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December 11, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

Fight Fatigue With Power Naps

If you have ever seen the Seinfeld episode entitled “The Nap,” you may know that no one knows the power of a good nap quite like George Constanza. When a glass window in his office prevents him from daytime slumber, George asks Jerry’s contractor to trick out the area underneath his desk with all the creature comforts required for a stress-free, uninterrupted nap, including a shelf for his alarm clock and a cup holder. Although this set up predictably backfires on George, one cannot fault him for his dogged pursuit of a good nap. Napping is a great way to fight fatigue and stay on top of things and research finds that they can also effectively reduce stress and risk of heart disease.

Naps Combat Sleep Deprivation
Sara C. Mednick, author of “Take A Nap! Change Your Life” says, “You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping. You reset the system and get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance. That’s what most people really need to stave off sleepiness and get an energy boost.” You also want to consider the length of your nap and the role it plays in its effect on the brain. A 20 minute nap, also referred to as the stage 2 nap, is recommended for remaining alert and sharpening motor learning skills like playing an instrument or typing. Longer naps help aid memory and improve creativity. Thirty to sixty minute naps-slow-wave sleep- enhance skills dealing with decision making and memorization of vocabulary or directions. REM sleep, which usually comes after 60 to 90 minutes of napping, helps the brain to form connections and solve creative problems.

Naps or Coffee
Who needs naps when you’ve got caffeine, right? Well, maybe not. Though a cup of java may improve alertness, caffeine can decrease your memory’s performance making you more likely to make mistakes and leave you cranky and unfocused.

Napping Tips
You may not put George Costanza- like strategy in planning your daily nap, but there are some tips to make the experience a little more beneficial.

Consistency
Schedule your naps. The best time for most people is in the middle of the day, between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m.

Speed
If you are not lucky enough to have a built in space for your alarm clock in your napping area, you can set your cell phone alarm clock to wake you up in 30 minutes or less. This will ensure you don’t wake up groggy.

Darkness
If you can’t nap in a dark room, you may want to wear an eye mask. Blocking light out will help you fall asleep more quickly.

Warmth
Body temperature drops when you sleep, so make sure you have a blanket handy if a snooze is on the agenda.

If you are a proud napper, we would love to hear all about your experiences. What is your favorite place to nap and what are your suggestions for a great nap? Let us know!

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December 10, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

The Daily Challenges Of Night Owls

If one is really interested in the daily challenges of “night owls,” perhaps they should ask Gene Simmons. After all, it is he who is responsible for writing the iconic lyrics to Kiss’ 1970’s hit single, “Rock n Roll All Night,” the song responsible for turning the conservative world on its head. If it weren’t rebellious enough to wear six-inch platforms and model lewd facial expressions, Kiss added insult to injury by daring to challenge to concept of a 9-5 time schedule. As if by just staying up late, you too would gain rock star status and cause your parents to lose as much sleep as you. But, as with everything else that’s fun to do, staying up late does come with downsides.

It Starts with Chronotypes
Chronotype is the term researchers use to describe differences in when we prefer to be active. As a whole, we tend toward “morningness” in our early years, move toward “eveningness” in adolescence and then shift back toward “morningness” in later years. A study published in Pediatrics, polled 7th to 12th graders about alertness, sleepiness, planning and task completion. The study found that having the evening chronotype and greater daytime tiredness had a large impact on the child’s behavioral and emotional well being. It also found that the eveningness chronotype was more often associated with risk- taking behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use, and was also associated with health risks, like diabetes and mood disorders.

Can We Change This?
Even though we may have variations in the way our bodily clocks are set, the settings are not inalterable. Studies show that the body’s clock can be affected by its reaction to light and that light therapy and limiting and scheduling exposure to light can be very effective.

How?

Morning Sun
First thing in the morning is the best time to grab you some bright sunlight. Natural light early in the day can reset your circadian rhythm and get you in sync with the movements of the sun.

No Blue Light After Dinner
It may seem to be beyond possible to eliminate all artificial light from your nightly habitat, but studies show that even very brief exposure to blue light in the evening can lead to up to 30 minutes of sleep delay. Exposure to artificial light delays the body’s natural release of melatonin and also limits the supply to the body throughout the night, making us more susceptible to interrupted sleep. What can you do to prevent this without eliminating all activity after 6 pm? Sunglasses with orange lenses effectively filter our blue light, and look really cool as well. Could that be Bono’s secret?

No Electronic Devices After Dinner
A 2014 National Sleep Poll showed that electronic devices account for 50% of sleep disorders. Can’t resist the urge to check for that late night booty call? Use glasses designed to filter blue light or consider downloading apps which are designed to shield against blue light from iPads, computers, and smart phones.

Natural and Bright Light During the Day
If you don’t have the good fortune of working in a brightly lit space, try taking a walk during your lunch break to make sure your body maintains a healthy rhythm and gets some Vitamin D exposure. You can also purchase a blue light device for your office or place of employment.

Although Gene Simmons doesn’t seem to have lost any sleep over the issue, (pun intended) you may want to work on regulating your bodily clock. Let us know if you have made any attempts to do so and what works for you (or doesn’t.) We love to hear from all you insomniacs and otherwise.

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December 8, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

Are You Ready To Go Sugar Free?

At a time when sugar added to processed food is blamed for a large part of the obesity epidemic in America today, it is hard to imagine any publication seriously advising us to consume more of it. In fact, the health conscious among us are probably more concerned with avoiding it. Going sugar-free is a big step, but if you would like to explore the possibility, here are some tips that may help create a sugar-free diet plan.

No Sweetened Drinks
Did you know a 12 oz soft drink can contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar? Cutting soda from your diet can significantly reduce your sugar level. In addition, it’s probably a good idea to stay away from candy, even if it is sugar free. These options often contain toxic sweeteners, the exceptions being those sweetened with stevia.

No Packaged Food
Even packaged organic products can contain relatively large amounts of sugar. You’ll probably do best by tossing these foods in the bin and not buying any more of them to resist temptation. Instead, make snacks at home, like hot cereal, eggs, toast, or homemade muffins. Fruits and veggies are also healthy options. It may be extra work, but think of how much money you will save to buy those really fabulous Christmas gifts!

Be Careful When Eating Out
Even if you choose a salad, beware, sugar abounds in salad dressings.When at a restaurant, grilled meats and roasted vegetables are probably your best bets for keeping sugar levels down.

Eat lots of Veggies and Protein
In the book, “The Mood Cure,” author Julie Ross recommends not only cutting out refined foods, but also adding good ones. She advises that you aim for 20-30 grams of protein at every meal and four to five cups of vegetables daily. Eating regular healthy meals will make you less likely to reach for that extra cookie or donut.

The two Teaspoons of Sugar Rule
If you’re finding it difficult to go completely cold turkey, you may want to start by using unrefined sweeteners like raw honey, pure maple syrup of coconut sugar. These contain vitamins and minerals and are less harmful to the body. They are also less addictive than regular sugar and have a much less significant effect on blood sugar levels. Dr. Nancy Appleton, author of “Suicide by Sugar,” found that you can allow yourself two teaspoons of sugar two to three times a day and still remain healthy. So if you’re really craving that extra sweetness, try adding a little honey to your tea or yogurt.

Do you think you’re ready for a sugar free diet plan? Let us know how you did with it! We would love to hear from all of you brave souls!

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December 6, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

You Should Eat More Bananas

It has been said that you should never make eye contact with another person while eating a banana. That really says a lot about bananas. Despite its physical disadvantage, not to mention a very short shelf life, bananas still rise. Perhaps it is because they have a thick skin? (ha) Joke about them as we may, bananas continue to be one of the most beloved and most importantly traded food in the world. So what is it about the yellow fruit that makes it so widely cherished? Is it the wonderful taste? The low maintenance? The ability to go so well with ice cream? Perhaps all of the above and perhaps some of the following health benefits of bananas:

Potassium
Bananas are loaded with potassium. That means they can counteract the negative effects of sodium on blood pressure and maintain heart function, lowering the risk of stroke and heart attack. In fact, even the US Food and Drug Administration has to concede that banana’s ability to regulate blood pressure is far more powerful that of any drug that produce. According to research conducted by the American Heart Association, bananas can cut the risk of stroll by 20%.

Increased Energy
If you are an avid tennis watcher, you may just find your favorite player munching on a banana between sets. That’s because the banana’s natural sugar and soluble fiber provide for a slow stable energy release. Bananas have a glycemic index of about 52, which gives them enough of a kick to the system without spiking blood sugar. They also contain about 24 g of carbs which increases with the banana’s ripeness.

Skin Conditions
Did you know banana skin can be effective in treating psoriasis and acne? Just rub a freshly peeled inside of the peel over the affected area and allow your skin to absorb the residue. The fatty acids in bananas can relieve a large variety of skin conditions.
You can also use a banana peel treatment to heal warts. Just rub a piece of banana peel over the wart and tape it firmly in place. Leave it on overnight every night for a week or until the wart disappears.

Improved Mood
If you have reservations about turkey this holiday season, you can get your tryptophan kick from bananas. The human body converts tryptophan into serotonin, which helps reduce stress,raise levels of happiness, and help regulate sleep patterns.

Vitamin B6
Just one banana contains a full fifth of the daily does of B6. That’s good news because B6 creates hemoglobin for healthy blood. It also plays a role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels,synthesizing amino acids and producing antibodies to help boost your immune system.

If you believe in the health benefits of bananas, we would love to get your input. We can never hear enough about banana appeel (appeal-get it?) We love to hear from you as always!

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December 1, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

Dealing with Morning Sickness

If you are experiencing, or have experienced, morning sickness, you will be no stranger to the ever present plastic bag in the purse, just in case. While morning sickness makes for funny stories, it is safe to say that the comedy element is hardly worth the discomfort and self effacement. If you are dealing with morning sickness, there may be a few ways of dealing with morning sickness more gracefully.

What Morning Sickness Means
While the exact causes are unclear, morning sickness is most popularly thought to be the result of the body’s reaction to human chorionic gonadotropin (hcg) otherwise known as the pregnancy hormone and is highest during the first trimester.

Although few sufferers would find it hard to label morning sickness as desirable, it may well be a good sign. Studies show that women with lower rates of morning sickness are more likely to miscarry. Dr. Jennifer Niebyl, head of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Iowa College of Medicine ,says that women with higher levels of hcg are at a lower risk for miscarriage.

Preventing Queasiness
It is well known that a sure way to fight cookie tossing is to lay off the cookies, or more literally, keeping and empty stomach. To prevent full blown nausea, it is best to eat small meals frequently rather than the usual three squares. You may want to munch some crackers as an alternative to a traditional breakfast, and if you find that taking prenatal vitamins on an empty stomach worsens your condition, try taking them at night.

Making the right food choices is equally as important. Anne Dubner, a registered dietician and nutrition consultant advises bland starches which are easily metabolized, like rice or pasta, for those dealing with morning sickness. She also suggests high protein foods, which takes longer to digest and remain in your system longer, Crackers with peanut butter and cheese may be the ideal snack for quelling queasiness, while spicy, greasy food and gassy veggies like cabbage might be less so. Says Elizabeth Ward, a registered Boston dietician, ” Don’t worry about not getting enough nutrition during the first trimester if you don’t have much of an appetite, either, because the nutritional needs of the fetus are still minimal.

Drinking fluids is also important because dehydration can be a serious consequence of morning sickness. Pregnant women are advised to drink a minimum of eight 8-oz glasses of liquid per day. If water doesn’t sit well, Dr. Miriam Erick, registered dietician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, recommends punch -packing carbonated drinks, such as Jamaican ginger beer and Schweppes. She also suggests red raspberry, spearmint, lemon, peach and chamomile herbal teas and says watermelon is a great “solid liquid” and may be effective as well.

Supplements
Ginger is another well known weapon again morning sickness. One study showed taking 250 mg ginger capsules 4 times a day was effective, but steeping ginger root in a cup of boiling water may be equally as helpful.

A study by Dr. Niebyl found that taking 25 mgs of vitamin B-6 thrice daily was helpful to a majority of women in helping to overcome moderate to sever morning sickness. Since the standard OTC B-6 vitamin contains a 50 mg dose, the doctor advises breaking it in half. Many women also swear by acupressure bands.

So what’s your go to for dealing with morning sickness? Eating right? Taking supplements? Or just keeping your Uggs handy? Please share your embarrassing morning sickness stories! We love to hear every cringe-worthy moment.

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November 29, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

The Beauty Of Poliosis

How we all wait for the day when our mother’s promises come true. When the features that we most wish we could be rid of become the envy of the ‘cool kids’ at school. When the thick heavy brows we spent our lifetimes trying to pluck into non- existence show up on the cover of Vogue, when the poliosis that made some a target for classroom bullies becomes an inspiration for the latest trend in hair.

What is Poliosis?
Poliosis is a condition resulting in the depigmentation of the hair. It can affect hair on the eyebrows, eyelashes, or head. It is caused by a decrease or lack of melanocytes and melanin in the hair bulbs of the affected follicles.
Poliosis may be mistaken for age- related hair graying. It can affect both men and women and is often associated with thyroid disease, chemotherapy, irradiation and malignancy.

Types of Poliosis

Genetic: Sometimes poliosis is inherited. White patches of hair can be present from the time of the baby’s birth and are caused by genetic issues, such as gene mutation.
Acquired: If poliosis is non-congenital, it may be due to a side effect of medical conditions that reveal themselves later in life.

Diagnosis
Although this disorder is not linked to any certain medical condition, it is important that it be properly diagnosed. Most healthcare professionals will do so by establishing the patient’s family history followed by a physical examination, nutritional and endocrinal surveys, a skin sample analysis, and a blood test.

Treatment
Although there is no “cure” for poliosis, there are a few preventive methods which include:

Elimination of factors that lead to the formation of white patches
Treating those factors.
Discontinuation of the use of antibiotics
Exposure to UV-B lamps
The application of Ammi magus lotion or ointment
Epidermal grafting on the depigmented skin under the white patch

The Beauty of Poliosis
One needs only to look at 23- year old Brianna Worthy to appreciate the beauty of poliosis. Brianna says, “I had several names, such as skunk, that kids would try to insult me with as a child. Sometimes it would bother me when I was younger, but I grew to end up really loving it in my hair and was confident that it was my own unique signature look.” And the biggest perk? Brianna’s daughter will carry on the legacy. Millianna was born with her own white streak making the mother-daughter duo one of the cutest teams ever seen.

Let us know your stand on poliosis! To dye or not to dye? Let us know!

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November 27, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

Optimal Brain Function Is The Key to Long Life

When songstress Grace Slick debuted her 1967 psychedelic rock masterpiece, “White Rabbit,” there was little doubt in the minds of her intended audience as to what she meant when she belted the infamous lyric: “feed your head.” Some 50 years later, things have certainly come full circle. Although to say many things have changed in the past 50 years is a bit of an understatement, we are still focused on expanding the mind, albeit with a healthier goal: longevity. Perhaps, we should take a closer look at the newer ways to “feed your head,” optimize brain function, and prolong your life.

Exercise
There’s nothing like a good walk for generating new ideas. Exercise gets your brain working at maximum capacity by increasing the level of nerve cells in your brain and protecting them from damage. Exercising also increases blood flow to the brain and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease. A 2010 Neuroscience study showed that monkeys who exercised learned tasks two times as quickly as those who did not. Those are some smart chimps!

Omega-3 Fats
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fat which makes up 25% of the portion of the brain that is made up of fats and is a crucial component of your retina. It is also a structural ingredient in breast milk, which is thought to be the reason breast-fed babies score tend to score higher on IQ tests than those fed on formula. One study found that by taking 800 mgs of DHA a day for four months resulted in increased verbal fluency and can help reduce psychiatric illness and brain disorders.

Coconut Oil
Ketone bodies or ketoacids are substances which can renew and restore your brain’s nerve function after it has been damaged. Coconut oil has been shown to contain about 66% of the primary source of ketone bodies. According to research, just over 2 tablespoons of coconut oil could prevent neurological diseases and treat those that are already established.

Woman sleeping

Sleep
Sleep helps the brain to remove mind blocks, help you get a new perspective on problems, and enhance creativity. Harvard research shows that directly after sleeping, people are 33% more likely to make connections between ideas than before sleep. Sleep has also been shown to enhance memory and improve skill performance. In fact, as little as four to six hours of sleep can have a big impact on your clear thinking ability the following day, and we all could use that.

Gut Flora
Neurons in your gut produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, which are also found in the brain and influence mood. Therefore, gut health can have an impact on your psyche, behavior and brain function.Healthy gut bacteria depends on your diet. If your diet consists of processed foods, your gut flora bacteria are likely not to perform as well. The best way to keep your gut flora at an optimal level is to limit processed food and sugar and take probiotic supplements.

It just goes to show, the more things change the more they stay the same. Let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! Really!

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Stressed woman rubbing eyes at work desk

November 26, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

Stress, Lack Of Sleep, and Overeating

Well, the holidays are upon us again, and it is time for silent nights and visions of sugar plums and all that good stuff. Time for senses are assailed with images of Santa riding around on his sleigh coming to the houses of good children and rewarding them with treasure and eating their cookies. Surely, this couldn’t be too good. Firstly, he must be super stressed, and, secondly, those hours couldn’t possibly be healthy. No wonder he’s eating all those cookies. Do you catch yourself with the hand in the cookie jar late at night, even after a big meal? If you do you’re likely to gain weight and even develop health problems. If your find yourself a sleepless, stressed out, and overeating, it may be caused by a hormone imbalance.

Hormones
According to Dr. Mark Hyman, the underlying cause of night eating is biology. He believes it is caused by an imbalance in the hormones that regulate appetite and speculates that the key to ending your late night cravings lies within understanding how to balance them.

Insulin: Insulin is produced to process sugar. If insulin spikes and then crashes after eating, it makes you hungry, even if your meal is relatively healthful.
Leptin: Leptin is the hormone that sends a signal to your brain letting you know that you are full. If you eat a lot of sugar, flour, or processed food, your brain may become leptin resistant and not know when to put the brakes on your appetite.
Ghrelin: This is the hunger hormone which tells your brain to eat.
Peptide YY: This hormone is produced in your intestines and also sends signals to your brain when you’re full.
Cortisol: Also known as the stress hormone, cortisol can cause your blood sugar and insulin to rise making you hungrier and setting the stage for insulin resistance or pre- diabetes.

Woman eating breakfast

What Can You Do?

Eat Breakfast
If you’re binging at night, you probably won’t want to eat a good breakfast because you wake up full. If you’re are going to break the cycle, start the day with a high protein breakfast to keep your blood sugar even throughout the day.

Soothe the Stress
Stress causes overeating. Learn which methods of stress reduction work best for you. Deep breathing, exercise and yoga can all be effective relaxation techniques. They help to balance hormones, stop cravings, and maintain good sleeping habits.

Prioritize Sleep
Not sleeping drives up grehlin (the hunger hormone) and drives down PYY (the ‘I’m full’ hormone.) This means if you don’t sleep, you’ll be hungry, especially for sugar and carbs. Late night eating leads to bad food choices, so try to make sleep your number one late night activity.

Eat Regularly
Make sure to eat on a regular schedule, including three square meals. You can snack in between, but, remember, the body is a hormonal clock and needs a rhythm to keep it balanced.

We hope those visions of sugarplums aren’t keeping you up at night. Let us know your sleep and stress issues! We love to hear from you! Send comments and suggestions.

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November 24, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

Foods That Help Regulate Blood Pressure

Fitness guru Jack Lalanne once said, “High blood pressure is from all this high-fat eating. Would you get your dog up in the morning of a cup of coffee and a donut? Probably millions of Americans got up this morning with a cup of coffee and a donut. No wonder they are sick and fouled up.” Lalanne really knew a thing or two about keeping healthy and regulating high blood pressure. The link between diet and high blood pressure is very real. If you’re dealing with hypertension, you may know that the DASH diet, which consists of foods low in sodium and high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium, is recommended to normalize and prevent high blood pressure, but there are also some specific foods have a healthy effect.

Dairy
Studies published in the Journal of Human Hypertension reported that Australian researchers found a connection between reduced risk of high blood pressure and low fat dairy foods with low fat yogurt and milk as the strongest players in the field. Although calcium content may contribute, it is more likely that other components, such as peptides, real eased in the digestion process, are responsible. It is uncertain why high fat dairy does not have the same effect, but the saturated fat may have something to do with it, or it is possible that low fat dairy eaters simply have a healthier lifestyle overall.

Flaxseed
A 2013 study published in the journal “Hypertension” found that flaxseed was among a variety of foods capable of reducing both diastolic (relaxation of the heart) and systolic (contraction of the heart) blood pressure. Why the flaxseed causes the blood pressure reduction is unclear, but it may be due to food’s levels of the compounds alpha linolenic acid, lignans, peptides. and fiber.

Olive Oil
A 2012 study which ran in the American Journal of Hypertension showed that young women with slightly high blood pressure levels might benefit from olive oil. Spanish researchers found a connection between the polyphenol rich oil and drops in diastolic and systolic blood pressure.

Woman eating chocolate

Chocolate
If you must consume those breakfast donuts, at least try to make sure it is of the devil’s food variety. A 2010 BMC meta-analysis showed that dark chocolate and cocoa products with flavanols were linked to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure among hypertension patients. Other research shows that the polyphenols in chocolate can help to form nitric oxide which widens blood pressure and eases blood flow.

Beets
Have you got the beets? According to a 2013 study published in Nutrition Journal, Australian researchers found that healthy men and women who drank beet juice plus apple juice had lower systolic blood pressure that those who drank plain apple juice. The reason? Beets contain nitrates, which naturally ease blood pressure.

Pistachios
A 2013 “Hypertension” journals study found that participants who ate one serving of pistachios for four weeks saw a reduction in systolic blood pressure. However, those who ate 2 servings did not see as much of a reduction. The reason for the difference in results was not clear, but it may be due to an increase in the amount of blood pumped from the heart caused by the higher nut dosage.

So, there’s the lineup. We hope that you found something on the list that gets your blood unpumping. Let us know what works for your hypertension and if any do the above did the trick, we love to hear from you.

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November 20, 2016 by Victoria Santalesa

Count Carbs To Manage Your Glucose Levels

Celia Rivenbank, author of “Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like A Skank: And Other Words Of Delicate Southern Wisdom, cites the derivation of the word carbohydrates as, “from the Latin, carbo, which means “yummy” and hydrates which means “cinnamon bun.” and allows that they “are not something I can eliminate or even drastically cut back on.” While many of us may echo this sentiment, food science dictates that the term carbohydrates represents any food that is rich in the complex carbohydrate starch, or simple carbohydrates like sugar. Put the two definitions together and you get bad news for someone who is trying to lower his or her glucose level.

When it comes to controlling blood glucose levels, counting carbohydrates works the best of any system, including counting calories and avoiding sugar. This is because carbohydrates are what are responsible for rising glucose levels right after meals. If you take insulin, counting carbs allows you to match the doses of insulin to the foods you eat, providing for greater dietary flexibility and countering post meal lows and highs. A study done by the Texas School of Allied Health sciences found that people who ate regulated amounts of carbohydrates lowered their blood glucose level by 55 ml/dl.

Carb Counting 101

Read Labels
Luckily, the FDA requires manufacturers to list nutritional information and ingredients on food labels, including carbohydrates. Total carbohydrate represents everything in the food that is carbohydrate including starch, fiber, sugar, and sugar alcohol. Look at the number next to the g (grams). The percentage that follows is not relevant to carb counting. For a most accurate reading, subtract the fiber grams from the carb count because fiber does not raise blood glucose and subtract half the grams of sugar alcohol because sugar alcohols affect glucose levels half as much as other carbs. Also, remember to adjust for servings.

Check Listings
If you are buying foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables that do not carry a label, printed and electronic nutrient listings are available in booklet form, as downloads and on the internet. They can also be downloaded to a personal digital assistant, so you can have access to nutritional information in grocery stores and restaurants.

Estimate Portions
Portion conversion is a method involving estimating the serving of food by comparing it to a common object. For example, you know that a cup of cooked pasta has about 40 grams off carbs. You estimate that the portion on your plate in 1 1/2 cup by comparing it to a 12 oz. soft drink can.

Here are some handy measuring devices: The fist of an average adult is equal to one cup, a child’s fist is equal to a half cup, a deck of cards is equal to 1/3 cup, and a 12 ounce soda can is equal to 1 1/2 cups. Of course, it this tool works best when you have the objects in front of you, but with practice, you will find that you can eyeball it down fairly accurately.

If you are monitoring your glucose level, we hope this has been helpful. Let us know how you do it! Good luck and good health! We love to hear from you, as always!

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