Health & Fitness 2010

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(ARA) - The wintertemptations of hot choco-late, mashed potatoes,warm pumpkin pie andother enticing treats canlaunch you into a comfortzone. But they can alsomake your New Year’s get-ting-in-shape resolutionsharder to achieve. Thisyear, get ahead of the “win-ter bulge” by making smart,healthy and nutritionaldecisions.

Fitness and weight-lossexpert forHealth.MSN.com, Dr.Martica Heaner knowshow hard it can be to loseweight during the wintermonths.

“If you tend to strugglewith your weight, or haverecently lost it, researchshows that you may bemore vulnerable to hard-to-loseweight gain over theholidays and during thewinter months,” says Dr.Heaner, a nutritionist and

exercise physiologist. Sheadmits that it may be unre-alistic to try to lose weightduring peak feasting andparty months. A betterstrategy: try not to gain.

“The secret to stayingweight-stable over the sea-son is to employ weight-management strategies tokeep excess calories fromfeasts and parties in check,”she says. “To do so you needto identify resources that

will help you.”Heaner shares some

nutrition tips for makingsmart, healthy diet andexercise choices:

• Sweat it out. If you aregoing to be eating moreover the season, you mustexercise more - no ifs, andsor buts. Sure, parties willcrowd out your schedule,but find a way to fit in extrawalking and extra work-outs or make sure to dance

at every party you attend.Plan an extra activity inyour day, even if it’s simplydancing to two songs on theradio before and after yourbrush your teeth.

• Weigh every day. Somepeople advise againstfocusing on scale numbers.But keeping tabs on yournormal weight range willhelp you spot when yourbody weight creeps higher.If you catch yourself at acouple of pounds heavierthan normal, you canmodi-fy your behaviors muchmore easily than if you letyourself go for severalmonths and suddenly findthat you’ve gained 10 or 20pounds.

• Plan for parties. Onething is certain, if you goout, you will be tempted.Chances are you will suc-cumb to cocktails, cookiesand second helpings offoods. Control those calo-ries by visiting the buffet

table only once and social-ize away from it. If horsd’oeuvres are being passedaround, stick to three orfour max, or make it a habitto turn down every otheroffering.

• Use online resources.Many Web sites offer in-depth nutritional and exer-cise information that canhelp you learn more aboutthe foods you eat and showyou how to optimize yourworkouts.

One online resource isBing.com, Microsoft’s newdecision engine, whichhelps you find nutritioninformation faster with itspresentation of healthresults powered byWolfram | Alpha. You canget the nutritional info youneed on treats when yousearch specific foods atBing. For example, a quicksearch on Bing will revealthat the better caloriechoice is to eat pumpkin

over pecan pie.• Stick to a pre-set calo-

rie quota. Each morning,decide how many caloriesyou will eat for the day.Then count calories bykeeping a running recordon your smart phone ornotebook.

If you’ll be at a party laterwhere you will likely eatextra calories, commit tosticking to small portions -and therefore fewer calo-ries - during earlier mealsthat day.

• Cut back on alcohol. Ifsumptuous feasts and treatsare already adding severalhundred extra calories toyour day, consider limitingthe alcohol calories youconsume. Even the lowest-calorie drink contains atleast 100 to 200 calories,and the more delicious, themore fattening (fruityfrozen concoctions cancontain 300 to 500 calorieseach serving).

Beat winter bulge with smart nutritional decisionsLL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2010 3HEALTH AND FITNESS

(ARA) - A recent studyfrom the American ObesityAssociation found thatnearly 62 percent of thefemale population is cate-gorized as overweight.

For women looking toshed a few pounds in theNew Year it’s important tostart a new health and fit-ness regimennow, especial-ly since high-calorie mealshave pushed you further

fromyourweight loss goals.However, women need

to be cautious as they start afitness program, because asmany studies indicate, awoman’s biomechanicsmake her more vulnerablethan men to certain condi-tions such as a variety ofknee problems, anklesprains and Carpal TunnelSyndrome.

According to physical

therapist Megan Barclay,this increased vulnerabilityis exacerbated in over-weight women because forevery extra 10 pounds awoman carries on her bonestructure, the force on herknees increases by 30 to 60pounds per step. So, it isimportant to consider thefollowing tips to preventinjury and keep yourweight lose on the right

track:1.) Discuss with your

doctor: Before beginningany new fitness routine, it’simperative to speak with aphysician.

Barclay suggests, “it’s agood idea to have your doc-tor take readings of yourheart rate, blood pressureand other vital statistics tonot only get a benchmark,but also determine whattypes of exercises are safefor you to do.”

Once this is established,the physician can helpdesign a personalized planthat allows for incrementalincreases in intensity.

“The doctor may alsorecommendworkingwith aprofessional, like a physicaltherapist or certified per-sonal trainer to make surerisk-free habits are estab-lished,” says Barclay.

2.) Get Ultra Support:Not surprisingly, over-

weight women tend toexperience a higher inci-dence of mechanical kneeproblems and are fourtimes more likely to haveosteoarthritis of the knee.“It’s important for over-weight women to haveproper knee support whilethey are working out tohelp prevent injury,” saysBarclay.

3.) Baby steps: The mostcommon mistake madewhenbeginning an exerciseregimen is overdoing it.Luckily, one of the mosteffective exercises for start-ing down the path to fitnessis also one of the simplest —walking. “Walking is low-impact so it won’t strainknees or joints. It also helpsstrengthen your heart andlungs and improves circula-tion,” says Barclay. “Starttoday and work your wayup to 30 to 60 minutes ofrelatively vigorous walking,

three to five times a week.”Taking a different routeeach day can help to keepthis workout new andexciting.

4.) Make it mental:“Don’t forget that yourmind is a muscle, too,” saysBarclay. “Keeping yourmind healthy and focusedand your self-esteem highis just as important as keep-ing the rest of the body inshape.” Find a workoutbuddy, enlist your spouse ortake along the dog — any-thing to motivate you men-tally will help you stay ontrack with your new pro-gram.

Achieving health, fitnessand weight-loss goals mayseem harder for those withmore weight to lose, butsmall steps now can helpbuild momentum for therest of the year and preventlarger health problemsdown the line.

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Specialized tips to help plus-sizers beat the bulge4 LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2010HEALTH AND FITNESS

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(Family Features) According tothe National Institutes of Health(NIH), exercise and physicalactivity are some of the bestthings older adults can do to stayhealthy.

Even moderate exercise canimprove the health of those whoare frail or who have age-relateddiseases.

Some seniors are concernedthat physical activity or exercisemay be too strenuous or may dothem more harm than good. Infact, it’s an inactive lifestyle thatproves to do more harm thanexercise does.

Without physical activity, olderpeople tend to grow weaker infour areas important for stayinghealthy and independent:strength, balance, flexibility, andendurance. The NIH maintainsthat:

• Increasing strength andendurance make it easier to climbstairs and carry groceries.

• Improving balance helps pre-vent falls.

• Being more flexible mayspeed recovery from injuries.

• Exercising regularly can alsohave a positive impact on theimmune system, blood pressure,cardiovascular system and it candecrease the risk of heart diseaseand help with depression or anxi-ety.

The American Senior FitnessAssociation has some recommen-dations for those wanting to starta fitness program.

• Get medical clearance toexercise.

• Don’t exercise if you areinjured, sick, or running a tem-perature.

• Always warm up and alwayscool down.

• Drink plenty of water before,during and after exercise.

• Avoid heavy meals for abouttwo hours before energetic exer-cise.

If fatigue and/or discomfortlast longer than one or two hoursafter exercising, cut back the nextday but don’t stop completely.

Comfort ranges can change daily,so don’t get discouraged if youcan’t do the same amount of exer-cise as you did the day before.

Concentrate on exercises thatimprove and maintain your range

of motion, lubricate the joints andkeep muscles flexible. Everydayactivities will be easier to carryout and you’ll have less pain, too.

Stop exercise and consult yourphysician immediately if you

experience any of the following:• chest pain or tightness in the

chest, neck or throat• considerable difficulty

breathing• abnormal heart rhythm; nau-

sea’ dizziness, light headedness,or visual interruption

• excessive cold sweat• extreme or lasting weakness

or fatigueFor a good, overall exercise

program, consider tai chi. Tai chiis a self-paced system of gentlephysical exercise. It involvesstanding and performing a seriesof movements in a slow, gracefulway.

Each movement smoothlyflows into the next. Studies sug-gest that tai chi may improve bal-ance and knee joint stability, bothof which help balance.

Staying active does the bodyand the mind a world of good.Find exercise and activities thatyou enjoy and you’ll be able tostick with it and improve yourquality of life.

Physical activity is important for senior citizensLL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2010 5HEALTH AND FITNESS

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(ARA) - Teaching kids healthy habits canbe tough. From learning how to apply sun-screen to knowing how often to bathe, kidsneed help frommom and dad on caring fortheir bodies - including their skin, hair andnails.

Some of the American Academy of Der-matology’s tips for parents and their chil-dren to care for skin, hair and nails include:

• Use peanut butter to get gum out ofhair.

• Avoid using hair styling products nearthe face to prevent acne.

• Wear sunscreen every day to preventskin cancer and premature aging. Even on acloudy day, up to 80 percent of the sun’sultraviolet rays can pass through theclouds.

• Don’t use tanning beds. There is nosuch thing as a safe tan.

• Put an ice pack on a bruise to reduceswelling. If it’s a bad bruise, elevate the areaabove your child’s heart for about 15 min-utes to keep the bruising and swelling to aminimum.

The American Academy of Dermatology

provides information about caring for skin,hair and nails for kids ages 8 to 12 and theirparents on its Web site, www.Kids-SkinHealth.org.

The children’s section of the Web sitefeatures interactive games with Sammy theSkin Cell where kids can catch bugs,exploremazes and zap ultraviolet rays. Thesite also explains how skin, hair and nailswork and how to take care of them, as wellas fun facts including:

• An inch of skin has 650 sweat glands,20 blood vessels and at least 1,000 nerveendings.

• You lose between 50 and 100 hairs aday.

• Hairstyles that pull the hair, like pony-tails and braids, can cause hair loss.

• Fingernails grow faster than toenails,and nails grow faster in the summer than inthe winter.

For parents, the Web site provides addi-tional information on how to help theirchildren properly care for their skin, hairandnails, aswell as information about adultconditions like rosacea and psoriasis.

Help your children learnhealthy habits for life

6 LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2010HEALTH AND FITNESS

LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2010 7HEALTH AND FITNESS

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(ARA) - You may chalkup that flutter in your chestto too much rich food dur-ing the holidays, or thinkthat your heart skips a beathere or there in response tothe upcoming tax season.For most people, thoseoccasional irregularities areharmless. But if your irreg-ular heart rhythms arecombined with a diagnosisof heart failure, they can beserious - and ignoring themmay make your conditionworse.

Your heart is essentially apowerful electric pump. If abreakdown occurs in theheart’s complex internalcommunication system, itcan cause your heart to beatirregularly. It’s possible forhealthy people to experi-ence occasional irregularheart beats. But if youalready have heart prob-

lems, you should be awareof the symptoms of anirregular heart beat.

On its Web site www.ab-outhf.org, the Heart FailureSociety of America points tothese common symptomsof an irregular heart beat:

• If your heart skips abeat, flutters or pounds in

your chest.• You experience dizzi-

ness or feel “light-headed.”• You experience sudden

shortness of breath notrelated to physical exertion.

• You feel inexplicablyweak from time to time.

• You faint or suddenlylose consciousness.

When should an irregularheartbeat send you to doctor?


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(ARA) - Heart failure,high blood pressure andmany other common healthconditions all have onething in common - reducingthe amount of sodium inyour diet. But the problemis that salt is everywhere infoods, even if you personal-ly don’t add it to anythingserved. This makes follow-ing a low-sodium diet achallenge.

Frozen dinners, cannedsoups, fast food restaurantsand even fine dining estab-lishments all can featureextra salt, working againstanyone with high bloodpressure or heart failure.Salt’s main ingredient issodium, which causes thebiggest health problems.

If you’ve recently suf-fered a heart attack or beendiagnosed with heart fail-ure, your doctor likelywants you to reduce yoursodium intake becauseheart failure causes thebody to retain sodium.Extra sodium can causefluid to build up in yourbody, and extra fluid makesyour heart work harder -not a good thing for a mus-cle already under strain.

A low-sodium dietmeans restricting your dailysodium intake to just 2,000to 3,000 milligrams (mg) - alittle more than 1 teaspoonper day. You get sodiumeither from table salt orfrom other food items. Butdon’t get sodium and saltconfused. Sodium is a com-ponent of table salt and rep-resents about 40 percent ofthe content of salt. Certainkinds of salt, like sea salt,have a bit less sodium, but alow-sodium salt does notexist. Beyond table salt,sodium is a mineral foundin many foods. FDA-man-dated food labels nowprominently list theamount of sodium in foods.

So how can you cut backon sodium? The HeartFailure Society of America,

an organization aimed atimproving quality of life forpeople diagnosed withheart failure and helpingprevent the condition inthose at risk, offers a fewhelpful tips:

1. Lose the salt shaker.If you stop adding salt

while you cook orwhen yousit down at the table, youcan cut your sodium intakeas much as 30 percent.Instead of adding salt tomake food taste better, sub-stitute more healthful sea-sonings, like black, cayenneor lemon pepper; herbs likegarlic, onion powder, dill,parsley and rosemary;lemon juice and flavoredextracts like vanilla oralmond.

2. Choose low-sodiumversions of favorite foods.

Instead of preparing acountry ham -which is veryhigh in salt content - cook afresh, lean pork roast.Substitute freshly cookedand sliced chicken, turkey,roast beef or pork for lunchmeats that usually contain alot of sodium. Instead ofbuying salty canned soups,chop up fresh veggies andcooked meats, toss them inthe slow cooker and seasonwith herbs and spices. Ifyou must buy canned soupsor vegetables, look forlabels that say “sodium-free,” “no salt,” “low sodi-

um,” “reduced sodium” or“unsalted.”

3. Pick foods naturallylow in sodium.

Generally, you can eat asmuch fresh food as youwant without counting thesodium content. Freshfruits and vegetables,including freshly squeezedfruit and vegetable juices,have very little sodium. Thesame is true for fresh meat,poultry and fish. If you arenot eating fresh foods,choose other low-sodiumfoods as much as possible,such as canned fruits, plainfrozen vegetables and driedbeans, peas, rice and lentils.

4. Learn to read foodlabels.

By reading food labels,you can learn which foodsare high and low in sodium.As a rule, most processedfoods, whether frozen,canned or boxed, are highin sodium, but don’t rulethem out entirely. Some areavailable in low- or no-saltversions.

It can be difficult tochange your eating habits,but try introducing changesslowly instead of all at once.It may take weeks beforeyou enjoy the taste of low-sodium foods, but yourtaste buds will adjust. Bepatient.

Eventually you won’teven miss the salt.

Tips to help reduce sodium inyour diet without losing taste


(ARA) - Most peoplefocus on the physicalchanges that happen as youage - muscles don’t bounceback the way they used to,hair becomes gray, and skinbegins to wrinkle. But weoften pass over one areathat really deserves ourattention: the brain. Notonly can a healthy andactive brain help you wardoff disease, it can also helpyou live a more satisfyinglife.

Researchers have longtouted the benefits of con-tinued learning and educa-tion for an aging mind.“New learning can lead toneurophysiological growth,similar to the way aerobicsleads to stronger cardiovas-cular health,” says Dr. PaulNussbaum, clinical neu-ropsychologist and an au-thority on brain researchand aging. “Older adults canbenefit from being chal-lenged, and should contin-ue exploring the world andengaging in new pursuits.”

Nussbaum says there aremany ways to keep yourmind active and sharp atany age, for example,

1. Brain workouts -Engage your brain daily.Working with numbers is a

great option. Try Sudoku, anumbers game using gridsthat has become very popu-lar in the United States. Ifnumbers don’t appeal toyou, quiz yourself abouthistorical events and checkyour accuracy. Crosswordpuzzles and word finds arepractical and affordableoptions as well.

2. Travel and explore -Stimulating your mind withtravel and learning experi-ences is a great brain-healthactivity.

3. Readwhatever you can- Books, newspapers andmagazines - reading is agreat way to keep yourbrain active and mindsharp. Plus, depending onwhat interests you, youmight be able to learnsomething new. Visit yourlocal library for a freeresource to just about anyliterary work you’re inter-ested in.

4. Have quality conversa-tion daily - Engaging insocial activity is a great wayto keep your brain active,plus it increases quality oflife. See if there is a commu-nity group of your peersthat you could join - cardclub, book club, Rotary. Or,start volunteering for a

cause that interests you -this will allow for plenty ofinteraction with people ofdifferent ages.

5. Learn something new -You’re never too old or tooyoung to learn somethingnew. Try taking an afford-able community educationclass or look for free oppor-tunities in your neighbor-hood.

Learn to play an instru-ment, speak a new lan-guage, plant a garden orstart a new hobby. Youmight be surprised withhowmuch fun you have.

6. Switch up your routine- A good way to keep yourmind sharp is to change upyour routine. Try opposite-hand exercises like brush-ing your hair or teeth withthe hand you don’t usuallyuse or opening the doorwith your left hand insteadof your right.

7. Get physically active -Moving your body and stay-ing physically active canhelp with cognitive health.Physical movementincreases blood flow to thebrain and the act of walk-ing, swimming, biking, etc.,helps work the brain as itcommunicates with thebody to move.1/4 PAGE

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Essential tips to helpkeep your mind sharp


(ARA) - Busy schedulesand holiday activities cankeep you on the run, mak-ing it hard to eat healthy atthis time of year. There aretimes when you miss a mealand over-indulge at a laterhour, but with a little snackpreparation, you can stayon schedule and on trackwith healthful eatinghabits.

Tips include:

Startt yourr daywithh breakfast.

Eat a healthy breakfastevery morning to get yourday started off right. Toastwith fruit jams, yogurt, oat-meal, a vegetable omelet orwhole grain cereal all arefantastic healthy options toget your day started on agood note.

Snackk responsibly.

Keep a variety of healthysnacks on hand that aren’ttoo large in portion but areeasy to grab throughout theday. Try crackers that aremade with real, but simpleingredients. If you’re feel-ing creative, pair any vari-ety of these crackers with alow fat spread or cheese.

Carryy on-the-goo snacks.

Travel with a light andhealthy snack that you canfit into your purse. A bag ofnuts, handful of granola, asnack bar or even an applecan help you keep thosehunger cravings at baywhile you’re shopping,picking your children upafter school or runningerrands around town.

Maintainn aa meall schedule.

Try to eat at the sametime every day. This can bedifficult to control withmultiple family schedules,but by eating meals at aconsistent time every day,your body won’t send you

hunger pains from adelayed meal.

Sharee yourr healthyy habits.

Serve healthy snacks thatnot only look good, buttaste good too at parties.Great options include cook-

ies that contain real chunksof fruit and nuts.

By keeping yourselfhealthy while on the go, youcan enjoy life and accom-plish more activities. Sharesome of your great-tastingsnacks with friends.

Eat healthy, even while on the go

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(ARA) - It’s theNewYearand like millions of otherAmericans, you may bethinking about your NewYear’s resolutions. One res-olution that many peoplemay not consider is makingthe most of their newhealth benefits plan. Byfully maximizing your ben-efits and learning the insand outs of your plan, youcould save yourself hun-dreds of dollars this year.

Experts say the mostimportant first step is toreview your health plancoverage documents care-fully. This information mayhave been mailed to you ormay be available onlinewith your employer orhealth benefits carrier.

It is important to have acopy, because this is theofficial guide to your healthbenefits. It explains whatthe plan will or will notcover, including any specialrequirements or limitationson the coverage. For exam-ple, the policy will spell outany copayments, deductibleand coinsurance amounts,referral requirements andlimits on types of services.

Here aremore tips, basedon other people’s experi-ences, to help you get themost out of your healthbenefits plan this year:

• An ounce of preventionis best, somake sure you getyour preventive care. Thisincludes yearly physicals,flu shots and some screen-ings. Many plans coverthese services 100 percent.

• Use doctors and otherhealth care providers thatare in the health plan’s net-work. If your plan requiresyou to select a primary carephysician, then do so. Someplans will not cover yourvisit or treatment if the doc-tor is not in their network,so read your documentscarefully or call your healthplan’s customer servicedepartment to find out.Even if you are covered for

using a doctor outside yourhealth plan’s network, yousavemoney by seeing some-one in the network.

• If your doctor recom-mends any type of tests orlabwork - outside ofwhat isnormally part of an annualphysical - call your healthplan to see if these require apreauthorization. Usuallythe doctor’s office does this,but it doesn’t hurt to check.If you get the test donewithout a preauthorization,your health plan may notcover the testing, whichwill leave you paying for itout of your pocket. (It isalways a good idea to getcopies of preauthorizationsin writing.)

• Read your policy care-fully if you need any type oftherapy - for instance, phys-ical, occupational or speechtherapy. There are oftenlimits on the number of vis-its and some have time lim-its for when you can receivethe services after you arediagnosed.

• When Explanations ofBenefits (EOBs) arrive,review them carefully. AnEOB explains how a healthbenefits claim was paid. Besure you were charged forthe correct service and thecorrect amount. If you don’tunderstand the informationor something is incorrect,call your health plan oryour doctor to resolve it.

• Understand your rightsto file an appeal or griev-

ance if a claim is denied thatyou feel should be paid.This information is typical-ly explained on your EOBor you can call your healthplan for instruction on howto do this. You may need toprovide additional informa-tion for a claim to be recon-sidered. There are time-frames for this so pay atten-tion to those notes on yourEOBs or in any correspon-dence you receive. When-ever contacting your healthplan, have your memberidentification number, thedate of service, and any doc-umentation to support yourappeal.

• Finally, most healthplans are emphasizingwell-ness these days. So, see ifyours offers incentives forhealthy living or discountson gym memberships andweight loss programs.

Average out-of-pocketcosts, such as copayments,coinsurance and deduc-tibles, are expected toincrease nearly 10 percentin 2010, according to re-search group Hewitt As-sociates. It pays to know theins and outs of your healthbenefits plan so you don’tget caught paying morethan necessary. For moretips on how to maximizeyour health benefits, down-load or order a free copy of“Navigating Your HealthBenefits For Dummies” atwww.planforyourhealth.com.

How to get the most out ofyour health benefits this year


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(ARA) - With the abundance of partiesthis time of year - from the holidays toSuper Bowl to Mardi Gras - it can be easy toover-indulge and see the result in yourwaistline. Even so, it’s possible to enjoyparty favorites with the right approach.

Mitzi Dulan, registered dietician, authorand nutritionist for NFL and Major LeagueBaseball teams, offers a party game planeveryone can follow that emphasizes mod-eration, avoiding hunger extremes and eat-ing real foods like avocado, shrimp and all-natural honey.

“Some people think they cannot enjoythe food at parties and maintain their fig-ure,” Dulan says. “This isn’t true. I encour-age people to eat the foods they love, but doso in moderation. It is easy to over-eat atparties, which is why I created this guide toavoid extra calories.”

Mitzi Dulan’s party game plan includesobeying five simple rules:

1. Portions, portions, portions: The No. 1rule of the party game plan is one of the eas-iest steps, yet most often violated. Eat foodsin smaller amounts. It’s when you go backfor seconds and thirds that the poundsaccumulate. The first bites are always thetastiest anyway.

2. Avoid the chemistry test: XanthanGum. Sodium Alginate. Erythorbic Acid.What may seem like questions on an annoy-ing high school science quiz are actualingredients found in party dips, marinadesand appetizers. Stick to foods with shortingredient lists like chicken, vegetables andcheese.

3. Drink in moderation: Alcoholic bever-ages are full of empty calories. If you drink,stick to light beers and avoid sugary bever-ages like margaritas.

4. Bring an appetizer: Hosts and host-esses will not mind - some may even find ithelpful - if you bring your own appetizer.This will ensure there are smart alterna-tives at the party. Dulan has designed sever-al recipes with this idea in mind includingHoney Guacamole and Honey GlazedShrimp.

5. Steer clear of extremes: Don’t come toa party ravenous or leave stuffed; staysomewhere in the middle. Have a snack orappetizer before the party, like a ChickenLettuce Wrap, to curb hunger. At the party,stop eating before you feel full or sick. Eatuntil satisfied, regardless of how much foodis left on your plate.

The following recipes, created by Dulanfor the National Honey Board, are alldesigned with the party game plan in mind.For more recipes, visit honey.com.

Honeyy GuacamoleMakess eightt servings

22 ripee avocados,, peeled,, pittedd andmashed

11 tablespoonn lemonn juice11 tablespoonn honey1/44 cupp freshh cilantro,, finelyy choppedSeaa saltt Mash avocados. Stir in lemon juice,

honey and cilantro. Add sea salt to taste.Serve immediately with multigrain tortillachips.

Nutrition facts: 80 calories, one gram ofprotein, six grams of carbohydrates, sevengrams of fat.

Honeyy Glazedd ShrimpMakess eightt servings

22 tablespoonss reducedd sodiumm soyy sauce1/33 cupp honey1/44 cupp lemonn juice22 poundss shrimp,, peeledd andd deveinedMix together soy sauce, honey and

lemon juice in a small bowl. Brush shrimpwith half of the glaze and set aside remain-ing glaze. Grill shrimp over medium-highheat for about three minutes on each sideor until pink. Remove from grill and bastewith remaining glaze.

Nutrition facts: 168 calories, 23 grams ofprotein, 14 grams of carbohydrates, twograms of fat.

Chickenn Lettucee WrapsMakess 122 servings

11 tablespoonn walnutt oil11 1/44 poundss skinless,, bonelesss chicken

breast,, cutt intoo bitee sizee pieces22 tablespoonss ricee winee vinegar22 tablespoonss reducedd sodiumm soyy sauce22 tablespoonss honey11 cupp shreddedd carrots1/33 cupp slicedd almonds122 leavess off Bostonn Bibbb orr butterr lettuce

leavesRinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry.

Add 2 teaspoons oil to a large skillet overmedium heat, then sautee the chicken untilcooked thoroughly, about seven to 10 min-utes. In a medium bowl, whisk togetherremaining oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauceand honey until thoroughly mixed. Addchicken, carrots and almonds. To serve,allow guests to scoop chicken mixture ontoa lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around themeat like a burrito.

Nutrition facts: 120 calories, 16 grams ofprotein, five grams of carbohydrates, fourgrams of fat.

Be party smart: Simplerules to avoid calories


(ARA) - What do mil-lions of Americans have incommon? Headaches.

Nearly everyone gets aheadache at one time oranother, especially duringdifficult economic times.

Tension headaches, mig-raines and "cluster" head-aches account for 90 per-cent of all headaches, ac-cording to the Yale Medical

Group's Web site.While the vast majority

of headaches are brief ten-sion or cluster headaches,approximately 30 millionAmericans experiencemigraines, the NationalInstitute of NeurologicalDisorders and Strokereports.

Most of us reach forover-the-counter remedies

for headaches, but a grow-ing number of Americansare seeking more naturaloptions.

Whether the rising costof everything or the trendtoward a more naturallifestyle is driving demandfor non-medicinal head-ache remedies, there aremany ways to handle thepain naturally.

Managee stressMuscle tension is a lead-

ing cause of primary, non-migraine headaches. Stressis a leading cause of muscletension. Reducing or man-aging stress may help youavoid the muscle tensionthat can lead to a headache.

Stress is the body's phys-ical and emotional reactionto changes in life, accordingto Medline Plus, a service ofthe National Institutes ofHealth and the U.S. Nat-ional Library of Medicine.The service offers a few tipson how to avoid and man-age stress:

• If you can, avoid every-day situations that youknow cause you to feelstressed.

• While change can begood for you, it's a goodidea to plan ahead for majorlife changes.

• Know your own limita-tions for how much you canjuggle at once and don't be

afraid to say no to newresponsibilities when youalready have enough onyour plate.

• Communicate and talkwith others about your feel-ings of stress.

• Eat well, exercise regu-larly and be sure to getenough sleep.

Focuss onn relaxationIt may be hard to do

given the economy, butrelaxing is one of the bestways to avoid headache.Deep breathing, biofeed-back, meditation, stretch-ing and muscular exercisesand massage are all greatways to relax, according toMedline.

Massage can be particu-larly helpful, as it relaxesmuscles and eases mentaltension. You can easily self-massage your head, neck,temples, sinus areas to easeyour headache. A bead-filled face mask can also

provide the soothing bene-fits of massage.

Improvee yourr lifestylePromoting overall good

health can also help pre-vent headaches. Regularaerobic exercise can helpreduce the frequency andseverity of tension head-aches.

Certain unhealthfulfoods have been associatedwith triggering headaches,and so has skipping meals.Cultivate the habit of eatingregular, healthy meals andgetting plenty of rest.

Be sure to stay hydrated -- dehydration can cause ahost of health problems,including headaches. If yousmoke, quit.

If you're a nonsmoker,avoid being around second-hand smoke, since head-ache can be among themyriad health woes causedby inhaling second-handsmoke.

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Beyond aspirin: Drug-free ways to fight headaches14 LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2010HEALTH AND FITNESS

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Health & Fitness 2010