Eating sweet potatoes, taking Vitamin D and giving up smoking for November

Norman suggests people ask their physicians to perform a “25 hydroxy Vitamin D assay” blood test as part of every annual checkup to check their Vitamin D levels. If your Vitamin D is low, he says, the easiest, safest way to bring it up — particularly in these dark winter days — is to take Vitamin D3 supplements.

Great American Smokeout

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Jennifer LaRue Huget

Writes the Eat, Drink & Be Healthy column and Lean & Fit e-newsletter, and blogs for The Checkup.

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(John McDonnell/THE WASHINGTON POST) - Fiber in sweet potatoes can help reduce cholesterol.

Smokers who wish to kick the habit have a chance to do so with plenty of support on Nov. 17, the 36th annual Great American Smokeout.

Bill Blatt, director of tobacco programs for the American Lung Association, offers these tips to help smokers begin living a tobacco-free life.

→Realize you don’t have to quit alone. The lung association offers a nationwide quit line, 800-784-8669 that connects you with a someone in your state and lets you talk with a live counselor.

→Tell friends and family that you’re trying to quit. “People understand that it’s difficult; they’ll give you a little leeway” if you’re not quite yourself as you learn to live without cigarettes.

→Know the difference between a slip and a relapse. A single slip doesn’t mean you’ve relapsed into smoking. But to ensure that it doesn’t go any farther, “Treat a slip as an emergency. Get rid of your cigarettes and see if you can figure out what happened. If you have a friend who has already quit smoking, call that person” for support and advice.

→Understand that “every moment you spend without smoking is a success, and you should be proud” of each one. On Nov. 17, take note of those moments and “realize you can use them as a basis for quitting for good.”

Navigating the Thanksgiving feast

Melissa Joy Dobbins, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, says the key to navigating holiday feats is to prepare in advance for the challenges of the Thanksgiving table.

One of her top tips: “Give your willpower a break. Don’t put yourself in tempting situations without a plan. Don’t rely on willpower. It won’t work.”

Other ideas for keeping your eating in check while enjoying Thanksgiving to the, er, fullest include:

→Plan for “small indulgences.”’ Instead of taking an all-or-nothing approach, you can decide in advance to take small bites of your favorite treats, be they appetizers, desserts or side dishes. “Planned treats allow you to still feel in control and are the key to staying healthy for the long term.”

→Pack in the protein. Protein fills you up and can help you resist fatty, carb-filled foods, so grab some nuts (which also contain filling, heart-healthy fats) before the big meal, or fill your plate with lean turkey or ham.

→Don’t skip the gravy. “Gravy gets a bad rap, but it’s not all that bad.” A little drizzle over your food makes it special without adding lots of calories or fat.

Finally, Dobbins offers advice for those who, despite their planning efforts, end up overindulging. “Don’t beat yourself up. That will only make things worse. Instead, learn from it. What was the trigger? What made it spiral out of control? Then get back on the horse” right away.”