Weekly Wellness
Issue 424
Featured Article
REMOVED
Fitness Tip
Chewing Gum: Weight Warrior
Two studies from the U.K. found that chewing gum can lessen hunger and reduce cravings, resulting in a savings of 25 to 36 snack calories for dieters and non-dieters alike. Gum might seem like a wimpy weight management tool to some, but let's face it; if you chew gum instead of resorting to chips or cookies, you'll save calories. And research shows that the sweetness and oral stimulation are sometiems enough to satisfy a craving. Sugar-free chewing gum isn't calorie-free; it's five calories per serving. But the calorie savings can be substantial if chewing gum keeps you from over-indulging in, say, a brownie. Consider this: eating just 100 fewer calories in a day could keep 90 percent of Americans from gaining weight. Chewing gum can cut 20 to 40 of those calories a day.
Nutrition Tip
Bacon Lovers Math
Do you feel confused at the grocery store when you see the variety of tantalizing bacon strips and slabs? Well, here's a quick cheat sheet:
- Slice Thick: 60 calories, 5g fat, 250mg sodium
- Slice regular: 35 calories, 3g fat, 145mg sodium
- Slice center cut: 25 calories, 2g fat, 105mg sodium
- Slice Turkey: 35 calories, 3g fat, 190mg sodium
- Slice extra-lean turkey: 20 calories, 0.5g fat, 130mg sodium
Quip or Quote of the Week
Quote
"One of the nicest things about life is the way we regularly stop whatever we are doing and devote our attention to eating." --Luciano Pavarotti
Quick Recipe
Southwest Turkey Cold Plate
Mix 2 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon Miracle Whip Dressing in small bowl. Arrange six slices oven roasted Turkey Breast (such as Oscar Meyer), three lettuce leaves, one small tomato (sliced), one slice of Colby Jack cheese, five slices mango and one flour tortilla as desired on plate. Drizzle with salsa mixture or use as a dipping sauce. Makes one serving.
Tidbit(s)
Memory Breakthrough
If you could protect your memory by wearing a high-tech helmet that zaps your brain with infrared rays for 10 minutes a day, would you? British researchers think the idea isn't as crazy as it sounds. Virulite, a company that makes a clinically tested handheld infrared product to help heal cold sores (not yet available in the US) developed a helmet, and he believes the rays can stimulate the repair of brain cells. In a new study, middle-aged mice exposed to the light showed significant memory and decision-making improvements, resulting in cognitive performance comparable to that of young mice. Clinical trials still need to be done in humans, of course. The helmet would be targeted at dementia patients, who could see improvement in as few as four weeks.
Food Fixes
Beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables.
Waist Whittler: Eat the filling from a piece of pie, but leave the crust.
Tasty Tidbit...
Try a tasty variation of s'mores: melt marshmallows, reduced-fat peanut butter and mashed bananas between two graham crackers. (See also: Solar S'mores)
More Cooking Tips and Quick Cooking Tips on the Web site!