French food culture

Dear Friends,

How would you like to eat whatever you wanted, without having to worry about your health or gaining weight? Diet and excess weight have become a major source of preoccupation and health concern for most of us. I believe that it is possible to enjoy food in a way that benefits both your health and your waistline. Just look at the French! This week, I want to compare what we eat and how much we eat to how the French do it. I think we might learn a thing or two!

The French manage to stay trim, even while eating many of the things we are advised to avoid, like butter, eggs, and cheese. Moreover, even though they enjoy rich foods denied to most dieters, they still manage to have lower cholesterol levels and less heart disease than we do. And the number of overweight Frenchmen and women is far below that of Americans. Eleven percent of French adults are said to be obese, while three times as many Americans suffer from that condition.

So what do the French do that makes a difference? First, let's consider what they eat. The typical French diet includes more fresh food, such as bread, fruit and vegetables, than the typical American diet. That means that they consume less processed foods, which tend to contain high carbohydrates and preservatives.

Next, they give priority to mealtimes, making them a social and family experience. This is an important point, because in the end, they eat less, feel satisfied with their meals, and also get to enjoy the rich food and drink that we often tend to feel guilty about. They embrace the joy of eating, rather than wolfing down food on the run, while running from one place to the next. Studies have shown that when we make time for meals and eat at a more relaxed pace, we end up being more satisfied with what we have consumed, even though we actually have eaten less food.

If you want to eat more like the French, you might choose to break up your meals in courses with smaller portions, take smaller bites, and let your taste buds experience all the flavor that each bite has to offer. Choosing foods that are natural rather than processed when you cook will go a long way towards improving your health, your waistline, and your satisfaction level with eating.

So, why not give eating like the French a try?

health tips

Dear Friends,

Do you sometimes find yourself digging through the fridge or rummaging through the pantry late in the evenings? Well, many of us have difficulties with evening indulgences, and I am here to tell you that you don't have to feel alone or guilty about that activity. The best part is that those pesky cravings don't have to derail your diet regime or expand your middle.

Evening cravings are more common than cravings during the day because the evening is a time when we are often tired from the day's activities and more likely to feel sad, lonely, anxious or depressed. Interestingly, scientific studies have shown that the act of giving in to craving causes our bodies to release opiates that make us feel good and satisfied, at least for a little while. Naturally, that "high" usually turns to a low when we end up feeling bad about our "junk food monster" indulgence, and these guilty feelings may make us crave unhealthy snacks even more strongly. So the answer to this cycle is to alter your behavior when those cravings surface.

When you catch yourself poking in the fridge, perusing the pantry or thinking about making a fast food run, try to stop and think about what it is you are feeling. Often, we aren't necessarily hungry, but we do want to replace the feelings we are having with that good feeling I mentioned earlier: the one brought about from the release of opiates into our systems. So, take a look at your feelings. Are you experiencing feelings of loneliness or depression? Once you get a handle on your feelings, maybe you can think of another option to help you deal with them, like calling a friend or taking a short brisk walk near your home. Or how about taking a warm bath or snuggling up in a comfy chair with a hot cup of tea or a good book. Looking for other ways to reward yourself without giving in to cravings helps you build an arsenal you can use anytime the urge to graze strikes.

Another trick is to substitute fatty high-calorie comfort foods with low-calorie, low-fat, and low-sugar counterparts. This way, when you do give in to a craving you will do less damage and experience less guilt. This is also helpful when you are having the urge to eat comfort foods. If you are having a comfort food craving, try remaking the recipes with low-calorie, reduced-fat ingredients or be sure that your portions are smaller. The fact is that you can make an occasional trip down memory lane with food without packing on the pounds. The word to remember is "occasional."

I hope you will give my suggestions some thought and think about what you would like to do the next time you find yourself lurking in the pantry. Giving some attention will help you cope with your emotions and will keep you on the straight and narrow path to a trimmer waistline and better health.

Healthy eating habits

Dear Friends,

When was the last time you enjoyed a nice leisurely meal? Do you know that one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight and a trim figure is to slow down and savor the food you eat? As strange as this idea may seem, it works. Just look at the French! Their regular diet includes multiple course meals with creamy sauces, real butter, desserts, and wine.

On the flip side, consider American eating habits, which more often than not include skipping meals, having fast food on the run, or overindulging at an all-you-can-eat buffet. One might think that staying on the go helps to burn calories, but what it actually does is to create stress, and stress is a big deterrent to maintaining a healthy weight.

Never fear, all is not lost, because any habit that is learned can be unlearned. All you have to do is to slow down at mealtimes, begin to enjoy your food, take better care of yourself, and you can keep a trim, healthy figure without too much fuss or drastic shift.

But that will require some adjustments to your daily schedule. For your first meal of the day, go for something healthy, even if it is just some fruit and/or nuts as you head off to work. Studies show that starting your day with a healthy mix of protein and carbohydrate boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat throughout the day. And if you have a mid-morning or afternoon snack, keep it light and nibble it a bit at a time if possible. Stretching it out will make it feel like more in the end.

At mealtimes, strive to eat a full, balanced meal that includes foods you like. As your digestive system was designed to break down natural foods, choose foods that aren't loaded with preservatives and chemicals. So that means staying away from prepared fast foods as much as possible. Also, eating more slowly and chewing your food well will help you enjoy the different tastes on your plate and make you more aware when your body is full.

Finally, don't forget to add some exercise to your daily routine. It doesn't have to be something strenuous or lengthy. Studies show that short bursts of activity throughout the day help to maintain an optimum weight. Some suggestions include taking a short walk after lunch, parking further out in the grocery store parking lot, walking to the corner store as opposed to driving, and opting to take the stairs as opposed to the elevator whenever you can. Those extra steps here and there add up, to a trim healthy body and a healthier lifestyle.

Sleep well

Dear Friends,

Over the last several months I have had a number of friends complain about sleeping problems. It seems that many of them are feeling so stressed that when they finally do get into bed for a little shut-eye, they just can't sleep. With the current economic environment and concerns about foreclosures, company stability, and job security, it is no wonder that many people are losing sleep.

This vicious cycle of stress and sleeplessness is very hard on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. When we don't get enough sleep, we are more likely to be accident prone, short-tempered, and susceptible to illness. We all need to take special care of ourselves during periods of uncertainty and stress, Friends, and there are things we can do can do to encourage good sleep, no matter what may be going on around us. This is what I want to share with you this time.

Many people are under the misconceptions that vigorous exercise or a nice glass of wine before bed will tire out or relax one enough to sleep. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Alcohol before bed can actually disrupt your deeper sleep cycle and exercise in the few hours before bed may make you feel tired but it boosts your metabolism and energy levels, so it, too, can disrupt your sleep. And, of course, drinking caffeinated drinks before at bedtime does not encourage shut-eye.

Restful sleep requires a comfortable, quiet, and pleasant environment. If your bedroom isn't relaxing, do what you can to make it feel like a safe and serene oasis. And, Friends, it is best to refrain from watching TV just before bedtime, as the hormones released by the bright lights can keep you awake for hours afterwards. If you do happen to have a television in your bedroom, Feng shui experts recommend covering it with an attractive piece of fabric when it is not in use to make your sleep less distracted and more peaceful.

Hopefully, you are getting plenty of restorative and healthful sleep in spite of these uncertain times. However, Friends,, if you are experiencing sleep difficulties, give these tips a try to see if they help you to sleep more soundly. Right now you need to wake up with the energy to cope with anything that comes your way.

Take some time to go through your Health, Wealth and Happiness.. We need to be open to all the opportunities coming our way right now!

Until next …. This is Bala