Reading Food Labels

Learning how to read and understand food labels can help you make healthier choices. Food labels contain more than just calorie counts — they provide important information on both beneficial and harmful nutrients. Here are some tips for making the most of the information provided on a Nutrition Facts label:

1. The first place to start when you look at the Nutrition Facts label is the serving size and the number of servings in the package. Even if a package looks like it only contains one serving, it might actually contain more! Then ask yourself, “How many servings am I consuming?” Try to follow the recommended serving size when possible.

2. Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of this food. In this sample label there are 230 calories and 72 calories from fat per serving. A general rule of thumb for calories (based on a 2,000 calorie diet) is 40 calories is low, 100 calories is moderate and 400 calories or more is high.

3. The first three nutrients listed — fat, cholesterol, and sodium — should be consumed in limited quantities. Americans generally eat adequate or excessive amounts of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol and sodium. We recommend that you keep these numbers as low as possible.

4. On the other hand, look for foods high in dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and lean protein ensures you are getting the right amount of these good nutrients.

5. Food labels contain a % Daily Value (DV) for each nutrient, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. A DV value of 5% or lower is low, and a DV value of 20% or higher is high. The remaining information in the full footnote shows recommended dietary advice for all Americans. The footnote may not always appear due to package size.

Follow

Change Up Your Exercise Routine

From trying resistance exercise to joining a gym for the first time, Prostate 8 participants have found a variety of ways to add variation to their exercise routines. It’s great to settle into a routine, but also important to keep improving instead of going on auto-pilot. By adding some small variations, you can keep your workouts interesting and make sure you don’t get stuck in a rut.

Try a new type of exercise

Change up your routine by experimenting with different types of exercise. If you only do aerobic exercise, consider checking out the weight machines — see last week’s blog post, “Getting Started with Resistance Exercise,” for tips. You could also sign up for a fitness class at your local gym. Just make sure to start slowly and build up the intensity as you feel comfortable.

Exercise with someone else

If you usually exercise alone, invite a friend or family member to join you for your next workout. They might have some favorite exercises of their own that you can try, and you can share your ideas and goals with each other.

Work toward a goal

If you’re beginning to feel bored or unmotivated in your current routine, create a tangible goal to achieve. This could mean signing up and training for a race or competition, or trying to reach a certain number of steps on your Fitbit. Set a concrete, attainable goal that you can achieve in a reasonable timeframe, and focus your workouts around it.

Next time you work out, try adding some variation — small or large — to your routine. Be creative, and keep us updated via text message!

Changing Habits

Through your texts, many of you have told us ways that you are changing your habits for the better. Eating a healthier diet, and especially eating more vegetables, seems to be a common pattern. Many of you reported that you also are walking more and wearing your Fitbit.

These are great steps — but you may have found that it can be hard to break a bad habit and form a new one. Here are some tips in case you are having trouble making changes. Keep them in mind, and text us with any other ideas!

Take small steps

You don’t need to go cold turkey in order to change your habits. In fact, it is easier if you make the changes gradually. Start slowly: For example, if you’re trying to increase your walking, just walk a short distance on the first day. Then, gradually increase the amount as you feel comfortable. The same goes for eating — instead of completely cutting an unhealthy food out of your diet, focus on decreasing how often you eat it.

Track your progress

By creating a concrete, attainable goal, and by measuring your progress toward that goal, you can motivate yourself to succeed. The Fitbit you received for the study is a great tool for measuring your exercise — every day or week, try to set a goal for the number of steps you want to take. At the end of the week, sync your Fitbit with the computer to see your progress! Then, try to get even more steps next time.

Work with others

Tell your family and friends about your goals. They can motivate you along the way, or even join you if they want to make changes too. Either way, it’s good to have someone to talk to if you need guidance or encouragement.

Follow

Your input: Benefits of exercise

Besides the physical health benefits, an exercise routine can help lower stress levels and improve mental well-being. Via text message, several study participants have shared the positive effects they’ve felt from exercise. One participant said that they enjoyed “feeling good and losing weight” from exercise, while another cited “time to problem-solve” as a key benefit.

Reducing stress

Physical activity releases endorphins, brain chemicals that act as natural painkillers and trigger positive feelings. This can help you to de-stress and relax. So, if you had an overwhelming day at work, or if you’re feeling down, try going for a walk or bike ride. You’ll feel better and have some time to slow down and reflect.

Boosting energy

Though it may seem counterintuitive, studies have suggested that exercise can help raise your energy levels. A University of Georgia study found that study volunteers who performed a six-week low- or moderate-intensity exercise regimen had fatigue levels 20 percent lower than a control group. So next time you’re tired, go to the gym instead of grabbing a coffee!

Helping concentration

If you’re stuck with a difficult problem, or if you feel like your mind is wandering, exercise could help. Exercise may be linked to improved concentration and learning abilities, and could even help prevent some cognitive disorders, research suggests. It’s also a great way to take a break and get some fresh air.

Incorporating Tomatoes Into Your Diet

From salads to chili to pasta dishes, study participants have shared many of the ways that they have been eating Prostate 8’s recommended two weekly servings of tomatoes. Though there are countless tomato recipes and tomato based products, try to focus on cooked tomatoes when planning your meals. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant that may inhibit cancer growth, and the body is able to absorb more lycopene when it is cooked. This may provide even greater benefits than eating raw tomatoes. If you’re not sure how to incorporate tomatoes into your diet, here are some tips for getting started.

Buying fresh tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes taste great and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Tomatoes are ripe when they are firm but give a bit when squeezed — if the skin is wrinkled, they might be overripe. To ripen tomatoes faster, place then in a paper bag with a ripe piece of fruit to speed up the process. Fresh tomatoes are great when eaten with some olive oil and vinegar, or when cut up in a salad.

Buying canned tomatoes: Canned tomatoes are available year-round and can be used in place of fresh tomatoes in many recipes. They usually come in whole, diced, pureed, and paste varieties — whole canned tomatoes can be substitutes for fresh tomatoes, while tomato paste is used to get a tomato taste without adding much volume.

Preparing tomatoes: Check out the Prostate 8 website for great tomato recipes. The tomato soup, chili, and pasta sauce are perfect for chilly late-fall days. Or try something simpler, and just add tomatoes to a salad or slice them and serve them alongside a main meal. We look forward to hearing your ideas through your texts!

Cooking with olive oil

If you are looking for ways to add more vegetable fats to your meals, make sure to keep some olive oil in your pantry. Olive oil contains unsaturated fats, compared to the saturated fats found in butter, which lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and may be beneficial for prostate health. Plus, it tastes great! Prostate 8 participants have shared a variety of ideas for using this versatile ingredient: adding it to vegetable recipes, drizzling it over salads, and picking olive-oil-based spreads. Here are some other suggestions.

Use it as a butter substitute:

Next time you reach for butter while cooking, try olive oil instead! Stir it into pasta or cooked vegetables; add it to mashed potatoes; add some vinegar and use it as a dip for bread.

Add it to salads:

A simple oil-based vinaigrette is an easy, healthy alternative to heavier dressings. Whisk together equal parts olive oil and vinegar, along with a teaspoon of mustard, a drizzle of honey, and salt and pepper. Adjust the quantities to taste, and serve! To make things more interesting you can also experiment with flavor-infused oils — one Prostate 8 participant recommended using roasted garlic olive oil.

Try baking with it:

Olive oil can be used instead of butter in many baked goods, and it adds a great texture and flavor. Choose a mild or light oil so it is not overpowering. The Prostate 8 website offers several olive oil-based recipes — try the guacamole or the carrot cream cheese muffins. These recipes are great sources of vegetable fat, and they’re delicious!

Beyond Broccoli: Getting Creative With Cruciferous Vegetables

Brussels sprouts? Broccoli? Kale? Many people shy away from dark green vegetables, called cruciferous vegetables, because they see them as boring, bland, or bitter-tasting. But it doesn’t have to be that way! With a few simple tips, you can transform a cruciferous vegetable into a delicious and healthy part of your meal.

We’ve asked you via text message how you have been incorporating cruciferous vegetables into your diet. Many of you have said you’ve mainly been eating broccoli, which is a great start. Now, it’s time to try something new! We hope you can use some of the following suggestions to add some variety to your 7 weekly servings of cruciferous vegetables.

Brussels sprouts: These taste great when roasted in your oven. To make crispy Brussels sprouts that taste almost like French fries, toss them with olive oil and sea salt, spread them in a sheet pan, and roast for 35 minutes at 400˚ until crispy and browned.

Kale: Though kale can have a tough consistency, it softens up when mixed with vinaigrette in a salad. Just make sure to remove the stiff stem in the center. Toss kale with sweet toppings like fruit to counteract any bitter taste.

Cauliflower: Roast cauliflower with garlic, parmesan cheese, or herbs for a tasty and filling dish. Toss it with olive oil and bake it at 450˚ for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Arugula: Arugula’s strong flavor will add another dimension to any dish! Add it to a salad along with other mixed greens. Or cook it in a skillet with olive oil until tender, and stir it in to pasta or other dishes.

Today, try to incorporate some new cruciferous vegetables into your dinner. And don’t forget to keep texting us!