Weight Problems

Trick your body into losing weight

Do you turn to tricks and traps to lose weight? Weight-loss pills may sound like the answer to prayers, but these drugs can do more harm than good, not to mention costing you an arm and a leg. And single-food diets promising miracles can be nutritional nightmares. What you need are some healthy tricks that will melt those pounds off naturally and easily.

Lean on low-density foods. Here's a trick that will allow you to eat the same amount of food, feel just as full, but absorb fewer calories. The scientific fact behind this "magic" is food density - the amount of calories a food has per portion. Low-density foods, like fruits and vegetables, are bulky and filling, but they don't carry a lot of calories. High-density foods, on the other hand, have a ton of calories crammed into small servings, mainly because they are loaded with fats and sugars.

To see the difference, try substituting the same amount of a low-density food for a high-density food - say 3 ounces of strawberries for 3 ounces of potato chips. You'll find you feel just as satisfied with the fruit, probably even more so. On top of that, you'll have saved yourself hundreds of calories.

Your goal is to eat more low-density foods such as produce, whole grains, and legumes, and cut down on fatty, sugary foods. But remember - even low-fat or fat-free snacks can be high-density because of their tremendous sugar content.

Fluff up your food. You may remember adding fluff to your peanut butter sandwiches as a child. That sugary confection will not help you lose weight, but food with extra air whipped in just might. A study at Pennsylvania State University found these "fluffy" foods could help you eat less.

In the study, 28 men drank one of three different kinds of milkshakes before lunch. All three milkshakes had the same ingredients, but some were blended longer to add air and volume. The men who drank the "airy" shakes ate 12 percent fewer calories at lunch. And they did not make up for it by eating more at dinner, meaning they kept those calories off.

So if you must snack, trick your senses by filling up on an air-filled treat like low-fat frozen yogurt or butter-free popcorn.

Shrink your serving sizes. Cleaning your plate could be one of the only bad habits your mom taught you. Especially if you eat at a typical restaurant with a mountain of food on your platter. According to a recent study, the more you have on your plate, the more you'll eat. Fortunately, the opposite is true as well.

One great way to limit your serving size is to cook at home, where you can control how much food you cook. You also can try eating off a smaller plate to reduce the size of your portions.

Things get trickier when you eat out, but there are ways around a restaurant's generosity. Overcome huge entrees by splitting them with your spouse or friend. If you go it alone, put half your dinner into a doggie bag before you even start eating. That way, you won't be tempted by a full plate.

Limit food variety. A wide selection of food may be appealing when you're at a buffet, but it won't be when you get on the scale afterward. An overload of food appears to make your stomach's fuel gauge shut down. You're more likely to go beyond "full" just so you can taste everything. Experts think this tendency comes from our ancestors, who had to eat a variety of foods to guarantee they got all their nutrients.

The trick is to limit your snack selection. Store only one brand of chips in your cupboard or one type of cake in your fridge. You'll end up snacking less often because you'll get tired of the same old taste. On the other hand, stockpile a wide selection of fruits and vegetables. variety in this case means getting a mix of nutrients and phytochemicals that would make your ancestors envious.

Ditch high-calorie drinks. You've heard of a beer belly, but how about a soda belly? Experts say you can put on pounds without realizing it by drinking high-calorie beverages. Your body doesn't seem to register the drinks because they go right through you. So you take in hundreds of empty calories, and your stomach is still hungry for more.

Do yourself a favor, and replace most of your high-calorie drinks with low- or no-calorie ones like tea and water. You'll quench your thirst and save some pounds.

What is it?

Your healthiest weight is determined by considering your height-to-weight ratio or Body Mass Index (BMI), and the amount and location of body fat. Being either overweight or underweight can lead to health problems.

Symptoms:

• A BMI greater than 25
• Weight that exceeds or falls below the ideal as shown in weight-for-height tables
• Waistline measurements of more than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men

7 ways fiber helps you win at losing

You've tried the hot dog diet, the banana diet, and the grapefruit diet. You've gone through diet pills, sweat suits, and supplements. Your home is littered with exercise equipment and videos that promised to help you lose those extra pounds. But despite your best efforts, you can't seem to lose weight. What are you doing wrong?

Chances are, you're not eating enough fiber. Studies show obesity rates are tied to the amount of fiber people eat. In places like Kenya and Uganda, where they eat as much as 60 to 80 grams of fiber daily, less than 15 percent of the population are overweight. But the measly 15 grams a day eaten in more modern societies like the United States have contributed to the obesity of nearly 60 percent of adults.

If you're one of them, you'll need to change your diet to include more fruits and vegetables because most fiber comes from plants. You'll find it in whole-grain foods, legumes, leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, root vegetables and their skins, and bran flakes. Besides allowing you more food on your plate, this important diet aid works on several levels to keep you trim.

Offers more food per calorie. One of the best things about fiber is that some of its calories don't count. That's because much of dietary fiber can't be digested. But fiber still fills you up. Experts say eating a diet high in fiber can trick your stomach into feeling full with fewer calories than you would normally eat.

Prolongs your meal. Most people would agree that the pleasure of food lies in the eating. A high-fiber diet requires lots of chewing and swallowing, and it can take a good while to finish a meal. Unlike many diets that limit food, you won't have to give up the joy of eating when you add fiber to your diet. It might actually take you longer than usual to polish off a lower-calorie meal.

Bulks up in your stomach. Ever finish a small meal while dieting and still feel hunger pangs? That won't happen if you eat more fiber. Water-soluble fiber absorbs water from your stomach and forms a kind of gel that swells up. Nerve receptors in your stomach signal your brain that your stomach is full, and you no longer need to eat. By filling up on fiber, you can go about your business without constantly feeling hungry.

Keeps you satisfied longer. But that's not all fiber can do. The thick gel it forms slows down the movement of food out of your stomach, so you end up processing your food more slowly. Instead of a high-calorie blast of energy that is quickly followed by tiredness and hunger, your energy supply is spread out over time.

Stabilizes blood sugar. Experts say this process affects your blood sugar in a healthy way. When you eat dried beans, barley, whole wheat, or pumpernickel bread, these foods slowly release their sugars for energy. Instead of your body getting surges of sugar from food, it gets its energy in steady amounts, which helps control insulin levels. In addition, a high-fiber meal can affect your blood sugar's response to the next meal you eat, keeping your blood sugar more stable throughout the day.

Boosts your hormones. You may not know it, but you have hormones working in your gastrointestinal tract. One in particular, called GLP-1, slows down the digestion process and gives you a sense of fullness. It can also help you lose weight. Studies on animals showed that eating fermentable fiber - the kind in fruits and vegetables - boosted their levels of GLP-1.

Blocks some calories. Dietary fiber can block the absorption of some of the fat and protein you eat. If you're overweight, that could be a good thing. One study showed that a group of people fed a diet containing only 20 grams of fiber a day absorbed 8 percent more calories than a group given 48 grams of fiber a day. For a typical 2,500-calorie diet, that's a difference of about 200 calories a day.

Just changing your fiber intake - without altering the number of calories you eat - could mean losing a couple of pounds a month. But be careful to add fiber to your diet slowly. Too much too soon can cause uncomfortable gas and bloating.

Don't be fooled by food labels

Food labels provide useful information if you're trying to improve your eating habits. In fact, a recent study found that reading food labels helps you trim the fat from ypour diet. But don't believe everything you read. A Consumer Reports feature recently pointed out a few labeling loopholes.

• Hidden fiber content. If a breakfast cereal has no fiber, the manufacturer can include the phrase "Not a significant source of dietary fiber" below the rest of the nutrient information in smaller type. That way, you might not notice it.
• Fat-free fibs. A food can claim to be "fat-free" if it has less than half a gram of fat per serving. That's why pretzels, which actually contain 1 or 2 grams of fat per cup, are considered a fat-free food.
• Fuzzy math. Nutrient analyses can be off by as much as 20 percent. This allows for natural variations in food. But it also allows for some confusion. For example, a food that claims to have 200 calories can actually contain anywhere from 160 to 240 calories.

It's a good idea to read labels to help keep track of what you eat. Just remember that what you see is not always what you get.

Fitness: The key to good health

Here's some good news if you're over age 65. Losing a lot of pounds and exercising like an Olympian may not be necessary to stay healthy. Instead, all you need are a sensible, steady weight and moderate everyday activity. So take heart if you're on the upper end of the scale - by staying fit, you can help avoid the diseases of old age and still enjoy your golden years.

Disregard the BMI. Experts claim a healthy body mass index (BMI) ranges from 19 to 25. This measure reflects your weight in relation to your height and is calculated by multiplying your weight by 703, then dividing that number by your height in inches squared. Anything above 25 means you're overweight, and above 30, obese.

But lucky for you, scientists found these strict standards don't apply to adults over age 65. After looking at 13 studies on BMI and death rates, they discovered the risk of dying from heart disease and other causes does not go up with a BMI between 25 and 27. It's not until you cross that line that you have to be concerned. A BMI of 28 or above seems to increase your risk of death at any age.

That means it's fine to have a few extra pounds on you as you age. Since you've made it this far with them, your body can obviously handle the extra weight. Having a "nutritional reserve" may even help protect you from some conditions, such as osteoporosis.

Aim to keep fit. The important thing for your health is to stay in shape. According to surprising new research, obese people who are physically fit are less likely to die prematurely than skinny lay-abouts. That leads experts to believe fitness could be the key to good health - not weight loss. So look at exercise as a way you can stay healthy, not just a way to drop pounds. It's the only health care accessible to everyone - no prescription needed.

Shoot for the recommended 30 minutes of exercise almost every day of the week, but don't feel you need to do it in one lump sum. You can split up the 30 minutes, and spread exercise moments throughout your free time. And don't give up because you think you have no time for the gym, or tennis, or other typical exercises. Raking the leaves, cleaning up around the house, or gardening for 30 minutes counts, too, as does any activity that gets you perspiring and a little out of breath.

Stay moderately active. Moderate exercise is better for you than short bursts of heavy-duty activity, according to a recent study from Europe. In other words, 10 minutes of fast-paced running won't make up for 10 hours spent in front of the boob tube. But being moderately active all day long - instead of sitting in front of the television - can make a difference.

Living a couch potato's life, experts say, puts you at greater risk for a string of diseases, including arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart disease, and depression. According to some estimates, inactivity causes the deaths of 250,000 people a year in the United States alone. Experts have coined a new name for this condition marked by chronic inactivity - Sedentary Death Syndrome (SeDS). If you want to avoid SeDS, make it a point to stay active.

Add steps to your day. One way to turn your whole day into a workout is to take 10,000 steps. You probably do a lot of walking already without even thinking about it. The average adult takes 3,000 to 5,000 steps each day. If you punch that number up to 10,000, experts say, you'll get the equivalent of a steady 30-minute workout. Fitness experts in Japan first tried out the idea, and now it has caught on in America. Researchers at Stanford University and at the Cooper Institute in Dallas have researched it and agree that it seems to work.

You can reach 10,000 steps by literally counting every step you take. Rebecca Lindbergh of Health Partners, a managed care organization in Minnesota, coordinates a program in which peopleactually wear a pedometer to tally their walking. "We encourage them to wear the pedometer all day long," she says about her participants. "They use the pedometer and slip activity in throughout their day." For example, you can:

• Park farther away at the mall.
• Take the steps instead of the escalator or elevator.
• Walk the golf course instead of taking a cart.
• Spend your coffee break on a walk instead of standing around the water cooler.
• March through your local mall, and browse every store that catches your fancy.
• Walk while you're on the phone or during television commercial breaks.

With a pedometer, you begin to notice how these little changes add up to more and more steps. "Using a pedometer puts a little pizazz into walking," Lindbergh notes. "It's very eye-opening." If you would like to count 10,000 steps, you can find a pedometer at any sporting goods store. If you don't want to spring for one, just try to fit lots of steps into your day in as many ways as possible.

Walk with a purpose. When you want to progress from baby steps to serious walking, set aside a 30-minute block of time each day for a fitness walk. This shouldn't be a stroll in the park. You should shoot for a speed of two miles in 30 minutes. A good way to gauge your time is to chart out a two-mile course in your car using the odometer. Or go to a local track.

The most important thing to remember is that you must burn more calories than you take in if you want to lose weight. And if you're just trying to maintain your weight, you need to burn at least an equal amount. But it takes effort, so whatever you do, expect to be tired afterward. Knowing that you're protecting your health by staying fit will make it all worthwhile.

Change dangerous flab to tight, flat abs

A "spare tire" around your waistline is a definite problem. Unwanted fat, especially at your midsection, increases your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some cancers. A recent study finds it can lead to lung problems as well.

Naturally, you want to do something about it, but are gut-wrenching sit-ups the best way to get rid of a fat belly? Not according to Dr. Bryant Stamford, a professor of physiology at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. Writing in The Physician And Sportsmedicine, he points out there is no such thing as spot reduction. When you exercise, you don't necessarily burn fat from around the muscles you are using. If you want to get the most out of your abdominal workout, follow these tips.

Choose exercise that burns the most calories. The fat you burn when you exercise may come from anywhere on your body, so Stamford recommends doing the activities that use the most calories. He says you'd have to do hundreds of sit-ups to equal the calories you'd burn on a brisk walk or jog, for example.

Relax to stay trim. Exercise may be necessary for removing your potbelly, but reducing stress can help keep it off. For some reason, stress releases chemicals that cause fat to shift from other parts of your body to your waistline. Listening to music, talking things over with a friend or counselor, meditating, or doing yoga can help relieve stress. These practices also help you keep a positive attitude, which makes it easier to stick to your diet and exercise plan.

Tighten muscles for a sharper shape. Suck in your stomach when exercising, because a bouncing belly weakens the abdominal muscles. And don't forget to stretch your hamstrings. Strengthening these muscles on the back of your thighs helps prevent a swayback, which can make your stomach stick out even more.

Although they won't remove the fat, sit-ups can strengthen your abs, which protects your back as well. If full sit-ups seem too difficult, do just the second half, where you lower yourself down. Here's how:

• Starting from a sitting position with hands at your sides, place your feet flat on the floor with your legs at a 90-degree angle. This way your abdominal muscles, not your legs and hips, will do the work.
• Tense your belly and slowly - so your muscles work against gravity's downward pull - lower yourself until your back touches the floor.
• Push yourself back up with your arms.

Repeat five times in the beginning, adding a few more each time you work out. To exercise your abdominal muscles a little harder, increase resistance by crossing your arms over your chest.

Jump-start your workout with honey

Get more out of your workout with a surprising pick-me-up. A recent study of competitive bicyclists showed that honey gives you as big an energy jolt as glucose, the sugar used in sports gels and energy bars. Both honey and glucose boosted the bike riders' leg power and cut the time it took them to finish their race. Honey, though, has the added advantage of being much cheaper.

See for yourself if this natural sweetener gives you the energy to make it through a tougher workout. Before starting, wash down a tablespoon of honey with a cup of water. Any time you need an extra boost of energy during your workout, do the same.

Try it after you exercise, too. A post-workout spoonful appears to help your muscles recuperate. That's because honey is a great source of carbohydrates, and your body needs them to replace the ones you burned.

Drop pounds with a powerful potion

What would you say if someone offered you a tonic that could not only help you lose weight, but would improve your digestion, cushion your joints, keep your skin from drying out, and help your body heal after surgery? It's hard to say no to an offer like that, especially when it's safe, free, and flowing right into your kitchen.

Water, this natural fountain of youth, has zero calories, so substituting it for high-calorie beverages gives you a clear advantage. But don't think filling up on water will make you eat less at dinner. A Penn State University study found the popular practice of drinking a glass of water before meals to feel full doesn't reduce hunger.

A bowl of soup, however, just may do the trick. Not only does it work better than a glass of water, researchers found eating chicken and rice soup curbed the appetite better than eating chicken and rice casserole with the same ingredients plus drinking a glass of water.

Furthermore, it's the amount of food, the researchers say, not the number of calories it contains, that gives you a feeling of being full. So those with high water content satisfy the appetite just as much as the more calorie-dense foods. A large pasta salad made with carrots and zucchini, for example, fills you up better than a smaller portion of pasta without the veggies, but with an equal number of calories.

Fresh fruit in salads; lettuce, tomato, and sprouts on a turkey breast sandwich; and extra vegetables and beans in chili are other appetizing ways to fill up without adding lots of calories. But don't stop drinking water as well. It does far more than help you lose weight, and if you're like most people, you don't drink enough.

Diuretics: Fast track to a heart attact

Taking diet pills may seem like a faster track to a slimmer figure than counting calories and exercising. But these medications can be dangerous, especially if you have heart problems, diabetes, or certain other diseases.

By the same token, don't be tempted to use diuretics, or water pills, to lose weight either. They can disturb your body's electrolyte balance and put you at risk of a heart attack. They are especially dangerous when combined with a low-protein diet, which can starve your heart muscle and disturb heart rhythms.

Using water pills when taking other medicines is also risky business. "People taking diuretics are particularly vulnerable to dehydration," says cardiologist Dr. David Calhoun, director of the University of Alabama Birmingham Hypertension Clinic.

"The combination of depleted fluid volume and medication," he warns, "can lead to problems such as dangerously low blood pressure, particularly for older patients who are sensitive to becoming dehydrated."

If you take medications, Calhoun says to be sure to drink at least the recommended six glasses of water each day - more when you exercise or spend a lot of time in the sun.

Startling secret to weight loss

A hidden cause of weight gain may make dropping 25 pounds as easy as giving up your favorite vegetables.

So says Rudy Rivera, M.D., who maintains food intolerances are to blame for many of the weight problems people suffer. In his book Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat, co-authored by Roger D. Deutsch, he tells of his own struggle with being overweight. Once he identified his food culprits - among them, carrots, broccoli, and green beans - he says he finally slimmed down and felt healthy.

True food allergies cause immediate reactions such as hives or wheezing, and can be life-threatening. But when you're sensitive to a certain food, the reaction is not as obvious, Rivera says. It might not appear until hours or days later, and by then you wouldn't think of connecting it to something you ate. Even so, an allergic-type reaction is invading your body. Your white blood cells can swell and burst, irritating the other cells. The result? You may feel exhausted, have a migraine, or keep gaining weight.

Rivera believes a lot of obesity is linked to this food sensitivity cycle. He explains that after your body reacts to an offending food, it becomes low in serotonin - a feel-good chemical that has a calming effect on the brain. Because eating carbohydrates can raise serotonin levels, you find yourself craving things like sugary snacks. Even worse, you'll probably crave the very foods you're sensitive to.

But you can break the cycle by figuring out which foods your body can't process. You can try eliminating foods from your diet one at a time to see if you notice any improvement, but this can be difficult if you're sensitive to several foods. Rivera recommends the ALCAT test, a blood test for food intolerances. Along with identifying your problem foods, it tests for sensitivity to molds, chemicals such as preservatives, and food dyes. Rivera says once he stopped eating his trigger foods, he easily lost 25 pounds in a couple of months.

But you have to stay away from your problem foods for at least three months, he says. After that, you can eat small amounts of the food again, but only occasionally. To avoid reactions, you should rotate foods so you never eat any food more than once every four days, he notes.

Your insurance company should pay for the ALCAT test if your doctor orders it, but check first. Some experts believe these types of allergy tests are not effective. If your doctor won't order it, the company that designed the test can refer you to another doctor, or you can do it at home. For more information, go to the Web site http://www.alcat.com/ or contact: AMTL Corp., One Oakwood Blvd., Suite 130, Hollywood, FL33020, 800-881-2685.

Trim the fat in Greek restaurants

Nutritionists have long touted the Mediterranean diet as a super meal plan that leads to a long and healthy life. But before you book nightly reservations at your local Greek restaurant, you should know the food they serve is not nearly as healthy as the food cooked in the old country. In fact, a recent survey shows it's loaded with heart-clogging, waist-thickening fat.

The true Greek diet consists of many fruits, vegetables, grains, and some olive oil. They only eat red meat a few times a month, and poultry and fish a few times a week. And saturated fat usually accounts for no more than 8 percent of calories. But in greek restaurants, those healthy ideas have been turned upside down. researchers found huge amounts of saturated fat in most of the main dishes, and much more meat than the Mediterranean diet calls for.

Nutrition experts say you should eat no more than 65 grams of fat a day, including less than 20 grams of saturated fat, for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. But even 20 grams of saturated fat is probably too much if you want to protect your arteries and heart. How can you eat Greek food and be heart healthy? Follow these guidelines to reap the benefits of a Mediterranean diet without the pitfalls.

Skip the sandwich. The average restaurant gyro - a pita bread sandwich filled with meat, raw vegetables, sometimes feta cheese, and a cucumber sauce - weighs in with 760 calories and 44 grams of total fat. Of those, nearly half are saturated - the kind of artery-blocking fat you should avoid like the plaque. Don't be fooled into thinking this sandwich is traditional Mediterranean fare. The gyro hasn't been around very long, and anyone who eats these regularly probably won't be either.

Savor souvlaki. Happily, there are a few healthy choices on the menu. Souvlaki, which you may know as shish kebob, is a winner with its small amount of meat and hefty serving of vegetables on a skewer. An average serving of chicken souvlaki has only 260 calories with 8 grams of fat - only two of them saturated. The beef and lamb souvlaki are a bit higher on the fat scale but still within a healthy range.

Sideline the toppings. Even if you decide to play it safe and order a Greek salad, you're not out of the heart danger zone. Researchers found the average Greek salad has about 390 calories, 12 grams of saturated fat, and a total of 30 grams of fat. For a healthier salad, ask for the oil dressing and feta cheese on the side. That way, you can add just a tablespoon or two for flavor and keep from drowning in fat.

Split servings. Moussaka, a popular ground beef and eggplant casserole, chalks up a whopping 830 calories and 48 grams of fat. Again, roughly half the fat is saturated. Since Greek restaurants often serve huge portions, why not take advantage of that with a spouse or friend? Order one entree and share it to cut 50 percent of the fat. Ask for extra vegetables as a side order. Or you can cut the meal in two when it arrives at your table, and eat only half of it. Ask for a to-go box, and warm up your leftovers for an enjoyable lunch the next day.

Splurge on dessert. The famous Greek dessert baklava, which is a flaky, honey and nut pastry, is not nearly as rich as many other desserts. A typical serving of baklava has 550 calories and 21 grams of fat, including five that are saturated. A lemon ice would be better, but baklava still beats apple pie with its 28 grams of fat, a fudge brownie sundae with 57 grams of fat, and the biggest dessert criminal - cheesecake - with 49 grams of fat, 31 of them saturated. Even so, researchers suggest you play it safe and share your baklava with a friend.

Stay super healthy with 50 top nutrition tips

• Put spinach on your sandwich instead of lettuce. A recent study found most people couldn't tell the difference, and spinach is much more nutritious.
• Eat your garnish. Restaurants often pretty up your plate with parsley or kale. Instead of admiring these nutritional powerhouses, eat them.
• Toss some blueberries in your morning cereal, muffin or pancake mix, or even in a bowl of ice cream.
• Instead of mayonnaise, butter, or cream cheese, try using mashed avocado as a spread.
• Use olive oil or canola oil instead of animal oils or other vegetable oils.
• Invest in a good set of nonstick cookware. You'll be able to use less fat when cooking.
• Use legumes (beans and peas) in soups and casseroles, and cut back on meat.
• Choose lean cuts of meat, and trim as much excess fat away as you can before cooking.
• Don't smother your baked potato with butter or sour cream. Instead, try topping it with salsa or even low-fat chili.
• Saute vegetables in wine or broth instead of butter or oil.
• Add mashed avocado or pumpkin to mashed potatoes for a little extra nutrition. Use about one-fourth to one-half cup for every two cups of potatoes.
• Heat enhances the sweet taste of food, so if you serve sweet foods warm, you may be able to add less sugar.
• Yogurt "cheese" is a good substitute for sour cream. Line a strainer or funnel with cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter. Add plain yogurt and let it drain into a bowl overnight in the refrigerator. Simply discard the liquid, and you're ready to use the yogurt in your favorite recipe.
• If you chill soups and stews, most of the fat will solidify on top. Skim off the solid fat, and then heat and eat.
• Choose fruits and vegetables with the darkest colors to get the most vitamin C.
• Order your pizza with lots of veggies, and blot with a paper towel to absorb any excess grease.
• Add shredded apple to a peanut butter or grilled cheese sandwich.
• At your next cookout, add vegetables to the grill. Throw some asparagus spears on, or skewer chunks of onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and mushrooms.
• Grill a tropical kabob with chunks of pineapple, papaya, and ham.
• Bake a banana. Put a whole. ripe banana on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Split the skin and sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon.
• Stuff bell peppers with cooked rice or pasta and tomato sauce. Cook in a muffin tin to help the peppers hold their shape.
• For salsa with a surprising sweet twist, mix chopped kiwifruit or papaya with tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro.
• Puree mangoes and use as a sauce for grilled chicken, pork, or fish.
• Make a yummy and attractive breakfast parfait. Layer low-fat yogurt, granola cereal, and fruit such as peaches, or pineapple in a parfait glass.
• Canned fruit is nutritious, but make sure you buy the kind packed in its own juice - not in calorie-laden syrup.
• Don't skip breakfast. If you're in a hurry, grab an apple, a bagel, or a banana.
• Bake your own bread, and add dried fruits, vegetables, or seeds for more taste and nutrition.
• Look for 100-percent fruit juice. Other fruit drinks usually contain more sugar than nutrition.
• Eat broth-based soups - they are far lower in fat than cream-based alternatives.
• Serve meat or poultry with cranberry sauce, salsa, or chutney, and skip the gravy.
• Don't let dining out become an excuse for pigging out. Most restaurants serve unnecessary large portions. Split an entree with someone else, or just eat half and ask for a doggie bag.
• Don't be fooled by fat-free foods. Many of them are still high in calories. Read labels carefully.
• When you just have to eat cake, try angel food cake topped with fresh fruit.
• popcorn can be a high-fiber, low-calorie snack if you don't drench it in butter. If you don't like air-popped corn, try using a small amount of olive oil for a delicious healthy flavor.
• Nuts tend to be high in fat, but they also get high marks for nutrition, so include them in your diet. Just don't overdo it.
• Focus on your food. You'll eat less and enjoy your food more if you don't eat while working, watching television, or driving.
• Add brown or wild rice to casseroles and soups for more fiber and nutrition.
• Substitute mungbean paste for some of the butter in peanut butter cookies to lower fat and increase fiber.
• If you are bored with bananas but want the potassium, try something more exotic - like kiwifruit or mangoes.
• Microwave your vegetables to retain more of their vitamins and minerals.
• Toss steamed veggies with whole-wheat pasta to add more fiber to your diet.
• Grill fish by wrapping in foil with a little lemon juice and herbs.
• Blend up a fast, nutritious shake with low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, ice cubes, and your favorite fruit.
• Bypass self-basting turkeys, which are injected with fat to make them moist. Baste your turkey with broth instead.
• Substitute unsweetened applesauce for up to half the butter or oil called for in your baking recipes.
• Sprinkle flaxseed on soups, salads, and hot or cold cereals.
• When dining out, always ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side, and then use them sparingly.
• Broil, bake, grill, steam, or poach meats and vegetables instead of frying or boiling them. You'll lower fat and retain nutrients.
• Replace the cream in your recipe with low-fat sour cream or low-fat evaporated milk.
• For more lycopene, choose sun-dried tomatoes over the fresh variety. Those packed in oil are best at helping your body absorb this cancer-fighting nutrient.

Bad Breath

How to overcome bad breath

Almost everyone has suffered from bad breath from time to time. When you eat, pieces of food get caught between your teeth and on your tongue. They break down and give off foul-smelling gases like hydrogen sulphide.

Although bad breath can be embarrassing, it's easy to fix. These tips should help freshen your breath. If they don't, your bad breath may be a sign of illness you shouldn't ignore.

Keep your mouth clean. Brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day. Brush well along the gumline and over all tooth surfaces. To remove food and plaque from between your teeth, floss every day. Curve the floss around each tooth to cover the side surfaces.

Don't forget to clean your tongue. It's a huge source of bacteria and odor. If brushing your tongue is uncomfortable use a special tongue scraper or the side of a spoon to gently scrape that sticky, germy film off your tongue. Either way, be gentle.

Dentures are a common source of bacteria and bad breath. If you have removable dentures, braces, or plates, keep them squeaky clean. Remove and brush them each night, and soak them in a disinfectant solution. Your dentist can tell you the best kind to use.

Beware of mouthwash. Antiseptic and deodorant mouthwashes and sprays only cover up breath odor temporarily - for about 10 minutes to an hour at most.

Mouthwashes containing alcohol can throw off your mouth's natural chemical balance and dry it out, which can cause bad breath. Swish and gargle only if your dentist recommends it.

These homemade mouthwashes may improve your breath without drying out your mouth:

• Mix some Listerine or Cepacol and olive oil. Gargle and spit out three times a day.








• Rinse with a mixture of half hydrogen peroxide and half water (don't gargle).

Prescription mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine seem to be effective in preventing gum disease. In studies, this germ-killing mouth rinse reduced bacteria by 50 percent. If you aren't able to brush and floss properly because of a physical disability, this rinse may help you avoid dental problems.

See your dentist. Get regular dental exams and talk to your dentist about any problems you're having, like ill-fitting crowns. Twice-yearly checkups and cleanings will keep your mouth healthy and sweet-smelling. If you have tooth decay or gum disease, both causes of bad breath, your dentist can fix the problem.

Shy away from certain foods. A spicy lunch, such as garlic chicken, liver and onions, fish, or a pastrami sandwich, can give you "death breath" by afternoon. But did you know eating meat makes your breath more pungent than eating fruits and vegetables? Once the chemical compounds in certain foods get into your bloodstream, your lungs excrete the odor. Breath sprays or mints won't cover it up. Alcohol, coffee, and tobacco (either smoked or chewed) are also causes of bad breath.

Serve up nutritious meals. Eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, rather than foods loaded with sugar and fat.

And don't forget calcium - it helps build strong teeth. Skim milk and other low-fat dairy products are good sources. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, and nuts are also high in calcium.

Eating yogurt or drinking buttermilk that contains active cultures will also douse bad breath. The active lactobacillus bacteria make it hard for other odor-causing bacteria to grow.

You can halt "hunger breath" by not skipping meals. If you skip meals, diet. or fast. you aren't supplying your body with enough nutrients, and it will begin to break down your internal supply of protein for energy. This process creates an odor you exhale from your lungs.

Drink lots of water. Saliva constantly washes anything out of your mouth that can cause bad breath. As you get older, your salivary glands produce less saliva. If your mouth is too dry, it generally gives off a bad odor.

Make sure you drink lots of water, at least six to eight glasses a day, but don't constantly rinse your mouth. You may be washing away any saliva that will help fight bad breath.

Suck on hard candies, especially lemon drops. Eat lots of oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits. To stimulate the flow of saliva naturally, eat high-fiber foods, like celery, and chew sugarless gum or parsley.

Dry mouth can also be caused by sinus or throat infections, exercise, stress, mouth-breathing, talking, and certain medications, such as antihistamines, antidepressants, and anticoagulants.

Banish bad breath with green tea

Green tea's pleasant taste and aroma, its low cost, and its role in Eastern traditions have made it a staple in the Far East for more than 2,000 years. But now, modern science is proving that tea has a much more tangible, medicinal value. Available just about anywhere, green tea is more than just a good drink - it's a drink that's good for you.

Research shows that green tea may help fight cancer, heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, and colds and flu. Green tea can also keep your mouth healthy by curbing the growth of bacteria that cause cavities, plaque, and bad breath. What more could you ask from a tiny leaf?

If you can't imagine giving up your familiar bag of black tea, consider this. Green tea is green and black tea is black only because of the way they are processed. The leaves come from the same plant. To make green tea, the leaves are merely picked and steamed - almost no processing at all, which many people believe makes it healthier. To get black tea, the leaves must be processed a lot longer and allowed to ferment. An in-between tea, called oolong, is still fermented but for less time than black tea.

To make the best cup of green tea, don't allow your water to come to a complete boil - that makes it too hot. Steep the leaves for only about two to three minutes. For some tea drinkers, that may still be too long. Experiment to find out what tea strength suits your taste. You can even use green tea leaves more than once.

As the Japanese would say, "May you live 10,000 years!"

Drugs that cause bad breath

Bad breath can be a side effect of several commonly used drugs. If you are taking one of these, don't stop without your doctor's permission. But if bad breath is really bothering you or your family, ask if there's an alternative.

• Antineoplastic drugs, used to fight cancer, may cause mouth ulcers, bleeding of your gums, or a fungus infection in your mouth.


• Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), used to treat bladder problems and muscle pain, gives you garlic breath. Your body actually breaks down this drug into the chemical essence of garlic, then excretes it through your lungs and skin.


• Anticholinergic drugs, or drugs with anticholinergic effects, will dry out your mouth. They include antidepressants (for depression); antihistamines (for allergy); antipsychotics (for schizophrenia and other mental conditions); antiparkinsonians (for Parkinson's disease); and some drugs for intestinal problems, such as diarrhea.


• Diuretics, which remove excess fluid from your body, are often prescribed for high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. They also dry out your mouth.


• Antihypertensives, used to control high blood pressure, can give you dry mouth and bad breath.

When bad breath won't go away

Sometimes illnesses or diseases can cause bad breath. Read these symptoms carefully and see your doctor if you have any concerns.

Chronic kidney failure. If your breath constantly smells fishy or like ammonia and you have stomach pain, itchy skin, fatigue, paleness, muscle cramps and pain, tingling, and numbness or burning in your legs and feet, you might have chronic kidney failure.

Cirrhosis of the liver. This condition gives your breath a musty, rotten-egg odor. If you have mild jaundice, mental confusion, poor appetite and weight loss, fatigue and weakness, nausea or vomiting of blood, and excess fluid in your legs or abdomen, you could have cirrhosis of the liver. A history of hepatitis, liver damage, or alcohol consumption increases your risk.

Diabetic ketoacidosis. If you are diabetic, fruity-smelling breath could mean you have diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition in which your glucose level is severely out of balance. Other symptoms include stomach pain and tenderness, weakness, nausea and vomiting, and rapid heartbeat. This is a medical emergency, and you should get help immediately.

Lung condition or infection. A lung abscess, bronchitis, pneumonia, or emphysema can give you bad breath. Watch out for these warning signs - chronic cough with or without sputum, shortness of breath, fever and chills, and weight loss.

Periodontitis or tooth abscess. These serious dental problems can cause an unpleasant taste in your mouth and intense pain when chewing on the affected side. See your dentist as soon as possible to avoid tooth loss or an infection in your bloodstream.

Sinus infection. Constant bad breath, sinus drainage, headache, pain around your eyes and cheeks, and a general ill feeling could indicate a sinus infection.

Sjogren's syndrome. Bad breath caused by extreme dryness of your mouth and nasal passages can be an indication of Sjogren's syndrome. This autoimmune disease is common in people over the age of 50. This syndrome can also cause painful joints.