Approaching Thanksgiving

How to balance the enjoyment of the festivities with staying committed to a healthy lifestyle?

The right to savor the abundant and delicious food of the holidays comes along with the responsibility to take advantage of the time off of work and to increase our level of physical activities. Having fun does not mean we have to add 10 pounds to our waistline before the year is over. Here is a simple and doable suggestion:

Start planning a few days before the holidays and budget about an hour (early in the day) to spend exercising. Combining aerobic exercise (walking, biking, hiking, swimming) along with light weights and stretching is best. Then, about half an hour to an hour before  dinner, eat two portions of fresh fruits (a large apple and a banana, an orange or some berries).

Once you have arrived at your feast destination, bypass the ordeuvres and start by filling half of your plate with salads and the other half with lean meat (turkey). Avoid eating in a hurry. After you finish your first plate, allow yourself the freedom to choose anything else you may like, if you are still hungry.

You will be surprised how much more control over your eating you will have and how much more confident and happier you will be at the end of the day.

So, stay true to the spirit of the holidays and enjoy the food and the fellowship without sacrificing your long-term health goals.

Happy Thanksgiving!

12 Health Tips to Live By

Balance is everything: achieving a healthy balanced lifestyle is not difficult if you take it in steps, adding another layer of good healthy habits to the ones you have already conquered. Remember that a healthy balanced diet, regular exercise, and no smoking are the pillars of a healthy lifestyle.

Eating healthy is all about balance. Although the majority of our diet should be made of nutritious foods, every now and then it’s perfectly okay to have a small slice of pizza for lunch or a piece of pie after dinner. After all, treats are a part of life – but it's important to recognize when we're pushing things too far. Indulgent food should be savored, but only occasionally.

1. It’s not just greens; variety is key

When it comes to veggies, eat the rainbow: different colors provide you with a variety of nutrients your body needs to stay strong and healthy! Think orange (for carrots and sweet potatoes), red (for beets) and white (for cauliflower).

2. Cook from scratch

This is one of the essential life skills you should master. It is the only way to get full control over what goes into your food.

3. Balance your diet

Make it your goal to eat a balanced diet that is based primarily on the good carbs (fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains), good fats (olive oil, fish, and unsalted nuts), and lean, low-fat protein (skinless white meat, low-fat dairy, beans, and soy).

4. Understand what you eat

Know where your food comes from. Is your milk produced in a local, organic, dairy farm? Is your beef raised without antibiotics? Peaches from Georgia and lentils from Oregon? Go for them!

5. Avoid empty calories; eat the full ones, instead

Consent only to those calories that provide your body with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, lean protein, and good fats.  Say no to empty calories coming from cookies and desserts. Make every calorie count!

6. Never skip breakfast

Breakfast not only kick-starts your metabolism but it also helps you be awake and alert throughout the day. Always in a hurry? Grab a banana and a coffee before you leave home and have grapes in a plastic container once you arrive at work. An apple around 10.00 am will carry you smoothly to your lunch break.

7. Read the fine print

Reading food packaging correctly is critical. Does the recommended portion size fit your size needs? Don’t forget to focus on the salt, sugar, and saturated fat content.

8. Drink more water

Water should be an essential part of your diet. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding empty calories from sugary beverages like sodas, energy drinks or sugar-containing juices, helps you feel full for longer. Choose to eat your calories; don't drink them.

9. Keep active

Exercise is an extremely important factor in staying healthy so try to be as active as you can. Maximize the time you stand up and walk at work or at home, and minimize the time you sit.   Opt for a combination of aerobic exercise, light weight lifting and stretching exercise at the gym.

10. Get some shut eye

Making sure you get enough sleep (7-9 hours for most of us) is an essential part of being healthy. Solid REM sleep directly affects how well we are able to grow and act in life. While we're asleep, our bodies have the time to repair.

11. No smoking

Smoking  or chewing tobacco or smoking cigars, hookah, vapor, or e-cigarettes,  releases thousands of destructive chemicals into our system, damaging our arteries. Smoking can also cause emphysema and several forms of cancer.

12.If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation

Small amounts of alcohol, that is one alcoholic drink per day for women or one-to-two drinks per day for men (one drink is about 15 gm of alcohol, approximately the amount of alcohol contained in one beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of spirits) is consistent with healthy lifestyle and is good for our health. However, alcohol in larger than recommended quantities becomes a poison for our brain, heart, pancreas and liver and can cause several forms of cancer, depression and is responsible for many deadly motor vehicle accidents. While having one beer per night every day of the week is OK, having seven beers on Saturday is not (even if you don't drink any alcohol for the rest of the week).

Your Mom Was Right ...

when she was advising you to eat your fruits & veggies to grow big & strong.

As reported in the recent State of the Plate report, after a brief rise thru 2009, per capita fruit and vegetable consumption has declined 7% over the past 5 years. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise that we eat a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. According to USDA's dietary guidance system MyPlate, more than half of our plate should be made up of fruits and vegetables. So for a 2,000-calorie diet, eating at least five portions of fresh fruits and veggies (one portion is about the size of a tennis ball) each day is advised.

Benefits of Eating Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables have minimal salt content, helping you keep  your blood pressure low.

As they contain large amounts of fiber and water, fruits and vegetables contain few calories and they  keep you fuller longer, helping you maintain a healthy  weight.

While fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates, they are the good kind (low-glycemic index carbs). These carbs do not stress your pancreas and  reduce your chance of becoming diabetic later in life. Eating these healthy bits helps your body avoid the insulin peaks that  simple sugars (candies, sweets, white bread) cause. Insulin peaks lead to a mild hypoglycemia and hunger pangs an hour and a half after simple carbs are consumed and  that makes you eat again.

Eating veggies and fruits helps your body  fight inflammation and prevent cancer and the buildup of cholesterol plaques in your arteries.

Remember that frozen fruits and vegetables offer similar amounts of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and minerals as their fresh versions.

Explore the rainbow of fruits and vegetable options out there!  Eating from a colorful assortment of vegetables is best, because every color offers its own benefits. The orange color of carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes is due to the antioxidant beta-carotene; the deep red pigment in tomatoes is reflects the antioxidant lycopene, which is linked to prostate health.

While all fruits and vegetables are healthy, here is a short list of some nutrition powerhouses:

Vegetables

Broccoli is rich in phytochemicals with antioxidant properties. It is chock full of fiber, vitamins A and C, and calcium and contains sulforaphane, a compound that can fight cancer.

Carrots are a good source of fiber, which helps to maintain bowel health, lower blood cholesterol, and keep a healthy weight. The orange pigment found in carrots is due to the antioxidant beta-carotene, also found in other deep orange foods such as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, papaya, and cantaloupe. Beta-carotene is converted in the body to vitamin A, essential for healthy eyesight. Vitamin A also supports  your immune system, keeps your skin healthy, and protects against certain cancers.

Spinach is a year-round staple in grocery stores, rich in vitamins and minerals. This super veggie contains iron and potassium, the B-complex vitamin folate as well as vitamins A, K, C. Spinach also contains flavonoids, antioxidants that help against certain cancers and a variety of phytochemicals that boost your immune system.

Sweet Potatoes are full of fiber, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C, as well as the antioxidant beta-carotene and potassium. Be sure to eat them with the skin on, as they are especially nutritious. Contrary to a popular diet myth, sweet potatoes aren’t fattening!

Fruits

Cantaloupe. This melon family member is rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene. It is also rich in potassium, which, by lowering blood pressure, reduces  the risk for stroke.

Citrus fruits are a robust source of vitamin C, potassium, and folate, as well as fiber. Pink grapefruits are especially rich in the antioxidant lycopene. You benefit even more by eating these fruits whole because they yield more nutrients than drinking them as juice.

Avocados are rich in heart-healthy MUFAs (monounsaturated fats), which help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) while raising levels of HDL (good cholesterol). These little powerhouses are also high in vitamin E, a very important  antioxidant.

Grapes. Nibbling on grapes may lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), reduce the risk of blood clots, and prevent damage to your heart's blood vessels. Grapes contain  resveratrol that has  may help prevent cancer.

Healthy Tip

It is best to eat your fruits and vegetables from whole foods. Shop local, choose produce that's in season and don’t forget to go organic whenever you can!