46 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • NOVEMBER 1, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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4 things you should do to boost your fat IQ
If you’ve struggled with your weight,
you know that fat can be a bad three-letter
word. You’ve warded against it, tried
to reduce it and agonized over what fat
can do to your self-esteem and your waist
line. But how much do you really know
about fat? And how much could you
improve your life if you knew just a little
bit more?
According to the MDVIP Fat IQ Survey,
most adults fail a basic quiz on fat facts.
And a staggering 82 percent of adults are
over their ideal weight. Whether you are
one of them or you want to avoid weight
problems in the future, it’s time to put fat
in your crosshairs. Here are four things
you need to do to boost your own fat IQ
and live a healthier life.
• Recognize your hang-ups. Everyone has
them. Whether you’re busy caring for
children or elderly parents and fast food
is your go-to, you travel and can’t fi nd
healthy options on the road, or you’re a
late-night snacker, your lifestyle is adding
fat to your diet. Recognize where
your weak spots are and take steps to
correct them. Consider a meal delivery
service that’s both healthy and convenient,
pack nutritious snacks in your
carry-on, or go for a walk when the urge
to eat a cookie strikes. Just changing up
your routine once or twice a week can
make a diff erence.
• Be open and honest with your doctor.
Eighty-three percent of adults said hearing
from a doctor that they need to lose
weight would motivate them to take
action. Yet, most doctors aren’t able to
spend enough time to really delve into
your eating and other lifestyle habits.
If you’re serious about managing your
weight, you want a primary care doctor
who will help uncover your personal
obstacles and work with you on
a plan to reach your goals. Physicians
like those in the MDVIP network have
more time to consult patients on diet
and exercise and provide the coaching
and follow-up they need to be successful.
Talk to your doctor and fi nd your
motivation today.
• Learn the diff erence between fats. Not
all fats are created equal. In fact, did you
know some fats are actually good for
you? Unsaturated fats found in plants,
for example, can improve your cholesterol
level and lower your risk for heart
disease. Saturated fats and especially
trans fats, on the other hand, found
in fried and processed foods, should
be rarely eaten or avoided all together
because they have the potential to promote
heart disease.
• Find the hidden “bad fat” in your food.
Restaurant menus that include calorie
counts have certainly been eye-opening
for many people, but the food’s fat
content is oft en missing or overlooked.
Th e same applies when you’re at the
grocery store. In addition to looking at
the amount of fat on food labels, make
sure you scrutinize the list of ingredients.
You want to stay away from foods
that have the words “hydrogenated”
or “partially hydrogenated,” which are
unhealthy trans fats.
Start applying your higher fat IQ today
Having a strong understanding of fats
is critical to achieving a healthy lifestyle,
so don’t delay in giving yourself a boost.
Apply these tips to raise your fat IQ. To
take the MDVIP Fat IQ survey, visit www.
mdvip.com/fat-iq-quiz.
Courtesy BPT
3 alarming places where germs are hiding in your kitchen
Your kitchen may look clean, but here’s
the dirt on what’s really happening.
Although a quick daily clean might keep
some of the bacteria at bay, it’s important
to remember that germs are lurking in
the dark corners oft en overlooked! Since
the kitchen tends to be where family and
friends congregate, not only is it alarming
to discover that things may not be as
clean as you thought they were, bacteria
can come in contact with the food you eat.
Th at raises your risk of getting sick.
Th ese are three places in the kitchen
where germs like to hide, along with
things you can do to clean up your act.
1. Your refrigerator
It’s true, germs can and do hang out
inside your refrigerator, especially in the
meat and vegetable compartments. In
the NSF study, these tested positive for
E.coli, salmonella or listeria 36 percent
of the time. To keep food safe, discard
food that’s past its prime, and maintain
a consistent temperature level in the
fridge, ideally between 40 and 32 degrees
Fahrenheit, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. You
should also get in the habit of regularly
cleaning refrigerator door handles and
meat and vegetable drawers!
When it’s time to replace your fridge,
consider the LG InstaView Door-in-Door
Refrigerator with ColdSaver(TM) panel,
which acts like a barrier keeping cold air
in where it matters the most - inside the
refrigerator, extending the life cycle of
your food. Th e InstaView model also lets
you see what’s inside before you open the
door. Just knock twice on the tinted glass
panel to illuminate, and you can fi nd what
you need without letting all the cold air
escape. Both of these features will keep
food surrounded with fresh, cool air, so
everything stays fresher, longer.
2. Your dishwashing station
Be honest. How long has that kitchen
towel been hanging on that loop by the
kitchen sink? A week? A month? Can’t
remember? If you’re not careful about
how oft en you wash your towels, your
kitchen rags could become a breeding
ground for dangerous, stomach-sickening
germs. According to researchers from the
University of Mauritius, towels can develop
some nasty bacteria - the kind that
causes foodborne illnesses - when they’re
used for a full month. Yuck! And don’t
forget the kitchen sink sponge. Other
research suggests this so-called cleaning
tool harbors some of the nastiest germs,
with three-quarters of them contaminated
with coliform bacteria, according to
a study completed by NSF International.
To keep things cleaner, get into the
habit of grabbing a clean towel every few
days. Sponges should not be used for longer
than two weeks.
3. Your food prep surfaces
Whether you’re making your lunchtime
sandwich or chopping veggies for dinner,
don’t be deceived by the spotless appearance
of your countertops, sinks and cutting
boards. Th e NSF study discovered
that fecal coliform has a presence on these
surfaces - 45 percent of kitchen sinks, 32
percent of countertops and 18 percent of
cutting boards. Even if these are wiped
or rinsed daily, it’s important to take the
extra step to keep bacteria from lingering
on these surfaces where they can contaminate
your food. Before you gather your
ingredients, wash all meal prep areas with
hot, soapy water.
Now that you know what to do to combat
hidden bacteria lurking in your kitchen,
you can prepare meals and feed your
family with much greater peace of mind.
Courtesy BPT
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/fat-iq-quiz
