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Healthy Living at the Holidays?

It almost seems impossible, doesn’t it?

But if you eat well all year round, you are much less likely to feel like a locust ravening everything in sight. Sure, you can have a seasonal treat or two, but there is no need to go for seconds.

The trouble with the holidays is that they seem to get longer every year, with a stretch of indulgence that extends from the candy at Halloween, through the turkey with all the fixin’s at Thanksgiving, to Christmas, and right on to New Year’s (and possibly even Valentine’s Day if we aren’t careful!!)

In our offices, there are snacks and treats galore, all within easy reach, adding hundred of extra calories to our diet before we even know we’ve swallowed. Of course we love spending time with our friends, but food and drink become even more of a center of attention than the usual lunches, brunches and dinners.
There are many ways you can control your calorie intake at the holidays. Get a hot air popper (the microwave pop corn is getting very bad press these days), pop your corn, and add a bit of butter spray to it if you are eating it then and there. You can also pop extra, don’t butter it, and bring it to work with a bowl. If you feel like having hot pop corn, you can give it a few seconds in the microwave, and presto, you have a hot snack without a ton of oil, artifical flavor, or chemicals.

Other good choices would be carrot and celery sticks, apple, raisins, to stop you from reaching for the cookie tin or the bowl of nachos and guacamole just waiting to be devoured.

In particular, watch out for the empty calories in alcohol and desserts during the holiday season. They have NO nutritional value, and are NOT a couple of new essential food groups.

Vegetables are, but beware of the hidden calories in mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, and any veggies swimming in butter. The same can be said of seafood and fish.

Also off the menu would be cream-based soups, and anything with a cream sauce on it. We are not only talking calories here, we are talking high in saturated fats. The same is true of nuts. If you are having poultry, avoid the dark meat.

If you are cooking for the holidays, you will have a lot more control. Plan a menu with lots of well-seasoned dishes. A little seasoning can go a long way toward curbing cravings. Try not to taste everything in sight, and do start with soup and salad so that you will already be pretty full before you ever get to the main event.

Beware of the dreaded leftovers as well, which can extend one day of indulgence into several. Send a little care package home with your guests, or freeze them into small tasty lunch sized homemade TV dinners.

If you are going out for the holiday, eat before you go. Again, soup and salad are excellent choices for making you feel full and satisfied. Be polite, but don’t load your plate.

Also, if you are at a buffet, either take a small plate, or load it with salad or veggies first, then the more caloric foods. Make sure you load up on good lean protein if it is available, but again, no sauces or dark meat.

Avoid the dreaded dessert if possible, and beware of eggnog. If you do have to indulge, you and a friend might ‘buddy up’ and agree to share, just to keep an eye on one another.

One final check up, remember, it takes only 2000 additional calories to put on a pound, but 3000 to take one off. Do the math as you deal with your holiday meals, and that should keep you on the straight (and slim!) and narrow even with temptation coming at you from all sides.

Happy Holidays!

Book Review: Behind Closed Doors (The McCloud Brothers, Book 1)
by Shannon McKenna

3.0 out of 5 stars More of a Romantica than a romance
The book was very uneven in a lot of respects, and as I can tell from the reviews at Amazon, a lot of shocked readers did not think they were getting Romantica. Romantica is romantic erotica, and it is one couple with lots of heated erotic situations, as opposed to a lot of characters all having a great old time with each other.

I totally agree that the characters are inconsistent. I also think the villains were too. The whole romantic suspense genre seems to be predicated on the most unlikely people with nothing in common falling into bed together. Or in this case the wall, the shower, and so on.

It also includes several detailed scenes of the villain having sex which were very offputting, as was his voyeurism with the various cameras dotted around his house, and the explicit nature of said activities in various multiples and gender combinations.

The villain was not THAT interesting, and there should never be competing couples (triples?) in a romance novel. Stick to hero and heroine and relationship and love development, not the kitchen sink and stuff thrown in for shock value.

Kensington should make it clear that the Brava line is going to contain material like this. A reader who forked out good money expecting Nora Roberts would well be peeved, not to mention goggled-eyed or even offended.

Having said that, the one thing the book does having going for it is an interesting if totally Neanderthal hero, though I can’ tbelieve he had not had a girl for five years since his brother was killed, he is so rampant. The drought becomes a flood, and Raine is swept away, but I would have liked to see her exercise a bit more common sense and spine. The sexual games they play are not always healthy or safe, and Seth not trusting her toward the end is pretty unforgivable even if their sex life is stupendous.

The book is way too long, with lashings of detail on every movement of his body (where are HER feelings in all of this?) and even the hero says himself they are like a pair of minks. Subtlety, nuance, romance, even foreplay, vanish in a haze of power games on Seth’s part. This novel could have been cut to half its length and toned down and not suffered, and still got commitment and the happily ever after.

Readers who like Susan Johnson, Robin Schone and Thea Devine will enjoy these books, but anyone else should exercise caution. And you can certainly have a ‘bonkbuster’ of a lusty novel without grossing people out or demeaning them.
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1 out of 5 stars A total flat tire

The title of the novel refers to the strange experience familiar character Dillon Savich has on a lonely, snowy road one dark night. Alas, it is hardly developed at all in the book until the last 40 pages or so, and I really can’t see, hard as the author tried, how it is linked up with the supposed hero and heroine of this book, Ben Raven and the daughter of a murdered supreme court justice.

The motive for the murders as the body pile mounts up is absolutely absurd, and the twist at the end totally falls flat. I felt really cheated by this book.

It was nice to see Sherlock and Dillon and their little boy, but the whole relationship between Ben and his lady love is a wet squib and the macho posturing in the living room of Savich’s home is just absurd. A real let down. Neither romantic, nor suspenseful.

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A letter just came in the mail from Life Line Screening Radiology LLC regarding ‘life saving screenings’. The letter encourages you to pay $139 for 3 screenings to determine your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.While some of the information in the letter is true, such as the fact that cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of both men AND women, it makes no mention of the age at which you should consider these tests.

It complains that insurance companies will only pay for these tests if there are symptoms; but it makes no mention of age, hereditary factors or risk factors being present, which would of course clearly indicate that these tests should be performed.

It also mentions stroke, with 50% of victims not ever having had symptoms. But the only testimonial urging you to get these screenings to avoid stroke is written by the medical director of the company offering the screenings (talk about conflict of interest—and what, no celebrity endorsement? Amazing.). The sales pitch doesn’t even mention a test for high blood pressure, which would be one of the leading indicators of cause for concern for stroke.

The full color leaflet which is also in the envelope contradicts the letter, because it mentions that you will also get an osteoporosis test, but the equipment used would not be adequate for a proper bone density test.

In addition, the flyer and letter both claim that they partner with hospitals to do the screening, yet the letter invites you to, of all places, a ballet studio.

On the back page of the leaflet, in very small print, it declared that no diagnosis will be given—so why go? It also says that the screenings can’t detect all forms of stroke-so again, why go?

At the bottom it shows which credit cards it takes and declares it is only for those who can pay: they have nothing to do with Medicare nor any insurance company. Nor do they refer you to any doctor.

Finally, the letter urges you to hurry to get your appointment, as they are limited because they are in the city for one day only. If these tests are so essential, why are they not here full time. It also encourages you to tell all your friends and loved ones—if appointments are limited to one day only, and take an hour, according to the letter, how could everyone possibly be accommodated?

This is the worst form of scare-mongering and can clearly do more harm than good, heightening people’s fears for their health. They claim they do not give a diagnosis, but no one who goes for the test is not going to ask what they see (or supposedly see).

What if they DO find something? Every test also the possibility of a ‘false positive’. There is no follow up–they are moving on to the next city.

So if you do feel the need for any of these medical tests, based on your personal health history, go to your own doctor. He or she will send you to an established, reputable lab. No money will change hands if you are insured, except possibly a co-pay, because all the paperwork will be handled for you, and if something IS found, you will be able to go over your results with your doctor, and work together on a strategy and plan of action.

Cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, the leading contributor to stroke, may be in your genes, but neither of them are inevitable. You can work with your doctor to diminish your risk factors. Save your money on these so-called screenings, and tell your parents and loved ones to eat right, exercise, quit smoking, and visit their doctor regularly.

We have fabulous articles on pets and pet ownership at our sister site http://www.pet-goddess.com

• Look at the size of your dinner plate. Choose a smaller one and don’t pile up the food on it.
• Eat small portions of a variety of foods, to eliminate cravings or feeling deprived. That way, you allow yourself more variety in what you eat
• Eat lots of fresh fruit. It has a high-water to calorie ratio, plus fiber to help you feel full.
• If you’re craving a sweet chewy snack, opt for a healthier alternative like prunes, apricots, or other dried fruits.
• Don’t punish yourself for naughty foods. Instead, make a deal with yourself, like “I can eat whatever I want so long as I have a non-creamy soup and salad with low fat non-creamy dressing first.” Those two items will fill you up and stop you from over-indulging. (cream adds tons of calories from fat, so it’s best to avoid it!)
• Remember your ratio!
  2000 calories 1 pound gained
  3000 calories, 1 pound lost
  Do the math to help you stay on track

• Avoid commercial fast-food like the plague. Go for quick and easy recipes at home, and make enough for leftovers for lunch or dinner you can zap in the microwave quickly.

• Always bring a healthy snack with you to avoid temptation in public.

• Always eat salad and some lean protein before you go out for a party or social occasion like a dinner out in a restaurant. It will stop you binging, and the energy spikes that come with starving and then indulging.

• Practice eating mindfully. Do not do anything else while eating, like checking email or talking on the phone. Chew your food slowly and savor the taste and flavor of every bit to get the most satisfaction and not be tempted to cram down a whole lot more.

• Cranberry juice is a great pick-me-up by itself, or as a spritzer. It is fantastic for relieving cystitis and keeps your bladder in good working order. Just watch the high fructose corn syrup used to sweeten some brands, and juices which are not pure juice. You can get a small bottle of concentrate in health food stores.

• Keep your toothbrush and mouthwash handy after every meal. Not only will it help keep your mouth fresh, in your medicine cabinet. Not only does mouthwash freshen your breath, food never tastes quite so lipsmackingly good before or after you’ve brushed your teeth!

Above all, enjoy, and be optimistic.
Little changes can add up to big results!
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Herbs and spices are not only tasty, they can be nutritious too. We also recommend them because people tend to think of ‘dieting’ as suffering and deprivation. Herbs and spices keep food tasty, and fresh, as well as wholesome.

Herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor without a whole bunch of artificial ingredients, and are particularly healthful if you are trying to cut down on salt for the sake of your heart health or high blood pressure.

One of the easiest ways to get better nutrition is by adding breakfast to your day. Too many people fail to eat in the mornings despite the fact that a healthy breakfast provides fuel for the rest of the day. Thanks to the joys of a microwave egg poacher, you can have a fabulous poached egg in about 30-35 seconds, depending on how runny you want it. You don’t even have to add oil, so it weighs in at a tiny 90 calories, for about 15 grams of protein, about 1/3^rd of what you need in a day. 

 

You can also mix in some herbs for a quick scramble, like dill, parsley, chives, red pepper flakes, and best of all, you can pop it onto and English muffin or piece of bread to have on the go. It is far fewer calories to make it yourself than to by it in a fast food joint, and cheaper too.

 

You can also stir in a bit of low fat goat cheese or cream cheese for a real taste treat or lovely runny mini omelet. Add some salsa on top, and even put it in a low fat, low carb tortilla for a light homemade breakfast burrito with a bit of fresh coriander, parsley, and some cumin for spice. 

With a glass of milk and a piece of fruit you have already covered protein, fruit and dairy in your day, with some greens as well, for a great nutritious start to your day.

You can also use fresh herbs in your home-cooked dishes. Add parsley to meat dishes for a fresh new twist and use oregano and basil to spice up spaghetti sauce, roasted vegetables, bean and pasta soup, and more.

Herbs contain valuable antioxidants to build the body’s immunity, and they add delightful flavor that enhances your meal and cuts down on food cravings. The more seasoned variety you have, the less likely you will be to munch out of control. 

 Cravings are typically not about being hungry, but seeking a special flavor. Some would even argue that the craving is your body telling you that an essential nutrient is missing in your diet. I think I used to crave onions a lot because of the vitamin C.

 For ice cream addicts, add nuts to your dish for an extra boost of heart-healthy nutrients. Or, you can make your own fruit based topping with fruit in the microwave, plus some cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, lemon and so on. You can even make your own sorbets and add spices to them to make them more flavorful. Dress up your plain vanilla, without a whole bunch of sugary additives. You can do the same with cakes and pies. A bit of spice added makes for a more satisfying  dessert.

And best of all, the more you cook for yourself, the more you will have control over the calories you take in. Plus, you’ll be able to make food exactly the way you want it. In addition, you will likely save money as well. Whenever I go to a restaurant, for example, I always order something I have never had before, and then I try to duplicate it at home.

 

Of course, years of cooking with herbs and seasonings has made this easy for me, but if you pay attention read labels, menus and so on, plus do the old sniff test in the spice aisle, and snap off a twig or two to taste in the fresh herb aisle, you’ll be able to start experimenting, identifying, and eating well in no time.

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