You Are What You Eat

The average American gains a pound every holiday season, but that
extraweight usually stays on for good.

The holidays can be hard on the body. Not only have you been holed
up for weeks but the season can seem like one long pig-out. Starting with
the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, the calendar runs through holiday
parties, Christmas supper, New Year's chips and dips, Super Bowl snacks
and Valentine's Day candies. And though you've dedicated yourself to
losing weight, the very idea of dieting leaves you glum.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way. Changing the way you
eat this spring can not only undo the damage of holidays past but also
even give your mood a boost.

One great myth of holiday nutrition is that excessive eating packs
on the pounds. But in a recent study published in the New England Journal
of Medicine, researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
and Kidney Diseases reported that the average holiday-season weight gain
for American adults is just one pound. The bad news is that, for most
people, that weight is there for good. In fact, the study showed that the
average adult gained 1.5 pounds each year. Like a slowly rising tide,
weight gained at that speed is hard to notice. But it means adding 10
pounds every seven years.

There's no better time than spring to shed that added weight. As
always, you should consult with your doctor to find a diet that matches
your age, body type and level of fitness. Often, the recommended course
isn't a crash diet but a commitment to a long-term change in eating
habits.

Healthier eating shouldn't be a project, but a lifestyle. Granted,
eating sensibly won't help you shed pounds overnight. But just as weight
accumulates over time, experts believe the most successful way to lose it
is to work gradually.

But what about the psychological boost from eating a slice of pecan
pie? Many people can't stick to diets precisely because bad food makes
them feel good. If you want to change your brain chemistry for the
better, however, studies suggest that you don't have to blow your diet.
Research by Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in Cambridge indicates that within half an hour of eating a
handful of baked potato chips or pretzels, the brain receives a surge of
serotonin, a naturally occurring chemical that provides a sense of
well-being. Adding a small midafternoon snack to a nutritious diet can
help you get through the day and achieve a healthier weight.

The secret is in the oil (of oregano, that is)

Eating right doesn't only make you feel good: Some foods and
supplements have powerful germ-fighting abilities. Researchers believe
that spicy foods became popular in the tropics because the spices keep
bacteria at bay and foods from spoiling.

The oil of the oregano plant has received some recent attention as
a natural means to combat bacterial and fungal infections. Researchers at
the University of Tennessee compared the power of various spices in
fighting off common food borne microbes, including E. coli and Listeria.
The results were startling: Oil of oregano seemed to completely inhibit
the growth of harmful organisms. Cass Ingram, M.D., author of The Cure is
in the Cupboard, says that oil of oregano can treat conditions ranging
from acne and earaches to varicose veins. Ingram even suggests taking a
few drops before eating in a restaurant to fight off any bacteria that
might lurk in the salad bar.