Top 10 Reasons To Eat More Fruit

Photo: Wickerfurniture

10. Fruit is easy to take to-go. Whether it is an apple, banana, or smoothie, you can easily take fruit with you for a healthy snack or small meal. For women, it can fit into your purse. Men can fit it into your jacket pocket. It is the ideal mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. Or it can serve as your dessert after lunch. So the next time you are headed out for the day, be sure to take a piece of fruit with you! That will get you one serving closer to your daily recommended 5!

9. Fruit is a cost-effective snack. Healthy food can be expensive in general, but a piece of fruit is cheaper than a bag of chips from the vending machine. If you buy fruit that is in season, it is very reasonably priced! A 3-lb bag of apples costs about the same as a large bag of potato chips. Several times recently I have found pears for $1.50 per pound and strawberries for $2 per pound (at Publix, my grocer of choice for fresh produce). And, of course, bananas are always the cheapest and are rarely sold for more than 75 cents per pound. So on your next trip grocery trip, spend your snack bucks in the fresh produce section! Or consider dried fruits as another good alternative to chips, cookies or candy bars.

8. Fruit is perfect for dipping. There is no better snack than a fruit tray with dip, whether chocolate, caramel,  or cream cheese. This makes it ideal for parties or served with any meal. If you have surprise guests and you don't have dessert in the house, just cut up some fresh fruit and plate it with some yogurt as a dip. It is ideal for kids of all ages. Young children especially love fruit and dipping their foods, so teach them proper eating habits at that age. I continue to practice the good eating habits that my mom passed on when I was young!

7. Fruit can satisfy your sweet tooth. If you are like me, you might look for something cool and sweet at night to satisfy a craving. So why not munch on strawberries or grapes instead of chocolate, cookies or ice cream? Save the calories and boost your health while still enjoying something sweet and delicious. Try replacing your candy jar with a bowl of fresh berries on your kitchen counter. There is no guilt in grabbing a couple of grapes every time you pass by.

6. Fruit is the perfect complement to a warm, sunny day. What is a July 4th cookout without watermelon? When your kids come in from playing outside, serve them grapes or orange slices. After doing yardwork or jogging outdoors, munch on some cherries. Pack an apple in your picnic lunch basket. Fruit is cool and refreshing because it is full of water, which will help to keep you hydrated. A fresh fruit smoothie is a perfect alternative to a high-calorie milkshake.

5. Fruit helps to prevent future disease. Blueberries can help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease. Healthy eating can prevent heart disease and stroke. Good eating habits should begin at a young age and continue throughout your lifetime in order to maximize your health and minimize future medical issues.

4. Fruit helps you to lose weight. It is a low-calorie food, so it is the perfect snack for those who are dieting. If you want to lose weight, try replacing all sweet snacks with fruits. If you are really rushed for time in the mornings, cut up your fruit the night before and pack it in a tupperware to eat with breakfast or as a snack. If you do not have 1-2 servings for breakfast and lunch, it will be nearly impossible to consume your recommended 5 per day.

3. Fruit is full of vitamins and minerals. It is one of the best ways to increase your vitamin intake without taking a vitamin supplement. And the best way to benefit from vitamins is naturally, from your foods. Whether you need to boost your immunity, eyesight, bone/joint health, heart or mind, fruit will give you the vitamins needed for your body to function optimally.

2. Fruit is full of fiber and water, which maintains a healthy digestive system. While 100% juice has vitamins, fresh fruit is healthier because you eat all of the good parts of the fruit, especially the fiber/pulp and skin. Without sufficient fiber in your diet, you will continually look for products to improve your regularity. So do it the natural way with plenty of fresh fruit!

1. Fruit helps to fight cancer in your present and future. It is stocked full of antioxidants, which fight free radicals that enter your body through the environment and bad foods/chemicals. There are many anticarcinogenic foods, but none ranks higher than fruit. So if you want to have a healthier future, start by eating healthy now. 20 or 30 years from now may be too late to prevent cancer in your body.

Do Dairy Products Cause Weight Gain?

I have never decreased dairy products in my diet before this past week. It is actually very difficult to do, especially if you are like me and you eat chocolate, yogurt, milk and cheese every day. I normally would never choose to decrease these foods from my diet, but I am nursing a newborn who may have an allergy to milk protein. So I have given up my favorite foods for the moment to see if that helps.

During this time, I can see how a dairy-free diet could assist with weight loss! Can you think of many junk foods that have no dairy in them? Cheeseburgers, chips (yes--most chips have mild products), ice cream, pizza, nachos, etc. And desserts are nearly impossible to find without dairy unless you like hard candy or sour patch kids, which I don't! Almost all pre-packaged cookies and crackers also have dairy. I've had to catch myself before taking a bite several times this week, forgetting that I can't have these products right now.

So what have I been eating instead of milk products?:

1. Almond milk, which actually tastes good (at least the vanilla flavored one)! It also has a lot of calcium!

2. High-calcium foods, such as spinach, turnip greens, baked beans and soybeans.

3. Raisins, for my sweet tooth.

4. Nuts, for when I have the munchies.

5. Peanut butter and jelly (with the kids) instead of grilled cheese.

6. Fruit popsicles (instead of my preferred chocolate ice cream).

7. More natural and homemade foods.

Another recent change in my diet is that I am eating to prevent acid reflux. So now I cannot eat tortilla chips with salsa (already I had eliminated the queso), tacos (even without the cheese), pizza (from both dairy and acid), etc. The benefit to combining both of these diets is that I am eating less simply because there is less to choose from and because the tastiest foods are eliminated. In that sense it is becoming less enjoyable to eat, which normally would bother me. But right now I would like to quickly lose my baby weight and fit back into my non-maternity clothes! So maybe these 2 unexpected diet changes will help me with that! 

In general, the reason so many of us are overweight is simply because we either love food too much or are addicted to food. I was reading the Bible today, and I read a verse that talked about food. "Jesus said, My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work" (John 4:34). The context is that Jesus' friends were telling him to eat because they were all very hungry and had not eaten in some time, but he obviously had other priorities.

So next time you are tempted to eat something you shouldn't, just remember: eat to live; don't live to eat.

PCRM | Health Concerns about Dairy Products

PCRM | Health Concerns about Dairy Products

Concussion: When Is It Safe To Play Sport Again?

What are the symptoms of a CONCUSSION? It may involve losing consciousness, changes in vision, headaches, feeling dizzy, losing memory, ringing in the ears, nausea, difficulty balancing/walking, decreased coordination.

What are the risks of returning to the game/sport too early? This puts the athlete at risk for SECOND IMPACT SYNDROME, which is when he/she gets a second head injury or concussion (prior to the resolved symptoms of the first). This syndrome involves swelling in the brain, changes in the circulation of blood to the brain, elevated pressure within the cranium, and often death.

Is it safe to play the sport if you have any concussion symptoms? No, it is never safe to practice or play sport until all concussion symptoms are absent.

What is a Grade 1 (mild) Concussion? It includes confusion but no loss of memory. The athlete does not lose consciousness. If this concussion is the athlete's:

    1st concussion: May play again once symptoms are absent for >20 minutes.

    2nd concussion: Should not return to play for the remainder of that day.

    3rd concussion: Should not play for >3 months (and then only if symptoms are absent).

What is a Grade 2 (moderate) Concussion? It includes confusion and memory loss. The athlete does not lose consciousness. If this concussion is the athlete's:

    1st concussion: May not return to play until symptoms absent for >1 week.

    2nd concussion: Recommended to stop playing for the season. Not safe to play again until symptoms absent for >1 month.

    3rd concussion: Stop playing for the rest of the season. Next season may return to play only if symptoms are absent.

What is a Grade 3 (severe) Concussion? It includes losing consciousness. If this is the athlete's:

    1st concussion: May not return to play for >1 month (but only if symptoms absent for >2 weeks).

    2nd concussion: May not play the rest of the season. Recommended to never again return to play.

If you are caring for someone with a recent concussion, what should you do?

   1. Do not leave him/her alone for at least 24 hours after the concussion.

   2. Wake him/her up every 2 hours to ensure he/she does not have unusual symptoms.

What post-concussion symptoms merit an immediate trip to the emergency room?

    1. Bloody nose/ears or watery substance coming out of nose/ears.

    2. Dilated pupils or asymmetrical pupils.

    3. Arm and/or leg weakness or difficulty coordinating arms and/or legs.

    4. Difficulty talking.

    5. Uneven/unequal facial features.

    6. Swelling on or around the scalp.

    7. Difficulty waking him/her up.

    8. Mental changes (cannot follow directions, is not alert, loses consciousness)

    9. Blurry vision.

  10. Complaining of strong headache.

  11. Vomiting.

  12. Amnesia (losing memory).

References:

1. Brotzman SB, Wilk KE. Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, 2nd ed. Mosby: 2003. Pages 527-530: "Return to Play after a Concussion" (Brotzman SB, Costella JD, Bohling M).

2. Roos R: Guidelines for managing concussion in sports: a persistent headache. 24(2):67, 1996. "Colorado Guidelines to Return to Contact Sports after Cerebral Concussion."

Low-Fat Eggnog on the Food Network

Low-Fat Eggnog on the Food Network

Eggplant Ricotta Bites on the Food Network

Eggplant Ricotta Bites on the Food Network

Shoulder Bursitis: How To Treat and Prevent

Bursitis in general means inflammation of the bursa, which is one of the layers of soft tissue that surrounds a joint. It can occur in almost any of your large joints. It is important to have a specific diagnosis of which bursa is inflamed.

Bursitis in the shoulder is technically diagnosed as subacromial bursitis. Shoulder pain can come from many sources, such as impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendinitis, rotator cuff tear, frozen shoulder, muscle strain, Glenohumeral joint instability, various types of arthritis, and the list goes on. Therefore, it is not easy to develop a diagnosis unless you see an orthopedic/shoulder specialist and/or have an x-ray/MRI performed.

The first thing to know about treating bursitis (and most other inflammatory shoulder problems) is to identify and decrease the movements, positions and activities that exacerbate your symptoms. For example, you may need to stop sleeping on your right side for a few weeks-months. Or you may need to modify the position of your computer mouse. You may need to eliminate certain shoulder exercises in your workout routines. Switch your purse to the opposite shoulder or clean it out to make it lighter. Listen to your body in order to find out what aggravates your pain; then modify those things in order to function with less pain. This is called POSITIONAL AVOIDANCE.

Secondly, you may need MEDICATION. Consult your physician, who will likely prescribe an anti-inflammatory medicine. Your primary care physician will refer you as needed for imaging tests and/or specialist visits. It is important to comply with doctors' orders in order to know if the prescribed treatments are effective.

Any of your doctors (primary or specialist) may refer you for PHYSICAL THERAPY (or Occupational Therapy) if indicated.  Physical Therapy for your shoulder may include exercises, hands-on techniques, pain-relieving modalities, education, postural corrections and other interventions aimed at decreasing your pain and restoring full function of your shoulder.

ICE can also be an effective adjunct to your symptom-management routine. Put a bag of ice or frozen veggies in a T-shirt or pillowcase placed over the location of your pain. Do this for 10-15 minutes, >2x/day.

POSTURE plays a bigger role in shoulder pain that you may realize, so check this area to see how you measure up. Do you slump whenever you sit? What is your posture while working? Is there a posture you stay in for a long period of time each day that aggravates your shoulder pain? Upright posture places all your joints in proper alignment and maximizes their mobility. Try to avoid having your shoulders rounded forward. Sit or stand up tall, with your shoulders back (they should be lined up vertically with your ears).

Lastly, work to improve your BODY MECHANICS during all daily tasks. You should have an ergonomic work station. You may need to modify your computer chair, the placement of your keyboard/mouse, the amount of back support in your recliner chair, your lifting techniques, the placement of heavy objects in your home or garage, etc. The idea of body mechanics is to use your body to its advantage instead of straining your joints by doing difficult tasks incorrectly. Use large muscle groups to do harder work. Use proper lifting and reaching techniques. To prevent shoulder pain, avoid lifting heavy objects overhead. If you are carrying something heavy, hold it with both hands and keep it close to your body. Be sure your shoulders are relaxed (not shrugged up) while you are typing. Turn your thumbs up whenever you reach above shoulder height.