That Thanksgiving spread will soon face you. And what will you do? Stuff your face? Or proceed with caution? I suppose the stuffing-your-face approach is OK if you keep the practice to random days, like this one reserved for giving thanks (for good food, right?). But if you're keen on keeping your cool on the calorie front, you might want to try this trick for navigating your table of temptation. All you'll need is a PDA -- I'm not talking a personal display of affection (save that for the mistletoe). Nope, a personal digital assistant is the tool you need.

So you've got a yummy slice of pumpkin pie in your sight. Here's what you do: Grab that PDA and type in calorieking.com/mobile. When you land at your destination, type in "pumpkin pie" and click "Go." Immediately, some pumpkin pie options will pop up. Just pick your pie and all sorts of nutritional facts will appear before your very eyes. I just tried this quick search and went with a Sara Lee Oven Fresh frozen pumpkin pie. Here's the scoop: One slice has 260 calories, 37 g of carbohydrates, 11 g of fat, 4 g or protein, and 2 g of fiber. No mention of sugar, but believe me, it's in there.

What do you think -- do you grab that pumpkin pie or let the moment pass? It's up to you and Calorie King to decide.

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When it comes to dips and dressings, we pretty much know which ones are the bad guys: Things that are cream-based, made with cheese, high in fat or all of the above. So when snacking, we healthy eaters tend to lean towards nutritious things with nutrients and fiber. Vegetable-based snacks like salsa and guacamole fit the bill, right?

Salsa, yes. But guacamole? Is it healthy? What do you think?

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When you're in a time crunch, a piece of whole-wheat toast and some fruit is a quick and healthy breakfast. But what are you putting on top of your toast? Healthcastle's dietitians review some popular toast toppers and give us the nutritional low-down:

• Nutella. While a hazelnut spread may seem like a healthy option, Nutella is packed with more sugar and palm oil than hazelnuts.
• Margarine. Be sure to pick a spread that has zero trans-fats. (Look for non-hydrogenated vegetable oil on the ingredient list.) For an even better option, choose a spread that has plant sterols added for cholesterol health.
• Cream cheese. You may think this yummy spread counts as a serving of dairy. While technically it does, it's actually pretty low in calcium. Calorie-wise cream cheese isn't too bad when you pick the lite versions.
• Peanut butter. This tasty treat is packed with protein and also provides some monounsaturated fats. Just choose a natural peanut butter that doesn't contain hydrogenated oil.
  
• Jam. It's fruit... so it must be healthy, right? Not when it's paired with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Choose 100% fruit varieties that are sweetened with natural juice. Or, better yet, make your own.

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Can a computer game help health experts better plan for the next epidemic? It can, and it is. It started when a computerized illness that started as an intentional "challenge" for advanced players of the popular video game World of Warcraft back in 2005 soon did what many real illnesses do in the real world: it broke loose and began running rampant among computer characters of the game that the creators didn't intend. What's interesting is that how the computer game epidemic spread was very similar to how real ones do -- so similar in fact that it's helping real health experts fine tune how they do their research. The game is pointing out flaws in the current research system along with natural occurrences and social tendencies that surprisingly hadn't been thought of before.

Of course all the game designers had to do to fix their "epidemic" was reset the system and redo some programming. Too bad it doesn't work that way in the real world too.

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It's almost August and guess what? August is National Sandwich Month! So celebrate the sandwich by enjoying a few. They're delicious and nutritious ... well, mostly anyway. Here are some tips for building a healthy sandwich:

• Use only 100% whole grain bread. If you're cutting carbs, halve them by having an open-faced sandwich. And toasted is better.
  
• Cheese can be your friend if you don't use too much. Choose a flavourful variety like goat cheese
• Mustard is perhaps the perfect sandwich spread -- it's low-cal and low-fat. Avocado makes another good spread. Avoid the mayo.
• If tuna salad sandwiches are your thing, skip the mayo and instead mix your ingredients together with some olive oil and lemon juice, or a bit low-fat cream cheese. Yummy!
• Stay away from that high-fat bacon meatball sub--go for lean protein like turkey breast or, if you're treating yourself, smoked salmon.
  
• Load your sandwich with healthy veggies.
• If you're bringing your sandwich to work, bring the ingredients and put it all together there to avoid the soggy-sandwich situation.

My favourite sandwich is a grilled cheese, but that's a rare treat for me. What's your sandwich?

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