For someone who is trying to stop smoking, a cigarette is the first thing you will think about when you’re bored and a popular reason to begin to smoke again. In the past, smoking cigarettes kept your hands and mouth very busy a lot of the time.  Therefore the outcomes of quitting smoking, often causes one to gain weight.

Your taste buds begin to improve which leads you to constantly need something in your mouth. Smoking also increases your metabolism, so when you stop smoking, your metabolic rate begins to fall and your weight increases because your body now burns fewer calories. Plus, the absence of nicotine causes your insulin level to rise, leaving you hungry.

Instead of grabbing for a bag of chips or a snickers bar, it may be helpful to keep your hands and mouth busy by turning to healthier options which will not only allow you to feel better, but look better as well. Below is a list of foods that are sure to keep you busy without sabotaging your diet:

High-fiber cereals: As you’re well aware, cereals contain a satisfying crunch factor for your teeth and mouth.

Carrots and celery: This will keep you healthy while giving you a satisfying crunch throughout the day — and you can eat tons of without worrying as much about calories.

Sugar-free gum: A calorie-free way to get through the day.  Chomping away on sugar-free gum allows one to go through the motions of eating without actually eating.

Sugar-free mints: Similar to chewing gum, these breath-fresheners give the mouth an activity without calories.

Pistachio Nuts: Opening up each shell will keep you busy and satisfied when craving a smoke

Apples: They’re filling, and they boost the body’s energy level significantly. Apples are a sweet, large and crunchy route to satisfaction.

String cheese: You pull on it in tiny pieces and it comes off like string. It can easily take up 20-25 minutes of your crave time if you want it to.

Low-fat popcorn: Popcorn is a healthy snack that contains a lot in a bag on few calories. Microwave a bag to keep your hands and mouth busy. 

Popsicles: Do to the fact that they are so cold, it will take you a long time to lick and get to the bottom.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of www.Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Ever since the early ‘70s, we have been on the universal precautions bandwagon. 

First, we introduced latex gloves in the healthcare setting in doctors’ offices and in hospitals.

Next, individuals who prepare and serve food in restaurants, cafeterias, etc. also started using latex rubber gloves.  So what are the chances you can develop an allergic reaction to latex rubber?

The majority of those affected develop only localized symptoms such as skin irritation and burning, itchiness, redness and/or swelling of the hands or those areas exposed to the latex.  Next, are those unlucky allergic people who may have reactions that are more serious and progressive.  Higher-risk areas include the dentist’s office, operating room or emergency department and gynecologists’ offices ― just to name a few.  So get a medical identification card and/or bracelet to inform of your latex allergy! 

So where else do we see allergic reactions to latex rubber?

What am I seeing in my office?  Just the other day, a restaurant owner who supervises food preparation (personally) was exposed to foods and products served by staff who wear latex rubber gloves. When tested, we learned she had become allergic to latex rubber and had two potentially life-threatening reactions as a result of exposure in her own restaurant. 

If you are allergic to latex, be aware you may also react to the following foods: Bananas, avocados, chestnuts, apples, carrots, celery, papayas, kiwi, melons, potatoes and tomatoes.

Finally, defense being your best option, click here  for a consumer-friendly list of products that may contain latex rubber.

Dr. Clifford W. Bassett is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Long Island College Hospital and on the faculty of NYU School of Medicine. He is the current vice chair for public education committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. No information in this blog is intended as medical advice to any reader or intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition.

Nearly 50 million Americans have high cholesterol. There are two kinds of cholesterol: HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein). HDL is often called the “good” kind of cholesterol because it helps remove unwanted cholesterol from the body. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol made up primarily of fat, and is a particular risk factor for heart disease. So when setting out to lower your cholesterol, you need to know your HDL number, your LDL number, and your total cholesterol number.

This  chart will provide you with some helpful information:

High levels of cholesterol in the blood increase your chances of developing heart disease. In an effort to lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk, you must increase your fiber intake. Clinical studies show that a heart-healthy diet that is low-fat and includes lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grain products that contain fiber can lower blood cholesterol. Fiber, among its other benefits, seems to bind up cholesterol allowing it to be eliminated from your body. If enough is removed it can lower cholesterol by 10-15 percent.

Many studies have shown that fiber can slow the liver’s manufacture of cholesterol, as well as modify LDL particles to make them larger and less dense. Researchers believe that small, dense LDL particles pose a bigger health threat.

The American Dietetic Association recommends that Americans eat 20-35 grams of fiber per day. Here are some fiber-filled foods to help lower cholesterol:

•   Oat/oat bran/whole-wheat products
•   Dried beans and peas
•   Nuts
•   Barley
•   Flax seed
•   Fruits such as apples and pears
•   Vegetables such as carrots and broccoli
The key to improve overall health is not only dieting, but making physical activity a part of your daily routine. Regular physical activity is key to keeping your cholesterol low. Aerobic exercise may improve insulin sensitivity, HDL, and triglyceride levels, and may reduce your heart risk. People who exercise and control their diet appear to be more successful in long-term lifestyle modifications that improve their heart risk profile.
 
Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

Carbohydrates (meaning “carbon plus water”) are the most efficient fuel for your body. They provide steady healthy energy. Along with fat and protein, carbohydrates are an essential nutrient. The two major forms of carbs are: simple sugars (simple carbohydrates), found in sugars such as fructose, glucose, and lactose, as well as in nutritious whole fruits; and starches (complex carbohydrates), found in foods such as starchy vegetables, grains, rice, and bread and cereals.

What makes carbs different from other essential nutrients (fat and protein) is that they are easily converted to energy by the body. Furthermore, the simplest carbohydrate, glucose, is essential fuel for the brain and muscles. When glucose is absorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream, blood-glucose levels increase, and your pancreas begins to secrete insulin to help get that sugar out of the blood and to the brain and muscles. The problem occurs when too much glucose over-whelms the metabolism. In other words, if you regularly eat great amounts of foods with refined starches and sugars—the bad carbs—the pancreas makes too much insulin and the blood sugar drops too far, which, in turn, makes you feel hungry. Furthermore, muscle cells will stop taking in the glucose, and so more of this sugar will be stored as fat, which will result in weight gain.

GOOD CARB FOODS: Complex carbohydrates are the good carbs. Among good carbs are high-fiber, low-sugar fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole oatmeal and all other whole grains, and all types of beans (a Latin staple!). Sweet potatoes, brown rice, grapefruit, fat-free milk (organic and in moderation, please), whole grain pasta (also in moderation), and apples, like other good carbs, cause a gradual rise in blood-sugar levels, which is optimal for sustained energy, mental clarity and focus, and a balanced mood. Also, eating good carbs will help curb your cravings for bad carbs, which in turn can help you avoid chemical imbalances in the brain that can cause depression.

NOTE: I always recommend buying organic products, because they’re free of potentially harmful ingredients.

People often ask me if organic food is worth the price since it’s often more expensive than conventional produce.  My answer is “sometimes.”

Organic foods are grown without chemical fertilizers, insecticides or pesticides.  People often choose to buy organic because they don’t want to consume any chemicals and/or they are doing to their part to conserve the environment.  In fact, organic foods are so popular that nearly a quarter of American shoppers now buy organic products once a week.  But are they more nutritious than conventional foods?  The answer is probably not.
Studies suggest that organic foods do not contain more vitamins or nutrients than conventionally grown foods.  So if you are choosing organic, do so because you don’t want to ingest chemicals or you want to help sustain the environment—not because you want more vitamin C.

If you are concerned about pesticide residue, spend your money on buying organic foods that you eat whole (with the skin—where the residue would be).  Apple, cherries, grapes, nectarines, pears, peaches, raspberries and strawberries contain the most residues so these may be worth spending a few extra cents on.  Kiwi, mango, bananas, papaya and pineapple (all fruits you peel,) contain the least residue and you can save your money and buy conventional.

Keep in mind that organic doesn’t always mean freshest.   Many people are choosing to buy from local farms because the food is fresher even it isn’t organic.  Keep in mind many areas of the country can’t grow produce year round, so if you are buying organic oranges in the winter, chances are they traveled from California or farther to get to your market.  Eating seasonally is the best way to ensure that you are getting the freshest and most nutritious foods available.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.