Eat To Flatten Tummies

RealAge has shared Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen's suggestions for belly-flattening meal choices. Being a picky eater and one who has equated sweet with yummy, I was surprised that several appealed to me:

1. Yogurt. I'd have to add lots of fruit.

2. Eggs. The tortilla with the eggs, cheese and tomatoes looks like something I'd try.

3. Pistachios. Yum. I even like to shell them.

4. Grapefruit. Some are great, some just too sour for our taste. I'd want to go to a great produce stand for these.

5. Avocado. This is when I stop to appreciate my neighbor with their tree straddling our common fence. I put them into paper bags to ripen. Lately, however, our dog, Oscar, has discovered how yummy they are and we compete for them. Bummer...he brings them into the house half-eaten.

6. Mushrooms. I put them into my Thanksgiving stuffing but forget to eat them at other times.

7. Olive oil. This is easy. For a while now I've replaced my fondness for real unsalted butter with this miracle food.

8. Whole grains. It's time to get back on steel-cut oats. Brown rice goes into my chili.

9. Red pepper. This is a staple in my fajitas.

10. Fava beans. This, I admit, is Frontier Land for me. I've yet to use them.

11. Rice with veggies.

The object of dining on all these foods is to lower calorie count, feel full longer, eat lean protein, get all my antioxidants, reduce appetite, hinder the absorption of fat, and flatten my belly.

A Good Trade: Taming Food Cravings

Food cravings isn't a pregnant woman's sole domain (although my current in-house preggie daughter might think so). I'm sure even the Queen of England has them now and then.

The question is how do you tame them so that you don't add extra poundage.

Good Housekeeping, a voice from my past, suggests alternatives for the chocolate cakes, potato chips, and other yummy but fattening foods.

They replace four-cheese pizza with Napoli pita pizza, chocolate cherry cordials with chocolate-dipped strawberries, Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby with chocolate dream ice cream, custard-filled eclairs with vanilla cream bites, ice cream sandwiches with ice cream on chocolate wafers and more.

I'm not saying that these substitutions are fat or calorie-free, just that they have far fewer calories and less fat.

I can't wait to try them. How about you?

Let me know what you think.

What's Most Likely To Kill You

Face it. "Cancer doesn't kill most of us; lack of exercise and a poor diet do," according to Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Include the following in your daily routine:

Walk 30 minutes

Brush and floss

Drink 2 cups of green tea

Take 400mg omega-3's, 1,000 IU vitamin D and 1,000mg calcium

Sleep 7-8 hours

Meditate 5 minutes

Saving at the Supermarket

It looks like hubby and I will be back on a very strict budget. Thanks to Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert we can save mucho dollars at the supermarket if we follow his guidelines.

Know what you already have stocked in your pantry, freezer or fridge.

The departments at the market are run independently. You may find similar items in different departments at vastly different prices.

Buy frozen fish and meat.

Buy only durum-wheat semolina dried pasta.

Buy white eggs that are "certified humane" over more expensive cage-free brown eggs.

Try Select meat and tenderize.

Store brands are comparable to many other brands and often have money-back guarantees.

Instead of a costly cereal, consider buying a high-fiber store brand and adding your own sweeteners, fruit and nuts.

For more on boomer and senior diet and nutrition, meal planning and cooking, visit 50somethinginfo.com

RealAge, a Real Help

I admit it. I'm jealous. RealAge has so much valuable information that I can't stop reading. Nor can I compete with its scientific advisory board. Their team of experts includes physicians, epidemiologists, and medical writers who research the latest findings.

How come I didn't have the wisdom to produce a site such as this years ago???

The only thing I can do is synopsize some of their information for my own readers. According to RealAge, you need to make sure you are getting enough magnesium, calcium, vitamins C, D3 and E. Speedy eaters are three times more likely to be overweight. Certain herbs can freshen your breath. Try parsley, basil or cilantro.

I was turned on to this site by my financial advisor who had a life-threatening medical issue.

I'm hooked. And you should be too.

Why Not Overindulge in Food Just Once

Just this once I'll try everything on the table at the holidays or at a festive meal. It can't hurt, right?

Wrong, says The UC Berkeley Wellness Letter (March, 2011) about a one-time food splurge. One large fatty meal can have a variety of immediate adverse effects.

Fatty foods can interfere with the ability of blood vessels to dilate or expand--meaning that with exercise after such a meal, you might get angina or a heart attack. A large meal can cause your heart rate to increase because so much energy is used for digestion.

Your blood pressure and heart rate might increase.

The larger the meal, the more heartburn many people experience.

If you're young and healthy, overindulgence may not pose any problem. But if you're older and already have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a pre-existing heart disease, or if you are overweight and smoke can be hazardous.

Don't arrive ravenous at parties. Eat slowly. Stay away from buffets. Stick to salads, fruits and vegetables.

Think Berries For Parkinson's Disease

Those who eat foods such as berries, apples, citrus fruit and red wine may be protecting themselves from developing Parkinson's disease because they are heavy in antioxidants called flavonoids.

A 22-year old study showed that those people who consumed flavonoid-rich foods such as berries in particular were less likely to develop this devastating neurodegenerative illness.

There Are Fish and then There Are Healthy Fish; Which Are You Eating?

The McDonalds and Wendy's commercials hit home. In one you see 3 fishermen looking into a barrel asking, "What is it?"

Fish may be yummy to some (not my daughter-in-law!) but how healthy is it really?

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish helps improve blood pressure, keeps blood vessels healthy and reduces the risk of stroke. That's why the American Heart Association recommends that we should be eating fish like salmon and mackerel that are high in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week.

Most fried fish is not high in omega-3 fatty acids. The process of frying removes the fatty acids and replaces them with cooking oil.

Vitamin D May Or May Not Help Older Women

Vitamin D deficiency and frailty are common with aging. Vitamin D supplementation has grown in popularity.

However, a new study has found that both low AND high levels of vitamin D are "associated with increased risk of frailty in older women (69+years."

More trials need to be completed to make definitive conclusions.

Gout, Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drinks and Caffeine

Gout, the most common inflammatory arthritis in the U.S., is a very painful form of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid. Uric acid crystals become deposited on the cartilage of joints, tendons and other surrounding tissue, especially the feet.

Gout rates are climbing not only because it is being diagnosed earlier but also because people are living longer and because diuretic therapies are typically prescribed for high blood pressure in postmenopausal women.

There are good medications that can potentially prevent gout attacks. Even so, attacks are common.

Researchers have tied gout attacks to consuming alcohol, red meat, and certain seafoods. Now they are also beginning to link them to sweetened beverages and caffeine.

Adding Monounsaturated Fats to Diet May Boost Heart Health

New research suggests that adding monounsaturated fat (MUFA) to your diet in the form of nuts, seeds, avocados, and oils such as olive, canola and sunflower oils, raises your "good" HDL cholesterol by about 12% and lowers your "bad" LDL cholesterol by about 35%.

The study randomly assigned 17 men and seven postmenopausal women to either a high or low MUFA diet.

Vitamin D

In a study of American women over 70, those with low blood levels of vitamin D were 2 1/2 times more likely to die in 6 years than those with high blood levels.

The recommended daily dosage, according to the National Academy of Sciences, should be increased to 800 - 1,000 units of Vitamin D.

For more on clinical trials involving vitamins, visit 50somethinginfo.com

Is Agave Syrup Nature's Alternative Sweetener?

A cousin recommended it so I went out and bought it--agave syrup, that is. I thought it would be the healthy, "natural" answer to my sweet tooth.

The syrup, however, is slightly more caloric than sugar. Some scientific studies reveal that agave syrup is up to 90% fructose and can harm the heart, increase diabetes risk and lower "good" cholesterol.

One recent study suggested that agave syrup has minimal antioxidant benefits--similar to refined sugar and corn syrup.

I hope I kept the receipt.

For more on diet and nutrition, visit 50somethinginfo.com

Organic, The Way To Go

Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

If you and I patronize the companies and farmers who practice sustainability, we are sending them a powerful message: we don't want to buy products that come at too high a cost to the earth.

When you grow or buy organically, you are preserving farming the way it was done for thousands of years--without man-made chemicals or genetic tampering.

Buying for sustainability doesn't have to have a major impact on your finances. You can make your own cleaning agents inexpensively rather than buying name-brands. You might have to be more selective but you can purchase local fruits and vegetables that are healthier and may last longer in your refrigerator. Buying locally also means that you are reducing pollution caused by packaging and transportation.

Paper or plastic? Plastic not only consumes more energy to produce, it also creates pollution--so paper is the better choice. Nowadays more and more people are opting for hemp or cotton reusable bags, the BEST choice.

By implementing a few simple changes to your shopping habits, you can leave a healthy legacy and be a part of the burgeoning organic movement.

Comfort Foods

Often during periods of unhappiness, depression or sickness we turn to comfort foods that transport us back to a time when life was easier. Unfortunately those foods generally have high fat content--such as macaroni and cheese, chili, mashed potatoes, pizza, spaghetti and chocolate chip cookies.

Simple adjustments can make these foods not only more healthful but also reduce our risk for disease:

1. Understand that standard serving sizes are smaller than you realize. If you decrease your portion size gradually, you'll be less likely to notice the change.

2. Shift the portions on your plate. Emphasize plant-based foods and reduce animal protein.

3. Substitute ingredients, such as exchanging cream for reduced fat milk.

4. Add healthy ingredients to your recipe, such as vegetables to spaghetti sauce or beans to chili.

5. Treat yourself to some of your favorite comfort foods for special occasions.

High Blood Pressure Shouldn't Be Ignored By Aging Americans

Two-thirds of Americans over 60 have high blood pressure or hypertension. And 90% of those who live past 60 will eventually develop it.

Hypertension is a serious problem. It can damage the heart, kidneys and brain. It can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart and kidney failure and dementia.

Take measures NOW to lower your risk by:

1. Reducing your stress

2. Cutting back on sodium

3. Losing weight

4. Exercising

5. Being aware that just about all over-the-counter pain relievers can cause blood pressure to rise

6. Eating 3 servings of whole grains a day (A Harvard Study reported that men who included whole grains in their diet were 19% less likely to develop hypertension over an 18 year span than those who ate the least amount of whole grains).

There are also many safe and effective drugs to lower your blood pressure.

Clouds Belong In the Sky, Not On Your Eyes

The risk for cataracts (clouds the lens of the eye so vision is impaired) sharply rises after 60 years of age even though it is not unusual to get them at 40 or 50.

By age 80 50% of all Americans will have cataracts or will have had them removed.

You can delay the onset by:

1. Eating certain fruits and vegetables (dark leafy greens, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, green peas, dark green or yellow fruit) and egg yolks.

2. Not smoking

3. Protecting your eyes from sunlight with sunglasses and a hat.

4. Having regular eye exams.

What used to be a hospital stay is now an outpatient procedure to have cataracts removed. In fact it is the most commonly performed surgery in the United States and is painless.

Find out more about cataracts and eye disorders on 50somethinginfo.com

What Happens To Chewing As We Age?

Chewing breaks down food so it is safe to swallow. It also release energy and nutrients.

Older people tend to have weaker, less efficient bites so they need to work harder and chew longer. This often means that:

1. They feel fuller on less food.

2. They are less likely to eat harder fresh fruits, vegetables and meat.

For more on diet and nutrition, visit 50somethinginfo.com.

Say "Cheese"

Give me cheese and grapes and you have one happy camper. But how healthy is cheese?

True, cheese provides calcium, protein and some vitamins. It may also help to prevent cavities. But use it sparingly--as a flavor enhancer. Select soft goat cheese, feta or mozzarella cheese over higher caloric and fattier cheddar or Swiss.

Reduced-fat, low-fat, and non-fat cheeses have gotten tastier. Just watch the sodium.

For more on diet and nutrition, visit 50somethinginfo.com.

Eat Your Way To Lessening Arthritic Pain

According to Dr. Andrew Weil (Healthy Aging), what you eat can affect the pain of arthritis. Eating the right food can reduce the inflammation, he asserts.

1. Avoid refined, processed and manufactured foods.

2. Use good quality extra-virgin oil in food preparation.

3. Eat oily fish at least 3 times a week.

4. Replace flour and sugar products with whole grains, sweet potatoes and beans.

5. Reduce the amount of meat and substitute with beans or soy.

6. Eat fruit and vegetables of all colors.

7. Try to consume some ginger and turmeric.

8. Drink good quality tea, such as white, green or oolong.

Learn more about arthritis at 50somethinginfo.com.