Healthy Tips - September 2010

 

HEALTHY TIP - Sept. 27, 2010

Eat oatmeal to help lower cholesterol. Eating oatmeal can help lower cholesterol levels due to the dietary fiber it contains. The soluble fiber in oats is known to help remove bad cholesterol (LDL) while keeping good cholesterol (HDL) in tact. As a result, eating oatmeal can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Be sure to eat plain oatmeal and not the kind that comes in bags with different flavors as these contain sugar. If you are looking for more flavor in your oatmeal, try adding a little butter, a pinch of brown sugar, maple syrup, milk, nuts such as almonds or pecans and fruit such as bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raisins or apples. Food such as almonds, apples and bananas also help increase the fiber. You also can add oatmeal to cookies, breads and other dishes when cooking – even meatloaf!

In addition, oatmeal helps make you feel full longer, have 100% natural ingredients, may help reduce blood pressure, may help fight cancer, and it contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Of course, oatmeal works best when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. So enjoy about ¾ cup of oatmeal each day to help lower your cholesterol.

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Recipe: Oatmeal Apricot Cookies 

 

 

 

HEALTHY TIP - Sept. 20, 2010

Use vinegar to cut down cleaning with toxic chemicals. Distilled white vinegar is great at removing stains and can be used for many cleaning chores while cutting down on toxic chemicals from household cleaners. Vinegar is great for cutting through grease, polishing, dissolving mineral deposits and deodorizing. Here are some uses for vinegar.

• Kitchen & Bath – Use 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water. This mixture is good for most countertops, sinks, stove top, glass and mirrors. Also can unclog shower head, and clean faucets, remove stains from toilets and clean a shower curtain.
• Cookware / dishes – use approximately 1 tsp salt in 1 cup of vinegar to polish brass or copper. Wipe down wood cutting boards and let dry (no need to rinse). Boil equal parts water and vinegar to remove deposits in bottom of pot.
• Laundry – About a ¼ cup for a full load with help soften your laundry.
• Floors – A bucket of water needs ½ cup of vinegar to clean a floor. May also help clean carpet or rugs and wood floors.
• Appliances – Run vinegar equally diluted with water through coffee maker and pot, dish washer, garbage disposal to remove stains and mineral deposits. Also can be used to clean refrigerator, microwave and more.
• Misc. – Clean blinds, upholstery, labels from jars, grills, toys, pennies, tools, some jewelry and so much more. 
  

Warning: Be sure to check that the vinegar will not ruin your surface. Vinegar may not be compatible with some surfaces such as marble, wood or stainless steel. Always test a small area first. Never mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide and be sure your distilled white vinegar is not derived from petroleum and fossil fuel products. These cleaning tips only work with distilled white vinegar. 

 

If you like scented products, try adding just bit of essential oil such as lemon, lavender or pine. Other products great for cleaning including lemon juice, salt, baking soda and even ketchup. 

 

Related Articles & Resources   
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HEALTHY TIP - Sept. 14, 2010

 

 

Make small changes in your diet. It can be overwhelming to try to change your lifestyle completely. You may want to get healthy, but you are having a hard time sticking with your new diet. Often we talk about small steps to add in exercise such as taking the stairs and leaving the elevator behind. But what about small changes in your diet? Setting smaller goals can help you stick with your changes and achieve the larger goal of overall good health. Try these small steps to change your diet.

• Eat fewer calories. Figure out how many calories you consume on average each day. Then cut 25 or 50 calories the next day. When you are ready cut another 50 and so on. This will help keep the hungry feeling, but allowing your body to adjust to the fewer calories over time.
• Add a fruit or vegetable. Start adding 1 fruit or vegetable at each meal. Slide the meat and potatoes dinner over to the side and make way for a side of green beans, carrots, broccoli or even a small salad.
• Eat green. Add a green vegetable to every meal or dish you make. Having tacos? Make sure fresh sweet peppers or lettuce make it into that tortilla. Breakfast may seem more difficult, but give it some thought and try an egg-white omelet with peppers.
• Limit soda to 1 serving a day. Select lunch, dinner or snack, etc., whenever you really would like to have that soda and only have it then. Other times you can replace it with 100% juice, flavored water (but check the contents), tea or, the best choice, water.
• Switch to whole grain. If you love bread, pasta and cereal, try switching to whole grain. Your body will love the increase in fiber and other nutrients.
• Cut down sweets. Don’t stop them all together, but cut back. Put down the cookies and try changing your afternoon snack to a handful of nuts, a few whole grain crackers, a piece of cheese or raw vegetables with a little fat-free ranch dressing.
• Don’t make anything larger. When eating out, sometimes it seems to be a better deal to make your meal “large” because it is just a few cents more. However, the amount of extra calories and fat you are consuming is alarming. Stick with the small size as your baby step and, eventually, work your way towards healthier menu items.

 

What can you add to this list? Let us know your dieting baby steps!

Try 1 or more of these baby steps in order to stick with long-term healthy choices. Always speak with your physician before starting any changes in diet. Let us help you make an appointment, by calling Healthcare Coordination. 

Related Articles & Resources   
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HEALTHY TIP - Sept. 6, 2010

 

Fit exercise into the most hectic days at home (and around town). Last week focused on exercise you can do at work, but what about all of the time you spend away from work and still don’t have time? Don't give up! All exercise counts.

Thirty minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week is recommended to maintain good health. But even when team schedules, laundry and grocery shopping have you scrambling, you still can make some time to exercise daily. Just because you can’t fit in a full 30 minutes, doesn’t mean you can’t exercise by breaking it into 2 or 3 segments of 10-15 minutes a day or you can turn many household chores into productive exercise just by stepping up the energy you put into it.

Here are some great tips to easily get some exercise into your day even when it seems impossible.

• Pick up the pace when doing housework such as dusting and vacuuming 
•  Use a push mower instead of a riding mower and rake the leaves
• Walk around the block when you pick up your mail 
•  March in place or use hand weights when watching TV (hand weights and resistance bands also are good at the computer, watching your kids outside and while talking on the phone)
• Take a family walk after dinner
• Keep activities in your car for you and your family such as jump ropes, soccer ball, bicycles or gloves and ball
• Add an extra 15 minutes to your dog walk
• Ride your bike to the store if you are just picking up a few things
• Enjoy physical activities and games with your children
• Put on your favorite music and dance while dusting, cooking dinner or putting away laundry
• Grow a garden and work in it regularly
• Walk to get the newspaper instead of having it delivered
• Go up and down the stairs one extra time when taking something upstairs (i.e., walk up the stairs, then down and then take the laundry upstairs)
• Walk on the treadmill, exercise bike or elliptical while watching TV
• While sitting in traffic, breathe in and suck in your stomach as you exhale slowly
• Always park at the far end of the parking lot; make sure it is safe
• Walk to pick up kids at school, bus stop or baby sitter
• Wake up a little extra early for a 15 minute workout 
•  Plan 30 minutes each weekend day for the family to do an activity together – biking, swimming, hiking, basketball and playing catch are great fun and a healthy workout
  

 What can you add to this list? Let us know how you find time for activity throughout your day!

Exercise is always fun with a “buddy.” Find someone that will help inspire you on your fitness path. Keep a daily record of your activities and try to increase the amount of exercise you perform. Always speak with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Let us help you make an appointment, by calling Healthcare Coordination. 

Related Articles & Resources   
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HEALTHY TIP - Aug. 30, 2010

 

 

Fit exercise into the most hectic days at work. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 5 days per week. In a 24 hour day, 30 minutes really is not that much time, but on some days it seems like the impossible.

When we do not have enough time for a regular workout, there is a tendency to resort to “all-or-none” thinking. How about the next time life gets hectic, instead of using the all-or-none tactic you say to yourself, “something is better than nothing.” Try dividing your time into 2 or 3 segments of 10 – 15 minutes per day.

Here are a few suggestions for exercise when you are having a busy day at work.

• Hold a meeting while you go for a walk.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Park in the furthest spot from your building.
• Keep a pair of dumbbells (canned goods can be substituted) or an exercise band at your desk. Allow yourself a 10 minute break to do a few strength training exercises.
• Start an office walking club.
• Ask your co-workers’ to join you on a before or after work walk.
• Walk down the hall to speak with someone rather than using the telephone or sending an email.
  

UT Medical Center can help you make a plan and stay on track for a healthier lifestyle. Let us help you make an appointment, by calling Healthcare Coordination. 

 

Related Articles & Resources   
Put exercise into your everyday 
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