February is American Heart Month, and I’m not talking about romance (although, yes, that too). In the spirit of maintaining your most important muscle, read below for one of the 109 surprisingly easy—and potentially life-saving—tips found in Prevent, Halt & Reverse Heart Disease, by Joseph C. Piscatella and Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D.

Heart Saver #109: Brush and Floss Your Teeth

A number of studies show a link between periodontal (gum) disease and an increased risk of heart attack. In fact, it’s estimated that a person with periodontal disease is two to three times more likely to have a heart attack than one without periodontal disease.

Here’s the theory. Plaque that builds up on the teeth produces chronic inflammation of the gums, causing irritation, redness, swelling and bleeding when you brush. If the plaque isn’t removed, the gums separate from the teeth, leaving pockets that fill with bacteria. The most common strain found in these pockets is Streptococcus sanguis. When it enters the bloodstream, this bacteria may be a significant causative factor in heart attacks and strokes.

Dental bacteria seem to undermine cardiovascular health in three ways. First, infections from dental plaque can cause injury to coronary artery walls. Second, people with gum disease are more likely to produce an inflammatory response that may place them at elevated risk  of suffering a heart attack. And finally, gum disease can initiate blood clotting.

Given all of the above, it seems prudent to:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Electric toothbrushes, rinses, and toothpaste help to prevent periodontal disease.
• Floss at least once a day.
• See your dentist for regular cleaning.
• Be sure your diet includes plenty of complex carbohydrates, especially fruits and vegetables. Reduce sugar and highly refined carbohydrate foods such as baked goods.
• Chew sugarless gum to help fight dental decay. Gum containing xylitol, a sweetener made from birch bark, has been shown to partially suppress the growth of cavity-promoting bacteria in the mouth.

—Avery, whose favorite tip is #37, Get a Massage.

I have lost and gained hundreds of pounds on Weight Watchers and other diets. So when the New Year came, and with it, a predictable resolution to lose weight, I decided to try something different. My husband, Michael, and I want to make this the year we get back down to where we were when we got married 17 years ago. Fifty pounds less of each of us. Wow—100 pounds. (That’s the weight of my 84-year-old, former ballerina mother-in-law when she’s fully clothed and soaking wet.)

With the holidays’ epic sugar consumption behind me (Mallomars, take me away!), I decided to try the G.I. Diet (that stands for Glycemic Index), and to put my husband on it as well. In three weeks, he has lost 10 pounds, which means I may soon have to kill him as punishment for his gender-enhanced ability to lose weight. On my end: I’m not a big fan of the scale, but I already feel better than I have in years and am wearing a size smaller pants. After my three weeks on the diet, I did finally find the courage to step on the scale and face the music. Five years of denial meant it wasn’t going to be pretty. But at least now I get to reap the reward of seeing my number go down each week as my clothes get baggier.

In the past, I always resented my husband when we dieted together—basically, it felt like I was dieting for both of us! But now something is different. He keeps telling me that this diet makes a lot of sense, and that he doesn’t feel deprived. There truly is so much you can eat on it: lots of lean protein, veggies, fruit, good carbs, some fat (including small portions of nuts). Pretty much the whole 9 yards. And the book is so easy to follow, with charts outlining the foods to avoid (red light), be wary of (yellow light) and eat freely (green light). Basic premise is to keep your glycemic index in check, and therefore, stop craving sugar and all those yummy carbs that turn to sugar in your body.

Michael is finding the no alcohol till you hit your target weight daunting. So he cheated with some red wine and a vodka gimlet, which made him much happier (and me too, because it cut down on the griping!), and didn’t seem to impede his weight loss. We love that the diet suggests that you don’t treat it as a “straitjacket.” “If you are on the program 90% of the time you are ahead of the game.” I can’t do without my tablespoons of half and half in my caffeinated coffee—and I don’t have to!

So we’ve made it through 25 days on this diet (but who’s counting?), and it honestly doesn’t feel like we’re on one. I actually think I am eating more than I have in years!

As my husband says, “My wife is the best cook in America.” Perhaps I am. (We’ve certainly got the pounds to prove it. Sigh.) I’m still cooking, which I think is the key to success of any diet, but with much less fat and more fiber than I used to, and no sugar. Instead of bad-carb overloading (I never met a carb I didn’t like!) and ordering in Chinese, I’ve tried the recipes in the book, including Homey Oatmeal, Minestrone Soup (I used fresh dill instead of parsley or basil as suggested, and it worked just fine), Cream of Spinach Soup, Chicken Paella, Berry Crumble, Basmati Rice Pudding, and this delightful thing that tastes like cheesecake filling. Really tasty stuff. So clearly, I’m feeling very inspired right now.

I’ll let you know how we’re doing down the road, and wish me luck to stay the course! Tonight, G.I. Spaghetti and Meatballs (2/3 cup is a whole lot more than you think! My favorite is Barilla Enriched Pasta with Fiber, ALA Omega-3 & Protein). Viva Italia! Stay tuned.

Okay, okay, maybe you don’t have 10 minutes to spare exactly (I know you’re busy), but surely you have the inclination to steal 10 minutes here or there to do something good for you. Think of it this way: You deserve it.

I was flipping through our catalog recently and came to the conclusion that, boy, do we have you more than covered when it comes to ways to exercise your brain, body, and creativity…in 10 minutes.

1. If you’re feeling playful, 10-Minute Bananagrams will test your brain with a series of anagram puzzles that will drive you bananas! (Based on that cute, bestselling game that comes in a banana-shaped pouch. I think you know what I’m talking about.)

2. Whether your 10 minutes comes in the form of a airport flight delay, waiting in line at the grocery checkout, slow restaurant service, a chorus of are-we-there-yets on the family vacation, or your typical weekend rainy day, 10-Minute Puppets has 30 characters for you and your child to create and play with. In this instance, the initial 10-minute investment of making the puppet will pay out in hours of play!

3. Ready to nerd out on some 10-Minute Crosswords from our friends at Mensa? Peel off the calendar page and take it with you so you can stay sharp during your train commute or intermission at your kid’s dance performance–or solve a puzzle during the commercial breaks from that mind-wilting TV show that you just can’t turn off!

4. Feeling antsy? 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough is the solution to that age-old excuse for not going to the gym: I don’t have time! Oh, but it turns out you do. You can change your entire fitness outlook with a series of 10-minute mini-workouts once a day. And you can do them anytime and anywhere that you might find yourself: in a hotel room on a business trick, at home watching TV, slogging away at your desk at the office, or of course, at the local health club.

According to my calculations, you could also make at least 6 new friends or close at least 6 business deals in those same 10 minutes.  So, how would YOU like to spend the next 10 minutes?

Inspire yourself to get fit by lowering your time commitment to 10 minutes a day with The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough. Sean Foy tells you how:

That pile of crispy, salty fries that comes with your sandwich at lunch, or the overflowing bowl of pappardelle with ragù are all delicious, there’s no denying that. But according to Joseph C. Piscatella’s Positive Mind, Healthy Heart!, portion size is the secret behind weight gain and with plate sizes expanding from 9.5-in. in the 1970s to 14.5-in. today, it’s easy to put on a few pounds—even if you eat more than the proper portion of healthy food.  So when you sit down and look at your plate wondering what exactly does a portion look like?  Here are a few simple guidelines:

3 ounces of meat, poultry or fish = a bar of soap, a checkbook or a deck of playing cards

2 tablespoons of peanut butter = a golf ball

1 medium bagel = a hockey puck

3 ounces of hamburger = the lid of a medium-size jar of mayonnaise

½ cup of cooked vegetables, cut fruit, cooked rice or pasta = a cupcake line

1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables or dry cereal = a baseball

1 ounce of cheese = 4 dice

We all indulge over the holidays, and what feels fun and festive leading up to New Years, can make your jeans feel a bit too snug after the fact. Whether you’re looking to shed a couple extra pounds or make an entire lifestyle overhaul, Rick Gallop’s The G.I. Diet covers the ten behaviors that must be addressed if you are to be successful in reaching and maintaining weight-loss goals…

So kick off 2010 with some healthy choices:

1. Skipping Breakfast: When most people get up in the morning, they generally haven’t eaten for 10-12 hours. As a result, skipping breakfast will certainly cause you to snack throughout the day, and you’ll most likely reach for high-calorie, high-fat foods. By the time evening rolls around, you’ll be starving and stuff yourself at dinner. Lesson of the day: eat breakfast.

2. Not Taking the Time to Eat Properly: It’s easy to slip into a cycle of fattening convenience foods or short-term energy fixes. But it really only takes 15 minutes to make a healthy breakfast in the morning.  If you can’t fix your own lunch, there are healthier  options than a slice of pizza. And if you eat well throughout the day, you’ll have much more energy to prepare a quick dinner at home, versus picking up waist-expanding take-out.

3. Grazing: A few nuts here, a couple of cookie there, a tablespoon or two of peanut butter, and a few glasses of juice all look pretty harmless in themselves, but taken together, they can easily total several hundred extra calories a day! And those can add up to more than 20 pounds of additional weight a year.

4. Unconscious Eating: Eating should never be a peripheral activity—it should always be the focus. Eat your meals at the table, and set aside distractions such as the TV, computer, video games or telephone while you have your snacks. Eat consciously and be aware of exactly how much you’re ingesting.

5. Eating Too Quickly: It takes 20-30 minutes for the stomach to let the brain know it’s full. So if you eat slower it allows your brain to catch up with your stomach. At meals, put your fork down between bites and really savor the flavors and textures of what you eat.

6. Not Drinking Enough: Did you know that by the time your feel thirsty you’re already dehydrated? You’re body’s need for water is only second to its need for oxygen. Always carry water with you, drink eight glasses of fluids a day, and being hydrated will go a long way to helping control appetite and weight loss.

7. Rewarding Exercise With Food: It’s common for people to reward themselves with food for exercising. But what often happens is the cookie you consume as a reward adds more calories than is expended during your exercise.

8. Cleaning the Plate: This deeply entrenched habit, taught at a young age, is not a friend of your waistline. Get into the habit of letting your stomach—and your brain—not the quantity of food on your plate—determine when you are full. Put out only enough food for the meal—no extras.

9. Shopping on an Empty Stomach: Grocery shopping on an empty stomach is a bad idea. So make sure you shop after a meal, or take a snack with you—you’ll make far wiser choices this way.

10. Eating High-Sugar, High-Fat Treats: Food is a huge part of the holidays and get-togethers. Food is also linked to positive experiences and memories. Unfortunately those treats tend to be high in calories, sugar and fat. There’s no need to completely forgo any type of reward, but just choose wisely. Indulge in the occasional square of dark chocolate or a low-fat frozen yogurt.

In an apt segue from that last post, lets us journey straight from Bourbon Balls to the topic of New Year’s resolutions. Do we only make them to break them? Last week, the Times featured a nice list of realistic resolutions from Dr. Mehmet Oz: Commit to family night, go to bed earlier, floss.

Whether your goals are health-related or not, the point is that you’ll have more success if you make them practical, specific, and simple. Which got me thinking about a little gem in our library, One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, by Robert Maurer, Ph.D. In a nutshell, the book argues that human resistance to change is a protective evolutionary device. This is the safe path to the cave; that one’s probably laden with poison ivy. Don’t try that leaf; it’s probably poisonous. Unfortunately, in a relatively safe modern context, this instinct can get perverted in a whole lot of self-defeating ways. The path to the gym is paved with scary, hungry bears! The brilliant solution, developed by Japanese corporations and used by Dr. Maurer in his therapeutic practice, is to break down the steps to the desired change into increments so small they won’t awaken your anti-change fear sensors.

Essentially, you’d break down your New Year’s resolution into a whole bunch of tiny steps. One woman in One Small Step started exercising by marching in place during television commercials for one minute a day. If you’re looking to make a change and feeling stuck, give Kaizen (and, ahem, our book) a chance.

My resolution? Have more fun in 2010. (No, it’s not specific, but since it’s positive and relatively easy to implement, I figure I can give myself a pass.) What’s yours?

It can seem inevitable. The holidays are coming up and so is the possibility of gaining a few pounds—a mini-Snickers here, a cocktail party there—and before you know it, your jeans feel a size smaller.  But you can stop the snowball effect before it starts with Susan B. Roberts, Ph.D. and Betty Kelly Sargent’s The Instinct Diet. Here are their tips on how to enjoy high-calorie treats, without overdoing it:

Never eat your treat alone: Always eat your treat accompanied by a low-calorie food. For example, if your treat is chips, try eating them with a low-fat yogurt dip and some red pepper slices and celery.

Apply the “sandwich” technique: Sandwich your higher-calorie mealtime and snack foods between two lower-calories foods.  As an example, for the top of the “sandwich” have something bulky and filling such as a green salad with legumes, seafood and dressing or a vegetable soup. For the middle of the sandwich, have your entrée and a small rich dessert. The bottom of the sandwich should always be low in calories and signal the end of the meal.

Follow the “once-a-day” plan: When you have a handle on your limits, enjoy a 100-calorie snack every day, or a 200-calorie snack every other day.

Make indulgences less indulgent: By finding enjoyment in lower-calorie, higher-fiber foods, there’ll be greater pleasure in everything you eat.

A time for everything: Establish regular times to eat. By doing so, your brain will know that you’ll be having a special dessert every Saturday night, and will subsequently stop bothering you about dessert on every other night of the week.

It’s so easy to come up with an excuse to put off exercising…”I don’t belong to a gym,” “I can’t afford expensive equipment,” and the most common reason of all: “I don’t have enough time.” Sean Foy’s The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough dismisses these notions and instead provides a manageable and effective workout regime that fits with a busy lifestyle, and can be performed outside, at home or on the road. Might as well start burning off those summertime cheeseburgers and chips now…

Read an excerpt from The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough below:

10 Minutes Really Can Make A Difference

Most fitness gurus are still repeating the same old advice about the importance of 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity three to five times a week. You don’t have that kind of time to spare—and now research shows you don’t need it! Again, exercise does not have to be prolonged or painful to build muscles and give you a metabolic boost. As you’ll learn in Chapter 4, short bursts of intense exercise are highly effective.

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