Eating a well-planned, balanced mix of foods every day has many health benefits for older adults. Research shows that smart food choices can help reduce risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, now offers an engaging online nutrition resource, What's On Your Plate? Smart Food Choices for Healthy Aging. 

Explore What's On Your Plate? for reliable information based on scientific research, including:

• ·         recommended eating plans
• ·         how to shop for food that's good for you, even on a tight budget
• ·         food safety
• ·         practical tips to help older adults lead healthy lives

You can also print the resources to use on-the-go or to share with others. Visitwww.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/whats-your-plate today!

The National Institute on Aging offers a wealth of information on healthy aging. Subscribe to get regular updates.

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today issued the following statement regarding the Monday evening accident on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) in Aurora that killed Tollway employee Vincent Petrella and seriously injured an Illinois State Trooper:

"Vincent Petrella is a hero. Both he and the injured State Trooper were doing heroic work - assisting their fellow citizens in an emergency. Both men were committed to keeping our roads safe and to helping those in need.

"Vincent was a selfless man, dedicated to his family and his job. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fellow employees during this difficult time.

"I am ordering the state's flags to be flown at half-staff so all Illinois citizens can be reminded of Vincent's life of service and sacrifice.

"We also offer our wishes for a full recovery for the injured Illinois State Trooper, and thank him for bravely going above and beyond the call of duty."

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ESPN.com Released 2014 Rankings This Morning

 

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros minor league system has been ranked as the best in baseball this morning by ESPN.com's Keith Law.  The top three clubs in Law's rankings are as follows:  

1. Houston Astros

2. Minnesota Twins

3. Pittsburgh Pirates

The Astros minor league clubs experienced a great deal of success in 2013, with all six domestic teams making the postseason, with two winning championships. Over the past two seasons (2012-13), the combined record of the Astros minor league clubs is tops in baseball. This represents a dramatic turnaround as the Astros minor league clubs had the worst combined record in baseball in both 2010 and 2011.

When General Manager Jeff Luhnow was hired by the Astros in December of 2011, one of the main objectives of the organization was to build a top farm system that would lead to sustained success on the Major League level in the future.

"We have been focused on developing the best young talent in baseball in the past few years," Luhnow said.   "Our scouts, coaches, trainers and front office should be proud of the talent we have accumulated.  The next step is to turn that into wins for the Houston Astros."

In addition to the success of the minor league clubs, the Astros top prospects have also been recognized nationally by several outlets. Seven prospects were included in MLB.com's Top 100 list, released last week: Carlos Correa (#8), Mark Appel (#17), George Springer (#21) Jon Singleton (#50), Lance McCullers Jr. (#52), Mike Foltynewicz (#54) and Delino DeShields, Jr. (#66). 

Five prospects were included on the Baseball Prospectus Top 101 list, also released last week: Correa (#5),  Springer (#20), Appel (#21), Foltynewicz (#43) and Singleton (#57).

Last year, Law and other outlets ranked the St. Louis Cardinals as having the top minor league system. Prior to joining the Astros, Luhnow served as the vice president of scouting and player development for St. Louis for several seasons. Sixteen players on the 2013 NL Champion Cardinals playoff roster were drafted while Luhnow was VP of scouting and player development.

-Astros-

Physican Shares 4 Tips for Enjoying Life to the Fullest

Have you ever felt like you need an upgrade on your life? Most of us have - and there's a way to get it, says veteran physician Sanjay Jain.

"First, I tell people, 'Don't be afraid of making your life clearer.' Many argue that life is not simple and, therefore, there are no easy answers, but as we have paraphrased from Chinese philosopher Laozi, 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step,' " says Jain, whose specialties include integrative medicine. He's also an international speaker and author of Optimal Living 360 - available February 2014 (www.sanjayjainmd.com).

"Lives are built from many small components which, when viewed as an assembled whole, can appear overwhelmingly complex," Jain says. "But when we break them down and consider the pieces as we make decisions in our lives, it's much easier to see how small adjustments can result in a better return on all of the investments we make - not only in health, but in relationships, finances, and all the other essential aspects of our lives."

Jain offers four points to keep in mind as you start the journey.

• Life is short, so live it to its fullest potential. Live it optimally. This is your life, so don't waste its most precious resource - time. No matter one's spiritual leanings, economic and education status, health, intelligence level, etc. - one thing is true for all: Our time on Earth is finite. There will be a time for most of us when, perhaps after a frightening diagnosis from a doctor, we reflect deeply upon our time and consider the most important moments, and all the time that may have been squandered.

• Balance is key. Too much or too little of something, no matter how good, is actually not good. Balance is one of the easiest tenets to understand, but arguably the most difficult to maintain. Obviously, too much alcohol is bad; then again, there are some health benefits to moderately imbibing red wine. What about too much of a good thing; can a mother love her children too much? Yes, if she is an overprotective "helicopter parent." The best antidote to overkill of anything is awareness; try to be aware of all measures in your life.

• Learn to tap your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses. Engaging your strengths at work and in your personal life is important. When we do what we're good at and what comes easily, we feel self-confident and satisfied. Some people, however, are not in jobs that utilize their strengths, or they don't put their talents to work at home because they're mired in the prosaic work of living. It's important to identify your strengths and find ways to engage them. It's equally important to recognize our weaknesses and work on improving them (because we can!) This is essential for achieving balance.

• Life is about making the right choices. Integrative decision-making makes this easier. There are many different types of decision-making, including systematic, hierarchal, impulsive, decisive and flexible. Integrative decision-making can be used for problems large and small, and includes the following process: 1. Define the problem. 2. Frame the problem. 3. Develop all your options. 4. Analyze your options. 5. Make the decision. 6. Execute your decision. 7. Debrief yourself. While experts may be the best consultants for compartmentalized areas of your life, only you know the other aspects that affect your well-being and can determine how a decision in one area will affect another area.

About Sanjay Jain, MD, MBA: Sanjay Jain is a U.S.-trained physician with certifications in Diagnostic Radiology, Integrative Medicine, and Healthcare Quality and Management and more than 15 years of clinical experience. He graduated from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and The Ohio State University, where he earned a master's in business administration. This unique blend and perspective has made him a highly sought after domestic and international speaker. He remains actively involved with many medical organizations at both the local and national levels.