That's Fit

My kid got a cavity. Just had it filled recently. It cost me a bundle and makes me rethink getting dental insurance. It also makes me rethink what I need to do to ensure my two little guys do the very best they can with their pearly whites.

Of course, they need to brush. If I had it my way, they'd brush after eating, every time they eat. But this is hard since they spend a few hours each week day in school and I can't realistically mandate classroom brushing after snacks and lunch. I can be vigilant at home, though. I can hover like a helicopter over them, judging their respective techniques. Let's face it: Kids left to their own brushing devices will cheat, even if unaware their form is not exactly right.

My boys can floss -- and they do -- but as a team, we can do better. We can also swirl around a little mouthwash. And use this cool pink solution the dentist gave us (well, sold us) that marks the hiding places of food bits. And my favorite: We can cut down on sugary, sticky, sweet treats. We've got them down to a pretty good minimum but there's always room for improvement.

What can you do to treasure your kids' teeth? Visit this American Dental Association site for age-appropriate practices.

I'm not exactly sure what the deal is with us guys, but we're awfully pig-headed when it comes to going to the doctor. Maybe it's because we want to be all Charles Bronson about our ailments and see if we can tough them out. Problem is, sometimes an issue that could have been dealt with easily turns into an even bigger issue if it goes untreated.

A 2007 survey, conducted for the American Academy of Family Physicians, revealed what some guys' reasons are for not seeing a doctor. This is where I'd like to insert some fancy pie chart, but since I can't, I'll stick to bullet points.

• 36% of men only go to the doctor when they are extremely sick
• 23% of men say they are healthy and don't need to see a doctor
• 11% of men say lack of insurance prevents them from seeing a doctor
• 8% of men say they don't like doctors
• 7% of men don't go to the doctor because they are afraid of finding out that something is wrong with them

Look guys, if you're not feeling well, go see a doctor. Even if you're feeling fine and it's simply time you had an annual check-up, go see the damn doctor, will you? If your car is making a strange rattling noise or even driving the slightest bit off, you'd have it looked at, wouldn't you? Afford your body the same respect and care.

If it's been so long that you don't even know where to find one, check the American Medical Association website (www.ama-assn.org) for a comprehensive listing of board-certified internists.

Head on over to this American Heart Association site where the experts say if we walk more and eat better, we'll live longer. They're so sure of it, in fact, that they're kicking off National Start Walking Day on April 16.

Do you know that heart disease is the number one killer in the United States? Do you know that physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease? Sobering, isn't it? Fortunately, these facts can be changed. Here's how.

First, you can start walking and start reducing your risk. Second, you can support the American Heart Association. The folks there are challenging Americans to walk a million miles and raise a million dollars all in one day -- April 16. Ready to accept the challenge and help fight heart disease and obesity? Click here for more information.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, Can you recommend any good kickboxing videos? I lift weights and run, and I'd like to integrate kickboxing into my routine. Thanks for your help. Samantha

A. Hello Miss Samantha. Great question and you've come to the right place. Kickboxing is actually my sport. I've been training/competing as a full contact kickboxer for over ten years. You're smart to want to include it in your training. I always tell folks at the seminars I teach that I can brag about the sport, because I didn't invent it. Kickboxing literally works every single muscle in your body head to toe. It also offers an insane combination of cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training in one shot.....when done right.

This month is all about your heart. So in the spirit of keeping it in tip-top shape, here are a few heart-healthy facts.

• Your belly and how it measures is more important than your body mass index (BMI) because it's a better indication of atherosclerosis (artery hardening). A healthy waist should total less than 35 inches.
  
  

• Do you know what your cholesterol is? You should. It's a major heart attack risk factor and should be checked at least every five years -- more often if it's high or you have risk factors.
  
  

• Antioxidant supplements won't mend a broken heart. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends against taking vitamins A, C, and E because there's just no proof they do any good. A multivitamin is fine, however.
  
  

• Losing weight will cause a drop in your blood pressure. If you need to slim down, then, do it for your heart.

Grammy winner Toni Braxton tells PEOPLE magazine that she is this year's spokesperson for the American Heart Association. It's not just her celebrity that landed her the job, though. It's the fact that she's a living, breathing survivor of heart disease.

Helping to kick off February's National Heart Month, the 40-year-old Braxton says, ""I have heart disease, and I found out about five or four years ago." Exhaustion is what tipped her off. A trip to see her doctor confirmed that heart disease was the culprit, specifically pericarditis -- an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart -- and hypertension too.

Braxton is fighting her disease by making lifestyle and diet changes.

"I eat relatively well, but sometimes having those pizzas and burgers late at night -- I had to change that," she says.

A bunch of NCAA basketball coaches and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) declared war on cancer this past weekend by partnering with the American Cancer Society for Coaches vs. Cancer, a nationwide collaboration that empowers coaches, their teams, and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer.

The Coaches vs. Cancer concept, spearheaded in 1993, has led to programs such as basketball tournaments in November and Suits and Sneakers -- coaches nationwide were encouraged to wear sneakers with their suits while coaching this weekend to remind fans about eating right, exercising, and making healthy lifestyle choices. There are boutique shopping events in April, golf invitationals in June, and Referres vs. Cancer, a fundraising campaign that began this weekend and concludes with a presentation at the Final Four.

Thanks to the NABC and everyone who has helped since this program's inception to raise $40 million in direct revenue for the American Cancer Society's. Score!

• Childhood obesity can decrease life expectancy by two to five years.
  
  

• One in three obese children have excess fat in their liver, which can lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure.
  
  

• Obesity affects every organ system in a child's body in a much more serious way than obesity affects adults because kids are still growing and developing.
  
  

While the American Heart Association is at work trying to get better physical education and more nutritious foods in school, parents are the most important piece in the childhood obesity puzzle. It's critical they help their kids make wise dietary choices so they can live long, productive, and healthy lives.

National Wear Red Day is February 1, 2008 -- mark your calendars! -- and that means you simply must make a red fashion statement on this day. Not only will you look dashing in your vibrant hues, you'll be sending a heart-healthy message too. So pull out your favorite red dress, laugh until you're red in the face, or eat a red apple. It's up to you. You get to choose exactly how you'll go red.

Going red is about finding a personal way to take part in the fight against the number one killer of American women: heart disease.

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide movement that urges millions of people across the country to help make a difference. The color red, and the red dress, have become symbols for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.

While heart disease is a force to be reckoned with, the good news is that the disease can largely be prevented. And so the mission of this Go Red movement is to arm women with tips and information on healthy eating, exercise, and risk factor management.

To learn more about all things red, visit this site. It's sure to inspire you to love that heart of yours.

Food labels are confusing. I know this. Even though I understand how to understand them, it's hard to balance the good and bad I find listed on food products. I might find a certain something to be low in sugar and then learn the same item is high in fat. How do I know if something is a good bet with so much competing information?

Here's some direction, thanks to the American Dietetic Association. Call it the rule of 5 and 20.

An item is considered a poor source of a nutrient if it contains five percent daily value or less of that nutrient -- based on a 2,000-calorie diet. It's an excellent source if it contains 20 percent daily value or more. Depending on whether these figures refer to sugar or say, fiber, you'll want to adjust your intake accordingly.

That helps. Doesn't it?

For more on food labels and how to interpret them, stop by this site. Click on Get Smart -- Get the Facts on Food Labels and you'll land at an enlightening PDF nutrition fact sheet.

It's time -- time for that spread of holiday food and its accompanying butter, cream, sugar, and salt. Is it even possible to practice health-minded cooking during such a time? Of course it is, say chefs and dietitians, who agree that most recipes can be modified to increase their health value without sacrificing taste.

"Reduce and replace" -- that's the key, says Darlene Dougherty, former president of the American Dietetic Association. She's not talking major recipe overhauls here, just minor nips and tucks. Here are some of her easy, anytime tips.

• Replace butter with unsaturated oils such as olive, canola, and soy oil.

• Use non-fat or low-fat milk instead of whole milk and opt for reduced fat cheeses too.

• Substitute lean cuts of meat for fatty ones. Remove fatty skins.

• Bake, boil, and steam rather than fry. Sauté with a dash of oil, wine, or tomato puree.

• Cut back on egg yolks, which are high in fat and cholesterol.

• Start with less fat, sugar, and salt and then adjust for taste.

• Season with herbs, spices, lemon juice, or minced tangy vegetables, instead of salt and butter.

• Forgo cream-based soups, sauces, and gravies, or make them with skim milk. Choose vegetable-based soups and sauces.

• For baked goods, use applesauce or other fruit purees for butter and oil -- this maintains fluffiness. Cut back on sugar by one-half or more.

I know sugar isn't good for my kids. That's why we don't keep heavy-duty forms of it in our house, why we limit our boys' intake when they're faced with the potential of sugar overload, why we're doling out Halloween candy slowly, bit by bit. At the rate we're going, it'll take all year before they consume it all -- that's if I don't trash it before the year's end. Sugar is always on my mommy mind. And I've always often wondered: Can kids develop diabetes from eating too much sugar?

No, according to an article about children with diabetes published recently in my city's Gainesville Parenting magazine. Apparently, the experts at the American Diabetic Association say no one really knows why some people have diabetes and other don't. Research shows it can be linked to genetics and lifestyle and dietary choices, but there's nothing conclusive about sugar causing the disease.

How about kids who have diabetes -- are they banned from sweets for all of time? If paired with exercise and a healthy diet, diabetic kids can have sweets just like any other kid. There are not any foods off limits for these kiddos, in fact. The key is moderation.

Since fruit is healthy, can diabetic kids eat as much as they like? Even though fruit is healthy, it contains lots of carbohydrates -- which turn into sugar -- so the American Diabetic Association recommends parents talk with their child's dietitian about how much fruit is safe.

What about insulin -- should it be used minimally since it can cause weight gain in diabetic kids? Studies show the benefit of managing glucose levels with insulin injections far outweighs the risk of putting on a few pounds.

For more information on diabetes, click here.

One difference between the terms "obese" and "overweight" is the number associated with body mass index (BMI). Take your weight, divide it by your height, and square it -- that's your BMI. If your number is 30 or above, you are considered obese. If it's 25 to 30, then you fall in the overweight category. Be warned, though. Some experts don't put much stock in the BMI since it only accounts for weight and height, and not muscle mass.

According to a new study appearing in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, another difference between the two is that one -- obesity -- is associated with 11 percent of deaths from a number of cancers and nine percent of deaths due to cardiovascular problems. Being overweight is not linked at all to these types of deaths. In fact, it's also not related in any significant way to the 40 percent of deaths due to other causes.

Could being overweight have health benefits? Perhaps, although experts don't advise gaining weight because of this speculation. And you surely should not increase your BMI to that dreaded number 30 -- because it seems that's when problems begin to occur.