Trim food bill, not health with back-to-school tips

With rising food costs leaving families on tighter budgets this back-to-school season, a free family meal-planning and nutrition Web site offers tips on cost savings without sacrificing healthy eating.

Here's a sample of the healthy and money-saving tips:

* Shop smart. Discount cards, coupons and in-store promotions are simple money-savers. Shop store brands that cost less but offer the same quality as name brands.

* Use less gas by making fewer trips to the grocery store. Use the menu planner tool on Meals Matter to chart meals for the entire week based on what's on sale at the grocery store. Print out a shopping list and make all of your purchases in one trip.

* Start the day with breakfast at home. Avoid expensive convenience foods from coffee shops or vending machines. Simple breakfast foods like yogurt, whole-wheat bread, fruit and cereal also provide important nutrients often lacking in convenience foods. Visit Meals Matter to check out some kid-friendly breakfast foods featured for back-to-school.

* Eliminate wasted food left uneaten in the refrigerator or pantry. Soups, casseroles and stews, which can be frozen and reheated, are a great way to avoid wasting vegetables, milk and cheese.

* Make time for family meals at home. Cooking at home is an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with your children. Meals prepared at home are often more nutritious and less expensive than restaurant meals.

FYI: www.mealsmatter.org

SOURCE: Dairy Council of California

You don't need a wife to lead a healthy life

Single guys, rejoice! A new 30-year study from Michigan State University released Monday suggests that never-married men are quickly becoming as healthy as their married counterparts.

However, marriage is still meaningful, the authors said, as widowers reported themselves in poorer health than husbands. The gap widened every year.

MSU author Hui Liu, assistant professor of sociology, said Monday the study shows that policy promoting marriage for health may be outdated, as other forms of long-term commitment become more common.

The study also suggests that widows and widowers need strong reinforcement and community support help to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy.

Liu studied more than 1 million surveys taken by people 25 to 80 years old between 1972 and 2003. Each year, more never-married men described themselves as healthy, a number starting to catch up with married men.

For widowers, the gap between their health and the health of married men widened over 30 years. Liu said she thinks there are several reasons.

"People live longer, and the marriage duration increases over time," she said. It's more stressful when that long-term companion dies.

The survey doesn't consistently distinguish between mental and physical health, so she plans on looking at whether social interactions in the widowed population improve both mental and physical health. -- MCT

5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ... CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

What is it? This painful, progressive condition, also called median nerve entrapment, occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. It's more common in women and it affects up to 10 percent of the population.

Symptoms: These include numbness, tingling and pain in the hand, which might awaken you at night; a shocking feeling in the fingers or hand; strange sensations and pain that might travel up the arm toward the shoulder; and a feeling of weakness or clumsiness.

Causes: A 2001 Mayo Clinic study ruled out heavy computer use. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says carpal tunnel syndrome is most likely due to a congenital predisposition -- the carpal tunnel is simply smaller in some people than in others. Risk factors include a wrist sprain or fracture, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis and work stress. Many people have no identifiable causes.

Treatment: In early stages, shaking the hand will ease pressure on the median nerve. A physician will likely prescribe rest and a splint to immobilize the wrist. Heat treatments and massage may also alleviate symptoms. In some cases, surgery may be necessary.

Rare case: The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery reported in 1972 that a 37-year-old man was stung on the left hand by an unidentified insect in 1970. He experienced immediate pain and swelling, and a doctor prescribed analgesics, Benadryl and oral enzymes. The man's hand continued to swell. Five days later, he experienced a decreased sensation and weakness in his thumb. A surgeon operated, released the median nerve and administered a short course of oral corticosteroids. The swelling reduced and sensation improved. It was concluded that the insect sting caused carpal tunnel syndrome. -- MCT