Pumpkins Not Just for Pie Anymore!

 

Thanks to their newfound superfood status, pumpkins will be spending less time on the front porch and more time on dinner menus this fall. Plus, they’re amazingly versatile: Pureed, mashed, or cubed, pumpkin’s mildly sweet taste can go even sweeter or savory, depending on how you spice it.

• At restaurants, look for pumpkin soups, breads, and muffins; pumpkin-flavored pasta dishes (think gnocchi or ravioli); and decadent pumpkin-based desserts, from cheesecake to gelato.
• At home, keep a few cans of pumpkin puree on hand, and stir a big spoonful into almost anything: soups, stews, yogurt, curries, pancakes, even meatball mixtures.

In fact, there may be nothing you can’t pump up with pumpkin — including coffee: The Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks boosted the chain’s sales 11% when it debuted! Need an extra prod to try pumpkin in something besides pie? Here are half a dozen reasons to go for the gourd:

1. It gives your immune system a flu-season boost. A 1/2-cup serving of pumpkin delivers a boatload of immune-boosting vitamins and nutrients, including alpha carotene and beta carotene, vitamin C, iron, and enough vitamin A to last you 3 days!

2. It fills you up for very few calories. Half a cup of Libby’s canned 100% pumpkin puree packs 5 grams of stomach-satisfying fiber (20% of the recommended daily intake) for only 40 calories. In comparison, a slice of whole-wheat bread has 2 grams of fiber and 70 calories.

3. It’s got the goods to protect your vision. Pumpkin delivers a duo of sight-saving carotenoid antioxidants (lutein and beta cryptoxanthin) that reduce the risk of age-related cataracts and sight-stealing macular degeneration.

4. It keeps your body humming. Pumpkin is a great source of potassium, which keeps your cells, nerves, and muscles running smoothly. Healthy potassium levels also help keep blood pressure in check and can lower the odds of stroke and heart disease.
   
5. It could cut your cancer risk. A diet high in carotenoids can lower the risk of breast cancer. And beta cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid that’s particularly plentiful in pumpkin, may help protect against lung cancer. Aim to get your beta carotene from foods like pumpkin, since supplements don’t offer the same cancer protection.
   
6. It gives your bones a little extra love. You’ll also pick up a little extra bone-building calcium with each serving. Plus, beta cryptoxanthin defends against joint-destroying rheumatoid arthritis.
   
Wondering about canned versus fresh pumpkin? Canned is a little less sweet but, surprisingly, it’s a little more nutritious. It has more fiber, beta carotene, potassium, iron, and folate than fresh. It also wins huge points for convenience!

Reference – RealAge.com

Six (Medical) Reasons to Be Thankful

When you thank your friends and family this holiday season, the reasons to do so may extend beyond good manners. Study after study has shown that social connections – through family, friends, or even with companion animals – seem to pay off in terms of good health, longevity and even prolonged survival among patients with very serious diseases. Some evidence linking good health with strong ties to family and friends includes:

1. The immune system’s natural killer cell activity is negatively affected by three “distress indicators” – one of which is lack of social support.
2. One study of 75 medical students found that those who were lonely had more sluggish natural killer cells than students who weren’t.
3. Research has shown that people who have companion animals have less illness than people who do not. Companion animals’ owners also recover from serious illness faster.
4. Susceptibility to heart attacks appears to correlate with how often people use the words “I,” “me,” and “mine” in casual speech.
5. And believe it or not, studies show that people who get out and spend more time with others during cold and flu season actually get fewer episodes of colds or flu than those who choose to be alone.
6. Being grateful for what you have has been associated with physical and emotional health.

Don’t Forget to Thank Yourself
A healthy body is a great way to thank yourself. Keep the resolution to make your health a top priority – start by taking a high-quality daily multivitamin from Watkins – Superfood Multiple, Article No. 02260.

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6 Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

If you approach your holiday meals not by deprivation but by making smart choices and enjoying your food, chances are you will avoid seasonal weight gain. Try these healthy eating tips this holiday season.

1. Choose fiber-rich fruits and vegetables for appetizers, eat high-calorie foods sparingly, and avoid dishes high in saturated fat and sodium.
2. Be aware of what you eat. To help prevent overindulging – and the stomachache, bloating and other gastrointestinal discomfort that can come with it – be mindful when you are eating and stop when you are feeling full.
3. Don’t starve yourself all day to justify eating more at dinner. Eating a satisfying breakfast can ward off the temptation to overindulge later in the day.
4. Concentrate on portion control and planning. Choose foods that you really love to eat, chew each bite slowly, and savor all the flavors and smells. Eating slowly not only allows you to enjoy and be thankful for your food, but helps prevent overeating: it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to signal the brain that you’re full.
5. Get up from the table when you’re done, in order to avoid nibbling.
6. Once your meal is over, take a walk to help digest your food and think about what a wonderful experience you just had – and the company and conversations that contributed to making it memorable and enjoyable.

Suggestions from www.DrWeil.com

6 Ways to De-Stress Your Home

The following suggestions for creating a more comforting environment are from www.DrWeil.com

Your home – whether big, small, or somewhere in between – should be your sanctuary, a place where stress is left at the door and your soul is nurtured. For a more comforting environment, gradually implement the following changes into your home:

• Bring the outdoors in. Green plants, cut flowers and blooming bulbs, or pieces of wood, rocks and other organic elements can create a feeling of nature indoors.
• Paint a room to suggest a mood. For instance, blue and green promote a relaxed feeling and may be good choices for the bedroom, while warm colors (maroon, coral, burgundy) suggest a cozy environment and may be inviting in a family room.
• Surround your senses with beauty. Artwork, fragrance, smooth textures and calming sounds all provide a pleasant environment in which to relax.
• Set aside a room or area for peace and calm. A place for spiritual reflection and meditation can provide shelter from noise and distraction.
• Clean out clutter. A low-maintenance home is refreshing after a day of hectic meetings, errands and chores. Fewer items can mean less frustration.
• Create an atmosphere of love. Display handmade or meaningful gifts from loved ones and photos of family and friends.

From your drinking water to a room’s design to the types of cleaning products you use, a healthy home is important to your overall well-being.

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Preventing Diabetes With Exercise

Because of the alarming rise in the number of people diagnosed with diabetes each year, every November the American Diabetes Association encourages the public to learn more about the disease

There are two forms of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 2, the most common form, affects the body’s ability to respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (the body’s preferred form of energy) to enter the cells. (Type 1 diabetes is typically a genetic condition diagnosed in childhood in which the pancreas undergoes an autoimmune attack and is incapable of producing insulin.) Nearly 23.6 million people in the United States have diabetes, and up to 95 percent of them have type 2; even more are at risk for the disease. For many, type 2 diabetes can be prevented (or postponed) with a healthy lifestyle which emphasizes lean proteins and the right fats and carbs along with regular exercise.

In response to a landmark study known as the Diabetes Prevention Program, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) created an initiative to encourage those at risk for type 2 diabetes to make healthy lifestyle changes. The NIH recommends that people with prediabetes (those who have higher-than-normal blood sugar but do not yet have diabetes) participate in 30 minutes of exercise five days a week.

Acceptable physical activities can be as simple as walking the dog or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.