New Year, New You: Top 5 Wellness Resolutions

Another year means another list of New Year's resolutions. How long is your list this year, and how confident are you that by year's end, you'll have stuck with them? To be successful in whatever you resolve to do, it's important to set realistic goals. Here are five achievable wellness resolutions to get you started.

TAKE MORE WALKS.
If you haven't taken a walk for awhile, go for a 15-minute stroll during a work break or after dinner; we bet you'll immediately feel more refreshed and less stressed about the world. The simple act of walking - away from the relative confines of your office or home - allows you to enjoy nature and exercise all at once.

WATCH LESS TV.
We're not suggesting you eliminate TV altogether, particularly if it's news- or education-based, but a few less hours a week of reality TV and late-night B movies wouldn't hurt. Substantial evidence links TV viewing to negative health outcomes, not the least of which is obesity. So turn off the boob tube now and then.

TRY NEW FOODS.
Most adults are fairly locked in to their food preferences, which can be dangerous on several levels: If your preferences aren't healthy ones, you're in trouble; and if you don't mix things up occasionally, you risk getting bored. The solution? Try at least one new food a week, preferably the healthy variety.

MAKE TIME TO PLAY.
Games, that is; games with your kids, your significant other or yourself that keep your mind sharp and take you away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Whether it's a board game, a crossword puzzle or even a sport that keeps you on your toes (literally and figuratively), make more time to play.

SPOIL YOURSELF.
Your last New Year's resolution is perhaps the most important one, because you can't be healthy, at least not over the long haul, if you don't spoil yourself occasionally. Schedule a vacation, plan a date night, or just commit to taking an hour or so at least once a week and relaxing all by yourself. You're worth it.

Healthy 10-Minute Meals

How can you prepare healthy meals in a pinch? One of the foundational rules for getting a healthy meal on the table in 10 minutes or less is proper planning. Here's an easy way to get started: Brainstorm six to eight menus you can choose from whenever the need arises. Having that many options allows you to avoid repetition and gives you the freedom to mix things up. When you're planning menus, also think about how many different meals you can create using a limited number of ingredients; that way, you can prep several meals at the same time.

Once you've chosen your menus, shop and prep in advance. That means doing everything from grilling chicken to chopping up vegetables to boiling rice or pasta. In some cases, you can completely finish the meal so it only requires reheating during your busy evenings. You can decide how much time you'll have and which foods can be partially prepared and which can be completely prepared in advance and still last for as long as you need them.

Here are a few healthy meal suggestions that are easy to prepare in a pinch and provide your family with sound nutrition:

Turkey Taco Salad: Cook lean or extra-lean ground turkey thoroughly with seasoning. Crumble it and arrange in the center of a bed of lettuce (which can be pre-washed and bagged). Have the kids add warm or cool pinto, kidney, white or garbanzo beans. Garnish the plate with baked taco chips and salsa, which can be used as a dressing. Add a small amount of shredded cheese to top it all off.

Chicken Wrap: Slice and shred a pre-cooked chicken (you can pick it up at the store on a weekday evening or prep it on Sunday). Place in a large bowl and mix with the following ingredients: half cup red bell pepper (thinly sliced); 3 medium carrots and 1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks; 3 tablespoons of bottled vinaigrette; and shredded lettuce. Warm tortillas (they can be gluten-free) wraps or flatbread. To raise the veggie count for this meal, add a salad and a healthy salad dressing.

Healthy From the Inside Out

One of the simplest and most important things we can do to revive our appearance, physical health and mental acuity as we age doesn't involve cosmetic changes or a trip to the spa; it's as easy as supplying our body with the nutrient-rich food and physical activity it so desperately needs. Beauty literally comes from the inside, and it takes responsible day-to-day choices to ensure this translates outwardly. Here are some suggestions on what you can do - starting today - to cultivate beauty from the inside out.

1. Control the Inflammation. One of the best ways to reclaim and maintain health, and even take years off of your appearance, is to control something called inflammation. Simply put, inflammation is heat, swelling or pain. When it is chronic, inflammation can make us age prematurely, and has been associated with diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, depression, cognitive decline and other conditions.

2. Maximize Nutrient Absorption. You need to thoroughly digest healthful foods in order to garner the most benefit from their nutrients. One of the best ways to ensure proper digestion and assimilation is through the use of digestive enzyme supplements and probiotics. Digestive enzymes provide the following: better digestion of cooked and processed foods; enhanced nutrient absorption; reduced digestive stress; and decreased food sensitivities and digestive disorders, such as indigestion.

3. Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices. In addition to eating nutritious foods and getting the proper enzymes and probiotics, it's important to make healthy lifestyle choices: drink plenty of water; try to get a good night's sleep; exercise regularly; reduce prescription and over-the-counter drug use; and manage your stress levels.

Most life-changing health practices can take place at home, naturally, without a tremendous amount of expense or expertise. All it takes is a firm commitment and realistic expectations. Remember, you're worth it!

What's in Your Cereal?

Do you know what's in the cereal you're feeding your children? That "Delicious and Nutritious!" message on the box may just be hype, according to a recent report that exposes what's really inside the carton (more often than not): serious spoonfuls of sugar and salt in each serving.


Consumer Reports' nutrition ratings report (November 2008 issue)
found that some popular cereals marketed to children are 40-50
percent sugar, comparable to a glazed doughnut. Considering that
most children eat more than the standard serving size (1 cup),
your child may be consuming much more than you've bargained for.

The report compares the nutrition information of 27 leading
cereals, giving each cereal a rating of "very good," "good" or
"fair." Only four of the 27 cereals were rated "very good" -
General Mills' Cheerios (at the top of the list), Kix and Honey
Nut Cheerios, and Quaker Oats' Life. With regard to sugar
content, Post's Golden Crisp and Kellogg's Honey Smacks were
rated "fair," with more than 50 percent sugar by weight per
serving, and nine other cereals were determined to have at least
40 percent sugar. Kellogg's Rice Krispies, long considered a
relatively healthy cereal with little sugar, rated only "fair"
due to high sodium content and zero grams of dietary fiber. The
report suggests parents look for cereals high in fiber (5 grams
or more), low in sodium (140 milligrams or less) and low in sugar
(1 teaspoon or less per serving).

What's the lesson to be learned here? The next time you're
strolling the cereal aisle deciding what's best for your family,
spend some time reading those nutrition labels on the back of the
box before tossing it into your shopping cart. The ingredients
list will tell you a lot more about what's inside the box than
the colorful characters and happy messages on the outside ever
will. Your doctor can give you more information on the essentials
of proper nutrition.

What your Body Needs

Many people think nothing of eating a double cheeseburger, medium
fries and a medium cola. If you dissect this "meal," you'll find
that on average, it contains an unbelievable 68 grams of fat (17
teaspoons), almost half of which are saturated; 15 grams of trans
fatty acids; 150 mg of cholesterol; 1,200 mg of salt; and 20
teaspoons of sugar (all from the cola)! If you factor in that
the fries were probably cooked in hydrogenated cottonseed oil,
one of the most heavily pesticide-laden crops in the world, and
that the meat, if overcooked, could contain carcinogens, or if
undercooked, could result in food poisoning from E. coli, you may
agree it's time to find a new all-American meal.

The Bad Guys:
High levels of saturated fat are consistently linked with
elevated blood cholesterol levels, heart disease, insulin
resistance and several forms of cancer. Most Americans eat about
40 grams of saturated fat every day, which is twice as much as is
considered healthy. Animal products are the greatest source of
saturated fats in the Western diet.

For many years, trans fatty acids were considered a relatively
minor player in health and disease. Although their impact on
total cholesterol is not quite as profound as it is with
saturated fats, the overall damage to heart health is worse.
Trans fatty acids not only raise total cholesterol, but also
lower LDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) and potentially
increase triglycerides. Gram for gram, the adverse effect of
trans fatty acids is estimated to be two to four times greater
than that of saturated fatty acids. The most common sources are
crackers, cookies, granola bars, chips and other snack foods,
baked goods, margarine, shortening and deep-fried fast foods.

Cholesterol is made by animals, not plants; all animal foods
contain cholesterol, while plant foods are all cholesterol-free.
The next time you buy any plant-based food like peanut butter
that says "no cholesterol" on the label, realize that is just a
sales gimmick. There are several concerns about eating too much
cholesterol because it can cause blood cholesterol levels to
rise, increasing the risk of blood clots, heart attack and
stroke. The recommended daily intake of cholesterol is less than
200 mg, which is a little less than the amount of cholesterol in
one egg yolk.

The Good Guys:
Science has known for a very long time that vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are healthful foods.
Researchers assumed that the substances that made these foods so
good for us were the vitamins, minerals and fiber. They were
right, but only partly. In the past 20 years, scientists have
discovered a whole new set of protective compounds packed within
every whole-plant food: phytochemicals and antioxidants.
Phytochemicals are natural substances that protect plants against
attacks from insects. When we eat plants, these same powerful
little protectors go to work on our behalf, with remarkable human
health benefits.

Many phytochemicals are strong antioxidants, neutralizing
destructive free radicals. Some phytochemicals provide
anticancer support, helping the body rid itself of potent
carcinogens. Others protect against cardiovascular disease by
helping to reduce the formation of cholesterol, lower blood
pressure, decrease blood cholesterol levels, reduce blood clot
formation, open blood vessels and decrease damage to blood vessel
walls. The list of significant beneficial activities of
phytochemicals includes anti-inflammatory, anti-yeast,
antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and immune-enhancing
benefits. Which foods are the most efficient phytochemical
factories? Vegetables and fruits stand out as being particularly
important, although legumes (beans), grains, nuts and seeds are
also excellent sources. Choosing a wide variety of colorful,
whole-plant foods is the key to a phytochemical-rich diet.

Hopefully this gives you a good starting point for improving your
health. Limit your intake of saturated fat, trans fatty acids
and cholesterol, and eat more whole foods, including seven to 10
servings of fruits and vegetables every day to maximize your
phytonutrient and antioxidant protection. Talk to your doctor
for more information.

To find out more about healthy foods, please contact me at
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The Whole Grain and Nothing But...

Wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley and other cereal grains start off as whole grains - but far too often, by the time they reach the supermarket shelves as ingredients in various foods, most grains have been refined to the point most of their health value is lost. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel; examples include whole-wheat flour, oatmeal and brown rice. Refined grains have a finer texture and a longer shelf life, which makes them more appealing to manufacturers and stores, but the dietary fiber, iron and many of the B vitamins have been removed. Examples of refined grain products include white flour and white rice. Many manufacturers then "enrich" the grains by adding back certain B vitamins and iron after processing - but it's just not the same, health-wise, as keeping the whole grain intact. The amount of grains you need to eat each day depends on a number of variables including age, gender and level of physical activity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says most Americans consume adequate grains - but not whole grains. The USDA recommends at least half of the grains you consume daily should take the form of whole grains. The USDA offers the following tips on how to incorporate more whole grains into your daily diet. For information on the health benefits of whole grains and other foods, visit www.mypyramid.gov.

1. Substitute whole-grain products for refined products. This is as easy as eating whole-wheat bread or brown rice instead of white bread or white rice.

2. Use whole grains in mixed dishes such as soup and casseroles, or make spaghetti with whole-wheat pasta.

3. Use whole-grain bread or cracker crumbs in meatloaf or on dishes that require breading (eggplant Parmesan, baked chicken or fish).

4. Substitute whole-wheat or oat flour for up to half of the flour in pancake, waffle or muffin recipes.

5. Snack on whole-grain cereals or popcorn (with little or no added salt or butter) rather than potato chips.

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Teach Your Children About Heart Health

It's hard to turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper these days without hearing about the epidemic that is childhood obesity. Let's face it, the statistics are grim: According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the rate of obesity among children ages 6 to 11 has more than doubled in the past 25 years, from 6.5 percent in 1980, to 17 percent in 2006. And the obesity rate among adolescents ages 12 to 19 has more than tripled, increasing from 5 percent to 17.6 percent.

In light of these sobering statistics, it might be tempting to have the family doctor prescribe cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins. After all, pharmaceutical companies go to considerable lengths to promote cholesterol-lowering drugs to doctors and the public. However, except for a very few children who are genetically predisposed toward high cholesterol, drugs are not the answer. Instead, it comes down to changes in lifestyle, according to Jennifer Li, a pediatric cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center.

Here are some of Dr. Li's suggestions to help your kids improve their heart health and avoid the perils of high cholesterol:

Exercise as a family. Kids need motivation to exercise and who better than mom or dad to show them the way? Dust off those sneakers and start playing catch, kicking a soccer ball or just taking the dog for a brisk walk or run.

Shop and cook healthy. Say goodbye to junk food and sweetened beverages (including sports drinks). Instead, incorporate more fruits and veggies into the family diet, along with whole grains and lean sources of protein, such as chicken and fish.

Don't eat on the run. Limit your drive-though meals and don't let your kids grab and go, either. Try to eat meals at home as a family whenever possible. Offer fruits, vegetables and other healthy snacks to beat those midday hunger pangs.

Reduce TV time. The average child watches television for a whopping six hours a day. That's six hours doing nothing except staring at the screen - and probably eating unhealthy snacks. Television and video games should be a reward for eating right and exercising, not a daily ritual.

Know your numbers. Get the whole family's blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels tested periodically. If there's a problem, catch it before it becomes a bigger one. Abnormal lab tests also help establish attainable goals for everyone.

Get organized. If your child already is overweight or obese, consider getting them into a formal weight-management program. Nutritional counseling and supervised exercise sessions can give a child the support and motivation they need to lose weight.

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Foods to Fight Inflammation

The new view of inflammation, developed over the past 10 years, is that it is a generalized state within the circulatory and immune system perpetuated by poor diet. The outcome of this is the dietary promotion of arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and most other chronic diseases. We should call this "dietary trauma," as it leads to the development of biochemical changes similar to physical injury. The difference is that, for most people, dietary trauma occurs every time they eat, three or more times each day, every day.

In most cases the outcome of dietary trauma is not noticed for years. It takes years to develop arthritis and other chronic diseases, so we don't usually associate a poor diet with disease expression. This allows us to easily deny such an association between diet, inflammation and disease. Thus, developing an awareness or mindfulness about eating is very important to help influence a behavioral change in our eating habits.

Foods That Promote Inflammation

Refined carbohydrates in the form of sugar, sweeteners and flour produce inflammatory responses, as do refined oils, and obese (fatty) meat. A surprise to many is that even whole grains and legumes (beans) can promote inflammation.

With the above in mind, consider that the average American consumes about 10 percent of calories from dairy products, 20 percent from refined sugar, 20 percent from refined grains, 20 percent from refined oils and 2 percent from alcohol. The biggest problems clearly are the sugar, grains and oils. Approximately another 20 percent of calories come from obese meat, which is the fatty meat from domestic animals that live a sedentary life in feedlots where they are fed a tonnage of grains/corn instead of grass/pasture. The remaining 10 percent of calories might be fruits and vegetables.

Foods That Prevent Inflammation

A reasonable recommendation is for 80 percent to 100 percent of our calories to come from vegetables, fruit, raw nuts, potatoes, and either lean or omega-3 protein sources including fish, lean meat, skinless chicken, wild game, grass-fed animals and omega-3 eggs. Spices such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, oregano, and the other popular spices are all anti-inflammatory. The best oils/fats to use in moderation are extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil and butter.

Our focus should be on correcting the 80 percent of calories that come from sugar, refined grains, oils and obese meat. Worrying about yogurt, the occasional bran muffin, a cup of coffee, etc., has little influence compared to the tsunami of inflammation created by the 80 percent of calories derived from inflammatory foods. Another key to reducing dietary trauma and inflammation is to eat appropriate amounts for your body. In general, overeating leads to an inflammatory response.

If you currently snack on bags of inflammation and regularly do "drive-through self-shootings" at fast-food restaurants, you likely will view a life of eating anti-inflammatory foods as somewhat extreme. In actuality, the anti-inflammatory foods described above are not extreme at all and are completely consistent with our biochemical and physiological needs.

Assuming 85 percent to 90 percent of your calories are anti-inflammatory, have fun with the remaining 10 percent to 15 percent of calories borne of foods from the dark side. Don't become an anti-inflammatory diet extremist and make eating healthy a stressful event.

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Mix and Match: The Do's and Don'ts of Pairing Foods

Certain foods become even healthier when mixed with other certain foods. Conversely, other food pairing may become less healthy and even endanger your health. Follow these simple rules from CNN.com to get the most out of your food choices:

DO mix grilled steak and brussel sprouts: Certain compounds in brussel sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, may help rid the body of carcinogens that can form on meat during high-heat cooking. Nevertheless, charring meat on the barbecue is not the best preparation method. Instead, cook your meat or fish at low temperatures until done.

DO mix avocado and tomato: Tomatoes, which contain the antioxidantlycopene, are a superfood. If you eat some avocado at the same time,you've just made it even more super. The fat in the avocado helps the body absorb seven times more lycopene. Also, add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to your zucchini, spinach and other dark green vegetables to unleash the lutein, an antioxidant that may help protect against age-related macular degeneration.

DO mix spinach and oranges: Although spinach has lots of iron, your body doesn't absorb it well when spinach is eaten alone. Add in some vitamin C and spinach becomes a veggie Popeye would be proud to eat. That's because vitamin C converts the iron in spinach into a form that is more available to the body. This is also true for other foods that are sources of iron, such as broccoli and tofu. It doesn't take a lot of vitamin C - one medium orange will do.

DON'T mix alcohol and energy drinks: Vodka mixed with an energy drink might be popular on the party circuit, but this combo can cause heart palpitations and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, it could contribute to a heart attack or a stroke. Overloading the body with stimulants such as caffeine (which is found in many energy drinks) and alcohol, which is a depressant and a diuretic, puts tremendous stress on the central nervous system and heart.

DON'T mix alcohol and diet soda: You might cut calories but you also might get drunk faster. In a recent study, it took just 21 minutes for half a diet cocktail to leave the stomach and reach the small intestine, where most alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, while the same amount of a non-diet cocktail took 36 minutes.

DON'T mix coffee and breakfast cereal: Most cereals sold in U.S. are fortified with iron. The problem is that polyphenols, an antioxidant in coffee, can hamper the body's ability to absorb iron. Black tea and some herbal teas (including peppermint and chamomile), which also contain polyphenols, also may reduce iron absorption - by as much as 94 percent - and hot cocoa cuts it by 71 percent.

The solution is to have your java before or after your cereal. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a cup of coffee consumed one hour before an iron-rich meal didn't affect absorption. If you choose to get your fix after breakfast, wait at least an hour or more.

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