Winter makes us yearn for creamy, fried dishes that cause bulging waistlines, higher cholesterol and rising blood pressure. Read on for the 10 worst foods and get healthy substitutes when you just have to indulge. Plus, can you recognize diet traps? Quiz yourself…
More than half of all Americans say they're in good or excellent health, according to a survey by Cigna HealthCare, a Philadelphia-based health care company. The other half thinks they need to lose only about 10 pounds.
Yet, two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The bottom line: Americans eat too much and exercise too little. And the calories we consume usually aren’t from nutritious, low-cal foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy foods.
Instead, we reach for artery-cloggers – processed cheese that squirts from a can or frosted pastries filled with sugary jam and anything deep-fried.
But you don’t have to say no to them – that’ll only derail your healthy efforts. Instead, get to know the worst choices and their savory substitutes:
1. ChipsOne ounce of potato chips has 152 calories and 10 grams of fat (three grams saturated). If you eat just three ounces a week, in one year you'll have consumed 23,400 calories and added about seven pounds to your waistline. That’s from just a couple handfuls – much less than most of us snack on at a time.Substitute: Rice and popcorn cakes are no longer Styrofoam-like snacks. Now they’re available in many flavors, so you can satisfy a salty craving without hitting the chips. Try Quaker’s Quakes Rice Snacks or Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn Cakes instead – both have less than 100 calories per serving.
For a more exotic crunch, try dry roasted edamame, which are usually lightly salted and have a satisfying crunch. Thirty grams of the Trader Joe’s brand provides 14 grams of protein and 20% of your daily iron in only 140 calories.
2. Non-Dairy ToppingsAs luscious as they are, Cool Whip and its kin are mostly corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oil − stuff you don’t want floating in your arteries. One tablespoon is 32 calories, but who stops at just one?
Substitute: Top desserts with low-fat vanilla yogurt. The same amount has half the calories, plus a healthy dose of calcium.3. DoughnutsWhite flour, vegetable shortening, white sugar… and deep-fried to boot. One glazed Krispy Kreme packs 200 calories and 12 grams of fat, including heart-stopping saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. An old-fashioned cake doughnut has 300 calories, 28 grams of carbohydrates and a whopping 19 grams of fat, including five grams of saturated fat and four grams of trans fat. Only 30% of our calories should come from fat, says the American Heart Association. That’s about 65 grams in a 2,000-calorie daily diet. Nosh on a couple doughnuts with your coffee, and you’ve reached your daily fat quota.Substitute: Keep down the carbs with whole-grain bagels. Half a Pepperidge Farm multi-grain bagel has 125 calories, just three grams of fat and less than four grams of cholesterol-lowering fiber.
4. Fettuccine AlfredoStrips of pasta drenched with butter, cream and parmesan cheese – what’s not to love? Its fat and calories! A three-ounce serving (about the size of your fist) has 543 calories and 33 grams of fat (19 of which are saturated).Substitute: Request whole-wheat fettuccine with marinara sauce. One cup of whole-wheat pasta has 197 calories and almost four grams of fiber. And half a cup of marinara sauce has just 92 calories. If whole-wheat pasta isn’t available, ask for spinach pasta instead – it's popular and nutrition-rich.Click here for 7 healthy pasta recipes.5. SausagesWhether you fry them for breakfast or boil 'em in beer for the big game, sausages are a health hazard. A single pork link packs 217 calories and 19.5 grams of fat.Substitute: Chicken or turkey sausage. Five links of Aidell’s chicken apple sausage have only 100 calories and eight grams of fat (2.5 saturated). Or go vegetarian: Boca Italian sausage made from soy protein contains 130 calories in each 2.5-ounce serving, six grams of fat and 13 grams of lean protein.
6. Fried ChickenA fried chicken breast has nearly 400 calories and 22 grams of fat. The Colonel wouldn’t be happy to hear this, but those platters of fried fowl have to go.Substitute: Grilled, skinless chicken breasts are finger-lickin’ good. Rub them with a fiery spice rub – try a green chile-lime seasoning – throw them on the barbecue, and you have great flavor for 189 calories per four-ounce breast.
7. Imitation Cheese in a CanSome people love this stuff. But they ignore their protesting hearts: Two tablespoons – about the amount you’d put on two crackers – packs 276 calories and 21 grams of fat, 13 grams of which are saturated.Substitute: Go for the real thing. Soft cheeses like brie have about 100 calories an ounce. Goat cheese is even better: One ounce has 76 calories and five grams of protein.
8. French FriesOne large order (six ounces) of fast-food fries contains 570 calories, half of which are from fat (That's probably why we love them.) If your restaurant order includes a hamburger (such as Burger King’s Whopper), tack on 670 calories and 39 grams of fat.Substitute: Order kid-size fries instead, which have only 230 calories and 13 grams of fat. At home, try sautéed tempeh, a fermented rice and soy mixture found in the refrigerated health-food section of your grocery store. Just slice, sprinkle with soy sauce, and sauté in a little olive oil until brown. A half cup – about three or four half-inch slices – has 197 calories, is loaded with protein and offers a good source of iron, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6.
9. Soft White BreadYou may as well have a candy bar. A slice of white bread offers little more than 65 calories of white flour, a simple and rapidly digested carbohydrate that causes your blood sugar to rise and crash, like any simple sugar.
Substitute: For the same number of calories, a slice of whole-wheat bread offers nutty flavor, two grams of heart-healthy fiber, protein and nutrients like selenium, magnesium and potassium.
10. Fried WontonsThese delicate triangles, often filled with meat, shrimp or cream cheese, are deep-fried to a crispy crunch. Unfortunately, just four crab and cream cheese-filled wontons have 311 calories and 19 grams of fat, too greasy a treat for anyone trying to stay fit.Substitute: For a little crunch, try brown-rice sesame crackers. Five have just 140 calories and six grams of fat, one gram of fiber and a hefty dose of calcium. Just don’t eat the whole bag.How Calorie-Conscious Are You?Calorie counting can be tedious, but gaining a basic knowledge of which foods are diet traps is easy. Find out how savvy you are with this calorie quiz.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
FAQs: Top 10 Questions on Bipolar DisorderDate updated: July 21, 2008 By John Briley Content provided by Revolution Health Group
The questions below represent some of the more common concerns we hear from the bipolar disorder community.
For answers, we consulted Edward Hallowell, M.D., a psychiatrist who runs the Hallowell Center in Sudbury, Mass., and in New York City, and Carl C. Bell, M.D., president and CEO of the Community Mental Health Council and Foundation and a clinical professor of psychiatry and public health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In his clinical practice, Both have worked with individuals with bipolar disorder for decades.
Will I always feel this way?
Bell: Symptoms come and go. It's very cyclical. It is possible if you do the right things -- that the symptoms will come less often and with less intensity. The "right things" include proper sleep hygiene [going to sleep and waking at roughly the same times every day is incredibly important to managing bipolar disorder], diet, exercise, learning to calm the mind with meditation, and having and using support systems.
Hallowell: That's the whole point of treatment -- sort of like managing diabetes. You can stabilize your moods, and you won't be subject to extreme volatility. That's good news. For most of history, it wasn't this way. You just had to live with it.
Do people with bipolar disorder (BP) get better?
Bell: This is something you will manage your whole life, like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. But it's also a hell of a gift: You're more creative and energetic than most people, but you have to manage it.
Hallowell: Does the condition go away? No, it does not. But again, like diabetes, you can manage it. Make sure you find a career that matches you and a relationship that fits you. You want to get on medication that is right for you and consult with your doctor at least weekly.
Successful management with alternative therapies includes taking fish oil pills -- there is evidence that omega-3 fatty acids help with bipolar symptoms -- getting lots of exercise and making sure you get enough sleep. Also, make sure you're not self-medicating with alcohol or recreational drugs.
Is there a certain age at which BP diminishes?
Bell: Not that I'm aware of. Hopefully, with experience, you get better at taking care of yourself and your episodes will become less frequent, less intense and shorter.
Hallowell: As you get older, the symptoms can mellow out, but I wouldn't wait for Father Time to take care of this. It's very important that you have care from a good doctor. He or she can help you manage your symptoms -- regardless of severity.
Will I always have to take medication?
Bell: Research has shown that medication reduces -- and helps you control -- symptoms. People need to understand the difference between treating bipolar disorder and preventing it from recurring. To treat bipolar, you need to take high doses -- which means more side effects. To prevent it, you take lower doses of the same medication -- and thus have fewer side effects.
Hallowell: We don't know. What we know now is that even if you feel better, you will still need to be on minimal medication. That's the trap that bipolar people fall into: They try to stop their meds on their own, and that ends up being disaster.
Will I become addicted to my medication?
Bell: No. People think, "I have to take this all the time. I must be addicted." You're not addicted to the drugs any more than a diabetic is addicted to insulin.
How should I handle setbacks ... which I know are inevitable?
Bell: Pick yourself up off the ground and keep going, just like anybody else. Try to learn something from these setbacks. Be curious about what happened, and don't demonize yourself. Everybody in life has stuff to deal with -- this is yours.
Hallowell: You have to have a good doctor who you trust and work with closely, and a support system. You need help from other people.
I feel better now. Can I stop taking my medication?
Bell: You can stop taking the high doses if you want, and see how that goes. [Editor's note: It is strongly inadvisable to make any adjustments in medication without consulting your doctor.] Part of the way you judge your own need for the drug is by the side effects. Very sick people can tolerate a lot of side effects. So, if you notice the drugs' side effects have increased, that could indicate you're in a low cycle and you could gradually drop the dose.
Quitting your medications altogether is a huge gamble, and you have to understand the stakes. [See editor's note above about adjusting your own medication.] You could be setting yourself up for more episodes at higher severity levels and longer durations. And it's harder to recover from those than from the milder episodes.
What are the other common illnesses associated with BP?
Bell: Depression and mania are common, and you may or may not have issues with substance abuse, including alcohol. There's a lot of comorbidity [i.e. simultaneous and independent conditions associated] with bipolar and substance abuse. Also, attention-deficit disorder is fairly common in people with bipolar disorder.
What can I do to better learn how to handle triggers?
Bell: Everyone in life has habitual behaviors that he or she would rather not have, and we all have triggers. The question is: Are you going to control them, or are they going to control you? Do you want to react or respond? There's a big difference. "Response" indicates thought. You can't control how you feel, but you can control what you do about it. So when you face triggers, train yourself to put some thought into it before you respond.
Hallowell: Again, work with your doctor. Education is very important. Reading books is OK, but it's better to get it straight from your doctor one on one and then relay those triggers to your support system. You have to understand that people with bipolar disorder don't know what's happening when they have these episodes. So, you need a systems approach: people you trust who you are willing to listen to without getting defensive. One problem is that people start into the behavior -- spending money, staying up late and maybe drinking alcohol or engaging in excessive promiscuity. And when confronted, they say: 'Hey, c'mon. I'm just having fun." So, you need people who can tell you when you're in an episode.
What are common side effects from bipolar medications?
Bell: Weight gain, thirst, the need to urinate frequently, toxicity [at high doses] -- which can cause confusion, thyroid issues, drop in sex drive, tremors and other neuro-motor effects.
Reviewed by: Joseph E. Scherger, M.D., M.P.H.Date reviewed: May 2008
The questions below represent some of the more common concerns we hear from the bipolar disorder community.
For answers, we consulted Edward Hallowell, M.D., a psychiatrist who runs the Hallowell Center in Sudbury, Mass., and in New York City, and Carl C. Bell, M.D., president and CEO of the Community Mental Health Council and Foundation and a clinical professor of psychiatry and public health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In his clinical practice, Both have worked with individuals with bipolar disorder for decades.
Will I always feel this way?
Bell: Symptoms come and go. It's very cyclical. It is possible if you do the right things -- that the symptoms will come less often and with less intensity. The "right things" include proper sleep hygiene [going to sleep and waking at roughly the same times every day is incredibly important to managing bipolar disorder], diet, exercise, learning to calm the mind with meditation, and having and using support systems.
Hallowell: That's the whole point of treatment -- sort of like managing diabetes. You can stabilize your moods, and you won't be subject to extreme volatility. That's good news. For most of history, it wasn't this way. You just had to live with it.
Do people with bipolar disorder (BP) get better?
Bell: This is something you will manage your whole life, like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. But it's also a hell of a gift: You're more creative and energetic than most people, but you have to manage it.
Hallowell: Does the condition go away? No, it does not. But again, like diabetes, you can manage it. Make sure you find a career that matches you and a relationship that fits you. You want to get on medication that is right for you and consult with your doctor at least weekly.
Successful management with alternative therapies includes taking fish oil pills -- there is evidence that omega-3 fatty acids help with bipolar symptoms -- getting lots of exercise and making sure you get enough sleep. Also, make sure you're not self-medicating with alcohol or recreational drugs.
Is there a certain age at which BP diminishes?
Bell: Not that I'm aware of. Hopefully, with experience, you get better at taking care of yourself and your episodes will become less frequent, less intense and shorter.
Hallowell: As you get older, the symptoms can mellow out, but I wouldn't wait for Father Time to take care of this. It's very important that you have care from a good doctor. He or she can help you manage your symptoms -- regardless of severity.
Will I always have to take medication?
Bell: Research has shown that medication reduces -- and helps you control -- symptoms. People need to understand the difference between treating bipolar disorder and preventing it from recurring. To treat bipolar, you need to take high doses -- which means more side effects. To prevent it, you take lower doses of the same medication -- and thus have fewer side effects.
Hallowell: We don't know. What we know now is that even if you feel better, you will still need to be on minimal medication. That's the trap that bipolar people fall into: They try to stop their meds on their own, and that ends up being disaster.
Will I become addicted to my medication?
Bell: No. People think, "I have to take this all the time. I must be addicted." You're not addicted to the drugs any more than a diabetic is addicted to insulin.
How should I handle setbacks ... which I know are inevitable?
Bell: Pick yourself up off the ground and keep going, just like anybody else. Try to learn something from these setbacks. Be curious about what happened, and don't demonize yourself. Everybody in life has stuff to deal with -- this is yours.
Hallowell: You have to have a good doctor who you trust and work with closely, and a support system. You need help from other people.
I feel better now. Can I stop taking my medication?
Bell: You can stop taking the high doses if you want, and see how that goes. [Editor's note: It is strongly inadvisable to make any adjustments in medication without consulting your doctor.] Part of the way you judge your own need for the drug is by the side effects. Very sick people can tolerate a lot of side effects. So, if you notice the drugs' side effects have increased, that could indicate you're in a low cycle and you could gradually drop the dose.
Quitting your medications altogether is a huge gamble, and you have to understand the stakes. [See editor's note above about adjusting your own medication.] You could be setting yourself up for more episodes at higher severity levels and longer durations. And it's harder to recover from those than from the milder episodes.
What are the other common illnesses associated with BP?
Bell: Depression and mania are common, and you may or may not have issues with substance abuse, including alcohol. There's a lot of comorbidity [i.e. simultaneous and independent conditions associated] with bipolar and substance abuse. Also, attention-deficit disorder is fairly common in people with bipolar disorder.
What can I do to better learn how to handle triggers?
Bell: Everyone in life has habitual behaviors that he or she would rather not have, and we all have triggers. The question is: Are you going to control them, or are they going to control you? Do you want to react or respond? There's a big difference. "Response" indicates thought. You can't control how you feel, but you can control what you do about it. So when you face triggers, train yourself to put some thought into it before you respond.
Hallowell: Again, work with your doctor. Education is very important. Reading books is OK, but it's better to get it straight from your doctor one on one and then relay those triggers to your support system. You have to understand that people with bipolar disorder don't know what's happening when they have these episodes. So, you need a systems approach: people you trust who you are willing to listen to without getting defensive. One problem is that people start into the behavior -- spending money, staying up late and maybe drinking alcohol or engaging in excessive promiscuity. And when confronted, they say: 'Hey, c'mon. I'm just having fun." So, you need people who can tell you when you're in an episode.
What are common side effects from bipolar medications?
Bell: Weight gain, thirst, the need to urinate frequently, toxicity [at high doses] -- which can cause confusion, thyroid issues, drop in sex drive, tremors and other neuro-motor effects.
Reviewed by: Joseph E. Scherger, M.D., M.P.H.Date reviewed: May 2008
OK! Alot has changed since I made a post. I am now a supplement supplier for advocare. It features such great names as Drew Brees, Thomas & Julius Jones, John Carney and myself. Ha Ha!! Anyway, one of my best friends, Donnie Bowling and I are both now distributors of this line of health supplements. On Monday, January 5th, we are beginning a the detoxification process. After that, intensive two-a-days begin. We will be running in the morning and lifting at night. I suspect, I'll take one day off, but I still will stretch out and possibly go for a long walk. Visit my sight http://advocare.com/08122292.
We are going to be doing a before and after picture of ourselves or at least I am. My target date to have realized my goals should be toward the end of April. Goals for myself:
1. Waist: 40-->>>32
2. Chest: 48-->>>46
3. Biceps: 18 inch
4. Chin-->>>gone!
5. Four Books Read: Joel Osteen, TD Jakes, Charles Stanley & the never ending Bible Study!
So, you guys think of worthy additions and talk about them. If I can do this stuff, anyone can do this. NO JOKE!!
You be blessed...tomorrow is New Years Eve. I am going to stay at home and make some soup and have some French bread with canola oil margarine.
How do you like me now!!???
We are going to be doing a before and after picture of ourselves or at least I am. My target date to have realized my goals should be toward the end of April. Goals for myself:
1. Waist: 40-->>>32
2. Chest: 48-->>>46
3. Biceps: 18 inch
4. Chin-->>>gone!
5. Four Books Read: Joel Osteen, TD Jakes, Charles Stanley & the never ending Bible Study!
So, you guys think of worthy additions and talk about them. If I can do this stuff, anyone can do this. NO JOKE!!
You be blessed...tomorrow is New Years Eve. I am going to stay at home and make some soup and have some French bread with canola oil margarine.
How do you like me now!!???
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