Healthy Snacks To Help You Avoid Weight Gain

American's continue to struggle with over-weight and obesity problems.  This has become a major health problem for both adults and children.  A big part of the problem is that we eat unhealthy snacks in addition to over eating at  meals.  Calories we do not burn off are stored by our bodies as fat.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a list of healthy snacks.  Fruits and vegetables are among these choices.  They are full of vitamins and low in calories and fat. Some crackers and cheeses also make good snacks.
More examples of healthy snacks are:

• Apples (dried or cut into wedges)
• Bananas
• Raisins
• Fruit leather (dried fruit puree)
• Carrots (regular carrots cut into strips, or baby carrots )
• Snap peas (the pods are edible)
• Nuts (but not too many)
• Dry cereal (if sugar is not listed as one of the first 2 ingredients)
• Pretzels
• String cheese
• 1/3 cup of grape nuts with 4 ounces of nonfat plain vanilla yogurt
• 8 ounce low-fat or nonfat yogurt
• Toasted English muffin with jelly
• Dozen baked potato chips
• Air popped popcorn
• 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup hummus, 3 carrot sticks

Put your snacks in single portion sized containers to keep from over-eating and so you can transport them to places like work.  Bringing your own snacks will help you avoid the always present cakes, pies, cookies, donuts and candy you find in most break rooms.

It is OK to have something not so healthy on occasion to avoid the "forbidden fruit" problem, but planning ahead and preparing and eating healthy snacks is the way to go to help maintain a healthy weight.

Holiday Depression, Frustration and Anxiety

The holidays are times of pleasure and joy but can also be times of sadness, anxiety, loneliness and depression for some individuals.  There are a number of suggestions that have been offered by mental health professionals that may help you avoid or reduce negative feelings.

Here is a list that may be helpful:

• If you are lonely, make an effort to help others such as volunteering at a food bank or facility that feeds those less fortunate.  Go to a nursing home and visit with someone who may also be lonely. When you help others your thoughts are off yourself and you will feel better. Get together with your friends, your club or your church group.  If you look around you are not really alone.

• Budget your time and money so you do not over-commit.  We often say yes to too many parties and over-spend on gifts.  This can lead to frustration and anxiety.

• When you are with family and have unresolved issues, offer to deal with conflicts at another time when it is more appropriate.  Remember that it takes two to have an argument.

• Be sure to not neglect your regular exercise routine.  Taking time out for exercise helps relieve stress and improve mood.

• Get enough sleep even though it may be tempting to stay up all night to wrap gifts or prepare food.

• Ask for help when shopping, decorating, preparing meals and cleanup.  You should not have to do everything yourself.

• Do not over indulge in food or drink, but don't feel guilty when you eat that dessert.  What you eat the rest of the year is what really matters.  Eat a nutritious snack before you go to the party.  This will help you avoid eating too many sweets and other less healthy foods.

• If your feelings of depression or anxiety get to be overwhelming, don't hesitate to seek out help.  Ask your family doctor or other health care provider for guidance, or call your local Mental Health Association for information.  These problems have beneficial treatments, you don't have to suffer.

What To Do If You Get the Flu

Flu (influenza) is a respiratory tract infection caused by viral influenza A or B.  Flu is a seasonal infection that occurs mostly during the winter months.  The virus is transmitted in water droplets that are expelled into the air when someone who has the flu coughs, sneezes or even talks.  Breathing in these droplets can then give you the flu.

Symptoms may include a runny nose, fever, cough, headache and muscle aches.  Symptoms of the flu can be similar to other viral infections, but are usually more severe.

Anti-viral medications are available from your health care provider and have best results if given within two days of symptom onset.  These medications can shorten the course of the infection by 1 or 2 days. Even without anti-viral medication flu is usually self limited in the general population to one week.  Cough and fatigue may last a bit longer.

Treatment at home should include over-the-counter medication for fever and aches such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, extra fluid intake to avoid dehydration and lots of rest.

Complications can occur with the flu, including ear and sinus infections.  Viral and bacterial pneumonia can also occur.  These complications will require treatment with antibiotics or anti-virals.  Hospitalization may be required in more severe cases.

The best prevention for seasonal flu is a flu shot, but remember, it takes up to two weeks for immunity to develop after the shot.

If you have any questions about your symptoms or your symptoms are severe, see you health care provider.

Probiotics - Are They Helpful?

Probiotics are bacteria that are the same or similar to bacteria that live naturally in the body and considered beneficial.  There are many probiotics on the market in the form of supplements or in yogurt.  These products often claim to offer health benefits.  However, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved probiotics for the treatment of any disease or condition.

There has been some evidence that probiotics can be safe and effective in preventing Clostridium difficile      ( C. diff. ) related diarrhea in children and adults taking antibiotics.

Pregnant and nursing women who take probiotics have been found to have babies that are less likely to develop eczema, a skin ailment, during the first years of life.

There are conflicting results in the research regarding the cholesterol lowering effects of probiotics, indicating that more research is needed.

Whether you should take probiotics is still largely a question to be answered with further research.  Many of the claimed benefits are yet to be fully proven.

Should You Get a Flu Shot?

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated for the flu.  Flu viruses tend to change each year and thus you need the new vaccine developed to prevent the current year's strain.  October is a good time of year to get your vaccination, but as late as March will still provide some benefit.

The flu vaccines are either dead virus particles or weakened viruses and thus cannot give you the flu.  They do stimulate your immune system to develop antibodies against the actual flu virus.  It takes about two weeks after immunization for you to be fully protected.

Side effects from the flu shot can be a sore arm from the injection and occasionally short-term low grade fever and body aches.  The nasal spray flu vaccine may cause congestion, runny nose, sore throat and cough.

Ask your doctor what form of flu vaccination is best for you. 

Thousands of people die from the flu and its effects each year in the U.S..  Taking advantage of the protection of flu vaccination is a healthy choice for most people.

Diabetics and Fast Foods - Is This a Good Combo?

The American Diabetic Association (www.diabetes.org) has listed a number of tips for eating at fast food restaurants.  These tips are for diabetics, but everyone should follow them to stay healthy and still enjoy the experience of eating out.

The following tips are from the ADA website:

• Know that an average fast-food meal can run as high as 1000 calories or more, and raise your blood sugar above your target range.
• Know the nutritional value of the foods you order. Although there are some good choices, most fast-food items are high in fat and calories.
• If you're having fast-food for one meal, let your other meals that day contain healthier foods, like fruits and vegetables.
• Think about how your food will be cooked. Chicken and fish can be good choices - but not if they are breaded and deep fried.

If breakfast is your fast-food meal, choose a plain bagel, toast, or English muffin. Other muffins may be loaded with sugar and fat. Add fruit juice or low-fat or fat-free milk. Order cold cereal with fat-free milk, pancakes without butter, or plain scrambled eggs. Limit bacon and sausage because they are high in fat.

The fast food we eat may stick around a lot longer than we'd like. It may linger in our bodies as excess blood fats and extra pounds.

• Watch out for words like jumbo, giant, deluxe, biggie-sized or super-sized. Larger portions mean more calories. They also mean more fat, cholesterol and salt. Order a regular or junior-sized sandwich instead.
• Choose grilled or broiled sandwiches with meats such as lean roast beef, turkey or chicken breast, or lean ham. Order items plain, without toppings, rich sauces, or mayonnaise. Add flavor with mustard, and crunch with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
• Skip the croissant or biscuit. Eat your sandwich on a bun, bread or English muffin and save calories and fat.
• Stay away from double burgers or "super" hot dogs with cheese, chili, or sauces. Cheese carries an extra 100 calories per ounce, as well as added fat and sodium.
• Go for the salad bar, but watch out for high-fat toppings like dressings, bacon bits, cheeses, and croutons. Even too much low-calorie dressing can add up. Check the calories on the packet. Also limit salad bar items that are dressed with a lot of mayo, such as potato or macaroni salad. Fill your salad with things like carrots, peppers, onion, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and etc.
• Order bean burritos, soft tacos, fajitas, and other non-fried items when eating Mexican fast foods. Choose chicken over beef. Limit refried beans. Or ask if they have beans that aren't refried. Pile on extra lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Go easy on cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Watch out for deep-fried taco salad shells - a taco salad can have more than 1,000 calories!
• Pizza can be a good fast food choice. Go for thin crust pizza with vegetable toppings. Limit to 1-2 slices. Meat and extra cheese add calories, fat and sodium.
• End your meal with sugar-free, fat-free frozen yogurt or a small cone of fat-free yogurt. Better still, bring a piece of fresh fruit from home. Ices, sorbets, and sherbets have less fat and fewer calories than ice cream. But they are chock full of sugar. They can send your blood sugar too high if you don't work the extra carbohydrate into your meal plan.
• Be alert for traps. Fat-free muffins for breakfast may have plenty of sugar. Skinless fried chicken can have almost as much fat as the regular kind. Chinese food may seem like a healthy choice, but many dishes are deep fried or high in fat and sodium, especially in the sauces. 

It is always a challenge for diabetics to decide what to eat in order to keep good control of blood glucose levels.  The key is to always think before you eat so you don't consume food impulsively and then regret it later.