MAY 26, 2008

FREE OR NOT? Watch out for sneaky labels that say "trans fat-free." Due to regulations, companies can say "trans fat-free" if the per serving intake of trans fats is less than 0.5g. If you buy a product that contains 5 servings, and you eat the whole bag at once, that can add up to over a gram of trans fats. Experts say that even 1g of trans fat per day is too much! So read your labels, and avoid all hydrogenated oils. (Men's Health)

BREAKFAST SUGGESTIONS: For a fiber-rich, healthy breakfast cereal enjoy whole grain cereals made from corn, oats, wheat, rice and add sweetness with fresh, frozen, or fruit canned in its own juice. Give sliced bananas, peaches or pears, frozen or fresh blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries a try. Top it all off with some low-fat milk or soymilk. Then you will give your day a healthy start!

DID YOU KNOW that antioxidants such as vitamins C and E have long been touted as protection against free radicals--molecules that damage cells and tissues and contribute to disease? Now lifting weights appears to be a weapon against free radicals too. When researchers tested 62 people, average age 68, those who lifted weights three times a week for 6 months showed less evidence of free radical damage. And there was no difference in the amount of protection between the groups that lifted heavier weights versus lighter weights. The group that did no exercise had a 13 percent increase in damage, which is typical as you age, but the exercising groups had increases of only 2 percent. (Prevention)

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