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TURKEY TALK -- Turkey can carry microorganisms that can provide nutrition to bacteria, so it is important to start safe. When shopping for your turkey, be sure that you choose your meat from a clean shelf or meat counter. If you choose a frozen turkey, you will be somewhat better protected from contamination because they are preserved at very cold temperatures, which prevent bacteria from growing and multiplying. Frozen foods should be kept no warmer than 0° F., while refrigerated foods should be kept at a recommended 40° F. maximum. Fresh turkey is more perishable than frozen turkey, so you cannot wait as long to cook it. If you buy a fresh turkey, only do so a day or two before cooking. In the grocery store, wrap each perishable meat and poultry item separately to prevent any drippings from contaminating other foods you purchase. Avoid buying a pre-stuffed fresh turkey.

IT IS COCOA WEATHER -- Warming up with hot cocoa will deliver an antioxidant punch that neither red wine nor green tea can beat, according to recent research. Cocoa is rich in phenols, compounds that fight heart disease, aging, and cancer. To keep your fat and calorie intake low, drink it in moderation. Many pre-made, instant hot cocoa mixes contain trans-fats, an aging kind of fat linked to heart disease. To keep your intake of trans fats low, make your own hot cocoa mix from scratch with unsweetened cocoa powder. You can further reduce fat content by using skim milk or water. However, remember that your sweetened beverage will still be fairly high in calories, so keep your portions small and make adjustments to your diet as necessary to keep your overall calorie count down. A serving of cocoa has less fat than a standard-size chocolate bar. Chocolate is rich in flavonoids, antioxidant compounds that boost cardiovascular health by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow.

GO FOR WHOLE GRAINS -- Whole grain breads are known to be great for helping prevent cardiovascular disease, but it can also be a big boost to heart health too. A recent study showed that men who consumed the most whole grains and bran in particular had the lowest rates of heart disease. While whole grains include nutrients like vitamin B, zinc and fiber, bran is the most important of the whole grains. Bran packs a bigger punch than most other whole grains, with the highest concentrations of nutrients. Choose whole-grain foods, such as barley, brown rice, oats, and rye, instead of refined products that list enriched white flour as their chief ingredient.

WAYS TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE -- Parents need to view candles, fireplaces, and trees as potential hazards to children during the holidays, researchers report. Dr. Kate Perkins of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center offers these safety tips: keep lit candles out of reach of youngsters; be careful of glass ornaments that can break and cut fingers or be ingested; never leave children alone in a room with a burning fire; surround the fireplace with a sturdy screen; keep the Christmas tree stable and well hydrated to reduce fire danger; let your host know ahead of time of your child's allergies; be wary of hard candies, nuts, veggie sticks, hot dogs, and other treats that present choking risks; make sure the home you are visiting is child-proofed before letting your child roam; keep a list of emergency numbers for the sitter; watch your child closely at crowded malls and shopping centers; keep all pool gates shut; give age-appropriate toys and gifts; and, keep potential toxic products - cleaning agents, cosmetics, plants, pain relief medications, cold medications - under lock and key.

KID TV VIEWING LEADS TO OBESITY -- Two recent studies link television watching to obesity and shows that parents serve as role models for their children viewing habits. The studies, which appear in a past issue of "The Journal of Pediatrics," show the average child watches more TV than the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends, leading to more couch potatoes and less active people. The AAP recommends a maximum of two hours of viewing a day. A study by researchers at the University College London finds each additional hour of viewing as a 5-year-old could lead to an additional 7 percent risk of obesity when they turn 30. Researchers at State University of New York found that 39 percent of girls and 30 percent of parents in their 173-person study watched more TV than the AAP guideline. Parents who watched television were mimicked by increased viewing by their daughters. The girls in the study watched more TV when their parents did not set limitations or their parents also watched a lot of television, the study showed. Girls who exceeded the AAP two-hour limit were 2.6 times more likely to be overweight than girls who watched less than the limit.

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FEATURED MINI-ARTICLE #1

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The Importance of Balance and Leisure Time

The end of the year brings about different things for us. Deciding how to wind up or wind down the end of the year may make a bigger impact on you than you might guess. We can avoid becoming burned out and overwhelmed early in the Holiday Season by not just making relaxation an item on your to-do list, but making it a part of your daily routine. We find ourselves tacking more on to our to-do list than we are use to handling because it is merely, "that time of the year." But what or who is to say that we have to make that extra-special dish or host the additional parties? We do. We are in control and, likewise, we control our leisure time as well. Here are some tips that may help us through this Holiday Season.

• Take Time to Breathe: Scientific studies show the importance and calming effects of breathing. That being said, when we learn how to breathe we learn how to relax and calm ourselves without leaving our home or desk. Breathing may not seem like much, but can prove to be a great tool in our relaxation kit. This calming technique does not have to take a lot of time, just a few short minutes; we can begin by taking ten deep breathes (inhaling through your nose), and then slowly exhaling through pursed lips (like your blowing a kiss). You will be amazed at the difference it will make.

• Enjoy Daily Relaxation: This should not be an option; we should make relaxation a part of each day to achieve optimal balance in our life. We do not need to stress over the amount of time - we just need to make time. Even if we set aside just 15-minutes a day, that is plenty of time to achieve some mental and physical clarity.

• Turn Frustration into Inspiration: No one can predict the future. When an obstacle makes its way into your path, do not let it get you riled up. Instead, relax and try to spot the unseen opportunities. There is no limit to what we may discover.

• Learn to Say No: It is hard to be effective and have balance when we allow others the ability to control our time. Learning to say no is a big part of overall success, and people will respect honesty. When we start saying no we may even begin to be approached with ideas that are more suited to our terms.

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FEATURED MINI-ARTICLE #2

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New warnings about pain relievers have consumers searching for natural relief of arthritis pain. Millions of American arthritis sufferers have been forced to find alternatives to medication for their pain just to avoid potentially deadly side effects. Soon after prescription medications Vioxx and Bextra were taken off the market for their potential cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health risks, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned of similar risks associated with popular over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Despite these developments, arthritis sufferers can achieve pain relief by adapting simple lifestyle changes into their daily routines.

"This is a frustrating time for arthritis patients. After learning about the potential outcome of taking various pain-relieving medications, many patients are left searching for a safe and effective means of relieving their condition," said Dr. Keith Reich, a board certified rheumatologist and a contributing editor to OurHealthNetwork.com. "However, I have seen firsthand that nonsurgical and natural approaches to pain relief can be very successful. Sufferers should know that medication is not the only option."

Dr. Reich offers the following seven considerations for natural arthritis pain relief:

1. Exercise: Walking, cycling or exercising in a pool are excellent exercises for arthritis sufferers.

2. Balance exercises: Tai Chi and water aerobics are types of balance exercises that can be effective without adding much pressure to joints.

3. Take it easy: If joints hurt after exercising, they were probably overexerted. If the pain persists over the next few days, a physician should be consulted.

4. Weight control: Every 10 pounds of weight gained is equal to 30 pounds of pressure on the knees.

5. Heat/cold: By using ice packs, acute pain may be reduced while heat loosens joints and increases blood flow.

6. Attitude/education: It is important to have a positive attitude when living with arthritis. In addition, sufferers should educate themselves as much as possible regarding their condition. Learn about new developments, read up-to-date materials and ask questions of health experts or a personal physician.

7. Assistive devices: Anything that makes completing a daily task easier is considered an assistive device. They can help reduce discomfort and disability helping people with arthritis become more functional. Dr. Reich advises anyone beginning a new regimen consult a physician.

WELLNESS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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** Q & A #1:
I use a diuretic to keep my blood pressure down. The bottle says "take with orange juice" but orange juice does not agree with me. Does it have to be orange juice?

Some diuretics remove potassium from the body. The instructions to take the pill with orange juice is to replace the lost potassium. However, many other foods contain potassium and can be used instead. You do not have to "drink" the potassium. You can take the pill with water and then consume a potassium rich food. The following list of foods high in potassium includes orange juice so that you can compare the potassium content:

Orange juice: 1/2 cup, 240 mg Bran flakes with raisins: 1 cup, 280 mg Banana: 1 medium, 450 mg Milk: 1 cup 1%, 380 mg Baked potato: 1 medium with skin, 840 mg Broccoli: 1/2 cup cooked, 225 mg

** Q & A #2:
Are enzymes important for digestion?

The capacity of living organisms to make enzymes (which are very complex protein molecules of precise structure) diminishes with age. Some scientists believe humans could live longer, healthier lives by guarding against the loss of precious enzyme levels and activity.

** Q & A #3:
What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta (the aorta is the main blood vessel coming from the heart that supplies blood to all organs) in your abdomen. Aneurysms may occur in any blood vessel in the body, but the most common place is in the abdomen below the renal arteries (blood vessels that provide blood to your kidneys). The aneurysm may continue to grow larger until, like a balloon, it bursts ("ruptures"). The larger an aneurysm becomes, the easier it grows. Aneurysm rupture can be a life-threatening event. The goal of all aneurysm operations is to prevent the aorta from rupturing. A normal aorta below the renal arteries measures about 2.3 centimeters in diameter (1 inch) in men and 1.9 centimeters in diameter (3/4 inch) in women, but varies with age and body size. An aorta is considered aneurysmal when it grows more than 50% over its normal size. Aneurysms are four times more common in men than women and occur most often after 55 to 60 years of age. Aneurysm rupture affects approximately 15,000 people per year making it the 13th leading cause of death in the United States. The incidence of aortic aneurysm disease is increasing each 10 years as the population ages in general. Early detection and diagnosis is increasingly possible as more sophisticated medical screening methods become available.

** Q & A #4:
What are the symptoms of abdominal aortic aneurysm and how is it treated?

Three out of four aneurysms show no symptoms at the time they are diagnosed. Those patients who do have symptoms may feel a pulsation in their abdomen or an occasional mild abdominal ache, back pain, or even groin pain. Most people have very few complaints related to the aneurysm. However, a rapid growth or rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm may cause intense back or abdominal pain and signs of shock such as shaking, dizziness, fainting, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and sudden weakness. When this happens, you need immediate medical attention. Abdominal aortic aneurysms can be surgically treated either with traditional open surgery or with a minimally invasive repair known as an endovascular procedure, meaning "within the blood vessels." The endovascular procedure is currently used only for non-emergency treatment. If it is not an emergency, repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm has a low risk, few complications, and relatively quick recovery period. Your doctor will help you determine which procedure is appropriate for you.

** Q & A #5:
How important is the health of our skin?

Many of us take our skin for granted and do not realize that it is actually an important organ; like any vital organ, it continually carries out a long list of life-sustaining functions. It is also a mirror of our state of health.

** Q & A #6:
Can skin health be improved after it has been damaged?

In a Scandinavian study of middle-aged women with sun-damaged skin, half were given a supplement of a proprietary marine-derived concentrate and half a placebo for three months. The group receiving the active compound experienced an average increase in skin thickness of 75 percent and an increase in skin elasticity of 45 percent, compared to the placebo group, in which both values were unchanged. In fact, the skin thickness and elasticity of the supplemented group (with an average age of 50 and significant sun damage) changed from those of 70-year-olds without sun-damaged skin to those of 30-year-olds without sun-damaged skin.

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HEALTHY RECIPE OF THE MONTH