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Eat Smart When Dining Out: 20 Tips
Suddenly it seems that chain restaurants like Applebee's, T.G.I. Friday's, Olive Garden, and Bennigan's are almost as ubiquitous as the Golden Arches. No surprise. There are nearly 200,000 "table side" restaurants in the United States today, a number that continues to grow.
For many, they offer a reliable, pleasant alternative to cooking -- plentiful servings, service with a smile, relatively good value for the dollar. But like fast-food outlets, these dining establishments can be ticking time bombs when it comes to nutritional health. Government surveys find that the food you typically eat when you're not home is nutritionally worse in every way than the food you eat at home.
The good news is that's changing. For instance, 7 out of 10 adults surveyed by the National Restaurant Association in 2003 said there are more nutritious foods available to them in such restaurants than there were five years ago. Nearly all the chains have added healthier options to their menus -- if you know how to look for them. But whether you're dining out at a major national chain or a locally owned family restaurant, following a few of these tips can guarantee you a pleasant dinner (or lunch) out without busting your health goals.
1. Above all else, be assertive. Dining out is no time to be a meek consumer, notes Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and coauthor of the book Restaurant Confidential. "You need to be an assertive consumer by asking for changes on the menu," he says. For instance, if an item is fried, ask for it grilled. If it comes with french fries, ask for a side of veggies instead. Ask for a smaller portion of the meat and a larger portion of the salad; for salad instead of coleslaw; baked potato instead of fried. "Just assume you can have the food prepared the way you want it," says Dr. Jacobson. "Very often, the restaurant will cooperate." Below, you'll find more specific requests.
2. Ask your waiter to "triple the vegetables, please." Often a side of vegetables in a restaurant is really like garnish -- a carrot and a forkful of squash. When ordering, ask for three or four times the normal serving of veggies, and offer to pay extra. "I've never been charged," says dietitian Jeff Novick, R.D., director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura, Florida. "And I've never been disappointed. I get full, not fat."
3. Ask how the food was prepared; don't go by the menu. For instance, cholesterol-free does not mean fat-free; the dish could still be filled with calorie-dense oil. Neither does "lite" necessarily mean light in calories or fat.
4. Order from the "healthy, light, low fat" entrées on the menu. Most chains will even list the calories and nutritional content of such foods. Applebee's, for instance, offers approved Weight Watchers options, Bennigan's has its Health Club entrées (which it will serve in half portions), and Ruby Tuesday lists the nutritional information for its entire menu.
5. Beware of the low-carb options. Restaurant chains have jumped on the low-carb bandwagon, offering numerous low-carb options on their menu. But low-carb doesn't mean low-cal. For instance, at Ruby Tuesday the Low-Carb New Orleans Seafood packs 710 calories and 42 grams of fat -- ouch! A much better bet -- the Low Carb Veggie Platter -- leaves you with just 297 calories and 16 grams of fat.
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7 easy ways to avoid a cold
Cold and flu season seems to be upon us. Everywhere you look there are people sneezing, wheezing or looking downright miserable thanks to a stuffy nose, sore throat or heavy head -- and there seems no way of escaping it. However, if you are determined to keep the common cold at bay, try these seven easy-to-do steps.
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The hands-off approach: According to the health portal commoncold.org, the cold virus resides in the nose and is most contagious during the first three days of a cold. So, if you have a cold, try not to use your hands to shield a sneeze or cough. The nasal secretions will transfer the virus to your hands and then on to everything else you touch.
If you haven't yet fallen prey to the cold virus, the first thing to do keep your hands clean. For most of us, at work, at home or outdoors, it's impossible to keep your hands as clean as they could possibly be. The best thing to do is avoid touching your nose, mouth and face.
The cold virus can be transferred even from brief contact with a person suffering from a cold or a contaminated surface, so try wash your hands as often as you can or buy a hand sanitiser available at almost all medical stores.
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Liquids: Mayoclinic.com recommends you ensure your liquid intake is high. Whether in the form of water, juices or soups, the fluids will help flush out the toxins in your system and keep illness at bay.
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Air it out: For most city-dwellers, air conditioned offices and homes are inescapable. While this modern convenience is no doubt a blessing, it can also be a Pandora's box of illnesses. Thanks to the recirculated air, germs tend to reside in air-ducts with no place to go. If colds and coughs seem to be afflicting colleagues or relatives constantly, get your the ducts cleaned professionally and open the windows to let in some fresh air in. Health portal webmd.com recommends getting a regular dose of fresh air particularly during winter.
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Work it out: The internet abounds with studies and articles that demonstrate the benefits of regular exercise to the human immune system. Even 20 minutes of aerobics or moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days a week can make a world of difference to your body's energy levels and immunity.
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Get a vitamin boost: Studies have found that a regular intake of vitamins, particularly vitamin C, boosts the immune system. If you're not the pill-popping type, load up the natural way with plenty of green leafy vegetables, the red and yellow variety help too.
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Cut down on smoking and drinking: According to webmd.com, statistics show that heavy smokers are more prone to colds and suffer more severe bouts.
Heavy alcohol consumption dries out the body, taking away valuable fluids. This again makes you susceptible to the cold virus. So, if you can't kick the habit completely, make sure to cut down your consumption to improve your chances of staving off cold.
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Relax: Stress impacts your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections and illnesses, says most research on the subject. While it is easier said than done, there are methods by which you can teach yourself calming techniques, the most popular of which is yoga. Practice these techniques regularly to keep your mind and body in peak condition.
Study: Exercise CAN make you look 10 years younger!
Sorry, couch potatoes -- the verdict is in: People who exercise regularly do look at least a decade younger than those who don't.
A study by a team of international researchers found that half-an-hour of exercise daily can not only slow the ageing process but also makes a person appear 10 years younger than an obese person of the same age.
According to lead researcher Prof Tim Spector of the King's College, London [Images], "The US guidelines recommend that 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days a week can have significant health benefits.
"Our results underscore the vital importance of these guidelines. They show that adults who partake in regular physical activity are biologically younger than sedentary individuals."
In fact, the researchers came to the conclusion after monitoring a group of over 2,000 twins -- they measured the length of the telomeres (which cap the chromosomes in cells and protect the same from damage) of the participants. The telemores shorten with age, meaning more damage occurs. The team found that people who were active had longer telomeres than those of the same age who were sedentary.
The researchers also noticed that the effect was such that those who did 199 minutes or more a week of moderate to vigorous exercise, such as running, tennis or aerobics, were found to be 10 years younger than those who did less than 15 minutes of moderate exercise, even after considering factors like weight and smoking.
"Our study, performed on a large cohort, indicates that differences in telomere length between active and inactive individuals cannot be explained by variations in genes, smoking, BMI and SES.
"A sedentary lifestyle appears to have an effect on telomere dynamics -- thus providing a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potentially anti-ageing effect of regular exercise," the British media quoted Prof Spector as saying.
Unexplained headaches? Manage your work better!
Have you been to your doctor lately complaining about that unexplained bout of headaches or body pain? Only to be told that there's nothing wrong. Well, it could be work-related stress that is causing aches, depression and other health problems say health experts.
A survey conducted by India's industry body Assocham has revealed that "the menace of stress and mental fatigue has intensified in recent times at the top and middle positions of sectors comprising construction, shipping, banks, government hospitals, trading houses, electronic and print media, courier companies, small-scale industries, retail and card franchise companies".
As more of the Indian workforce rushes to catch up with the deadlines, the boundary between home and work is becoming blurred. As the work hours stretch and more and more jobs entail odd work hours, the stress levels among the Indian workers is increasing in an alarming way causing many health problems.
Dr Roma Kumar senior clinical psychologist, says that stress can cause depression, but it can also manifest itself simply as an unexplained headache, pain in arms and legs, sleepiness or insomnia, loss of appetite and in women sometimes over eating.
"I will have to leave my job and go back home as I am constantly suffering from severe pain in my legs," says Sharmila, who works as an PR executive in Delhi. She adds, "Even after many tests the doctors have not been able to diagnose the problem."
Stress levels can be found increasing across all age sections of the work force but the reasons might differ, says Dr Kumar. The young age group of 20-30 year-olds are overworked because of the competition and a desire to get ahead fast. While those in older age groups, most of them with families and having reached mid-management levels, are bogged down by the demands of both a young family and work pressure, she adds.
"I am at a mid-management level in my office, managing people and enforcing targets, convincing and motivating those under you is pretty stressful," says Puneet Das, 36, working in a top MNC in Gurgaon. He adds, "To meet deadlines I have to work extra hours, and since I have small children, late nights become a cause for quarrels with my wife and this does cause
stress."
But if you thought people who tend to overwork themselves were the only ones suffering, then think again. Mental heath experts say that even boredom can be as problematic.
Software professional Madhumita, working in a top software company says, "It is boring working in a project for a long time since the work becomes very monotonous."
"Sometimes when we are relieved of one project and yet to get into another, the ennui is terrible. I regularly get severe headaches," she adds.
Dr Samir Parikh, consultant psychiatrist says, "Boredom affects workers in many ways. If you are not interested in your work, your sense of engagement, work satisfaction, and ultimately the quality of work suffers."
He adds that about 70 per cent of the working population suffers from work-related stress ranging from normal to severe conditions.
A recent study by psychologist Sandi Mann in the UK says that boredom is not related to the people doing factory line assembly work. The ever-increasing demands of meetings, paperwork, routinisation, information overload and bureaucracy are what is creating a boom in workplace boredom.
Agrees Das,"Sometimes you are forced to attend meetings, which are just routine work, just for the sake of it. You feel you could be better utilising your time. Wasting precious hours in official meetings can be very irritating and stressful."
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Stay healthy, get creative
A new study has suggested that employees who have more control over their daily activities and can take up challenging tasks they enjoy, are likely to be in better health.
The study, led by John Mirowsky, a sociology professor with the Population Research Centre at the University of Texas at Austin, people who do creative work, whether paid or not, feel healthier and have fewer physical problems.
"The most important finding is that creative activity helps people stay healthy. Creative activity is non-routine, enjoyable and provides opportunity for learning and for solving problems. People who do that kind of work, whether paid or not, feel healthier and have fewer physical problems," Mirowsky said.
Additionally, although people who work give up some independence, the study found that having a job does lead to better health.
"One thing that surprised us was that the daily activities of employed persons are more creative than those of non-employed persons of the same sex, age and level of education," Mirowsky said.
The study comprised of 2,592 adults who responded to a 1995 national telephone survey; researchers followed up respondents in 1998.
The survey addressed general health, physical functioning, how people spent their time on a daily basis and whether their work, even if unpaid, gave them a chance to learn new things or do things they enjoy.
"The health advantage of being somewhat above average in creative work [in the 60th percentile] versus being somewhat below average [in the 40th percentile] is equal to being 6.7 years younger," Mirowsky said.
He added that it is also equal to having two more years of education or 15 times greater household income.
Mirowsky said that the jobs, which are high-status, with managerial authority, or that require complex work with data generally provide more access to creative work.
However, he added, "People with a wide variety of jobs manage to find ways to make them creative."
Kara Thāpar born on 5th November, 1955 in Srinagar, India, is one of India's noted television commentators and interviewers. He is the youngest child of General P.N. Thapar, a former Army Chief. Currently the President of Infotainment Television, Thapar is noted for his aggressive interviews with leading politicians and celebrities - his interviews with cricketer Kapil Dev (where Dev broke down into tears)[1], George Fernandes, Jayalalithaa, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, General Pervez Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and The Dalai Lama are particularly well remembered by Indians.
In December 2003, he became the first person to win both awards in the current affairs category of the Asian Television Awards. His interview with Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Khurshid Kasuri, on Court Martial won 'The Best Current Affairs Programme'. He received his second award for 'The Best Current Affairs Presenter' for his popular long-running BBC series Face to Face. In 2005 he won the 'Best Current Affairs Presenter' for the third time since 1999 for his interview with former Indian Law Minister and BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley on HARDtalk India. His other popular shows include Eyewitness (Doordarshan), Tonight at 10 (CNBC) now --India tonight--, In Focus with Karan and Line of Fire.
Thapar is also a prolific newspaper columnist. For instance, his weekly column Sunday Sentiments in The Hindustan Times (the second largest English daily in India) is widely read. A collection of his columns has been published by the same name "Sunday Sentiments".
An alumnus of The Doon School and Stowe School, he graduated with a degree in the Economics and Political Philosophy from Pembroke College, Cambridge in 1977. In the same year, he was President of the Cambridge Union. He subsequently attained a doctorate in International Relations from St. Anthony's College, Oxford. He began his career in journalism with The Times in Lagos, Nigeria and later worked as their Leader Writer on the Indian subcontinent till 1991. In 1982 he joined London Weekend Television where he worked for the next 11 years. He then moved to India where he worked with The Hindustan Times Television Group, Home TV and United Television before setting up his own production house in August 2001, Infotainment Television, which makes programmes for amongst others BBC, Doordarshan and Channel News Asia
Latest news:-
Well-known television personality and the Hindustan Times columnist Karan Thapar won the prestigious Asian Television Award for Best Current Affairs Presenter at a grand ceremony in Singapore on Thursday night.
The awards received a total of 1,374 entries, out which seven - including presenters for CNN, Al Jazeera and NDTV - were shortlisted as final round nominees. Thapar won for his presentation of CNN-IBN's well-known interview programme Devil's Advocate.
The winning episode carried an interview with well-known lawyer Ram Jethmalani, which was broadcast in November 2006. This is the fourth time in nine years that Thapar has won the Asian Television Best Current Affairs Presenter Award. He also won in 1999, 2003 and 2005. No other Indian or South Asian anchor has won this award so far. (source: yahoo.co.in)
