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• eating healthy
• healthy eating
• Eating healthy this fall
• Healthy eating this fall

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Fall can be a time of festivals, pumpkin patches, get togethers, football games and many more events where food plays a huge role in the activities of the day.  If you are like most people you want to watch what you eat during the fall season, as you know that the holidays are just around the corner – which means more overeating!

But even though fall is synonymous with fattening foods there are some fall food items that can help you to slim down. 

One of these foods is the apple.  Apples are low in calories and high in fiber (95 calories and 4 grams of fiber per medium fruit) and are great tasting!  In a recent study, dried apples have been found to help people lose weight and lower their cholesterol. 

Another great fall slimming food is the squash (and who doesn’t love squash from butternut to acorn?)  Just one cup of cooked squash packs 214 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin A and a third of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C.  Squash are also only 80 calories per cup –compared to its more fattening fall friend the sweet potato at 180 calories per cup. 

Broccoli is another great fall slimming food – a cup of broccoli is just 31 calories and 2.4 grams of fiber.  Plus, experts say that when you add fresh vegetables to any food you tend to eat fewer calories so you can add broccoli to virtually any meal to decrease your caloric intake.

Lastly, there is kale.  These days dark, leafy vegetables like kale is the go-to when you are talking about healthy foods.  Kale is packed with vitamin A, loads of fiber and isothiocyanates that help your body to detoxify.

• October Fitness Challenge
• Fitnes challenge

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Follow this day-by-day workout schedule to be healthier by Halloween.

Day 1: 100 Jumping Jacks

Day 2: 50 Squats

Day 3: 30 Burpees

Day 4: 50 Lunges

Day 5: 100 Jumping Jacks

Day 6: 60 Crunches

Day 7: 60 Squats

Day 8: 30 Tricep Dips

Day 9: 30 Push-ups

Day 10: 110 Jumping Jacks

Day 11: 70 Squats

Day 12: 30 Burpees

Day 13: 60 Lunges

Day 14: 110 Jumping Jacks

Day 15: 80 Squats

Day 16: 40 Tricep Dips

Day 17: 40 Push-ups

Day 18: 120 Jumping Jacks

Day 19: 70 Crunches

Day 20: 90 Squats

Day 21: 30 Burpees

Day 22: 70 Lunges

Day 23: 130 Jumping Jacks

Day 24: 100 Squats

Day 25: 45 Tricep Dips

Day 26: 50 Push-ups

Day 27: 140 Jumping Jacks

Day 28: 80 Crunches

Day 29: 110 Squats

Day 30: 40 Burpees

Day 31: 80 Lunges

• benefits of pumpkin
• pumpkin health benefits
• nutrition of pumpkins
• Healthy pumpkin recipe

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

• Many people do not know that pumpkins are made up of 90 percent water.
• Pumpkins also contain other great nutritional aspects including potassium and vitamin A.
• The bright orange color of pumpkins also tells us that they are a great source of the important antioxidant, beta carotene.

Recipe: Traditional Pumpkin Pie

• 1 ¾ cups (one 15oz. can) unsweetened pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

(For crust us a pre-made store bought crust or a homemade crust) In a small heavy saucepan, stir the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt together until mixed.  Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick and shiny.  Scrape the mixture into a mixer or food processor for 1 minute. With the motor on, add the milk and cream, mixing until incorporated completely.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just to incorporate, about 5 seconds after each egg.  When you add the last egg, also add the vanilla. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell.  Bake the pie for 50 - 60 minutes at 375 degrees. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Soup 

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 4 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 whole black peppercorns 

Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.  Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.  Return to pan and bring to boil again.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered.  Stir in heavy cream.  Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

• living with arthritis
• signs of arthritis
• foods to avoid arthritis

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

While there is no compelling evidence that one type of arthritis reacts differently to foods over another type, doctors do advise against eating certain foods to help alleviate some symptoms.

Here are some foods to avoid if you have arthritis:

• Fried foods
• Processed foods
• Salty foods
• Spicy foods
• Red meat
• Tomatoes
• Foods containing gluten.

In addition to these foods, you should also avoid drinking alcohol and using tobacco products.

• Suicide prevention
• Suicide warning signs
• Warnng signs of suicide

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

(Continued from Part I…)

Care – Show you care. The context of caring makes it a lot easier to ask the hard questions about suicide. By actively listening and engaging, without judgment, you are showing that you care – this might just be enough to help the person feel relief and that they are not alone.

Escort – When someone acknowledges that they are feeling suicidal or hopeless, care enough to connect them to the nearest helping resource. Do not leave them alone! If possible, separate them from methods of harm.

Resources that are available 

• Take the person to the nearest Emergency Room, where they will receive a full suicide assessment and receive needed care. If the person is hesitant to receive emergency healthcare, call 911.
• Call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and follow their guidance. You can also visit their website, suicidepreventionlifeline.org for further information.
• If the person you know has a mental health professional that they see, help them schedule an urgent appointment. If they do not have an existing connection with a mental health professional, help them make an urgent appointment with their family physician. 

This year Suicide Prevention Week is celebrated September 10 – 16. The week is about prevention awareness but it is also about reducing the stigma surrounding suicide and encourage the pursuit of mental health assistance, such as therapy.