Healthy Grocery Shopping List

From Shereen Jegtvig:

Grocery shopping will be an easier experience and you will likely bring home healthier foods if you start with a healthy grocery shopping list. With a grocery list in hand, you won't be as likely to wander the junk food aisles and make impulse purchases. You can copy or print out this healthy grocery list or you can make your own.

Here's What to Include on Your Healthy Grocery List

• Fresh vegetables and fruits should make up the largest part of your healthy foods grocery list. Vegetables and fruits have vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and they are usually low in calories. We all need at least five or more servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables that everyone in your family will enjoy.
  
  
• Most of your grain and cereal products should be made from whole grains, not from refined flours. This part of your list includes whole grain breads, whole grain pastas, and whole grain breakfast cereals. Whole grains are important for vitamins, minerals, and for fiber, which is often lacking in modern diets. Read labels to look for 100% whole-grain or 100%whole-wheat to be sure you are getting whole grain products.
  
  
• Your protein and meat choices should consist mostly of fish, poultry and lean meats. Eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes are also good protein choices. Choose fresh and frozen unbreaded meats and fish. Avoid breaded, deep-fried convenience foods that you put in the oven. They are high in fats and sodium.
  
  
• Beverages should be kept simple. Water, low-fat milk, juices and herbal teas are all good choices. If you choose soft drinks, choose diet sodas and soft drinks to avoid extra sugar.
  
  
• Dairy products should include low fat milk, yogurt and cheese. If you do not want cows' milk, choose soy and rice beverages, calcium fortified orange juice, or goats' milks and cheese.
  
  
• Be careful with dressings, cooking oils and condiments. They are sneaky sources of refined sugar and poor quality oils. Read labels to choose dressings made with olive oil, canola oil or walnut oil. Choose low-fat mayonnaise for your sandwiches and choose canola oil and olive oil for cooking.
  
  
• Frozen foods are a convenient way to keep vegetables on hand. There are also prepared meals that you can pop into the microwave or oven. These can be convenient and healthy if you choose low fat versions with good portion sizes. Read labels and chose frozen foods wisely. Avoid frozen pizzas, pocket-sandwiches, deep-fried appetizers, and breaded foods.
  
  
• Foods in cans and jars are also very convenient. Look for low-sodium soups, vegetables and sauces. Avoid high fat gravies and high calorie foods like canned spaghetti and ravioli products.
  
  
• For sandwiches, choose peanut butter or other nut butters, low-fat turkey slices or sliced roast beef. Avoid processed lunch meats, sausages and hot dogs.
  
  
• Don't load up on high calorie treats and desserts. Choose fresh fruits, healthy nuts, seeds and whole grain crackers for snacks.

Good Deals That Aren't All That Good

From Jeffrey Strain:

If you’re doing some last minute shopping, you may be tempted by all the ‘freebies’ retailers are offering, but be careful. Some carry a hidden price tag. Here’s a run-down of good deals that aren’t all that good:

• “Free with purchase.” Receiving a bonus item when you buy can be a great deal - if you need the item you’re buying in the first place. It’s a waste if you buy something that’ll go unused, just to get a freebie.
  
  
• “Free after rebate.” You can get a bargain this way, but you need to read the fine print and make sure there aren’t restrictions that’ll make getting the rebate difficult. Most rebates go unclaimed because people don’t want the hassle, or don’t follow directions properly. For instance, if you fail to include a copy of your receipt or a UPC code cut from the product’s box, you could be out of luck.
  
  
• The “free trial.” This lets you use a product or service so you can see if you like it. However, there’s a catch: Most free trials require you to cancel once the introductory period’s over. If you don’t, your “free trial” becomes a promise to buy. If you gave them a credit card number, you’ll be changed and not even know it until your bill comes.
  
  
• The “reward.” This is where you receive a gift after doing something like applying for a credit card. Getting another card could hurt your credit score and tempt you to overspend. Which means that gas card, T-shirt, or tote bag could end up costing you hundreds in interest charges.
  
  
• “Free shipping.” We all know that UPS and FEDEX don’t work for nothing. That means the cost of shipping is hidden somewhere. Your best bet is to buy from the place that offers the lowest overall price.

There are some good deals out there, but you have to do your homework. Otherwise, you may find that the offer that looked so good at first - really is costing you money.

Is Sugar Like a Drug?

From Shereen Jegtvig:

Research presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology shows how rats respond to sugar binges just like they would respond to morphine, cocaine or nicotine.

"Our findings with lab rats show that intermittent access to sugar can lead to changes in the brain and behavior similar to those caused by drugs of abuse," said Bart Hoebel, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Princeton University. "In certain models, sugar-bingeing causes long-lasting effects on the brain and increases the inclination to take other drugs of abuse, including alcohol."

Hungry rats were fed sugar water and researchers discovered that the rats' brains released neurotransmitters called dopamines thought to be involved in addiction. Further tests elicited withdrawal symptoms in the same rats.

Interesting research.

I don't usually write much about diet and nutrition studies with rats and other non-human animals because they don't always translate well to human behavior. We still don't really know for sure that sugar is chemically addicting or if there are emotional issues involved with eating too many sweets and suffering from sugar cravings that rats probably don't experience. However, we know there are connections between sugar craving and having low serotonin levels. One thing I find interesting, though, is that the rats in the study were deprived of food for twelve hours before being fed sugar water, so I'm not sure how much of the dopamine response was just from relief of hunger (though the researchers say this shouldn't happen with other foods that apparently are boring to rats) or directly due to sugar. In either case, it suggests possible addictive brain chemistry.

So, since you're not a rat, how does research like this affect you? Now that we're deep into the holiday season, you may have lots of parties to attend with lots of sumptuous foods and decadent desserts. Don't starve yourself all day 'saving up' your calories for the party foods -- it may be bad for your brain and you might go off the sugar-bingeing deep end. Instead, eat normally and choose healthy foods throughout the day with lots of nutrients and fiber (like fruits and vegetables). Then later, when you are faced with all those delicious holiday treats, it may actually be easier to control your cravings.

Health Hazard Alert: Germs!

From Health Magazine

Germ alert! What are you more worried about, touching the trash can or touching your kitchen sink? If you said the trash can – you’ve got it backwards. Here are some of the germiest things you encounter every single day.

• Your kitchen sink: There are typically more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in the drain! The faucet handles are also crawling with germs, and don’t even get me started on that sponge. So, here’s your best defense: Clean your kitchen counters and sink with an anti-bacterial product after you prepare or rinse foods, especially meats, fruits and vegetables. They carry a lot of potential dangers, like salmonella and E. Coli. That’s the word from Dr. Philip Tierno, author of The Secret Life of Germs. He says you should also sanitize sponges by running them through the dishwasher’s drying cycle, which kills 99.9% of bacteria. Additionally, nuking it in the microwave on high for one minute. Doing that kills virtually all bacteria, yeast, and mold. Just make sure the sponge is wet first or it might burn up in the microwave. Also, clean your sink twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon chlorine bleach, and one quart water. Scrub the basin, then pour the mix down the sink.
  
  
• Your office phone: It has about 25,000 germs per square inch! Experts say phones are pretty gross – they get coated with germs from your mouth and hands. In fact, your desk area in general is pretty bad. Dr. Charles Gerba – also known as Dr. Germ – calls desks “bacteria cafeterias” because of all the food particles he’s found there from desktop diners. Simply cleaning your desk, phone and keyboard with a disinfecting wipe once in the middle of the day will kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses.
  
  
• Protect your kids on the PLAYGROUND. There’s no delicate way to put this: children tend to ooze bodily fluids and spread them around. Blood, mucus, urine – it’s all there. Since kids put their fingers in their noses and mouths more than the rest of us, they need all the help they can get. So, carry alcohol wipes and clean everyone’s hands a couple of times during park visits. Pick warm days for playground trips. The sun’s ultraviolet light is an effective disinfectant. Most bugs won’t survive long on surfaces that are hot and dry.
  
  
• The airplane bathroom. The experts at Health magazine agree that the cramped and overused bathrooms on airplanes are one of the most bacteria-filled places on earth. Much worse than your average public restroom. There are often traces of eColi and fecal bacteria on the door handles because it’s hard to wash up properly in those tiny sinks. The volcanic flush of the toilet spews particles into the air, coating the floor and walls with microscopic bacteria. To wage germ warfare: Use a paper cover on the toilet seat. Afterward, put the lid down before you flush. If there is no lid, turn your back to the commode. Then, wash and dry your hands properly and use a paper towel to handle the sink tap and doorknob.
  
  
• Another one of the most germy places on earth? Your load of wet laundry. Any time you transfer underwear from the washer to the dryer, you’re getting eColi on your hands. Just one soiled undergarment can spread bacteria to the entire load and machine. How’s this for a disgusting statistic: There’s about a gram of feces in every pair of dirty underwear. To wage germ warfare: Run your washer at 150 degrees. If you don’t know the temperature, you can check it with a candy thermometer. Wash your whites with bleach – which’ll kill 99.9% of bacteria. Wash underwear separately, and don’t let your wet stuff linger in the washer. Transfer it to the dryer asap and let it tumble for 45 minutes. Wash your hands after handling the laundry.
  
  
• Public drinking fountains – especially school drinking fountains. They have anywhere from 62-thousand to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch on the spigot! You need only 10 salmonella or 100 E. coli germs to make you sick. To wage germ warfare: Carry your own beverage with you – and some hand sanitizer.
  
  
• Push-buttons. They’re on everything from elevators to ATMs, and they’re not cleaned regularly. So, use your knuckles to push public buttons. This way you won’t spread the germs to every surface you touch. Just remember to wash your knuckles well when you hit the restroom.
  
  
• Purses and wallets. Ladies, the outside of your handbag picks up bugs from anything it touches - so keep it off the ground and floor. Guys, the heat from keeping your wallet in your pocket is like an incubator for germs. So, after you handle the contents of your wallet, wash your hands. If you like to jingle the change in your pocket, don’t worry. The metals - particularly those made of nickel - kill many of the bacteria.
  
  
• Cutting boards. There are 200 times more bacteria on a cutting board than a toilet seat! Why? Because people disinfect their toilets, but usually just give their cutting boards a quick rinse. So, mix an ounce of bleach with a quart of water and wipe down your cutting board and countertops before and after cooking.

Which Place Has More Germs?
From Ediets.com:

Here’s the dirty truth on germs! Some objects like porta-potties give anyone the creeps. However, did you know that picnic tables have more germs than portable toilets? When scientists put common objects in a head-to-head competition, they found harmful bacteria in some surprising places.

• Garbage can vs. bathtub. A recent study found that you’re FOUR TIMES more likely to get an infection from a bathtub than a trashcan. It’s a breeding ground for germs because it’s a moist environment. So, use a disinfecting cleaner in the tub every week and scrub! With bathtubs, elbow grease counts. Since germs love moisture, you’re not done until you dry with a clean towel.
  
  
• Airplane vs. the Office. This one’s a tie. A British study found that the odds of catching cold in an office are one in a thousand. That’s the same as they are in any enclosed space. So, no matter where you are, wash your hands often and disinfect anything you have to touch. That means armrests and trays on airplanes and keyboards, desktops, and phones at work.
  
  
• The ATM machine meets the public restroom door handle! This one’s an upset! ATM’s consistently show higher concentrations of germs than restroom doorknobs. It may seem awkward, but wear gloves or use a paper towel when you hit a cash machine. Or use some hand sanitizer after your ATM transaction before you touch your nose, mouth or eyes.