Refrigerator Raid

Being Clueless About Health Could Kill You

A recent study found that 25% of adults possess inadequate knowledge about health, according to a HealthDay article.  And follow-up research found that people with inadequate health knowledge were more likely to die within the next 5-6 years--particularly from heart disease--than those who had some knowledge about health issues.

In today's information age, there's no excuse for being uninformed about the issues that affect your health!  There's a wealth of information available to everyone on the Internet, in your local library and even at your doctor's office.  Here are some resources to check:

•    WebMD.com:  Lots of consumer articles about health
•    MayoClinic.com:  Includes recent research and studies from the Mayo Clinic
•    Health.NIH.gov:  Website of the National Institutes of Health
•    FamilyDoctor.org:  Health info from the American Academy of Family Physicians
•    RefrigeratorRaid.com:  Health research reported with commentary

If you don't know the difference between HDL and LDL cholesterol or if you don't know the appropriate BMI for your height, start reading those websites today.  It's up to you to take control of your health!

Obesity Is Contagious!

A new study suggests that obesity is contagious and can spread from person-to-person, according to a recent Reuters Health article.  The researchers found that a person's social circle--friends and family--can affect that individual's likelihood of becoming obese.

One of the reasons this occurs may simply be that we adopt the eating habits of our social network.  If our family eats junk food, sugary snacks and lots of high calorie snacks, we're likely to do the same.  If our friends prefer to watch TV after a meal instead of going for a walk, we're probably going to join them on the sofa.

I recently went on a short trip with some friends.  During the entire time they focused most of their energy on food.  What restaurant should we try?  What's for lunch?  Let's have a midnight snack!  It's no surprise that all of our waistlines were expanding by the end of the weekend.

Have you ever spent a lot of time with someone whose eating habits were very different from yours?

The Weekly Tip

Small changes can make a big difference in your waistline!  The Weekly Tip is featured every Sunday at RefrigeratorRaid.com.  Try each tip for just one week.  If it becomes a regular habit in your life, it'll help you lose weight, eat healthy and get fit!

Serve fruit for dessert!  Right now is the absolute best season for fresh fruit!  Try serving it for dessert instead of cake or cookies.  Even switching to fruit pies and cobblers means you'll get a boost of vitamins.

Health Tidbits

•    Get stronger when you get more flexible.  Link 

•    Love sushi?  Watch out for mercury.  Link 

•    Weight loss competitions at work.  Link 

•    The key to longevity:  Be born a Japanese woman.  Link 

•    Biggest Loser weight loss advice.  Link 

•    "Volumetrics" is still making news.  Link 

A NEW RefrigeratorRaid.com

We’re bringing you a new RefrigeratorRaid.com!  Our changes include:

•    Different content:  We're expanding our content.  Our main focus will still be diet, fitness and weight loss, but our range of topics will expand to include diseases, pregnancy and other health concerns.
•    New commentary:  You'll continue to find plenty of advice and guidance on our blog, but you'll also see personal opinions and editorial commentary.
•    Community contributions:  We'll be encouraging YOU to start posting your thoughts and opinions, too!
•    Irregular posts:  Instead of updating daily, we'll be posting updates when they're most timely and relevant.  Depending on the news, this may mean multiple postings in one day or a few days between postings.
•    Regular features:  We'll continue The Weekly Tip (on Sundays), but we're moving Health Tidbits to Saturdays. 

As always, your opinions are welcome!  Please feel free to share your thoughts about the new RefrigeratorRaid.com content by emailing or leaving a comment.

Conquer Cravings By Indulging In Treats

I'll never eat chocolate again.

I'm giving up potato chips.

I don't eat bread.

Do any of those sound familiar?  Many of us adopt super-restrictive diets in hopes of losing weight.  But, as noted in a recent MSNBC.com article, restricting our favorite foods just makes us feel deprived.  And these feelings of deprivation just lead to binges that sabotage our diet!

So instead of cutting out all chocolate or cookies or chips, try indulging just a bit.  A small portion of the food you're craving will help you fight the urge to binge and make it easier to stay on track.

Surprisingly, many small treats are about 200 calories, like…

•    10 animal crackers:  112 calories *
•    6 Hershey kisses:  153 calories
•    10 potato chips:  155 calories
•    1 slice French toast:  149
•    2 small chocolate chip cookies:  138 calories
•    8 small pretzel twists:  183 calories
•    ½ cup mashed potatoes:  116 calories
•    1 serving macaroni & cheese:  200 calories
•    20 peanuts:  117 calories
•    ½ cup chocolate ice cream:  143 calories
•    3 cups microwave popcorn:  192 calories
•    1 6" pancake:  175 calories
•    10 "steak" French fries:  202 calories
•    ½ wedge apple pie:  205 calories
•    1 slice "thin" crust cheese pizza:  209 calories



* Calorie counts are approximate

Simple Tricks For "Healthy" Comfort Food

Do you often turn to food when you're angry, happy, depressed, excited or bored?  You're not alone!  In fact, a recent MSNBC.com article revealed that many of us eat our favorite comfort foods during emotional times.

Unfortunately, most comfort foods tend to be high in calories, sodium or fat.  Common examples include sugary treats like cookies and ice cream, or crunchy snacks like potato chips and peanuts.  Even "semi-healthy" comfort foods like pasta, casseroles and soup can be loaded with calories.

However, there are some simple tricks that can turn comfort foods into low-calorie treats.  Just modify the recipes!  So what's your personal favorite?

Macaroni & Cheese:  Use whole grain macaroni for fill-you-up fiber.  Replace part of the cheese with a little extra skim milk, and add a handful of peas for additional nutrients.

Creamy soups:  Try a soup that's creamy because it's naturally thick and/or pureed, such as a split pea soup or red lentil soup.  You get the same creamy texture without the added fat.

Chips:  Opt for baked tortilla chips and salsa instead of fried potato chips and onion dip.  Or try soy crisps or mini rice cakes for a lot of crunch without a lot of calories.

Ice cream:  Switch to a fruit sorbet, which is packed with the same vitamins you find in fresh fruit!  It has fewer calories and less fat, so it's a diet-friendly cool treat.

Cake: Instead of a piece of cake, consider a small slice of zucchini bread or a banana nut muffin.  Both have a moist texture similar to cake, but they have less sugar and more nutrients!

Pizza:  Skip the pepperoni and load it up with healthy veggies like broccoli, green peppers, mushrooms and slices of tomato.  For additional fiber, make your pizza with a whole wheat crust.

Candy bar:  Try a healthy snack bar, like a Cliff Bar or Luna Bar.  Both provide lots of vitamins and minerals, and they have less sugar and fewer calories than a standard candy bar.

Prevent Future Weight Gain By Adopting Healthy Habits Now

Imagine yourself 20 pounds heavier.  According to a recent MSNBC.com article, experts say the average adult will gain twenty pounds during the next ten years.

If you'd like to avoid adding those extra pounds to your waistline, start with the basics: diet and exercise.

Here's a round-up of archived RefrigeratorRaid.com articles that can help get you started:

•    New to exercise?  Try this Beginner's Guide to Exercise. 

•    Smaller meals can help control hunger and keep your metabolism revved.  Create your own mini-meal plan to lose weight. 

•    Control your portions with single-serve dishes and you'll automatically control your calories.   

•    Dining out?  You can cut calories in restaurant meals. 

•    Healthy foods don't have to be expensive.  It's possible to eat healthy on a budget. 

•    Look for ways to get more physical activity in your daily life, since every step counts as exercise. 

•    Avoid injury when you exercise with workout guides and demos. 

•    Workouts don't have to be boring.  Stay fit with fun workouts. 

•    Short on time?  You can get fit in just 30 minutes. 

•    When you get the urge to nosh, choose snacks that are tasty and healthy. 

•    After you've dropped a few pounds, you don't have to regain it.  You can keep off the weight! 

A New "Tax" For Fatty And Sugary Foods

You probably know that obesity affects our economic system.  Airlines have considered charging an extra fee to obese passengers who need two seats.  An obese passenger can actually reduce the fuel efficiency of a car.  Many hospitals are forced to spend money on special beds and chairs to accommodate the weight of obese patients.  And the health problems linked with obesity--like heart disease and diabetes--are creating a strain on our health system.

Well, a recent Reuters News article reported on research that suggests a "fat tax" could reduce the amount of junk food we consume.  This additional tax on fatty, sugary and salty foods might make consumers think twice about the purchase, which could then translate into fewer sales, fewer calories and better health.

If you think a "fat tax" might help curb your own appetite, which not tax yourself now?  Here's how to do it:

1.  Set a simple tax amount, such as $1 for every item of junk food.

2.  Decide which foods you want to tax.  Make a list of them and carry it in your wallet.

3.  Carry a notebook or sheet of paper with you at all times.  Any time you buy a "taxed" food, make a note of it.

4.  Tally up the number of times you purchased junk food at the end of every week. 

5.  Pay your "tax" to a jar or piggy bank.

Since the purpose of this tax is to deter junk food purchases, you can't use the money for anything pleasurable.  Instead, every month or so, donate it to charity or give it away to a friend.

Get The Freshest Food Possible

Chickens may not sound like the ideal animal companion, but more and more folks are adopting these birds as household pets!  According to a recent MSNBC.com article, one reason suburban families keep chickens is to ensure that the eggs are organic and natural.

Not everyone wants to keep a chicken for a pet, however.  Fortunately, there are some other ways you can get healthy, natural foods:

Join a CSA:  Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a great way to ensure the foods you receive are organic and locally grown.  An annual fee gets you a "share" in the farm's produce.  Every week or so, you pick up your share of the bounty.  It typically costs $400-$700 or so for a season's worth of fruits and veggies, which is usually enough for a family of three or four.  You pay the fee at the beginning of the season, so you're essentially an investor in the farm.  If the weather is good and the farm produces a plentiful harvest, your share will be loaded with lots of fresh foods.  On the other hand, if the year's production of crops is scanty because of weather or pestilence, your share will likewise be sparse.

Find a Co-Op:  Food cooperatives are groceries or markets owned by the workers or customers.  You can become "part owner" by either paying a fee or donating some hours of your time to the business.  You might, for example, work three hours a week stocking the shelves in exchange for a co-op membership.  "Owners" then get a discount on the co-op's goods, which usually include local produce, organic foods and other healthy living items.  The co-ops are usually committed to eco-friendly living and sustainable agriculture.  Many co-ops are also open to the regular public if you prefer not to become a member.

Farmers Markets:  Relatively easy to find in rural areas, farmers markets generally include a wide variety of sellers and vendors in one location.  Most of the farms are likely to be local, since the individual farmer must transport his/her wares to the market.  Moreover, the farm owner is also likely to be the person selling the goods at the market, so you can ask questions about the use of chemicals, pesticides or hormones.  Some communities may also have roadside farm stands, too.

To find a CSA, co-op or farmers market near you, visit www.localharvest.org.