Pray It Off March 17, 2010 Meeting

We had our weekly PIO Meeting, last night on a Wednesday, due to a church scheduling conflict on our regular Thursday night. I hate to skip a meeting as the accountability is critical.

I have been told that the materials, from the hand-out packet, appear long and boring when viewed in the blog. I agree. The information is a "back-up" to my live presentation which I try to make upbeat, inspiring and fun. Members, I welcome your comments and please join the Blog as a Follower.

I urge you to read the materials, each week, as vital information is passed along. I also STRONGLY suggest that EVERYONE sees their Doctor for a complete check-up, including blood work, yearly. I was found to need Vitamin D and that has helped me finally break my weight loss plateau.

AGENDA Pray it Off March 17, 2010

Total Lbs Off 1st Session-644 2nd Session-571 Combined-1215
3rd Session-235 Combined-1450 4th Session -261 4th Session Combined 1711 5th Session- -219
TOTAL 1930 POUNDS OFF

1.Packets
Log Sheet/Matthew 24
Matthew 23
A New Understanding of Vitamin D
7 Fish Oil Benefits
6 Ways To Control Your Cravings
4 Steps for Making Healthy Sandwiches
Cabbage
Spring Clean Your Exercise Routine
Cabbage Soup
Lyrics: Nearer My God To Thee Sung by The Irish Tenors
PIO Group Prayer Time
2. Opening Prayer
3. Awards
4. Review Bible Verse
5. Review Packet Materials
6. Listen to: Nearer My God To Thee
7. St. Pio Intercession
8. PIO Group Prayer Time
9. Dismissal 7:00


Matthew Chapter 23
http://www.catholicbiblestudyonline.com/

1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.
4 They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5 All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' 8 As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant.
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. 14
15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.
16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'
17 Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred?
18 And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.'
19 You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; 21 one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it;
22 one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it. 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. (But) these you should have done, without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! 25
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
26 Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean. 27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.
28 Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
30 and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood.'
31 Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; 32 now fill up what your ancestors measured out!
33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how can you flee from the judgment of Gehenna?
34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that there may come upon you all the righteous blood shed upon earth, from the righteous blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
36 Amen, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38 Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate. 39 I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

A new understanding of vitamin D
by Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD

This information promises to revolutionize the way medicine looks at, and uses, vitamin D. New perspectives include awareness that:
Variables influencing vitamin D requirements
o Sunlight exposure
o Skin pigmentation
o Baseline vitamin D level
o Intestinal absorption rates
o Type of vitamin D supplement (D3 is 3 times more potent than D2)
o Age (with increased age, there is a reduced photoconversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D)
o Genetic variation in vitamin D receptor activity
• We evolved outdoors, exposed to abundant sunlight, with attendant “high” vitamin D blood levels. For hundreds of thousands of years, humans evolved in open sunlight, producing high levels of vitamin D on a regular basis. For example, scientists calculate that human societies that spend most of their lives outdoors at lower latitudes have naturally high vitamin D blood levels, at, or above, the high end of “normal” for the current, standard laboratory range. These levels are maintained without any toxic effects; in fact, considerable data suggest health-promoting effects of these naturally occurring high vitamin D levels.
• The optimal, health-promoting level of vitamin D is much higher than expected. For nearly 100 years it was thought that all humans needed was the tiny amount of vitamin D required to prevent rickets. Now science clearly documents that we need much higher levels of vitamin D for the prevention of a wide range of degenerative diseases. Today the “optimum” blood level of vitamin D is held to be that at the high end of the normal range, with current research suggesting an ideal level of 50–70 ng/mL vitamin D as measured by the 25(OH)D test.
In regard to bone health, the current thinking holds the minimum appropriate level of vitamin D to be that level which favorably normalizes parathyroid hormone (a hormone which you want to be in the low normal range to prevent osteoporosis). Research suggests the blood level of vitamin D needed for this is 40 ng/mL or greater. Interestingly, the two well-accepted studies showing osteoporosis fracture prevention with vitamin D and calcium supplementation reported that the mean vitamin D concentration of subjects after supplementation exceeded 40 ng/mL, measured as 25(OH)D.
The Better Bones Perspective on Vitamin D Supplementation
o Ask your doctor to test your blood 25(OH)D level at base line and then after at least four weeks of supplement use, adjust dose accordingly, and retest as necessary.
o Do not use D supplements without your doctor’s instructions if you have kidney problems, kidney stones, high blood calcium (hypercalcemia), hyperparathyroidism or the diseases of sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, non-hodgkins lymphoma, oatcell carcinoma or leukemia which can make you hypersensitive to vitamin D.
o Supplement with vitamin D3; do not use supplements composed of vitamin D2.
• Humans use and need much more vitamin D than ever imagined. Whether our vitamin D comes from sunlight, food, or supplements, researchers find we use and need substantially more vitamin D than previously thought. Dr. Robert Heaney of Creighton University and colleagues have documented that we use between 3,000 and 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Depending on many factors, including one’s sunlight exposure, skin pigmentation, weight, age, and existing vitamin D body stores, maintaining an adequate level of vitamin D can require anywhere from a few hundred to 4,000 or more International Units (IUs) of vitamin D daily. The need for supplemental vitamin D can vary a great deal from individual to individual and blood testing for vitamin D level is the best way to insure appropriate dosing.
• Our government’s recommendations for oral vitamin D intake are too low. The renowned osteoporosis researcher, Dr. Robert Heaney, was a member of the 1997-2002 US Food and Nutrition Board, which set the official vitamin D intake guidelines. Dr. Heaney now reports, however, that his new research suggests these government recommendations were far too low. In fact, Dr. Heaney now calculates that our typical diet combined with the current recommended supplemental D intake (which is only 200 IU, raising to 400 IU at age 51 and 600 IU for 71 years and older) would only provide for 15% of an ideal vitamin D blood level. Dr. Heaney himself now classifies the US Food and Nutrition Board recommendations as “falling into a curious zone between irrelevant and inadequate.” For individuals with extensive sunlight exposure, the governmental intake recommendations add little to their daily vitamin D production, and for those without ultraviolet exposure the recommended levels are insufficient to ensure desired 25(OH)D blood levels.
• The best way to determine vitamin D need and adequacy and to assure the safety of higher dose supplement use is to measure the blood level of the vitamin D metabolite known as 25(OH)D vitamin D. The only real way to know if you are receiving an adequate and/or safe dose of vitamin D is through a blood test for 25(OH)D. Be sure your physician tests for the more stable form of vitamin D known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D). The 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D active form of vitamin D should not be used to test for a vitamin D adequacy. Follow-up vitamin D tests done 2 months after the start of supplementation, or after changing your dose, will help ensure that you are not getting too high or too low a dose of vitamin D. Experts also recommend initially testing your vitamin D level twice a year, at the end of summer and mid-winter. This way your health care guide can help you establish a year round vitamin D supplementation program.
• Vitamin D is much safer than previously thought. Being fat soluble, vitamin D can accumulate in the tissues and become toxic. Documented toxicity, however, is rare and often involves either individuals with specific vitamin D hypersensitivity or accidental misuse of the substance. As vitamin D authority, Dr. Reinhold Veith, reports, vitamin D toxicity is always accompanied by serum 25(OH)D levels greater than 88 ng/mL.3 In clinical practice we see that the need for supplemental vitamin D varies from person to person. While vitamin D researchers suggest that most people would obtain an adequate level with 2,000 IU vitamin D per day, some need more, and a few others might need less (see www.grassrootshealth.org). Everyone’s biochemistry is different, so it is wise to have your vitamin D levels tested.
• While most of our vitamin D comes from ultraviolet solar radiation, in northern latitudes the winter sunlight is so indirect that the body cannot produce vitamin D from sunlight. In latitudes 40 degrees or more either way from the equator (a northern parallel around Philadelphia or Lisbon), the slant of the sun is such that during winter months we produce very little, if any, vitamin D, even with sunlight exposure. In the winter, those in northern climates depend on vitamin D stores accumulated in the summer and on supplemental vitamin D. If such stores are inadequate because of lack of exposure, northern residents will be deficient — and many are.
• Vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy are more common than expected worldwide. By current standards, it is estimated that at least one billion people worldwide have inadequate vitamin D levels. Even using the traditional standards for vitamin D adequacy, nearly half of US African-American women ages 15 to 49 were recently found to be vitamin D deficient. Further, 30% of African-American women who were given more than 2,000 IU of vitamin D from supplements were still found to have low vitamin D levels. In another study, 34% of Canadians surveyed had inadequate vitamin D levels. In a Boston study of elderly people who took vitamin D supplements or drank 2–3 glasses of vitamin D-fortified milk, 80% were overtly or borderline vitamin D-deficient at the end of winter. (For other interesting statistics on vitamin D deficiency worldwide, see my article, “Vitamin D: Its benefits are more than ever imagined.”)
• Vitamin D is more than just a bone nutrient. Receptors for vitamin D have been found all over the body, from bone and brain to thymus and uterus. While there is still much to learn, strong evidence suggests that vitamin D is also important as an immune enhancement, anti-cancer, cardio protective, and joint protective agent, as well as being a potent antioxidant. For further information on the protective roles of vitamin D, see the vitamin D section in our 20 key nutrients for bone health article, and the regularly updated vitamin D websites listed at the end of this article.
• Types of vitamin D supplements. There are two common forms of vitamin D supplements. One, known as vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), is a natural form of the vitamin. D3 is most commonly derived from sheep’s wool lanolin and can also be produced from fish oil. The second common form of vitamin D is known as vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). D2 is a synthetic form of the vitamin. Recent research suggests it is only half as potent as natural vitamin D3. For this reason D3, cholecalciferol, is the preferred supplement form.
Stay tuned for the “third wave” of vitamin D awareness (2009 and beyond)
The “first wave” of vitamin D awareness gifted humans with a cure for rickets, a major devastating bone disease. The recent “second wave” of awareness has shown vitamin D to be universally important to many body systems and more powerful than we ever expected. The “third wave” of vitamin D awareness we are now entering in early 2009 is generated by a multitude of new scientific studies linking adequate levels of vitamin D to disease resistance and showing that low levels are related to increased disease incidence and mortality. In regards to bone health, my review of the literature suggests that osteoporotic fractures can be reduced by 50 to 60% with the attainment of therapeutic vitamin D levels.

7 Fish Oil Benefits Proven by Research
By Michael Byrd ( http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Byrd)

Research studies show fish oil benefits are down right amazing. And knowing this is the second most important thing you can do for your health. (We'll get to #1 in importance soon.)
Studies are published almost daily as the scientific community discovers more and more of the many extraordinary omega 3 fish oil benefits.
If you haven't already been swept up in the net yet, here are 7 proven omega 3 benefits you should know about.
1. Less Pain and Inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body's inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cystitis and anything else ending in "itis."
2. Cardiovascular Health. Omega 3 fatty acids have also been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This adds years to your life expectancy.
3. Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack. When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what's known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. If a clot gets stuck in the brain, it causes a stroke and when it plugs an artery, it causes a heart attack. Research shows omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause any damage.
4. Better Brain Function and Higher Intelligence. Pregnant and nursing mothers can have a great impact on the intelligence and happiness of their babies by supplementing with fish oil. For adults, omega 3 improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus. You'll swear you're getting younger and smarter.
5. Less Depression and Psychosis. Making you smarter is not all omega 3 does for your brain. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield, along with many other research studies, found that omega 3 fish oil supplements "alleviate" the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis (Journal of Affective Disorder Vol. 48(2-3);149-55).
6. Lower Incidence of Childhood Disorders. Just to show how fish oil fatty acids leave nobody out, studies show that children (and adults) with ADD and ADHD experience a greatly improved quality of life. And those with dyslexia, dyspraxia and compulsive disorders have gotten a new lease on life thanks to omega 3 oils.
7. Reduction of Breast, Colon and Prostate Cancer. And finally, omega 3 fish oil has been shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer - breast, colon and prostate. Science tells us that omega 3s accomplish this in three ways. They stop the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and causing apoptosis, or cellular death, of cancer cells.
So you can see why knowing these benefits is the second most important thing you can do for your health. Can you guess what number one is?
That's right! Now it's time to put your knowledge to work. Eat more cold water oily fish and start taking good quality pure omega 3 fish oil supplements regularly.
Michael has nearly 20 years experience and education in nutrition and physical therapy. His pursuit of wellness has led him to understand the extraordinary healing power of natural whole foods and the many fish oil health benefits.

6 Ways to Control Your Cravings
by Jessica Girdwain (Family Circle March 10 2010)


There's temptation everywhere -- a coworker brings doughnuts to the morning meeting, your kids order a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese for dinner, even the barista at Starbucks suggests you have a blueberry scone with your latte. How can you resist?
We won't lie -- it's tough. When women encounter crave-worthy foods like chocolate and potato chips, our brains have an intense "I gotta have it" response, even when we're not hungry. Unhealthy treats, primarily those containing sugar, fat, and salt, cause our bodies to release dopamine. This lights up the reward center in our brains, stimulating our appetite and making us want more of them, says David Kessler, MD, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and author of The End of Overeating (Rodale). Since virtually all of us have been exposed to these foods all our lives, we crave them often.
But it's not impossible to say no. Employing a few simple strategies can help you overcome those sweet and salty yearnings. "By maintaining a healthy diet and practicing smart responses when faced with temptation, cravings can almost disappear within two weeks," says Susan Roberts, PhD, professor of nutrition at the USDA Nutrition Center at Tufts University, in Boston, and author of The "I" Diet (Workman Publishing Company). All you have to do is learn how to handle these six common diet downfalls.

You're feeling down -- and want a snack to perk you up.
Fight back: Stop and identify your emotions. Are you stressed? Did a fight with your husband put you on edge? Acknowledging your feelings can help you pinpoint the "why" behind a craving -- and address the real issue head on instead of running to the fridge.
Why it works: A study from the University of Kentucky found that people who were the most in touch with their feelings were more likely to pick healthier options when ordering from a restaurant menu -- regardless of how much they knew about nutrition.
"Being in tune with your mood lets you determine a more effective way to cope, so you don't end up reaching for that snack," says Dr. Kessler.
Bonus tip: Keep a food diary and make notes about your state of mind in the margins. This simple trick allows you to track your psychological connections to overeating. You can then brainstorm other ways to handle potential triggers.

There's a two-for-one sale on your favorite ice cream.
Fight back: Rather than stocking up, buy a smaller amount of your not-so-favorite flavor to keep in the fridge for guests and kids (a pint is cheaper than a quart anyway). The key is keeping around a tiny portion that doesn't entice you as much.
Why it works: "Think of this as a vaccine against cravings -- exposure to a small amount will help you overcome the big problem," says Ayelet Fishbach, PhD, professor of behavioral science and marketing at University of Chicago.
Fishbach's research has found that making a temptation available renders it, well, less tempting. Over time, you'll build self-control and have a decreased desire for the food. And if you do end up giving in, you can't go totally overboard.
Bonus tip: Stash the pint in the back of the freezer, so you won't see the mint chip whenever you reach for frozen veggies.

The party buffet is calling your name.
Fight back: Distract yourself. Talk to a guest or help the host. Turning your attention to another activity will keep you from fixating on the food.
Why it works: Cravings live in your short-term memory, which holds only a limited number of things at once. A diversion helps by crowding out the temptation, and your brain is forced to refocus.
In a study from Flinders University in Australia, weight-watchers who were asked to imagine highly desired food and then were immediately exposed to something else (in this case, a flickering computer screen) reported a 30 percent reduction in cravings.
Bonus tip: Eat a healthy snack like an apple before you go to the party. "Distraction works only if you're not feeling unsatisfied," says Roberts. "When you're hungry, cravings are harder to control."

Your drive home takes you past your favorite fast-food joint.
Fight back: Take an alternative route to your house, even if it's a little bit longer. This strategy works when you're walking too. In fact, Dr. Kessler uses it himself -- he loves the fried dumplings at the Asian take-out place in the San Francisco Airport, so he takes a different path through the terminal to keep them out of sight and prevent himself from indulging.
Why it works: If you stop for a bacon cheeseburger, cookies-and-cream milkshake, glazed chocolate doughnut, or any other fix often enough, it becomes what Kessler calls a habit-driven behavior. This means that just seeing the golden arches or driving onto the road that goes there will trigger the desire to eat the food again. Simply stay away and you're less likely to be drawn in.
Bonus tip: When it's not possible to go any other way, decide ahead of time on a couple of healthier items you will order if you end up stopping. At least you won't get caught making an impulse choice.

Movie popcorn -- it smells too good to resist.
Fight back: Mentally prepare. Before buying your ticket, acknowledge the urge by saying to yourself: "I will probably want to buy a huge tub of buttery popcorn, but I will go straight to my seat instead."
Why it works: Just the act of realizing that you crave something makes it easier to control, says Evan Forman, PhD, associate professor in the department of psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia. It may sound simple, but being armed with this same type of self-awareness helped participants in a recent study resist bags of Hershey's Kisses. People who were instructed to "accept the craving" had fewer and less-intense thoughts about the chocolate than those who were told to suppress their desires. "The more you try not to think about something, the more you obsess over it," Forman says.
Bonus tip: If you love munching on something during a flick, it's hard to go cold turkey. So go for a low-cal option like sharing a box of Junior Mints with a friend. You'll save up to 1,000 calories and still get the satisfaction of snacking.

You're out with friends and they order unhealthy foods.
Fight back: Don't let their bad habits sway you -- stick to your original healthy order, but choose a small splurge like sharing an appetizer of loaded potato skins, enjoying a glass of white wine, or having just a few bites of your friend's piece of cheesecake.
Why it works: Being more mindful of what you choose to indulge in will help you avoid overeating throughout the meal -- a trap we frequently fall into, particularly when dining with female friends. According to a recent study from McMaster University in Canada, the more women who attend a meal, the more high-calorie foods they eat (for example, a woman dining in a group of four consumes nearly 800 calories, almost 200 more than if eating with just one friend).
Bonus tip: Invite a bunch of your friends over to a weekend lunch at your place and have everyone bring a healthy dish to share, like baked salmon or whole wheat pasta. It's much easier to control calories this way -- just make sure your guests take home the leftovers.

4 Steps for Making Healthy Sandwiches
Originally published in the April 1, 2010, issue of Family Circle magazine.

Whether you're brown-bagging it or stopping by the deli, choose a lunch -- without fattening condiments or extras -- that will keep you full until dinner. Aim for a sandwich that is around 400 to 500 calories, fiber-rich and loaded with veggies, says registered dietitian Elizabeth Ward. She shows you how in four simple steps.

Bread
Good 'Wich: Go for whole wheat bread or mix things up with a whole-grain wrap or pita. Choose a variety that is high in fiber -- at least 2 grams per slice -- which will help you stay satisfied longer.
Wicked 'Wich: Avoid highly refined carbs like white bread, rolls, and croissants since fiber is removed during the milling process. Also beware of wheat breads disguised as whole grain -- check the label carefully to make sure you're getting the real thing.
Quick Tip: The first ingredient on the bread label must say either whole grain or whole wheat.

Protein
Good 'Wich: Choose 3-ounce servings of a low-calorie and low-fat protein like turkey (2 slices), tuna (1/2 can), chicken, or salmon. For a vegetarian option, try a Mediterranean-inspired sandwich with 4 tablespoons of hummus.
Wicked 'Wich: Bologna, liverwurst, and pastrami are typically higher in calories, fat, and saturated fat. Just one slice of bologna can have up to 90 calories (about three times more than turkey) and 3 grams of saturated fat.
Quick Tip: One serving of chicken (3 ounces) is about the same size as a deck of cards.

Produce
Good 'Wich: The more, the better. Veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, cucumbers, and spinach are good sources of fiber and water, which quench hunger.
Wicked 'Wich: There's no such thing as a "bad" fruit or veggie, but watch out for pitfalls. Go easy on avocados, which contain healthy fats yet are high in calories. Stick with a few thin slices or a tablespoon of guacamole. Rinse and drain canned veggies like mushrooms or olives to get rid of excess oil.
Quick Tip: 1/2 cup sliced apples or pears adds crunch and flavor for fewer than 50 calories.

Condiments
Good 'Wich: Perk up your sandwich with a spread that has 50 calories or fewer, such as honey or Dijon mustard or low-fat mayo.
Wicked 'Wich: Cheese is the biggest diet danger -- one slice of the full-fat kind contains more than 100 calories and about 10 grams of fat. Cheese lovers should opt for an ounce or less of a variety marked 50% or 75% reduced fat. Even a small portion of grated cheddar, goat cheese, provolone, or Muenster adds a lot of flavor.
Quick Tip: Whip up your own condiment -- blend Dijon mustard with apricot jam.

6 Healthy Sandwiches
Originally published on FamilyCircle.com, February 2010.


Roast Beef Sub
6-inch whole-grain sub with 2 slices lean roast beef, 2 tablespoons mustard, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onions.

Turkey and Granny Smith Apple Sandwich
3 ounces sliced deli turkey with 1/2 of a thinly sliced Granny Smith apple, 1/2 cup salad greens, and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard on 2 slices of low-calorie bread.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Grilled chicken with lettuce, tomato, and 1 teaspoon low-fat mayo on a roll.

Greek Pita
6-inch pita filled with 1/4 cup hummus, 1/4 cup chopped romaine lettuce, 1/3 chopped cucumber, 1 small chopped tomato, 2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt, and 1 teaspoon McCormick Greek seasoning.

Tuna Sandwich
3 ounces canned light tuna packed in water, 2 tablespoons light mayo, and 1 teaspoon pickle relish on 2 slices of reduced-calorie bread with lettuce and tomato.

Grilled Chicken Burger
3 ounces grilled chicken strips with 1 large romaine lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, 1 teaspoon light mayo, on a whole wheat hamburger bun.

Cabbage
http://www.dietobio.com/aliments/en/cabbage.html

The health benefits of the cabbage are now well known and still, this vegetable does not seem to be present in our diet. Studies suggest that it should be brought to our table 2 to 3 times a week. If you are reluctant to eat some because of the flatulences it produces, you will see that they are some tips to help overcome this trouble.
Health benefits In the middle ages this vegetable was called "the drug of the poor". There is few vegetables that have more healing properties than cabbage. Unfortunately, nowadays, people prefer to rely on drugs rather than healing food. I do not say that you should not use medication but just that for some cases cabbage could be a great help but we do not even consider it. If you are interested, many books have been written about it and its medicinal uses.
The most interesting property of this vegetable is its power to reduce the risk of developing a colon cancer. Studies have shown that population who eat large amounts of cabbage have low rate of colon cancer. This is due to its high content in fibers and chemicals. Fibers help our intestines to stay healthy by increasing our transit movements. Cabbage also contains chemicals that inhibit tumor growth and protect cells against free radicals.
Some of its chemicals are believed to speed up the body's metabolism of estrogen and therefore reduce the incidence of breast, uterus and ovaries cancer. Cabbage is also an excellent source of vitamin C and beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor). These anti-oxidants are helpful to fight free radicals that are circulating in our body and increase our process of aging.
The high amount of beta-carotene may cut the risk of cataracts.
Raw, the cabbage is a good source of folic acid which lowers the risk of having babies with Spina bifida. Juiced cabbage promotes healing of some ulcers. Cabbage also reduces risk of heart disease and stroke, alleviate rheumatisms and skin problems.
On top of all these properties, this vegetable is low in calories. Caution:
Cabbage reduces absorption of iodine. If you do eat more than 2 to 3 times a week this vegetable, be sure you do not suffer from thyroid disorders and ensure your intake of iodine.
How to eat it? First of all, how to avoid the flatulence?
It is really easy and adds a nice flavor to your dish too. Just add a few seeds of caraway/cumin or fennel (or both) before cooking. The cabbage will be more digest and you will not have the unpleasant odor in your kitchen for days.
There are many ways to prepare a cabbage. Raw, shredded in small pieces, you can add it to any of your salad. It can be a salad by itself with a few pieces of apple, raisins, cheese... When shredded you might want to fry it alone or with a cereal.
Cabbage is wonderful for winter's recipes such as "pot-au-feu", soups or even stuffed. It can be boiled, steamed... There is not limit to creativity. Cabbage can also be eaten as sauerkraut. This recipe comes from Germany. It consists of soaking it in salt brine and then let it ferment. Sauerkraut provides microorganisms that are good for our intestinal flora but is also rich in sodium. To lower the sodium content rinse it before cooking it.
Avoid cutting the cabbage in advance otherwise you would lose its vitamins, especially vitamin C. The leaves in the inside are usually well tight and clean. You do not have to wash them. Just remove the exterior leaves that might be spoiled and rinse the whole cabbage under running water. You can then prepare it.
The simplest way to cut it is with a large and sharpen knife to cut it in half and then in quarters. You might want to remove its core from each quarter since this part is usually hard. Depending on what you want to do with it, you can slice it in small pieces, leave it in quarters or cut it again in half.
Do not cook cabbage in an aluminum pot which causes a chemical reaction that discolor the vegetable and alter its flavor. Peak season Cabbage is available all year round but its peak season is the fall.
Storage Cabbage is one of the vegetable that keeps well. Placed in the refrigerator or in a cold place, a whole cabbage can be store for at least two weeks. If the cabbage has already been cut, the rest cannot be stored more than two or three days. Nutritional values
Nutrients Units Cabbage - raw Cabbage - cooked
Water g 92.15 93.60
Energy kcal 25 22
Protein g 1.44 1.02
Total lipid (fat) g 0.27 0.43
Carbohydrate g 5.43 4.46
Fiber, total dietary g 2.3 2.3
Minerals
Calcium mg 31 46
Iron mg 0.17 0.84
Magnesium mg 8 24
Phosphorus mg 15 59
Potassium mg 97 292
Sodium mg 8 26
Zinc mg 0.09 0.38
Copper mg 0.012 0.043
Manganese mg 0.117 0.218
Selenium mcg 0.6 1.9
Vitamins
Vitamin C mg 20.1 74.6
B-1 (thiamin) mg 0.057 0.055
B-2 (riboflavin) mg 0.055 0.113
B-3 (niacin) mg 0.282 0.574
B-5 (pantothenic acid) mg 0.139 0.508
B-6 (pyridoxine) mg 0.113 0.143
Folate mcg 20 50
B-12 mcg 0 0
Vitamin A I.U 132 1318
Vitamin A mcg RE 13 139
Vitamin E mcg ATE 0.105 1.69
Lipids
Fatty acids, saturated g 0.053 0.054
Fatty acids, monounsaturated g 0.030 0.024
Fatty acids, polyunsaturated g 0.196 0.167
Linoleic acid (18:2) g 0.085 0.038
Alpha-linolenic acid (18:3) g 0.110 0.129
Cholesterol mg 0 0
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 13 (November 1999)

Spring-Clean Your Exercise Routine
http://living.health.com

You spruce up your house when the seasons change, so why not do the same with your workout? From gear to attitude, here’s what to toss—and the best way to to replace it.
Ditch: Old walking or running shoes
Instead: Invest in a new pair of kicks, because worn-out soles are a quick path to injury. Write the purchase date on the tongue or side of your shoes and let your weekly mileage be your guide. If you walk or run 10 miles per week, replace your shoes every 12 months; 15 miles, every 8 months; 20 miles, every 6 months; 30 miles, every 4 months.
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Ditch: Your freebie pedometer
Instead: Spend $20 to $25 for a better-quality one. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine tested nearly 1,000 low-end pedometers and found almost three-quarters of them were inaccurate—with most of them overestimating step counts.
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Ditch: Lightweight dumbbells
Instead: Use heavier weights that challenge you, says Tim Davis, director of personal training at Peak Performance in New York. Your body has an amazing ability to adapt quickly, so if you don’t regularly increase the weight you’re lifting, you’ll eventually plateau. Lift as much as you can, as long as it isn’t painful and you feel in control throughout the move.
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Ditch: Sipping only when thirsty
Instead: Drink 4 to 6 ounces of water for every 15 minutes of exercise. Sweating away even a tiny portion of your body weight can doom your workout by making your heart beat faster and causing you to feel weak and tired.
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Ditch: The idea that more is better
Instead: Focus on the quality, not length, of your workout, Davis says. Instead of walking or biking at one speed for an hour, halve your workout (and burn the same amount of calories) by doing sprint intervals—30 seconds to 2 minutes at a very fast pace, followed by 2 minutes at normal pace.
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Ditch: That old cotton T-shirt
Instead: Go high-tech and invest in workout clothing made from wicking fabrics. Why? Synthetics do a better job of keeping you drier and cooler while you exercise (but you knew that already).


Zero Point Weight Watchers
CABBAGE SOUP
http://www.thedailyplate.com

Ingredients:
3 cups Soup, Beef Broth
2 teaspoons Minced Garlic in Water
1 tablespoons Tomatoes Paste
2 cups Cabbage, Cooked
1/2 cups Yellow Onion
1/2 cups 1/2 cup chopped carrots - Boiled
1/2 cups Green Beans Raw
1/2 cups Zucchini Raw
1/2 servings Basil, Dried
1/2 teaspoons Oregano, Ground

Instructions:
Use nonfat beef broth. Spray pot with non stick cooking spray and saute onions, carrots, and garlic for 5 minutes.
Add broth, tomato paste, cabbage, green beans, basil and oregano.
Simmer 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender then add the zucchini and simmer another 5-10 minute.
Nutrition Facts
Recipe Serves 6 people
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Amount per Serving
________________________________________
Calories 21 Calories from Fat

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% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.1g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.01g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 33mg 1%
Potassium 178mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%
Sugars 2.3g
Protein 1.0g 2%
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Vitamin A 34%
Vitamin C 21%
Calcium 2%
Iron 2%
Vitamin E 0%
Vitamin K 0%
Thiamin (B1) 0%
Riboflavin (B2) 0.21
Niacin (B3) 1.19
Vitamin B6 4%
Folic Acid (Folate) 0%
Vitamin B12 0%
Phosphorus 0.5
Magnesium 0%
Panthothenic Acid 0%
Zinc 0%
Manganese 0.47
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Est. Percent of Calories from:
Fat 4.3% Carbs 95.2%
Protein 19.0%

Nearer, My God, to Thee
Sung by the Irish Tenors
Lyrics: Sarah F. Adams, 1805-1848
Music: Lowell Mason, 1792-1872


Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!


PIO GROUP PRAYER TIME
March 17, 2010

• Have you ever had your vitamin D level checked? Do you take vitamins/fish oil/other supplements? Discuss?
• Do you want a snack when you are feeling down? What else can you do to feel better?
• Describe your last sandwich in detail? Describe your next healthy sandwich in detail.
• Discuss healthy cabbage eating for this next week. Can you make the soup?
• How old are your sneakers? Do you use a pedometer DAILY? Discuss the benefits of using a pedometer.
• Say the Hail Mary to Close the Group.
Irish Blessing – “Christ be with me, be after me, be before me, and be at my right and left hand. May everything I do be for Christ.”