Fruits and Veggies: Mom Was Right

Occasionally, a scientific study will confirm what common sense -- and your mother -- told you all along. In this case, Italian researchers, writing in the May issue of the journal Epidemiology, say eating plenty of fruit and vegetables can keep you healthy.

The study of more than 4,500 people with breast, colon or rectal cancer and 5,000 cancer-free patients found that certain vegetables are more healthy than fruit and even other vegetables. The research found that raw carrots offered the greatest amount of protection against all three cancers.

The researchers say vegetables are higher than fruit in cancer-fighting vitamins and nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin B-6, and folic acid. They add that dipping raw vegetables in vegetable oil may additionally reduce the risk of some cancers.

Fats That Heal

We all know that too much fat can kill us. But what we may not know is that there are fats that are beneficial for our health, if taken in an appropriate manner.

Canadian nutritionist Udo Erasmus is a firm believer that humans need to avoid fats that kill -- the trans fatty acids. But he also believes we need to increase our intake of fats that heal -- the essential fatty acids.

"Humans need the right amount of fats and oils in their diet -- between 15 and 20 percent -- and these fats must be of the right kind," he explained.

In comparison, trans fatty acids raised the risks of cardiovascular disease, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, premenstrual syndrome, cancer, weight increase and a host of other degenerative diseases.

Did Your Parents Let You Eat Junk Food as a Kid?

When I was growing up, my parents had the "fun" house. Translation: We had every kind of junk food imaginable. My friends loved to come over and raid the cabinets for cookies, soda, candy and chips. And that's why I'm convinced I'm a healthy eater today. Bear with me...

Yes, I still have a soft spot for orange junk food. But I have developed strategies (like hiding bags of chips) to keep overeating in check. Plus, because junk food was never banned growing up, my sister and I never binged on cookies like our other friends.

Yesterday, I came across this hilarious essay in The New York Times Magazine about a kid who has to sneak junk food because his parents won't let him have it. He trades homework for Pringles, goes to sleepovers so he can have chocolate and secretly devours entire tubs of cheese puffs with his dad on the way home from the grocery store. But with all things taboo, the allure of pizza, fries and ranch dressing wore off when he was an adult and could make his own food choices.

Crazy Attempts to Satisfy a Food Craving--Have You Done This?

Recently I caught a rerun of the Oprah Show--an episode where she was talking about this quirky thing she does when she has a craving for something (let's say chocolate cake) and there's none of it in the house and (and her personal chef has gone home for the night). The thing she admits to doing is something I think many of us have done--and it spells trouble for our waistlines ...

OK, so back to Oprah (and I really can't remember what it was she was craving that she described on the show, so let's stick with the chocolate cake example). So, there she is standing in her kitchen dying for chocolate cake, which she doesn't have--so she tries to recreate it. And I'm not talking about baking.

Concerned About Carbs

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

Break Away From Junk Break

Do you get a gnawing feeling about 3:30 p.m. that sends you to the candy machine by 4? Would you like to break the junk food break habit?

Let Healthy Living help. According to Ted Spiker, author of "Break That Habit: Eating Junk at 4 p.m.," you start by eating lunch.

Even if you're trying to lose weight, you must eat breakfast and lunch to avoid feeling famished in the afternoon. Since your body needs to eat every three to four hours, be prepared for an afternoon slump, says Spiker.

Load your desk with healthy snacks -- he recommends a few -- and take your time eating them. Eating in a leisurely way communicates to your brain that you are full.

Breakfast at Your Desk: The New Research That Makes Bacon Look ... Healthy?

OK, so the headline's a tad misleading--sorry. I couldn't resist using "bacon" and "healthy" in the same sentence. But, the saturated fat in bacon, and other foods, is at the center of a debate among health experts right now after one study seems to say that saturated fat doesn't contribute to heart disease. I know, confusing! I have details ...

It's Heart Health month, and here we are getting some conflicting information about saturated fat and heart disease. The American Hearth Association has long warned that adults should get no more than 7 percent of their daily calories from fat--no more than about 16 grams of saturated fat a day. But wait, a new analysis of 21 previous studies seems to hint that saturated fat isn't the big evil monster we thought it was. In fact, researchers found "no clear evidence" that higher saturated fat intakes led to higher risks of heart disease or stroke.

Breakfast at Your Desk: These Yummy Bananas Prove That All Bananas Are Not Created Equal

A banana is a banana is a banana, right? I beg to differ. For the last 8 years, I have been smitten with a certain variety of banana that you can find at most grocery stores, but may not have noticed until now ...

Ever since my honeymoon in Tahiti, I've been crazy for miniature bananas (I'm sure they have an official name, but I don't know it!). You can find them at almost any grocery store, and while they may be a little pricier than regular, full-sized bananas, these are worth a few pennies more. They are sweeter and tastier, and if I had to describe the flavor difference, I'd say that they taste like they have notes of lemon and vanilla. They are really a treat! (And you know how much we love bananas on this blog!)

Breakfast at Your Desk: It May Sound Odd, But Scrambled Tofu Is Really Good!

Have you ever scrambled tofu? I happen to love this for breakfast. And you don't have to be a huge fan of tofu to enjoy it. I promise, it's good! Here's how ...

Here's how:

*Cube up some firm tofu and break it up in a frying pan with a wooden spoon. Be sure you coat the pan with a little bit of olive or canola oil.

*Add in some diced onions, tomatoes, green peppers or other veggies.

*Mix in some light soy sauce (I like tamari), garlic powder, and black pepper if you like.

Serve whit whole-grain toast. Yum!

Enjoy!

P.S. More healthy breakfast ideas: baked eggs (fancy, easy!), goat's milk yogurt (I tried it!), and a tasty to-go smoothie for busy mornings ...

Breakfast at Your Desk: Is Your Cereal "Healthy or Crappy?" One Blogger Has the Perfect Test

When it comes to breakfast, a lot of women get fooled by so-called healthy cereals. If you're scratching your head about what constitutes a healthy bowl, check out one food blogger's fab cheat sheet that we all can use ...

I love Lisa from Snack Girl. Her posts are always so informative, like the recent post she did on cereal. She devised the "healthy or crappy cereal test" to help her readers, and herself, sort through the muck on the cereal aisle, and I agree with her criteria entirely (though, you can still find some terrific low-sugar raisin brans hovering around 10 grams of sugar--I wouldn't count those out):

A Victoria's Secret Model Admits to Loving Fried Chicken--What's Your Unhealthiest Fave Food?

Do you know someone who can eat whatever she wants and not gain weight? Recently, a Victoria's Secret model spoke out about her favorite snack food--fried chicken. I think we can all be a little envious. File this one under the category "not fair"...

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She's gorgeous and in great shape, but not because she gets an A+ for healthy eating. Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr says she's a fiend for fried chicken! "My favorite snack is fried chicken," she said, adding "I make it myself!"

OK, so maybe her recipe is a low-fat version? Other self-described fried chicken lovers include 50 Cent, Rihanna, Michael Jackson and Jennifer Lopez.

Appetites Grow for Organics

Organic -- it's a lifestyle and rallying cry for devout environmentalists and alluring to high-end suburban shoppers, yet somehow reminiscent of a barefoot hippie standing ankle-deep in mud. But what does it mean?

"Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.... Conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bio-engineering, or ionizing radiation."

That's the legal definition formulated by regulators at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Simple, right?

"'Local' to many people, they think it's organic, but it's not," says Annie Malka, owner of Annie's Buying Club, a Tavernier, Fla.-based cooperative purveyor of organic fruits and veggies. "There is a certification."

Anti-Gravity Therapy Benefits Baby Boomers

Physical therapy can be a long and grueling process, especially for people recovering from a serious injury. But a new treatment, anti-gravity therapy, takes the stress of gravity out of the equation, making it safer and more efficient than traditional physical therapy -- or even water therapy.

When Sheldon Woller fell from a ladder and broke his pelvis and right thigh bone, the 66-year-old feared weeks of cold parallel bars and painful physical therapy.

Instead, Woller used an anti-gravity treadmill that made him almost weightless as he rebuilt his strength and balance. Seven months after his fall, Woller walks without crutches.

5 a Day: Weird Health News Roundup

Yesterday we learned that brainy men have better sperm (I know, whoa), but just when you thought news couldn't get any more weird/surprising/whatever--wait until you see these headlines...

Snoring sucks, but it has a benefit: According to researchers, people who are intense snorers burn 374 calories more per day than people who don't snore. Nuts!

Bad news for romantic comedy lovers: You've Got Mail, Notting Hill, Maid in Manhattan, While You Were Sleeping--all cute rom-coms, but they could ruin your love life, say researchers, by setting you up for false expectations about relationships, sex and true love.

5 a Day: Five Good Things to Know--Now!

Hi everyone! Here's an interesting roundup of health news for you as you finish up the day. Enjoy!

Is Strictly Fat-Free Ever a Good Idea? Ever wonder if choosing zero-fat foods will really help with your weight loss efforts or just backfire and make you hungrier? Check out this FitSugar post.

Lose Your Power? Beware of the Fridge. As we welcome stormy weather season, many of us deal with occasional power flickers and all-out outages. So how long is too long for mayo to sit in a warm fridge? Here's an article that might give you some help.

The Food Poisoning You've Never Heard of. You know about E.Coli and salmonella, but how about scombroid poisoning? Yep, didn't think so. Check out Health.com blogger Amy O'Connor's post about her bout of scombroid after eating tuna.

5 a Day: 5 Tips for New Runners

At some point every year, I renew a vow to myself that I have broken more times than I can count. I tell myself, "I'm going to start running again!" Do you get his way, too? Whether you're a non-committed runner (um, me) or newbie, there are some things you should keep in mind before hitting the pavement.

Get new shoes: Actually, splurge on them. Appropriate shoes will help prevent injury. And, kind of like changing the oil in your car, some experts even say to replace them every 300 miles.

Set a schedule: Want to stick to your new running goals? Then set aside time for running and make it part of your life, and don't deviate. Soon, it will become "like brushing your teeth" as one running guru puts it.

Breakfast At Your Desk: Don't These Little Egg Cups Look Tasty?

Morning guys! I was sleuthing around for a new twist on eggs and toast recently and found this yummy creation--had to share it with you!
Have a muffin pan? Then you can easily make this fun breakfast, which I read about over on Martha Stewart's EverydayFood.com (don't you love this magazine? I'm obsessed!). Egg and toast fans, you're going to love this: Baker's Dozen Eggs!
The easy how to? In a muffin pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray, fold a piece of whole wheat bread into each opening, then crack and egg in each, sprinkle some cheese and herbs and bake! The bread gets toasty, the egg gets over-easy, and the result is yum. (OK so the original recipe does call for heavy cream and pancetta, but we'll keep things light, right?)
Such a good idea!
Enjoy, and happy Monday morning to you!