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• Cranberry benefits
• health benefits of cranberries
• cranberry recipes

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

• Cranberries contain high amounts of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. They also include only 45 calories per cup.
• Cranberry's juice can be used for the prevention of urinary tract infections and bacterial adhesion in the stomach.
• The same bacteria preventing ability of the cranberry juice can avert the formation of plaque, which leads to fewer cavities.

Recipe: Easy Cranberry Bread

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon, rind of
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 3/4 cups cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add egg, finely grated orange peel, lemon peel, and orange juice all at once; carefully stir until the mixture is evenly moist. Fold in cranberries. Spoon and spread evenly into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Recipe: Cranberry Sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
• Optional: Pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.

Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse them. Pick out and discard any damaged or bruised cranberries. Put the water and sugar in a medium saucepan on high heat and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add the cranberries to the pot and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the cranberries have burst.  Once the cranberries have burst you can leave the cranberry sauce as is or dress it up with other ingredients. We like to mix in a half a cup of chopped pecans with a few strips of orange zest. Some people like adding raisins or currants, or even blueberries for added sweetness. You can also add holiday spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice. Remove the pot from heat. Let cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to a bowl to chill in the refrigerator.

• healthy eating
• healthy fish
• Safe fish

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Whether you celebrate the feast of seven fishes on Christmas Eve, or if you are just looking to eat healthier, many people will be checking out the seafood aisles this season.  While choosing the perfect fish can be a little confusing at times, it boils down to choosing a fish with the least amount of mercury.  Mercury in fish has been linked to brain and nervous system damage. Here are some ways to keep your mercury levels in check:

• Pass on shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish as these fish have longer life spans and tend to eat other fish, absorbing the mercury in their prey.
• Eat approximately 12 ounces a week of canned light tuna, Pollock, salmon and catfish because they tend to have a shorter life span and feed on aquatic plants, worms and insects.
• Check out your state's website to determine how mercury-laden the local fish can be.

• Healthy ways to de-stress
• Tips to de-stress

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

The holidays can be the most joyous AND the most stressful time of the year. Instead of driving yourself crazy and worrying your way through the season, use the following advice to help de-stress this year.

If you exchange gifts with friends, family or co-workers, decide ahead of time a pre-set spending limit that you will spend on each other.  By keeping this amount in mind when you are shopping it will be less stressful to you when you are searching for that perfect gift as you can eliminate certain gifts if necessary.

Don't try to do all the cooking for your get-togethers.  Instead delegate certain dishes to your different family members or guests and let them help take the stress off you when it comes to the meal.  You will not only get a break, but your guests will feel like they contributed to making the holiday special.

Watch your sugar intake over the holiday season.  Taking in too much sugar will not only lead to bloating, but it could also lead to depression.  By watching what sugary treats you eat this season you will also avoid having to lose those extra pounds that you may put on by eating those foods.

 Teach your children the value of gift-giving and the “reason for the season.”  Children do not need an abundance of gifts, instead by getting them a few memorable gifts you will be instilling in them happiness for what they do get.  This will also alleviate the stress of shopping every day for those items that will only be forgotten in a few days

Don't sweat it if things aren't “perfect.”  Believe it or not, your friends and family aren't interested in critiquing your tree, your decorations, your food or your gifts.  Stop stressing about making everything perfect and realize that this holiday is about the joys of spending time together and not the other minor details.

• healthy thanksgiving
• thanksgiving tips

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Avoid packing on the pounds this holiday season by figuring out how many calories are in your favorite meals using this handy, holiday calorie list.

Salads and Appetizers:

3 cups salad (with light dressing):  100 calories

½ cup JELLO with fruit: 120 calories

½ cup Waldorf salad: 110 calories

1 cracker with cheese: 70 calories

½ cup mixed raw vegetables: 25 calories

½ cup mixed nuts: 440 calories

1 oz. tortilla or potato chips: 150 calories (75 extra calories per tablespoon of dip)

Main Course:

6 oz. cured ham: 300 calories

6 oz. white and dark turkey: 340 calories

½ cup stuffing: 180 calories

½ cup cranberry sauce: 190 calories

½ cup mashed potatoes: 150 calories

½ cup gravy: 150 calories

½ cup green bean casserole: 225 calories

½ cup candied sweet potatoes: 150 calories

1 dinner roll: 110 calories (45 extra calories with one pat of butter)

Drinks:

1 mixed drink: 250 calories

1 glass of wine: 120 calories                                     

1 glass of cider: 120 calories

1 cup eggnog: 343 calories

Desserts:

2 small chocolate chip cookies: 150 calories

1-piece apple pie: 410 calories

1-piece pecan pie: 480 calories

1-piece pumpkin pie: 180 calories

½ cup whipped cream: 75 calories

½ cup ice cream: 145 calories

Leftovers:

1 turkey sandwich with mayo and cranberry sauce: 450 calories

1 open-face turkey sandwich with stuffing and gravy: 290 calories

• skin tips
• cold weather skin tips
• skin tips for cold weather

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

The winter months are some of the harshest months on your delicate skin.  But you can follow these tips to help protect your skin from the harshness of winter and your body will thank you for it.

Skin tips for cold weather

Don't forget the sunscreen. Just because the temperature drops don't mean the ultraviolet rays have gone away.  While the UVB rays are weaker, you shouldn't skimp on the sunscreen during the winter months.  Dermatologists suggest using a cream or moisturizer with an SPF of 30-year-round. 

Turn down the thermostat , just a few degrees.  Surprisingly people who spend most of their time outdoors aren't the ones with dry, peeling skin.  It is just the opposite.  Those people who spend their time indoors with indoor heat constantly are those who experience parched skin the most.  If you can, turn down the thermostat a few degrees and use a humidifier to put some moisture in the air.  This combination will help to replace some moisture in your skin and will alleviate parched skin.

Nutrients are key to quench dry skin.  While many people believe that drinking an abundance of water will help quench dry skin, dermatologists suggest that getting the appropriate nutrients is more important than downing water when it comes to healing dry skin.  Getting appropriate levels of omega-3 fatty acids through a diet rich in foods like salmon and halibut can help to combat skin dryness.

The acid in these types of fish lessens inflammation and plays a huge role in strengthening the lipid layer, thereby helping your skin retain its natural oils.

Skip the long, hot baths.  While a good long soak in a hot bath sounds like just what the doctor ordered after a day out in the elements, that hot bath is a big no-no when it comes to protecting your skin in the cold.  Taking a bath that is warmer than your body temperature opens up your pores and releases the moisture that your body desperately needs during the winter.  If you would like a bath over a shower, limit your time in the tub to about five minutes and be sure to use a creamy oil wash to give your skin that moisture back that it may lose.