You Shouldn't Cut Off the Bread's Crust. It's Full of Vitamins.

The truth is: In a 2002 German study, researchers found that the baking process produces a novel type of cancer-fighting antioxidant in bread that is eight times more abundant in the crust than in the crumb. That said, it's more important to serve whole-wheat bread, with or without the crust, because it's all around higher in nutrients, such as fiber, says New York City nutritionist Keri Glassman, author of The O2 Diet ($25, amazon.com). Make sure the ingredients list "100% whole-wheat flour." Breads simply labeled "wheat" are usually made with a mixture of enriched white flour and whole-wheat flour and have less fiber.

If You Go Out With Wet Hair, You'll Catch a Cold.

The truth is: You will feel cold but will be just fine healthwise, says Jim Sears, a board-certified pediatrician in San Clemente, California, and a cohost of the daytime-TV show The Doctors. He cites a study done at the Common Cold Research Unit, in Salisbury, England, in which a group of volunteers was inoculated with a cold virus up their noses. Half the group stayed in a warm room while the rest took a bath and stood dripping wet in a hallway for half an hour, then got dressed but wore wet socks for a few more hours. The wet group didn't catch any more colds than the dry. Sears's conclusion: "Feeling cold doesn't affect your immune system."

If You Cross Your Eyes, They'll Stay That Way.

The truth is: "There's no harm in voluntary eye crossing," says W. Walker Motley, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. But if you notice your child doing this a lot (when he's not mimicking a cartoon character), he might have other vision problems.

You Should Feed a Cold and Starve a Fever.

The truth is: In both cases, eat and drink, then drink some more. "Staying hydrated is the most important thing to do, because you lose a lot of fluids when you're ill," says Sears, who adds that there's no need for special beverages containing electrolytes (like Gatorade) unless you're severely dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea.

Gum Stays in Your Stomach for Seven Years.

The truth is: Your Little Leaguer's wad of Big League Chew won't (literally) stick around until high school graduation. "As with most nonfood objects that kids swallow, fluids carry gum through the intestinal tract, and within days it passes," says David Pollack, a senior physician in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Care Network. And even though gum isn't easily broken down in the digestive system, it probably won't cause a stomachache, either.

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.

The truth is: A handful of blueberries a day will keep the doctor away more effectively. Blueberries are a nutritional jackpot, rich in antioxidants and fiber, and they're also easy to toss into cereal and yogurt. That said, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is important to prevent many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, down the road. (To find out how much earth-grown goodness your child should be getting, enter his or her age, sex, and level of physical activity at fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.)

You Lose 75 Percent of Your Body Heat Through Your Head.

The truth is: "This adage was probably based on an infant's head size, which is a much greater percentage of the total body than an adult head," says Pollack. That's why it's important to make sure an infant's head remains covered in cold weather. (This also explains those ubiquitous newborn caps at the hospital.) But for an adult, the figure is more like 10 percent. And keep in mind that heat escapes from any exposed area (feet, arms, hands), so putting on a hat is no more important than slipping on gloves.

To Get Rid of Hiccups, Have Someone Startle You.

The truth is: Most home remedies, like holding your breath or drinking from a glass of water backward, haven't been medically proven to be effective, says Pollack. However, you can try this trick dating back to 1971, when it was published in The New England Journal of Medicine: Swallow one teaspoon of white granulated sugar. According to the study, this tactic resulted in the cessation of hiccups in 19 out of 20 afflicted patients. Sweet.

Eating Fish Makes You Smart.

The truth is: For kids up to age three or four, this is indeed the case. Fish, especially oily ones, such as salmon, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). "DHA is particularly beneficial in the first two years of life for brain development, cognition, and visual acuity," says Beverly Hills pediatrician Scott W. Cohen, the author of Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year ($16, amazon.com). And a 2008 study in Clinical Pediatrics showed an increase in vocabulary and comprehension for four-year-olds who were given daily DHA supplements. Omega-3 options for the fish-phobic? Try avocados, walnuts, and canola oil.

You Shouldn't Swim for an Hour After Eating.

The truth is: Splash away. "After you eat, more blood flows to the digestive system and away from the muscles," says Cohen. "The thinking was that if you exercised strenuously right after eating, that lack of blood would cause you to cramp up and drown." But that won't happen. Sears concurs: "You might have less energy to swim vigorously, but it shouldn't inhibit your ability to tread water or play."

Every Child Needs a Daily Multivitamin.

The truth is: Children who are solely breast-fed during their first year should be given a vitamin D supplement. After that, a multivitamin won't hurt anyone, but many experts say that even if your child is in a picky phase, there's no need to sneak Fred, Wilma, and company into his applesauce. "Even extremely fussy eaters grow normally," Cohen says. "Your kids will eventually get what they need, even if it seems as if they're subsisting on air and sunlight."

Warm Milk Will Help You Fall Asleep.

The truth is: Milk contains small amounts of tryptophan (the same amino acid in turkey), "but you would have to drink gallons to get any soporific effect," says Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, who specializes in sleep disorders. "What is effective is a routine to help kids wind down," he says. And if a glass of warm milk is part of the process, it can have a placebo effect, regardless of science.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/31/rs.12.health.myths/index.html?iref=NS1 

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Can you believe we are already through January?  It seems like it was just Thanksgiving, and then we kind of lost Christmas in a freak blizzard.  So, how are those resolutions coming along?  Yeah, I know, me too.  I really don’t make resolutions because it’s so disappointing when something happens that makes me unable to keep them.  That has certainly been the case for the beginning of 2010 as things STILL haven’t settled down! 

Two resolutions most commonly made have to do with weight loss and saving money.  Well, here are some realistic ways to help you if you have taken this challenge.  Even if you didn’t make these resolutions, they are still good food for thought.

Diets suck, no two ways about it.  You’re always denying yourself something and you feel like you’re always hungry.  Instead of trying to eat less, how about vowing to eat better?  If you’re already working out, then you probably already understand  the balance of carbs, protein, and fat that you need to fuel your efforts.  If not, simply remember that simple carbs are for quick energy, complex carbs are for sustained energy, protein is for muscle building, and less fat is better than none at all as our bodies need some fat to properly digest most foods.  Fiber is a huge plus for digestive purposes as well as for water storage in the body.  With that in mind, check out some foods to think about adding to your diet.

Full-Fat Cheese:  Oh yeah, I said that!  Cheese has loads of casein protein, one of the best muscle-building nutrients you can eat.

Pork Chops:  Per gram of protein, pork chops contain almost five times the selenium-an essential mineral that’s linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer-of beef, and twice that of chicken.  And the protein helps you preserve muscle while losing weight.

Iced Coffee:  Coffee, hot or cold, reduces your appetite, increases your metabolism, and gives you a shot of antioxidants.  It has also been shown that small doses throughout the day is better than a large one first thing in the morning.  It not only increases your heart rate and breathing, but also keep you awake and alert throughout the day.  Be careful not to compromise yourself with too much sugar and creamer! 

Grapefruit:  It’s not known exactly how this works, but speculation is that the grapefruit’s acidity may slow your rate of metabolism, keeping you feeling full longer.  If you can’t handle half a grapefruit three times a week, try another acidic fruit for a while and see what happens.

Apple: An apple a day may also keep the pounds away!  Research has discovered that people who ate a large apple 15 minutes before lunch took in 187 fewer calories than those who didn’t.  They also reported feeling fuller afterward.  Apples are loaded with fiber, but they also require lots of chewing which can make you think you are eating more than you really are.

Eggs:  Skip the cold cereal.  Research has shown that people who consumed their biggest dose of protein at breakfast felt full longer than those who ate more of it at lunch or dinner.  Eggs and bacon, here we come!

Beans:  Scientists have found that people who ate more legumes were 23 percent less likely to have large waists than those who never ate them.  The bean eaters were also shown to have lower blood pressure.  Beans are rich in fiber as well as potassium, which can help fight hypertension.  Not a fan of beans?  Try canned chili beans, or have a black bean and cheese quesadilla with your eggs in the morning.

Salmon:  Fish isn’t just good for your heart.  It has omega-3 fatty acids that help you feel full longer.  Not crazy about fish?  Try taking a fish oil capsule every day, it offers the same benefits as salmon.

Milk:  Drinking moo juice in the morning can help you eat less at lunch.  Again, it’s that whole protein thing that helps you feel fuller longer.  I’ve tried this one and it works!

Here are some more foods to think about adding into your daily routine: 

Pumpkin pudding:  Combine a 6-oz container of nonfat vanilla yogurt with ½ cup canned pumpkin and a dash of cinnamon.  This protein and fiber snack is sure to keep you fuller longer, and if you love pumpkin pie anyway, this is a no brainer!  Yummy!

Vegetable soup:  Start your meal with a fiber-rich bowl of this and you’ll reduce your calorie intake by 20%!

Cucumber/Tomato Salad:  Cucumbers are low calorie and high volume.  Combine with a medium tomato and some balsamic vinegar with  little olive oil and you’ve got a great-tasting low calorie salad.

Ginger Green Tea:  Sipping a warm mug of tea after a hard day is a great way to de-stress.  Steep your green tea with a slice of ginger root and lemon.  It’s also a great appetite suppressant.

Fiery Chicken Salad:  Adding hot sauce to anything slows down your eating and adds a punch of flavor.  Try a simple chicken salad of diced chicken breast, 1 TBS of mayo, hot sauce to taste, and whatever diced veggies you want.  Serve over a bed of lettuce or fresh spinach and enjoy!

Shrimp Cocktail:  At around 8 calories per piece, shrimp is a fabulous source of lean protein that helps rev your metabolism and keeps you feeling full.  Start your dinner with a cocktail appetizer.  Love shrimp sauce?  Combine 1 TBS ketchup with 1 tsp horseradish and voila, you have shrimp sauce!

Now for the money shot.  Literally.  Want to save some cash? 

Quit smoking:  Not only does smoking drain your health, it will also drain your bank account.  If you smoke, you know how expensive the habit has become.  $1,825 to $3,650 per year for a 1-pack a day habit.  There’s also the extra expense of dry cleaning to rid your clothes of the smell, dental bleaching for yellowed teeth, and Botox for the wrinkles.  That last one might be a bit extreme, but quitting smoking can also help reduce your health insurance premiums.

Exercising regularly has been shown to help reduce the need for prescriptions.  It can help improve diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.  The trick?  Start slow.  Do a little bit, at least three days a week, then gradually do a little more.  The first two weeks are always the most difficult, but if you can make it that far you’re going to realize how much better you will feel, physically and mentally, and there is no better incentive than that.

Eating right does not have to be expensive.  All of the foods mentioned above are relatively inexpensive to buy and easy to prepare.  Take a look at all your options.  Love bologna, bacon, and sausage?  Try the turkey varieties.  They are lower in fat and still pretty tasty.  Produce is cheap and you can buy in small amounts so that you can get to them before they go bad.  Utilize your freezer.  You’d be surprised what you can freeze to help save waste and money.

Pay down debt:  This is the tough part.  The average American owes $8,329, so if you carry that load with a 15.99 percent APR and making minimum payments of $167 per month, it will take you 33 years to pay that off.  And you’ll pay $15,289 in interest.  Simply kick in an extra $35.50 per month and you can pay off that same debt in 5 years with a total interest of $3,821!  Paying down your debt also has an added benefit of increasing your credit score.

Happy 2010!


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