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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
(Continued from Part I…)
DON’T…
Take cold medicine before a sick visit (if you can). When you are sick, your doctor will want to evaluate your symptoms without the effects of any over-the-counter medications. Some medications will raise your blood pressure, and your doctor will not know if it is the medicine or your illness causing the high blood pressure. If you do have to take an over-the-counter medicine, be sure to let your doctor know what you took and what symptoms you were having prior to taking the medicine.
DON’T…
Get a manicure or pedicure before seeing a dermatologist. Dermatologists look at your whole body, including your nails, so keep them polish-free. Subtle clues in your nails can indicate a bigger health issue like anemia, diabetes or heart issues.
DON’T…
Drink alcohol before a cholesterol test. Avoid anything that alters your triglycerides, one of the four components measured in a cholesterol profile. You should also avoid sweets, high-fat foods, and general overeating before the test, too.
DON’T…
Wear deodorant to your mammogram. Many deodorants contain aluminum which looks like breast calcifications and could be read as a false positive.
DO…
Write down questions beforehand. No matter what appointment it is, you may be nervous. If you write down your questions ahead of time, you won’t forget the important things that you want to ask.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Just like brushing your teeth before going to see the dentist, there are some things that you want to do before you see your doctor. But there are some things that you DON’T want to do, as well. Here we highlight a few of those dos and don’ts.
DON’T…
Drink coffee or any caffeinated drink prior to going to your appointment. You will likely have your blood pressure taken (at any medical appointment) and having coffee or caffeine can affect your results. The same goes for tobacco and over-the-counter medicines.
DON’T…
Eat a high fat meal before getting blood drawn. Your doctor is likely ordering bloodwork to get an accurate picture of your overall health. If you eat a high-fat meal prior to bloodwork, the results may not be an accurate depiction. Stick to your normal diet as much as possible.
DO…
Drink lots of water prior to your appointment. In general, it is a good idea to hydrate before seeing any doctor. Being well-hydrated will make your pulse and blood pressure at their best. If you are giving a urine sample, even being slightly dehydrated can cause artificial abnormalities that could confuse the results.
DO…
Eat as you normally would before any check-up. You don’t need to change your eating habits in an effort to seem healthier at your annual appointment. Your doctor wants to get the best overall picture of your health to provide you with the best care possible. Plus, changing your eating habits over a few days isn’t going to change your overall health.
(Continued in Part II…)
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Fall can be a time of festivals, pumpkin patches, get togethers, football games and many more events where food plays a huge role in the activities of the day. If you are like most people you want to watch what you eat during the fall season, as you know that the holidays are just around the corner – which means more overeating!
But even though fall is synonymous with fattening foods there are some fall food items that can help you to slim down.
One of these foods is the apple. Apples are low in calories and high in fiber (95 calories and 4 grams of fiber per medium fruit) and are great tasting! In a recent study, dried apples have been found to help people lose weight and lower their cholesterol.
Another great fall slimming food is the squash (and who doesn’t love squash from butternut to acorn?) Just one cup of cooked squash packs 214 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin A and a third of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C. Squash are also only 80 calories per cup –compared to its more fattening fall friend the sweet potato at 180 calories per cup.
Broccoli is another great fall slimming food – a cup of broccoli is just 31 calories and 2.4 grams of fiber. Plus, experts say that when you add fresh vegetables to any food you tend to eat fewer calories so you can add broccoli to virtually any meal to decrease your caloric intake.
Lastly, there is kale. These days dark, leafy vegetables like kale is the go-to when you are talking about healthy foods. Kale is packed with vitamin A, loads of fiber and isothiocyanates that help your body to detoxify.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Follow this day-by-day workout schedule to be healthier by Halloween.
Day 1: 100 Jumping Jacks
Day 2: 50 Squats
Day 3: 30 Burpees
Day 4: 50 Lunges
Day 5: 100 Jumping Jacks
Day 6: 60 Crunches
Day 7: 60 Squats
Day 8: 30 Tricep Dips
Day 9: 30 Push-ups
Day 10: 110 Jumping Jacks
Day 11: 70 Squats
Day 12: 30 Burpees
Day 13: 60 Lunges
Day 14: 110 Jumping Jacks
Day 15: 80 Squats
Day 16: 40 Tricep Dips
Day 17: 40 Push-ups
Day 18: 120 Jumping Jacks
Day 19: 70 Crunches
Day 20: 90 Squats
Day 21: 30 Burpees
Day 22: 70 Lunges
Day 23: 130 Jumping Jacks
Day 24: 100 Squats
Day 25: 45 Tricep Dips
Day 26: 50 Push-ups
Day 27: 140 Jumping Jacks
Day 28: 80 Crunches
Day 29: 110 Squats
Day 30: 40 Burpees
Day 31: 80 Lunges
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
- Many people do not know that pumpkins are made up of 90 percent water.
- Pumpkins also contain other great nutritional aspects including potassium and vitamin A.
- The bright orange color of pumpkins also tells us that they are a great source of the important antioxidant, beta carotene.
Recipe: Traditional Pumpkin Pie
- 1 ¾ cups (one 15oz. can) unsweetened pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(For crust us a pre-made store bought crust or a homemade crust) In a small heavy saucepan, stir the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt together until mixed. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick and shiny. Scrape the mixture into a mixer or food processor for 1 minute. With the motor on, add the milk and cream, mixing until incorporated completely. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just to incorporate, about 5 seconds after each egg. When you add the last egg, also add the vanilla. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell. Bake the pie for 50 - 60 minutes at 375 degrees.
Recipe: Pumpkin Soup
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 5 whole black peppercorns
Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender. Return to pan and bring to boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.