Weekly Wellness
Issue 208
Featured Article
Fitness Tip
Where Do I Start Exercising?
The easiest way is to do something you do every day: Walk. Begin with a five to ten minute walk every day, and add time as you become more fit. You can also hire a personal trainer for an hour or two to teach you exercise basics. Even better, hire a trainer for a month. Not only will you get educated, you'll also get the motivation you need to exercise. If personal training seems intimidating or is too expensive for your budget, head to the library or a bookstore, where you will find books, videos, and magazines on exercise. Better yet, visit our exercise section from the comfort of your home. Another way to get started is to attend beginner conditioning or weight classes at the gym -- you'll learn basic moves and form. No excuses!
Nutrition Tip
Five Tips on Eating Out
A growing number of restaurants are targeting the needs of the health-conscious and offering more diet-friendly items on the menu. But "diet-conscious" does not necessarily mean "nutritious". Following are five tips on how to make healthy choices:
- Choose a restaurant with a variety of items on the market.
- Order off the menu as opposed to opting for an all-you-can-eat buffet.
- Choose grilled or broiled meat entrees instead of fried or sautéed meat entrees.
- Order a baked potato instead of French fries; use lemon juice instead of butter on your potato.
- Hate to leave without dessert? Have a bowl of sherbet.
Herb of the Week
Juniper Berry
Juniper Berry is an antiseptic for the urinary tract. The essential oil is stimulating to the kidneys, acting as a diuretic. The warming and bitter properties aid digestion and ease intestinal gas. It is also warming for the joints.
Quick Recipe
Tuna Melt
Combine 1/2-cup canned tuna in water (drained) with 2-tablespoons fat free mayonnaise, 1/4-cup grated carrots and 1/4-cup finely chopped celery. Spoon into a 6-inch (1 ounce) whole-wheat pita with 2-tablespoons shredded low-fat Swiss cheese. Warm in toaster oven until cheese melts.
Tidbit(s)
The FDA on Nuts
The Food and Drug Administration recently allowed a qualified health claim for the following nuts: peanuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts. Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of these nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Food Fixes
Healthier Hamburgers -- Add nutrition and cut down on meat consumption by substituting 1 cup of lightly sauteed, finely grated potatoes or carrot (or half of each) for a quarter pound of the meat.
Ordinary masking tape makes great freezer tape. You can write on it with anything, it stays on the containers in the freezer and it peels off easily without scrubbing.
Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar -- it will stay fluffy and hold it's shape better!
If you don't have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour 1 tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots...this helps preserve the life of your pans and allows the muffins or cupcakes to cook evenly.