Healthier by the dozen

A dozen donuts. A 12-pack of soda. Why is it that when we think of the number 12, we often associate it with less-than-healthy foods?

What about a dozen long-stemmed roses? A CD with 12 songs by your favorite artist? Or, as suggested by Lisa Talamini, RD, chief nutritionist for Jenny Craig, Inc., 12 easy ways to improve your healthy, weight and wellbeing?

“When most people think about changing their lifestyle, they automatically assume drastic changes need to be made,” says Talamini. “Interestingly enough, similar positive benefits can be reaped just by making simple nutritional adjustments and increasing physical activity levels. A commitment to taking small, yet significant, changes can really make a big difference.”

Try these 12 simple steps to success:

1. Enjoy oatmeal at breakfast, a whole-wheat sandwich bread at lunch, and brown rice at dinner. Three whole grain servings a day can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by 20 percent or more.

2. Snap on a pedometer and walk your way up to 10,000 steps. You’ll be on the right path to reducing your risk for heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis and certain cancers.

3. Add 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries to cereal, pancakes and smoothies. Studies show they help improve balance, coordination and short-term memory.

4. Trade out a beef burger for its soy counterpart, or enjoy soy milk, tofu or soy-based cereals and snacks. Twenty five to 50 grams can significantly reduce your LDL (bad) cholesterol level.

5. Moo-ve up your dairy intake to three serving per day with nonfat/lowfat chocolate milk, fruit-flavored yogurt and reduced fat cheese. You’ll improve heart health, strengthen your bones, and promote a healthier colon.

6. Slip in a can of salmon next to the roast turkey in your deli drawer. Increasing your fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.) to at least two servings a week decreases LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

7. Savor pizza, tomato soup, and spaghetti with marinara sauce. The lycopene in these cooked tomatoes guards against prostate, breast and cervical cancer.

8. Fortify your fats by selecting margarines that contain plant sterols. Just two to three grams of plant sterols decreases total cholesterol by nine to 20 percent.

9. Protect yourself with a straw hat and sunscreen. More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, and the number of new cases exceeds those of the breast, prostate, lung and cancer combined.

10. Practice yoga, Pilates or other mindfulness-based physical activities. Not only will you strengthen and stretch muscles, you’ll also lower stress levels.

11. Take a mini-vacation. A few deep abdominal breaths, focused yoga poses, or one-minute visualizations can enhance heart health, normalize blood pressure and boost immunity by 48 percent.

12. Remember your multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. For many whose food intake falls short in nutrients like iron, calcium, folate and vitamin E, it’s the closest thing to a magic pill.

For more information on healthy eating, weight loss, and lifestyle change, visit www.jennycraig.com.

— ARA Content