Military Officer - March 2006 - (Page 21)

rapidfire NutritionNotes Sugar, Sugar Some people try to limit the amount of sugars they consume to lose weight or because they have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes mellitus. The FDA has approved several alternative sweeteners; however, anecdotal reports continue to question the safety of some of these products. Sugar alternatives are of two basic types: nonnutritive and nutritive sweeteners. Nonnutritive sweeteners are low-calorie sweeteners and include saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame K, and sucralose. Early concerns about saccharin causing human urinary bladder cancer based on animal studies have not been substantiated in later human studies. Nutritive sweeteners have the same calories as sugar — the calories are what make them “nutritive” — so they are not useful in low-calorie diets. They are metabolized more slowly than sugar, so they don’t cause a rapid increase in blood glucose — an advantage for diabetics. Nutritive sweeteners include mannitol and sorbitol, which ON THE WEB can cause diarrhea if taken ■ For ideas on cooking with in large amounts. Read sugar substitutes, visit www labels to find out which .moaa.org and click on Health sweetener is used when a and Wellness under Services. product says “sugar free.” F SPECS Vision or many years MOAA has worked with Cole Vision to provide its members the SPECS Vision Discount Program. In mid-2005 Cole Vision was purchased by EyeMed, which will discontinue SPECS and other programs like it March 31, 2006. After that date retailers will no longer accept the SPECS card. If you want to use your SPECS discount before the end of March, you may use your current card with the expiration date of Dec. 31, 2005; print a new card with the March 31, 2006, expiration date from the Member Offers section of MOAA’s Web Base at www .moaa.org; or simply use plan number 47021 at participating retailers. To ﬁnd a retailer near you, call (800) 804-4384. >> Miscellany: Home Loans and Sport News HOMES MADE EASY The VA has increased its home loan guaranty limit. Veterans now can get no-downpayment loans up to $417,000, up from $359,650. With VA-guaranteed loans, made by banks and mortgage companies, veterans can receive a competitive interest rate without making a down payment. Visit www.homeloans .va.gov. >> GOING FOR THE GOLD Disabled veteran athletes now can set their sights even higher. An agreement between the U.S. Olympic Committee and the VA allows participants in the VA’s National Veterans Wheelchair Games and the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic to qualify for the U.S. Paralympic Team. >> MEMBER BONUS You now can find a variety of articles, tips, and thoughts on financial issues from experts at USAA on MOAA’s Web base. Visit www.moaa.org and click on Financial Center under Services. MARCH 2006 IMAGES: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, CORBIS; PUNCHSTOCK; PUNCHSTOCK MILITARY OFFICER 21 http://www.moaa.org http://www.moaa.org http://www.moaa.org http://www.moaa.org http://www.homeloans.va.gov http://www.homeloans.va.gov http://www.moaa.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - March 2006

Military Officer - March 2006 Contents From the Editor President’s Page Call For Board Nominations Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum MOAA Member Services Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Live It Up! Top Picks On the Road Again Destination: Arizona By the Numbers Cover Story: One Clean Shot From Combat to Congress Pages of History Information Exchange Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - March 2006

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.