“It’s never too early or too late to work towards being the healthiest you.”
Anonymous
Seeing 2020 (health) in 2020
The quest for health and fitness can be a difficult challenge with the hectic pace of busy schedules and the bustle of the holidays. But January is a great time to start by making a resolution to strive for health.. Go here for the story.
Eating is part of healthy living
A typical workout doesn’t give you license to eat whatever you want. Even a full hour of vigorous skiing burns just 600 calories — less than the amount in a super-sized fast food sandwich. Go here for the story.
Healthy questions to ask the Doc
Even if your yearly physical isn’t scheduled for several months, there are questions you should ask your doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner during your appointment. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
Be an ‘8 percenter’!
Less than 8 percent of people actually stick to their resolutions each year, according to some estimates, but whether you want to lose weight, get organized, or achieve anything else in 2020, it’s all about sticking to your goals. Source.
Apart from the sheer fun of owning a pet, having a dog enhances well-being and even personal growth in many ways.
Caring for a dog teaches kids responsibility and offers everyone in the family unconditional love.
Many studies have found that the social support that dogs—and pets in general—provide boosts their owner’s emotional health.
There are also many physical benefits to dog ownership.
Walking Rover on a regular basis—once or twice every day—can help you reach your own daily exercise goals and, in turn, lower your heart disease risk.
In fact, according to one study, owners who walk their dogs on a regular basis are over 50% more likely to meet minimum exercise guidelines. Surprisingly, though, many people simply don’t walk their dogs enough for them or their pets to get in a good workout.
The advantages of having a dog extend beyond the home.
Bringing your pooch to work can reduce your stress.
And studies by researchers at Central Michigan University suggest the presence of a four-legged “co-worker” can boost cooperation, bonding and trust among employees.
That’s important because getting people to work effectively as a group is often a challenge, even when companies try to engage staffers with activities like team-bonding exercises.
For the study, researchers divided participants into groups with and without a dog and gave each group creative tasks to complete. People in the groups with a dog showed more enthusiasm and energy and felt more closeness and trust than those without a dog.
It seems that having a dog in the room encourages kind and helpful behavior, which in turn can help boost how well you do.
If your workplace morale needs a jolt, consider a canine addition to the staff.
Winter in the Midwest is no joke! Sudden storms and freezing temperatures can make life difficult for anyone who lives here—especially for seniors. It’s important for seniors to have a steady internal temperature, as their bodies aren’t able to regulate body heat and maintain warmth the way they could when they were younger.
In the Midwest, winters can be extremely harsh, so it’s important that you take the necessary steps to ensure that your senior loved one is staying warm. From making sure their apartment is full of blankets and sweaters to limiting outdoor exposure as much as possible, there are plenty of ways you can help protect your loved one and keep them warm!
1. Turn the heat up
While most of us are used to turning down the heat in winter to help save money on heating bills, a senior’s home should be kept at a warmer temperature to protect them from getting chills. Remember, a senior’s body loses heat faster than people middle aged or younger. A senior’s home should be kept at 70 degrees during the winter at the very lowest.
2. Prepare for outages
Harsh storms can sometimes cause power outages at the most inopportune moments. Having no heat or light is a dangerous situation, so help your loved ones prepare for the risk by:
Stocking their house with flashlights and batteries
Keeping an eye on the weather report and encouraging your loved one to go stay with family before big storms
Reminding loved ones to keep their cell phones charged
Having a case of bottled water and shelf-stable foods in case of multiple-day outages
3. Dress in layers
It’s always easier to take layers off when you get too hot than it is to try and add them on after you’ve gotten too cold. Putting on a sweater after your internal body temperature has dropped often means a slow reheating process.
Encourage your elderly family members to wear multiple layers, which will help them maintain their body temperatures. And remember, layering isn’t just for heading outside, it’s equally as important to have extra clothing while staying indoors as well.
4. Keep blankets nearby
When we start to feel chilly, throwing a blanket over ourselves is a great way to quickly warm up. In your loved one’s home, make this simple task even easier by strategically leaving blankets in places where they might need them, such as near chairs or by their bed.
5. Warm drinks and foods
Eating and drinking warm foods can help encourage the body to maintain its internal temperature, as well as proving the essential nutrients needed for the body to maintain its mass and health during the winter. Rather than cold foods and iced water, encourage your senior family members to have foods like hot soups and tea.
6. Cover extremities
It’s important to remember in colder months that the hands, feet, and head are the parts of the body that get chilled and lose their warmth first. With that in mind, it’s essential for these extremities to be protected in winter.
Hats, mittens, gloves, socks, and slippers are all examples of clothing items that are necessary to keep an elderly loved one from getting too cold throughout the winter. Hats and gloves can be worn inside to stay warm if needed, and having these clothing items nearby is helpful, so seniors don’t need to go searching when they get cold.
7. Safety when traveling
Just like we need to prepare for a power outage, it’s important to prepare for vehicle breakdowns in winter as well. If your loved one travels alone, ensure they keep extra coats, blankets, and even boots in their car in case of an emergency. Similarly, if they are being driven by someone else, make sure they have extra warm clothes and water with them in case of an emergency.
8. Limit outdoor exposure
The worst of winter weather is obviously found outdoors. Freezing temperatures, ice, and wet snow that chills us quickly are all dangerous features of a Midwest winter. In order to protect your loved one, do what you can to keep them out of the elements.
Helping keep a loved one indoors can mean anything from running errands for them to doing what you can to encourage them to enjoy the weather from inside the home rather than out of it. Keeping seniors inside helps them stay warm, and also reduces the risk of dangerous falls.
While Midwest winters are more punishing than in other areas, they are still manageable with a plan and some preparation. Helping your senior loved ones stay warm is a wonderful to keep them safe from the elements, even as the winter storms rage outside.
“Just this side of Heaven is a place called the Rainbow Bridge.” — unknown
Almost without exception, someone during the monthly grief support group I facilitate will ask about or refer to ‘The Legend of the Rainbow Bridge’.
The Rainbow Bridge tells of a pastoral place filled with green meadows and hills located just outside of Heaven’s gates. According to the Legend, when a companion animal dies, he goes to this place — free of illness and injury but saddened by the continuing absence of his human companion. The animal, it continues, playfully romps with other animals as they patiently await the arrival of their human companions. Upon the death of an animal’s human companion, the two reunite to walk over the Bridge into Heaven, hand-in-paw, to live eternally ever after.
It is unknown who originally penned The Rainbow Bridge. A number of people claim authorship including the following: Paul C. Dahm, a grief counselor who is said to have written the poem in 1981 and published it in a 1998 book of the same name; William N. Britton, author of Legend of Rainbow Bridge; and Dr. Wallace Sife, head of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, whose poem All Pets Go to Heaven appears on the Association’s website as well as in his book, The Loss of a Pet.
Today, The Rainbow Bridge appears in publications as well as websites throughout the world. Veterinarians routinely provide copies to their human clients upon the death of a companion animal. There are a stack of take-home cards with the words printed on them sitting on a small table alongside a box of tissues in the Serenity Room, the room offered to people whose animals have just died, at the Humane Society. The Legend has inspired writers to gently dissect the rainbow by color and meaning and use it as a launching point for the development of a grieving kit. There is even an interactive virtual memorial home for companion animals at http:/www.rainbowsbridge.com.
The Rainbow Bridge is undergirded by what some would believe to be religious ideas of an afterlife and Heaven. While none of the world’s religions ascribe to such a place, in Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in the Judeo-Christian tradition, after the Flood, God establishes a covenant Noah and “every living creature.” God tells Noah to keep an eye out for rainbows, as they will forever serve as a reminder of God’s eternal promise.
The Legend also shares similarities with the setting of Canadian Margaret Marshall Saunders’ 1902 book, Beautiful Joe’s Paradise. Her book was a sequel to her 1893 story, Beautiful Joe, for which she had won a Humane Society writing contest. Saunders’ vision in her book differs slightly from that of The Rainbow Bridge. In Saunders’ imagination, companion animals arrive to a green land to heal and learn from neglect and abuse suffered during their lives. When ready, animals are taken to Heaven by a balloon.
When The Rainbow Bridge is broached in our Group, the reactions mimic those I’ve received to my informal inquiry made in preparation for writing this month’s column. Most people experience an extreme response. Either the Legend provides a great source of comfort, or it evokes an expression of scornful derision.
Yesterday, a veterinarian friend of mine shared her love-hate relationship with the idea. On the one hand, she finds it to be a kitschy cliché to which people desperately cling for comfort. On the other, it actually is a source of deep comfort and healing. She went on to share that she had recently attended a conference in which The Rainbow Bridge was put to music and played during a guided grief meditation. My friend admitted to being instantly reduced to tears.
In the end, the critical question isn’t whether one believes in the existence of The Rainbow Bridge or not. What matters is whether The Rainbow Bridge is a meaningful source of comfort and light in the painful and dark journey of grieving.
Animal advocate and attorney Ginny Mikita is the founder of Animal Blessings, an organization dedicated to honoring the sacred worth of all animals. Mikita’s companion animal loss support services include facilitating a monthly Companion Animal Loss Grief Support Group, officiating an annual Memorial Service in December, writing grief columns for local publications and speaking at gatherings — local and national — of animal care and protection professionals. Additionally, Mikita regularly officiates Blessings of the Animals in both religious and secular environments.
It’s important to be involved with your loved one’s health as they age so you can best assist them with medications, doctor’s visits, and other care needs. While being aware of the physical needs of your family members is essential, it’s equally important to be mindful of the state of their mental health.
Seniors can often suffer from loneliness and depression that goes undiagnosed and untreated. Typically this omission comes from the fact that seniors tend to hide mental health concerns from their families out of guilt or shame. That’s why it’s critical to know what signs to be on the lookout for in senior family members and understand how depression and loneliness manifest in elderly people.
A serious epidemic
Shockingly, many people are under the impression that loneliness and depression in old age are a normal part of the aging process. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Loneliness and depression are diagnosed medical conditions that aren’t just a part of growing old, but are part of a serious epidemic in seniors.
Just as with younger people, untreated depression and loneliness in seniors can have severe consequences on both mental and physical health. And, when paired with other health conditions that many older people experience, the symptoms of these mental health issues can have even farther-reaching long-term effects.
Four unexpected consequences of loneliness and depression
Senior loneliness is a specific type of social isolation that occurs when an older person no longer engages in the world around them as they did when they were younger. This condition often occurs in seniors who live at home and don’t have daily social interactions.
While living at home rather than moving to a senior living community is a favorable idea for most seniors, it can become extremely lonely if transportation and mobility become limited. And, if children and grandchildren are too busy with their own schedules to visit often, older family members can find themselves alone and overwhelmed with feelings of worthlessness and detachment.
Less frequent communication with family and friends
Debilitating medical diagnoses
Despondent attitude
What is senior depression?
Like loneliness, senior depression is often the result of changes in health, mobility, or mindset. While it’s reasonable for seniors to have some feelings of anger or sadness about their changing position in life, a serious mental health condition like depression is different than these general emotions and should never be taken lightly.
If you believe a loved one is suffering from depression, speak to them immediately and ensure they have access to the necessary resources should they reach a breaking point, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Depression should never be ignored, even if having a conversation with your senior family member about their mental health is difficult. By being open and willing to listen to them while also being on the lookout for signs that overall sadness has progressed into something more, you can help protect your loved ones.
Signs of senior depression
Overwhelming feelings of sadness, hopelessness, shame, or guilt
The consequences of senior loneliness and depression are frightening to consider, but the good news is that there is plenty that you can do to help your loved ones. The number one thing you can do is to be there for your family members and make time to check in and visit with them.
In addition, you can offer them rides to social events if you live close by, take them out for dinners and shopping trips, and encourage them to find new opportunities to engage with other people. Socialization is essential for maintaining cognitive and mental health in old age, so doing your part to help seniors stay social goes a long way in preventing and treating loneliness and depression.
If you are still concerned that your loved one isn’t getting the necessary interactions they need to stay healthy, you might want to talk to them about assisted living. Assisted living provides seniors not only with the care services they need to age in place, but plenty of opportunities for making new friends and relationships with other residents.
A typical workout doesn’t give you license to eat whatever you want.
Even a full hour of vigorous skiing burns just 600 calories—less than the amount in a super-sized fast food sandwich. That’s why it’s important to think of exercise as just one part of a shape-up plan.
Exercise works the cardiovascular system and builds muscle, but it takes calorie restriction to also lose weight. Small diet tweaks that you can make when you’re building a healthier body through exercise will maximize your efforts.
Here’s what you need to know about nutrition when you work out regularly.
You don’t need to fuel up like a marathon runner, but give your body some nourishment about two hours before every workout to make exercise more effective. Have a small meal with healthy carbs and protein and some fat. If eating two hours in advance doesn’t work with your schedule, aim for a small snack about an hour before your workout.
It’s also important to eat a small meal with carbs and protein within two hours after your workout to give your body the nutrients it needs.
Keep in mind that “calories in and calories out” is a balancing act that varies from person to person.
So whether you’re trying to lose weight or maintain, keep a journal that records the amount of calories you get from food as well as the amount of calories burned off during workouts to see if your intake needs to be adjusted up or down.
Beware of so-called training supplements. These products aren’t regulated and their claims may not have any science behind them.
If you’re getting a good amount of whole foods in your diet—that is, unprocessed and unpackaged foods—you shouldn’t need any of these aids.
Finally, it can’t be stated often enough: Drink water as needed before, during and after exercise to stay hydrated, especially in hot and humid conditions.
Bullied teens are more likely to develop mental health problems—and people with mental health problems are also more likely to become bullies, researchers report.
Even though many studies have shown that being bullied can leave mental scars, “no studies to date” have tested the notion that mental health issues might also help drive bullying, explained study author Marine Azevedo Da Silva. She’s a postdoctoral researcher in Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, in New York City.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 13,200 U.S. youth, aged 12 to 17, and found that:
79% said they’d never bullied others
11% said they’d bullied others over a year ago
10% said they’d bullied others in the past year
16% said they’d bullied others over a month ago
5% said they’d bullied others in the past month
Youth who said they’d been bullies were more likely to have a moderate to high rate of mental health problems than those who said they hadn’t bullied others.
The study also found that teens with moderate to high rates of mental health problems were more likely to bully others, compared to those without such issues.
In other words, the link between mental health issues and bullying “is likely to be bidirectional,” Azevedo Da Silva said in a school news release.
According to study senior author Dr. Silvia Martins, the findings suggest that efforts to stem bullying “should consider how to take into account and handle negative feelings and mental health problems” of young perpetrators.
Martins directs the Substance Abuse Epidemiology Unit at Mailman.
It’s estimated that between 18% and 31% of U.S. youth are involved in bullying, the researchers noted.
The study was published recently in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Many people have heard the term “hospice” without really understanding exactly what it is or what hospice care provides. Those who don’t understand the term have probably never had a reason to think about it, and most don’t think about it until they are in a situation that requires it.
But, hospice care is something everyone should understand because you never know when a family member may require hospice services. But, before we answer, ‘what is hospice care?’ It’s important to point out that there are a lot of misconceptions about hospice. So, let’s start by talking about what Hospice care is NOT.
Hospice is NOT:
Just a place or facility
Whether you desire the full-time care of a Hospice facility or the convenience of a team of caregivers in the comfort of your home or in an assisted living community, hospice care offers flexibility.
Just for cancer patients
A long-standing myth, hospice provides end of life care to those with a wide range of end of life conditions such as kidney failure, heart failure, and advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Just for the patient
Many hospice services provide not only medical care for the patient but grief counseling and after death assistance for the family.
Permanent
Hospice is not a permanent choice. Anyone in hospice care may choose to leave and receive curative treatments at any time.
So, what is hospice care?
Hospice is medical care geared toward maintaining and improving quality of life for an individual whose illness or condition is likely incurable. Hospice is offered as an option when all curative measures have been exhausted and the life prognosis is six months or less.
Hospice IS:
Well-rounded care
Hospice care doesn’t just focus on one aspect of end-of-life care, like pain management. Pain management is part of it, but hospice professionals look at the whole life of the patient. They want to make them comfortable, help them engage in life as much as possible and help ease their minds and hearts. To do that, they provide not only medical care but emotional care as well.
A team of caregivers
Hospice isn’t just a single individual. To provide proper, end of life care, a team of professionals works together to administer medications, provide support, give physical therapy, and provide all the services that account for a fulfilled life, all the way to the end.
Respite care
Even those individuals who have vowed to care for their sick loved one sometimes need a break. In order to provide the best care possible, they need to be able to step away from time to time and leave their loved one in the care of someone they trust. Many hospice providers offer respite care so, even if you haven’t turned to a facility for full-time hospice help, you can still get the help you need when you need it.
Affordable
Many insurance plans cover a portion of the expense for Hospice care but for those that don’t, it is “covered by Medicare (through the Medicare Hospice Benefit), Medicaid (in most states), and The Veteran’s Health Administration,” according to the American Hospice Foundation’s website.
While different programs may offer different benefits, you can find a list of the services most Hospice Care Services provide on the the Hospice Foundation of America’s website. You should be sure to ask any facility or service you are considering what exactly they provide.
The quest for health and fitness can be a difficult challenge with the hectic pace of busy schedules and the bustle of the holidays.
It seems that New Year’s Day offers us all a fresh new outlook and opportunity to start the year with optimism and hope to improve our lives.
Health and fitness is a journey that requires dedication and commitment.
There is no easy quick fix, patch, pill, cleanse or detox that will replace optimal nutrition and exercise.
Sometimes we can get side-tracked by injury, self-doubt, medical issues and a host of things, which complicate and derail our health goals. It is important to never give up and always continue to fight the good fight for your health. You are worth it!
Jan. 1 is a great time to start by making a resolution to strive for health.
Here’s how:
1. Schedule your annual
A physical exam with your primary care physician or provider should be first on your list. Make sure you are up-to-date on your screening labs, preventive cancer screenings and immunizations.
If you are starting an exercise regime or have weight-loss goals, this is an excellent time to discuss your options with your doctor and create a plan that will hold you accountable at future follow-up appointments.
2. Strive for 60 minutes of exercise a day
This could be broken up into smaller bits of time throughout the day. For example, you could take the stairs at work or park farther from an entrance.
3. Find a workout partner to hold you accountable
You are much less likely to let another person down. You can keep each other on track virtually through text messages or agree to meet in person to walk or exercise.
4. Add exercise to your schedule, and hold firm
Exercise either before work or on your way home from work. It is much easier to either get it done before the day starts or before you get home.
5. Prep your work-out items the night before
If you are an early morning exerciser, get all set well in advance of the alarm going off.
Sometimes sleeping in your exercise clothes might be the trick until you get into the habit of rising early. Set your shoes out, have your water bottle filled and things ready to go.
6. Get at least eight hours of sleep
Studies have shown that adequate sleep reduces stress hormones and will help with weight loss and overall health.
7. Drink enough water
Stay hydrated. This means 64 ounces for an average size adult. (Sorry, caffeinated beverages don’t count.)
8. Cut screen time
Decrease the amount of time spent in front of screens (TV, computer, tablet, phone) and move as much as possible.
Consider walking on your lunch break or taking a 10-minute walk around the house instead of checking social media posts.
9. Fill up on fruits and veggies
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables at all meals. This is an easy way to increase the amount of healthy foods without taking the time to measure anything.
10. Know the stats
Research shows it takes 21 days to make a habit. If you fall off the wagon, climb back on. The ride is much more enjoyable when you are doing positive things for your health.
Commit to just the day in front of you and make it great. Pretty soon, you might have an entire compilation of days that could add up to a new, healthier you.
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
— The eternal optimist
Hope is a roof over your head
The 3:11 Youth Housing Program is for youth ages 18 to 24, to transition from homelessness to stability. They focus on that age range because it’s when people are entering adulthood. It now consists of eight rehabbed duplex-style homes in Grand Rapids, each with room for three to four youths and a mentor or mentor couple. More info here.
Still time
David Wiesner (American, b. 1956), Art & Max, 2010. (Supplied)
If you haven’t taken your kids to the Grand Rapids Art Museum yet during winter break, you’re still in luck. The GRAM will waive admission fees for visitors age 17 and under through Jan. 5.
Grieving the loss of a loved one?
The holidays can often serve as a stumbling block on the journey from grief to healing. The topic of grief is not often something anyone wants to talk about, especially at a time of year that, for most, is a time of great joy and happiness. Here are some tips on how to cope.
Fun fact:
It’s nothing new
Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) began the concept of celebrating the new year in 2000 BC. Back then, people observed new year in mid-March, around the time of the vernal equinox. See? We’re not so special.
“Baby boomers are a lot more willing to embrace hearing aids than their elders were,” said Debbie Youngsma, AuD, CCC-A, an audiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “They are into their smartphones. They are into all that technology. And hearing aids are smart.” (Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat)
There long has been a big gap between the number of people with hearing loss and those willing to wear a hearing aid.
But tech-savvy baby boomers just might be the ones to narrow that gap.
“Baby boomers are a lot more willing to embrace hearing aids than their elders were,” said Debbie Youngsma, AuD, CCC-A, an audiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “They are into their smartphones. They are into all that technology. And hearing aids are smart.”
The number of people with hearing loss is growing as rapidly as hair is graying in the baby boomer population.
According to a recent federal report, 17 percent of Americans—1 in 6—say they have trouble hearing. Not surprisingly, the number increases with age. Forty-three percent of those over 70 report hearing loss.
Those self-reported numbers likely don’t capture the full picture, Youngsma said.
People don’t always recognize when they have trouble hearing. Why? The loss may occur too gradually to notice. They may have never had their hearing checked. Or they could be in denial.
“Less than 21 percent of those with hearing impairment are wearing hearing aids,” she said.
Those who do get hearing aids wait an average of seven to 10 years to seek help. That’s a lot of missed conversations.
Accepting the technology can mean a big difference socially and emotionally, Youngsma said.
“Untreated hearing loss usually results in isolation and withdrawal from social situations,” she said. “They can get depressed, frustrated and lonely.”
“Obviously, the earlier you get (hearing aids), the easier it’s going to be to adjust and get back into the world of hearing.”
Tired of saying, ‘What?’
Rochelle Morris, 52, said she didn’t realize how much she missed before she got hearing aids two years ago.
She traces problems with her left ear to a car accident in 2004, when the air bag deployed and slammed into the left side of her head.
She started noticing problems hearing about five years ago. She often asked co-workers or family members to repeat something. She missed the punchlines of jokes.
“I felt myself not doing things because I didn’t want to say, ‘What?’ or ‘Say that again,’” she said.
Morris resisted the idea of wearing hearing aids—until she saw how small and unobtrusive they are.
“I pictured an old person and was really kind of embarrassed about it,” she said. “I didn’t need to be, because you don’t even notice it.”
Within a couple of days, she embraced the technology.
Youngsma said she is encouraged to see the stigma waning, particularly among the young baby boomers.
Many are still in the workforce, and communication is crucial to performing their jobs. They also are more likely than their elders to see a hearing aid as just one more technological device—to add to their tablet, laptop, smartphone, Kindle, FitBit or Apple Watch.
“You can act like you’re texting while you’re changing what the hearing aids are doing,” she said.
For Morris, hearings aids opened up a world of sounds she had missed—from the wind blowing through the trees to conversations with her husband, Brian, and their children, Anna and RC.
And when she could hear better, her balance improved.
Causes of hearing loss
Injuries, like the one Morris sustained, are one of several causes of hearing loss, Youngsma said. Others include aging, ear infections, cancer treatments and exposure to noise—either cumulative or one loud burst.
And remember when your parents would tell you to turn down your music? Well, they were on to something. Going to loud concerts, or listening to loud music with ear buds, can take a toll on your hearing.
Impacted ear wax also can cause temporary problems with hearing.
“Hearing loss is the third most common complaint, following hypertension and arthritis, in older adults,” Youngsma said.
Proper dental care is an essential part of aging healthfully. As we grow older, our oral health has an even bigger impact on our overall well-being than in past years, so maintaining a dental hygiene routine is important.
While brushing and flossing routines remain central, some additional steps are important for seniors’ dental health. People with dementia, severe arthritis, or mobility struggles need assistance with this crucial habit, so make sure your aging loved ones have the help they need. With these things in mind, you can prevent future problems and ensure the best oral health possible.
Tips for improving senior dental care during aging
See your dentist at least every six months. Routine cleanings help prevent decay and cavities, and also allow your dentist to detect gum disease in the early, reversible stages.
Let your dentist know of any health conditions or new medications that may lead to oral problems. Tell them right away if you ever experience increased sensitivity.
Quit smoking. In addition to the risk of lung cancer, smoking can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
Brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride-containing toothpaste, and floss once a day.
If you wear dentures, remember to clean them daily. Remove them for at least four hours a day, preferably at night.
Eat whole foods and avoid sugar. Processed, high-sugar foods do not support oral health in any way, but teeth and gums thrive on a high-fiber diet.
Medical conditions connected to oral health
Many of the health problems that concern seniors are linked to oral health. A strong dental hygiene routine doesn’t just support your teeth and gums; here are a few of the ways excellent dental care is connected to overall health:
Cardiovascular disease
Oral health is closely connected with our heart health. Periodontitis allows bacteria below the gum line, contributing to the spread of toxins through our body. Studies have found that severe periodontal disease is associated with higher risks of stroke and double the risk of fatal heart disease, and in some cases, tooth infections can cause infection in the heart’s lining or valves. In the absence of gum disease, fewer bacteria are present in the cardiovascular system. While researchers don’t fully understand the connection between oral and heart conditions, it’s clear that good dental hygiene supports the cardiovascular system.
Pneumonia and respiratory problems
Poor oral health can contribute to pneumonia. In fact, some studies have shown a higher mortality rate in pneumonia patients who also have more gum problems. When bacteria from the mouth is inhaled into the lungs, an infection may occur in the respiratory system and existing medical conditions can become much worse. Regular brushing and cleaning helps remove dangerous oral bacteria and helps prevent internal infection.
Diabetes
Oral health is essential for people with diabetes. Gum disease inhibits the use of insulin, and high blood sugar leads to gum infections. People whose glucose is poorly managed suffer from gum disease much more often than those whose glucose is well-controlled, so stay mindful of your blood glucose levels.
These are just a few of the ways doctors and scientists have demonstrated the essential role played by our oral health. With education and energy put toward dental hygiene, you or your aging loved ones can enjoy a healthier, more comfortable daily life.
It’s intuitive that acne causes depression, but a massive new study out of England shows just how devastating acne can weigh on people’s psyches.
Researchers, following nearly 2 million men and women in England over a 15-year period, found a 63 percent increase in clinical depression in the first year people had acne compared to those without acne.
Most people were younger than 19 at the start of the study, but they ranged in age from 7 to 50.
“This is not surprising,” said Adele Cadieux, PsyD, a pediatric psychologist with Spectrum Health Helen Devos Children’s Hospital. “Unfortunately acne begins when kids are much more focused on their physical appearance” than other qualities.
Acne is mostly unavoidable: About 85 percent of people will experience a breakout at some point, making it the most common skin condition in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Women are more likely to get acne, and more likely to suffer depression because of it.
There are ways, however, to reduce children and teens’ risk of suffering depression after an outbreak.
Recognize the signs
Acne is a skin condition in which hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. This can cause whiteheads, blackheads or pimples on the face, forehead, back, chest and shoulders.
Many people think of acne as a relatively benign condition, but the study shows otherwise, researchers said.
“For these patients with acne, it is more than a skin blemish—it can impose significant mental health concerns and should be taken seriously,” Dr. Isabelle Vallerand, the lead researcher, noted in a statement.
Parents concerned about their children should look for possible signs of depression.
“If (kids) mention they might not want to go social or extracurricular activities, or their child’s behavior or grades start changing, or they seem more withdrawn,” those could be signs the child is struggling with something, Dr. Cadieux said.
“Whether the child identifies whether any of this is related to acne or not, it’s important to take that next step of trying to evaluate what’s contributing to these changes.”
The best way to find out answers: Ask questions, Dr. Cadieux said.
If kids seem reluctant to talk to their parents, take them to a pediatrician or encourage a special teacher, coach or religious figure to talk with them, she said. Sometimes children are more likely to open up to non-family members than they would a parent.
‘You’re on a stage and being judged’
An effective way to gird children and teenagers against depression is to focus on qualities other than physical appearance.
“One of the things that is really important for kids is to focus on aspects of their life that are going well,” Dr. Cadieux said. “Families can be very important in providing some of that feedback, whether it’s their personal qualities, their skills, really anything other than focusing on physical appearance.”
Fostering those other skills and qualities—getting them into music classes, sports leagues, coding or theater camps, depending on their interests—can also help them form an identity around those qualities rather than their physical appearance, doctors said.
If those efforts don’t work, counseling is an option.
The increase in risk of depression is the worst in the first year of acne, and lasts for five years, the study showed. Although still high, the increased risk of depression decreases each year after the first year of diagnosis.
After five years, the increased risk disappears, even if the acne persists. This also isn’t surprising, Dr. Cadieux said.
“As you get older, your maturity level changes,” she said. “In adolescence, you’re so focused on physical appearance, as if you’re on stage and being judged.
“But as you transition into adulthood, you begin to recognize your skills, abilities and successes—you can build your self-esteem on these and not focus as much on physical appearance. These can help reduce the risk of depression.”
By Chia-Hui Neilly, NP-C, Barry Community Health Center
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to maintain normal levels of blood glucose using a hormone known as insulin. Currently, more than 100 million people in the U.S. are diabetic or pre-diabetic. If this trend continues, almost 1 in every 3 people will have this condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Moreover, diabetic and pre-diabetic patients are more prone to heart attacks, strokes, and other health problems than other individuals.
1. What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
Overweight and obesity: The more fatty tissue, the higher chance for type 2 diabetes
Inactivity: Inadequate physical activity leads to weight gain that causes type 2 diabetes.
Smoking: Smokers are susceptible to type 2 diabetes, and non-smokers are more immune to heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses
A family history of diabetes is associated with a high risk of type 2 diabetes.
Pregnancy-onset diabetes (gestational diabetes) increases risk of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, characterized by an erratic menstrual cycle, obesity, and excess hair growth, is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
What is the first step to preventing diabetes?
Always observe for type 2 diabetes symptoms, which include: increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination, fatigue, headaches, and blurred vision.
What are the best strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes?
You may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by doing the following:
Lose excess weight by balancing food intake and physical exercise. A 5% to 10% reduction in weight significantly lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and substantially improves one’s health status.
Stay active for at least 30 minutes daily to prevent excess weight gain and reduce fatty tissues. A relatively high-paced walk with no extra gymnastics per day is an adequate physical activity to maintain a healthy body.
Avoid sedentary behaviors such as physical inactivity, continuous watching of television, and prolonged sitting sessions.
Adopt health-conscious diets and behaviors to avoid being overweight and to counteract other food-related risk factors for type 2 diabetes. To achieve this goal, one needs well-balanced meals that contain the following items.
A variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Protein from diverse sources, including seafood, white lean meat, poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products
Fat-free or low-fat dairy products, namely milk, yogurt and cheese, and soy milk
Nut-based oils such as olives and avocados
What other dietary measures are effective to prevent type 2 diabetes?
Limit daily consumption of meat, sweets, and refined grains.
Avoid sweetened drinks such as soda and juice.
Maintain the recommended portion sizes in every meal by filling the plate with ¼ grains, ¼ protein, ½ fruits. Additionally, consume six to eight glasses of water daily.
Always consume a high-fiber diet to enhance digestion, facilitate weight management, and control blood sugars.
Limit the amount of alcohol to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The recommended daily liquor intake for men is two drinks, but women should ingest half that amount.
Are there tests for type 2 diabetes?
Three different tests for type 2 diabetes are available. However, your primary care provider will determine whether one test is adequate to confirm an individual’s diabetic status.
Please feel free to contact us for any questions, comments, or concerns. Importantly, discuss with your primary care provider about testing for type 2 diabetes.
Older women, beware: New research warns that drinking a lot of diet sodas or artificially sweetened fruit juices may increase your risk for stroke.
In a study that tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women, those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent, compared with those who consumed diet drinks less than once a week.
Blocked arteries were often the main culprit, with heavy diet drink consumption linked to a 31 percent greater risk for an ischemic stroke, which is triggered by a clot, the study findings showed.
Study author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani acknowledged that an “association does not imply causation.” But she stressed that the findings held up even after taking into account the nutritional value of each participant’s overall diet.
So, “we can’t assume these diet drinks are harmless, particularly when consumed at high levels,” Mossavar-Rahmani said.
“The take-home message is that these findings give us pause,” she added. “We need to do more research on why we are seeing these associations. What are the scientific mechanisms? Is there something about the artificial sweeteners, for example, that affect the bacteria in the gut and lead to health issues?”
Mossavar-Rahmani is an associate professor in the department of epidemiology and population health’s division of health promotion and nutrition research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City.
The study authors pointed out that the American Heart Association has recently underscored the lack of sufficient research into the cardiovascular impact of diet sodas. Until more work is done, the AHA says the jury remains out on whether artificially sweetened beverages do or do not hasten heart disease.
Women in the latest study were between 50 and 79 when they first enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative trial between 1993 and 1998.
Investigators tracked the general health of all the enrollees for an average of nearly 12 years. During that time—at the three-year mark—all the women were asked to indicate how frequently they consumed diet sodas and diet fruit drinks over a three-month period.
The researchers did not take note of which brands of artificially sweetened drinks the women drank and so did not know which artificial sweeteners were being consumed.
That said, nearly two-thirds of the women consumed diet sodas or drinks very infrequently, meaning less than once a week or never. Only about 5 percent were found to be “heavy” consumers of artificially sweetened drinks.
After taking into consideration a variety of stroke risk factors—including blood pressure status, smoking history and age—the study team concluded that heavy consumption of diet drinks did appear to be tied to cardiovascular risks in a number of ways.
For example, those women who drank two or more diet beverages a day saw their overall risk for developing heart disease increase by 29 percent. They were also 16 percent more likely to die prematurely from any cause.
Certain groups fared even worse: Among obese women and black women with no history of heart disease or diabetes, a diet drink habit pushed clot-driven stroke risk up by roughly twofold and fourfold, respectively, the researchers reported.
Whether or not the findings would apply to either men or younger women remains unclear, the study authors noted.
The findings were published online recently in the journal Stroke.
Lona Sandon is program director of the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
She agreed that more research is needed to further explore a possible diet drink-heart disease connection. But for now Sandon offered simple advice: diet or regular, sodas offer no nutritional value other than calories.
“If they replace other drinks, such as milk and 100 percent fruit or vegetable drinks, then these women miss out on valuable nutrition for protecting the heart and vascular system,” Sandon warned.
“The nutrition you are missing because you are drinking artificially sweetened beverages instead may be the real problem,” she said.
A group representing the artificial sweetener industry offered another caveat about the findings — that many women who drink diet drinks are already struggling with weight issues.
“It is likely study subjects were already at a greater health risk and chose low-calorie sweetened beverages to manage their calorie and sugar intake as these products are proven safe and beneficial for those managing their weight and blood glucose levels,” said Robert Rankin, president of the Calorie Control Council.
“The contribution of reverse causality, meaning that individuals already at a greater risk of stroke and cardiovascular events chose low-calorie sweetened beverages, is very likely the cause of the associations presented by these researchers,” the council added in a statement.
Researchers likely have a ways to go before they’ve perfected a cat vaccine that alleviates allergic reactions in humans. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
“This is an interesting concept,” said Theodore Kelbel, MD, section chief of allergy and immunology at Spectrum Health. “However, there is much to be studied before this will translate to regular practice.”
The vaccine would be administered to cats in three doses over nine weeks, with some cats getting a booster shot six months later, Dr. Kelbel said. The injections would be administered in the cat’s hind legs. It can be given to any cat at any age, but a booster shot may be necessary. Consequently, the effect on the feline protein may not be immediate.
Purr-fect solution?
In theory, humans would benefit because the cats would only need the three shots and a booster.
People who require allergy shots, on the other hand, typically get them on a more continuing basis.
Dr. Kelbel said individuals usually receive weekly shots for a few months, returning to a physician each month for a shot over a three- to five-year period. They also require booster shots if a cat lives in the house.
Allergy shots for humans have been around for decades and they work reasonably well, Dr. Kelbel said.
Researchers have plenty of testing to do on the cat vaccine, Dr. Kelbel said. They need exposure studies in which immunized cats would come into contact with humans who have known allergies to the felines.
They also need to conduct long-term studies, he said.
If a cat is still producing the protein in smaller amounts, it could build up over time and eventually affect humans again.
Other companies continue to research new medications or shots for people, which could improve the currently available treatments. But “the research is still very, very early,” Dr. Kelbel said.
From a common sense standpoint, there remains a leading solution for a person allergic to cats: Avoid contact with the animal.
That is, until researchers fine-tune their vaccine.
“I think it will be a few years, at minimum, before they can tell us (the vaccine) will be clinically beneficial for cat allergy patients,” Dr. Kelbel said.
Being a caregiver for a loved one is a job most people are happy to take on. They want to take care of the person who, in many cases, took care of them. And while caregiving has its rewards, it’s also a 24/7 job. Caregivers are on call at all hours of the day, especially if they are the primary caregiver. This constant responsibility and added emotional and physical strain can cause something called caregiver stress. When caring for a loved one, you are less likely to care for yourself, give yourself much-needed breaks, or keep yourself healthy.
In many cases, those keeping others from becoming even more ill, end up in the hospital themselves. To stay strong for your family and avoid the ails caused by caregiver stress, remember these self-care ideas.
Ask for and accept help
If you’re caring for a family member, ask another family member to step in once in awhile. Even if they just come by to read while you sit with a cup of coffee, this small break can refresh your body and mind. Or ask a neighbor to stop by for an hour while you go grocery shopping. Even though you are the primary caregiver, you don’t have to shoulder the responsibility on your own.
The chance to talk to someone who understands what you are going through can lift a huge weight off your shoulders. Only another caregiver will understand that while you love your family member, you may sometimes get frustrated with them, and then feel guilty about it. Find a safe space where you can express these feelings with people who are probably feeling the same things. It’s also a place where you can brainstorm solutions to the problems you face every day and find the resources you need to face those problems head on.
Stay active
You can combat fatigue, depression, and insomnia by staying active. Even if it’s just a 20-minute walk every day or jogging in place in front of the TV, any movement helps. Try Yoga in the morning before your loved one wakes up or a simple stretching routine every night before bed. It doesn’t have to be intense; it just needs to get you moving. Though, if you do have the option to get out the house (remember when we said to ask for help?) getting outside can play a large role in staying happy and healthy.
Stay social
While it’s tempting to spend almost all your time with your loved one, chatting, watching TV, reading or playing games, it’s also detrimental to your health to cut off other connections. When we don’t socialize, ailments like depression and loneliness are quick to set in. Maintain your social life as much as possible by asking neighbors or other family to step into the caregiver role once in awhile. Make daily phone calls to friends and family and share updates and stories with your loved one. If they have a hard time getting out, they will enjoy hearing your stories and being involved in your life.
Overall, the best advice for caregivers is to take care of yourself, too. Eat right, drink water, get plenty of sleep, and see your doctor regularly. You won’t be any help to your loved one if you wear yourself down!
Many of my patients come to see me about symptoms and health issues they are experiencing, but I make it a point to help them recognize when they are at risk for something they don’t yet have.
This is especially true if they have increased risk factors for specific diseases or various health problems. There are changes they can make to help prevent these issues.
One of my patients, who I’ll call Judy, was faced with some life-changing decisions she needed to make, so we sat down and talked about what was happening in her life.
Judy’s mom had recently been diagnosed with end-stage endometrial cancer, and Judy wanted to know how she could shape her own future to be different from her mom’s. We first looked at Judy’s current health and how she was handling perimenopause.
For the most part, she was taking her perimenopausal symptoms in stride, but she struggled with weight gain (especially around her middle) and she was a smoker. She was afraid to quit smoking, fearing that she would gain even more weight.
As with all of my menopause patients, we discussed what she wanted her Picture of Self to look like at a specific point in her future and what she had planned to help her achieve her goals.
Before we discussed the changes Judy could make, we talked about some of the well-defined risk factors of endometrial cancer that she can control.
Excess estrogen increases the risk of endometrial cancer because it induces the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to grow. When this growth occurs unchecked, there is a risk of abnormal or cancerous development. Progesterone acts as a natural balance by stabilizing the endometrium and keeping it from growing out of control.
Excess estrogen can occur for two reasons: the levels can increase naturally during perimenopause, or there may be too much “unopposed” estrogen if you take estrogen-containing medications without balancing them with progesterone.
Low-dose combination oral contraceptives and appropriate doses of hormone therapy can help prevent endometrial cancer by controlling the level of circulating hormones and thus the growth of the lining of the uterus. Progesterone-releasing IUDs also help control the growth of the endometrium and decrease the likelihood of abnormal growth.
Finally, Judy and I discussed some lifestyle habits that can make a significant impact on her risk of developing endometrial cancer.
Smoking increases the risk of developing many cancers—another great reason to quit! Weight loss can help to decrease the risk, because estrogen, like many hormones, is stored long-term in body fat. Therefore, decreasing the body fat reduces the excess estrogen in your body. Other healthy changes you can make include increasing your physical activity, and eating a diet low in saturated fats and high in ruits and vegetables.
After talking with Judy, she was much more optimistic about her future. She has a clear understanding of her specific risk factors, specifically her smoking and central obesity. She has also regained a sense of control, and by making healthy choices, she is continuing to work toward her goals.
As it was mentioned in part one of this series about the importance and value of informal family caregiving, caregivers often experience depression as well as physical health challenges. In a Family Caregiver Alliance 2006 report, Caregiver Assessment: Voices and Views from the Field Caring, it says that caring for persons with dementia can impact a person’s immune system for up to three years after their caregiving experience ends, increasing their chances of developing a chronic illness themselves.
In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009 report, Caregiving in the U.S., it states that 17 percent of caregivers feel their health in general has gotten worse as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The report also says that studies have found that 23 percent of family caregivers who have been providing care for five years or more report their health is fair or poor.
Michigan State University Extension says that caregivers need to make their own care their first priority. It isn’t possible to be an effective caregiver for others without taking responsibility to keep their own well-being in mind. But, because of the constant demands of family caregiving, it is often difficult to include self-care in the daily list of responsibilities.
It is important to keep self-care simple. Stick with the basics. According to the National Center of Caregiving at the San Francisco-based Family Caregiver Alliance, it is vital to focus on the following basic self-care practices:
Learn and use stress-reduction techniques.
Attend to your own healthcare needs.
Get proper rest and nutrition.
Exercise regularly.
Take time off without feeling guilty.
Participate in pleasant, nurturing activities.
Seek and accept the support of others.
Seek supportive counseling when you need it, or talk to a trusted counselor or friend.
Identify and acknowledge your feelings.
Change the negative ways you view situations.
Set goals.
All of these activities are easier to accomplish with the support of family, friends and community resources. Reaching out to others to gather support for your family caregiving efforts can mean the difference between the normal caregiver burden and disastrous caregiver burnout. Contact your local MSU Extension office, your county commission on aging or the regional Area Agency on Aging to locate community resources to support your valiant efforts at family caregiving and self-care.
“In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice …, the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Supporting parole reentry
In Focus talks with Todd Cioffi, an associate professor at Calvin College, and director of Calvin Prison Initiative. This five-year program results in a bachelor of arts degree from Calvin College, but it is much more than simply an educational effort. Go here for the story and YouTube link.
Working on poverty in Kent Co.
WKTV Journal In Focus talks with Susan Cervantes, the Director of the Kent County Community Action program which, according to its 2018 annual report, served more than 7,000 individuals including more than 3,800 families, and also handled more than 42,000 information and referral calls. Go here for the story and YouTube video link.
Helping homeless LGBTQ-plus youth
WKTV Journal In Focus talked to two members of Grand Rapids HQ, a drop-in center for youth ages 14-24 in housing crisis, including but not limited to LGBTQ-plus youth. Go here for the story and YouTube video link.
Facts to Give Hope:
$30 billion and $75 billion
The National Retail Federation (NRF) placed holiday spending in 2018 at nearly $30 billion. Foundation giving in 2018 increased to $75.86 billion. Source.
The digital age we live in today is fast-paced and full of constantly changing technology. This can be intimidating to aging adults who may fear they can’t understand new devices. However, combined, seniors and technology can be a powerful tool.
Modern devices connect us with loved ones, keep us in touch with medical professionals, and help us stay safe. If your loved one is nervous about getting started, here are a few easy ways to explore technology for seniors.
1. Use Technology to Connect
Today’s technology offers powerful ways to connect with our family and friends. For seniors who may not be as mobile as they once were, this is a huge benefit. There are many ways to use the digital world to stay social:
Help your loved one set up a social media account to see the latest photos and updates from grandchildren or long-distance relatives.
Use Skype or other video-chatting services to stay in touch when distance or health prevents face-to-face visits.
If your elderly family members can’t attend gatherings, upload family videos to YouTube and share privately.
2. Find Community Resources
The first step to understanding the digital world is mastering basic computer skills. For those of us who didn’t grow up with modern technology, this can be quite a challenge! If you need assistance or ideas for helping your aging loved one become comfortable with computers, research what resources are available in your area.
Many senior living community centers offer technology education. Local libraries, schools, and junior colleges have computer facilities and may offer classes or tutoring programs to the general public. Another great resource is your local Area Agency on Aging, a free service offered by the U.S. Administration on Aging.
3. Start Learning and Creating from Home
As we age, we may find that active pastimes are simply too demanding for our current health. Additionally, the living spaces in most retirement communities may not allow space for large projects. However, the digital revolution has made a huge range of new creative and educational activities possible from the comfort of our own homes.
Many people have always wanted to learn another language, but never had the time; some have a novel inside them just waiting to be written. Perhaps your loved one would enjoy blogging on a favorite topic and connecting with others who share their interests. Technology makes all these things possible! Check out resources like the National Novel Writing Month and Khan Academy for inspiration.
4. How to Get Started
No matter our age or lifestyle, trying new habits can be intimidating. Some seniors are ready and excited to get started with new technology, while some may be very overwhelmed.
Focus on small steps and loving communication.
Forming a new habit takes at least two months, so remember that this change in your loved one’s lifestyle probably won’t happen all at once.
To help keep your loved one from becoming even more overwhelmed, start with bite-sized projects.
Even a few small changes can make a huge difference! Just one email or social media account is enough to increase contact with family and friends.
These are just a few of the ways modern technology can enhance senior living for aging adults! With a few simple steps to introduce your loved one to the digital world, you can help them enjoy a happier, safer, and more convenient lifestyle. No matter where we are in life, the digital world is an exciting place to learn and explore.
Studies have found associations between artificially sweetened beverages and increased risk of stroke and heart disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
The health risks of sugary drinks, from juice to soda, are well known.
They can lead to overweight and diabetes, stroke and other problems in the brain, including poorer memory and smaller brain volume.
But diet sodas aren’t the answer.
A number of studies have found an association between artificially sweetened beverages and an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, heart attack and other heart-related deaths in women.
The most recent was published earlier this year in the journal Stroke, with researchers suggesting that, even without identifying a specific cause and effect, people should seriously consider the potentially harmful effects of artificially sweetened drinks.
And there’s more.
Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine followed 4,000 people of both sexes over 10 years.
Using MRI tests, they linked just one artificially sweetened soda a day to brain changes that can lead to dementia, as well as the type of stroke caused by a blockage in a blood vessel.
These risks were triple those of people who don’t drink diet sodas.
It didn’t seem to matter which common artificial sweetener—saccharin, aspartame or sucralose—was consumed.
While some people see diet soda as a way of weaning off regular soda, it may be healthier in the long run to skip this type of transition.
If you like soda’s carbonation more than the better option of water, flavor plain seltzer with a squeeze of your favorite citrus fruit, a few crushed berries or both.
For variety, try freshly grated ginger, chopped mint or a teaspoon of vanilla. Also consider replacing soda with a glass of milk—you’ll get important protein and a shot of calcium in the bargain.
The holidays are notorious for overindulgence, whether it’s from eating too much at the family dinner table or from having too much rich and sugary food that isn’t healthy for us. But what can you do over the holidays to avoid packing on the pounds when healthy options aren’t as readily available?
Thankfully, there are plenty of tips and tricks you can use to avoid overeating and making poor health choices during big family feasts, while still enjoying your favorite foods. Take a look through this list of helpful ideas that you can use to make better decisions this holiday season, and celebrate without the stomachache.
1. Watch what you drink
The beverages we consume during the holidays is an often unexpected source of carbs and calories. Sweet drinks and alcohol can have unhealthy ingredients, and when we don’t stop to consider what we are drinking, we can find ourselves shaking our heads in shock at the scale next year.
To help avoid overindulging with unhealthy drinks, make sure you are consuming plenty of water throughout the day. Not only will this help you quench your thirst, but drinking a glass of water before a meal can also help you feel full and calm your cravings before dessert is brought out.
2. Stop snacking
Eating healthy, full meals is the best way to avoid gaining weight over the holidays, so don’t skip out on breakfast and lunch in favor of unhealthy snacks! Not only are snacks typically high in fats and sugar, but they fill us up before we have a chance to eat our veggies during dinner.
If you are going to snack, try going to healthier foods like cut vegetables, fruits, or other foods that provide additional health benefits like boosting energy levels and building endurance.
3. Stay active
Staying active in winter isn’t always the easiest task, but it’s important to do what you can to combat additional calories with exercise. Even something as simple as taking a walk after your meal can go a long way in keeping your overall health in check over the holiday season. Just be sure to watch out for ice!
4. Find healthy options
Make sure that there are plenty of healthy options on the table, like salads and other vegetable side dishes. If you are hosting dinner, ensure that you provide the options your family and friends need to have a balanced meal. If you are visiting someone else, call ahead and see what the menu is, or offer to help out the host by bringing your own healthy dishes to share.
5. Fill up on vegetables
When filling up your plate with food, try and keep a ratio of 50% vegetables, 25% meats, and 25% starches. This will help you get the servings of veggies you need while still enjoying the other items on the table. A helpful hint: more color on a plate often means a healthier meal!
6. Pick the best spot
Having the best seat at the table doesn’t just mean more elbow room! If you aren’t seated right in front of the buffet table, you can avoid some of the cravings for second and third (and fourth) helpings. Staring at the available options during dinner can make it difficult to stick to one serving, so don’t sit yourself in the way of temptation!
7. Take your time
Don’t rush to stuff yourself just because holiday food tastes good! Things will be just as delicious if you take your time and savor each bite. Slowing down while eating helps you to fill up naturally, rather than still feeling hungry even though you’ve already overeaten.
In the same vein, don’t rush to get up and have additional helpings of food before you’ve finished the entire plate, including all your veggies and healthier items. This will help you stick to just one serving of each of your favorite foods, which will be more than enough when you take your time enjoying them!
8. Stop when you are full
The biggest favor you can do for yourself this holiday season is to stop eating once you are full. When eating foods we enjoy, most of us want to push ourselves past our limits, which leaves us aching and uncomfortable. By listening to our bodies and putting down the fork once we’ve had enough, we can save ourselves the discomfort and enjoy a much healthier holiday. Remember that leftovers are always an option!
Holidays are always a wonderful time for family and friends to gather together and enjoy each other’s company. As a part of that tradition, we often indulge in delicious meals, but it’s important to keep our health in mind. That doesn’t mean we can’t eat our dinner favorites, but following these tips can help us avoid feeling too full on unhealthy foods, so we can experience the absolute best that the holiday season has to offer.
Whole-grain breads provide immunity-boosting nutrients and dietary fiber that can help improve cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
There may be no dietary staple more in need of a public relations makeover than bread.
Concerns over carbs, sodium and gluten sometime overshadow what can be a simple, tasty way to add important vitamins and minerals as well as fiber to daily meals.
But some breads are better for you than others.
Whole-grain breads are good sources of nutrients that help maintain a healthy immune system. They also provide dietary fiber that can help improve cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Refined grains, on the other hand, can lead to a surplus of sugar in the bloodstream, which in turn becomes stored in the body as fat.
And refined-grain breads—which have a finer texture and a longer shelf life than whole-grain breads, but lack most of the nutrients—turn up often in everyday foods. White bread is an obvious example, but French bread, bagels and pizza crust commonly contain refined grains as well.
White bread “looks pretty much like plain sugar, really, just simple carbohydrates,” said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University in New York. “Not the complex carbohydrates that we find in whole grains.”
Fad diets may warn against bread’s calories and carbohydrates, but both are necessary components of a daily diet. Complex carbohydrates provide energy for longer periods of time than simple carbohydrates, like those found in white bread.
“I always find it comical when I see low-carbohydrate bread, because you know, it’s all carbohydrates,” St-Onge said. “If there are concerns about bread, it’s probably more about what you put between those two slices than the slices themselves.”
A slice of whole-grain wheat bread typically contains 70 calories, compared with 77 calories in a slice of white bread. Whole-grain bread has more dietary fiber than white bread (2 grams compared to 0.8 grams) and white bread has 1.64 grams of sugar while whole-grain bread has none.
Whole-grain bread can come in a variety of forms, with a variety of other healthy ingredients.
“You can be very creative with the types of bread that you consume,” St-Onge said. “Having different breads that are whole grain can be a way to make your sandwiches more interesting. You can include flaxseed, rye, oats, walnuts, hazelnuts. Those are good for your heart.”
Whole grains are typically low in sodium, but salt may be added during processing of certain types of bread.
“Bread must have sodium. It needs it,” St-Onge said. “You have to stop the yeast at some point, and you need to have salt to do that for preservation purposes. But I would not consider that to be a reason not to consume bread.”
Bread also contains gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, barley and rye. People who have celiac disease are unable to tolerate gluten and others may have a sensitivity to gluten that causes symptoms such as nausea or abdominal pain.
Gluten-free bread may be an option, St-Onge said, but only if it is truly necessary.
“The gluten craze is something to be wary about,” she said. “Baked gluten-free foods often do not have optimal nutrient value.”
The safest way to make sure your bread is healthy, St-Onge said, is to make it yourself.
“It’s easy; you can use a bread machine or a no-knead recipe where you don’t even have to knead it,” she said. “You can control the flour that you put in. There are no additives.”
Some people trying to limit the carbs and calories of bread may opt for tortillas or lettuce wraps, St-Onge said, but there are dietary implications to be considered.
“A leaf of lettuce will have a couple of calories, where a slice of bread will have 100-something calories. But will you have the same amount of vitamins and minerals in a leaf of lettuce that you will get in a slice of bread? No,” she said.
“Have your regular sandwich and add in leaves of lettuce. Make it crunchy. Make it fresh. And then your sandwich is heftier, it’s bulkier, it’s bigger. It’s more satisfying.”
Even if your yearly physical isn’t scheduled for several months, there are questions you should ask your doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner during your appointment.
Here are five questions you should ask at your checkup:
1. What is my risk for a heart attack?
It’s important to know what factors are in your control and which ones are out of your control when it comes to your risk for a heart attack. I recently saw a patient for her annual exam and she told me she had experienced a scare with chest pain since her last yearly physical.
A visit to the ER revealed a problem with her gallbladder instead of a heart issue. She knew she had high cholesterol and her weight put her at risk for heart disease, but she wasn’t too concerned about her numbers. After her recent scare with chest pain, she began to care a great deal more. So, she asked me what she needed to do to keep her risk as low as possible.
First we looked at her family history. Her father had experienced a heart attack but not until age 72, and her mom was healthy, with no heart disease. She didn’t have pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and had not experienced gestational diabetes. All of this showed that the things she could not change were in her favor—good news!
Next, we looked at things she could change: cholesterol (overall 240—high), triglycerides (180—high), HgA1C level used to test for diabetes (5.7 percent—borderline high), CRP level (2.5—indicates an average risk for heart disease), waist circumference (39—very high), and blood pressure (142/89—high).
The reality was that the factors she could control were increasing her risk of heart disease. In addition, her health habits could be improved. She walked three days a week but didn’t do any strength training, and her diet was mostly meat and potatoes with a salad thrown in once in a while.
So, together, we mapped out a plan to include some dietary changes and add at least two Zumba classes each week, plus water aerobics on the weekend. She also promised to buy the book Sugar Busters to help her learn about healthy versus unhealthy sugars.
2. What is my risk for breast cancer?
We use a scale called the Gail Model to measure breast cancer risk. It includes your family history, your age when you started your period, whether or not you have been pregnant, whether you ever had breast biopsies, and how old you were with your first pregnancy.
Other risk factors we study include your alcohol intake, Body Mass Index (BMI), and current activity level. I recently had a patient who had a significant risk of developing breast cancer based on the following factors: her sister had breast cancer, she had early onset of periods, and she had chosen to not have children. She made an appointment at the high-risk breast clinic and made the personal choice to have a mastectomy. The results revealed extensive DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ), which indicates pre-cancer in many women.
For this patient, understanding her risk saved her life and early treatment allowed her to continue taking hormones. Even if your risk of developing breast cancer is low, it’s important to talk to your physician about the risks and follow the guidelines suggested for mammograms. If it’s time, get it done.
3. What is my risk for osteoporosis?
Bone health starts early—in the womb, to be exact.
Our bones begin to be formed based on the amount of Vitamin D and Calcium our mothers take when they are pregnant. After we are born, our bone health depends on our diet and activity level. By age 32 our bone mass reaches its peak, and we experience overall loss the rest of our lives.
Our bones are constantly being remodeled. Over time, breakdown occurs more rapidly than buildup. During menopause, if there is no estrogen replacement, the bone loss accelerates to a rate that increases the risk of fracture.
Several factors can make us lose bone even faster than normal aging: smoking, inactivity, consuming large amounts of soda water or pop, drinking more than two alcoholic beverages per day, hyperthyroidism, and conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Long-term use of birth control hormones such as Depo, as well as taking drugs used to fight breast cancer, can also increase bone fragility. Of course, there are medications to improve bone strength, but the most important way to prevent fracture is to live a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet.
4. What is my risk for colon cancer?
Colon cancer is very common, and the strongest risk factor is aging. Everyone needs a screening colonoscopy at age 50, but some of us need it sooner. If you have a family member who has had large colon polyps or colon cancer before 50, you are at high risk of having the same. Ask your doctor about early screening if you fit into this category.
Also, if you are experiencing persistent, unexplained symptoms such as lower pelvic or abdominal pain, a persistent change in bowel habits (lasting more than two weeks) or blood in your stool, you might need a colonoscopy to see what is causing these issues.
You can reduce your risk by living a healthy lifestyle: consuming less than two alcoholic drinks a day; eating a maximum of two servings of red meat per week; eating a high fiber diet; and exercising at least five days per week. Remember—a colonoscopy is much less stressful than colon cancer. If it’s time, get it done.
5. What immunizations do I need?
There are several immunizations that are recommended, and I encourage you to discuss these with your healthcare provider:
A flu shot before winter arrives.
The Hepatitis A and Meningococcus vaccines if you are heading off to college soon.
The Gardasil vaccine if you are under 29 and have not had this series yet.
The Gardasil vaccine if you are newly single, over 29, and HPV negative.
The Tdap (including Pertussis) once in your lifetime.
A Td (tetanus) vaccine every 10 years.
The Shingles vaccine at age 60.
The Pneumococcal vaccine at age 65.
Be sure to ask your doctor to look at your immunizations record and confirm that you are up to date on all of these.
The bottom line is that it is your responsibility to maintain your health and keep a journal or record of your health history. As you send your kids off to school each year, use that time as a reminder to pull out your book and make sure you are on track.
Canola, grapeseed and safflower oils are suitable for high-temperature cooking because they have a high smoke point. Olive oil and avocado oil are better for sauteing at medium heat. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Oils are one of the most widely used ingredients in cooking and are healthy alternatives to butter and margarine.
All cooking oils, including olive, canola and peanut oil, contain 14 grams of total fat per tablespoon and roughly 120 calories.
So measure amounts carefully because even though some fat is essential for good health and these are excellent choices, they’re still high in calories.
For high-temperature cooking like stir-fries or when searing meat, use high smoke-point oils like canola, grapeseed and safflower oils. For sauteeing vegetables at medium heat, use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, which has gotten popular in recent years.
Since baking uses gentle heat, you can go with any oil you like. For cake and brownie recipes, try replacing butter with light olive oil, which has much less saturated fat but is still light in flavor.
Though all oils are great for salad dressings, try aromatic nut oils, like walnut oil or hazelnut oil, and seed oils, such as pumpkin seed oil and flaxseed oil, for a flavor twist. Keep them refrigerated to prevent them from going rancid—they’re very delicate.
Let them come to room temperature if they thicken in the fridge.
Here’s an easy dressing recipe that you can use on any side salad or over cold, chopped vegetables. It works especially well on peppery-flavored watercress.
Watercress Salad
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 ounces watercress
16 walnut halves, coarsely chopped
Whisk oil, mustard and garlic salt in a large bowl. Add the vinegar
and whisk again. Add the watercress and toss well. Divide among four
plates and top with equal amounts of chopped nuts.
By Janet Jaymin, MA, LPC, Bereavement Manager at Faith Hospice
Family and togetherness are key themes around the holidays. And when a loved one is missing from those gatherings and traditions, the holiday season can be especially difficult.
The holidays can often serve as a stumbling block on the journey from grief to healing. The topic of grief is not often something anyone wants to talk about, especially at a time of year that, for most, is a time of great joy and happiness.
For anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, the holidays can bring about intensified or renewed grief. You may become flooded with memories or find the carrying-out of past traditions to be overwhelming.
With all of this in mind, we’ve developed a list of ways to cope with grief this holiday season. In doing so, we hope to generate an increased level of empathy when helping a friend or family member through grief in this season.
Why is recognizing grief around the holidays important?
Grief isn’t the same for everyone, nor is there a right or wrong way to cope—particularly around the holidays. Depending on what someone’s relationship was to a person who has passed, the intensity of that loss will be felt differently. For older generations, it may be a spouse, sibling or close friend. For younger generations, it might be a parent or grandparent. Different relationships mean different memories, experiences, and traditions that were shared with that loved one.
Because of this, grief can come about in a variety of ways. Accepting and understanding these truths is key, whether you’re coping yourself or are close to someone who is coping. If you’re finding yourself struggling on your journey from grief to healing this holiday season, or know someone who is, here are 10 tips for coping:
1. Plan as much as you can.
The holidays bring with them an increased pressure to attend parties or gatherings. This can be stressful for anyone, but for someone grieving a loss, it can cause an even greater level of anxiety. This is why it’s even more important to plan ahead regarding which events you’re going to attend. Trying to manage your grief is hard enough, overloading your schedule can only lead to more stress. That leads us to the second tip:
2. It’s OK to set boundaries.
Protect yourself from gatherings you feel may be too much. You may fear anything from a specific song playing to seeing your loved one’s favorite dessert is going to cause you to be emotional in front of a large group of people. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions regarding who will be there, how long the event will last, etc. That way, if there are people you may not be ready to face or if you are worried about how long you’ll have to endure the event, this will allow you to be prepared or, simply to say, “no”—and that’s OK.
3. Drive yourself.
To expand on No. 2, for the gatherings you decide to attend, it’s recommended you drive yourself. This way, should you find yourself in a situation that’s overwhelming or feel the need to leave, you’re not dependent on someone else’s schedule.
4. It’s OK to need a break from tradition.
If trying to carry out past traditions you would’ve typically shared with your late loved one is too painful, its OK to change things up. For example, if decorating the Christmas tree was always something you did with your spouse, perhaps put decorations up outside or help a friend decorate instead. It doesn’t mean you can’t go back to your tradition, you’re simply allowing the wound to heal—especially if it’s your first holiday without that loved one.
5. If you’ve typically hosted, ask someone else.
This goes back to the notion that managing your grief is hard enough on its own. Adding the planning of a party and preparation of a large meal can only lead to additional stress. If you typically have hosted for the holidays, try asking another family member to this year. Better yet, you could go out to eat at a restaurant instead. This takes the pressure off one person to cook, clean, etc. and is an especially good option if you’re feeling guilty (even though you shouldn’t) about asking someone else.
6. Use your pain for the betterment of others.
You’d be amazed how getting out to volunteer or giving to a cause can have incredibly healing effects. And it doesn’t have to be volunteering; perhaps you know someone who is alone this holiday season—an elderly person in your neighborhood or a person whose family lives far away. Try inviting them over, or see if they’d want to do something together. Maybe the elderly woman down the street doesn’t put up decorations because her husband always did, or her age no longer allows for her to do so (now you can combine elements of #4 as well). The point is, doing something good for someone else changes the mood, and not only are you doing something good for yourself, you’re helping someone else in the process.
7. Honor your loved one.
For anyone sharing in the loss, coming together to share stories, lighting a candle in your loved one’s memory, or playing a favorite song can offer healing—just because they’re gone doesn’t mean you forget them or stop loving them.
8. Laughter really is the best medicine.
Many coping with grief find themselves feeling guilty when they catch themselves laughing or feeling happy in the wake of a loved one’s death. They’re thinking, “No, I should be sad.” Or, “If I appear happy, does that mean I’m not mourning my loved one enough?” However, it’s good for us to find joy or humor in times of grief. And what better way to incorporate honoring your loved one than by sharing funny stories or fond memories with others sharing in the grief.
9. Self-care.
One of the best things you can do during this time is to take care of yourself. The holidays are busy and stressful enough, let alone trying to cope with your grief. Take time for yourself. Get your rest. Eat well. Get some fresh air and exercise. Treat yourself to a massage. Take that class you always wanted to try. Whatever it may be, now more than ever, is a great time for you.
10. There’s no right or wrong way to cope.
Wherever you are in your journey through grief, just remember that however you’re feeling is not only normal, but valid. Losing a loved one directly leads to change in a person’s life and past traditions aren’t the same. For those who may know someone struggling with grief, it’s important to be mindful of what they’re going through and remember that grief appears in different ways.
Everyone will experience grief at some point in their lifetime, and the best thing we can all do is be understanding and support one other.
Need support in your journey through grief? Faith Hospice offers counseling and guidance through a number of programs—from individual counseling to support groups—and invites you to join any of the support services that are appropriate for you.
As we move into our golden years, it’s more important than ever to educate ourselves on how to stay healthy. Basic health care services are essential, but modern research shows that this is just the beginning for the healthiest, happiest senior living. Here are a few areas where education and preparation can help you or your aging loved ones avoid future risks and enjoy life to the fullest.
Dealing with chronic conditions
Chronic health conditions create ongoing daily challenges for senior living. The physical, emotional, and practical demands of living with a chronic illness can be overwhelming. With some understanding and planning, however, it’s possible to minimize the frustration and isolation that often comes with chronic illness.
Develop an exercise routine that is appropriate for your physical condition. Even a ten-minute walk or a gentle stationery bike ride will strengthen you and lift your mood. Building flexibility and endurance gives your body essential tools for the fight against sickness and fatigue.
It’s important to be educated on the appropriate use of medications. Know how each prescription interacts with other drugs and what impact it will have on your body.
Understanding nutrition can make a significant difference for senior living. The vitamins and nutrients found in fresh, whole foods are powerful weapons against disease and fatigue.
Decision-making and evaluating new treatments can be difficult for someone suffering from chronic illness. If your aging loved one finds it difficult to make important decisions, make it a priority help them stay informed. Develop a calm, orderly strategy for working through decisions with the assistance of doctors and family members.
Emotional well-being
While working with your doctors to ensure the best medical treatment, remember that emotional health is also a significant part of your overall well-being. Many aging adults are unaware of the risk of depression that comes with many common health problems. However, by educating yourself on the symptoms of depression, you can notice and handle potential problems before they get out of control.
A therapist or counselor will help you adopt healthy emotional responses to the stress of health problems. The physical consequences of stress are minimized when we understand how to care for ourselves emotionally in painful or stressful situations. If we take the time now to understand the psychological and spiritual challenges that accompany aging, we can more easily prevent problems from arising in the future.
Health literacy is essential
It’s impossible to over-emphasize the importance of good health education for seniors and their families. There are many programs and resources available to assist aging adults and their families in these essential matters. Discuss these situations with the staff at your community to find out what they can do to support healthy, educated senior living.
With a good understanding of your own medical needs, you have the power to improve your daily quality of life. You can help your medical team keep you strong by focusing on areas of life that relate to health and happiness. Healthy emotional habits, a diet full of fresh whole foods, and an appropriate level of exercise can all dramatically improve the quality of senior living. Improve your health literacy today to take control of your health and happiness in your golden years.
City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley is congratulted after the signing of a Kentwood City Commission resolution on Tuesday, Dec. 17, which stated support of the continued resettlement of refugees within city limits. (City of Kentwood)
By City of Kentwood
In response to an executive order on Enhancing State and Local Involvement in Refugee Resettlement, the Kentwood City Commission adopted a resolution in support of the continued resettlement of refugees within City limits.
City Commission unanimously approved the resolution, which affirms resources and capacities are available within the City of Kentwood to devote to sustainable resettlement, which maximizes the likelihood refugees placed in the area will become self-sufficient and free from long-term dependence on public assistance. Kentwood is one of the first communities in West Michigan to publicly affirm its support of Executive Order 13888.
“Kentwood has long been able to welcome refugees facing persecution thanks to numerous corporations, faith-based organizations, schools and families with the resources available to support the arrival and integration of refugee families,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “As the current home of resettled refugees from more than 90 countries, Kentwood City Commission is committed to ensuring refugees not only feel welcome to come to our City, but to truly feel a sense of belonging within our community.
“Kentwood’s quality of life has been enriched by the friendships and contributions of our neighbors from all over the world. We look forward to embracing those who seek to find refuge in our City for many years to come.”
In a heartfelt commission meeting, numerous community members, many refugees themselves, shared comments in support of the resolution. These included representatives from Kent County Board of Commissioners, At-Tawheed Islamic Center, the Vietnamese-American Community of Grand Rapids, Bethany Christian Services, Samaritas and Gateways for Growth.
“The approval of this resolution demonstrates the city’s character and commitment to all New Americans and says loud and clear what type of community Kentwood leaders want to create for all people who want to call this place home,” said Joel Lautenbach, executive director of Development at Samaritas and leadership team member of Greater Grand Rapids/Kent County Gateways for Growth Welcome Plan. “We want new residents from all over the world, including refugees, to be able to find a place to live here — to raise their families, to contribute economically and be successful, contributing members of our community.”
Project Coordinator Elvira Kovachevich of the Greater Grand Rapids/Kent County Gateways for Growth, whose objective is to develop and implement a welcome plan to address different sectors of obstacles for immigrants and refugees in Kent County, also spoke to the importance of the resolution.
“Seeing the City of Kentwood unanimously approve a resolution to welcome refugees to our community is more than a statement; it is a commitment to welcome everyone with open arms and promote belonging, no matter where you come from,” Kovachevich said. “As a child of refugees who works to welcome other New Americans to our community, the City of Kentwood’s affirmation of the value of refugees is inspiring; the City is truly serving as an example to others.”
Issued on Sept. 26, Executive Order 13888 requires official consent from state and local governments within 90 days in order for the federal government to resettle refugees in a given area, impacting all refugees coming through the U.S. Department of State.
It’s far better for your long-term mental health if you accept your negative emotions, rather than passing judgment on yourself. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Studies done at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that acknowledging a blue mood—and not berating yourself for it—can help you work through it more easily.
It turns out that accepting negative emotions is better for your long-term mental health than constantly passing judgment on yourself, which can cause your feelings of negativity to snowball.
Putting pressure on yourself to feel upbeat can make you feel even more downbeat, according to the research.
It turns out that the people who let feelings like sadness, disappointment and even resentment run their course had fewer mood disorder symptoms than people who judged themselves for having them or who tried to bury them.
Accepting negative emotions seems to help you better cope with your stressors.
There’s one important caveat, however.
While it helps to acknowledge the normalness of negative emotions and not think you can—or need—to feel happy 24/7, it’s also important not to ignore a persistent and deep blue mood and other signs that could signal depression.
Symptoms of depression include a loss of interest in things that you used to enjoy and deep feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness that last for three or more months.
Unlike a blue mood, depression needs treatment, such as counseling, medication or both.
As the American population ages, family caregiving emerges as a major concern for more and more families. In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009 report, Caregiving in the U.S., it was reported that 65.7 million caregivers make up 29 percent of the United States adult population that provide care to someone who is ill, disabled or aged. The report says that caregivers average 20.4 hours per week providing care and caregivers who live with the person they care for spend 39.3 hours per week caregiving.
According to the National Alzheimer’s Association 2011 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, in 2010, 14.9 million families and other unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, provided about 17 billion hours of unpaid care. This represents an average of 21.9 hours of caregiving per week or 1,139 hours of care per caregiver, valued annually at $11.93 per hour—an estimated $202.6 billion in 2010.
Needless to say, the contributions of informal caregivers are very important, valuable and necessary to the well-being of many older adults and a huge contribution to our society. But the challenges and physical, emotional and financial toll of caregiving are also huge.
A Family Caregiver Alliance 2006 report, Caregiver Assessment: Voices and Views from the Field, states several statistics about the emotional and mental health challenges of informal caregiving. Caring for a person with dementia can impact a person’s immune system for up to three years after their caregiving experience ends, increasing their chance of developing a chronic illness themselves.
Also, 40 to 70 percent of family caregivers show symptoms of depression. Caregivers who are caring for someone who has emotional or mental health problems, in result are more likely than others to report a decline in their own health.
There are often physical health challenges for informal caregivers as well. In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009 report, Caregiving in the U.S., it says that 17 percent of caregivers feel their health in general has become worse as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The report also states that studies have found that 23 percent of family caregivers who have been providing care for five years or more, report their health is fair or poor. Twenty-one percent of older caregivers caring for those age 65 and older, report a higher degree of physical strain, compared to 13 percent who are younger caregivers.
The immense challenges of informal caregiving make it very clear that caregivers need to make sure they take good care of themselves. It may seem impossible when responsibilities pile up, but with support and thoughtful planning, self-care for caregivers can make the difference between maintaining good health and becoming someone who needs caregiving. For more information about self-care for caregivers, watch for Family Caregiving – Part 2 coming soon. For more information on caregiving, visit the Michigan State University Extension Caregiving page.
Many of our most treasured holiday memories take place at Mom and Dad’s house. So after a loved one has moved into a senior living facility such as an assisted living community, it may feel like you can’t celebrate the usual holiday traditions. Luckily, that just isn’t true at all. While locations may have changed, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy everything the season has to offer.
Holiday traditions are usually based around activities that take place in the home, which is why we can feel as though there isn’t a way to celebrate favorite family traditions the way you used to. However, with the right attitude (and with the right tips and tricks up your sleeve) your family can still enjoy the same traditions, just with a slight twist.
1. Holiday shopping trips
Going out searching for presents is often a time of bonding for family members. After all, nothing brings a family closer together than navigating the crowds at the mall! But with a loved one in assisted living, it may be difficult to make that trip out to the store. Talk to your loved one about how they would feel about this type of day trip, and consult their physician to see if it’s safe for them.
If it’s going to be too difficult to take your loved one out for the day, take the shopping mall to them! Online shopping allows you to find the perfect presents with only a few taps of a computer. Help your family member search the gifts they want to purchase, or just enjoy browsing around together and seeing what the holiday sales and hot-ticket items are, all from the comforts of home!
2. Deck the halls
Even if your loved one doesn’t have a large home to decorate after making the move, their senior living apartment still can get the full holiday treatment! Help them make their living space feel more in tune with the holiday spirit by taking time to decorate together. Try things like:
Setting up and decorating a small, fake tree with bright lights and your loved one’s favorite ornaments.
Adding blankets, pillows, and other cozy items to warm up the apartment.
Stringing garland or tinsel around walls.
Hanging a wreath over their door. For extra bonus points, make it a fun crafting experience and build the wreath yourselves!
Bringing the outdoors inside with decorations of pinecones, cranberries, branches, and other woodsy elements.
To make apartment decorating even more of a holiday celebration, have several different family members come over, make some yummy snacks and hot cocoa, and play carols that make the day even merrier.
3. Open presents together
Giving and receiving gifts is a favorite tradition for families, but it’s one that senior loved ones in assisted living communities can often miss out on. Rather than just call a loved one and fill them in on the joys you experienced together, bring the whole family over for a visit and enjoy opening presents as a group, so no one feels left out!
4. Enjoy a holiday dinner
Having a large family meal is often the highlight of everyone’s holiday traditions. When the whole family gathers together to eat, drink, laugh, share stories, and enjoy each other’s company it exemplifies all the reasons that the holiday season is so special.
Assisted living communities know that eating together is a huge part of family tradition, and that’s why they plan and throw holiday parties full of delicious food and treats for families to enjoy with their loved ones. When everyone gathers together in celebration, no one will ever feel left out!
5. Keep family at the heart of the holidays
The number one reason that people struggle to find ways to celebrate the holidays in assisted living is because they are so used to thinking about these activities in a different setting. But just because “home” has a different meaning than what it used to doesn’t mean that the holidays will never be the same.
Much more important than where we spend the holidays at is who we spend the holidays with. Family and friends are what really keep our memories of holiday traditions alive, not the location where they took place.
In order to make the most of the holiday season, spend time with your loved ones, no matter where they are. When the family is together and celebrating, the holidays are always cheerful and bright.
The rise in colon cases among younger adults that’s been seen in the United States is also occurring in wealthier nations worldwide, new research shows.
In the decade leading up to 2014, the number of cases of colon cancer among people under 50 increased by 3% a year in Denmark, New Zealand, Australia and Canada and by 1% per year in Britain.
The increase was most pronounced among those aged 20 to 29, noted a team led by Dr. Marzieh Araghi, from International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France.
Among twenty-somethings, colon cancer cases rose by 18% a year in Denmark and 11% in Norway, according to the study published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hematology.
“Although the incidence of colorectal cancer in adults younger than 50 years remains much lower compared with that in older age groups, our findings are of concern and highlight the need for action to counteract the rising burden of the disease in younger people,” Araghi said in a journal news release.
The increase in cases among the young runs counter to declines in colon cancer among people over 50, the researchers pointed out.
For example, between 2004 and 2014 cases of colon cancer fell each year among people over 50—by 2% in Australia and Canada, 3% in New Zealand and 1% annually in the U.K.
Colon cancer remains a huge global killer.
According to the research team, in 2018 alone nearly 2 million cases of colon cancer were diagnosed and the disease claimed 881,000 lives worldwide.
But why the surge among the young? According to Araghi, the increase is likely driven in part by increases in certain risk factors, specifically obesity and poor diet.
On the other hand, he said, the decrease in colon cancer among people over 50 is most likely due to better screening stool tests or colonoscopy that catches tumors early.
Dr. David Bernstein is chief of hematology and a gastrointestinal specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Reviewing the new report, he said similar data has already changed medical practice in the United States.
“The U.S. findings have led to updated (American Cancer Society) colon cancer screening guidelines, which now recommend the initiation of colon cancer screening at age 45, as opposed to previous guidelines recommending the initiating of screening at age 50,” Bernstein noted.
Early screening and detection could bring colon cancer numbers down again among the young, he said.
Dr. Elena Ivanina is a gastroenterologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She believes younger Americans need to pay more heed to avoiding colon cancer risk factors.
“This includes things like obesity, diet, smoking and other carcinogens,” she said. “Patients should discuss their colon cancer risk with their physician and not ignore any symptoms like rectal bleeding, no matter what their age.”
In the meantime, Bernstein said, “perhaps the more important question is ‘why in high income countries is the incidence of colorectal cancer increasing among young adults, and what factors are leading to this?’” Bernstein said. “Significant work needs to be done to answer this critical question.”
Studies have shown differences in the brains of fibromyalgia sufferers, sometimes with areas of lower blood flow than expected. Similar problems have been seen in people with diabetes. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Fibromyalgia is a mysterious and misunderstood illness, but researchers may have uncovered at least one key to the disease’s origin: insulin resistance.
The new research compared a small group of people with fibromyalgia to two groups of healthy people and noted that a long-term measure of blood sugar levels was higher in the people with fibromyalgia.
Insulin resistance develops when the body starts to struggle with breaking down sugar.
To see if treating those higher blood sugar levels might help, the researchers gave people who had blood sugar levels in the pre-diabetic range or higher a diabetes medication called metformin.
People taking metformin reported significantly lower pain scores, according to the study.
“We combined metformin with standard drugs used for fibromyalgia and saw a much greater degree of pain relief,” said study author Dr. Miguel Pappolla. He is a professor of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
In fact, Pappolla said, the additional pain relief was so significant that the researchers actually called patients on different days to re-check their pain scores.
Because this is a preliminary finding, the researchers aren’t sure how insulin resistance might contribute to fibromyalgia or how metformin might reduce pain. “Metformin may have some analgesic (pain-relieving) activity on its own,” Pappolla said.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, sleep problems and distress, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Even celebrities aren’t spared from this painful condition—Lady Gaga reportedly had to cancel concerts on her tour due to pain from fibromyalgia.
Though the cause of the disorder isn’t clear, it appears that people with fibromyalgia may be more sensitive to pain than other people—what the CDC calls abnormal pain processing.
Pappolla said that studies have shown differences in the brain between people with fibromyalgia and those without, such as areas with a lower blood flow than expected.
The researchers noted that similar problems have been seen in people with diabetes.
The study included 23 people with fibromyalgia.
The researchers compared their hemoglobin A1c levels to large groups of healthy people from two other studies.
Hemoglobin A1c is a simple blood test that measures what someone’s blood sugar levels were during the past two or three months. A level of 5.7% to 6.4% is considered pre-diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. A level of 6.5% or higher means a person has diabetes.
Only six of those with fibromyalgia had normal blood sugar levels. Sixteen had levels considered pre-diabetes and one met the criteria for diabetes.
When the researchers compared the average blood sugar levels of the fibromyalgia group to healthy age-matched people in the other studies, they saw that the blood sugar levels were higher in the people with fibromyalgia, suggesting insulin resistance.
The findings were published online recently in the journal PLOS ONE.
Dr. Edward Rubin, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, said, “It’s interesting that there’s a possible connection between fibromyalgia and blood sugar. We’ve been attacking the symptoms of fibromyalgia, but we don’t have a good understanding of the root cause of fibromyalgia.”
Rubin, who wasn’t involved in the study, said there may be enough evidence here to try metformin along with other medications used for fibromyalgia for people whose blood sugar levels fall outside of the normal range, to see if they have a positive response.
Dr. Bharat Kumar, from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, said this study shows people with the disease that there is hope.
“People with fibromyalgia are often told (falsely) that they have a disease that simply cannot be managed. This article shows that it’s not true. Although it’s unclear if metformin will work for every person suffering from fibromyalgia, there is active research into finding solutions for this frustrating and overlooked condition,” he said.
Kumar said it’s biologically plausible that insulin could have an effect on pain.
“We know that other hormone abnormalities can cause fibromyalgia-like symptoms, so (this finding) is not too surprising,” he added.
Still, he said, he didn’t expect that metformin would be a “silver bullet” for all fibromyalgia pain. He said there are likely a number of causes of the disease.
In experiments using mice, researchers found some populations of fungal species increased at a higher rate in a cancerous pancreas. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Fungi living in the gut can move into the pancreas, triggering changes to normal cells that can result in cancer, a new study suggests.
The finding could advance the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer, which is usually fatal because it’s often detected too late.
The disease has been in the news lately because “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek is waging a battle against an advanced form of the illness.
The new research focuses on a particular form of the cancer, called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which can be fatal within two years.
While the exact causes of pancreatic cancer remain unclear, the American Cancer Society has long recognized that viruses, bacteria and parasites can help spur pancreatic tumors, the authors of the new study noted.
But fungi haven’t been shown to play a role—until now.
“While past studies from our group have shown that bacteria travel from the gut to the pancreas, our new study is the first to confirm that fungi, too, make that trip and that related fungal population changes promote tumor inception and growth,” study co-author Dr. George Miller said in a news release from NYU Langone Health.
Miller is co-leader of the Tumor Immunology Research Program at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health, in New York City.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is cancer of the tube in the pancreas where digestive juices drain into the intestines.
This exchange causes fungal populations in the gut and pancreas—the “mycobiome”—to become abnormal, the NYU team explained. That change may cause pancreatic cells to turn malignant.
In the new study, the researchers first looked at fungal transfer from the gut to the pancreas in mice that already had pancreatic tumors.
In those experiments, the researchers found that treating the rodents with an antifungal drug shrunk the weight of tumors from between 20% to 40% over 30 weeks.
Investigating further, the team catalogued the species of fungi in the poop of mice with or without pancreatic cancer. They even tagged the fungi with “glowing” proteins to watch the microbes travel from the gut to the pancreas.
Certain patterns emerged, with some populations of fungal species increasing at a far higher rate in the cancerous pancreases versus the non-cancerous ones.
One such cancer-linked species is called Malassezia.
“We have long known that Malassezia fungi—generally found on the skin and scalp—are responsible for dandruff and some forms of eczema, but recent studies have also linked them to skin and colorectal cancer,” study senior co-author Deepak Saxena noted in the news release.
“Our new findings add evidence that Malassezia is abundant in pancreatic tumors as well,” said Saxena, who is professor of basic science and craniofacial biology at NYU College of Dentistry. Pancreatic cancers in the mice grew about 20% faster when Malassezia was allowed to grow unchecked, the team noted.
The researchers theorized that fungi spur growth of the cancer by affecting immune system mechanisms that lead to abnormal tissue growth.
Study co-first author Smruti Pushalkar, a research scientist at NYU College of Dentistry, added, “Moving forward, one goal for our team is to determine which species are most relevant to cancer, as doing so could guide future attempts to slow tumor growth with targeted antifungal medications, and to avert side effects.”
The results of the study add evidence to the theory that fungi increase the risk for cancer by activating an ancient part of the immune system, the researchers said.
This immune response fights infections but also increases cell growth as the infection is cured. Past studies have shown that aggressive tissue growth can cause cancer when it’s combined with genetic flaws.
The report was published recently in the journal Nature.
