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Vegetarian diet reduces fat intake For more information on vegetarian eating and to sample soy milk, visit the Wellness Wednesday booth from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 9 in the Children’s Hospital lobby. Health 1st encourages you to eat seven to nine servings of colorful fruits and/or vegetables each day, and many of you may decide to become “sometimes” vegetarians by occasionally eating meat, fish, and poultry. A vegetarian diet reduces your fat intake and increases your intake of fiber and cancer fighting substances called phytochemicals.    Additional benefits of eating vegetarian include: reduced cholesterol levels and incidence of heart disease; lower blood pressure; better control of diabetes; half the risk of death from cancer; and reduced incidence of kidney stones, gallstones, and osteoporosis.   Tips for switching to a vegetarian diet: Supermarkets stock a huge array of instant soups and main-dish vegetarian items. Ask for it! Restaurants can usually whip up a meatless pasta or vegetable plate if asked.  Order your pizza without cheese, but with a mountain of vegetable toppings. Grill meatless hot dogs and burgers or thick slices of marinated eggplant, tomatoes, or zucchini. Brown rice seasoned with herbs and lemon and sprinkled with nuts or sunflower seeds is a perfect dish to try. When traveling, pack plenty of vegetarian snacks such as fresh fruit, raw vegetables, trail mix or granola bars. Source:  Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Weekly tips from the Healthy S.C. Challenge Healthy SC Challenge is a results-oriented initiative created by Gov. Mark Sanford and first lady Jenny Sanford to motivate people to start making choices that can improve health and well-being. Visit http://www.healthysc.gov. Physical Activity While exercising in hot weather you can lose up to a quart of water an hour. Drink water before, during and after exercising. Continue to drink fluids even after you no longer feel thirsty. Sports drinks may be popular, but they may actually absorb more slowly than plain water. Try diluting them with water before consumption for easier rehydration. Editor's note: The preceding column was brought to you on behalf of Health 1st. Striving to bring various topics and representing numerous employee wellness organizations and committees on campus, this weekly column seeks to provide MUSC, MUHA, and UMA employees with current and helpful information concerning all aspects of health.     Friday, Aug. 4, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.