1. TOP SNEAKERS  - Find the right athletic shoes for your feet—hassle-free By Jen Ator With so many options on the shelves, selecting the right shoes can feel like a workout itself. To simplify your search, determine your foot type then click on the links to our expert-vetted guide, which is divided by exercise category. What’s Your Foot Type? Number one mistake: Buying kicks based solely on style or what friends are wearing. Picking the right shoe for your foot type and biomechanics should be your top priority. Most specialty running stores can advise you—they have well-trained staff who can assess your arches and evaluate your pronation (the way your foot moves as you walk and jog). Or try this at-home test: Wet your foot, then step on a paper bag. What shape do you see? High Arch: You may underpronate (land on the outside of your feet), which can cause too much shock to travel up your legs. Look for a neutral or cushioned shoe. Normal Arch: You probably have few foot or pronation problems. A neutral shoe is your best bet. Flat Arch: You likely overpronate (your feet turn inward too much). Try neutral or stability shoes. Article submitted by Abingdon Foot & Ankle – Dr. Mazzeie and Dr. Mason Visit http://www.blackwellassociates.info/advertisements/AFAC/index.html  for more information.  Tell them we sent ya!! 

    TOP SNEAKERS  - Find the right athletic shoes for your feet—hassle-free

    By Jen Ator

    With so many options on the shelves, selecting the right shoes can feel like a workout itself. To simplify your search, determine your foot type then click on the links to our expert-vetted guide, which is divided by exercise category.

    What’s Your Foot Type?
    Number one mistake: Buying kicks based solely on style or what friends are wearing. Picking the right shoe for your foot type and biomechanics should be your top priority. Most specialty running stores can advise you—they have well-trained staff who can assess your arches and evaluate your pronation (the way your foot moves as you walk and jog). Or try this at-home test: Wet your foot, then step on a paper bag. What shape do you see?

    High Arch: You may underpronate (land on the outside of your feet), which can cause too much shock to travel up your legs. Look for a neutral or cushioned shoe.

    Normal Arch: You probably have few foot or pronation problems. A neutral shoe is your best bet.

    Flat Arch: You likely overpronate (your feet turn inward too much). Try neutral or stability shoes.


    Article submitted by Abingdon Foot & Ankle – Dr. Mazzeie and Dr. Mason

    Visit http://www.blackwellassociates.info/advertisements/AFAC/index.html  for more information.  Tell them we sent ya!! 

  2. EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR CROHN’S DISEASE The Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory (NIMML) research team  at Virginia Tech has discovered important new information on the efficacy of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in treating Crohn’s disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).CLA is a naturally occurring acid found in meat and dairy products known for its anti-cancer and immune modulatory properties.In collaboration with the Division of Gastro-enterology and Hepathology at University of North Carolina School of Medicine and the Wake Forest Medical Center, researchers found that Crohn’s patients who took supple-mentary CLA showed noticeable improvement.“In our recent open label study of CLA as a supplement in study subjects with mild to moderate CD there was a marked improvement in disease activity and quality of life in 50% of the subjects. CLA was well tolerated by all of the study subjects. These findings are very encouraging and will need to be verified in arandomized controlled trial,” said a research  team specializing in Gastroenterology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.The two main manifestations of IBD Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis afflict over 1.4 million people in the United States. Symptoms include abdominal cramping,fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, skin and mouth ulcers, and diarrhea or constipation. In addition, the risk of developing colorectal cancer increases by  about one percent yearly in IBD patients.Currently, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease and the exact causes of it aren’t fully understood. Article submitted by our friend, at Whole Health Center in Abingdon, owner….Sean Bossie.  Visit their website:   http://www.wholehealthcenter.netCLA supplementation provides those with mild to moderate IBD an effective nutrient-based treatment without the unwanted side effects of many synthetic drugs. “Furthermore, we have demonstrated that probiotic bacteria can produce CLA locally and suppress colitis. Therefore, CLA can be administered directly in capsules or indirectly through CLA-producing probiotic bacteria,” said the researchers.NIMML strives to develop safer and more effective therapies for human chronic inflam-matory diseases from Nature’s own medicine cabinet. To achieve this, NIMML uses advanced computational modeling in addition to mechanistic and clinical experimentation. “The validation of the anti-inflammatory actions of CLA in the gut is in line with our goal because CLA is a natural fatty acid found in grass-fed animal products: milk, butter, cheese, and meat with fat intact. Other good sources of CLA include Evening Primrose Oil, Safflower Oil and Flaxseed Oil. CLA is a naturally-derived anti-inflammatory compound with  therapeutic and prophylactic potential.These findings, reported in the most recent edition of Clinical Nutrition, were awarded the American College of Gastroenterology Presidential Poster of distinction for human clinical trials.

    EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR CROHN’S DISEASE

    The Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory (NIMML) research team  at Virginia Tech has discovered important new information on the efficacy of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in treating Crohn’s disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

    CLA is a naturally occurring acid found in meat and dairy products known for its anti-cancer and immune modulatory properties.

    In collaboration with the Division of Gastro-enterology and Hepathology at University of North Carolina School of Medicine and the Wake Forest Medical Center, researchers found that Crohn’s patients who took supple-mentary CLA showed noticeable improvement.

    “In our recent open label study of CLA as a supplement in study subjects with mild to moderate CD there was a marked improvement in disease activity and quality of life in 50% of the subjects. CLA was well tolerated by all of the study subjects. These findings are very encouraging and will need to be verified in a
    randomized controlled trial,” said a research  team specializing in Gastroenterology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

    The two main manifestations of IBD Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis afflict over 1.4 million people in the United States. Symptoms include abdominal cramping,fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, skin and mouth ulcers, and diarrhea or constipation. In addition, the risk of developing colorectal cancer increases by  about one percent yearly in IBD patients.

    Currently, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease and the exact causes of it aren’t fully understood.

    Article submitted by our friend, at Whole Health Center in Abingdon, owner….Sean Bossie.  Visit their website:   http://www.wholehealthcenter.net

    CLA supplementation provides those with mild to moderate IBD an effective nutrient-based treatment without the unwanted side effects of many synthetic drugs. “Furthermore, we have demonstrated that probiotic bacteria can produce CLA locally and suppress colitis. Therefore, CLA can be administered directly in capsules or indirectly through CLA-producing probiotic bacteria,” said the researchers.

    NIMML strives to develop safer and more effective therapies for human chronic inflam-matory diseases from Nature’s own medicine cabinet. To achieve this, NIMML uses advanced computational modeling in addition to mechanistic and clinical experimentation. “The validation of the anti-inflammatory actions of CLA in the gut is in line with our goal because CLA is a natural fatty acid found in grass-fed animal products: milk, butter, cheese, and meat with fat intact. Other good sources of CLA include Evening Primrose Oil, Safflower Oil and Flaxseed Oil. CLA is a naturally-derived anti-inflammatory compound with  therapeutic and prophylactic potential.

    These findings, reported in the most recent edition of Clinical Nutrition, were awarded the American College of Gastroenterology Presidential Poster of distinction for human clinical trials.

  3. 8 RULES TO STAY PRODUCTIVE WHEN YOU WORK FOR YOURSELF Most corporate employees complain about the endless meetings and work protocols that stand in the way of their productivity. But anyone who works for herself will tell you that, even when all the corporate noise is stripped away, it’s still hard to get things done. Maybe even harder. Freelancers and entrepreneurs often spend years trying to establish organization systems to stay on track and on task. And while no one approach works for everyone, I’ve learned there are a few universal tactics and rules that you can’t go wrong with. Here are eight that are sure to save you time and get results. 1. Save the Favors for Off Hours:  You probably have scores of friends and family who can’t wait to cash in on your flexible schedule. If you don’t have a boss, you should have time for midday lunches, instant airport chauffeuring, or a quick brainstorm, right? Many entrepreneurs soon find themselves to be quite popular—and quite unproductive. While you don’t have to say no to everything, commit to doing favors outside of work hours only. I guarantee, when it’s precious after-hours time on the line, you’ll be much more judicious about overextending yourself. 2. Give Yourself a Hard Stop:  Try giving yourself an official end to the workday. If you’re tempted to burn the midnight oil, try working with your computer unplugged—when your battery is dead, you’re done. Know that there is a real “deadline” will help keep you on track and prevent you from doing “just one more thing” until the wee hours of the morning. 3. Put Everything on Your Calendar:  Make appointments with yourself for the items on your to-do list. Not only will it force you to budget the amount of time each task should take, but it will also help you plan a more realistic day for yourself. There’s nothing more discouraging than overestimating what’s possible, only to end the day with an even bigger list of things that need your attention. 4. Stick to Your Call Schedule:  When you don’t have true meetings—just phone calls—it can be tempting to want to reschedule them if something more pressing comes up. But do so only as a true last resort! It always takes more time to go back and forth on email than it does to just have that call in the first place—plus, it’s not particularly polite to treat calls like an optional commitment. Feel free to shift around any appointments you have with yourself, but don’t mess with those that involve others. 5. Start Close to the Money:  It’s easy to get lost in your to-do list—where do you begin when everything seems important, and no one is telling you what to prioritize? Here’s where: Start with the items that are closest to the money—like invoices, bills, and follow-up sales calls. Lots of things can wait, but cash flow can’t. 6. Give Yourself a Visual Checklist”:  Post a list of your broad responsibilities above your desk (i.e., Marketing, Sales, Social Media, Writing, Consultations, Ordering, Designing). Make a habit of taking 20 minutes at the start of the week to have status meeting with yourself. Looking at each category, ask yourself what needs to be done. What’s outstanding? What’s most important? Build your schedule that week accordingly. 7. Take a One-A-Day Approach:  In addition to your regular maintenance tasks (email, Twitter, bills), assign just one project task to each day of the coming weeks. This way, instead of feeling like you’re battling an ever-expanding to-do list, you can approach each day with clarity of focus, and end each day with a sense of accomplishment and progress. In any given day, it’s better to go deeper with one project than move several things only incrementally forward. 8. Know Your Warning Signs:  Most of us tend to devolve into an unproductive zone rather predictably. Maybe your trigger is online—Facebook or a sale email from J.Crew—or maybe it’s the unfolded basket of laundry. Either way, we get off track and we become entranced, only to “wake up” 40 minutes later having accomplished nothing. Take stock of the common culprits that lead you astray and do what you must to enforce boundaries. If you have to, use a timer to keep yourself in check! Like most things, improved productivity comes from increased awareness. Paying attention to your own patterns and employing even just a few of these tricks is bound to make a significant impact—and make your days more productive. About the Author: Adelaide Lancaster is an entrepreneur, consultant, speaker and co-author of The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you (Portfolio/Penguin). She is also the co-founder of In Good Company Workplaces, a first-of-its-kind community, learning center and co-working space for women entrepreneurs in New York City. She is also a contributor to The Huffington Post and writes The Big Enough Company blogfor Forbes.com. She lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband and daughter. You can follow her on twitter here and here and on Facebook too.

    8 RULES TO STAY PRODUCTIVE WHEN YOU WORK FOR YOURSELF

    Most corporate employees complain about the endless meetings and work protocols that stand in the way of their productivity. But anyone who works for herself will tell you that, even when all the corporate noise is stripped away, it’s still hard to get things done. Maybe even harder.

    Freelancers and entrepreneurs often spend years trying to establish organization systems to stay on track and on task. And while no one approach works for everyone, I’ve learned there are a few universal tactics and rules that you can’t go wrong with.

    Here are eight that are sure to save you time and get results.

    1. Save the Favors for Off Hours:  You probably have scores of friends and family who can’t wait to cash in on your flexible schedule. If you don’t have a boss, you should have time for midday lunches, instant airport chauffeuring, or a quick brainstorm, right? Many entrepreneurs soon find themselves to be quite popular—and quite unproductive. While you don’t have to say no to everything, commit to doing favors outside of work hours only. I guarantee, when it’s precious after-hours time on the line, you’ll be much more judicious about overextending yourself.

    2. Give Yourself a Hard Stop:  Try giving yourself an official end to the workday. If you’re tempted to burn the midnight oil, try working with your computer unplugged—when your battery is dead, you’re done. Know that there is a real “deadline” will help keep you on track and prevent you from doing “just one more thing” until the wee hours of the morning.

    3. Put Everything on Your Calendar:  Make appointments with yourself for the items on your to-do list. Not only will it force you to budget the amount of time each task should take, but it will also help you plan a more realistic day for yourself. There’s nothing more discouraging than overestimating what’s possible, only to end the day with an even bigger list of things that need your attention.

    4. Stick to Your Call Schedule:  When you don’t have true meetings—just phone calls—it can be tempting to want to reschedule them if something more pressing comes up. But do so only as a true last resort! It always takes more time to go back and forth on email than it does to just have that call in the first place—plus, it’s not particularly polite to treat calls like an optional commitment. Feel free to shift around any appointments you have with yourself, but don’t mess with those that involve others.

    5. Start Close to the Money:  It’s easy to get lost in your to-do list—where do you begin when everything seems important, and no one is telling you what to prioritize? Here’s where: Start with the items that are closest to the money—like invoices, bills, and follow-up sales calls. Lots of things can wait, but cash flow can’t.

    6. Give Yourself a Visual Checklist”:  Post a list of your broad responsibilities above your desk (i.e., Marketing, Sales, Social Media, Writing, Consultations, Ordering, Designing). Make a habit of taking 20 minutes at the start of the week to have status meeting with yourself. Looking at each category, ask yourself what needs to be done. What’s outstanding? What’s most important? Build your schedule that week accordingly.

    7. Take a One-A-Day Approach:  In addition to your regular maintenance tasks (email, Twitter, bills), assign just one project task to each day of the coming weeks. This way, instead of feeling like you’re battling an ever-expanding to-do list, you can approach each day with clarity of focus, and end each day with a sense of accomplishment and progress. In any given day, it’s better to go deeper with one project than move several things only incrementally forward.

    8. Know Your Warning Signs:  Most of us tend to devolve into an unproductive zone rather predictably. Maybe your trigger is online—Facebook or a sale email from J.Crew—or maybe it’s the unfolded basket of laundry. Either way, we get off track and we become entranced, only to “wake up” 40 minutes later having accomplished nothing. Take stock of the common culprits that lead you astray and do what you must to enforce boundaries. If you have to, use a timer to keep yourself in check!

    Like most things, improved productivity comes from increased awareness. Paying attention to your own patterns and employing even just a few of these tricks is bound to make a significant impact—and make your days more productive.

    About the Author: Adelaide Lancaster is an entrepreneur, consultant, speaker and co-author of The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you (Portfolio/Penguin). She is also the co-founder of In Good Company Workplaces, a first-of-its-kind community, learning center and co-working space for women entrepreneurs in New York City. She is also a contributor to The Huffington Post and writes The Big Enough Company blogfor Forbes.com. She lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband and daughter. You can follow her on twitter here and here and on Facebook too.

  4. 8 HERBS TO GET YOUR CULINARY GARDEN GROWING How to Grow Your Own Fresh Seasonings:  By Katie Thomason, an eHow Contributor Herbs are not picky and make friends easily with other types of plants. — Ariel Agenbroad, University of Idaho horticulture professor Cooking for your family and friends is a labor of love—-a love that shows up in the flavor of the meal. Imagine the taste of the meal when it features fresh herbs, cultivated in your own herb garden. It is not only possible but probable that no matter where you live you may enjoy your own homegrown herbs fairly easily. Ariel Agenbroad, extension horticulturist at University of Idaho Extension in Canyon County, says herbs are so easy to grow that anyone can be successful at it. Even though most types grow best outside, she noted, you may grow them on a windowsill or kitchen counter. A garden window—-a box-shaped window that may be used as a miniature greenhouse—-would provide an especially good indoor environment. Agenbroad calls herbs “multi-taskers” because of their ability to adapt and the ease and affordability of having an herb garden. She adds that herbs vary greatly in their characteristics. They are variously edible or medicinal. Some produce a fragrance while others do not. Some have beautiful flowers and foliage, and birds and butterflies find habitat and nectar among them. “Herbs are not picky and make friends easily with other types of plants,” Agenbroad said. “They can be tucked into vegetable gardens, flower borders or around shrubs and trees. Some perennial herbs, like mint, can become invasive in the garden. Plant these herbs where they can spread comfortably, or try planting them in large pots to contain them.” Sharing with friends is one of the joys of gardens, and herb gardens are no exception. With an herb garden it is fairly easy to propagate the entire plant to share. “Try rooting basil cuttings in water, digging up and breaking apart a mature chive or oregano plant and replanting the sections, or rooting a tip cutting from a lavender or rosemary branch in moist potting soil,” Agenbroad said. A list of eight herb garden “must haves”—-based on recommendations of Agenbroad and nationally recognized gardening expert Charlie Nardozzi—-consists of basil, chives, lavender, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and cilantro. These plants were chosen because “they would provide a gardener with beautiful, fragrant plants that work well in landscapes or containers” and they offer the “broadest range or usefulness, from cooking and preserving to teas and cocktails,” Agenbroad said. Basil: The rich green of basil transfers well to the plate. (photo: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)  Featured in Italian and Asian dishes and even in cocktails, basil is one of the most versatile and useful herbs in the garden. It is treated as an annual in most regions of the country. Thriving during the summer months, basil loves full sun and well-drained fertile soil, Nardozzi said.  As well as adding flavor to caprese salads, basil also adds beauty to the garden. “You’ll find a dizzying array of choices, from basils tasting of lemon and licorice to ruffled, purple and striped varieties,” Agenbroad said. Spicy glove basil grows in a “little ball shape,” Nardozzi said. Chives:  With a mild onion flavor, chives may be used to top baked potatoes, salads, eggs, cheese breads and biscuits. Garlic chives are also popular as an onion/garlic substitute. In the garden, chives are pretty, flowering perennials that grow reliably from earliest spring to late autumn. “The flower buds and lollipop-shaped purple flowers are edible, too, and also attractive to beneficial pollinators” such as hummingbirds and bees, Agenbroad said. Lavender:  Lavender offers its scent to everything from the garden to the stovetop to the bathtub. “Use the flowers fresh or dried to add a subtle floral flavor to drinks, baked goods, soups and meat dishes,” Agenbroad said. “Dried flowers also make wonderful sachets for drawers, closets, even in the clothes dryer.” Lavender is a perennial, but it dislikes wet winter weather. “The silvery gray, mounded foliage supports long, elegant flower stalks in nearly every shade of purple, pink or white,” Agenbroad said. Mint:  Mint is a relatively fuss-free herb to grow. (photo: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)  Mint is quick and easy to grow. The only difficulty lies in choosing which variety to grow and add to herbal teas, cocktails, jellies and baked goods. “Apple mint is a personal favorite, but gardeners may also enjoy ginger mint, chocolate or orange mint, pineapple mint, and of course, versions of peppermint, spearmint and even the dwarf ornamental Corsican mint,” Agenbroad said. Mint is a perennial and may be grown in containers or allowed to roam free in the garden. Oregano:  The flavor of oregano spans Greek, Mexican and Italian cuisine because its “earthy, complex flavor is perfect in sauces, soups, pasta, beans and meat dishes,” Agenbroad said. Oregano is a perennial herb that grows easily and reliably in many parts of the country and is one of the few herbs that does not lose much essential flavor when dried. Parsley:  More than a plate decoration, parsley adds a lemony kick and bright-green finishing touch to salads, soups, roasted meats, vegetables, potatoes or fish. In the garden, parsley likes a cool season, is easy to grow and attracts butterflies. “It’s a great-looking plant as an edible ornamental,” Nardozzi said. Rosemary:  Not just for chicken, Rosemary is often used as a fragrant garden hedge. (photo: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images)  Although not as easy to grow as some of the other herbs, rosemary’s culinary uses make it worth the extra effort. Fresh rosemary adds flavor to chicken, pork, beef, potatoes and other vegetables. Branches are often used in place of skewers for lamb kabobs. In the coldest parts of the country, many gardeners shelter their pots of rosemary, which is a perennial, indoors during winter. The plants also serve as landscaping with their beautiful blue flowers, Nardozzi said. Some varieties have white or pink flowers. Cilantro:  Cilantro is best grown away from other garden plants. (photo: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)  Cilantro is a staple of Mexican food. The seeds of the plant are the source of coriander, another essential element of the spice rack. Cilantro “self-sows readily, so once you have it, it always grows back,” Nardozzi said. An annual plant, it can grow well from seeds but—-unlike the other “must-have” herbs, it should not necessarily be grown among flowers, vegetables and other herbs. Cilantro may be grown closer together than the foot-apart spacing that other herbs require.

    8 HERBS TO GET YOUR CULINARY GARDEN GROWING

    How to Grow Your Own Fresh Seasonings:  By Katie Thomason, an eHow Contributor

    Herbs are not picky and make friends easily with other types of plants. — Ariel Agenbroad, University of Idaho horticulture professor

    Cooking for your family and friends is a labor of love—-a love that shows up in the flavor of the meal.

    Imagine the taste of the meal when it features fresh herbs, cultivated in your own herb garden.

    It is not only possible but probable that no matter where you live you may enjoy your own homegrown herbs fairly easily.

    Ariel Agenbroad, extension horticulturist at University of Idaho Extension in Canyon County, says herbs are so easy to grow that anyone can be successful at it. Even though most types grow best outside, she noted, you may grow them on a windowsill or kitchen counter. A garden window—-a box-shaped window that may be used as a miniature greenhouse—-would provide an especially good indoor environment.

    Agenbroad calls herbs “multi-taskers” because of their ability to adapt and the ease and affordability of having an herb garden. She adds that herbs vary greatly in their characteristics. They are variously edible or medicinal. Some produce a fragrance while others do not. Some have beautiful flowers and foliage, and birds and butterflies find habitat and nectar among them.

    “Herbs are not picky and make friends easily with other types of plants,” Agenbroad said. “They can be tucked into vegetable gardens, flower borders or around shrubs and trees. Some perennial herbs, like mint, can become invasive in the garden. Plant these herbs where they can spread comfortably, or try planting them in large pots to contain them.”

    Sharing with friends is one of the joys of gardens, and herb gardens are no exception. With an herb garden it is fairly easy to propagate the entire plant to share. “Try rooting basil cuttings in water, digging up and breaking apart a mature chive or oregano plant and replanting the sections, or rooting a tip cutting from a lavender or rosemary branch in moist potting soil,” Agenbroad said.

    A list of eight herb garden “must haves”—-based on recommendations of Agenbroad and nationally recognized gardening expert Charlie Nardozzi—-consists of basil, chives, lavender, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and cilantro.

    These plants were chosen because “they would provide a gardener with beautiful, fragrant plants that work well in landscapes or containers” and they offer the “broadest range or usefulness, from cooking and preserving to teas and cocktails,” Agenbroad said.

    Basil: The rich green of basil transfers well to the plate. (photo: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)  Featured in Italian and Asian dishes and even in cocktails, basil is one of the most versatile and useful herbs in the garden. It is treated as an annual in most regions of the country. Thriving during the summer months, basil loves full sun and well-drained fertile soil, Nardozzi said.  As well as adding flavor to caprese salads, basil also adds beauty to the garden. “You’ll find a dizzying array of choices, from basils tasting of lemon and licorice to ruffled, purple and striped varieties,” Agenbroad said. Spicy glove basil grows in a “little ball shape,” Nardozzi said.

    Chives:  With a mild onion flavor, chives may be used to top baked potatoes, salads, eggs, cheese breads and biscuits. Garlic chives are also popular as an onion/garlic substitute. In the garden, chives are pretty, flowering perennials that grow reliably from earliest spring to late autumn. “The flower buds and lollipop-shaped purple flowers are edible, too, and also attractive to beneficial pollinators” such as hummingbirds and bees, Agenbroad said.

    Lavender:  Lavender offers its scent to everything from the garden to the stovetop to the bathtub. “Use the flowers fresh or dried to add a subtle floral flavor to drinks, baked goods, soups and meat dishes,” Agenbroad said. “Dried flowers also make wonderful sachets for drawers, closets, even in the clothes dryer.” Lavender is a perennial, but it dislikes wet winter weather. “The silvery gray, mounded foliage supports long, elegant flower stalks in nearly every shade of purple, pink or white,” Agenbroad said.

    Mint:  Mint is a relatively fuss-free herb to grow. (photo: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)  Mint is quick and easy to grow. The only difficulty lies in choosing which variety to grow and add to herbal teas, cocktails, jellies and baked goods. “Apple mint is a personal favorite, but gardeners may also enjoy ginger mint, chocolate or orange mint, pineapple mint, and of course, versions of peppermint, spearmint and even the dwarf ornamental Corsican mint,” Agenbroad said. Mint is a perennial and may be grown in containers or allowed to roam free in the garden.

    Oregano:  The flavor of oregano spans Greek, Mexican and Italian cuisine because its “earthy, complex flavor is perfect in sauces, soups, pasta, beans and meat dishes,” Agenbroad said. Oregano is a perennial herb that grows easily and reliably in many parts of the country and is one of the few herbs that does not lose much essential flavor when dried.

    Parsley:  More than a plate decoration, parsley adds a lemony kick and bright-green finishing touch to salads, soups, roasted meats, vegetables, potatoes or fish. In the garden, parsley likes a cool season, is easy to grow and attracts butterflies. “It’s a great-looking plant as an edible ornamental,” Nardozzi said.

    Rosemary:  Not just for chicken, Rosemary is often used as a fragrant garden hedge. (photo: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images)  Although not as easy to grow as some of the other herbs, rosemary’s culinary uses make it worth the extra effort. Fresh rosemary adds flavor to chicken, pork, beef, potatoes and other vegetables. Branches are often used in place of skewers for lamb kabobs. In the coldest parts of the country, many gardeners shelter their pots of rosemary, which is a perennial, indoors during winter. The plants also serve as landscaping with their beautiful blue flowers, Nardozzi said. Some varieties have white or pink flowers.

    Cilantro:  Cilantro is best grown away from other garden plants. (photo: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images)  Cilantro is a staple of Mexican food. The seeds of the plant are the source of coriander, another essential element of the spice rack. Cilantro “self-sows readily, so once you have it, it always grows back,” Nardozzi said. An annual plant, it can grow well from seeds but—-unlike the other “must-have” herbs, it should not necessarily be grown among flowers, vegetables and other herbs. Cilantro may be grown closer together than the foot-apart spacing that other herbs require.

  5. QUICK CURES:  WHEN TO CLEAN YOUR SHEETS !!! By Beth DeCarbo | The Wall Street Journal EG – Tue, Apr 24, 2012 12:21 PM EDT No matter your relationship status, you never go to bed alone. Nestled within your sheets are countless intruders. For an explanation, we turned to Philip M. Tierno Jr., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center. How often do most Americans change their sheets? It varies. Most people have a standard of once a week. But many people go three weeks, a month or more. “Younger people seem to leave their sheets on the bed longer,” Dr. Tierno says. How often should they change their sheets? Wash sheets and pillowcases once a week, and you’ll eliminate that debris that has accumulated in the bed for that week. You’ll be safer from breathing in that material. Debris? How can sheets possibly get that dirty? Human skin cells become food for dust mites. That is one of the biggest problems associated with bedding. Mites accumulate, along with their feces. But there is also animal hair, dander, fungal mold, fungal spores, bodily secretions and bacteria. Also: dust, lint, fibers, particulates, insect parts, pollen, soil, sand and cosmetics. “One person can perspire as much as a liter in a night—even more if you have a lot of covers,” he says. And, of course, people eat in bed as they watch TV. All this stuff is yucky, but is it a health risk? It is mainly a threat to respiratory tracts and not an infectious source. If you have allergies or asthma, this matter can exacerbate it. If you don’t have an allergy, you could develop one because you’re constantly challenged. Is there an ideal way to wash bedding? The water should be 130 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, typically the washing machine’s hot-water cycle. Then dry using a hot drying cycle. That is germicidal; it actually kills and destroys a lot of vegetative material. It also kills the dust mites. For extra protection, “bleach is excellent. It is probably the cheapest germicide and can be used in a low concentration.” Cold water non-bleach bleaches use peroxide, so they’re also germicidal. Once a week, hot water. Then I’m safe? No. To protect the mattress, I use an impervious outer cover. If you look at a mattress, it collects debris by gravity. All kinds of things collect on it that are absorbed into its core. Without the impervious cover, your mattress is a “zoological and botanical garden,” he says. The outer covers are made of pliable, plastic vinyl and are commonly used by people with asthma and allergy symptoms. The covers should also go on pillowcases. “If you put an impervious outer cover over the mattress and mattress pad, your mattress won’t harm you.”

    QUICK CURES:  WHEN TO CLEAN YOUR SHEETS !!!

    By Beth DeCarbo | The Wall Street Journal EG – Tue, Apr 24, 2012 12:21 PM EDT

    No matter your relationship status, you never go to bed alone. Nestled within your sheets are countless intruders. For an explanation, we turned to Philip M. Tierno Jr., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center.

    How often do most Americans change their sheets? It varies. Most people have a standard of once a week. But many people go three weeks, a month or more. “Younger people seem to leave their sheets on the bed longer,” Dr. Tierno says.

    How often should they change their sheets? Wash sheets and pillowcases once a week, and you’ll eliminate that debris that has accumulated in the bed for that week. You’ll be safer from breathing in that material.

    Debris? How can sheets possibly get that dirty? Human skin cells become food for dust mites. That is one of the biggest problems associated with bedding. Mites accumulate, along with their feces. But there is also animal hair, dander, fungal mold, fungal spores, bodily secretions and bacteria. Also: dust, lint, fibers, particulates, insect parts, pollen, soil, sand and cosmetics. “One person can perspire as much as a liter in a night—even more if you have a lot of covers,” he says. And, of course, people eat in bed as they watch TV.

    All this stuff is yucky, but is it a health risk? It is mainly a threat to respiratory tracts and not an infectious source. If you have allergies or asthma, this matter can exacerbate it. If you don’t have an allergy, you could develop one because you’re constantly challenged.

    Is there an ideal way to wash bedding? The water should be 130 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, typically the washing machine’s hot-water cycle. Then dry using a hot drying cycle. That is germicidal; it actually kills and destroys a lot of vegetative material. It also kills the dust mites. For extra protection, “bleach is excellent. It is probably the cheapest germicide and can be used in a low concentration.” Cold water non-bleach bleaches use peroxide, so they’re also germicidal.

    Once a week, hot water. Then I’m safe? No. To protect the mattress, I use an impervious outer cover. If you look at a mattress, it collects debris by gravity. All kinds of things collect on it that are absorbed into its core. Without the impervious cover, your mattress is a “zoological and botanical garden,” he says. The outer covers are made of pliable, plastic vinyl and are commonly used by people with asthma and allergy symptoms. The covers should also go on pillowcases. “If you put an impervious outer cover over the mattress and mattress pad, your mattress won’t harm you.”

  6. 4 Mindless Habits That Are Hurting Your Weight Loss — By Megan Coatley, Behavior Expert If you’ve ever tried to break a bad habit, health-related or otherwise, you know how difficult it can be. Every morning, you awake to a daunting, gut-wrenching choice: to commit to change or to fall short of your goals. Those of you who have taken on the challenge of becoming your healthiest self can attest that this choice especially applies to creating changes in your diet and exercise routines. We all realize that the trick to lasting good health lies in mastering positive fitness and nutrition habits. But how can you put bad habits behind you and make wellness your main priority… every single day?   When attempting to dial back unhealthy behaviors, you’re up against several obstacles: 3.     It is likely that you’ve been practicing your unhealthy behavior over and over again for decades. Since your first childhood experience with brussel sprouts, you’ve become a master at avoiding vegetables. Since middle-school gym class, you’ve become adept at excusing yourself from exercise. Because you’ve been forming those unhealthy habits for so long, it isn’t easy to leave them behind. 4.     Efficiency and convenience are another knock against your good-health goals: unhealthy habits are often mucheasier than the alternative. Should I drive to work or ride my bike? Play football with the kids or rent a movie? Chop and prep fresh veggies or hit the drive-thru? Usually, unhealthy alternatives save us lots of time and require less physical and mental effort than their healthy counterparts. We’ve created such an efficient society that making good choices is almost impossible next to the not-so-healthy, yet quick and easy options. 5.     Finally, bad behaviors also come with sneaky, seductive pay-offs. It is understandable that most of us enjoy chocolate more than apples—it’s sweeter!  And why wouldn’t we avoid morning exercise when we could stay cozy and warm just by hitting snooze one more time? Of course, there are pay-offs for healthy habits as well: lower cholesterol, lower BMI, increased energy, longevity… But they’re usually not immediate or powerful enough to control our choices in the moment. With the odds stacked against us, it’s easy to understand why conquering unhealthy habits with willpower alone can be rough. Luckily, the science of habit change gives us more effective ways to go about banishing unhealthy routines for good. Let’s take a closer look at some common unhealthy habits to see how we can put behavioral science to work for us.  Bad Habit: Eating on the Run We’ve all fallen into the trap: You’re late for work, so you stop for a latte/muffin combo. The kids have soccer practice after school, so you settle for take-out tacos. And if you’ve ever taken a road trip, you’ll agree that convenience stores definitely live up to their name: there’s a one-stop-shop for all kinds of unhealthy eats within every 5-mile stretch!  Bust It! Eating out while you’re in a rush is a habit that can definitely wreak havoc on your health and fitness goals. But there are ways that you can combat the convenience of  fat-laden fast foods. Get savvy about stowing snacks in your vehicle. If you’ve got apples, carrots, granola bars and water on hand, you’ll be less likely to make unplanned pit-stops. Additionally, if you know you’re in for a busy week, prep quick and easy meals at home ahead of time. This way, you can grab a healthy bite to eat and avoid the all-too-familiar fast-food run in between evening activities. When you’re preparing to leave the house, give yourself more time than you’ll actually need to get ready so you can make healthy decisions with a level head instead of instinctively reaching for the easiest option.Bad Habit: Skipping WorkoutsAs important as nutrition is in your health-focused efforts, exercise ranks right up there with it as a tool to achieve lasting wellness and weight loss. There’s lots of work that goes into planning meals and pumping weights, but only one will get you sweaty andcrank up your cardiovascular health. If you find yourself missing workouts, you’ve probably fallen victim to one of two bad habit culprits: lack of practice or more powerful pay-offs.  Bust It! There are two types of people who are most likely to fall off the exercise wagon: people who haven’t yet mastered making fitness an everyday priority, and those who have become bored with their age-old routine. In the first case, when you’re starting a new workout regimen, it is extremely important to set small, measurable goals and to track your progress daily. Keeping a chart on your wall of the days you fit in your workout will help you stay on track toward creating a lasting healthy habit.   If you’ve been rocking it out at the gym for a while and have recently hit a wall, consider changing up your routine and adding in incentives for reaching new heights. Never tried yoga? Complete a month of classes and then treat yourself to a massage. Think you hate cycling? Commit to biking to work for a week and, only then, indulge in that new handbag or pair of jeans. When you’ve lost internal motivation, adding outside incentives can give you the boost you need to get back on track.  Bad Habit: Mindless or Emotional Munching On the surface, the analysis of unconscious eating behavior seems pretty simple. Food tastes good, especially the sugary or salty snacks we choose when we’re munching away in front of the television. It is obvious that there’s an immediate, powerful pay-off in the taste and texture of whichever treat you choose from the pantry. What you may not realize is that there’s another nasty habit-maker at fault here as well. If you really think about your instances of mindless munching, you’ll realize that they often occur in coordination with some other environmental trigger. Many of us turn to food when things go bad or when we’re bored; maybe you reach for chips when you hear unexpected bad news, or you’ve always had ice cream as a bedtime snack. The practice of situational eating is deeply ingrained and can be tough to correct.  Bust It! Here again, keeping track of mindless munching and adding in incentives for staying away from unhealthy snacks can help you to reign in your behavior. Notice your food/mood triggers when they happen and make a point to keep your biggest trigger foods out of the house. Be mindful about what you’re eating and set a goal for avoiding senseless snacking. Is there a favorite show you’ve taped or a new album you’ve been eyeing for your iPod? Deny yourself those little luxuries until you’ve met your goal of mindful eating for one full week. Adding a pay-off more powerful than the flavor of food can help you avoid so many extra calories. And, you can start practicing an alternative healthy behavior to get you through stressful times instead of food. Try journaling, meditating, calling a friend, or going for a walk instead of reaching for your usual comforting snacks.  Bad Habit: Skimping on Sleep Late to bed, early to rise is a poisonous pattern that rings true for most of us. We know that sleep helps us to function well and be productive. But, between career commitments, family time, social activities and personal fitness, who has time to get a good night’s sleep?  Bust It! Sleeping patterns are typically programmed in when we’re young. If you think back, you may realize that you were a night owl in` high school or an early riser in college. Your body has found a rhythm and is happy sticking with it. Because being awake is so well-ingrained, when you’re trying to change your sleeping habits, you’ve got to start small. Set up a bedtime routine and stick with it; this will help trigger your brain and body to prepare for rest. Brush your teeth, wash your face, read a book, or meditate to calm your body. Avoid looking at a computer or TV screen right before bed, as this can sometimes make it more difficult to fall asleep. It also helps to reserve your bedroom for sleeping only; relegate the television, video games, and home office to the rest of the house.   After you’ve got your bedtime routine down, aim to go to bed 5 minutes earlier or sleep in 5 minutes later than usual. When you achieve this schedule for a few days, add 5 more minutes of shut-eye. Making little changes like this can lead to big results. Keep it up for a month and you’ll have added over one full hour of restful rejuvenation!     How to Establish New, Healthier Habits When you’re working on wellness, it always seems like someone is asking you to cut something out: sweets and fast food from your diet, time from your day to exercise, and so on. To stay sane while decreasing unhealthy behaviors, you need to fill the gaps! One of the best ways to break a bad habit is to insert an alternative healthy behavior in its place. You can use tips and tricks based on the information above to help you build new, healthier habits and make them stick, in conjunction with the following three tips: 1.     Practice. Set an achievable weekly goal for how many miles you’re going to bike, laps you’re going to swim, fruits you’re going to eat, and healthy meals you’re going to cook—and get cracking! As you reach your goal each week, you’ll find a rhythm and your healthy behaviors will start resembling a well-oiled machine. 2.     Make healthy choices easier and more convenient. Get environmental obstacles (like lack of jogging gear and a pantry full of junk food) out of your way. Once you’ve set up your environment for success, sticking with healthy habits will become much simpler! 3.     Plan some powerful pay-offs for reaching your wellness goals. Sure, internal motivation is great and hopefully you’ll have a ton of gumption to get fit. But, no matter how committed you are to your cause, unhealthy habits will always entice you with their quick, underlying pay-offs. If you plan ahead and reward yourself with extra incentives for working out and eating right, you’ll be riding high on healthy habits for a lifetime. 

    4 Mindless Habits That Are Hurting Your Weight Loss

    — By Megan Coatley, Behavior Expert

    If you’ve ever tried to break a bad habit, health-related or otherwise, you know how difficult it can be. Every morning, you awake to a daunting, gut-wrenching choice: to commit to change or to fall short of your goals. Those of you who have taken on the challenge of becoming your healthiest self can attest that this choice especially applies to creating changes in your diet and exercise routines. We all realize that the trick to lasting good health lies in mastering positive fitness and nutrition habits. But how can you put bad habits behind you and make wellness your main priority… every single day?
     
    When attempting to dial back unhealthy behaviors, you’re up against several obstacles:

    3.     It is likely that you’ve been practicing your unhealthy behavior over and over again for decades. Since your first childhood experience with brussel sprouts, you’ve become a master at avoiding vegetables. Since middle-school gym class, you’ve become adept at excusing yourself from exercise. Because you’ve been forming those unhealthy habits for so long, it isn’t easy to leave them behind.

    4.     Efficiency and convenience are another knock against your good-health goals: unhealthy habits are often mucheasier than the alternative. Should I drive to work or ride my bike? Play football with the kids or rent a movie? Chop and prep fresh veggies or hit the drive-thru? Usually, unhealthy alternatives save us lots of time and require less physical and mental effort than their healthy counterparts. We’ve created such an efficient society that making good choices is almost impossible next to the not-so-healthy, yet quick and easy options.

    5.     Finally, bad behaviors also come with sneaky, seductive pay-offs. It is understandable that most of us enjoy chocolate more than apples—it’s sweeter!  And why wouldn’t we avoid morning exercise when we could stay cozy and warm just by hitting snooze one more time? Of course, there are pay-offs for healthy habits as well: lower cholesterol, lower BMI, increased energy, longevity… But they’re usually not immediate or powerful enough to control our choices in the moment.

    With the odds stacked against us, it’s easy to understand why conquering unhealthy habits with willpower alone can be rough. Luckily, the science of habit change gives us more effective ways to go about banishing unhealthy routines for good. Let’s take a closer look at some common unhealthy habits to see how we can put behavioral science to work for us.
     
    Bad Habit: Eating on the Run
    We’ve all fallen into the trap: You’re late for work, so you stop for a latte/muffin combo. The kids have soccer practice after school, so you settle for take-out tacos. And if you’ve ever taken a road trip, you’ll agree that convenience stores definitely live up to their name: there’s a one-stop-shop for all kinds of unhealthy eats within every 5-mile stretch!
     
    Bust It!
    Eating out while you’re in a rush is a habit that can definitely wreak havoc on your health and fitness goals. But there are ways that you can combat the convenience of  fat-laden fast foods. Get savvy about stowing snacks in your vehicle. If you’ve got apples, carrots, granola bars and water on hand, you’ll be less likely to make unplanned pit-stops. Additionally, if you know you’re in for a busy week, prep quick and easy meals at home ahead of time. This way, you can grab a healthy bite to eat and avoid the all-too-familiar fast-food run in between evening activities. When you’re preparing to leave the house, give yourself more time than you’ll actually need to get ready so you can make healthy decisions with a level head instead of instinctively reaching for the easiest option.

    Bad Habit: Skipping Workouts
    As important as nutrition is in your health-focused efforts, exercise ranks right up there with it as a tool to achieve lasting wellness and weight loss. There’s lots of work that goes into planning meals and pumping weights, but only one will get you sweaty andcrank up your cardiovascular health. If you find yourself missing workouts, you’ve probably fallen victim to one of two bad habit culprits: lack of practice or more powerful pay-offs.
     
    Bust It!
    There are two types of people who are most likely to fall off the exercise wagon: people who haven’t yet mastered making fitness an everyday priority, and those who have become bored with their age-old routine.
    In the first case, when you’re starting a new workout regimen, it is extremely important to set small, measurable goals and to track your progress daily. Keeping a chart on your wall of the days you fit in your workout will help you stay on track toward creating a lasting healthy habit.
     
    If you’ve been rocking it out at the gym for a while and have recently hit a wall, consider changing up your routine and adding in incentives for reaching new heights. Never tried yoga? Complete a month of classes and then treat yourself to a massage. Think you hate cycling? Commit to biking to work for a week and, only then, indulge in that new handbag or pair of jeans. When you’ve lost internal motivation, adding outside incentives can give you the boost you need to get back on track.
     
    Bad Habit: Mindless or Emotional Munching
    On the surface, the analysis of unconscious eating behavior seems pretty simple. Food tastes good, especially the sugary or salty snacks we choose when we’re munching away in front of the television. It is obvious that there’s an immediate, powerful pay-off in the taste and texture of whichever treat you choose from the pantry. What you may not realize is that there’s another nasty habit-maker at fault here as well. If you really think about your instances of mindless munching, you’ll realize that they often occur in coordination with some other environmental trigger. Many of us turn to food when things go bad or when we’re bored; maybe you reach for chips when you hear unexpected bad news, or you’ve always had ice cream as a bedtime snack. The practice of situational eating is deeply ingrained and can be tough to correct.
     
    Bust It!
    Here again, keeping track of mindless munching and adding in incentives for staying away from unhealthy snacks can help you to reign in your behavior. Notice your food/mood triggers when they happen and make a point to keep your biggest trigger foods out of the house. Be mindful about what you’re eating and set a goal for avoiding senseless snacking. Is there a favorite show you’ve taped or a new album you’ve been eyeing for your iPod? Deny yourself those little luxuries until you’ve met your goal of mindful eating for one full week. Adding a pay-off more powerful than the flavor of food can help you avoid so many extra calories. And, you can start practicing an alternative healthy behavior to get you through stressful times instead of food. Try journaling, meditating, calling a friend, or going for a walk instead of reaching for your usual comforting snacks.
     
    Bad Habit: Skimping on Sleep
    Late to bed, early to rise is a poisonous pattern that rings true for most of us. We know that sleep helps us to function well and be productive. But, between career commitments, family time, social activities and personal fitness, who has time to get a good night’s sleep?
     
    Bust It!
    Sleeping patterns are typically programmed in when we’re young. If you think back, you may realize that you were a night owl in` high school or an early riser in college. Your body has found a rhythm and is happy sticking with it. Because being awake is so well-ingrained, when you’re trying to change your sleeping habits, you’ve got to start small. Set up a bedtime routine and stick with it; this will help trigger your brain and body to prepare for rest. Brush your teeth, wash your face, read a book, or meditate to calm your body. Avoid looking at a computer or TV screen right before bed, as this can sometimes make it more difficult to fall asleep. It also helps to reserve your bedroom for sleeping only; relegate the television, video games, and home office to the rest of the house.
     
    After you’ve got your bedtime routine down, aim to go to bed 5 minutes earlier or sleep in 5 minutes later than usual. When you achieve this schedule for a few days, add 5 more minutes of shut-eye. Making little changes like this can lead to big results. Keep it up for a month and you’ll have added over one full hour of restful rejuvenation!
        

    How to Establish New, Healthier Habits

    When you’re working on wellness, it always seems like someone is asking you to cut something out: sweets and fast food from your diet, time from your day to exercise, and so on. To stay sane while decreasing unhealthy behaviors, you need to fill the gaps! One of the best ways to break a bad habit is to insert an alternative healthy behavior in its place. You can use tips and tricks based on the information above to help you build new, healthier habits and make them stick, in conjunction with the following three tips:

    1.     Practice. Set an achievable weekly goal for how many miles you’re going to bike, laps you’re going to swim, fruits you’re going to eat, and healthy meals you’re going to cook—and get cracking! As you reach your goal each week, you’ll find a rhythm and your healthy behaviors will start resembling a well-oiled machine.

    2.     Make healthy choices easier and more convenient. Get environmental obstacles (like lack of jogging gear and a pantry full of junk food) out of your way. Once you’ve set up your environment for success, sticking with healthy habits will become much simpler!

    3.     Plan some powerful pay-offs for reaching your wellness goals. Sure, internal motivation is great and hopefully you’ll have a ton of gumption to get fit. But, no matter how committed you are to your cause, unhealthy habits will always entice you with their quick, underlying pay-offs. If you plan ahead and reward yourself with extra incentives for working out and eating right, you’ll be riding high on healthy habits for a lifetime. 

  7. Dieters, Beware of ‘Healthy’ Drinks Loaded With Sugar By Annie Hauser, Senior Editor (Every Day Health) British consumers are seriously misjudging how much sugar some drinks contain, and it’s adding up to thousands of extra calories each week, a new study finds.  Soft drink consumption has increased by 500 percent in the past 50 years, and sodas are now the biggest source of sugar in American diets and among the leading causes of childhood obesity, the USDA reports.  Now, researchers at the University of Glasgow have found that our friends across the pond aren’t faring much better when it comes to the devastating health impact of sugar-laden drinks. They found that British consumers considerably misjudge the sugar levels of all kinds of drinks, and this miscalculation is producing diets that are bloated with excess sugar and calories. In general, the 2,005 people surveyed slightly overestimated the sugar content of fizzy sodas while seriously underestimating sugar levels in milkshakes, smoothies, energy drinks, and fruit juices.Medical News Today reports that most people underestimated the sugar content of a popular pomegranate juice by a whopping 18 teaspoons (the actual juice contains 22 grams of sugar per serving). That 18-teaspoon difference is quite significant, as the American Heart Association recommends capping added sugar consumption at 9 teaspoons per day.  The volunteers also detailed their weekly liquid consumption, and researchers used this data to determine that the average British person consumes about 659 grams of sugar each week in non-alcoholic drinks, which works out to 3,144 calories every week and 450 calories each and every day. These numbers, while staggeringly high, do include naturally occurring sugar found in fruit juices and dairy drinks, though the researchers did not break down the percentage of sugar consumption that was natural vs. added. They did note, however, that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has increased dramatically in the past 20 years. The Sugar-Sweetened Effect Consumption of sugary drinks has been linked to heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and a host of other conditions. It can also seriously hamper weight-loss efforts.  The Glasgow researchers found that British woman are consuming 25 percent of their daily recommended calories from sugary drinks. Twenty-four percent of respondents said that the last time they tried to lose weight, they did not take into account their calorie consumption through drinks — a common and self-sabotaging diet mistake.   One of the main problems lead researcher Naveed Sattar, PhD, reported is that people perceived fruit juices and smoothies as “healthy” drinks, when in reality, they are high in sugar and calories as well as essential nutrients.  “What you drink can be as damaging to the body as what you eat,” Sattar warned in the study. “For many people struggling with their weight, reducing their intake of such drinks and replacing [them] with water or diet drinks would be a sensible first target to help them lessen their calorie intake.” Smart Low-Sugar Drink Swaps Fruit juice for juice and seltzer. By diluting regular fruit juice with soda water, you can cut calories and sugar. For a noncarbonated version of this lightened-up drink, try adding regular drinking water to your juice.  Fast-food smoothies for homemade. Fast food fruit smoothies are often loaded with unnecessary sugars — a small strawberry-banana smoothie from McDonald’s has 44 grams — so save yourself the added sugar and calories, and make a healthier smoothie at home. Try blending frozen fruit, skim milk, and nonfat Greek yogurt for an easy, healthful treat that’s high in calcium and protein. Regular soft drinks for diet.Studies have shown that diet soda can be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation. Swap your regular soda for traditional diet, or for an all-natural option, try a soda that’s sweetened with stevia, which is an all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener. If you can’t stand the taste of diet, either quit soda cold turkey or dilute juice with soda water to get your fizzy fix. Sugared coffee or tea for sugar-free. One easy way to cut sugar and calories from your diet is through your morning coffee. If you take yours with sugar, switch to stevia. If you love flavored lattes, order yours with sugar-free flavored syrup. At Starbucks, opting for a skinny latte made with sugar-free syrup instead of regular cuts out more than half the sugar — a skinny drink has 16 grams of sugar in one 16-ounce serving instead of 35.

    Dieters, Beware of ‘Healthy’ Drinks Loaded With Sugar

    By Annie Hauser, Senior Editor (Every Day Health)

    British consumers are seriously misjudging how much sugar some drinks contain, and it’s adding up to thousands of extra calories each week, a new study finds.  Soft drink consumption has increased by 500 percent in the past 50 years, and sodas are now the biggest source of sugar in American diets and among the leading causes of childhood obesity, the USDA reports. 

    Now, researchers at the University of Glasgow have found that our friends across the pond aren’t faring much better when it comes to the devastating health impact of sugar-laden drinks. They found that British consumers considerably misjudge the sugar levels of all kinds of drinks, and this miscalculation is producing diets that are bloated with excess sugar and calories.

    In general, the 2,005 people surveyed slightly overestimated the sugar content of fizzy sodas while seriously underestimating sugar levels in milkshakes, smoothies, energy drinks, and fruit juices.Medical News Today reports that most people underestimated the sugar content of a popular pomegranate juice by a whopping 18 teaspoons (the actual juice contains 22 grams of sugar per serving). That 18-teaspoon difference is quite significant, as the American Heart Association recommends capping added sugar consumption at 9 teaspoons per day. 

    The volunteers also detailed their weekly liquid consumption, and researchers used this data to determine that the average British person consumes about 659 grams of sugar each week in non-alcoholic drinks, which works out to 3,144 calories every week and 450 calories each and every day. These numbers, while staggeringly high, do include naturally occurring sugar found in fruit juices and dairy drinks, though the researchers did not break down the percentage of sugar consumption that was natural vs. added. They did note, however, that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has increased dramatically in the past 20 years.

    The Sugar-Sweetened Effect

    Consumption of sugary drinks has been linked to heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and a host of other conditions. It can also seriously hamper weight-loss efforts. 

    The Glasgow researchers found that British woman are consuming 25 percent of their daily recommended calories from sugary drinks. Twenty-four percent of respondents said that the last time they tried to lose weight, they did not take into account their calorie consumption through drinks — a common and self-sabotaging diet mistake.  

    One of the main problems lead researcher Naveed Sattar, PhD, reported is that people perceived fruit juices and smoothies as “healthy” drinks, when in reality, they are high in sugar and calories as well as essential nutrients. 

    “What you drink can be as damaging to the body as what you eat,” Sattar warned in the study. “For many people struggling with their weight, reducing their intake of such drinks and replacing [them] with water or diet drinks would be a sensible first target to help them lessen their calorie intake.”

    Smart Low-Sugar Drink Swaps

    Fruit juice for juice and seltzer. By diluting regular fruit juice with soda water, you can cut calories and sugar. For a noncarbonated version of this lightened-up drink, try adding regular drinking water to your juice. 

    Fast-food smoothies for homemade. Fast food fruit smoothies are often loaded with unnecessary sugars — a small strawberry-banana smoothie from McDonald’s has 44 grams — so save yourself the added sugar and calories, and make a healthier smoothie at home. Try blending frozen fruit, skim milk, and nonfat Greek yogurt for an easy, healthful treat that’s high in calcium and protein.

    Regular soft drinks for diet.Studies have shown that diet soda can be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation. Swap your regular soda for traditional diet, or for an all-natural option, try a soda that’s sweetened with stevia, which is an all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener. If you can’t stand the taste of diet, either quit soda cold turkey or dilute juice with soda water to get your fizzy fix.

    Sugared coffee or tea for sugar-free. One easy way to cut sugar and calories from your diet is through your morning coffee. If you take yours with sugar, switch to stevia. If you love flavored lattes, order yours with sugar-free flavored syrup. At Starbucks, opting for a skinny latte made with sugar-free syrup instead of regular cuts out more than half the sugar — a skinny drink has 16 grams of sugar in one 16-ounce serving instead of 35.

  8. WAKE UP THINNER TOMORROW!!! By Laurie Saloman  Reviewed by QualityHealth’s Medical Advisory Board You can wake up slimmer than when you went to bed the night before—if you adhere to this important list of to-dos: Drink plenty of water during the day.  You don’t want to ingest enough to fill a tanker truck—overconsumption of water can be dangerous. But you do want to drink eight to ten glasses of liquid throughout the day, and eat foods that are naturally full of water. While filling up on water and other low-calorie beverages might seem to weigh you down, just the opposite it true: Staying hydrated keeps your digestive system moving smoothly to flush out toxins. If you drink too little, your kidneys compensate by making your body retain water. Cut down on salt.  Salt is a culprit to water retention. One sodium-heavy restaurant dinner could cause you to hold onto enough water overnight that the scale won’t budge downward in the morning. Aside from not eating out, make an effort to avoid the salt shaker at home. Stay away from hidden sources of sodium such as soy sauce, canned soups, and lunch meats—and avoid all processed foods. Eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein jazzed-up with herbs and spices. Hit the gym.  Of course, taking a single exercise class isn’t going to cause a drop in dress size overnight, but a good sweat session confers other benefits. Exercise can give you a psychological boost by enabling you to skip the fries at dinner. This can get your blood moving and flush out your body’s toxins. Cut down on carbs.  This one is controversial, with prominent nutrition experts reminding us that carbohydrates are necessary in order to function, while weight-loss “gurus” insist that avoiding carbs is the quickest way to weight loss. But finding the middle ground can help you button your favorite jeans tomorrow morning. Instead of drastically cutting all carbs the day before a weigh-in, make an effort to leave out processed, refined carbs (such as those found in breads and crackers) while eating healthful, whole-grain ones (think fruit, beans, whole-wheat pasta). And remember to keep your portions small.

    WAKE UP THINNER TOMORROW!!!

    By Laurie Saloman  Reviewed by QualityHealth’s Medical Advisory Board

    You can wake up slimmer than when you went to bed the night before—if you adhere to this important list of to-dos:

    Drink plenty of water during the day.  You don’t want to ingest enough to fill a tanker truck—overconsumption of water can be dangerous. But you do want to drink eight to ten glasses of liquid throughout the day, and eat foods that are naturally full of water. While filling up on water and other low-calorie beverages might seem to weigh you down, just the opposite it true: Staying hydrated keeps your digestive system moving smoothly to flush out toxins. If you drink too little, your kidneys compensate by making your body retain water.

    Cut down on salt.  Salt is a culprit to water retention. One sodium-heavy restaurant dinner could cause you to hold onto enough water overnight that the scale won’t budge downward in the morning. Aside from not eating out, make an effort to avoid the salt shaker at home. Stay away from hidden sources of sodium such as soy sauce, canned soups, and lunch meats—and avoid all processed foods. Eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein jazzed-up with herbs and spices.

    Hit the gym.  Of course, taking a single exercise class isn’t going to cause a drop in dress size overnight, but a good sweat session confers other benefits. Exercise can give you a psychological boost by enabling you to skip the fries at dinner. This can get your blood moving and flush out your body’s toxins.

    Cut down on carbs.  This one is controversial, with prominent nutrition experts reminding us that carbohydrates are necessary in order to function, while weight-loss “gurus” insist that avoiding carbs is the quickest way to weight loss. But finding the middle ground can help you button your favorite jeans tomorrow morning. Instead of drastically cutting all carbs the day before a weigh-in, make an effort to leave out processed, refined carbs (such as those found in breads and crackers) while eating healthful, whole-grain ones (think fruit, beans, whole-wheat pasta). And remember to keep your portions small.

  9. CALM  YOUR NERVES WITH RELAXATION EXERCISES By Madeline Vann, MPH Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH Traffic jams, kids arguing, spilled coffee on a white blouse — these daily stressors can make your blood boil. These simple exercises may help.  Breathing exercises are the mainstay of relaxation exercises that you can do anywhere, at any time. And they can make a world of difference in how you feel. Try it: Take a deep, slow breath and exhale — and repeat the process one more time. Do you feel better? Relaxation Exercises: Why They Work When we are stressed, our muscles tighten up and our breathing changes and becomes shallow. As you breathe more lightly, you are participating in a vicious circle, because your body responds to your change in breathing with a fight-or-flight response, adding to your tension and stress.  So the most basic thing you can do when you start to feel stressed out is to stop and take some deep, even, slow breaths. “If you sit and even just take five or 10 deep breaths and really try to just relax your breathing, that can be tremendously helpful,” says Mary Coussons-Read, PhD, professor of psychology and health and behavioral sciences and associate dean of the University of Colorado in Denver. Relaxation Exercises: Exercises to Try Here are some options that can enhance the relaxing effect of breathing exercises: ·         Try visualization. “Going to your happy place” is something we often joke about, but there is some truth in the humor. Coussons-Read advises planning ahead and creating an internal picture of a place that relaxes you so you can bring it to mind when you need it. Bedrooms and beaches top the list, but obviously your happy place is a personal destination. “Spend a little time creating what that picture looks like. When you feel stressed out, stop, put the picture in your head, take a few deep breaths,” she says. ·         Pray. Granted, not everyone has or wants a prayer life, but for those who do, Coussons-Read saysprayer can be a very helpful relaxation exercise. “It can have the component of relaxation but also the component of feeling part of something else, and feeling like you’re not by yourself,” she says. ·         Exercise. Being physically active on a regular basis is helpful for overall stress management, but if time allows, you can use physical exercise for immediate relaxation as well. Taking a brief walk around your office building, doing some yoga stretches, or closing the door and dancing to a favorite tune can all help alleviate stress. But “you don’t want exercise to become just one more thing you have to do,” says Coussons-Read, so pick something you enjoy. ·         Mini-massage. “Once of the most important things is to recognize where and how you carry stress in your body — some carry it in shoulders, head, neck, jaw, hands, or even their stomach,” says Coussons-Read. Try scheduling an appointment with a massage therapist who can teach you how to take care of your trouble spots while at work or home. ·         Apply heat. If you have the option of a warm bath or shower, or simply have some warming gloves, socks, or heat packs, use the heat to help relax tight muscles. ·         Aromatherapy. Although research on aromatherapy is mixed, many people find certain scents, such as lavender, to be relaxing. If you respond well to the smell, have a sample on hand (in a desk drawer or your purse) for a relaxing sniff as needed before or after your breathing exercises. As hard as everyone works these days, we all deserve a time out now and then to calm our nerves and decompress. Relaxation exercises can help us stay productive and happy.  

    CALM  YOUR NERVES WITH RELAXATION EXERCISES

    By Madeline Vann, MPH

    Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

    Traffic jams, kids arguing, spilled coffee on a white blouse — these daily stressors can make your blood boil. These simple exercises may help.  Breathing exercises are the mainstay of relaxation exercises that you can do anywhere, at any time. And they can make a world of difference in how you feel.

    Try it: Take a deep, slow breath and exhale — and repeat the process one more time. Do you feel better?

    Relaxation Exercises: Why They Work

    When we are stressed, our muscles tighten up and our breathing changes and becomes shallow. As you breathe more lightly, you are participating in a vicious circle, because your body responds to your change in breathing with a fight-or-flight response, adding to your tension and stress.  So the most basic thing you can do when you start to feel stressed out is to stop and take some deep, even, slow breaths.

    “If you sit and even just take five or 10 deep breaths and really try to just relax your breathing, that can be tremendously helpful,” says Mary Coussons-Read, PhD, professor of psychology and health and behavioral sciences and associate dean of the University of Colorado in Denver.

    Relaxation Exercises: Exercises to Try

    Here are some options that can enhance the relaxing effect of breathing exercises:

    ·         Try visualization. “Going to your happy place” is something we often joke about, but there is some truth in the humor. Coussons-Read advises planning ahead and creating an internal picture of a place that relaxes you so you can bring it to mind when you need it. Bedrooms and beaches top the list, but obviously your happy place is a personal destination. “Spend a little time creating what that picture looks like. When you feel stressed out, stop, put the picture in your head, take a few deep breaths,” she says.

    ·         Pray. Granted, not everyone has or wants a prayer life, but for those who do, Coussons-Read saysprayer can be a very helpful relaxation exercise. “It can have the component of relaxation but also the component of feeling part of something else, and feeling like you’re not by yourself,” she says.

    ·         Exercise. Being physically active on a regular basis is helpful for overall stress management, but if time allows, you can use physical exercise for immediate relaxation as well. Taking a brief walk around your office building, doing some yoga stretches, or closing the door and dancing to a favorite tune can all help alleviate stress. But “you don’t want exercise to become just one more thing you have to do,” says Coussons-Read, so pick something you enjoy.

    ·         Mini-massage. “Once of the most important things is to recognize where and how you carry stress in your body — some carry it in shoulders, head, neck, jaw, hands, or even their stomach,” says Coussons-Read. Try scheduling an appointment with a massage therapist who can teach you how to take care of your trouble spots while at work or home.

    ·         Apply heat. If you have the option of a warm bath or shower, or simply have some warming gloves, socks, or heat packs, use the heat to help relax tight muscles.

    ·         Aromatherapy. Although research on aromatherapy is mixed, many people find certain scents, such as lavender, to be relaxing. If you respond well to the smell, have a sample on hand (in a desk drawer or your purse) for a relaxing sniff as needed before or after your breathing exercises.

    As hard as everyone works these days, we all deserve a time out now and then to calm our nerves and decompress. Relaxation exercises can help us stay productive and happy.

     

  10. THE REAL MEANING BEHIND FOOD EXPIRATION DATES Sell by, use by, freeze by: How do you intepret the language of food expiration? Do the dates mean you may make yourself sick if you eat something after it’s expired? Sharpen your food safety smarts by learning the truth about these dates. By Madeline Vann, MPH  Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH Part of being a smart shopper is checking the expiration date on food packages. But if you meticulously check food packaging for printed dates, you may be surprised to find out that with the exception of baby food and infant formula, food expiration dates are really only guidelines to help you buy food at optimal freshness. Food labeling is not required by federal law. Only about 20 states require it, and there is no consistent standard, and no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation to define what the package is telling you. However, there are still government agencies that work to protect food quality and food safety. They include the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are many divisions within the various agencies, each with specific areas of responsibility to safeguard the food supply. The USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service, for instance, manages information and regulations that affect food safety and the quality of meat, poultry, and egg products. It also provides information about how food labeling could relate to the quality of those products. All of these agencies continually work to improve food safety. Thanks to the recent passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA will place more emphasis on preventing food-borne illnesses rather than responding to outbreaks after the fact, which will hopefully lower the number of FDA recalls that need to be instituted after problems are discovered. More effort is also being made to educate consumers. Though FDA recalls are usually reported through news outlets, there is a special FDA recalls Web page that you can go to at any time on your own to check for alerts. The Language of Food Labeling When you’re staring at the digitized date on a package, however, you’re probably not thinking about the actions of all these government groups. You just want to know if the food in your hands is safe to eat. “It is confusing because there is no standardization in packaging dates,” acknowledges food safety expert Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, adjunct associate professor of hotel, restaurant and institution management at Iowa State University in Ames. To help clarify the wording of food expiration dates printed on packages, here is a glossary of common labeling terms: ·         “Sell by.” This date gives you tips on what’s cheap as well as food safety information. “Sell by” labeling is more for the grocer than it is for the consumer. “Consumers are fine to purchase products by this date,” says Strohbehn. “Generally stores will discount closer to this date so consumers looking for a bargain can purchase up to the sell date and then use as soon as possible.” Use refrigerated products within the next day or so; frozen goods can be stored in your freezer for up to three months. ·         “Use by.” ”Use by” and “Best if used by” are intended to assure consistent food quality, says Strohbehn. This type of dating provides guidance to the consumer, but the guidelines are somewhat loose. Products can last longer than the “use by” date, depending on how the product is handled and stored. “Some canned goods will keep for years if there haven’t been wide temperature fluctuations. Higher-acid products like canned pineapple have a shorter shelf life, but are still good for a year or longer,” says Strohbehn. Infant formula and baby food are significant exceptions to this rule: It is best not to give your baby formula or food after the “use by” date. ·         “Freeze by.” Occasionally foods will be labeled “use or freeze by,” which means that you can freeze them for a period of time after that date. What Food Expiration Dates Mean for Food Safety The reality is that you can eat food past the food expiration date and it might still taste good — or it might not. For example, milk may sour around the expiration date or a few days afterwards, depending on how cold your refrigerator is. The risk of food-borne illness also increases after that date, especially if your storage conditions are less than optimal. Practicing good food safety habits at home will help food last safely up to, and beyond, the date on the label. One of the most important food safety parameters is temperature. For example, canned goods in a pantry that stays consistently cool all year round will last longer than canned goods stored in a location where temperatures fluctuate between hot and cool. Likewise, frozen foods stored in a freezer will last longer if the freezer is not opened often, which causes temperature changes. Humidity is also a concern — try to keep all storage areas dry, with low humidity. Here are more food safety tips that will help your foods exceed expiration dates and ensure that you stay healthy: ·         Refrigerate foods at 40° F immediately. Food safety experts recommend planning your day so that you can take groceries home to the refrigerator right away, instead of letting them sit in the car while you run other errands. ·         Don’t keep refrigerated foods out of the fridge for more than two hours. ·         Keep ready-to-eat foods separate from those that are raw and need cooking. ·         If a food product only has a “sell by” date or no food expiration date at all, cook or freeze the item as soon as possible. ·         Make sure prep areas and storage areas in your kitchen are clean. ·         If you or someone in your household is immune-compromised, be sure to eat foods by the “use by” date, advises Strohbehn. To do otherwise isn’t worth the risk of food-borne illness. Food safety may actually have more to do with the habits you have at home than with the dates on the packaging, but if you want safe foods at their best, use the printed expiration dates as your starting point.

    THE REAL MEANING BEHIND FOOD EXPIRATION DATES

    Sell by, use by, freeze by: How do you intepret the language of food expiration? Do the dates mean you may make yourself sick if you eat something after it’s expired? Sharpen your food safety smarts by learning the truth about these dates.

    By Madeline Vann, MPH  Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

    Part of being a smart shopper is checking the expiration date on food packages. But if you meticulously check food packaging for printed dates, you may be surprised to find out that with the exception of baby food and infant formula, food expiration dates are really only guidelines to help you buy food at optimal freshness.

    Food labeling is not required by federal law. Only about 20 states require it, and there is no consistent standard, and no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation to define what the package is telling you.

    However, there are still government agencies that work to protect food quality and food safety. They include the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are many divisions within the various agencies, each with specific areas of responsibility to safeguard the food supply. The USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service, for instance, manages information and regulations that affect food safety and the quality of meat, poultry, and egg products. It also provides information about how food labeling could relate to the quality of those products.

    All of these agencies continually work to improve food safety. Thanks to the recent passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA will place more emphasis on preventing food-borne illnesses rather than responding to outbreaks after the fact, which will hopefully lower the number of FDA recalls that need to be instituted after problems are discovered. More effort is also being made to educate consumers. Though FDA recalls are usually reported through news outlets, there is a special FDA recalls Web page that you can go to at any time on your own to check for alerts.

    The Language of Food Labeling

    When you’re staring at the digitized date on a package, however, you’re probably not thinking about the actions of all these government groups. You just want to know if the food in your hands is safe to eat.

    “It is confusing because there is no standardization in packaging dates,” acknowledges food safety expert Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, adjunct associate professor of hotel, restaurant and institution management at Iowa State University in Ames.

    To help clarify the wording of food expiration dates printed on packages, here is a glossary of common labeling terms:

    ·         “Sell by.” This date gives you tips on what’s cheap as well as food safety information. “Sell by” labeling is more for the grocer than it is for the consumer. “Consumers are fine to purchase products by this date,” says Strohbehn. “Generally stores will discount closer to this date so consumers looking for a bargain can purchase up to the sell date and then use as soon as possible.” Use refrigerated products within the next day or so; frozen goods can be stored in your freezer for up to three months.

    ·         “Use by.” ”Use by” and “Best if used by” are intended to assure consistent food quality, says Strohbehn. This type of dating provides guidance to the consumer, but the guidelines are somewhat loose. Products can last longer than the “use by” date, depending on how the product is handled and stored. “Some canned goods will keep for years if there haven’t been wide temperature fluctuations. Higher-acid products like canned pineapple have a shorter shelf life, but are still good for a year or longer,” says Strohbehn. Infant formula and baby food are significant exceptions to this rule: It is best not to give your baby formula or food after the “use by” date.

    ·         “Freeze by.” Occasionally foods will be labeled “use or freeze by,” which means that you can freeze them for a period of time after that date.

    What Food Expiration Dates Mean for Food Safety

    The reality is that you can eat food past the food expiration date and it might still taste good — or it might not. For example, milk may sour around the expiration date or a few days afterwards, depending on how cold your refrigerator is. The risk of food-borne illness also increases after that date, especially if your storage conditions are less than optimal.

    Practicing good food safety habits at home will help food last safely up to, and beyond, the date on the label. One of the most important food safety parameters is temperature. For example, canned goods in a pantry that stays consistently cool all year round will last longer than canned goods stored in a location where temperatures fluctuate between hot and cool. Likewise, frozen foods stored in a freezer will last longer if the freezer is not opened often, which causes temperature changes. Humidity is also a concern — try to keep all storage areas dry, with low humidity.

    Here are more food safety tips that will help your foods exceed expiration dates and ensure that you stay healthy:

    ·         Refrigerate foods at 40° F immediately. Food safety experts recommend planning your day so that you can take groceries home to the refrigerator right away, instead of letting them sit in the car while you run other errands.

    ·         Don’t keep refrigerated foods out of the fridge for more than two hours.

    ·         Keep ready-to-eat foods separate from those that are raw and need cooking.

    ·         If a food product only has a “sell by” date or no food expiration date at all, cook or freeze the item as soon as possible.

    ·         Make sure prep areas and storage areas in your kitchen are clean.

    ·         If you or someone in your household is immune-compromised, be sure to eat foods by the “use by” date, advises Strohbehn. To do otherwise isn’t worth the risk of food-borne illness.

    Food safety may actually have more to do with the habits you have at home than with the dates on the packaging, but if you want safe foods at their best, use the printed expiration dates as your starting point.

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