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The "Dirty Dozen" ; Top Contaminated Foods
WITH food prices going up faster than New York skyscrapers, anyone who can afford to buy organic everything - probably has a personal assistant doing their shopping for them. The rest of us face difficult decisions every time we push a cart.
Prevention’s the Healthy Cook: The Ultimate Kitchen Guide to Great Low-Fat Food : Featuring 450 Homestyle Recipes and Hundreds of Time-Saving TipsOne way of deciding which purchases should be organic is to work out which foods contain the most pesticides. Analysis of US government records by the non-profit Environmental Working Group led to the release in 2006 of a list nicknamed the "Dirty Dozen".
The 12 Worst Foods for Pesticide Residues
- peaches
- apples
- capsicum
- celery
- nectarines
- strawberries
- cherries
- pears
- imported grapes
- spinach
- lettuce
- potatoes.
Why Should You Care About Pesticides?
There is growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood when exposures can have long lasting effects. Because the toxic effects of pesticides are worrisome, not well understood, or in some cases completely unstudied, shoppers are wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible.
Will Washing and Peeling Help?
Nearly all of the data used to create these lists already considers how people typically wash and prepare produce (for example, apples are washed before testing, bananas are peeled). While washing and rinsing fresh produce may reduce levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them. Peeling also reduces exposures, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the peel. The best option is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
How This Guide Was Developed
The produce ranking was developed by analysts at the not-for-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) based on the results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2005.
Pesticides: A Toxic Time Bomb in Our MidstEWG is a not-for-profit environmental research organization dedicated to improving public health and protecting the environment by reducing pollution in air, water and food. For more information please visit http://www.ewg.org/.
Monarch Health Promotions
Tucson, AZ.
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May is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month!
Lets Get Down to The Bone on Bones
In order to understand osteoporosis, it is important to learn about bone. Made mostly of collagen, bone is living, growing tissue. Collagen is a protein that provides a soft frame, and calcium phosphate is a mineral that adds strength and hardens the frame. This combination of collagen and calcium makes bone strong and flexible enough to withstand stress. More than 99 percent of the body’s calcium is contained in the bones and teeth. The remaining 1 percent is found in the blood.
Bone Remodeling
Throughout life, bone is constantly renewed through a two-part process called remodeling. This process consists of resorption and formation. During resorption, old bone tissue is broken down and removed. During bone formation, new bone tissue is laid down to replace the old. These tasks are performed by special cells. These cells need several hormones including calcitonin, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, estrogen (in women) and testosterone (in men), among others to work.
The Bone Bank Account
Think of bone as a bank account where you "deposit" and "withdraw" bone tissue. During childhood and the teenage years, new bone is added to the skeleton faster than old bone is removed. As a result, bones become larger, heavier, and denser. For most people, bone formation continues at a faster pace than removal until bone mass peaks during the third decade of life.
Remember, in order to be able to make "deposits" of bone tissue and reach the greatest possible peak bone mass, you need to get enough calcium, vitamin D, and exercise - important factors in building bone.
After age 20, bone "withdrawals" can begin to exceed "deposits." For many people, this bone loss can be prevented by continuing to get calcium, vitamin D, and exercise and by avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol use. Osteoporosis develops when bone removal occurs too quickly or replacement occurs too slowly or both. You are more likely to develop osteoporosis if you did not reach your maximum peak bone mass during your bone building years.
Women, Men, and Osteoporosis
Women are more likely than men to develop osteoporosis. This is because women generally have smaller, thinner bones, and because they can lose bone tissue rapidly in the first 4 to 8 years after menopause due to the sharp decline in production of the hormone estrogen. Produced by the ovaries, estrogen has been shown to have a protective effect on bone. Women usually go through menopause between ages 45 and 55. After menopause, bone loss in women greatly exceeds that in men. However, by age 65, women and men tend to lose bone tissue at the same rate. While men do not undergo the equivalent of menopause, production of the male hormone testosterone may decrease, and this can lead to increased bone loss and a greater risk of developing osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis Prevention
Osteoporosis is preventable for many people. Prevention is important because while there are treatments for osteoporosis, a cure has not yet been found. A comprehensive program that can
help prevent osteoporosis includes:
- a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
- weight-bearing exercise
- a healthy lifestyle with no smoking or excessive alcohol intake
- bone density testing and, when appropriate, medication.
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Osteoporosis: Help Prevent–and Even Reverse–the Disease that Burdens Millions of WomenFor Your Information
Check Up On Your Bones is an interactive bone health checkup for people of all ages. The goal of the checkup is to help you identify the most common red flags that put your bones at risk and to give you a strategy — specific to you — to make your bones stronger and healthier.
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Eating to Give Your Brain a Boost
Foods aren’t just fuel for your body. True, they provide the energy you need, yet some have benefits that go well beyond simple nourishment.
Explore the recesses of your refrigerator and you may find foods that science is, increasingly, crediting with being especially supportive for brain health. These edibles may improve memory, clarify thinking, delay cognitive decline, and perhaps even ward off Alzheimer’s disease.
Recent research shows that you may want to include the following on your shopping list more often for brain-strengthening nourishment:
- Apple juice and pomegranate juice
- Red grapes, cherries, apples, blueberries and strawberries
- Tea and cocoa
- Salmon and light tuna
- Soy foods
- Sunflower seeds, walnuts
- Vegetables, especially leafy greens
- Canola oil, olive oil
- Dark chocolate
When buying processed or packaged foods containing these ingredients, be sure to read the nutrition labels carefully. Some of these “good” foods may be prepared with high amounts of sugar, fat or salt added to them, resulting in too many calories or too much sodium in your diet. For healthful eating, choose fresh versions of these foods most often, or prepare them with low-fat ingredients. Eat processed types in moderation.
For example, you can still get the benefits of pomegranate juice (which has sugar added to offset its tart flavor) by mixing one or two ounces into sparkling water as a spritzer. Cocoa made with nonfat milk gives your brain a boost without adding extra fat. And letting a small piece of dark chocolate melt slowly in your mouth prolongs your enjoyment while keeping your daily intake healthful (one ounce or less).
For brain health as well as overall health, be sure to avoid foods containing saturated fats or trans fats (check those nutrition labels!). Diets that are high in such fats are specifically related to declining brain capabilities.
References
Tchantchou F, Chan A, Kifle L, et al. “Apple Juice Concentrate Prevents Oxidative Damage and Impaired Maze Performance in Aged Mice.” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 8(3): 283-287, 2005.
Hartman RE, Shah A, Fagan AM, et al. “Pomegranate Juice Decreases Amyloid Load and Improves Behavior in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease.” Neurobiology of Disease, 24(3): 506-515, 2006.
Van Praag H, Lucero MJ, Yeo GW, et al. “Plant-derived Flavanol (-)Epicatechin Enhances Angiogenesis and Retention of Spatial Memory in Mice.” Journal of Neuroscience, 27(22): 5869-5878, 2007.
International Food Information Council. “Functional Foods.” http://www.ific.org/nutrition/functional
Morris MC, Evans DA, Tangney CC, et al. “Associations of Vegetable and Fruit Consumption With Age-Related Cognitive Change.” Neurology, 67(8): 1370-1376, 2006.
Morris MC, Evans DA, Tangney CC, et al. “Dietary Copper and High Saturated and Trans Fat Intakes Associated with Cognitive Decline.” Archives of Neurology, 63(8): 1085-1088, 2006.
© 2008 National Women’s Health Resource Center, Inc. (NWHRC) All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the NWHRC. 1-877-986-9472 (toll-free). On the Web at: www.healthywomen.org.
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National Infant Immunization Week - Back to The Basics
Vaccines are one of history’s most successful and cost‑effective public health tools for preventing serious disease and death. Diseases that were once common‑place, such as polio, measles, mumps, whooping cough, diphtheria, and rubella, are now only distant memories for most Americans. Today, there are few reminders of the suffering, disabilities, and premature deaths caused by diseases that are now preventable with vaccines.
Immunization coverage among children in the United States is the highest ever recorded for most vaccines. High immunization coverage translates into record or near record low levels of vaccine‑preventable disease.
Our success also means that many parents don’t understand the importance of childhood immunization and what diseases can be prevented. Most of today’s parents have never seen these diseases and the suffering they can cause and, therefore, are less concerned about the need for immunization compared to other parental priorities. However, these diseases are not diseases of the past. They are still with us and circulating in many parts of the world.
We can prevent more diseases than ever before, yet despite recent gains in childhood immunization coverage, over 1 million of our nation’s two year olds are still missing one or more of the recommended immunizations. Each day 11,000 babies are born who will need to be immunized against thirteen diseases before age two.
Low immunization coverage is an issue that impacts the entire community. Therefore, community resources, and more importantly, community participation is essential to increasing immunization coverage. A decision to vaccinate a child is a decision to not only protect that individual child, but to protect the community as well by reducing the spread of disease to those who have not been vaccinated either by choice or because of medical reasons, such as children with leukemia.
Parents and health care providers are must work together to ensure that all children are fully immunized.
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Cancer Experts: Don’t Look to Supplements for Cancer Protection
" Don’t Look to Supplements for Cancer Protection"
WASHINGTON, DC – Experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) said today that whole foods, and not dietary supplements, play a role in lowering cancer risk. Citing a huge and comprehensive AICR report on cancer prevention, the panel of experts cautioned against relying on pills and powders as a means of protection.
“When the panel examined the accumulated evidence from almost 50 different supplement trials, cohort studies and case-control studies, the results were simply too inconsistent to justify using supplements to protect against cancer,” said AICR Nutrition Advisor Karen Collins, MS, RD
Under certain conditions, some high-dose supplements seemed protective at specific doses, some did nothing, and some actually increased the risk of cancer. In contrast, the research was much more consistent when the AICR expert panel examined over 440 studies on cancer risk and foods that contained specific vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. These widely different results led them to conclude: “Dietary supplements are not recommended for cancer prevention.”
Collins noted, however, that in the AICR Expert Report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, the panel explicitly states that supplements can have a place in a healthy diet. Certain groups – such as women of child-bearing age – may even receive health benefits from taking controlled doses of specific dietary supplements. But according to the report, lower risk of cancer should not be considered one of those benefits.
“Let’s be clear: although some people have misread the recommendation as simply, ‘Don’t take supplements ever,’ that’s not what the expert panel concluded,” said Collins. “The panel members were careful to make an important distinction, namely: Don’t rely on supplements to protect you from cancer.”
Different Grades for Different Cancer Links
When the AICR expert panel reviewed the accumulated data from supplement studies, they noted that much of the research showing high-dose dietary supplements influencing cancer risk was conducted among people who were already at high risk for cancer. That means the results from these studies may or may not extend to the rest of the population. The panel concluded that there is no way to reliably predict the risks and benefits that widespread use of such supplements could produce, and the potential for unexpected and unfavorable side effects is real.
Certain supplements have indeed been shown to increase the risk of cancer among specific high-risk groups. The evidence that beta-carotene supplements cause lung cancer in current smokers is convincing, according to the AICR report.
(A judgment of convincing was the most exacting “grade” the AICR expert panel assigned to various links between diet and cancer; the next strongest links earned a grade of probable. Other grades included limited, but suggestive; limited, but no conclusion possible and finally substantial effect on risk unlikely.)
Of all the supplements reviewed by the panel, only two seemed to have a potential role in protection, and even then the research was less than clear. According to the panel, selenium probably protects against prostate cancer, while calcium probably protects against colorectal cancer. Yet they also concluded that high calcium consumption probably increases risk for prostate cancer.
Whole Foods vs. Supplements
The data on prevention are considerably more consistent, however, when it comes to foods that contain many of the same vitamins, minerals and other substances that are often sold in supplement form. The panel judged the evidence on several categories of such foods as protective against a variety of cancers, including:
Foods containing folate are probably protective against pancreatic cancer
Foods containing carotenoids are probably protective against cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and lung.
Foods containing beta-carotene are probably protective against esophageal cancer.
Foods containing lycopene are probably protective against prostate cancer.
Foods containing vitamin C are probably protective against esophageal cancer.
Foods containing selenium are probably protective against prostate cancer.
The panel also concluded that other categories of plant foods – including non-starchy vegetables, allium vegetables (onions, leeks, etc.), garlic and fruits in general are probably protective against seven different kinds of cancer.
Exactly why this is so remains unclear – perhaps other substances in whole foods actually provide the cancer protection; perhaps the substances in question interact in unknown synergistic ways to reduce risk, or perhaps diets high in these foods simply tend to be lower in foods linked to increased risk, such as red and processed meat. But the bottom line remains: diets high in plant foods are associated with greater protection against many different kinds of cancer.
The AICR report collectively examined over 7,000 studies on all aspects of diet, physical activity, weight and cancer risk, Collins said. “When you compare the evidence on whole foods to the evidence on supplements, there’s simply no contest,” said AICR’s Collins. “It’s clear that choosing nutrient-rich whole foods and drinks is preferable to loading up on dietary supplements.”
The panel noted, however, that if low-dose dietary supplements are used to supplement (and not replace) healthy diets, they may offer some health benefits in other regards. Some examples include vitamin B12 (for people over 50 who have difficulty absorbing natural B12), folic acid (for women who may become or who are pregnant) and vitamin D (for people who are not exposed to sufficient sunlight or who do not synthesize adequate amounts from sunlight.) A doctor or nutritionist may make more specific recommendations in accordance with an individual’s nutritional needs.
The Cancer Nutrition Center Handbook*** The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the cancer charity that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight management to cancer risk, interprets the scientific literature and educates the public about the results. It has contributed more than $86 million for innovative research conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. AICR has published two landmark reports that interpret the accumulated research in the field, and is committed to a process of continuous review. AICR also provides a wide range of educational programs to help millions of Americans learn to make dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its award-winning New American Plate program is presented in brochures, seminars and on its website, http://www.aicr.org/. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.
Monarch Health Promotions
Tucson, AZ.
(520)404-4558
http://www.monarchhp.com/juiceplus
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Multivitamins — Are they the best thing for you?
By Mayo Clinic nutritionists Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Do you take a multivitamin? Or a single vitamin, mineral, or combination supplement? If so, you are in the company of tens of millions of U.S. adults.
Why do you take them? Most people say it makes them feel healthier or they believe it will prevent chronic diseases, or colds and flu. But you may be surprised to know that what is in your bottle and on the label is not strictly regulated. And there is no system in place to collect reports of adverse affects.
Over the past few years there has been increasing evidence that multivitamins and single or combination type vitamin/mineral supplements may not provide the health benefit sought by you, the consumer. In some cases the opposite or no beneficial effects have been reported.
Alarming to think that vitamin or mineral supplements could actually cause more harm than good. An example of this is the use of beta carotene by smokers actually increased the incidence of lung cancer. This is echoed by a recent study out of the University of Washington that reports the use of multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and folate did not reduce the risk of lung cancer.
It is not all bad news though; there are studies to support the use of folate (folic acid) prior to and during pregnancy in the prevention of neural tube defects in the developing fetus. And history has proven that vitamins and minerals play a critical role in our health — the reason we know about the benefits of vitamins and minerals in food is because of the major discoveries in disease prevention such as vitamin C and scurvy and thiamine, a B vitamin, and beri beri (a wasting type disease).
This may leave you wondering if those vitamin mineral supplements in your medicine cabinet are doing what they should or even worth your money.
Let’s look at this way — do you eat a well balanced diet? If so, you may not need a multivitamin and if you take one as a "safety net" know that you may exceed what your body needs or can use.
Are you concerned about a chronic disease? If so, making changes in your diet and exercise habits, not smoking and following through with recommended screenings by your physician are more likely to benefit your overall health picture.
Consider your current state of health, talk to your doctor and/or dietitian, and weigh the possible benefits and risks of a multivitamin and mineral supplement for you.
Cooking the Whole Foods Way: Your Complete, Everyday Guide to Healthy, Delicious Eating with 500 VeganRecipes, Menus, Techniques, Meal Planning, Buying Tips, Wit, and WisdomLearn more about The Whole Food Nutrition Option
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It Might Be Time to Rethink Your Drink
beverage holder-enhanced cart for a stroll down the aisles, I started to think about the impact beverage consumption has had on the rise of obesity in this country.
According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data on the food intakes of nearly 10,000 children nationwide, today.s U.S. kids are eating more food and more calories than kids did 20 years ago. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and can cause social and psychological problems. In the past 20 years, obesity rates in teenage boys leaped from 5% to 12%, and in teenage girls from 7% to 11%.
Obesity rates have increased in conjunction with soft drink consumption. A graph that appeared in The National Soft Drink Association publication Beverage World showed that in 1942, production of carbonated soft drinks was about 60 12-ounce servings per person per year. By 1998, that amount increased to 576 12-ounce servings per person per year (approximately two 12-ounce cans per day for every man, woman, and child).
daily diet.
It’s easy to determine the amount of beverage you consume if you drink from a labeled bottle. But if you buy a 2-liter container, and then pour a serving into a glass, it’s not quite so easy to determine the amount. A Northeast Cooperative Regional Research Project that included participants from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, Delaware and Rhode Island studied subjects. ability to estimate portion sizes. In this study, the ability of college students,
and particularly nutrition majors, to estimate the portion sizes of beverages was tested. The following findings reveal college students have difficulty in underestimating and overestimating beverages:
- 20% of the students overestimated the contents of the larger glasses (10- and 12-ounce)
by three ounces or more. - 45% of the students underestimated the amount of the beverage in a 10-ounce glass by
at least one ounce. - 33% of the students underestimated the amount of the beverage in a 12-ounce glass by
at least one ounce.
Some people in the study underestimated and overestimated actual size by fairly large amounts. Theimpact of such errors on caloric intake could be significant.
Based on this study, if you pour your own, it might be wise to take out a measuring cup to find out exactly how much liquid your favorite glass holds.
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End of Winter Sniffles; Eat Your Way Back to Health!
• Choose more nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains
Super Nutrition for Women: A Food-Wise Guide For Health, Beauty, Energy, And Immunity
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Nourishing Your Brain
No one knows exactly how much of which dietary components are needed for optimal mental functioning.
However, it has been established that nutrition plays a vital role in intellect, memory, thinking, and personality.
Most of the research linking nutrition with stress has focused on physical stress such as surgery, burns, or intense exercise. However, there is a growing body of literature that shows that emotional and mental stress not only alters hormone levels in a manner similar to physical stress, but further compromises optimal functioning by changing eating patterns, reducing nutrient absorption, increasing nutrient excretion, and altering the use of nutrients in stress related metabolic processes.
Depression
We know that within the brain, poor nutrition can limit blood circulation, which is important in supplying brain cells with the building blocks and oxygen they require for proper function. Many studies now link depression to a lack of certain vitamins, especially the B vitamins which are used in nervous system function. Although vitamin B6 deficiency is rare in the United States, many people, especially women, do not get enough in their diets. A less than adequate intake may produce subtle changes in mood, even before a deficiency can develop.
Neurotransmitters
The ingestion of different nutrients affect levels of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters transmit impulses from one nerve cell to another, and they influence mood, sleep patterns, and thinking. Deficiencies (shortages) or excesses of certain vitamins or minerals can damage nerves in the brain, causing changes in memory, limiting problem-solving ability, and impair brain function. The four neurotransmitters that are manufactured directly from food components are serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine.
1. Serotonin
Serotonin is a multi-functional neurotransmitter. Low serotonin levels cause insomnia, depression, food cravings, and increased sensitivity to pain. It can also cause aggressive behavior, and poor body-temperature regulation.
Serotonin is manufactured in the brain from amino acids (a building block of protein), called tryptophan, that affects the levels in the brain. As more tryptophan enters the brain, more serotonin is produced. Higher serotonin levels enhance mood and have a sedating effect, promoting sleepiness. This effect is partly responsible for the drowsiness some people experience after a large meal.Eating a protein-rich meal decreases tryptophan which leads to low serotonin levels. Conversely, a carbohydrate-rich meal enhances the uptake of tryptophan by the brain by triggering a release of a hormone called insulin in the body. Insulin lets blood sugar into cells where it can be used for energy, but insulin also has other effects in the body. As insulin levels rise, more tryptophan enters the brain. In turn, tryptophan is converted to serotonin which produces a calming, drowsy effect.
2. Dopamine and 3. Norepinephrine (adrenaline)
Dopamine and norepinephrine (adrenaline) are manufactured from the amino acid tyrosine. Whatever the source of stress, physical or emotional, the body reacts by pumping out adrenaline, which triggers a cascade of other hormonal and nervous responses through the body preparing us to either fight or flee. Although the majority of today’s stresses require no rapid physical action, our bodies still respond in this ancient and time honored way. Within less than a second of experiencing anxiety, the heart rate quickens, eyesight sharpens and blood is diverted to muscles and thickens in anticipation of repairing a wound received in battle. Low levels of dopamine and norepinephrine are associated with depression, decreased ability to deal with stress, and a decline in mental functioning.
4. Acetylcholine
Choline, a fat like substance that is both produced by the body and found in food it is vital for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is associated with memory and cognitive ability.
A study at the University of Massachusetts showed that healthy people who took a drug that blocked acetylcholine flunked a memory test, but passed the test when they took a drug that increased acetylcholine levels. Other studies show that maintaining optimal choline levels may not only improve learning ability, but may slow certain forms of age-related memory loss.
Protein and Amino Acids
Proteins are made up of amino acids linked together in various sequences and amounts. The human body can manufacture some amino acids, but there are 8 essential amino acids that must be supplied by food.
A complete or high-quality protein contains all 8 essential amino acids in the amounts needed by the body.Foods rich in high-quality protein include meats, milk and other dairy products, and eggs.
Dried beans and peas, grains, and nuts and seeds also contain protein, although the protein in these plant foods may be low in one or more essential amino acids. Generally, combining any two types of plant protein foods together will yield a complete, high-quality protein. For example, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich combines grain protein from the bread with nut protein from the peanut butter to yield a complete protein. A bean-rice hot dish combines bean and grain protein for another complete protein combination.
In summary, the neurotransmitters manufactured from the intake of protein and amino acids affect brain functioning and mental health.
High levels of stress and poor eating patterns lead to nutritional deficiencies that may impact these neurotransmitter levels which in turn affect brain function. In an ideal world, to break the cycle, you would decrease your level of stress. However, if this is not practical or probable, the next best solution is to arm yourself with a strong defense: a well nourished body and brain.
References
Nutrition and Diseases of the Nervous System 1999.
Nutrition in Clinical Practice. 2001.
Medical Nutrition Therapy for Neurologic Disorders 2000.
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7 Strategies for Stopping Sugar Cravings:
1. Eat regularly. Avoid skipping meals or starving yourself. Include planned, healthy snacks into your eating plan. Sugar cravings get more intense when you’re over-hungry.
2. Eat more complex carbohydrates, especially high fiber, whole grain products. Minimize simple sugars and refined products. Cakes, cookies, sweets, white rice, white bread, and white pasta may cause an “insulin reaction” which makes you feel sluggish and crave more sugar.
3. Include a good source of protein and/or healthy fat with each meal. Protein and fat are digested more slowly and give satiety to meals.
4. Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine wreaks havoc with blood sugar levels, increasing the chance of overeating later.
5. Focus on flavor to satisfy your senses without overeating.
- Try one of these fabulous flavor boosters: roasted red or yellow peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh ginger, balsamic or rice wine vinegar, lemon or orange zest, fresh herbs, crushed red pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce, fresh mint or cilantro, salsa.
- Know which flavors turn you on. Think about the tastes, smells, and textures of food that are most appealing to you. Then, incorporate a low fat alternative into your everyday eating plan.
- Stop periodically during a meal and ask yourself if you are truly
enjoying the food you are eating? Is the food worthy of your taste
buds? - Create a flavor-savoring mood at mealtimes. Set the table in style.
Arrange the plate attractively. Light candles.
6. Break old patterns. Practice stress reduction techniques to avoid turning
to sugary foods for comfort.
7. Legalize all foods. When sweets are strictly forbidden, you end up craving them more and often bingeing on them later. Enjoy a small dessert when you truly crave it. Eat it slowly and savor it without guilt!
Win the Sugar War: 100 Real-Life Stories of Conquering Cravings–and PouThanks to Sheri Barke, MPH, RD
Learn more about Whole Food Nutrition at http://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/pages/Home.soa?site=mt83482
