The nation’s revolution against its well-publicized, gluttonous behavior is finally gaining momentum. Witness the fast-food salads craze, new bills focused on school nutrition programs and tougher nutrition label guidelines—most recently, the required addition of a product’s trans fat quantity. Each proof positive that society has begun to wake up to its collective health challenges.
Sure, we all know the majority of Americans are overweight, as it is constantly the subject of newspaper headlines and television news segments. A reported 64.5 percent of adults age 20 years and older are obese. This accounts for 60 million who are considered obese and 9 million who are considered severely obese. In addition, approximately 127 million are considered overweight. According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), these numbers have been on a steady rise since 1960. But, what exactly does this information mean?

Who has time to make an elaborate meal these days? The nightly dinner menu usually takes a backseat to family and work responsibilities, bills, laundry and other daily chores. Grabbing convenience foods, such as frozen TV dinners, just-add-water pastas, or fast food every night can not only be a detriment to the health of you and family members—it can also be a hefty blow to the wallet. Pre-prepared foods often come at high price in grocery store aisles, and eating out usually means you’ll be paying triple or quadruple the cost of eating in.

Try these tips to get out of your lazy-meal mode:

· Plan ahead. By making a list of meals you will prepare during the upcoming week before you make the grocery list, you will limit your choices to ingredients you need rather than random items that do not compliment each other for a meal.

· Make more time-consuming dishes on the weekend, doubling the recipe so it can be served again later on in the week.

· Remember that great dishes don’t have to be hard to make. Visit www.eatcannedpears.com for delicious recipe ideas that are both inventive and healthy.What a fabulous combination!

According to the AOA, obesity is the second leading cause of unnecessary deaths, accounting for over 300,000 deaths each year in the United States. It increases your risk of more than 30 medical conditions, including heart disease, stroke and liver disease.

So, what can you do to help America find victory in its battle with the bulge? For starters, don’t rely on government officials and nutrition activists to do all the work for you—take charge of your own health, as well as your family’s, by making smart changes in your diet today! Small changes can make all the difference. Weight loss as small as 10 percent of a current body weight can have a positive impact on a person’s health. Start exercising more—even just a walk around the block every night—and eat less junk food and more natural food, like fruits and vegetables. Canned pears from the Pacific Northwest are not only delicious, they are fat-free and easy to eat—all you need is a can opener and a fork! For more recipes and information, visit www.eatcannedpears.com

Source: www.obesity.org

INGREDIENTS
1 to 1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup bias-sliced green onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 can (15 ounces) Bartlett pears sliced, drained

METHOD
Thinly slice chicken into bite-size pieces; set aside. Combine broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, sesame oil and red pepper flakes; set aside. In large skillet or wok, heat oil. Add onion, garlic and half of the chicken. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Remove from skillet. Add remaining chicken; stir-fry 2 minutes. Return all to skillet along with water chestnuts. Add broth mixture; cook and stir until thickened. Stir in pear slices; cook 1 minute to heat through. Serve hot chicken mixture over shredded lettuce or in lettuce cups. Serve over chow mein noodles or hot cooked rice.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS
2 cans (15 ounces each) Bartlett pear halves, drained
1/2 cup mango chutney
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons sliced radishes
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Red cayenne pepper, to taste
6 (6 to 8 ounces each) halibut steaks
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon pepper

METHOD
Set aside 6 pear halves. Dice remaining pear halves. In small bowl, mix diced pears with chutney, parsley, green onions, radishes, cumin and cayenne pepper; set aside. Brush halibut steaks on both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with lemon pepper. Grill or pan-fry halibut, cooking 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until fish just flakes when tested with a fork. To serve, place halibut on serving plate. Arrange pear half next to fish. Top with pear chutney mixture.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

How a Can of Pears a Day can Help Keep the Doctor Away

Apples aren’t alone in their campaign for making doctor visits sporadic rather than regularly necessary. Canned pears are also a great way to keep your body healthy. This sweet and refreshing fruit is a good source of carbohydrates, potassium and fiber with virtually no fat or cholesterol. Carbohydrates provide sugars in the form of glucose, which is the main source of energy for most cells in the body. Potassium helps to manage muscle and nerve function. It also helps to keep body fluids in balance and regulates blood pressure. Fiber promotes digestive regularity, appetite control and has beneficial effects on blood cholesterol and blood sugar. All this, plus canned pears are always ripe and ready-to-eat—meaning you can always rely on them to help keep you on a healthy track.

Sources: http://www.icsdna.com, http://www.unhinderedliving.com/potassium.html, JADA. 2002; 102:993-1000

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