Check out our new U of I Extension website at:

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/crawford/

You will be able to see all our information about upcoming events and the things happening at fair! There is lots of information at your finger tips.

• Eat breakfast--Eating regular meals and snacks prevents the "famine-then-feast syndrome." Make breakfast a high-fibercereal, whole-grain bread, or fresh fruit, and you're more likely to eat less at lunch.
• Eat when you're hungry--By responding to physical signals to eat, you may be less apt to eat in response to stress or boredom.
• Eat slowly--Savoring each flavor and texture can boost satisfaction. It also takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive the signal that you're full
• Ride out the urge--Cravings generally pass within minutes, maybe even seconds. For a good distraction, exercise.
• Start small--If you always finish what's in front of you, start with half the amount of food you usually eat. You may find a smaller serving just as satisfying. To make less food seem like more, serve your main course on a salad or dessert plate.
• Splurge now and then--If you're really committed to eating less, an occasional lapse is OK. It has little impact on a lifetime plan for controlling your appetite.

Many of us stock up on store-bought bread during sales, and then put it in the freezer for later use. When you take bread from the freezer, eat it soon after thawing, since thawed-out breads tend to dry out more quickly than fresh breads. Some people don't even wait for thawing; they pop frozen bread into the toaster for a quick-eating treat!

If the new USDA food-guide pyramids found at www.mypyramid.gov seem as inscrutable as the Sphinx's smile, don't despair. University of Illinois Extension nutrition and wellness educators are well-equipped to help you make sense of the government's new guidelines for healthier eating.

"The beauty of this is that individuals will now be able to tailor their own diet plans to their gender, age, and activity level," said Robin Orr, who heads U of I Extension's nutrition and wellness team. "When you enter this information, you'll find out how many calories you should be consuming daily and how many servings of certain foods you should be eating."
The website that explains the pyramids contains an extraordinary amount of information that consumers can use to improve their diets and their health. The thing to remember is that there may be 12 pyramids, but there's only one that's right for you. Once you've found that, suddenly everything gets easier.

Basically, the message is:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables--4-1/2 cups or nine servings. Choose fruit over fruit juice
• Eat whole grains
• Eat lean meats
• Drink low-fat milk and eat low-fat dairy products

The website also emphasizes gradual improvement in dietary habits, physical activity, variety and moderation when choosing foods, and paying attention to serving size, which is almost always 1/2 cup for fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Consumers who have questions should contact their local Extension office for help in sorting through the advice and finding what's right for them.

MY PYRAMID: Ideas for transforming MY diet

· To reduce the fat content in your baking recipes, substitute half applesauce for vegetable oil.

· Whole-wheat flour can replace from one-fourth to one-half of the all-purpose flour in recipes. EX: If a recipe has 3 cups all-purpose flour, use 1-1/2 cups whole-wheat flour and 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour.

· Instead of using regular sour cream in sauces and dips, use reduced fat sour cream, low fat or nonfat yogurt, or cottage cheese.

· Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. They cost less and are likely to be at their peak flavor.

· Grill vegetable kabobs as part of a barbecue meal. Try tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.

- Weeding your garden burns almost as many calories as playing golf for the same length of time – more, if you use a golf cart when you play.

- According to a new study from the University of Tennessee, wearing a pedometer to track you daily steps can motivate you to walk more. This study found that people who used them walked more than people simply told to walk 30 minutes most days. There is no magic number, but 10,000 steps a day is often recommended. If you are not used to walking so much, gradually work you way up by adding 1,000 – 2,000 more steps to your daily activity.

- Diet soda can damage your teeth as much as sugared soft drinks. Blame acids used as flavoring agents.

- While chromium is an essential mineral, deficiency is a rare occurrence in the U.S. Claims that chromium supplements can build muscle, prevent or treat diabetes, or aid weight loss are unfounded.

- If you are going to keep fresh spinach for more than a few days, you are better off buying frozen. That is because spinach loses nutrients rapidly after picking, even when refrigerated. And the spinach you buy has probably already taken a few days just to reach the store.

- If you have gastrointestinal upset after eating "fat-free" or "reduced-fat" snacks, check the ingredient list for olestra (brand name Olean), a fat substitute that can cause diarrhea, gas, and crampingin some people.

To prevent musty odors, keep them in a dry place – never in a damp basement. Put a sock filled with activated charcoal into the box with the books. Make sure the box or bin is tightly sealed to stop insects from getting inside.

SUMMER SMOOTHIE

1 nectarine

6 oz. Fat-free peach yogurt, frozen

1/2 cup (4 oz.) orange juice with calcium

1/2 cup prepared sugar-free lemonade

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smoothie consistency is reached. Makes 2 1-cup servings Nutrition Information: Fat 0 grams, calories 110, Calcium 207 mg

OR: STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE with 5 large strawberries, 6 oz. fat-free strawberry yogurt, frozen and a ½ c. prepared sugar-free lemonade. Makes 2 1-cup servings Nutrition Information per serving: Fat: 0 grams, calories 70, calcium 134 mg

ITALIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 8 servings

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Do you like blue cheese dressing but hate getting all those calories? Here's a simple way to make your own. Combine ½ c. blue cheese crumbles with a ½ c. low-fat cottage cheese in a blender. This dressing has all the flavor but half the fat!