Are the "healthy" menus at fast-food places really healthy?

Q: Are the "healthy" menus at fast-food places really healthy?

A: In our society, everything is fast, fast, fast, including our food. The problem is, how does one follow government-advocated healthy eating guidelines recommending that we consume lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nonfat (or 1%) dairy products, lean protein and healthy fats (like olive oil, avocado and nuts) when we’re on the go?
Let’s face it, finding healthy food is tough outside of your own kitchen.

In answer to your question, surprisingly some of the “healthy” menu choices now offered at fast-food restaurants are actually much healthier than their classical menu choices, though clearly not what I would call “health food.” The best advice for navigating the fast-food maze and for a fast food to be truly healthy is that it has to be low in saturated fat, cholesterol and trans fat free. It also cannot be swimming in sodium or sugar and should not provide a ridiculous amount of calories (a good goal is to keep under 500 calories for a full meal).

I decided to check out the McDonald’s Web site (http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/bagamcmeal/nutrition_facts.html ) to see if I could concoct a “healthy lunch.” I found the following nutrition information for their Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: 320 calories, 9 grams fat (3 grams of those are saturated) and 960 mg sodium. Add in a packet of Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette (40 calories, 3 grams fat and 730 mg sodium), a sugar-free iced tea and a fruit ’n’ yogurt parfait (160 calories, 2 grams fat and 85 mg sodium) and you can squeak out a somewhat healthy lunch for a grand total of 520 calories, 14 grams fat and a whopping 1,775 mg sodium (you should keep your total daily sodium intake under 2,300 mg/day). Not ideal, but in a pinch . . .

What's a good substitute for butter in Holiday recipes?

Q: Many of my holiday recipes call for butter. What's a good substitute?

A: I like to use the tub margarines with added plant sterols such as Benecol or Promise Take Control. I also like the “light” versions that give you all the flavor with half the calories. These margarines are a nice substitute for butter not only because they have only a fraction of the artery-clogging saturated fat, and are trans fat free, but also because they give you a dose of plant sterols—the natural plant derivative that is safe and effective for lowering your “bad” LDL cholesterol. Here is a mashed potato recipe for a delicious and truly heart-healthy holiday side dish taken from my book, Cholesterol DOWN:


Mashed Potatoes with Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: approximately 1 cup)


2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 can (15.5 ounces) chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 cup light soy milk

½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth

¼ cup Promise Take Control Light Margarine

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Commercial gravy, optional

Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and return potatoes to pan. Add in chick peas and mash using a potato masher. Add in soy milk, chicken broth, margarine and seasonings, and stir. Cook an additional 2 minutes until heated, stirring constantly. Serve warm. Top with commercial gravy if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (approximately 1 cup):
Calories: 255, Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 751 mg,
Carbohydrates: 46 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g

Recipe from: Cholesterol DOWN: 10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in 4 Weeks—Without Prescription Drugs by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN.
Published by Three Rivers Press, December 2006; $13.95US/$17.95CAN; 978-0-307-33911-9.

Is exercising in the cold dangerous?

Q: Do physical activities like snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in very cold temperatures have any negative effect on my body?

A: I love your question, because even though I live in a tropical climate, I have to say that snowshoeing is probably my favorite aerobic exercise! I try to travel to the high country once a year to get my fix of cold weather exercise. Strap on a pair of comfy snowshoe boots (or even a good-quality leather boot and warm, insulating socks that will work just as well), attach them to your snowshoes, throw on a few layers of clothes, gloves and a hat, and you’re off.

To me, nothing compares to hiking along snowy paths, and all the while—as your heart is pumping—taking in the magnificence of the majestic snowcapped mountains and basking in the quiet solitude of the snowy forest. As far as I’m concerned, it simply doesn’t get better than that for exercise for both the mind and the body.

Exercising in very cold temperatures is a safe and really fun way to stay physically fit, as long as you be sure to take some precautions:



Check with your doctor first before beginning any exercise program.
Layer up for cold weather and make sure to cover those extremities (head and hands). Wearing a “neck gator” to cover your nose and mouth can be tremendously helpful in frigid conditions.

Drink, drink, and drink before, during and after your workout; even if you don’t feel thirsty, you need to drink to stay hydrated.

Bring a snack because you really work up an appetite exercising in the great outdoors!

Make sure someone knows of your whereabouts before you embark on your outing—either the ranger who sold you the day pass or a friend or family member. I suggest carrying a cell phone for use as an emergency contact (although reception in the backcountry can be iffy).

To improve safety (prevent hypothermia and frostbite) and comfort, I suggest that you go to the American College of Sports Medicine website and review their recommendations for how to exercise safely in cold weather.

Is coffee a good energy boost for a workout?

Q: I see people at my gym drinking coffee before they work out. Is this a good energy boost for a workout?

A: Oh, that morning cup of Joe . . . Americans just can’t seem to get enough of the most popular behavior-altering drug in this country, caffeine. Is it smart to down a cup or two of coffee before you work out or is it better to refrain until after you get your exercise in?

Caffeine is the most widely used ergogenic aid (a substance that can purportedly enhance sports performance) and has been scientifically proven to be a highly effective sports aid. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can help you perform better because it acts to increase alertness as well as lower your perception of effort during exercise—so you can exercise harder and it won’t feel as difficult. The science has shown that caffeine is most valuable for endurance-type athletes involved in sports such as cycling and long-distance running. Caffeine has been shown to increase the amount of fat floating in the bloodstream of endurance athletes, which would theoretically improve endurance performance by helping to spare muscle glycogen. When muscle glycogen runs low, endurance athletes need to slow their pace, so an ergogenic aid that enables athletes to “spare” the glycogen in favor of using the fat for fuel would be highly beneficial and potentially delay fatigue.

If you do decide to drink a cup of coffee before exercising, there are a few caveats. Caffeine is a diuretic, so if you choose to consume it before exercising in a hot, humid environment, be sure to drink extra fluids to compensate. Furthermore, many people are caffeine sensitive and can have negative side effects from consuming caffeine, such as nervousness, upset stomach and a rapid heart rate. If you are caffeine sensitive, I would suggest that you abstain.

How Do I Not Overdo It At Thanksgiving Dinner?

Q: How do I not overdo it at Thanksgiving dinner while still taking part in the tradition of eating?

A: One meal will not make or break your diet or weight management goals. In fact, it’s probably very rare to find a person who doesn’t overeat at festive holiday gatherings where good food and holiday spirit abound. Keep in mind that the real damage occurs when we keep on overeating from Turkey Day all the way through January 1. We each need to be vigilant about putting the brakes on excessive calorie overload during this dangerous time of year for the battle of the bulge.

That said, how can we prevent feeling like a stuffed turkey after this year’s Thanksgiving meal? Planning ahead is the key as well as using a few calorie-cutting tricks. Lighten up your favorite holiday recipes by cutting back on fat, sugar and salt and substituting healthier ingredients. Load up on lower-calorie vegetable dishes before and on your holiday dinner plate. Use strict portion control for the higher-calorie foods and be careful about drinking your calories—nutmeg or alcoholic drinks that can easily add to your meal’s calorie overload.

The goal of this holiday season should be to avoid weight gain. Make your New Year’s resolution on Thanksgiving Day by watching your food intake and getting that exercise in—set a goal of walking away from the scale reading the same number on January 1, 2009, as it reads on November 27, 2008, and you will truly have given yourself the holiday gift of health.

How Do I Know An Antioxidant Supplement Is Working?

Q: I have been taking an antioxidant supplement, but how do I know if it’s doing anything for me?

A: Scientists have proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that consuming a plant-based diet of whole foods—naturally rich in antioxidant vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals—can provide substantial health benefits such as prevention of chronic disease like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. In contrast, consuming man-made supplements of concentrated antioxidants extracted from plants, has not shown to benefit health. In fact, some studies have demonstrated that consuming certain antioxidant supplements increases risk of disease! A 2007 review article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (G. Gjelakovic et al.) revealed that subjects taking beta-carotene, vitamin E or vitamin A supplements, either alone or in combination, actually raised their risk of dying prematurely.

So what’s the take-away message regarding whether your antioxidant supplements are doing anything for you? Swallowing pills will not buy you good health or a long life. An active lifestyle combined with eating a Mediterranean-style plant-based diet, filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, nuts and a small amount of fish, is the secret to better health. This is the ultimate wellness prescription that simply cannot compare to anything that can be purchased in a bottle.

Why Is Stretching After Working Out Important?

Q: Why is stretching after working out important?

A: This is a great question because it addresses the importance not only of practicing stretching but also the best and safest technique for performing this valuable type of exercise. Why stretch? Stretching increases flexibility, a key component of physical fitness that is often neglected. A greater degree of flexibility is believed to help prevent injury (and low back pain) and improve sports performance. We lose flexibility as we age, so practicing a regular program of stretching the major muscle groups can help prevent loss of flexibility and its associated negative impact on quality of life in our golden years.

Stretching properly involves a slow, steady elongation of the muscles and tendons to the point of tightness—never pain—and holding the stretch for several seconds. (Never use bouncing or ballistic-type stretching, which can cause injury.) It is best to stretch muscles that have been warmed up internally from exercise as opposed to cold muscles. In fact, stretching cold muscles can actually increase risk of injury, as a cold muscle is more prone to strains! Think of a muscle as if it were a rubber band. If you stretch cold rubber, it snaps and breaks; however, if you warm the rubber first, it stretches more elastically and fluidly, like taffy.

Stretching is different from “warming up.” A warm-up is what you do before you begin a bout of exercise and generally consists of a low-intensity version of the exercise you are planning on engaging in (such as a fast walk before a jog). A good exercise routine would be to warm up (work up a light sweat and raise the internal temperature of your muscles), followed by a series of brief stretches, then perform your exercise bout, warm down and end with another series of stretches. Practice this plan and you will have a well-rounded fitness routine.