We've all been there before!

There are things you can do to help yourself avoid ugly urge to snack uncontrollably.

1. First things first: Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plan to have healthy snacks throughout day. Do not skip meals or planned snacks. Skipping nutritious foods will make you feel uncontrollably hungry!

2. If you can, avoid purchasing any unhealthy snacks. There are so many "good-for-you" snacks on market today, there is really no reason why you should have a cupboard full of ring-dings and cheesecurls. Start learning to read back of packages of foods - look at fat content - if it says that fat content is over 5% per serving - look for a different snack.

3. Here's a list of healthy snacks that are low in fat content, but still high in satisfaction (and I'm not talking about carrots and celery!): - pretzels (watch sodium content, though.) - graham crackers - any type of low fat crackers - (there are many different varieties - read back of packages to make sure that they are low in fat. Again, be wary of salt content.) - low fat cookies - popcorn without butter (you can buy butter flavored salt.) - a cup of fruit with non-fat cool whip on top or a spoonful of honey. - fat free pudding - a stick of sugar-free chewing gum - a couple pieces of licorice - a cup of raw veggies with non-fat salad dressing for dip (ok, so you may have to eat a few carrots.)

4. Treat yourself to scented candles. When you feel like you need a snack - light candles and enjoy them! This actually does work - I've tried it.

He had dismissed my most recently complaints of pain from active rheumatoid arthritis as "likely caused by stress of breaking up with boyfriend." I now knew where I stood with this doctor, based on his scrawled inaccurate descriptions of our visits.

The nurse appeared and witnessed me reading my documents and in exasperation claimed, "You're not supposed to be reading that!" grabbing folder out of my hand.

"They're my records," I said, "I don't understand why I can't."

"You just can't," she flustered. "It's not ethical."

She was wrong.

CAN I GET A COPY OF MY MEDICAL RECORDS? Usually. Most states allow patients to review their medical information, but some states don't address issue at all. Some may place restrictions on information you can get, for example, psychiatric information is most difficult to receive.

IS THE INFORMATION MINE? Technically, documents belong to whoever made them, but in most cases information about you belongs to you. Contact you State Department of Health to find out your rights in your state. The number is in your local yellow pages or at FDA web site at: www.fda.gov/oca/sthealth.htm.