Weekly Wellness
Issue 353
Featured Article
Reducing Fat and Sugar in Your Holiday Baking Suggestions as to how you can reduce some of the fat and sugar from your home made holiday treats and sweets.
Fitness Tip
Keep Those Sneakers On!
Instead of going barefoot or wearing slippers or socks around the house -- which puts you in the mindset to flop -- keep a pair of "house-sneakers" and wear them instead. Simply wearing athletic shoes will help get you in the mood to move. You'll uproot your inner couch potato and walk from room to room with more energy. You might even find you'll take more steps than you would have without the shoes. This is a good thing -- the "Shape Up America" program recommends taking 10,000 steps a day to keep weight in check and every step you take counts. See also: Find the Right Exercise Shoe.
Nutrition Tip
Dairy for Dessert to Block Fat?
Finish your lunch or dinner with a container of yogurt, and you may cut the amount of fat your body absorbs from your meal, according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Danish scientists found that calcium from milk and low-fat yogurt can lower the level of fat in your blood after eating by nearly 20-percent. Researchers believe dairy calcium keeps your body from absorbing fat. A calcium pill with your meal won't have the same effect, however. Study results show supplements don't have the same response in your body. It has to come from dairy foods.
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quote:
Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. --Doug Larson
Quick Recipe
Spicy Crab Delight
Drain one can (6-1/2 ounce) crabmeat. Mix with 1/4 cup light mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce. Cut 8 miniature whole wheat pita braed rounds crosswise in half. Fill pockets evenly with crab mixture. Top each with a small fresh dill sprig. Makes 8 servings, 2 filled pita pockets each.
Tidbit(s)
Protect Yourself with Timeouts
Research shows that chronic tension can increase men's 10-year risk of heart disease and atrial fibrillation -- a heart rhythm disorder. And anxiety increased mortality rates in both men and women in a recent study. Take time out of each day to exercise, meditate, or just breathe deeply and quietly for 10 uninterrupted minutes.
Food Fixes
For everyday baking, choose semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate for brownies and cookies. If you prefer a bolder chocolate taste, choose bittersweet, which is great for dark rich cakes and tortes. Bittersweet and semi-sweet are interchangeable, depending on how dark-tasting you like your chocolate.
Greasing Cookie Sheets: Only grease your cookie sheets if the recipe clearly calls for you to do so. Cool and wipe sheets clean with a paper towel between batches if necessary.
Leading researchers are finding that the healthy fats, fiber and protein in almonds seem to satisfy hunger. This in turn helps people avoid overeating and to stick with a weight loss diet plan.
More Cooking Tips and Quick Cooking Tips on the Web site!