Daily Health News Blog

By Saeed Sikiru  It's easier to keep track of the amount of fats you eat if you understand which foods are naturally high in fat. It's also easier to figure out pleasant and acceptable changes in your eating habits when you know something about how fats function in your favorite foods. Below is some background information that will help you in planning meals and adapting your favorite recipes so they have a lower fat content. Your ultimate aim is to balance your intake of higher-fat foods with those that are lower in fat. Creamy soups, meat, and dessert can still be part of your life. You'll just learn how to trade off a high-fat food for a low-fat one. 1. Fats in cooking - Fats give food flavor and texture, and are especially important in baked products. Eating would be depressing without fats, but they can be reduced; it only takes some experimentation. Start by reducing the amount called for in a recipe by one third; if that works, you might want to c

Autumn is the favorite time of the year for many of us. Colorful foliage abounds. Humidity drops. We open our windows to let in the breeze and spend long hours outdoors hiking or raking up the falling leaves. Unfortunately, unseen allergens lurk in the crisp, dry air and in all those leaves. Pollen allergies affect nearly 10 percent of our population, approximately 62 million people. They are the fifth ranking chronic disease and cost U.S. businesses and our health care system nearly $8 billion annually. There's no reason to dread the arrival of autumn, however, if we reduce exposure to pollens and molds, thus lessening our symptoms of sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, dry throat, congestion and runny noses, all of which can impair our ability to perform well at school or work. Ragweed pollen is one of the most common reasons for fall allergies. But pollen from other plants, trees, and grass can also trigger symptoms, as can mold. Tips for managing fall allerg

If you like sugar snap peas but planted your garden too late for them, you can start a fall crop now. Vegetables like snap peas, lettuce and kale like the cool weather of early spring and fall. Right now, you could still be enjoying fresh peppers in what's left of your garden, but it's time to clean up the rest of it and get ready for winter. You know the first drill. Pull out the dead plants and stray weeds. Decaying plants attract insects that will still be around in spring. Wait until the ground freezes before you mulch. There should be at least one hard freeze. If you mulch sooner, you could attract mice and other rodents looking for a winter home. Because soil left exposed to the elements erodes, compacts and loses moisture, it's wise to cover it. But you don't have to buy new mulch at the garden store. Clean compost or straw make a good topping. If not, rake up your dead leaves and put a thick layer over the top of the vegetable garden.

Colorful beets offer protection from cancer, heart disease You've heard those stories about Russian country people who live more than 100 years. Some claim to be 120 years old. It could be the lowly beet that's responsible for this longevity. Borscht, the traditional Russian soup made mainly of beets, contains powerful compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer. Ancient Romans were the first to cultivate beets and use their roots as food. Tribes that invaded Rome were responsible for spreading beet consumption throughout northern Europe. In the 19th century, it was discovered that beets were a concentrated source of sugar, and the first beet sugar factory was built in Poland. Scientists say the pigment that gives beets their rich color, betacyanin, is a powerful cancer-fighting agent. The antioxidant glutathione peroxidase in beets is a strong bodyguard for the liver. As the liver breaks up toxic