Standing in line at the coffee shop this morning, I overheard this exchange between two women customers:

“I hate this time of year. I’ll gain a ton of weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.”

“Me too! Every day at work, people are sharing their homemade goodies … and the parties!  Not to mention my kids are always bugging me to bake Christmas cookies.”

You may be relieved to hear that it’s actually okay to gain a little weight in the winter, according to the experts. But … there’s a catch (as you knew there would be)!

If you’re gaining more than 2 pounds, that’s probably too much, says nutritionist Jim Severino.* (And with winter holidays like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas, 2 pounds can accumulate pretty quickly.)

Enjoy what you eat, but watch your portions, advises Severino. It’s not always what you’re eating but how much.

Here are some other tips to keep in mind this season:

1. Going out holiday shopping? If you think you’ll be gone a long time, be sure to pack a snack so you won’t be tempted to eat out more than you should.
2. In the grocery store, look for products that are lower in sodium and fat content, but be careful to check the labels. Sometimes lower in salt means higher in fat.
3. At parties and dinners, try using smaller plates. In studies, human subjects who eat from smaller plates tend to feel full sooner and eat less overall than those using larger-diameter plates.
4. Keep it simple. Fewer ingredients tend to equal fewer calories. For example, serve green beans instead of green bean casserole.
5. Cut where you can. Skim milk and low-calorie toppings are an easy way to conserve calories.
6. And speaking of toppings, don’t overdo it with butter and gravy – these seemingly “hidden” calories can add up to more than you think.
7. Pop most leftovers in the freezer after dinner instead of returning them to the fridge time and time again. Out of sight, out of mind.
8. Don’t rush – take your time while eating and your body will give you the “I’m full” signal when it’s time to stop.
9. Take a walk after dinner. Get your metabolism going and prevent yourself from “picking” after dinner.

*Digestive Health Smart Brief, Nov. 18, 2011

Presentations at this week’s American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) conference support the growing body of research suggesting that lack of exercise, and especially prolonged sitting, has lethal consequences.

In one study, postmenopausal women who engaged in moderate to vigorous daily exercise had lower levels of C-reactive protein in their bodies after one year compared with women who did not engage in this level of activity.

C-reactive protein is a marker of inflammation, an immune response that normally helps our bodies fight off infection. Chronically high levels of inflammation may damage cells and lead to health problems.

Researchers said that in many cases, something as simple as a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day can make a significant difference in overall health. And sitting for prolonged periods is especially bad for us.

One study suggested that taking even short (5 minutes or less) breaks from a sit-down job is associated with smaller waists, less insulin resistance and lower levels of inflammation.

Get Up and Move!

The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends the following tips for breaking up your sitting sessions:

• Set a timer on your computer to remind you every hour that it’s time to step away from your desk, and take a short walk down the hall.
• Instead of emailing a co-worker, chat with him or her over a walk.
• If possible, stand up and walk around during phone calls and meetings.
• Keep light hand weights in your office to use while reading email or talking on the phone.

Foodie trends, fad diets and research buzz may come and go – but one constant shines forth like a beacon, cutting through the “health foods” haze:  the goodness of green tea.

Now comes a promising report from Penn State food scientists: Green tea may slow down weight gain and serve as another tool in the fight against obesity.

How great is that?

The researchers, who released their findings in the current online version of the journal Obesity, fed two groups of mice a high-fat diet. Mice that were fed EGCG – a compound found in most green teas – along with the high-fat diet, gained weight 45 percent more slowly than the control group of mice eating the same diet without EGCG.

And even more good news: In addition to lower weight gain, the mice fed the green tea supplement showed a nearly 30 percent increase in fecal lipids, suggesting that the EGCG was limiting fat absorption, according to Joshua Lambert, one of the Penn State researchers.

A person would need to drink 10 cups of green tea each day to match the amount of EGCG used in the study, according to Lambert. However, he said recent studies indicate that just drinking a few cups of green tea may help control weight.

A Global Nutritional Superstar

This is just one of numerous studies pointing to the awesome and wide-ranging health benefits of green tea. Consider just a few examples:

• Green Tea vs. Superbugs: Egyptian researchers report that green tea can help beat superbugs. At a 2008 meeting of the Society for General Microbiology, the researchers reported on a study that showed drinking green tea helps the action of important antibiotics in their fight against resistant superbugs, making them up to three times more effective.

•  Green Tea Boosts Eye Health: Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea – renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties – penetrate into tissues of the eye. Their report, the first documenting how the lens, retina, and other eye tissues absorb these substances, raises the possibility that green tea may protect against glaucoma and other common eye diseases. The report appeared in the Feb. 20 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

•  Green Tea Aids in Enzyme Production: Concentrated chemicals derived from green tea dramatically boosted production of a group of key detoxification enzymes in people with low levels of these beneficial proteins, according to researchers at Arizona Cancer Center. These findings, published in the Aug. 2007 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, suggest that a green tea concentrate might help some people strengthen their metabolic defense against toxins capable of causing cancer.

•  Green Tea for Strong Bones: Researchers in Hong Kong are reporting new evidence that green tea may help improve bone health. They found that the tea contains a group of chemicals that can stimulate bone formation and help slow its breakdown. The scientists exposed a group of cultured bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) to three major green tea components for several days. They found that one component in particular, EGC, boosted the activity of a key enzyme that promotes bone growth by up to 79 percent. EGC also significantly boosted levels of bone mineralization in the cells, which strengthens bones. The scientists also showed that high concentrations of ECG blocked the activity of a type of cell (osteoclast) that breaks down or weakens bones.

A Long Tradition of Healing

Tea consumption has its legendary origins in China more than 4,000 years ago. Green tea has been used as both a beverage and a method of traditional medicine in most of Asia, including China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea and Thailand, to help everything from controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion.

What is the best green tea to drink? Tea purists say it is essential to use only organic, whole leaves from China, where high quality teas are prized and often given as gifts. When it comes to tea, they say, the fresher the better. Use filtered water. It should be hot, but not boiling, to avoid a bitter taste and preserve the nutrients.

Regardless of whether you use whole or bagged tea, many health experts point out that hot tea offers the most health benefits. If you really prefer a cool beverage, make a double-strength pot of tea and add water, then refrigerate. Don’t add ice, though – drink it when cooled and add a refreshing slice of lemon … that way, you’ll retain all of the tea’s healthful properties!