In the quest for healthy living, we all face a few challenges.  Some people hate eating healthy, while others constantly try to eat healthy only to be foiled by some clever marketing tactics.  There are many foods that claim to possess certain health benefits to get us to buy their products.  The trick is that these tactics aren’t regulated by any governing body.  Here are a few examples:

“Lightly Sweetened”

- There is no regulation used to determine which food is lightly sweetened and which isn’t since there is no regulation on adding sugar to food.  This term is used in order to make foods more marketable…not many people are willing to buy foods that say “LOADED with sugar”. 

“Made with Whole Grains”

- This term has become quite popular with cereals.  They’re not lying- but this statement does lead the cautious shopper to believe that the product is a better choice than other cereals while causing the more carefree shopper to think that it’s the best invention ever.  Period.  The whole grain claim is usually backed by including a tiny amount of whole grains in the product.  If you take a look at the ingredients list, you’ll likely find that there is more sugar than whole grains. 

“High in Fiber”

- Adding fiber is another way to make foods seem healthier.  Snack bars, cereals and even some desserts have added fiber so they can claim health benefits.  The truth?  The fiber added doesn’t usually come from natural sources such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans.  They tend to come from isolated fibers- which don’t have the same health benefits as natural sources of fiber.  Some of them can help with digestion, but none of them can help with lowering cholesterol.  These foods are NOT a suitable replacement for natural sources of fiber. 

Fortunately, the FDA recently announced that it is going to revamp nutrition labels and it might even create new regulations so foods that are “lightly sweetened” will have an actual standard to accurately judge its claim.  Until these changes occur, here is some advice when choosing food: read the labels carefully!  The ingredients should be things that you recognize (eggs, flour, quinoa, yeast, etc.).  However, if you find yourself struggling to pronounce the name of an ingredient (i.e. Monosodium glutamate, which is better known as MSG), and you have no idea what it is, leave it alone.  Foods in their most natural form are always a safer choice in these instances as highly processed foods tend to contain these mystery ingredients.  Eating a chicken leg or breast is one thing, but chicken nuggets?  I’m not sure what part of the bird they come from.  Being more vigilant about marketing tactics will make your quest for healthy living far easier!  

Kia Edwards is a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist who lives in New York City. She studied French and Economics at Colgate University, spent 15 years as a high-level competitive gymnast and 6 years as a gymnastics coach.  Her business, La Fortesse At Home Fitness Training, helps clients get healthy with simple at home exercises and nutrition counseling. www.LaFortesse.com 

Suffolk County Activates West Nile Hotline

Encourages Residents to Report Sightings of Dead Birds

County Executive Steve Bellone and Commissioner of Health Services James Tomarken announced today the activation of the West Nile hotline as part of a continuing effort to detect and prevent the spread of West Nile virus in the county. West Nile virus infects birds and is spread to humans by mosquitoes that feed on infected birds and then humans.

Residents are encouraged to report sightings of dead birds, such as crows, blue jays and hawks that may have been infected with the virus to the Department of Health Services’ Public Health Hotline at 631-787-2200 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hotline will be active until Labor Day.

Birds that meet the Department of Health Services’ criteria will be picked up between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Accepted bird specimens are tested for the presence of the virus in the bird population.  If it is determined by health officials that a reported bird is not needed for testing or if a dead bird is discovered on a weekend, residents should take proper precautionary measures: put the dead bird into a doubled bag, using gloves and a shovel, and dispose of it in the trash. Note: Humans cannot catch West Nile virus directly from birds.

County officials urge residents to cooperate with the county in its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, “The West Nile hotline is a perfect example of how residents can assist local officials in ensuring the health and safety of our community,” said Bellone.

According to Dr. James Tomarken, “Most people experience no symptoms from West Nile virus, however, some people will develop severe symptoms, including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis.  The symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent,”

To reduce chances of being bitten by mosquitoes, residents are advised to:

·           minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn;

·           wear shoes and socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors for long periods of time or when mosquitoes are more active;

·           use mosquito repellent when outdoors, following label directions carefully;

·           make sure all windows and doors have screens, and that screens are in good repair; and

·           eliminate all standing water around their homes.

To report mosquito problems or stagnant pools of water, call the Department of Public Works’ Vector Control Division at 631-852-4270.

For medical questions related to West Nile virus, contact your health care provider or call 631-854-0333.

For further information on mosquitos and mosquito-borne diseases, visit the Department of Health Services’ website at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health and look under “Seasonal Trends.”

As the official beginning of summer approaches, Commissioner of Health Services James Tomarken urges residents to take action throughout the season to reduce their chances of being bitten by mosquitoes that breed around their homes.

“Mosquitoes can transmit infections such as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis virus,” said Dr. Tomarken, “The best and least expensive way for residents to combat these and other mosquito-borne diseases is to prevent them by taking precautions.”

I’ll make a confession: I overate this week.  I went out with a friend for her birthday dinner and when I woke up the next morning, I tallied up the amount of food I ate.  My conclusion?  It was a lot….of fun.  Food wise?  That was a lot too.  What’s a health-conscious person to do after falling off the wagon?  Here are a few tips to get you back on track the safe way.

Breathe

You ate a lot of food.  Admit it, accept it and then move on in a sensible manner.  1 pound of fat contains 3,500 calories and it’s doubtful that you ate that much in one sitting.  I don’t know any person who eats healthy 100% of the time, and that’s quite fine.  When you give yourself a treat, such as a birthday dinner, take that into account when you think of your eating habits for the rest of the week. Get back to a normal eating schedule.

Leave the Scale Alone for the Day

It may sound like cheating, but the day after you go crazy at the buffet is not a day for the scale.  The number you see may very well cause considerable distress.  However, it’s not an accurate reading.  It is most likely due to water retention, which is caused by excessive salt.  Weighing yourself right after you overindulge will cause you to feel defeated and that won’t help you.  Give yourself a day or so to get back to normal, then hop on the scale for a more accurate reading. 

Don’t Overdo the Work Out

A trainer telling you not to punish yourself with exercise?  Really?  Yes, to an extent.  When you overeat, your plan may be to run off every last one of those excess calories.  It sounds like a good idea in theory, but in reality it’s not your best bet.  Overdoing it can cause you to feel burned out.  It also increases your risk of injury, which will just put you out of the game for a longer amount of time.  You will certainly have to increase your activity, but do it throughout the course of the week and you can add an extra day, if your body can handle it.  For example, if your workout routine is 30min a day, you can safely bump it to 40-45 minutes, but don’t make it 2 hours if that’s not what you’re used to.

Be Aware of What You Eat After

An occasional treat is okay- life is short after all and many of us can agree that certain unhealthy foods taste GREAT.  That being said, many people overindulge on a regular basis and this can cause some serious weight gain. After the feast, keep a mental note of what you’re eating.  You’ll have to cut back on the treats and add in more low-calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables and lean protein.  

We all overindulge at some point or another.  This is the weekend for BBQ’s, and I think you should enjoy it.  Following these tips will help you move on after a summer feast…or after a fun night, which may or may not have included a huge piece of chocolate cake.  

By Kia Edwards

I took the opportunity to ask a couple of dashing young gentlemen and lovely ladies about the state of American nutrition.  Why would I care about their opinion you ask?  Because they’re all foreign- representing the UK, Belarus and Taiwan.  To me, there’s nothing like hearing from people who are going through a good culture shock to learn about the habits we could improve.  From unnecessary practices to weird indulgences, these people gave me a lot to think about.  Here are my favorite responses.  

Question: When you got here, what was your biggest culture shock with regard to food?

Alesia (Belarus):  There is a lack of (leafy) vegetables in the diet here.  Corn is not a vegetable, a potato is not considered a vegetable.

Evana (Taiwan):  My friends here put whipped cream on peaches when they’re already sweet.

Theo (UK):  The food is similar to Britain, but the portion sizes were a big shock for me.  

Nick (UK):  The kitchens are quite a notable thing in a flat.  People do not cook for themselves, which is just bizarre.  People must eat takeaway most of the time.  My housemates looked at me like a right weirdo for making myself a meal. 

Overall, these answers seem as though we’re in a sort of vicious cycle.  We don’t cook  often, (according to MSN money, restaurants such as The Cheesecake Factory saw an increase in profit despite the sluggish economy) and when we eat out, our portions are large and disproportionately focus on starchy carbs and protein.  Combine this with unnecessary, but all too regular indulgences such as whipped cream on fruits, or more often than not, cake and/or ice cream and we can see the issue here.  

Tip:  Cooking can be a daunting task if you’re constantly comparing yourself to Martha Stewart or Barefoot Contessa.  There are quick meals that can be made if you prepare ahead of time, and by that, I mean grocery shopping.  A chicken can be baked in the same amount of time it takes to get dressed, travel, wait and finally sit at a restaurant.  This allows you to control the ingredients you can put in your food and ultimately in your body.  As far as dessert, who doesn’t love a little sweet treat?  Most of us do, myself included, but too many indulgences can have a negative effect on your health.  You can try slightly healthier choices such as angel food cake (instead of the 1500 calorie slice of cake in the restaurant), which is lower in calories since ingredients such as butter are minimal if not completely avoided.  A fruit with a bit of whipped cream or Nutella isn’t terrible, but anything done in excess is going to have some undesirable effects on your figure.

Organic Food:

On a whole, all participants agreed that organic food is far more expensive here.  Alesia stated that the food is bigger here (for example, our massive strawberries) but there is no taste.  This could be one of the reasons for overeating- less taste means less satisfaction and more eating.  It could also explain the mysterious habit of putting whipped cream on fruits!  However, the organic food that comes from local farms in the UK or Belarus tend to be quite affordable.  This is not the case in the USA where the price of organic food can run anywhere from 33-50% more than regular food.  What can you do to combat this?  Well, there are farmer’s markets during the summer, which are tasty, affordable and support a good cause.  During the rest of the year, you can stick to this list of “dirty dozen” foods to buy organic as often as possible due to high instances of pesticide residue:  Apples, Cherries, Grapes (imported Chili), Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Raspberries, Strawberries, Bell peppers, Celery, Potatoes, Spinach

Other observations:

Nick: The same food brands contain more salt here than back home.  I made soup with 2 cubes of bouillon.  Same brand, same measurement and my soup came out horrifically salty.   

Evana:  Americans fry everything!  They fry Oreos and pickles! 

Theo (in response):  They taste incredible though.  

Theo: If you go to the stores here, there are lots of things that look like water, but aren’t water.  They have some hint of fruit or juice, and I’m thinking that’s not water.  Another one is a weird nutrition water and that’s not water either.  They hide the real water in the back.  

Overall, we have a ways to go before we, as a country, become as healthy as we should be.  We definitely have an excellent variety of foods, but the downside is that they are designed to sell, not promote our health.  A fried Oreo or pickle can be fun…if it’s done every few months.  We also need to be aware of the differences in food quality.  “American food tends to be saltier and greasier,” is a statement all participants agreed upon.  Most also agreed that the food “tastes great”.  If we try simple tricks such as eating out a bit less and being more aware of the ingredients in our products, we could go from being one of the largest countries, to “still the best”. 

American Nutrition: The Foreign Perspective