CFHC
Living
Healthy Tips
“Everyday Choices for a
Healthier LIFE” brought
to you by
www.everydaychoices.org

Eat Right
Get Active
Don’t Smoke
See Your Doctor

EAT RIGHT
Who would have thought you could fight cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke … with a fork?

Many people don’t know it, but one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from these diseases is to eat a healthy diet whether or not you have a family history of cancer, diabetes, heart disease or stroke, what you eat - and how much you eat - can help reduce your risk. As a matter of fact, if you are one of the many Americans who do not smoke, eating well – along with being active and maintaining a healthy weight – is your best defense against disease.

Following a few simple recommendations from the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association can help you eat your way to a healthier weight – and a healthier YOU!

Make Healthy Choices
Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day.

Does “five” sound like a lot? Serving sizes are actually smaller than you might think!
One medium piece of fruit
¼ cup of dried fruit
½ cup chopped, canned or frozen fruit
6 oz of 100% fruit or vegetable juice
½ cup chopped, canned or frozen vegetables
1 cup of leafy greens
Focus on fruits and veggies that have the most color. They’re generally the most nutritious.
Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains and sugars.

Choose whole-grain rice, bread, pasta and cereals.
Not sure if it’s whole grain? Look for “whole wheat” or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label.
Limit consumption of refined carbohydrates, including pastries, sweetened cereals, soft drinks and other foods high in sugar. .
Substitute healthier fats for not-so-healthy fats

Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil.
Avoid trans fats, found in many margarines and baked goods.
Limit your intake of saturated fats and cholesterol found in meats and dairy products.
Select lean cuts of meat (look for “round” or “loin”).
Trim excess fat from meats.
Choose low-fat and fat-free dairy products.
Choose poultry, fish and beans as alternatives to beef, lamb and pork.
Add avocados and nuts to your diet. (These are high in healthy fats, but also high in calories, so don’t go overboard!)
Watch Your Portion Sizes

No doubt about it – our portion sizes are getting bigger and bigger, and unfortunately, so are our waistlines. Beware of portion distortion, and help trim down the number of calories you eat each day.

Use these visuals to help you judge what a normal portion size is:
½ cup of vegetables or fruit is about the size of your fist.
A medium apple is the size of a baseball.
A three-ounce portion of meat, fish or poultry is about the size of deck of cards.
A single-serving bagel is about the size of a hockey puck.
1 ½ ounces of cheese is the size of a pair of dice.
One tablespoon of peanut butter is about the size of the tip of your thumb.
Eating out? Restaurant portions are frequently two to three times larger than normal portions. Remember these tips next time you dine out:
Split an entrée with a friend or save half of it for lunch the next day.
Have an appetizer and salad or soup as your main course.
At home, serve appropriate portion sizes, and store the rest for leftovers. Avoid eating directly out of a bag or carton. Think about buying foods packaged in individual serving sizes to help you control portions. Serve dinner on your smaller salad plates instead of your dinner plates!
Choose Foods That Help Maintain a Healthy Weight

In addition to watching your portion sizes, substituting lower calorie foods for higher calorie foods can help influence what your scale says.

Substitute vegetables, fruits and other lower-calorie foods – lowfat dairy products, lean meats and cheeses, whole grains, and reduced sugar foods - for calorie-dense foods such as French fries, cheeseburgers, pizza, ice cream, doughnuts and other sweets
Use evaporated (skim or whole) milk instead of higher-fat cream in baked goods, sauces and soups.
Use reduced-fat or fat-free yogurt to replace all or part of the sour cream or mayonnaise in a recipe. Replace part of ricotta cheese with reduced-fat cottage cheese. Use a puree of cooked potatoes, onion, and celery as a creamy base for soups instead of cream or half-and-half.
Sharp cheese gives extra flavor so that less can be used. This helps trim the fat.
Select yogurt or milk products without added sugar or flavorings. Mix in fresh fruit for a flavor boost. 
Use low-fat cooking methods like roasting, baking, broiling, steaming or poaching. Limit deep-fat frying and sautéing in a lot of oil, butter or margarine. Use a cooking spray, broth or water to sauté meats.





GET ACTIVE
Looking for a reason to get moving? We’ve got four good ones: cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke!

Being physically active for at least 30 minutes on five or more days each week can help you not only look and feel better, but it can also help reduce your risk of these diseases. Living a physically activity lifestyle has many benefits, and all of these benefits can begin with moderate activity. This includes things like walking, biking – even housework and gardening. And if you enjoy more vigorous activities, that's great too. The more active you are, the more benefits you gain. The most important thing is to get more active everyday. And it’s never too late to start.

Who’s Got the Time?

With today’s fast-paced, hectic lifestyle, it can be difficult to find time to add another thing during the day. It may sound impossible to find another 30 (or more!) minutes for physical activity. Good news! You don't have to do all 30 minutes continuously. Being active for 10 to 15 minutes at a time can help improve your health. Stretch for 10 minutes in the morning before everyone gets up, take a 10 minute walk during lunch, and go for a 10 minute walk after dinner, and you have managed to work in 30 minutes of activity.

Another key to finding time for physical activity is to reduce the amount of time spent doing things that are inactive. Take a look at what you do during a normal day. Are you sitting when you could be moving around? Try these tips for making your routine more active:

Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
If you can, walk or bike to your destination.
Take a 10-minute activity break at work to stretch or take a quick walk, or use your lunch break to add some more activity to your day
Walk to visit co-workers instead of sending an e-mail message.
Go dancing with your spouse or friends.
Plan active vacations - go hiking, biking, swimming, and pack your tennis racquets.
Wear a pedometer every day and watch your daily steps increase.
Join a sports or recreation team.
Use a stationary bicycle or treadmill while watching TV.
Plan your activity routine to gradually increase the days per week and minutes per session.
Whether you plan a set activity routine or find ways to be more active during your day, the important part is that you get up and get moving.




DON'T SMOKE
Smoking is the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. It’s scary but true: Tobacco is the only consumer product known to kill half of its users. Don’t you be one of them!

Smoking causes almost one-third of all cancer deaths and one-fifth of deaths from heart disease and stroke. Smoking complicates diabetes, and recent studies now link tobacco use to an increased risk of developing the disease.

But there’s good news too. The health benefits of stopping smoking are immediate and long-lasting. And it’s never too late to quit – for your health and the health of the people you love.

The American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and American Heart Association are committed to public policies that help protect young people from getting hooked on tobacco and to helping smokers quit.

If you’re a smoker, ask your doctor for help with quitting, and contact us for resources that can double your chances of success.

Quitting smoking is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but you'll be glad you did.





SEE YOUR DOCTOR
There are three ways your doctor can help you stay healthy – prevention, screening and treatment. Unfortunately, many people see their doctors only to get treated when they are sick. These people often miss lifesaving opportunities to prevent health problems or catch them at an early stage, when they can be treated most easily.

An Ounce of Prevention…

Not smoking (or quitting if you already smoke), making wise food choices, getting enough physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight can help you reduce your disease risk, feel better and live longer. There’s a lot you can do on your own to prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. And your doctor can help you recognize unhealthy aspects of your lifestyle. Your doctor is a great source of advice on how to make the right choices for lifelong health.

Your doctor will also ask about your family history. Certain forms of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke can run in some families. Information about health problems among your closest relatives will help tell your doctor whether you need to be especially cautious about preventing certain diseases through lifestyle changes or medication.

An Ounce of Screening…

When it comes to health, there’s no doubt that an ounce of prevention is worth at least a pound of cure. And the same applies to screening – the use of tests or examinations to help find health problems early, before they cause any symptoms. These tests can find problems at an early stage, when they can be treated most easily, most effectively, and with the fewest side effects. Do you know which tests you need, at what age to start, and how often to get tested? Your doctor can get you on track with the screenings that are most appropriate for you.

Be sure to ask your doctor about screening tests recommended by the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association. The following list names the tests recommended for people at average risk.

Blood pressure check – Check at each regular health care visit.

Body Mass Index (BMI) – Check at each regular health care visit.

Clinical breast exam (CBE) and mammography – Get a CBE every three years until age 40, then yearly with your mammogram.

Pap test – Get one every year from age 20 to 30; at age 30 and beyond, get screened every one to three years depending on the type of test and past results.

Cholesterol check – Starting at age 20, get tested every five years.

Blood glucose (sugar) test – Starting at age 45, have your fasting blood glucose checked every three years.

Colon screening – Starting at age 50, get screened every one to 10 years, depending on the type of test.

Prostate exam – Starting at age 50, ask your doctor about the pros and cons of testing.

Depending on your family history and personal medical history, you may need some other tests too, or you may need to start screening at a younger age. Talk to your doctor today to find out which screening tests are right for you.



Take This List of Questions to Your Next Doctor’s Appointment.

1. At my age, what screening tests should I have?
2. I’ve got a family history of (cancer/diabetes/heart disease/stroke). Is there a different schedule of screening tests I should follow?
3. With my family history, do I need to be more concerned about my diet? My weight? My physical activity level?
4. Am I at a healthy weight? What should I do to lose weight?
5. How much physical activity should I get? How can I get started?
6. What’s the best way for me to stop smoking?