3 food rules you should steal from the world’s healthiest diet

The Mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest—those who follow it are less likely to develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol or become obese. Follow these simple rules for a healthier lifestyle.
1. Stock your pantry and cook at home. Do your best to cook more and use whole, unprocessed ingredients so you can control portion sizes, salt and calories.

2. Get most of your protein from beans and fish. By displacing meat, you’ll lower your saturated-fat intake while adding healthful nutrients, like fiber and antioxidant-rich flavonols.

3. Make olive oil your staple fat. Use heart-healthy olive oil as well as other plant-based oils like canola and walnut oil instead of saturated-fat-laden, LDL cholesterol-raising butter, lard or shortening—even in baking.

Holding My Own Through the Holiday Season

I've made it through Halloween, vacation, and Thanksgiving without a gain. I consider this a success. Now I need to stay strong through the Christmas holiday.

The last few years I have taken a Saturday before Christmas for a cookie baking marathon. By Saturday night I have my freezer loaded with at least 15 dozen cookies. It's nice to have a selection of cookies on hand when company stops by. Unfortunately I was visiting the freezer at least three times a day - not for company but for me! I've decided this year will be different. I'm limiting myself to just a couple different types of cookies and I'll make them right before Christmas.

Work will be a challenge as well. There will be platters of goodies sitting by the coffee pot from now until the middle of January. I will allow myself one treat a week until Christmas. Hopefully after Christmas I can resist them all together.

I've been checking out different materials from the library to help me stay motivated. The magazines, Shape and Health, have great articles that range from quick exercise workouts, how to stress less during the holidays, and healthy (and tasty) recipes. The library also has a great selection of fitness DVDs and diet books. Visit our on-line catalog at http://search.prairiecat.info/?c_library=JHLY to hold your copy today!

R

Quick and Healthy Snacks

On Sundays, I take 10 or 15 minutes to chop up my favorite veggies. I then pack them into food-storage containers and cover with water, then refrigerate. They are great for a quick, healthy snack. I can also add them in casseroles, soups and stews.

Tricked by a Treat

I’m the type of person that likes to plan ahead. This includes Halloween candy. I don’t wait to run out the day of Halloween when you have to wrestle the Bride of Frankenstein for the last bag of orange suckers. However, there is a downside to buying early. I start raiding the candy bags and end up having to buy more.

True to tradition, when shopping this weekend I started filling up my cart with chocolate bars, peanut butter cups, and my favorite, Kit Kat bars. I promised myself that this year would be different. I would not open any candy until the first trick-or-treater came knocking at the door.

Out of curiosity, I picked up the bag of chocolate bars to read the nutrition information. Ninety calories, that’s not too bad, considering it’s probably for 3 of the Fun Size bars. What!! This can’t be! Ninety calories for ONE bar, ONE tiny little bar!

Back to the shelf goes the chocolate bars, back go the peanut butter cups, and after a moment’s hesitation, back goes the Kit Kat bars. With over three weeks until Halloween I can not have these temptations in the house. I head over to the orange suckers ( 1 sucker – 26 calories), no temptation there!

Once home I went online to find the calorie counts of some popular Halloween treats. Remember, these calorie counts are for the snack or fun size packages, NOT full size servings.

Nestlé’s Crunch – Fun Size 1 bar = 70 calories
Peanut M&M’s – Fun Pack 1 bag = 40 calories
M&M’s – Fun Pack 1 bag = 90 calories
Snicker’s – Fun Size 1 bar = 80 calories
Milky Way – Fun Size 1 bar = 75 calories
Kit Kat – Fun Size 1 bar = 50 calories
Hershey Chocolate Bar – Fun Size 1 bar = 90 calories
Reese’s Cup – 1 miniature = 36 calories, classic size=80 calories
Butterfinger – Fun Size 1 bar = 100 calories
Twix – Fun Size 1 bar = 80 calories
York Peppermint Pattie – 1 patty = 70 calories
Twizzlers – 1 treat size package = 45 calories
Almond Joy – 1 snack size bar = 90 calories
Milk Duds – 1 treat size box = 40 calories
Butterfinger – 1 snack size bar = 100 calories
Milky Way – 1 snack size bar = 90 calories
Sweet Tarts – 1 treat size pkg. = 50 calories
Tootsie Pop – 1 pop = 60 calories
Tootsie Roll – 1 small roll = 13 calories

So, sorry kids, come this Halloween we’ll be THAT house. The house you’ll not waste your time stopping at next year. The house that hands out the dreaded orange suckers!

R

Candy and cookies and cake. Oh my!

Carmel apples, pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, apple cider donuts, mashed potatoes and gravy, candy canes, ham, sweet potatoes. Yes, the eating season is upon us! In my quest to make it through a visit to the apple orchard, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas without gaining weight, and possibly even lose a few pounds, I turned to the Internet for inspiration and came upon Jillian Michaels’ website, www.JillianMichaels.com.

Jillian is the demanding trainer on the hit TV show, The Biggest Loser. If The Biggest Loser isn’t enough to get you off the couch and exercising and eating healthy, then maybe Jillian’s website will.
While the main focus of her site is to sell her “free” weight loss program, books, and DVDs there is still a wealth of information that is truly free. Jillian’s newsletter, delivered to your e-mail account Monday through Friday, is full of fitness advice, recipes, and meal tips. Her diverse Wellness Team writes about nutrition, beauty, health, and overall well-being.

For even more motivation, pick up one of Jillian’s books and DVDs at the library. Visit our on-line catalog at http://search.prairiecat.info/?c_library=JHLY to hold your copy today!

Armed with Jillian’s latest book, Master Your Metabolism, and DVD, Banish Fat Boost Metabolism, I am ready to win the battle against those apple cider donuts! Who knows, maybe you’ll be seeing me on her website as the next Success Story!

R

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 - 10:00 AM
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - 10:00 AM
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 10:00 AM
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 10:00 AM

The Ogle County Health Department & Julia Hull District Library are pleased to offer a 10-week program featuring a step-by-step plan to help women develop healthy lifestyle skills and reduce the risk of heart disease. Topics will include understanding the risks of cardiovascular disease, goal setting, gaining confidence, reducing the impact of daily stress, overcoming barriers, determining meal portions, identifying support systems and measuring goals with objective assessments.

Registration required. Cost: $10. Call Carol Erickson, Director of Health Education, Ogle County Health Department at 815.732.7330 to register or inquire.

Back to School Backpack Safety

As practical as they are, backpacks can be a strain on joints and muscles. Follow these guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help your family use backpacks safely.

• Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
• Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the your child’s body weight.
• Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.
• Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.