Category Archives: Health

Having trouble sleeping?

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A restless night may be the result of poor habits before bedtime. A helpful hint: Leave the cell phone out of the bedroom. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, Spectrum Health Beat


Sleep is everything. It needs to be a high priority for all of us to be happy and healthy.


It is truly the basis of good health, because it gives our brains a chance to rest and process the events of the day and then make brain chemicals for the next day.


Do you have trouble sleeping? If so, you’re probably dealing with a host of negative side effects.


Without sleep, we may experience bad moods and perform poorly at work, at school or at home with our families. A lack of sleep also puts us at risk for heart disease, diabetes and depression.


Researchers have spent years analyzing sleep patterns to learn why sleep is so important to our overall health and wellness. Their observational studies of people with and without good sleep patterns show a strong effect on chronic disease.


People who get less sleep have a higher risk of being overweight, developing diabetes, experiencing high blood pressure and having a heart attack. Overall, these people have a lower life expectancy than those who get a consistent eight hours of sleep each night.


Typically, those who consistently sleep less than six hours a night are plagued with the highest weight, while those who sleep eight hours or more have the lowest weight.


Is it really that simple? For the most part, yes.


Less sleep leads to a rise in cortisol—our stress hormone—and also causes a rise in insulin, which promotes belly fat storage. Decreased amounts of sleep also cause an increase in ghrelin—a brain hormone that stimulates appetite—and a decrease in leptin, which signals when we feel full.


Of course, it goes without saying that when we don’t have enough sleep, we don’t feel like exercising and we often gain weight due to inactivity.


Unfortunately, sleep (or a lack of it) can have a strong effect on our moods and coping skills. Lack of sleep puts people at a greater risk for depression, anxiety and mental stress. All of this makes it difficult for these people to remain optimistic and thrive in social situations.


The bottom line? To be happy, sleep is a prerequisite.


We know we should be getting our sleep, but what really happens when we are having trouble sleeping?


There are several different types of sleep problems that can cause us to sleep less than we should at night.

Sleep disorders

Chronic insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea and parasomnias are some of the more common sleep issues my patients experience.


Insomnia can be a result of too much overstimulation from watching TV or working on a computer late at night. Consumption of alcohol, sugary foods or caffeine before bed can also interfere with the ability to fall asleep easily.


Insomnia can be caused by taking certain medications such as antidepressants, oral steroids or allergy pills. Medical conditions that cause pain—arthritis, for example, or breathing problems such as asthma—can also be underlying causes of insomnia.


The good news is that insomnia can be improved.


The best treatment starts with awareness, which begins with a close examination of our habits and rituals around bedtime. Turning off the computer or TV several hours before going to bed can help you fall asleep more quickly. Sometimes, prescription medications or over-the-counter remedies can also be helpful.


Narcolepsy, associated with excessive daytime sleepiness, can be genetically linked. A diagnosis of narcolepsy can be determined with a sleep study.


Medications aimed at improving sleep quality and stimulating daytime wakefulness are typically prescribed to help with this condition.


Sleep apnea, typically linked to obesity and heart disease, is also diagnosed by completing a sleep study.


Treatments for sleep apnea range from changing sleep positions to using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine to keep airways open.


Weight loss is also an effective treatment for sleep apnea.


Parasomnias occur when people are fearful of going to sleep because they are afraid of what might happen to them during sleep. Night terrors, sleepwalking or sleep eating without memory are common things they may fear.

Sleepless nights

Many women come to see me because they are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep during the night.


A woman I’ll call Jane is one of those patients.


At age 49, she began experiencing irregular periods, night sweats and disturbed sleep around the time of her period. She led a very busy life with teenagers, a husband who traveled for work and parents who required more care.


Her sleep issue was causing problems in her life.


Jane would have difficulty falling asleep and, if she woke up during the night, she had trouble getting back to sleep because her mind would start racing and she couldn’t turn it off.


As a result, she was chronically tired and unmotivated to exercise. She began to gain weight. She felt irritable and crabby most days and she just didn’t know how to get off the roller coaster.


Jane had tried to fix her sleep problems by herself, but it wasn’t working.


She tried every tea and over-the-counter medicine she could find, including melatonin. She had recently resorted to drinking a glass of wine in the evening, but that just made her feel even less rested.


It was time for a new plan for Jane.

Simple changes

We started by discussing what she probably already knew: Lack of good sleep made her very unhealthy and caused her bad moods.


I then explained the correlation between hormones and brain chemicals.


We worked on deconstructing her nighttime routine. I asked her how she could structure her day so she wouldn’t have so many chores to complete at night, leaving her more time to prepare for the next day.


As Jane talked out loud to me, she realized she could make some simple changes—packing lunches and doing a load of laundry at night—that could help her be more efficient in the morning.


I then pressed Jane about making time for herself before bed.


I also made some suggestions.


I recommended that she write down her worries or duties on paper and then make a list for the next day (or several days), detailing how she would conquer these obligations.


Other suggestions I made: Avoid screen time 30 minutes before bed, refrain from alcohol in the evening, write in a gratitude journal before going to sleep.


And, finally, I suggested that Jane practice metered breathing every night before going to bed.


Metered breathing is a technique I discuss with many of my patients to help them fall asleep at night or get back to sleep if they wake in the middle of the night.


Here’s how it works:

  • Find a quiet place in your home and sit in a comfortable chair.
  • Begin staring at a spot somewhere in the room and focus on the sound of your breathing.
  • Continue breathing like this for five minutes, uninterrupted.

I felt confident Jane’s plan would be effective if she followed it. After tracking her progress, we would consider menopause hormone therapy to treat her night sweats if they continued to be an issue.


Jane took my recommendations seriously and changed her routine. She began to sleep again and she started exercising, lost some weight and improved her overall mood.


More than anything, she felt like herself again.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Understanding Health Literacy

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By Laura P., AmeriCorps Member, Cherry Health


Are you confident you can compare premiums and deductibles to find the best health insurance plan for you and your family?


Can you use a nutrition label to calculate how many grams of sugar are in a bowl of your breakfast cereal?


Are you able to locate the medical services you need, when you need them?


If so, you may have high health literacy! When we talk about health literacy, we are referring to a person’s ability to access and understand health-related information and services. It’s something we all possess to varying degrees, and we often use our health literacy skills without knowing we’re using them.


Health literacy can vary widely between people depending on someone’s level of education, cultural background, economic status, skill with numbers, and mental health. No matter our level of health literacy, we build our skills over a lifetime and there is always room for improvement. Health literacy skills include the following:

  • Being able to correctly dose and administer medications
  • Knowing the body systems and how to describe pain
  • Finding and understanding information on a medical topic
  • Being able to manage a chronic health condition
  • Knowing your own and your family’s health history
  • Comparing treatment options to decide what’s best for you
  • Understanding your provider’s instructions
  • Filling out complex forms accurately

Knowing a patient’s general level of health literacy is important to successful treatment, as people with lower health literacy are likelier to be hospitalized, end up in the emergency room, and to take medications incorrectly. Where appropriate, healthcare providers should use plain language to ensure that they and their patients are on the same page. For patients with a different cultural background than their providers, extra attention is needed to ensure that communication is clear and understood.


Delivering quality healthcare requires examining how health literacy influences every aspect of the medical experience, both at the office and at home. It is our responsibility to make sure the services we provide and the information we share are accessible and understandable to all.


Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.


Let’s get grilling

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A surefire route to healthy grilling: Toss some fresh fruits and vegetables on the grill and drizzle on some olive oil. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Irene Franowicz, RD, CDE, Spectrum Health Beat


Tired of the same old barbecue? Looking for healthier options that transcend those humdrum hot dogs and banal burgers?


It doesn’t matter if you’re a vegetarian or a meat-lover, or even something in between—there are plenty of ways to add variety and flavor to your summer grilling plans.


And the best part is, you can keep it healthy along the way.

Healthier hot dog

At a ball game or barbecue, hot dogs just seem to call your name. And they appear so innocent because they’re so small and simple.


But don’t be fooled. Done wrong, a single hot dog can pack on the calories.


If you get a dog with all the fixings—cheese, chili, ketchup, mustard, mayo and baked beans—and you add coleslaw, macaroni salad or potato salad as a side, you’re looking at anywhere from 750 to 2,000 calories. Not to mention all the fat.


But you don’t need to avoid hot dogs altogether. You just need to choose wisely.


Look for a hot dog that has less fat than its original version.


For example: A Hebrew National standard beef frank has about 150 calories and 13 grams of fat, but the “97 percent fat-free” version has 45 calories and 1 gram of fat. The better-for-you version has 105 fewer calories and 12 grams less fat.

It’s simple math.


You can also get turkey, chicken or veggie franks as a healthier option to make at home. It’s also recommended you choose a whole wheat bun for added fiber.


If you trade in your pork brat for a turkey brat, you’ll cut your calories in half and drastically lower your fat intake. A pork sausage has anywhere from 290 to 455 calories and 23 to 38 grams of fat per link. A turkey or chicken sausage, on the other hand, has about 140 to 180 calories and 7 to 12 grams of fat.


If you’re vegetarian, opt for veggie sausages made of soy, bean or tofu protein. Just about every grocery store offers delicious gourmet chicken sausages that are additive-free and they have great flavors such as sun-dried tomato, gouda and apple, and spinach feta. (For the sake of comparison, the typical chicken sausage has about 180 calories and 12 grams of fat.)


As a side, meanwhile, fill up on grilled veggies and veggie-and-bean salsas (sometimes called “cowboy caviar”). Or choose fruit salad instead of pasta and macaroni salad.


It’s truly all about making healthy substitutions that suit your taste.

Meat mythology

Somewhere along the way, you’ve probably heard that ground turkey is a healthier option than ground beef, particularly if you’re looking for fewer calories and less saturated fat.


But that’s not always the case.


Turkey breast is lean, but dark turkey meat is not. And some ground turkey contains both.


A quarter-pound of regular ground turkey contains 3 grams of saturated fat, but the same amount of extra-lean ground turkey has just 0.5 grams of fat. The right cut of turkey offers a sizable difference.


A few tips for ground beef:

  • With ground sirloin, always opt for the 90/10 ratio over the 80/20 or 85/15. Just 4 ounces of 90/10 contains 190 calories and 11 grams of fat.
  • Beware of 80/20 ground chuck. About 4 ounces has 280 calories and 20 grams of fat.

For juicy, grilled burgers that are good for you, don’t just look to beef to satisfy you.


Try veggie burgers with guacamole topping for good fats, or try grilled salmon patties. These are easy to find in your local grocery store. You can also try ground lamb with spinach and feta if you’re looking for a Greek twist.

Marinate your protein

Kansas State University researchers found that using herbs and spices in marinades can reduce carcinogenic compounds in grilled meats by up to 88 percent.


Other research has found that oils, vinegar and even beer can cut down on carcinogens in meat. The marinade could create a protective barrier between the meat proteins and the heat of the grill, or the antioxidants in the marinade may combat the carcinogens.


If you want to reduce charring, use a George Foreman Grill. It works beautifully for salmon, flank steak, burgers (veggie and meat) and pork tenderloin. Smaller, 1-pound tenderloins are great, and flank steak is an excellent lean meat for grilling.

Go beyond the bun

You don’t have to rely on mainstays like burgers and hot dogs for your outdoor cooking. A few quick examples of some creative alternatives:

  • Pizza. Grill a pizza and make it caprese by topping it with fresh-sliced mozzarella, tomato slices, basil and a drizzle of garlic olive oil and fig balsamic.
  • Fajitas. Grill your chicken strips, onions and peppers and top it with fresh salsa and guacamole in a corn tortilla.
  • Portobello. You can make a vegetarian burger by grilling portobellos, red peppers, goat cheese and basil pesto.
  • Tacos. Grill up fish tacos and add your favorite slaw, or try a Korean taco made with flank steak and guacamole. There are so many great recipes for this on the internet.
  • Veggies. Toss them with olive oil, and use sturdy ones that won’t fall through the grill. Asparagus, sweet potatoes, onions, multicolored peppers, zucchini and eggplant are all great options. They can take just five to 10 minutes depending on the heat. Toss with pesto or garlic for added flavor.

Grill your dessert

With all these healthy grill options, you’ll of course need to leave a little room for a fun dessert.


Grill a slice of pound cake and serve it with grilled pineapple with chipotle olive oil and Persian lime olive oil, or grilled peaches with a little olive oil and a cinnamon pear balsamic and your favorite gelato.


These tips are bound to brighten up your grilling this summer. They’ll also keep you healthy while you still get to enjoy great-tasting food.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


A flop for feet

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Flip-flops and sandals may look lovely, but are they the best choice for foot health? Not really, according to research. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Health Beat staff


Every spring, they emerge in droves from their winter hibernation. Their unmistakable sound heralds the arrival: flip, flop, flip, flop, flip, flop.


From the beach to the mall and environs in between, flip-flops are the go-to warm-weather footwear for many a person.


And while these same folks will tell you they wear flip-flops for comfort, research suggests this type of footwear is often a big source of discomfort.


And not just that—it can also cause serious problems.


Studies have shown that flip-flops can alter your gait pattern—essentially the way you walk. This alteration affects not only the biomechanics of the foot and ankle, but the knee, hip and back.


In a normal gait cycle, the action begins with the foot making contact with the ground on the outside edge of the heel.


As the forefoot comes to the ground in the stance phase of the gait cycle, the foot begins to pronate, or flatten, to provide shock absorption. The foot adjusts to the surface on which you’re walking.


The foot then becomes more rigid, serving as a lever for the muscles of the lower leg as they contract. As the foot leaves the ground, it enters the swing phase of the cycle.


If the moment of pronation here is too pronounced or too drawn out, it can affect the entire lower extremity.


Excessive foot pronation increases the stress at the knee and hip joints, which can create problems in the foot, ankle, knee, hip and lower back.


A big problem with most flip-flops is the lack of support they provide at the arch on the innermost part of the sole. This allows excessive pronation, which may contribute to dysfunction and pain in the lower extremity.

Under pressure

Flip-flops also affect more than just the kinetic chain of events.


Research has shown that people will experience more pressure on the bottom of their feet when they wear flip-flops, as compared to those who are barefoot or wearing shoes.


Flip-flops can be insufficient for dissipating ground reaction forces. A greater amount of force travels through the lower extremity of someone wearing flip-flops, placing more stress on the ankle, knee, hip and back.


Flip-flops can also cause a shorter stride length and an inefficient gait, leading to increased stress on the lower extremities.


Much of this arises from the flip-flop wearer’s need to hold the flip-flop on with the toes.


Scrunching the toes to maintain the position of the flip-flop activates muscles toward the back of the leg and the sole of the foot, which moves the toes and foot downward.


When walking, we’re supposed to move the toes and foot upward as the foot clears the ground.


Flip-flops hamper this motion, as well as compromising the normal function of the plantar fascia (a ligament on the bottom of the foot). The normal tightening of the plantar fascia allows for improved function of the foot as a propulsive lever.


The reduced function with flip-flops contributes to more force through the lower extremity and decreased stride lengths during the gait cycle.


But here’s the all-important question: What might all of this lead to?


Well, a variety of discomforts, imbalances and overuse injuries, some of which include plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, arch pain, bunions, shin splints, tendonitis in the tendon connecting your kneecap to your shinbone, knee and hip dysfunction or pain, bursitis of the knee and hip, low back pain and more.


It’s not hard to see how flip-flops can cause some serious problems.


The good news? Summer style and optimal foot comfort are still within reach.


“When looking for a sandal, look for one with a contoured foot bed with arch support, as opposed to flat-soled flip-flops,” said John Harris, DPM, FACFAS, a Spectrum Health Medical Group orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon. “In addition, pick a sandal that does not require you to scrunch your toes to hold them on. Perhaps a sandal with a heel strap.”


If you must wear flip-flops, you should limit use to short distances and a short amount of time.


“Parents, be leery of allowing your kids to use flip-flops as their go-to summer shoe gear,” Dr. Harris said, explaining that many of the summer injuries he sees are attributable to flip-flops.


Also, be sure to replace your footwear frequently—it can help ensure a pain-free summer for your feet, knees, hips, legs and back.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Advantages of a bilingual brain

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Tracy Trautner, Michigan State University Extension


Why would we want young children to learn a second language while they are focused on learning their primary one? It seems like this would be learning overload at a time when they are also learning how to be friends, count, play on the playground and so much more. However, this is a time in our lives when acquiring a second language comes very naturally.


Between the ages of 0-3, the brains of young children are uniquely suited to learn a second language as the brain is in its most flexible stage. In fact, bilingually exposed infants excelled in detecting a switch in language as early as 6 months old. They can learn a second language as easy as they learned to walk and learn their primary language. According to the University of Washington News, the U.S. census shows that 27 percent of children under the age of 6 are now learning a language other than English. Learning a second language does not negatively impact the child’s native language.


As adults, we have to consider grammar rules and practice, but young children absorb sounds, structures, intonation patterns and the rules of a second language very easily. Up until the age of 8, young learners benefit from flexible ear and speech muscles that can detect differences between the sounds of a second language.


If youth can learn multiple languages, why not teach them? Exposure to two languages over one language has many benefits, according to What’s Going on Inside the Brain of a Bilingual Child? from KQED news. Bilingual children may have a superior ability to focus on one thing and change their response, easily indicating “cognitive flexibility.” Both traits require self-control, a very desirable trait in the early childhood classroom as well as life. When a bilingual toddler attempts to communicate, the languages in the brain “compete” to be activated and chosen. The child must select one and suppress the other, which requires attention and the ability for the brain to be flexible, which is possible at this early age. The interference forces the brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscles.


Bilingual children are also more adept at solving certain kinds of mental puzzles. A 2004 study by psychologists Ellen Bialystok and Michelle Martin-Rhee found that bilingual youth were more successful at dividing objects by shape and color versus their monolingual peers who struggled when the second characteristic (sorting by shape) was added. This suggests the bilingual experience improves the brain’s command center, thus giving it the ability to plan, solve problems and perform other mentally demanding tasks. These tasks include switching attention from one thing to another and holding information in mind, like remembering a sequence of directions when getting ready for school in the morning or, for adults, driving a car.


While it may be easier for young children to pick up a second language, there are benefits for adults as well. Researchers found that young adults who knew two languages performed better on attention tests and had better concentration compared to those who only spoke one language. They also respond faster or more accurately than their monolingual peers, according to Kapa and Colombo, 2013. This is largely because of the workout our brain receives while switching back and forth between one language and another when deciding how to communicate. It allows us to focus better during a lecture and remember relevant information.


Learning a second language can protect against Alzheimer’s as well. Recent brain studies have shown that bilingual people’s brains function better and for longer after developing the disease. On average, the disease is delayed by four years compared to monolinguals.


Do not fear that learning two languages will confuse or distract your child. Remember, their brains are flexible, and the skills develop beyond learning a second language is immeasurable. Bilingual children learn that an object stays the same even though the object has a different name in a different language (object permanence). For example, a foot remains a foot in English as well as French. Studies have also repeatedly shown that foreign language learning increases critical thinking skills, creativity and flexibility of mind.


Michigan State University Extension suggests the following articles for additional information about the advantages to learning a second language as well as helpful tips to support your child:

For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, visit the Michigan State University Extension website.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Homeless Veterans Stand Down at Metro Health campus offers support, supplies

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  • Some of the veterans at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • One of the veterans at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • Some of the veterans at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • Some of the veterans at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • One of the assistance tables at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • One of the assistance tables at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • One of the assistance tables at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • One of the assistance tables at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • One of the assistance tables at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • One of the assistance tables at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • VFW Post 702 distributed clothing at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • Community Rebuilders was distributing a truckload of military surplus equipment at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • Community Rebuilders was distributing a truckload of military surplus equipment Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • It was not all serious at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

Scenes from the Homeless Veterans Stand Down Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

It was no coincidence that the Community Rebuilders veterans assistance group was distributing a truckload of military surplus equipment suitable for urban camping, nor that the Wyoming-Grandville VFW Post 702 Auxiliary was distributing piles of clothing suitable for life on the street, at the Homeless Veterans Stand Down in Wyoming last week.

While not solely for homeless veterans, it was clear that many of about 200 veterans are currently or have been homeless as they lined up for services Friday, June 14, at Metro Health Park’s Granger Green. The event brought together nearly 50 organizations in an event sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Metro Health/University of Michigan Health.

The services offered ranged from basic food and shelter needs, to physical and mental health, to job and education services — all programs and community partners welcomed by Metro Health.

“This is our third or fourth year hosting it and we have just been honored by so many people in the community who are supporting the event for these veterans who have put their lives on the line many, many times over again for our freedom, and we are so honored to give back in a small way,” Michelle Rademacher, Metro Health community outreach specialist, said to WKTV. Metro Health/UM Health’s involvement “is important because these are members of our community and we are a community-based hospital and we want everyone to feel welcome here.”

Among the groups in attendance were the federal and Michigan based Veterans Affairs representatives as well as the Social Security Administration, the State of Michigan Veterans Employment Services and the Grand Valley State University Upward Bound veterans education assistance program, Trilogy Health Services and the Mental Health Advocacy Council, and veterans community organizations including American Legion posts and Team Red, White and Blue.

“A lot of these veterans don’t even know there is a VFW and that they can join,” Ron Oakes, commander of VFW Post 702, said to WKTV. “We do things like this for exposure, to let veterans know we are out there … (and) … that we are here to help the veterans.”

Coincidentally, Oakes’ VFW post itself is currently without a permanent home.

“We used to have a building, but not now,” Oakes said. “But we are still here and we are still looking for one.”

The veterans seeking goods and services had to produce proof of veterans status via a DD214, or valid state or military identification.

Veterans who were not able to be at the stand down can seek assistance by, among many sources, visiting the Kent County Veterans Services office at accesskent.com .

Headed outdoors? Lather ’round the lashes

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Don’t think that low-SPF moisturizer is a safe substitute for higher-SPF sunscreen lotion, researchers caution. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Even though many moisturizers now contain sunscreens, people may not put them on their faces as carefully as they do sunscreen lotions, new research suggests.


“Moisturizer is not as well applied as sunscreen,” said lead author Kevin Hamill, a lecturer in eye and vision science at the University of Liverpool in England.


“Therefore, if planning prolonged sun exposure, we advise sunscreen be used,” he added. “If using moisturizer, we advise one with SPF (sun protection factor): any SPF is better than none but it should not be considered the equal of sunscreen.”


For this study, researchers exposed 84 volunteers to ultraviolet radiation and photographed them using a UV-sensitive camera on two separate visits. The photos were taken before and after participants applied SPF30 sunscreen to their face on one visit or moisturizer on the other visit.


Coverage was worse for the moisturizer (nearly 17% missed) than the sunscreen (11% missed), the findings showed. This difference was mostly due to less coverage of the eyelid regions—21% missed with moisturizer and 14% missed with sunscreen.


Most participants were unaware they had worse coverage with moisturizer than with sunscreen, according to the study published online April 3 in the journal PLoS One.


The study authors noted that particular attention should be paid to the eyelid area when applying any SPF cream.


In addition, other methods of protecting eyelids, such as UV filter sunglasses, should be considered, they suggested in a journal news release.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Relish the bounty of summer

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Farmers markets offer a great opportunity to introduce your kids to new types of fresh fruits and vegetables. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Alyssa Allen, Spectrum Health Beat


The growing season is here—and that means it’ll be easier than ever to get your fill of fresh fruits and vegetables.


But only if you keep seasonal fare top of mind.


Spectrum Health dietitian Caren Dobreff has plenty of tips to help you and your family make the most of summer produce.


It could pay off in your waistline and your wallet.


During the off season, fresh fruits and vegetables are often harder to find and more expensive, given the steeper costs for transportation and logistics.


“Buying fresh fruits and vegetables in season and locally is much more cost effective,” Dobreff said.


Local food pantries and community and government organizations also run programs that make fresh items accessible to everyone, regardless of income.


Also, consider yourself fortunate if you live in a state that values the agriculture industry and local farmers markets.


“(You’re) able to capitalize on those nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables as we go into the growing season,” Dobreff said.


That’s good news all around, as the list of the health benefits from a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is long, Dobreff said. It includes lower risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and digestive problems.


An added benefit to eating fresh: slimming down.


“Weight management can be an outcome without it being the primary goal,” Dobreff said.


Under the current guidelines, the typical 2,000-calorie-a-day diet calls for about 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit. For children ages 13 and younger, the guideline varies by age—anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 cups of vegetables and the same for fruit.

Dobreff’s 5 tips to highlight the summer bounty:

1. Keep it in sight

Make bowls of fresh fruit visible in your kitchen and keep prepared, chopped vegetables easily accessible in the refrigerator.


“We eat with our eyes and we are cued or prompted with foods that are ready to eat and easily in reach and visible,” Dobreff said.

2. Tweak recipes

Substitute traditional, all-meat dishes with vegetables.


Make a meatloaf using lean beef or ground turkey and replace half the meat with diced, cooked vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, zucchini or bell pepper. Substitute half the pasta in macaroni and cheese with broccoli, or half the ground beef in spaghetti sauce with mushrooms.

3. Prioritize plant-based

How about meatless Mondays? Try a new plant-centered recipe each week, such as broccoli salad with balsamic vinegar, nuts, diced red onions, garbanzo beans and diced apples. Another option: veggie burger with lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion on a toasted whole grain bun.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a simple tip: At every meal, fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables.

4. Involve the kids

Drum up excitement in your kids by getting creative with fruits and vegetables.


Visit local farms where you can pick your own strawberries, blueberries, cherries or other produce. Make trips to the local farmers market so your kids can talk to area growers about their foods.


Help your kids plant a garden or, even easier, put together some patio pots.


“Bell peppers, tomatoes, green beans and peas are great patio growers and are easy to maintain,” Dobreff said.


Find a local cooking class to take with your family. At home, have the little ones pick out a new recipe that features fruits and vegetables—and then involve them in meal preparation.


“If your kids struggle with eating whole fruits and vegetables, remember that kids’ palates are sensitive and it can take over nine or 10 times of trying a new food before it’s accepted,” Dobreff said. “Don’t give up. Let a little time pass and try again.”

5. Get closer to the land

Join a community supported agriculture organization—a CSA—or take advantage of local farmers markets.


By getting closer to the land, you learn more about what’s in season. You can then incorporate these findings into your meal planning.


In Michigan, for example, asparagus is an early arrival in May and June, followed by lettuce and greens, sugar peas, radishes, beans, peppers, tomatoes and more. Some vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, potatoes and squash, are available well into the fall.


Sage advice: Get outside and start enjoying the benefits of the growing season.


“Successful healthy eating patterns are sustainable, easy to incorporate into the long haul and have stood the test of time,” Dobreff said. “Equally important is that they are backed by research and evidence.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Summer activities for seniors who want a full-of-life summer

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By Vista Springs Assisted Living


When the weather warms up, and the sun comes out, it’s time to get outside, go on walks and get active. For those living in assisted living, this means seeking out summer activities for seniors either offered by your community or sought out on your own.


Don’t just wait for summer activities to come to you, venture out into the surrounding community by yourself or get a group together and make the most of the sunshine.

Walking trails

There’s nothing like an early morning walk before the rest of the world is awake, or an evening stroll to watch the sunset. When the weather is warm, and there’s a breeze, simply getting out to walk a trail can be the breath of fresh air we need to feel rejuvenated. Many communities have their own trails surrounding the facility that residents can take advantage but if not, check the local community. Whether it’s a park or a river trail, walking trails are an easy and healthy way to take advantage of the warm summer months.

Beach trips

From quaint shops to delicious dining and, of course, the beach, beach towns make ideal day trips when you just need to get away. Spend the day with family exploring or just lounging on the beach.

Festivals & music events

Summertime is festival time. From art fairs to music to antiques, there’s never a shortage of these festivals once the weather gets warm. Go as a group or venture off to explore your own interests. Many communities have their own, unique festivals and they may even be within walking distance of your facility. Warm weather makes everyone feels festive, so get out and enjoy the sounds and sights of summer.

Festive menus

When the weather changes, so do our food preferences. We no longer crave thick soups and other warm dishes, but instead yearn for juicy fruits or light salads, grilled chicken and ice cream. Check your community calendar for community dinners featuring the fresh recipes of the summer.


No matter what your interests, or where you’re living, these summer activities for seniors will keep your summer full of life!


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Have the dry eyes of menopause?

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A common complaint among middle-aged women, there is help for dry eyes. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


Menopause can be tough enough to handle, but when hot flashes and weight gain are accompanied by dry, scratchy, irritated and red eyes, it’s time to take action.


This condition actually has a name associated with it—dry eye of menopause—and it is a common complaint of women over 50.


Many women talk about it, ask their physician about it, and don’t like it, but there are no clear answers as to why women suffer from this condition. And, unfortunately, we don’t really know what to do about it. Is dry eye really associated with menopause, or is it a product of aging? We aren’t completely sure.


A patient I’ll call Rhonda suffered from several symptoms during menopause, including dry and irritated eyes. The 54-year-old finally decided to call our office for help.


She had been period-free for about 15 months, and her menopause symptoms were not going away. She started with night sweats and irritability roughly six months before her last period, but soon after her final period (not knowing it was her last one), the hot flashes started with a vengeance.


And the symptoms just kept coming. Rhonda didn’t sleep well, her moods became erratic, and she gained weight without changing her diet or exercise plan. For many months, Rhonda thought she could just handle everything, but after blowing up at a lady who left her cart in the middle of the aisle in the grocery store one day, she knew something had to change.


Rhonda took her first step by seeing her family practice physician. Although helpful, Rhonda wasn’t sure about her doctor’s recommendation to start taking hormone supplements.


So, instead, her doctor started her on the medicine Lexapro for the hormone-related mood changes. Lexapro increases the brain chemicals lost with poor sleep and lower estrogen levels. The medicine quickly helped with her mood swings and also cut her hot flashes in half.


Unfortunately, the weight gain continued, and she started having really scratchy eyes. She went back to her doctor thinking she had something stuck in them. After a thorough examination of her eyes with a special lamp, the doctor concluded they were clearly red and irritated despite having no foreign particles in them. She told Rhonda she had seen many women with dry eyes when they started menopause and perhaps it was time to consider hormone medication.


Rhonda left the office determined to take the next step in getting relief for this annoying symptom. She made an appointment at the Spectrum Health Medical Group Midlife and Menopause Offices with Natasha Peoples, a nurse practitioner and certified menopause practitioner. Peoples walked her through our menopause symptom and lifestyle assessments, also known as SEEDS (Seven Essential Elements of Daily Success).


The assessment confirmed that Rhonda had many of the symptoms, even though some of them were better with the Lexapro. Rhonda’s No. 1 goal was to get help for her dry eye issue, and she hoped Natasha could give her some advice. Her job required her to sit at a computer screen for several hours each day, and her eye symptoms made it difficult to concentrate.


After listening to Rhonda’s concerns, Natasha explained how the body changes with menopause, focusing specifically on the dry eye problem. We know that dry eye of menopause in women is common, no matter what age they experience menopause—at 30, 45 or 55. And, for many women, the symptoms of dry, scratchy eyes get better with estrogen. Testosterone is thought to possibly play a role in tear formation as well, and, without good studies to help us, testosterone in low doses added to estrogen could also help.


There are also some other options that may help dry eyes if a woman either can’t (because of medical reasons) or simply won’t add hormones to her daily routine. Dry eye of menopause is thought to be from quicker evaporation of tears and lower-quality tears (tears that are watery and don’t have much oil to coat the eye surface). Conversations with patients tell us that over-the-counter medications such as artificial tears and lubrication ointment can be effective for some, as well as adding fish oil or flax seed supplements to their diet. Even the basic habit of drinking water and staying hydrated can also play a positive role in eliminating this symptom.


Peoples thought Rhonda would benefit from taking hormones, but she first needed to make sure Rhonda was a good candidate. Natasha asked many questions about Rhonda’s medical history and lifestyle habits, and determined she was very healthy, except for being overweight. They talked about getting back to the basics and incorporating the SEEDS into her daily routine. And, they also worked out a plan to start menopause hormone therapy, deciding on the patch and FDA-approved progesterone capsules called Prometrium-bioidentical.


Three months later, Rhonda returned to see Peoples for her checkup and happily reported she felt better. She added one more walk to her week, started doing a DVD with weights, added yoga once a week, and began a routine of daily stretching. In addition, she drank more water, got better sleep and took a multivitamin, Vitamin D and fish oil.


Two weeks after starting the hormones, her hot flashes disappeared, and although her dry eyes weren’t completely back to normal, they were only a minor nuisance and no longer bothered her at work. Even her friends and family members noticed she was acting and feeling better.


Women, including Rhonda, do not have to suffer during menopause. Sometimes even the most basic habits can make all the difference in helping us feel better. And, even though Rhonda’s health care providers aren’t completely sure which change helped her eyes improve the most, Rhonda enjoyed feeling better than she had in a long time.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Strawberries—the guilt-free treat

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Jams and trifles are an effective way to turn a whole basket of berries into a treat the whole family can enjoy. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay


Berries are nature’s natural sweetener and they come loaded with benefits. Fiber, vitamins and antioxidants sweeten the deal.


Fresh strawberries are a plentiful spring and summer fruit, so load up on them at the farmer’s market. One cup contains 100 percent of your daily vitamin C needs and has just 46 calories.


Here are two great ways to turn a basket of berries into sweets. The first is a simple, low-sugar refrigerator jam that you can use in many ways, from a tasty topping for toast to a sweetener in smoothies.

Low-sugar strawberry jam

  • 4 tablespoons cold water
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • 1 pound strawberries, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Place two tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Do not stir. Set aside to soften.


Meanwhile, place the strawberries in a heavy saucepan, along with the other two tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until berries are softened, about five minutes. Stir in the gelatin and the honey. Chill at least one hour before serving.


Yield: About 2 cups

Strawberry trifle

A fresh trifle is a tasty way to showcase seasonal berries, but most traditional recipes are heavy in fat and sugar, mostly from the lemon curd. By lightening up homemade curd and using yogurt instead of cake layers, this dessert is guilt-free.

  • 2 large lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
  • 4 cups assorted berries, stemmed and halved
  • 2 cups plain 2 percent Greek yogurt

Whisk the lemon juice and zest, sugar and eggs in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick and clings to the whisk, about six minutes.


Transfer lemon curd to a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge until cold, at least 60 minutes.


When chilled, layer half the curd in the bottom of a glass bowl. Add a third of the berries, then top with 1 cup of the yogurt. Repeat with layers of curd, berries and yogurt and finally top with a layer of berries. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 60 minutes before serving.


Yield: 8 servings


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Staying safe outdoors during tick season

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Center for Disease Control and Prevention graphic

By Rob Wiener, Michigan State University Extension


With the mild weather of spring upon us, many people are venturing into the outdoors after enduring a long, cold Michigan winter. While there are few better experiences for the soul than a walk in the woods, there are some precautions one should take to minimize the risk posed by ticks.


Although most bug bites are harmless, some people are prone to sensitivity from the biting insect’s saliva, which is recognized by the body as a foreign substance, prompting an immune response. The more you scratch it, the more it will itch as irritation and inflammation increases. Many over-the-counter products, or plain old rubbing alcohol, can reduce this itching and inflammation.


However, when it comes to ticks, there are some potentially dangerous ailments that can be transmitted through bites. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ticks can be infected with a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can be passed on to humans through a bite. The most common of these is Lyme disease, first diagnosed in Lyme, Connecticut in 1975.


Lyme disease has been notoriously hard to diagnose, although the increased incidence of the disease has resulted in more awareness for both the patient and medical practitioner. Typical symptoms of possible Lyme infection include initial swelling and/or itching at the site of the bite, which many times progresses into an expanding rash (possibly forming a bulls-eye appearance). As the infection progresses, flu-like symptoms can present themselves, including headache, chills, fatigue, fever, and nausea. If left untreated, Lyme’s disease can cause permanent, debilitating neurological and joint problems.


The best defense against tick-borne illnesses is prevention. First, be aware of tick habitat and their methods for finding a host. Contrary to popular belief, ticks do not drop or jump on people (or animals)—they hang onto vegetation, waiting for something to brush against them, then latch on.  Brushy woods and tall grassy areas provide the best opportunities for ticks to accomplish this, so be especially vigilant when exploring these areas.


It is recommended to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks to provide fewer areas of exposed skin for ticks to latch onto. Additionally, since ticks usually crawl upwards, tucking pant legs into socks will increase the likelihood of seeing ticks on your pants rather than on your skin.


The CDC recommends treating clothing, boots, and outdoor gear with products containing permethrin. Insect repellents containing DEET or other Environmental Protection Agency-approved ingredients can be quite effective at repelling ticks.


Finally, don’t forget about pets. After venturing outdoors, be sure to thoroughly check your pet’s coat for any ticks. And, talk to your veterinarian about the best way to protect your pet from ticks.


Any ticks found attached (on you or pets) should be carefully removed with a fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently pull straight out, being careful not to dislodge the head into the skin.  Thoroughly wash the bite area, and monitor for signs of irritation or rash.


Visit Michigan State University Extension to learn more about forests and forest management.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).


Remembrance event at Trillium Woods allows grieving families to release butterflies

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Faith Hospice will hosts its annual Service of Remembrance and Butterfly Release Thursday, June 13 at its Trillium Woods campus in Byron Center. (Supplied)

By Faith Hospice


Local hospice provider, Faith Hospice, is holding a special event on Thursday, June 13, at its Trillium Woods campus that invites families who have lost loved ones in its care to join together in honor and remembrance through the release of butterflies. The second annual Service of Remembrance and Butterfly Release will be held at 7 p.m. at Trillium Woods, 8214 Pfeiffer Farms Drive, SW in Byron Center.

The Service of Remembrance and Butterfly Release provides just that for those who participate. It is an opportunity for families to gather together to honor the lives of the person or people who have passed away. Because butterflies are often considered deep and powerful representations of life, and the transformation that some people of faith believe, they are a wonderful symbol of the life of the individual.

One of last year’s attendees gets ready to release a butterfly. (Supplied)

In 2018, approximately 170 people attended the service and released butterflies in honor of family and friends. The theme of this year’s remembrance is “We Grieve With Hope.”

“Many of the families who participated in 2018 walked away with a sense of hope and of new beginnings as the butterflies were released,” said Faith Hospice Bereavement Manager Janet Jaymin. “Grieving is composed of so many stages and remembering the life of your loved one is a key part of the process.”

Community members are invited to attend the event as well. Registration is required by calling 616-356-4820. More information can be found at faithhospice.org/events.

“Bereavement, or the process of grieving a loved one, is a very personal experience,” Jaymin said. “One of the most important things about the grieving process is that every person’s grief is unique and that recovering from grief does not mean forgetting your loss or your loved one because we don’t forget the people we love. Taking the time to remember and commemorate their life is a significant part of the grieving process.”

Friends and families gather at the 2018 Service of Remembrance and Butterfly Release. (Supplied)

The shadowy side of sunshine

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Patients need to be informed about the risks of unfettered use of vitamin D, researchers warn. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Vitamin D is the healthy “sunshine” vitamin, but it can have a dark side, one Canadian man discovered.


A team of Toronto physicians reported on the case of a 54-year-old man who developed kidney damage after taking extremely high doses of vitamin D.


It’s a cautionary tale for consumers, medical experts say.


“Although vitamin D toxicity is rare owing to a large therapeutic range, its widespread availability in various over-the-counter formulations may pose a substantial risk to uninformed patients,” said study co-author Dr. Bourne Auguste. He’s a clinical fellow in home dialysis at Toronto General Hospital and the University of Toronto.


As reported recently in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the man was seen by doctors after he returned from a holiday in Southeast Asia, where he spent much of his time sunbathing. Vitamin D is naturally synthesized by the skin upon contact with sunlight.


Testing showed that the man had elevated blood levels of creatinine, a marker for kidney damage or malfunction. The patient was then referred to a kidney specialist and underwent further testing.


Doctors learned that the man had been prescribed high doses of vitamin D by a naturopath—even though he did not have vitamin D deficiency and no history of bone loss.


Over 30 months, the man had taken eight to 12 drops of vitamin D—a total of 8,000 to 12,000 International Units, or IUs—per day.


The typical recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 400 to 1,000 IU, with a higher amount (800 to 2,000 IU) recommended for adults at high-risk of osteoporosis, and for older adults.


The patient far exceeded those dosages, however, and that led to extremely high levels of calcium in his blood. It’s those high blood calcium levels that triggered his kidney damage, Auguste’s team said.


“Patients and clinicians should be better informed about the risks regarding the unfettered use of vitamin D,” the study authors concluded.


Dr. Maria DeVita directs nephrology—kidney medicine—at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Reading over the case report, she said that “overuse of the vitamin, as is true of many supplements, may have dire adverse effects.”


DeVita said, “Vitamin D is necessary for the development and maintenance of strong bones, (but) the take-home message is too much of a good thing is not good.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

9 Summer Heat Safety Tips for Seniors

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


There’s no reason you can’t get outdoors and enjoy the summer sun as a senior, but it’s also important that you take some precautions against the heat. Your body struggles to regulate internal temperatures as you age, making seniors one of the groups most likely to be affected by the heat and fall victim to dangerous health conditions like heat stroke.


In order to combat the dangers of overheating, sunburns, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, you need to be prepared. Here are 9 summer heat tips for seniors to stay safe while enjoying everything the Midwest summer season has to offer.

1. Stay Hydrated!

The simplest tip for maintaining a healthy internal body temperature and avoiding heat illnesses is also the one that is often the first forgotten. Staying hydrated is the best way to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and it doesn’t take much effort.


A helpful tip is to keep water easily accessible, so you don’t forget to drink it during the day. Keeping reusable water bottles in the fridge or by the door can remind you to grab one before you leave the house to have with you in the summer heat. Staying hydrated is important all year-round, so it’s a great habit to start!

2. Eat the Right Foods!

Heavy meals and hot foods can increase your internal body temperature and actually make you more likely to overheat. Instead, having light, fresh, and energizing foods that increase your energy levels can keep your internal body temperature at a healthy level during the summer. In addition, foods like fruits and vegetables have a high water content and can help you stay hydrated in addition to drinking water.

3. Dress Appropriately!

Don’t wear heavy layers during the summer—even if you are prone to getting cold. Your internal body temperature can quickly rise if you are dressed too warm. Instead, try clothing like:

  • Lightweight shirts and pants
  • Breathable fabrics
  • Light-colored clothing
  • Hats 

4. Wear Sunscreen!

Avoid sunburn and painful blisters by protecting your skin. Sunscreen should be applied liberally and often during summer days when you are outdoors. Even if the day is overcast, the UV rays of the sun can still give you sunburn. Use an SPF of at least 30, remember to cover areas that are often forgotten like:

  • The top of your head
  • Ears
  • Knees
  • Exposed parts of your feet and ankles
  • Neck and chest

5. Check the Weather!

Don’t let a heat wave catch you by surprise! Keeping a close eye on the weather predictions and the heat index can help prepare for the day ahead. Be aware of humidity as well—especially in the Midwest. Humidity can make a temperate day feel much hotter, so be ready. The heat index includes humidity in its calculation, so it’s a great resource to have on hand.

6. Don’t Overexert Yourself!

Using too much energy can result in your body becoming dehydrated much quicker than usual, which can lead to heat stroke or collapse. Your energy levels also drop as you age, making this dehydration process happen faster. There are plenty of great ways to get outdoors that don’t require you to put too much energy into your activities.

7. Stay Indoors!

An easy way to avoid the heat is to just stay inside. On particularly hot days, plan to stay indoors—whether in your own home or at a place like a shopping center or movie theater. Indoor activities and alternative exercises can help you stay fit and active without having to brave the hot sun and risk your health.

8. Find Air-Conditioned Areas!

There’s never a better time to invest in an air conditioner than when you become a senior. Having a source of cold air can be a major help during heat waves, as it can help you lower your body temperature quickly. If you plan on going outside, having a plan in place to stop at air-conditioned stores or cafes throughout the day can be another way to avoid too much heat exposure.

9. Be on the Lookout for Warning Signs!

Knowing what the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke are can be the difference between avoiding sickness or becoming a victim.


The major signs of oncoming heat exhaustion include:

  • Excessive sweating
  • Dizziness
  • Weakness
  • Headache
  • Tiredness
  • Muscle cramps
  • Nausea
  • Fainting

If you feel any of these signs coming on, immediately cool yourself off with fans, air conditioning, a cold bath, and plenty of cool drinks and water. This will help bring your internal body temperature down and avoid the more serious heat illness, heat stroke. If you feel these signs progressing, get out of the sun immediately and call 911. Heat stroke can lead to seizures and/or a coma if not dealt with.


Avoid these serious symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke by taking the heat and hot temperatures of summer seriously, especially as a senior. By following these tips and monitoring your internal body temperature, you can enjoy everything summer has to offer in healthy moderation.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


More than a fancy handstand

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Research suggests yoga may impart a multitude of health benefits, including reduced blood pressure and lower stress levels. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By American Heart Association, HealthDay


For years, aerobic exercise has been touted for its numerous health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, better mood, increased energy and stronger bones and muscles.


But there’s another form of physical activity that’s grabbing headlines—yoga.


Some studies suggest the mind-body practice may be good for heart health, from reducing blood pressure and cholesterol to lowering stress and body mass index.


While yoga often is associated with images of limber practitioners, it is more than just stretching and handstands.


Originated in India, yoga includes physical poses (asana), breathwork (pranayama) and meditation. There are many yoga styles, including Hatha, Iyengar, restorative and hot yoga, each with a specific emphasis such as alignment or relaxation.


Recently, more Americans are stepping onto the mat.


According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.3 percent of U.S. adults—or 35.2 million—practiced yoga in 2017, up from 9.5 percent in 2012.


Many take up the practice as a holistic approach to health and wellness and for its stress-busting effect.


“There’s a huge body of literature that says psychosocial stressors such as work and marital stress, as well as anxiety and depression, are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Puja Mehta, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.


“With chronic stress, the sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive,” which can lead to inflammation and increased blood pressure, Mehta said.


Yoga may help put the brakes on the body’s stress response by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, or the “rest and digest” system, through deep breathing and relaxation, Mehta said.


Cultivating mindfulness also may encourage participants to engage in other habits that boost cardiovascular health by promoting self-awareness and self-care behaviors.


“(This) can have a profound effect on supporting the engagement of healthy behaviors of diet and physical activity,” said Dr. Gloria Yeh, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of mind-body research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.


Research also shows yoga may lower cardiovascular risk factors.


Yeh coauthored a 2014 review of clinical research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology that found yoga had a significant impact on cardiometabolic risk factors compared to doing no exercise at all.


For example, yoga decreased total cholesterol by 18.48 mg/dl and triglycerides by 25.89 mg/dl more than the change seen in the control group. Blood pressure improved too. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased 5.21 mmHg and 4.98 mmHg, respectively.


The benefits also extend to people with heart disease.


Among people with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, in which symptoms come and go, doing 12 weeks of yoga combined with deep breathing resulted in a lower heart rate, lower blood pressure and higher mental health scores compared to those who didn’t do yoga, according to a 2016 study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.


Mehta said although these and other scientific studies show promising results, there are some limitations, such as a small number of participants.


In addition, because yoga encompasses a variety of elements, there isn’t a standard dose of yoga, which makes comparisons across studies difficult, she said.


Both Yeh and Mehta said more research is needed, including more randomized clinical trials and a better understanding of the exact mechanism behind yoga’s cardiovascular benefits.


“We need to better understand for whom yoga may be more beneficial and how,” Yeh said. “Because yoga is so heterogeneous with many different styles and emphases, we’d like to be able to match the right exercises with the right people at the right time. We need to understand how best to integrate yoga with other lifestyle measures.”


And the biggest research question remains, Mehta said: “Are you going to live longer and not have cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke?”


For older adults and people new to yoga, Mehta recommends looking for gentle, restorative or chair-based classes.


People with heart disease or high blood pressure may need to modify some poses and avoid postures that place the head below the heart, she said. Experts also suggest pregnant women in particular steer clear of “hot yoga,” or yoga classes that take place in a heated room, because of the risk of overheating and dehydration.


The bottom line, Yeh said, is that yoga is exercise and “any exercise is better than no exercise, so the activity that someone will do—and enjoy doing—will be the one that provides the most benefit.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

6 ways for older adults to manage seasonal allergies

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Spring in the Midwest, with its growing greenery and flowers, is like a breath of fresh air after a long winter. Unfortunately for some, however, new growth means that the air is also full of pollen, setting off allergies in residents young and old. Whether you’ve suffered spring allergies your whole life, or if your symptoms have worsened as you got older, hafever can be serious for seniors. Here are 6 tips to manage your allergies when there’s pollen in the air.

1. Learn allergy symptoms

As we age, our immune systems tend to get weaker. For some people, this means that their allergy symptoms actually improve or disappear, as their bodies stop recognizing the pollen that enters their systems as a threat. For others, their allergy symptoms can remain unchanged or even worsen.


Learning what seasonal allergy symptoms look like is critical to managing them for yourself or for your loved ones. The main symptoms are:

  • Runny nose
  • Watery or itchy eyes
  • Sneezing
  • Coughing
  • Dark circles under the eyes

These symptoms may seem harmless enough, but they can cause extreme discomfort and complicate treatment of other conditions. Seniors living with dementia may be unable to communicate their discomfort, so you should always know the signs.

2. Avoid high pollen days

The amount of pollen in the air can vary from day to day, or even hour to hour, so plan your time outdoors to avoid especially high pollen counts. Many weather services report on the pollen count during the weather forecast in spring, and if it’s not broadcast, you can always find it online.


If you’re not near a television, computer, or smartphone, there are some basic guidelines for how high the pollen count will be: stay inside if the weather is warm and dry, or dry and windy. Pollen count is usually highest from 5am to 10am every day, then falls as the day goes on. The best time for people with spring allergies to be outside is after a heavy rainfall, when pollen is stuck to the ground by moisture. By staying indoors and minimizing your exposure to pollen, you can keep your symptoms manageable.

3. Wear the right clothes when you’re outside

Sometimes, staying inside is a tall order when the weather is beautiful, and getting fresh air, sun, and exercise is a good idea for people of all ages. When you do go outside, be sure you’re wearing clothing that can help you keep the pollen at bay. Sunglasses are a must to prevent pollen from getting in your eyes and irritating them. A hat, headscarf, or bandana keeps irritants out of your hair that can fall into your eyes and nose later, and long sleeves and pants allow for easy cleaning when you return indoors.


Even with proper attire, avoiding the outdoors during times when pollen levels are high is always going to be more effective than covering up, but if you can’t plan around it, be sure you’re protecting yourself when you go outside.

4. Keep your house pollen-free

It’s close to impossible to keep all allergens out of your home, especially if you’re always coming and going, but there are several strategies to keep your house as pollen-free as possible.


First, avoid opening windows, even though it may be tempting. If you get too warm, use fans or ideally, your air conditioner, as it can help remove pollen that may have gotten into your home. Second, wash your hands and shower often, especially when you come inside after being exposed to high pollen levels. Pollen on your skin and hair can easily fall off and circulate throughout your house. Third, after being outdoors, change your clothes immediately and put the clothes that have been exposed to pollen in the washing machine. This isolates all irritants, and the wash cycle will get rid of them so your clothes are ready for their next wear.

5. Eat immune-boosting foods

Foods that boost your immune system can help you manage your seasonal allergy symptoms, but none have been proven as a tried-and-true treatment for allergies. Try some of these foods in your springtime diet and see what works for you:

  • Apples:
    • Apples, as well as berries, garlic, onions, cabbage, and cauliflower contain quercetin, a bioflavonoid that can help prevent your body’s immune cells from releasing histamines, which causes allergy symptoms.
  • Strawberries:
    • The Vitamin C combined with the quercetin in strawberries make these sweet fruits a powerful immune booster that also suppress histamines.
  • Fatty Fish:
    • Omega-3 fatty acids are a great way to reduce inflammation, and therefore help keep allergic reactions from causing too much damage. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, and mackerel are delicious sources of omega-3, which is also great for heart health and memory.
  • Yogurt:
    • Probiotics, such as the live bacteria found in yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi, are healthy for your digestive system and your immune system. Use caution, however, as dairy and the natural histamines in fermented foods could actually make your symptoms worse.

6. Talk to your doctor

As with all conditions, from allergies to illnesses, you should always consult your primary care doctor or another healthcare professional about the best approach to handling your health. The treatment most commonly used to treat allergies, antihistamines, are not recommended for seniors as they can interfere with other medications or have more severe side effects than in younger adults. A doctor will be able to determine the best way to manage or treat your allergy symptoms.


Suffering from seasonal allergies can put a rain cloud over the nice spring weather, but by knowing how to manage your symptoms, you can still make the most of the season. And if getting outside does more harm than good during spring? Don’t worry, summer promises better weather and lower pollen counts.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Lore of the snore

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A sleep schedule allowing for fewer than seven hours of sleep each night is likely to lead to serious health problems. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Mistaken beliefs about sleep are common and pose a significant health threat, a new study warns.


Among these myths: some people only need five hours of sleep, snoring is harmless and a drink before bedtime helps you fall asleep.


“Sleep is a vital part of life that affects our productivity, mood and general health and well-being,” lead investigator Rebecca Robbins said. “Dispelling myths about sleep promotes healthier sleep habits which, in turn, promote overall better health.”


Robbins is a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of population health at NYU Langone Health in New York City.


For the study, the researchers reviewed more than 8,000 websites to identify the 20 most common beliefs about sleep.


One of the top myths was the claim of some people who insist they can get by on five hours of sleep a night. The study authors said this poses the most serious health risk due the effects of long-term lack of sleep.


Robbins and her colleagues suggested creating a consistent sleep schedule and getting at least seven hours of shut-eye a night.


And don’t assume your snoring is no big deal—that’s another myth, the study team said. While it can be harmless, snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly during the night. Left untreated, it can lead to heart problems and other illnesses.


The researchers also dispelled the notion that a drink before bed can help you sleep. Alcohol actually makes it harder to achieve deep sleep, which is crucial for proper daytime functioning, they explained in a news release from NYU Langone.


The study was published online recently in the journal Sleep Health.


Study senior investigator Girardin Jean-Louis, a professor in the departments of population health and psychiatry at NYU Langone, said the public needs to be better informed about the importance of sleep.


“For example, by discussing sleep habits with their patients, doctors can help prevent sleep myths from increasing risks for heart disease, obesity and diabetes,” he said in the news release.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

‘SEEDS’ require water

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Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


Water is a critical component of our body’s structure and all its functions.


It makes up approximately 55 percent of the female body.


Key organs—muscles, heart, brain and lungs—are made up of more than 75 percent water.


So what happens when we get busy and don’t take the time to hydrate?


If we leave water out of our daily habits, the results can be subtle but significant. Hypo-hydration can take its toll in ways that affect our normal daily function.


A patient I’ll call Sally is a prime example of what can happen when we don’t hydrate enough.


When she came to see me in the Spectrum Health Midlife and Menopause Health Clinic, she wondered if she was going into menopause because she felt so terrible. She had attended one of my talks and remembered me mentioning the symptoms of menopause—fatigue, hot flashes and irritability.


She had been experiencing all these symptoms, as well as suffering headaches and feeling short-tempered with her husband and kids. Her periods were also irregular, but not entirely indicative of menopause.


After gathering Sally’s information, I had a very good idea what was going on with her.

Dried out

As Sally talked, I noticed her skin and hair were dry. She looked tired and quite thin.


To confirm my suspicions, I started by asking Sally if she practiced her SEEDS (Seven Essential Elements of Daily Success) every day, especially the first one—drinking plenty of water.


Sally said she drank only about one or two 8-ounce bottles of water most days, but she hoped her five cups of coffee and nightly glass of wine would make up the difference. Wrong!


Unfortunately, Sally wasn’t doing very well on the rest of her SEEDS either. She only slept about five hours a night. She didn’t eat balanced meals. She rarely exercised because she was too tired. She barely practiced any meditation or gratitude.


Instead, she found herself rushing to the next event or handling another emergency at work or at home.


When we finished discussing the SEEDS, I told Sally her symptoms were not the result of menopause or her hormones.


She asked why I focused on water and diet. I explained how body function depends on water, especially for cooling and energy. When the body is dehydrated, the muscles can get hotter more quickly, causing them to get tight like beef jerky.


Without adequate water, women can experience hot flashes, muscle spasms and fatigue.


Dehydration can also cause constipation, because the colon removes all the water from the bowel movement to keep enough for survival, causing the bowel movement to be dry and slow-moving.


Why was Sally’s skin so dry? Without adequate water, skin dries up like a sad houseplant. It can look old and tired before its time.


I asked her to think about the water-coffee balance. Her body requires about 80 ounces of water per day. Because coffee and alcohol are dehydrating, she needed to drink an additional glass of water for each cup of coffee or glass of alcohol she consumed, just to stay in balance.


Sally began to realize that her inadequate water intake, combined with her diet poor in complex carbs and protein, had been contributing to her poor energy, bad mood and lack of motivation to exercise or play with her kids.

Lots of libation

Sally’s story is similar to those of many women who come to see me.


She got out of the habit of self-care and thought she did a better job by focusing first on work and others. Wrong again!


Unfortunately, the result is just the opposite of what she strove for. Everyone, including herself, ended up worse off because she neglected herself.


All women, including Sally, must include themselves on their list of people to take care of.


We used the list of SEEDS to make a plan to get Sally back on the road to feeling healthy again.


She agreed to drink two glasses of water before she left the house in the morning (and before her first coffee), another one in the car, one in her office with her second cup of coffee and one more before lunch.


She also committed to drinking another glass of water at lunch, one in the afternoon, one in the car on the way home and a glass at dinner. She even agreed to sacrifice her nightly glass of wine and only drink one or two glasses on the weekend—at least until she felt better.


In addition, she said she would start eating at least two small meals of things like Ezekiel Bread with peanut butter, bananas (for potassium) and a salad with a protein for dinner.


These were all small changes, but at least it would be a start.


I suggested waiting until she felt a little better before beginning a strenuous exercise program. Instead, we talked about incorporating yoga and stretches into her daily routine and focusing on getting more sleep and taking walks with her family.


Sally was surprised when I told her it would take her body at least three days to really catch up on hydration, noting that her muscles, skin and hair would take some time to soak it all up.


She was relieved to hear she would not have to urinate so much after three or four days.

Back to basics

When Sally came in for her recheck four weeks later, I almost didn’t recognize her!


She actually laughed at herself for thinking she was in menopause and not realizing how she had let her health go. She came in hoping for a hormone patch or magic pill to make her feel better, but she was pleasantly surprised to discover she simply had to get back to the basics and recognize the power of hydration.


In the past four weeks, Sally drank plenty of water and felt so much better that:

  • She was no longer depending on coffee to give her energy. She still drank coffee but did so just because she enjoyed the taste, instead of using it as a vice.
  • Her muscle cramps were gone.
  • Her mood improved and everyone noticed. She didn’t even miss her nightly wine.
  • Her night sweats had improved to the point she only experienced them the night before her period started.
  • Her hairdresser commented how much better Sally’s hair felt and looked.
  • She began to think about how she could put daily exercise back in her schedule.
  • She began to have more fun with her kids than she had in a long time.

Things are definitely headed in the right direction for Sally and her family—and it all started with going back to the basics!


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



Independent living: Staying independent in assisted living

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Moving to an assisted living facility doesn’t mean giving up on the important things in your life and it most certainly doesn’t mean losing your independence. An assisted living community is meant to enhance life and offer residents the chance to relax and enjoy life. But that doesn’t mean you need to give up the things you want to be doing.


Many communities, like Vista Springs, are flexible in how much assistance they offer their residents. With the option to use as much or as little as you need; use the following tips to help maintain your independence after making the move to assisted living.

Get involved in activities

Most facilities offer a wide range of activities both inside the facility and outside meant to engage the residents and bring the community to them. Even if you are leaving a familiar community, you can build a new one within the walls of your new home by simply participating in the activities offered by the facility. From dances and card clubs, to viewing parties and game nights, many facilities offer a full calendar to keep residents busy and engaged.

Get involved in activities outside the facility

Don’t cut yourself off from the community you love when you move to assisted living. Just because there are plenty of activities happening within the facility doesn’t mean you are limited to those. As long as it’s possible, engage in activities put on by the community surrounding the facility. Volunteer at local schools or food banks, join book clubs at local coffee shops or join a walking group. Leaving the facility on a regular basis can help you feel engaged with the community.

Maintain your daily routine

Before moving to your new community, what was your daily routine? Did you take a walk before breakfast and then have coffee while reading the paper? Maintain that routine within your new community. Whether you have a coffee maker in your room or walk down to a cafe or cafeteria, continue to do the things you did before the move.

Visit old stomping grounds

When you’re out in the community getting involved, make sure to stop by the places you enjoy visiting. If you’re in a new neighborhood, make plans to visit familiar places once a week or once a month. Organize transportation through your facility, ask a family member, or drive yourself if you’ve brought your car. Don’t cut off your old life simply because you’ve started a new one.

Exercise

Maintaining independence means maintaining your physical health. Avoiding injuries that mean confinement or assistance to get around will help guarantee that you can do the things you love to do. To avoid those injuries, be sure you are exercising on a regular basis. Many communities offer exercise programs to assist in this but if you feel you need more, build a routine on your own. Walk, do yoga, even get out to a gym, gather friends who want to do the same things, just get out and move.

Stay organized

Of course many facilities will maintain a schedule for residents to keep them on top of their everyday activities, but maintaining your own can add an extra level of independence. Keep a calendar, date book, and set up the meetings and activities that are important to you.


No matter where you choose to spend your retirement years, maintain the lifestyle you want to lead by choosing a community that fits with your life.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


Maintain your bone health

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Don’t forget to give your skeleton what it needs to carry you safely through life. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


One in 3 women and 1 in 5 men older than 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.


Hip fractures often require surgery and may lead to loss of independence, and vertebral fractures lead to loss of height, pain, nerve compression, and sometimes deformity.

A bit about bones

Our bones are constantly remodeling, with steady building and breakdown, and we reach a peak bone mass in our late 20s.


After our peak, we lose a bit more each year than we build, and when the bones get to be too porous and weak, we are at risk for a fragility fracture, or a break that occurs with minimal trauma such as stepping wrong off a curb or a low-impact fall.


Osteoporosis is the condition when the bones are thin enough to increase risk of fracture to the point that treatment might be indicated, and our goal is to keep osteoporosis from happening.


Osteoporosis is a silent disease, and has no symptoms. The good news is osteoporosis can be prevented, and also predicted if you know the risks.


The basic concept is we want to support our bone-building cells by supplying adequate calcium in our diet. This includes four servings of dairy or leafy greens, adequate vitamin D to allow for calcium absorption (about 2000 IU per day for most adults), and enough weight-bearing activity to let the bones know they are needed. Research shows we need approximately 20 minutes of weight-bearing activity per day.

Midlife wellness

As a busy obstetrician and gynecologist, I should have been thinking about my patient’s bone health way more than I did, but it was not on my radar for those years of delivering babies.


As I started to care more for women approaching midlife and thinking about how I could support wellness, I started asking my patients about risk factors.


I soon met with an internal medicine physician who is passionate about bone health and supports our patients on how to avoid fracture and disability. He taught me about prevention, diagnosis and treatment options.


Also at that time, I had a patient who underwent a bone scan and, when I called her with the bad news that she had osteoporosis, she felt absolutely floored. How could she, a healthy 52-year-old, have osteoporosis?


We went through the risk factors, and she probably never took enough D like the rest of us, avoided dairy due to lactose intolerance, was active but perhaps not enough, and occasionally took oral steroids for asthma.


She decided to start hormone replacement therapy for her menopause symptoms, which is also indicated for prevention of osteoporosis as it supports the good bone she still had. She also became serious about vitamin D and calcium supplements, and exercised every day or at least did her 50 jumps.


A followup scan three years later showed stable bones. Further, her fitness regimen had improved her balance so she was less likely to fall. Thank goodness we found her osteoporosis before she had a fracture.

Supporting your skeleton

We support bone health by knowing what risk factors to avoid. If we have other health conditions that put our bones at risk, we should be aware of the issues and do what we can to make up for the risk.


Lifestyle risk factors for osteoporosis include more than two alcohol drinks per day, cigarette smoking, inactivity, low body weight, and inadequate calcium and vitamin D.


Genetic factors for osteoporosis include family history and conditions such as cystic fibrosis and other metabolic conditions. Hormone conditions— such as menopause, especially if premature, diabetes, Cushing disease and parathyroid dysfunction—are also factors.


Medical conditions such as anorexia and bulimia also put people at risk, as well as celiac disease, epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, gastric bypass surgery and lupus. Many cancers also put people at risk for accelerated bone loss such as multiple myeloma, treatments for breast cancer, and medication use to include oral steroids, antacids and anti-seizure medication.


The good news is, if we look, we can get information in time to act and help slow or prevent bone loss. The results from a scan, together with risk factors, help us make recommendations for potential treatment.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Sodium stealth bombs

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Simple table salt ought not trouble you at mealtime. The real concern is how much salt went into processing and preparing the meal itself. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Sarah Mahoney, Spectrum Health Beat


Quick, name a food that contains too much salt.


If you’re like most people, you won’t have any trouble identifying the usual suspects. (French fries, chips and pretzels—we’re looking at you.)


The leading sources of excess sodium in the average American diet are less obvious.


Packaged foods such as bread, desserts and even canned vegetables—vegetables, for Pete’s sake!—can be prepared with alarmingly high salt levels.


That should be a cause for universal concern.


While there’s been some debate about precise levels, current guidelines call for an intake of 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day.

|
The American Heart Association goes even further, recommending all American adults try to limit themselves to 1,500 milligrams per day. This is also the level recommended for people with high blood pressure and heart disease.


African Americans are also advised to stick to the lower level.


The reality? The average American eats well over twice that amount, or about 3,400 milligrams a day, and sometimes more.


“Most people don’t realize that the problem isn’t using their salt shaker, but all the foods they eat with those hidden sources,” said Caren Dobreff, RD, projects dietitian at Spectrum Health.


Such as? “Toast and cereal,” Dobreff said. “Because sodium is widely used for flavor, as a leavening agent (think baking soda), as a preservative, it turns up in places you don’t expect.” Portion sizes can add to the confusion since few people limit themselves to a single slice of bread or a half cup of cereal.


The immediate impact of too much salt can be a bloated feeling due to water retention.


“Water retention can make your socks or shoes or waistband feel snug,” Dobreff said.


Over time, too much sodium may increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure, as well as osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease and headaches.


The best defense: Tune up your sodium radar.


Restaurant foods contribute to about a quarter of the typical American’s dietary sodium. Meals prepared at home account for another 10 percent. Surprisingly, less than 5 percent of dietary salt is added at the table.


This means the worst offenders—about 65 percent, reports the American Heart Association—are foods we buy at the store.

Here’s how to protect yourself from sneaky salt attacks:

Read the label

Manufacturers of packaged foods must list nutritional information on the label. This includes listing sodium content.


The fine print will help you discover, for example, that 3 ounces of deli meat such as ham or turkey can contain up to 1,050 milligrams of sodium. A cup of chicken noodle soup packs 940 milligrams, a slice of American cheese has 460 milligrams and a piece of bread has 230 milligrams. That’s pretty salty.


Check chicken labels, too, especially if the package notes, “Contains broth.” Meat processors often plump the chicken by injecting it with sodium, improving moisture retention. This enhanced chicken can increase sodium content as much as 440 milligrams.


Most red meat cuts have 100 milligrams or less, but processed meat—think cold cuts, sausages and hot dogs—can have hundreds of milligrams of added salt.

Research your restaurant favorites

While it’s harder to learn what’s in your favorite restaurant foods, most national chains have nutrition details on their websites.


A little digging before you get there will help you discover that a slice of pizza at your local shop may well have 760 milligrams of sodium, while a cheeseburger has a whopping 1,690 milligrams. At some fast food joints, just 3 ounces of breaded chicken strips contain 900 milligrams of sodium.


And don’t be fooled when restaurants label something low- or reduced-sodium. Reduced-sodium soy sauce, for example, can still have as much as 500 milligrams per serving.

Cook from scratch

Cooking from scratch offers the most control over how much salt winds up on your plate. A tomato, for example, contains a mere 6 milligrams of sodium. But half a cup of canned low-sodium diced tomatoes has already more than tripled to 20 milligrams.


A helping of regular canned tomatoes is 10 times saltier, at 220 milligrams.


“Look for ways to create flavor explosions,” Dobreff said. She recommends high-impact seasoning like citrus, vinegar, herbs and spices, such as cumin and chili powder.

Don’t get duped

As appealing as some popular gourmet salts sound—pink Himalayan, Hawaiian black lava, grey sea salt, kosher salt and even dusting salt—they’re still just sodium chloride.


“Some people like to experiment with them for flavor and some are prepared more naturally,” Dobreff said. “But the sodium is roughly the same.”

Plan a counterattack

When you’ve got a major salt craving, play nutritional offense. Keep whole fresh fruits and vegetables and unsalted roasted nuts and seeds on hand. We tend to snack on what we can see and what our arms can reach.


“Buy a lower-sodium type of pretzels or chips, for example, and count out the amount of a single serving,” Dobreff said. “Then enjoy them. But be careful to balance them out with foods that day that are high in potassium, such as bananas, citrus fruits, papayas, avocados or potatoes.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Tick, tick, boom!

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A black-legged tick poses on a leaf, waiting for an animal to brush up against it, so it may crawl on its new blood host. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Health Beat staff


They lie in wait in the tall grass, hoping to hop onto unsuspecting passersby.


They’re just teeny-tiny ticks, but these dark-bodied bloodsuckers can pack a powerful—and potentially serious—punch.


And this year, the ticks are out in full force, experts say. The season is expected to be an especially bad one for ticks, because of an overall warming trend and a wet winter and spring.


“Many of us have heard about the tick boom,” said Rosemary Olivero, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with the Spectrum Health Medical Group. “It’s important to remember that we always expect a dramatic increase in the presence of all types of ticks during this time of year.”


The Michigan Department of Community Health has reported an increase in black-legged ticks along the Lake Michigan shorelines during the past seven years. The black-legged tick was formerly referred to as the deer tick.


Brian Hartl, an epidemiologist at the Kent County Health Department’s Communicable Diseases division, said the tick boom has been a multi-year trend.


“In terms of ticks, we don’t do any surveillance, per se, but we know the tick habitats are spreading eastward,” Hartl explained. “Historically, black-legged ticks—those that carry Lyme disease—have been on the lake shore. But they’re expanding inland from the lakes.”


But there’s more trouble to ticks than just Lyme disease, Dr. Olivero said.


“The black-legged tick can transmit Lyme disease, which is the most common tick-borne infection in Michigan,” she said. “The same tick can also transmit Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis, which almost never occur in Michigan. Other ticks (such as the American Dog tick, Lone Star tick, Woodchuck tick and Brown Dog tick) can transmit other diseases: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Tularemia, Ehrlichisos, Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis. Luckily these infections are quite rare in Michigan.”


Just last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning about a general uptick in all insect-borne illness.


This arrived on the tails of the agency sharing news about a new, formerly rare tick-borne illness—the Powassan virus. Seventy-five cases of Powassan were reported in the United States in the past 10 years, but that number is expected go up as the ranks of mice and the ticks that carry the disease increase.


Symptoms of this serious infection can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures and memory loss. Long-term neurologic problems may occur. The CDC notes there is no specific treatment, but some people need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support and intravenous fluids or medications to reduce swelling in the brain.


Hartl said the best defense against ticks is to make it tough for them to latch on in the first place.


“Really it’s just being cognizant of your environment,” he said. “If you’re camping or hiking, wear pants or long socks to keep from getting ticks. They like to hang out in long grass and grab hold of you as you walk by.”


And if you do find a tick attached to your body, properly remove it. There are some videos online for how to do so. Dr. Olivero recommended this video for the proper way to remove ticks. For Lyme disease to be transmitted, ticks need to be attached for 24 to 48 hours.


“If you can remove it quickly enough you can keep from getting Lyme disease,” Hartl said.


Dr. Olivero agreed.


“There are two effective ways to prevent tick bites: wearing long sleeves, and using insect repellents,” she said. “Doing daily tick checks to remove any attached ticks can help prevent contracting Lyme disease from a tick. Important areas to check for ticks include the hairline and behind the ears. Carefully, using pointed tweezers, is the most effective way to remove a tick.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Stay sun smart—shun the rays

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An ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure: A severe sunburn in your youth can nearly double your chances of developing melanoma later in life. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Only half of Americans routinely protect themselves from the sun when outdoors, a recent American Academy of Dermatology survey found.


Those who don’t practice sun safety put themselves at increased risk for skin cancer, which is the most common cancer in the United States, despite being one of the most preventable cancers.


One in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their life, the AAD estimates.


Just one serious sunburn in childhood or the teen years can nearly double a person’s risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, later in life.


“Exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer, and there are many simple things you can do to protect yourself from the sun,” AAD President Dr. George Hruza said in an academy news release.


Seek shade when possible, especially between 10am and 2pm when the sun’s rays are strongest.


Wear protective clothing, such as a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.


Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing. Reapply every two hours or after swimming or sweating.


“It’s also important to remember to protect parts of your body you think might not be getting any sun,” Hruza said.


“Areas like the tops of your hands, bottoms of your feet or the part in your hair may not immediately come to mind when it comes to sun protection, but they are still vulnerable to dangerous sun damage,” he explained.


Skin cancer is highly treatable when caught early, so it’s important to do regular skin self-exams and look out for ABCDEs—the warning signs of melanoma:

  • Asymmetry: One half of the spot is unlike the other half.
  • Border: The spot has an irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border.
  • Color: The spot has varying colors from one area to the next, such as shades of tan, brown or black, or areas of white, red or blue.
  • Diameter: Melanomas are usually greater than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, but they can be smaller.
  • Evolving: The spot looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color.

“If you find any new or suspicious spots on your skin, make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist,” Hruza said. “Spots that are changing, itching or bleeding could be a sign of skin cancer, and the earlier skin cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Easy indoor gardening in assisted living

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Gardening offers many therapeutic benefits to seniors; it acts as a stress reliever and lowers blood pressure. In assisted living where some seniors cannot access the outdoors as easily, indoor gardening offers you an opportunity to stay active. Indoor gardening also gives you a sense of purpose, especially when you work with herbs and vegetables to share with friends inside your community. You can share your growth with your loved ones who have an interest in indoor gardening or gift the plants to those in the hospital.


There are many different indoor plants you can bring into an assisted living facility, some great ones include: 

Aloe

The succulent plant can grow up to three feet, making it ideal for livening up your décor. If you prefer smaller varieties, try the aloe vera. Aloe plants thrive in temperatures of approximately 70 degrees and require plenty of sunlight. Position your aloe plant next to a natural light source such as a window or on a balcony, and avoid watering it frequently as it thrives best in dry soil.

English Ivy

The English Ivy symbolizes timeless elegance, even as it matures and trails different furniture pieces for a picturesque effect. A new English Ivy begins with a stem cutting you can easily share with friends and family members who want to have one in their homes. Keep the soil moist, and your plant in cool temperatures of between 50 and 70 degrees for best results.

Rubber Tree

The rubber tree grows into a picture perfect 8-foot tree, with dark green shiny leaves, you can use as a statement piece in your interior design. If you prefer it smaller, prune the long stems and keep it as a shrub. The rubber tree thrives in bright to medium light at room temperature; let the soil dry out before re-watering it.

Snake Plant

The snake plant, featuring variegated leaves with yellow or white edges and a rare small white flower, is one of the easiest indoor plants to grow. It thrives at room temperature in different lighting conditions, with slightly dry air and requires very little water.

Areca Palms

If you are looking for a larger plant, choose the areca palm, which grows to a pretty 7-feet. However, if you love the plant and prefer it smaller, use a small pot to contain it. Position your areca plant away from direct light, preferably in a corner or a hallway away from the windows, and water it every other week to maintain a healthy plant.


The decision to take up gardening can drastically improve your health; there are psychological benefits to nurturing a living thing and watching it blossom. In addition to the plants above, you will come across different varieties and species specific to your geographical location. Look at indoor gardening as a fun activity you can enjoy alone or with friends even when you have limited mobility or the weather limits your ability to spend time doing outdoor gardening.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


10 doctor-approved tips for runners

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Dr. Matthew Axtman, Spectrum Health Medical Group Orthopedics, is the medical lead for the annual River Bank Run, the largest 25K in the country (Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat)

By Jason Singer, Spectrum Health Beat

Photos by Chris Clark


Ready to lace up your running shoes?


Springtime usually heralds the beginning of another full season of 5Ks and roadside runners.


Whether you’re training for your first race, want to be more active, or seek to cut minutes off your run times, here are 10 tips from doctors in the know:

1. Set a goal

Setting a goal, along with a timeline to accomplish that goal, is key, said Matt Axtman, DO, a sports medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group.


Your goal may be running for 30 minutes straight without any walking by May 15, running a 5K in 25 minutes by July 1, or completing a marathon in five hours by September.


A specific goal is the first step toward a runner making strides.

2. Select a program

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

After setting a goal, selecting a program and schedule is the next major step.


“The Internet is a wealth of information,” Dr. Axtman said.


Whether it’s an 8-week plan to go from running to walking or beginner’s guides to running 5Ks or 10Ks, Google can help you find pretty much anything. Runner’s World, the popular international magazine and website, also offers a variety of plans for less than $10.

3. Cross training

On days when you’re not running, continue to do athletic activities, whether it’s lifting weights, hiking or other sports.


The most fit athletes are multi-sport athletes, Dr. Axtman said, citing Bo Jackson, a former professional football and baseball player, and Cal Ripken Jr., a baseball Hall-of-Famer known as “The Ironman” because he has the longest consecutive-games-played streak. Ripken was both a soccer and baseball player growing up.


“If you want to be an elite runner, it’s more than just running: It’s weight-lifting, it’s cross-training,” Dr. Axtman said. “We don’t like to see single-sport athletes, they tend to get overuse injuries and fatigue injuries.”

4. Listen to your body

“You’re going to have a normal soreness and achiness (after you run),” Dr. Axtman said. “That muscle fatigue is going to be there.”

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

But with rest and stretching, that should go away in no more than a few days, he said. If you have pain, apply ice to the affected area to reduce inflammation. If the pain lingers for more than a week, don’t push it.


And if rest doesn’t cure the pain, see a professional.


“Something that might not be a big deal initially, it could become a big deal and cause major problems if you don’t listen to your body and push it too hard,” Dr. Axtman said.

5. Proper shoes

Footwear is important, Dr. Axtman said. Having the wrong shoe can alter your gait, which can lead to more stress on the ankles, knees and lower back, and ultimately lead to injuries.


His advice? Get your foot and stride evaluated at a store that sells athletic footwear. They’ll help you select the proper shoe.“Also, pay attention to the mileage,” Dr. Axtman said. “Shoes typically last from 300-500 miles. After that, the soles start to wear out, the cushioning starts to wear out, which can alter your mechanics and lead to injury.”

6. Outdoors vs. Treadmill

All running is helpful, Dr. Axtman said.


When coming back from injury, treadmills are recommended because they have more cushioning and bounce, which leads to less impact on the body. But running on the road tends to be more difficult because there are hills and the surface material is less forgiving.


If you choose to run on a treadmill, change the incline to 2 percent, which will approximate the difficulties of running outdoors and keep you on track with your training schedule, he said.

7. Weight lifting

“You don’t need to do intense weight-lifting—you don’t need to be buff and Arnold Schwarzenegger-like,” Dr. Axtman said. “But you want to be strong, and that’ll help you run better times and run longer distances.”


Weight-lifting allows the body to perform at optimum levels.“It’s like driving in your car,” he said. “If alignment is off, your car is going to shake. And that’ll affect gas mileage (and) it’ll burn gasoline more quickly. If there’s one thing with your car, it affects all the other systems. Same with your body.


“When you’re running, you’re using core muscles to provide stability, along with your spine, and you use your shoulders and upper muscles to provide torque. It’s all important. It’ll all help you.”

8. Running partners

Unless you’re incredibly self-motivated, keeping to a training program can be difficult. Studies have shown, however, that running partners not only motivate you to show up to training sessions, but push you to run longer distances.

All running is helpful, Dr. Axtman said. When coming back from injury, treadmills are recommended because they have more cushioning and bounce, which leads to less impact on the body. (Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat)

“They make you accountable, so you’re more likely to show up and give 100 percent during your workout because you know that someone else is counting on you,” said Andrew Allden, who coaches women’s cross-country at the University of South Carolina, in an interview with Runner’s World.


And as another Runner’s World article once declared, “Partners make the best alarm clocks.”

9. Hydration

Knowing your “sweat rate” is important: Weigh yourself before and after a run, and calculate the difference and that’s your rate, Dr. Axtman said.


“And that’s typically how much water you can consume,” he said. “You don’t need to equal it, but get close.”


Water shouldn’t be chugged before running because that can cause sloshing, cramping and nausea while you run. It should be sipped in the hours before a run.


And for long-distance runners—say, more than two hours on the road, “we also recommend rehydrating with a sport drink or sport gel because you’re also losing sodium and minerals and want to replenish those,” Dr. Axtman said. “That’ll keep your body working optimally.”

10. Lifestyle changes

Training is wonderful, but significant barriers to serious improvement are diet and sleep habits.


“Altering your eating habits can take your weight down, which is going to put a lot less stress on joints,” says Dr. Axtman. Doctors recommend the Mediterranean diet, which is flexible and sustainable. The important thing is to eat whole foods instead of processed foods.


“If you buy it in a box, bag or can, it’s probably processed,” says Thomas Boyden, MD, a cardiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “If you’re eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, beans and still a little bit of animal, the evidence is strong (your health will improve quickly).”


And so will your running times, Dr. Axtman said.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Enjoy sugar, but in moderation

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By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


Too much sugar is never good for you. Combine it with extra stress, and you have a recipe for disaster.


There are certain times of the year we know we will indulge in extra sweets: holidays, birthdays, graduations and work outings. These are also times when we might feel more stressed.


But is it possible to enjoy sugar in moderation and be healthy at the same time? Absolutely.


If you can master the basics of healthy eating, despite the extra stress you may be feeling, you can keep your eating in check during any occasion.

Belly up and listen

What I’m really talking about is belly fat. I take this topic very seriously because belly fat can kill you. It can happen to any of us, and it’s something I discuss with nearly all of my patients at one time or another.


Shelly is one of those patients. She came to see me for her physical, and she was upset because her favorite jeans did not fit.


She was just 50 years old and still having periods, and she began to notice her metabolism changing. She had gained her usual 5 pounds over the summer because of numerous summer parties, backyard barbecues, fruity cocktails and beer.


She typically didn’t drink during the week, but it was just too easy to crack open a cold beer when she was doing yard work under the summer sun. When friends would stop over, she’d mix up some drinks. I’m sure we can all relate to these same situations.


In the past, Shelly would go back to her normal routine when fall arrived. The 5 pounds would come right off. She would only drink on the weekends and she’d begin a better routine of regular exercise and sleep.


This year, however, something was different: She didn’t lose the 5 pounds and she actually started gaining weight.


Knowing that the holidays weren’t far off, she was worried her weight would get out of control and she would have even bigger issues.


Shelly was smart to be worried.


Once belly fat starts, it gets a mind of its own and can get out of control quickly. That’s exactly what was happening to Shelly—she was gaining all of her weight in her belly. I knew she was concerned and disappointed.


She said she always had a flat belly, but now that was changing.

Icky, sticky

A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine proves what we already know: Belly fat leads to early death in men and women by increasing our risk of heart attack and stroke—up to 10 years earlier than it might have happened if we didn’t have any belly fat.


The reality is most of us will die of heart attack or stroke at some point. But belly fat makes it happen sooner.


How? Belly fat is deep on the inside, wrapped around your bowels and liver, and craving sugar. As belly fat grows, your liver uses it to make bad cholesterol, and then the belly fat produces inflammatory chemicals to make your blood vessel linings sticky.


At the same time, the fat makes your body insulin-resistant, raising insulin levels and keeping blood sugar high by making you crave sugar.


This combination—sticky blood vessels, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol—causes plaque to build up in the blood vessels, blocking blood flow to your brain and heart muscle. All of this can lead to heart attack and stroke, and once the belly fat gets going, it doesn’t give up easily.


Bottom line: We can’t let the belly fat start.

Back to basics

Another factor that makes belly fat grow is stress—both good stress and bad stress.


Added stress can raise insulin levels and use up stress hormones such as cortisol and DHEA. It can cause our sleep to be interrupted, leaving us sleepy and fatigued. We know that sleep deprivation leads to insulin resistance, causing us to crave and store more sugar. It’s a vicious cycle.


During Shelly’s physical, I asked if I could measure her waist circumference. Measuring waist circumference is easy, but it can feel more personal than a pelvic exam.


Here’s how it’s done: Take a tape measure and wrap it around the small of your back, over your hip bones and around your belly.


We measured Shelly’s belly and it was 39 inches. Healthy is 35 inches.


After seeing that number on the measuring tape, Shelly made it a goal to lose 4 inches of belly fat.


After hearing what I had to say about belly fat, Shelly knew she needed to get off the sugar, reduce stress in her life, and change her sleep habits.


In other words, she needed to get back to the basics.

Grow with SEEDS

By having a plan, you can succeed even during the toughest of times.


When you adopt these habits and work hard to follow them every day, it is easier to get back on track if you have a stressful day or have a sleepless night.


When I talk about the basics, I am referring to the SEEDS—Seven Essential Elements of Daily Success—concept as a way of life.


Here are the seven basic things I discussed with Shelly:

  • Drink plenty of water (eight glasses a day). Add one more for each cup of coffee or for each serving of alcohol.
  • Get plenty of sleep (seven hours a night). Take power naps if necessary to be sure you are getting enough sleep.
  • Take your vitamins daily, including Vitamin D and a multivitamin.
  • Eat a balanced diet, including plenty of healthy carbs and protein, with only one sugar treat (including alcohol).
  • Eat plenty of fiber (think vegetables) and take a fiber pill if needed.
  • Exercise regularly (30 minutes a day, with a mix of walking, aerobic activity, strength training and stretching).
  • Start a gratitude journal and do metered breathing each night before going to bed.

You may have noticed that alcohol is mentioned more than once in the list of SEEDS.


Beer, wine and liquor are all forms of alcohol, and they all contain sugar. Since alcohol is often a part of a celebration or party, it’s important to limit your other forms of sugar (pasta, white bread, cookies, etc.) if you will be consuming a drink (or two or three) that same day.


And remember to add an extra glass of water for each drink consumed.


Shelly may not have been excited to see that her waist circumference was 39 inches, but she was happy with our discussion.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Plant science at the dinner table: Asparagus

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Bacon-wrapped asparagus. Photo by Dixie Sandborn, MSU Extension.

By Dixie Sandborn, Michigan State University Extension


When I was young, I remember May was the only time of year we would eat fresh asparagus. Spring was the only time it was available fresh at the grocer, picked at a local asparagus farm or from wild patches along roadsides in the county.


Now, thanks to Peru and other countries in the southern hemisphere, much or our produce, including asparagus, is available fresh throughout the year.


Growing up, asparagus was simmered or steamed and served with butter, salt and maybe a dash of pepper. I am happy asparagus has become a much more versatile vegetable. Asparagus can be eaten raw but is generally cooked. It can be roasted, sautéed, added to pasta dishes, soups and stir fries and even deep-fried.


Asparagus is tasty and high in many important vitamins and minerals.

Here are a few facts about asparagus:

  • Asparagus is a member of the Liliaceae family.
  • It grows on a flowering herbaceous perennial plant.
  • Asparagus has been consumed for over 2,000 years, originating in the Mediterranean.
  • There have been wild varieties of asparagus discovered in Africa.
  • China is the world’s biggest asparagus producer followed by Peru and Germany.
  • Michigan is the No. 2 producer of asparagus in the U.S.; California ranks No. 1.
  • Oceana County is the leading Michigan producer of asparagus.
  • Michigan celebrates asparagus at the annual Asparagus Festival in Empire, Michigan.
  • There are about 120 farmers in Michigan growing over 9,500 acres of this green gem.
  • Michigan asparagus is snapped (picked) by hand resulting in a product that is tenderer.
  • Forty percent of Michigan asparagus is sold fresh in May and June. The remaining crop is processed or frozen.
  • We eat the stem of the asparagus plant.
  • The red berries of asparagus are poisonous to humans.
  • Asparagus is very low in calories, there are only 19 calories in six medium spears.
  • Asparagus is an excellent source of many nutrients and vitamins including vitamin K, folate, copper, selenium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C and vitamin E.
  • It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B3, potassium, choline, vitamin A, zinc, iron, protein and vitamin B6.
  • White asparagus is favored in Germany. To keep asparagus white, dirt is mounded around the shoots so sunlight never touches the plant and therefore the plant does not produce chlorophyll.

Asparagus is easy to grow if you have a sunny spot and some sandy soil. To help get you started, check out these Michigan State University Extension resources: “How to grow asparagus” and “Growing asparagus at home.”


My go-to recipe for asparagus is simple: roasting it with a little olive oil and sea salt. However, I recently purchased some fresh asparagus and decided to research various recipes. I adapted a bacon wrapped asparagus recipe. Here is the final version after a few attempts.

Bacon-wrapped Asparagus — 4 servings

Bacon wrapped asparagus
Bacon-wrapped asparagus ready to go in the oven. Photo by Dixie Sandborn, MSU Extension.
  • ½ pound fresh Michigan asparagus (I like very thin stalks)
  • 4 slices thin-cut bacon
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide asparagus into four bundles. Carefully wrap a piece of bacon around each bundle and secure with a toothpick. Place the bundles on a baking tray.


In a sauce pan, combine butter, brown sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly.


Pour this mixture over the asparagus bundles and place the dish in the preheated oven.


Bake for about 20 minutes, then broil for 5-6 minutes, watching carefully and turning often, until the bacon is crisp.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).


What you need to know about long-term care insurance

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Long-term care insurance is usually used to help pay for nursing homes or assisted living care after you reach an age where can no longer take care of yourself. However, there are many doubts as to whether the care is worth the uncertainty and the cost. Learn what you need to know about long-term care insurance, including the types of plans available, who can quality, and more tips on how to plan for your future.

What is Long Term Care Insurance?

Long-term care is the name given to insurance policies that are made to help you cover the costs of living that aren’t covered under regular medical insurance. Specifically, long-term care insurance exists to cover the living expenses that come with nursing homes, assisted living communities, and other senior living facilities.


Long-term care insurance is important because it covers the things that Medicare and regular insurance policies don’t. Medicare will not cover the cost of a nursing home, so you need to be prepared with other options.


In addition to the living costs of assisted living or nursing homes, long-term care insurance can also help to cover the costs of care for chronic medical conditions that can make themselves known after retirement or in old age. It also can cover activities of daily living, or ADLs, such as:

  • Bathing
  • Using the bathroom
  • Getting in and out of your bed or a chair
  • Dressing
  • Eating

About 50% of people will need help with either ADLs, the costs of care for chronic medical conditions, paying for senior care communities, or a combination of all three.

Traditional Policies

The traditional way that long-term care policies work is that after finding a company that sells policies and getting approved, you start paying premiums. Policies usually have a lifetime cap of what you can pay. Once you reach an age where you need help with ADLs or need to move to a senior care facility, then you make a claim.


After making a claim the insurance company will verify with your doctor, check your medical documents, and send a nurse to evaluate your health situation. If approved, there is still a waiting period—usually between 30 to 90 days— before your policy will pay out.


A problem that began to arise with these traditional policies is that the premiums could suddenly spike. Another problem that came with a traditional policy was the uncertainty that it would ever be needed. Paying into a policy only to find out that you didn’t need long-term care helped to lead to a dramatic drop in popularity for long-term care policies.


Very few insurance agencies sell these kinds of policies anymore, although you can still find one if it appeals to you. After the decline in these policies, a new type of long-term care policy began to emerge.

New Policy Options

The new type of policy that covers long-term care is often called a “hybrid policy”. These are life insurance policies that cover you for your whole life. Hybrid policies have a locked premium that doesn’t change, and you can draw from them to pay for ADLs and long-term care living as you age.


These policies also have a money back guarantee. If you don’t end up using the policy to pay for ADLs or long-term care, then you still get a return on what you paid, either to be left to an heir in your will, or to be used for other care costs that you encounter as you age.


The downfall of these policies is that there are more expensive than the traditional policy. Because you have guaranteed money coming back to you, the initial premium that you pay is going to be higher than traditional long-term care insurance policies, even though traditional policies can have premium hikes.

Who Qualifies?

As with all insurance policies, there are people who will qualify for long-term care insurance and those who won’t. The older you are the less likely you are to qualify for long-term care insurance, so planning ahead is essential. If you already have an existing chronic health problem, you are also not as likely to be covered.


If you are worried that you are too old or have existing health problems, then applying for a newer hybrid policy is going to be the best course of action. These are much more flexible in terms of coverage, and your chances of qualifying are higher.

Have a Plan

Even if you decide that long-term care insurance is not for you, you still need to have a plan in place for when you reach a certain age. Remember, half the population is going to need assistance with ADLs or need to move into a nursing home or other type of assisted living community. These costs can come out to about 140,000 on average, and if you are paying out of pocket that’s a lot of money.


You can’t always predict ahead of time if you are going to need long-term care, and because it isn’t paid through Medicare or regular insurance policies, you need to have a plan in place for how you are going to pay for medical costs. Start planning as soon as you can so you have the most options available to help pay for long-term care.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Picnics, potlucks and … pathogens?

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Proper food preparation and smart organization can help you avoid cross-contamination and spoilage. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Kristi Veltkamp, Spectrum Health Beat


The end of the school year is fast approaching. The warm-weather days are finally here. You’ve penciled in your must-see, must-do events for the summer.


Boating. Amusement parks. Local festivals. Pretty much anything that gives you an excuse to soak up the sunshine.


But few things rival the all-time summer classic: picnics and potlucks.


And while those grand gatherings of food and friends may seem like they’re free of worry and strife, they’re actually a golden opportunity to contract foodborne illness—particularly if you don’t pay attention to food preparation and handling.


How many people really stop to think about the safety of the food that has been sitting in the sun all day? Foodborne illnesses happen more often than you’d expect.


You can smarten up your food safety by following these sensible tips on preparation, handling and storage.

Keep it cold

Place cold items into a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs. The temperature should remain below 40 degrees. Frozen meats should also be placed into a cooler to ensure they stay cold longer.


Once the cold food is served, it should not be left out for more than two hours. If the outdoor temperature exceeds 90 degrees, this time frame drops to one hour. If your cold food has been out longer than this, you need to throw it away. To help cool food when it’s out, you can place dishes such as chicken salad or potato salad directly onto a bowl of ice.

Rule the cooler

Your cooler should be in tip-top order, with everything organized according to accessibility, use and safety. This avoids spillage, contamination and overexposure to the warm temperature.


If you place an in-demand food item at the bottom of the cooler, for example, you will repeatedly expose other top-level, lesser-used items to the outdoor temperature. This is unwise.


For starters, consider placing beverages into a separate cooler, so your food cooler doesn’t need to be opened as frequently. This will keep the temperature down on your cold foods. And place your lesser-used items toward the bottom of the cooler.


The trick is to limit the number of times the coolers are opened, so you keep your food cold as long as possible.

Avoid cross-contamination

Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood securely wrapped to prevent any juices from contaminating prepared dishes and raw foods. Consider using a separate meat cooler, in fact, or placing raw meat below the prepared dishes.

Prep your produce

When you’re packing things up at home, take time to rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water. Scrub any firm-skinned produce with a vegetable brush, and make sure you cut and prep all your servings so that you’re not messing with it at the picnic.

Grill it right

If you want to use a marinade, do it while the meat is in the refrigerator at home. Don’t re-use the marinade after the meat is cooked!


Also, if you are partially cooking the meat before grilling, do so immediately before leaving the house. Meat should be cooked thoroughly and kept hot until served.


Hot foods should be kept above 140 degrees when holding for serving and they should not be left out for more than two hours.


Avoid re-using platters or utensils that were used with raw meats.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers a handy chart that details safe cooking temperatures. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers seven tips for safe picnics, including this time-tested truth: “When in doubt, throw it out.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


The heal-better diet

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Rich in healthy fats and plant-based foods, the Mediterranean diet is the ideal meal plan for fighting inflammation. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Sarah Mahoney, Spectrum Health Beat


Looking for a better way to bounce back from a sports injury or orthopedic surgery? The solution may be as close as your fork.


Experts say choosing the right foods—and avoiding the wrong ones—can help bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments repair faster, getting you off the couch and moving again.


“There are two things to keep in mind,” said Kristi Veltkamp, RD, who counsels Spectrum Health patients on eating well. “First, make sure you are managing inflammation. And second, get the nutrients needed to help you heal and repair.”


Inflammation after any injury is normal.


“There’s often heat, swelling or redness,” Veltkamp said. “To calm that inflammation, look for foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in salmon, walnuts and flax seed. Olive oil also helps. And try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.”


If that all sounds familiar, it should. It’s the basis of the Mediterranean diet, which is shown to reduce inflammation, Veltkamp said.


Also avoid foods that are high in sugar, refined flour or trans fats. Alcohol, which slows healing, should be avoided as well.

Building blocks

Alongside managing inflammation, you should focus on getting plenty of the nutrients required for healthy rebuilding.


Start with protein.


“The majority of our tissues are made up of protein,” said Matthew Axtman, DO, a sports medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group Orthopedics. “So even though protein is part of your normal diet, look to increase healthy sources, like chicken, fish and nuts.


Dr. Axtman recommends getting plenty of vitamin C.


“It helps build collagen, which is the basis of tendons and ligaments,” he said. Look for it in citrus fruits, kiwi, peppers and tomatoes.


Calcium is also essential, especially if you’ve injured a bone. You can find it—along with Vitamin D, which aids in absorption—in dairy products and dark-green, leafy vegetables.


Avoid salt and caffeine during your recovery because they cause you to urinate more. This makes your body lose calcium, Dr. Axtman said.


Meanwhile, those deep-green vegetables are also a great source of fiber.


“If you’re sitting around more and moving less, it can affect your gut,” Dr. Axtman said. “Fiber-rich foods will help.”

Mind and body

During the rebuilding process, it may help to take supplements for about two to four weeks. This holds true even if you typically prefer to get all your nutrients from a balanced diet.


“While you’re healing, consider adding vitamin A, naturally found in many orange vegetables, at 10,000 IUs a day,” Veltkamp said.


Look for a multivitamin that contains 2 to 4 milligrams of copper and 15 to 30 milligrams of zinc, which is shown to help with wound healing.


Veltkamp also recommends HMB, a protein that can help prevent muscle wasting. It’s found in sports supplements such as Myoplex Muscle Armor.


Finally, give a little thought to the emotional aspects of eating. Recovery can be as tedious as watching grass grow, so it’s easy to fall into the trap of eating from boredom instead of hunger.


“Have a list of things you can do when you feel like reaching for food for the wrong reasons,” Veltkamp said. “Like knitting, taking a bath, anything soothing and distracting.”


It’s normal to have food cravings during recovery, but that’s because food can make us feel better. Don’t be afraid to treat yourself now and then.


“Just look for healthier alternatives,” Veltkamp said. “Like chocolate-banana smoothies.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Life in the fast lane

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The speed at which you can tackle a flight of stairs is a fairly reasonable indicator of your muscle power. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


If you want to celebrate many more birthdays, new research suggests you should speed up your weight-lifting routine.


Boosting muscle power, which is different than muscle strength, translated into longer lives, the Brazilian scientists said.


What exactly is the difference?


For example, climbing stairs requires muscle power—the faster you climb, the more power you need. But holding or pushing a heavy object only requires muscle strength.


“Rising from a chair in old age and kicking a ball depends more on muscle power than muscle strength, yet most weight-bearing exercise focuses on the latter,” said researcher Claudio Gil Araujo. He’s director of research and education at the Exercise Medicine Clinic—CLINIMEX, in Rio de Janeiro.


“Our study shows for the first time that people with more muscle power tend to live longer,” Araujo said in a European Society of Cardiology news release.


The study included nearly 3,900 adults, aged 41 to 85, with an average age of 59, whose maximum muscle power was assessed.


Over an average follow-up of 6.5 years, 10% of the men and 6% of the women died.


Participants with maximal muscle power above the median for their gender had the best survival rates. Compared to those above the median, those in the lowest and second-lowest quarters below the median had a 10 to 13, and 4 to 5 times greater risk of dying during the study period, respectively.


The study was to be presented soon at a European Society of Cardiology meeting in Lisbon, Portugal. Research presented at meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.


“We now show that power is strongly related to all-cause (death). But the good news is that you only need to be above the median for your sex to have the best survival, with no further benefit in becoming even more powerful,” Araujo said.


“For strength training at the gym, most people just think about the amount of weight being lifted and the number of repetitions, without paying attention to the speed of execution,” Araujo said. “But for optimal power training results, you should go beyond typical strength training and add speed to your weight lifts.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

CDC: Hepatitis A infections soaring

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The most effective defense against hepatitis A is vaccination, but the most vulnerable populations typically remain unvaccinated. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay


The number of Americans infected with hepatitis A has grown nearly 300% in just three years, health officials reported recently.


The staggering increase has come despite an effective vaccine and is seen mostly among drug abusers and the homeless, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Hepatitis A virus can linger in feces and be spread hand-to-hand, with infection occurring when a hand contaminated by the virus touches the person’s mouth.


“In the previous decade, large outbreaks of hepatitis A were rare and mostly attributed to contaminated commercial food products,” noted lead researcher Dr. Monique Foster, an epidemiologist in CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis.


Although 2016 saw two outbreaks of hepatitis A caused by contaminated food, the main culprit of outbreaks has been the living conditions of drug addicts and the homeless, Foster said.


The vast majority of the thousands of U.S. cases between 2016 and 2018 involved person-to-person transmission, Foster added.


“Since the hepatitis A outbreaks were first identified in 2016, more than 15,000 cases, 8,500 hospitalizations and 140 deaths have been reported,” she said.


Although hepatitis A can make you very sick, it usually goes away by itself in about six months, after which you become immune, explained Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.


Hepatitis A attacks the liver, he said. Those most likely to develop serious liver illness are those with other conditions like cancer or those whose immune systems are not functioning normally.


The most effective defense against this potentially deadly infection is vaccination, which is also the best way to prevent outbreaks, Foster said.


“Since the widespread availability of the hepatitis A vaccine and recommendations to vaccinate children, the overall rate of hepatitis A infections has decreased dramatically in the U.S.,” she said.


But a large population of susceptible, unvaccinated adults who were not infected during childhood remain vulnerable to infection, Foster said.


This includes people who use drugs, homeless people and gay and bisexual men, she said.


“Vaccination is the most powerful tool we have to stop these outbreaks now and prevent similar ones in the future,” Foster said.


To this end, the CDC recommends that those at the highest risk get vaccinated.


“Transience, economic instability and limited access to health care among the affected populations have made the outbreaks more difficult for states to control,” Foster said.


Siegel believes, however, that the only way to contain the epidemic and prevent future outbreaks is to solve the social problems that feed it.


“This is really not a hepatitis A problem and it’s not solvable by giving everybody a vaccine,” he said. “We have to realize it’s a public health issue and it’s a matter of cleaning up places where the virus breeds.”


Only by improving sanitation can outbreaks among the most vulnerable be prevented, Siegel said. “It’s more an issue of sanitation, public safety and cultural problems than it is one of public awareness.”


The report was published recently in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Reasons why you should throw flip and flop out

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They may look colorful, fun and harmless, but flip-flops are anything but. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Health Beat staff


Warm weather activities seem custom-made for flip-flops.


But even Jimmy Buffett sings about how he blew out his flip-flop when he stepped on a pop top and cut his heel, then cruised on back home.


John Harris, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group, certainly agrees with Buffett’s iconic lyrics. He would tell you not to wear the flip-flops in the first place. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about cutting your heel.


That’s not all Dr. Harris said about flip-flops, which he considers the scourge of the footwear world.

Top 3 reasons to throw out the flip-flops:

1. Ouch! Heel pain.

The lack of suitable, or any, arch support in flip-flops can cause plantar fasciitis—heel pain or pain across the bottom of the foot.


Anyone with this lingering condition will tell you to avoid it at all costs.

2. Pain in the … ball of the foot

Not having adequate cushioning and arch support can cause soreness on the bottom of the foot.


Treatment requires more supportive shoes with effective arch support.

3. Avoid ‘flip-flop heel’

This condition is caused by walking around barefoot or wearing shoes that don’t have a back.


A thick callus rim forms around the edge of the heel when wearing shoes like flip-flops that don’t have backs to act as heel counters. This creates a situation in which your heel is constantly being exfoliated while walking. That creates a callus.


Aside from being unsightly, the cracked rim of the callus is painful.

Other flip-flip concerns

Less common, Dr. Harris said, but equally concerning are injuries from activities while wearing flip-flops.


Doctors often see ankle sprains from someone playing basketball or other sports in flip-flops, skin abrasions from a child riding a bike while wearing flip-flops, or cuts on a foot when a person wears flip-flops into a river and they slip off and float, exposing the barefoot to sharp rocks and river debris.


In addition, a study by Auburn University points out that wearing flip-flops causes you to take shorter steps and changes the way you walk compared to your gait while wearing sneakers. This can cause muscle strain.


“Instead of flip-flops, wear activity-specific shoe gear,” Dr. Harris suggested.


He pointed out that the child riding a bike should wear sneakers, the basketball player should wear basketball shoes or sneakers, and the person in the river should wear something like Keen shoes for walking in a lake or river, unless it is a sandy-bottomed lake.


“For daily wear in the summer, I’ll wear a pair of shoes similar to flip-flops,” Dr. Harris conceded. “But, I choose a shoe or sandal that has a more substantial sole and significant arch support compared to the inexpensive and flimsy flip-flops you find at stores all over town.”


There are many brands that fit this category, he said, suggesting people look for something like Chaco, Keen, Teva or Vionic.


“They’re designed to protect your foot while allowing you to engage in activities,” he said.


All in all, Dr. Harris encourages everyone to look for summer sandals that have a more substantial sole compared to those that feature a couple millimeters of foam, often found in common flip-flops, and to look for sandals with arch support rather than just a flat surface for the foot bed.


“No matter what brand you select, you still should never play basketball or mow your lawn in flip-flops,” Dr. Harris warned. “It’s just too risky.”

Ladies, cherish your heart

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Work with a care team to reduce your cardiovascular disease risks. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


For many women, cardiovascular disease is personal because they have lost their mom or sister to a heart attack or stroke.


They get how heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and that too many women are robbed of happy years with family and friends. They have experienced firsthand a loss that could have been prevented.


Women’s heart disease is more common than thought, and especially increases after menopause if women do not take estrogen medication.


There are other risk factors, which include belly fat, pre-diabetes or diabetes, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, and a diet high in processed foods, unhealthy carbohydrates and saturated fats.


Prevention of heart attacks and strokes is possible, but has to start with a goal and a plan.


Once a woman decides to not have heart disease, or if she survives a heart attack and wants to prevent another, she needs a team. On that team, at minimum, should be a preventive cardiologist and a certified menopause specialist. This team will put the patient in the middle, and partner with her to help her achieve her wellness goals.


An example of how such a team collaborates might be best told by a patient I’ll call Laura.


Laura came to see our menopause specialists because her hot flashes would not go away and interfered with her life.


She had been told hormones might not be safe because she was overweight, had high cholesterol and took blood pressure medication. Her family had a history of cardiovascular disease and her loved ones had suffered heart attacks.


Her biggest concern? To not have a heart attack herself. She was also desperate to get the hot flashes to stop.


As menopause specialists, the first thing we do after understanding a woman’s story and risk factors is to consider treatment options.


We always start with the SEEDS and Laura definitely had room for improvement in this area. She realized she needed to drink more water, cut the sugar, and get more restful hours of sleep each night.


These lifestyle habits alone could significantly ease her symptoms, but since she was only two years out from her last period, we also had the option of considering hormones. We know that FDA-approved hormone medications used the correct way can actually help reduce risk factors for heart disease and could definitely help her feel better.


In reviewing her history, I saw she had enough risk factors that I wanted the opinion of preventive cardiologist Thomas Boyden, MD. After an evaluation, testing and suggestions for how to prevent heart disease, Laura was cleared to proceed with our treatment plan.


The end result? Laura felt more informed, had the tools to be successful from her care team, and she could start taking hormones because they would be a safe option for her.


Laura now had hope for how she could age differently than her relatives.



Reprinted by permission from Spectrum Health Beat.