Still have a few hours before dinner, but your tummy is rumbling? Have a healthy snack!

Many people swear off snacking in an attempt to cut calories. But snacking is actually a healthy choice. Small, nutritious snacks prevent you from getting ravenous between meals (and potentially overeating). Also, when you choose your snacks wisely, they can help stabilize your blood sugar.

Real Simple has great ideas for healthy snacks that will tide you over until dinner. For example, the Cashew Strawberry Crunch sounds delish -- just top a Ryvita fruit crunch with a tablespoon of cashew butter (rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats). Then, sliced strawberries are placed on top. Yummy!

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The Mediterranean diet has long been touted as a healthful way to eat. Now, new claims suggest that pairing a Mediterranean diet with a small snack of nuts daily boosts the health benefits.

Metabolic Syndrome is a combination of heart-disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, excessive abdominal fat, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. The Mediterranean diet is thought to reduce some of the risk factors involved in metabolic syndrome. A new study separated 1,224 people into three groups: one group received advice on a low-fat diet, the second was instructed on the Mediterranean diet plus were given one liter of virgin olive oil each week and the third received the Mediterranean advice plus 30 grams of mixed nuts each day.

Over the course of the one-year study, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was reduced in all three groups: The low-fat diet group saw a two percent reduction in metabolic syndrome, the olive oil group reduced metabolic syndrome by 6.7 percent, and the group that followed a Mediterranean diet as well as eating nuts reduced the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by a whopping 13.7 percent.

AOL Health has more information on the Mediterranean diet.

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Exercise, a healthful diet, and maintaining an appropriate weight add up to a power play for health. The benefits are numerous, but one important perk is reducing your risk of diabetes. For improved blood sugar control and a reduced risk of developing diabetes, practice these five habits:

• Lose weight or maintain your healthy weight. Even a small weight loss can have a positive impact on blood sugar. More than 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight -- controlling this factor significantly lowers your risk.
• Exercise regularly. Not only does physical activity help you with weight maintenance, it also offers diabetes risk reduction of its own.
  
• Eat less saturated fat and total fat. For some people, higher fat meals trigger a blood sugar response. Some researchers think that high-fat meals make insulin less effective. In addition, reducing the bad fats in your diet helps with weight control and is definitely a heart-healthy move.
• Keep excess calories to a minimum. When it comes to weight, you need to burn more than you eat. So keep treats and high-calorie foods to a minimum.
• Increase fiber intake. Dietary fiber -- especially soluble fiber (found in oatmeal, for example) -- isn't just for a healthy heart; it also helps regulate blood sugar.

[via FitSugar]

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My family had a birthday party for my mother recently. Even though it's downright chilly here, my oldest sister was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and kept fanning herself. Since I'm 15 years younger than she is, I got a little laugh out of her hot flashes. But it's only a matter of years before my time comes.

While the cause of hot flashes during perimenopause and menopause aren't fully understood, there are several health-related possibilities. Women who smoke are more likely to have hot flashes -- one more reason to quit -- and women who are overweight or obese are also more likely to have hot flashes. In addition, blood glucose levels may play a role in hot flashes.

If you're currently experiencing hot flashes, talk to your doctor. He/she may have nutrition or fitness suggestions that will help, and there are several medications that can help as well. If, like me, hot flashes are only a future possibility -- take action now. Make sure you maintain an appropriate weight and eat healthfully.

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You're eating right and exercising, but that stubborn scale won't budge. Are you making one of these mistakes?

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It should be no surprise that a nutritious diet and regular exercise help us live longer. That's why these two must-haves appear in a top 10 list created by Dr. G. Medical Examiner.

Day in and day out, Dr. G. determines how recently departed people died. Sounds like a morbid job, doesn't it? It's actually pretty amazing if you watch her show, though. She takes clues from everything and sometimes comes to unexpected conclusions. For families that have lost loved ones without much warning, I expect that the explanation of their loved one's death helps to give them closure.

An expert in death, Dr. G. has come out with a book to help preserve life. Discovery Health has her top 10 ways not to die. Here are a few of her tips:

• Know your numbers. Keep your BMI in a healthy range by exercising and eating right. Check your blood pressure often. Have your cholesterol and blood sugar levels tested.
• Listen to your body. Don't ignore unusual pains or aches ... tell your doctor about any concerns you have.
• Use as instructed. Take medications according to your doctor's instructions.

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When you're watching what you eat, that doesn't mean snacks have to hit the highway. On the contrary, actually. Snacking can be part of a healthful diet. When you choose the right snacks, they can be helpful in maintaining stable blood sugar and can help ward off the cravings that hit when you get overly hungry.

Fresh fruit or veggies are always a good choice for snacking ... but that's kind of a no-brainer. If you're in the mood for more of a treat, it's not as easy to determine what your best options are.

Cooking Light did some side-by-side comparisons of relatively healthy treats. Take hummus and salsa for example. Two tablespoons of hummus with carrot sticks has about 60 calories, 3 grams of fat, 1 gram of fiber, and 105 milligrams of sodium. Two tablespoons of salsa with tortilla chips has 147 calories, 7 grams of fat, 0.5 gram of fiber, and 187 milligrams of sodium.

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So you say chocolate is calling your name? You're not alone! From sugary sweets to salty treats, we all deal with cravings from time to time. Divine Caroline shares four reasons you might be having a craving:

• You're pregnant. It may seem like an old wives' tale or fodder for a TV sitcom, but many pregnant women do experience cravings. Jacki recently told us that Rebecca Romijn does.
• You're premenstrual. Women can crave certain foods just before their periods.
• You have low insulin levels. When your insulin level or blood sugar is low, your body will naturally crave foods to correct the imbalance.
• You have low serotonin. When you're stressed, your body may send out signals for something to ease the pain.
  

When you understand your cravings, you can take control and make wiser and healthier decisions.

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Keep lifting the fork to your mouth and you'll have to fork over some cash. This is essentially the message the state of Alabama is sending out to its 37,000+ employees.

The state has already had a policy in place where smokers can either quit their habits or they must contribute to the costs of their health insurance. Recently state employees were told that they have a year to get their BMI under 35 or else they'll be charged $25 per month toward their insurance costs.

The state also has an upcoming plan in place for 2010 where, if state employees don't take free health screenings the state offers for them, they'll also be charged. If employees take the screening and conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol are found, the employees will be offered free doctor visits and wellness programs to help improve the problem. A year later, they'll be screened again and if there's no improvement, they will be charged, too.

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