1.   Take Control.  Manage your appetite with vegetables and high-fiber cereals.  These foods help you to feel full faster and keep blood sugars steady.

  2.   Slow Down.  It's tempting to skip a meal in favor of checking off more items on your to-do list.  Don't.  When you skip a meal, you are more likely to binge the next time you eat to compensate.

  3.   Plan Ahead.  Keep nutrient-dense snack foods on hand. Fruits, vegetables and good quality protein sources including low- or non-fat cottage cheese and cheese sticks, eggs, sliced meat and soy nuts, are all great options.

  4.   Portion Wisely.  Buy snacks in individual serving sizes or portion them out in small snack baggies.

  5.   Get Your Z's.  Adequate rest is a must.  Lack of sleep can lead people to consume more sugary foods and more calories during the day. Aim for eight hours of quality sleep each night.

  6.   Lighten Up.  Look for ways to make healthy changes to your favorite holiday dishes.  Using fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream eliminates approximately 474 calories and 95 grams of fat per  16-ounce container.

  7.   Choose Wisely.  An average holiday meal contains more than 2,000 calories.  Green beans, skinless turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin are all rich in vitamins.  But beware of additives such as butter, sugar or oil that add unhealthy calories and fat.

  8.   Think Before You Eat.  Emotions run high this time of year.  Don't eat when you're angry or upset.  Emotions interfere with your ability to make healthy choices, and can also upset your digestion.

  9.   Track Alcohol.  Empty calories from alcoholic beverages add up quickly.  Alcohol has no nutritional value, and can weaken your willpower, leading you to eat more than you planned.

  10.  Keep Moving.  The U.S. Surgeon General recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity on most days.  Enjoy a daily brisk  walk to kick-start your day or after dinner to help keep energy levels up while easing holiday stress.
 

Articles of interest

The Flu

Preventing the Flu
Getting Vaccination

Good Health Habits

Medications

Smoking and Influenza
Quitting
Smoking Cessation

Learn How to quit
 

Lose Weight
The Ideal Diet

The Ideal Meal

Stop Drinking

Are you over doing it. Set a goal. Getting support

Granny's Remedies

Household items to cure many ailments.

Easy Way to Lose 10 Pounds

It isn't a gimmick. You don't have to buy anything. And you really can drop 10 pounds without a lot of work.

How? Take advantage of the fact that even the smallest changes matter. Eating one tablespoon less fat per day will lead to a 10-pound weight loss in a year, according to Katherine Tallmadge of the American Dietetic Association. "It's not about trying to make sweeping overhauls that are doomed to fail," she explained to The Associated Press.

The American Dietetic Association has other advice for would-be dieters:

The Ideal Diet

The ideal diet, according to Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at Harvard School of Public Health, consists of lots of fruits and vegetables and healthy protein sources, including fish, poultry, nuts, and legumes. Red meat and high-fat dairy products should be avoided. Carbohydrates are fine, as long as they're high-fiber. Think wheat pasta and brown rice. Avoid refined grains, such as white rice and white potatoes. Also, take a multivitamin daily, do enjoy an alcoholic drink every day, and get regular physical activity.

The Ideal Meal

Why is this meal so good for you? Oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, may cut the risk of prostate cancer in half. Garlic, shallots, onions, and tomatoes also lower the risk of certain kinds of cancer. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain a chemical that kills the bacteria responsible for most stomach cancers. Moderate alcohol consumption can reduce the risk of heart attacks. Tea makes bones stronger and reduces the risk of dying after a heart attack.

Bon appetit!

Interestingly, it's all related. While this is the first study to find a link between grapefruit consumption and reduced insulin levels, the researchers speculate that weight loss and lower insulin levels are connected, reports

The study: Obese patients at the Scripps Clinic were divided into two groups. For 12 weeks, one group ate either half a grapefruit or drank a glass of grapefruit juice with each meal. The other group was given a placebo sugar pill. This was the only change in their diet. Everyone ate the foods they usually ate. There was minimal exercise that all participants followed.

The results: Those who ate fresh grapefruit lost on average 3.6 pounds over the 12-week period, while those drinking grapefruit juice typically lost 3 pounds. However, some participants lost as much as 10 pounds. Those who took the placebo sugar pill lost on average a half-pound. But the grapefruit-eaters also had lower levels of insulin, which is the hormone that allows the body to metabolize sugars. Their glucose levels were also lower, which suggests a more efficient sugar metabolism. The researchers think the weight loss stems from the lower insulin level.

"The data we discovered in the study was very surprising. To see more weight loss with the grapefruit and nearly none in the placebo--in all honesty, I was very surprised," Dr. Ken Fujioka, lead researcher and director of the Scripps Metabolic Research Center, explained to CBS HealthWatch. "There might be something in grapefruit, particularly fresh grapefruit, that turns off the desire to eat more food."

Live Longer If You Eat These 14 Foods?

They're ordinary items that are probably in your refrigerator or kitchen pantry right now: beans, blueberries, broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, soy, spinach, green or black tea, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts, wild salmon, and yogurt.

But these may not be ordinary foods at all. They may be so special, they've earned the title "superfoods." That's the word from Steven G. Pratt, author of "SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life." His premise is that these vitamin-packed goodies have superpowers when it comes to keeping us healthy, improving our well-being, and helping us to live longer provided we do our part by eating them regularly, reports The Rocky Mountain News.

Here are the 14 "superfoods" and the superpowers they bestow.

Beans: They lower cholesterol, fight heart disease, stabilize blood sugar, reduce obesity, lessen cancer risk, and relieve hypertension. Eat four 1/2-cup servings a week. Don't like beans? Substitute green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas, or chick peas instead.

Blueberries: They lower the risk of heart disease and cancer and help maintain youthful, healthy skin. Eat 1 to 2 cups a day. When they aren't in season, eat cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, currants, and purple grapes.

Broccoli: It boosts your immune system, reduces the incidence of cataracts, builds bones, and fights birth defects and heart disease. Eat 1/2 to 1 cup a day. Can't stand broccoli? Eat brussels sprouts, red and green cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, and kale.

Oats: Oats lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and are high in fiber and protein. Eat five to seven servings a week. Don't want it that often? Try wheat germ, brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, and quinoa.

Oranges: They support heart health while preventing cancer, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic ailments. Eat one a day. Want more variety? Try lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, or limes.

Pumpkin: It's not just for pie. Pumpkin lowers the risk of various cancers, while it promotes youthful, healthy skin. Eat 1/2 cup a day. Want an alternative? Try carrots, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and orange bell peppers.

Soy: It prevents heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis, as well as relieves menopausal and menstrual symptoms. Eat at least 15 grams daily. Don't like soy? Try tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, edamame, or miso.

Spinach: Popeye was on to something! Spinach lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, a variety of cancers, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts. Eat 1 cup of steamed spinach or 2 cups of raw spinach a day. Don't like it? Then eat kale, collards, Swiss chard, bok choy, romaine lettuce, mustard, or turnip greens.

Tea (Black or green): Besides soothing the soul, tea boosts the immune system, helps prevent cancer and osteoporosis, lowers stroke risk, and promotes cardiovascular health. Drink at least one cup a day.

Tomatoes: They lower cancer risk, increase your skin's sun-protection factor, and play a role in preventing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.  Eat one tomato a day. Don't like them? Try watermelon, persimmons, or pink grapefruit instead.

Turkey (skinless breast): It's not just for Thanksgiving. Turkey is not only the perfect healthy low-fat protein, but also builds a strong immune system. Eat three or four 3-ounce servings a week. Want something else? Skinless chicken breast is a great alternative.

Walnuts: How nutty is this? Walnuts reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Eat 1 ounce five times a week. Other options include almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, peanuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and cashews.

Wild salmon: It lowers risk of heart disease and cancer. Eat it two to four times a week. Don't like salmon? Go for Alaskan halibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herring, trout, sea bass, or clams.

Yogurt: In addition to being a great source of protein and calcium, yogurt promotes strong bones and a healthy heart. Eat 2 cups a day. Want something else? Try kefir.