KTK-Nutrition

As the cold weather is hitting most of the states, it is a good idea to start practicing some healthy habits to charge up your immune system and try to keep the colds and flu away.   What are some ideas that are easy to adopt to stay healthier this winter?          1.    Wash those hands – out shopping, going to school, going to work, up and down escalators, staying in hotels?   Germs are everywhere so wash them away.   Hand washing is the first step to keeping colds and flu at bay .   In 6 Tips for Avoiding Cold and Flu , Dr. Pocinki recommends, “Wash your hands as much as you can stand, and then some more—especially after wrapping up a visit with someone’s who’s sick.”   If you aren’t near a sink, use hand sanitizer.   Carry some in your purse, or store some in your glove compartment.     2.  P ower Up Your Immune System – having a healthy diet will help build your immune system but some foods are especially powerful in warding off colds and flu. a.      Choose p

Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving?   All those delicious foods to eat.   What are some tips to enjoy the Thanksgiving feast and leftovers without adding those extra pounds?   Not easy since food is so plentiful and so tasty.   Not a day to be on a diet but a day we can enjoy every bite but not gain a lot as a result. Consumer Reports wrote an article :   “Good to the Last Gobble” in which they outlined how many calories Americans eat at the Thanksgiving feast.   They cite the Calorie Control Council (who knew there was such a Council?) that says we consume 4,500 calories or more at our Thanksgiving feast.   That is a lot of calories for one meal, especially since our daily calorie intake should be between 1600 – 2000 for adult women and 2000 – 2400 for adult men.   (If you are active, you can take in more calories during the day.   Check out the chart at “Estimated Calorie Requirements”).   Consumer Reports suggest a meal with all the sides and dessert racks up about 1700 calorie

Natural sounds good and there are many “natural” remedies and cures advertised every day.   Which ones work and which ones don’t?   Consumer Reports (November 2018) and a number of others have reviewed commonly used natural remedies .   Have you tried some natural remedies and have they worked for you?   What do the experts say?             1.   A pple Cider Vinegar – my daughter recently asked me about apple cider vinegar and if it helps with weight loss.   I told her that myth is very old and was around a long time ago and then keeps coming back.   The hucksters push apple cider vinegar as a great cure all.   Take in just 1-2 Tablespoons a day and they claim you have better blood sugar levels, you lose weight, reduce your cancer risk and a new claim is it cures some skin problems.   Apple cider vinegar is really good for something – to use it in salad dressing.   Dr. Chey from the University of Michigan is quoted as saying, “there’s little scientific evidence to support these

Who doesn’t enjoy some sweets in their diet?   We all like our desserts and treating ourselves.   There are a lot of myths about sugar in our diets.   Food for Health has a great article this month on Sugar:   The Not-So-Sweet Truth .   Do you believe some of these myths about sugar?   Below are some common myths many people have about sugar. Myth 1:   Some sugars such as honey or agave are healthier for you than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup. A little bit true, as honey and agave do provide some traces of vitamins and minerals such as potassium and vitamin C.   But the amounts are so small, that honey and agave are not really healthier than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.   Some people use honey as a cough suppressant .   Others like the taste of honey in baked foods like muffins.   Nothing wrong with choosing honey or agave, they just aren’t much healthier.     Myth 2:   There are sugars that are low in calories. Sugar is sugar and sug