Health Tips, circle of health, Free Women's Health Newsletter from Adora Calcium

January 2008 - Vol 3 Issue 1

Eight Tips for a Great 2008
No resolutions needed!
by Michelle Gibeault Traub, R.D.

Healthy resolutions are great, but they can lead to lots of stress. Instead of embarking on an unreasonable goal that you will forget by February, just start following these eight easy tips for a healthier, more productive 2008 that will really leave you feeling great.

Satisfy with Soup & Salad – If weight management is on your mind - with all the commercials on dieting right now it is hard to think about anything else - one of the best ways to keep calories under control is by filling up on low calorie foods. Two superstars in this category are broth-based soups and leafy green salads. Take a can of soup to work along with a piece of fruit and you have a healthy lunch for less than 300 calories. Progresso’s Lentil Soup is particularly filling because it is loaded with 10 grams of fiber per can. Want another quick meal-on-the-go? Buy a bagged salad mix (3-4 cups of greens), and add 2-3 oz of lean protein (chickpeas, sliced ham, turkey, tuna, or low fat cheese) along with 2 Tbsp of a low calorie dressing and you have a meal with less than 250 calories. And that’s a lot of salad! I have brought this to work and had colleagues say, “are you going to share that with the whole office?” Round out your salad with a slice of whole grain toast or a piece of fruit. And, add an Adora Calcium for a sweet dessert at just 30 calories more. Check out About.com’s Nutrition page for more Healthy Soup and Salad ideas.

Make More “Me” Time – Ever fall into bed at the end of the day only to realize that you didn’t get anything done that YOU wanted to do? It is a common occurrence with women who tend to run their households. Between working, running errands, going to school, tending to the kids, there are just not enough hours in the day. Reclaim your time! Sit down with your schedule and carve out some time just for you. Even little things like reading your e-mails, painting your toes, or flipping through a magazine will give you some time to reconnect with the most important person in your life – YOU! This may seem selfish, or maybe even impossible. But, it is absolutely essential in helping you maintain the balance that will keep you healthy and sane.

Dance Your Way Through Dishes – “I hate vacuuming [insert your chore here]!!” Whatever it is that you really dread doing, do your best to make it easier and more enjoyable. How? By combining it with something else that you do enjoy. I love upbeat, dance tunes. I can’t help but be cheerful when a favorite song is playing. So, I recently started vacuuming with my MP3 player on. What an improvement! The whole task went much more quickly and I felt totally energized afterwards. Investing in the right tools of the trade helps too. One of the reasons I hated vacuuming was because my old vacuum was just too heavy. I finally did some research and found a vacuum with a little less heft (Bissell’s Momentum) making the chore more bearable.

Make Your Kitchen Convenient - Using the right tools is a helpful tip throughout the house, but with the amount of time we spend prepping meals, the kitchen is a priority. Stock your kitchen with a handful of time-savers and meal preparation will be so easy that there will be no excuse for take-out! My top kitchen favorites:

Kitchen Shears – There is no need for a cutting board with this handy gadget. I love it for cutting up chicken breasts before dropping them right into the frying pan. They are also great at cutting up veggies like peppers, green onions, celery, or fresh herbs.

Single Serve Blender – Who wants to scrub a big bulky blender after making a smoothie? With the small mini-blender/chopper combos that you see advertised on infomercials, you can blend or chop in small batches and then just have a small cup to rinse. I use mine to blend nonfat yogurt with frozen fruit for a homemade frozen yogurt.

Salad Shooter/Shredder – I hate to grate! I always cut my fingers and the clean up is such a pain (literally and figuratively). But, with a Salad Shooter/Shredder, you can again skip the cutting board and just shred right into your serving bowl. I love to use mine for grating baby carrots which I add to virtually everything for a boost of nutrition (lasagna, tacos, salads). It also quickly grates a block of cheese, and shredding your own block not only saves money, but it also helps you to get more cheese flavor in a smaller portion.

Clear Out Clutter – Looking at piles of stuff can be mentally draining. It is a visual reminder of your mile-long “to do” list. But, as they say, out of sight out of mind. Of course you shouldn’t simply forget about the unpaid bills or dirty clothes. Instead, set up an organization system that will help you keep the clutter under control. Baskets, wicker hampers, and storage bins work wonders! They allow you to have a place for everything which helps you tidy up your home, while enabling you to tackle projects in small chunks - one bin at a time. Now is a great time to stock up on these items since department stores often slash prices on storage bins after Christmas. Get a bin or basket for every member of the family, and consider using your new storage system to manage shoes, winter wear (hats, gloves, scarves), art projects, craft supplies, and recyclables.

Get Back to Basics – Are you always adding more products to your shopping list? My kitchen and bathroom cabinets are overflowing with the latest cleaners, beauty products, and air fresheners. Most of them work well enough, but they take up so much space and they were quite a drain on my pocketbook. In addition, they are loaded with chemicals that make me a bit uneasy. Truth is, there are several household products that I have found to be effective, inexpensive, and non-toxic:

Baking soda – We’ve talked about this little marvel before in Whiter Teeth in One Week?Baking soda is effective as an abrasive cleanser. When scrubbed on shower walls or greasy pots, it does an amazing job of dissolving the gunk. Mix it with my next fav, vinegar, and it can help to clear clogged drains.

Vinegar – The acid in vinegar combines with the base in baking soda and voila, a bubbly reaction that helps clear drains, and cut grease (it was also the key to those volcano experiments in elementary school). Vinegar is a fabulous all-purpose cleaner. Add vinegar to a spray bottle diluted with water and you have a cleaner that is safe for pets and children and can be used on cooking surfaces and floors. Vinegar also works to dissipate odors. Of course it doesn’t smell so great on its own, but as it evaporates it takes odors with it.

Prep Your Pantry – Review Tip #3 and insert, “I hate grocery shopping.” It is another chore that I loath. That is why stocking my kitchen cabinets, freezer, and fridge is such a big priority. It helps me save time by always having healthy staples on hand including:

Canned soups, beans, and fruits

Frozen vegetables and fruits

Whole grains – oatmeal, oat bran, whole wheat cous cous, whole wheat pasta, instant brown rice, whole grain crackers

Frozen veggie burgers

Spices and low fat sauces – cinnamon, garlic, low sodium soy sauce, cayenne pepper, turmeric (SEE also Spice Things Up)

Precut, Washed Vegetables & Fruits – buying veggies and fruits that are already washed, chopped and ready to use is a real luxury. But, they can be very expensive. To save money and time, buy these items fresh and do all of the prep work at one time. Store chopped carrots, celery, peppers, and onions in a ziploc bag in the fridge so they are ready to be added to soups, casseroles, or rice for a week's worth of healthy dishes.

Try Something New – It is all too easy to get in a rut. This was definitely the case for Adora Calcium’s Director of Marketing, Elise. Her old routine of working out on an elliptical machine had become boring and didn’t seem to challenge her muscles the way it used to. So she decided to try the new “Dancing With the Stars” workout video. She felt the impact immediately and reports, “I can tell that I am working different muscles, yet it is so fun that I don’t even realize I am exercising.” As an added bonus, Elise and her 8-year-old daughter do the exercises together. Which according to Elise, “really helps to keep me motivated, because I know what a great example I am setting for her and I love having that time together.” If you are ready to try something new, check out your local library, community center, or adult education program. You can often find exercise videos at the library that you can try before you buy, and community centers typically offer inexpensive exercise, arts & crafts, and educational programs. Go ahead and spend that much-needed “Me” time, or as in Elise’s case, partner with a friend or family member for some uplifting “We” time.