 Thankfully Abstaining! What NOT to Eat in November!
Between the hours glued to the couch for the sports fans among us and comfort foods offered at holiday social gatherings, this time of year can be fatal to our diets and calorie-counting. Try to avoid high calorie casseroles and pot-pies where cream, butter and cheeses have been mixed in, and instead opt for grilled or roasted vegetables only. Skip the whipped cream and crust, and reach for fruit and nut based pies, rather than cream pie options. Prepare a healthier stuffing by leaving out the sausage and the gravy, and adding fruit, stock, and vegetables instead. Fall drinks can also sneak in extra calories and sugar; best to opt for green tea and wine spritzer, rather than the eggnog, hot cider, pumpkin-flavored lattes and toddies!
OWH offers the following super-foods that can help speed weight loss and fight fat to help you in your battle: protein-rich greek yogurt, as the body burns more calories burning protein than carbs; cinnamon as an additive, as the flavor adds sweetness on foods and beverages and studies have shown it may even have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar levels; grapefruit, since adding half a grapefruit to a meal will increase your fiber intake and make you feel more full; berries, can satisfy a sweet tooth and some are high in antioxidants; vinegar, as in oil-and-vinegar dressing on your salad instead of creamy, rich dressings, as vinegar may actually help to break down fat in the body; oatmeal, since the fiber-rich food is hot, and will take longer to eat than other choices, and packs in a dose of healthy, whole grains.
OWH Staff thanks Brittany M. Gross, MPH, Health Educator, Oral Health program, for this article contribution.
Most women know that oral hygiene such as flossing your teeth daily and brushing your teeth twice a day is good for our teeth. However, did you know that oral hygiene is an important part of your overall health and contributes to overall wellness? The historic U. S. Surgeon General’s Report on oral health, Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General in 2000 states, “oral health is integral to general health, and general health risk factors, such as tobacco use and poor dietary practices, also affect oral and craniofacial health.” Every day maintenance of our oral health is quite important for our general health.
And what is the secret to one's best oral health? The simplest and cheapest way is to practice good oral hygiene! Brushing our teeth twice a day and flossing in between our teeth at least once a day is recommended. Most people do not encounter difficulties remembering to brush their teeth, yet most of us struggle with flossing. It is true that flossing is more complicated than brushing, but that is no reason to ignore it! Flossing your teeth helps prevent both gum disease (periodontal disease) and tooth decay. Both of these conditions are caused by the buildup of bacteria on the tooth’s surface. This bacterium is often referred to as plaque. By flossing your teeth you remove this bacterium from around your gums and in between your teeth. This is why brushing alone is not enough to protect your mouth. Your tooth brush is not able to get to the area between your teeth. Brushing, together with flossing, is important for oral and general health!
So what do you do if you are one of millions who find flossing difficult? Luckily for you there have been advances in flossing to help! The days of simply relying on string floss are over. There are several devices that have been developed within recent years to help make flossing less of a hassle and more convenient. One new device has a handle, much like your tooth brush, to make flossing more ergonomic. Also, it has replaceable heads with floss for hygienic purposes. Furthermore, you can purchase the replaceable flossing heads in different flavors, just like traditional floss. Another device, designed for more convenience, is a combination tool with a pick and flossing head, perfect for on-the-go flossing. These devices are made to be disposable for easy use.
Hopefully, you are now well equipped with the knowledge and tools to get you flossing every day! Let this serve as a gentle reminder as we all anticipate holiday meals and the typical increase of holiday snacking.
 
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