1. Grocery shop weekly
Healthy eating starts with having healthy food in the house. Plan a trip to the grocery store weekly and stock up.

2. Plan meals and pack lunches
Taking your lunch to work at least a couple days per week will lead to healthier eating and it's much easier for those who are carbohydrate counting too. Planning meals and grocery shopping go hand in hand, so this can be the first step toward healthy eating.

3. Cook at home majority of the time
Eat most of your meals at home. This does not mean you have to cook gourmet meals every night, but even making a large pot of turkey chili or making a quick batch of black bean quesadillas will probably be a healthier option than eating out.

4. Eat fruits and vegetables
Bottom line - people who eat healthy eat more fruits and vegetables and less "junk snack food." Try to constantly think of ways to eat more veggies at lunch and dinner. Whether it be a salad, veggies and hummus, extra cucumber and tomatoes on your sandwich or a stir-fry at dinner - eating more veggies helps control blood glucose levels and helps fill you up.

5. Eat 3 meals per day
Healthier eaters do not skip meals! This leads to better blood sugar control and less overeating at dinner.

6. Eat 3 food groups per meal
Healthy eaters eat a variety of foods at a meal, so they usually aim for 3 food groups at a meal. An example could be a dinner with salmon, quinoa and green beans for a total of 3 foods groups.

7. Drink lots of water
Healthy eaters are drinking more water and less soda or other drinks.

8. Get "back on track" if you ever overdo it
Healthy eaters are not perfect eaters! But if they do overdo it, they tend to get back on track quickly.

9. Willing to try new foods
Healthy eaters do not say things like, "I don't like any fruit or vegetables." They are willing to try to new foods and see if they like it before forming a decision.

Habits of Non-Healthy Eaters

1. Eat out more than 3 times per week
Unhealthy eaters tend to eat at a lot of meals at restaurants for lunch, dinner and sometimes breakfast.

2. Go to Fast Food Restaurants weekly
Fast food restaurants are a common place for unhealthy eaters.

3. Eat a lot of processed or packaged food
Unhealthy eaters consume a lot of processed foods such as chips, cookies, or sometimes large portion sizes of packaged "healthier" food options, such as popcorn, cereal, crackers or pretzels.

4. Skip meals
Unhealthy eaters do not eat regular meals at regular times.

5. Eat fried foods weekly
Fried foods are commonly eaten among unhealthy eaters, whether it is fried chicken, French fries, or potato chips.

6. Drink sweetened drinks
Regular soda, lemonade, juice, or sweetened ice tea make the list of drinks for unhealthy eaters.

7. Drink large amounts of diet soda or coffee
Not everyone that drinks diet soda or coffee is an unhealthy eater, but when people are drinking these things in excess, it becomes a problem. For example, drinking a pot of coffee or more than 3 diet sodas per day usually takes the place of how much water a person is drinking.

8. Snack a lot after dinner
Some unhealthy eaters do well during the day and then really overdo the snacking in the evening time. This could be due to boredom, stress relief, emotional eating, or not eating enough during the day.

9. Make excuses for why they can't eat healthy
Unhealthy eaters tend to have many excuses on why they don't eat healthy. The bottom line is ? if they want to make healthy eating a priority there will be no more excuses.

Do you want to make a change in your eating habits? Set up a meeting with a Registered Dietitian today!

Soon you'll be hearing the bells again!

Quad Cities: The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities is seeking energetic individuals and groups to spread Christmas cheer as volunteer bell ringers for the 2014 Red Kettle Campaign. Ringing sites are available in Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline, East Moline, Silvis and Milan.

Beginning Wednesday, October 1st, interested volunteers can register by going online to www.ringbells.org or by calling Patty Mixdorf at 563-570-2072. Volunteer shifts are two hours at a variety of ringing locations; some locations offer in-door bell ringing. Bell ringing shifts are available from Nov. 7 through Dec. 24, excluding Sundays.

Those who are unable to volunteer their time as a bell ringer this Christmas season, but wish to support The Salvation Army can sponsor a kettle for $100 per day.

Funds collected at the red kettles go toward The Salvation Army's 2014 Red Kettle Campaign. Donations collected will allow The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities to continue to Do the Most Good® by providing shelter, clothing, meals, and a wide range of programs and emergency services throughout the year to those in need within the community.

To make a tax deductible contribution to The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign:

• Visit www.salvationarmyqc.org

• Call 800-SAL-ARMY

• Send a check or money order payable to The Salvation Army to: 301 W. 6^th Street, Davenport, IA 52803

Donations collected during the Red Kettle Campaign are used for the following services: 80,000 freshly prepared meals served and 31,000 nights of shelter provided at the Family Service Center; 2,300 Christmas Food Boxes and 5,000 toys for families and individuals in need; nursing home visits to lonely seniors; and weekly character building programs serving hundreds of Quad Cities youth, and much, much more.

 

How much does growing IP soybeans really cost?

ST. LOUIS (September 30, 2014) - Facing lower soybean cash prices this year, farmers are looking for opportunities to add to their bottom lines. Growing identity-preserved (IP) soybeans is one option for additional profit opportunities, but the costs can seem overwhelming to farmers thinking about getting started.

U.S.-soy-industry-led board QUALISOY developed a calculator that can help farmers determine how much profit they can add by growing IP soybeans, including high oleic varieties.

The calculator, based on a Purdue University study, helps farmers navigate the typical steps required to produce and segregate IP soybeans and gives them an estimate of added profit potential. The United Soybean Board's Value Task Force funded the study.

"The charge of the Value Task Force is to try to find the next big thing that could really create opportunities for soybean farmers, and we feel that there is a lot of opportunity in IP soybeans," says Dan Corcoran, a soybean farmer from Piketon, Ohio, and chair of the Value Task Force. "Whether a farmer has ever grown IP soybeans before or not, this tool will help determine the potential value that is out there."

This calculator, available for use on http://soyinnovation.com/inputs-handling/, also gives a quick look into the limited costs associated with growing IP or high oleic soybeans.

"The soybean calculator is easy to access and has straightforward questions," says Corcoran. "It takes you on a logical path to get a basis for non-IP products and what it takes to deliver a crop. Then it goes into the additional costs and revenue associated with growing IP soybeans.

"This tool helps you make an educated business decision by removing a large amount of guesswork. It gives soybean farmers a good overview of exactly what we need to invest when we choose to grow IP."

Right now, opportunities available for soybean farmers to grow IP include non-GMO, food-grade and high oleic soybeans. However, high oleic soybeans have easier handling procedures compared with other IP soybeans. The calculator takes those factors into consideration when delivering its results.

"With the current state of soybean prices, it is important for soybean farmers to grow a product that has increasing demand," concludes Corcoran. "This concept of growing a product that customers are demanding is beneficial for farmers in general."

The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

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Braley highlights importance of RFS and bipartisan Farm Bill to Iowa's economy
Merrill, IA - Today Bruce Braley highlighted the importance of the bipartisan Farm Bill and a strong Renewable Fuel Standard to Iowa's economy while touring the Plymouth Energy Ethanol Plant in Merrill, Iowa.

"When it comes to protecting Iowa agriculture jobs, there's a clear choice in the race for US Senate," Braley said. "I worked across the party divide for three years to help pass a bipartisan Farm Bill, and I've fought to protect the job-creating Renewable Fuel Standard from the EPA's proposed cuts. State Sen. Ernst, on the other hand, stands with the Big Oil interests backing her campaign against the Farm Bill and is 'philosophically opposed' to the job-creating RFS. I grew up in rural Iowa, worked in ag jobs growing up, and will always work to put the 75,000 Iowans whose jobs depend on renewable energy first."

Braley's support for renewable fuels helped him win the endorsement of the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

Braley has fought staunchly to protect the RFS; according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, nearly 75,000 Iowa jobs are connected to renewable fuels. Late last year, Braley was the only member of the Iowa U.S. House delegation to join Governor Terry Branstad at an EPA hearing where they spoke out against the EPA's proposed cuts. In November 2013, Braley teamed up with Republican Rep. Steve King to host an event with Iowa State's Bioeconomy Institute to explain to Congressional staff the importance of keeping the RFS at its current levels. At Braley's request, Iowa consistently has had representation at Congressional hearings examining the future of the RFS. And early this year, he helped deliver 100,000 signatures to the EPA urging them to maintain a strong RFS.

Braley also has a strong record of promoting Iowa agriculture and fighting to grow Iowa's rural economy. He worked for three years across party lines to pass the bipartisan Farm Bill that is critical to Iowa jobs and Iowa's farming communities.

In contrast, State Sen. Ernst would put Tea Party obstructionism before Iowa: Ernst would have opposed the Farm Bill, is "philosophically opposed" to the RFS, and her spokesperson said that "in a perfect world...she would support doing away with the (RFS)."