HealthyLife Articles

Author: AIPM

  • Won’t Touch That

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of mother feeding 2 young kids carrots.

    Focus on the veggies your kids will eat, not on the ones they won’t, suggests food scientist Brian Wansink of Cornell University. Don’t give up too early on kids who don’t like vegetables.

    Dr. Wansink and his colleagues identified favorite vegetables in a panel of mothers with 2 kids. Moms and kids could easily name a favorite veggie most of the time (for boys it was corn; for girls it was broccoli). Other faves included carrots, green beans (no kidding), potatoes, and tomatoes.

    “Children may not like all vegetables all of the time, but they may like some vegetables some of the time,” Wansink said. “Keep serving the vegetables that kids prefer and don’t be discouraged if they turn up their noses at other vegetables. They may eventually like them if you continue to offer them, and if they see you enjoy them too.”

    He suggests parents find ways to modify meals to accommodate veggie favorites into pizza, tacos, and pastas.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Work The Crowd

    WORK LIFE

    Image of business man smiling.

    Social gatherings, office parties, community events-they all give you an opportunity to enhance your professional image.

    But if you’re nervous about what to talk about in a crowd of strangers, Toastmasters International offers this advice to turn small talk into smart talk:

    *  Plan your topics. Think of 2 to 3 topics you can discuss with anyone.

    *  Keep it lighthearted. Avoid office gossip and controversial topics. Stay clear of topics related to sex, religion, and politics.

    *  Meet someone new. Take the first step to introduce yourself to the CEO. Or talk to someone new while waiting in the   food line.

    *  Spark a conversation. Ask open-ended questions about the person you’re getting to know.

    *  Listen attentively. Ask follow-up questions about the person or group you’re talking with. Listen more than you talk.

    *  Introduce others. Be sure to introduce a newcomer to those you’re talking with.

    *  Consider cultural differences. Take into account figures of speech, how you present humor, and personal space.

    *  Limit alcohol. Know your drink limit. If necessary, avoid alcohol altogether to keep your composure.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Working Through Cancer

    WORK LIFE

    Image of co-workers hugging.

    A person is considered a cancer survivor from the minute he or she is diagnosed with the disease. Staying at work during treatment or going back to work after treatment can pose challenges along with fighting the disease.

    Employers are required to support a survivor’s decision to work, said Teri Hoenemeyer, director of education and supportive services at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center.

    “Cancer is classified as a disability, and working survivors have protections and rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, so employers will need to provide time for doctors’ appointments and treatments that may go above and beyond Family Medical Leave,” she said.

    Whether it’s a work colleague, family member, or yourself, this advice may help, say survivors:

    *  Take it all in one bit at a time-one day, one treatment, one surgery, one radiation.

    *  Though it can be difficult, stay positive.

    *  Understand that cancer will take away your hair, your energy, and control of your schedule, but it will give back many new things such as supportive friends and coworkers, notes of encouragement, and a new outlook on life.

    Hoenemeyer said once back in the workplace following a diagnosis, survivors must take special care of themselves.

    “Extra rest, a healthy diet, physical activity, and low stress are all important factors to the survivor at work,” Hoenemeyer said. “Take time out of the day to do something that focuses on managing stress and anxiety; it could be meditation, sitting still with some music or taking a walk.”

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Yes, More Sunscreen!

    SELF-CARE CORNER

    Image of sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

    Wear it. Wear plenty of it. And this summer is the first season for the new FDA regulations. Here’s what you need to know about labels and ingredients from Dr. Alan Friedman of Montefiore Medical Center.

    Water-resistant

    Sunscreens claiming to be waterproof and sweat proof are no longer on the shelves. In their place are 40- and 80-minute water-resistant sunscreens. They offer sun protection for a limited time when exposed to water. Choose the 80-minute water-resistant product and reapply after swimming or toweling off.

    Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

    Some people think that SPF measures the length of time users can be in the sun before getting sunburned. Not so. SPF defines the amount of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation needed to cause sunburn, even while sunscreen is on. Sunscreens with SPF 2 through SPF 14 can prevent sunburn, but they provide no protection against skin cancer or premature skin aging. Such sunscreens must now carry a warning label stating, “Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.”

    The FDA has yet to rule on whether products with SPF values higher than 50 provide extra protection compared to ones with SPF values of 50.

    For a sunscreen to reach its listed SPF, a full ounce (think of a shot glass full) needs to be applied. Recent research shows that people only apply 20-25% of this amount, unknowingly lowering the protection factor of their sunscreens. Best choice: SPF 30 or higher and plenty of it.

    Broad spectrum

    Until the final FDA requirements took effect, sunscreens were only evaluated and regulated for their ability to protect against UVB radiation, as measured by SPF. Now, sunscreens also are evaluated for their UVA protection. Sunscreens labeled as “broad spectrum” protect against both UVA and UVB radiation.

    “UVA penetrates deeper into the skin where it can accelerate skin aging and cause skin cancer. I call UVA the silent killer, because unlike UVB, it does not cause sunburns so it is hard to tell if you are getting harmful exposure,” said Dr. Friedman. “Broad spectrum sunscreen use should not be limited to beach outings or summer months. Recent research showed that the skin aging process is significantly slower among people who apply broad spectrum sunscreen daily, year round.”

    Read the ingredients

    Sunscreen companies use different mixtures of ingredients. Choose products that have a variety of sun-blocking agents. Dr. Friedman recommends selecting a sunscreen that contains several organic sun-blocking agents such as ecamsule, cinoxate, octyl salicylate, and benzophenones (oxybenzone). The different chemicals work in synergy to create greater sun protection than any one ingredient alone. Also, combining multiple agents allows companies to use less of each, which decreases the risk of any associated irritation.

    The best products also contain mineral, physical sun-blocking agents like zinc oxide and titanium oxide. In the past, these ingredients appeared chalky and left skin greasy, but newer products deliver “micronized” thinner, sheerer formulations. Products that contain talc and bentone gel prevent these ingredients from clumping, and improve cosmetic appearance.

    Look for pH stabilizers to hydrate and fortify the skin, like dimethicone, cyclomethicone, and sodium phosphate. When the skin is hydrated, its can heal and repair itself much more quickly.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Yes, You Can Eat Chocolate

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of chocolate pieces stacked on top of each other.

    Although actual health benefits of eating chocolate are still being studied, the NIH News in Health reports that you can eat some types of chocolate in moderation:

    *  Eat as dark a chocolate as you can. Darker chocolate may help lower blood pressure.

    *  Choose dark chocolate instead of less healthy treats such as ice cream or candy.

    *  Avoid white and milk chocolates. Also avoid filled chocolate, such as truffles.

    *  Make hot chocolate with unsweetened cocoa, water, or nonfat milk, and a little added sugar.

    *  Watch your total calories because chocolate has a lot of them.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • You Can Survive A Family Vacation With The In-Laws

    FAMILY LIFE

    Image of multi-generation family at the beach.

    Instead of calling it “the 7 worst days of your life,” change the mantra to “this will be fun and interesting,” advises Wake Forest University Professor of Counseling Samuel T. Gladding, when describing a family vacation that includes your in-laws.

    Time spent together on the beach or at another vacation place can help children bond with grandparents, Gladding said. “If you don’t have some exposure to extended family, you will never truly get to know them. It takes time, effort and expense to be in the same place with them. The dividend is that you get to know them and then you can build a relationship. That’s how people grow.”

    Connecting with extended families is important because family members have skills, contacts, and abilities beyond those found in nuclear families, he said. Tapping into that family power is a good idea.

    Plan the right activities. Arrange constructive activities that involve interaction, such as cooking or playing board games. A Gladding family favorite is charades because it is silly and makes people laugh. When people laugh together, they create good memories that help build relationships.

    But don’t plan to spend every minute with the group. Set aside time to go out to eat or do some other favorite activity with your own immediate family. It’s okay to say, “For this block of time, we want to have just our small family together.”

    If you set expectations in advance, no one will be surprised when you take a break on Tuesday night to go play miniature golf. It also gives the grandparents some space they might appreciate just as much as you do.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • You May Need To Get Tested For Hepatitis C

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of doctor talking to a patient.

    An estimated 3.2 million Americans are infected with chronic hepatitis C, a viral infection of the liver. Among those are larger numbers of Veterans and baby boomers.

    The CDC recently recommended that all baby boomers in the U.S. (those born between 1945 and 1965) get a simple one-time blood test for hepatitis C. They estimate that this testing could identify more than 800,000 additional people with the disease.

    Here’s what we know:

    *  Chronic hepatitis C won’t go away on its own.

    *  Many people living with hepatitis C are not aware they have the condition and may go years without showing symptoms. Hepatitis C is treated with a combination of medications.

    *  The rate of hepatitis C among people born in 1945 through 1965 is about 4%, compared to about 1% among other Americans. That difference is likely due to risky behaviors among this group.

    *  You can get hepatitis C from infected blood or body fluids. Today, the most common way people get infected is by needle-sharing during intravenous drug use. Most new infections occur among drug users. In addition, an infected pregnant woman can infect her unborn baby.

    *  Since 1992, when reliable blood screening procedures became available, the risk of transmission of hepatitis C by blood transfusion has fallen to less than one per million units of transfused blood, according to the CDC. Rarely, the virus can be transmitted through sexual intercourse.

    *  Hepatitis C is not transmitted through shaking hands, coughing, sneezing, breastfeeding, or sharing cups and utensils.

    *  Hepatitis C can cause serious liver problems.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Zika Virus: What To Know

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Infograph showing the zika virus.

    According to the CDC, Zika has not yet been spread by mosquitoes in the U.S., but cases have been reported here. These occurred in people who recently traveled to one of the known Zika areas.

    Graph showing symptoms of zika virus.

    Treatment

    At this time, there is no vaccine for Zika.

    *  Rest

    *  Drink water

    *  Take medications for pain and fever

    *  Call your doctor

    Prevention

    *  Use an insect repellent regularly on yourself and your children. Use one registered with the EPA.

    *  Wear light-colored clothes that cover as much of your body as possible.

    *  Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are sleeping outside or not able to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

    *  Get rid of standing water. This is where mosquitoes breed. Cover rain barrels and other containers that store water.

    *  Protect windows and doors with screens or mosquito nets. Use air conditioning, if possible.

    *  If you’ve recently been to a known Zika area, are pregnant or are having symptoms of Zika, call your doctor.

    Sources: World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Zucchini Casserole

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of zucchini casserole.

    Ingredients

    1 pound sausage (ground)

    1 cup onion (small, diced)

    3 cups zucchini (small, diced)

    3 cups squash (small, yellow, diced)

    3 cups potatoes (medium, peeled and diced)

    1 can tomatoes (Italian stewed, cut up)

    Directions

    Brown sausage and onion together in a skillet; drain. Mix all ingredients together and place in a casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Instead of using the Italian stewed tomatoes, you could use fresh diced tomatoes with some Italian spices added.

    Makes 6 servings: Per serving: 220 calories, 9 g total fat, 11g protein, 25 g carbs, 3 g fiber,

    460 mg sodium.

    From the USDA What’s Cooking? Find more recipes at www.usda.gov/whatscooking.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine