Did you know that children spend on average 17 hours a week watching television? That leisure computer time often replaces active play? That inactive children more likely become inactive adults? That today many overweight kids already show early signs of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure? Despite the popular interest in fitness, today’s youths
Laughter not only diffuses negative emotions and stress. It may also change your body’s chemistry—so you really may laugh your troubles away. The reasons are not yet understood. However, laughter may reduce stress hormones—epinephrine and cortisol—which tend to impair the protective lining of blood vessels. Without that protection, the chance of cholesterol buildup and heart
Sounds like a deal! Or is it? An average salad bar plate can easily add up to 1,000 calories—more if you pile on dressing, cheese, bacon bits, nuts, and more. If self-control is your challenge, pass on all-you-can-eat buffets and salad bars. To help with self-control, try this: Survey first. Check the buffet options from
You can burn as many calories (about 150) with 30 to 40 minutes of raking or gardening as you can with a 5-mile, 30-minute bike ride. Point is, you don’t need to leave home to benefit from moderate activity. With summer over, gather your supplies, and set aside time this weekend for physically active household
A new health report says “doubles your risk,” “proves that …,””significant finding.” What’s your real risk? That depends. If your risk was one in a million, then “double the risk” is still very low, at one in 500,000. But if your risk was one in 100, then “double” truly is a big increase! With terms
Ready to “season” your family meal with autumn flavor and color? Winter squash adds both. Their hard yet edible skin and more intense flavors distinguish acorn, butternut, pumpkin, buttercup, calabaza, golden nugget, and turban squash from tender-skinned, mild-flavored summer squash. The inside scoop makes a great nutrition story. The deep-yellow to deep-orange flesh offers more
Think you need to take meat off your menu to eat lean? Not so. Just keep portions sensible, and buy the leanest meat you can. Beef’s a great source of protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. And 3 ounces of cooked beef round (size of a deck of cards) has 4 fat grams and 2
Did you know that the simple habit of frequent hand washing during food prep could cut the incidence of food-borne illness in half? What’s the risk? Though invisible to the naked eye, “unfriendly” bacteria on your hands easily pass from raw meat or poultry to other surfaces in the kitchen: utensil handles, appliance knobs, counter-tops
Back in the hectic swing of things with summer nearly over? Cook smart—even if you run in ten directions on a 24/7 schedule! Fast forward healthful eating for your family table. Stock up. Buy quick-to-fix ingredients: canned and frozen fruit, vegetables, beans; pasta and rice; yogurt and cheese; canned soup; pasta sauces; partly prepared ingredients
Did summer leisure relax your resolve to eat smart? If so, now’s a great time to get back on track, with an eat-smart strategy to try: food trade-offs. Trading off means thinking about all your food choices for a day, then substituting. For a food with more fat, sugar, salt, or calories, trade in a