December 2004
  
     

Happy December to you! By now, you may feel more stressed than ever, balancing all that is usually on your plate with the addition of holiday preparations. However, this may be the year that you enjoy a more stress-free holiday season by simplifying gift giving traditions, and focusing more on the rich, simple joys of family togetherness, cooking and baking together, delicious shared meals, bracing walks and hikes, fireside games and chats—and primarily targeting the children where gifts are concerned.

The benefits of this shift are reduced stress, consumer debt and hassle, and even more importantly, a chance for greater connection with family and a renewed focus on sharing your time in ways that build togetherness.

Speaking of family, we welcome a new addition to ours this month. Sierra Skye was born on December 9, is healthy, happy, and ready to start a wonderful life.

We at Natural Health Solutions hope you find December a relaxing and joyful month. We look forward to bringing you even more health updates, information and wellness inspiration in the coming year!

Best wishes to you and yours, and happy holidays!

Kiki Powers, M.S.
Director, Natural Health Solutions

 

 
   
     
National Health Observances  
 

December includes the following national health observances:

Important health observance weeks of note:

And... a very important December day:

  • December 1 World AIDS Day from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
 
     
Healthy Weight Loss Corner  
   
 

As you prepare for the holiday feasting ahead, you may fear that once again, weight gain is inevitable. Certainly most holiday foods, especially desserts, are far more calorie-dense than those normally consumed in a healthy diet.

However, this can indeed be the year that you keep your weight in check while enjoying the foods and festivities as much as ever.

The key of course is not only what you choose, but also how much you consume. If you can stick to small portions of rich foods, filling up more on the beautifully prepared vegetables, salads, and lean proteins, you’ll be well ahead of the game. Before you start eating, look at the balance of foods on your plate. Let the healthy choices take center stage while you still enjoy the richer additions in moderation.

When it comes to dessert, your actual choices—as well as how much you consume—deserve some consideration, since many traditional offerings are far more calorie-dense than others. For example, when choosing treats, you may not know that chocolate mousse pie is actually one of the lower calorie picks, coming in around 247 calories and 15 fat grams (8 g. saturated) for a modest slice.

Your next best bet is pumpkin pie, at 316 calories and 14 g. fat (5 g. saturated) per moderate sized slice (1/8 of 9” pie). Among your highest calorie options is pecan pie at 503 calories and 27 grams of fat (5 g. saturated) for a single slice (1/8 of 9” pie).

What about pie toppings? As you might imagine, per half cup, your options vary widely in terms of calories. Your best choices include vanilla frozen yogurt at 111 calories and 3 g. fat (2 g. saturated), as well as vanilla soy ice cream at 120 calories and 4 g. fat (0 saturated). More fat-dense is vanilla ice cream at 145 calories and 8 g. fat (5 g. saturated).

Worst choice for your waistline? Sweetened whipped cream at 304 calories and 22 grams of fat (14 g. saturated) for a mere half-cup serving. Pecan pie with whipped cream at 807 calories and 49 fat grams (19 g. saturated), anyone? Again, you want to enjoy yourself, but maintaining your awareness can enable you to retain some control, letting you have your cake and eat it too.

 
     
     
Health Tips and Updates  
  Cigarette Smoking and Your Heart  
 

Last month was the Great American Smokeout, bringing our attention back to this perilously unhealthy habit. This month we take a look at smoking and your heart. According to the American Heart Association, cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. It accounts for more than 440,000 of the more than 2.4 million annual deaths.

Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing a number of chronic disorders. These include fatty buildups in arteries, several types of cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (lung problems).

Atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) is a chief contributor to the high number of deaths from smoking. Many studies detail the evidence that cigarette smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.

Cigarette and tobacco smoke, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes are the six major independent risk factors for coronary heart disease that you can modify or control.

Cigarette smoking is so widespread and significant as a risk factor that the Surgeon General has called it "the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the United States."

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by itself. When it acts with other factors, it greatly increases risk. Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases exercise tolerance and increases the tendency for blood to clot. Smoking also increases the risk of recurrent coronary heart disease after bypass surgery.

Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for young men and women. It produces a greater relative risk in persons under age 50 than in those over 50.

Women who smoke and use oral contraceptives greatly increase their risk of coronary heart disease and stroke compared with nonsmoking women who use oral contraceptives. Smoking decreases HDL (good) cholesterol. Cigarette smoking combined with a family history of heart disease also seems to greatly increase the risk. As we move into the New Year, smokers have a fresh opportunity to kick this harmful addiction—and really follow through this time!

Pre-Diabetes: A Growing Concern

Last month was American Diabetes Month and we focused on this important health issue. We would like to add another diabetes-related reminder here. 40 million Americans over age 40 have pre-diabetes, indicated by abnormally high blood sugar levels—a dangerous precursor to diabetes. Younger women should be aware that they too are at risk, especially African Americans, Latinas, Native Americans and Asian Americans.

However, there is good news. According to the American Diabetes Association, you can very effectively reduce your risk of developing this condition by adopting healthy habits now.

One proven strategy is regular exercise, which causes muscles to remove sugar from the bloodstream and use it again, thereby lowering blood sugar levels. Remember, this can be as easy as walking for 30 minutes, 3 times per week. So, grab your husband, wife, friend, baby or dog and get strolling!

Another Reason to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

Many of us can relate to the pattern of losing and regaining that same 10 lbs. time and time again, usually because we follow diets that don't work instead of changing our patterns for the long term. The down sides of doing so include a loss of muscle mass with each weight loss cycle (as well as reducing metabolic efficiency) and a replenishing of fat with each gain cycle.

Now there is another reason to focus on getting off the yo-yo dieting roller coaster and creating healthy, moderate eating habits for the long term. Repeatedly gaining and losing weight may weaken your immune system long-term. According to research in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the more times a healthy but overweight woman had lost weight and regained it, the lower her natural killer (NK) cell activity was.

Depressed NK cell activity has been associated with an increased risk of colds, herpes and other viral infections and even cancer. Conversely, women who had maintained a stable weight for five or more years had 40% more NK cell activity. Clearly, reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is a vital aim for many health reasons, and as such, may become a newly heightened priority for us all.

Healthy Holiday Diet Tips

We once again offer these helpful tips, originally featured in 2003. Though you may wish to forgo your weight loss diet during holiday time, these pointers can help you enjoy the season's offerings in moderation while you at least minimize weight gain. You may be familiar with these ideas, but consider really putting them into practice this year. You may find you enjoy the holidays more than ever before!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  • When attending holiday parities, wear a form-fitting outfit, with a belt if possible. This will help you remain conscious of how much you consume later.
  • Taking care with your appearance (buy yourself a new holiday sweater, get your hair cut, try that pretty lipstick) will help you feel more positive and ready to interact with others, taking the emphasis off food.
  • When heading off to parties, volunteer to be the designated driver. Alcohol provides many "empty" calories that you can easily avoid. The bonus: you’ll remain more upbeat (alcohol is a depressant).
  • If you do choose to drink alcohol, stick with light beer, wine or champagne and avoid calorie-dense cocktails and liqueurs.
  • Try not to arrive at events hungry. Having a light snack before you go will keep your blood sugar stable for a positive beginning and better self-control.
  • When you first arrive at events, rather than going right for the appetizers, enjoy the upbeat mood of people getting together, help greet arrivals, etc.
  • If you do want to sample some food upon arrival, take advantage of low calorie appetizers, like salads with low calorie dressing, raw vegetables and most (non cream-based) soups.
  • Choose water as a beverage whenever possible. You’ll feel refreshed and well hydrated, and won’t mistake thirst for hunger.
  • Ask for sparkling water in a wine glass with a lemon twist for a festive touch.
  • Try to avoid the empty calories provided by sodas, punch, etc.
  • If you see peanuts, pretzels, chips, and other everyday snacks nearby, think before reaching for them automatically. Save your calories for the special treats
  • Make socializing, rather than food, the focus of the event.
  • Taking an interest in others by asking questions and listening to the replies will endear you to your fellow guests. Far better than hiding out in a corner eating bleu cheese-stuffed olives!
  • If food is served buffet style, try not to be first in line. Stalling a bit means you have more time to enjoy your meal, with less time for second helpings.
  • Take small amounts of many different things, which will be more satisfying and less calorie-dense than huge helpings of the rich items.
  • Emphasize lean proteins, green vegetables and salads while avoiding rich carbohydrates like buttery mashed potatoes, high-fat stuffing, candied yams and refined white bread and rolls.
  • Be sure to feature salad or veggie items on every plate you take. Eating them first provides you with fiber, a wealth of nutrientsæand a bit less space for high fat items.
  • Chat often. If your food is eaten slowly and you talk longer, you'll be full sooner.
  • When you start to eat, remember to eat slowly. It takes at least 20 minutes for your system to register that you’re full.
  • Practice saying "no, thank you." It's never rude to decline additional portions if you’re full.
  • During holiday time, eat plenty of small meals often. Don't "save up" for a big feast. Bonus: you’ll have better balanced blood sugar levels and more energy, without overtaxing your digestive system.
  • After dinner, go off and brush your teeth and refresh your lipstick. You’ll be less tempted by post-dinner foods.
  • Consider skipping dessert. Do you really need the pecan pie? If you have a big sweet tooth, sample a bite or two of several different desserts. Try the Dolly Parton motto: "Try everything, finish nothing."
  • You may find that a craft that you can do in a relaxed family holiday setting, such as knitting or crocheting, will enable you to enjoy the company while keeping hands too busy to unconsciously reach for treats laying around. Bonus: a lovely baby blanket!
  • Most importantly, enjoy the occasion, and your friends and family. Have fun!

Cranberries—More Than a Holiday Side Dish

If you only think of cranberries around the holidays, you may want to find other ways to incorporate this unique power fruit into your diet. For one thing, cranberries are a rich source of bioflavonoids_plant pigments that can boost your immune system and reduce inflammation. Boasting seven different flavonoids including quercitin, cranberries offer powerful antioxidant activity, and have been shown to be cancer-protective as well.1

These potent flavonoids have also been shown to help prevent cardiovascular disease by reducing LDL (“bad” cholesterol) oxidation and atherosclerosis,2 as well as helping to reverse cholesterol transport and decrease total and LDL cholesterol.3

Further, cranberry juice has long played a role_now scientifically proven_in helping women to both prevent and treat urinary tract infections.4

So, you may wish to enjoy cranberry juice_a rich source of nutrients including potassium for healthy blood pressure_on a weekly basis at least. And try our December recipe, a delicious addition to your holiday feast.

1 Kandil FE, et al. Composition of a chemopreventive proanthocyanidin-rich fraction from cranberry fruits responsible for the inhibition of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. J Agric Food Chem 2002 Feb 27;50(5):1063-9
2 Fuhrman B, Aviram M. Flavonoids protect LDL from oxidation and attenuate atherosclerosis. Curr Opin Lipidol 2001 Feb;12(1):41-8
3 Reed J. Cranberry flavonoids, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2002;42(3 Suppl):301-16
4 Reid G. The role of cranberry and probiotics in intestinal and urogenital tract health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2002;42(3 Suppl):293-300

  
     
December Recipes  
  Cranberry-Orange Relish  
 

This festive flavor treat can be used as you would use cranberry sauce. Or toss a few tablespoons into a holiday salad of mixed baby greens, toasted pecans, and raspberry vinaigrette for a piquant spark. This may become an annual favorite!

1 12-oz. package fresh cranberries
1 medium high-quality orange, quartered with seeds removed (keep skin intact)
1/2 c fresh, chopped pecans
1/2 c raw sugar (or to taste)

Put cranberries and orange segments in a food processor and chop finely. Place in bowl, adding chopped pecans and sugar to taste. Using a light hand with the sweetener will yield you a vibrantly flavored and refreshingly tart condiment. Enjoy!

  
     
   
Health and Inspirational Quotes  
   

“The nation behaves well if it treats its natural resources as assets,
which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value.”

~ Teddy Roosevelt ~



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“The choice between love and fear is made every moment in our hearts and minds.
That is where the peace process begins. Without peace within,
peace in the world is an empty wish.
Like love, peace is extended. It cannot be brought from the world to the heart.
It must be brought from each heart to the world.”

~ Aaron Antonovsky ~

  
   
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