borchard

In his classic, "The Prophet," Kahlil Gibran writes: "Always you have been told that work is a curse... But I say to you that when you work you fulfill a part of earth's furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born."

Unfortunately Kahlil's words don't jibe with a new Australian study that found almost one in six cases of depression among working people caused by job stress, that nearly one in five (17 percent) working women suffering from depression attribute their condition to job stress and more than one in eight (13 percent) working men do the same. In the last decade, the number of American workers that say job stress is a major problem in their lives has doubled. In fact, the US Department of Health reported that 70 percent of physical and mental complaints at work are related to stress.

What do we do? Bring our Kleenex to work and hope we don't get caught crying, or give our notice with no other job in reach? Thankfully, we have a few steps between these two extremes. Here are 12 techniques that have helped me manage the workplace blues.

Let me just say this first. Chances are higher that you will feel worse if you quit than if you keep on showing up to a job that you hate. Why? If you're not working, you will have even more time to think about how much you hated your job. On top of the acute anxiety you feel when you think about how you are going to pay off your next phone, electric, and mortgage bill without the regular paycheck being deposited automatically into your bank account. And then there's the isolation of having no one to talk to during the day, because... one small detail... everyone else you know is probably working. So just sit tight until you read through, say, ten of these tips before you gladly give your notice, okay?

You know what's cool about most relaxation techniques? You can do them while you are listening to your boss give you your next assignment. Let's say, as he is telling you that he hired a nice woman half your age that you now report to, that you suddenly feel lots of tight pressure in your shoulders--naturally, because you have the desire to slug him. You relax your shoulders in a way that relieves some of that tension and tells your body that slugging him isn't an option (right now, anyway).

Then, as you walk back to your desk, where the kid right out of college hands you five assignments due by the end of the day, you can take ten deep breaths: counting to four as you inhale and to four again as you exhale. If you are allowed to listen to music or white noise at work (or if you work from your home, as I do), you might want to invest in a CD of ocean waves. Whenever I listen to mine, I take a few seconds to visualize myself on the sandy beach of Siesta Key, Florida, hunting for sea shells, a short moment to catch my sanity.

I'm not talking about your sex drive, although if you're depressed, chances are that that's off, too. I mean your BlackBerry or iPhone, or at least the "ding" noise alerting you to every new ("URGENT!") e-mail that you don't think drives you crazy but does. Trust me. When you turn it off for an afternoon, a day—or even commit to a weekend without it!--you will see that it is responsible for a sizable chunk of your madness.

It's ironic that very technological advances that were supposed to free us end up imprisoning us to our work, argues integrative doctor Roberta Lee in her astute book The Superstress Solution. In her introduction, she cites a recent survey commissioned by Support.com: 40 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds said they couldn't cope without their cell phone, yet the same students reported less stress and had lower heart rates and blood pressure when they stopped using them for three days.
You need not join the monastery. Just try turning the thing off for a few evenings and see how you feel.

Yes, I'm a tad obsessive-compulsive, but I can feel the stress in me rise and threaten explosion if I don't have a handy dandy schedule in front of me that I can follow. No one gives it to me. I make it up, and therein lies its power--I am taking control back into my own anxious hands! So, upon getting five assignments due the same week from a supervisor, I do the panic dance for 15 or 20 minutes. Then I take out my work calendar and start nailing down my deadlines. Assignment One needs to be done by lunchtime on Tuesday. Assignment Two needs to be done by Thursday morning, so that I have two full days to complete Assignment Three before the week is over. Get it? Things don't typically run that smoothly, of course, but by breaking down the goals or tasks into manageable bites, I stress less and produce more.

As a highly sensitive person, I can't work in certain atmospheres. I need a window... and proper lighting... and an assistant who will fetch me iced tea whenever I want, with lemon and not too much ice (kidding on that). But there are simple ways you can improve even the most sterile and miserable working conditions: putting a nice plant in your cubicle, hanging or framing personal photos (a recent study say that looking at pictures of loved ones reduces pain), using a 10,000 lux daylight balanced light (a lamp used for Seasonal Affective Disorder, but doesn't look any different from an average desk light). Keeping a clean desk will also help you feel less overwhelmed. I'm not going to say anything further on that. If you've ever seen my desk, you’d know why.

If I were to name the single most important lesson I learned when I was in a psych ward, it would be this: get a life outside of work. You see, pre-psych ward, I had invested all my self-esteem into my profession. Thus, each career flop set me back a considerable chunk. If a book bombed, so did my self-confidence. My goal when I left my inpatient psych program in 2006 was to get a life and to sustain that life.

I'm doing better today. I swim in a master’s program. I joined a book group. I'm involved with a moms' group at the kids' school. None of these things is related to my job. I have met a whole other set of friends aside from my fellow bloggers, editors, and writers. This gives me some cushion and insurance for the days I get crappy traffic numbers and red royalty statements, as well as inviting me to join the human race on the days I can't produce a single thing.

No doubt you're behind at work and feel like no matter how much you get done the day before, you always begin the next day at the foot of a mountain. You may very well have more work than is humanly possible for one person to accomplish. However, according to Elisha Goldstein, psychologist and author of the meditative CD Mindful Solutions for Success and Stress Reduction at Work, identifying the four zones of your work day can help you do your job in less time, which will lower your stress.

This "Attention Zones Model" was developed by Rand Stagen of the Stagen's Leadership Academy, who maintains that during our day, we are in one of four zones: a reactive zone, a proactive zone, a distracted zone, or a waste zone. The goal is to stay out of the distracted and waste zones: responding to unimportant calls and emails or killing time by surfing the web, etc. Explains Goldstein: "The cultivation of mindful awareness allows you to non-judgmentally name what is happening right now, and turn your attention to your top priorities in the moment."

Whenever I back myself into a professional rut, I call up my mentor, Mike Leach, and ask him what I should do. I can't tell you how helpful it is to vent to him about all my insecurities, fears, resentments, and confusion. He helps me lay them all out, analyze them, sort them, and then put them back together in proper order. Moreover, he offers the objective view that I need in that moment. And because he knows my history and personality quirks, he can better guide me toward a decision or plan. Usually it's to sit tight for a few days and wait for my PMS to blow over.

You need not have a mentor like I do to get guidance. You might want to blab to a good friend, a parent, a sibling, or a co-worker. Just make sure to choose someone wise who will be able to share an objective and enlightened perspective.

Guess how many Americans took two weeks of vacation last year? A measly 14 percent. Huffington Post blogger Keri Henley lists some other surprising statistics in her post Why Americans Are the Worst Vacationers: Even though Europeans work 300 fewer hours than Americans (most get between four and six weeks of paid vacation), the level of productivity per worker is the same, or slightly higher than ours; and 137 other countries are ahead of us in guaranteeing at least some vacation time. Writes Henley: "Vacations are not just luxuries, or pithy pastimes for the rich. Statistics are showing that other countries who take regular vacations are happier, and live longer than we do."

Vacations protect us from job burnout. Often times we emerge from a break with a new perspective that can help us navigate through the maze of impending deadlines. Whenever I shut down for a few weeks, I always come back to the page with a clearer mission and renewed passion.

There certainly are work situations you want to leave. I should have left my first "real job" sooner. After being cut down every day for nine months, my self-esteem had plunged to below sea level, and it took me years to build up my self-confidence. In her book, Toxic Work, Barbara Bailey Reinhold writes: "The syndrome of toxic work overtakes you when what's happening to you at work causes protracted bouts of distress, culminating in emotional suffering or physical symptoms and heightened by the perceived inability to stop the pain and move on to find or create a more rewarding situation."

Again, this is where a mentor or advisor of some sort is very helpful. He or she may be able to identify some possible solutions within your toxic work situation, or provide you with the motivation and support you need to leave.

One of the ways we become more resilient in our work environments, argues psychologist Robert Wicks, is by identifying the levels of burnout in our jobs. In his book, Bounce: Living the Resilient Life, Wicks lists the symptoms of work burnout: frustration, apathy, helplessness, impatience, cynicism, a significant decline in one's professional self-esteem and confidence, feeling overwhelmed, and being unable to experience pleasure.

A person who is experiencing level-one burnout may experience mild symptoms here and there. At the second level, the symptoms become more regular and acute. By the third level, the person's symptoms are chronic and some kind of physical illness has usually developed. Wicks argues that we need to take preventative measures and identify the first two levels of burnout in our work, because once we cross the third level, recovery entails considerable time and effort.

In her book, Listen: Trusting Your Inner Voice in Times of Crisis, author Lynn Robinson coaches us on how to identify our intuitive voice, or gut feeling. She tells us to pay attention to body signals: Excitement, enthusiasm, and energy all say "Go for it, Girlfriend!" Boredom, anxiety, and resentment mark a dead end. In one of her exercises, Robinson instructs us to imagine ourselves having made a decision that we are deliberating on today. Once we have made the decision, how do we feel? Excited? Nauseous? Then she tells us to imagine ourselves a year from the time we made our decision. Are we glad we made that decision? Has our life improved? How are we feeling? What do our friends and family say?

Along these lines, I think anything we can do to identify and hear our gut instincts is going to help us out of any workplace—or life—rut. We may never love our jobs or whistle at work (you know people who do that, right?), but tuning into our instincts may help us increase our odds of finding some satisfaction and fulfillment in the hours we sit in front of a computer or a supervisor.

GOD'S CAKE

2010-04-25T20:24:00.001-07:00

Sometimes we wonder, 'What did I do to deserve this?' or 'Why did God have to do this to me?' Here is a wonderful explanation! A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.'

'Here, have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers.
'Yuck' says her daughter.

'How about a couple raw eggs?' 'Gross, Mom!'

'Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?'
'Mom, those are all yucky!'

To which the mother replies: 'Yes , all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! '

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

I hope your day is a piece of cake!

STRAWBERRY MANGO SMOOTHIE

2010-04-25T20:23:00.001-07:00

POINTS® value | 3
Servings | 2
Preparation Time | 5 min
Cooking Time | 0 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy

Goes down real smooth. A sweet, creamy way to fuel up in the morning or energize your afternoon.

Ingredients
• 8 oz unsweetened frozen strawberries
• 4 oz Colombo Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt, or other brand
• 1/2 cup(s) fruit juice, mango-variety
• 1 Tbsp honey
Instructions
• Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Notes
If your blender isn't strong enough to process the fully frozen strawberries, let them defrost slightly before using.

Swap fresh strawberries for frozen if desired. Just make sure to add some ice cubes to the blender before processing.

If your berries are super sweet, feel free to omit the honey (changes the POINTS value to 2 per serving).

MANAGING ASTHMA

2010-04-25T20:22:00.001-07:00

If you’ve just been diagnosed with asthma or you have recently been experiencing symptom flare-ups, you’ll be relieved to know proper management of your condition is within your reach.

“The majority of people with asthma [can] lead a normal and symptom-free life as long as their condition is managed properly,” says David Rosenstreich, MD, chief of the division of allergy and immunology at the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. “Patients should not be satisfied with being symptomatic.”
Read the article below

See a specialist
One of the best ways to ensure you receive proper care is to see an asthma specialist.

“You should see a specialist if you are experiencing more than occasional wheezing, chronic cough [for more than] six weeks, shortness of breath, an inability to exercise, or if you’re waking up at night with problems breathing,” says Mike Kaliner, MD, medical director at the Institute for Allergy & Asthma, and clinical professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC.

A specialist, either an allergist or pulmonologist, can address underlying problems associated with asthma such as allergies, sinusitis or obesity. They can also see if you might have other co-existing conditions that impact your breathing, such as snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also called acid reflux.

Making sure that potentially related or co-existing conditions are properly treated helps your doctor to prescribe the appropriate amount of asthma medication.

Unfortunately, some asthma medications might cause weight gain, namely oral corticosteroids. “However, enough drug options exist that if you are trying to drop extra pounds, you should be able to treat your asthma without having to contend with this side effect,” says Dr. Rosenstreich.

Improve your environment
In addition to seeing a specialist, you can also make some changes to your environment to reduce asthma triggers.

For example, sleeping in an allergen-free bedroom, without water leaks, mold spore contamination or items that collect dust such as rugs or heavy drapes, should help. Making sure your bedroom is free of dust mites can also help you breathe freely, as can addressing any cockroach problems you might have. (For more information on environmental triggers, see Asthma 101.)

If you have cat or dog allergies, keeping pets out of the bedroom and using a HEPA filter can deter asthma symptoms.

Avoiding cigarette smoke and not spending much time outside on days when pollution or pollen levels are high can also help you to avoid as asthma episode.

Lose weight
Losing weight can also help reduce your asthma symptoms. While the relationship between asthma and weight is not completely understood, more weight on your chest may make it harder for it to expand and create difficulty breathing.

In addition to following a healthy diet to shed pounds, you may want to limit or avoid manufactured foods that contain a lot of artificial color or preservatives, which can make food allergy symptoms and, in turn, asthma worse.

Exercise can also be a part of your weight-loss plan as long as you manage your asthma to avoid a flare-up. If you’re obese, have asthma and want to start exercising, be sure to see an asthma specialist, who will check how well your lungs are working with a spirometer, determine what treatment you might need and what level of physical activity is best for you.

Usually asthma patients are able to exercise without a flare-up if they use a prescribed quick-relief bronchodilator 10 to 15 minutes before physical activity.

Once you have the right treatment, “you can exercise to your limits, but you don't want to start off running a marathon,” says Dr. Rosenstreich.

The American Council on Exercise recommends walking or swimming for people with asthma because these activities are low intensity. Running and higher-intensity sports may need to be taken on gradually.

“With asthma you get a warning that you're exceeding your capacity,” said Dr. Rosenstreich. “If your chest gets tight and you start to cough, you should stop.”

Whatever exercise you and your doctor decide is safe, spending about 10 to 15 minutes warming up before physical activity and cooling down afterward can help you avoid asthma flare-ups. So can listening to your body and resting when you need to.

As you lose weight and your exercise tolerance increases, you should start noticing a reduction in asthma symptoms and will be on your way to a healthier you.

LEARN THE LINGO OF OSTEOARTHRITIS

2010-04-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

Understand common terms and health jargon relevant to this bone disease.

JANUARY 2008—We all know what a joint is—or do we? When a condition like osteoarthritis makes it difficult to walk, grasp, or exercise easily, we suddenly have a new appreciation for how our joints make fluid movement possible, and may question what's going on now to make it so difficult. Whether you're seeing a physician to determine what's causing your aching knees or just want to know more about how your joints work, you'll want to be familiar with these common terms.
Bouchard's Nodes
These are bony knobs that develop on the middle joints of fingers affected with osteoarthritis, causing them to ache and become gnarled.

Cartilage
A firm, slippery rubber-like material covering the ends of bones that reduces joint friction and absorbs shock

Chondroitin Sulfate
A substance found in cartilage that is thought to draw fluid into the cartilage. (Chondroitin supplements are sometimes taken with glucosamine to treat osteoarthritis symptoms—make sure to talk to your doctor before beginning a supplement regimen.)

Glucosamine
This is a substance in the body that contributes to the formation and repair of cartilage (it's Ssometimes taken by people with osteoarthritis as a nutritional supplement to help rebuild cartilage and relieve pain—-the research to support their use is mixed so make sure to talk to your doctor before taking).

Heberden's Nodes
Similar to Bouchard's nodes, these bony knobs form on the joints of fingers closest to the nails in hands affected with osteoarthritis.

Hyaluronic Acid
A substance occurring naturally in the body that makes joint fluid slippery.

Joint
An area where two bones meet, which may include a cavity lined by the synovium and filled with a small amount of synovial fluid.

Joint Capsule
A tough membrane that encloses the bones and other parts of a joint in a sac.

Osteophytes (also Bone Spurs)
Small bony growths that can develop on the edges of a joint affected by osteoarthritis.

Synovial Fluid
A slippery fluid that lubricates joints to facilitate movement and keep the cartilage smooth and healthy.

Synovium
A thin membrane that lines a joint and secretes synovial fluid.

On the Move
These are some common terms you'll hear when you and your doctor plan an exercise regimen to lesson the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Aerobic Exercises
Exercises that improve cardiovascular fitness and the body's overall functioning.

Aquatherapy (also Hydrotherapy or Water Therapy)
A program of specialized exercises done in a pool, which reduces the amount of weight supported by joints affected with osteoarthritis.

Isometrics
Strengthening exercises that flex and relax muscles without bending joints.

Isotonics
Strengthening exercises that include moving the joints and incorporate repetition and resistance.

Range-of-motion Exercises (also Stretching or Flexibility Exercises)
Exercises in which joints are gently bent and straightened to maintain and increase joint mobility and flexibility.

Strengthening Exercises
Exercises that maintain or increase muscle strength, which in turn helps to support and protect joints affected by osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis Procedures and Medicines
Besides losing weight and undertaking a regular exercise program, there are a number of ways to combat osteoarthritis. Expect to hear some of these terms when talking with your doctor about more intensive treatment options.

Acetaminophen
A common pain-relief medication available without a prescription that is often used to counter the pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Arthrocentesis (also Joint Aspiration)
A procedure in which a syringe draws fluid from an inflamed joint to help diagnose the condition and diminish pain by reducing pressure within the joint.

Arthroplasty
Surgery that removes the diseased portions of a joint.

Corticosteroids (also Steroids)
Anti-inflammatory drugs that are similar to hydrocortisone, a hormone occurring naturally in the body, and that temporarily reduce inflammation and pain associated with osteoarthritis when injected into affected joints.

Cortisone
An anti-inflammatory corticosteroid .

COX-2 Inhibitors
A new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used to relieve inflammation and pain that are available only with a prescription.

Hyaluronic Acid Substitutes (also Viscosupplements)
Thick fluids injected into a knee affected with osteoarthritis to increase lubrication, thereby improving joint mobility and reducing pain.

Joint Replacement Surgery
Surgery that replaces natural joints with synthetic ones to restore function in a joint severely affected by osteoarthritis.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
A class of medications common in osteoarthritis treatment that ease pain and inflammation, many of which—ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), ketoprofen (Orudis, Oruvail), and naproxen sodium (Aleve)—are available over the counter.

LEARN THE LINGO OF DIABETES

2010-04-25T20:19:00.001-07:00

Diabetes is a complex illness, especially when you consider the multiple forms and confusing terminology.

JANUARY, 2008—Here's a primer to help you get a grasp on the key issues.
Just the Facts

Glucose
Sugar, which the body's cells use for immediate energy and stores for the future. After eating, blood glucose levels rise. Without insulin, blood glucose builds up in the blood.

Insulin
A hormone, produced by the pancreas that helps move glucose from the bloodstream to the cells.

Diagnoses and Conditions

Type 1 Diabetes
An autoimmune disorder that requires insulin to control. The immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas so that the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Formerly called juvenile diabetes, it often develops in childhood and accounts for 5 to 10 percent of diagnosed cases of diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes
The most common form of diabetes (90 to 95 percent), in which the body fails to produce enough insulin or the body is insulin resistant; i.e., the cells don't use the insulin properly. Can be controlled with oral meds, or even reversed, with diet, weight loss and exercise.

Insulin Resistance
A precursor of type 2 diabetes. When cells don't respond properly to the insulin that the body produces, sugar cannot move from the bloodstream to the cells. The pancreas produces extra insulin to compensate, but eventually it may be unable to do so.

Prediabetes
Often a precursor to full-blown diabetes, but can be reversible with weight loss and a proper diet. Prediabetes is diagnosed when blood-sugar levels are elevated but not yet defined as diabetic.

Metabolic Syndrome
A cluster of conditions, including high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides and a large midsection (fat deposits at the waistline), which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Risk Factors
If you're overweight your chances of developing diabetes is already elevated, but other factors increase your risk. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), your risk of developing type 2 diabetes is above average if:

You're over age 45

You have a parent or sibling with diabetes

You are of Native Alaskan, American Indian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American or Pacific Island descent.

You have high blood pressure

You have high LDL ("bad") cholesterol, low HDL ("good") cholesterol and/or high triglyceride levels

You exercise less than three times per week

You have had cardiovascular disease

You have been diagnosed with prediabetes

GERD: PREVENTION

2010-04-25T20:18:00.001-07:00

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is the result of a whole lot of chronic acid reflux, or heartburn. And it’s no laughing matter: besides the fact that it’s uncomfortable, it can be the culprit behind other, even more serious problems in the GI tract. Ouch!

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is the result of a whole lot of chronic acid reflux, or heartburn. And it’s no laughing matter: besides the fact that it’s uncomfortable, it can be the culprit behind other, even more serious problems in the GI tract. Ouch!
Read the article below

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is the result of a whole lot of chronic acid reflux, or heartburn. And it's no laughing matter: besides the fact that it's uncomfortable, it can be the culprit behind other, even more serious problems in the GI tract. Ouch!

For a few people, the tendency for acid to reflux into the esophagus just happens, and for others lifestyle choices make flare-ups more likely.

So, if heartburn tends to knock at your door, your best bet is to not open it. Avoid things that are likely to make it worse, and do things that may make it better. Even better, make choices that reduce the likelihood it'll come around at all.

If you experience heartburn symptoms you should see a doctor for a personalized treatment plan. He or she may mention the following measures, too.

DO lose weight. Extra weight increases pressure in your abdomen, which makes it more likely that acid will reflux back into your esophagus. And, says David Peura, MD, a professor of internal medicine at University of Virginia and past president of the American Gastroenterological Association, excess fat also delays emptying of the stomach; having a stomach full of food adds even more upward pressure. "Even small degrees of weight loss can help you control your symptoms, or can make them less frequent," says Peura.

DON'T smoke. Smoking dries out saliva, and saliva plays an important role in the work that your esophagus and stomach do. (It contains bicarbon, which neutralizes acid.)

DO wear looser clothing. Tight clothing can promote reflux of acid contents, warns the National Heartburn Alliance.

DO avoid fatty foods. "When you put fat into a stomach, the emptying is delayed," says Peura. "Things that aren't going south as fast as they should, go north instead." Also, says Stuart Spechler, MD, chief of the division of gastroenterology at Dallas VA Medical Center, "fatty foods tend to weaken the valve (between the stomach and the esophagus)."

DO eat smaller meals, for the same reason that you should avoid fatty foods: When a stomach is overly full, its contents are more likely to reflux back into the esophagus. Plus, says the National Heartburn Alliance, your stomach responds to large portions by producing large amounts of acid at one time; more stomach acid means a greater chance of acid reflux.

DON'T drink citrus juices. They can cause irritation on the lower part of the esophagus, especially if previous reflux incidents have already damaged the tissue there. "It's like if you have a scrape on your skin," says Spechler. "It hurts to put certain things on a scrape, even though putting those things on healthy tissue doesn't feel like anything."

DON'T eat spicy foods and tomato products, for the same reason. Other common triggers: raw onions, garlic, black pepper and vinegar.

DO avoid peppermint, spearmint, and chocolate. They have a chemical in them that could relax the lower esophageal sphincter and cause reflux. (Certain medications may also have this side effect; ask your doctor.)

DON'T eat just before going to bed. "Studies have shown that [people without acid reflux] wait a longer period of time after a meal before going to sleep," says Peura. If you delay going to bed a bit, you give your stomach more time to digest and empty, before adding gravity to the equation by lying down.

DO raise the head of your bed, for the same reason. Lying horizontally makes it more likely that acid will leak up into the esophagus. Some people raise the top of their bed permanently. You could also try a wedge pillow.

DO try your hardest to avoid stress. "Stress (itself) doesn't cause reflux," says Peura. "But it's conducive to bad habits. When we're stressed we're more likely to eat faster, eat the wrong things, drink coffee, smoke."

DO CARBS DISCRIMINATE AGAINST WOMEN?

2010-04-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Well, more bad news for women who love their carbs – a new study demonstrates that a diet high in “white carbs” (the kind in white breads, white rice, pizza dough made with white flour, etc.) may more than double a woman’s risk of heart disease.

At issue are foods with what is called a “high glycemic index.” These are foods that rapidly boost blood sugar levels, causing glucose spikes.

The glycemic index is a system of rating foods on a scale from 1 to 100, based on the speed with which the food increases blood sugar. High-glycemic-index foods score 70 or above; low glycemic index scores score 55 or less.

The interesting thing about this latest study is that men did not show the same degree of risk from eating these high-glycemic-index foods. Carbohydrate intake didn’t seem to change heart disease risk in men. In contrast, women who ate a lot of carbohydrates doubled their heart disease risk; women who ate a lot of high-glycemic-index carbohydrates increased heart disease risk 2.25 times.

While researchers aren’t certain why this male-female disparity exists, it could be due to a difference in the way carbohydrates affect triglyceride levels in men and women. Triglycerides are fats that circulate in the blood. High triglyceride levels occur when someone eats many more calories than they actually need. And high triglycerides go along with other risky conditions, like obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and hardening/narrowing of the arteries, all of which lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

So what can you do? Lean toward whole grain, unprocessed foods, and high-fiber fruits and vegetables. Eating a diet primarily composed of low-glycemic-index foods will help keep blood sugar levels more stable, which may also prevent erratic changes in other factors affected by glucose level, such as appetite, energy, and mood. And you may reap other benefits: diets that are composed of unprocessed foods that are high in fiber may provide some degree of protection against certain types of cancer.

High-glycemic-index foods include:

Bread, bagels, rolls, buns, biscuits, crackers made with white flour
White rice
White potatoes
Baked goods made with white flour and sugar (cakes, muffins, cookies)
Non-diet sodas and sports drinks
Many types of boxed cereals, especially those that have sugar or are not whole-grain
Cereal bars
Candy
-
Low-glycemic-index foods include:

Legumes: Black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, navy beans, kidney beans, soybeans, black beans, pinto beans
Nuts
Whole-grain breads
100% bran cereals
Higher-fiber fruits and vegetables

April 15, 2010
Dr. Rosalyn Carson-Dewitt

LOVE SURPASSES ALL SPIRITUAL GIFTS

2010-04-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

This passage gives one of the most complete descriptions of love in the Bible. More importantly, it shows that love needs to be the one thing in life we seek more than anything else. For without it, whatever we do or say really has no lasting value. Compare the love described here with the superficial love found in this world:

God says love should be directed toward others (verses 1-3)
The world says love should be directed toward ourselves.

God says love is patient and kind (verse 4)
The world says love satisfies your immediate needs

God says love is never jealous or envious (verse 4)
The world says love means that you deserve the “best”

God says love is never boastful or proud (verse 4)
The world says love isn’t necessary to make people respect you.

God says love is never rude (verse 5)
The world says love lets you act as you please.

God says love does not demand its own way (verse 5)
The world says love gets in the way of what is in it for me.

God says love is not irritable or touchy, and it holds no grudges (verse 5)
The world says love takes a backseat when it comes to seeking revenge

God says love rejoices in justice and truth (verse 6)
The world says love understands-even ignores-evil

God says love is loyal (verse 7)
The world says love should be self-serving.

If you feel your love for others is falling short of God’s ideal, ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in this area. Your relationships with others will never be the same.

OUR LOVE FOR GOD PREPARES US FOR SERVICE

2010-04-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

Read John 21:15-17

Peter knew that he had let Jesus down by denying him three times prior to the Crucifixion. He also knew that Jesus had forgiven him. So Jesus tested Peter by asking him this question “Do you love me?” three times.

Peter’s response to Jesus’ questions has great significance in the original language of the test. When Jesus posed the questions, he had basically asked, “Peter do you love with me a sacrificial, committed love?” Peter, however, responded with a different word for “love” than Jesus had suggested. Peter essentially said “Lord, I like you. I love you as a friend.”

1. If you Love the Lord, You Will Long for Personal Communion with Him. Can you relate to the words of the psalmist “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1)? When you really love God, you will delight in praising and worshiping Him.

2. If you Love God, You will Love the Things He Loves. We know what God loves by what He has declared in his Word, the Bible. So if you love God, you will love His Word. Bible study will not be a drudgery, but a delight.

3. If you Love the Lord, You will hate what He hates. As the Lord’s nature becomes your nature, His likes and dislikes become your likes and dislikes. His outlook becomes your outlook. We know from his Word that he hates sin. If we love Him, then we should also hate sin.

4. If you Love the Lord, You will long for His return. Jesus described Himself as a bridegroom (Mark 2:10). His bride is the church—the body of believers (Ephesians 5:23-29). When Jesus returns, He will be united with his bride. Therefore, if you love the Lord, you will long for His return as a bride and bridegroom long to be together.

5. If you Love the Lord, You will keep His Commandments. Jesus says, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15). That does not mean that you will never sin. Though it is impossible for any of us who love God to on an endless course of sin, it is quite possible to fall into individual sins. But if we love God, we will repent of those sins and seek His forgiveness, and our lifestyle will conform to the truths we find in his Word.

Do you love the Lord? Like Peter, you may be tempted to believe that you have no love for Jesus when you sin. Maybe you feel that God could never use you in his service again. Be honest with God; then start rebuilding that relationship by following the steps above. As you reaffirm your love for Him, God will open up opportunities for you to serve Him and share that love with others. A committed heart leads to committed service.

HOW HOT YOGA SAVED MY LIFE

2010-04-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

When I took my first hot yoga class seven months ago, I was willing to try anything to get in a better place. Even if it involved turning upside down with my knees balanced on my elbows and sweat dripping from my head.

I’d had a rough time in 2007 and 2008. My mother and two close friends died, my marriage broke up, all my kids except one were off to college. Almost everything that had given my life shape and rhythm was gone. I was lonely and heartbroken. And, on top of that, I was bored. So I sold my farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania and moved to Baltimore.

Once my 8-year-old daughter and I settled into a friendly neighborhood, I gingerly considered my next project: dating. I had not been on a date since the early 1980s. Friends explained that all the action is online these days, so that’s where I started. “Sassy, Smart, and Sensual,” my profile proclaimed, trying to make up for the semi-disastrous condition of being over 50. When the first guy I met for coffee acted like he liked me, I was excited. Then I didn’t hear from him for 10 days, when he e-mailed that he was not “interested in me carnally.”

Ouch! That was fun. I quit Match.com, realizing I was not in shape for dating, physically or emotionally. Around then, a new friend invited me to her hot yoga class. I had done yoga on and off for years. I’d never tried hot yoga, but I was willing to.

The class—90 minutes of vigorous, flowing movement in a 90-degree heated room—was much more challenging than I had expected. The teacher was a goddess, and the class looked like a casting call for a yoga video. I couldn’t keep up, and I sweated more than I did when I trained for a marathon. But the shower I took afterward made me feel like I had sloughed off my past and squeezed out my poisons. And I had managed to spend 90 minutes focused in the present, not fretting about all my plans and problems.

I soon became a hot yoga addict, going to three or four classes a week. After awhile, I could do poses I had been certain I would never achieve. But I didn’t notice right away that my body was changing. Seven months in, I had to buy all new pants, three sizes smaller than the ones in my closet. In a domino effect of feeling better about myself, I got highlights and had a facial.

Around the same time, the spiritual centering must have kicked in, too, because I realized I would need more than exercise and skin treatments to change my life. I see my therapist on Thursdays, after yoga. What a relief to have found something that makes me feel good and look good that doesn’t take magic, luck, or plastic surgery.

While I have had a few dates—a man approached me at a party and asked me out!—I can see that finding love may be a very long-term project. But at least I don’t feel like I’m out there with my cellulite jiggling and my heart pinned to the outside of my body. Namaste, baby.

MEN, WOMEN, AND THE RACE TO LOSE WEIGHT

2010-04-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Men seem to win the weight-loss race every time, but that doesn't mean women should get discouraged. There are some strategies you can use to level the dieting field.

Ladies, if you've ever tried to lose weight alongside your husband, partner, boyfriend, or any male acquaintance, you've probably experienced a little frustration when you compared your weight-loss rates.

If you've halved your calories while running miles on the track and still can't lose weight as fast as he can, take heart: There is a reason for it. But don't think men have it that easy — losing weight is hard work, no matter who's doing it.

Why Men Lose Weight Faster

"It is true — men do lose weight quicker," says Anne Wolf, RD, a registered dietitian and researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. And the reasons can be attributed to differences in the physical makeup of men and women and in the very different ways that men and women think.

"There are two physical reasons: Women have different hormones, and I think that impacts our weight-loss rate," says Wolf. “Secondly, men have more lean body mass. That means their caloric needs are greater." They can continue to eat a significant number of calories and still lose weight.

Men and women also tackle problems differently. Men tend to be linear thinkers and more businesslike in their approach to weight loss, while women are multi-taskers who become more emotionally involved in weight loss. "Men stick to their goals. It's like a to-do list. In practice, I see women taken over by their emotions," says Wolf. "Women will get sidetracked, so they don't stick with their goals."

Why Women Will Still Lose Weight

The way you mentally approach weight loss "really does make a difference," says Wolf.

She offers these suggestions to keep you from getting discouraged and giving up on your weight-loss plan when you feel your female makeup is working against you:

Stay positive; it’s not a hopeless cause.strong> "Women do lose weight and they do keep it off. Don't use the slower pace as an excuse to not try," stresses Wolf.

Know that weight-loss strategies do work.strong> Some women tend to throw up their hands, believing that nothing works, but that’s not true. "We have a lot of good therapies that actually do work to lose weight," says Wolf.

Start believing that you can do it.strong> "Believe in yourself," says Wolf. "Keep focused — it's about consistency." Even if you get bored or frustrated because you don't think your plan is working, stick with it. Set goals for yourself and stay focused on those goals.

Understand your challenges and limitations.strong> "Know yourself," says Wolf. "Each person is different." She suggests asking, "What trips me up every time I try to lose weight? Do I eat when I'm sad or frustrated, or stop working out when I don't have a workout buddy to encourage you?" Set yourself up for success by preparing for those roadblocks and figuring out in advance how you will overcome them.

Why Men Still Have to Work Hard to Lose Weight

Men do struggle with weight loss. Even if their bodies require more calories, they still have to work hard at it.

"I did lose weight quickly — at first," admits John from Fairfax, Va. He lost a total of 70 pounds in a year, but while he lost 30 pounds in the first three months, it took him twice as long to lose the next 30, and three more months for the last 10.

John also dealt with his own weight-loss failures twice before finally succeeding. With inspiration from an older brother, he figured out how to do it correctly — by restricting his calories and building calorie-burning muscle through regular strength training, a weight-loss booster for both sexes.

No one can lose weight without diet and exercise smarts, hard work, and sacrifice. Make the effort to learn about the healthiest and most efficient ways to lose weight, and then enjoy your own success. Weight loss isn't about winning a race; it's about crossing the finish line at your own pace.
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

FOUR REASONS FOR STALLED WEIGHT LOSS

2010-04-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

Has this happened to you? You’re doing everything right and steadily losing weight on Atkins, and then suddenly progress stalls or even reverses. Don’t panic—it’s not that unusual. Here are four possible reasons why this may be happening.

Reason 1: Water Weight

Did you know your body is approximately 60 percent water, and muscles and some other tissues are closer to three-fourths H2O? For a 200-pound guy, that means you’re carrying around about 120 pounds of fluid. That water makes up the majority of your blood, and gives your cells shape and a fluid medium to bathe in. Your body works hard to maintain a delicate balance of water distribution while accounting for its intake and excretion. That system varies a couple of percent points up or down depending on a variety of factors, such as menstrual phase, fluid and electrolyte intake, plus exercise.

A 1.5 percent variation in those 120 pounds of water accounts for 1.8 pounds. So your water weight could swing nearly 4 pounds between 118.2 to 121.8 pounds depending on when you get on the scale. That’s why we highly recommend weight averaging and monitoring your weight loss trajectory over several weeks or months to get an accurate weight loss picture. This natural variation is also why we suggest that you not get hung up on weighing yourself daily.

Some people are more sensitive to fluctuations in water weight than others. When you exercise for the first time or try a new form of physical activity, the muscle fibers can become swollen and inflamed, causing a temporary water imbalance. That swelling stimulates pain receptors and contributes to the delayed onset of sore muscles, which usually peaks 12 to 48 hours after exercise. The soreness and swelling are transient, and fortunately the body remembers, so when you exercise again the inflammation and swelling are considerably less.

Reason 2: Fat Is Less Dense Than Muscle

Which weighs more: a pound of muscle or a pound of fat? That’s a trick question. Of course, a pound is a pound no matter what its makeup. But fat and muscle do have different densities, and therefore vary in volume. In other words, fat takes up more space than an equal amount of muscle. Here’s why: density equals mass divided by volume. The approximate density of muscle is 1.06 grams (g) per cubic centimeter (cc), compared to fat, which has a density of 0.9 g/cc. So given equal amounts, muscle takes up 18 percent less space than fat. That’s why two people who weigh the same can look very different, depending on how much fat and muscle each has. This is also why you should evaluate your progress by inches lost, how your clothes fit and which notch you use on your belt.

Relative density can also explain why weight loss might slow or stall if you start exercising—or increase the intensity or duration of your existing program—while doing Atkins. If you add resistance training, you might be accumulating muscle while losing body fat, which is great—but it could translate to a slower weight loss. But don’t stop the exercise. Instead, take comfort in knowing you’ll continue to lose fat and inches, since resistance training protects muscle but doesn’t impede fat loss.

Reason 3: Weight Loss Is Not Linear

Most of your body’s processes don’t proceed in a straight line. Rather, your body tends to alternate between rapid and slow phases or—in some cases—takes quantum leaps. A good example is the teenage growth spurt when kids may shoot up as much as 3 to 4 inches in one school year. Many examples, such as wound healing, blood clotting, glycogen synthesis, hormone secretion and development of atherosclerosis, also progress in a non-linear time pattern. Weight loss is no exception. The adage “two steps forward, one step back” should help you wrap your head around this idea. Regardless of some of the explanations above, a stall in weight loss could simply be the body’s natural course. In most cases, the temporary plateau or step backward will switch directions as long as long as you stay the course.

Reason 4: Approaching Your Goal Weight

As you get closer to your target weight, your body starts to defend against further weight loss. If you have 50 pounds to lose, the first 30 or 40 will tend to come off relatively easily because you’re further away from your goal weight. That last 10 to 20 pounds will usually take longer, and require more discipline, as the body senses the approach of its natural weight. The key is to be patient and let the Atkins Edge do its thing. For more on stalled weight loss, see How to Handle a Plateau.

Jeff S. Volek, Ph.D., R.D.

MEDITATION: PEACE AND RELEASE FROM MIGRAINES

2010-04-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

Migraines can be triggered by many factors. Stress, pain, bright lights or sounds can be some of the causes. Before a migraine begins, or when life feels stressful, it is more important than ever to take time for ourselves.

Choosing relaxation over stress is a gift. Meditation slows you down, allowing your mind and body to rest. It will restore your soul, creating a sense of peace that is carried with you throughout the day.

BEGIN SIMPLY: Create a comfortable, quiet place, in a darkened room where you can have ten minutes of uninterrupted time. If you like, put on soothing music, or allow the rhythmic sound of your breathing to relax you.

PREPARE TO RELAX: Sit or recline in a comfortable position where your head and neck are well supported. Keep a cool cloth nearby for your forehead or the back of your neck, if needed. Allow your arms, hands and legs to rest comfortably. This time is for you. Begin relaxing by first taking very gentle breaths. As you exhale imagine stress and tension flowing out with each breath.

TAKE RELAXING BREATHS: Breathe in calm, breathe out stress. Breathe in peace, breathe out tension. Breathe in serenity, breathe out pain. Each breath out releases worries, concerns, fears or frustrations. Each breath in brings you closer to a peaceful state of being. As you breathe, you relax deeper and deeper. Feel it. Peace is at hand. Relax into it.

YOU ARE SAFE: Our bodies are vessels for joy. Sometimes when we feel pain we want to separate from our bodies. Release the pain by embracing the beauty of your body. It is a beautiful temple, full of healing and peace. You are safe, your body is whole, and it is complete. Continue to breathe; each breath brings in more and more peace as you move deeper into a meditative state.

RECEIVE LOVING ENERGY: Imagine above your head is a soft ball of pink light. This light is full of healing, loving energy. As you breathe deeper the ball of light begins to vibrate gently. You can feel its soft energy. It is soothing, comforting, and safe.

MOVE TOWARD HEALTH: When the pain of a migraine begins it asks us to stop what we are doing. We pay attention to what our body is telling us, moving away from the stress, or pain that triggers a migraine. Our bodies ask us to breathe, relax, and to connect on a healthier plane.

CREATE RELAXATION: As you relax, imagine the soft ball of pink energy begins to flow into the top of your head. The energy is gentle, like a cool cloth taking away any pain or stress. This loving energy unravels tensions, releases pressure, and dissolves any fear of pain and hurt.

RELAX MORE: Relaxing energy releases tension from your forehead, your eyes, nose, and mouth. Breathe gently and feel the muscles in your face relax even more.

EMBRACE HEALING: As you relax, you can smile just a little, knowing that with each breath you are healing. Say this to yourself: I have enough time. I am safe. I am comfortable in my body. I deserve to be peaceful, rested and content.

RECEIVE LOVE: Now imagine this loving pink energy is moving into the muscles at the base of your head, and neck dissolving the tension there. Tightness unwinds. Stress unravels. Move your head and neck gently releasing all remaining tension. Say to yourself: With each breath I relax. I deserve all the love in the universe.

RELEASE FURTHER: Take a deep breath and relax even deeper, allowing this loving energy to move into your shoulders, back, and arms, releasing all tension.

FEEL SUPPORTED: Know that you are supported. Peaceful energy fills your chest, love and healing emanates from your heart area moving down into your torso and hips, releasing all stress or discomfort. Say to yourself: I am loved, I am loving, I deserve love.

REPEAT YOU ARE SAFE: Life is safe. Life is beautiful. Life is full of possibility.
As the loving healing energy moves down your legs into your feet, your body is completely and fully at rest. Again breathe deeply and feel the pleasure of a stress-free body.

REMEMBER YOU ARE WHOLE: Your body is now fully embraced by a loving, healing energy.
This loving energy is part of the energy of the universe. It is yours to call upon when life begins to feel stressful. Be calm. Be at peace. Embrace serenity.

-by Sandra Lee Schubert

THE OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION DIET

2010-04-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

If you are concerned about osteoporosis and maintaining healthy bones, simple changes to your diet can help. Eating a variety of foods rich in calcium, vitamin D, and other vitamins and minerals is essential to long-term bone health.

“Nutrition plays a key role in building and keeping bones strong,” says Lona Sandon, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. “Bone cannot build the matrix of tissues it needs for optimum strength without optimum nutrition. Bones are made up of more than just calcium. You need adequate protein, vitamin D, vitamin K, and the right amount of phosphorous, too.”

Calcium Plus: Creating a Bone-Healthy Diet
The first thing you can do to get more calcium through your diet is to incorporate dairy products into each of your meals. “Low-fat or skim dairy foods add needed calcium, vitamin D, and protein to any meal,” says Sandon.

Look for a low-fat label on these calcium-rich dairy options:

Yogurt
Milk
Cheese
Cottage cheese

Other foods that include calcium and vitamin D include:

Beans
Almonds
Canned sardines with bones
Canned salmon with bones
Fortified cereal, juice, or soy milk

Sandon says that a fear of fat has caused many people to remove cheese from their diet, but this might not be good for bones. “Broccoli may have some calcium in it, but it is very low in comparison to dairy foods and not as easily absorbed. So I say add the calcium and protein back to your broccoli by adding a slice of cheese,” advises Sandon.

Calcium: Bone Up on the Recommendations
It is important to get the recommended daily value of calcium for your age. These guidelines can serve as your point of reference:

Ages 9 to 18: 1300 milligrams (mg)
Ages 19 to 50: 1000 mg
Ages 51 and above: 1200 mg

These numbers may seem intimidating, but are less so when you consider that a single 8-ounce serving of milk provides 300 mg of calcium. National surveys suggest that many women and girls get less than half of the recommended daily amount of calcium. It is never too early — or too late — to begin adding calcium to your daily diet. Two to three cups of milk per day, a few slices of cheese, and perhaps some yogurt, can provide most people with adequate amounts of calcium. It is possible to get too much of a good thing, though — consuming more than 2,500 mg per day of calcium is not recommended. However tempting it may be to snack on cheeses and other dairy products throughout the day, getting too much calcium can cause problems with absorbing other important minerals, so be sure to stay within your recommended range.

If you are unable to digest dairy products because of lactose intolerance or another digestive issue, you may be able to get calcium from supplements or other food sources. Still, Landon says dairy products remain the best source of calcium and recommends yogurt as an option for those who are lactose intolerant: “Yogurt has enzymes that break up the lactose, so most people can tolerate yogurt without problems. Also, people who are lactose intolerant can try drinking milk or eating cheese with meals to lessen symptoms. There are also many lactose-free milks on the market,” says Landon.

Calcium’s Helper: Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an important role in the process of bone building. Without it, your body cannot get calcium from the foods you eat. Most adults need at least 400 IU of vitamin D each day; those who do not get enough vitamin D are at increased risk for osteoporosis. “To really get enough vitamin D naturally, you need to spend about 15 minutes [without sunscreen] in the sun each day,” says Sandon. “Food is a very poor source of vitamin D.” That said, eggs, saltwater fish like cod and mackerel, and fortified milk are some dietary sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D supplements may be particularly useful for people who are homebound or live in areas where there is less sunlight.

Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables
Variety in your diet is also important for bone health. A study of 171 adults showed that those whose diets were more alkaline, which results from eating many different types of fruits and vegetables, retained more calcium.

For good bone health, simple changes such as eating more dairy for calcium, getting 15 minutes of sunlight daily, and eating your veggies can effectively help to protect you from osteoporosis.

FLAT BELLY DIET: FACT OR FICTION?

2010-04-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

By Connie Brichford
Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD

Chances are you’ve seen more than a few ads online for "flat belly diets," or diets that promise to reduce your waistline and melt away abdominal fat if you eat and avoid certain foods. Menopausal women are often the intended audience if these diet ads. But is there any truth to their diet claims? Can having a flat belly really be as easy as eating the right combination of foods?

"Absolutely not," says Alexa Schmitt, RD, a clinical nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital. "There is no particular food that causes excess belly fat," she says. Fat develops on the body when "calories that are not utilized as energy become stored as fat." These excess calories can come from any food; there is no one special food that is responsible.

As for where fat is stored and what factors affect it, Schmitt says fat can accumulate anywhere on a body. "It’s genetically determined," she says. Menopause does affect fat accumulation, but researchers are still debating why this happens. As we age, our metabolism slows down, which means that we use up energy from food at a slower rate. One study found that as women approach the age of menopause, their rate of physical activity tends to decline. A slower metabolism, combined with the tendency to get less exercise, is a perfect recipe for weight gain. And heredity affects how you store this added weight: If your mother stores weight in her midsection, you might find your own body responding similarly.

Sorting Out Flat Belly Diet Claims

Some foods get blamed for excess abdominal fat, while others are touted as the fastest route to a flat belly. Here is a quick look:

Corn Syrup. Corn syrup is controversial, Schmitt says. Lipogenesis is the term that describes the way that carbohydrates are turned into fat, and there is evidence to suggest that fructose, the type of sugar in corn syrup, is metabolized differently from glucose, found in the white sugar you buy at the grocery store. However, though we know that the body converts fructose into fat differently from the way it converts glucose into fat, there is no evidence to suggest that this difference targets a particular body part.

Alleged flat belly foods. Avocados, olives, vegetable oils, and nuts have been hailed as miracle foods that can reduce abdominal fats. Though there is plenty of evidence linking these foods to such benefits as lower heart disease risk, there is no evidence to suggest that they will target your belly and melt away abdominal fat.

Whole grains. One small but tantalizing study found that obese people on a reduced-calorie diet who ate only whole grains lost more fat in the abdominal region than those who ate refined grains. The study of 50 people, published in 2008 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, may point the way toward further research.

Your Best Action Plan for a Flat Belly

If avoiding or consuming certain foods doesn’t get rid of fat, what will?

Monitor your caloric intake. Eating too many high-calorie foods can leave you with more calories than you need. Fat accumulation is the result of consuming more food than you need to fuel you through the day, explains Schmitt.

Watch portion size. According to Schmitt, no foods are off limits, per se, but we need to consider portion size and frequency. Choosing red meat less than twice a week can lower our overall fat intake and has the added benefit of keeping cholesterol levels in check. This is also true for women around the time of menopause. As our metabolic rates decline, we can help prevent weight gain by consuming fewer calories at each meal.

Eat the right kind of fat. Schmitt says we need to limit our intake of saturated fats — found in foods such as red meat, cream, and butter — to less than 10 percent of our diet. Foods such as fish, olive oil, avocado, and walnuts are great sources of unsaturated fats, which can work to lower your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" kind.

Exercise regularly. Exercise can help you use more energy and burn off accumulated fat. The study on physical activity also found good news for menopausal women: Women who exercise more gain less weight during menopause; and even women who exercise less can slow and reverse their weight gain by increasing their exercise frequency.

The flat belly myth is pervasive in exercise as well, Schmitt says. While exercise will help you burn fat over your entire body, it all comes back to genetics, which determines where you store fat, and the areas that will tone up first — no matter how many special crunches or push-ups you do.

So eat a healthy, balanced diet, exercise, and don't sweat how flat your belly is.

GET OUT FOR EARTH DAY

2010-04-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun outdoor activities that can help you commemorate Earth Day on April 22.

April's a month of environmental celebrations. Earth Day is on the 22nd, and Arbor Day is celebrated on the 30th. So instead of just exercising outside, why not make the great outdoors part of your fitness routine?

"Environmental fitness is a new exercise trend that's about to get bigger," says Suzanne Nottingham, a spokesperson for the American Council for Exercise. The results feel as good as fresh air. Plus, you still get all the benefits of being outside.

"There's nothing like getting outside of concrete walls for stress reduction," says Nottingham. "You're not in a controlled, sterile environment, and outdoor workouts combine everything: cardio, strength-training, balance, and flexibility. Plus, 'outside' has no set hours, and no fee. You pick your own time and go."

Ready to make your workout green? Here are some easy ways to do it:

Head for the hills
See a hill when you're walking or running? Go for it. "Bumping up your workout routine improves your overall fitness level, and you'll see more results," says Nottingham.

Use rocks for weights
Do sets of bicep curls, shoulder presses, even back strengthening exercises. "Keep challenging yourself," warns Nottingham, "when exercise feels too comfortable, it's time to use bigger rocks."

Find environmental equipment
Use a park bench or a low tree branch for triceps dips. Or make a curb your substitute gym step with sets of step-ups.

Be a tree hugger
Arbor Day is all about trees, so to celebrate, why not head to the park and find a few trees in a row? Then weave your way between them by walking, jogging or running, just like you would in an obstacle course. "A great exercise in agility, balance, and coordination," says Nottingham.

Give the car the day off
Consider walking to work. If your commute is too long, you might try biking, in-line skating, or jogging. Whatever method you choose, you can't go wrong. They're all great cardio workouts, and help reduce blood pressure, improve circulation, mobility, and, of course, burn calories.

Go green and clean
Looking for ways to take care of the environment and get active? Go to your local park and pick up litter. Incorporate a squat each time you bend down to pick up a piece of trash. At home, lunge your way back and forth from your recycling cans. Find more ways to incorporate activity throughout your day here.

For more on a host of "green" activities for Earth Day, go to ww2.earthday.net.

LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL AND LOSE WEIGHT TOO

2010-04-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

Many people — 17 percent of Americans — have high cholesterol for a variety of reasons, most of which can be controlled. A healthy diet is one way to reduce the build-up of this fatty substance in your artery walls, which can often lead to heart disease.

If you have high cholesterol (200 mg/dL and higher) and have heart disease or other risk factors, your doctor may recommend the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet, created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s National Cholesterol Education Program.

How to Lower Cholesterol: The TLC Diet

The TLC diet teaches you how to lower cholesterol levels. It revolves around an intensive lifestyle intervention to reduce your cholesterol and your chances for developing heart disease.

Here are the primary goals of the TLC diet:

Reduce your sodium intake to 2,400 milligrams per day.

Make sure saturated fats make up less than 7 percent of your daily calorie intake.Limit your fat calories to no more than 25 percent to 35 percent of your total calorie intake each day.

Reduce your intake of dietary cholesterol, which is found in foods from animals, to less than 200 milligrams a day.

Eat only enough calories each day to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

Limit your carbohydrate intake to 50 percent to 60 percent of your total daily calorie consumption, making sure it comes mostly from foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Make sure to consume about 15 percent of your daily calories in the form of protein.

How to Lower Cholesterol: Putting TLC to Work for You

The numbers that are explained above sound straightforward, but putting the TLC diet to work means you may need to find new ways to shop, eat, and cook. Here are a few tips to put you on the road to good health:

To reduce sodium in your diet, pick low-sodium foods — such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low or nonfat dairy products — and eat moderate amounts of lean meat.

Also, get rid of your salt shaker: Season with herbs and spices instead.

Skip fatty cuts of meat, remove poultry skin, choose low-fat dairy products, and avoid foods that contain tropical oils, such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils.

Changing your diet can be challenging. Your physician may send you to a registered dietitian (RD) for guidance on how to lower your cholesterol level. An RD will help create a TLC diet that will work for you, will keep tabs on your progress, and provide you with moral support.

Exercise to Lower Cholesterol

You don't have to become a marathon runner or mountain climber to get the benefits of regular exercise, but consistent physical activity will likely help you to:

Lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levelRaise your HDL (good) cholesterol level
Reduce your blood pressure
Lower your level of triglycerides (chemical form of fat)
Shed extra pounds
Improve the overall fitness of your heart and lungs
Start with some simple activities, such as walking, taking the stairs, gardening, or dancing. Then, for more aggressive exercise, try brisk walking, swimming, tennis, or bicycling. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week.

As soon as you change your eating habits and add in some exercise, you're likely to see your cholesterol level and weight begin to drop as a direct result of your hard work.

OATMEAL PANCAKES

2010-04-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 15 min
Start to Finish: 20 min
Number of Servings: 6 servings (2 pancakes)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup 8th Continent® vanilla soymilk 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup fat-free egg product Syrup or fresh fruit, if desired

Instructions:
1. In medium bowl, stir all ingredients except syrup or fruit, using wire whisk, until blended. 2. Spray griddle or 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Heat griddle to 375°F or heat skillet over medium heat. For each pancake, pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. 3. Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges. Turn; cook other sides until golden brown. Serve with syrup or fruit.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease baking powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving: Calories 160 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 1/2g Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 310mg; Total Carbohydrate 20g; (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 2g); Protein 6g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 15% Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

SOYMILK, HEALTH AND MENOPAUSE

2010-04-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

During menopause, cholesterol levels can rise, increasing a woman’s risk for heart disease. While you’ll want to talk to your doctor, there are some things you can do to help you reduce your heart disease risk:

•Replace higher fat proteins with leaner options or vegetable alternatives, such as soy, to help keep saturated fats at a minimum in your diet. 8th Continent soymilks provide a good source of protein yet, are low in saturated fats, have zero grams of trans fat and are naturally cholesterol free.
•Limit saturated fat as much as you can. It’s the thing in your diet that effects blood levels of LDL cholesterol the most. New American Heart Association guidelines recommend keeping saturated fat to less than 7% of your total calories for the day.
•Watch your intake of trans fats which can impact cholesterol levels, too. They’re found in hydrogenated fats and oils like stick margarines and often in baked goods. The American Heart Association recommends keeping trans fats to less than 1% of total calories for the day.
•Limit dietary cholesterol to less than 300mg per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products. Soy is naturally cholesterol free.
Know what your blood cholesterol levels are. Adults over 20 years old should have their cholesterol checked at least every five years. If you have high cholesterol already you will need to get it checked more frequently. For women optimal blood cholesterol levels are:

•Total cholesterol: < 200 mg/dL
•LDL cholesterol: < 100 mg/dL
•HDL cholesterol: > 50 mg/dL

THE TRUTH ABOUT ZERO-CALORIE FOODS

2010-04-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

Are there foods so low in calories that it takes as many (or more) calories to digest them as they contain? That is the myth behind diets that claim weight loss through "zero-calorie" or "negative-calorie" foods.

It would certainly make dieting easier if we could munch on calorie-free foods all day. But other than water and diet beverages, there is unfortunately no such thing as a zero-calorie or negative-calorie food, according to Kimberly Lummus, MS, RD, Texas Dietetic Association media representative and public relations coordinator for the Austin Dietetic Association in Austin, Texas.

Busting the "Zero-Calories" Myth

Apart from foods that have been engineered to be calorie-free, like sugar substitutes, virtually all foods contain calories. Some foods contain very few calories, and we do burn a few calories when we chew and digest the foods we eat. But the notion that eating certain foods can put us into a negative calorie balance just isn't true.

"Some foods do require more energy to digest, but digesting foods that are so-called 'zero-calorie' such as celery or cucumbers is not going to have much impact" on your total calorie expenditure or weight-loss efforts, notes Lummus. "It wouldn't be smart nutritionally to think that you are somehow tricking your body and subtracting calories."

Foods that are sometimes touted as being zero-calorie or negative-calorie include:

Apples
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Garlic
Grapefruit
Lemons
Lettuce
Mangos
Onions
Spinach
Turnips
Zucchini
Lummus points out that you would have to eat such large amounts of these foods to make your body work hard enough to cancel out the calories that it wouldn't be worth it.

Zero to Hero Calories
Although these food choices with supposed "zero calories" aren't going to put you into a negative calorie balance, there are other great benefits to eating them. "They are all fruits and vegetables, so they are great foods to incorporate into your diet," says Lummus.

These foods are also high in fiber and pack a hefty nutrition punch. Fruits and vegetables tend to be "nutrient-dense," meaning that they contain relatively few calories in comparison to their high level of nutrients.

What's more, they can help you lose weight. Fruits and vegetables can be just as filling as higher-calorie foods, but with far fewer calories and often a lot more bulk.

If you are trying to lose weight, start by adding vegetables to your main dishes, snacking on fruit, piling your sandwiches with fresh vegetables, and having fruit instead of dessert after your meals. This doesn't "trick" your body into a calorie deficit, but it can help you feel full and satisfied while still eating fewer calories and getting lots of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

One true "zero" beverage to make sure you are getting enough of is water. Not only is it healthy to drink enough water, but substituting water for sugar-sweetened beverages can save you hundreds of calories. Aim for six to eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day.

CHECK OUT THESE SITES

2010-04-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

21 WAYS TO OVERCOME DISAPPOINTMENT
http://click1.mail.beliefnet.com/xspkvqjdklhtjnmdtpsqytcljvtskbdvbpmsrplhgdhbs_qfnsvvwwmmp.html

IS YOUR SLEEP PATTERN HEALTHY?
http://click1.mail.beliefnet.com/xcckvqjdklhtjnmdtpsqytcljvtskbdvbpmsrplhggcdh_olfjkkzzttr.html

UPLIFTING QUOTES FOR HEALING
http://click1.mail.beliefnet.com/pcqwqkchwtjbcrshbydkgbvtcqbdwlhqlysdmytqvdfly_gtwgkkyyccl.html

TEN QUOTES TO HELP YOU BREATH EASIER

2010-04-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. The simple act of breathing is surely the most natural, primal, and universal human experience. It’s also, if you are striving for mindfulness and peace in your life, one of the most challenging and even intense personal practices.

1. "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." Hillary Cooper

2. "Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts." Thich Nhat Hanh

3. "I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart: I am, I am, I am." Sylvia Plath

4. "There is one way of breathing that is shameful and constricted. Then, there’s another way: a breath of love that takes you all the way to infinity." Rumi

5. "The breath must be enticed or cajoled, like catching a horse in a field, not by chasing after it, but by standing still with an apple in one’s hand." B.K.S. Iyengar

6. "Listen, are you breathing just a little and calling it a life?" Mary Oliver

7. "Fear is excitement without the breath." Fritz Perls, M.D.

8. "A lifetime is not what is between the moments of birth and death. A lifetime is one moment Between my two little breaths. The present, the here, the now, That's all the life I get. I live each moment in full, In kindness, in peace, without regret."
Chade Meng, Taoist poet

9. "Learn how to exhale, the inhale will take care of itself" Carla Melucci Ardito

10. "He lives most life whoever breathes most air." Elizabeth Barrett Browning

2010-04-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

So you've done what you thought was the hard part: You started a regular exercise routine to get fit and healthy. But now you're finding out that keeping up with it is as hard as starting out in the first place. You need to keep exercising, but how do you do it without getting bored and losing motivation?

Motivation to Keep Exercise Exciting
Ask yourself what makes fitness fun. What motivates you most and keeps you focused and centered on a workout? These methods can help you stay focused and interested in your exercise routine:

Find a buddy. Working out is often more enjoyable when you do it with someone else. Find a friend who will exercise with you, and won’t let you back out of your gym dates.

Set goals and a schedule. If you don't plan time for exercise and dedicate yourself to it, it's hard to stay motivated. Schedule times and dates for workouts on your calendar, and jot down what you plan to do and goals you want to accomplish.Push yourself. Don't work out to the point of injury, but push yourself during exercise routines — don't give up because you don't feel like it or you're tired.

Push yourself to go a little harder or a little longer, and you'll feel great afterward.

Read or listen to music. If you're walking on a treadmill or using a stair-climbing machine, try reading so you lose track of the minutes while you're burning calories. Or pump yourself up with some favorite music: high-energy, fast-paced songs can give the boost you need to get through your exercise routine. Create a playlist or CD of songs that motivate you for a workout.

Cut out the routine from your exercise routine. You're more likely to lose motivation if you stick to the same workout routine, so come up with options so that you don't get bored. Walk one day, run another, hop on a bike, and try different aerobic and weight machines.

Where to work out. Your environment can have a big impact on how well you focus on your exercise routine. If you prefer being outside, schedule an exercise program around outdoor activities. If you get too distracted by other people in a health club, try investing in videos or exercise equipment and do your workout at home.

Eat for exercise. Don't exercise on an empty stomach, but don't eat a huge meal right before exercising, either. Stick to a healthy, balanced diet for lots of energy, and have a light, healthy snack before a scheduled workout so that you don't feel hungry.

To make working out a part of your lifestyle, you may need to occasionally come up with new and fun ways to exercise. Just keep your end goal in mind — better health, fitness, and happiness — and find ways to enjoy your workout.

LOW-CAL DIETS MAY MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT

2010-04-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- If losing weight feels like a never-ending battle, new research may explain why: Diets that restrict calories can actually make it harder to lose weight and keep it off.

Cutting calories increases production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which is linked to added belly fat, a new study finds.

"For the first time in humans, we are finding out that cutting your calories increases cortisol," said lead researcher A. Janet Tomiyama, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar at the University of California, San Francisco.

"We think this may be one reason dieters tend to have a hard time keeping weight off in the long-term," she said.

People who count calories feel stressed, she said, but it's the reduction in calories that increases cortisol, which, in turn, stresses the body and leads to weight retention.

"No matter how you cut calories, whether that's doing it on your own, or doing something like Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig, it doesn't matter, it's still going to increase your cortisol level," she said.

At any given time, 47 percent of U.S. adults are dieting, but up to 64 percent gain back more weight than they lost, according to background information in the report published online April 6 in Psychosomatic Medicine.

For the study, Tomiyama's team randomly assigned 121 women to one of four diets. One group tracked their calories, keeping them to 1,200 a day; another group ate normally but recorded the number of calories they consumed; a third group ate 1,200 calories a day, but did not have to record them, and the fourth group ate normally without any calorie-tracking.

At the start and end of the three-week trial, the researchers measured each woman's cortisol and stress levels. When calories were restricted, cortisol levels increased. In addition, calorie-counting also increased the women's perceived stress, the researchers found.

"The term 'dieting' brings to mind deprivation, starvation, being miserable and uncomfortable and ultimately failing in weight loss efforts," Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist who is familiar with the study, said.

Burning more calories than you consume is how your body loses weight, she said. "However, severe calorie restriction, diet fads, pills and potions, detox cleanses and other quacky approaches to weight loss only contribute to people's diet failures and, in fact, may increase the likelihood of regaining even more weight than what was lost -- if any," Heller added.

The best way to drop unwanted pounds is to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors that include eating a variety of healthy foods, physical activity, patience and a game plan, she said.

"Many people want to lose weight and do not know how to begin. Creating a step-by-step plan is one piece of the puzzle a lot of people forgo," Heller said.

Starting a weight-loss program takes discipline, motivation and a desire to make behavioral changes and finding support can be very helpful, Heller added.

Another expert, Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., said while dieting isn't easy, certain strategies can help reduce stress and achieve a healthier lifestyle.

"Food itself, a reliable source of immediate gratification, may be used to relieve stress," Katz said. "When food intake is restricted, something else should replace it."

In general, dieting alone is not all that useful, Katz added. "Eating well and being active for life is the way to go," he said.

"By eating foods of higher overall nutritional quality, fullness can generally be achieved on fewer calories, eliminating the need for deprivation," Katz said. "In addition, physical activity can accelerate weight loss, promote health and alleviate stress in the bargain."

AN ANTI-AGING DIET FOR YOUR SKIN

2010-04-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

Can you actually look younger just by adjusting your diet? “Yes,” says June Breiner, MD, an internist in Maryland. "And what you put in your mouth can take years off of your appearance.” The right foods are chock-full of anti-aging and anti-wrinkle agents.

Understanding Antioxidants: The Anti-Wrinkle Crusaders

How can what you eat affect your body so positively or negatively? “Antioxidants are the key,” explains Dr. Breiner. “They are nutrients that are able to protect your body from the aging effects of free radicals, a nasty process called oxidation.”

Free radicals are formed through natural processes in your body and the environment — everything from exposure to sun, cigarette smoke, chemicals, even exercise. A free radical is simply a molecule or atom that has lost one of its electrons and, now unpaired, has become unstable. This instability causes it to seek other atoms or molecules (yours) to stabilize it, resulting in a domino effect of unstable atoms and molecules in your body.

This is a problem "because the end result is a change in your cells’ DNA, which includes your body’s largest organ, your skin," Breiner says. "Oxidative stress and inflammation are two major causes of the aging process.”

The Anti-Aging Diet: Foods That Smooth Skin

“Eat a fiber-rich diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables," suggests Breiner. "Eight to 10 servings a day will help keep you young. Fruits and vegetables are generally low-calorie and have the ability to detoxify and renew your cells."

Add these great anti-aging food choices to your regular diet:

Colorful berries. The antioxidant anthocyanin is what gives berries their blue, red, and purple colors. To get a healthy dose of this potent antioxidant, eat plenty of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, pomegranate, cherries, acai berries, and blood oranges, to name a few of the best choices. Each of these foods has a variety of other powerful antioxidants that repair and protect your skin’s cells.

Broccoli and broccoli sprouts. Quercetin is another powerful antioxidant that is found in broccoli, along with other foods including cranberries, onions, and apples. It is a natural anti-inflammatory agent as well, fighting the No. 2 cause of aging. Broccoli sprouts have 30 times more isothiocyanates (yet another antioxidant) regular broccoli.

Spinach. Lutein is found in spinach, kale, corn, and other vegetables. It has the ability to give additional antioxidant capacity to your skin and enhances skin hydration.

Garlic. Allium is an antioxidant that packs a punch. Garlic, onions, and scallions are loaded with this free-radical fighter that is good for your skin and your immune system.Beans. “Eat your beans, too,” says Breiner. Anthocyanin is found in very high quantities in black beans and black soybeans. Soybeans are also high in isoflavones, also linked to anti-aging properties.

Tea. Catechins, found in green tea, dark chocolate, and red wine, are another antioxidant that packs a wallop. “Have four to six cups of tea a day with lemon, which enhances the antioxidants’ activity in your cells,” Breiner advises.

Wine. In addition to those catechins, resveratrol is found in red wine and has many anti-aging properties. It is another potent antioxidant.

Yellow and Orange Root Vegetables. Put plenty of beta-carotene on your plate. These super-antioxidants are good for your skin and eyes. Good choices include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and squash.

Tomatoes. Lycopene, in red grapefruit, tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit, is a powerful weapon against free radicals. It has the ability to inhibit sun-induced aging and can neutralize free radicals. Breiner suggests, “Fill your glass with tomato juice or V8 juice daily.”

Nuts. Eat a handful of nuts and seeds a day. They are loaded with “good” fat that helps “plump” your skin, antioxidants and lots of minerals that are good for your skin, too.

Salmon. “Eat salmon at least three times a week,” says Breiner. “It has a host of benefits for your skin, from the omega-3s to the high-quality protein. Make it a regular in your diet, and you will see plumper, more youthful skin in about six weeks.”

Water. Stay hydrated: Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. (And if you are drinking decaffeinated tea, that counts.) Caffeinated beverages can dehydrate you, which can contribute to dry, sallow-looking skin.

Eat fruits and vegetables raw when possible. If you cook them, steaming is the best way to go to keep all of the anti-aging, anti-wrinkle antioxidants. At the same time, cut down on sweets. Avoid processed, refined foods and sugars, which can increase free-radical activity.

If you choose from all these wonderful anti-aging and anti-wrinkle foods as often as possible, you will be on your way to a healthier, younger-looking you.

-Linda Foster and Dr. Stefan Craig

SHADY DAY SUNSCREEN WIPES

2010-04-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

Get intense UV sun protection without the mess. These easy to use, botanical-infused cloths hydrate and protect skin from the sun while neutralizing free radicals with vitamins A and E. Visit the attached link to read more on this new product, receive a 20% discount and check out other products.

skincare@dermstore.com

21 WAYS TO BE INSPIRED

2010-04-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

There are so many ways to find inspiration in daily life. It does not require a lot of money or time. The only requirement is to open your spiritual eyes and choose to see life, and life’s natural wonders, in a new light.

Watch the sunrise and sunset from the best vantage point possible.
Look up into the sky on a bright day and observe birds in flight.
Read a book or inspirational quotes that help you to believe in the magic of life.
Acknowledge at least five experiences or people in your life that you are grateful for. Express gratitude to anyone on your list.
Take a walk to a special place that makes you feel connected to nature. Enjoy the sights and smells of a beach, garden or greenery.
Watch children at play. Take a moment to appreciate the spirit and joy they express, and the way they live in the present.
Put on your favorite music and dance, or just listen.
Gaze at a piece of art or a photo that makes you feel hopeful and happy. Let the colors and images lift your spirits.
Pet an animal you love and feel its heart beat against your skin.
Sit by a waterfall or on a beach, and feel the pure and positive feelings that emanate from water.
Watch a movie or have a fun moment with a loved one that makes you laugh, and laugh some more.
Smile, as often as possible, even when you do not feel like it. Just the act of smiling will change your day.
Take a warm bath in scents or bubble bath you love, and relax your mind.
Do something nice for someone in need and allow others to do for you.
Light a candle and enjoy the warmth of the light. Watch the fire dance, as it casts a light in your life.
Tell someone you love them, and mean it. Allow someone to express love to you.
Call or get together with an old friend and reminisce about a truly happy time and generate feel-good memories.
Treat yourself to an uplifting movie, a poetry reading, an event, or an experience with others that opens your heart.
Turn your world into a happy and loving place by surrounding yourself with people and things you love.
Make a list of things you would love to do if you had the time, money, and energy. Every day, allow yourself to daydream that they all come true!
Make a wish or say a prayer for world peace, and in that moment, believe it can be so.

WATER OR SPORTS DRINK?

2010-04-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

If you've worked up a good sweat at your gym or health club and need to rehydrate, which should you reach for: water or a bottled sports drink?

Sports Drinks: How They Work

Sports drinks, or energy drinks, contain electrolytes (usually sodium, chloride, and potassium), carbohydrates (sugars), and calories. Electrolytes are essential to ensuring that your body’s cells are working properly. When you sweat, you lose only a few electrolytes, unless you're exercising vigorously. Normal electrolyte loss can be replaced by drinking plenty of water and eating a healthy diet. When you have a really hard workout and sweat a lot, you may lose too many electrolytes. If you are doing moderate exercise in a very hot environment, you may also lose electrolytes that can't be replaced by drinking water alone.

Sports drinks can help replenish electrolytes lost during exercise, and because they contain sugar, they can also give you a boost of energy to help you get through a workout. But that doesn't mean you need to gulp them down before and after each exercise.

Is Water Better Than a Sports Drink After Exercise?

When choosing between a sports drink and water, keep these facts in mind:

Water works. Proper hydration is one of the most important ways to protect the body before, during, and after exercise. You should regularly drink plenty of water, especially when you plan to get in a good workout. Water is the best thing for your body, so make sure you get enough.

"Most people don't drink enough water, so when you go to the water fountain in the gym, take eight big gulps. Keep going to the water fountain and bring your water bottle," says Jody Swimmer, an exercise specialist and owner of the gym Fitness on Frankfort in Louisville, Ky.

Sports drinks have calories. One downside to sports drinks is that they do contain calories, a consideration for people exercising for weight loss. "Most people just need to drink water. Sports drinks typically have calories, and if you're trying to watch your calories, those can sneak up on you," Swimmer says.

Sports drinks typically have about half the amount of sugar and calories of a soda or fruit juice. That can add up quickly if you down a couple of sports drinks, however, especially if you drink them when you're not exercising.

Consider the exercise. Swimmer also notes that most people don't need sports drinks to replace electrolytes lost during exercise, because generally they don't work out hard enough to require that. But people who perform certain exercises — those who do a lot of heavy weightlifting or who are running long distances, for example — might benefit from sports drinks, she says. People exercising under extreme conditions may also benefit from drinking a sports drink after a tough workout. But people who are getting moderate exercise (working out for less than an hour) should avoid the calories and just make sure they drink plenty of water to fuel their bodies for a workout.

THE TRUTHY ABOUT METABOLISM

2010-04-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

There's only one way you can boost your metabolism legitimately. Find out what works and what doesn't.

If you've ever tried to lose weight, you've probably wished you could speed up your metabolism and burn calories more easily. Weight-loss programs often promise to provide "metabolism-boosting" secrets, but the savvy dieter should know that many of these are just gimmicks.

Many theories about metabolism are falsely rooted in the idea that there are particular foods or beverages that will magically increase your ability to burn calories. While most nutritionists agree that eating meals based on whole grains and lean proteins is a healthy diet practice, this approach won't actually help you burn calories faster. Neither will "fat-burning" foods like grapefruit or cabbage.

"Unfortunately, there isn't a food that we can eat that is going to burn away those excess pounds," says Jenna Anding, PhD, RD, of the department of nutrition and food science at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas.

Here's the truth about other popular metabolism-boosting theories, including the one that actually works.

5 Metabolism Boosters: Separating Fact From Fiction

1.Don't eat close to bedtime. You may have been told not to eat too close to bedtime because of the theory that your metabolism slows down at night and you'll lose less weight than you would if you ate the same food earlier in the day. Not true, says Donna L. Weihofen, MS, RD, health nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, Wisc. "Calories count whether you eat them in the morning or at night. The problem with nighttime eaters is that they are usually eating far more calories than they think, and the calories are denser."

2.Drinking water speeds metabolism. Drinking plenty of water is healthful for a number of reasons, but it doesn't make your body burn calories faster. It can help you feel full, which may keep some cravings at bay. "But that effect doesn't last very long," Weihofen cautions. "One of the things that does help is soup before a meal. A broth-type soup does help cut down on the amount of calories you will eat." Of course, broth won't speed metabolism, either, but it will help you stick to your diet plan.

3.Eat at the same time or at certain times every day to burn calories. Some diets recommend eating every couple of hours, while others advise sticking to a consistent schedule or number of meals for weight-loss success. Following a set schedule may help you stick to a diet plan, but doesn't help you burn more calories. "There's no magic to that," explains Weihofen. "It's whatever fits your lifestyle and your diet."

4.Eating breakfast boosts metabolism. Eating breakfast on a regular basis is important for shedding pounds, but not solely because it improves your metabolism, says Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. "People who eat only one meal a day will shut down their metabolism. So breakfast is partly a metabolism-booster and it is partly to make sure you stay on track for the rest of the day," notes Banes. People who eat breakfast are less likely to binge later in the day, which of course promotes weight loss.

5.Build muscle. The reality is that there is only one way to enhance metabolism: Build more lean muscle mass. "The best way to increase metabolism is by incorporating physical activity, both cardio and weight training, to increase lean muscle mass, which is what burns the calories!" advises Dr. Anding.

Even at rest, muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, Anding says. So weight-loss programs that encourage strength training and other forms of exercise to improve your metabolism are your best bet.

8 WAYS TO INCREASE HOPE

2010-04-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

"I've been so overwhelmed by what's going on these days," a mother recently said regarding world events. "I feel like there's nothing I can do and the world's spinning out of control." Her words echo the sentiments so many of us feel each time we pick up a paper or turn on the news. War on the horizon, nuclear weapons in North Korea, a family of six killed by a fire bomb in Baltimore, the massacre in Bali -- the list goes on. Right now, it's easy to lose hope. However, loss of hope doesn't have to be the path we walk down.

You see, hope is actually something we create. It's not something that magically appears from an outside source. We each have within us the capacity to generate hope. It's critical that we be absolutely intentional about nurturing hope in our lives and the lives of our children.

Now more than ever, overcoming fear and holding onto hope are essential. The eight steps below will enable you do this. Try these steps yourself and teach them to your kids. Do some of these as a family. Know that it is within your control to become more hopeful. Don't let the news be your undoing. You can take charge.

Be Kind to Yourself
Think about what you need most, and then do it. Is it a cup of tea, a brisk walk, some downtime, quiet music, a little rest, or reading inspirational literature? Whatever it is, grant yourself permission to do it, even for just a few minutes. If you're at work, take a "care-break" where you take care of you for a brief moment. These small moments accumulate and transform the texture of our days.

Create a Daily 5-Minute Silence Ritual
Light a candle and pray, meditate or reflect. You don't have to believe in any particular deity to make this work. Just silently reflecting in front of a lit candle is extremely nurturing and healing. This may be the one time of day when you feel connected to your own soul, and perhaps even something larger. Don't skip this step -- it's very powerful.

Curtail Your Intake of News
Oversaturation with news right now is detrimental to emotional health. If you read the newspaper in the morning, let that be enough. You don't need to turn on the TV or radio too, especially before bed. Consider putting a complete moratorium on news at least once a week. Anything you missed will be there tomorrow. Drastically curtail any news you let your children watch.

Treat Each Day Like a Precious Gift
Be vigilant in looking for things and people to appreciate. What if today was the last day of your life? How would you want to live it? Ask yourself this question throughout the day. It will help you let go of the countless petty annoyances that tend to throw most of us off balance. Shift your gaze to appreciation. Who and what are you grateful for? Make a list each day and add to it.

Take a Break
Every morning, afternoon and night, take a 30-second break to look at the sky, breathe deeply and offer thanks.

Even though the world has its problems, the sun still rises in the sky each morning, and we're awake and alive when we get out of bed. Let the sky be a touchstone to hope. Think of other people around the world as you look at the sky, and know that we all share this planet together. Among all of us, we have the ability to create solutions to the problems that now exist. Trust that this is so.

Express Love Tangibly
Hugs, words, notes, acts of kindness -- be indiscriminately generous with all of them. Surprise a friend with a hug. Hug and kiss your kids longer and with deeper feeling. If you like how the clerk treated you in the store, thank her. Leave your partner small notes expressing gratitude for kind acts. Doing all of this adds warmth and positive energy to our lives and the lives of people around us. It's also very comforting both to the giver and receiver of each loving act.

Say This Affirmation Every Day
Say this affirmation every day and see where it leads you: "I am the key to peace."

Most of us believe, erroneously, that peace will come from people or institutions much larger than we. Just the opposite is true. Peace starts with each individual and it will only come to this world from the people themselves. It is critical that we each create peace in the small and large moments of our lives. We must live it in our words and actions rather than giving in to fear, hatred, or resignation.

Make a Difference
Reach out beyond your normal scope. This is your opportunity to live your greatest promise, highest self. Don't wait. Each time we make a difference in the lives of others, we create hope in ourselves. By reaching out to someone in need, be it your neighbor, a Guatemalan orphan, or people in a homeless shelter, we add a little more peace and hope to the world. Our accumulated gestures of care and compassion will ultimately transform our lives and the lives of others. We are each the source of that transformation. Knowing this gives me hope.

CHRISTIANITY AND OTHER RELIGIONS

2010-04-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

AREN’T OTHER RELIGIONS JUST AS GOOD AS CHRISTIANITY? Read Acts 4:12

Some people say that all religions basically say and teach the same thing, so they must all be “true”. To quote another well-used phrase, “if a person is really sincere in what he or she believes, he or she will get to heaven”.

In reality, all belief systems cannot be true, because they contradict one another. Many would like to think that all religions blend together beautifully, but they do not. Look at the differences between what the followers of three major world religions believe compared with what Christians believe.

THE EXISTENCE OF A PERSONAL GOD

Buddhists deny the existence of a personal God.
Hindus believe in two major gods, Vishnu and Siva, as well as in millions of lesser gods.
Muslims believe in one God named Allah.
Christians believe that God is a being who created humans in his own image and who loves then and wants to have a personal relationship with them.

THE SUBJECT OF SALVATION

Buddhists believe salvation is by self-effort only.
Hindus believe you achieve salvation by devotion, works, and self control.
Muslims believe that people earn their own salvation and pay for their own sins.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins. If people turn from their sins and follow Jesus, they can be forgiven and have the hope of being with Jesus in heaven.

THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST

Buddhists believe that Jesus Christ was a good teacher, though less important than Buddha.
Hindus believe that Jesus was just one of many incarnations—or sons of God. Yet they also assert that Christ was not the unique Son of God. He was no more divine than any other man, and he did not die for people’s sins.
Muslims believe that Jesus Christ was the greatest of the prophets below Muhammad. In addition, they do not believe that Christ died for people’s sins.
Christians believe tht Jesus is God as well as man, that he was sinless, and that he died to redeem humankind.

GETTING FIT: THE ROLE OF DIET

2010-04-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Are you working hard at the gym but it just doesn't seem to be enough — the weight isn't dropping off, your physique isn't improving, or you're still feeling sluggish and unmotivated? Before overhauling your routine — or giving up — take a look at your diet. Your body is a complex machine that requires the right fuel — a healthy diet — to power through your workouts so you can achieve your fitness goals.

Diet and Exercise: Getting in Sync

To get the most from your workouts, you need to consider how fitness and nutrition work together. Deciding what you want to accomplish with your fitness plan will will allow you to formulate the best diet.

"The first thing I recommend is figuring out your goals," says Sandra Meyerowitz, MPH, RD, LD, a nutritionist and the owner of Nutrition Works in Louisville, Ky. "Do you want to lose weight or get healthier and more fit? For weight loss, you need to make sure you're eating the right number of calories to match your workout schedule." It's simply a matter of calories in versus calories out: To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume.

Diet and Exercise: Foods to Fuel Your Body

You can't expect to make it through an intense workout without energy. Food provides energy through calories — but not all calories are equal. "You have to put good fuel in your body to make it work efficiently," says Meyerowitz. Calories from fast-food cheeseburgers and greasy fries won't help your body perform at its best. "Eating well is even more important when you work out regularly," Meyerowitz adds. An active body needs nutritious calories to function properly.

A fitness diet ideally follows many of the same nutrition guidelines as any healthy diet plan. You need a balanced combination of nutrients — both carbohydrates and proteins — to power your workouts and achieve your weight-management goals. "What many people don't realize is that your body uses carbohydrates as its first source of energy," notes Meyerowitz. An all-protein diet will not complement a heavy workout schedule. Fifty-five to 60 percent of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates and about 15 percent from protein. Remember that carbohydrates include many foods besides pasta and bread. Dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains such as brown rice, barley, and quinoa are all carbs too.

Diet and Exercise: Pre- and Post-Workout Meals

Going to the gym doesn't give you free rein to eat and drink whatever you want. And although a consistently healthy diet is important generally for the maintenance of an active lifestyle, what you eat immediately before and after a workout determines whether you'll meet your goals for that exercise session.

Prepare your body for exercise with a healthy snack. It should provide an energy boost without adding too many calories.

Consider these choices:

A cup of yogurt and a piece of fruit
A whole-grain English muffin with a little peanut butter
An apple and a piece of low-fat cheese
A handful of unsalted nuts such as almonds or walnuts and a piece of fruit

You can try these and other healthy snacks to figure out what helps your body function at its highest level, says Meyerowitz. Though there isn't one miracle food that can be recommended for everyone, no one should depend on junk food to fuel a workout. "These foods do not provide you with energy," says Meyerowitz. Besides, heavy, greasy, and sugary foods require a long time to digest and can make you uncomfortable during exercise.

When choosing a snack, you should also consider calories. A snack with 150 to 200 calories should be enough to get you through a workout. If you exercise just before lunch or dinner, however, skip the snack and wait until your meal.

And don't forget: What you eat after your workout is just as important. A great post-workout dinner choice could be a small portion of whole-grain pasta with a side salad, suggests Meyerowitz. Whatever you choose, aim for a balance of carbohydrates and protein, just as you did before exercising.

Apart from these nutrients, it's also necessary to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to prevent dehydration. This is especially true if you sweat a lot during exercise.

Paying attention to your eating habits and to the ways food affects your body will help you design a diet to fit your goals and fitness routine.

Nutritious foods will give you energy to work out and help you feel better before, during, and after exercise.

-Diana Rodriguez and Dr. Pat Bass

FILLING FOOD TO SPEED WEIGHT LOSS

2010-04-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

It's the dieter's worst enemy — that gnawing hunger when you're trying to eat less and lose weight.

But fighting off those feelings of hunger could be as simple as a walk to the nearest soup and salad bar for lunch. Here's how you can make food choices that will keep you feeling full and help prevent the hunger pangs that lead to diet-busting snacks or binges.

Food Strategies For Losing Weight

If you want to feel full all day on less food, focus on these eating strategies:

Get enough lean protein and fiber. A study of 22 men who changed the amount of protein in their diets for 18-day periods showed that those who ate the least protein were the most likely to report being hungry. "Protein is the number one thing to help you feel full," says Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. "The second thing is fiber."

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Researchers tracked the weight-loss success of 71 obese women between 20 and 60 years of age on a low-fat diet. Half of the women were also told to increase their fruit and vegetable intake. At the end of one year, both groups of women had lost weight, but the women who ate the most fruits and veggies reported the greatest weight loss and were less likely to say they felt hungry on any given day. In fact, when the researchers crunched the data, they found that whether the women reported feeling hungry frequently predicted their ability to lose weight. Other studies have shown that changing your eating habits to focus on these water- and fiber-rich foods will help you maintain weight loss for up to six years.

Sip soup. Adding two low-calorie soups to your diet every day could stave off hunger pangs and keep you satisfied longer. Choose soups that are broth-based, not cream-based, to reduce the calorie count; also look for soups that are low in sodium. Consider chunky, pureed vegetable soups, as they have been shown to produce the most lasting full feeling. Timing your soup so that you have it before a meal also reduces the amount you eat at that meal by about 20 percent, according to a study of 53 overweight adults.

Eat whole grains. A serving of whole grains will stick with you longer than a serving of refined wheat bread or any other refined flour product, for that matter. Most refined flour is white and often bleached.

Pick "airy" snacks. If you must snack and you don't have a piece of fruit or a veggie tray on hand, choose the snack food that has more air in it — think cheese puffs instead of potato chips, rice cakes instead of cookies. You will feel just as full as you would if you ate the same serving size of another snack, but you will consume fewer calories on average.

Another way to fight off hunger is to develop a "low-energy density" eating plan. This means that you can eat a large quantity of foods that do not have a high calorie count. Learning about portion sizes and counting calories is one way to approach this, but you can also try the plate method, which dictates that half your plate be full of veggies, one-quarter dedicated to a starch (preferably whole grain), and one-quarter to a lean protein.

And speaking of plates, it's worth noting that a study of 45 adults demonstrated that the oft-repeated advice to eat on a smaller plate if you want to feel like you have more food in front of you actually has no effect on the amount you eat at a meal (if you are serving yourself) or your feeling of being full.

So, if you prefer, you can go back to eating on your good china — just make sure to emphasize lean proteins, fruits, and veggies.

-Dr. Madeline Vann and Dr. Christine Craig

BELIEFNET.COM

2010-04-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

Visit beliefnet.com for great articles on physical, emotional, and mental health as well as weight loss ideas. Be inspired with thoughts and readings from others on a healthy spiritual journey.

The mission of beliefnet is to help people find and walk a spiritual path that will bring comfort, hope, clarity, strength and happiness.

Whether you're exploring your own faith or other spiritual traditions, we provide you inspiring devotional tools, access to the best spiritual teachers and clergy in the world, thought-provoking commentary, and a supportive community.

Beliefnet is the largest spiritual web site. We are independent and not affiliated with any spiritual organization or movement. Our only agenda is to help you meet your spiritual needs.

GOOD FATS, BAD FATS

2010-04-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

The body needs certain healthy fats to construct cell membranes, insulate nerves, and ensure that many vitamins, like D and K, work like they’re supposed to.

But not all fats are good for you; some, in the wrong amounts, can seriously damage your health.

Types of Healthy Fats

Dietary fats fall into three categories:

Saturated fats. Animals are the primary source of saturated fats, with high levels found in beef and full-fat dairy products and medium levels in poultry and eggs. Some vegetable oils, such as palm oil, also contain a lot of saturated fat.

Saturated fats are necessary for the body — but in small amounts. Less than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fats, preferably from lean poultry and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. For people who consume 2,000 calories per day, only 20 grams at most should come from saturated fat.

Unsaturated fats. These good fats are what you should eat the most of as part of a heart-healthy diet. There are two types of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, peanut oil, and canola oil have high concentrations of monounsaturated fats. Fish, flax seeds, flaxseed oils, corn oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil contain polyunsaturated fats.

Omega-3 fatty acids — found in some types of fish like salmon and herring, and in plant products, such as soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts, and flaxseed — are a type of polyunsaturated fat that are thought to be particularly good for the heart.

Trans fats. These are the fats you may want most but shouldn’t have. Most unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. To make them solid, food manufacturers add extra hydrogen, making it a “hydrogenated,” or trans, fat. The highest levels of trans fats are found in baked goods, animal products, and margarine. Effects of Non-Healthy Fats

Eating a meal high in saturated fats — lots of steak, with potato salad loaded with eggs and mayo — creates the following reaction in the body:

Triglyceride (made from excess calories and stored in fat cells) levels go up. High triglyceride levels increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems. [8,9]
Blood vessels narrow.
Blood pressure goes up.LDL levels increase.
And even though trans fats come from vegetable sources, they can cause more heart problems than saturated and unsaturated fats. For this reason many food manufacturing companies and restaurants are no longer using trans fats, and most food labels state their trans fat content.

Good Effects of Fats

Replacing some saturated fat from animal sources with healthy fat from plant sources can reduce LDL and triglyceride levels and your risk of cardiovascular disease.

A recent study found that replacing harmful carbohydrates — found in processed foods like white rice, white bread, and so on — with foods such as nuts and fatty fish, decreases LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels and increases those of HDL (“good cholesterol”). The researchers also found that eating foods rich in good fat:

Lowered blood pressure
Reduced heart risks
Improved lipid levels
If you’re smart, you’ll opt for unsaturated fats every time.

A Word About Fish

Fish is a heart-healthy source of dietary protein that is low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. It is especially important that postmenopausal women and middle-aged and older men eat the recommended amounts of fish and shellfish (up to 12 ounces per week) to reduce cardiovascular disease risks, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA cautions that some fish types may be high in environmental pollutants such as mercury and therefore recommends that children and pregnant women avoid fish types that are thought to have the highest mercury levels (for example, king makerel, swordfish, shark, tilefish). The AHA also recommends varying the kinds of fish you eat to minimize effects of these environmental contaminants.

The bottom line is that you need healthy fat in your diet, in limited amounts. And it does matter what kind of fat you eat. For cardiovascular health, limit your intake of saturated fat, avoid trans fat, and make sure most of the fat you eat is good fat from fish, nuts, and healthy oils.

-Dr. Eleanor Roberts

SIX MUST-FOLLOW FOOD RULES

2010-04-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

With catchy phrases and easy-to-understand tips, author Michael Pollan takes the guesswork out of what you should and shouldn’t be eating. His latest book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, provides 64 rules, with three main principles: "eat food, mostly plants, not too much." Some of the rules speak for themselves; others require brief explanations. Here are six of our favorite tricks to trim your waistline, excerpted from the book.

Rule 18: Don’t ingest foods made in places where everyone is required to wear a surgical cap.

Rule 21: It’s not food if it’s called by the same name in every language. (Think Big Mac, Cheetos, or Pringles).

Rule 24: Eating what stands on one leg [mushrooms and plant foods] is better than eating what stands on two legs [fowl], which is better than eating what stands on four legs [cows, pigs, and other mammals]. This Chinese proverb offers a good summary of traditional wisdom regarding the relative healthfulness of different kinds of food, though it inexplicably leaves out the very healthful and entirely legless fish.

Rule 35: Eat sweet foods as you find them in nature. In nature, sugars almost always come packaged with fiber, which slows their absorption and gives you a sense of satiety before you’ve ingested too many calories. That’s why you’re always better off eating the fruit rather than drinking its juice. (In general, calories taken in liquid form are more fattening because they don’t make us feel full. Humans are one of the very few mammals that obtain calories from liquids after weaning.) So don’t drink your sweets, and remember: There is no such thing as a healthy soda.

Rule 52: Buy smaller plates and glasses. The bigger the portion, the more we will eat — upward of 30 percent more. Food marketers know this, so they supersize our portions as a way to get us to buy more. But we don’t have to supersize portions at home, and we shouldn’t. One researcher found that simply switching from a 12-inch to a 10-inch dinner plate caused people to reduce their consumption by 22 percent.

Rule 54: Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper. Eating a big meal late in the day sounds unhealthy, though in fact the science isn’t conclusive. Some research suggests that eating close to bedtime elevates triglyceride levels in the blood, a marker for heart disease that is also implicated in weight gain. Also, the more physically active you are after a meal, the more of the energy in that meal your muscles will burn before your body stores it as fat. But some researchers believe a calorie is a calorie, no matter what time of day it is consumed. Even if this is true, however, front-loading your eating in the early part of the day will probably result in fewer total calories consumed, since people are generally less hungry in the morning. A related adage: “After lunch, sleep awhile; after dinner, walk a mile.”

THE POWER OF LOVE

2010-03-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

Love does wonderful things for your state of mind, and it also offers natural stress relief. In healthy relationships, the power of love is strong enough to keep your heart happy and your mind and body healthy.

Stress Relief: How Love Helps

Sharing in life's joys and challenges is one of the great benefits of being in a relationship.

"When you are in a loving marriage or a good relationship, you have somebody there to share your worries with, to talk through problems with, to enjoy free time with," says Sally R. Connolly, a social worker and therapist with the Couples Clinic of Louisville in Louisville, Ky. Relationships can provide stress relief by simply not leaving you to shoulder every burden completely on your own, Connelly explains.

You also have someone "to visualize the future with. Somebody who is there for you and witnesses your life," adds Connolly. A number of studies have found that people in healthy marriages live longer and have fewer health problems than people who are unhappily married or not in a relationship, according to Connolly. Such is the power of love. What’s more, people who are happily married not only benefit from stress relief, they suffer less often from depression, too.

A loving partner can share the responsibility of stressful situations, offer support, a listening ear, and advice when you need it. And when you need to remember happier, easier times, a loving partner can help with that as well.

Stress Relief: Mending Relationships

If you have a relationship with a spouse, partner, or loved one that is a little rocky, focus on fixing it. An unhealthy relationship is just one more stressor that you don't need, and repairing it can provide stress relief and improve your health — and, you'll just feel better about it.

Getting started can be tough, but Connolly suggests just reaching out to your loved one. Consider whether there was a problem or issue that divided the relationship that needs to be addressed before you can move on. Or, if you just grew apart, work on rebuilding that relationship.

Stress Relief: Warming Up to Relationships

Not everyone is comfortable with affection — perhaps it's just your personality or the influence of family when you were growing up. If being affectionate is difficult for you, consider trying to start expressing your feelings to those in your life who you love, to strengthen these relationships.

"Showing affection may actually only be a habit, and people can learn how to change habits," says Connolly.

She recommends starting in small steps, reaching out physically (hugging or a gentle touch) or with affectionate words or actions. From there, she says, you can slowly build on your relationship and your physical affection. "Congratulate yourself each time that you stretch out of your comfort zone, and notice the effect that it has on your partner," says Connolly.

Stress Relief: Learning to Show Affection

She also suggests that you consider what kind of affection you want in your relationship, visualize what that affection is and how to show it, and practice those activities in your head to get accustomed to being more affectionate. Read books about ways of showing affection, or look for examples in movies or television shows.

"Think about affection and how much you care about the person that you want to show affection to. Think about that a lot during the day," says Connolly.

Life presents many challenges and stressors, and you need someone there to support you through the difficult times — whether it's a good friend, family member, spouse, or partner. And it's equally important to have someone to share in happy times and celebrations. Take time to focus on the relationships in your life, and reap the benefits. Just knowing that you have love, support, and help from a loved one can give you positive stress relief

BEAT FATIGUE WITH FOOD

2010-03-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

Eating a healthy diet and getting the best nutrition can help you manage many illnesses, and that doesn’t exclude the persistent tiredness and mental strain of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

“As with any chronic illness, nutrition always plays an important role in keeping energy up and allowing bodies to heal themselves,” says Morris Papernik, MD, a specialist in chronic fatigue syndrome at the ProHealth Physicians Group in Glastonbury, Conn. “You want to avoid those foods that will rob you of energy or that will only give short bursts of energy. You are looking for nutrition that will be there for your cells, muscles, and brain for the long haul.”

By eating the right foods — the types of foods that everyone, not just those with CFS, should strive to eat — we all can give ourselves more natural energy and eliminate tiredness and fatigue. And for those with CFS, following that advice as closely as possible is even more important to getting the chronic fatigue help you need.

Foods to Avoid When You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

For chronic fatigue patients, the No. 1 piece of advice is to avoid processed, refined carbohydrates, such as the sugar or white flour found in foods such as white bread, crackers, cookies, cakes, and soda.

“Sugar has multiple detrimental effects in CFS patients. It suppresses the immune system, increases inflammation, and stimulates yeast overgrowth in the intestines,” says Kent Holtorf, MD, a board-certified endocrinologist and founder of the Holtorf Medical Group in Torrance, Calif. “It also causes a rapid rise in blood sugar, followed by hypoglycemia [not enough sugar, which is needed for energy conversion, in the blood]. This hypoglycemia causes fatigue, anxiety, and sugar cravings, [creating] a vicious cycle.”

Dr. Holtorf also recommends avoiding the artificial sweetener aspartame (Nutrasweet) and the additive MSG, which can cause adverse reactions in some CFS patients. “Avoiding aspartame can dramatically reduce pain and improve cognitive function in many patients,” Holtorf says. “MSG is also a common trigger of hypersensitivity reactions in these patients. It is not a true allergy, but it can exacerbate almost any symptom.”

Eating for Natural Energy

The list of what you can eat to help restore natural energy is much larger — and much better — than what you have to avoid. And here again, these are foods most people should be eating anyway.

“I highly recommend a low-carb diet of unprocessed and organic foods to improve CFS symptoms,” says John Salerno, MD, a specialist on chronic fatigue syndrome with Patients Medical in New York City. “Focus on wild-caught fish, organic vegetables, grass-fed meats, organic eggs, and full-fat cheeses, which are all well-tolerated by CFS patients. Add dark-colored fruits, including berries, which are also recommended.”

Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the national Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, also recommends increasing water, salt, and your overall protein intake. “Because of the adrenal hormone levels being inadequate [in some patients with CFS], people become dehydrated and need increased salt and water. The exception would be for patients with high blood pressure or heart failure,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Also, increasing protein intake tends to help maintain a stable blood sugar.”

Another important recommendation that Teitelbaum makes is to eat frequent, smaller meals rather than three large ones. This helps you avoid gorging yourself and feeling awful later on.

However, Teitelbaum also emphasizes that different approaches help different people, so it may be best to work with a doctor and a nutritionist to come up with a good solution for you. “Overall, instead of a very defined recommendation, remember that each person is different, and one should eat what overall leaves them feeling the best,” says Teitelbaum. “Sugars may leave you feeling better immediately, but then leave you feeling horrible hours later. Take some time to see how foods affect your overall well-being.”

-Wyatt Meyers and Dr. Lindsey Marcellin

FIND A CLOSE CHRISTIAN FRIEND

2010-03-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

FIND A CLOSE CHRISTIAN FRIEND— a true Christian friend will let you know when you sin. A true friend will care enough about your spiritual condition to tell you the truth. The Bible says, “wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy” (Proverbs 27:6)

Question of the day: DO YOU HAVE A GOOD CHRISTIAN FRIEND? DO YOU FEEL INSPIRED BY THAT PERSON? DOES THIS PERSON HELP YOU WHEN YOU ARE BEING CHALLENGED BY THE TEMPTER? DOES THIS PERSON LEAD BY EXAMPLE?

A true Christian friend is humble. If you fall spiritually, a friend who is a strong Christian can be counted upon to help restore you without spreading rumors. That is because this friend realizes that he or she is just as susceptible to sin as you are.

A true Christian friend will help carry your burdens. She/he will weep with you when you weep and rejoice with you when you rejoice (see Romans 12:15). Having a friend who is a strong Christian is not just a benefit—it is a necessity!

OBSTACLES IN YOUR JOURNEY

2010-03-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

UNFORGIVENESS. In Mark 11:25, Jesus says, “but when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too”. If you are harboring a grudge against someone right now, your prayer life will suffer. Get rid of that root of bitterness before it destroys you and those around you. If you don’t release it, you will be sinning, and that sin will hinder your prayers.

UNCONFESSED SIN. Psalm 66:18 says, “if I had not confessed the sins of my heart, my Lord would not have listened.” If you feel like your prayers are going unanswered, you may want to consider whether you are harboring some unconfessed sin in your life. Maybe you are committing a sin right now that you do not even categorize as a sin because “everybody is doing it”. Yet, if the Bible characterizes that activity as sin, then it is.

If you can identify with any of the problems listed above, confess your sins to God and turn away from that attitude or activity. Once that obstacle is removed, you will again see God working through your prayers.

OFF AND RUNNING

2010-03-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

MAKE SURE YOUR FRIENDSHIPS HONOR GOD—read 1 John 1:7

What is the key to having a friendship that honors God? First, make sure that you are walking in obedience to God, “living in the light of God’s presence”. If you are not committed to obeying God, then you will probably make friends with those who also lack this commitment. Any relationship that does not encourage you to live obediently to God and entices you to sin, dishonors God.

On the other hand, if you are committed to obeying God, you will seek out friends who are also committed to Him. As you walk with those who share the same love for the Lord as you have, you will be filled with joy and have greater impetus to keep from sinning. And your friendships will honor God.

PRAYER ALLOWS US TO VOICE OUR REQUESTS TO GOD

2010-03-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

Read James 4:2-3

There may come a time in your life when you wonder why you are not growing in your faith. Or you might wonder why you don’t ever have the opportunity to lead others to Christ. When you ask yourself these kinds of questions, you may be able to answer them with another question: Have I asked God to help me in this area?

Understand that this passage does not advocate that you “demand” things from God as though he were some “cosmic butler” prepared to answer your every beck and call. Yet it is equally wrong to fail to ask Him to help meet your needs or to bless your life and spiritually strengthen you. God wants to bless you because you are his child.

Take a moment to look at your own spiritual progress. Do you want the Lord to show you what your gifts and talents are? God wants to bless you, but He may be just waiting for your invitation to do so.

TRIALS TEST OUR FOUNDATION

2010-03-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

Read Luke 6:48-49The Faulty(or Nonexistent) Foundation. The person who builds upon this foundation is known as the “hearer”. This individual may be quick to read, listen or talk about what Jesus has to say in his Word, but will fail to apply those teachings to his or her own life. When the storms of life come, and they will come, this person will be spiritually weakened and will likely “throw in the towel” on his or her faith because he or she does not have a good foothold.

The Rock Solid Foundation. The person who builds upon this foundation is known as a “doer”. This individual does not only listen to Jesus’ teachings, but follows them in his or her day-to-day life. Such a person will be able to withstand even the most devastating tempest because he or she is grounded in the teachings of the Lord.

WHICH PERSON ARE YOU?

WHAT IS FIBROMYALGIA?

2010-03-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Fibromyalgia is a widely misunderstood and sometimes misdiagnosed chronic condition, commonly characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, concentration issues, and sleep problems. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, it affects an estimated 10 million people, mainly women, in the United States alone. The severity of fibromyalgia symptoms can vary from one person to the next and may fluctuate even in a single individual, depending on such factors as time of day or the weather. Because it is a chronic condition, in most cases fibromyalgia symptoms never disappear entirely. The good news is that fibromyalgia isn't progressive or life-threatening, and treatments can help alleviate many symptoms.

Fibromyalgia: The Symptoms

The symptoms of fibromyalgia and their severity vary widely, although pain and fatigue are nearly always present. Major symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

Pain. Some fibromyalgia patients report discomfort in one or more specific areas of their body, while others may experience overall pain in their muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Certain areas, such as the back of the head, upper back and neck, elbows, hips, and knees may be particularly sensitive and are described clinically as tender points. The degree and type of pain can range from aching, tenderness, and throbbing to sharper shooting and stabbing sensations. Intense burning, numbness, and tingling may also be present.

Fatigue. If you've ever been knocked off your feet by a bad case of the flu, you have a general idea of how tired some people with fibromyalgia can feel. Though some fibromyalgia patients experience only mild fatigue, many report feeling completely drained of energy, both physically and mentally, to the point that exhaustion interferes with all daily activities.

Memory problems. Difficulty concentrating and remembering are common cognitive symptoms in people with fibromyalgia.

Sleep disturbances. Research has shown that the deepest stages of sleep in patients with fibromyalgia are constantly interrupted by bursts of brain activity, causing feelings of exhaustion even after a seemingly good night's rest. Other problems such as sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome are also common among fibromyalgia sufferers.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of IBS, including diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and bloating, are present in many people with fibromyalgia.

Other common symptoms

Headaches, migraines, and facial pain
Depression, anxiety, or mood changes
Painful menstrual periods
Dizziness
Dry mouth, eyes, and skin
Heightened sensitivity to noise, odors, bright lights, and touch
Symptom Triggers

The following factors can worsen the symptoms of fibromyalgia:

Changes in weather (too cold or too humid)
Too much or too little exercise
Too much or too little rest
Stress and anxiety
Depression
Some patients also report that pain and stiffness are worse in the morning.

Causes of Fibromyalgia

While the exact cause of fibromyalgia remains a mystery, doctors do know that patients with the disorder experience an increased sensation of pain due to a glitch in the central nervous system's processing of pain information. Studies have shown that people with fibromyalgia also have certain physiological abnormalities, such as elevated levels of a chemical in the spinal cord that helps transmit pain signals (thus amplifying, or "turning up," the signals in the brain's pain-processing areas).

In some cases, an injury or trauma, especially to the spinal region, or a bacterial or viral illness, may precede a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, which has caused researchers to speculate that these infections may be triggers as well.

Fibromyalgia Risk Factors

A number of factors can increase the odds that you may develop fibromyalgia. These include:

Gender. Fibromyalgia is more common among women than men.

Age. Symptoms usually appear during middle age, but can also manifest in children and older adults.

History of rheumatic disease. People who have been diagnosed with a rheumatic disorder — conditions affecting the heart, bones, joints, kidney, skin, and lungs — such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and lupus are at increased risk of also developing fibromyalgia.

Family history. Having a relative who suffers from fibromyalgia puts you at increased risk.

Sleep problems. Doctors aren't sure whether sleep disturbances are a cause or a symptom of fibromyalgia — but sleep disorders, including restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea have been cited as possible fibromyalgia triggers.

When to Seek Help for Fibromyalgia

If you experience pain in your muscles that lasts for several months and is accompanied by significant fatigue, see your doctor. If you experience pain in your muscles that lasts for several months and is accompanied by significant fatigue, see your doctor. For more information, check out these Web sites:

National Fibromyalgia Association
American College of Rheumatology
Fibromyalgia Network
Mayo Clinic
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

-Katherine Lee, Everyday Health

SALADS: ARE THEY ALWAYS GOOD FOR YOU?

2010-03-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

When given the choice at your favorite restaurant, a salad may seem like the best selection for your health and waistline. But unless it is made with fresh, dark greens and free from artery-clogging cheese or dressing, the decision may not be so simple.
ShopSmart, the best-buys magazine from the publisher of Consumer Reports, recently put 20 chicken-based salads from eight popular restaurants to the test and revealed the nine healthiest salads to order when dining out:

1. Panera Bread's BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad, with mild BBQ sauce, no dressing (350 calories)

2. On the Border's Citrus Chipotle Chicken Salad, with Mango Citrus Vinaigrette (290 calories)

3. Panera Bread's Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, with crispy wonton strips and almonds, no dressing (320 calories)

4. Panera Bread's Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, with pecans, no dressing (370 calories)

5. Wendy's Chicken Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Fillet, with home-style garlic croutons, no dressing (240 calories)

6. Olive Garden's Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, without Caesar dressing (430 calories)

7. McDonald's Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken, without Creamy Southwest dressing (320 calories)

8. Burger King's Tendergril Chicken Garden Salad, without ranch dressing (270 calories)

9. Sonic's Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad, without ranch dressing (312 calories)

Do you notice a trend in the top-rated salads? Most of the calorie counts are given without the dressings, which are often extremely calorie-laden. It doesn't mean you have to go without the rich flavor of dressing all together -- simply ask for the dressing on the side and go easy when you drizzle it on, or ask for oil and vinegar and go light on the oil.

Shocking Salad Alert! ShopSmart warns also salad lovers in their April issue to beware of the two worst salads they found: Chili's Grilled BBQ Chicken Salad and Chilli's Quesadilla Explosion Salad. With barbecue sauce and ranch dressing, the Grilled BBQ Chicken Salad packs in 1,060 calories -- nearly half of your allotted calories for the day. And the Quesadilla Explosion Salad? Even worse with a whopping 1,400 calories!

Even if you're not eating nearly a day's worth of calories with your restaurant salad, there's nothing better than getting creative with your salad bowl home. ShopSmart suggests using a good quality oil for homemade dressings and mixing in fresh fruit juice.

You can also swap out mayo for pureed avocados or low-fat yogurt. Think outside the bowl, too. A dollop of spicy mustard or chili can add a brand new flavor -- no dressing needed. You can also add in whole grains like brown rice or chunks of lean meat, canned tuna or beans for a heartier salad that feels more like a meal

THE END OF MY ROPE

2010-03-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

As a registered dietician, Teresa had all the facts about how to eat right. It wasn’t until she walked into a Weight Watchers meeting that she realized knowing the facts doesn’t mean you have all the tools to lose weight on your own.
The hardest thing I've ever done, other than losing weight, was walking into a Weight Watchers meeting. You see, I am a registered dietitian. I spend my days telling people how to eat right to achieve optimal health. Going to a meeting and having to admit that I had a problem was embarrassing to me.

At the end of my rope and feeling like a failure both personally and professionally, I went to visit my doctor. When I asked her to sign a consent form for a different weight-loss program, thankfully, she refused. At that time, my blood pressure was very high and we were both concerned with the sodium content in the packaged meals recommended by the program.

Hope fading
Having been overweight my whole adult life and feeling that my last hope was slipping away, I started to cry. She looked at me and said, "Teresa, you are a smart woman who knows how to eat right, and I have faith that you will figure out a solution to this problem."

When I showed up at home with eyes blackened by mascara from crying, my husband looked at me and said, "Why don’t you go to Weight Watchers?" He pointed out that losing weight had never been my problem, but keeping it off was. He had seen my dramatic weight losses and gains over the years and encouraged me to finally go to a place where people would be speaking in the "same language" as me. He felt that at Weight Watchers I would find an open dialogue about healthy eating habits and the support to maintain them.

Consistency is the key
The next week I walked into my first Weight Watchers meeting and started following the POINTS® Weight-Loss System. I am a testament to the value of consistently attending weekly meetings. I was at my meeting on the day after Thanksgiving, two days before Christmas, two days before my birthday and every week in between.

I purchased a Monthly Pass and loved the fact that I didn’t have to worry about paying each week. It made me feel more committed to go to my weekly meeting when I was tempted not to. I used my eTools subscription to help me stay connected to the plan in between my meetings. I especially loved the Recipe Builder for lightening favorite recipes and relied heavily on the Community for midweek inspiration! I also attribute my weight loss and maintenance directly to the support of my Leader as well as the support and camaraderie that I received at my meetings each week.

As I look back, I realize that the piece of the puzzle that had always been missing in my weight battle was the feeling of sharing my struggles with a group of like-minded people. I always isolated myself, feeling shame for my situation rather than asking for and taking the help I needed.

Fabulous at 50
I love the fact that I turned 50 this year and wore a bikini to the beach. I haven't worn one since I was 18 years old! Even better is knowing that I am an inspiration to my entire family, my profession and my clients. I give hope to some when they thought there was none, and that gives me the biggest thrill of all.

Teresa’s tips
Don’t wait for life to give you the right conditions to lose the weight. It will never happen. Start now, work through the challenges and stay committed to your goals
Make use of the meetings and the friends from those meetings because they will pick you up and dust you off when you fall
Create a strong catalog of meals you love to eat. Eat only what you truly love and the plan will be a joy
Should you decide to give the plan a try, give it everything you’ve got

3 WAYS TO PREVENT BREAST CANCER

2010-03-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Want to reduce your risk of breast cancer? These simple lifestyle guidelines may help.

Although more studies need to be done, research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and staying active can help reduce the risk of breast cancer — either for the first time or as a recurrence.

Maintain a healthy weight
It goes without saying that weight plays a role in helping you stay healthy, but it may also affect your risk for breast cancer. There is substantial evidence to support the theory that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. In fact, a 2006 study involving more than 87,000 female nurses showed that weight gain during adulthood (e.g. 20s, 30s, 40s) is a strong risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer.
Read the article below

The good news though is that maintaining a healthy weight through the years, along with losing weight (if overweight) after menopause, can do a lot to lower your risk.

Eat a healthy diet
Maintaining an overall healthy diet not only offers your body the energy and nutrition it needs to function, it also offers health benefits.

Several studies suggest that a healthy diet may play a role in reducing the risk of breast cancer. For example: •A low-fat diet may help reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. In a 2005 study, women with a history of breast cancer who got only about 25 percent of their daily calories from fat had a lower risk of the cancer coming back.
•In 2006, the Women's Health Initiative Trial suggested that a low-fat diet may reduce the risk of first-time breast cancer for women whose diets are very high in fat to begin with.
•A 2007 National Cancer Institute study of middle-age women, who ate a wide range of fat, showed that a high-fat diet raises the risk of developing invasive breast cancer.
•Women who eat a lot of meat, particularly red or processed meats, may be more likely to develop breast cancer, according to a large study of British women published in April 2007.
Stay active
Besides giving you more energy and helping you lose weight, physical activity also can help lower a woman's breast cancer risk. Two studies completed in February 2007 confirmed that six or more hours of activity each week can reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer for most women.

Changing your diet, losing weight and starting or ramping up your exercise routine can be hard. But with information, support and practical tips on how to make the changes, you can begin working toward a healthy weight that will help your body stay strong and healthy.

Marisa Weiss, MD, is president and founder of breastcancer.org. Visit the "Lower Your Risk" section at breastcancer.org to learn more about breast cancer risk.

ST. PATRICKS DAY RECIPES

2010-03-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Red Potatoes

POINTS® Value: 8
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 55 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Works with Simply Filling

No reason to dodge this Irish favorite on St. Patrick's Day: Simply choose lean beef round and boil it in a very well-flavored broth.

Ingredients

1 pound(s) lean beef round
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp yellow mustard seed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander seed(s)
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 piece(s) bay leaf
8 small uncooked red potato(es), halved
16 baby carrot(s)
1 medium head(s) green cabbage, coarsely shredded

Instructions
Coat beef all over with salt and pepper and place in a large stockpot; pour enough water into pot to cover beef. Add seasonings and bay leaves and stir to coat meat; set pot over high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 40 minutes.

Add potatoes, carrots and cabbage and increase heat to medium-high; return to a boil. Partially cover pot and boil, until vegetables and beef are fork-tender, about 10 minutes more. Drain water from meat and vegetables, reserving 1 cup of liquid; discard bay leaves.

Thinly slice meat against the grain and serve with vegetables. Pour some reserved cooking liquid over each serving. Yields about 3 ounces of meat, 1 1/2 cups of vegetables and 1/4 cup of cooking liquid per serving.

Classic Shepherd's Pie

Was POINTS® Value: 9
Now POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 42 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Seasoned meat and vegetables are nestled under creamy mashed potatoes and then baked to form a sensational, savory pie.

Ingredients

2 large potato(es), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
2 medium carrot(s), diced
2 medium stalk(s) celery, diced
1 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cup(s) canned chicken broth, or beef broth

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Chef Tips
We renovated Shepherd's Pie by:
Using naturally lean turkey breast instead of fattier lamb or beef.

Swapping nonfat sour cream for most of the butter in the mashed potato topping.

Adding reduced-calorie margarine, instead of butter, to the mashed potatoes.

5 WAYS WORKING OUT CAN BENEFIT YOUR SKIN

2010-03-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

You know how great you feel after a tough workout — a long run, bike, exercise machines, or a good game of tennis. Though you're sweaty and exhausted, you notice the exhilaration shows in your glowing skin. Your skin is flushed from more than that healthy sweat you just worked up — exercise can really improve your overall skin health and quality. Exercise offers a number of benefits for your skin, and should be considered an important part of any skin care regimen. So add a vibrant complexion to good health and a toned body when you reviewing your reasons for getting in a daily workout.

5 Ways Working Out Benefits Your Skin

Beyond heart health and bone building, exercise has a positive effect on your skin’s appearance, too. Here’s why:

1.Exercise makes you sweat. Sweat purges your body of toxins that can clog pores and plague your skin with pimples and blemishes. "The body only has so many mechanisms to rid itself of toxins — the kidneys, the liver, and the skin," says Sandra M. Johnson, MD, a dermatologist with Johnson Dermatology in Fort Smith, Ark. "Exercise increases blood flow to the skin, increases neuronal stimulation, and allows the sweat glands to increase their functions and rid the toxins." Once you sweat out those toxins, it's important to wash them off — you don't want to leave them sitting on your skin. Always shower after a workout to prevent bacterial or fungal infections that may occur from dirt clogging up your pores.

2.Exercise tones your muscles. The more toned you are beneath your skin, the healthier your skin will look and feel. The stronger and firmer your muscles are, says Johnson, the more support your skin will have, and the more firm and elastic it will appear. Toning your muscles may also help to minimize the appearance of cellulite, the dimply fat that often strikes thighs and buttocks. You can't exercise cellulite away, but you can help it look better.

3.Exercise boosts oxygen and blood flow to the skin. Studies have shown that regular exercise boosts blood flow enough in type 2 diabetics to help reduce the risk of skin problems that lead to amputation. Exercise gets the blood flowing, and that increased blood flow carries more oxygen to the skin. The boost in blood flow and oxygen to the skin cells also carries nutrients that improve skin health, supporting all the effort you make with moisturizers and other skin care products on the skin surface.

4.Exercise eases stress. Exercise has long been known as a great way to relieve stress. Those mind-body benefits may extend to your complexion. Though studies are small, some show that stress may worsen, if not actually trigger, acne. Stress may also trigger flare-ups of psoriasis. It’s known to boost hormone production and suppress the body's ability to heal, but regular workouts can keep stress — and possibly hard-to-manage skin conditions — under control. When you’re feeling tense, let exercise keep any frown lines at bay, too.

5.Exercise gives your complexion a beautiful, natural glow. When you exercise, your skin begins to produce more of its natural oils that help skin look supple and healthy. While that can naturally moisturize skin, remember to cleanse your face gently as part of your skin care routine when you shower to prevent any breakouts.

Make exercise your secret skin care ingredient for a young, healthier, and smoother complexion.

Diana Rodriguez and Dr. Pat Bass for Everyday Health

EFFORT

2010-03-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

One of the prime ingredients of success, no matter what your goal may be, is effort. By definition, effort is defined as “a conscious exertion of power” and “hard work.” It's at the heart of all achievements both great and small. As Thomas Edison once said, Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. There’s often a bit of luck involved too, but only those that have laid the structural groundwork are truly ready to take advantage when lady luck knocks on their door.

Today I want you to think about effort in a personal way. Think about the most important goal you have before you and then answer the following question: On a scale from 0%-100%, how much honest effort are you putting into this coveted goal? If you’re like most, you’re probably not investing anywhere near the amount of effort that it’s going to take. So, if you find yourself lower on the effort scale than you like, why not make today the day you pump up the volume?

Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare

WHY ISN'T MY WORKOUT WORKING?

2010-03-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

You work out - a lot - and you've always seen results. So what's with the sudden stall in your weight loss?

Your four-times-a-week fitness routine used to leave you huffing and puffing, sore for days and steadily dropping pounds. But four months later you're barely breaking a sweat, you can't detect the slightest "ouch" in your calves—and worst of all, the scale has been stuck on the same three digits for weeks! So why did your workout stop working?

According to Richard Cotton, an executive wellness coach and former VP of the American Council on Exercise, it's because your exercise routine has become just that—routine. "With repeated, regular exercise, our bodies become very efficient at whatever it is they've been doing—which is a great thing if you're running a marathon and trying to conserve calories—but not if you're on a walk around the block trying to burn them."

So what should you do when you're too good at your workout? Here are some tips:

Pick up (then slow down) the pace.
On your evening walks, instead of breezing past the Smiths' mailbox, zigzagging through the park, and making it back to your front door in 45 minutes flat—like always—try adding intervals. "Pick a point one or two blocks ahead and walk briskly until you reach it, then walk it off until you catch your breath, then repeat," suggests Cotton. The work intervals (or brisk walking) will stimulate the body at a level that it's not accustomed to.

Change your routine. Then change it again.
Have three or four fitness routines, and rotate between them every four to six weeks, suggests Karen Merrill, MS, a personal trainer in Traverse City, Mich. For example, "If Tuesday is typically 'chest and back day' switch it to 'back and biceps day' for a while." (Just be sure your routine includes cardio, strength training and flexibility.)

For a new take on your biceps curl session, try standing on a balance board while you're lifting weights to strengthen your core. And if the treadmill feels like your home away from home, try the rowing or elliptical machine, says Merrill.

Nothing ventured...
"An inexperienced swimmer will exert a lot more energy and burn a lot more calories treading water in a pool than a swimming pro," says Cotton. So find something you don't know how to do—and give it a go! Get into that yoga class you've had your eye on (even if you hide in the back row), or get a trainer to show you how to use some of those gym machines that look oh-so-daunting. But if you really must stick with your regular run, take it outside, on a trail or along the beach. Not only will the difference in terrain jump-start your jog, but getting in touch with nature might be just what the fitness-plateau doctor ordered.

-Michelle Olson, Weight Watchers

POWERING THROUGH PLATEAUS

2010-03-08T07:38:00.000-08:00

It's a phenomenon familiar to most people who've tried to shed excess pounds: You're close to your weight-loss goal, and suddenly the numbers on the scale refuse to budge.

You've hit a weight-loss plateau, and you're wondering what's causing the stall. Is there something you're doing (possibly unwittingly) to sabotage your own efforts? Or is it an inevitable physiological part of the weight-loss process?
The answer probably lies somewhere in between.

Ain't Misbehavin'?
As much as we may not like to believe it, our actions are probably at the root of most weight-loss plateaus. "Probably about 90 percent of our plateaus are due to 'loosening up,' meaning the half-hour walk, seven days a week becomes a 20-minute walk, four days a week," says Weight Watchers' chief scientist, Karen Miller-Kovach, MS, RD. "It's the little relaxing that does people in."

Before you start berating yourself, give yourself a break. Recognize that you may have gotten a little too comfortable with aspects of the program. But you can still keep moving toward your weight goal. Simply reaffirm your commitment to your weight-loss plan, and move forward. Try a new recipe, eat more fruits and veggies, or add some jogging intervals to your daily walk. By mixing up your routine, eating and exercise will be fresh and enjoyable again.

The Body at Work
Although less-than-faithful adherence to an eating and exercise plan is usually the culprit of a plateau, there are times when something going on within the body is causing the pounds to hang on.

According to Michael Lowe, PhD, professor of clinical and health psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia, about one-quarter of the weight you lose is actually lean tissue. Lean-tissue loss means you burn fewer calories. "This effect is relatively minor, but combined with other factors, it can contribute to a plateau," Lowe says.

Lowe also points out that because pounds shed in the first few weeks of weight loss tend to be made up of about half water, people are often fooled into thinking they are reaching a plateau when, in fact, they're really just approaching a normal (read: slower) rate of weight loss.

Five Ways to Tip the Scale
The good news: Whether the cause is behavioral, physiological or both, there are steps you can take to move past a plateau. First, strengthen your resolve to keep losing, then:

1. Increase your physical activity.
This may be the best way to get the weight off, according to experts. Look for simple ways to get more activity in: Take the family (or the dog) for an afternoon walk. Park the car farther away, or get off the bus a stop or two away from your destination.

2. Eat right and write.
Research has shown that people routinely underestimate the number of calories they consume daily. Keep track of what you eat. Enjoy seeing that you've stayed within your POINTS® range for the day.

3. Eat fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables are loaded with a variety of vitamin and minerals and are typically low in calories. Including them at meal time will help keep you satisfied and contribute to your health.

4. Spice things up.
Forgo your usual turkey on rye for a more exotic water-packed tuna with dill and lemon juice on toasted pita bread. This might stimulate your taste buds enough to keep you satisfied.

5. Get busy.
Join an after-work volleyball league, attend art openings or just chase your kids around outside. The less you're in the kitchen, the less tempted you'll be to eat.

-Laurie Greenwald Saloman, Weight Watchers

LENT: NOT LIKE IT WAS IN THE "GOOD OLD DAYS"

2010-03-07T11:50:00.001-08:00

Third Sunday of Lent (C)
March 7, 2010

Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15
Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11
1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12
Lk 13:1-9

It's true, the Lenten fasting rules are not what they were in the memory and experience of many older Catholics. The emphasis today in our Lenten observance has shifted somewhat. We stress the "baptismal" character of Lent. It's a time when we re-affirm our Christian identity, and support those preparing for Baptism. Repentance is still a Lenten focus, and today those two themes come together in our Scriptures.

Take a cue from St. Paul, who creatively retells the story of the Israelites in the desert, to remind the Corinthians that being baptized means a life of repentance. A Christian is to live differently, to constantly have a spirit of conversion.

It's a theme Jesus picks up in the Gospel, correcting popular notions about why bad things happen to good people. All of us, Jesus says, must be "reform-minded." God doesn't single out anyone by sending tragedies or natural disasters. We all have opportunities—not unlimited, of course—but opportunities nonetheless, to turn from sin and accept God's love. It's what Baptism commits us to do.

Father Greg Friedman with the "Sunday Soundbite", St. Anthony Messenger Press

GETTING PORTION SIZES BACK UNDER CONTROL

2010-03-07T11:47:00.000-08:00

Over one-third of U.S. adults — that's more than 72 million people — are now considered obese. What we eat certainly contributes to America's obesity epidemic, but how much we eat and our lack of portion control may be even more important factors. The bottom line: We are eating too much!

With free soda refills and supersized French fries lurking around every corner, it's no wonder we have trouble controlling how much we eat. But if you want to control your weight, you must exhibit portion control.

What Is Portion Control?
A portion is just another word for the serving or amount of a food. The actual serving size of any given food you eat, whether you make it at home or order it in a restaurant, may be many times the portion amount suggested by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. That means you may easily be eating more calories than you think and more than you need to maintain a healthy weight. Too much of any food, even if you're eating a diet of only healthy food, can cause weight gain.

Portion control means knowing the size of an average portion of common foods and, to avoid gaining weight, making sure that your portions don't add up to more food than you need to eat every day. "Portion sizes will determine the calorie content of a meal. The more you eat, the more calories you consume," says Joan Salge Blake, RD, clinical associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Boston University in Boston, Mass. "When trying to maintain a healthy weight, you need to make sure that you don't consume more calories daily than you need."

Portion Control: Sizing Up Total Daily Portions
According to the USDA, current daily recommendations for a 2,000-calorie diet include:

5 1/2 ounces of lean meat or 1 1/4 cups cooked beans
2 1/2 cups of vegetables
2 cups of fruit
3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk or the equivalent dairy products
3+ ounces of whole-grain products
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Keep in mind these are the total amounts of food from the major food groups eaten per day, not per meal, and plan accordingly. If you eat a small steak or a large chicken breast at a meal, you may have all the meat you need for the entire day. Also, a 2,000-calorie diet isn't appropriate for everyone; that may be too much for you. How many calories you need to consume per day depends on your existing weight, height, and how active you are. To find out how many calories per day you need, visit the USDA's food pyramid Web site to get a more personalized breakdown of portion sizes right for you.

Portion Control: Recognizing Portion Sizes
It's not practical to think that you can weigh every food you put on your plate. What you can do, however, is learn to recognize what key portion sizes look like, so help you know the right amount to serve yourself or eat at a restaurant.

Use the same size plates and bowls at each meal so that you can get use to what proper portion sizes look like on each dish.
Develop visual cues by matching portion sizes to familiar items.
A three-ounce serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards or a bar of soap.
A medium potato is about equal to a computer mouse.
A half-cup of rice would just about fill a regular-sized cupcake wrapper.
One ounce of cheese is about the size of four dice.
Sandwich meat should be equivalent to the thickness of one standard slice of whole wheat bread. Vegetables should be twice the thickness of the meat.
Eyeball food portions based on the amount of room they take up on a dinner plate. For example, on an 8- to 10-inch plate, half of the plate should be covered with vegetables, one-quarter with a starch like rice or a potato, and one-quarter with a protein. The plate should not be overflowing and you should see some of the plate between the servings.

Portion Control When Eating Out
Controlling portion size when eating out can be a challenge because, in general, restaurant servings are considerably bigger than recommended portion sizes.

"Depending on the fat and water content of different foods, you could eat twice as much as you think or half as much [when eating out]. Also, it depends on the size of the plate, how much cheese is hidden inside the dish and so on," says Susan B. Roberts, PhD, professor in the nutrition and psychiatry departments at Tufts University in Boston and author of The Instinct Diet (Workman). "Even people with a PhD in nutrition like me can't really guess from looking at a plate of food we didn't cook how many calories it has in it!"

However, there are ways to manage portion size when eating out. Lona Sandon, RD, assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas offers these tips:

Choose from the children's menu, if the restaurant lets you. "Just because it says 12 and under does not mean you cannot order from it," says Sandon.
Have an appetizer or salad for your entrée.
Order a la carte from the side items on the menu rather than a main dish.
Request lunch portion sizes at dinner, since lunch portions are generally smaller.
Ask to have a to-go box brought with your meal and before you start eating, put half of what is on your plate in the box to take home for another meal. This is particularly good to do with deli sandwiches, which are almost always twice the size a person needs, says Sandon.
With careful portion control you can have your cake and eat it, too. Just be sure to do it in moderation!

-Kristen Stewart (reviewed by Dr. Pat Bass) for EverydayHealth.com

REALISTIC GOALS

2010-03-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

a. Have you set REALISTIC goals for yourself? I say realistic because I personally would love to weigh 115lbs, but that’s not realistic. I’m not 20 years old anymore and my body is completely changed from when I was 20. I probably should add, I never weighed 115lbs except when I was passing that number on to bigger numbers. When I was on WW in my 20’s, and weighed 160lbs after my third baby was born, my goal was this. Instead of looking at needing to lose 40lbs., I pretended I only needed to lose 10. I worked in ten pound increments. It was so much easier mentally and much easier to get to my true goal of 125 by doing it this way instead of looking at the BIG (literally big) picture. It really worked for me. I did that with clothing sizes as well. I started wearing size 16 clothes after Jeff was born, and worked my way down to size 6. My goal was to go down one dress size at a time, not go from size 16 to size 6 because that thought was overwhelming and very depressing. When I started my goal was to go from 160lbs. to 150lbs., and from dress size 16 to size 14. Once I met the Pretend goal, I would do it all over again, now at 150-140, and dress size from 14-12 and so on. Today at my present age, I am shy of my goal weight only by a pound or two but most importantly I still wear size 6 clothes and sometimes size 4. The other goal I set for myself was once I was out of the BIG sizes, they were out of my closet—for good. I have gained a few pounds here and there over the years, but as a lifetime WW, I can still go and weigh in whenever I choose and don’t have to pay because it’s free to lifetime members as long as you never exceed your goal weight (125) by more than 2 lbs. For me, I have achieved my goal by challenging my mind a different way. My REALISTIC goal today is this—be able to grab anything hanging in my closet and zip it up/button it w/o difficulty. I don’t want to wear anything that is tight or snug, but the way it fit when I purchased it. Secondly, I want to wear a bathing suit this summer and not have to mad dash from the ocean or pool back to my chair to sit and hope no one was watching the lady with all the jiggles. What ways can you challenge your mind to have successful results that are pleasing to you?
b. To reach our goals, we must do the following—eat properly and work out daily. The combination of these two will allow us to achieve our goals. Do you track your points daily? Do you track your activity points daily? Do you use your flex points daily or on special occasions only? For the working woman, it’s a good idea to plan ahead, around 4 a.m. is a good time (just kidding) and decide what you may want to have for dinner before you have to go home at the end of the day. Sometimes if I’ve had a long, stressful day and didn’t plan dinner, it’s so easy to say let’s eat out (which can lead to trouble—which we will discuss later) or settle for something that isn’t quite on the program. A big suggestion---use Flex Points and Activity Points ONLY when you are close to your goal or have a special occasion in which you want to splurge. I have found when I really want to bring the numbers down on the scale, if I eliminate the FP and AP, I can achieve this goal. I use them, happily, when I am at a special occasion and want that piece of cake or chocolate candy.
c. Do you feel you must deprive yourself to achieve your goal? If the answer is yes, it’s wrong. You can always, and at any time, go to your FP and AP to eat that special “treat” and be within the realm of the program. When you feel so deprived that you can’t stand it, you tend to go overboard and over-indulge like never before. Don’t wait for that to happen. Give yourself the treat your body craves, but within reason. Remember, on WW you can always eat whatever you want—so long as you are within your points range.
d. Rest and sleep—are you getting plenty of this? I’m one to talk since sleeping is so hard for me at times, but if you are one of the lucky ones that don’t have a problem with sleeping great. It’s imperative to rest our minds and our bodies regularly.
e. Water—do you drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water or other fluids per day? Our bodies require a minimum of eight glasses of FLUID per day, not necessarily water. That is a myth that water is the only source of fluid we need; although it is the best, it’s not the only means of fluid we can get. HOWEVER, do not drink more than one soda (sugar free) per day under any circumstances. Try to limit your caffeine intake to no more than 3 glasses per day, including your sodas. CK and I drink regularly VitaRain, flavored waters from Costco while we workout. I love them and highly recommend everyone trying these out in the event you don’t like drinking water.
f. Measuring—did you originally measure your body all over? If you didn’t you may have caused a big disservice to your ego. Sometimes the numbers don’t go down on the scale, but the inches do. If you haven’t measured yourself before, do it now and check again in one month. You may be pleasantly surprised that these numbers are the ones that really make the difference. Remember, when you really are serious about staying in shape, get RID of all the clothes you have outgrown. Do NOT be tempted to grow back into them.
g. SALADS—I use to think that eating a salad meant I was eating healthy, not that is always true. Typically the salad ingredients are low in calorie, however, the dressing may be so fattening that it would have been better to eat a chicken sandwich instead. WW taught us this about salad dressings—get what you want ON THE SIDE and make certain that on the side this is a SMALL AMOUNT. Dip your fork in the dressing and sprinkle it over your salad. That reduces the amount of consumption, keeping the salad healthy and low in points as well as calories.
h. EATING OUT—this can be good or bad depending on how well we plan our day. If it’s spontaneous, it may be bad, but if it’s planned it should be a good thing. I consider it a treat of some sort. I am very careful to not choose Italian or Mexican restaurants because they tend to offer more pastas and starchy type foods that I cannot have anyways. I have food allergies and I avoid gluten items as much as possible. It’s hard to eat out because of this but more and more restaurants are aware of this as a problem and are offering good resolutions to allergy prone appetites. This may be a good time to consider using some flex points or activity points to give you that certain “treat” you have worked hard for. As I have already said, it’s good to reward or treat ourselves periodically because we tend to get it out of our systems and stay more dedicated to keeping on track. My own personal experience is once I get a “chocolate” thought in my head I can’t remove it. If I ponder on that thought for a week or so, I tend to “splurge”a lot more than I should have. However, if I use Sunday as a “treat day” (and not every Sunday) I tend to have a treat or two and then come Monday morning, I’m back on track again. I have also found that by participating in cardio tennis, the amount of calories burned, I have had those “splurge days” but I am not gaining any weight. Give CARDIO TENNIS a try!!

Remember, don't panic when you plateau or the weight loss seems to have stalled. You may have to kick up your workouts a notch or change a bit on your diet. Be patient with yourself. Weightloss is a journey and takes times and patience. Be gentle with yourself. YOU CAN SUCCEED!

MEET, GREET, AND EAT

2010-03-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

TIME TO RECONNECT: March 9, 2010 --bring a sack lunch and plan to meet at Orcutt Community Park from 12:00 -1:00

PURPOSE: Crank it up a notch--we've all done well the first 6 weeks, but I think it's time to hear some pep talks and words of wisdom to keep us all moving forward.

ITEMS TO DISCUSS:

Ultimate Goals;
Share meal planning;
What desserts are your favorites;
Discuss low point foods;
Food tracker- the importance of why we must do this;
Water intake
Measuring--have you taken your measurements, this is a critical part of success of this program. Are your clothes fitting better? IMPORTANT--once you have outgrown a size or two, get rid of those clothes. unless you want to go back to that size, don't be tempted to go backwards. I am constantly getting rid of things that I have outgrown, because I don't want to feel comfortable going backwards.
Activity Points--exercise is a must, daily if possible--rain has been a problem, but we must push thru and find some way of getting exercise. is there anything you do at home, do you have any equipment at home you can use during the rainy season?
Open discussion/questions

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!!

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT: HAVING A PURPOSE IN LIFE

2010-03-03T13:08:00.000-08:00

Second Sunday of Lent (C)
February 28, 2010

Gn 15:5-12, 17-18
Ps 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
Phil 3:17--4:1 or 3:20--4:1
Lk 9:28b-36

Having a purpose in life—it makes all the difference.

Some of us know our life's mission early on: We're committed to a career, family, using our talents in a particular kind of service. Others may take many years to find their path in life. Lent is a time when we re-affirm our Christian mission, no matter what our individual vocations may be. We hear stories this Sunday about mission. Abram is given his role as father of his people. On the mountain of the transfiguration, Jesus appears with two great figures from Hebrew religious history, and Luke tells us Jesus spoke with them of his "passage," his "exodus" which was to come in Jerusalem. Luke undoubtedly wanted his Christian audience to reflect on their mission as well—to undergo the same "passage" from death to new life. In our Christian communities this season, we're preparing with those who will be baptized at Easter. Let's reaffirm our own Christian commitment as we pray and fast with them. We take heart from God's presence with us in the covenant relationship of that Baptismal commitment.

Father Greg Friedman with the "Sunday Soundbite" for St. Anthony Messenger Press

10 REAL-LIFE WAYS TO WORK IN A WORKOUT

2010-03-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

How much is enough? The bottom line is that, to achieve maximal gain, you need to exercise aerobically every day for at least 30 minutes, preferably up to an hour (especially if you need to lose weight). Across the week, your fitness plan should include not only aerobic exercise, but also a routine to maintain your posture (take a yoga class), strength (get in a weight lifting routine), balance (try tai chi), and flexibility (yoga is great for this too). If you don't know, or are having trouble getting going, here are some practical tips to help you get going and stick to one of the most important routines of your life.

1. If you don't have tennis shoes or gym clothes, go to the mall and buy some gear to work out in. If you have the goods, you eliminate one daily excuse for not moving.

2. Pick a time of day that suits you best for exercising (some people can do the 5:30 a.m. routine, others are lunchtime buffs, while others prefer late afternoon or evening workouts). Find the time that works best for you and schedule it in your calendar. And you must schedule it — a five- or ten-minute walk across the parking lot or to the corner store helps, but that's not your workout.

3. Dress for success! Put your gym clothes on and lace up the shoes well before the appointed time to get you in the mood and spirit.

4. Sign up for a class: yoga, dance, aerobic, Pilates, swimming, walking, or stretching. Buy home CDs, DVDs, or videotapes. Anything to get you moving!

5. Choose an activity you enjoy — if you like the water, swim. If you love biking, sign up for a spin class. If you love dancing, take up ballroom dancing. If you adore walking, start a walking club with friends. There are many activities to choose from and if you do something you like, you're more likely to stick with it. While the initial activity may not be ultimately enough aerobic activity, it will get you going, and that's what counts.

6. Pay for it! If you fork over money for a class or gym membership, it will help motivate you to get there, so you don't feel like you're wasting your money.

7. Get a fitness evaluation to help you develop a plan that's suited for you and if you can afford it, consider hiring a trainer to help you keep at it.

8. Find a partner who is at your fitness level and set dates to exercise together. That way, on days you feel like skipping, it will be much harder to do so, as you'll not only be letting yourself down, but a friend too.

9. Vary your activities: mix aerobics, weight lifting, and balance and flexibility sessions throughout the week. It's the basics of keeping fit, but it is also less boring.

10. Discover ways to minimize boredom that comes with the routine: try music, TV programs on fitness machines, podcasts or books or courses on tape to listen to while exercising.

Whatever it takes — get moving! Once you have and you reap the rewards, you'll be so very glad you did. Good luck!