6 survival skills for a healthy—happy Thanksgiving dinner

For my family, Thanksgiving dinner starts early in the day and ends hours later after we’re all stuffed and exhausted. I call it the "food coma." While there’s lots of talk of elastic-waist pants, loosening of belts, and "never eating again after today," rarely is there discussion of scaling back on portions or eating in moderation—and why not? Because, by tradition, the holidays are a time for celebrating people, blessings, and second or third helpings of your mom’s famous stuffing. But for if you’re minding your waistline, or simply concerned with keeping up healthy habits you’ve worked hard to maintain throughout the year, Thanksgiving can feel like a huge setback. It doesn’t have to be, though. Here are six healthy survival skills to help you make it through the upcoming holidays without calorie overload:

Cut out the things you don’t love. Holidays provide the perfect landscape for overeating because there’s so much food. But, it’s likely there are several high-calorie, high-fat dishes you can do without. Decide what you really want to indulge in and go for smaller portions rather than heaping ones. And avoid nibbling on tons of fatty appetizers because they can add extra calories without making you feel full.

Don’t gobble, gobble. Slow down and enjoy your meal. Studies show that eating a meal quickly may inhibit the release of gut hormones that help you feel full.

Have your pie, and eat it too. No need to deprive yourself, and hurt grandma’s feelings in the process. Again, choose the dessert that you’ve been craving all day, rather than filling up on portions of all the cakes, pies, and puddings being served. If you’re a guest at someone’s celebration, bring a healthier dessert—such as a low-fat pumpkin pie, sorbet, or a fruit plate—even if you’re not asked.

Partners in crime: Diabetes and obesity

The number of Americans with type 2 diabetes has almost doubled in the past decade, to an estimated 24 million. That includes the one in four who don’t even know they have the disease. And some experts believe it won't be long before that number exceeds 30 million.

Why the explosion? Obesity. Up to a third of us are now clinically obese. And since the vast majority of people with type 2 diabetes are also overweight, it's no wonder those two disorders are often referred to as twin epidemics. Indeed, three out of four respondents to a Consumer Reports survey of 5,012 people with type 2 diabetes said they were overweight. And overweight respondents were more than twice as likely to say that they were unsuccessful at managing their diabetes.

The good news is that efforts to rein in excess weight can help prevent and control the condition. For example, a three-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that for people at high risk for type 2 diabetes, a 7 percent weight loss through diet and 30 minutes of exercise, five days per week, resulted in a 58 percent drop in the expected incidence of the disease. And our survey found that efforts to control weight, by improving diet and increasing activity, were effective strategies for helping people successfully manage their diabetes. Diabetes educators and dietitians were rated as being more helpful than primary-care physicians and endocrinologists in educating patients about nutrition.

The bottom line: The solution to tackling obesity and diabetes is simple. You can't choose your parents, but there are no barriers to eating right and exercising.

—Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports’ chief medical adviser

Quit smoking today—and start looking better tomorrow

Fewer wrinkles. Better-smelling breath, hair, and clothing. Healthier teeth and gums. More money in your pocket. An improved sense of taste and smell. A reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and cancer of the lungs, cervix, pancreas, throat, intestine, kidneys, and bladder. Most important, up to 10 years added to your life span. Despite these convincing reasons to quit smoking, Americans are not getting the message that smoking can not only shorten your life, but also increase the risk of death in those who come into contact with your secondhand smoke—including your children.

According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control, the rate of U.S. smokers in 2008 (20.6 percent) has remained virtually unchanged since 2004, when 20.9 adults reported being smokers. And 20.6 percent translates to 46 million U.S. smokers, 443,000 preventable deaths each year, and $96 billion in annual health-care costs. Hardest hit by the tobacco epidemic are vulnerable populations, including people with lower levels of education.

If you smoke cigarettes, choose to quit today as part of the 34th Great American Smokeout. It’s true that quitting is no simple task—and you may have made several honest attempts before. But considering the damage cigarette smoke does to your looks, on top of your health and the health of those around you, it’s worth another try. Consider these practical ways to help you get started:

A healthy weight helps women age better, says study

Can you still fit into your high school clothes? I know I’d struggle after two kids and a decade and a half of marriage. But according to a study released last month in the British Medical Journal, our chances of living long and healthy would improve if we could squeeze into those old clothes.

In the study, researchers looked at the body mass indexes of 17,065 women, and found that the more weight the women gained from age 18 until mid-life, the less likely their chances of being healthy in later life. And it didn’t have to be a significant amount of weight—for every kilogram of weight gain (2.2 pounds), the odds of being alive and healthy into their 70s decreased by 5%.

The study also found that, when compared with lean women (BMIs of 18.5-22.9), the women with a BMI of 30 or above had lowered their odds of living healthily into their 70’s by 79%.

That’s a scary thought. And if I want to lose enough weight to even get close to my high school jeans, I have to overcome two very large obstacles—me and my husband.

I try to eat healthy, trying several stay-thin strategies. I’m a big fan of salads, and have never met a vegetable I didn’t like in at least some form (though I’m still struggling on those beets). My personal weakness is all those luscious, scrumptious carbs. I have been known to burn my fingers ripping apart a hot, crusty loaf of bread fresh out of the oven. 

What your walking speed can tell your doctor

Doctors are trained fortune-tellers of sorts. But instead of divining the future through tea leaves or Tarot cards, they look to our bodies for clues. If our blood pressure is high, they may warn of heart and circulation problems that could be down the road. Ditto for high cholesterol. But doctors can also draw upon subtler signs — even, for example, our walking speed.

As odd as it may sound, studies show that healthy older adults who walk slowly are at higher risk of falls, disabilities, frequent hospital visits, and other health problems. And, according to a new study, slow walkers also have triple the chance of dying from heart disease, although the reasons aren't yet clear.

The study included 3,208 seniors ages 65 to 85 in France. Each person's walking speed was clocked over 6 meters (almost 20 feet). The researchers then checked on the participants every couple of years. All were in reasonably good health at the start of the study, and didn't have any conditions that could have substantially affected how fast they walked, such as Parkinson disease, dementia, or a disabling stroke.

After five years, 209 people had died, including 99 from cancer, 59 from heart disease, and 51 from other causes (such as infections and respiratory failure). The researchers found that the slowest walkers were three times more likely to have died of heart disease than those who walked at a faster clip. However, they didn't find a link between slow walking and other causes of death, including cancer.

Q&A: What causes easy bruising?

I’m a 75-year-old woman who bruises easily. What could cause that? —J.B., Irvington, N.Y.

Several things. Bruises form when tiny blood vessels near the surface break, causing bleeding that discolors skin. Anything that affects those vessels or the blood’s ability to clot can lead to increased bleeding and bruising. The most likely cause is the natural thinning of the skin with age, which leaves the vessels less protected. Other causes include various drugs, notably the steroid prednisone; the blood thinners aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), and warfarin (Coumadin); and diseases of the blood cells, bone marrow, immune system, or certain organs. So be sure to talk with your doctor if you’ve started to bruise easily.

Q&A: How does cognitive behavioral therapy improve sleep?

How does cognitive behavioral therapy help improve sleep? —V.L.J., Union City, Calif.

The therapy teaches you to change the thoughts and behaviors that may contribute to poor sleep. Cognitive strategies you learn might include designating a certain time of day for addressing worries and concerns so you can put them aside at bedtime, or using mind-body techniques such as guided imagery to help you wind down. Behavioral techniques might include avoiding naps; using your bed for sleep or sex only; going to bed and waking at the same time each day; and getting up and doing something relaxing if you can’t fall asleep. You might also modify your sleep area by installing light-blocking curtains, playing soft music, or using a sound machine to drown out noise.

Q&A: Minerals in tap water?

A report from my municipal water supplier shows that my tap water has high levels of calcium, iron, magnesium, and several other minerals. Does that mean that my water has nutritional value? —F.P., Morse, Saskatchewan

Yes. Your body can absorb minerals as readily from water as it does from food. In a study of drinking water in Sweden, researchers estimated that as much as 13 percent of some residents’ daily intake of calcium, magnesium, and potassium came from its tap water. Some preliminary research has linked consumption of mineral-rich, or "hard," water to lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and possibly some types of cancer. If your water provider didn’t include mineral levels in its annual report (the law doesn’t require them to), you could send a sample to a certified lab for testing. To find one, go to www.epa.gov/safewater/labs/.

For more on tap water safety, visit GreenerChoices.org.

Which houseplants are best for better air quality?

I work in a small home office with a napping cat and a large potted plant for company. I'm always grateful for my cat's quiet camaraderie, but I never give my plant a second thought, other than to begrudgingly water it when it looks droopy (as it does now). But after reading a new study on houseplants and air quality, I'm ready to boost its water rations and dole out some long-overdue fertilizer.

Scientists have long-known that plants improve outdoor air quality by removing pollutants (a process known as phytoremediation), but their effect on indoor air hasn't been as widely studied. However, this is a topic of some interest, as more of us are spending most of our time inside, where the air quality can be poor thanks to pollutants arising from paints, furnishings, cleaning supplies, and other indoor sources. In fact, studies show that indoor air can be up to 12 times more polluted than outdoor air in some areas. And this can increase the risk of asthma, cancer, and other serious health problems.

For the study, researchers rounded up 28 popular houseplants and put them in gas-tight jars. They then infused the air around the plants with the following common pollutants:

It’s about time for a school lunch makeover

When I read that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) had released new guidelines to improve the nutrition of school lunches, my first reaction was "It’s about time!" The guidelines include setting a maximum number of calories in a meal, lowering the sodium, saturated fat and starchy vegetables, and increasing the amount of fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

Having lived through school lunches of chicken fried steak with cream gravy, mashed potatoes, and a big cup of ketchup as the "vegetable" (thank you Ronald Reagan), I realize that many school cafeterias have made some strides. But placing a largely ignored bowl of apples at the end of the line does little to negate the greasy pizza, and fried chicken patties that usually precede that bowl. And my children have been known to throw at me that a meal of macaroni and cheese with French fries can’t be that bad, since it’s served at the school cafeteria.

One of my brothers tells me that I worry too much. We ate it, and it didn’t kill us. But it is killing us. And it’s setting up our children for a lifetime of poor health. A new national survey released by the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association found that most Americans don’t realize that heart disease risk doesn’t wait until adulthood. The American Heart Association even held a conference this year looking at the dangers of the growing girth of our children. And they are growing—some estimates say that 1 in 3 of our kids are overweight.

Want to quit smoking? Don’t switch to low-tar

It’s amazing the ways in which we sabotage our best intentions. How many bursts of enthusiasm have been lost with the thought "but I’ll just do this first"? If you’ve tried to start an exercise routine, you’ll know how it goes. I’ll start jogging, but I need to buy new running shoes first. I’ll go to the gym, just as soon as I get these chores finished.

Some smokers think that a great first step to quitting smoking is to switch to a lower tar brand first. After all, that means less addictive nicotine, fewer harmful substances, and shows they’re serious about change, right?

Wrong. Studies show that smokers draw more deeply on lower tar cigarettes, so they inhale about the same amount of harmful substances as smokers of higher tar brands. Not only that, but smokers who switch to a lower tar brand are much less successful when they try to quit altogether.

A recent study looked at the smoking behavior of more than 30,000 Americans. The study found that smokers who switched to lower tar brands were more likely to attempt to quit, but less likely to succeed. Only 9 in 100 people managed to quit after switching brands, compared to 17 in 100 who quit without switching first.

6 easy ways to get more fiber

Eating a diet rich in fiber foods such as oat bran, beans, and most produce can help lower your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and aids digestion. But many of us hear the word "fiber" and immediately think bulky, coarse, and unpalatable. Our sister publication, ShopSmart, suggests these easy, appetizing ways to get your fit in your daily serving (25 to 30 grams) of fiber:

• Add kidney beans or chickpeas to soups, salads, and pastas. Legumes are an undervalued source of fiber, and they’re inexpensive.

• Put raw berries on cereal or pancakes or in salads. A cup of raspberries, for example, has 8 grams of fibers.

• Eat fruits with the skin on and don’t peel potatoes before you cook them.

Q&A: Is it safe to bake with spoiled milk?

Does baking with spoiled milk, which my mother does routinely, pose any health risks? —Z.C., Grand Junction, Colo.

Probably not—but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Nearly all milk sold in grocery stores today is pasteurized, primarily to prevent tuberculosis and brucellosis. That greatly diminishes the chance that you could pick up other serious illnesses from the milk, even if it’s old. However, pasteurization sometimes does not kill all spoilage bacteria. So as milk ages, it harbors increasing amounts of other, less virulent bacteria that might cause nausea, stomach cramps, or diarrhea, particularly if it’s left unrefrigerated. While the heat of baking destroys many of those bugs, experts say it’s probably not worth the risk. And excessively spoiled milk may give an off flavor to your baked goods. Instead, use buttermilk, or stir vinegar or lemon juice into fresh milk (1 tablespoon per cup) to simulate the curdling and acidity.

Snacks and slow eating may help you lose weight

There may be some truth to my mother’s warning that "wolfing down your food will make you fat." According to new study, to be published in the January 2010 issue of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, eating a meal quickly may reduce hormones in the gut that help you feel full.

In the study, researchers had 17 male participants consume the same test meal, 300ml of ice-cream, in either 5-minute or 30-minute eating sessions. Researchers took blood samples and measured glucose, insulin, plasma levels, and gut hormones before, during, and after the sessions, and determined the men who ate during the 30-minute session had higher concentrations of gut hormones and feelings of fullness.

If you’re trying to keep your weight under control, taking a longer lunch might be worth a try. Invite a friend (chatting while eating always slows me down) or take a lesson from a macrobiotic eater and "chew your food well."

In defense of snacking

Another way to slow down your eating style is by snacking—or as one of our staffers calls it, "grazing." Snacking is often seen as the gateway food to poor eating habits. With all the hard-to-resist fatty and sugary munchies out there, snacking has gained a bad reputation. But, snacking can be good for you, according to several studies that point out the benefits of well-placed snacks throughout the day as a way to curb your appetite.

Sugar Wars: Industry front group defends high fructose corn syrup

Big Corn is fighting it out with the Big Apple in ad wars. Last year, the Corn Refiners Association launched a series of ads defending the processed sweetener against its attackers. This year, The New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene launched ads asking subway riders if they were "pouring on the pounds." The posters depict a bottle of soda, sports drink, or sweetened ice tea morphing into blobs of fat as it’s poured into a glass. Now, the deceptively named Center for Consumer Freedom is getting in on the food fight.

The group—which according to SourceWatch was founded with tobacco industry funding and has been financed in the past by sweetened-beverage companies, including Coca-Cola, among other major food industry players—launched it’s own poster in New York asking "Big Apple or Big Brother?" Now the group has launched a million dollar ad campaign defending high fructose corn syrup.

The SweetScam campaign includes this ad, which depicts a sugar cube, a honey bear, and an ear of corn in a police line-up for causing weight gain. The "victim" isn’t sure which culprit is to blame, but thinks it might be the corn because he’s "seen that high fructose corn syrup guy on the news." The police officer informs him they all have the same calories, and are "processed by the body the same way too." He releases the sticky suspects after determining that the victim is "making this stuff up without any proof."

The point is summed up as "a sugar is a sugar." To a certain extent that’s true—and most Americans would do well to consume less of all of them. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American should consume no more than about 40 grams (approximately 10 teaspoons) of added sugars a day–added sugars don’t include those that occur naturally in fruit and other foods. But the average American consumes more than twice that amount about 22 teaspoons per day, and adolescent boys between 14 and 18 consume more than three times more, about 34 teaspoons per day.