Holiday Stress & Depression

According to the Mayo Clinic staff the holiday season, which begins for most Americans with Thanksgiving and continues through New Year's Day, often brings unwelcome guests — stress and depression


The Mayo Clinic offers 10 Tips for coping holiday stress

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/MH00030 

Increase in illness during the holiday season?

What contributes to the increase in illness during the holiday season?
One commonly overlooked issue that can contribute to the increase in illness during the holiday season is food allergies. 

We are so busy eating and drinking over the holidays that we often forget to look at what it is that we are actually eating. For those with food allergies, food preparation is an issue.  During the holiday season, it is important to know what's in the food you're eating."

Allergy sufferers must be mindful of the many additives that are contained in holiday pre-packaged convenience foods.

Some holiday foods to avoid consuming in large quantities include

eggnog , Fruitcake,  Cheese , Ice cream, and  Nuts. 

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SAVE THE DATE!

2^nd Saturday Wellness 2011

2011 Nutrition for Life Educational Series

$20.11 for each Session (Prepay by 12-31-10)

RSVP info@befitinc.com

Turkey Time - White meat or dark meat?

Does it matter whether you choose white meat or dark meat?

 Dark meat contains more zinc, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, vitamins B6 and B12, amino acids, and iron than white meat. Dark meats also contain more saturated fats, along with omega-3 and omega-6 fats.

Dark Meat - dark meats are dark because the muscles are used more (think drumsticks vs. breast meat). They have more myoglobin proteins, which help ship oxygen to your muscle cells.  When dark meat is cooked, the myoglobins turn into metmyoglobins, which are very high in iron.

White Meat - contains glycogen, a polysaccharide of glucose, an animal starch. Animal starch is stored in your liver, and then broken down into glucose when it’s needed by the white muscle.

Source: http://www.diet-blog.com/07/dark_meat_vs_white_meat_whats_the_difference.php

Average weight gain during the holiday season?

You may have heard from Weight Watchers that the average American gains around 7-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. However, A recent study by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) suggests that Americans probably gain about a pound during the winter holiday season-but this extra weight accumulates through the years and may be a major contributor to obesity later in life. The results of their study appear in the March 23, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Jack A. Yanovski, M.D., Ph.D., the study's principal investigator and head of NICHD's Unit on Growth and Obesity  says the good news is that people don't gain as much weight as we thought during the holidays. The bad news is that weight gained over the winter holidays isn't lost during the rest of the year."

Sources: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/holidayweightgain.cfm

What is the average amount of calories in a Thanksgiving meal?
The Average Thanksgiving Meal Equals 3,000 Calories and 229 Grams of Fat. WOW! That's almost 2 days worth of food.

Insulin - On exhibit

Did you know that insulin was first discovered in 1921 by researchers at the University of Toronto?

Eli Lilly made insulin first available by prescription in 1923.

The story of Elizabeth Hughes, one of the earliest insulin users and insulin pioneer Dr. Frederick Banting is the content of an extraordinary exhibit at the New York Historical Society in Manhattan. The exhibit is entitled "Breakthrough: The Dramatic Story of the Discovery of Insulin and runs until January 31, 2011.


Source: Diabetes Forecast, October 2010 http:// forecast.diabetes.org
Exhibit information can be found at http://www.nyhistory.org



http://tastefest-jinglebelljewels.eventbrite.com/ (Special prize drawings for ticket holders)
A wonderful Saturday afternoon outing full of tasty delights, while raising awareness and support for Detroit Area Agency on Aging Meals on Wheels program!

http://www.befitinc.com
Yours in Health!