From: http://www.healthysc.gov

Nutrition
I had the privilege of spending this past weekend with high school students on a church ski trip. We brought along plenty of packaged convenience food items such as sugary cereals, pop tarts, granola bars, chips, donuts, cookies and juice boxes. Easy to transport? Yes. Healthy? No. When choosing something for breakfast, I could only find one item without hydrogenated oil. So I chose that item even though it was packed with sugar and high fructose corn syrup. I’ve written before about the dangers of hydrogenated oils. It still amazes me to pick up what looks like a healthful snack-a granola bar, only to read the ingredients and see “partially hydrogenated soybean oil” as well as all sorts of ingredients that sound like they belong in science experiment. It disheartens me to say the least, because as consumers, we are taking the food companies at their word-if the front of the box says “whole-grains” or “smart choice” or “healthy” we put it into our bodies. However, we absolutely must read the ingredient lists on our products. Another ingredient that just never seemed “right” to me is high-fructose corn syrup (also found in most of the pre-packaged snacks on the ski trip). Until today, I did not have scientific research to back my skepticism of high-fructose corn syrup. You can read the post from my favorite food blog here: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/food-science/princeton-proves-high-fructose-corn-syrup-woes-once-for-all-112003
You can check out Princeton University’s study here: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/index.xml?section=topstories

The “moral of the story” is we should know what we are putting into our bodies and into our children’s bodies. No matter how convenient or seemingly harmless these pre-packaged, processed foods appear, I am convinced they are damaging our health. If you start diligently reading the ingredient lists as I have you will soon see there are very few pre-packaged items in your super market free of hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup and other harmful additives. I hope this will lead you, as it has me, to learn to cook from scratch. It is surprisingly easy and inexpensive to learn to use whole ingredients (such as butter, olive oil, flour, yeast) to feed yourself and your family. The pay-off has been enormous for my husband and me as we’ve cut out almost all pre-packaged, processed foods from our diets. We feel better physically and have cut back on grocery bills considerably. I encourage all of you to begin doing your own research on how to cook from scratch.
-Meg Milne, Director of the Healthy South Carolina Challenge

Physical Activity
Here in the great state of South Carolina there seems to be only a handful of days per year we get to enjoy “perfect” weather. I don’t know about you, but I want to take full advantage of these days of sunshine and low humidity. Say goodbye to the gym and take a long walk! Branch out and run a bit too. Nice weather can make exercising a true pleasure. Take deep breaths and pay attention to the smell of spring in the air. Stop and look at blooming flowers and listen to birds singing. Don’t take yourself too seriously or push yourself to hard. Just get outside and move around!
-Meg Milne, Director of the Healthy South Carolina Challenge

Tobacco
10 Tips to Help You Quit (Continued from last week!)

11. Quit smoking “cold turkey”. Many smokers find that the only way they can truly quit once and for all is to just quit abruptly without trying to slowly taper off. Find the method that works best for you: gradually quitting or cold turkey. If one way doesn’t work do the other.

12. Find another smoker who is trying to quit, and help each other with positive words and by lending an ear when quitting becomes difficult. Visit this Bulletin Board and this Chat Room to find a “quit buddy.”

13. Have your teeth cleaned. Enjoy the way your teeth look and feel and plan to keep them that way.

14. After you quit, plan to celebrate the milestones in your journey to becoming a non-smoker. After two weeks of being smoke-free, see a movie. After a month, go to a fancy restaurant (be sure to sit in the non-smoking section). After three months, go for a long weekend to a favorite get-away. After six months, buy yourself something frivolous. After a year, have a party for yourself. Invite your family and friends to your “birthday” party and celebrate your new chance at a long, healthy life.

15. Drink lots of water. Water is good for you anyway, and most people don’t get enough. It will help flush the nicotine and other chemicals out of your body, plus it can help reduce cravings by fulfilling the “oral desires” that you may have.

16. Learn what triggers your desire for a cigarette, such as stress, the end of a meal, arrival at work, entering a bar, etc.
Avoid these triggers or if that’s impossible, plan alternative ways to deal with the triggers.

17. Find something to hold in your hand and mouth, to replace cigarettes. Consider drinking straws or you might try an artificial cigarette called E-Z Quit found here:http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit.htm

18. Write yourself an inspirational song or poem about quitting, cigarettes, and what it means to you to quit. Read it daily.

19. Keep a picture of your family or someone very important to you with you at all times. On a piece of paper, write the words “I’m quitting for myself and for you (or “them”)”. Tape your written message to the picture. Whenever you have the urge to smoke, look at the picture and read the message.

20. Whenever you have a craving for a cigarette, instead of lighting up, write down your feelings or whatever is on your mind. Keep this “journal” with you at all times.

Good luck in your efforts to quit smoking. It’s worth it!
** Article © Copyright Fred Kelley of QuitSmoking.com. Visit the web site at http://www.quitsmoking.com for great information and products designed to help you quit smoking.