Healthy Choices Fall 03 Sleep well • Sleep is not wasted time. It is one of the most underappreciated things you can do for your health. It can reap huge benefits. Keep up with annual physicals and other health screenings • Set up and attend appointments regularly. Know your numbers, and cultivate a good relationship with your providers. Be your own healthcare advocate, and make sure your whole health team is integrated, so each provider knows your full health picture. For more information on healthy aging, visit healthyaging.net/healthy-aging-month/ september-is-healthy-aging-month, and visit the city’s Aging Well Center, located at the Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road. The Aging Well Center has year-round programming for older adults focused on all aspects of healthy aging. For more information on upcoming events and programs, call 724-3070. Healthy Eating Over the Holidays November is American Diabetes Month. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease and other health problems if not controlled. People who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes can lower their risk by more than half if they make healthy changes. These changes include eating healthy, increasing physical activity and losing weight. Here are some tips to prepare for the holidays while keeping health in mind: • Choose lean meats and/or trim fats during cooking. • Use healthy alternatives: Instead of butter and oils, try a can of pumpkin or apple sauce when making brownies. Another alternative to butter could be mashed bananas or avocado. Need sour cream for your baked potato? Try substituting it with plain Greek yogurt. • Choose your first buffet picks wisely. Research suggests that you’ll consume the largest quantity of the foods you eat first, so set yourself up by starting with something low-calorie such as fruit, salad or soup. • Take smaller sips and bites to trick your brain into eating 30 percent fewer calories. When you take nibbles, chew your food longer and eat slower. Your brain thinks you’ve eaten more. • Substitute one or two beverages a day with water. Nothing adds up calories faster than sugar sweetened drinks. This holiday season, try to replace one of your drinks with a glass of water. It could end up saving you from a few extra pounds by the New Year. • Downsize your plate. Using an appetizer or salad plate instead of a dinner plate can help you eat 40 percent less. Want to know how far you would have to walk to burn off the calories from your Thanksgiving dinner? Use the Thanksgiving Calorie Calculator at walking.about.com/ library/cal/blthanksgivingcalories.htm.
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