health & fitness 2011

10 LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011HEALTH & FITNESS

LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011 3 HEALTH & FITNESS

Make keeping resolutions a must

(ARA) - A fresh cycle startsevery year on Jan. 1. Wepromise ourselves we'll starteating better, work out, savemore money or otherwiseimprove upon the way welive our lives. However, sta-tistics show that by mid-January, most people don'tfollow through on their reso-lutions and give up. Thishappens so often but it's notalways easy to understandwhy.

Peak performance coachand human behavior expertTony Robbins said whensomeone isn't achievingtheir goal, it's often becausethey haven't made it a"must."

"People give up on achiev-ing their goals because theyare 'shoulds' and not 'musts,'"said Robbins. "But whensomething becomes an abso-lute must for you, when youcut off any other possibilityin your mind, then you willdo whatever it takes toachieve your goal."

Too often, people set unre-alistic ways to reach theirgoals, feel disappointedwhen they have a setbackand give up too soon. If youneed to lose 50 pounds buthaven't exercised in threeyears, going out for a 10-milerun isn't a good way to getstarted - you'll only be dis-couraged. Instead, start withgoals that are achievable.You'll enjoy consistent suc-cesses that add up to createthe momentum needed to getyou to your goal.

When faced with a setback,look at it as just a step alongthe way to your goal. Whensomething doesn't work, tryanother approach and al-

ways keep your end goalfresh in mind.

Getting started is thebiggest step you'll take. Hav-ing some guidelines can helpyou begin working towardyour goals. Tony Robbinsoffers these tips from hispopular personal develop-ment program, UltimateEdge.

• Raise your standards.

To find real personal fulfill-ment, you must continue togrow by challenging yourselfand raising the standards bywhich you live your life.

"Most people fail in lifebecause they major in minorthings," said Robbins.

Start by painting a mentalpicture: Who do you want tobecome as a person? Then,ask yourself what standards

you would need to set to bethat person – what would youhave to believe or do; howwould you have to dress, talkor walk?

• Drop the story and tellyourself the truth. Honestassessments can be hard tomake, but it's an essentialstep to lasting change. Writedown in detail what your lifeis like right now in the area

you want to change. Be spe-cific. For example: "I can't fitinto any of my clothes andkeep buying bigger sizes pre-tending I am not gettingheavier."

• Develop a vision thatexcites you and the habitsyou need to make it real.

"Knowing what you want isimportant, but you need toknow why you want it and tohave a clear vision – that iswhat will keep pulling youtoward your goal," saidRobbins.

Instead of setting a goal tolose 10 pounds, make it morecompelling by concentratingon the effects of losingweight, like transformingyour body or feeling youngerand stronger. Write it downusing language that excitesyou and the habits you willneed to achieve your goal –again, be honest, specific andrealistic.

• Find role models. Whe-ther it's friends, acquain-tances or someone in thepublic eye, find role modelswho inspire you and areachieving the results youwant. Often, by watching andfollowing what they do, you'llget the same results. Thiscan be an intimidating step,but it can make a real differ-ence – reach out to those peo-ple, and tell them what youadmire.

Ask them about the stepsthey took to achieve success– this can provide you with aclearer idea of how to reachyour goal.

Waiting for the calendar toturn to begin on your goalsshouldn't be part of yourplan; get a head start nowwith the help of these tips.

A few simple steps can make sticking to goals attainable


Making the switch to low-fat snacks(ARA) - Navigating the gro-

cery store aisle to find alower-fat or lower-caloriesalty or sweet snack alterna-tive that tastes just as goodas its regular counterpartcan be a daunting challenge.

According to a recent sur-vey conducted by Cape CodPotato Chips, only 33 percentof respondents said the lowfat version is always or oftenas good as or better than theoriginal. Luckily, there are avariety of snacks availablethat offer a lower fat/lowercalorie indulgence withoutsacrificing the taste of theoriginal.

Here are some things toconsider that can affect thetaste and nutritional value

when searching for tastylow-fat indulgences as wellas tips on how to make theswitch to low fat:

• Taste matters. If a low fatversion of your favoritesnack doesn't taste as good asthe original, how likely areyou to continue eating it?Not very, according to thesame survey by Cape CodPotato Chips.

While 62 percent of respon-dents said they would try alower fat version of theirfavorite snack, 90 percentsaid they would switch to thelower fat version if it tastedthe same as the regular.After all, if it doesn't tastegood, it will be that muchharder to sustain sensible

snacking habits.• Figure out why the snack

has reduced fat by carefullyreading the packaging, in-gredients or product websiteto learn why the snack isconsidered more sensible.For example, the use of fat orsugar substitutes often altersthe taste. Search for snacksthat achieve lower fat or calo-rie contents without usingsubstitutes.

• Take portion size intoaccount. Some snacks maybe able to promise low calo-rie counts because the serv-ing size is not very large.Consider whether suchsnacks will actually be ableto satisfy hunger cravings orsend you reaching for a sec-

ond bag.• Use the resources avail-

able to discover the good andbad.

A wide variety of maga-zines like Fitness have an-nual awards for the healthi-est snacks, and websites andblogs like Hungry Girl(www.hungry-girl.com) fol-low developments in theworld of healthy snacking.Nutrition facts for mostfoods can also be foundonline with a simple searchor at www.nutrition.gov.

• Don't go about it alone. It'sno secret that friends influ-ence healthy habits. Onceyou find more sensiblesnacks, incorporate theminto your get-togethers, like

wine or movie nights. Haveyour friends try the snacksyou have found and rankthem so you know whichones to continue buying andwhich ones do not have asmuch appeal.

• Try a lower-fat or lower-calorie switch. The next timeyou have friends over towatch sports, celebrate a hol-iday or just to hang out, tryputting out those great-tast-ing lower-fat and/or lower-calorie dishes and see if any-one can tell the difference.

With all of these helpfultips, making the switch tolow-fat and low-caloriesnacks that taste like theoriginal should be easierthan ever.

Considering different factors may ease the switch to healthier alternatives

(ARA) - School lunches will bechanging, thanks to the U.S. De-partment of Agriculture's completeoverhaul of federally subsidizedschool lunch programs. But will allthe changes be for the better?Possibly not, according to someexperts and studies.

The changes, implemented over aperiod of years, aim to limit calories,reduce sodium and increase the con-sumption of vegetables and wholegrains.

"Improved nutrition is a laudablegoal, but the realities of science andnutrition may surprise the govern-ment," said Morton Satin of the SaltInstitute in Alexandria, Va. "Sci-entific studies show that kids aremore likely to eat their vegetables ifthey have adequate salt.

"The promotion of healthy foodchoices in schools should be drivenby knowledge and understanding ofscience and nutrition," Satin said.

Dark green vegetables are amongthe most nutritious foods. However,they all contain very bitter phyto-chemicals that affect their palatabili-ty. Broccoli is a perfect example.Adding salt to these vegetablesmakes them taste much better.

"There is a natural concern bysome as to whether the current saltreduction ideology may end up hav-ing a negative impact on nutritiousfood choices and overall health,"Satin added.

A recent research paper from theUniversity of Pennsylvania exam-

ined the response of tasters to vary-ing amounts of salt in a range offoods that were naturally bitter,including vegetables and other foodsdeemed to be healthy. Reducing thesalt intake made these foods lessappealing and as a result adverselyaffected the tasters' nutrient intake.

In another double-blind taste panelstudy conducted at Ohio StateUniversity, cooked broccoli was fedto individuals from three differentage groups: children, adults and sen-ior citizens. The broccoli florets wereprepared with different levels of salt,and the results made it clear that,even though participants were un-aware as to which sample was which,salt significantly increased broccoli'spalatability. Both children and sen-iors liked broccoli better with moresalt on it – up to 350 mg per 85 g serv-ing of broccoli, the highest level ofsalt used for these two groups. Forboth children and adults, the broc-coli's bitterness decreased as thelevel of salt increased.

"Based upon these results, it is like-ly that policies promoting popula-tion-wide restriction of salt in foodsmay result in significant segments ofthe population responding by avoid-ing the more bitter but far morenutritious food choices or simplyreaching for the salt shaker to makebitter better," Satin said.

In the United Kingdom similaractions backfired. Their governmentoutlawed the use of salt in schools in2005. Writing in the UK Telegraph,

journalist Paul Eastham complainedthat, since the school ban on salt-shakers, his 14-year-old daughterstopped eating vegetables becausethey were so bland.

"All the goodness they promise todeliver remains untouched on theplate – a complete waste of nutrients,health potential and money – allbecause they remain unpalatable,"Eastham wrote. "My daughter mightnot touch the 'bland' vegetables atschool, but at home – where she isallowed to use salt – she clears herplate."

The World Health Organizationpoints to iodized salt as key to elimi-nating iodine deficiency disorders,one of the most common – and pre-ventable – world-wide causes ofbrain damage. The WHO calls io-dized salt a "spectacularly simple,universally effective, wildly attrac-

tive and incredibly cheap 'weapon'against childhood mental retarda-tion."

"Salt is a necessary nutrient," Satinnoted. "Without adequate intake,serious consequences arise. If theUnited States continues down a pathof forced sodium reduction, with norecognition of the science indicatingmany negative effects of such reduc-tion, American children may havemore serious worries than blandfood and a diet lacking in vegeta-bles.”

While proponents of the schoollunch sodium reduction campaignmay have the best of intentions forchildren, some science and healthexperts are skeptical.

"I predict a lot of salad and vegeta-bles will go in the trash can at localschools," said Lisa Katic, a registereddietician.


School lunch changes may not be for better


Keep fresh air flowing during dry winter months(ARA) – Winter is the sea-

son for being cozy whilespending long days andnights inside the comfort ofour tightly closed homes. It'salso an infamous time forfeeling dry and under-the-weather.

With people spending moretime indoors, air circulationis compromised, and the lev-el of contaminants increas-es. Fleeting freshness andmoisture take a toll on ourskin, throats, noses and over-all health and can be espe-cially harmful to those suf-fering from allergies andasthma.

Up to 72 trillion microscop-ic irritants, or allergens, findtheir way into your homeevery day. They include dust,pollen, pet hair and dander,dust mites, mildew, lint, fun-gus, most tobacco smoke,cooking grease and bacteria.

Many of these particles areundetectable by your noseand throat, and can get deepinto your lungs. This year, beproactive in creating a saferindoor environment for yourfamily and guests by follow-ing these few quick fixes.

Filter your way to freshcomfort.

A whole-home air filtrationsystem can remove up to99.98 percent of unwantedparticles and allergens froma home's filtered air, a bene-fit that no standard 1-inchthrowaway filter or ionic-type room appliance canmatch. These systems aredesigned to work as part ofyour heating and cooling sys-tem, meaning they're de-signed to clean the filteredair in every room of yourhome. Air filtration systemswork behind the scenes to

keep you breathing easierand feeling healthier year-round.

Routine maintenance toyour heating, ventilation andair conditioning system isequally if not more criticalto keeping the indoor airquality of your home safeand systems operating atpeak efficiency. Changing orcleaning your filters regular-ly will minimize the intro-duction of dust and othercontaminants into yourhome. Check your owner'smanual or contact an HVACprofessional to determinethe appropriate filter sched-ule for your system. In addi-tion, an HVAC professionalcan perform a routine main-tenance checkup to ensureall components of your sys-tem are operating properlyand advise you on ways toimprove the safety and com-

fort of your home.

Why so dry?The chill of outside air has

a relatively low dew point.When we bring that outsideair inside and heat it, evenmore moisture is suckedfrom the air, making yourbody uncomfortably dry. Theaddition of a humidifier willrestore and balance themoisture in your home's air,ensuring there's not toomuch moisture that can har-bor bacteria and germs, notto mention damage to wood-work on window frames anddoors.

Extra tips for a happier,healthier, warmer winter:

• Reverse the switch onyour ceiling fans so theyblow upward, toward theceiling. By doing so, you willreduce cooling drafts and

force naturally rising heatback down into the room.

• On pleasant or mild win-ter days, hang bed sheets outon a clothesline to dry, for acrisp and fresh winter-won-derland smell that will haveyou falling fast to sleep atnight. Or even open yourwindows for 15 minutes tobreak stale or musty air.

• Keep an odor-eliminatingair freshener around thehouse to quickly spray onupholstery, clothes, blinds orcarpet before guests arrive.

• Turn the heat down inyour shower. Hot water mayfeel amazing on a cold wintermorning, but it contributesto the dryness of your skin.

Now that you're ready tobeat the bummer of coldweather, your family canenjoy spending time togeth-er, And before you know it,warm weather will be here.


No membership required: Gym-free fitness(ARA) - Fitness should be fun and

affordable. It should not be boring,time-consuming or costly. Make yourexercise routine a bit more excitingthis year with some fitness activitiesyou can do without a gym member-ship.

• Sports hoop your way to slim-mer shape.

The thought of hula hoops proba-bly conjures memories from yourchildhood, but the fact is hula hoop-ing is a great fitness activity. SportsHoops are large, weighted fitnesshoops that adults use to tone and loseweight. These affordable hoops areeasy and fun to use, and can help youlose weight.

If you're a certified personal train-er looking for something new andexciting for your clients, considerattending a certified trainer pro-gram where you'll learn the knowl-edge and tools to facilitate your ownfitness hoop class and instruct per-sonal training sessions.

• Try a new activity you've neverdone before.

There's no better way to get yourblood pumping and your body mov-ing than trying something you'venever done before. Always wonderedwhat it's like to rock climb? Sign upfor a class, or see if your local sportsstore has a free rock climbing wall.How about trying ice skating, surf-ing or even acrobatics? If a newactivity is a little intimidating, youmay not want to do it alone. Ask afriend to do it with you, and you'resure to get a great workout and awonderful memory.

• Join a walking or runninggroup.

Walking and running are greatphysical activities that burn caloriesand tone the body. Discover the parksand neighborhoods around you byplanning regular walks. Considerfinding a walk/run buddy to keepyou motivated. Or, look online to findwalking and running groups that

plan regular outings and offer a sup-portive, team environment.

• Join a sport.Remember how much fun it was to

play sports growing up? Adult teams

can be just as fun, providing greatexercise and camaraderie. Does yourwork or church group have a softballteam? Maybe your friends like tobowl and you could form a bowlingteam. From broom ball, tennis, golfand more, team sports keep the spir-it of healthy, friendly competitionalive.

• Visit your library and requestworkout DVDs.

The library is a great communityresource and it can also help keepyou in shape. Because checking outbooks and DVDs is absolutely free,the library is the perfect place toresearch new types of exercise tospice up your normal routine. Trysearching for Pilates, yoga and aero-bic DVDs. You likely can requestthem to be sent to your preferredpickup location, too. Some books andDVDs are geared toward specific agegroups, so teens, adults and even sen-iors can find appropriate workoutinspiration.


Keep skin healthyall winter long

(ARA) - No matter where you livein the country, winter's grip cantake its toll on your health, includ-ing your mood, waistline and evenyour skin.

"It's important to consider the sea-sons in your skin care routine andmake adjustments for the best possi-ble results," said Dr. GervaiseGerstner, a board-certified derma-tologist and assistant clinical pro-fessor of dermatology at MountSinai.

"Your skin is the largest organ inyour body, and the first line of pro-tection for all the other organs.Sunlight, changes in weather andseasonal stress can affect our skin'shealth. They're also factors thatmake us overlook proper care, so it'scritical you have the right routine inplace."

Gerstner offers her top tips forkeeping skin beautiful and healthythis winter, and all year long:

• Keep your hands off. Yourhands can pick up a lot of germsand bacteria during the day that cancause breakouts or even infections,so keep them far away from yourface. Also, since winter is often asso-ciated with irritating flareups ofpimples, rashes and cold sores, it'simportant to avoid the urge to pick.Picking can cause inflammation,and with broken or raw skin, fur-ther put you at risk for infection andeven cause scarring.

• Slather on sunscreen."Even on days it rains or snows,

it's important to wear sunscreen,"Gerstner advised.

Your skin is constantly exposed topotentially harmful UVA and UVBrays. Even just walking from youroffice to the coffee shop on thegrayest of days exposes you to possi-ble solar damage, such as wrinklesand even skin cancer.

• Treat ailments quickly. Com-mon conditions like cold sores canbe embarrassing and painful, so

treat them right away to find relief.Remedies found at your local drug-store can be effective.

• Don't forget your nails andhair. They're part of your skin, too,and often show the most obvioussigns of winter's impact like rawskin and split ends. It's important toproperly moisturize, such as using aleave-in or deep conditioner or heav-ier creams on your face and hands.Gerstner also said hair loss and brit-tle nails are two of the most com-mon complaints she hears from herfemale patients. Taking a dailybiotin supplement of 5,000 mcg canhelp. Limit use of a flat iron to onceor twice a week, and avoid excessivehair coloring treatments.

• Brighten your smile, and useit often. Winter's weather woes andseasonal stress can make it easy toforget to smile, but nothing makesyour face look better than a big grin.Keep your teeth well polished –whitening strips can help – andflash your smile frequently. It canbrighten your mood and the moodsof others around you.

• Quit smoking and moderate alco-hol use. By now, virtually everyoneknows smoking is deadly. But if thehealth threats of smoking don't con-vince you to quit, perhaps an appealto your vanity will help. Smokerssuffer more wrinkles, poorer skintexture and slower wound healingthan people who don't smoke.Alcohol also can dehydrate yourbody – which often shows the nextday in parched skin and eyes. It alsoexacerbates adult acne, called ro-sacea. When drinking alcohol, alter-nate with a glass of seltzer.

• Forego designer brands. Ex-pensive creams leave your walletlighter and don't necessarily makeyour skin look any better than lesscostly products do. Simple drugstore products can work just as well,especially if supplemented with aretinol or glycolic recommendationfrom your dermatologist.


Take a snapshotof overall health

(ARA) - How healthy am I? It's aquestion we've all asked ourselves.Learning the answer is easier thanyou may think.

You can quickly gauge your healthstatus through screenings for height,weight, blood pressure, cholesteroland blood glucose. These tests mayprove you are on the path to goodhealth, or they may reveal a moreserious health condition, like meta-bolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a group ofrisk factors that occur together,increasing your risk for developingheart disease, stroke and diabetes.The more of these risk factors youhave, the greater your risk.

According to medical guidelines,you have metabolic syndrome if youhave three or more of these risk fac-tors:

• Elevated blood pressure, definedas greater than 130 over 85

• High triglyceride level, which isthe level of fat found in your blood. Anumber greater than 150 is too high.

• Raised blood sugar, or glucose lev-els, of more than 110.

• Low HDL cholesterol, or "good"cholesterol. Men's levels should beabove 40, and women's should beabove 50.

• A waist measurement of morethan 35 inches for women and 40inches for men

"Blood pressure, glucose or choles-terol levels that are not within thehealthy range may indicate the pres-ence of conditions such as hyperten-sion or prediabetes," said LonnyReisman, chief medical officer atAetna. "These conditions can bemanaged with a combination of diet,exercise or medication."

Healthy lifestyle changes canreduce or reverse the effects of meta-bolic syndrome. And the earlier youmake changes, the easier it will be toreverse the impact of a serious con-dition such as cardiovascular dis-ease or diabetes.

If you have one or more of the riskfactors for metabolic syndrome, youshould talk to your doctor. He or shemay recommend taking action,which may include:

• Losing weight. Losing even 10percent of your body weight canreally help.

• Exercising more often. Increasingyour physical activity – striving forat least 30 minutes of activity onmost days of the week – is one of thebest things you can do for yourhealth.

• Adopting healthy eating habits.Your food plan should include lots offruits and vegetables, lean proteinand dairy, and heart-healthy fats likeolive oil, fish and nuts. Avoid lots ofsugar and heavily processed foods.

To read more about metabolic syn-drome or to learn what you can do toreach your best possible health, visitaetna.com.


Plants can provide hidden health benefits(ARA) - There should be a

"take a plant to work" day.And while you're at it, youshould keep one on yourdesk. Or, better yet, have twoor more in your office and forevery room in your home forcleaner, fresher air.

Most people spend 90 per-cent of their lives inside,where the indoor air theybreathe contains at least 10times more pollutants thanthe outdoors, according tothe U.S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency.

Instead of wearing a maskto work or around yourhome, there's a natural solu-tion: indoor houseplants.Plants filter the very air youbreathe round the clock fromcommon pollutants and con-tinuously release oxygen andmoisture in homes and of-fices.

"Plants act as the 'lungs ofthe earth' by giving off oxy-gen and taking in carbondioxide," said former NASAresearch scientist Dr. B.C.

Wolverton, author of "Howto Grow Fresh Air" and co-author with KozaburoTakenaka of "Plants, WhyYou Can't Live Without

Them."After decades of research,

Wolverton asserts that be-sides aesthetics, researchreveals that the mere pres-ence of plants has beenproven to "lessen environ-mental pollution, increaselabor productivity and re-duce the cost of health care."

What's in the air? Modern life depends on

technology, but ordinaryproducts like paints, tobaccosmoke, printer inks and evencarpets hold hidden dangersthat plants can help reduce.

Today, there are over 80,000synthetic chemicals thatemit off-gases. Formalde-hyde is one of the leadingchemical compounds foundin indoor air emissions andis a component in paperproducts, paints, upholstery,

drapes and pressed woodproducts, Wolverton noted.

A recent study publishedin the British Medical Asso-ciation's journal, Thorax,found that "children exposedto higher levels of VOCswere four times more likelyto suffer from asthma thanchildren who were not."

Plant magicPlants improve air quality

through their natural "filter-ing" ability. Wolverton foundthat indoor houseplantsabsorb up to 87 percent ofVOCs like ammonia, formal-dehyde and benzene found inmany homes and offices.

And certain indoor house-plants 'clean' the air every 24hours. How? They absorbtoxins into the leaves and

SEE PLANTS, PAGE 15

(ARA) - Whether you are still work-ing on that New Year's resolution, orjust trying to shape up for swimsuitseason, you probably know that mak-ing healthier lifestyle choices issometimes easier said than done.Sometimes when you aim to makesignificant lifestyle changes, you setlofty goals without necessarilythinking about what it will take toachieve them.

But not to worry, a little consciouseffort and careful planning can focusyour efforts to banish bad habits andachieve your goals. By coming upwith some real solutions that youcan stick to, you'll be well on yourway to achieving the wellness goalsyou set for yourself. Whether it'srestoring balance by unplugging fora little "me" time, spending morequality time with family, eatinghealthier, getting organized or losingthose last 10 pounds, here are a few

quick tips to keep on track.

Restore balance and simplify

• Set aside time for R&R, no matterwhat – Relax a little this weekend byreading a book or taking a bubblebath.

• Front load chores – Run errandsin the morning and spend the rest ofthe day doing something restful orfun.

• Leave work at work – Be more pro-ductive at work by enjoying timeaway from the office.

• Switch it up – Do something newevery day. Try a new recipe or a newroute to work and keep life interest-ing.

Eating right

• Stick to one serving – Eat thefoods you love. Just eat one serving

and stick to it. If you find your por-tion size creeping up, try buyingsnacks already packaged into singleservings.

• D-fense – Vitamin D may ward offcolds, so be sure to eat plenty of vita-min-rich foods like fish, milk, soyproducts and high-fiber cereals, espe-cially in the winter.

• Go nutty – A handful of nuts inthe afternoon can help restore yournatural energy and keep you alertand productive until dinner time.

• Potato power – When eating apotato, don't forget the skin. It's agreat source of fiber, vitamins andeven protein.

Make time to exercise

• Set a meeting with the gym –Treat exercise like any other ap-pointment. Nobody wants to cancelon their boss.

• Walk this way – Resist the urge to

hop into your car for short tripswhenever it's possible. With everystep, the body gets a little more ener-gy and exercise.

• Get cracking up – A minute-longlaugh may have the same mood-boosting benefits as 10 minutes ofexercise.

• Get the kids moving – Don't havetime to exercise? Take the kids for awalk and the whole family will reapthe benefits.

This year, let go of unrealistic reso-lutions and find real solutions formeeting healthy living goals insmall, easy changes for lastingresults. Making the daily routine justa bit more balanced, nutritious andactive will lead to real progresstoward a healthier lifestyle in thelong run. Try getting the family,office or friends involved. It'll makestaying on track that much easierand much more fun.


Real solutions for staying healthy all year long

(ARA) - Any parent who's sat upthrough the night with a sick childknows relieving their symptoms isonly part of your mission. Easing thediscomforts of cold and flu for yourlittle one is a No. 1 priority.

"Watching your child suffer, even ifit's from something as minor as anose that's sore and chapped fromrepeated blowing, is a terrible feel-ing for any parent," said Dr. TanyaRemer Altman, a mother and pedia-trician who is a best-selling authorand spokesperson for the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics. "Relievingthe discomforts related to cold andflu not only helps kids feel better, italso reduces stresses for their par-ents."

"Dr. Tanya," as she's known to herpatients and the millions who'veseen her on TV or who follow herblog, offers some tips to help parentsmake children feel more comfortablewhile fighting a cold or the flu:

• Flu vaccines are recommended

for everyone 6 months and older, butit's not unusual for children to fear ashot. Ask your pediatrician aboutgiving your child the flu vaccine in anasal spray form. It's available forchildren 2 and older and provides thesame protection and safety as the tra-ditional flu shot.

• Your mother probably swore bychicken soup and she was on tosomething. Serving sick childrenchicken soup not only gives them thebenefit of nourishment while theirbodies are fighting a virus, studiesshow chicken soup has anti-in-flammatory properties as well. Plus,it's a popular comfort food that mostkids love.

• Sore, chapped noses add to the dis-comfort of having a cold. Tissueswith added lotion, like Puffs Pluswith Lotion, can help prevent chap-ping from frequent nose blowing andwiping. The strong, lotion-filled tis-sues can help children get more outof their nose blowing, ensuring

they're confident they can blow with-out getting anything "icky" on theirlittle hands. You can also use petrole-um jelly or unscented ointment tosoothe the irritation and discomfort.

• Another way to help relieve astuffy nose is to try a few drops ofnasal saline and gentle suctioning. Acool mist humidifier and a liberalapplication of Vicks on childrenolder than 2 can also help, especiallyat night when lying down can make achild feel stuffy. Remember, however,never to use Vicks on childrenyounger than 2 years old; it may actu-ally increase the mucus in their air-ways.

• Frequent hand-washing is impor-tant to prevent the spread of viruses.Yet washing your hands a lot, espe-cially in cold weather, can leave themdry, sore and cracked. Teach yourchildren to wash their hands while

singing "Wash, wash, wash yourhands, wash them every day. Washthem with water and wash them withsoap to wash the germs away" to thetune of "Row, row, row your boat."Then follow up with a soothinglotion. You can find many fragrance-free varieties specially formulatedfor children.

• When your child's throat is sore,he might be unwilling to eat or drinkmuch. Offer a sugar-free fruit Pop-sicle instead. The coolness can helpease a sore throat, your child will getsome hydration from the frozenjuice, and he'll feel like he's getting aspecial treat.

• Make trips to the doctor's officefun by bringing a book or toy to keepyour child occupied and a snack incase she gets hungry. A specialreward or treat after the visit is alsoa nice tradition.

LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011 13HEALTH & FITNESS

Relieving children’s cold and flu discomfort


(ARA) - The dinner table isa favorite gathering place formany American families.Sharing an evening meal is atradition because it gives allmembers a chance to con-nect, share stories, discussand enjoy a bit of socializingbefore everyone dashes off totheir next event.

Creating menus to keepeveryone interested in mak-ing it home for the eveningmeal can be a challenge,especially if you've beenpreparing dinner for manyyears. And with more andmore people looking forhealthy meals, you may belooking for new options toserve your family.

One versatile ingredientthat you can serve as a sidedish, use to decorate freshgreen salads or provideunique flavor for breads, isthe sweet potato. Grown inthe United States, raw sweetpotatoes are fat and choles-terol free, and contain a widevariety of nutrients includ-ing: vitamins A, B6, C, E andK, folate, fiber and potassi-um.

During the winter monthsyou can use sweet potatoes tonutritionally enhance thecomfort foods your familycraves like the followingsoup recipe:

Sweet PotatoCountry Soup

Ingredients:1/4 cup olive oil4 cups chopped onion1/4 cup minced garlic4 cups fresh sweet potatoes,

washed and cubed2 quarts chicken broth2 bay leaves4 teaspoons paprika2 teaspoons ground tur-

meric2 tablespoons dried basil

leaves1/4 teaspoon ground cinna-

mon1/4 teaspoon ground red

pepper2 cups peeled and chopped

tomatoes1 1/2 cups chopped sweet

green peppers4 cups cooked or canned

garbanzo beans2 1/2 tablespoons light soy

sauce1/4 cup fresh lemon juice3 cups grated Parmesan

cheese; for garnish

Directions:In a large saucepot, heat

oil; saute onion and garlic forfive minutes. Add celery,sweet potatoes, chickenbroth and spices. Bring toboil; cover and simmer 15minutes. Stir in tomatoes,green pepper and garbanzobeans; simmer 15 minuteslonger. Carefully, in smallbatches, use a food processoror blender and process untilsmooth. Stir in soy sauce andlemon juice; heat through.Ladle 1 cup into each individ-ual soup bowl and sprinklewith 1/4 cup Parmesancheese.

And since sweet potatoesare available all year long,consider adding this sausageball recipe as a great meatand veggie addition to din-

ners served both in winterand summer:

Sweet PotatoSausage Balls

Ingredients:3 cups Bisquick1 cup sharp cheddar

cheese, shredded1 pound sausage1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed

sweet potatoes

Directions:Combine all ingredients

well. Roll into balls and placeon greased sheet pan. Bakeat 350 F. for 20 minutes, untilbrown.

The United States SweetPotato Council offers thesesuggestions for servingsweet potatoes throughoutthe year:

• Scrub the skin, trim theends and cut out bruisedspots with a stainless steelknife.

• For baking in the oven ormicrowave, prick the skinseveral times with a fork.Bake at 400 F in the oven for40 to 50 minutes or for four tosix minutes in the micro-wave, turning halfway

through the cooking time.• Saute 1/4- to 1/2-inch

thick slices or 1-inch cubes ofsweet potatoes in 2 table-spoons butter or oil in a largeskillet over medium-highheat. Stir frequently.

• For salads, peel and cutthe sweet potatoes into sticksand serve with your favoritedip or grate and toss in asalad. To prevent them fromturning brown, immediatelyrinse them in cold water, andstore in ice water or a plasticbag with ice until serving.

If you're looking for newmenus to serve for your fam-ily dinners, and want tomake sure they're healthyand nutritious, check outwhat sweet potatoes canbring to your dinners. Visitthe United States SweetPotato Council's site, www.sweetpotatousa.org for moreinformation.

Sweet potatoes are great addition to dinner table

LL ‘Observateur SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011 15HEALTH & FITNESS

root zone where they're turned intonutrients. Some tropical plants actu-ally suppress airborne mold.

Researchers at Washington StateUniversity studied the impact ofindoor houseplants on dust reduc-tion in office spaces. When indoorhouseplants were present, dust par-ticulates were reduced by 20 percentcompared to rooms without plants.

Working day and nightSome of the hardest working

plants are the peace lilies, ferns,palms and spider plants.

Mike Rimland of Costa Farms, thelargest indoor houseplant producerin North America, recommends epi-phytic bromeliads and orchids, par-ticularly in your bedroom. Thesenatural botanical air purifiers makeperfect bedroom buddies to refreshand beautify your room for a trulyhealthy, restful night's sleep.

Rimland's favorites are anthuri-ums.

"They come in an array of colors,with stunning blooms that last up to13 weeks, are easy to grow, freshenthe air and add exotic beauty to yourbedroom," he says.

Bring a plant to workPut a plant on your desk and feel

happier, enjoy better health and bemore productive. Wolverton recom-mends office workers should have atleast one plant in their "personal

breathing space" where most of thework is done to effectively removeindoor pollutants. Wolverton sug-gests two areca palms or lady palmsshould remove sufficient VOCs tosignificantly improve the indoor airquality in a room.

Snake plants, broad sword fernsand rubber plants are among the top10 air purifiers recommended byexperts. They're easy to grow, arenatural humidifiers and remove air-borne chemicals. Other green heroesare chrysanthemums, Gerbera dai-sies and spider plants.

Location, location, location"Which plant you choose, and

where you place your plants isimportant to reap optimum bene-fits," said Rimland.

Consider the light, humidity, andtemperature of your indoor spacesto determine the best choices foryour home. Put a Majesty Palm inyour living room, fern in the familyroom and peace lilies in the kitchen.Add golden pothos or heart leafphilodendron for beauty and maxi-mum air cleansing benefits.

In your fast-paced life, plant-filledrooms help keep you in touch withnature, and as Wolverton asserted,"Just the ability to view living plantsenhances our psychological andphysiological well-being."

He recommends that for homesand offices, you should "place asmany plants as space and lightingwill allow."

FROM PAGE 11

PLANTS: Some better than others

health & fitness 2011

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