National
Blood Donor
Month
MORE THAN 38,000 units
of blood are required every
day for use in hospitals
and emergency treatment
facilities nationwide. But
each winter brings a seasonal shortage of blood
due to the holidays, travel
schedules, inclement
weather and illness. That’s
why January has been
designated as National
Blood Donor Month—to
encourage donors to give
or pledge to give blood.
MANAGING YOUR HEALTH
What’s on your plate?
tions have you eyeing your
own dinner plate, take it one
step at a time. Start with concrete goals, like incorporating
more vegetables into your
meals or taking a 30-minute
walk a few times a week.
Small changes over time result
in large health benefits. C
PLATE GRAPHIC: U.S. DEPAR TMEN T OF AGRICULTURE, CEN TER FOR NU TRI TION POLIC Y AND PROMOTION
By Adrienne Youdim, M.D.
EARLY THIS
year, the Food
and Drug
Administration
(FDA) scrapped
its inscrutable
food pyramid
in favor of a much simpler
visual aid: a plate.
The FDA’s new tool resembles the plates successful dieters, nutrition experts and other
health-conscious consumers
already put together at almost
every meal: Vegetables and
fruit are heaped on half, while
the rest is divided between
grains and protein with a serving of low-fat dairy on the side.
Simple enough for adults
and children alike to understand, it also emphasizes some
great healthy-eating basics:
■ Portion sizes matter. Be
aware of serving sizes, and
know what single portions look
like. A serving of meat, for
example, would be 3 ounces:
about the size of a deck of
cards. Keep in mind that foods
like bagels may provide multiple servings in one item. A
5-ounce bagel can take up an
entire day’s worth of grains.
■ Choose fruits and vegetables in abundance. Choose
fresh produce that’s in season:
It’s easier to find, more flavorful and usually less expensive.
Frozen vegetables are also a
good choice—they can be
bought in bulk and pack the
same nutritional punch. Avoid
those that are packed in butter
or heavy sauces. For canned
items, stick to fruit packed in
100 percent juice and vegetables labeled as low in sodium.
■ Pack protein into
every meal. Lean cuts of
meat are good choices,
and salmon is a good
source of omega- 3 fatty
acids, a heart healthy
nutrient. Remember, protein doesn’t have to
come from meat and fish
alone. Whole grains, beans and
tofu are also protein rich.
■ Calcium counts. In the
plate model, low-fat dairy
foods such as skim milk and
yogurt are emphasized. Butter
and cream cheese, which are
made from milk but contain little to no calcium, are excluded
from the group. Spinach, kale,
collard greens and turnip
greens also provide a powerful
dose of calcium.
■ Exercise is essential.
As little as 30 minutes a day
most days of the week can be
sufficient to reduce the risk
of diabetes and other obesity-related illnesses.
If these new recommenda-
Adrienne Youdim, M.D., is
the medical director of the
Cedars-Sinai Weight Loss
Center in Los Angeles.
Facts about blood
(American Red Cross)
■ Every two seconds
someone in the U.S.
needs blood.
■ The most requested
blood type is Type O.
■ A single car-accident victim can require as many
as 100 pints of blood.
■ The components of
one pint of donated
blood can help the lives
of three people.
■ Donating blood is a
safe process. A sterile
needle is used only
once for each donor and
then discarded.
■ Typically blood donation
takes less than 10 to 12
minutes. The entire process, from the time you
arrive to the time you
leave, takes about an
hour and 15 minutes.
Buyer’s pıck
Teresa Thompson
Pharmacy Buyer
Where to give blood?
The American Association of Blood Banks can
help you find a donation
site near you. Go to www.
aabb.org and enter your
zip code.
For information on the
donation process, including
who can donate, visit
www.redcrossblood.org.
—David Wight
WHAT IF YOU could trick
your brain into thinking your
stomach is full and your
appetite is satiated, simply
by sprinkling some granules
on your meal? The Sensa
Weight Loss System® is
devoted to doing just that,
leading you to consume less
food at each meal and grad-
ually lose weight over time.
Sensa is based on the
scientific principle that the
rate at which an individual
achieves satiety—feels
full—while eating can be
influenced by smell and
taste. As you eat, smell and
taste receptors signal your
brain to release hormones
that tell your body it’s time
to stop eating.
Developed over
25 years by Alan
Hirsch, M.D., Sensa
granules are
designed to speed
up that process. You
sprinkle the gran-
25 years by Alan
up that process. You
sprinkle the gran-
ules on food as you eat, and
the release of appetite-sup-pressing hormones is accelerated by the subtle changes
Sensa makes in the flavor and
scent of the food.
I was so impressed by the
science and the positive trials
that I decided to try it. Sensa
does indeed lessen my appetite and leaves me feeling full
without eating as much.
Sensa is available in six
different blends, because the
body needs a change to avoid
becoming resistant to the
trick. You complete a full
month with one blend before
moving on to the next blend.
At the end of six months, if
you want to keep losing
weight, you can start over
with the first blend.
The Sensa Month 1 kit is
available in the warehouses
and contains two 0.7-ounce
shakers, a usage guide, a
how-to DVD, a neoprene carrying case and 30 packets of
Sensa Quench Orange Crush
powdered drink mix. Months 2
through 6 are available on
Costco.com.
Be sure to talk to your
doctor before embarking on
any new diet program. C