There’s cat hair on the dining room floor, bread crumbs on the kitchen counter, laundry that needs to be done and dishes stacked up in the sink.Oh, and a young child demanding your attention.

Congratulations! It’s the perfect time for a workout.

So says Encino mother of two Carolyn Barnes, a professional dancer and actress who developed a fitness program to help busy moms turn their household chores into exercise opportunities.

“You’re doing the actual chore anyway, so you might as well,” said Barnes, 38. “Instead of just waiting for the microwave to beep, do 15 push-ups and 15 leg-lifts.”

Barnes’ cLEANmomma DVD and accompanying e-book, as well as her Web site and YouTube videos, take moms through exercises such as The Rag Drag, Detergent Dumbbells, Time Presses, Clutter Picker Uppers and lunges done while vacuuming and moving throughout the house.

With the help of nutritionist and registered dietitian Stephanie Lecovin, Barnes also has developed a healthy-eating plan to go with the exercise regimen. Her e-book includes nutrition tips from Lecovin, as well as sample meals, a list of ingredients to avoid and a food journal.

Lecovin’s husband, chiropractor and naturopathic physician Geoff Lecovin, helped develop the specific workouts detailed in the DVD booklet.

Barnes, a veteran dancer who was in the cast of the 20th anniversary world tour of “A Chorus Line,” was used to staying in shape as part of her training.

But then came motherhood.

“When I had my second child, Jack, in 2006, I gained 60 pounds,” she said. “When I birthed my child and I only lost 10 pounds, I looked in the mirror and said, ‘This does not work for me.’ That determination and drive is the driving force. A lot of people want to lose weight, but they don’t have the drive. Your goal has to be very clear to you.”

To say Barnes’ goal was clear to her is an understatement.

“I do a lot of television commercials,” she said. “I didn’t want to be one of those moms on TV commercials that look doughy and dumpy.”

Barnes said she used her home elliptical machine for a cardio workout while Jack was napping, but she’d still have dishes piling up in the sink and general messiness around the house causing her anxiety.

That’s when the idea of combining fitness with housework struck her - and she turned to her ballet training.

Barnes began doing leg-lifts learned in dance class as she washed the dishes. She then added in countertop push-ups. Soon she was mixing cardio workouts with her cleanup chores.

That, combined with a very high-protein, organic diet, did the trick.

“All of my friends were looking at me three months later and asking, ‘What are you doing? What are you on?”‘ she said. ” They thought I’d hired a trainer.”

Rather than trying to explain her chore-workout routine over and over again to friends, Barnes said, she created a YouTube video so they could see what she was up to.

“I haven’t gone to the gym in two years, but my body truly has shifted,” Barnes said. “I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. My body is more defined than ever.”

One key to Barnes’ cLEANmomma workout is technique. Simply moving a vacuum back and forth or gently wiping down the dining room table, she said, doesn’t cut it.

“A lot of people, like my sister, have mentioned, ‘Oh, I always do stretches when I do this (chore),”‘ she said. “The difference is, when they elevate their heart rate when they pick up toys, they are calling it a workout and I’m calling it a warm-up. I take everything they do and take it 10 steps further.”

Carl Causly, a certified personal trainer from Downey, said the fitness benefits of housework can be seen in the general increased obesity of the American population.

“I think that was proven 30 or 40 years ago when people’s lifestyle was different,” Causly said. “If you … cleaned the house, washed clothes by hand - definitely their bodies weren’t obese as we are today.

Chores as a workout “can be beneficial if it’s done the correct way,” he said. “You could break up household chores into a week’s time - something that takes 30 minutes a day. If you did do a number of lunges that equaled two different sets of 15 or 16 times, that would be beneficial. If you did squats up and down as you’re cleaning walls … those are the same squats that we would do in the gym.”

All exercise is, especially cardio, he said, is elevating the heart rate and keeping it elevated for a certain length of time.

“People who do housework may not do it as often as they need to to get (fitness) results,” he said. “But if it’s done every day for 30 to 60 minutes, it can be beneficial.”

leo.smith@dailybreeze.com

310-543-6617

Originally published by By Leo Smith Staff Writer.

(c) 2009 Daily Breeze. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

Everyone’s trying to stay healthy this flu season, especially with the H1N1 pandemic. Lots of supplements to prevent or treat colds and flu are being peddled to the public.Here are some things to consider:

_Take your vitamin D. The vitamin is important for the healthy function of many of the body’s systems, including the immune system. Getting enough vitamin D may reduce your risk of getting sick. The average adult probably needs 1,000 to 2,000 units a day.

_Regular, moderate exercise, including weightlifting and tai chi, has been shown to boost the immune system. On the other hand, intense exercise such as marathon running can suppress your immune system temporarily and increase your risk of getting sick.

_Healthful eating is essential this time of year. Aim for 10 to 12 servings of fruits and veggies per day.

_Get plenty of sleep. Restorative sleep boosts your immune system.

_Don’t forget to laugh! Laughter seems to enhance immunity while chronic stress can increase your risk of getting sick.

_Try gargling. A 2005 study showed that the simple act of gargling with plain water at least three times a day not only reduced the incidence of upper-respiratory infections by 36 percent, but also eased symptoms for those who did get a cold.

_Cold fX is a popular Canadian product used to prevent upper-respiratory infections. There is limited data to suggest it might work, but the data is weak, and this product is expensive about $100 for a four-month supply.

_The simplest and probably the most effective way of preventing illness is to clean your hands regularly to remove cold-causing viruses from your skin. We recommend using a cleanser with at least 62 percent alcohol. Studies have shown this tends to be more effective than hand washing.

So, you’ve done everything you can to stay well, and you still find yourself down and out with an upper-respiratory infection. Here are a few things that may help:

_Irrigating your nasal passages with saline can produce relief from cold symptoms.

_Vitamin C may reduce the duration of a cold. Try taking 250 mg to 500 mg twice daily, which is all you need to saturate your body’s tissues with vitamin C; higher doses can cause diarrhea.

_While echinacea doesn’t seem to prevent colds, it may help to shorten the severity and duration of a cold once you get sick. The data are controversial. Look for a product with the species Echinacea purpurea.

Echinacea is not advised for people with autoimmune disease like lupus or those with allergies to ragweed.

_Elderberry is an herb that may reduce the duration of the flu by a few days. If you try this, we recommend the product Sambucol.

_Some data suggest that the herbal combo Andrographis plus Siberian ginseng (sold as the product Kan Jang) can reduce the symptoms and duration of colds and flu.

_Zinc lozenges taken during the first two days of a cold may shorten its duration. Zinc is toxic, however, if taken in excess or for prolonged periods of time.

Zinc nasal sprays are not recommended in rare instances, they may lead to permanent loss of sense of smell.

Many herbs and supplements interact with prescription meds, so be sure to talk with your doctor before starting anything over the counter.

And, of course, if you have any persistent or worrisome symptoms, check in with your doctor as well.

___

(Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden are medical directors of Sutter’s Downtown Integrative Medicine program. They have written “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Secrets of Longevity” ($18.95, Alpha/Penguin Books). Have a question related to alternative medicine? E-mail fitness@sacbee.com.)

___

(c) 2009, The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.).

Visit The Sacramento Bee online at http://www.sacbee.com/

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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Health officials believe the diabetes epidemic stems in part from bad eating habits and inactive lifestyles that might begin in childhood.A prevention program in Stanislaus County is screening elementary schoolchildren for the warning signs leading to Type 2 diabetes, a common form of diabetes that used to occur mainly in adults but is now showing up in children.

It’s estimated that 23.6 million Americans have diabetes, putting them at risk of kidney disease, vision problems, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

The nonprofit Doctors Medical Center Foundation is having the free, voluntary screenings this month and in December at 15 campuses in Modesto, Salida, Oakdale, Riverbank, Hughson, Waterford and Patterson. They started last week at Hart-Ransom Elementary School in Modesto.

Thursday morning, 48 children and 41 parents were screened at Chrysler Elementary School in northwest Modesto. The participants filled out a simple health questionnaire before having their fingers pricked for reading their blood glucose.

Nurses also looked for a skin discoloration on their necks called acanthosis nigricans, a sign of insulin resistance or elevated insulin levels in the body.

Close to 15 percent of the children had blood glucose levels from 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter, or in the pre-diabetes range. Four adults appeared to have pre-diabetes and one tested positive for diabetes. The children and adults were told to fast for eight hours before the screening.

Change in diet can help

Those with heightened blood sugar were advised to get a follow-up screening at the DMC Foundation or talk with their doctors about confirming the reading. It’s believed that young people with pre-diabetes can make changes in their diet and behavior to avoid Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Some teachers at the schools are also using activity folders to teach students about healthy eating and physical activity.

“Not everybody who is pre-diabetic is likely to become diabetic,” said Anne Stokman, program director for the DMC Foundation, which provides health education and services to the community. “But they have the opportunity to do something to prevent diabetes.”

The prevention program grew from a pilot project in 2005 and 2007 that involved diabetes screenings for about 1,700 seventh- and eighth-graders at five local schools. Twenty-three percent of the students had acanthosis ni- gricans, 40 percent of those screened for blood glucose had pre-diabetes and two students were positive for diabetes.

Since the warning signs were evident in junior high students, it seemed to make sense to start educating younger students in elementary schools, Stokman said. The Stanislaus County Office of Education is paying for the screening at elementary schools, and the county Childhood Obesity/Diabetes Prevention Task Force is providing education materials in English and Spanish.

The program is targeting fifth-graders at participating schools, but parents also have brought younger siblings to have them checked. The foundation will offer diabetes screening at middle schools in the spring.

Dora Razo of Modesto had a form of diabetes during pregnancy, which is considered a risk factor for her children, so she had her two sons screened at Chrysler school. “We need to be careful with it,” she said.

Cynthia Montoya signed the consent form for her son, Zackary, because her family has a history of diabetes. “So many of the kids don’t get checked,” she said. “If they come down with a health problem, they won’t do so well in school.”

The program recommends 60 minutes of activity every day for young people, whether it’s basketball, bicycling, baseball or softball, skating, soccer, jump rope, dancing or swimming. Television and computer games should be limited to no more than two hours a day.

Eating smart can also prevent diabetes. That means more whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, beans, lean meats and fish and low-fat dairy products. Children should cut back on chips and sweetened cereals, burgers and fries, candy, cookies and soft drinks.

Children should be screened regularly for diabetes if they are overweight, have signs of insulin resistance such as high cholesterol or acanthosis nigricans and have a family history of diabetes.

Bee staff writer Ken Carlson can be reached at kcarlson@modbee.com or 578-2321.

—–

To see more of The Modesto Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.modbee.com/.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Modesto Bee, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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On their journey back from working in Welch, registered dieticians Kellie Glass and Brandi Sentz were inspired to write their own kind of “diet” book.”We were driving home one cold, nasty day in February and we thought, ‘What can we do to add to our business and spread the word?’” Glass recalls.

“We decided that we tell people the same thing, all the time,” Sentz added. “Everybody says, ‘I can’t eat the foods I grew up on,’ or ‘These new foods don’t taste good.’”

“How to Eat Fried Chicken and Be Thin, Too,” started taking shape during the car trip back to their respective homes in Chesapeake, Ohio, and Ashland, Ky.

“The main message of the book is that you can still have the cultural foods that you grew up on, if you just make some simple changes in your lifestyle and cooking,” Sentz said.

“How to Eat Fried Chicken and Be Thin, Too,” published by Strategic Book Publishing in New York, contains 34 of the dieticians’ favorite family recipes that have been modified to contain less fat and cholesterol and improve their nutrition.

Glass, 31, grew up in Williamson, before moving to Charleston when she was in junior high. After graduating from George Washington High School, she attended the University of Kentucky, where she received a bachelor’s degree in dietetics.

She has been a registered dietician for eight years.

Sentz, a graduate of Nicholas County High School, received her bachelor’s degree in family and consumer science with a concentration in human nutrition and foods from West Virginia University. She then got a master’s degree in family and consumer science with a minor in nutrition from Marshall University.

Sentz, 32, has been a practicing dietician for nine years but has been interested in nutrition since high school.

“I originally wanted to work with eating disorder patients,” Sentz said. But I really enjoy what I’m doing now. I love my job.”

The two met in 2001 while working as outpatient dieticians at Huntington’s VA Medical Center. They started their Ashland-based company, NutriSense Nutrition Consulting LLC, in October 2003. They also have facilities in West Virginia and Ohio.

“We just became really good friends and we started looking at opening our own business,” Glass said.

Glass and Sentz travel around the Tri-State area providing nutritional assessments and evaluations, as well as menus and personal guidance for patients.

They contract with hospitals, autism services, hospice, nursing homes, assisted living homes, American Electric Power and even McDonald’s restaurants.

They used their experience as nutritional consultants to make small changes to family recipes for their book.

Sentz, who grew up in Canvas, said she has two favorite recipes in the book: oven-fried chicken and pumpkin bread, both inspired by her grandmother’s recipes.

“I remember going to Grandma’s on Sunday afternoons for dinner and having mashed potatoes and green beans,” Sentz said. “I grew up on this type of food.”

“My favorite recipe is my grandma’s deviled eggs,” Glass said. “We take out half of the egg yolk, which lowers the fat and cholesterol content, and use low-fat mayo.”

Glass said food and family go hand in hand.

“In our area, food is very important and family recipes are very important,” she said. However, obesity, diabetes and heart disease also plague these areas.

“We show them that they can eat those things, maintain taste, but make them healthier,” Glass said. “It’s not just about what you eat.”

The book includes information about nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management, all of which are important components to battling obesity and living a healthy life, according to Glass.

Sentz said they would like to write a second book, possibly focusing on children.

“It’s not just a cut-and-dried issue of eating less and exercising more,” Glass said. “It’s a lifestyle change.

“The small changes you make can make a big difference in the quality of your life.”

The book sells for $11.95 at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com.

Contact writer Elaine McMillion at elaine.mcmillion@dailymail.com or 304-348-4872

—–

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Copyright (c) 2009, Charleston Daily Mail, W.Va.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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Most Canadians say they know too much salt isn’t healthy, but many don’t do anything to reduce their salt intake, researchers say.Anna Farmer and Diana Mager of the University of Alberta say their survey of 890 people indicates 85 percent understood too much sodium can lead to health problems but fewer than half were aware of how much salt was too much.

“It’s good news that Canadians understand some of the issues around excessive sodium consumption, and that at least half are willing to adjust their behavior to reduce salt use,” Farmer said in a statement. “Most respondents in this survey understood that canned or processed foods are among the highest sources of dietary sodium. But the results also show that there’s still room for more education.”

Farmer said she wants to see salt-reduction messages aimed at young adults, ages 18-24. Fewer people in this age group understood that salt is the major contributor to total sodium consumed, or that foods cooked from scratch are generally lower in sodium.

Teenagers can decrease their risk of diabetes by eating less sugar and more fiber, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California and published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.Researchers divided 66 overweight Latino teenagers into three groups.

The first group was assigned to take a once-a-week nutrition class for 16 weeks; the second was assigned to the same class as well as twice-a-week strength training; and the third group was not assigned to any behavioral modifications.

All participants were told that the study was an investigation into the effect of diet on diabetes risk, and received both regular phone calls and non-health related incentives to encourage them to stick with the study.

The nutrition classes focused on directing the participants to reduce their sugar intake and increase their fiber intake.

The researchers found that sugar intake decreased by an average of 55 percent in all three groups, and fiber intake increased by an average of 59 percent in all three groups. The researchers speculated that teenagers in the control group might have modified their behavior because they knew the purpose of the experiment.

“Given that the (control) group demonstrated similar dietary changes as the intervention groups, our results suggest that intensive interventions may not be necessary to achieve modifications in sugar and fiber intake,” the researchers wrote. “Accordingly, nutritional guidance given in the primary care or community setting may be sufficient to promote the suggested dietary changes in some individuals.”

Teenagers who reduced their intake of sugar experienced a significant reduction in blood levels of both glucose and insulin, significant risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. Their insulin secretion decreased by an average of 33 percent.

Teenagers who increased their fiber intake experienced significant decreases in both weight and body fat.

Visceral fat, also a diabetes risk factor, decreased by 10 percent.

Originally published by Dr. Steven J. Kamego.

(c) 2009 Herald; Rock Hill, S.C.. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

Thousands of independent studies in the past three years have revealed a strong connection between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk for a variety of serious illnesses including as many as 22 forms of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis, as well as common colds and flus.This is especially critical to Canadians since as many as 97 per cent of us are vitamin D deficient at some point during the year. Limited sun exposure at northerly latitudes requires that we turn our attention to obtaining sufficient amounts of this essential hormone for good health.

Here are some easy tips to follow to ensure that your vitamin D levels are adequate year round:

Get It Checked! Ask your doctor for a routine vitamin D blood test. Almost every Canadian will be vitamin D deficient in the winter, so getting your D tested is critically important. Vitamin D scientists now recommend that your vitamin D blood levels measure 100-150 nanomoles/litre in concentration. You need a “calcidiol” test to measure this. Once you achieve this level, you may require 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily or more to maintain optimal vitamin D status. Ask your doctor for a vitamin D “calcideiol” test or for a home vitamin D test go to www.GrassRootsHealth.net.

Know where you get your ‘D’. Supplements are helpful, but UVB exposure from sunlight is by far the most abundant and natural source of vitamin D. Most supplements don’t come close to reaching the vitamin D levels achieved naturally through summer sun exposure and since vitamin D experts are now recommending levels that can only be naturally maintained with regular exposure to the sun, exposure in a non-burning fashion should be considered. The UV index must be above three and your shadow should be shorter than you - ideally around noon - in order for the skin to produce vitamin D. This is why October through March in much of Canada is often referred to as “Vitamin D Winter” - sunlight during that time is too weak to produce any vitamin D at all.

Be judicious with sunscreen. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 8 or greater will block UVB light that produces vitamin D. Sunscreen should only be used when sunburn is possible or you will be blocking vitamin D production without reason.

Take a vitamin D supplement daily. GrassRoots Health’s “D- action” panel - 30 of the world’s leading researchers on vitamin D - recommend a supplement of up to 6,000 IU daily or the amount required to increase vitamin D blood levels to 100-150 nanomoles- per-litre.

Ensure regular intake of vitamin D-rich foods. Among the most vitamin D-rich foods which range from 100 to 1,000 IU are: fish liver oils, salmon, mackerel, sardines, shrimp and tuna. Fortified sources such as milk may have up to 100 IU in an 8-ounce glass.

Consider responsible use of suntan beds. Canadians with skin that can suntan can viably use tanning beds to increase vitamin D levels, especially from October to March when UVB light outdoors is weak. A full-body suntan can make 10,000-20,000 IU of vitamin D; however, the key is to avoid sunburn. Research shows that indoor tanners have adequate vitamin D levels as a result and have 90 percent higher vitamin D levels as compared to non-tanners.

November is Vitamin D Awareness Month in Canada. For more information

about the benefits of vitamin D visit:

www.vitaminDsociety.org

www.GrassRootsHealth.org

www.VitaminDcouncil.org

(c) 2009 Canada Newswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

Whatever you think about Washington’s effort to change the way health care in America is dispensed and funded, you probably weren’t expecting it to affect what you order in restaurants.But deep within the House Democrats’ 1,990-page health reform bill are several pages of provisions that would require chain restaurants and other food purveyors with 20 or more locations to list calorie counts beside each standard item on their menus, including those at drive-throughs.

According to Nation’s Restaurant News, per-serving calorie counts would also have to be displayed with items on chains’ buffets, salad bars, self-serve cases and cafeteria lines.

Standard items, the report said, are those offered at least 60 days a year.

Vending machines selling food and beverages would also fall under the labeling requirements. If buyers couldn’t see the nutritional information on the bottles, candy wrappers and chip bags, signs would have to be added “in close proximity” to each item or selection button disclosing the product’s calorie count, the bill says.

Consumers may be surprised to learn that the National Restaurant Association supports the proposals, saying a national standard governing nutrition labeling is preferable to a patchwork of state and local regulations.

The purpose of putting calorie counts on menus, where diners can see them as they’re ordering, is to encourage people to make better food choices, of course.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 66 percent of American adults are overweight or obese, conditions that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other costly health problems.

Without opposition from the powerful restaurant industry, and driven by the demand to reduce health care costs, the menu-labeling proposals are likely to pass.

But here’s the question: Will you and I stop ourselves from ordering Chili’s hot spinach-and-artichoke dip if we know it’s 1,040 calories?

Would you trade your daily Starbucks Caffe Mocha for a plain nonfat latte if the menu board reminded you every morning that you’d be saving 200 calories?

The answers may not be as clear-cut as we’d hope.

New York City last year instituted the country’s first fast-food menu-labeling requirements, and two reports on the impact of the new law last month were contradictory.

The first, conducted by professors from New York University and Yale, studied consumers in poor minority neighborhoods who ate at four major fast-food chains. A study of their receipts showed no change in calorie consumption, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which supported the study.

But preliminary results of the second study, done by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, showed that customers who read calorie postings consumed about 106 fewer calories than those who didn’t.

That doesn’t seem like a big change.

But for those of us hoping we can still fit into last year’s winter slacks, it couldn’t hurt.

___

(c) 2009, Detroit Free Press.

Visit the Freep, the World Wide Web site of the Detroit Free Press, at http://www.freep.com.

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Ever wonder why it’s sometimes hard to enjoy good-for-you foods?Here’s a hint: it’s not the taste. It’s the price.

Fresh fruits, crunchy veggies and lean meats are becoming some of the highest-priced foods in grocery stores. Meanwhile, heavily processed foods sport prices that appear more appealing to the college student living on her own or the financially strapped mother of four looking for a bargain in a sour economy.

However, it is possible to eat healthy — without paying the price — by putting health first, shopping smart and making the most from your meals.

Health first

Avoiding pre-packaged, wildly “manipulated” foods can be easy if you make good health the primary focus when visiting the grocery store.

Dr. Paul Mach of the Holistic Healthcare Alliance in Springfield says putting health first means considering the nutritional value gained when paying an extra dollar for organic foods.

“A five-pound bag of organic carrots may be a dollar more than regular carrots,” Mach says. “But when you compare nutritional value — for example, a $3 bag verses a $4 bag — the $3 bag is not going to give you the color, flavor or nutrients you will get with a $4 bag of organic carrots. From this perspective, you’re actually getting more for your money because of the density of the nutrients and the flavor, taste and overall quality of the product.”

Shopping smart

For some shoppers, however, the buck stops with the numbers on the price tag. This is when savvy shopping comes in handy.

Cost comparisons are one way to shop smart and avoid the financial pitfalls that can come with healthy living.

Christina Rollins, a clinical dietician with Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, says customers should look at the unit price when shopping for bargains.

“The price tag will read ‘price per unit,’” she says. “When you compare price per serving, you’re actually getting more servings when you buy fresh produce. For example, you can buy a bag of potatoes for a higher price, but a bag of potatoes will give you more servings and more nutritional value than buying a box of processed potatoes.”

Farmer’s markets are also great money-savers for fresh food items.

“When you compare the costs of fresh produce at a farmer’s market with the cost of produce sold at local grocery stores, you will often find that fruits and vegetables in season are usually sold at a cheaper price,” Mach says.

Rollins says some farmers markets sell large tomato plants for $3, which buyers can then plant in their gardens.

“Gardening is great exercise,” she says. “Farmers markets allow you to eat healthy, stay active and support your local food growers at a low price.”

In addition to farmers markets, grocery stores sell some fruits and vegetables at lower prices than others. Mach says apples — in season — are generally reasonably priced. Blueberries are also a less-expensive option.

Kelly Powell, a dietician at the Southern Illinois University Department of Internal Medicine, says apples can be as cheap as 19 cents per pound when in season. Avoiding packaged fruits such as apples that have been pre-cut or pre-sliced can also save a bundle.

“Don’t pay for someone else’s labor,” Powell says.

Vegetables such as spinach, carrots, celery and potatoes can satisfy your midafternoon cravings without emptying your wallet.

Relatively inexpensive protein items include organic chicken and beef.

“You can buy chicken fresh in bulk,” Rollins says.

“Ground chuck or ground turkey are some of the cheaper meat items.”

When buying meat, Rollins also suggests looking for the words “round” or “loin,” such as “ground round” or “pork loin,” to save money.

Making meals last

Shopping savvy goes hand in hand with knowing how to get the most from your meals. Mach lists several ways to help shoppers make their portions last.

“Cooking with brown rice is a smart way to get the most from what you buy at the store,” he says. “I’ll take some rice and put several servings into a baggie. Then I’ll put it into the freezer to stir- fry later in the week with some vegetables.”

And don’t throw out those extra vegetables from dinner. Veggies that were cooked the night before make a nice addition to omelets for the next morning’s breakfast.

Green bags, sold at some pharmacy stores, keep vegetables and fruits fresh longer. “It increases the length of time you can keep produce by slowing the ripening,” Powell says.

Rollins recommends seasoning meat and freezing it in individual servings to make store-bought food last.

“This works great for tacos or spaghetti,” she says. “You can also make meat your side dish. For instance, have a big salad with a 3-ounce side of pork loin.”

Fish, inexpensive when bought in bulk, can be seasoned and frozen to use for up to three meals.

- Sara Browning correspondent

What’s good for you?

* Blueberries: Blueberries are a low-calorie source of fiber and vitamin C, and may also improve short-term memory and promote healthy aging.

* Apples: Apples are an excellent source of pectin, a soluble fiber that can lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Fresh apples are also good sources of vitamin C — an antioxidant that protects your body’s cells from damage.

* Baby carrots: Very low in saturated fat and cholesterol and a good source of Vitamins A, B6, C and K, folate, iron, potassium and manganese.

* Spinach: Spinach is high in vitamins A and C and folate. The plant compounds in spinach may boost your immune system and may help keep your hair and skin healthy.

* Chicken and ground turkey: Although they can be high in cholesterol, chicken and ground turkey are low in sodium, and are good sources of Vitamin B6, protein, niacin and selenium.

* Pork loin: Similar benefits as chicken — and also high in cholesterol.

– Sources: MayoClinic.com, NutritionData.com

Farmers markets

* Illinois Products Farmers Market, Springfield

4-7 p.m. Thursdays (except Aug. 13 and 20), Illinois State Fairgrounds Commodities Pavilion, through Oct. 22.

* Old Capitol Farmers Market, Springfield

8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, Adams Street between Third and Fifth streets, through Oct. 31.

* Beardstown Farmers Market

3-6 p.m. the second Friday of the month, downtown square, through Oct. 9.

* Pana Farmers Market

4:30-7 p.m. Fridays on Third Street in front of Auto Zone and Tri- County Feed and Seed, through Oct. 23.

* Taylorville Farmers Market

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, downtown square, through Oct. 1.

Originally published by Sara Browning correspondent.

(c) 2009 State Journal Register. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.