AN APPLE A DAY CAN KEEP THE DOCTOR AWAY!

 

    The old, well known saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, is a truth that can still be used for achieving optimal health. There are hundreds of types and sizes of apples that are available in virtually most markets around the world. If you are fortunate enough to live in a state with apple orchards, you can visit the local orchard and pick them fresh right off the apple trees in the fall! Given that apples are easily available, inexpensive, have a good shelf life, and are available almost all year long, the common apple provides plenty of health benefits while also being a tasty dessert or snack.

 

    The common apple has so many health benefits that it could almost be viewed as a super food. Here are a few of the nutrients you can find in apples: protein, carbohydrates, fructose, fiber, water, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, boron, zinc, copper, and potassium. Many of the vitamins and nutrients are located in the apple skin or right below the skin, so the most nutritional benefit will come from eating the apple with the skin. The average calories from an apple are 80, although that will be variable according to the size and type of apple.

 

    With all of these vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, what can eating an apple a day do for your overall health?

• High in flavonoids which help prevent heart disease, hypertension, anemia, and lower the chance of having a stroke.
• Abundant in Quercetin which reduces the risk of many kinds of cancer including prostate, ovarian, breast, bladder, and colon cancers.
• Slows the aging process of skin, prevents wrinkles, and promotes hair growth.
• High fiber content helps with digestion, dysentery, constipation, and promotes colon health.
• Quercetin also helps prevent cell degeneration which staves off the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
• The flavinoid named phloridzin aids post-menopausal women
  in maintaining bone density and fighting against osteoporosis.
• The calcium and boron help all people maintain bone health, prevent gout, and cushions joints.
• The polyphenols regulate fat metabolism, promote weight loss, and the high fiber content will prevent fat deposits in the body.
• Fructose helps to stabilize the body’s blood sugar levels.
• Antioxidants and flavinoids reduce the risk of pulmonary disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer.
• The fiber and phytonutrients help in the reduction of the LDL (harmful) cholesterol.
• Assists in dental care and hygiene.

 

As you can surmise from this list of health advantages, eating an apple a day really can keep the doctor away! Try to look for organic apples, or those with no waxy coatings. Remember to clean all apples before eating to eliminate any pesticides or other sprays.

 

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DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO TYPES OF DIABETES?

 

 

 

    Most people may think there are only two types of diabetes, Diabetes Type 1 and Diabetes Type 2. However, there are several other types of diabetes that inflict a portion of the population. In a quick summary, diabetes is a condition in the body when either not enough insulin is produced or no insulin is produced in the pancreas. Insulin is important as it enables the body’s cells to absorb glucose and turn glucose into energy. When the ability to absorb glucose is diminished, the glucose accumulates in the blood instead of in the cells and this variance can lead to many complications.

 

    The most prevalent types of diabetes are Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes which occur when pregnant women have high blood glucose levels during pregnancy, but this latter type usually goes away after birthing. In addition, there are other types of diabetes that effect smaller numbers of people, such as cystic fibrosis related diabetes, congenital diabetes, steroidal diabetes, pancreatitis related diabetes, and malnutrition related diabetes, to name just a few. Some of these forms of diabetes differ from Type 1 and Type 2 as they are caused when the body’s tissue receptors do not respond to insulin even when the body’s insulin levels are within normal range.

 

    Data from 2007 reported by the American Diabetes Association shows that 23. 6 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Type 1 diabetes results from the body’s inability to produce insulin, and the people who have this type must take insulin, usually from an injection. Type 2 diabetes results from the body’s inability to use insulin properly in the cells, and this type is sometimes combined with a relative insulin deficiency. Pre-diabetes is a term used in referring to people who have high blood glucose levels, but not high enough to be labeled with Type 2 diabetes.

 

    The medical diagnosis of all types of diabetes begins with the onset of the symptoms associated with diabetes including excessive and frequent urination, excessive thirst, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemia, unexplainable fatigue, and/or blurred or lost vision. Sometimes diabetes is diagnosed through medical screenings or when a secondary problems arises such as heart attack, stroke, neuropathy, poor wound healing, skin ulcers, eye and vision problems, or when delivering a baby who exhibits macrosomia or hypoglycemia.

 

    Management of a person’s diabetes depends on the type of diabetes and the resources available to the person. A group of trained professionals will most often take a team approach in the treatment of diabetes. The people on this team may include an endocrinologist, family physician, nutritionist, pharmacist, dieticians, ophthalmologists, counselors, and others.

 

Since the early 1920’s, insulin has been available for use in the treatment of diabetes. There are several ways to administer insulin including oral, injections, and drip feeds. Other methods for helping in the management of diabetes is to follow a diabetic diet plan, get plenty of rest, and regularly exercise. There is no cure yet for diabetes so the efforts of the individual and the diabetes treatment team will be focused on diabetes management, frequent check-ups, daily reading of glucose levels, diet, and lifestyle modifications.

 

Patient education and self-management skills are vitally necessary to the treatment of diabetes. Peer groups also give diabetics a chance to learn disease management skills and interventions from each other. For easily accessible information on all aspects of diabetes, make an online visit to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund’s Website at: www.jdrf.org, or visit the American Diabetes Association’s Website at: www.diabetes.org.

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES TO A COLONOSCOPY?

 

Many people over the age of 50 have their physician recommend a colonoscopy for screening for colonic and rectal cancer. Investing in colorectal cancer screening can save lives as well as medical costs. According to a new study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, colorectal cancer screening programs could cut future, more expensive and invasive treatments for cancer in half.

 

Tests for colorectal cancer screening are endorsed by the medical groups of the American Cancer Society, American College of Gastroenterologists, American Gastroenterological Association, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and many other medical groups and associations. Since colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., it is unfortunate that only 20% of adults currently get this important screening. Individuals, medical practitioners, medical associations, and government all want to reduce healthcare costs, thus making these screening tests an area for critical review. What is a colonoscopy, what are the alternatives to the traditional colonoscopy, and how do the costs vary between the choices?

 

A colonoscopy is a test done by a medical specialist under anesthesia that allows her/him to look at the inner lining of the patient’s large intestine, rectum, and colon. The patient needs to do a colon preparation that last one to two days to thoroughly clear the colon prior to the procedure, and many people find that the preparation is more difficult than the procedure. Under anesthesia, a thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope is inserted into and moved through the rectum and colon enabling the doctor to see ulcers, polyps, tumors, areas of inflammation, hemorrhoids, and areas of bleeding. The colonscope ranges from 48- 72 inches in length and ports a small video camera for internal viewing. During the colonoscopy, tissue biopsies can be collected, polyps or hemorrhoids can be removed, and the results are used as a precancerous or cancer screening. Complications in the colonoscopy procedure may result in a perforation of the colon, work and normal activities need to be postponed for 1- 3 days, and there is a risk for some patients due to the anesthesia.

 

There are other tests that can aid physicians in detecting colon diseases. These tests are sometimes done in conjunction with a colonoscopy or in place of the traditional colonoscopy. The most common of these tests are barium enema with x-ray, sigmoidoscopy, blood stool test (guaiac fecal occult blood testing), CT scans, and virtual CT colonoscopy. For the x-ray, a liquid form of barium is inserted into the colon and the contrast from the barium can be seen on the x-ray to show irregularities on the wall of the colon. This test is less accurate than the colonoscopy as often lesions are missed or misdiagnosed.

 

A flexible sigmoidoscopy is similar in preparation and medical procedure to the colonoscopy, but this 2 foot long tube and video camera only examine the part of the colon closest to the rectum. Since the scope of this examination is limited, polyps, irregularities, and lesions in the largest part of the colon will be left undiscovered.

 

The blood stool test involves taking a series of blood tests that are aimed at informing your physician of any irregularities. In addition, the patient has to collect samples from their stools for at least three days and bring the samples in provided kits to a diagnostic center or the physician’s office for further analysis. Although this is much less invasive than a colonoscopy, the variants in the tests can be attributed to causes other than colorectal abnormalities, and most often these tests are used in conjunction with a colonoscopy, not instead.

 

There are two types of CT scans used in diagnosing colorectal abnormalities. The first type is the CT scan using gastrografin which is a liquid similar to barium. The gastrografin is considered an oral contrast that the patient swallows before the CT scan. This liquid is passed from the stomach to the large intestine before the CT scan is conducted. This type of CT scan can be useful in diagnosing both abdominal and colorectal problems, however the preparation for the CT scan is lengthy and many patients don’t like swallowing the gastrografin.

 

The second type of CT scan is the newest of the diagnostic instruments and is called the 3-D virtual colonoscopy, computed tomographic colonography, or just virtual colonoscopy. For this test, patients have to cleanse the colon with a preparation prior to the screening similar to what is done prior to a colonoscopy. The actual procedure takes a small rubber tube that is inserted into the rectum through which air can be introduced. A helical CT scan is then performed while the patient lies on their back and then on their stomach, and the results are communicated to a computer which produces the 3-D pictures. The total time for the test is approximately 15 minutes and is much less invasive than a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, there is no anesthesia required, and no barium or gastrografin to ingest. Patients can resume normal activities right after the screening including eating, driving, working, etc. In addition, the virtual colonoscopy has proved to be very effective in diagnosing other types of cancers and abnormalities in the entire abdomen and pelvis and not just within the colon. However, if polyps are found or there is a need for a tissue biopsy, then a colonoscopy will still be needed for removal.

 

There is disagreement within the medical profession on how frequently patients should have colorectal screenings. The variables of how often a patient should have colorectal screenings include the patient’s age, previous history of colorectal problems, and family history of colorectal conditions. However, most physicians will recommend colorectal screening tests after the patient is 50 years of age. Many patients do not comply with this directive due to lack of healthcare coverage or lack of colorectal screening coverage even if they do have healthcare coverage (such as with Medicare and Medicaid). In addition, other patients do not like the preparatory cleansing, the invasive procedures, and they don’t want to or can’t miss work.

 

The cost of the various procedures may also be a barrier for people to participate in colorectal screening procedures. There is a large range in medical fees for the various procedures with the highest costs coming from a colonoscopy, and the lowest costs from the blood stool testing. For an example, the cost of a colonoscopy including anesthesia can range from an average of $3,200.00- $4,800.00, whereas the typical costs for a virtual colonoscopy are $700.00- $800.00. This is a vast difference in price with almost the same levels of diagnostic reliability.

 

Since colorectal screening is the most efficient and best way to treat precancerous or cancerous lesions and polyps, the screenings will save lives, and early detection and treatment of abnormalities will contribute to cutting healthcare costs in half, more work needs to be done to offer safe, effective, comfortable, and affordable procedures for all who need screenings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PET RESTRAINT SYSTEMS FOR VEHICULAR SAFETY

 

    According to a National Pet Owners Survey conducted in 2009- 2010, 71.4 million U.S. households own a pet, mostly cats and dogs, and 50% of those households have more than one pet. With all of these pets in households, another survey discovered that over 82% of pet owners would be traveling for weekends or on vacations with their pets, and out of these traveling pets, 85% of pets travel without being properly restrained in a vehicle. Since all states require safety restraint systems for children, why aren’t more people using safety restraint systems for their beloved pets?

 

    At the pet safety Website, Pet Auto Safety, a good list of cogent reasons is cited for properly restraining pets in vehicles. Some of these reasons include injuries that can occur when the vehicle has to stop quickly or is in an accident, free and wandering animals can be very distracting to the driver, pets can be hurt while sticking their heads out the vehicle windows, pets can be thrown from cars and the back of trucks with very little impact, and pets can be lost if they escape from the scene of an accident.

 

    The pet safety advocate Christina Selter who hosts the informative Website Bark Buckle UP gives the following example of the extent to which your pet, family, and you might be hurt if your unrestrained dog becomes a projectile during an accident. A 60 pound dog riding unsecured in a vehicle will become a 2,700 pound projectile if an accident happens at only 35 miles per hour! Ms. Selter also gives sad scenarios of what can happen to your pet after an accident occurs. The pet may escape from a window or the vehicle and run into traffic and be hurt, killed and/or cause another accident, the dog may be protective of the family or owner and not let the first response team of police and EMT’s near the car and injured riders, if the animal is hurt and scared then their anxiety and fear cause greater blood loss, and many pets who died in accidents would have sustained only minor injuries if they had been restrained, much like humans wearing seatbelts.

 

    There are several types of pet restraint systems that can be purchased online or at the local pet store. The type of restraint system that would be the best for your pet is determined by their size and weight, type of pet (dog vs. cat), type of vehicle it will be used in, and the length of the pet’s travel time. Some of the available options include tethers, seatbelts, auto barriers, travel carriers, crates, and pet booster seats. The previously cited Website Bark Buckle UP gives illustrations and recommendations for what works and doesn’t work depending on the type and size of dog that you will be restraining.

 

    After you have decided which safety restraint system will work best for your pet, have someone check the installation to make sure it is properly installed. Animals should never be left unrestrained in the back of a pick-up truck as this is the single most common way pets die in vehicles. Most drivers with unsecured pets in their cars are reported to have spent time patting, helping, moving, or comforting their pet while driving. For obvious reasons, this is a major safety problem on all roads whether you are going to the store or traveling on vacation. Let your driving be unhampered and safe, and your mind free from stress, by giving your precious pet the safety and security of a travel restraint system.

WHAT IS ANXIETY AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

 

    As the summer is ending, students are getting ready to return to school, last minute vacations are being scheduled, and the house repairs scheduled for the summer are being pushed into the last couple of weeks, many people could be experiencing anxiety. Indeed, next to holidays, the end of the summer ranks as a most prevalent time people can experience many types of anxiety. What really is anxiety and why is this emotion so common that all humans feel anxiety at some points in their lives?

 

    Anxiety is both a psychological and physical state of being that is high in arousal. The characteristics of anxiety include emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral features. Anxiety is a generalized mood that results from different triggers for different people. Sometimes anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, such as the anxiety experienced on the first day of classes or the first time flying in an airplane. At other times, anxiety can be debilitating and keep people from doing well in certain important situations, such as test anxiety interfering with a good performance on qualifying tests or anxiety experienced during a job interview.

 

    The physical effects experienced with anxiety include nausea, heart palpitations, perspiration, fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, increase in blood pressure and heart rate, decrease in immune system functioning, muscle trembling, and pupil dilation. Some people experience extreme physical symptoms without much warning, such as those experienced during a panic attack. Whether or not the symptoms of anxiety are severe, there are ways that you can cope with and get through anxiety and the concurrent side effects. Here are a few proven methods for dealing with anxiety.

 

1. Practice Stress Reduction Techniques: There are many ways you can relax and practice stress reduction right when you experience feelings of anxiety. A few of these techniques include deep breathing, closing your eyes and thinking about a relaxing place you visited, meditating, or listening to music.

    

2. Exercise: Exercising can help both the physical and emotional effects of anxiety. More oxygen enters your system through the lungs and blood during exercise which serves to counteract some of the feelings from anxiety. In addition, exercise can produce endorphins which are a “feel good” neuro-chemical that helps the mind and body to relax. If you like to practice the martial arts of Tai Chi or Chi gong, these are both physically demanding and at the same time relaxing.   Â

    

3. Nix Caffeine: Caffeine, chocolate, processed sugars, and some food additives can produce many of the same side effects as anxiety, such as a rise in blood pressure, muscle trembling, pupil dilation, and fatigue (after a sugar crash in your blood system). If you have anxiety and then add caffeine to the mix, you can be very jittery and feel even more stressed and anxious.

    

4. Sleep: The after effects of not getting enough sleep have many physical and emotional consequences, only one of which is anxiety. The recommendations for adults are seven to eight hours of sleep per night, and for children are ten to twelve hours of sleep depending on their age. Sleeping gives the mind and body the chance to rest, revitalize, and be peaceful.

    

5. Healthy Diet: A diet depleted of vitamins and nutrients may cause anxiety symptoms as well as leaving you tired and listless. For example, if you are lacking in the minerals of magnesium and potassium, you may develop a variety of symptoms only one of which is anxiety. A healthy, balanced diet of whole grains, fish, legumes, poultry, soy, lean meats, fruits and vegetables will help your body to produce serotonin, a neuro-chemical in the brain that stimulates feelings of relaxation.

    

6. Friends, Family, and Pets: Much research has shown the benefits of strong friendships and supportive family ties, as well as the added value of owning a pet, in the betterment of one’s health. People with pets have been shown to have significantly higher survival rates during and after heart attacks, and those with close ties to others have less anxiety and depression.

    

7. Finding the Causes: Of course possibly the best tactic in fighting anxiety is to look inside you to find the causes of what is producing the anxiety. Acknowledging the causes of anxiety can open the door to solving the problem(s) and lessening the anxiety. Write down the causes, fears, stresses, or origination points of your anxiety. Then, sort through which ones you have the opportunity and means to fix and which are out of your control. Taking steps to resolving your problems will lessen the feeling and symptoms of anxiety.

    

8. Positive Thinking: Each of us has a million opportunities in a week to look at the positive or negative in daily situations. The power of positive thinking has been exonerated by renowned psychologists and scientists, such as in positive psychology, and by motivational and inspirational speakers and teachers. Even watching the news too often has shown to make people feel more anxious, depressed, and out of control. If you concentrate on people and places, events and pastimes that are positive, then the mind will relax due to these thoughts. Choose to dream and imagine the most positive outcomes for what is bothering you, and the anxiety will melt away.

 

WHAT’S IN A HOT DOG?

 

    The ignominious hot dog has royal beginnings in Europe. Although who invented and where the first hot dog was produced has been hotly debated, the majority of opinions conclude that it was probably the “frankfurter” from Frankfurt, Germany, or “wienerwurst” from Vienna, Austria. In the 1480’s at the coronation of Maximilian II in Germany, the city of Frankfurt claims that the “frankfurter wurst” was served as coronation food in celebration of the new king.

 

    An average U.S. citizen eats sixty hot dogs a year making this a highly popular and common cultural food. The well known Coney Island hot dogs were on the boardwalk in the 1870’s, and by the late 1800’s, hot dogs were the main fare at baseball games and World’s Fairs throughout the country. Some of the baseball park hot dogs were made specifically to the tastes of the local population and remain in favor still, such as the Fenway Franks served at Fenway Park in Boston, MA. The popularity of the hot dog remains because they are easy to cook, inexpensive, tasty, and sold everywhere. The chain convenience store Seven Eleven claims to sell over 100 million hot dogs per year!

 

    Since the hot dog is such a convenient and accepted part of U.S. cuisine, it is important to know what’s in that hot dog. Contrary to outdated beliefs, the hot dog is not composed of leftover scraps lying around in meat packing plants. The FDA inspects all meat packing plants, and there are sanitation procedures and processes used in the production of hot dogs. The basic ingredients in a hot dog consist of meat and fat, spices, filler, additives and preservatives, and casing.

 

The most common meats used for hot dogs are beef and pork, but could also be turkey and chicken, or the vegetarian version using soy. The spices are individualized according to distinct recipes, but could include mustard, garlic, onion, nutmeg, paprika, and most usually salt and pepper. The fillers most usually include cereal, soy, bread crumbs, oatmeal, and/or dried egg. The additives and preservatives are typically sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrate, and sodium nitrite. The casing is either made from the small intestines of sheep or thin cellulose plastic.

 

Commercial hot dogs are prepared by mixing the meats, fats, fillers, and spices together in a large vat where blades grind and mix all of the ingredients together. The mixture is then forced through tubes into the casings. The cased hot dogs are put into large vats of boiling water and cooked for 15 minutes before being packaged and shipped to markets.

 

The nutritional value of a hot dog is riddled with controversy. Since the hot dog is mostly composed of meat or poultry, the supporters of the hot dog view the protein value as the primary nutritional benefit. However, critics of the nutritional value for a hot dog contend that the added fat, high sodium content, and inclusion of known cancer causing preservatives (sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite), make the hot dog an especially poor nutritional choice. Since hot dogs are almost exclusively cooked, and exposing sodium nitrate in cooked meats makes the cancer causing effects more virulent, many people view the hot dog as a poor meal choice and lacking in nutritional benefit, especially for children.

 

Whether you are a fan of the hot dog or haven’t eaten one in years, the popularity of the hot dog remains at ball parks and family cookouts through the U.S. As last thoughts, here are a couple of hot dog trivia stories for your amusement. The world’s most expensive hot dog was prepared by Manhattan chef Joe Calderone at a customer’s request and featured truffle butter and duck foie gras and sold for $69.00. The world’s longest hot dog was prepared in Japan for the 50^th anniversary of the All-Japan Bread Association. This commemorative hot dog was 197 feet long and rested in a 200 feet long bun!

 

 

DID YOU KNOW NATURALLY OCCURING CADMIUM IS HIGHLY TOXIC?

 

 

    Cadmium is a soft, malleable metal naturally occurring as a minor component in most zinc ores. Cadmium is composed of eight isotopes, two of these found to be radioactive, and another three are considered radioactive, but their extremely long half-life has made their definitive decay unobservable. Although cadmium containing ores are rare and found only in specific regions of the world, naturally occurring forms of cadmium can be traced to phosphate contained in fertilizers and has been shown to be transmitted to humans and animals through food.

 

    Other methods of ore refinement and metal preparation have been shown to impart cadmium to humans. Specifically, cadmium is produced as a byproduct from mining, smelting, soldering, and refining ores of zinc, lead and copper. About 10% of cadmium consumption is produced from secondary sources such as in dust generated from metal recycling plants, byproducts from hazardous waste sites, smelting, results from fossil fuel combustion, and the refining of metals, and air surrounding the manufacturing of batteries, coatings, and plastics, and production and use of fertilizers. More than a half million workers in the United States work in environments where they are exposed to toxic cadmium levels each year.

 

Additionally, cigarette smoking is the single largest source of cadmium exposure in the general population. The absorption of cadmium in the lungs is much more potent than from ingestion, and as much as 50% of the cadmium in cigarette smoke can be absorbed by the lungs. On the average, cigarette smokers have four to five times higher rates of cadmium in their lungs, and two to three times higher rates of cadmium in their kidneys.

 

    Adults are not the only ones exposed to toxic transmission of cadmium. In 2010, Claire’s and Walmart were found to be distributing children’s Miley Cyrus jewelry with high levels of cadmium, and McDonald’s was forced to recall 12 million promotional drinking glasses for the movie “Shrek Forever After” that contained high levels of cadmium. Children’s exposure to cadmium is even more virulent for toxicity than an adult’s risk to exposure, and presently there are no global standards for the amount of cadmium allowable or for the labeling of cadmium in products.

 

    What are the health risks from exposure to cadmium? Acute exposure to cadmium fumes may be experienced through flu like symptoms, fever, muscle aches, and severe loss of bone density. Within hours of exposure, symptoms may occur as trachea-bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, headaches, chest pain, syncope, and irritation of the nose and throat. Ingestion of any significant amount of cadmium can cause poisoning and damage to the renal system and liver, often resulting in kidney failure. Some of the worst health correlates with cadmium exposure include lung cancer, prostate cancer, gout, continuous bone fractures, anosmia (loss of smell), arthritis, and kidney shrinkage. The Itai-itai Disease (Ouch Ouch Sickness) diagnosed in Japan was caused by the release of cadmium from a Japanese mining and smelting company into the rivers and tributaries of the Jinzu River. The river and waters were used for irrigation in the rice fields, and for drinking water, washing, fishing, and bathing, thus exposing many people to the toxicity of cadmium.

 

    Many more products need to be tested for cadmium content, and cadmium exposure toxicity levels need to have global standards developed, set, and adopted for all products. Standards also need to be adopted for cadmium exposure and emissions for certain industrial workers and residents living near cadmium mining and manufacturing plants, for the burning of fossil fuels, and standards for emissions from waste recycling plants. Probably the best way to individually ensure a lower dose of cadmium exposure would be to not smoke cigarettes, check product labels for cadmium ingredients, and only use organic and pre-tested, no cadmium fertilizers.

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ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO BE HEALTHY COOKS

 

 

    With so much media attention being placed on children’s obesity, many parents are wondering how they can get their children to have better eating habits and how they can encourage them, to make better food choices regarding snacks and meals. The best place to have children instructed in wise food choices are at home in the kitchen, and while food shopping with an informed adult. The adult buying the food is in control of what the children eat and this is important to remember. For example, if the parent buys soda, the children will invariably drink soda instead of milk, juice, or water. Here are some helpful suggestions for getting children involved in thinking about nutritious food and healthy cooking.

 

1. Shopping- Sometimes taking children food shopping seems more like a chore than a desirable choice of companions. However, the supermarket can provide a valuable introduction to making good food choices. These “teaching moments” can include explaining the difference in organic produce, teaching them how to read food labels, giving help in determining the amount of nutrition (or not) between cereals, and explaining the differences between low fat and regular milk, to name a few examples.

    

2. Cooking- Even the youngest child can help prepare food by tearing apart lettuce leaves for a salad. The earlier you get children interested in working with you in the kitchen, the more interested they will become in cooking throughout life. Enjoy your time together in the kitchen, and try not to be agitated if the young helpers make a mess. Increase the amount of responsibility and the difficulty of the cooking skill with an increase in the child’s age and level of experience.

    

3. Cookbooks- When children become old enough to read and have established food preferences, take them to the book store and buy a couple of children’s cookbooks. These cookbooks have lots of picture, kid friendly directions that are easy to follow, and the recipes come from foods preferred by the majority of children. Let the children make at least one recipe per week and you will enjoy having some of your meals made for you!

    

4. Safe Tools- Start with safe tools for children, such as round-tipped scissors for cutting fresh herbs. Children can also stir, mix, and whisk using plastic utensils without much propensity for harm. A nice gift for a birthday present would
   be a child-sized apron for them to use when they are helping in the kitchen.

    

5. Creativity- Having the opportunity to make the food “pretty” with garnishes, decorations, or embellishments will give a child the opportunity to help prepare food and be creative. Decorating cookies or a cake, topping a salad with added croutons or cheese, or arranging an attractive plate of crudities can all be great creative fun for a child.

    

Have fun- Perhaps the most important part of encouraging cooking is to remember to make it fun. Give the child encouragement to expand their cooking expertise and lavish compliments on their achievements and the child will be encouraged to go further with his or her cooking skills.

DID YOU KNOW WATERMELON IS A HEALTH FOOD?

 

    In most parts of the United States, watermelon is a summer mainstay of backyard barbeques and family picnics. In addition to being delicious, watermelon is ripened in the middle of the summer and available in all types and sizes to accommodate an individual’s appetite or a large group. The health benefits from eating watermelon are numerous, and watermelon can be eating by the slice or in a variety of delicious recipes. Here are some of the vital health benefits you can obtain from this nutritious fruit.

 

1. Beta-carotene- It is an excellent source of vitamins C and A which are known to reduce the risks of all types of cancer and prevent skin from aging.

    

2. Lycopene- This potent antioxidant travels through the body neutralizing free radicals, reducing cholesterol, and reducing the risks of many types of cancer. Watermelon contains the highest amount of lycopene of any fruit.

    

3. B-vitamins- These vitamins are necessary for energy production and for activating the thyroid.

    

4. Water- Watermelon has a water content ratio close to 90% and this is excellent for flushing toxins from the body, hydrating the body on hot days, and aiding in kidney functions.

    

5. Citrulline- This amino acid is essential in good kidney functioning and is also a coolant for body temperature.

    

6. Trace minerals- Watermelon is a good source of thiamin, potassium, and magnesium which serve as protective factors for all the organs in the body.

    

No-fat- Watermelon is a fat-free fruit, but the natural fructose boosts energy and stays in the body longer than refined sugar.

 

    Here are some staggering statistics about the health of U.S. adults today. The Department of Health and Human Services keeps longitudinal data on hundreds of health and wellness habits of U.S. citizens. Among their recent findings for the population are that 40% get no exercise at all, 67% are overweight or obese, 27% have high blood pressure, and 96% couldn’t say when they last ate a salad! Indeed, this may be the first generation of U.S. children who have shorter life expectancies than their parents due to the same issues of poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, and lack of exercise.

 

    Although much of the blame can be laid on the individual’s lifestyle choices, there is also the complication that health care in the U.S. is only funded for curative and treatment options, and not for prevention or health education prior to acquiring an illness. Within this health care model, by the time the diagnoses are received, many may already be at an acute stage of disease which is more costly in medical treatments and interventions, and less likely to be medically effective, such as what happens in the late diagnoses of many cases of cancers. According to the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that supports health related research, in a given year at least half of the U.S. population did not receive recommended preventive care, such as cancer and cholesterol screenings, and blood pressure and weight checks.

 

    What can you do to maintain your health, participate in your own disease prevention program, and gain control over your personal health? This is a complicated question with many possible answers, but here are five easy avenues to wellness that you can start using today.

 

Get Eight Hours of Sleep- A healthy adult requires an average of eight hours of sleep per night for optimal mental and physical health. This is the time required for the human brain to rest and regroup, for the immune system to strengthen, and for cells throughout the body to be repaired and replaced.

 

Meditate- Numerous health and medical studies have established that daily meditation is a way to significantly reduce stress. Since stress is a major contributor to all types of disease and mental health issues, and stress significantly increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke, meditation is a viable alternative approach to stress reduction. Maybe best of all, the practice of meditation is free and available anywhere, anytime.

 

Drink Water- The body is 87% made from fluids and water. This means the human body is constantly in need of hydration. Drinking 8- 10 eight ounce glasses of water per day is mandatory to flush germs from the body, hydrate skin and cells, keep the blood flowing, prevent constipation, and keep all body organs healthy.

 

Regular Exercise- A daily exercise routine of at least 30 minutes greatly reduces the risk of a number of debilitating and possibly life threatening diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. In addition, exercise can produce endorphins that make you feel happier, reduce inflammation, and regular exercise contributes to gains in muscle mass that help you lose weight even when the body is at rest.

 

Spend Time with Family and Friends- Research has shown that being in a supportive relationship, and spending time with loving friends and family, can be instrumental in alleviating stress, feeling happier, and increasing both mental and physical health indices. People with more active social ties are less depressed, have stronger immune systems, and experience less fatigue. There are a couple of great reasons to socialize more!