Did your mom enlist you in the “clean plate club” at an early age? Do you get your down-home cooking skills and your growing waistline from her? Well, recent research says that women learn their eating habits (and so many other good things) from their mothers. Here’s why it’s so important to teach our daughters healthy eating habits.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Like the old adage “like mother, like daughter” says, women can pick up many eating habits by watching their mothers in the kitchen.

Investigators found that low-income African-American women often learn from their mothers to be “grateful” for the food they are given, but may get few lessons on which foods are healthier than others.

Specifically, discussions with 21 women between the ages of 25 and 65 revealed that women were often taught that food was scarce, and they should eat everything they are served - a practice that could lead to overeating. And while some mothers told their daughters that they should eat more vegetables because they are “good for you,” other daughters received no such information.

Girls watch their mothers closely, and these findings demonstrate that women have a great opportunity to provide their daughters with life-long healthy eating habits, “by their own positive example,” study author Dr. Diane Baer Wilson told Reuters Health.

“Habits become behaviors when they begin early, when they are routinely observed in parents, and seem to be valued by an authority figure,” she said.”Parents can use their influence to model positive health habits for children, including healthy eating and exercise,” added Wilson, who is based at the VCU School of Medicine in Virginia USA.

During the study, Wilson and her team reviewed information gathered from four discussion groups with the women. Two of the groups included women between the ages of 25 and 45, and the other two groups were made up of women between the ages of 46 and 65.All study participants were members of the African Methodist Episcopalian church, and lived in low-income communities in South Carolina.

Although there were many similarities between the older and the younger women, theresearchers discovered important differences, as well. For instance, younger women were more likely to say that they eat differently now than their mothers did, noting that their busier lifestyle and added conveniences like microwaves often discourage them from cooking large meals three times per day, as their mothers did.

Younger women also indicated that they learned about the importance of healthy eating and its relationship to diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure at an earlier age than older women. In many cases, women also picked up their attitudes about their bodies from their mothers. For instance, older women said they were often taught by their mothers to be happy with their bodies, and their mothers only rarely spoke about wanting to lose or gain weight. However, some younger women reported that their mothers dieted, or were concerned that their daughters looked too thin.

This study may not be 100% in its findings but it is just common sense that we mothers should provide the very best role model for our daughters. Make sure that it exists in our daily approach to children’s nutritional needs.

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It is no secret that eating fruit is good for you and has plenty of health benefits - but what are they? Generally, people who eat more fruit as part of a healthy diet are less likely to develop diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer, and they provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to fight other infections and repair cells, too.

Most people want to be as healthy as possible. We want to be able to enjoy life without the constraints of illness and disease, and live a long, and active life. Eating fruit every day as part of a balanced diet is just one of the ways we can improve our health, and give our bodies a helping hand in living to a ripe old age.

Why Fruit?
These days our bodies need more vitamins and minerals than ever before. This is because we work longer hours, are exposed to more toxic fumes from pollution and are under more stress than we used to be. Eating fruit every day is a simple way of providing your body with these nutrients to ensure you are well equipped to deal with the stresses of daily life, and possibly protect you from illnesses in the future.

A diet involving regular amounts of fruit will provide your body with antioxidants to help prevent free radicals from attacking the body.

Free Radicals
Free radicals are molecules that are produced when our bodies react with oxygen. They react with other molecules within cells and can damage their proteins, membranes and genes. The damage caused can lead to the onset of disease, in particular Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer. It also contributes to the ageing of our bodies.

The following external factors also trigger the production of free radicals in the body:

* Pollution
* Sunlight
* Smoking
* Alcohol

This means we are exposed to more free radicals than ever before.

Antioxidants
The body also naturally produces antioxidants, which fight free radicals and help prevent premature ageing and the onset of disease. These antioxidants neutralize the free radicals and stop them attacking our healthy cells. Because we are exposed to more and more free radicals every day, we need more antioxidants to neutralize them.

Fruit is a great source of antioxidants. Eating them regularly will stop free radicals attacking and mutating our cells.

Other Health Benefits
Fruit is also paced with dietary fibre, which helps to keep your digestion system running properly. Not only will this help expel waste products more efficiently, but it can also help prevent colon and bowel cancers as well, as there will be fewer toxins exposed to that area for less time.

How Much Fruit Neutralizes Free Radicals?
You should eat five portions of fruit or vegetables each day as part of a balanced diet. This should give you a mixture of all the nutrients and vitamins necessary to ward off free radicals.

The fruit can be consumed in a number of ways - in smoothies, on its own as a snack, on pizza or dried on breakfast cereal. There is a very wide variety of fruit for you to chose from, so you needn’t eat the same fruit each day (in fact, it’s better for you if you eat a wider range of fruit as possible, as different fruits have different combinations of minerals and nutrients in them).

Below is a list of the health benefits of eating five portions of fruit or vegetables a day:

* Reduced risk of a stroke and other cardiovascular diseases
* Reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes
* Reduced risk of developing certain cancers, including mouth, stomach and colon or bowel cancers
* Reduced risk of developing coronary heart disease
* Reduced risk of developing kidney stones and osteoporosis

Eating fruit as part of your daily diet will make you feel better, look better, and be more active and healthy. Any fruit will do, dried, frozen, fresh or tinned. Why not eat fruit instead of chocolate or crisps as a snack, or enjoy it dried over your breakfast cereal? It’s easy to enjoy fruit as part of your diet, and much healthier too.

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‘Why do people instantly dislike me when they find out I’m a lawyer?” a man asked. His friend replied, “It just saves time.”

Another story tells of the client who, on asking his lawyer what contingency fees meant, was told. “If I lose your lawsuit I don’t get anything. If I win you don’t get anything.”

Then there was the drunk in a cemetery who found himself in front of an impressive tomb. The inscription read, “Here lies a lawyer and an honest man.” “My God” the drunk stammered. “Can you believe it? Now they’re putting two men in the same grave.”

By this time you’ve probably decided I should stick to writing my blog articles and not try to be a comic. Or you might have laughed a little, and by so doing, you will live longer.

A study by cardiologists in America at the University of Maryland suggests that a good giggle helps to protect the heart. Its research involved 300 people, half with heart disease and half without any cardiac problem. They were all given questionnaires and asked how much they would laugh at certain situations. The people with existing heart disease were 40% less likely to chuckle than the others.

Another study showed that heart attack patients who laughed at comedy for 30 minutes a day were less likely to have another heart attack over the course of a year.

The role of laughter in treating disease was demonstrated many years ago by Norman Cousins, a former editor of Saturday Review Magazine. He developed a crippling joint disease after a stressful trip to Europe and was advised by doctors that he faced a grim future.

Cousins cured himself by watching old Laurel and Hardy movies day after day. He discovered that after a mere 10 minutes of laughter he could sleep without pain for two hours. A combination of laughter and nutritious diet restored his health.

But how does a good laugh help the heart? Dr. Michael Miller, Director of the Center For Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland, participated in the study. He reports that laughter may be a powerful antidote for stress. Several prior studies have also shown that chronic stress is a bad prescription for the heart.

People in tense situations release a hormone called cortisol. Dr. Miller suggests this injures the inner endothelial lining of blood vessels and possibly leads to coronary attack.

Laughter, on the other hand, releases chemicals like nitric oxide which relaxes blood vessels. Nitric oxide is related to nitrous oxide better known as laughing gas.

Norman Cousins provided one of the best reasons why laughter aids the heart. He referred to laughter as “internal jogging.” It provides a vigorous workout for abdominal and chest muscles. But when laughter subsides, the pulse rate drops and muscles relax. This calming effect can last up to 45 minutes.

Laughter contains several other bonuses. Researchers have shown that laughter is also a good antidote for pain.For instance, patients suffering from arthritis often say that their “whole life hurts.” By watching funny movies it distracts their attention and eases some of the pain. In this case it’s believed that laughter stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller.

Today we have become addicted to “pillitis.” This comes with a cost. You rarely get anything for nothing. And painkillers over a period of time can cause chronic injury to kidneys and liver.

But laughter’s best benefit is that it has no side-effects. As Sir Max Beecham, the English writer, said, “Strange when you come to think of it, that of all the countless folk who have lived before our time on the planet, not one is known in history or in legend as having died of laughter.”

So get into the habit of having a few good laughs each and every day. You may see the results years down the road of life.

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You eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. But in the back of your mind you sometimes wonder, “Could taking a food supplement make me healthier?”

Surveys show that more than half of American adults take food, or dietary, supplements to boost their diet. Sometimes people take them because they lack - or think they lack - certain vitamins and minerals. Other people want to improve some part of their health, like their immune system.Vitamins, minerals, and herbs are the more popular food supplements. They come as powder or liquid that you can take as a pill or mix into food or drinks.

For years, doctors and food experts have been saying that in general, you don’t need supplements if you eat a healthy, balanced diet. How do you know if your diet is healthy? Check the Food Guide Pyramid. It tells you which foods to eat each day and in what amounts to stay healthy. A healthy diet is low in fat and sugar and rich in plant foods, like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Changing Lives, Changing Bodies

Sometimes, changes take place in our lives and bodies that can make it harder to eat right. For instance, a sad event, such as losing a loved one, could cause us to lose interest in food or eating right. Health and dental problems or some drugs can ruin our appetites or cause other eating problems.Some people, as they age, begin to avoid certain foods, like milk. That’s because the sugar in milk gets harder to digest. This could cause them to not get enough calcium, which the body needs for strong bones.
If you aren’t sure if you have a healthy diet, talk to your doctor or a food expert. He or she can help you figure out what’s missing in your diet. Maybe you should be taking calcium tablets or a multivitamin. Find out which supplements to avoid if you have an illness or take medicine. Some supplements can make certain health problems worse or interfere with your medicine.

If you want to try a supplement because you read or heard it could improve your health in some way, do some research first. Look on the Internet or in the library for medical studies to support the claims. If the supplement is for a certain problem, like arthritis, check with a health group that knows about the illness, like the Arthritis Foundation. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if the supplement is safe and how it’s used.

Beware of false claims. Supplements that claim to help you stay young, grow back hair, lose weight, or cure cancer could be false. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Watch for double standards. Even though herbs are often sold for having the same effect as certain drugs, they aren’t controlled the same way. Find out about the herbs you want to use. Are there side effects? Could taking large doses be dangerous? How long have the herbs been used for treating your condition(s)? Have medical studies been published on their effectiveness?
High doses of some supplements might be harmful. There are guidelines for the amounts of vitamins and minerals you should take to stay healthy, but not for herbs. Some herbs could be harmful in large amounts. So could very large doses of vitamins and minerals.

In the end, do your research well and as a final caution, always confer with your physician when in doubt…especially when you have a medical condition.

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An Apple a Day - Still Good Advice

I love all the different types of apples. Nothing is quite as delicious as the crisp bite into an Macintosh apple. And, nowadays there are so many varieties to choose from. Every time I walk by a fruit and vegetable market, I try something different. Besides their delicious taste, they’re a rich source of pectin, a soluble fibre that helps lower cholesterol and also helps to prevent constipation. In addition, when you eat an apple, you are eating a low-fat food that is also associated with heart health. Apples are also rich in flavonoids, naturally occurring plant compounds linked to lowered risk of cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. 0Quercetin, an important flavonoid found in apples, may help reduce symptoms associated with respiratory ailments. Glutathione, another antioxidant found in apples, is thought to have anti-cancer actions as well as helping to boost the immune system. Apples have been called nature’s toothbrush because they stimulate gums, increase saliva flow and reduce the build-up of cavity-causing bacteria. This versatile fruit is also a source of vitamin C and potassium.

Apples are a wonderful treat for both children and adults. Get into the habit of “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away!” It has worked for centuries and continues to work as a prime tool for good health.

(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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