Thanksgiving is a time when there is usually an abundance of food and a time when there is a tendency to overeat. The typical excuse given is that it is hard to say no to another serving of mom’s mashed potatoes or grandma’s apple or pumpkin pie. One way to reduce overeating is to have some knowledge of portion sizes. Portion sizes have in-creased over the past 20 years and it is more difficult for people to identify what counts as a serving of food. This por-tion guide should help. It is not meant to put a damper on your Thanksgiving festivities but to help you keep your por-tion sizes in check. Thanksgiving Portion Size Guide:

One serving of turkey is 3

ounces, about the size of a bar of soap or a computer mouse. Cranberry sauce is ¼ cup or the size of a golf ball.

One serving of potatoes

is ½ cup is about the size of a closed fist and a serving of gravy is ¼ cup or about the size of a golf ball. The serving size for stuffing is about ½ cup

or the size of a standard ice cream scoop.

Salads serving size is 1 cup raw leafy greens, or ½ cup cooked vegetables.

If you are having bread,

the serving is one slice or one roll or one square of corn-bread the size of a bar of soap. Serving size for soft spread margarine or butter is 1 teaspoon, the size of a die. If you are having pie for des-sert, portion size is one-eighth of a 9 inch pie. To cut your pie into serving sizes, cut it into quarters and then cut each quarter into two equal pieces. A tip to maintaining healthy portions is to fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit. On the other half of your plate with about 3 to 6 ounces of lean protein and about ½ cup rice, potatoes, corn pudding or other starchy foods. Here are some ways to enjoy

November 2015

Dear Extension Homemakers—As I write this newsletter, the

weather is sort of like a yo-yo between summer-time temperatures and cool

days with cold nights. The stores are full of fall décor with Christmas items

right beside them. I hope your holidays are joyful and happy. See you the

many events we have lined up in

November!

your food but eat less around Thanksgiving:

Cut back on the snacks

Eat slower and enjoy the

experience of eating

Take time to engage oth-ers in conversation

Use smaller plates

Wait at least 10 minutes be-fore going back for seconds

Source: Ingrid Adams, Extension

Specialist for Nutrition and Weight

Management, University of Kentucky;

College of Agriculture, Food and Envi-

ronment

Is Black Friday Shopping Worth It?

Retailers offer significant sav-ings on Black Friday every year. For some families, Black Friday shopping is a tradition with family members waking in

Keep Thanksgiving- Portion Sizes in Check

Christian County

Cooperative Extension

2850 Pembroke Rd.

Hopkinsville, KY 42240

(270)886-6328

Fax: (270) 886-6320

tiffany.bolinger@uky.edu

http://ces2.ca.uky.edu/christian/

the early morning hours or even camping out the night before! However, before planning a Black Friday shopping trip, it may be worth it to brave the large crowds and long lines. Here are some things that you may wish to consider:

Crowds. While you may be

visiting a particular store for a certain product on your list, keep in mind that there are many other people out hunting for the same product. There is no guarantee that you will leave with the prod-uct that you want.

Deals. The best deals, often

called “doorbusters,” are only available in limited quantities. If you are not one of the first shop-pers in the door, you will most likely miss out on these deals. Other sales. Black Friday deals used to be exclusive to the actual day. However, that is no longer the case. Sales are now popping up in the weeks and days imme-diately before and after Black Friday. Pay close attention to store flyers to better your chanc-es of snatching a good deal. Source: Jennifer L. Hunter,

Extension Specialist for Family Financial

Management, University of Kentucky;

College of Agriculture, Food and Environ-

ment Kristyn Jackson, LMFT, Ph.D. Candi-

date, Department of Family Sciences;

Diabetes affects over 29 million Americans. It is a condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, which our bod-ies use for energy. The pan-creas makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of the body. When you have diabetes, the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or the cells can’t effectively use the insulin that is made. When there is insufficient insulin, blood glucose levels be-come high. When glucose builds up in the blood in-stead of going to the cells it can lead to diabetes compli-cations. Proper management of dia-betes is necessary to pre-vent complications. The Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes provides evi-dence-based clinical prac-tice recommendations for diabetes care. It was updat-ed in January of 2015. A summary of the minor changes that clarify rec-ommendations or reflect new evidence is stated below:

The American Dia-

betes Association now recommends a premeal blood glucose target of 80-130 mg/dL, rather than 70-130 mg/dL, to better reflect new data com-

paring actu-al average glucose levels with A1C targets.

A new blood sugar standard for children and

adolescents ― a hemoglobin A1C of <7.5 or less.

Physical activity. All indi-

viduals, including those with diabetes should limit the time they spend in sedentary activi-ties by breaking up extended amounts of time spent sitting.

Body Mass index and the Asian population. BMI is a measure of the level of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight cat-egories that may lead to health problems. For the gen-eral population, a BMI of 25 is considered overweight. There was a lowering of BMI thresh-old to 23 for screening Asian-Americans for diabetes. This population experiences higher risk for diabetes at lower BMI.

Individuals with diabetes

are more likely to have high blood pressure. The recom-mended goal for diastolic blood pressure was changed

from 80 mmHg to 90 mmHg for most people with diabetes and hypertension. Lower dias-tolic targets may still be ap-propriate for certain individu-als.

Risk status rather than a

person’s LDL cholesterol level will drive the decision to initi-ate statin (cholesterol lowering medication) treatment or lipid monitoring.

To better target individu-

als who are at higher risk for foot problems, new recom-mendations suggest that indi-viduals with insensate (devoid of sensation or feelings) feet, foot deformities or a history of foot ulcers have their feet ex-amined at every visit.

People 65 or older should

get the pneumonia vaccine in two separate shots ― PCV13 (Prevnar), followed 12 months later by PPSV23 (Pneumovax). A statement that e-cigarettes are not an alternative to smok-

There were 42 from Christian

County who attended “Picking Up

the Pieces: A Quilter’s Journey”

in Eddyville at the Pennyrile Area

Annual Meeting. It was a fun day!

Homemaker Yearly Dues

If you haven’t paid

your dues ($8.00) or

if you would like to

give a gift member-

ship to someone,

please do so by De-

cember 2. In addition

to giving a Mailbox

Membership as a

holiday gift, Christian

County Homemaker Cookbooks (2007 edition)

make great gifts, too.

Readers’Challenge—Each year, a Homemaker

Book List is compiled by the Kentucky Extension Homemak-ers. The list includes many books in ten categories. Each Homemaker that reads at least one book from 6 of the 10 different cate-gories will be recognized at our County Annual Homemaker Meeting in May. Keep a record of what you read and submit that record to the Extension Office by April 15. Each club president has a book list.

There are plenty at the office; just call, and we will get you one!

NOVEMBER

LEADER TRAINING

“Upcyling/Repurposing”

will be taught on Tuesday,

November 3, 1:00 pm at

the Christian County Ex-

tension Office. Everyone

is welcome!

ing or a way to help smokers quit has been included in the new Standards. Reference: Standards of Medical Care in Diabe-

tesd2015: Summary of Revisions. Diabetes Care

2015;38 (Suppl. 1):S4

Source: Ingrid Adams, Specialist for Nutrition

and Weight Management; University of Kentucky,

College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

THERE’S STILL TIME!!

November 6,

2015 is

COMMUNITY

READER DAY. Have you signed

up to read in an Elementary School

yet? Call Beverly Whitfield 270--

962-7114 at the Literacy Council.

Or email her at beverly@cclitcouncil.org

Christian County Home-

makers will participate in “The

Big Read” a five-week program of

events, activities, discussions, and

fun dedicated to the classic novel

To Kill a Mockingbird. On Thurs-

day, November 5 at 5:30

pm, the Homemakers will have a

booth set up to sell the Chris-

tian County Homemakers Cook-

ing with Winners Cookbook

(2007 edition) and offer samples

of recipes from the cookbook.

We’re asking for 3-4 appetizer (or

punch) recipes for sampling—

enough to serve 20-30 people.

Please confer with your club, and

we will be calling to ask what

you will be preparing for this rec-

ipe sampling. This event will be at

the library. The Kentucky Humani-

ties Council presents Jonathan

Jeffery as he reveals what he has

discovered after examining region-

al cookbooks. Homemakers are

urged to attend.

Often, I get calls asking who in the community

can provides specific ser-vices. If you quilt, cro-chet, knit, refinish furni-

ture, cater, decorate cakes, cane chair seats, weave baskets (or know of someone who does),

please let me know. One of our homemakers is

also in search of materi-als for re-weaving chair

seats. Let our office know if you can help!

Thanks!

CHRISTMAS BOXES FOR EASTERN KENTUCKY

Once again, the Christian County Homemakers are participating in the Eastern Kentucky Mis-

sions Shoes Box Drive.

Below is a list of suggested items to include. You don’t have to get everything on the list and if

there are other things you think would be appropriate, you may include those. Please tape, then

wrap the boxes in Christmas wrapping paper (no bows needed, since they will just get mashed

while being transported). PLEASE INDICATE IF THE BOX IS FOR A BOY OR GIRL & AP-

PROXIMATE AGE GROUP. Boxes may also be prepared for a TEENAGER OR BABY, BUT

BE SURE TO LABEL THE BOX & WHETHER BOY OR GIRL.

Small New Testament Bible (Dollar Tree carries these) Small toy (age appropriate)

Hard Candy (please seal in a zip Lock bag) Toothbrushes & Toothpaste

Washcloth & soap (sealed in a zip lock bag) Comb Hairbrush & Hair accessories for

girls

Shampoo, Conditioner, Deodorant Baby Lotion, Baby oil, Baby Powder, etc

Coloring Pencils, Crayons, Felt tip Markers Small coloring or activity book

Pencils & pens Gloves or Mittens Knit Hats Socks

Small Writing Tablet Water Paints & Brushes

Play Dough Bubbles Glue Sticks Glitter Markers

Lip Balm and Mini Lotion

Suggestions for “Small toy:” Legos blocks, flashlight, punch ball, mini puzzles, Hot Wheels/

Matchbox cars, yo yo, “Polly Pocket” dolls, Slinky, water pistol, nail polish, baseballs, plastic sol-

diers, jump rope, stuffed animal, ball & jacks, story book, rattle for baby, mini travel games, rag

dolls.

Mockingbird: A Christian County Cast—How much

does Christian County, KY, resemble Maycomb County, AL? This exhibit explores themes in the book by comparing local characters and scenes to those in "To Kill a Mockingbird". Visit and learn about Hop-kinsville's own Atticus, Scout, Boo, and more! Pennyroyal Area Muse-

um (Sat, Oct 31; Tue, Nov 3; Sat, Nov 7; Tue, Nov 10; Sat, Nov 14.

Book Discussion Go Set a Watchman with Jennifer Brown

L & N Train Depot; Wed, Oct 28; 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Big Hallow Read for Little Readers Storytelling, face painting, pumpkin decorating, games and more in the back parking lot of the library, come one, come all! (If weather dictates, we'll move inside.) Pre-K to early elementary age; Hopkinsville Christian

County Public; Thu, Oct 29; 3:30pm – 5:00pm.

Calling All Book Clubs—If you are in a

book club in Christian County, come to this multi-group book discussion on To Kill a Mockingbird. Enjoy

wine, cheese, laughs and maybe some Lane

Cake. Hopkinsville Christian County Public

Library; Thu, Oct 29; 5:30pm – 6:30pm.

Supper in the Cemetery—Tour the tomb-

stones with the Museums of Hopkinsville and meet Hopkinsville's own versions of the characters in the novel. The tour concludes with a choral performance in the Riverside Chapel. The evening includes a South-ern supper catered by the Pioneers. Cost is $10.00 per person. Make reservation by calling the Museums of Hopkinsville at 270-887-4270. Riverside Cemetery -

Starting at the Chapel; Fri, Oct 30, 2015; 5:00pm – 7:00pm.—

BOO Radley Fall Festival—A morning of fall fun for the whole family! Join us next to the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library for games,

pumpkin decorating, face painting, and so much more. Wear your best costume, dress up your pet, or decorate your bike for a ride, jog, or stroll on the Pen-nyrile Rail Trail. Ham costumes encouraged! Discover hidden treasures left along the trail by the one and only Boo Radley, and don't miss a Hopkinsville Hal-loween tradition: the Legend of the Bell Witch as told by William T. Turner at the amphitheater behind the library at 11:30. Rails to Trails - Library Entrance; Sat,

Oct 31; 9:00am – 12:00pm

Book Discussion—"Reading to Mrs. Debose: How To Kill a Mockingbird Connects Reading to Lives" .Hopkinsville Community College;

Mon, Nov 2; 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Book Discussion—Presented by Hopkinsville Community College History Instructor, Dr. John Davis. His discussion will focus on the Great Depres-

sion and the economic, socio-cultural, and other forces of the period that may have influenced many of the characters. Books on Main (at 9th and Virginia St.;

Wed, Nov 4; 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Movie: "To Kill a Mockingbird"—Watch a screening of this 1962, Academy Award-winning classic. Hopkinsville Community College - Auditori-

um; Thu, Nov 5; 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Griffin's Studio Paint Party—Join Griffin's Studio for a "To Kill a Mockingbird" open studio event. 9" x 12" canvases with scenes from the book

and painting materials will be provided. all ages; $10.00 per person. Call Griffin's for reservations. 270-874-2028; Griffin's Studio; Sat, Nov 7; 10:00am –

12:00pm

Restaurant Week—These fabulous local eateries offer a taste of Southern cooking and a special of the week when you show a copy of To Kill a

Mockingbird. Harper House, The Place, Davo's, Mon, Nov 9– Sat, Nov 14.

Atticus in the Courtroom—Join Hopkinsville Thespian Wayne Goolsby who reprises his acclaimed role as Atticus Finch, Defense Attorney of the

wrongly-accused Tom Robinson. As the presiding Judge Taylor, Circuit Court Judge John Atkins is joined by local townspeople comprising the jury. The power-ful words of novelist Harper Lee remind us through the sagacity of Atticus Finch as he addressed the jury: "...there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal-one human institution...a court (of law)." Following the program, lunch will be provided by the Literacy Council. Please phone the Council office at 270-962-7114 or email beverly@cclitcouncil.org for lunch reservations. Following the program, lunch will be provided by the Literary Council. Please

phone the council office, 270-962-7114, for lunch reservations. Christian County Courthouse, 2nd floor; Sat, Nov 14; 11:00am – 1:00pm.

Book Discussion—Join Jennifer Brown who will examine Ted Poston's short story collection, The Dark Side of Hopkinsville. Hopkinsville Art

Gallery; Wed, Nov 11; 12:00pm – 1:00pm

Southern Trivia Night—Think you are an expert on Southern history, culture, literature, and geography? Put your knowledge to the test at a fun-

filled Southern Trivia Night at Davo's. Play in teams and win prizes for knowing your grits from your gravy! Davo's ; Wed, Nov 11; 6:00pm – 7:30pm