To me, nothing says spring quite like long leisurely lunches with friends on warm afternoons. And nothing says lunch quite like a sandwich. Opting for a fresh sandwich loaded with veggies and topped off with whole grain bread over something laden with fat and calories, like a burger, seems like the healthy way to go. And I always give myself bonus points for ordering a salad on the side instead of the standard fries.

But are sandwiches always the healthier option? Take one of my favorite -- the club -- and tell me.

When it comes to healthy lunches, packing your own is one of the best ways to make sure you're not overdoing it on calories and fat. And what is synonymous with a brown bag lunch? A sandwich. But nutritionally speaking, not all sandwiches are created equal, even homemade ones.

According to eDiets, just one tablespoon of mayo will add 100 calories and 10 g of fat to your sandwich -- that's enough calories to add six pounds to your waistline each year!

Want a better choice that adds just a much flavor? Mustard is your best bet at a mere 10 calories per tablespoon. If you just can't stand your sandwich without mayo? Light mayo has about half the fat and calories.

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If such a thing existed, I'd be a card-carrying member of SLA -- sushi lovers anonymous. I'm addicted to the stuff. In fact, I could probably eat it every day. I don't, but I could.

There are worse addictions, of course. Sushi is low in fat and high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, so it's no wonder the Japanese are some of the healthiest people in the world. But we Westerners have a tendency to take healthy things and and 'Americanize' them -- also known as doing whatever we can to make them tastier and more marketable.

Sushi is no exception. What started as rice, fish and seaweed now comes in hundreds of different flavours and colours. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not complaining about those spicy mayo-laden tuna rolls I love so dearly, but I can't help but wonder what we've done to the nutritional value of sushi.

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Of all the burgers out there, I think the general consensus is that veggie burgers are the healthiest of the bunch. They're low in saturated fat, and fat in general, plus they're lower in calories than regular beef or chicken burgers. As a non-vegetarian, I always get the same reaction when I order a veggie burger at a restaurant: 'Huh? Are you on a diet or something?' But I suspect that what veggie burgers lack in calories and fat they make up for in add-ons like cheese and sauce. But then again, I could be wrong.

What do you think? Are veggie burgers healthy or not?

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Want healthy skin? Then you need to be proactive, say the Mayo Clinic experts.Why? Because skin becomes thinner and more wrinkled as we age, oil-producing glands grow less active, and the number of blood vessels decrease.

Skin becomes more and more fragile with the passage of time. Here's how you can keep it looking youthful.

• Avoid the sun during high-intensity hours -- that's 10 AM to 4 PM -- and wear protective clothing, and use a sunscreen with an SPF greater than 15. Be sure to apply 20 minutes prior to going outdoors.
  
  

• Don't smoke if you want to minimize aging and wrinkling -- smoking accelerates both.
  
  

• Wash skin gently with warm, (not hot) water and minimize your time spent bathing. Avoid harsh soaps -- my dermatologist recommends Dove -- and irritating additives. Pat your skin dry.
  
  

• Moisturize regularly to maintain moisture levels. Moisturizers provide a seal over your skin to keep water from escaping.
  
  
• Shave carefully to avoid skin irritations. For a smooth shave, press a warm cloth on your skin before shaving to soften the hair. Apply shaving cream, lotion, or gel to protect and lubricate skin. Shave in the direction of hair growth, not against it. Rinse skin afterward with warm water. If shaving leaves your skin irritated, avoid alcohol-based products.

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No bones about it: Losing weight is hard work. You're going to have to make some major changes and you're going to have to stick to them. But changing too much too fast is a recipe for disaster, so our advice is to take it slow and start off with some smaller changes.

Diet Blog recently put together a list of easy food swaps you can make that will cut 100 calories from your daily intake. Some examples?

• On your toast, have honey instead of jam and butter.
• On your sandwich, trade mayo for a little bit of light cream cheese.
  
• Instead of having a beer after work, have a glass of wine.
  
• Instead of ordering a cheeseburger, order a plain hamburger.
  

They have plenty of other great swaps -- click here for more info.

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Spinach Dip is one of those staple foods that makes an appearance at every party, at least in the circles I run in. And why not? It's easy to make, and even easier to pick up from your grocer's deli section when you're in a hurry. Plus? Everyone loves it, and since it has the word 'spinach' in the title, it can almost pass as something that's healthy for you.

But it is really healthy? When the main ingredients besides spinach are sour cream and mayonnaise, I'm guessing the answer is 'no' but hey -- you never know.

What do you think?

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I am a sucker for expensive hair care products. Pricey shampoos and conditioners, any kind of serum that promises shiny results and expensive visits to the salon for a new color are all part of my hair routine. But I also know that fancy packaging and a big price tags don't necessarily guarantee quality, and that there are plenty of inexpensive alternatives.

Many of these can be found at home -- in your refrigerator. A couple of years ago I embarked on my only little adventure wherein I tried out a few of the food products that I'd heard were great on your hair to see if they really worked. I was surprised and impressed that most of them did! Although I didn't stick with any of them (lets face it -- hair that smells of mayo isn't as enticing as hair that smells like Aveda), I still think they're worth giving a try if you're curious.

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You may not be in the low-fat camp -- perhaps you blame carbohydrates more than fat for the whole weight-gain issue -- but if you're one who tries to keep fat grams to a minimum, I've got just the website for you.

The healthy recipes found at this Mayo Clinic destination all contain less than three grams of fat. Neatly organized into categories, including appetizers, beverages, desserts, main dishes, salads, and side dishes, these 100+ recipes might be all you need to build a lifetime of low-fat menus.

Got a taste for some smoked trout spread, a strawberry banana milkshake, a few slices of mango salso pizza, or a peach crumble? The Mayo Clinic has the scoop on these tasty treats and more. Stop by when you get the chance.

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Yesterday, I published a post citing the fact that 95 percent of those who successfully lose weight somehow go on to regain the unwanted pounds within a few years. Now I've happened upon this statistic: 50 percent of people who start an exercise program quit within the first three to six months.

Hey, it happens. I know. In my combined 37 years on this planet, I've cycled in and out of exercise programs more times than I care to count. And while I seem to be doing OK right now -- I do something fitness-related every day -- there's just no telling what might throw me off my course. That's why I always try to remember why I exercise.

I exercise for energy -- even when I'm tired, I force myself to do something. Inevitably, I feel recharged when I'm done. I exercise for strength -- I want strong bones, strong muscles, arms powerful enough to hoist my littlest growing boy into the air on occasion. I exercise for a lean body -- I've seen results, and I don't want to lose them. I exercise for a healthier heart -- my low resting heart rate always tips off my doctors that I'm challenging myself aerobically. I exercise for peace of mind -- I need to escape the madness of my family unit now and then, and I always feel invigorated when I return home. I exercise to boost my mood, ease my worries, diminish my stress, refocus my thoughts, recharge my spirit, and perhaps most important: To keep breast cancer from paying me a return visit. Recent research links five weekly hours of strenuous exercise to a pretty significant cut in breast cancer risk. That's reason enough for me to keep huffing and puffing.

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Remember this thing? It made me seriously consider the unhealthy influence that the American diet has over the once-healthy eating habits of other countries. Now I'm even more convinced that the Japanese are on the slippery path to deep-fried gluttony that North America slid down many moons ago because of this: Mayo Margaritas.

Wait, that's not all. Mayo is taking Japan by storm and is now served in or alongside fondue, cocktail weiners, fried chicken, soba noodles, cocktails, tempura -- you name it. Aside from the occasional blot of mayo on a sushi role, I can't see mayo being a tasty addition to Japanese cuisine, but they love it. Those who are especially fond of mayo even have their own nickname: Mayolers.

They certainly could have picked a healthier item to be crazy about -- mayonnaise is notoriously high in calories and fat. But I suppose it's the creaminess that makes it craze-worthy, and creamy seems to go hand-in-hand with fat and calories. Still, I'm not going to become a Mayoler anytime soon. Are you?

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I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. Specifically, I think that basically any unusual or unexpected ache, pain or swelling is cancer. Fortunately, for my doctor especially, I am usually pretty good at deciphering which symptoms actually need to be checked out and which are likely just random and normal body fluctuations.

There are symptoms, however, that according to the Mayo Clinic should not be ignored. For example, if you lose 5% of your body weight within a month or 10% in 6 to 12 months and you can't explain why, you should have a chat with your family doctor. Unexplained weight loss can be an indicator of a range of conditions including cancer, liver disease and depression.

If you've injured a joint and it has become hot, red and/or swollen, you need to seek help as you may have a joint infection that could eventually lead to the loss of a limb. Other warning signs you should never ignore include shortness of breath, severe headaches, flashes of light and feeling super full when you've hardly eaten anything. To see the rest of the symptoms as well as the reasoning behind why you need to get then all checked out, take a look here.

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Even for people who read label's religiously, it's not always easy to figure out the best and worst foods to consume (or not consume). Everybody out there is obviously interested in finding out as is evidenced by Adams' incredibly popular post on the top 10 terrible foods to always avoid. But what about the good stuff?

A dietician from the Mayo Clinic has made a list of what he feels are the top 10 best foods to eat based on a number of factors including:

• Whether the food is a good source of fibre, vitamens and minerals
• Whether the food can reduce the risk of heart disease and other conditions
• Whether the food is high in vitamens A and E, as well as beta carotene
• Whether the food is readily available and,
• Whether the food is high in calorie denstity (ie. larger portions with less calories)

To be eligible for the list, the products had to meet three or more of the points on the list. So what came out on top? Fruits and veggies like apples, broccoli. blueberries, spinach and sweet potatoes. Salmon also made the list as did almonds and red beans. To see the rest of the top 10 and find out why all of these foods are so fabulous, take a look here.

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You're following your healthy eating plan to a T and yet you're still having trouble losing weight. Why? Chances are it's due to some diet saboteurs, things that you might not even think about but that will make it difficult to shed pounds. They're even things you might think are healthy, such as:

-Coffee. It's calorie-free when black but if you're loading it with cream and sugar, it packs a calorie-ladden wallop
-Bagels can have the same amount of calories as five pieces of bread. It's because they're so dense.
-Granola is usually loaded with sugar and fatty oils, especially in bar form. It's best to make your own.
-Applesauce is also loaded with sugar.

To see the rest of the items, click here.

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Tuna Salad is one of my favourite sandwiches. Just thinking about one, the way my mother made it with olives, makes my mouth water. The best thing is, it's healthy. It is! Right? But I wonder why, when you go to Subway for their '6 Subs under 7 Grams of Fat', the Tuna sub is never on the menu. Why? It's comprises of fish, which is good for you, and veggies, which are also good for you. But there's a couple of other ingredients in there, namely Mayo and Bread, which can be pretty bad for you.

So let's check it out. How many calories and fat does a Tuna Salad Sandwich have?

A)250 cal, 13 g of fat
B)550 cal, 26 g of fat
C)772 cal, 48 g of fat
D)820 Cal, 62 g of fat

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