Weekly Wellness
Issue 238
Featured Article
REMOVED.
Fitness Tip
The Ups and Down's of Biking
Hills add challenge and interest to any bike ride. Follow these tips for handling hills with confidence, and get the most out of this great, low-impact activity.
Going up: Before you approach a hill, slow your breathing down to a comfortable rate. Shift down into the next gear to make pedaling easier. Relax your body, keep your back straight and your hands loosely gripped on the bars.
Coming down: You should always stay in control of your bike. Sit back on the seat for stability and keep your feet parallel to each other. Slowly pump both your front and rear brakes to slow down without skidding. Ease back into a comfortable pace and enjoy the scenery.
Nutrition Tip
The Traffic Light Diet
Here is how families in a University of Buffalo study ate better lost weight and saved money.
Green Light Foods: Fill your plate! Whole grain breads and pasta, brown rice, fresh fruits (or frozen or canned in juice) and vegetables, non-sweetened dry cereal, fat free milk, fat free yogurt, beans and lentils and tuna.
Yellow Light Foods: Go for smaller and fewer portions. Good choices: low fat yogurt and cottage cheese, 1-percent milk, eggs, skinless chicken breasts and legs, and most types of fish.
Red Light Foods: Limit them to two servings a day or less. These include cheese, whole milk, butter, ice cream, red meat, pork and even modified diet foods such as high-calorie, fat free salad dressing and low-fat cookies.
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quip:
The average American eats 1/2 ton of cheese in a lifetime.
Quick Recipe
Crostini
Crostini (Italian for "little crusts") make great soup or salad accompaniments and can be made with day-old French or Italian bread. Cut the bread into 1/4-inch thick slices, brush one side with olive oil and broil about 30 seconds on each side or until crisp and golden brown. The olive oil can be seasoned with herbs, garlic or other flavorings.
Tidbit
Food, Drug Safety Information Focus of FDA's Hurricane Katrina Site
FDA has created a Web site with links to important health and safety information for consumers affected by Hurricane Katrina. The site is a gateway to material on the safe use of foods, drugs, biological products, and medical devices after the hurricane. Also included is advice on emergency disinfection of water, protecting pets in a disaster, donations, volunteering, and finding missing persons.
Food Fixes
If you have leftover tomato sauce save it by spooning it into an ice cube tray. Spray the cube compartments with cooking spray first to prevent staining plastic trays. Freeze it, and store the cubes in a freezer bag.
Brown sugar won't harden if you store it in the freezer.
Here are a couple of ways to soften jarred peanut butter if it's not as creamy as you'd like: Add one teaspoon of hot water. Stir. Add a few drops of sesame oil. It not only restores creaminess, but increases the nutty flavor.