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Just about any food can be part of a healthy diet if taken in recommended amounts. Sugars are the simplest form of carbohydrate – which can be natural such as lactose (milk sugar) or fructose (fruit sugar) or can be refined such as sucrose (table sugar). All Starchy and sweet foods (even fruits) raise blood sugar quickly. When eaten they are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing a rise in the hormone insulin which acts to clear sugar and fat from the blood and to be stored in the tissues for future use. This causes weight gain.

Studies have indicated that, today’s women consume much more sugar than their grandparents did 50 or 60 years ago. This added sugar is mostly in the form of refined, white sugar. It is high in calories and almost devoid of nutrients. This extra sugar is being added to prepared or packaged foods. A 12-ounce can of soda, for example, can contain eight teaspoons of sugar! A piece of pie can have 11 teaspoons of sugar. Chocolate cake

, banana splits, and other sweet delights can contain as much as 20 to 25 teaspoons of refined sugar!

It’s not just white sugar that needs to be consumed in moderation; brown sugar, powdered sugar, honey, and syrup are all sources of refined sugar. Eating too much sugar is part of an addictive cycle. When you eat sugar, it’s quickly digested and burned, and it causes peaks and valleys in your energy level that leaves you craving more.

Tips to control sugar intake in diet:

• Choose fresh fruits for snacks and desserts instead of processed, high-sugar foods- Natural sugars in foods are part of a complex carbohydrate package that provides fuel and energy for your body. Eating natural-occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables, and grains is a healthier way to get your sweets. Sugar combined with fiber and other solid foods metabolizes more slowly and keeps your blood sugar more stable.

• Don’t add sugar to your cereal, coffee, or other foods- Try adding fruit and nuts to cereals for a wholesome and healthy meal. Caffeine, present in coffee, tea, cola-based drinks and hot chocolate, stimulates your pancreas to secrete more insulin. This aggravates sugar sensitivities and low-sugar symptoms.

With a few lifestyle changes along with a heart healthy diet and exercise regimen, you can maintain a healthy living for life!

Need Health or Dental Insurance to better your life, visit www.safeb4sorry.com

Remember! It’s always better to Be SafeB4Sorry!

Here’s a news flash for couch potatoes everywhere: every hour of television watched per day is linked to an increased risk of early death from cardiovascular disease.

From analyses, they found that each hour spent in front of the television daily was associated with an 11 percent increased risk of death from all causes, a 9 percent increased risk of cancer death; and an 18 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related death.

Compared with people who watched less than two hours of television daily, those who watched more than four hours a day had a 46 percent higher risk of death from all causes and an 80 percent increased risk for CVD-related death. This association held regardless of other independent and common cardiovascular disease risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, unhealthy diet, excessive waist circumference, and leisure-time exercises.

While the study focused specifically on television watching, the findings suggest that any prolonged sedentary behavior, such as sitting at a desk or in front of a computer, may pose a risk to one’s health. The human body was designed to move, not sit for extended periods of time, said David Dunstan, Ph.D., the study’s lead author and professor and Head of the Physical Activity Laboratory in the Division of Metabolism and Obesity at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Victoria, Australia.

“What has happened is that a lot of the normal activities of daily living that involved standing up and moving the muscles in the body have been converted to sitting,” Dunstan said. “Technological, social, and economic changes mean that people don’t move their muscles as much as they used to – consequently the levels of energy expenditure as people go about their lives continue to shrink. For many people, on a daily basis they simply shift from one chair to another – from the chair in the car to the chair in the office to the chair in front of the television.”

As adults get older, too much screen time can interfere with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends, and spending time with family.

Of course, television, in moderation, can be a good thing: Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet on public television, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt about it — TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.

But despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental:

• Adults & Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight.
• Kids who view violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behavior but also fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.
• TV characters often depict risky behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, and also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes.

Advocates are divided when it comes to solutions. Although many urge for more hours per week of educational programming, others assert that no TV is the best solution. And some say it’s better for adults to control the use of TV and to teach kids that it’s for occasional entertainment, not for constant escapism.

Try limiting the hours you spend glued to the TV and take health stroll around the neighborhood. Spend more time talking and communicating with your friends and family to jump start healthier living.

With a few lifestyle changes along with a heart healthy diet and exercise regimen, you can maintain a healthy living for life!

Need Health or Dental Insurance to better your life, visit www.safeb4sorry.com

Remember! It’s always better to Be SafeB4Sorry!

Building on a year’s work from the House and the Senate, the final health reform legislation that the President signed into law included the best ideas from both sides of the aisle offered in the course of the debate.

• Learn what health reform means for you.

Health reform will make health care more affordable, make health insurers more accountable, expand health coverage to all Americans, and make the health system sustainable, stabilizing family budgets, the Federal budget, and the economy:

• It makes insurance more affordable by providing the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history, reducing premium costs for tens of millions of families and small business owners who are priced out of coverage today.  This helps 32 million Americans afford health care who do not get it today – and makes coverage more affordable for many more.  Under the plan, 95% of Americans will be insured.
• It sets up a new competitive health insurance market giving millions of Americans the same choices of insurance that members of Congress will have.
• It brings greater accountability to health care by laying out commonsense rules of the road to keep premiums down and prevent insurance industry abuses and denial of care.
• It will end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
• It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by more than $100 billion over the next ten years – and more than $1 trillion over the second decade – by cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud and abuse.

The simple act of enjoying the sun has become complicated with questions about how much sunscreen to use (more than you think), how often to apply (frequently) and what those acronyms (UVA, UPF, SPF) mean.

This week, the Environmental Working Group likened some sunscreens to “modern-day snake oil,” calling most of the products ineffective and questioning their safety. It said that the products were “exposing people to potentially hazardous chemicals.”

The report did not appear in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Dermatologists say there is no evidence that sunscreen is unsafe and that going unprotected is much more dangerous.

The problem is that not all sunscreens are created equal, depending on their ingredients. And the scars of neglecting sun protection are chronicled on the iReport photo wall of pain.

The sun is not the only culprit. Frequent trips to tanning booths have been found to double or even triple risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, according to a study this week.

The rays from the booth or the sun can damage the skin cell’s DNA, producing mutations that lead to cancer.

The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has declared the Friday before Memorial Day, which kicks off the summer, a “Don’t Fry Day.” Here are five tips to avoid joining iReporters’ stories of their worst sunburns ever (ouch).

1. Clothing matters

All clothing protects the skin to some degree, said Dr. Ariel Ostad, a clinical assistant professor in the department of dermatology at New York University Medical Center.

A tightly woven fabric such as denim confers more protection than linen, because it allows less light penetration, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

While it’s unlikely anyone would wear sunscreen underneath thin clothes, it might be worthwhile for extra sensitive people, Ostad said,

“Even with T-shirts, I see people who get burned,” he said. “If someone has a history of cancer or is very fair skinned, it doesn’t hurt to put it on,” underneath the clothes.

Video: Why not to fry your skin

Quiz: Sun Safety 101

Some companies create UV-absorbing clothes. These might be helpful for people who spend hours in the sun, because the fabric’s weave is designed to protect against the sun, said Ostad, who has no relationship with any of the manufacturers.

These clothes have ultraviolet protection factor, also known as UPF, which indicates how much UV radiation can penetrate the fabric. A shirt with an UPF of 30 means just 1/30 of the sun’s radiation can get through.

2. Sunscreens should have UVA and UVB protection.

UVB rays cause sunburns.

UVA rays age the skin, causing wrinkles and tans.

These are two types of ultraviolet radiation that damage and increases risks of skin cancer.

Make sure the sunscreen product has both UVB and UVA protection, dermatologists say. The key active ingredients to look for are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, said Ostad.

“Evidence has shown the best sunscreens are the ones that block UVB and UVA,” Ostad said. “The majority of these companies that market sunscreen products, they try to make people more aware of the SPF.”

3. A high SPF is hype.

The higher the Sun Protection Factor value, the better sun protection the product is supposed to provide against UVB light.

Research shows that an effective SPF 15 can block about 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97 percent and SPF 50 blocks 98 percent.

The protective factors plateau from there, Ostad said. A product with SPF 100+ blocks about 99.1 percent of the UVB rays.

“You don’t really need a high number,” Ostad said. “They end up being expensive and don’t do more than SPF 50.”

Keep in mind, SPF protects only against UVB rays. This fall, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to issue sunscreen labeling changes and a star-rating system to also measure UVA protection.

4. Sunscreen sprays are not as effective.

Sure, the sprays are easy to apply, but the downfall is they’re less effective. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide doesn’t come in spray form. And most of the sprays protect mainly against UVB rays, Ostad said.

Another problem is that people don’t use enough sunscreen, said Dr. Rutledge Forney, an educational spokesperson for The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Sun Safety Quiz 101

An average person should use a dollop — enough to fill a shot glass, she said. About one ounce of sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before going outside and reapplied every two hours, she said.

“Whether the sun is out or not, put on sunscreen on your face and hands, just like you would brush your teeth twice a day,” Forney said.

5. Darker skin tone isn’t a free pass

Darker-skinned people have some natural protective qualities from their pigmentation, but it’s no immunity against sunburn and skin cancer. African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and people of color get the disease, too.

It might be harder to diagnose skin cancer in these populations because the growths often appear in atypical locations such as palms, soles of the feet, toenails and fingernails.

Skin experts say all racial groups need to use sunscreens.

Need Health or Dental Insurance to better your life visit www.safeb4sorry.com

Remember! It’s always better to Be SafeB4Sorry!

Our skin’s functions are too many to go through here in detail, however it protects our ‘insides’ from the external environment, acting both as a barrier and a filter between ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ our bodies.

The skin helps in regulating our body’s temperature, like when we have a fever or we’re physically working hard, we tend to sweat, which is the body’s way to lower the temperature.

The skin also protects us from harmful substances entering our body, and it eliminates many toxins introduced through ingestion or even via the skin itself. This takes workload off our Liver and Kidneys to filter out by-products from our body’s metabolism. The skin also breathes and plays a major role in our immune system!

These are just some of the important functions of our skin and as you can see, looking after your skin is vital, not just for your outer beauty, but for maintaining your inner health and well being.

Read Below to see how you can take better care of your skin.

There are 4 basic ingredients to feeding the inside:

Good nutrition: keep it simple, fresh and unprocessed. That is the best nutritional advice I can give. The simpler the food, the less processing and the fresher your food is, the better it is for you. Fresh fruit and vegetables contain so many of the nutrients we need to maintain our health. Sure have the odd processed, high in fat meal when you’re enjoying a meal out or have to attend a Luncheon or what ever. But make sure you have more natural foods than not. Keep the diet varied – don’t eat the same old, same old… risk a new veggie – one you haven’t tried before – you might like it …

Adequate rest and relaxation: don’t work yourself to an early grave – it’s not worth it. Make sure you get the sleep you need. Did you know that a study in England showed that your IQ (intelligence) drops if you do not have 8 hours sleep per night? Think about it, do you get more work done if you feel well rested? Can you concentrate better if you’re not tired? – I bet you can.

Well, why not invest some additional time into rest and relaxation so that you gain an increase in energy and concentration? I’m sure you will find you will get more work done in less time if you’ve had sufficient rest.

Sufficient water intake: that’s a big one. Most people (irrespective of were they live) will utilize around 3 liters of water per day – hey, don’t believe me, all the medical texts say so. Our body simply needs water to function. Water is necessary to keep cells from dehydrating, to help in eliminating toxins from the body – you know, if your urine is dark and smelly that you have to drink more water, right? Well, that is just one sign of not drinking enough water and many more are not as obvious until it is too late.

If you do not drink at least 3 liters of water per day, every day, your body will either not function well (on some level) or it will take it from where ever it can. That is called dehydration. You know, dark urine, dry lips, dry flaky skin, parched mouth, cracks on you tongue, premature wrinkles… the list goes on. So, drink up (water, mind you) or shrivel up – it’s up to you.

Fresh air and sunshine: well, what can I say. Taking a deep breath of air and tell me it doesn’t feel great… Well? Oxygen is the stuff of life. Fill your lungs with it.

Need affordable health insurance? Visit www.safeb4sorry.com today!

Remember! It’s always better to Be SafeB4Sorry!

Ramen noodles could be putting college students and frugal eaters at greater risk of developing chronic illness, according to a recent study.  The noodles aren’t that bad for you but it is the flavor packets that are what makes them so bad for you.

The instant noodles have long been a staple for the cash-strapped, but they could be putting their fans at risk of further nutritional deficits already caused by a lack of affordable and fresh fruits and vegetables, suggests a study presented at a meeting of the Dietitians Association of Australia.

According to the study, conducted by Australian researchers Danielle Gallegos and Kai Wen Ong, one in four college students reported insecurity about being able to afford food.

Of those students, two-thirds said they ate two or less servings of fruit per week, suggesting that money spent on more-filling but sodium- and MSG-laden Ramen noodles and fast food takes away from funds that could be spent on healthy but less-filling fruits and vegetables.

Those who relied on instant noodles and other cheap food with little nutritional content were at greater risk of chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes and heart disease, the researchers found.

While the study was based in Australia, results seem to reflect conditions among college kids and low-income individuals across America as well.

With new efforts initiated by the White House and supported by First Lady Michelle Obama, however, affordable healthy foods are expected to become more available in low-income areas across the U.S., as MainStreet previously reported.

Focusing on your health is essential. Maintaining a proper diet of nutritious foods will deliver safe and healthy results. Put Healthy eating steps into action and a  healthy lifestyle awaits you!

Need affordable health insurance? Visit www.safeb4sorry.com today!

Remember! It’s always better to Be SafeB4Sorry!

No one wants bad smelling feet with dry cracked heels, bunions, calluses, or ugly fungal infected toenails. This reminds many of us that we should take better care of our feet.

Read below to learn how to maintain proper foot care!

-Wash your feet every day with soap and water, making sure to dry your feet well, especially between the toes.

-Make sure to inspect your feet daily (you may need to use a mirror to see the bottoms). Call your doctor for any redness, swelling, pain that won’t go away, numbness and/or tingling. If you have calluses, corns or bunions, talk to your doctor before you treat them.

-Use a moisturizing cream/lotion to keep the skin on your feet smooth. If you have cracked heels, be sure to talk to your doctor about how he/she would like you to treat these. (This is especially important for people with Diabetes; Claudicating problems)

-It’s important to keep your feet dry while wearing shoes. Extra moisture can be a great avenue for bacteria to enter into the blood stream through microscopic cuts/abrasions that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

-Use powder on your feet prior to putting on socks and shoes to help keep them dry.

-Try not to go barefoot whenever possible.

-Have at least two pair of shoes and switch shoes every other day

-When buying shoes it is best to buy them in the later part of the day; when your feet might be swollen (this way the shoes will fit better if they are a little loose as opposed to trying to stretch the shoes because they are a little tight)

-When you buy new shoes break them in a little at a time (if possible) by wearing them for only an hour or two, over several day.

-Don’t let your feet get too hot or too cold (be careful when using “foot warmers” as you can burn yourself if you have poor feeling in your feet and you aren’t able to judge how well the warmers are working)

-When cutting your toenails, cut straight across. This helps to prevent ingrown toenails. Often times it is best to soak your feet in warm water prior to cutting your toenails.

-If you have an ingrown toenail, seek the advice of your doctor rather than correcting it yourself. In a SHTF situation when a doctor probably wouldn’t be available to see you, you can trim your toenails straight across and then in the middle of the toenail that is ingrown, make a small “v” on the cut edge of the nail. By doing this it will allow your toenail to grow in more flat, thereby correcting the ingrown toenail by allowing the corners to grow out.

-Do not wear your shoes without socks

-Use caution when wearing sandals or open toed shoes

-Change your socks and shoes every day

-Buy good quality socks. Avoid socks with inside seams or cuffs around the opening of the sock. Socks should also be between ½ and 1-inch longer than your toes. I buy the “wick away” socks that are wool, cotton and polypropylene. They are more expensive (I pay between $5-$10 per pair; but they are worth every penny…in my opinion)

-Just like you check your feet every day, you should also check your shoes each time you put them on to make sure there are no stones, gravel, etc. that could cause a sore and create problems.

-If you have a problem with finding proper fitting shoes, you should seek the advice of your doctor before adding inserts; many people need to have shoes made to fit their feet specifically.

Your feet are important keep them Healthy and properly maintained. You only have two!

Need Health or Dental Insurance to better your life please visit www.safeb4sorry.com

Remember! It’s always better to Be SafeB4Sorry!

Organizers of the Health Information Center plan to raise $25 million for an advertising and advocacy campaign that will start this summer, with plans to spend equal sums during each of the four years of the health-care legislation’s implementation.

The effort to promote the president’s health-care agenda, in an election season in which Republicans who opposed the legislation plan to hold Democrats accountable for it, will be steered by Obama supporters. They include Anita Dunn, who worked in the Obama White House as communications director, and Andrew Grossman, a Democratic strategist who founded “Wal-Mart Watch” in 2005.

They are preparing for a long-term debate over legislation that will require years to take full effect.

For an informational campaign, they are organizing a non- profit 501(c)3 committee, which is allowed to raise money from foundations, individuals, labor unions and corporations.

Fifty-six percent of Americans surveyed oppose the legislation, which received no Republican votes in Congress, according to a June 2 CNN/Opinion Research poll. Fifty-one percent said the changes in health care expected under the law will generally be bad for the nation, the poll showed.

The law, to be phased in over several years, offers health- care coverage for tens of millions of uninsured Americans, imposes new taxes on the highest wage-earners, calls for fees on health-care companies, provides anticipated cost-savings in Medicare and is expected to cost almost $1 trillion over a decade.

President Obama, in speeches and in fundraisers for lawmakers around the country, has dared critics to try to overturn the law and touted provisions that take effect immediately. This includes a prohibition on insurance companies denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions and new help for senior citizens buying medication.

In a June 2 speech at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, President Obama said Republicans have “shouted from the bleachers” in opposition to his party’s efforts to rescue the economy and overhaul health care.

“The other party has staked their claim this November on repealing these health insurance reforms instead of making them work,” President Obama said. “They want to go back. We need to move forward.”

With any change comes worries,

Today, with the availability of more accurate testing, activists, blood organizations and several U.S. senators say the lifetime ban is “medically and scientifically unwarranted” and are calling for change.

The Federal Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability will consider the issue in meetings June 10 and 11 in Rockville, Maryland. The committee makes recommendations to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA.

Medical opinions vary; some experts say that lifting the ban could pose health risks to blood recipients.

The Human Rights Campaign, the American Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers and AABB, formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks, support easing the lifetime ban to allow gay blood donors. In a joint statement, the blood organizations said that safety was the first priority and that potential donors should be screened more fairly, regardless of sexual orientation.

At the end of the day everyone has to consider that HIV is no longer a “Gay or Homosexual” disease. It affects anyone and everyone from the newborn up to the elderly. Since this is the age of information and more accurate tests exists maybe this ban will be another thing of the past.