Jerry the Blogger

If you've ever seen Finding Nemo (and readers with young kids surely have -- at least a few dozen times), you know the mantra from the shark "support" group: "Fish are our friends, NOT food." A very funny part of the movie, to be sure. But when it comes to our health, fish really are our friends when they're our food.

You may know fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may help prevent heart disease. But did you know how you cook fish can make a difference in how good it is for you? A new study revealed that baking or boiling fish (rather than fried, dried or salted fish) results in more benefits from those omega-3s.

Researchers also discovered adding low-sodium soy sauce or tofu to fish is a good idea for women, possibly because they contain other active ingredients that might have a stronger cardioprotective effect than eating just omega-3s.

Not a big fan of fish? Maybe you should try some new recipes. I've had great success with some of the fish recipes on Start Making Choices -- even our 3-year-old likes them (and that's no small feat). Here are a few delicious fish dishes to help your heart and please your tastebuds:

Chile-Lime Salmon with Asparagus Almond Brown Rice: Baked salmon drizzled with a spicy chile lime sauce served over brown rice with asparagus and almonds.

Baked Red Snapper: Flaky snapper fillets drenched in a flavorful combination of lemon juice, shallots and garlic

Baked Tilapia with Corn and Tomatoes: Dill-seasoned tilapia with corn and tomatoes baked in foil packets for a quick and easy meal

Grilled Halibut Sandwiches: Tender grilled halibut served on a Kaiser roll and homemade tartar sauce

Grilled Tuna with Roasted Corn & Avocado Relish: Grilled tuna steaks topped with a smoky corn and avocado relish

When I'm "on a diet," I'm not a very happy person. The whole thing feels so restrictive and punishing. Even though I know I'm eating a certain way to lose pounds -- which would make me very happy -- I find it impossible to stay cheery while crunching on celery stalks and gulping endless glasses of water.

Maybe that's why I found the results of this study so interesting. According to CNN, a new research study showed that "people who spend a full year on a strict low- carbohydrate diet can lose weight, but they might be happier -- and lose just as many pounds -- if they focus on reducing fat intake instead of carbohydrates."

Honestly, I've done multiple types of diets over the years. Some were low-fat, others low-carb. It doesn't matter what the diet was, I was never happy with it. Sure, I liked the results of weight loss. But sticking to any hard-and-fast regimen with its do's and don't's, rules, calorie counting, etc. just made me miserable.

That's why I try to make my mission to achieve overall healthy and balanced nutrition. I never feel like I'm making huge sacrifices or giving up all the foods I love. Instead, I choose to include healthier foods in my daily meals. I seek out interesting ways to prepare food that make it taste great while fueling me for my busy days.

Maybe low-fat dieters are happier than low-carb dieters -- I don't know. All I know is, when I eat well and make better choices, I'm happy. And that's what matters.

Halloween has come and gone ... so why is there still a giant bowl of candy left to tempt us?

I don't know what your neighborhood is like, but around here, we just don't get that many trick-or-treaters. Still, every year we buy way more candy than we'll need "just in case." What if there's a giant rush of kids coming to our door and we have nothing to give them? Of course, the rush never comes, and this year was no different. We got maybe 25 trick-or-treaters total, leaving us with a dangerous overflow of goodies.

Also, our 3-year-old was quite charming in her giraffe costume this year, so many of our neighbors heaped extra handfuls of candy into her pumpkin basket. Thanks, guys! She doesn't need 10 lbs. of candy any more than we do. Yet here we are, the proud owners of countless chocolate bars, gummies and other assorted sweets.

I'm taking a hard line this year: Get rid of the candy. Our daughter can have some of what she collected (I'm not that mean of dad!) but the rest must all go somewhere else. I'll take the bulk of it to the office, but if it doesn't disappear fast enough, I may have to take even more drastic measures.

Yes, that's right. I will throw it in the garbage.

Much as it pains my sweet tooth, tossing the excess candy will also be a blessing to my waistline. With the winter holidays coming up (and all the goodies that come with them), I need to start being more conscious of what I munch on. Otherwise, it'll be sweatpants for me all season long.

And that's not very festive, is it?