Ways to Fight the Cold & Flu Season

With the Swine Flu going around, excuse me, the H1N1 virus, we are all worried about getting sick this year more than ever. I thought I would share how Gary and I stay well all year round. It has worked for us these last few years, and I think it could be beneficial to our readers as well.

1. Eat well. Your body functions much better and is able to ward off infection when you get the right amount of fruits, vegetables and lean protein a day. Cutting out processed foods also seems to make a big difference in how well our body can ward off infections.

2. Drink enough water, at least half your body weight in ounces a day. Water helps flush out toxins that are harmful to our bodies.

3. Eat foods containing probiotics. Not only are probiotics good for aiding and regulating your digestive system, but more and more studies are showing the benefits of a healthier immune system as well. When your body contains all the right bacteria, it is better able to ward off infection. Today's man-made drugs to fight infections, also kill of the good bacteria in our bodies so it is important to fortify our diets with probiotics more than ever before.

4. Get enough sleep. I know you've heard this before, but a tired body cannot fight infection as well as a well rested body. You may need 7-9 hours of sleep to function properly and more if you are fighting off an infection. Our body does a lot of healing while we are asleep, so if we don't get enough sleep our body has a hard time rejuvenating itself.

5. Take a high quality multivitamin that is made from whole foods, if at all possible. I really like Prograde products. Even if you eat right, you will have a hard time getting enough of the vitamins and minerals needed to ward off infection and disease.

6. Wash your hands. Most germs can live on surfaces for a few hours, so washing your hands is an important part in preventing infection. Plain old soap is fine. Studies show that it's not the type of soap that kills the germs it's the 30 second rubbing of your hands back and forth that removes the germs. Hand sanitizers are a good option if washing is not convenient, but washing is the preferred method.

7. Never touch your mouth, nose, eyes or an open wound with dirty hands. Infections enter your body through these areas very easily.

8. If you think you have been around someone who is sick or have been in a public place for a while, you may want to flush your sinus cavities using a saline solution. The easiest and most effective way to do this is with a Neti Pot. Since we've been using a Neti Pot we are rarely sick, our allergies are better and when we do get sick, the cold is not as severe or last as long.

9. If you do get sick, don't sneeze in your hand. Use a tissue or the sleeve of your shirt instead. Wash your hands often and wipe down surfaces with disinfectant wipes to help prevent the spread of infection.

10. Get plenty of fresh air. The reason why cold and flu germs spread so easily in winter is because more people are indoors close to each other. Living an active lifestyle with lots of outdoor activities could prevent you from being exposed to some of those germs.

11. Get plenty of exercise. When you exercise, your body pumps blood faster throughout your body, which is healthier for the body.

12. Don't smoke. Smoking lowers your defenses when it comes to fighting disease.

13. And finally, if you do have a weakened immune system or are exposed to children or the elderly on a regular basis, get a flu shot. Not only will you be helping yourself, but will be helping to prevent the spread to others.

Recipe - Banana Flaxseed Smoothie

When I workout in the mornings, I need to eat something before I do, but don't like to workout on a full stomach, so many mornings, I have a smoothie instead. Depending on the size of the banana and the brand of the yogurt you use, this smoothie tops out at about 220-250 calories and contains roughly 7 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber if you use a supplemental fiber powder as this recipe calls for. I find it very tasty and satisfying and sticks with me for at least three hours.

Print a 3x5 card version of this recipe by clicking here.

Makes 1 Serving

~ one medium banana, frozen, cut into pieces
~ 1/4 cup non-fat vanilla or plain yogurt
~ 1/3 - 1/2 cup non-fat milk
~ 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal
~ 1 teaspoon fiber powder
~ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
~ dash cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth, about 10-15 seconds, depending on your blender. If you prefer a thicker smoothie, use less milk. Use more for a thinner smoothie. Serve immediately.

If you are using plain yogurt, you may want to add some Stevia to sweeten it slightly. I use a pinch of powder or about 3 drops of the liquid extract. Depending on what brand you are using, you may have to use a little more or less. If you don’t have Stevia, honey makes a good substitute. Start with a 1/2 teaspoon. If the banana was very ripe when frozen, you will most likely not need any additional sweetener, but I realize everyone’s tastes are different.

If you grind the flaxseeds yourself, you will be able to absorb more of their beneficial oils. Since I take a good fish oil supplement, I just buy the already ground flaxseed meal for ease of use.

Variations:
~ Add up to five frozen unsweetened strawberries
~ Add a 1/4 cup of frozen wild blueberries

Biggest Loser - Not an Inspiration to Me

Someone asked me recently if I used the reality show (and I use the term "reality" very loosely here) The Biggest Loser as a form of inspiration to help me keep on track with my weight loss. Excuse me for being blunt, but HELL NO. There is nothing real about that show and can be down right dangerous.

How can anyone feel good about losing 1-2 pounds of fat a week at home, when these people are losing 10-20 pounds of weight a week on that show. What's inspiring about that? It's not healthy and they don't tell you if it's water weight they are losing, muscle mass, or fat.

I found a blog post by Tom Venuto that talks about this show and the pros and cons of it. He can tell it better than me, so I will just share the link to his blog. It can be found here.

Recipe - Honey Curry Baked Chicken

This is probably my most favorite new recipe I have tried lately. It is so yummy, slightly sweet and juicy, even without the skin. If you choose to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, you will need to reduce the cooking time by almost half so the breasts do not dry out.

I hope to have more recipes posted soon now that cooler weather is hear and I feel like trying new things.

Print a 3x5 card version of this recipe by clicking here.

Serves 6

~ One whole chicken (3 pounds), cut into pieces, skin removed
~ 2 tablespoons butter, melted
~ 1/2 cup honey
~ 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
~ 2 teaspoons curry powder
~ 1 teaspoon salt
~ 1 teaspoon course black pepper

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

After removing the skin from the chicken, lightly salt and pepper the chicken and then set aside. Mix the butter, honey, mustard, curry, salt and pepper to make the marinade. Put the chicken in a plastic container with a lid and pour the marinade on top of the
chicken and put it in the fridge for at least one hour, up to eight hours. Pierce the chicken to allow the marinade to get inside the chicken.

After the chicken is done marinating, place the chicken in a glass baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Pour any remaining marinade over the chicken and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake chicken for 30 minutes covered. Remove foil, baste chicken with juices and continue to cook for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Variations:
Stone ground mustard is a great alternative to plain yellow mustard.
Olive oil is a good substitute for butter in this recipe.
If using boneless skinless chicken breasts, baste chicken every 15 minutes and reduce total cooking time to 35-45 minutes. Cover the chicken for the first 20 minutes and then cook uncovered for the remainder of the cooking time until juices run clear.

Foods to Burn Fat Faster

I was looking over my stats and analyzing the weeks that I lost more weight compared to the weeks I lost less weight or gained. Many of the weeks were simply because I wasn't working out as much as I should be, but something else struck me. Some weeks I was eating many of the foods that have been known to help burn fat faster, so I thought I'd share those with you today.

In researching these foods, the consensus is clear that you must be exercising and maintaining a relatively healthy diet to reap the full benefits of these foods. So don't think you can eat a grapefruit and just drop the pounds without doing anything else.

1. Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C and fiber. Examples include, apples, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, watermelon and cabbage.

2. Fresh garlic regulates insulin levels and boosts metabolism.

3. Soybeans help prevent your body from storing fat.

4. Green Tea boosts metabolism and contain valuable antioxidants.

5. Spices such as cayenne pepper and jalapenos will boost metabolism and raise your heart rate which can help you burn fat faster.

6. Foods containing protein such as lean grass fed beef and free-range poultry. Protein is important to building muscle. Muscle burns fat.

7. Ginger boosts metabolism and detoxifies your body.

8. Cinnamon helps your body to metabolism sugar faster. 1/4 teaspoon with any meal is all it takes.

For these foods to work the best, they need to be organic, especially when it comes to the meats. More and more research shows that the meat we produce today is full of bad fats and cholesterol. Much more so than when the cows grazed on open fields and chickens got their food on their own. To produce higher yields we are feeding animals food they wouldn't normally eat in the wild that might be cheaper for the manufacturer but not healthier for the animal or us. It's kind of like how our bodies react when we eat processed foods like boxed macaroni and cheese and hamburger helper. You rarely heard of heart disease in the 40s and 50s before processed foods took over the world. Getting back to simpler times will make us all healthier.

Again, I must stress that eating these foods will not magically make the weight come off, but with regular exercise and discipline in your eating plan, they may help boost your metabolism enough to help you burn more calories in the long run. I really think they are working for me.

Weight Loss Update - 9/13 - 9/19

This week's weigh-in was an emotional roller coaster. I worked my butt off this past week, exercising all 6 days that I was scheduled to, alternating each day with strength training and cardio. And you know what? The scale said I had gained nearly two pounds. I felt devastated.

How could this be? I ate well almost every day. I just didn't understand it. Then I decided to measure myself even though I wasn't scheduled to. I have lost an additional 1/2" off my waist and hips and about an 1" off each arm and my neck. My last measurement was on August 30th. When I saw that, I decided not to be so upset over what the scale said. It's obvious I am gaining muscle mass and losing fat. I also may have been a little bloated as the day before we went to a Fall Festival and indulged in some fried foods, which we normally do not eat. Let's just say that Gary and I didn't feel so hot most of Sunday, but worked through it and hopefully it will be a reminder as to why we don't eat those fried foods anymore....LOL.

Sunday is also my rest day when it comes to exercise and I was tempted to work out because of what I saw on the scale, but I was still so sore from Friday and Saturday's workouts that I thought better of it. Friday after work I did my usual strength training routine, but I increased the weights to 15 pounds each for many of the exercises. Saturday morning, I woke up early so I could get my Taebo workout in before we left for the day. I did a workout that I haven't done in a while, so I was working muscles a little differently than I normally do. I was very sore on Sunday and am still sore today. I don't know if it was the heavier weights or different exercises or the fact that I worked out with only 13 hours in between workouts, but I had a hard time getting up out of the chair my butt and leg muscles were so sore...LOL. I don't usually have much soreness after a workout. Maybe I over did it a little.

I'm going to try and not let the number on the scale get me down. That is a very hard thing for me to overcome, I am finding. I'd love to hear how you deal with that.

The Scoop on Poop

Yep, you read that right. Today I am going to be talking about poop and the roll it plays in your weight loss and your health. I know it's not a pleasant topic to talk about, but it needs to be talked about because it's an important part when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle.

When Gary and I first started Weight Watchers in November 2008, I immediately noticed a difference in my bowel movements. I was not as regular as I used to be even though we had upped our fiber and water intake. I figured because we were eating less, there was less waste and therefor no need to go as often. What was really happening was that my body was getting used to the new foods we were eating. Like with anything else, your body does need some time to adjust. If the problem continues for a few weeks, you should really consult your doctor.

So why is it so important to have 1-2 bowel movements a day? The main reason is that it cleanses your body of toxins that may be stored in the colon and intestinal tract. Having regular bowel movements can also help prevent some diseases and cancers. Though I've read that a normal bowel movement is based on the individual and that it may be normal to have only one every other day, logically, that can't be healthy. The longer these toxins are stored in your body the more they can cause problems. Especially when a lot of the foods we eat today are processed and full of chemicals anyway. It's better just to get it out as quickly as possible.

The weeks I am more regular, I always lose more weight. And it's real weight loss, not just water weight loss. That's because a clean colon allows your body to burn fat more easily. Though I am not an advocate of colon cleanses to lose weight, I can see why it appeals to some people. Just remember that when you do something as drastic as a colon cleanse, it takes a while for all those good bacteria to get built back up in your digestive tract. Same is true of laxatives. I never use them because when used too often, your body can become dependent on them. For most people and occasional bought of constipation is not cause for concern, but if you ever have a question, definitely call your doctor about it.

Once you are sure there are no health problems concerning your lack of bowel movements, here are two main ways to become more regular.

1. The most important thing to do is to get enough water. Poop is 1/3 water, so it's important to get enough. Many people are dehydrated and don't even know it. Eight 8oz. glasses of water a day is what you always hear people say, but did you know, you actually need to drink half your body weight in ounces a day to really reap the benefits? So if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink up to 100 ounces of water a day. This is hard to do right off the bat, so increase the amounts daily until you have reached your target amount.

2. Eat enough fiber. I know we hear this one all the time, but they never tell you what kind to eat. I've recently noticed some food labels list soluble and insoluble fiber, so I did a little research. Though both are very important and both work hand in hand at fighting disease and aiding in digestion, soluble fiber can be easily mixed with water and insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract undigested which aids in having regular bowel movements. Soluble fiber can be found in oats, beans, barley, fruits and vegetables. Insoluble fiber can be found in many of the same foods as soluble fiber, but bran has a higher amount of insoluble fiber than most. Fiber helps you feel fuller longer and helps to regulate your glucose levels, so it's really important for healthy weight loss. 20-35 grams of fiber a day is recommended for most adults. If you are still having problems with constipation, try upping your bran intake gradually to help avoid stomach discomfort. And without enough water, the fiber can't work, so these two definitely go hand in hand.

Here are some other ways to stimulate your digestive system and help you become more regular.

1. Add freshly ground flax seed to your meals at least once a day. 1 tablespoon is all you need to increase fiber and add healthy Omega 3 oils which are also important for regular bowel movements.

2. If you have trouble going in the morning, help stimulate your bowels by drinking a tonic of eight ounces of water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper first thing when you get up.

3. Add raw fruits and vegetables to your diet everyday. Cooked fruits and vegetables are good too, but raw ones add even more benefit. Remember the less processed a food is the better it is for you.

4. Exercise. Ever notice you tend to have to go to the bathroom after a nice long walk or after a session of yoga? Exercise is a great way to stimulate the bowels. Start your morning off with a brisk 20 minute walk and some gentle stretching afterwards.

5. Reduce white sugar and white flour. All the good stuff has been processed out of these things, so it's better to just leave it out of your diet as much as possible. Switch to honey, raw sugar, or stevia for a sweetener and choose whole grain breads and unbleached wheat flour for baking whenever possible.

6. Chew your food thoroughly and slowly at every meal. This will allow your body to digest your food more easily.

So that's the skinny on poop. I hope you found this article helpful in answering some important questions you were too embarrassed to ask.

Lunch CAN be productive!

Today I had a fantastic lunch. I've been getting in the habit of walking on my lunch hour again. During the heat of the summer, I had stopped doing it and finally decided I'd better start again. It's much easier if I can get my exercise in early in the day, but as you've read in my previous posts, I am not a morning person, so lunch is the next obvious choice for me. And it may be for you too.

Lunch is also prime time for me to run errands. I do most of my grocery shopping at lunch and do any other running around at that time also. Some weeks it seems I need to run errands everyday. That doesn't leave much time for walking.

I've noticed a gentlemen who walks about the same time I do. He always has a grocery bag full in one hand. That's a Wegman's bag, I think to myself (Wegman's is a great local grocery store chain in my area). Hmmm...I wonder how far he has to walk and if he only has an hour to do it? I walk through a residential neighborhood right behind where I walk and if I make a turn I can go out on the main street where there is a small plaza not far down the road.

This morning I got on google maps and discovered it was only 1 mile one-way walking through the neighborhood behind where I work. That might be doable, I think to myself. I've been walking over two miles in about 45 minutes, so even if I'm in the store for 15-20 minutes, I should be able to get back in time. No problem.

So that's what I did. I took an insulated tote bag with me that I use for my lunches and set out for my walk. I kept it at a pretty brisk pace since I wasn't sure how long it would take me. I got from my office to the grocery store in 15 minutes flat. Wow....Great....I'll have to do this more often. Even with waiting in line at the deli and waiting in line a minute at the check-out, I arrived back at the office in only 45 minutes, and burned almost 300 calories to boot. I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

I've been trying to get Gary to walk with me to a restaurant that is not far from our house, but we always thought it would take too long, especially on a full stomach. It's only a little bit further, and even if we took our time, I think it would only take about 20 minutes to walk one way.

I like walking with a purpose once in a while. I know the fact that I'm getting exercise for weight loss and a healthier heart is a good reason, but sometimes I need a more tangible reason that I can hold on to. Walking to the store to get some items that I need for home is a good reason to get me to walk on those days I may not want to.

So what kinds of things do you do to get you to exercise more?

Weight Loss Update - 9/6 - 9/12

Not surprisingly, I gained 1 pound this past week. That always seems to be the case after I've lost a lot the week before. To be honest, I thought I had gained more because I only got in one really good workout last week and at least two days I went over my calories for the day.

I plan on doing better this week. I seem to be in this pattern of being really good one week and not so good the rest. I guess as long as I don't fall into a pattern of being bad every week, I'm content with that.

I'm hoping once the clocks go back the first weekend in November, I should be able to get up earlier in the morning so I can work out before work. I never seem to adjust to daylight savings time. I don't know what it is. No matter how early I try to go to bed, I just can't wake up before 6:30 or 7:00 am and that is not enough time to workout and get cleaned up before I have to be to work at 8:00 am, especially since I have to eat a light meal before I workout. I generally like to have a boiled egg and a piece of fruit, otherwise I start feeling sick to my stomach. I also need to down a large glass of water before working out as your body is dehydrated from a long nights sleep. After I get to work, I can have a larger breakfast which usually consists of oatmeal and maybe a few almonds.

Who knew it would take so long to break bad habits. We've been trying to lose weight since November 2008 and though we have done a great job at doing that so far, it's still very easy to fall back into those bad habits.

My goals this week are to strength train three days and do some cardio for at least 90 minutes this week. I also want to plan our dinner meals ahead of time so that I can free up more time to exercise after work.

What are your goals this week? Do you have trouble breaking those bad habits too? I'd love to hear from you.

Recipe - Beans & Kielbasa

This recipe reminds me of chili in many ways, but it's a nice change with the use of the lighter turkey kielbasa. It's also very fast and easy to make. Dinner can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Print a 3x5 card version of this recipe by clicking here.

Makes 8 one cup Servings

~ 1 large onion, chopped
~ 1 medium green pepper, chopped
~ 1 tablespoon olive oil
~ 1-1/2 pounds turkey kielbasa, sliced
~ 1 can (15.5 oz) white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed, drained
~ 1 can (15.5 oz) pinto beans, rinsed, drained
~ 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
~ 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes & green chilies
~ 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
~ 1 tablespoon garlic powder
~ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
~ 1 teaspoon white sugar
~ 1/2 teaspoon dried jalapeno powder/flakes
~ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
~ 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large dutch oven on medium heat, sauté onion & green pepper in oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the kielbasa and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Great northern beans would also work well in this dish.

Not only is this a filling dish by itself, but it’s also great served with white rice or tortilla chips. Add a spoonful of sour cream when serving or some shredded cheddar cheese for a nice change of pace.

More Info on High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Last week I posted an article from Sparkpeople.com that stated that scientific research had been showing that high-fructose corn syrup was not as bad for you as they originally thought. That may be true on a small scale, but since they add it to everything these days, we are getting way too much of it.

I wanted to share some videos from Isabel De Los Rios. She is a certified nutritionist and certified exercise specialist. I have been getting her newsletters from her website called "The Diet Solution Program". I have not purchased her program, but she does provide a lot of valuable information for free.

http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/videos.aspx?video=The-Truth-About-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup

http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/videos.aspx?video=How-To-Find-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup-in-Your-Food

Sometimes You Need a Spotter

Earlier this week I was going through the exercises over at Sparkpeople.com and decided to put together a routine to use with a stability ball. I've had this ball for years, but just started using it sporadically since November. When I bought the ball, I really didn't know what size to buy or how to use it and there were no recommendations on the packages. Now there may be, but back then, I was flying blind.

I purchased the largest ball (75 cm) because I am 5'10" and assumed I needed the largest ball they made. For most exercises it's OK, but while watching a video on YouTube recently, I discovered that I would probably be better off with the medium size ball which is 65 cm.

Last night I was excited to get home and start my new workout. Following is a list of the exercises I have chosen and a link to see them on Sparkpeople.

- Dumbbell Shoulder Press with Ball - Demo
- Crunches with Ball - Demo
- Dumbbell Reverse Flys Seated on Ball - Demo
- Clamshell Crunch with Ball - Demo
- Jackknife with Ball - Demo
- Kneeling Rollout with Ball - Demo
- Pushups on Ball at Legs - Demo
- Bridges on Ball - Demo
- Pendulum with Ball - Demo
- Hamstring Flexion with Ball - Demo
- Lying Hamstring Curls with Ball - Demo
- Side Plank on Ball - Demo

I started off strong. The exercises were challenging, but not too difficult. My goal is to do two reps of 12 for a few weeks then increasing that to three reps of 12. For the dumbbell workouts, I am still only able to use 10 pounds comfortably. Then I got to the Jackknife with Ball exercise. I had done it once before in a modified version by using a chair instead of placing my hands on the floor, so I felt I could do it without too much trouble.

I proceeded to bend over and put my hands on the floor. I lifted one leg up onto the ball and slowly tried to put my other foot on the ball so I could start the exercise and promptly fell over on my side banging my knee on the metal heating duct grate, stubbing my big toe and banging my little finger on my left hand. Did I mention that balance has never been a strong point for me? Probably because I have always had such a weak core.

I am now sporting a half dollar sized bruise on my left knee and have a feeling it will limit me in some of the strength exercises that I need to perform. Even with the exercise mat, it's quite painful to kneel on it. I had to giggle at myself though. It must have been funny looking to see this big woman fall over instantly on her side in a curled up fetal position trying to get on that ball.

I also had a hard time performing the Pushups on Ball at Legs, so I didn't even try to complete it after my little falling over incident. I figure, I can work up to that one. I told my husband, Gary that I need to have him spot me on a couple of those workouts until I get stronger. Generally I like to workout before he gets home from work, then I can cook dinner and have the kitchen cleaned up by 7pm. I don't particularly like to be watched while exercising, but I can see that I might need a little help.

I plan to buy a smaller ball before my next workout on Friday. I think that will help tremendously. It was very hard to perform the Pendulum, Clambshell Crunch and the Hamstring Flexion with such a large ball. I am hoping the smaller ball will help a lot.

Stay tuned for more exercise musings as I try out new workout routines to keep it fresh and interesting.

Weight Loss Update - 8/30 - 9/5

I am happy to report that I lost nearly six pounds this past week. Surprising since we went to the State Fair one day and went out to dinner two other days last week. I worked out pretty intensely four days, even though my goal is to work out six days each week. And of course we walked about 6 hours at the Fair, so I'm not going to beat myself up too badly.

Though I am happy that I finally broke that 230 pound mark, I am still concerned that I seem to be yo-yoing a bit. I have a few theories on why that might be. I will be exploring one such theory in an upcoming post this weekend. It's a delicate subject and one people don't like to talk about, but I'm going there, so stay tuned.

Another reason I know why I yo-yo is when I splurge on a food item or two too many during the week. But last week was full of splurges yet I still lost weight. Another reason to investigate is exercise. Are my shorter more intense exercises doing more good than my old plan of walking three days a week and strength training three days a week? Hmmmm....could be all the hype we've been told all our lives may not be the best way to lose and keep off weight. Why am I not surprised by this. I will post more next week on my new workouts after I have had a little more time to see if they really are more effective at losing weight and fat and building muscle.

The Truth About Carbohydrates

It’s true. A carbohydrate-rich diet can inflate appetite and girth. Low-carb diets do promote short-term weight loss, but are accompanied by some severe dangers. So what should you do? The truth is, you can have your carbs and eat them too—you just have to know how to choose them.

Read the whole story at Sparkpeople.com. It's a great article.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=590

The Truth About High Fructose Corn Syrup

I wanted to share a great article I read on www.sparkpeople.com about high fructose corn syrup.