By Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD 

It’s making headlines around the globe – Americans are overweight. New diets pop up everyday, but as the nation focuses on cutting calories, it’s important to not sacrifice key nutrients.  

While we’re overfed, new research shows that Americans are not meeting their average daily need for nutrients. The solution is to eat nutrient-rich foods, like high quality lean protein, to provide the essential vitamins and minerals needed to fuel a healthy lifestyle. Healthy eating is no longer about counting calories, but making your calories count more.     

Eating nutrient-rich foods satisfies the body, helping you feel full longer, while providing much needed nutrients. Food and nutrition planning should emphasize “power” calories by focusing on naturally nutrient-rich foods, like colorful fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, whole grains and lean meat.   

Walk up to any coffee counter these days and you’re bound to find a big bottle of agave syrup nestled in between the cane sugar and half & half. Touted as an all natural, healthy alternative to other sweeteners, agave seemed the go to choice for people who like it sweet by need something with a lower glycemic index and diabetics.

Unfortunately, agave ain’t all that.

The truth behind agave, which is derived from the succulent agave plant in Mexico, is it’s almost all fructose. Fructose, a naturally occurs sugar, is fine when consumed in its natural state. An apple, for instance, contains 7% fructose. Agave nectar contains a whopping 90% fructose.

And what’s the problem with fructose? In highly concentrated amounts, fructose has been linked to liver disease.

So when it comes to sweetening your coffee, tea or recipe, honey and sugar are still the sweeter deal.
 

Many years ago, a friend of mine walked up behind another friend who had just returned from two tours of duty in Viet Nam with the Marines. The vet didn't hear my friend until she was right behind him. His training kicked in, and he whirled and struck out with a karate chop. Fortunately, he caught himself in time, and my friend apologized profusely for seeming to sneak up on him.

The Marine had spent months in mortal danger, using the survival skills he'd learned, and was still reacting as if he were in the jungle. We are trained much the same way when we're children and teenagers. Over time, we learn a certain way of reacting that reflects our parents' attitudes, our school environment, our friends' attitudes. We may have grown up in a dangerous situation, such as with an abusive parent or being harassed in school, and discovered that being quiet and invisible kept us safer. Or we might have learned to strike out in anger to reduce our risk. When we grow older, we continue those reactions without thinking, just as my marine friend did.

The lifetime risk of dying of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is nearly one in three for women, which exceeds the number of CVD deaths in men, and hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In 2007, the American Heart Association updated their Guidelines for CVD prevention. Along with guidance on aspirin and hormone replacement therapy, a major part of the recommendations focused on lifestyle changes to help manage blood pressure including weight control, increased physical activity, alcohol moderation, sodium restriction, and an emphasis on eating fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. In fact, the authors noted that nearly all women are at risk for heart disease, underscoring the importance of a heart-healthy lifestyle for all women.

What role do dairy foods play in managing blood pressure?

02/13/2010

Tuality Healthcare and nursing students from Portland Community College present this community event focusing on heart health, featuring health screenings, recipes, expert perspectives and more. The event is free, but cholesterol screenings are available for $20. RSVP requested; call 503-681-1700.

Venue:

Tuality Health Education Center

Time:

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Address:

334 S.E. Eighth Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97123

02/20/2010

Time:  9:00 AM

The EXPO is FREE and includes health screenings, cooking demonstrations, product and service exhibitors, as well as leading experts talking about diabetes management and prevention.  Get the latest information on preventing and managing diabetes and its deadly complications to help keep you and your family healthy.

Visit the American Diabetes Association EXPO/Portland and join the movement to Stop Diabetes™.  Learn how to live healthy, be active, and change the future of diabetes for you and your family

http://main.diabetes.org/site/Calendar/482531420?view=Detail&id=8021

By Savannah Mayfield

While our national and local economies have been in a decline over the past two years, there is an economy in Portland that is thriving: the “mama economy.”

The mama economy is made up of creative, community-minded mothers who enjoy swapping, bartering and selling their goods and services to each other.

I spoke with numerous local mothers (and a couple of dads!) to get feedback on how this grassroots economy is working in Portland.

Tony Fuentes of Milagros Boutique, a natural baby and child boutique that sells many locally-crafted (by mothers) goods, says that the mama economy is based on “a unique combination of values in Portland, namely a strong do it yourself ethic, a strong environmental ethic, and a strong belief in community connectedness.”

None of us is getting any younger (except Benjamion Button and that guy is creepy). But if we want to continue to look young we have to take care now with 10-hour plastic surgery marathon simple steps like these:

Sunscreen, duh.

Sunscreen isn't just for summer time. In the winter the sun throws just as many UV rays at your face as it does in the summertime.

By Mary Rarick

As you may know, as of January 1st  Oregon drivers are no longer able to text while driving (thank goodness!) and cell phone use is limited to those using hands-free devices. So what happens when not everyone in the family has a blue tooth?

After reviewing a number of products I’ve decided to go with the BlueAnt Supertooth 3 Bluetooth Speakerphone.

Here’s why:

By Mary Rarick

Have you noticed that everywhere you go everyone seems to want a copy of your ID? OK, so I exaggerate, but doctor’s offices, dentists, dermatologists…it used to be that every year they asked for a copy of your insurance card. Now they want a copy of your ID as well.

A couple of weeks ago my son and I visited the dermatologist and I was asked to provide my ID so that it could be copied. I politely declined.

My Point:

Here’s my take: The smattering of local offices I frequent don’t need a copy of my ID; I’m more than happy to show it to the receptionist each time I visit the office.

Their Point:

They claim they’re trying to prevent insurance fraud. I’m just trying to prevent identity theft.

Conclusion: