Oh (nutritious) nuts!

You may often hear disparaging comments about nuts because they contain fat, but this idea stems from the misleading concept that all fats are bad. Despite what you've heard, not all fats are created equal. Researchers and clinicians now know certain fats (trans fat and saturated fat) contribute to heart disease, while others (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) may actually reduce the risk of a heart attack.

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Fabulous Fiber

How much fiber do you need each day? It depends on your age. Women under 50 should get 25 grams a day. Men under 50, 38 grams a day. Women and men older than 50 should aim for 21 and 30 grams, respectively. Children need more fiber as they age, with kids 3 and under needing 19 grams of fiber a day, and teens needing 26 grams a day for girls and 38 grams a day for boys. The average American falls short of the ideal and eats only 10 to 15 grams of dietary fiber a day

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Fending Off Flu With Food

There are no guarantees that you won't come down with the flu or other respiratory illness. However, you can significantly reduce your risk of getting sick by getting your routine vaccines, practicing good personal hygiene, eating healthy foods, being physically active, managing stress levels and not shortchanging yourself on sleep.

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Seeing Film Violence May ‘Desensitize’ Parents

As they watch more violence or sex in movies, parents may be less bothered by it and more likely to let their kids watch, a new study suggests. The study included 1,000 parents of children ages 6 to 17. Researchers asked them to watch 6 movie clips in random order. They included violent or sexual scenes from popular movies rated PG-13 or R. With each clip, parents were asked to pick the youngest age that would be OK for a child to see it. Most parents said the first clip they saw was OK for teens 17 or older. By the last clip, they thought a 14-year-old could see it. Researchers said they had become “desensitized” to violence and sex. Parents also were more willing to let their own children see the movies after viewing more clips. Some parents would let kids see the movies at even younger ages.

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