Coffee is good for you?

You may have heard reports that coffee is the next miracle food. From decreasing the risk of developing diabetes to decreasing the risk of Parkinsons and even preventing cavities -- there is a new-found love of coffee. Starbucks, get ready! Here is a list of what drinking coffee might do for you --
decrease diabetes risk
decrease Parkinson's risk
cure your headache
improve your mood
help your workouts
make you more alert
help you on tests
decrease your cavities
(click here for more on the health benefits of coffee)
Coffee is a plant based food and thus contains antioxidants and other nutrients as well as caffeine that may provide health benefits. But before you go ahead and up your java intake or start the java habit, you need to be aware of the down-sides and how coffee may affect you as an individual. There are studies that show that coffee may increase your cholesterol levels. Also, a new study out of Duke University Medical school found that caffeine increased blood sugar levels in those with type 2 diabetes. Caffeine has also been shown to increase nervousness, anxiety and sleeplessness. So, bottom line -- if you currently drink coffee and do not experience any of the negative effects listed, then you are probably okay. For those of you who do not personally know "Joe"; drink it early in the day and take it slow to make sure you and "Joe" can be friends. Coffee is not necessarily for everyone -- if you have made it this far without coffee -- you are probably okay without it. You can get the health benefits listed above (and more) by eating your fruit (3), vegetables (3) and legumes (1/2 cup) daily.

Race ya!

Think you need to join an expensive gym or buy lots of pricey equipment to get yourself in shape? Not according to a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Wearing a pedometer - a basic one usually costs under $10 - may be all you need. In the study, participants increased the amount of physical activity by 27% when they started wearing one and better yet, they experienced significant health gains. They lost body weight and lowered their blood pressure. Setting a goal of 10,000 steps per day was helpful; even if they didn't acheive the goal, they were more likely to increase their activity somewhat.
Try this: Go get a pedometer for everyone in the family. (You can make them your Valentine's Day presents.) Start a contest to see who can get the most steps by the end of each day.
I'm going to try this with my family and I'll keep you posted how we're doing. My four year old is obsessed with races and who can "win" at anything and everything (fastest getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc). He's going to love this challenge!

Seamless "diet" recipe

Just read an article that reiterates our mantra: diet tips that work are those that fit into your life seamlessly. Here's a recipe makeover that I made for dinner last night that defines what we mean. It's a classic: delicious, easy, fast and you'll never notice how much healthier it is!
Ingredients (for 6 servings):
12 oz whole wheat spaghetti
26 oz jar tomato sauce (low sodium is better but your favorite is fine)
1.3 lb ground turkey (breast is better)
Parmesan cheese

Cook the spaghetti according to directions. Meanwhile brown the ground turkey in a skillet. Drain the excess fat if you use 93% lean ground turkey - if you use breast there won't be any excess fat. Pour the tomato sauce over the cooked meat; heat through. Top the pasta with the meat sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan if desired. Serve with a side salad.

How easy is that. Dinner in about 15 minutes. You can make over any of your favorite dinners by substituting ingredients that are lower in fat, calories and contain more nutrients than the old standbys.

Support for your New Year Resolutions

Hopefully you are still going strong with your health resolutions. At this point, it may make sense to enlist some help and support. Studies show that snail mail reminders and tips help people reach their health and wellness goals, as well as support from family and friends. So, to help support your goals get a subscription to a good magazine. Some of my favorites are Prevention, Self, Health, and Natural Health. Each month you will get new tips and strategies as well as information that can help support your efforts. Also, tell your family and friends about what you are trying to achieve and ask them to ask you how you are doing. Believe it or not, just knowing that you will be asked about your progress can help. To help spread the word and get additional support -- you can use a new (and free) online program from Wellfolio.com (CarrotMe!). It not only allows you to set goals and track your progress; but you get to share your progress with your supporters while they cheer you on and provide incentives to keep you motivated.

Family meals promote children's healthy eating

Eating with your kids is very important to their long term health. A new study found that when families ate together 5 or more times a week, children were more likely to establish healthy eating habits and less likely to participate in unhealthy eating and dieting behaviors. The researchers looked at adolescents, ages 13-16. Specifically, they found a strong relationship related to girls; the less a family ate together, the greater the potential for disordered eating and extreme weight loss measures (diet pills, laxatives, bulimia).

While my children are still quite young, I recognize the strong messages and eating behaviors that are established when you sit down together for a meal. Children look to adults for cues about what they should be eating and are certainly more likely to try new foods and eat vegetables if they see you do it. I know this is how my 4 year old started eating salmon; he saw us doing it. Lately, we've had a tough time sitting down to dinner as a family since my husband doesn't get home from work until after the kids' bedtimes. But, it's important for many reasons to eat together; so, we've come up with a few solutions that may work for you, too, if you have the same dilemma:

• on the weekend have family meals several times, including lunch or breakfast; make sure to have a variety of healthy foods (even when eating out)
• during the week, eat together as much as possible - breakfast may work better on some days; perhaps schedules can be altered to go to the office earlier one or two days to come home earlier for dinner
• resist over scheduling children with activities so they are always eating on the run; set a rule for the number of days participating in extra-curricular activities and get all of your kids on the same schedule
• if every member of the family can't join for dinner, that's okay; still sit down and eat a balanced meal with those that can

Mealtime is so important to the well being of your children. Besides establishing good eating habits and offering greater nutrition, it's a time to catch up on events of the day or week and unwind together. In the hectic race through life, slowing down and eating together are the times you will cherish and remember, and so will your kids.

2008 New Year Resolutions

Here is a quick list to add to your 2008 Healthier Eating New Year Resolutions.
-- Eat 1/2 cup serving of beans (eat all kinds including soy beans) and lentils every day - do not add any fat, instead add some garlic or other spices for seasoning.
-- Eat a handful, just a handful (1.5 ounces) of nuts a day. That is about 30 almonds, 21 walnuts, 42 peanuts, 67 pistachios, 27 pecans and 15 macadamias.
-- Eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day (or try for 10, which has been shown to decrease the risk for several cancers) -- count at the end of the day to make sure you hit your goal.
-- Drink water instead of calorie-laden drinks or drinks full of artificial sugars and colors. Or, at least swap water for another beverage twice a day.
-- Exercise, do something everyday. Even if it is just jumping in place to your favorite music. You can exercise in spurts - research shows that three 10 minute sessions of exercise a day can provide health benefits (and, not to mention, will help you maintain a healthy weight)!
Cheers to a healthy 2008!

The smell of weight loss?

I ran across a blurb in the latest edition of Health Magazine about a research study that showed participants experienced reduced cravings for sweets and subsequent weight loss by wearing a vanilla-scented arm patch. I looked up the study and while it was done in 2000, it does seem that perhaps there's some validity to the notion that the scent of vanilla may curb cravings for sweets. Here's another article that reported on the study. Lighting up a vanilla-scented candle or wearing a vanilla-scented spray is a pretty low cost way to potentially help you pass up that basket of leftover holiday treats. And even if it doesn't work you and your house will smell really nice.