Mayo Clinic diet
Learning Center
Weight-loss tip: Don't skip snacks
Do you feel guilty about snacking? Don't. Snacks aren't necessarily bad. In fact, well-planned weight-loss diets allow for snacks to help manage hunger and reduce bingeing. Eating a healthy snack of fresh fruit or raw veggies may stop you from taking second or third helpings at your next meal, dramatically cutting the total number of calories you consume.
Weight loss: Unhook yourself from food
Do thoughts and feelings about food stand in your way of learning healthy-eating habits? Try these five steps: 1. Know your habits. For a few weeks, jot down what, when and why you eat. See if any patterns emerge. 2. Take away temptation. Don't keep comfort foods in your home if they're hard for you to resist. 3. Enjoy an occasional treat to help curb cravings. 4. Don't give up on yourself. An occasional setback is to be expected. Get right back on the bandwagon.
Snack attack? Try these 100-calorie snacks
Healthy snacks can satisfy your hunger and keep you from eating extra helpings at your next meal, which can lower total daily calories. Snacks can also supply afternoon energy and extra nutrients. If you're trying to lose weight, try these snacks that are 100 calories or less: 1 cup sliced bananas and fresh raspberries; 2 cups carrots; 2 cups air-popped popcorn; 5 rye or pumpernickel crackers; 2 tablespoons peanuts; 2 domino-sized slices of low-fat colby or cheddar cheese.
Mood and food: Break the link
Do you eat when you're not hungry? You might be eating as a response to stress or boredom. Pay attention to when you eat and how you're feeling. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach, you're probably not hungry. Give the craving time to pass. Distract yourself and substitute a healthier behavior. Take a walk, listen to music or call a friend.
Is healthy aging in your genes?
Sure, your genes affect your health. But your lifestyle, your environment and even chance may matter even more. What you eat, how much you exercise, how you manage stress, how much sleep you get and whether you smoke all play a role in whether you develop a heart condition. Stack the cards in your favor with healthy lifestyle choices.
Fall prevention: Simple tips to prevent falls
Have you ever tripped down the stairs? Slipped on a rug? It may seem silly, but falls are nothing to take lightly. Here are tips to fall-proof your home: 1. Keep electrical cords out of walking paths. 2. Securely fasten carpet, rugs and carpet runners to the floor. 3. Keep walkways and stairways free of clutter. 4. Use nonslip mats in the bathtub or shower.
Do you have a living will?
Life-threatening situations can happen to anyone, so it's important to have a living will or other advance directive. These documents spell out your preferences regarding medical treatments you would or would not want to keep you alive. You can also outline your preferences for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation. By planning ahead, you can get the medical care you want and save your family from having to make tough decisions in a crisis.
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