TREATING THE COMMON COLD

I think most of us know we have a problem with the overuse of antibiotics.  It seems to make us feel better to have the doctor write us a prescription when we feel bad.  However, keep in mind that antibiotics are not needed or helpful for the common cold.  The experts recommend the following for the common cold:

• Try over-the-counter analgesics (think aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen) to relieve aches and fever.
• Try over-the-counter antitussives to ease coughing.
• Try over-the-counter expectorants to help thin mucus (drinking plenty of water helps, too).
• Try over-the-counter decongestants to shrink nasal passages and reduce congestion.

If your cold appears to be something more serious or the above things do not help after a few days, contact your physican.  You may have a different problem.

CHOCOLATE WHEN ON CHEMO

You may be surprised to know that those on chemo should eat chocolate.  Chocolate, because of the butter, sugar, etc that is added to make candy, is often thought of something to stay away from.  That is so untrue!  We have heard a lot recently of the benefits of eating small amounts of dark chocolate on a regular basis.  One thing we haven't heard much about is the positive effects for patients taking chemotherapy treatments.  One of the great things about chocolate is that it is an anti-inflammatory, good for us for so many reasons.  Chemically speaking, the human body literally sucks in the nutrients in chocolate.  This is especially true for the flavonoids (the proanthcyanidins) which have chemo-protective effects.  Eat dark chocolate, often mentioned on this blog, because it has 4 times the antioxidants found in tea - a well-known source of antioxidants.

Dark Chocolate

WHAT SHOULD YOUR BLOOD SUGAR READINGS BE?

Even people who have been diabetics for years are sometimes at a loss as to what their blood sugar (glucose) readings should be throughout the day.  Here is a guideline of what healthy readings should be at various times:

Before Meals your reading should be 90 to 100.
One hour after meals your reading should be less than 180.
Two hours after meals your reading should be less than 160.
Three hours after meals your reading should be less than 140.

It is recommended that your A1C reading (this test measures your blood sugar over a 2 to 3 month period) be 7 or less.

A CARROT A DAY TO LOWER CANCER RISKS

We've all heard the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  But have you ever heard you should eat a carrot a day?  Actually, a carrot a day is a very good idea.  Studies show that a carrot a day could cut lung cancer risk in half, probably due to their high vitamin A content which is vital to promoting lung health.  Carrots are also rich in beta-carotene which is associated with preventing not only lung cancer but also cancers of the mouth, throat, stomach, intestines, bladder, prostate, and breasts.  Find a way to work more carrots into your diet to reduce your cancer risks.

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YES, CASHEWS CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU

We all know too many cashews can be bad for the waistline but cashews are good for you, too.  Cashews are a good source of copper and that is important because copper deficiency is associated with increased risk of colon cancer and no one wants to deal with that dreaded disease.  Cashews, as well as avocados - by the way, are also high in oleic acid, an anti-cancer component of monounsaturated fat.  Cashews, as with other nuts, are whole foods therefore active calories, and they contain fiber.  So go ahead and enjoy some cashew chicken, etc, or enjoy a few unsalted cashews as a snack. 

NOTE: As with all foods, moderation is the key to eating healthy.

TUFT'S UNIVERSITY QUOTE ON FIBER

"Fiber is suddenly hip, Grandma, it turns out, was just ahead of her time."  This is a quote from the Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, February 2009.  Thank you for letting us know our mothers and grandmothers knew what they were telling us!  The fact is, fiber is a very vital part of our diets and we should have 25 grams daily.  People tend to think, fiber - yuck!  Those people feel that way because they do not understand how to add fiber and how tasty it can be.  Check out the sandwich pictured below as an example.  Instead of white (refined) bread, Whole grain bread is used and it is a tasty substitute over white bread.  White bread basically has no taste; whole-grain adds a subtle, almost nutty, taste.  Note the seeds on the top of the bread.  What an easy way to add fiber.  Fresh, whole vegetables are also shown.  The lettuce, onion, tomato, peppers, and herbs all add fiber!  Remember this the next time you make a sandwich.

Picture courtesy of The Full Plate Diet

CHOOSING THE FRUIT RATHER THAN THE JUICE

Fruits and their juices are both healthy.  However, especially when it comes to citrus fruit, it is a good idea to eat the fruit rather than have a glass of juice.  This is especially true for dieters and diabetics.  The fruit contains fiber, usually lost when the fruit is turned into juice.  Fiber is very important in all our diets but becomes even more important for the dieters and diabetics.  Fiber helps to keep our systems clean and best of all, it makes us feel full longer.  Nothing wrong with drinking a glass of orange juice, just make sure you eat the fruit on a regular basis, too.  I mentioned orange juice because it is the most common citrus fruit we drink and also because it has the most fiber of all the citrus fruits.  On average, the medium-sized orange will contain 3 grams of fiber.  And remember you should be getting 25 grams of fiber a day!

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PROTEIN PER MEAL

You should aim for 15 to 20 grams of protein per meal to keep your metabolism revved up, per Karen Ansel, RD.  About 2 to 3 ounces of lean meat, poultry, or fish will do it.  You can also get protein in other foods; read the nutrition labels.  Just because a product says PROTEIN on the label doesn't mean you should have it.  For instance, the product shown below is a good product and this is not to condemn it.  However, it does show the importance of reading the nutrition labels.  5 grams protein and 19 grams sugar per 1 cup.  It is especially important for diabetics and dieters to not be fooled by the word Protein on the label.  There is not enough protein in this product to counteract the amount of sugar.

Follow your doctor's advice. There are certain medical conditions in which one has to limit protein.

Keeping your metabolism fired up and going is key to losing weight and keeping it off.

ADD CABBAGE TO YOUR CANCER FIGHTING LIST OF FOODS

Cabbage is one of our very healthy vegetables that should be a regular part of our diets for various reasons but today we focus on the cancer-fighting properties of cabbage.  Cabbage is a natural anti-inflammatory and a natural antibacterial food.  Along with its cruciferous kin such as kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, bok choy and turnips, cabbage is extremely high in anticancer phytochemicals. IC3 or indole-3-carbinal, a property of cabbage and the above list of its cousins, almost doubles how quickly the liver can break down estrogen so it doesn't remain in the body.  Some female cancers feed off estrogen so IC3 is important against them.

Do not overcook cabbage as it is important to retain one of its compounds called sinigrin.  Sinigrin reacts with an enzyme to release molecules that detoxify carcinogens and inhibit the division and growth of tumor cells.

There are various ways to enjoy cabbage.  If you don't care for cabbage on its own, add it to soups, make it into a slaw, etc.  However you prepare it, make sure it is a part of your diet.

THE BEST DAY TO START YOUR DIET?

Would you believe it?  Research has shown that for anyone planning to diet, you should start your diet on Sunday.  Research has shown that those who start dieting on Sunday have the most weight loss success.  On the flip side, this same research has shown that those who start their diets on Tuesday have the least success.  I am not stupid; I will just pass this research along without comment!

How about this 2012 calendar page for some nostalgia!

USE A BIG FORK

This may sound silly, but researchers believe those who use a big fork actually eat less than those who use a small fork.  They believe the big fork helps one to better gauge how much they have eaten.  If you are trying to lose weight or watching how much you eat, give this a try.  Perhaps over time you will find yourself eating less!

EASY WAYS TO ADD FRUITS AND VEGGIES TO YOUR DIET

Too many of us don't eat enough fruits and vegetables.  Here are some things you can do to make sure you are getting the fruits and veggies you need on a daily basis:

• Add some veggies to non-vegetable soups such as a handful of peas or carrots and/or celery, sliced or diced, to soups such as chicken noodle, etc.
• Add lettuce, tomato, cucumber slices, etc to sandwiches.
• Add some salsa to scrambled eggs.
• Instead of fried eggs, have an omelet stuffed with mushrooms, peppers, etc.
• Top your morning cereal or oatmeal with fruit or berries.
• Add peas or mushrooms to rice.
• Before you start eating, look at your plate.  Try to make it half fruits and vegetables.

These are just a few ideas I have listed here.  I'm sure you can think of even more ways to get more healthy fruits and veggies into your diet.

Picture courtesy of ALLPosters.com

DANGERS OF REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS

 Personally, I am not big on reusable grocery bags.  Yes, I do recycle, and I am in favor of doing so.  However, I am not one of the people who think we are going to drown in garbage, so I do not use reusable grocery bags, but I know many of you do.  If you do use the reusable bags, are you keeping them clean or do you empty them, fold them and take off with them again?  A recent survey found that of those who use such bags, 85% do not clean them!  These bags can pick up illness-causing bacteria from unwashed and uncooked foods!  If you use these bags, do yourself and your family a favor and wash them with hot soapy water after use,  especially if you carry produce and/or meats in them.  Don't make yourself or a family member sick to "save the environment".

CUTTING BACK ON BUTTER IN BAKING

You can cut back on the butter in your baked goods in a heart-healthy way without affecting the final product.  In almost all recipes, you can cut the amount of butter in half by substituting heart-healthy canola oil or no sugar added applesauce for half of the butter.  You will still have a final product that is tasty but it will be healthier!  Yes, I said almost all recipes.  Use your common sense.  You cannot make buttercream icing for example with canola oil or applesauce!

You can make healthy baked goods.  My granddaughter is holding a very healthy cake she made using applesauce for some of the butter. (This is a 2012 photo.)

MORE ABOUT WATER

So, you aren't able to handle 8 to 10 glasses of water a day?  Some time ago, I wrote an article on this blog about eating water.  If you didn't see it, check the archives and read it.  The average person can get around 20% of their daily water needs from foods.  Some produce, for example, is loaded with water.  Think cucumbers, melons, etc.  And how about this little surprise; cooked rice and white chicken breast ends up being over 50% water.  

Caution: Beware of flavored waters.  Again, read the nutrition labels.  You might be surprised to find that some flavored waters have more sugar than some candy bars and others have 0 sugar.  You want flavored water?  Add some fresh fruit slices, berries, or a slice of citrus to your water glass.

IMPORTANCE OF WATER

Almost all of us know we need to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, even though many of us don't do it!  But do you know why?  How about this?  The experts say water is second only to oxygen as essential to life itself!  Is that reason enough for you? No, you want more reasons?  Check the bullets below.

• Water decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%.
• A lack of water is one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue!
• Water reduces fat deposits in the body. 
• Water helps maintain proper muscle tone.
• Water reduces the risk of bladder cancer by 50%.

The above bullets are just a few of the ways water is helpful to the body.

One thing we should do that most people say they don't even think of doing is to drink at least one glass of water right after getting up in the morning.  Remember we aren't talking about a 16-oz glass.  A glass that holds a cup of water counts as a glass.

Do your body a big favor and drink plenty of water!

A LITTLE ADVICE ABOUT FOOD LABELS

We have laws that require food manufacturers to follow rules when making claims on food products.  But do you know what the statements really mean?  Here is a list of some of the common ones and what is required for a product to meet that standard:

• Fat-free - less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving with no added fat or oil
• Low-fat - 3 grams or less of fat per serving
• Calorie-free - less than 5 calories per serving
• Low-calorie - 40 calories or less per serving
• Sugar-free - Less than 0.5 grams of sugar (any type) per serving

Now here is the trick they use on us who try to eat healthy.  While a product may follow the standards for the chosen label, say fat-free, it is often too high in another area.  For instance a product can carry the sugar-free label and still be very high in fat or vice versa.  One product is often used to make up for the lack of the stated ingredient so the product will still have "taste appeal". 

FOR A QUICK HEALTHY BREAKFAST....

If you are in a big hurry to get out the door, you should still take time to eat a healthy breakfast.  Next time this happens to you (not everyday, I hope!), grab a 6-oz carton of plain Greek Yogurt.  Toss in a few chopped almonds or walnuts and/or some fresh berries or fruit.  This takes very little time, is healthy, and it is low in calories.  The yogurt is 100 calories + what you add in with nuts and/or fruit.  Your body will thank you and you will feel better than if you grab a high-calorie, sugar-laden snack.

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CAFFEINE AND SLEEP

We all know caffeine is a stimulant.  Most of us have grabbed a cup of coffee to help keep us awake during a boring meeting, stopped for a cup of Java when driving for hours, etc.  This same stimulant can make it difficult to get to sleep and most Americans do not get enough sleep.  One thing you may not realize is that the effects of caffeine last 4 to 7 hours in your system.  So having a cup of coffee an hour before bedtime can make sleep difficult until almost time to get up!

And coffee isn't our only source of caffeine.  Below are a few sources you may not consider when having them in the evening.

• 1 cup of coffee ice cream = 48 mg caffeine
• 1 can diet coke                 = 47 mg caffeine
• 1 cup regular tea              = 40 mg caffeine
• 1.45 oz chocolate bar      = 25 mg caffeine

Dr. Lawrence Epstein, chief medical officer of the Sleep Health Centers, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, and past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, states it is important to know how long the effect of caffeine lasts and that you should make sure by the time you are going to bed the stimulating effects have worn off, if you plan to get a good night's sleep.

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VITAMINS IN PEPPERS

Scientist and nutrionists have found that all peppers, whether the hot ones or the sweet ones, contain good levels of vitamin C and beta-carotene which is related to vitamin A.  That is good news since these are known as "healing" vitamins!  But the levels of vitamins in these peppers do vary.  Keep the following tidbits in mind regarding peppers:

1. Peppers allowed to mature from green to red have twice as much vitamin C as when they were green, ie - red sweet bell peppers have 11 times the amount of beta carotene of green bell peppers.  Hot red peppers have even more beta carotene than sweet peppers or hot green peppers. Red Peppers are at the top of the list of vitamin C foods.
2. Peppers are so easy to add to your diet.  In addition to just eating them raw, they make perfect additions to soups, salads, dips, sandwiches, etc.  There is an unbelievable health benefit just in the addition of a few peppers added to your foods.

 

DR. TRAVIS STORK ON PREVENTING COLDS AND FLU

Dr. Travis Stork is not only a popular TV personality from the show The Doctors, he is also an ER physician.  He says one of the best ways to prevent colds and flu is to avoid touching your nose, eyes, or mouth before washing your hands.  This is a quote from Dr. Travis.

"If I shake hands with people, I don't rub my eyes until I've washed my hands.  I think it's one of the reasons I rarely get sick.  I haven't had the flu since I was a kid."

An important reminder to us all as we head into cold and flu season! Personally, I would add this is very important to help prevent the spread of covid.

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CARDIOLOGIST DR. ARTHUR AGATSTON ON FIBER

Cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of The South Beach Diet, in case you aren't familiar with his name has said that fiber can lower your risk of heart disease by 40%!  He continues by saying fiber can also cut your risk of developing diabetes by nearly 30%.  While not giving percentages, Dr. Agatston says fiber can also significantly reduce blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol.  After listing these benefits of fiber he also issues a warning; beware of "fiber additives" which some food companies use to make their products appear more wholesome and healthful.  He says these "fiber additives" are sometimes isolated from their natural sources and other are synthesized.  One way to detect these additives is their unnatural-sounding names, such as inulin, maltodextrin, and polydextrose among others.  Dr. Agatston is quoted as saying, "I doubt these additives impart the same advantages as naturally-fiber-rich foods.  As researchers are finding with other supplements, when a nutrient is removed from its natural food source (or when its beneficial properties are synthesized), healthful effects can diminish."

As I have stated repeatedly on this blog, read the nutritional and ingredients lists on packaging!  If buying a product for its fiber values, look for the words "whole-grain," "oats," "nuts," "seeds," etc.

 Whole Grains Are Excellent Sources of Fiber.

WATER AND DIETING

 

Probably anyone who has ever dieted realizes you have to drink lots of water!  A study from researchers at Virginia Tech University shows that the dieters who drank 2 cups of water before meals lost 15.5 lbs over 3 months.  Those who drank the water had a 44% increase in weight loss over those who did not drink the water.  Now why wouldn't anyone want to do something so simple to shed a few excess pounds?

CHOOSING GRANOLA BARS

Granola is very popular today but there is so much difference in the different kinds and/or brands.  Granola bars have become very popular in our "grab and go" society.  That is not necessarily a bad thing but not necessarily a good one either!  Learn to read the labels and know what you should be looking for when you do!

Being a diabetic, I always look for two things, sugar grams and fiber grams (which usually come from whole grains such as oats).  These are things you should check out, too, whether or not you are diabetic.

Pictured below are some of the most popular granola bars.  You can see the differences just in these three.  Whatever brand or type you use, read the labels and be sure you aren't loading your body down with excess sugar and/or "couch potato"* calories.

Never choose a granola bar with more than 200 calories (unless told by your doctor to do so for health reasons).  In the above bars, there are 140 calories in the NV Trail Mix Bar and the Kashi TLC bar.  The NV Oats 'N Honey bar has 190 calories.  So, all three are good in the calorie department but there is a 50-calorie difference.

Sugar can be concealed with some tricky names such as brown rice syrup, organic evaporated cane juice, etc.  We hear constantly that we should eat brown rice and the word "organic" is constantly thrown at us, so those tricky ad people know how to package sugar under a healthy banner. Remember to check the nutritional numbers where you will get the total sugar grams number.  Again, there is a wide difference in the sugar grams of the three healthy bars above.  The Trail Mix Bar has 14 grams sugar, the Kashi bar comes in lowest in sugar with 6 grams.  The Oats 'N Honey bars comes in with 12 grams sugar.

Fiber is important for two reasons.  Fiber makes you feel full longer and it is essential for keeping toxins removed from the body.  Again, all three of the bars differ in fiber grams.  The Trail Mix bar has 1 gram of fiber, the Kashi bar has 4 grams of fiber, and the Oats 'N Honey bar has 2 grams of fiber.

As I continually repeat on this blog, read the labels and know what you should be looking for.  When purchasing granola bars, make sure the first ingredient listed is a whole grain; oats is a good example.

I have a great homemade granola recipe on my blog at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com  You can use it to make your own homemade granola bars if you are really industrious!

WHAT DETERMINES THE SIZE OF AN EGG?

This is not really nutritional information just a tidbit of trivia, which I love.  Did you know the size of the egg depends on the age of the hen?  Young hens lay small eggs.  The older the hen, the larger the egg!

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