Mary Poppins told us that “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” That may be true, but by finding ways to cut sugar from your diet, you might be able to avoid the medicine altogether. Too much sugar intake can quickly put you at risk for serious health concerns like obesity and diabetes. High sugar foods and beverages wreak havoc with your energy levels and your moods. Learn how much sugar is the right amount for you.

Cut the carbs?

Sugar is a carbohydrate, and carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Carbohydrates, including sugar, are necessary for a balanced diet. Approximately half of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates, and the other half can be split between protein and fat. 

Recommendations for sugar intake are just 10% or less of your total calories. Since recommended calorie intake depends on gender and activity levels, this means most adults should aim for a range of 3 – 9 teaspoons, or between 12 to 36 grams. Kids should be eating 3 or fewer teaspoons, less than 12 grams.

Read the labels!                                                                      

Sneaky sugars add up fast in your daily diet. While some sugars occur naturally, other food items are loaded with extra sugar. Popular beverage items are a major culprit. Most people know that sodas are high in sugar, but the extra sugar in juice drinks, coffee beverages, and energy drinks might surprise you. Be cautious when selecting foods that are labeled low-fat or reduced fat. Some recipes substitute additional sugar when reducing fat content which means the final product isn’t actually healthier for you. Other sugar-rich foods that seem like healthy choices include breakfast cereals, granola bars, and flavored yogurts. Read the nutrition label carefully.

The average sugar intake in America is estimated to be about 15 to 20% of daily calories, as much as double the recommended level. It’s no surprise that health issues like diabetes and obesity are on the rise. A healthy diet doesn’t have to be a sugar-free diet. Learn to be smart about sugar your selections, then eating well won’t leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone, including older adults. No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. In fact, in most cases you have more to lose by not being active.

Here are just a few of the benefits. Exercise and physical activity:

• Can help maintain and improve your physical strength and fitness.
• Can help improve your ability to do the everyday things you want to do.
• Can help improve your balance.
• Can help manage and improve diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
• Can help reduce feelings of depression and may improve mood and overall well-being.
• May improve your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information.

The key word in all these benefits is YOU — how fit and active you are now and how much effort you put into being active. To gain the most benefits, enjoy your exercise program, stay safe while you exercise, and be sure to eat a healthy diet, too!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day occurs on January 17, 2022. Since 1994, this federal holiday has been celebrated as a day of service, a fitting tribute to the civil rights leader. Dr. King promoted nonviolence as a powerful tool in accomplishing social change. Consider ways that you can promote the goal of peace and equal rights today.

Speak up. 

The call for change begins with a single voice. If you have an issue that is important to you, tell people about it. Educate a friend. Organize a petition. Write to your congressional representatives. If it matters, get the word out.

Meet the needs of your community.

A struggling school could use volunteer tutors. Food banks need volunteers to sort and package donations. Participate in cleaning up a local park or other recreational area. Your efforts to improve quality of life for the community can enable others to succeed.

Gather together to remember.

It’s nice to have the day off from work or school, but it’s also important to remember why. A life was cut tragically short while working to secure and protect civil rights for everyone. Check out the Day of Servicewebsite and find a place you can serve. Join together and discuss the issues in your community and find ways to make a positive change.

Dr. King remarked, “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what’s important.” Take time to enrich the quality of your own life and others’ lives on January 17 by taking part in the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service.

With the start of the New Year, are you making some resolutions about your finances? Here are a few tips that might help you reach some goals for 2022:

Plan ahead for the coming year.   

Is your car going to need some major repairs, or will you need to purchase a new one? Don't put off thinking about large expenses till the last minute. Make some decisions now and look for alternatives too. Perhaps the gym membership isn't affordable this year, but a thrift store bicycle might well be the answer.  

Change the way you think.  

Before you make a purchase, figure out how many hours of work are required to pay for it. Are you still willing to splurge?  

There are studies that show that people are willing to pay 30% more for an item when paying with a credit card. Having to fork over that hard-earned cash might deter you from spending so much of it!

Splurge sensibly.  

There's nothing wrong with having a few financial vices because they can keep the others in check. Food, clothing, and entertainment are often our weaknesses. Pick the one you can't live without—will it be the exotic coffees, or the designer shoes?  

A few changes can make a big difference in your financial state, so spend wisely in the New Year.

“New year —a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours.” —Alex Morritt

During this time, it’s natural for many people to want to look back and try to put the last year in perspective. We want to look at what went wrong and more importantly, what we can do better. This brings up the topic of New Years’ Resolutions. The bottom line is everyone makes them, but few people keep them. 

One way to keep those promising resolutions is to be realistic about which ones you can achieve. You’re not going to become an entirely different person just because the calendar flips, however if you’re reasonable about your goals you can still achieve success.

If you’re serious about your resolution, you need to spend some time coming up with a plan. What will you need to achieve your goals? How much time and resources will it take? How much if any help will you need?

No matter how much you want to, chances are you won’t accomplish everything at once. Break your resolution into smaller, more readily achievable, parts. Doing it that way makes the overall task seem less overwhelming and gives you milestones to measure your progress along the way.

People may laugh at New Years’ resolutions, but there’s nothing wrong with making them. If you make some that you can reasonably accomplish and put together a plan to make them happen, you stand a much better chance of ringing in a new, improved you.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Ahh, vacation! Whether it’s the beach, the mountains or something in between, no summer feels complete without a memorable vacation. But summer isn’t the only time for a great trip. 

The holidays can be a surprisingly good chance to take a break from the holiday rush, and the best part is that since most schools have a holiday break anyway, if you plan it right you can minimize the school time your kids miss. If your travel plans do run longer, some school districts have a ‘contract’, where if your kids do miss time from school, say for a Christmas excursion to New York, they can get their assignments in advance and work on them in spare moments during the trip. You’ll want to check with school policy and work with your child’s teachers to make everything as smooth as possible.

While travel can be enlightening, consider adding some educational opportunities to your travel itinerary, such as a museum or a cultural exhibit. You might even come back a little wiser yourself. 

Where you travel and if you travel at all will depend on your kids. You’ll want to consider their age, habits, and their wishes. Not every child wants to be pulled out of school and not every kid enjoys travel. If you’re bringing the kids along make sure it’s what they want and plan things for them to do. A vacation isn’t much of a getaway if your kids are miserable half the time. 

A holiday vacation isn’t for everyone, but if done right it can be a fun time for the whole family. If you think travel may be in the cards for you and the kiddos this holiday season, check out these additional travel tips. We wish you safe travels!