Add fruits and veggies to your diet with these tips:

• Add strawberries, blueberries, or bananas to your waffles, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, or toast.
• Include vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms or tomatoes in your egg or egg white omelet.
• Ask for more vegetable toppings (like mushrooms, peppers, and onions) and less cheese on your pizza.
• Choose beans, corn on the cob, or a side salad with low-calorie salad dressing instead of French fries.
• Drink a fruit smoothie made with whole fruit, ice cubes, and low-fat or fat-free yogurt.

Source: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

•  What is my diagnosis?
• What are my treatment options? What are the benefits of each option? What are the side effects?
• What is the test for? What will the results tell me? When will I get the results?
• Why do I need this treatment?
• Are there any alternatives?
• What are the possible complications?
• What will the medicine you are prescribing do? How do I take it? Are there any side effects?
• How do you spell the name of the drug?
• Will this medicine interact with medicines that I’m already taking?
• Why do I need surgery? Are there other ways to treat my condition? How often and how many times have you performed this surgery?
• Which hospital is best for my needs?
• Do I need to change my daily routine?

Take notes or bring someone to your appointment to help you understand and remember what you heard. If you don’t understand or are confused, ask your doctor to explain the answer again.

Finally, find out what you are to do next. Ask for written instructions, brochures, videos or websites that may help you better understand your prognosis and treatment options.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Who Is at Risk

If you have a family member with thyroid disease, are over the age of 35, or have any symptoms or risk factors associated with thyroid disease, you should talk to your doctor about getting a TSH test.

For more information, visit www.aace.com.

Source: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and ThyroidAwarenessMonth.com

Signs and Symptoms of thyroid problems

Generally, if the thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, the body’s metabolism slows, causing listlessness and other symptoms. An overproduction of thyroid hormone results in feelings of nervousness and a faster heart rate.

Other key signs and symptoms of thyroid disease include:

• Low body temperature
• Unusually low or high blood pressure
• A lump in the neck; hoarse, husky, or gravelly voice
•  Extreme thirst or hunger
• Insomnia
• Noticeable change in weight (gain or loss) despite no change in diet and exercise
• Feeling warm or hot when others are cold, or cold when others are warm
• Heart palpitations, flutters, skipped beats, strange patterns or rhythms

Thyroid Top Ten Facts

1. About 30 million Americans are affected by thyroid disorders. Half of those affected by thyroid disorders remain undiagnosed.
2. It is more common for women to have thyroid disorders than men.
3. Thyroid disorders usually run in families.
4. Those with an under or overactive thyroid conditions have the same common complaint that they suffer from fatigue.
5. TSH testing is the most useful test for thyroid screening.
6. Regular check-ups are necessary to successfully manage a malfunctioning thyroid gland.
7. Changing formulations and dosage of medications that affect thyroid hormone levels should be followed by retesting.
8. Do not change your dose of thyroid medication without guidance from your physician.
9. Thyroid conditions in pregnancy warrant close attention.
10. Thyroid cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in America and one of the most curable.

Source: http://www.empoweryourhealth.org/thyroid-top-ten

Following these instructions can help you feel more satisfied, reduce overeating and avoid heartburn.

Source: liveforlife.net

• If you plan to treat yourself later, start your day with a small meal that includes whole grains, fruit, dairy foods and protein like eggs, ham or peanut butter.
• Don’t starve yourself beforehand. Rather, eat a small, lower-calorie meal or snack such as fruit or a bagel so you aren’t tempted to overdo your calorie intake for the day.
• Select carefully between foods you definitely will eat, those you will sample and those you will skip.
• Don’t rush to eat. Socialize and settle into the festivities before you eat.
• Move your socializing away from the buffet or appetizer trays. This will minimize the unconscious nibbling.
• When it comes to drinking alcohol, start with a calorie-free, nonalcoholic beverage. Satisfy your thirst before having an alcoholic drink. Keep in mind, even a single drink will affect your reflexes for several hours. If you plan to drink, keep your holidays merry for everyone by designating a driver who won’t be drinking.

The holidays are a great time for celebrating with friends and family over food and drinks, but with just a little preparation, you can keep off the extra holiday pounds and still enjoy all that the season has to offer.

Source: The American Dietetic Association

The common cold is often associated with several of these symptoms occurring at the same time. Multi-symptom cold medicines are often used to treat the many symptoms that can accompany a cold or flu. Because they treat more than one symptom, they contain more than one active ingredient that treats a different symptom caused by the common cold.

Here are a few tips for the safe use of multi-symptom cold medicines:

•  Always read the Drug Facts label carefully. The label tells you everything you need to know about the medicine including the ingredients, what you are supposed to use it for, how much you should take, and when you should not take the medicine.
• You should choose a multi-symptom cold medicine that matches only the symptoms you have.
• For liquid medicines, use the measuring device that comes with the medicine.
• Certain multi-symptom cold medicines may interact with other drugs. Talk to your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking a multi-symptom medicine.
• Some multi-symptom cold medicines may cause drowsiness or make you sleepy. Be sure to read the warnings on the Drug Facts label and do not use alcoholic drinks, which may make the drowsiness worse.
• Talk to a healthcare professional before taking a multi-symptom cold medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Source: otcsafety.org

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that hospital emergency rooms throughout the U.S. treated 251,700 toy-related injuries in 2010, and 46 percent of those injuries occurred to the head and face area.

Prevent Blindness America says by taking a few simple safety precautions, such as the ones below, the holidays can be safe and happy for everyone:

• Inspect all toys before purchasing. Monitor toys that your child has received as gifts to make sure they are appropriate for your child’s age and developmental level.
• For younger children, avoid play sets with small magnets and make sure batteries are secured with the toy.
• Gifts or sports equipment should always be accompanied by protective gear (such as a face guard with a new batting helmet).
• Any toy that is labeled “supervision required” must always be used in the presence of an adult. Keep toys meant for older children away from younger ones.
• Always save the warranties and directions for every toy. If possible, include a gift receipt. Repair or throw away damaged toys.
• Inspect toys for sturdiness. Your child’s toys should be durable, with no sharp edges or points. The toys should also withstand impact.
• Don’t give toys with small parts to young children. Young kids tend to put things in their mouths, increasing the risk of choking. If a part of a toy can fit in a toilet paper roll, the toy is not appropriate for children under the age of three.

Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult onset diabetes, is striking people at younger ages and the rates are skyrocketing as the population grows heavier and gets less exercise. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to help prevent it.

Follow these helpful prevention tips:

1. Put exercise first. Regular exercise by itself can cut diabetes risk. Choose to do things you enjoy and do them every day.
2. Keep your weight in check. Being a healthy weight is the best thing you can do to lower your risk of diabetes. Need to lose weight? Exercising and eating a healthy diet – slowly – and with smaller portions are your best bets.
3. Choose healthy fats and proteins, and skip the red meat like steaks and hamburgers, and processed meat such as bacon, hot dogs and deli meats. A diet rich in mono and polyunsaturated fats like canola and olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, can help lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
4. Focus on plant foods. A diet high in whole grains can help lower the risk of diabetes and keep appetite in check. Choose a good variety of whole grain foods prepared in interesting ways.
5. Cut back on refined carbs and sugary drinks. Bread, rice, pasta and potatoes that are white cause fast and furious increases in blood sugar, as do sugary drinks, fruit punch and fruit juice. Over time, eating lots of these refined carbohydrates and sugar may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. To lower your risk, switch to brown rice or whole wheat pasta and drink water, coffee or tea instead.

Source: Harvard School of Public Health