Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget

April 20, 2009 · Filed Under Feature · Comment 

As Americans struggle to cope with tough economic times, family budgets are being stretched for everything from housing and utilities to holiday shopping and travel. Food prices have been affected as well, but the American Dietetic Association wants to debunk the myth that it is more expensive to eat healthfully.

bs_grocery_shopping_couple

In today’s economy, making the most of your food dollar is more important than ever. But you need not sacrifice good nutrition to stick to a budget.
_______________

According to registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Katherine Tallmadge, a healthy eating plan which includes fruits and vegetables is less expensive in the long run than buying fast food or other less healthy alternatives at the grocery store. “The reality is, fresh produce gives you some of the best bang for your buck,” says Tallmadge. “In fact, in June 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service studied the prices of produce throughout the country. They concluded that a person needing 2,000 calories per day could meet the dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetables for under $2.50 per day.”

At the grocery store, less healthful foods such as bakery goods, snack foods and sodas also can be more expensive than a healthier alternative. Tallmadge notes that while a 10-ounce bag of potato chips costs about $2.59 and may seem like a cheap source of calories, consumers could buy four pounds (16 servings) Read more

Tags:

The Perils of Ageism: Not Just for Seniors Anymore

April 6, 2009 · Filed Under Feature · Comment 

Ageism is still rampant in America, and many older people themselves trade in unflattering stereotypes of the elderly, including helplessness and incompetence. Such caricatures are not only false and cruel, they are also unhealthy. Research has shown that old people who believe in negative age stereotypes tend to fulfill them.

birthday_girl

We’ve long known that one factor in healthy aging is to have a positive attidude about growing older. A new study shows that this applies to younger adults, as well!
______________________

And it may not just be the elderly who are harmed by ageism. A new study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that young, healthy people who stereotype old people may themselves be at risk of heart disease many years down the road.

Researchers Becca Levy and Martin D. Slade of the Yale School of Public Health, along with Alan B. Zonderman and Luigi Ferrucci from the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, examined data on hundreds of men and women who have been studied for almost four decades as part of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Back in 1968, Read more

Tags: ,

I Want to Volunteer! Where do I start?

April 6, 2009 · Filed Under Feature · Comment 

crossing_guard_ds1Here is a wealth of information you can use to locate the perfect volunteer opportunities for your talents and interests.

After his children grew up and moved away, retired grocery executive Leslie found himself spending more time than he liked watching TV.  He investigated opportunities through VolunteerMatch, and decided to attend training to serve as a school crossing guard for the neighborhood elementary school, whose bus funding had been cut.

Each morning and afternoon, Leslie arrives at the busy corner in time to shepherd his young charges across a busy intersection. Leslie says, “My grandkids live far away—but these are my adopted grandkids!”

Read More

Tags: , ,

  • Newsletter

    Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon Sign up for our Email Newsletter

  • Slideshow

  • YouTube