HealthyLife Articles

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  • Simple Steps For A Safe Thanksgiving Turkey

    HEALTHY EATING

    Cooked turkey on plate.

    This Thanksgiving, millions of people will enjoy a plateful of turkey. Enjoy your meal, but remember to prepare your turkey safely to avoid food poisoning. This starts from the moment you bring your turkey home from the store.

    Think thawing

    Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. When a turkey is left at room temperature for 2 hours, it can grow bacteria that make you sick. Instead, you can:

    *  Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator.

    *  Put your turkey in a plastic bag and thaw in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.

    Clean your hands, not  the turkey

    Don’t rinse or wash your turkey in the sink. This can spread germs. Instead, wash your hands well, both before and after handling the turkey. After you’ve put the turkey in the oven, carefully wash and disinfect any surfaces that touched the raw turkey.

    Temperature is key

    Cook your turkey at 325°F or above. Lower temperatures won’t heat up the bird quickly enough to kill bacteria. When you think the turkey is done, check the temperature. Use a meat thermometer and check the inner part of the thigh and wing. Also check the thickest part of the breast. The turkey is done when all of them are at 165°F.

    Stellar stuffing

    If you stuff your turkey, make sure it is completely cooked. Use a food thermometer to check that the stuffing reaches 165°F. After taking the turkey out of the oven, leave the stuffing in for about 20 more minutes. This helps ensure it is cooked thoroughly.

    Great leftovers

    Don’t leave leftover turkey out for more than two hours after cooking it. Put it in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

    Many people experience food poisoning around the holidays. This is often due to incorrectly cooked or stored turkey. This doesn’t have to happen to your family. Be safe about preparing your turkey and stay healthy this holiday.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Bring On The Barley

    HEALTHY EATING

    Two bowls filled with barley, one cooked, one raw.

    In its whole-grain form, barley is packed with a wealth of beneficial nutrients. Known for its nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture, it makes a great addition to soups, salads, and many other dishes.

    What’s in it

    *Fiber:One-quarter cup of uncooked, whole-grain barley (3/4 cup cooked) has 8 grams of fiber.

    *Beta-glucan:One of the unique fiber types in barley, beta-glucan, has been shown to lower blood LDL-cholesterol levels by aiding cholesterol excretion from the body.

    *Antioxidants:Contains many vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Vitamin E and lignans are two antioxidants in whole-grain barley.

    *Minerals:It provides a good source of iron, selenium, copper, and magnesium.

    Health benefits

    A diet high in whole grains, such as barley, is widely recognized as beneficial to health. It may:

    *  Reduce the risk of heart disease

    *  Support healthy digestion

    *  Aid in weight management and weight loss

    *  Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes

    *  Lower chronic inflammation

    *  Decrease the risk of cancer

    *  Support bone health

    Types of barley

    To get the health benefits of eating barley, you need to eat the whole-grain form. When a grain is refined, the bran and germ are stripped away, removing some key nutritional value, including its fiber.

    Barley comes in several forms, some of which are whole and some refined. Choose a whole-grain version!

    Whole grain barley

    *  Hulled barley

    *  Hulled barley grits

    *  Hulled barley flakes

    *  Whole grain barley flour

    Refined barley

    *  Pearl barley

    *  Quick pearl barley

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Reevaluate Your Budget

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Women working on a budget.

    Following a monthly budget is one of the best ways to manage your finances. A budget provides a clear picture of where your money comes from and where it is going.

    Budgets change over time. Changes in your income, expenses, or spending can create an imbalance or even a surplus. If it’s been a while since you reviewed your budget, it may be time for a checkup.

    Record all income

    Add up all your sources of income in a month. These can include paychecks, child support, and government benefits. The total of all money coming in counts as income, whether it came from a traditional paycheck or not.

    Record all expenses

    Add up all the bills you must pay. These include housing costs, car payments, utility and phone bills, child support, debt payments, etc. Most bills are recurring each month.

    Evaluate spending

    In addition to bills, you also need to allocate money for food, gas, and sundries. This is where spending can quickly get out of control. Review three to six months of spending in each category and determine what a reasonable monthly amount should be.

    Consider saving goals

    Assess the state of your savings. Ideally, you should have several months of expenses in a savings account as a safety net. Determine if you need to allocate more money in this area.

    Make a long-term plan

    Financial stability requires long-term thinking. Reflect on your long-term financial goals such as college savings, retirement, or big expenses. Is your current budget working?

    Adjust budget

    Using the information you’ve gathered, update your budget to accurately reflect your current income and expenses. If you have extra at the end of the month, consider increasing your saving goals or long-term financial plans.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Deal With Debt

    Financial Health

    Get out of debt on your own or with help.

    Whether it’s from living above your means, expensive medical bills, a job loss, or supporting your parents, you can eliminate debt. The first step is to avoid getting deeper in debt. Limit spending to essentials and follow a plan to pay down the debt.

    On your own:

    *  Cut up credit cards or put them away until they are paid off.

    *  Rank order what needs to be paid off – student and other loans, credit cards, etc.

    *  Contact your creditors right away to work out payment plans that you can manage. Do this before debt collectors get involved. If you can’t work out a plan with your mortgage company, contact the local office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the housing authority in your state, city, or county for help in finding a legitimate housing counseling agency near you.

    *  Bring in more income from a part time job and selling household items you no longer need at a garage sale or online site, such as Ebay. Consider selling some of your gold and silver jewelry for cash.

    Get professional help from:

    *  A professional financial planner through work

    *  The Financial Planning Association (FPA) at 800.647.6340 orwww.fpanet.org

    *  The National Foundation for Credit Counseling at 800.388.2227 orwww.nfcc.org/FirstStep/firststep_03.cfm.

    Beware of any debt relief service that*:

    *  Charges any fees before it settles your debts

    *  Pressures you to make “voluntary contributions,” another name for fees

    *  Touts a “new government program” to bail out personal credit card debt

    *  Guarantees it can make your debt go away

    *  Tells you it can stop all debt collection calls and lawsuits

    *  Guarantees that your credit card and any other debt not tied to an asset, such as your house, can be paid off for just pennies on the dollar

    *  Offers to enroll you in a debt management program (DMP) without teaching you skills to budget and manage your money

    *  Adapted fromwww.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre19.shtm

    Action Step

    Pay off the credit card or other debt with the lowest balance first. After this is paid in full, pay down the next debt with the lowest balance.

    Ways to Well-Being book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Prevention Is Key: Hpv & Cervical Cancer

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of 4 female doctors.

    Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by a virus known as HPV. More than 79 million people in the U.S. have HPV.

    Screening tests can detect HPV and cervical cancer, and the HPV vaccine can prevent it. Still, the American Cancer society says more than 13,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer were diagnosed in 2018. Plus, more than 4,000 women died from this cancer.

    It’s time to learn more about treating, preventing and screening for this cancer so more lives can be saved.

    What is HPV?

    Human papilloma virus, or HPV, is a common virus. It is spread through sexual contact.

    There are different types of HPV. Sometimes, the body is able to get rid of the HPV infection on its own. But, this doesn’t always happen.

    Some types of HPV cause genital warts. Others cause changes in the cervix that can turn into cancer if not treated early.

    Get tested, get treated

    At one time, cervical cancer was a leading cause of cancer deaths for American women. But, when the Pap test was developed, cervical cancer deaths dropped significantly.

    A Pap screening test can find changes in the cervix before they become cancer. It can also find cervical cancer early. This means the cancer can be treated when it’s easier to cure. Ask your doctor about how often you should get a Pap test. Sometimes, the cells from a Pap test are also tested for HPV.

    A Pap test is usually done during a pelvic exam. The doctor uses a swab to get some cells from the cervix. The cells are sent to a lab and tested for cancer and/or HPV.

    A shot for cancer

    Today, there is a vaccine that may prevent cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine can prevent infection and provide immunity against many types of HPV.

    Clinical trials show the HPV vaccine provides almost  100 percent protection against cervical changes that can lead to cancer and genital warts.

    Ask your doctor about the HPV vaccine for yourself or your kids. The vaccines can be given to kids as young as 9. Both boys and girls can benefit from the HPV vaccine because HPV can also cause cancers of the penis, anus and throat.

    Sources: American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Cervical Cancer Coalition

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Vaccines & Autism: The Facts

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Young child and teacher.

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a brain disorder that happens while the brain is developing. It can cause challenges with social, communication and behavioral skills.

    Although experts don’t know all the causes of autism, they do know one thing: vaccines and autism are not linked. Vaccines are safe.

    Still, some people believe that vaccines cause autism. This may be due to a report from 1998 that said there was a link between them. However, the doctor who was responsible for the report used a study that was small and flawed. The study had errors and problems. The doctor’s license was later revoked.

    The causes of autism

    Sometimes, a child gets diagnosed with autism around the time of getting vaccines. This can make it seem like the vaccines caused autism.

    Medical experts say there is no link to vaccines and autism. Numerous studies found that children who get vaccines are not more likely to get autism than children who don’t get vaccines. Although experts have spent years looking for a link between the two, they have not found one.

    There is no single cause of autism. Experts think that genetics and things in the environment might combine to increase a child’s risk.

    Thimerosal and safety

    Some vaccines contain a preservative called thimerosal. Thimerosal contains small amounts of mercury. Some people thought thimerosal could be causing autism.

    Experts removed thimerosal from most childhood vaccines just to be safe. However, even after thimerosal was removed from vaccines, cases of autism did not go down. Experts found that kids who had vaccines which contained thimerosal did not have a higher risk of autism.

    Ask your doctor

    If you ever have questions about your child’s vaccines, ask your doctor. They can give you the facts and evidence about vaccines so you can make an informed choice. Don’t rely on information on the Internet, which may not be true. It could even put your child’s health at risk.

    Source: Autism Speaks, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Hand Washing Or Sanitizer?

    WELL-BEING

    Close up image of person washing hand with soap and water.

    If there’s one habit that’s good for everyone’s health, it’s hand washing. But is hand sanitizer just as good as soap and water? Maybe not. Hand sanitizers:

    *  Do not get rid of all germs.

    *  Don’t work well when hands have dirt or grease on them.

    *  May not remove dangerous chemicals, like pesticides and heavy metals.

    Hand washing does all these things – when you use soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds.

    Use hand sanitizer when you can’t get soap and water. But always choose the sink and soap when you can!

    Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine