Five Foods You Should Have Each Day

From Prevention Magazine:

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Here are five more foods you may want to add to your daily diet. These will help boost your immune system, so you’ll have even fewer reasons to call the doctor.

• The first food you should eat every day: Yogurt. A new Austrian study found that eating seven-ounces of yogurt each day had the same immunity boosting effects as popping a daily vitamin supplement! Why? Because yogurt’s loaded with the “good” bacteria your body needs to keep harmful germs out of your digestive system.
  
  
• You can also keep the doctor away by eating more: Mushrooms. New research shows that compounds in mushrooms increase the body’s production of white blood cells – making them more aggressive at fighting off infections! So, try to include a handful of mushrooms in at least one meal each day; either in a breakfast omelet, a lunchtime bowl of soup, or a dinner serving of pasta.
  
  
• Another food you should serve yourself every day: Oats and barley. Researchers in Norway say these whole grains are loaded with a potent fiber known to help speed wound healing! It may also lower your risk of contracting the flu.
  
  
• A 4th immunity-boosting food: Tea. Immunologists at Harvard report that people who drank five cups of tea every day had 10 times more cold and flu-fighting proteins in their body! The virus fighting benefits of tea kick-in long before five cups. Adding just two full cups of black or green tea to your daily diet may protect you from common dangers like food poisoning, athlete’s foot, or even malaria! It may even help slow the growth of cancerous tumor cells.
  
  
• Here’s one more food you should eat every day: Garlic. A recent British study found that people who ate garlic extract every day for three months were 67% less likely to catch a cold! Garlic’s also been shown to cut your risk for stomach and colorectal cancer by more than 30%! So aim to include at least two cloves of crushed or raw garlic in your meals every day.

Choosing Foods to Help You Sleep

From About.com:
Getting a good night's sleep makes your work day (or school day) go so much better. If you have difficulty sleeping, you already know how tough staying alert during the day can be. But did you know that sleep is also important for your health? People who have chronic sleep loss are also at a higher risk of being obese, having heart disease, diabetes and kids with ADHD often have sleep disorders.

If you don't get enough sleep at night, you might rely on caffeine to keep you awake during the day. Caffeine is a popular stimulant, found in tea, chocolate, some types of soda, energy drinks and in coffee. Enjoying a cup or two of coffee in the morning is fine, but if you're drinking a whole pot of coffee, it might be time to cut back. Especially if you're drinking a lot of that coffee in the afternoon. Too much caffeine makes you jittery and if you consume it later in the day, the caffeine makes it more difficult to sleep at night. It can become a vicious circle. You use caffeine to perk up, but then you can't sleep, so the next day you use more caffeine and lose sleep again that night.

Quitting the caffeine habit isn't easy or comfortable. Many people suffer from withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, drowsiness, flu-like feelings, irritability and lack of concentration when they give up caffeine cold turkey. You can avoid those symptoms by gradually withdrawing. Try blending decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee. Increase the amount of decaf over a few weeks time.

The relationship between your diet and good sleep doesn't end with caffeine. There are several other ways to use your diet to help you sleep.

Avoid heavy foods or spicy foods. Or any foods you know that may cause heartburn, making it difficult for you to sleep at night.

Don't drink too much alcohol. Although alcohol may make you drowsy, over-consumption of your favorite adult beverages may cause a very restless uncomfortable night.

Eat cherries. Not only are they rich in vitamins, cherries contain melatonin, a substance also found in the human body that helps regulate sleep. Eating fresh or dried cherries before you go to bed at night may help you sleep better.

Enjoy a light bedtime snack. Choose carbohydrates and dairy products, like a small bowl of whole grain cereal and non-fat milk. Carbohydrates make it easier to fall sleep. Dairy products contain tryptophan, which promotes sleep. Other foods that contain tryptophan are bananas, oats and honey.

Avoid eating excessive fats. People who eat large amounts of fat may also have more difficulty sleeping. Be sure to get enough omega-3 fatty acids each day, however, because eicosapentaenoic acid (one type of omega-3 found in fish, especially tuna, salmon and trout) has a role in sleep induction in your brain.

People who don't get enough sleep tend to overeat by adding extra sugary and carbohydrate-rich snacks to their diets. All the extra calories from the snacking can lead to obesity, so not only do the foods you eat affect how you sleep, but the amount of sleep you get also affects the foods you choose to eat.

Breakfast Foods to Avoid

From HealthCastle:
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not only does breakfast give you the fuel to break the fast you have undergone during a good night's sleep, breakfast also helps you concentrate better throughout the day and helps maintain your weight. For most people, breakfast is the only meal to include some vital nutrients such as calcium from milk as well as fiber and antioxidants from whole grains. Therefore, it is wise to choose healthy breakfast items to start your day and avoid breakfast items that have no nutritional value, such as these:

1. Carrot Cake Muffin
   Perhaps the word "carrot" make it sound like a healthy breakfast item, but most commercial carrot cake muffins are high in fat and calories. One serving of this favorite breakfast muffin from a coffee chain store contains a whopping 680 kilocalories and 40 grams of fat! Indeed, most muffins and scones are high in fat. Scones, in particular, usually contain trans fat as well.
   
   
2. Doughnuts
   Doughnuts are fried breakfast foods. If you do not eat french fries for breakfast, why would you eat fried doughnuts? One piece of glazed doughnut from a doughnut chain store contains 200 kcal of empty calories with precious few nutrients. What is worse is that it contains four grams of trans fat per serving. That is already two times more than the recommended amount of trans fat a day. Doughnuts with fillings contain even higher amounts of calories and trans fat, so stay away from this breakfast treat!
   
   
3. Frozen Waffles
   Similar to doughnuts, frozen waffles are another example of empty calories when it comes to breakfast foods. Most store-bought frozen waffles are basically refined grain combined with refined sugar and trans fat, lacking health-promoting vitamins, minerals and fiber. Most people add syrup and margarine on their breakfast waffles, hence adding even more calories and fat. Not a smart choice to start your day!
   
   
4. McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast
   With such breakfast items as scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausages, pancakes and dressing and syrup, this deluxe breakfast contains a shocking 1,120 kcal and 61 grams of fat! With that much fat, it is like swallowing 13 teaspoons of vegetable oil in one setting! What is more shockingis that this breakfast item at McDonald's contains 11 g of trans fat, that is is 5 times more than the daily recommended amount of trans fat!
   
   

The recommended daily intake for dairy is three servings a day and whole grains is at least three servings daily. If you do not normally eat these foods for lunch or dinner, it is easier to include these items in breakfast. Hence, choose whole grains such as whole wheat bread, whole grain cereals or oatmeal if possible. In addition, include a serving of dairy such as low-fat milk or low-fat yogurt, which is rich in protein, calcium and potassium. In general, try including at least three food groups in your breakfast so that you do not need to prowl for a mid-morning snack.

Identity Scammers Can Target You and Your Friends on Facebook

From MSNBC:

Watch out, Facebook users! Identity scammers are now targeting your FRIENDS – and YOU! Take Bryan Rutberg. His daughter was the first to notice something odd about his Facebook page. One night, she ran into his bedroom and asked why he’d changed his status to: “BRYAN IS IN URGENT NEED OF HELP!” Rutberg didn’t think much about it, but an hour later, he took a second look and realized his Facebook account had been hacked. Within minutes, his cell phone was ringing non-stop, with concerned friends calling to offer help. Many had received an email saying that he’d been robbed at gunpoint while traveling in the UK, and needed money to get home. One friend even sent $1,200 to a Western Union branch in London. Hackers had taken over Rutberg’s account, and even worse - they’d changed his login credentials so he couldn’t access his own Facebook page to remove the status message. He tried to use his wife’s account to post something on his “wall” saying he was fine, but the scammers had “de-friended” his wife, so he couldn’t. He did finally manage to get his account deactivated, but by that time, a friend’s impulsive generosity had cost him big-time.

Rutberg was the victim of a new type of scam. Facebook is currently beefing up security in reaction to the incident, but users have complained about the length of time it’s taking. So in the meantime, here are a few tips to protect yourself. These come from Kevin Haley, director of security at Symantec Corporation, which aims to protect online users.

• Be suspicious of anyone, even friends, who ask for money. Verify their circumstances, preferably by direct phone contact.
  
  
• Also, don’t use the same password for all online accounts. Since Facebook is so popular, criminals who manage to steal someone’s information will surely try to hack their other online accounts, too.
  
  
• Make sure you have more than one contact email address, in case one is compromised.

Exercises for Your Brain

Some sedentary activities can actually provide a great workout for your brain! So if you must sit still, try some of these mental exercises:

• To think faster: Play video games. In one study, gamers were able to process new information up to 13% faster – and more accurately – than non-gamers! Why? Dr. James Paul Gee, a language professor at the University of Wisconsin, says video games force people to make quick decisions, sort out patterns, and think strategically, three skills which improve what he calls your “fluid intelligence.”
  
  
• To solve problems better: Surf the Web. Researchers at UCLA found that people who cruise the Internet use twice as many brain cells as people who read a book. That’s because you’re constantly wading through several pages of digital data at once, filtering out information you don’t need. So even a simple Google search will fire neural connections in multiple lobes of your brain at the same time – including the area responsible for complex reasoning.
  
  
• Want to be more productive at work? Play a computer game – like Solitaire or Free Cell. Your boss may not agree, but new research shows that single-person strategy games can lower stress and improve mood. Those are two factors known to boost productivity! Also, lower stress improves a worker’s ability to solve problems and make tough decisions. However, we encourage you to save your next Minesweeper marathon for your lunch break.
  
  
• To improve concentration: Watch a complicated TV show. Dr. Patricia Farrell is a psychologist who wrote the book How To Be Your Own Therapist. She says recent hit shows like “Lost,” “24” and “Heroes” are great for the brain, because they have lots of plot lines and characters to keep track of. That forces people to either pay close attention, or risk being left in the dark! So the better you are at noticing subtle plot points in your favorite TV show, the better your overall focus will be.

Studies have shown that mentally stimulating lives can postpone memory problems. But diets high in saturated fat, plus a lifestyle filled with stress, little physical activity, and few mental challenges have been linked to a higher risk of dementia. But those who follow Dr. Small’s ‘boot camp’ for the brain program (Gary Small, a psychiatrist at UCLA, and author of The Memory Prescription), end up with more efficient brain cells, are much less forgetful, and have lower blood pressure. And there’s new evidence that keeping blood pressure down might delay the onset of Alzheimer’s for several years. So, here’s what ‘boot camp’ for the brain is:

• The doctor recommends a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is found in nuts and fish and lots of antioxidants, like blueberries and prunes.
• The program also includes stress release sessions and physical exercise, which includes brief moments of stretching, walking and yoga, several times a day.
• And then there’s the memory aerobics that help keep your brain nimble. About 15 minutes a day of puzzles and brain teasers, like remembering the name “Weinberger” by visualizing a bottle of wine falling onto a burger.

If you’d like to go further, the book is called The Memory Prescription by Dr. Gary Small.

Ways to Save Money

From Real Simple magazine:

We’re all trying to figure out how to save money and live on less. That’s why we’ve tracked down even more ways to cut back! Here are some big money-drains that really add up:

• Paying bills by snail mail. According to ClearPoint Financial Solutions,a company that deals with credit counseling, the average household receives about 15 bills a month. With stamps now at 42-cents each, you’ll spend about $76 a year just on postage! That’s NOT counting the late fees if your checks get lost in the mail. Almost all major banks offer free online bill payment, which lets you schedule payments at your convenience. If your bank doesn’t offer online bill pay, you can call the customer-service departments for your bills to have payments automatically deducted from your account every month.
  
  
• Another money-drain: Purchasing a life insurance policy through your employer. P.J. Patierno, a financial planner, says that a healthy woman in her late 30s could save 20% each year by purchasing a $500,000 life-insurance policy independently. Why? Because the rates charged at work are designed to cover the liabilities of everyone in your office. The overweight guy down the hall and the smoker upstairs are getting the same coverage as you. So, buy your life insurance from a broker or a financial planner. An independent provider will know details about different policies, and can recommend one suited to your lifestyle.
  
  
• A cell-phone plan that doesn’t match your needs. According to consumer research firm J.D. Power & Associates, cell-phone subscribers use only 64% of the minutes they pay for. So, analyze your usage. You may find that buying fewer monthly minutes, but getting unlimited evening and weekend minutes may work better than a more expensive plan. If your contract is up and you’re thinking about switching carriers, check out MyRatePlan.com to find the most cost-effective one that works best for you.
  
  
  When it comes to finances: Don’t get emotional. Amanda Clayman, a social worker who specializes in helping clients deal with money issues, says for starters, STOP wishing that negative events hadn’t happened. That’s wasting energy on something you can’t change. In fact, it’s crucial that you separate money and emotions. Clayman says she’s seen clients use “credit card therapy” to cope with a crisis, but that only made things worse. Yes, your situation may be unfair, but the Universe doesn’t owe you a new wardrobe in return. So, put emotions aside when making financial decisions and concentrate on what’s practical. Then move forward.
  
  If you get sick but, don’t have health insurance go public. Rachel Alt, an ER doctor in New York City, says find a public hospital in your area. Some will agree to charge only what you can pay based on your income. Not sure if a hospital is public? Just look for the words “public” or “county” in the name. If you’re in need of emergency help, the doors of the ER should always be open - no matter what kind of hospital you go to. So, insurance or not, get checked if you’re in any type of severe pain. Your life could depend on it.
  
  One final piece of advice comes from Darryl Robinson, a bartender at Hudson Bar in New York City. He says in difficult times, it’s important not to completely deprive yourself. We all need to be social and see friends – and we can do it economically. His advice? Limit your socializing to either Friday or Saturday night, when most people are free. That way you can catch up with a lot of friends at once. Also, a martini is the best bang – or alcohol - for your buck. Just one can last you the entire evening. Be sure to grab a bite to eat at home before you head out for the evening. Robinson says you’d be surprised how fast your tab can go up when you start ordering food. Plus, if you have something in your stomach when you go out, you’ll drink less, spend less – and handle your liquor better.

North Americans are digging deep to save money. According to USA Today, as the economic news seems to get worse each day, people’s spending habits have swung from spendthrift to frugal in record time. Financial polls find that more than half of all households are cutting back as a result of the falling stock market and fears about the economy. Here’s what some people are doing to save. You might want to try these yourself:

• Selling extra stuff. According to eBay CEO John Donahue, the average person has over $3,000 worth of items just lying around the house they could sell to raise cash. Over 1.3 million people make their primary or secondary income from eBay, and many more are starting to sell things they can live without just to make ends meet.
  
  
• People are eating at home. Restaurants are reporting declining sales, since cutting back on eating out is the number-one money saving move for North Americans, regardless of their income. Families are bonding around the dinner table, buying in bulk, and serving smaller portions.
  
  
• Another way people are making money: by taking an extra job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people who have an extra part-time job increased 11% in the past year.
  
  
• People are renting movies instead of going out to the theater. According to Home Media magazine, sales of new Blu-ray Hi-Def disks - a newer DVD home movie format - have more than tripled in the past year. Renting a DVD is a whole lot cheaper than a night at the movies, which can run up to $50 for two people when you include popcorn and snacks.

Interesterified Fats: Replacement for Trans Fats

From HealthCastle.com:

Before you purchase your next box of crackers or cookies with a "zero trans fat" or "trans fat free" label, take a look at the ingredients list. While many food companies have eliminated partially hydrogenated oils (and the resulting trans fats) from their products, the replacement, interesterified fats, may not be much better.

Why Interesterified Fat - and What is it?

Since 2006, nutrition facts labels on packaged foods have been required to list the amount of trans fat in the product. This led food companies to look for ways to remove partially hydrogenated oils (and the resulting trans fats) from their products. Their answer to the demand for trans-fat-free products is interesterified fats.

Interesterified fat is made by combining a solid fat (containing saturated fatty acids) with a liquid fat (vegetable oil containing unsaturated fatty acids) to create a product that behaves like saturated fat in food preparation, but lacks the "bad" effects of saturated fats or trans fats on blood cholesterol once it's consumed.

Is it Safe?

It is too early to tell whether interesterified fats are safe for regular consumption. Some research suggests that they are no better than trans fats, having the same effects on blood cholesterol (lowering the good HDL and increasing the bad LDL), as well as raising blood sugar and lowering insulin levels, which could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Where Would I Find Interesterified Fats?

Most likely, in the same places we used to find partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats - processed baked goods, spreads, and frozen convenience foods. Since there is no specific labeling requirement for interesterified fats, you would not see it on the nutrition facts label. Instead, review the ingredients list for "interesterified" fats or oil. If "fully hydrogenated vegetable oil," "palm oil," and/or "palm kernel oil" are listed, the product may or may not contain interesterified fat. And of course, be wary of "no trans fat" or "trans fat free" statements on the package.

The Bottom Line

Both trans fats and interesterified fats were developed to meet the demand for convenient, packaged foods with a longer shelf life. Common sense will tell you that any foods that can last longer than their homemade versions need additives in order to delay their "extinction". These same types of foods tend to also be high in total fat, salt, and sugar, as well as other food additives. Why risk your health by consuming things we have a hard time pronouncing? Instead of eating out of a box, nourish your body with the least processed foods possible, whether simply snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables or making your own meals from fresh ingredients.