Congratulations to our "Drink More Water" Challenge Winners!

Congrats to our winners and to everyone for participating! Hopefully you began to see some positive changes from drinking more water and will keep it up! Stay tuned for info about the next challenge that will begin the end of April!

Food Safety

Have you ever wondered how long to cook your 9 pound turkey? Or maybe after it's cooked you're not sure how long you can store it in the refrigerator. If you are questioning that or any other meat (bison, sausages, lamb, hot dogs, chicken etc.) you can get all the info you need to be sure your food is safe by visiting foodsafety.gov

The website also has guidelines to help you thaw foods safely and keep your eggs, dairy and produce germ free to prevent food-borne illness.

No More Pyramid

Did you know that we no longer have a food guide pyramid to illustrate the recommended daily servings for each food group. Two of the outdated versions are shown below.

Instead, we have MyPlate. It was developed as a simple, easy to understand icon that reminds consumers to eat healthfully. It includes the five food groups we need to have at our meals; fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and dairy.

To learn more about MyPlate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov

Adult Vaccine Recommendations

Vaccines aren't just for children! As an adult it's important to keep your vaccines up-to-date to help protect yourself and your loved ones from illness. For more information on what vaccines adults need to get, click here, and for information on the most recent changes in vaccine recommendations, click here.

Are you still drinking that water?....

There's one more week left of our "Drink More Water" challenge! Keep drinking that water and remember to enter all your tracking by February 28th to be eligible for great prizes!

Healthy Teeth For A Healthy Heart

Did you know that brushing and flossing your teeth may protect your heart and arteries from cardiovascular disease? Research suggests that there is a link between flossing and heart disease. One study found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to have heart disease, while another study concluded that the presence of gingivitis, cavities, and/or missing teeth was as good at predicting heart disease as cholesterol levels. Researchers aren't really sure why or how mouth health is connected to heart health, but more research is being done to answer these questions. Using your toothbrush and floss could do more than just give you a bright, healthy smile, it could help keep your heart healthy too! For more information click here.

If you need a sweet treat...

Research suggests that flavonol, a substance found in cocoa beans and dark chocolate,
may improve blood flow and lower your blood pressure.
But... even the healthiest chocolate adds
calories to your diet, so treat yourself sparingly!

Training for any race

Our own Clark Merkley gave a GREAT presentation yesterday at our brown bag! He shared his motivation for starting to run as well as some great tips on how to start training for any race! He also shared a great website to get your own personal training schedule! Check out http://halhigdon.com
There's ton of races scheduled for around the county throughout the year so there's plenty of opportunity to give it a try! Start training now for our 3rd annual Healthy Lifestyles 5k that will take place on August 11th! Find your motivation!

For other races around the county check out www.utahraceguide.com

Recipe Substitutions

As you're cooking, have you ever tried substituting an ingredient to make the dish a little more healthy? Making small changes in your meals can make a big difference in your health over time. Here are a few substitutions you may want to try.

1. Unsweetened applesauce for oil or butter- The applesauce helps keep the right consistency and a little sweetness without the calories of oil or butter. Use this substitution in any sweet bread, like banana or zucchini, or in muffins.

2. Marshmallow fluff for butter and sugar (in frosting)- Marshmallow fluff has less sugar and fat than its conventional frosting counterpart. Using it will allow the desired frosting consistency with fewer calories.

3. Evaporated skim milk for cream- Both liquids have the same consistency, but evaporated milk has less fat.

4. Corn tortilla for flour tortilla- Although the flavor and texture is a little different, corn tortillas have half the fat and calories of flour.

5. Low-sodium soy sauce for standard soy sauce- The taste is virtually the same, but the low sodium version can cut out unnecessary sodium from your diet.

For more great recipe substitution ideas, click here!

Items available for check-out!

The Healthy Lifestyles Program has created a library of books and video's available for Healthy Lifestyle participants to check-out.

The library contains the following books:
'Intuitive Eating' by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
'Health at Every Size' by Linda Bacon
'Eat What you Love, Love What You Eat' by Michelle May
'5 A Day Health Cookbook' by Dr Elizabeth Pivonka and Barbara berry
'When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies' by Jane R. Hirschmann and Carol H. Munter
'The Culprit and the Cure' by Steven Aldana
'The How of Happiness' by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Tell Me What To Eat If I Have Diabetes by Elaine Magee and
'The Stop and Go Fast Food Nutrition Guide' by Steven Aldana

Want to mix up your work-out, or try a new exercise video before you buy it? The library also contains the following work-out videos:
Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone
Billy Blanks Taebo
Bob Harper Ultimate Cardio Body
Dancing with the Stars, Dance off the Pounds
Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred
Dance with Julianne, Just Dance!
Yoga Meltdown with Jillian Michaels

Contact Kari at karis.uchlth@state.ut.us or 801-851-7098 to check out one today!