good things DON'T always come in small packages - from Jill

100-calorie packs have been around for years but were mostly unnoticed until about 3 years ago. Now, you can find 100-calorie servings of everything from cookies to ice cream to soda to dried fruit... and so on. While many people have jumped onto this hot trend as a way to have quick portion control, new market research is finding that, in fact, these smaller packages are having the opposite effect on our weight. You see, many people ASSUME that something in 100 calorie package size is "health food" and therefore, people will often allow themselves to have more than one package at a time since it is perceived as healthy. These smaller packages seem to be more likely to fuel temptation to have "just a little bit" of an indulgence so, if you like the convenience of the 100 calorie packs, enjoy - but ONLY ONE.

Irradiated Greens? (from Jill)

In case you didn't know, irradiated meat and spices have been around for years. The purpose of doing this is to kill E.Coli. Now, given all the recent outbreaks over the last few years, the FDA is going to start irradiating greens like lettuce and spinach. The FDA says that "zapping" the food will kill E.Coli, listeria and salmonella while not effecting the nutrition or "crispness" of the vegetable. But certain food safety experts at the Centers for Science and the Public Interest, think that it is expensive and doesn't realy address the source of the problem (i.e. preventing contamination in the first place) nor does it kill viruses (only bacteria). So, while no other vegetbales will be irradiated at this time, it is important to know that the FDA says that no radiation transfers from the food to the consumers.

North Carolina Action for Healthy Kids (from Jill)

The North Carolina Board of Dietetics (the local branch of the American Dietetic Association that licenses all Registered Dietitians) is promoting a program called North Carolina Action for Healthy Kids. This group has declared September "Successful Students East Smart and Move More" month. This was done to help raise awareness that parents, teachers, administrators and the community at large need to understand for themselves and promote the importance of good nutrition and physical activity for children and adolescents. Check out the website www.NCActionForHealthyKids.org for resources you can use to educate yourself and the young people in your life. OR call your closest Health Educator and make an appointment today!

Exercise Pill (from Jill)

I'm sure there will be LOTS of inquiries in the next few weeks since the article came out yesterday about a new "exercise pill" so let's talk about it now before we get too far gone. First of all, this research was done in a small population of mice... there is NO way to tell if the pill will have the same effect in humans. Second, there are many other benefits to exercise besides just burning calories.... you increase your cardiovascular health, improve your mood, increase your stamina and build muscle mass - just to name a few. So, while it may seem like a "miracle cure" for any couch potatoes out there, remember the saying that "... if it's too good to be true, it probably is"