As we get back into the groove of things and wake up from our winter hibernations - avoiding exercise, indulging in comfort foods, and adding extra pounds - we realize it's time to put away the bulky sweaters and ready ourselves for warmer weather.
With spring comes baseball games, weekend picnics, company crawfish boils, and patio parties, but unless you're careful to watch out for spring's most fattening foods, you may actually notice a few additional pounds rather than shedding your winter weight.
10 Most Fattening Foods for Spring:
1. Ice Cream!
Forget the toppings, candy mix-ins, and waffle cones. Instead stick with just a single scoop of your favorite flavor or better yet, choose frozen yogurt or sorbet. Decide to stock you freezer at home with calorie-controlled ice cream sandwiches or bars and maybe even try the new light ice creams. To me, they taste like the premium brands.
2. Chocolates
Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, need I say more. Chocolate is everywhere come Spring and while dark chocolate does show some health benefits in small portions, like an ounce a day. Although they are cute and delicious, try to steer clear of eating the whole chocolate bunny.
3. Seasonal Beverages
Margaritas, iced coffees, ice cream drinks, tropical cocktails and smoothies - beware. Liquid calories add up quickly, especially with a few margaritas under your belt. Be sure to know what is going into your drink and limit the high-calorie offenders.
4. Passover Desserts
Calorie landmines! Passover desserts usually are made with nuts, chocolate, and coconut. A bite or two won't hurt, and instead try to have fruit for dessert.
5. Coconut
You'll find coconut in Spring dishes everywhere. Whether it's shrimp, cream pies, cookies, cakes or smoothies, coconuts are still very high in saturated fat and calories. Stay away from the coconut laden dishes and instead settle for a sprinkle over top here and there for added texture and flavor.
6. Hot Dogs
Whether you like yours plain, with relish, or smothered in chili and cheese, try to limit it to one hot dog with one topping. A hot dog alone is loaded with plenty of sodium and is high in fat.
7. Brunches
Casseroles, quiches, sausage, cheese, butter, cream, cinnamon rolls, pastries, the list goes on. In lieu of hurting feelings or missing out on time with friends and family by all means have brunch, just don't go overboard. Be mindful to select more nutritious options such as whole grain breads, simply prepared egg dishes, sliced meats, and fruit.
8. Salads
Almost everyone enjoys a nice salad on a warm Spring day every now and then. Don't overload the good a salad brings to the table with tons of mayo, such as in chicken or potato salads. You can always swap mayonnaise with a light mayo or include other healthier ingredients like grapes with the chicken salad or green beans with the potatoes.
9. Dressings, Toppings and Sauces
Hollandaise, whipped cream, ranch dressing, they are all amazing yet super high in fat. Choose lighter versions of your favorite topper, keep you calories in check, or just add a little dab.
10. Grill Me!
Spring is when we like to fire up the grill and enjoy our burgers, hot dogs, ribs, and steaks. In moderation and small portions, these are okay. But better yet, why not fill you grill with lower fat items such as grilled poultry, lean meats, fish, fruits, and veggies.
Keep to a healthier diet this Spring. Your body will thank you.
Apr 7, 2010
Health Care 101: How the overhaul will affect you
WASHINGTON, AP – It took lawmakers a year to shape President Barack Obama's health care bill. If it finally passes Congress, it'll take the better part of a decade to write the user manual for consumers and doctors, employers and insurance companies.
Some health insurance consumer protections would go into place immediately, significant but limited in scope. The big expansion in coverage comes in four years. More than 30 million people would sign up, with most getting tax credits to help pay premiums. Ripple effects continue well after Obama has to leave office in 2017, if he's re-elected.
But even if the 2,700-plus-page bill passes, it's only the end of the beginning. The Obama blueprint will be carried out under less-than-ideal circumstances. Rising medical costs and an aging population will keep squeezing the federal budget. Lawmakers will have to revisit hard choices they sidestepped.
"This is going to play out over a generation," said Andrew Hyman, who oversees health insurance research for the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "It will address how people get coverage, how health care is delivered, and how health care is paid for."
The House is expected to vote on the final legislation this week, with the Senate to follow later. Here's a primer on some of the major effects for consumers and other key players:
IMMEDIATE CHANGES
Uninsured people with medical problems will have a workable alternative. The bill pumps $5 billion into high-risk insurance pools run by the states to provide coverage to those in frail health. Taxpayer-backed insurance won't be free, but premiums should be much lower than what's charged by private insurers willing to take those in poor health.
For people with private health insurance — about two-thirds of Americans — there would be some new safeguards. For example, insurers would be barred from placing lifetime dollar limits on coverage and from canceling policies except in cases of fraud. Children could stay on their parents' coverage until age 26.
THE SELF-EMPLOYED
Starting in 2014, self-employed people and those whose employers don't offer coverage would be able to pick a plan through a health insurance exchange, like a supermarket. It's modeled on the federal employee health program available to members of Congress, with a range of private plans. Small businesses could also join.
More than 30 million people would buy coverage through state exchanges, and nearly 6 in 10 would be eligible for help with their premiums. The new tax credits would be computed according to income and other household characteristics. The money would go straight to the insurer. To consumers it would look like a discount — generous for lower-income families, less so for those solidly in the middle class.
For example, a family of four making $44,000 would pay $2,763 in premiums _about 6 percent of its income_ for a policy worth $9,435.
But a similar family making $66,000 would have to pay $6,257 in premiums, close to 10 percent of its income. That may be less than a mortgage, but it's more than a car payment.
Once the exchanges open, most Americans would be required to carry health insurance or pay a fine. Medicaid would be expanded to cover childless adults living near poverty.
People with employer-provided insurance would not see major changes. But if they lost their job, they'd be able to get coverage through the exchange.
SENIORS
Seniors have been understandably worried about the health care plan, much of it financed with Medicare cuts the government's own experts say could be unsustainable.
In the crosshairs are subsidies to private Medicare Advantage insurance plans, which now enroll about one-quarter of seniors. The government overpays the plans when compared to the cost of care under traditional Medicare. That largesse translates to lower costs for seniors in the plans, and the overhaul could trigger an exodus from Medicare Advantage as insurers are forced to raise rates to stay in business.
But seniors stand to gain as well. Obama would gradually close the coverage gap in the middle of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. The so-called doughnut hole would start to shrink immediately, but it wouldn't be fully closed until 2020. In the meantime, seniors in the gap would get a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs.
The plan also improves preventive benefits for seniors in traditional Medicare.
DOCTORS
Primary care doctors and general surgeons practicing in underserved areas such as inner cities and rural communities would get a 10 percent bonus from Medicare. But the more significant changes for doctors would unfold slowly. The goal is to start rewarding doctors for keeping patients healthy, not just treating them when they get sick.
The plan would use Medicare as a testing ground for new ways of coordinating care for patients with multiple chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems, a common combination. Primary care doctors would become care managers for such patients, keeping close tabs on medications and basic health indicators.
Doctors and hospitals would be encouraged to band together in "accountable care organizations" modeled on the Mayo Clinic.
EMPLOYERS
Obama's plan wouldn't require employers to provide insurance to their workers, but it would hit them with a stiff fine if even one of their workers gets a federally subsidized coverage. Companies with 50 or fewer workers would be exempt, and those with 25 workers or fewer could get federal assistance.
But the fines could turn into a big headache for many employers, particularly since they may not be able to tell if their workers are getting benefits from the government. For example, a company with 100 employees that fails to provide coverage could face a fine of $140,000 under the plan Obama unveiled Feb. 22. Getting the bill from the IRS would become a dreaded moment for business owners.
INSURANCE COMPANIES
Health insurance companies would face unprecedented federal regulation and particularly close scrutiny of their bottom line. A fixed percentage of income from premiums would have to go to medical care, otherwise insurers would be forced to provide rebates to consumers. That share is 85 percent for large group plans, and 80 percent for plans in the small group and individual markets.
One of the central reforms of the bill won't start until 2014, when the exchanges open. From then on, insurers will not be able to turn away people with medical problems or charge them more.
Some health insurance consumer protections would go into place immediately, significant but limited in scope. The big expansion in coverage comes in four years. More than 30 million people would sign up, with most getting tax credits to help pay premiums. Ripple effects continue well after Obama has to leave office in 2017, if he's re-elected.
But even if the 2,700-plus-page bill passes, it's only the end of the beginning. The Obama blueprint will be carried out under less-than-ideal circumstances. Rising medical costs and an aging population will keep squeezing the federal budget. Lawmakers will have to revisit hard choices they sidestepped.
"This is going to play out over a generation," said Andrew Hyman, who oversees health insurance research for the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "It will address how people get coverage, how health care is delivered, and how health care is paid for."
The House is expected to vote on the final legislation this week, with the Senate to follow later. Here's a primer on some of the major effects for consumers and other key players:
IMMEDIATE CHANGES
Uninsured people with medical problems will have a workable alternative. The bill pumps $5 billion into high-risk insurance pools run by the states to provide coverage to those in frail health. Taxpayer-backed insurance won't be free, but premiums should be much lower than what's charged by private insurers willing to take those in poor health.
For people with private health insurance — about two-thirds of Americans — there would be some new safeguards. For example, insurers would be barred from placing lifetime dollar limits on coverage and from canceling policies except in cases of fraud. Children could stay on their parents' coverage until age 26.
THE SELF-EMPLOYED
Starting in 2014, self-employed people and those whose employers don't offer coverage would be able to pick a plan through a health insurance exchange, like a supermarket. It's modeled on the federal employee health program available to members of Congress, with a range of private plans. Small businesses could also join.
More than 30 million people would buy coverage through state exchanges, and nearly 6 in 10 would be eligible for help with their premiums. The new tax credits would be computed according to income and other household characteristics. The money would go straight to the insurer. To consumers it would look like a discount — generous for lower-income families, less so for those solidly in the middle class.
For example, a family of four making $44,000 would pay $2,763 in premiums _about 6 percent of its income_ for a policy worth $9,435.
But a similar family making $66,000 would have to pay $6,257 in premiums, close to 10 percent of its income. That may be less than a mortgage, but it's more than a car payment.
Once the exchanges open, most Americans would be required to carry health insurance or pay a fine. Medicaid would be expanded to cover childless adults living near poverty.
People with employer-provided insurance would not see major changes. But if they lost their job, they'd be able to get coverage through the exchange.
SENIORS
Seniors have been understandably worried about the health care plan, much of it financed with Medicare cuts the government's own experts say could be unsustainable.
In the crosshairs are subsidies to private Medicare Advantage insurance plans, which now enroll about one-quarter of seniors. The government overpays the plans when compared to the cost of care under traditional Medicare. That largesse translates to lower costs for seniors in the plans, and the overhaul could trigger an exodus from Medicare Advantage as insurers are forced to raise rates to stay in business.
But seniors stand to gain as well. Obama would gradually close the coverage gap in the middle of the Medicare prescription drug benefit. The so-called doughnut hole would start to shrink immediately, but it wouldn't be fully closed until 2020. In the meantime, seniors in the gap would get a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs.
The plan also improves preventive benefits for seniors in traditional Medicare.
DOCTORS
Primary care doctors and general surgeons practicing in underserved areas such as inner cities and rural communities would get a 10 percent bonus from Medicare. But the more significant changes for doctors would unfold slowly. The goal is to start rewarding doctors for keeping patients healthy, not just treating them when they get sick.
The plan would use Medicare as a testing ground for new ways of coordinating care for patients with multiple chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems, a common combination. Primary care doctors would become care managers for such patients, keeping close tabs on medications and basic health indicators.
Doctors and hospitals would be encouraged to band together in "accountable care organizations" modeled on the Mayo Clinic.
EMPLOYERS
Obama's plan wouldn't require employers to provide insurance to their workers, but it would hit them with a stiff fine if even one of their workers gets a federally subsidized coverage. Companies with 50 or fewer workers would be exempt, and those with 25 workers or fewer could get federal assistance.
But the fines could turn into a big headache for many employers, particularly since they may not be able to tell if their workers are getting benefits from the government. For example, a company with 100 employees that fails to provide coverage could face a fine of $140,000 under the plan Obama unveiled Feb. 22. Getting the bill from the IRS would become a dreaded moment for business owners.
INSURANCE COMPANIES
Health insurance companies would face unprecedented federal regulation and particularly close scrutiny of their bottom line. A fixed percentage of income from premiums would have to go to medical care, otherwise insurers would be forced to provide rebates to consumers. That share is 85 percent for large group plans, and 80 percent for plans in the small group and individual markets.
One of the central reforms of the bill won't start until 2014, when the exchanges open. From then on, insurers will not be able to turn away people with medical problems or charge them more.
Doctors Ponder Health Care Reform's Impact
HOUSTON, Jeremy Desel/11 News -- The health care reform plan is leaving many doctors with questions about the long-term health of their practices.
“Reimbursement? Money? Making money?--We are also making a living. You know, we are not going to compromise people’s health, but it is a business," said Houston doctor Roland Maldonado.
Doctors depend on negotiated rates with insurance companies -- companies doctors expect will want to pay less from now on because of health insurance reform.
The Obama administration is claiming the bill will have immediate impacts, like removing pre-existing conditions exclusions for children, adding patient protections, extending coverage to young adults under their parents' plans and protections from rescinding insurance when claims are filed.
In actuality, those headline-grabbing items don't really take effect for six months.
University of Houston economist Scott Imberman said that is not unusual.
"As far as changes in law go, six months is about as immediate as you are going to get," he said.
But it may have an impact on some patients, especially those who could have coverage dropped due to claims.
"The insurance company may kind of speed up that timeline, and say, well we are not going to be able to drop them six months from now so we might as well go ahead and drop them now," Imberman said.
That could leave adult patients exposed until pre-existing conditions exclusions are banned four years from now.
In the end, health care reform may well be like many of the conditions Maldonado sees in his patients.
"Wait and see how it really affects us over time," he said.
“Reimbursement? Money? Making money?--We are also making a living. You know, we are not going to compromise people’s health, but it is a business," said Houston doctor Roland Maldonado.
Doctors depend on negotiated rates with insurance companies -- companies doctors expect will want to pay less from now on because of health insurance reform.
The Obama administration is claiming the bill will have immediate impacts, like removing pre-existing conditions exclusions for children, adding patient protections, extending coverage to young adults under their parents' plans and protections from rescinding insurance when claims are filed.
In actuality, those headline-grabbing items don't really take effect for six months.
University of Houston economist Scott Imberman said that is not unusual.
"As far as changes in law go, six months is about as immediate as you are going to get," he said.
But it may have an impact on some patients, especially those who could have coverage dropped due to claims.
"The insurance company may kind of speed up that timeline, and say, well we are not going to be able to drop them six months from now so we might as well go ahead and drop them now," Imberman said.
That could leave adult patients exposed until pre-existing conditions exclusions are banned four years from now.
In the end, health care reform may well be like many of the conditions Maldonado sees in his patients.
"Wait and see how it really affects us over time," he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)