Holiday Food Horrors--- What's Naughty...What's Nice

Hi All!

Hope you and yours enjoyed the Hanukkah and/or Christmas Holidays!---
And now, on to all the New Year festivities and feasting (foods and drinks are of concern here).
So, to guiltlessly and smartly approaching this Season's goodies, WebMD offers the following tips: gems of wisdom based on professional expertise.

READ...ENJOY!... May you and yours experience a New Decade of Good Health, Peace, Physical and financial Security, and many positive events!

Your Friend,

Jacques

-----

‘Tis the season of temptation – and evidence suggests most of us give in. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows the average person puts on a pound during the holidays and never loses it. This adds up to serious weight gain over the years. And for those with high cholesterol or high blood pressure, landmines abound on the dinner table. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid the holiday food trap. See WebMD’s list of foods that are naughty and nice.

Naughty: Turkey Skin.
The skin of turkey and chicken is loaded with saturated fat. Per gram, saturated fats are higher in calories than protein or carbs, and they contribute to high cholesterol. Another no-no is the dark meat, which has more fat per bite than white meat.

Nice: Serve yourself turkey breast or other white meat without the skin.

Naughty: Stuffing
Stuffing is typically loaded with butter and assorted high-fat meats, such as sausage. A single scoop may have up to 550 calories.

Nice: Replace butter with low-sodium chicken broth and skip pork sausage in favor of a low-fat chicken alternative. Or try making wild rice stuffing instead.

Naughty: Buttery Mashed Potatoes
Usually, a lot of milk, butter, and salt go into this classic comfort food. A cup of homemade mashed potatoes made with whole milk and butter has 238 calories.

Nice: Mash the potatoes without milk, butter, or salt. Stir in low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth instead.

Naughty: Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables out there. They’ve got vitamins A and C, plus a dose of calcium and potassium. But they’re often served in a decidedly unhealthy fashion – casseroles made with marshmallows, butter, and loads of sugar.

Nice: How’s this for a compromise? Leave out the butter and cut the sugar in half, and keep the marshmallows. This will shave calories and fat, not taste.

Naughty: Pecan Pie
Although pecans are packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, pecan pie is a minefield of sugar and calories. A typical slice of pecan pie has 500 to 800 calories. That’s because it’s usually made with oodles of corn syrup, butter, and sugar.

Nice: Nibble on a bowl of mixed nuts instead. If you can’t resist the pie, opt for a very small slice and don’t eat the crust.

Naughty: Fancy Finger Foods
Be careful at the office holiday party -- canapes and other fancy appetizers are often full of fat. Each one is tiny, but the calories add up quickly when there is an endless parade of hors d'oeuvres.

Nice: Chilled shrimp and fresh fruits are nutritious low-calorie appetizers.

Naughty: Pigs-in-a-Blanket
Another steer-clear appetizer, each bite-sized piggy has 6 grams of fat and little to offer in the way of nutrition.

Nice: Fruit-in-a-blanket is a great alternative. Wrap figs or fuju persimmon wedges with a thin strip of prosciutto, then bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Naughty: Potato Pancakes
Potato pancakes or latkes are a favorite during Hanukkah. But a single medium-sized latke can have more than 250 calories. Because they’re traditionally fried in oil, they are literally dripping with fat. What’s more, the usual topping is sour cream – another pound packer.

Nice: If you’re doing the cooking, use olive oil instead of corn oil. If you’re doing the eating, limit yourself to a couple of latkes with unsweetened applesauce on top.

Naughty: Caramel Popcorn
Large tins of flavored popcorn have become a popular holiday gift. Although popcorn itself is a nutritious whole-grain snack, slathering on sugary caramel or other sweet syrups is a recipe for weight gain.

Nice: Stick to plain popcorn – the crunch is just as satisfying without the extra calories.

Naughty: Egg Nog
Alcohol, heavy cream, eggs, and sugar make a frightening combo – a single cup of egg nog contains about 340 calories and 19 grams of fat.

Nice: Make low-calorie egg nog with skim milk, egg substitutes, and artificial sweeteners.

Naughty: Mixed Drinks
Cocktails can be surprisingly high in calories. An 8-ounce white Russian made with light cream has 715 calories.

Nice: Mix up a wine spritzer by adding a splash of wine and sparkling water to pomegranate or cranberry juice. This not only shaves calories, but also contributes to your fruit servings for the day.

Naughty: Cakes & Cookies
Carbohydrate cravings increase during fall and winter. You don’t want to give in by reaching for sweets, but it’s not good to ignore the cravings either. Carbs trigger the release of serotonin, a brain chemical that boosts mood. Serotonin can also fight weight gain by letting you know you’ve had enough to eat.

Nice: The solution is to snack on complex carbs, such as whole-grain cereal or crackers.

Naughty: Milk Chocolates
Milk chocolates are high in fat and low in the disease-fighting compounds found in purer forms of dark chocolate. Caramel or cream-filled chocolates are also lacking in the health department.

Nice: Solid dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa is most beneficial, but only in small amounts. Multiple studies suggest a square or two a day can help prevent heart disease.

Avoid Naughty Holiday Foods
Knowing which foods are naughty is only half the battle. Help yourself resist temptation with these tips:

* Engage in conversation to slow the pace of eating
* At parties, sit far from the buffet table
* Excuse yourself from the dinner table once you’ve had enough to eat
* Chew gum to reduce the desire to nibble

HAPPY and NICE HOLIDAYS TO YOU!

Sip it or Drink it Party Tips for the Holidays...

Enjoying a cocktail may boost your spirits — but expand your waistline. Here's what to watch out for.
WebMD Feature from "Good Housekeeping" MagazineBy Delia A. Hammock, M.S., R.D.


You can enjoy a festive drink this season without committing diet sabotage, but take care – if you're not precise when you pour your drink, it may pack far more calories than you'd planned. Many people consider one cocktail to be a glassful, regardless of how many ounces that glass contains. Dietitians and government sources, on the other hand, use standard sizes to estimate calorie counts – so one woman's single drink may be the equivalent of two or three standard-size ones. This means filling your glass to the brim can add hundreds of calories. In weight-loss terms: You'd have to trek for an hour on the treadmill to kiss those extra ounces of Cosmo goodbye. So decide how many calories you're willing to spend on a cocktail and how much that means you can have. Then, if a friend pours your drink, ask her to stop at that target amount (say, half a glass).

Irish Cream
Should be: 1 1/2 oz.
You pour: 3 oz.
Diet damage: 150 extra calories

Frozen Margarita
Should be: 8 oz.
You pour: 12 oz.
Diet damage: 94 extra calories

Red Wine
Should be: 5 oz.
You pour: 10 oz.
Diet damage: 125 extra calories

Cosmopolitan
Should be: 2 1/2 oz.
You pour: 7 oz.
Diet damage: 270 extra calories

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri
Should be: 8 oz.
You pour: 12 oz.
Diet damage: 118 extra calories

Martini
Should be: 1/2 oz.
You pour: 4.5 oz.
Diet damage: 177 extra calories

Enjoy Yourself!---Pactice moderation and Have Wonderful Holidays!

Your Friend Always,
Jacques

7 Simple Tips for Healthy Holidays

Healthy Child Healthy World

Sometimes the stress from holidays can result in big headaches. But, a lot of other things about the holidays can impact your health as well. Follow these simple steps to make this year's holidays your healthiest ever.

Indulge in the only the best food by going organic. Special occasions call for scrumptious goodies. But indulging doesn't have to mean sacrificing your family's health. This year, strive for very special holiday meals made of the freshest organic foods. Today, you can find organic ingredients for every type of celebratory food, from free-range turkey to a mouth-watering apple pie. Look for the USDA Organic seal to be sure that you are buying foods produced without synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, genetic engineering, irradiation and petroleum- or sewage sludge-based fertilizers.

Watch out for those brightly colored foods and candy! Holiday treats like candy canes and other goodies can be hard to resist. But many of our favorite sweet treats are full of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, some of which have questionable safety records. Saccharin, for example, is known to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Serve your child a well-balanced diet of whole foods and let your child indulge in moderate amounts of candy and other holiday treats. Read "Limit Your Child's Intake of Food Additives" for a list of potentially dangerous food additives that should definitely be avoided.

To perfume the air with a holiday fragrance, simmer spices such as cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Special scents create a festive holiday mood. However, scented candles, incense, air fresheners and other fragrance products are filled with chemical cocktails that can pollute indoor air, causing headaches, fatigue and other symptoms. Scented candles tend to produce more black soot than nonscented candles. And some candles-particularly those made in foreign countries-are made with stiff, metal wicks, which often contain lead. When lit, these candles release lead dust. Both soot and lead can be inhaled or ingested by small children, which may lead to health problems. Soot contains suspected carcinogens and lead causes brain damage. Learn more about non-toxic holiday aromas.

Raid your kitchen pantry to make your house sparkle for holiday guests. Cleaning your house in preparation for guests is one holiday tradition no one cherishes. To make it less unpleasant to all concerned, use mild, nontoxic cleaners. Most cleaning can be accomplished with a few nontoxic items from your kitchen pantry such as baking soda, washing soda and vinegar (to name a few). These ingredients can even be used to polish the silver! Learn more Recipes for Safer Cleaners.

Be aware that holiday lights may contain lead. In many electronic products, wires and cords are coated with PVC plastic, which is where the lead is found. Lead is used in PVC wires and cords to make it more flexible and reduce the risk of fire. Lead is also used in many PVC products to stabilize the color. The amount of lead in the lights and other consumer products may vary considerably and it is not clear if the amount of lead that is released poses a risk to human health. Some tests show that lead could come off in the hands. It's best not to let children handle the lights. The adult that does handle them should wash his or her hands immediately afterwards.

Retire that old, plastic tree. Plastic Christmas trees may appear to make environmental sense, because they can be used for many years. And about 20 million households put up a tree that is 9 years old or older. But old Christmas trees, which are made of PVC, are a potential health threat to children. PVC has been dubbed the most toxic plastic. One reason is that PVC contains significant amounts of lead as a stabilizer. In 2002, Foundation E.A.R.T.H. discovered that as these plastic trees age, they release lead dust, which collects on tree branches and the floor beneath the tree. Most of the plastic trees come from China and they exceed U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommendations for lead levels in consumer products. Lead is an extremely toxic heavy metal capable of producing long-term behavioral and brain damage, even at low doses. To be extra safe, don't let your children touch or handle a plastic tree or crawl underneath it. Don't keep presents underneath it either, as they will collect any lead dust that falls. Better yet, purchase a fresh, organic tree this year - it's a renewable resource that can be recycled!

This holiday season, burn a safer fire. As you cozy up to the fireplace this winter, remember that particles and gases from fires can make breathing difficult, especially for asthmatics. Make sure you ventilate well. Dry wood burns hotter and cleaner than "green" wood and hardwoods are better than coniferous trees, or evergreens. (That includes your Christmas tree, which is better off recycled.) For more tips, see How To Build a Safer Fire. Note: Fires also emit carcinogens, so keep fires to a minimum.

Courtesy: WebMD Blogs

Redbook's Holiday Cocktail Party Diet

With our smart just-for-the-holidays strategies, you can indulge now without regretting it later.

WebMD Feature from "Redbook" MagazineBy Nicole De Coursy

Cocktail parties, endless office goodies and gift boxes of chocolate truffles – it's hard to keep your weight steady during the holidays when every day seems like a party. But you can enjoy your seasonal favorites and still fit in your skinny jeans after the last glass is raised. The key to not packing on pounds this time of year is creating an overall eating plan, says Katherine Tallmadge, R.D., author of Diet Simple and a Washington D.C.-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. It may be as simple as prioritizing when and where you get your pigs-in-blankets fix. "Figure out which party is most likely to offer the best treats and indulge there," Tallmadge says. "If you let yourself go to town at one or two parties, it will be easier to hold back at other events." What other strategies will let you savor your favorite party foods without paying the bigger-pants price later? Check out these surprising (and painless) do's from top diet and nutrition experts.

Balance out your binges. The season is six weeks long -- so if most of your shindigs go down in the first two weeks, let yourself eat whatever you want during that period, then scale back until December 24th. That way, you can enjoy a guilt-free holiday dinner, says Tallmadge. If your events are sprinkled throughout the month, pick one party a week as the one where you splurge.

Don't stand near the hors d'oeuvres. "Take a few things, then go as far away from them as possible so you're not tempted to pick from the platter," says Jackie Newgent, R.D., a New York-based nutritionist and chef.

Alternate indulgences. Have cheese at one party, but no dessert, then switch it next time out, says Kathleen Daelemans, author of Getting Thin and Loving Food. Doing so will keep you from going too nuts -- or saying no to nuts altogether.

Implement the 15-minute rule. Give yourself that much time before you hit up the yummies; grab a nonalcoholic beverage (like sparkling water with a lime twist) in the meantime to keep your hands busy. "People are usually nervous at the beginning of an event, so they dive into the buffet table and end up eating more," says Tallmadge.

Don't ban your favorites. "Decide which special foods you really want and enjoy them, but skip the rest," says Daelemans. So if you love eggnog, have a glass, but if you could take or leave gingerbread-man cookies, don't waste your calories on them.

Make water your best friend. Tallmadge recommends not drinking on an empty stomach and having two glasses of water for every glass of wine. "You want to sip and savor your wine, and grab and gulp your water," she says.

Keep in-between meals low-calorie. Balance out party splurges with uber-healthy choices at other meals and on other days of the week, says Daelemans. Make green salads with low-fat dressing for lunch and pick lean meats (like chicken or pork) or broth-based or bean soups for dinner.

Oops, I Ate It Again! Whether you're whipping up a batch of cookies or making frosting, it's hard not to sample here and there. "But you can end up eating a whole dinner's worth of calories before you even sit down," says Tallmadge.

To avoid accidental eating, try these tricks:

Brush your teeth right before to discourage mindless nibbling while cooking or baking. "You won't be as tempted to sample foods when your breath tastes like peppermint," says Newgent.

Eat a small snack, like a cup of yogurt, 20 minutes before you start cooking, says Newgent. This will send a signal to your brain that you're already satisfied.

Make deals with yourself. "Recently I baked cookies with my nieces," says Daelemans. "If we ate one scoop of dough, we allowed ourselves two baked cookies. If we ate two scoops of dough, we were allowed only one baked cookie."

Wear bleaching strips on your teeth. "You won't want or be able to nibble when your teeth are otherwise occupied," says Newgent.
How bad can a bite be?

Having two spoonfuls of chocolate-chip cookie dough: 64 calories, 3 grams of fat
Eating leftover pie scraps: 81 calories, 5 grams of fat
Licking whipped cream off the beaters: 52 calories, 5 grams of fat
Picking just one slice of cheese from the platter: 113 calories, 9 grams of fat
Grabbing a handful of mixed nuts from the bowl: 168 calories, 15 grams of fat

Originally published on June 25, 2006

Eat and Live Longer

Foods to keep your heart, brain, and bones healthy.
By Peter Jaret - WebMD FeatureReviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Is there such a thing as a longevity diet? Increasingly, studies suggest the answer is yes.

Around the world, certain groups of people enjoy exceptionally long lives. Consider the lucky people of Okinawa: These Pacific Islanders have an average life expectancy of more than 81 years, compared to 78 in the United States and a worldwide average of just 67. Closer to home, members of the Seventh Day Adventists, who typically eat vegetarian diets, outlive their neighbors by four to seven years on average.

The residents of the San Blas islands, meanwhile, off the coast of Panama, very rarely suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease. Indeed, research shows that their rate of heart disease is only nine per 100,000 people, compared to 83 per 100,000 among nearby mainland Panamanians.

What makes these groups so fortunate? A growing body of findings suggests that diet is one of the important contributors to longevity and a healthy life. WebMD examined the research and talked to the experts. Here’s what’s on the menu of people who enjoy long and healthy lives.

Foods for a Healthy Heart
Most of us know to go easy on saturated fat, the kind found in meat and high-fat dairy products. Saturated fats have been shown to raise blood cholesterol levels into the danger zone. Just as important is what you should be eating. For heart health and longevity, you should eat:

Plenty of fruits and vegetables: Plant-based foods are abundant in fiber and many vitamins and minerals. Packed with nutrients, they’re also relatively low in calories. Studies consistently show that diets plentiful in fruits and vegetables help people maintain a healthy weight and protect against cardiovascular disease.

Whole grains: Like fruits and vegetables, whole grains pack a lot of nutrition into a low-calorie package. Grains like oats and barley are also rich in a long list of disease-fighting compounds.

In findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis published in 2009, researchers at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston reported that participants whose diets included plenty of whole grains and fruit cut their heart disease risk by almost half compared to those whose diets favored meat and fatty foods. Findings from more than 161,000 nurses enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study also show that whole grains protect against type 2 diabetes, a disease that in turn increases the danger of heart disease.

Nuts: For too long, nuts were banished from the list of healthy foods because they’re high in fat. They are. But the fat they contain is mostly unsaturated, which protects against heart disease.

Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate? That’s right. Researchers now think that high blood pressure and heart disease are exceedingly rare among residents of the San Blas islands because they eat chocolate, and lots of it. Components in dark chocolate called polyphenols are believed to lower blood pressure and improve the flexibility of blood vessels. In a 2008 study, researchers at the University of Aquila gave volunteers with hypertension 100 grams of dark chocolate daily. After 15 days, their blood pressure readings were significantly lower and their insulin sensitivity had improved.

-----

And, from "fast foods" Beakfast choices:

McDonald's: Better Bet
Your better alternative under the golden arches is the Egg McMuffin (300 calories, 12 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 2 g fiber, 820 mg sodium). To help make the healthiest choices at McDonald's or any other fast-food chain, ask for a nutrition information brochure at the counter or check out the web site. Look for items that contain some fiber and protein that will keep you feeling satisfied for hours and don’t have too much sugar, sodium, or saturated or total fat.

Burger King: Better Bet
Choose the Ham Omelet Sandwich (290 calories, 13 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 870 mg sodium, and 1 g fiber) for a breakfast that will help keep you feeling full until lunch.

Jack in the Box: Better Bets
Take your pick and enjoy a Breakfast Jack (290 calories, 12 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 760 mg sodium and 1 g fiber) sandwich with a slice of ham, cheese and an egg, or for a few more fat calories, make it a Bacon Breakfast Jack (300 calories, 14 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 728 mg sodium, and 1 g fiber).

Dunkin' Donuts: Better Bets
Pair your favorite coffee with a wheat bagel (330 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 12 g protein, 4 g fiber) or a multigrain bagel (380 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 14 g protein, 5 g fiber) high in satisfying fiber and protein that will keep you going strong. Or eat half of a high-fiber Honey Bran Raisin Muffin.

Starbucks: Better Bets
Starbucks is a popular morning stop for coffee and a quick treat. Breakfast items vary by region, featuring both indulgent and healthy choices. Better bets include the Spinach Roasted Tomato, Feta & Egg Wrap (240 calories, 10 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 13 g protein, 7 g fiber), the fruit and cheese platter, and any of the low-fat bran muffins, scones, and coffee cake.

Subway: Better Bets
Enjoy a Cheese Breakfast Sandwich (410 calories, 18 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 23 g protein, 1,010 mg sodium, 5 g fiber) on a 6 inch whole grain roll piled high with veggies for a healthy high-protein, high-fiber portable meal.

Benefits of a Healthy Morning Meal
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day -- it gives you energy to start the day and is linked to many health benefits. Studies show that eating a healthy breakfast can help give you a nutritionally complete diet, higher in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals; better weight control; improved concentration and performance in the classroom or the boardroom; more strength and energy to engage in physical activity; and lower cholesterol levels.

Bottom Line on Breakfast
If you find yourself at a fast-food chain in the morning, always opt for the healthiest breakfast options, or eat a smaller portion and save the other half. You can eat out healthfully, but nothing compares to the numerous breakfast options at home, from an egg and whole-wheat toast to a whole-grain breakfast parfait with fruit and yogurt. Short on time? Pack it the night before and take it along with you.

Courtesy: WebMD.com newsletters

Exercise May Lead to a Smarter, More Successful You

Stronger cardiovascular system tied to academic achievement, study finds
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec.1 (HealthDay News) -- A strong cardiovascular system in young adulthood may boost brainpower, making for better school grades and more overall success later in life, new research suggests.

Given that most doctors and laypeople know (or should know) the benefits of exercise and its impact on healthy bodies, the authors of a new study, appearing in this week's online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are hoping the findings can influence public policy.

Doctors "have known the principal idea for 3,000 years: A healthy mind lives in a healthy body," said study senior author H. Georg Kuhn, professor for regenerative neuroscience at the Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg in Sweden. "We are aiming at politicians and educators who decide on academic curricula and budgets and how sport fits into the picture of academic success."
The study also found that genetics played a lesser role in explaining the mind-body link than did environment.

"This gets back to empowerment. You can't determine that exercise or eating well isn't going to help you because of your genetic background," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. "This is showing you that, regardless of genes, what you choose to do and how you choose to live can make a difference."

The relationship between physical activity and cognitive function has been studied before, but usually in older adults (in relation to dementia) and in children.

And studies that focused on young adults, as these authors did, have tended to be smaller.

"Young adulthood is the time span in which important behavioral habits and cognitive functions are shaped," explained Kuhn. "It is the period when academic performance has the biggest impact on the future life."

This is also a time when the central nervous system is still developing, he noted.

The study was an extremely large one, involving 1.2 million Swedish men born between 1950 and 1976.

More than 250,000 of the men were sibling pairs and more than 3,000 were twins, of which 1,432 were identical twins.

The researchers took information from the time the men were conscripted into the military (age 18), which is compulsory in Sweden. This information was then correlated with information on the men's prior academic performance, how many siblings they had and what socioeconomic class they came from.

Better cardiovascular fitness was associated with higher intelligence, although muscle strength was not, the researchers found.

"The emphasis at gyms is for strength over aerobic capacity but aerobic fitness is where we need to pay our focus," said Dr. Jonathan H. Whiteson, co-director of the Joan and Joel Smilow Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention Center at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

The twins portion of the analysis showed that environmental factors accounted for more than 80 percent of the equation, and genetics for less than 15 percent.

Any number of factors could explain why better cardiovascular fitness through exercising impacts brain function, including improved blood flow to the brain, diminished anxiety, enhanced mood and less fatigue, Whiteson said.

"We've known that aerobic exercise has been associated with improved cognitive performance. We've known that from studies dating back from the '70s," he said. "They picked the area of young men which may not have had a lot of research. This confirms what we've already known about younger and older individuals."

Courtesy: Obesity News & Views Newsletter