You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2623 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 Beliefs About Healthy Lifestyle Clash With Behavior (NAPS)—You’re never too young to reduce your risk of stroke—and you may need to start by changing your lifestyle. According to a recent American Stroke Association survey: • Nine out of 10 Americans between ages 18 and 24 believe they’re living healthy lifestyles and want to live well into their late 90s. Yet most eat too much fast food, drink too many alcoholic and sugar-sweetened beverages and engage in other behaviors that could put them at risk for stroke. • Most of those surveyed said they want to maintain quality health throughout their lives. Yet one-third don’t believe engaging in healthy behaviors now could affect their risk for stroke in the future. • Eight in 10 people between ages 25 and 44 years old also believe they’re engaging in healthy lifestyles and hope to live to be 90 and beyond. While they’re more likely to engage in healthy behaviors than 18- to 24-year-olds, they could also improve. “This survey shows the dangerous disconnect that many young Americans have about how their behaviors affect their risks for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases,” said Ralph Sacco, M.D., neurologist and president of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “Starting healthy behaviors at a young age is critical to entering middle age in good shape.” People who make healthy lifestyle choices lower their risk of having a first stroke by as much The investment you make in your health today will have a large payoff as you age. as 80 percent compared with those who don’t, according to the American Heart Association. Healthy behaviors include eating a low-fat diet high in fruits and vegetables, drinking alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages only in moderation, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy body weight and not smoking. “Young adults need to make a connection between healthy behaviors and a healthy brain and heart,” Sacco said. “People need to think in terms of striving for ideal health as well as surviving and thriving if a stroke occurs. An easier way to remember this is: Strive, Survive, Thrive.” To learn how to strive toward a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of stroke, visit My Life Check at www.mylifecheck.heart.org. To survive and thrive, learn the stroke symptoms and other helpful tips by visiting www.Stroke Association.org. Beat The Afternoon Slump With Honey—A Natural 3 P.M. Energy Boost (NAPS)—You start your day full of energy, charge through work assignments or household tasks all morning, and then break for lunch. You intend to continue that same pace of productivity after lunch, but for some reason, at around 3 p.m., your energy level starts to dip. Does this sound familiar? For a quick energy boost, you want something fast, flavorful and appetizing. Enter honey, a natural energy booster that’s a sweet addition to any afternoon snack. Honey provides quick energy and is a source of carbohydrates. At approximately 6 grams of carbohydrates and 21 calories per teaspoon, it is ideal for a quick pick-me-up since carbohydrates are the primary fuel the body uses for energy. “Honey is composed of a unique carbohydrate composition of natural sugars and trace amounts of antioxidants, enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids, making it a smart, natural, energy-filled afternoon snack,” says sports dietitian Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD, co-author of “The All-Pro Diet” with Tony Gonzalez. “In fact, for years, sports dietitians have recommended that athletes include pure honey in their preexercise meal or snack for that very reason.” Honey can be used in many easy-to-make afternoon snacks, whether you’re at school, work, home or the gym. Combining honey with fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and other healthful foods can add to your total nutrition and give you a great natural energy boost. Whether you’re looking for a surge of energy or just a sweet reward after a long workout, honey is a quick, easy and delicious all-natural energy source. For more information about honey as a natural energy booster and for more honey recipes, visit www.honey.com. Registered dieti- Registered Dietitian Mitzi Dulan’s Natural 3 p.m. Energy Break Survival Tips Combining honey with fruits, vegetables and whole grains can add to your total nutrition and give you a natural energy boost. cian, Mitzi Dulan, a spokesperson for the National Honey Board, offers a few of her favorite energyboosting honey recipes: Honey Cherry Energy Bars Makes 6 bars cup honey cup dried cherries 3 tablespoons coconut flakes, sweetened 1 cup whole raw almonds 6 dates (pitted) In a high-powered blender, blend honey, cherries, coconut, almonds and dates on high speed, stirring as needed. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Put mixture into the baking dish and flatten with a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent sticking. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Cut into 6 bars. Honey Banana Smoothie Serves 1 1 2 1 cup 1 percent milk frozen banana teaspoons honey scoop protein powder (from container) Blend and enjoy! 1. Staying hydrated throughout the day is an essential tool for maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Since honey naturally contains about 17 percent water, it dissolves easily. Just add some honey to water for a budgetfriendly sports drink. 2. Mix a nut butter and honey, or honey and light cream cheese, as a dip for fresh fruits or vegetables for a wholesome energy snack. 3. To maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day, select meals with adequate amounts of protein such as canned salmon, eggs or nut butters. Take time to prepare an easy Mitzi Dulan, lunch like canned RD, CSSD salmon with mixed greens or a deviled egg sandwich on whole grain bread. 4. To keep up your energy, choose high fiber foods like whole grains (wheat, rye breads, quinoa) and legumes (beans, lentils). 5. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and what you choose to eat sets the tone for the day ahead. Plain or Greek-style plain yogurt with a teaspoon of honey and a handful of nuts is a nutritious way to kick-start the day. 6. For a 3 p.m. pick-me-up, try one of Mitzi’s personal favorite snacks: a whole wheat sandwich thin with nut butte r, slice d banana and honey. It is a delicious way to power through the rest of your day. 7. Always aim to eat all-natural whole foods that are easy to pronounce with simple ingredients such as honey, strawberries, avocados and spinach.