Body Fat-- The Good, The Bad, & The Dangerous

Eat Smart, Move More NC reports a whopping 67% of North Carolina adults are overweight or obese. We're also the 5th worst in the US for childhood obesity. Excess weight can lead to, contribute to, or worsen many common health issues. Studies have also shown that excess weight can impact some people's quality of life & even their finances.

Fat is necessary & important-- both in our food (last week's blog post) & in our bodies. Not all fat is created equal, though.
- There are different kinds of body fat. Some people have small amounts of the healthier brown fat in their neck & shoulders. Certain healthy behaviors (e.g., being physically active, getting enough sleep, etc.) or significant trauma are thought to help encourage brown fat. One benefit of brown fat is an extra 100 - 300 calories burned daily. (To put this into perspective, this would roughly take 2-4 weeks to burn off 1 pound).
- Where you carry your fat actually matters, too. Abdominal fat tends to be linked to more health issues than thigh & buttock fat. Even people who look skinny may have a dangerous amount of visceral fat around their internal organs. Too much can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, & certain cancers.

For more information, check out:
- WebMD's Fat Facts Quiz
- Cleveland Clinic's Do You Know the Color of Body Fat? (infographic)
- Women's Health's What's the Difference Between White Fat & Brown Fat?
- WebMD's How 'Bad' Fat Can Turn Into 'Good' Fat 
- Cleveland Clinic's Build Fat to Get Fit-- Brown Fat...
- WebMD's The Truth About Belly Fat

Learning About the Fats We Eat

A few months ago, the federal government released the "2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans". These are eating recommendations to promote overall health & chronic disease prevention for everyone over 2 years old. Guidelines are updated every 5 years.

One noticeable change was the removal of the total fat limit. The limit began in the 1980 version (less than 30% of total calories). The 2005 "update" created a range of 20 - 35%. Less total fat was thought to limit saturated fat & cholesterol. This, in turn, was expected to lower cardiovascular risk. Unfortunately, efforts to reduce saturated fat turned into trends to avoid all fats (even healthy ones) & eat more refined starches, salt, & sugar.

Newer research shows diets that include healthy fats can protect heart health... even if higher than the older standards. Meanwhile, low-fat/high carb diets have not shown evidence of disease prevention. (For more details, check out Medpage Today's Experts Applaud Dietary Guidelines....)

Basics
This infographic summarizes the different types of dietary fats. Remember to:
- choose unsaturated (plant based) fats. Healthy fats are still calorie-laden so control how much is used.
- limit saturated fats (usually animal based; maximum of 10% of total daily calories).
- avoid trans fats (usually found in processed foods).

Read more at ChooseMyPlate's All About Oil or search our blog for "oil".

Learn More About Unsaturated (Healthy) Fats
- American Heart Association's Healthy Cooking Oils
- University of Michigan's Healing Foods Pyramid: Healthy Fats (good charts & considerations)

Eating Out Without Blowing Your (Calorie) Budget

Within the last year, reports began to show a resurgence in Americans eating out.
- 57% report eating out at least once a week. (Rasmussen Reports)
- In 2015, Americans were spending more on dining out than at grocery stores. (Bloomberg Markets)
- Zagat reported their survey participants eat out an average of 4.5 times per week!

Eating out used to be an occasional treat. So, splurging wasn't nearly as devastating to our waistlines. Portion sizes were also much smaller. (Want to see how much??? Check out the National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute's Portion Distortion Quizzes).

When we don't cook at home, we have less control over what is in our food & how it's prepared. Nutritious choices are becoming more plentiful. However, prepared foods still tend to have more calories, fat, sugar, & salt than we would make at home. They also tend to have less fruits, veggies, & low-fat dairy. If the eating out trend continues to flourish, making healthy choices will become increasingly more important.

Here are suggestions to help eat healthily while out:
- Prevention's How Nutritionists Eat Fast Food
- WebMD's 10 Best Fast Food Meals 
- HelpGuide.org's Healthy Fast Food
- Buzzfeed's 26 Fast-Food Lunches that are Actually Healthy

Tips for Healthier Road Trips

As spring progresses into summer, many people will hit the road. Whether your trip is for sports, to see family, or just for fun, here are tips to improve your road trip.

* Food:  Eating more healthily while traveling has gotten easier. But, it often isn't cheap. Bringing healthy snacks or meals with you may be an option. For planners, there are many easy & great choices. Make sure to pack refrigerated items safely to avoid unwanted sickness. Plus, don't forget to hydrate! Need ideas?
- Cooking Light's Road Trip: Healthy Convenience Store Foods
- Parents' The 10 Best Travel Snacks for Kids
- American Diabetes Association's Stay Healthy on Summer Vacation
- Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics' Food Safety for the Savvy Traveler
(We'll "dish" on tips for eating meals out soon!)

* Being active:  It's easy to get caught up in getting to your destination as quickly as possible. However, sitting for long periods can be hard on both our minds & bodies. Stop to stretch, walk, etc., at least every few hours. It also helps with maintaining focus. Some people (like pregnant women, children, those with back pain, etc.) may need to stop more often. For planners, look ahead for routes or opportunities like historic places, parks, malls, & rest stops. More spontaneous? Many travel apps can help find options
along your path.
- Greatist's 13 Smart Ways to Stay Healthy on a Road Trip
- Baby Center's Road Trip Survival Guide... Kid Friendly Tips

Safe travels!

Why Cry?

Crying is how babies communicate that something may be wrong. Temper tantrums are common in both boys & girls from ages 1-3. Although frustrating, they are considered a part of normal development.

Common reasons can include:
- hungry;
- tired;
- bored (yes, even babies); 
- overstimulated;
- uncomfortable (wet, too hot/cold, clothing issue, stuck/pinched, sick, etc.);
- frustrated; etc.

Caregivers often learn subtle distinctions that help them determine the cry or tantrum's cause.

For babies, addressing the issue is the quickest way to stop the crying. If you can't find any obvious causes, try consoling your baby. If that isn't working either, sometimes you just have to let the baby "cry it out" in a safe place. Check out more info at:
- American Academy of Pediatric's Responding to Your Baby's Cries
- Parents.com's Crying Baby ("If Babies Could Text" is hilarious!)
- Yahoo Tech's Why is Your Baby Crying? There's an App For That

There are multiple ways to help prevent or de-escalate toddler tantrums. Learn more at KidsHealth's Temper Tantrums.

Never shake a baby or child to get them to stop crying! This can cause life threatening injuries or death. If you get frustrated, take a break or ask a friend/family member for health. Don't take the crying personally. General info is available through the American Academy of Pediatric's Abusive Head Trauma: How to Protect Your Baby. If you need personalized help or advice, contact your child's healthcare provider.