Is there information you wanted to know about your health?

This is information I've found for myself and I felt can help others, along w/resources

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Got Fit on your List? Ways to make it work

Getting real with fitness resolutions


NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - New Year's resolutions: We make them, we break them, we make them again.

So it's no surprise that "Get Fit" tops many of the same lists year after year.

Fitness experts say if you're serious about shaping up this time, start by trading in your impossible dreams for some attainable goals.

"People will say, 'I'm going to lose 30 pounds,' when 10 pounds would be more doable. They'll say, 'I'm going to exercise every day,' when three times a week may be more likely," said Shawn Talbott, spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

The researcher and program developer advises people to set realistic expectations.

"Compliance is the big sexy thing in fitness research: How do we get people to comply with their program?"

He suggests seeking out that sweet spot of balance between too much exercise and too little.

"Not so little that there are no benefits, and not so much that you can't do it."

And he says exercise loves company.

"I recommend making that resolution along with a buddy. Very good research shows that having someone you're accountable to can double, even almost triple, your effectiveness. Then stick to your plan," he said.

"Make gradual, graded workout goals, say twice a week for two months, then up your goal to three times a week for two months."

One ACSM study showed that motivation to be physically active was higher when sports - instead of just exercise - were involved.

"Competitive is good," he said. "You feel like you've got some skin in the game."

The history of New Year's resolutions dates back to ancient Rome and the mythical King Janus, from whose name January derives. Janus became a symbol for resolutions because he had two faces and could look simultaneously back on the past and look forward to the future.

Janus was also the guardian of entrances and doors.

Carol Espel, director of group fitness for the Equinox chain of health clubs, says that every January, clients enter health clubs with high hopes and no plan.

"They might have the best intentions but not the right tools," she said. "People say, 'I really want to start exercising but I don't know what to do.'"

She said it can be daunting.

"But if you've decided to take that New Year's resolution seriously, and you're upset that it comes up year after year, commit to the resources you need," she said, "whether it's a day-to-day planner, group classes or a personal trainer to keep you in line."

Espel said even those without the will or the funds to join a club can achieve their fitness goals.

"Just get off the couch. When you come home from work, go out for a brisk walk," she said. "Studies document that three 10-minute bouts of exercise a day can be very practical."

Espel says it comes down to establishing a routine that you enjoy and sticking to it.

"A little soreness shows that you've done some pretty effective work," she said. "Well exercised muscles burn calories more effectively."

Then, of course, nothing succeeds like success.

"When people start to feel differently, when their clothes fit better or they have more energy," she said, "that's the most powerful motivating factor."

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Worried about Messing up the last day of the year?

Eat Healthy at Your Next Party

If you're trying to eat healthier, come prepared to the next party. Bring a healthy dish for everyone to enjoy. Try baking your normal cupcakes or brownies by combining the box mix with a can of pumpkin in place of any other liquid ingredients (oil, eggs, butter, etc.) for a low-fat treat.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

How sour can be good for you...

Health Secrets of Lemons

Bunch of lemons on tree

By Theresa Cheung

Did you know the Ancient Egyptians believed that eating lemons and drinking lemon juice was an effective protection against a variety of poisons, and that recent research has confirmed this belief?

There are many health benefits of lemons that have been known for centuries. The two biggest are lemons’ strong antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers and their use as a weight loss aid because lemon juice is a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Lemons contain many substances--notably citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene--that promote immunity and fight infection.

These are well-known health facts about lemons. But there’s so much more to this little yellow fruit. Here are 15 that I’ll bet you didn’t know. Whether you use them in the form of juice, teas, drinks, dressing, poultices or in the bath, take advantage of lemons’ natural healing power.

Copyright 2008 by Theresa Cheung.


Beliefnet: Inspiration, Spirituality, Faith

Monday, December 28, 2009

Could Santa be a bad influence for kid's health

This is what I found;

Santa Not the Best Role Model for Kids' Health

SUNDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Is Santa Claus really public health enemy No. 1?

Absolutely, says an Australian doctor in a report published in the Dec. 17 online edition of the BMJ. Jolly Old St. Nick promotes obesity, drunken driving, speeding and general unhealthy habits, Dr. Nathan Grills of Monash University in Melbourne contends.

Grills may not be entirely serious: The journal devotes its Christmas issue -- in which the report appears -- to tongue-in-cheek research. Still, the findings provide food (the healthy kind) for thought.

For example, Grills suggested that Santa should share Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer's food -- carrots and celery sticks -- instead of fattening snacks. And the guy in red and white should walk or ride a bike instead of traveling at breakneck speed in his sleigh everywhere.

Because "Santa needs to affect health by only 0.1 percent to damage millions of lives," Grills wrote, he might make a world of difference by becoming more health- conscious.

He noted that Santa is associated with unhealthy products, like Coca-Cola, and often appears with pipe in hand. In some countries, people leave a spot of brandy for Santa, and that could lead to drunken driving, Grills added.

And, finally, what about all those children who sit on Santa's helpers' laps each holiday season? If the jolly old guy impersonating Santa has a cough, he could spread illnesses to them. And that could lead to a very, very unmerry holiday.


SOURCE: BMJ, news release, Dec. 16, 2009

Publish Date: December 20, 2009

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Twas the Night before Christmas

How about leaving Santa something different... Like some


Butter Nut Brittle
from Jean Price

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
3 cup unsalted dry roasted mixed nuts
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda

Mix sugar, syrup and water in a large heavy saucepan. Cover and heat to boiling. Uncover and cook rapidly to 236° F. on candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Stir in nuts slowly, keeping mixture bubbling.

Cook rapidly, stirring constantly, to 280 F. (hard ball stage). Stir in butter continue cooking to 300° F. (a teaspoon of syrup dropped in cold water will separate into hard and brittle threads). Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla: sprinkle soda over top quickly, then stir vigorously about 15 seconds or until mixture is puffy. Pour at once into greased baking pan (15x10x1"). Cool completely.

Break into bite size pieces.
Store in a container that has a tight fitting lid. Can be made weeks ahead of the holidays.



Icebox Sugar Cookies


1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons sweet butter (unsalted), softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest, optional

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until very fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest. Beat until well combined. Stir in the flour mixture until dough is blended and smooth. Cover and chill for 20-30 minutes. Place dough on wax or parchment paper and roll into an even log, 11-inches-long. (See Refrigerator Cookies.) Roll up in paper, twisting ends to prevent unrolling. Place on a flat baking sheet and freeze for about 3 hours or until completely frozen. If not using immediately, double wrap the log in additional paper, aluminum foil, or place in a sealable plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

To bake, position oven rack in upper third of oven, then preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease cookie sheets. Gently remove the paper from the frozen log. Cut the log crosswise into 1/8-inch thick circles. Transfer slices to prepared baking sheets, setting slices 2-inches apart. Bake until the cookies are golden, about 7-10 minutes. The longer the cookies bake, the crisper they become. Remove from oven and let cookies cool slightly to firm up before transferring to cooling racks. Decorate as desired.

Variation: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Omit lemon zest and replace 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar with 1/3 cup brown sugar. Stir in 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips into the dry ingredients.



No Bake Peanut Butter S'mores


1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1 (10-1/2 ounce) package miniature marshmallows

Combine chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir until well-blended. Add the vanilla. Mix in the cracker crumbs and marshmallows. Stir until coated. Spread into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until firm. Cut into bars.


to name a few. I think he would love you and the rest of the family will, too.

Happy Holiday to you and your families !!!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Have a Merry Nutritious Holiday !!!

Hazelnuts recalled over salmonella risk

DAYTON, Ore. (UPI) -- Kunze Farms of Dayton, Ore., recalled 32,950 pounds of shelled hazelnuts because of a risk of salmonella, federal health officials said.

The shelled nuts were sold to processors and wholesalers in Oregon, New York, Arizona, Washington, Utah, Texas and Colorado, the Food and Drug Administration said. To date, no illnesses have been reported.

The nuts were shipped in 25-pound cartons and labeled Kunze Farms "Select Shelled Hazelnuts" Dayton, Ore. The cartons contained the code 289091A and 299091A.

Kunze Farms issued the recall after a routine sampling by federal inspectors showed the presence of salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, the FDA said Friday.

Kunze Farms has ceased production and distribution of its hazelnuts while the FDA investigates the source of the contamination.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 12/21/2009

Monday, December 21, 2009

How are you getting by this winter?

Jack Frost nipping at your nose?

Allergy or Cold?

As many as 40 million Americans suffer from allergies, and many more suffer from the common cold. Allergies and colds share many of the same symptoms, but effective treatment depends on knowing which one you have. As a family doctor at New York Presbyterian-Columbia, Dr. Marion Richman has seen her share of both. Below, she answers some fundamental questions about making the distinction between allergy and the common cold.


Do you find that patients often confuse colds and allergy?

Definitely. There are just so many overlapping symptoms between the two that it's very easy to confuse them. Doctors confuse them as well.

So what is the difference between what causes a cold and an allergy?

An allergy is an inappropriate immune response to a substance in the environment that's normally harmless. A cold is an infection which is contagious. Ninety-nine percent of the time it is caused by a virus, and very rarely by bacteria.

What are the signs and symptoms of each one?

The signs that are common to the two are runny nose and nasal congestion. More particular to allergies are the itchy, watery eyes and/or throat and the clear, runny nose. With colds you are more likely to have a fever, and maybe some sinus pain. Also the mucus discharge may be a different color, like green or yellow.

How can a person tell the difference?

It's difficult. But if you're getting a cold at the same time every year, or after you visit your cousin who has a cat, and get symptoms, you might have an allergy. There are also some other telltale signs of having an allergy, like eczema, itchy skin, asthma or a history of allergies in the family. A cold usually follows a time course of about 7 to 10 days, usually with a predictable series of symptoms. But it is possible that they have identical symptoms.

How does a doctor tell them apart?

Using good detective work, but sometimes it's trial and error. If the person's coming back to the doctor again and again and the cold remedies aren't working, a doctor will begin to suspect it's an allergy.

What are the treatment options for a cold?

Doctors don't have a cure for the cold, so the treatment options are limited to treating the symptoms. For the congestion there are decongestants. For runny nose there are antihistamines. Cough suppressants can help with a cough.

What are the treatment options for allergies?

Before any kind of medical treatment, it's best to try to modify your lifestyle to avoid what is causing your allergies. For example, if you're allergic to cats, try to avoid them.

Treatment options for allergies are a little broader. You can use the over-the-counter cold remedies, but, the non-sedating antihistamines are a mainstay of allergy treatment. Steroids, which help reduce inflammation, are also used. They can be sprayed into the nose, or taken orally for short term relief. There are also allergy shots, or immunotherapy that exposes a person to the allergen in order to increase their tolerance to that substance. Allergy shots are usually reserved for people who have severe allergies.

At what point should a person with congestion, runny nose and sneezing see a doctor?

If it's a cold, it's usually going to follow a time course of about 7 to 10 days. If you've had a cold for a month, you should go see a doctor. If you have a temperature of over 101°F for three days or more, or if you develop pain in your ear, throat, sinuses or teeth, you could be getting an infection, and should see a doctor. If there's any trouble breathing, you should go to the emergency room immediately.

Children also suffer from allergies and colds, and have similar allergy symptoms to adults. Allergies are rare in kids under 3 years old. But in older children, if they're getting recurrent ear infections or hearing problems, then you might want to see the child's doctor, and inquire if the problem might be related to an allergy.

However, a fever is definitely a warning sign of something more serious. Allergies don't usually cause a fever, so if your child does have a fever or if they're complaining of any kind of pain or having any trouble breathing, then they should see a doctor. If they're not eating or drinking as much as they usually do or not going to the bathroom, those are definite reasons to come to the doctor immediately.

What are some of the treatments available for children with cold or allergy?

Richman feels that with young children, over-the-counter medicines for colds, and even the prescription ones, are not that effective, and using these medications are not worth the risk of side effects. Toughing it out is a better approach to a child's cold.

In terms of allergies, there are some non-sedating antihistamines that are approved for children as young as 2 years of age, and they come in syrup form or they come in dissolvable tablets that go under the tongue. For the kids that truly have allergies, those treatments are out there for them, and do help.