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Recently, I posted on The Great American Eat Right Challenge. So, when I came across this list by Alisa Miller, on the 100 Best Foods For Women, I immediately knew I wanted to share it here. With one hundred foods to choose from, there is something for everyone.

Are you trying to eat healthy? Maybe you could pick a few of the foods on this list, and add them to your diet?

A few excerpts from Alisa Miller’s list…

Women’s health needs range from extra iron during childbearing years to calcium and vitamin D for bone health. The following list provides 100 foods that will help every woman ensure that she is getting the very best nutrition for her body. From delicious avocados to tasty snack treats like pistachios to healthy desserts that are actually good for you, you will find plenty of foods sure to please both your body and your taste buds.

Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, I thought I would include Alissa’s recommendations for a healthy heart…

26. Canola oil. Replace the oil in your salad dressing with canola oil for a healthy alternative.
27. Skinless poultry. Leaving off the skin will greatly reduce the fat in poultry, making for a more heart-healthy diet.
28. Egg substitutes. Reducing the fat from eggs will help your heart. If you don’t like egg substitutes, just eliminate the yolk and eat the egg white.
29. Cabbage. This vegetable is a great food for a healthy cardiovascular system. Eaten raw is best.
30. Onions. Another good vegetable for your heart is onions.
31. Grapes. Easy to get and loved by most, this fruit is also a great choice for a healthy heart.
32. Raspberries. High in antioxidants, this fruit offers benefits to your cardiovascular system.

Losing weight seems to be a national pastime. Rather than jumping on a fad diet, change your menu to include these foods and see the difference it makes in your life.

49. Tortillas. Low in fat, tortillas make a good substitute for bread. Find whole wheat to really get the best for your body.
50. Water. This should be your drink of choice. It keeps you hydrated, suppresses your appetite, and helps metabolize fat.
51. Fruit smoothie. Add bananas, blueberries, apple juice, and wheat germ or protein powder for an excellent food to keep you healthy and encourage weight loss.
52. Whole wheat bagel. Filled with nutritious whole grains and low in sugar, bagels work for breakfast or as the bread for your sandwich at lunch.
53. Romaine lettuce. Give up iceberg lettuce, which has barely any nutritional value and use romaine for your salads and sandwiches.
54. Veggie burger. Filled with soy and other vegetables, this alternative to beef is significantly lower in calories and healthy too.
55. Dried papayas. Full of iron and vitamins C and A, dried papaya is good for you and the sweetness is a great substitute for a candy bar.
56. Spaghetti squash. Cook this healthy vegetable and replace the strands of it for the pasta in your spaghetti recipe for a delicious meal without the carbs.
57. Watermelon. Sweet and full of hydrating water, this fruit is a great food to fill you up without filling you out.

Debra from That’s Fit…

I love this list! Truly, Alissa Miller is someone who really understands healthy eating, moderation, and variety. Sometimes it’s hard to find an article about healthy foods that doesn’t include low-fat junk, artificial sweeteners, and prepackaged “natural” foods. This list is for those of us who value whole food nutrition.

Here are a few other posts on women and eating healthy.

Healthy Eating To Relieve PMS symptoms…

Consuming foods rich in vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, B complex, calcium, magnesium, and fatty acids can also be beneficial in relieving PMS symptoms. All of these vitamins have a way of targeting specific problems. For instance, vitamin B6 is a natural diuretic which helps with bloating as well as regulating estrogen levels. Vitamin E on the other hand is responsible for relieving sore breasts, depression, and irritability. So if you happen to suffer from PMS, try incorporating a few of these beneficial tips into your daily lifestyle.

When food before bed is ok…

The most “serotonized” fruit is banana. It means that it is not forbidden to be taken in before sleep.

. . .

A handful of almond will also help fall asleep. It contains tryptophan and a sufficient amount of relaxing muscles magnesium.

Also See:

Debra Mazda’s Shapely Girl Fitness

Get Healthy With Kate Garner

Eating Healthy - A Worthy Effort

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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There are many (too many) things in life that are totally out of our control. And, until recently, many believed that we had little control over whether we would develop diseases such as cancer and heart disease. We now know, that lifestyle plays a large role in these diseases, and healthy living can actually prevent or minimize your risk.

Did you know that…

More than 50% of cancer deaths could be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices like not smoking or using other tobacco products, maintaining a healthy body weight, getting regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol consumption and getting cancer screening tests.

Is your lifestyle or food choices, putting your health at risk? Do you feel like adjusting your lifestyle and diet would be too difficult? Have you tried and failed in the past? Would you like to be making better food and lifestyle choices, but you’re just not sure how to go about it? If you have answered yes to any of these questions…I may have just the thing for you.

It’s called The Great American Eat Right Challenge and it is sponsored by The American Cancer Society.

Eat your way to better health. What you eat (or don’t eat) and how active you are can influence your risk of developing cancer. Learn about the best ways to reduce your risk through simple lifestyle changes.

The American Cancer Society promotes the Great American Health Challenge to educate Americans about how to reduce cancer risk. The Great American Health Challenge, a year-long program, encourages Americans to make a commitment to take the following actions to reduce their cancer risk or detect cancer when it is most treatable.

The best part is, you can get started right now. Take about five minutes and answer a couple of Health Check Questions - just click on the get started button. Once you are finished, you will instantly receive a personalized health action plan, that you can share with your doctor.

If you are ready to make healthy lifestyle changes, this program will give you everything you need, by providing you with tools to help you with all aspects of the program. Here is some of what you’ll find at the Great American Eat Right Challenge website…

Learn about Shopping and Cooking Smart.

The first step to cooking healthy is to stock your kitchen with a variety of foods that you can throw together for healthy meals in a hurry. Keep these foods on hand for fast meals on busy nights.

• Get a shopping list of healthy foods.
• Find quick and healthy entrees.
• Learn how to cut calories and fat, without cutting the flavor.
• Watch the shopping smart video.

Here is a YouTube Video on The Great American Eat Right Challenge…

Also, learn how to take control of your weight.

Controlling the portion sizes of meals.

Get restaurant eating tips.

See a list of health snacks.

Get some great healthy recipes.

Are you ready to start The Great American Eat Right Challenge? Now that summer vacations are winding down, this may be the perfect time for you to begin a healthy lifestyle program.

If you’re looking for inspiration, check out Carmen from The Elff Diet (Eat Less Fatty Foods). Carmen has lost over 75 pounds, and has been keeping it off since 2006. Carmen’s blog is great. She talks about her successes as well as her struggles. Carmen has a wonderful way of making you feel like…you can do it too.

Yes, I did lose a lot of weight. And I did it the old fashioned way. I ate less fatty foods and moved more.

I lost 80 pounds between January of 2005, when I made a New Year’s Resolution to get in shape, and May of 2006. I’ve kept all but five pounds away from my body since then. I’ve discovered many cool things about myself during this time - I can climb the rope at the gym, punch and kick like no one’s business at Muy Thai, and was amazed and astounded to be awarded my first belt rank for capoeira this past spring. I completed a dozen 5K’s, 2 8K’s and one Half Marathon, which is amazing because when I first began this odyssey, I couldn’t walk around the block without needing to rest more than a few times. I learned to step away from the chocolate cake, embrace the yumminess of fresh vegetables, that salad is really good without dressing, and that I was eating much too much of the wrong stuff.

Last year Liz was inspired by the Eat Right Challenge and started a blog about it. She calls her blog My Eat Right Challenge.

I was chatting with one of my co-workers about dieting. She’s been on quite an interesting diet for the last few weeks, and she’s had some great results. One of her more amazing accomplishments, though, is that she feels like she’s fueling her body. She doesn’t miss all the crap, for like of a better word, that we typically find ourselves eating.

She also drinks about a gallon of water a day, saying that it’s just become habit. Instead of reaching for pop, which I generally do, she brings in 1-liter water bottles and just drinks those. She feels like she’s flushing out all the bad stuff and just putting things in her body that help her function and live better.

You might also want to check out Kathy McHenry from My Online Meals - She has posts on healthy recipes and great meals ideas.

More and more people are choosing to eat a vegetarian diet because they know that veggies are healthful food. Using low calorie and vegetarian recipes is one of the most important things you can do to protect your heath and the health of your family since obesity is now an epidemic in the United States and other developed countries. Cooking them is still better than the alternatives to a vegetarian lifestyle or a vegan lifestyle, but we receive the most nutritional benefit from ingesting whole and organic raw foods. They will often include many of the vitamins, minerals, and sources of nutrition that every body needs. These low calorie recipes, usually high in fiber, protect against digestive disorders such as diverticulosis and may offer protection from colon and lung cancers. Many low calorie and vegetarian recipes use soy, tofu, dried beans and peas to add protein to meals. Using low calorie recipes will provide a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes, adding high amounts of all the essential vitamins and minerals.

Have you ever wondered… Is it cheaper or more expensive to eat healthy? This is a question that really doesn’t have a firm answer. But, Kayris from The Great Walls of Baltimore wrote a guest post for Crunchy Domestic Goddess, that attempts to come close to answering this persistent question. Here is an excerpt from her post…

Clean Eating is a new magazine by the publishers of Oxygen and it’s aimed, not at dieting, but at changing your lifestyle. When you “eat clean,” you try to eat foods in their most natural state and avoid refined grains, processed foods, etc. The idea isn’t new, but I think it’s a great way to reduce unnecessary sugar, salt and calories in your diet.

Anyway, the front of the magazine caught my eye because of the headline “Feed your family for five nights–Only 60$.” Food prices have been steadily rising and I’ve been struggling to keep our grocery expenses to a reasonable level, so I checked out the article.

Back in January I posted on Healthy Living and The Great American Health Challenge…

The Great American Health Challenge is based on four simple things…

1) Check — Take a quick quiz that screens you for potential risk factors, and promotes early detection and treatment.

2) Move — Encouraging exercise by finding activities that are best suited for your lifestyle.

3) Nourish — Maintain a healthy weight, learn about healthy eating and get tips on diet and nutrition.

4) Quit — Information and tools to help you quit smoking.

So that’s it, four easy steps that could help you prevent cancer and heart disease.

You can also participate in BlogHer’s Good Health-A-Thon.

Let me ask you a question. Are you ready to kick your unhealthy lifestyle habit? If so…Will you accept The Great America Eat Right Challenge?

You can accept the challenge by blogging about it, and leaving your link in Mr. Linky and/or in comments.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

Popularity: 4% [?]

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What do you do when you need a medication, but the cost is more than you can really afford? Even with insurance and a prescription drug plan, this has happened to me on several occasions.

One of my many chronic medical conditions, is something called, neurocardiogenic syncope. Basically, my brain sends the wrong message to my heart, causing my blood pressure to sometimes be so low that I can black-out, and other times causing it to be so high I need to take medication. To make matters worse, I need to try not to take the blood pressure medication, because it exacerbates my asthma. And then, when I have to treat my asthma, that medication increases my blood pressure and heart rate. It’s a bitter chain of symptoms and treatments, causing more symptoms, and requiring more treatments.

So…Ever since getting sick at BlogHer, with Post BlogHer Bolla, my asthma has been bothering me. But, I’ve been avoiding using my medication for fear of how it would affect my heart and blood pressure. At one of my many visits to my primary doctor, I was told that my asthma symptoms needed to be treated, before they became any worse. The doctor gave me a nebulizer treatment in the office, and a prescription for the same medication. The medication Xopenex is the only asthma treatment available that doesn’t affect your heart. But, when I went to the pharmacy to have it filled, I found out that even with my insurance, it would cost me $65.00 (for only twelve days of treatment). I decided not to get it, and see if my symptoms cleared up on their own (even though I knew that my asthma would only continue to get worse). I convinced myself that if I had to, I would just use my Albuterol, and deal with my blood pressure possibly going up, rather than pay $65.00.

Then on Tuesday, I had one of my regular scheduled cardiology appointments. My blood pressure (at rest) was 120/100 and my heart rate was 120. The cardiologist told me I had to start the Xopenex treatment immediately, because the cough my asthma was causing, was responsible for my blood pressure and heart rate becoming too high. Things were so bad, that if my blood pressure or asthma had gotten even slightly worse, I would have needed to be hospitalized. Needless to say, I went to the pharmacy and paid for the stupid Xopenex.

As frustrated as I am over having to pay $65.00 for twelve days of medication…I know so many people have it much worse than me. Recently, I came across this article on the rising costs of prescription medications.

Cost of Prescription Medications Rising

While Americans continue to feel the effects of soaring fuel prices, there is another consumer good enjoying a “quiet” price explosion-prescription drugs. We are accustomed to slight increases each year in the price of medication, along with everything else, but during the first half of this year alone the average wholesale price of 17 brand-name drugs increased 100 percent or more in a single cost adjustment, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota. And just as concerning is the prediction that prices on 64 drugs are expected to more than double by year’s end, up from just 22 drugs in 2004.

Prices For Some Drugs Skyrocket

Reasons for the larger increases are varied, researchers say.

“There’s no simple explanation,” says Stephen Schondelmeyer, director of the PRIME Institute at the University of Minnesota, which studies drug industry economics. “Some companies seem to figure no one is watching so they can get away with it.”

The biggest problem with the cost of prescription medication going up, is that everything else is going up too. Many people are having to choose between buying their medications or putting food on their table. I wrote about how the economy and high gas prices are affecting health and wellness. And sadly, I don’t see this problem getting any better, anytime soon.

From Working With Chronic Illness…

A study was recently published by Harvard Medical School researchers saying that

• Many U.S. adults with chronic illness are uninsured.
• Chronically ill uninsured patients are 4 times as likely to have trouble get medical care

I’m not surprised. Are you?

Just the other day, a client emailed me saying that the monthly medication she takes for multiple sclerosis, at the monthly price of $1704.16, has been deemed a tier two drug, a “maintenance medication”, by her insurer. That means that this drug which she’s been taking since 1997, has successfully stabilized her disease and allows her to continue to walk - is going to cost her $852. 08 month! In comparison, she is paying $950/month for her apartment.

I couldn’t believe this so I called and spoke to a representative at her insurance company who told me that if she paid more for monthly premiums, she would have better reimbursement.

Honestly, I’m not blaming the insurance company. That does make sense - from there perspective. They’re just trying to eke out a living here, too. But something is very wrong with out system.

From My Suburban Life…

For seniors on fixed incomes, paying for costly prescription drugs is not a new challenge, but as the high cost of gas drives up other costs, many seniors are faced with a unique set of problems and difficult decisions.

In a report released in May by AARP titled “The Economic Slowdown’s Impact on Middle-Aged and Older Americans,” 59 percent of seniors 65 and older surveyed said they’d found it more difficult to pay for essential items including food, gas and medicine. Just less than half said they found it more difficult to pay for utilities incuding heating, cooling or phone service.

From Pink Pearl Girl’s Migraine World…

The Wal-Mart generic program offers a 30-day supply of certain generic medication for $4.00. A 90-day supply will only cost you $10.00. If you use a heart (calcium channel blocker, beta blocker) or blood pressure medication or an antidepressant as a preventive, you may benefit from this program. I found some of these medications on the list. There are no Migraine specific medications such as Triptans or Dihydroergotamine (DHE) on the list. There are some pain medications such as Ibuprofen on this list but I did not see any narcotic medications. I also did not see any antiseizure medications.

Other big box discount stores have similar programs. One of these is Target’s generic program. A 30-day supply is also $4.00 and a 90-day supply is $10.00. There are many of the same medications on their list. Kmart has a 90-day Generic Program. These medications cost $10.00 and $15.00. Their list can be found HERE. I couldn’t find any Migraine medications on their $5.00 Program List. However, some analgesics are listed. Costco offers its members a prescription savings plan for those with no insurance. Information on this program can be found HERE.

From Health Central - MS Drugs Offer Hope, But Can You Afford Them?

Without a moment’s hesitation, I can answer for myself and my husband. Health Insurance. Capital H, Capital I. It is that big an issue. More specifically, it is the soaring cost of prescription medications for MS, which, even if you have a solid group health plan, are becoming frightfully out of reach for a great many people.

If you’re having trouble paying for your prescription medications, there may be help. Check out Partnership for Prescription Assistance…

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance brings together America’s pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that’s right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free. Its mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance programs and boost enrollment of those who are eligible. Through this site, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance offers a single point of access to more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 180 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. To access the Partnership for Prescription Assistance by phone, you can call toll-free, 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669).

Also See:

Breast Cancer and the Health Care Crisis: What is your life worth?

From MOMocrats - Building a New US Health System

7 Ways To Save On Prescription Costs

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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This may come as a surprise to some…But, I haven’t been a big proponent of the Gardasil vaccine.I think if Merck had been upfront and honest about what this vaccine was, they could have avoided much of the controversy that surrounds Gardasil. Instead, in the name of profits, Merck has misrepresented what is an HPV vaccine, as a cervical cancer vaccine. Then, they proceeded to scare parents with their “one less” commercials, while also attempting to buy government mandates for girls as young as nine.

It’s my opinion, that parents should have the opportunity to understand the risks and benefits of the HPV vaccine, and the vaccine should be a choice, not a mandate.

The latest controversy is over the safety of the HPV vaccine.

Does the benefit of (maybe) not getting an almost always harmless virus, outweigh the risks associated with this vaccine?

Sarah Foster from Avalon Health Info…

A recent publication by a conservative watchdog group has rekindled media interest in a controversial anti-virus vaccine and sent Big Pharma and federal health agency officials into damage control mode.

In a 25-page special report released June 30, Judicial Watch — a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization that promotes “transparency and accountability in government” – presents evidence based on government documents that in the two years since being licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, Merck & Co’s Gardasil, heavily promoted as a safe and effective vaccine against cervical cancer, has been connected with nearly 9,000 “adverse events,” including the deaths of 18 – perhaps 20 – girls and young women.

Amie Newman from RH Reality Check, doesn’t agree with the negative press (particularly this CNN segment) that has been surrounding Gardasil…

In what seems to be more like tabloid style reportage than journalism one might expect on this issue from CNN, the report focuses on half-truths and incomplete information to create drama around what is clearly a political issue for many. The reporter never explains whether Taqueria Williams received the full three-injection regimen or just the first.

The report centers on Williams who, according to her own doctor, suffers from an autoimmune disease the cause of which “cannot be proven.” It doesn’t stop the reporter from presenting statistics meant to scare with little fact behind the fear.

But, who is trying to scare who? Merck is telling parents, that by not getting their child vaccinated, they risk their child dying from cervical cancer. That’s pretty scary.

And yes, it is a political issue. Merck would like to have this vaccine mandated for all children. But, parents should have the choice to make an informed decision on whether or not they want their child to have this vaccine.

Personally, I think these reports of side affects are barely relevant, in comparison to all the other reasons parents should be concerned about this vaccine. Please watch this video, it sums up what I’ve been trying to say about this controversy from the very beginning…

From Bosses Blogg - Pushing Gardasil…

Gardasil is an immunization against a “disease” that often has no symptoms and usually resolves itself. Marketers of the vaccine imply it helps prevent cervical cancer. This is scientifically false. Furthermore, cervical cancer is already substantially on the decline. What is true is that if you introduce Gardasil into a person who already has HPV you dramatically increase their odds of developing pre-cancerous cell behavior. So why are the marketers of this vaccine working with crooked politicians to make Gardasil injections mandatory for young girls? It’s garbage science and bogus public health all in pursuit of the almighty dollar.
From Nicole at Bellies and Babies…

Their patient information pdf risks include:

• pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site.
• fever.
• nausea.
• dizziness.
• vomiting.
• fainting.
• Fainting can occur after vaccination, most commonly among adolescents and young adults. Although fainting episodes are uncommon, patients should be observed for 15 minutes after they receive HPV vaccine.
• Allergic reactions that may include difficulty breathing, wheezing (bronchospasm), hives, and rash havebeen reported. Some of these reactions have been severe.
• Additional side effects reported include swollen glands (neck, armpit, or groin), Guillain-Barré syndrome (which can cause death by cardiac arrhythmia), headache, joint pain, aching muscles, unusual tiredness or weakness, and generally feeling unwell.

Merck (the manufacturer of Gardasil) attests, though, that their vaccine is not to blame for these illnesses, including 10 deaths that occurred shortly after the vaccine was administered.

Hmmm… even though one of the risks that we know about can lead to death?

Did you know Erin Brockovich has a blog? The Brockovich Report: News-What You Should Know. On August 6th she posted on Gardasil…

Gardasil, as you should know by now, is an HPV vaccine sold by MERCK, a vaccine with a flawed marketing campaign targeting young girls. The premise is that the vaccine will protect young girls from cervical cancer, as well as a couple of varieties of HPV. But the vaccine is NOT a cancer preventative, and it has not been thoroughly tested. Not only does Gardasil not protect everyone, it does not prevent all types of cervical cancer. According to current science, there are fifteen types of HPV associated with cervical cancer but Gardasil only counters HPV types 16 and 18. The vaccine requires three doses to start and scientists don’t even know how frequently boosters will be needed. They don’t know because they did not adequately research this before putting the vaccine out on the market using our young girls as guinea pigs.

Here is another informative video…


What do you think about the controversy surrounding Gardasil? Is Merck putting profits before the wellbeing of young girls? How do you feel about the government mandating this vaccine for school age girls?

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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Where should BlogHer ‘09 be held?

UPDATED

Philadelphia, Portland and St. Louis! Look what you said…and what Elisa Camahort Page says comes next in our planning process.

For anyone who was on vacation and missed it, we have closed this poll and our conference survey for attendees on which of 12 cities you’d like to visit for BlogHer’s annual conference next year. We asked BlogHer.com users and ‘08 conference attendees to choose from this list:

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How Do You Get Your Fiber?

I’ve always had a real problem getting enough fiber in my diet, and (as you can imagine) that can be problematic…But, I won’t bore you with the details of my regularity.

Over the years I’ve been told by many doctors that I should be taking fiber supplements. So, I’ve tried various supplements. However, no matter how perfected these powdered fiber drinks have become, they are still disgusting to me. In comparison, irregularity doesn’t seem so bad.

Now, I know I should be recommending that everyone get their fiber the old fashioned way (ie: fruits and vegetables), and later in this post, that is exactly what I’ll suggest. Promise. I will give you several examples of bloggers who have written about why fiber is important, and how to get it into your diet through good food choices. But, for now, I just want to tell you how I’ve become successful at adding the extra fiber into my diet.

About a year ago, I saw a commercial for a chewable fiber supplement called Fiber Choice. But, I wasn’t going to fall for some marketing ploy. I figured there was no way these things could actually taste good (as they were claiming in the commercials). They can say anything, but fiber is fiber, and fiber supplements taste disgusting.

I can’t even remember what was going through my head that day, but I was at the supermarket, and I walked by the fiber supplements, and decided to pick up the Fiber Choice. There were a few different kinds, some were sugar-free, and some were different flavors. I knew I didn’t want to try orange, because that was the flavor of all the other fibers I hadn’t liked in the past. So, after careful consideration, I ended up getting the sugar-free assorted fruit flavor.

And, guess what?

They actually taste good. They taste like Smarties. Remember Smarties?

So, a few months ago, after my mother had neck surgery, she was taking prescription pain killers. And, you know what happens when you take prescription pain killer? Yup…You have no pain, and also, no regularity. Lucky for my mother, I had come with my Smarties. That’s what I call them now - it’s my “code-name” for the Fiber Choice Chewable Supplements.

Now, whenever my mother comes to visit me, she brings me Smarties. This weekend when she came over to go see Mamma Mia with me and my daughter, she brought me a bottle she got from Costco of 220…I won’t need to buy Smarties for long time.

Well, that’s my fiber story. Now, as promised, bloggers who recommend you get your fiber the old fashioned way…

From Amanda - Dieting Tips of the Week…

Benefits of Fiber - Recommend consuming 25-35 grams of fiber per day. Since the average diet contains only 14 grams we could all use more fiber. Fiber will help satisfy hunger pangs as well as control insulin and blood sugar levels which tend to promote fat storage when they are elevated. By simply eating at least 1 serving of fruit and vegetables at every meal should get you to the goal of 25-35 grams of fiber per day.

From Suzanne at FitWatch…

The most notable benefit from eating high fiber foods is that it can help calm or even prevent certain diseases. People diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, suffer from chronic abdominal pain, along with other symptoms such as constipation or diarrhea. High fiber foods may easy these symptoms without the use of prescription drugs. Because fiber clears unwanted material out of your colon, it helps reduce the risk of colon cancer. If this isn’t enough of a benefit, a high fiber diet has also been advocated for people with high cholesterol because it has been shown to lower overall cholesterol levels.

From BlogHer BeautyHacks - Fiber and Fitness…

After doing a little investigating I found there were several wonderful menu choices that would add fiber into my diet without sending the rest of my family running for the local fast food stop.

According to the Mayo Clinic, fiber is essential in our diets. To understand why fiber is important to our body we must first understand what it does and what types of fiber there is. Lowcarbdiets/about.com tells us that there are two types of fiber, soluable and insoluable.

Also See:

Rhonda Weidelman has a nutrition blog has a post with 10 Power Foods you should be eating every day.

Robin has a post on fiber at her blog - We Are What We Eat

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at BlogHer, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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Can a good movie reduce stress? I’ve always believed that smiling and laughing is healing in some way. And, there is a lot of evidence that supports that theory. I also know that for me, music can deeply affect my mood. Some songs are sad reminders of the past, and others are happy reminders of experiences I never want to forget. Seeing the movie Mamma Mia with my daughter, and listening to all the music, is definitely going to be a lasting and happy memory for me.

This is what happened. My daughter has been wanting to see the movie Journey To The Center Of The Earth in 3-D, and we’ve also both wanted to see Mamma Mia. So, on Thursday, we decided to see Journey To The Center Of The Earth. But, when we got to the theater we found out it was only in 3-D at “selected” theaters, and we weren’t at one of those. Mamma Mia was showing in the same theater about 15 minutes later, so we decided to see that instead.

To tell you the truth, I really didn’t think that either one of the movies was going to have much of an impact on me. I was feeling quite depressed, and was only taking my daughter to the movies because I thought that was what a good mother would do. [Without getting into too many details…I went right from Post BlogHer Blues and BlogHer Bolla, into one of the top mothering nightmares that parents can have with their teen sons. And, I’ve been going out of my mind ever since.] So, since I was feeling like a failure as a mother when it came to my son, I thought I shouldn’t my anxiety affect my daughter. However, I didn’t think anything, much less a movie, would be able to take my mind off of my troubles.

Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised.

For me, this was one of the best movies I have ever seen. I laughed, I cried, I tapped my feet, and I even sung along a little. I really thought I was going to the movies for my daughter, but in retrospect, it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself.

So…My independent study, shows conclusively, that the movie Mamma Mia can relieve stress and make you smile. If you don’t believe me, go check it out for yourself. I enjoyed it so much, that I hope to take my mother and my daughter to see it again tomorrow. Mamma Mia therapy may not be the solution to my problems, but it sure is a nice temporary diversion.

Here is some of what other bloggers are saying…

From Sarah Seltzer at Reproductive Health - Finding Feminism Where You Least Expect It…

Mamma Mia! might not be about feminism, or seek to advance feminism, but it takes many of feminism’s principles as a given, and works (or works it, if you will) from there.

Mamma Mia Feminist Creative Power Film

Mamma Mia! Here I go again! Okay it’s still running through my head and I have the urge to dance and twirl and sing through the house! haha!

Last night my daughter19 and I went to the movies to see Mamma Mia! It was so fun! Originally a broadway stage show based on songs by ABBA and now made into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnon.

From My Little Black Book…

Ok, so I went to see MAMMA MiA with my mom and feel madly in love. It was the most amazing movie I have seen in a long time, and I know exactly why. It’s the love story! They play it off as it revolves around Sophie, HA! What a lie! It’s about the mom being with the man she loves! I have seen the play 3 times, and the movie 2 times, and I was adicted to the sound track for a long time.

Jane Becker from The Dame Domain, compares the Sex and the City movie, to the Mamma Mia movie, in Deconstructing The Female Blockbuster.

This is not even a contest.

The women in “SATC” are a good 20 years younger than their counterparts in “Mama”, but they seem infinitely less happy. They sit around coffee shops and trendy restaurants discussing their unhappiness.

The women in “Mama” sing and dance. Christine Baranski kicks ass on the dance floor, Julie Walters chews through the scenery and Meryl…well, Meryl does a split in the air after bouncing off a bed.

When I grow up, I want to be them.

From Mommie Marzie…

Last night I went to see the movie Mamma Mia with some of my sisters and nieces. It was so fun! I told myself “I will not sing along with the movie.” I chanted this in my head all through the previews. I was sitting next to my sister Tracy and she started singing. So I started too. My toes were tapping and I wanted to jump up and dance. I probably could have since we were sitting on the back row.

My sister Nann said she could see this turning into something like the Rocky Horror movie. Heck Yeah! I’d go see this and dress up in spandex and platforms and sing and dance along.

And, from my favorite 14 year-old blogger at Nicole’s Blog a review of Mama Mia…

Yesterday, my mom and I saw Mamma Mia the movie! It was so great, that we plan to take my Granny to see it! The funnest part was knowing the songs! My mom and I were talking about how we just wanted to get up and dance during the movie, but we couldn’t because a whole crowd would be watching us!

This Christmas I plan on getting the Mamma Mia DVD for my mom!

From Jonotjoe’s blog…

I am head over heels, send out an SOS, in love with the movie, the characters, the music and everything else in between.

From Taylor at Taylor Time…

Today Mom and I went and saw Mamma Mia, and it was soooooo good!! Mom and I were both ready to turn around and see it again. I love musicals, and this one has become one of my favorites now.

From crashdummie…

Am already humming ABBA songs and I think I might be close to serenading a friend with that song… again!

This post by Linda Merrill has some great pictures of scenes from the movie.

And, now after all this Mamma Mia talk, here is a great background look at Abba and Mamma Mia…

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Spoiler Alert — Part of the Dancing Queen scene, from Mamma Mia…



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Another Spoiler Alert — This is part of The Winner Takes It All scene…


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This was a great movie, and I saw it at a time when I thought nothing could make me smile. But, for a few hours on Thursday afternoon, I was happy, smiling, and almost forgot my troubles.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at BlogHer, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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Calling All Women Political Bloggers!

The Political Voices of Women started out as a list of 100 Women Political Bloggers. Today, the list has over 400. Well, 497 to be exact, and we are much more than just a list now. We have 10 contributing editors, a community of almost 70 women, and opportunities for all women bloggers to express their political opinions as guest bloggers.

We are just shy of 500 women political bloggers. It’s my hope to reach 500 by the end of this weekend. And, you can help. I’m hoping to celebrate by publishing the list (100 blogs at a time) each day next week. Help us reach the goal of 500.

Are you a woman who blogs about politics?

Are you on the list?

Do you know a woman blogger who should be on the list?

We just need three more women political bloggers to hit the 500 mark!

So…Check the list, and if someone is missing, please give me their link here in comments.

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Could you or someone you love be at risk for a fatal medication error? It’s more common than you may think. [cross-posted at BlogHer Health and Wellness]

A new study shows that (in home) accidental overdoses are on the rise. Most recently, the death of actor Heath Ledger, has been in the news. But, this isn’t a problem confined to Hollywood…

Almost 50 million death certificates were filed in the United States between Jan. 1, 1983, and Dec. 31, 2004, 224,355 of them involving fatal medication errors (FMEs). After examining all of these documents, the authors discovered that the overall death rate from fatal medical errors increased by 360.5 percent during that time period.

Overall, the increase in FMEs was particularly pronounced among people aged 40 to 59, where the increase was 890.8 percent.

Even if you don’t read any other part of this post, please read this…

In researching for this post, I came across a Drug Interaction Tool (at Annie’s Annals) that could save your life. All you need to do, is list the medications you are taking, and this tool will list any possible interaction.

Even if all of your prescription medications have no interactions, bookmark and save this link for anytime you are considering taking an over-the-counter medication (or something previously prescribed). This tool will reveal any possible interactions between your medications, from mild to severe. It will also give you a detailed explanation as to what type of interactions could be caused, and why.

*Don’t stop taking medications that have been prescribed to you without first discussing it with your doctor…The benefit of the medication could far outweigh the risk of interaction, and only your doctor can tell you this for sure.

This is from Amanda Gardner for HealthDay…

According to background information in the paper, published in the July 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, there has recently been a dramatic shift in fatal overdoses away from inpatient settings to outpatient settings. More and more medications are taken outside of the hospital or clinic, with far less oversight from health-care professionals, the researchers said.

At the same time, more medications that once were available only by prescription are now bought over-the-counter, and more people are taking more than one medication.

All of this makes it easier for individuals to combine medications with alcohol and/or street drugs. But despite this shift, few if any studies have looked at drug errors outside clinical settings.

Read more »

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Happy to report…I am feeling much better, and ready to talk about the ban on trans fats in California.

This is a trend I would definitely like to see continue. Nothing good can come from the consumption of trans fats. So, if foods we love to eat, can be prepared, and taste just as good without it, then I say…take it out!

Take the trans out of our fats!

From Huffington Post…

California on Friday became the first state to ban trans fats from restaurant food, following several cities and major fast-food chains in erasing the notorious artery-clogger from menus.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will ban restaurants and other retail food establishments from using oil, margarine and shortening containing trans fats.

In a statement, Schwarzenegger noted that consuming trans fat is linked to coronary heart disease.

From Sarah White at Calorie Counter News…

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a measure that would ban the use of trans fats in food products sold in the state. The fats would have to be gone from restaurants by 2010 and from bakeries by 2011.

Violators of the law would face fines ranging from $25 to $1,000. The law does not apply to prepackaged products from manufacturers, such as mass-produced baked goods sold in grocery stores.

Instead, the ban will focus on “food facilities” such as restaurants, delis, bakeries and cafeterias.

From Eater LA…

In case you didn’t know: “Consuming trans fat is linked to coronary heart disease, and today we are taking a strong step toward creating a healthier future for California,” says the Governator.

Stephenie Cion wrote - Is Eating Out Getting Healthier?

I’m also happy to see that the laws are already prompting some restaurants to alter their menus, offering more healthy choices. I hope they can make these changes without sacrificing flavor.

A few people complain that New York City’s ban robs consumers’ freedom of choice (just like its laws banning public smoking). Still, the trans fat law seems to be a prudent measure; after all, according to the city’s Trans Fat Health Center, trans fats are responsible for at least 500 deaths from heart disease in New York City each year!

Pajamadeen wrote - Calgary’s Lower Trans Fat Restaurant Rules…

If you’re eating out in Calgary, the New Year just became a little bit healthier. Starting on New Year’s Day, Calgary became the first Canadian city to regulate the amount of trans fat in restaurant foods.

This is from Erika Pitera and her post on Vitamin D and Heart Health…

Some of the most common food sources of vitamin D include fortified milk, salmon, cod liver oil and sardines. By maintaining a balanced diet that limits calories, trans fat, saturated fat, sodium and dietary cholesterol, you may be more likely to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Also See:

• From WebMD - Just How Bad Are Trans Fats?
• What are trans fats and why are they so bad for us?

So…What do you think? Is it o.k. for the government to regulate what we eat? Personally, when it comes to trans fats, I think it’s a great idea.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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This is a movie I remember watching when I was very young. I always thought it was called Shangri La.

Here is the movie in its entirety.

Lost Horizon (1937)

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[cross-posted at Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself]

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The Post BlogHer Blues and Bola Virus - How Are You Feeling? (cross-posted at BlogHer)

I had a GREAT time at BlogHer ‘08 in San Fransisco. But, like all good things, it has come to an end. Now, not only do I have the Post BlogHer Blues, but I’m also feeling very sick. I’m totally exhausted, with a headache, sore throat, stuffy nose, and my ears feel like they are going to explode.

It’s nice to know I’m not alone. Apparently, the Post BlogHer Blues is very common…It’s the sad feeling you get when the BlogHer conference comes to an end. One minute you are surrounded by all your BlogHer friends, and the next minute they are all gone. It’s an emotional roller coaster.

Here’s how merlot mom explains it…

Here we are, it’s the Monday after BlogHer and I’ve got the Post BlogHer Blues.

It’s like the letdown I felt after my wedding which took 8 months to plan and only a few fleeting hours to enjoy.

It’s like the disappointment I feel after I’ve cooked for hours only to have my kids purge the meal into their napkins and opt for yogurt instead.

I waited so long for BlogHer - looking ahead to a time of learning, camaraderie, revelry and just plain letting it all hang out kinda FUN. Now, in a few short days, wonderful days, it’s all behind me. Soon to become only a fond memory.

Everyday Goddess…

The post-conference crash. Was wicked hard this year. I sat in the lobby drinking coffee on Sunday morning and there was no one talking with me for about 15/20 minutes, and I felt completely freaked out and depressed and lonely.

My Post BlogHer Blues were helped greatly when I ran into Laurie on the elevator, before checking out of the Westin. [About the Westin…The bed, the bedding, the pillows - omg I was in sleepy time heaven.]

Anyway, Laurie ended up spending a fun day with me and my mom, at Fisherman’s Wharf. That was on Monday, and by Tuesday, I was feeling horribly sick, very much like I felt after last year’s BlogHer conference in Chicago.

It seems to be a BlogHer virus epidemic!

Well, not really an epidemic. It’s just your standard head cold. But, a lot of us seem to have it. It’s being officially referred to as the BlogHer Bola Virus. Have you come down with it?

Busy Mom Blog…

As my Twitter peeps are painfully aware, I have a nasty cold and the coughing is out of control.

Maria Niles…

Don’t think it’s allergies (though I was hoping). I will totally blame @ElisaC for infecting me.

Deb Roby…

I thought mine was flu, but now I think it’s nasty summer cold: headache, chills, runny nose, cough. no energy.

So…How are you feeling post-BlogHer? Did you get the BlogHer Blues? Or, come down with the BlogHer Bola Virus?

And, just a quick shout-out to a few of the health bloggers I met at BlogHer…

• Our Lady of Weight Loss
• Ahead of the Wave
• Linda Sherman of EmpowHer.com
• Laurie Kingston of Not Just About Cancer (a blog)
• Diane Shinn of Safe Kids Worldwide
• Wendy Lawson of Menopause - The Blog
• Sahaar Aker of Fat Fighter TV
• Tassie DeMoney of Healia
• Feel Good For Life

Even though I’m sick, and a little sad…I can’t wait to do it all again next year.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at BlogHer, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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Are High Gas Prices Affecting Your Health and Wellness? - (cross-posted at BlogHer)

With gas prices going up and up, many people are facing difficult choices when it comes to their health. From not being able to afford their medications, to buying less expensive (usually unhealthy) foods at the supermarket…They are being forced to make financial decisions that may be bad for their health.

Last year I did a post about how a major medical crisis (such as cancer) could force a person to choose between lifesaving medications, and paying their mortgage.

How Much Is Your Life Worth?

But, it’s not only major medical problems that can land people in this situation. It’s also people with chronic illnesses who require daily medications, that are feeling the pinch.

This is from Chronic Chick Talk…

Living with a chronic illness comes with a lot of considerations. You have medications you need, food and you need gas to get to a doctors office. They all seem to work together you need food to survive just to get to the doctors office to get medicine, but you have to have gas to get to the doctor. When you’re on a fixed income it’s difficult to get to the doctor. You’re stuck with the chose of giving your car gas or putting food in your stomach.

And, Are You Stressing Over Money? Don’t forget how harmful stress can be on our health. If your spending a considerable amount of time worrying about money, and how you are going to pay for things, you could be making a chronic illness worse, or even develop a new problem (like high blood pressure).

Running on Fumes…

Families are faced with the challenge of trying to make adjustments to their budgets as prices rise and incomes fall. But personal savings are already close to zero, and families have borrowed record amounts to make ends meet in recent years. That leaves little room to shift around expenses and no savings to dip into as times are getting tough. It also makes borrowing more money difficult, since many families already have large bills to pay to their creditors.

What about the sick and elderly, who rely on charities that are being hurt by high gas prices? This is another way gas prices can affect health. From (CBS)…

Charities that deliver meals to the elderly and sick are being hit extra hard by the sky-high cost of gas.

From a post by the Wired Sisters…“Poor” is a Four-Letter Word…

Some of us can remember the old days of “welfare”, when poor people, who were mostly not working, could at least make up in time for what they lacked in money. Today, poverty, except for those physically unable to work, means having no money and no time. Poor people’s jobs provide no paid time off, even for such necessities as illness, childcare failures, medical appointments, repair appointments, funerals, jury duty, school conferences, and voting. And a lot of poor people have to have two or more of these jobs. Unavoidably, taking time off always means losing money, and usually means losing a job. Not taking time off can mean guaranteeing that the next generation will be poorly educated, in poor health, and—well—poor.

Do you need medications, but you can’t afford them? You could qualify for no or low cost prescription drugs…

When You Can’t Afford Medication…

There are a number of options for people who cannot afford medications. Please look into all of them before stopping a medication that is working or refusing a medication that has been prescribed for you. While you are looking into these options, be upfront with your doctor about your financial situation. Your doctor may know of additional options (something exclusive to where you live).

You may have heard Montel Williams talk about how to get free or low cost medications, it’s called Free Medicine Foundation…

As a nationwide patient-advocacy organization, Free Medicine Foundation links patients to free or very low-cost prescription plans available to eliminate or substantially reduce their prescription cost. Many sponsors have pledged that no patient in need should go without coverage and evaluate needs on a case-by-case basis.

If you find that you cannot afford to buy your medicine at retail prices, make too much money to qualify for public assistance such as Medicaid or your medical insurance coverage does not pay for outpatient prescription drugs, then you may qualify to enroll in a privately sponsored program that could provide free prescription medicine.

How have high gas prices affected you health and wellness?

Also See:

Heart Disease Can Hurt Your Finances Too

The Medication Program

How Do We Decide If A Drug Is Worth The Cost?

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My No Dieting Vacation: Will You Be Sticking To Your Diet At BlogHer?

I’ve been doing pretty good on my…Not really a diet, diet. Basically, I have lost most of the weight I had gained since last year’s BlogHer conference. It’s really amazing how easy it is to gain twenty pounds when you’re not looking. I blame it on the whole love/hate relationship with my scale thing.

Anyway, now I am faced with a dilemma…To diet, or not to diet, at the BlogHer conference?

I would love to tell you that I plan on being the beacon of healthy eating at this year’s BlogHer conference. But, I just can’t do it. Well…I just don’t want to do it. I want to have a good time and not worry about how many calories of fat are in a chocolate chip cookie.

That’s ok, right?

I’m sure there will be plenty of healthy food choices at the conference, and I may even choose to eat some of them. However, I’m not going to be sticking to any type of healthy diet. How about you? Will you be sticking to your diet at the BlogHer conference?

What do you think? Is it better to stick to your diet on vacation, or just give into the urge to eat and be merry?

This is what Mel from My World, My Words did on her vacation…

I got to a point, many baaad meals later, while eating a delish corn bread muffin and a plate of macoroni and cheese at the Hawk’s Cay buffett (we visited for their 4th of July celebration) where I finally got honest with myself and my people and annouced that I was on vacation and since my willpower stayed at home I am just going to enjoy myself.

And I did. I enjoyed myself through every meal and margarita. In the back of my mind, though, I could not help but be a little scared at what the scale would say when I got home.

Beetqueen agrees that Road trips and dieting don’t mix…

It is simply impossible to diet while on any kind of vacation. Even though our stay at my in-laws’ house was fairly short (only 3 1/2 days there + 1 1/2 travel days), any thought of a diet flew right out the window. This is, of course, because on car trips of any sort, my willpower fails me entirely.

From Motherwise Cracks…I Am Now Wearing My Vacation…

Well, the party’s over but it’s still wearing on - on me. Yep, the fabulous meals and double desserts are now officially hanging around my middle reminding me of what a great vacation I had. My goal pants that have been hanging on my closet door since May seem to have shrunk another size.

Now, if you don’t want to get home from your vacation to find you’ve gained ten pounds, you could try some Tips for Avoiding Vacation Weight Gain. Or, you could just not get on the scale.

It seems that dieting while on vacation is difficult for most people. So…I think I’ll just be going on a No Dieting Vacation.

What will you be doing?

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

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The salmonella outbreak is getting worse, and the CDC still doesn’t know exactly where it is coming from. This is the worst outbreak of salmonella in a decade. So, what does it mean? How safe is our food supply? Are you worried about this? Have you stopped eating tomatoes? Would you know if you had salmonella poisoning?

From the Food Poisoning Blog…

Salmonella infection can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.

Now Basil is joining the suspects in salmonella outbreak…

Basil may have joined the list of food suspected in an outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning that has sickened more than 1,000 people, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday.

The FDA said Lucky Green Trading Inc. of Garden Grove, California, had recalled all of its Thai basil after random testing had shown it tested positive for Salmonella.

From Food Democracy…

The toll far surpasses what had been considered the largest foodborne outbreak of the past decade, the 715 salmonella cases linked to peanut butter in 2006. In the mid-1990s, there were well over 1,000 cases of cyclospora linked to raspberries, and previous large outbreaks of salmonella from ice cream and milk.

The CDC acknowledges that for every case of salmonella confirmed to the government, there may be 30 to 40 others that go undiagnosed or unreported.

“The outbreak could actually be tens of thousands of people rather than 1,000 people,” agreed Caroline Smith DeWaal of the consumer advocacy Center for Science in the Public Interest. “It’s certainly a disturbing event to have this many illnesses spanning this many months.”

To make matters worse, no one is sure if the cause is tomatoes, peppers, cilantro or a combination of one or more.