HealthyLife Articles

Tag: moderation

  • Limit Artificial Sweeteners

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Packets of artificial sweeteners in glass container.

    Artificial sweeteners give a sweet taste without adding the calories you get with sugar. They don’t contribute to tooth decay and don’t raise blood sugar levels. However, consuming these sugar substitutes can have significant drawbacks. They may:

    1. Raise your sweetness threshold. This can make it harder to break a sugar “addiction.” Artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than regular sugar. This may cause you to crave sweeter foods.

    2. Cause you to eat more. Eating and drinking sweet things signals the brain to want more. Even if the artificial sweetener doesn’t have any calories, it can lead to overeating and consuming extra foods that do.

    3. Cause discomfort. This can be headaches, exhaustion, and digestive discomfort, including gas, bloating, and constipation.

    4. Harm your gut bacteria. Artificial sweeteners may promote the growth of gut bacteria that store energy as fat. Gut bacteria that is not working properly also contributes to high blood sugar.

    Stevia (Truvia®, Pure Via®) is a non-caloric sweetener made from an herb. It has not been studied as much as artificial sweeteners, but it is still super sweet (300 times sweeter than sugar) and may cause digestive discomfort for some people.

    Sugar Alcohols (e.g., xylitol, sorbitol) are not sweeter than sugar and contain fewer calories than sugar. However, they may also cause digestive discomfort and headaches for some people.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Tips For Healthy Celebration

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 6

    Thanksgiving dinner and family eating at table.

    Happy times may also be triggers for overeating or making less healthy food choices. Holidays and other special occasions may also make it harder to fit in physical activity.

    Items that trip you up during a celebration:

    *  Drinks: soda, alcoholic beverages

    *  Foods: desserts, large helpings of “comfort foods”

    *  Gifts of candy, cookies, etc.

    *  Too many things to do and less time to prepare healthy meals

    *  Workplace parties and cookie exchanges

    *  More travel or a change of routine

    *  Events centered around large meals, or appetizers

    *  All-you-can-eat buffets on cruise ships or at resorts

    Approaches to Celebration

    There are many ways you can approach a celebration.

    1. Make choices that fit with your healthy eating goals. Choose this option most of the time.

    2. Make mostly healthy choices, but choose small treat foods. Choose small portions of these treats and eat them mindfully.

    3. Eat without restriction. Eat and drink what you would like without feeling guilty for choosing less healthy foods. Choose this option rarely and plan to make healthy choices the next day.

    If you have been making healthy choices for a while, you may notice your body’s negative response to certain unhealthy foods. Foods high in saturated fat seem to sit in your stomach longer and make you feel uncomfortable. Meals low in fiber may leave you constipated. Artificial sugars may give you a headache. Pay attention to this difference. It can help you choose less of these foods in the future.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • A Jolt Of Java

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of 3 coffee cups around coffee beans.

    The addictive drug caffeine (yes, it’s a drug) is naturally found in coffee beans and is added to other drinks and foods. So how much is in your daily cup?

    Here’s what the Center for Science in the Public Interest says. (Numbers are in milligrams per 8 ounce cup, unless otherwise stated, so judge accordingly because who drinks just 8 ounces?)

    * Note: The FDA advises consumers to talk with their health care providers before using any product marketed as an “energy shot” or “energy drink.”

    *  Brewed coffee 102 to 200 (by comparison, brewed decaf 5)

    *  Instant coffee 27 to 173

    *  Starbucks brewed 160 (Starbucks vanilla latte 75 or 1 oz Espresso 75)

    *  Dunkin’ Donuts 103

    *  Starbucks Tazo Chai tea 50

    *  Brewed tea 40-120

    *  Arizona Iced Tea, black 16; green 7.5

    *  Snapple, Just Plain Unsweetened 9

    *  5-Hour Energy (1.93 oz) 207*

    *  Monster Energy 80 (but the cans are 16 oz so 160)*

    *  Coke, regular or diet 54 (12 oz); Classic 35

    *  Sprite, regular or diet 0

    *  SoBe Essential 48

    *  Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch 84

    *  Hershey’s Chocolate Bar (1.55 oz) 9

    *  Hershey’s Kisses (9 pieces) 9

    *  Excedrin (Extra Strength, 2 tablets) 130

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Alcohol Increases Risk For Breast Cancer

    SELF-CARE CORNER

    Image of middle-aged women smiling wearing a pink blazer.

    Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States, after lung cancer. Dr. Erica Mayer, a breast cancer expert at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says there are at least 5 simple ways women can reduce their risk of getting the disease:

    1.Limit alcohol.Research has shown having too much alcohol can increase your risk of breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol-including beer, wine, or liquor-limit yourself to no more than one half to one drink a day on average.

    2.Get a mammogram.Many health organizations advise women to get regular mammograms starting at age 40. “Mammography screening does not prevent or cure breast cancer, but it may detect the disease before symptoms occur,” said Dr. Mayer.

    3.Eat a healthy diet and keep your weight under control.The American Cancer Society recommends a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fiber. “High-fat diets can lead to being overweight or obese, which is a risk factor for breast cancer,” said Dr. Mayer.

    4.Exercise.There’s growing evidence that physical activity reduces a woman’s breast cancer risk.

    5.Determine if you have family history of breast cancer and be vigilant to early detection.Twenty to 30% of people who develop breast cancer have a family history of the disease. About 5 to 10% of women carry a BRCA1 or BRCA 2 mutation, the so called “breast cancer genes.”

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Chocolate Milk May Be The Best-Kept Secret

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of young boy drinking chocolate milk.

    Chocolate milk may be the best-kept secret for making sure kids get the calcium they need every day. Contrary to popular myths, chocolate milk is nutrient-rich, adds only a few more calories and not much caffeine, and is kids’ number-one flavor pick. Kids have a limited time to build up their “bone bank.” The calcium in chocolate milk is one way to assure timely deposits, according to the National Dairy Council.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • High-Intensity Workouts Aren’t Always Best

    BE FIT

    Image of women running during sunset.

    High-intensity workouts aren’t always best

    When it comes to exercise, is harder and longer always better? No, according to two studies recently published in the academic journal, Heart.

    The first study found that those who performed the most strenuous daily exercise were more than twice as likely to die of a heart attack or stroke. The second study found that men who exercised intensely for more than five hours a week were more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat later in life.

    So what’s the best exercise to do? Strive for moderate intensity exercise. You develop a fast heart rate while doing this type of exercise, but you should still be able to talk while doing the activity.

    Moderate exercise = longer life

    Studies show if you do seven hours of moderate intensity exercise each week, you will lower your risk of dying early by 40 percent. This is compared with those who exercise 30 minutes or less per week. If seven hours a week is too much for you, aim for 150 minutes per week. This amount of exercise also produces similar benefits.

    Before you start any exercise program, talk with your doctor about what’s best for you.

    Source: CDC and World Health Organization

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • How Sweet It Is

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of different types of sweeteners.

    Is sugar really bad for us? How about artificial or low-calorie sweeteners?

    Our bodies need one type of sugar, called glucose, to survive. “Glucose is the number one food for the brain, and it’s an extremely important source of fuel throughout the body,” said Dr. Kristina Rother, pediatrician with the National Institute on Health and expert on sweeteners.

    But there’s no need to add glucose to your diet, because your body can make the glucose it needs by breaking down food molecules like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Some sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and milk.

    Much of the sugar we eat isn’t found naturally in food but is added during processing or preparation.

    Although sugar itself isn’t bad, said Dr. Rother, “Sugar has a bad reputation that’s mostly deserved because we consume too much of it. It’s now in just about every food we eat.”

    You can cut down on added sugars. NIH in Health offers these suggestions:

    *  Choose water, fat-free milk, or unsweetened tea or coffee instead of sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks.

    *  Reduce sugar in recipes. If a recipe says 1 cup, use 2/3 cup.

    *  To enhance flavor, add vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg.

    *  Eat fresh, canned, frozen, and dried fruits without added sugar. Choose fruits canned in their own juice rather than in syrup.

    *  Use fruits to top foods like cereal and pancakes rather than sugars, syrups, or other sweet toppings.

    *  Read the ingredients list to pick food with little or no added sugar.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Spooky And Not-So-Spooky Halloween Treats

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of a brother and sister dressed for Halloween.

    Worst

    *  Chewy/sticky sweets, such as gummy candies, taffy, and even dried fruit can be difficult for children and adults to resist, and even more difficult to remove from teeth. They get stuck in the crevices between teeth, making it nearly impossible for saliva to wash them away.

    *  Sour candies are highly acidic and can break down tooth enamel quickly. The good news: Saliva slowly helps to restore the natural balance of the acid in the mouth. Wait 30 minutes to brush your teeth after consuming sour/acidic candies; otherwise, you are brushing the acid onto more tooth surfaces and increasing the risk of enamel erosion.

    *  Sugary snacks, including candy corn, cookies, and cake, all contain high amounts of sugar, which can cause tooth decay.

    Best

    *  Sugar-free lollipops stimulate saliva, which can help prevent dry mouth that leads to tooth decay.

    *  Sugar-free gum can actually prevent cavities as it not only dislodges food particles from between the teeth but also increases saliva-which works to neutralize the acids of the mouth and prevent tooth decay.

    *  Dark chocolate and its antioxidants can be good for the heart and may even lower blood pressure.

    As always, monitor your children’s candy intake this Halloween and all year round. Kids should be brushing their teeth twice a day for 2 minutes, the Academy recommends.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • The Buzz About Alcohol

    WELL-BEING

    Image of lemon water.

    Drinking at social events or bars and the ease that a little buzz provides make it hard to limit yourself when friends gather around a pitcher of beer. Dennis Donovan, director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington, has advice for how to drink moderately-or not at all.

    *Count your drinks.In many cases, people lose track of how much they’ve had. This is especially true when sharing a pitcher of beer and someone refills the glass.

    *Know a standard serving size.Large wine glasses, higher alcohol content in some beers, and generous liquor pours in mixed drinks make the “I only had one!” claim questionable.

    *One drink, one hour.Most people’s bodies can process about one drink per hour. Pace yourself to one drink an hour or so, and every hour or two you might take a drink “off” and have water or another non-alcoholic beverage instead. Also, make sure to eat.

    *Ginger ale looks like a cocktail.Teetotalers not wanting to attract attention or questions can stick to ginger ale or other non-alcoholic drinks that look like cocktails.

    *Say no.Firmly, confidently turn down drinks and become resistant to social pressure and arm-twisting. Practice saying: “No, I’ve reached my limit” or “I’m not drinking tonight.”

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Yes, You Can Eat Chocolate

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of chocolate pieces stacked on top of each other.

    Although actual health benefits of eating chocolate are still being studied, the NIH News in Health reports that you can eat some types of chocolate in moderation:

    *  Eat as dark a chocolate as you can. Darker chocolate may help lower blood pressure.

    *  Choose dark chocolate instead of less healthy treats such as ice cream or candy.

    *  Avoid white and milk chocolates. Also avoid filled chocolate, such as truffles.

    *  Make hot chocolate with unsweetened cocoa, water, or nonfat milk, and a little added sugar.

    *  Watch your total calories because chocolate has a lot of them.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine