Tag Archives: Steve

Eating “healthy” restaurant options not always better

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Jody Victor‘s crew found that Time published information from the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior of research conducted by Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania of more than 2600 menu items at full-service restaurant chains. These included Olive Garden, Red Lobster and T.G.I Friday’s. They found that most exceeded the recommended calories, sodium, and saturated fat for a single meal.

Over half the menus analyzed were classified as “healthy” options but what this was based on differed from restaurant to restaurant. They found that most meals that included an adult entree, side dish and shared appetizer were about 1495 calories, 28g saturated fat, 3312mg sodium. If you added a drink or dessert then your are over the recommended 2000 calories per day for adults.

~ Steve Victor

So who’s getting stuffed, you or the bird?

Healthy Eating, , , ,

The Calorie Control Council did some research and found the average American consumes more than 4,500 calories with 229 grams of fat from a typical traditional holiday dinner with turkey and all the trimmings! This is just for the meal itself – does not include breakfast or late-night snacking.

Some of the calories will come from the before meal appetizers – dips etc. So what do you do?

You can change the way you do Thanksgiving. Instead of casseroles, use fresh vegetables. Steam them and limit the amount of sauces or butter you use. Forego the stuffing. Watch what you put in the mashed potatoes. Try to lighten up your dessert recipes. Limit yourself to one dinner roll. Eat slowly. Learn to say no.

Have a blessed and light Thanksgiving!

~ Steve & Jody Victor

New Cholesterol Guidelines

Health Issues, Healthy Eating, , , , , ,

This past week, new guidelines for risk assessment of heart disease came out. The bottom line is, just the numbers of your cholesterol aren’t figured in anymore for your risk of heart disease. Now it looks at your blood pressure, whether you have diabetes, smoke, and your race, age, and gender as well.

Guess what, Jody, you can download an assessment tool from the American Heart Association to find out your risk. The new guidelines are determining whether you will benefit from statin drugs. More people may find themselves taking statins even if their cholesterol numbers seem normal. Diet and exercise alone may not decrease the risk of needing the drugs.

~ Steve Victor

Say Goodbye to Trans Fats

Healthy Eating, , , , , ,

Hey Jody, as recently as today, the FDA has ruled that trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) are no longer “generally recognized as safe.) Once this is finalized, then these will become food additives that cannot be used in food without their approval.

So what foods contain this unsafe ingredient? Things like frozen pizza, donuts, frozen desserts, margarine, coffee creamer, microwave popcorn, cake mixes, Bisquick, soups, fast food fries and chicken, cookies, chips, crackers, cereals, cookies, candy, dips, dressings, whipped toppings.

The downside – if you are eating these things, you will have to find alternatives. The upside – you will be healthier for it.

~ Steve Victor

Even if you are older you can benefit from exercise.

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Jody Victor found an article that recommends that even older adults should exercise. The article stated that with exercise, research shows that if you are older, you are less likely to fall. Not only that, but if you do fall, you have less likelihood of getting seriously hurt.

The article also stated that between 30 and 40 percent of those 65 or older fall on average once per year and 5-10 percent of them have a serious injury.

It pays to start exercising while you are young and continue on in your golden years.

~ Steve Victor