As we age, it seems that it is harder to control body weight, especially the protrusion and flattening of certain body parts. It appears as though, for no good reason, our bellies poke out a little more and our buttocks flatten a little more. A potential culprit for that protruding belly is diet soda or beverages with artificial sweeteners.
In an articleby Wiley of Science Daily, a study shows a direct link between the high consumption of diet drinks and the increase of belly fat in older adults. The study also references, with the increase in belly fat, that there is the increased risk of other diseases related to obesity. If you are one of the individuals who, in an effort to reduce the intake of sugary drinks have turned to diet drinks and you find yourself drinking one or more diet drinks daily, here are some suggestions to your decrease your intake:
Substitute at least one diet drink with real fruit-flavored water, like lemons, strawberries, peaches, etc.
Replace one diet drink, per day with a tall glass of plain, cold water.
When eating out, alternate your beverages by substituting a glass of water with lemon every other time you eat out.
Identify your favorite diet drink, if they don’t have it on the menu, drink water instead.
Order unsweetened fruit tea instead of a diet soda.
Plan to reduce your diet soda intake to only a few times a week, then progress to only a few times a month, or less.
Eventually, over time, you should experience some reduction in belly fat. Read more about other health, nutrition and weight management topics through Michigan State University Extension. There are many tips to encourage you to work on habits that may be contributing to extra fat and help reduce some risks factors related to obesity.
The 3D imaging software, True 3D Viewer by EchoPixel Inc., is the latest high-tech tool used by the congenital heart team to understand the complex anatomy of a beating heart.
The physicians used scans of Luke’s heart to create the virtual image, which they consulted as they decided whether to do surgery, and how to prepare for the operation.
‘Tired pretty quick’
Luke, the son of Pam and Jason Carpenter, was born with several rare congenital heart defects, including dextrocardia, a condition in which the heart is situated on the right side of the chest, instead of the left. And he had transposition of the great arteries—which means the two major blood vessels that carry blood from the heart were switched.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
By the time he entered Thornapple Kellogg High School last fall, Luke had undergone four open-heart surgeries. Surgeons patched holes in his heart, replaced the mitral valve and rerouted major blood vessels.
The fixes helped him grow and thrive in school and activities. He couldn’t play contact sports because of the blood thinners he took, but he loved to watch football and basketball. And he played golf and joined the high school team.
One day, he would like to become an athletic trainer for sports teams.
In the fall of his freshman year, however, he noticed difficulty in keeping up the same level of activity.
“I’d get tired pretty quick,” he said. “I would feel like (my heart) was beating really fast.”
“He was fine (when he was) resting,” his mom said. “But when he was running around the yard or doing something even mildly active, his heart would be pounding really hard.”
The congenital heart team focused on the tube that had been placed in Luke’s heart to connect the right side of the heart to the lung arteries. A surgeon first created the conduit when he was 14 months old because he was born without a pulmonary artery. A surgeon replaced it when Luke turned 9.
Dr. Vettukattil examined the structure in a heart catheterization procedure. He hoped to use a balloon catheter to expand the tube and improve blood flow.
But he discovered the conduit lay between the heart and the breast bone, a tight spot that compressed the tube. The congenital heart team determined he needed open-heart surgery to replace the tube—and to place it in a different spot.
Getting a clear picture of Luke’s unique heart became crucial to planning the surgery.
“In a complex heart like this, when the heart is on the right side of the chest, it is important for the surgeon to orient themselves,” Dr. Vettukattil said.
A pioneer in 3D imaging techniques, Dr. Vettukattil used scans of Luke’s heart to create a 3D printed model, printed in a clear plastic resin.
That model also was used to create the image of the heart viewed on the Echo Pixel monitor. Wearing 3D glasses, the physicians examined the heart and its position within Luke’s chest.
“When you do the Echo Pixel model, you are visualizing the whole chest,” Dr. Vettukattil said. “You have a much better spatial understanding—the whole organ system of the patient is represented intact. And you are visualizing it in three dimensions.”
Marcus Haw, MD, pediatric heart surgeon and co-director of the congenital heart center, used the 3D images to plan the operation.
“As soon as I reviewed the printed model, I was able to show Luke and his parents the compressed conduit,” he said.
“More importantly, it showed that there was an extension of his heart cavity that would give room for a larger conduit—and that the coronary artery was not in the way of the potential route for the conduit.”
On April 16, 2018, he placed a new tube between the right side of the heart and lung arteries, this time routing it across the top of Luke’s heart. He also replaced the mitral valve with a larger one.
‘Means everything to us’
Two and a half weeks later, Luke arrived at the congenital heart center for his follow-up visit.
“You’re healing nicely,” said physician assistant Sarah Yarger, PA, as she examined the incision.
As he recovered from surgery, Luke said he was slowly regaining energy and appetite. He received approval to return to school the next week.
He hoped the new connector in his heart would make a difference. He looked forward to getting back on the golf course.
“I hope it will make me have more energy and able to do more things,” he said.
He had a chance to look at the colorful 3D model of his heart pre-surgery.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“It’s crazy,” he said, turning the heart over in his hands.
He pointed out the tube that lay compressed under the sternum—the one that had just been replaced.
For the specialists at the congenital heart center, the use of 3D imagery—including the printed model and the virtual image seen with 3D glasses—helps further the diagnosis and treatment of complex congenital heart defects.
“The capability to see the structures of the heart in this way is opening up new possibilities for patients who’ve previously been told there is no more we can do or that surgery is too dangerous,” Dr. Haw said.
The physicians continue to work on ways to better see the interrelated parts of a beating heart so they can fine-tune each patient’s treatment.
“That means everything to us,” Dr. Vettukattil said. “If we can use the best technology for the best treatment for our patients, that means a lot.”
Many people use the internet to find health-related information for themselves, family or friends. Health-related websites are one of the most widely-searched sites in the world. In fact, according to Pew Internet & American Life Project, 80 percent of internet users, or about 93 million Americans say they have looked online for health-related information within the last year. This is an increase of 18 percent from 2001, in which only 62 percent of internet users who went online to research health related topics. Although there is quality information on the internet, it is important to sift through the fact and fiction when searching for health information.
What to look for:
Credible source:
Ensure the website is managed by recognized and responsible authorities. Many reliable sources include a branch of the federal government, a non-profit institution, university or health system.
An “About Us” page should be included with proper contact information for the organization or institution.
Check more than one source/website for the desired information
Quality information:
The authors or editors are qualified health care professionals and their credentials are clearly stated.
Information included should be reviewed by a subject-appropriate advisory board.
Sites that have a privacy policy indicating what information they collect.
Research-based:
Rely on medical research, not opinion. The site should describe the evidence, such as articles in medical journals, that the material is based on.
Beware of bias. Is the site supported by public funds or commercial advertising?
Timeliness:
Is the site updated often with current information? Check for dates, last updated, or copy right dates to ensure all the information is relevant today (less than three years old).
What to avoid:
Discussion of miracle cures or advertisements for health related products within the article are an indicator of bias information. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Sites asking you to pay for information or to create an account are often not trustworthy sources to collect information related to your health. Most reliable information is accessible to the general public for free.
Websites made up of only forums or discussion groups present people’s opinions and not scientific evidence. These sites may be a good place to document your personal journey but shouldn’t be used to find scientific research.
Consult with your health care professional:
Give the information you collected to your health care provider to review.
Talk to your health care professional about your specific health information concerns.
Make a list of all your health concerns to take to your appointment.
It is okay to be skeptical when looking for trustworthy health information online. Keep your information private and never provide your social security number, address, date of birth or credit card information before reading the privacy policy. Although online sites can offer quality information, they are not made to replace your doctor. Consult with your health care provider before making any medical changes. Michigan State University Extension is a reliable source for information and resources on health and nutrition.
Want to hike a mountain? Do a biking tour? Visualize your goals, then put a plan in writing of how you’ll achieve that dream. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Sue Thoms, Spectrum Health Beat
You resolve to exercise, with visions of a leaner, fitter, stronger you in the months ahead. You will climb that mountain, run that 5K, ski, swim, bike—or maybe just power-shop with ease.
If you schedule time to exercise and put it on the calendar, you are more likely to make it happen. An online calendar with pop-up reminders is an added plus. And if other people have access to that calendar, that can only increase accountability.
Use an activity tracker
It can be as simple as a pedometer or the most sophisticated Fitbit—anything that measures how much you do (or don’t do) can remind you to get moving.
Have fun
If you find activities that keep you engaged, you are more likely to come back for more. Try a group activity, like step aerobics or a boot camp class. But be conscious of the level of the class—and whether you are ready for it.
Get SMART
A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. For example, you might aim to progress from 20 minutes of walking to 20 minutes of running. When you set goals, it helps to begin with the end in mind and figure out the steps needed to get there.
Adopt a habit
How long it takes for a new pattern to become an automatic one varies from person to person. Researchers have floated numbers ranging from 21 to 66 days. The key is to hang in there long enough so exercise becomes the norm. Eventually, you won’t be able to imagine life without it.
Revise goals if necessary
You can make your fitness goals more difficult as you make progress. And you can loosen up a bit if you feel overwhelmed. Instead of giving up, revise and refocus. Failure is not a bad thing if we learn from it.
Don’t let soreness deter you
It’s OK to push yourself a little, and feel achy muscles the next day. Back off if you see serious effects—like persistent swelling, a limp or an inability to reach for an object. But if you haven’t done much exercise in a while, it’s normal to feel some soreness. Keep moving the next day—use those muscles.
Hydrate
It’s important to make sure you have plenty of water, especially in the winter when the air is dry. When you are hydrated, you will have a better workout. If your lips are chapped or you can write your name on the back of your hand, you need water.
Look at the big picture
Make your commitment to exercise part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Aim to sleep better and eat a healthy diet—both will help you get the most from that time you spend at the gym.
Seek help
There are plenty of experts who can help you set up a plan that works. Be sure they have training and credentials, such as certification from the American College of Sports Medicine or the National Strength and Conditioning Association. These folks can get you moving in the right direction.
The holidays are fast approaching, and there is a whirlwind of activities, to-do lists, and travel. With so much going on, it’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement. At the same time, cold and flu season is already upon us, and the stress of the holidays don’t do our immune systems any favors.
Before getting too caught up in all the the fun that comes this time of year, it’s important for seniors to get proactive with their health. Helping your system with a diet filled with immune boosting foods is a great way to start. Here are eight foods the get you through the holiday season.
Citrus. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are high in Vitamin C, and offer an all-natural boost to the immune system. Foods high in Vitamin C not only protect against the common cold and other seasonal illness, but can lessen the duration and intensity of sickness as well. There is no wrong time to eat some citrus
Ginger. When preventing the cold and flu, ginger and its anti-inflammatory properties have no match. When inflammation is down, the immune system is able to function more effectively. Ginger has many well-documented uses, and can help intestinal and heart health as well. A cup of ginger tea in the mornings during the holidays can go a long way in improving senior health.
Honey. If your cup of ginger tea is too spicy, then adding some raw honey might help it go down easier, and provide even more health benefits. Honey soothes sore throats and works as an antibacterial, killing germs while boosting the immune system.
Blueberries. Berries, particularly blueberries, are full of antioxidants, which fight colds and support immune health. In addition to these antioxidants, blueberries contain healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, which protect cognitive functions and can help improve overall brain health in aging seniors.
Salmon. Like blueberries, salmon has healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, and is another component in brain health. In addition, salmon and other wild fish contain zinc, an important nutrient in reducing the spread of the common cold. While most effective in children, zinc can also help adults build strong immune systems and fight disease.
Dark Chocolate. Who doesn’t like chocolate? Dark chocolates contain theobromine, an antioxidant which can help suppress coughs during cold and flu season, along with tasting delicious. One tip for seniors? Try making some desserts with dark chocolate this holiday season.
Broccoli. While veggies might not be the most exciting food, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts are an important addition to your diet. Broccoli and the others can boost enzymes that help fight cold and flu germs and strengthen the overall immune system. Eating a serving of veggies with dinner is a key way to help promote good immune health.
Eggs. Simple to make and easy to eat, eggs can be added into your diet in some way at almost every meal. Eggs also provide Vitamin D, a vitamin that, along with Vitamin C, boosts the immune system to fight off colds and the flu.
Garlic. Along with being a versatile flavor to add to many dishes, garlic provides immune boosting compounds. Garlic is an easy addition to work into more foods to add that extra benefit to health. In addition to immune health, garlic can also lower blood pressure, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Chicken. It’s not just the eggs that are good for you! Chicken and other poultry can battle cold symptoms as well as providing the immune boost to help stop you from getting sick in the first place. Simple chicken dishes, chicken soup, or even chicken stock can add useful vitamins and nutrients to a senior diet. And like other foods on this list, chicken provides other benefits as well. Chicken is high in iron, and provides more heart healthy help.
Boosting immune health is key to preventing illness. From the upcoming cold and flu season, to more serious sickness, a healthy immune system is the first way to protect yourself. Adding these foods and others like them to your daily diet will help you eat well, appreciate life, and enjoy this holiday season to the fullest.
It’s been several years since Boomers began reaching the age of retirement, and the reality of our society’s lack of preparedness to deal with the influx of retirees over the next decade has become impossible to ignore. This issue has come to be known as “The 2030 Problem,” and one of the main points of concern is the ability of our medical system to address the needs of so many seniors. So what are the current and impending problems with the availability of senior health care services?
Healthcare Professionals
We’re already facing a shortage of primary care physicians in the United States, and the issue is only going to get worse according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. By 2030, we could be facing a shortfall of as many as 43,000 primary care physicians across the country, and the problem is expected to be worse for people living outside large population areas and patients using government health care assistance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
On top of this, it’s not only primary care where shortages are projected, but also specialized healthcare professionals such as surgeons and geriatricians. Demand for specialty healthcare services is projected to require as many as 61,000 more physicians than will be practicing in 2030, an even steeper disparity than primary care.
Caretakers
Not only are healthcare professionals going to be in short supply, the number of both professional and unofficial caretakers may not be sufficient for the rising senior population. Many seniors rely on a network of family and friends to help with activities of daily living as they age, but research from the AARP reports that the ratio of potential caregivers to retirees will fall from 7:1 in 2010 to 4:1 in 2030. Soon-to-be retirees planning to rely on family for care may not have as much success as they hope, and will most likely need turn to assisted living or another formal care option as they find they need more assistance with activities of daily living.
Formal care faces its own challenges in this new population of retirees, however. The United States is projected to become majority minority by 2043, and the current generation of soon-to-be retirees is certainly more diverse than their predecessors. However, projections in senior health care professions speculate that formal caretakers are not on a course to become similarly diverse. Fortunately, studies on the implementation of cultural competency training in senior care settings have shown that culture barriers can be overcome.
Diseases and Conditions
There has been a dramatic shift in the leading causes of death in the last century. From the early 1900s to now, infection-caused diseases such as influenza and pneumonia have given way to noncommunicable, chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer as the leading causes of death in the United States. Elderly populations are at high risk for both of these conditions, as well as other conditions that fall into the ten leading causes, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, simply due to the way the human body ages. And while rising life expectancies are a triumph for medicine, longer lifespans do present the need for a change in our approach to healthcare.
The issue is that many of these diseases and conditions don’t have cures, and in some cases, don’t even have effective research-based treatments. So, even if the barriers to senior health care access were to be removed, retiring adults are facing the issue of manageable, but not treatable, chronic illnesses.
Care Focuses
Related but not synonymous to the shift in prevalent diseases is the focus of healthcare in senior populations. According to the CDC, about half of all adults in the United States are managing one or more chronic health conditions, with one in four living with at least two. Known as comorbidity, the presence of two or more chronic diseases or conditions presents a unique challenge to healthcare providers, as they need to understand not only how to treat the diseases separately, but also how the diseases present, interact, and even worsen when experienced simultaneously.
This shift in focus to comorbidity requires a much more consistent and frequent approach to seeking and obtaining healthcare, as opposed to the reactionary model experienced by many US adults. While ongoing healthcare may be a better model, the associated costs of frequent physician visits may be prohibitive to seniors who may already be facing a crisis of affordability.
Affordability
According to a report by Fidelity, healthy, retirement-aged couples can expect to spend $245,000 on healthcare costs over the course of their retirement – and other sources suggest that this estimate may be conservative. Baby Boomers have an average of only $147,000 saved for retirement, leading to natural concern about the high cost of retirement living, and experts suggest that government assistance programs like Medicare will not be able to sustain the retiree boom.
The picture of senior health care in the coming decade looks bleak, but it’s important to remember that our society faced similar questions of economic strain when faced with caring for the Baby Boomers as children. While it’s important to keep the challenges of retirement in mind as we move towards 2030, it’s also important to not lose sight of the joy that the Golden Years can bring. By facing projected issues now, we can prepare for the needs of seniors for years down the line.
In an instant, Julie and John VanderMolen became parents of three beautiful infants.
All boys.
All identical.
Statistically, that’s a rare event―identical triplets occur once in every 100,000 births.
And for the VanderMolens, it’s a triply blessed event.
The babies arrived by cesarean section Nov. 26 at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, and the couple eagerly embraced the moment they became a family of five.
“I just was a mess of tears,” Julie says. “The pregnancy was a pretty long journey for me.
“Just having that bond with them in utero, and being able to feel each one of them move separately. And then to see them outside of me, it just felt so surreal. I felt like I already knew them.”
Ivan John arrived first, at 11:28 a.m., weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces. Then came William Lloyd, at 11:29 a.m., tipping the scale at 5 pounds. Third was Harrison Kenneth, born at 11:31 a.m., weighing 3 pounds, 15 ounces.
Each has a full head of hair, and each gave a hearty cry at birth.
“To hear that scream―that moment is indescribable,” John says. “I am just so happy and thankful they are healthy. They are doing great now. We are just very blessed.”
One, two, three heartbeats
The couple found out they were expecting triplets early in the pregnancy. Julie had experienced a miscarriage a year earlier, so she had an ultrasound exam at six weeks.
“You guys are having twins,” the technician said, as she detected two heartbeats.
Photos by Chris Clark
A moment later, she added, “There are three heartbeats.”
Julie began to shake. “Like a leaf,” she says. John became dizzy.
“Things got real very quickly,” he says. “I just was not prepared. I felt like I had been hit by a car.”
It didn’t take long for shock to give way to feelings of excitement.
“We desperately wanted children,” Julie says.
Although John had lobbied for a big family, they hadn’t decided how many kids they wanted. They thought they would start with one and see how that went.
Doctors told the parents early in the pregnancy the infants would be identical because, although they had three separate sacs, they shared a single placenta.
Identical triplets can occur when a single fertilized egg divides in two, and then one of those eggs divides, said Vivian Romero, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Medical Group.
Julie, a social worker, and John, a former Marine who works for the federal government, are Grand Rapids-area natives who moved to North Carolina for John’s job. After they found out they were expecting triplets, they moved back to West Michigan to be closer to family.
To be able to see him and hold him is an indescribable feeling.
The boys receive nourishment through feeding tubes. They will learn to eat on their own before they are ready to go home.
Perfection
On Monday afternoon, John wheels Julie to the NICU so they can hold the babies, providing skin-to-skin contact. They make sure each boy receives equal cuddle time. This visit, Ivan waits in his crib while his brothers get their turn.
Nurse Bos lifts Harrison from his crib and gently helps Julie settle him on her chest.
“Hi, buddy. Come to mama,” Julie murmurs. Harrison opens his eyes and looks up at her.
John sits in a nearby chair and holds William. The newborn squawks and squirms, then settles in and closes his eyes.
“To be able to see him and hold him is an indescribable feeling,” John says.
“It’s unlike anything you can ever describe,” Julie agrees. “It’s perfection.”
The VanderMolens received a moment of fame with a playful video they created to announce their triple pregnancy. It shows their frantic preparations for parenthood―with John catching three baseballs and Julie filling three baby bottles. It was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America.
Now, they can’t wait to bring their babies to their home in Kentwood, Michigan. Three cribs await the boys upstairs. A triple stroller stands ready. They have piles of outfits, diapers and bottles.
Photo by Chris Clark
Julie looks forward to taking her sons to church. John dreams of playing sports with the boys.
With Julie still recovering from surgery, the couple says they don’t think they have quite come to grips with the challenges ahead.
“The full responsibility has not sunk in yet,” John says.
“But I wouldn’t say we are fearful about it at all,” Julie says. “The connection we have with them is just so instant. And I am so looking forward to being home, on our own schedule, and figuring it out together as a family.”
One of the best ways to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis or Parkinson’s disease is to make a weekly action plan. This will guide you to achieve your health goals. Michigan State University Extension suggests you make sure your action plan has these key ideas:
Make your action plan something you want to do
This is your plan, not someone else’s plan for you. Action plans can help you feel better by successfully accomplishing tasks.
Your plan is something you think you should do and want to do or achieve yourself. An example is if you hate pool water, you shouldn’t make a goal to swim three times a week.
Pick something you can do easily
Ask yourself if your plan is realistic and achievable for you right now. You wouldn’t want to begin walking three miles a day if you have not walked after your knee surgery!
If you feel you will fail at this action, then change it so you can succeed. If you do fail at an action plan, usually you will not try again.
Be action specific
What is it that you are going to do?
How much are you going to do? This can be broken down in minutes or days.
When are you going to do it? Be specific.
Plan ahead for possible barriers
Ask yourself what might get in the way of achieving this goal. If the weather is bad you may not want to walk.
Figure out ahead of time how you will handle barriers, such as plan on walking in an open gym in the evening when the weather is bad.
Know who you can call if you need help. You may like to have a partner when you walk.
Celebrate and evaluate:
Congratulate yourself on what you’ve achieved.
If things went well, the next week you may be able to stretch your goal. Instead of walking a quarter of a mile three days a week, you may walk a half mile four days a week.
If things got in your way, find solutions to help get past the barrier. Perhaps walking through a box store three days a week is better than walking in inclement weather. Keep track of your progress. If things get in your way, think of solutions that can help you achieve your goal.
An example of a weekly action plan to get more exercise
What am I going to do?
I will start taking a water aerobics class.
How often will I do it?
I will do one hour a week.
When will I do it?
I will go to the 9 a.m. class every Friday.
What might get into my way?
The weather, which may make it challenging to get out of the house in the morning.
What might make doing this easier for me?
I will ask a friend to join me; one that has mentioned water aerobics before.
Action plans outline steps you can take to attain a larger health goal. Research shows that such plans are instrumental in bringing about behavior changes in patients. American College of Physicians Foundation gives ideas for some opportunities to use an action plan:
Gift-giving adds up fast, both financially and emotionally, during the holiday season. The stress of finding just the right thing may be easier than you think and you can keep your loved ones health in mind at the same time.
Michigan State University Extension suggests these healthy ideas to be used for any age group and they promote physical activity and healthy eating along the way.
Health related magazine – Give a recipe magazine or one related to overall health. There are magazines for children, women or men as well as magazines specific to physical activity.
Healthy recipe and ingredients – Do you have a favorite healthy recipe that everyone always asks you to make? Copy the recipe and purchase the ingredients and you have a great gift.
Meals for someone home bound – Prepare a meal for someone who has just had a baby or surgery, to an elderly person no longer able to get out or anyone else you feel is in need. As you cook for yourself or your family, simply take out one serving. These meals could also be frozen and used as needed by the person receiving them.
Coupon to host a sledding party – Sledding is a great way to promote physical activity during winter months. After sledding, serve healthy snacks like cheese sticks and apples with low-fat hot chocolate.
Physical activity items – Purchase exercise equipment either new or used that can be found at second-hand stores. If kids are on your list, look for soccer balls, bats, skates, scooters, snowshoes, sleds, exercise bands or helmets to keep kids thinking of physical activity all year long.
Gift certificate to swim at a local hotel – Swimming is appropriate for any age group and could be used for those older adults who have everything. Many hotels have designated public swimming hours with daily or monthly passes available.
Gardening supplies – Gardening supplies might not be as easily found in large stores this time of year, but local hardware and farm supply stores will have a rake, shovel, hand tools, gloves or knee pads, many items to make a gardener happy and ready to plan for next year’s garden.
Coupons to walk with a friend – Have you been meaning to join friends on a daily walk? This gift benefits the giver and the receiver. Keep yourself and your friends motivated to take that healthy walk each day, create a coupon in the shape of your favorite walking shoes. On your way out the door grab a can of soup for each hand and work those arm muscles while walking.
Gift certificate for roller-skate rental – When is the last time you went roller-skating? Roller rinks are still available and are a great way to spend time participating in physical activity as a family.
These gifts don’t take a lot of time, are low or no cost and send a strong message of caring because they promote health and well-being to those you care about, great reasons to choose from this list when finishing up your holiday gift-giving.
Not sure you’re crafty enough to create all these great gift certificate ideas? Pinterest can help! Simply fill in the information and print the certificates at home. For family nutrition information, Choose My Plate online has a wealth of information to stay healthy all year long. To find out more about physical activity and healthy eating for the whole family try the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Research conducted by the National Alliance for Caregiving estimates over 1.4 million youth ages 8–18 are taking care of ill, injured, elderly or disabled family members. They are taking care of parents, grandparents and siblings as well as dealing with the most prevalent conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, heart, lung or kidney diseases, arthritis and diabetes.
What kind of care are they providing?
Kids are not just performing day-to-day household chores such as laundry, dishes, vacuuming and fixing simple meals, they are handing out medications, bathing, dressing, toileting and feeding family members. Some are even responsible for communicating with health care providers.
While it may seem inappropriate for kids to take on caregiving duties, changes in family structures, such as kids being raised in single parent homes or by their grandparents, increase the number of older people and multi-generations in households. Healthcare delivery has also changed so that home visits have decreased and an increase of care is becoming the responsibility of families instead of hospitals and doctor offices.
Why are kids in the role of caregiver?
Not everyone agrees that a child should be in the role of a family caregiver, however, changes in family structure and how healthcare is delivered impacts children. Economic hardships also play a part in multi-generation households, with married adults returning home with children. Regarding healthcare, medical facilities are no longer providing complex care, instead, it is being done at home by family members. Adults may be identified as the primary caregiver, however due to job obligations, children end up providing care.
How do caregiving responsibilities affect these kids?
Roger Olson, a clinical child psychologist at St. Luke’s Children’s Center for Neurobehavioral Medicine in Boise, Idaho, states that low level caregiving (helping with chores, running errands or spending time together) helps youth with character development. This type of caregiving fosters kindness, generosity, compassion and nurturance. The other, more personal side to caregiving including feeding, bathing or changing adult diapers, can take a toll and may be traumatizing to a child. Children have the coping skills of children and are not equipped to handle these stressful roles.
What can we do to help youth caregivers?
We can help young caregivers by knowing behaviors that may be signals of concern:
School: tardiness, missed days, incomplete assignments, lower participation in after-school programming, poor behavior and dropping-out
Emotionally: anxiety, depression, grief and feelings of being overwhelmed
Socially: difficulties getting along with others, loss of social activities and friendships
Physically: exhausted, lethargic and lack of interest in appearance
We can also bring awareness to our communities that kids are in this role. We can help by providing resource information for kids in our local schools, religious organizations and public libraries. Starting a local coalition can bring more attention and support for these families. Every caregiver needs and deserves support.
For information on youth caregivers visit the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) at www.aacy.org or call 800-508-9618 or 561-391-7401 for direct assistance. The AACY website has suggestions and links that can help families, professionals and school-based staff to assist caregiving kids. Visit the Michigan State University Extension website for additional information related to caregiving.
Winter may be harsh on the spirit, but it’s also rough on the skin.
From getting pelted by blowing snow to being cooped up inside without the benefit of outdoor activity, our skin takes a beating.
Kim Delafuente, ACSM-PD, a Spectrum Health community health educator, offers up some tips on how to get through this cold weather season looking (and feeling) a whole lot better.
15 surefire ways to get your glow back:
1. Exercise saves your skin
“There are a lot of small blood vessels on the surface of the skin,” Delafuente said. “As you exercise, the blood flow rises to that level. With the blood comes oxygen. It’s actually the oxygen that helps rejuvenate the skin and helps to get rid of toxins.”
2. Sweat often
Sweating is often viewed as a negative thing, especially for women.
Delafuente suggests we wipe away this perception.
“As we sweat, we’re able to release unwanted impurities from our skin,” she said. “In some people, those impurities can lead to acne or other skin-related conditions. Sweating is a good thing. It’s a natural thing. It’s really the way our body cools itself off. This is an added benefit of exercise that helps to clean out pores.”
3. Wash after exercising
Sweating is great, but don’t forget to wash after exercising.
“The idea is to get the sweat and salt off,” she said. “If you don’t, you’re kind of defeating the purpose. You’re releasing impurities from your pores, but if they just sit on your face, you’re not getting the complete cleansing effect of exercise.”
4. Elevate your heart rate
Anything that boosts your heart rate is a skin-pleaser.
“Walking, running, any type of cardio activity is good for your skin,” Delafuente said. “Dancing is great. As your heart rate goes up, more blood is circulated. With lower level activity, there’s less blood circulating. It’s the aerobic type exercise that’s going to have the most impact.”
5. Sleep is good for the skin
Don’t use this as an excuse to sleep the day away, but the more we exercise, the better we sleep.
“Sleep is a time when our body repairs itself,” Delafuente said.
6. Reduce stress
Exercise reduces stress hormones like cortisol, according to Delafuente.
“As those levels decrease, it can have a positive effect on the skin,” she said. “Stress releases cortisol, which can be damaging to our bodies. It can cause weight gain and is responsible for belly fat. In the case of skin, it can lead to acne and eczema. There have been studies that show exercise can actually help reduce the incidents of those types of skin conditions.”
7. What is “the glow?”
Exercise not only keeps your body fit, it does wonders for your skin. As you exercise, blood flow intensifies and moves toward the surface of your skin, which is known for giving that infamous “glow” to your skin.
“You work out and your skin gets a little more reddish,” Delafuente said. “That’s how your body is cooling itself. As your blood comes to the surface, it helps to keep your body cooler. After a workout, when you cool down, that blood flow is still going to be intensified.”
And that look, for some people, is a motivator to exercise more.
“It’s an added benefit of exercise that sometimes people don’t think of,” Delafuente said. “For some people, this might be a draw. It seems regular exercise has the potential to keep the skin at its best.”
8. If you feel good, you’ll likely look good
Exercise provides mental as well as physical health benefits, according to Delafuente.
“Some of that glow comes with a positive attitude and feeling good,” she said. “The other thing is, exercise does improve immunity. When we have less chronic disease or colds and flu, our skin will naturally look better because of that as well.”
9. Remember that your skin is an organ
You may exercise to keep your heart healthy, but remember your skin is an organ that directly benefits from a workout, too.
“I think people are conscious of their skin, but they don’t think of it as an organ,” she said. “I think when we think of organs, we think of internal organs, but we don’t think externally.”
1o. Remove makeup before exercising
Leave your foundation and blush on, and you risk clogging your pores when you sweat.
Instead, remove all traces of makeup before you begin.
11. Wear proper sunscreen
If you’re exercising and sweating, make sure you wear sunscreen that is sweat resistant or that you are reapplying often.
“I think we all know it’s important to wear sunscreen,” Delafuente said. “But I don’t know that people always think about it when they’re exercising. They’ll say, ‘Oh, I’m going to to walk for an hour,’ but they may not think of that as a time they need to use sunscreen. People can also wear a hat to shield their face from the sun.”
12. Forget about tanning booths and spray tan products
“Never a good idea,” Delafuente said.
Enough said.
13. Treat your skin kindly in the face of cold weather
“Make sure you’re covered up appropriately,” she said. “If you have really sensitive skin, you may want to wear a scarf over your face.”
14. Stay hydrated
“Make sure you’re drinking enough water,” Delafuente said. “If we’re dehydrated then our skin isn’t going to be as healthy. We should drink to our thirst. In the winter, especially, we may not be as thirsty.”
15. Wear proper clothing when you exercise
Loose fitting clothing is the best choice.
“Make sure you wear clothing that wicks away the sweat and moisture,” she said.
If your clothing traps sweat in, it may clog your pores, leading to unhealthy skin conditions.
By Nicole Kooiker, DDS, Dentist at Heart of the City Health Center
Q: One of my teeth hurts when I drink ice tea. Do I need to see a dentist?
A: As a dentist practicing in Grand Rapids, I can tell you that pain in your mouth is not a feeling to ignore. While it doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem, you should contact your dental office if you are experiencing any of the following five symptoms:
Mouth pain could be caused by a cavity, gum disease, an abscess or impacted tooth. If not treated by a dentist, your tooth could die, causing an even bigger problem.
Experiencing pain in your teeth when you drink hot or cold beverages could indicate tooth decay, fractured teeth, worn fillings, gum disease, worn tooth enamel, or an exposed tooth root due to gum recession. Treatment options depend on the source of the sensitivity as determined by your dentist.
Bleeding or sore gums could simply be caused by brushing too hard or overzealous flossing; however, this could also be a sign of gum disease that only an oral health professional can address.
Mouth sores could indicate an infection, virus, fungus, or simply an irritation from dentures or a sharp edge of a broken tooth or filling. Consult your dentist if you’ve had a mouth sore for longer than one week.
Bad breath can indicate poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, gum disease, or a medication’s side effects. If you brush your teeth and tongue twice a day and floss daily, but still experience bad breath, consult your dentist to rule out an underlying medical condition.
If you’re experiencing any of these issues or have other concerns, please contact us today. We’re here to help!
The transition of summer to fall is not many people’s favorite time of year as it brings on physical and mental fatigue. Muscles often tense due to the cooler weather, the decreasing daylight triggers an earlier bedtime, skin is drier due to lower humidity and appetites spike. The beautiful fall colors are a welcoming and enjoyable distraction from all the mentioned bodily reactions to this transitional time, but for some, these seasonal changes may be a trigger that leads to Seasonal Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder. During the fall and winter months, people with Seasonal Depression experience having a lack of energy, sleeping too much, overeating, weight gain and a craving for carbohydrates.
Other forms of depression that can occur, no matter what the season, can be more difficult to identify. One way to help notice your moods is practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention or focusing on your senses in the present moment without judgment. If a depressed mood is noticed for more than two weeks or there is a loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable, one should consider speaking to their primary care provider or appropriate professional, or at least, a trusted friend. Depression oftentimes occurs with anxiety or substance use disorders, and once a person has had an occurrence of depression, they are more susceptible to subsequent episodes.
Symptoms of depression affect one’s emotions, thinking, behaviors and physical well-being:
Emotional symptoms of depression: sadness, anxiety, anger, mood swings, lack of emotional responsiveness, feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and irritability.
Symptoms of depressed thoughts: frequent self-criticism, self-blame, worry, pessimism, impaired memory and concentration, indecisiveness and confusion, tendency others see you in a negative light, thoughts of death and suicide.
Behavioral symptoms of depression: crying spells, withdrawal from others, neglect of responsibilities, loss of interest in personal appearance, loss of motivation and using alcohol or other drugs.
Physical symptoms of depression: chronic fatigue, lack of energy, sleeping too much or too little, over eating or loss of appetite, constipation, weight loss, weight gain, headaches, irregular menstrual cycle, loss of sexual desire and unexplained aches and pains.
If you or a loved one are experiencing any form of depression, talk about what you are noticing. If you are concerned about others, ask them if they are having suicidal thoughts, listen to them non-judgmentally, give reassurance and encourage them to seek medical attention. Offering to take them to their appointment may increase the likelihood that they will attend. If they dismiss or deny your help, tell them you will check in on them over the week. It is important to keep your promise to do so. Remember, people in depressed moods have impaired memories, they lose track of time and have difficulty recalling how long they have been feeling blue. If symptoms persist, ask others who are close to the depressed person to help you in the intervention process.
Helping people recognize their moods can be a stressful and scary task, especially if you do not practice being mindful of your own well-being. Attending a program that can help you become more aware and/or improve your mindset could be a starting point. MSU Extension provides a community-based program series that teaches the basics of mindfulness to help participants be more aware of their thoughts, emotions and physical self as they encounter stressors. Mindfulness is proven to help relieve stress and pain and improve health and well-being, to learn more, sign up for a class near you.
Common perceptions about fats are often not true and avoiding all fats is not healthy because it is important to have healthy fats in our diet. There are fats that contain essential fatty acids that are necessary for good health and fats that help the body to use certain vitamins.
The United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes the following recommendations in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
Keep trans-fatty acid consumption as low as possible, especially by limiting foods that contain synthetic sources of trans-fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils, and by limiting other solid fats.
Reduce the intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars. Such as:
Butters, stick margarines, and animal fats from beef and pork. These are all solid at room temperature.
Soft drinks, candy, cakes, cookies, fruit drinks and ice cream. These are all processed foods that have added sugars and syrups.
Here are some actions you can take every day to keep your consumption of saturated fats, trans-fats and cholesterol low while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.
Check the Nutrition Facts label to compare foods. Our interactive label can help you find what to look at on the label.
Choose alternative fats. Replace saturated and trans-fats in your diet with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Sources of monounsaturated fats include olive and canola oils. Sources of polyunsaturated fats include soybean, corn, sunflower oils and foods like nuts.
Consider consuming fish and cuts of lean meat. Examples include:
Poultry: chicken or turkey white meat or ground meat
Beef: flank steak, top loin, sirloin, lean ground beef
Pork: pork tenderloin
Seafood: salmon, trout, cod, flounder, mackerel, mussels and clams
Choose foods such as dairy products, lean meats, fish, skinless poultry, whole grain foods and fruit and vegetables.
Beware of diets that tell you to eliminate a nutrient, such as fat.
Daily essential fatty acid consumption contributes to our overall daily health in moderation. For more information please contact your local MSU Extension office or visit the MSU Extension Health and Nutrition site.
Jessica Corwin, a Spectrum Health Community Nutrition Educator, is shown using the treadmill desk on her office floor. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
The desk job. Some aspire to it. Others avoid it like the plague.
As the perils of sitting all day become more widely known, the latter is probably the smarter path to take (I think as I sit at my desk, for hour number eight, typing this story).
According to the latest research, prolonged sedentary time—think eight to 10 hours a day sitting at that desk job—can take years off your life by putting you at an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
What’s more, even if you do have a regular exercise routine, it doesn’t protect you enough to offset the detrimental effects of hours and hours of sitting.
If, like me, you add on a commute to and from your desk job, well, don’t be surprised to see the grim reaper in the rear-view mirror.
Move it or lose it
Federal guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week. Indeed, it’s widely known that getting 30 minutes of exercise every day can lower your risk for disease and premature death.
But with health experts now saying that staying active throughout the day is more important than hitting the gym, the challenge becomes finding the time to move. And work. At the same time.
Luckily for us office drones, there are creative ways to reap some of the health benefits of movement throughout our day, even with a desk job.
1. Stand up at your desk
Stand up to get healthy! (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Instead of sitting at your desk and working on your computer, grab your laptop and stand up while you work. Granted, this may require you to walk around your office to find a table upon which to place your laptop. That’s good.
Better yet, get an actual stand-up desk.
That’s what one local business did to get employees out of their chairs. Life EMS Ambulance dispatchers got new desks, which are motorized so they can adjust the height to sit and stand as they please.
“The sit-to-stand desk is becoming more and more prevalent in the workplace,” said Leah Konwinski, an ergonomic specialist with Spectrum Health. “It’s a great option to promote a little more movement at work without sacrificing comfort, safety or ability to focus and still be productive.”
Standing is still a ‘static’ activity, though, and our bodies are not made to be static. Even when standing, take breaks and move about, Konwinski suggested.
2. Hop on a treadmill (desk, that is)
For someone who has a tough time sitting still, a treadmill desk may be the ideal form of multitasking.
Jessica Corwin, MPH, RDN, a community nutrition educator with Spectrum Health Healthier Communities, is a frequent user and offers a few observations.
“Lots of days, especially in the winter, I’m stuck at my desk,” she said. “And since I’m typically multitasking and am one who does not experience motion sickness, using a treadmill desk is quite fitting. It’s an awesome way to squeeze in a little exercise or at the very least, spend time standing instead of sitting.”
She typically uses it first thing in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up.
“It’s ideal for getting caught up on e-mail, doing a little research or reviewing a presentation,” said Corwin. “It also helps me hone my reading comprehension and retention, and makes my time more efficient—I walk, learn and forgo the need to read things twice.”
On the con side, she can’t spread out the things she’s working on or pull files out as needed. For that kind of work, she said, it’s still nice to be at her regular desk.
And, your pace really can’t approach anything too speedy, which leads some to question whether there’s really any health benefit at all.
A recent NPR report looked at treadmill desks and cited several small studies that found they do potentially hold health benefits, depending on how often, how much and how vigorously they’re used.
First, treadmill desks can help increase the number of steps taken per day, and that accumulation of physical activity is better than nothing or sitting all day. Second, it’s not about working out or working up a sweat. It’s about not sitting.
So, if you have a treadmill desk—use it. But don’t forget, you still have to fit about 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise into your weekly routine as well.
If you don’t have a treadmill desk, but want one (and you have some semblance of creativity and mechanical ability), you can join the folks opting for a DIY approach.
3. Swap out your desk chair for a stability ball
Many of us remember bouncing around the yard on a ‘hippity hop’ ball when we were kids. Similar concept, but no handle. And no bouncing down the halls.
Sitting on a stability ball can improve posture and strengthen your core abdominal and back muscles, said Kim DeLaFuente, MA, ACSM-PD, an community exercise educator with Spectrum Health Healthier Communities.
“A stability ball forces your core muscles to work harder to keep you balanced so you don’t fall off,” she said. “You’re also forced to sit up straight and upright.”
So, good posture. Strong core. But for those of us who aren’t so coordinated, possible concussion. (Remember, no handle.)
4. Workout at work
There are other ways—calisthenics for example—to get in a bit more movement at work.
Jessica Corwin, a Spectrum Health Community Nutricion Educator, is shown near the treadmill desk on her office floor. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
Keep resistance bands in your desk drawer and use them to work in a little strength training
Hold a walking meeting
“Just find ways to incorporate short bits of activity throughout the day,” she said. “Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away and walk. It all adds up.”
Setting up the traditional office set-up
Even if you wish to simply remain seated at your desk, it’s important to make sure your workstation is structured to properly support your body.
“Maintaining neutral postures and proper body alignment allows you to feel comfortable much longer,” Konwisnski said. “Most workstations nowadays have sufficient adjustability between the chair and other small items like a footrest or keyboard tray.”
As our natural growing season comes to an end, it is important to properly store all of your home preserved foods correctly to maintain safety and quality over winter. Find a cool place between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, is dry and has some circulation to keep your jars filled with your home preserved foods. If contents are exposed to direct sunlight or stored in a warm place, the food may lose quality in a shorter amount of time.
Wash the outside of lids and jars to remove any residue that may have leaked out. Remove ring bands and wash and dry the outside of lids, jars and the band to remove any residue that may have leaked out in order to prevent rusting. It is recommended that jars be stored without ring bands to allow for easier detection of broken vacuum seals.
Label and date each jar with the name of the contents and the date is was preserved. This practice will help ensure you are eating foods that have been preserved safely in a timely matter. For the best quality of food, preserve only the amount of food that you can use in one year. It is important to not taste food from jars with lids that have become unsealed or show signs of spoilage. As each jar is taken off the shelf for use, examine its lid for tightness and that the lid is still vacuumed.
Canning equipment should also be stored properly. For safe operation of your pressure canner for the next year, Michigan State University Extension recommends cleaning the vent and safety valve by drawing a clean string or narrow strip of cloth through the opening, remove the valve and follow the manufacturer’s directions. The rubber gasket that helps the edges of the canner and lid prevent steam from escaping should be cleaned or replaced if needed. Clean the equipment with hot soapy water and then rinse and dry.
If your pressure canner has a dial gauge, be careful not to immerse the gauge when cleaning. If the inside of your aluminum canner has darkened, it can be cleaned by filling the canner with a mixture of one tablespoon cream of tartar to a quart of water and boil until the dark deposits disappear.
Store the canner with crumpled clean paper towels in the bottom to help absorb moisture and odors. Place the lid upside down on the canner, remembering not to seal it. These same directions apply to a weighted gauge canner, except that the lid can be submerged in water for cleaning.
Following proper storage of your home preserved foods will help ensure the quality and safety of your canned food to be enjoyed all year. Giving your canning equipment special attention in cleaning and maintenance will make you ready for the next growing season of preserving.
An aging brain has a higher tendency to remember positive aspects of past events, rather than negative. (Photo courtesy Michigan State University Extension)
As we age, our cognitive control declines. In recent years, many programs have been developed and promoted to help stimulate our brains with the goal of delaying cognitive decline. However, the research on whether or not these brain-enhancing activities actually helps is not conclusive. These results are because a part of the brain that is affected by aging, has to do with our ability to focus on a task without getting distracted by internal and external stimulus.
At the same time, as we age, the emotion processing and regulation part of our brain is increasing. Therefore, our brains are a paradox — as we age, starting at about 30 years, our cognitive abilities decline and social-emotional abilities increase.
Another interesting aspect of our aging brain is that we tend to remember the positive aspects of past events, even if those events were overwhelmingly negative. Researchers Mather and Carsten (2005) call this the positivity effect. The tendency to focus on the positive, rather than the negative, may have to do with our realization that we have a limited lifetime. Our goals switch from future-oriented to emotional satisfaction and well-being.
Some researchers are now looking at the benefits of mindfulness as a way to tap into that increase in social-emotional abilities in order to enhance our brain functioning and overall well-being as we age. As defined by John Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, without judgement.
Mindfulness has shown to increase our capacity for sustained attention, a cognitive capability. By focusing on the present moment, in particular without judgement, we are tapping into our aging brains’ tendency to focus on our own emotional satisfaction and well-being, rather than plan for the future or dwell on negative past experiences.
There are many ways to learn about mindfulness and begin your own practice. You can look up resources online regarding mindfulness or visit your local library and check out some books. You may also consider contacting your local Michigan State University Extension and signing up for one of our Stress Less for Mindfulness classes. Any way you choose, expanding your knowledge and developing your own mindfulness practice could improve your cognitive, emotional processing and overall well-being as you age.
In conclusion, mindfulness may be a way to improve our cognitive control as we age by teaching us to improve our ability to focus our attention on a particular task, such as our breath, (in the moment) and reduce our attention (on purpose) to external and internal thoughts or events (without judgement).
Traditions are a wonderful part of the holiday season. It’s common that at gatherings, rather than one person bearing the burden of preparing the entire meal, several people divide the duties prior to getting together. Then, on the day, one person will then bring the veggies, another rolls, another salad, another dessert, etc.
When dividing the tasks, keep in mind food safety and consider two important factors: the type of food being transported and the length of time involved. Michigan State University Extension (MSU) recommends applying the two-hour rule – do not leave perishable foods at room temperature for longer than two hours. Remember the two-hour rule includes the time involved prepping foods from their raw state to the finished state, as well as the time the food will spend on the table being served.
Family members traveling long distances should be assigned foods that may not need refrigeration, like fruit pies, rolls, etc. Local relatives (within a half hour travel distance or less) should be in charge of more perishable items such as meat, poultry, fish, cut produce or cooked casseroles.
Keep in mind, hot foods must be kept hot (140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) and cold foods, kept cold (40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder). To keep the hot foods hot, consider using an insulated bag designed to keep foods warm. Remember, these bags are temporary and not designed for long-term hot holding. Keep your cold food cold by utilizing a cooler packed with ice or freezer gel packs. Do not rely on the outside temperature to keep food cold even during freezing winters. Cars and garages can take on a “greenhouse effect” and actually become warm, defeating the purpose of attempting to store cold foods outside.
If you are the host house, plan ahead for your feast by clearing your refrigerator out ahead of time and creating room to store the food that will be arriving. Have extra coolers on hand with ice or freezer packs for cold foods and borrow roasters or slow cookers to help keep all the arriving hot food heated. Don’t forget to have plenty of refrigerator containers or plastic food grade bags on hand for the leftovers after the meal. Putting large quantities of food into smaller containers will allow the food to cool quickly and remain safe by preventing any bacteria from growing. Also, ensure leftovers are not left out at room temperature or in the temperature danger zone (40 degrees – 140 degrees Fahrenheit).
Michigan State University Extension recommends planning your larger meals out ahead of time, be prepared and make room in your kitchen for storage before and after the meal to prevent foodborne illness from ruining your family gatherings.
Humans communicate quite a bit without ever speaking. This is called nonverbal communication—gestures, facial expressions or postures that communicate feelings without using any words. If you’re speaking to someone and they are turning away from you and looking at their watch, they are communicating they either have to go or they want to stop talking. Without using any words, they can tell us what they need or want.
Babies, toddlers and young children are sending us nonverbal cues all the time. A baby cries when they are hungry or wet because they can’t tell you what they need with words. A toddler might grab your hand and lead you to the kitchen to tell you they are hungry or hide behind you at a family reunion to say they are overwhelmed.
When we take the time to pay attention to, recognize and understand a child’s point of view, we can help better understand their behaviors. Understanding why a child is doing something makes it easier to react to them in a way that is responsive to their needs.
Think about the “why?” When your child does something, take time to think about why they might be doing it. What are they trying to communicate to you? Do they need something from you to meet their needs?
Respond, don’t react. Instead of reacting with your own strong emotions when your child does something, take a minute to think about how to respond. You might want to yell when your child draws on the wall with crayons, but if you take a minute to think, you can respond calmly and address their needs.
Make sure your child’s needs are met. Sometimes children misbehave or have strong emotional outbursts when their needs aren’t met. You can be responsive to your child by making sure they have what they need to be happy and successful. Are they eating enough? Getting enough sleep? Have they gotten enough hugs, kisses and attention?
Be responsive. It’s sometimes easy to take a “one-size-fits-all” solution to solving problems with young children. For example, sending a child to time-out anytime they have broken a rule. It is much more effective to respond to your child’s specific cues or needs. When your child draws on the wall with crayons, they might be telling you they are bored and need help to release their energy in a productive way. Tailor your response to your child’s behaviors to fit their specific needs
When you respond to your child’s cues, they feel loved, understood and less frustrated. Tune in to your child’s cues, be calm and responsive and you can build a strong and supportive relationship with your child.
For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.
To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2017 impact report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2017, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.
With opening day behind us, deer season is here and the excitement is just beginning. After shooting a big buck though, taking the first pictures, and dressing the deer, the work begins. If you have an extended time before you leave camp to head home, there are a few things that need to be considered to keep your carcass safe for consumption.
Hanging the deer can assist in cooling the carcass quickly. When cleaning a carcass, Michigan State University Extension recommends using sanitary utensils to lower the risk of cross contamination. It is important to thoroughly cut away any visible contamination and then rinse the cavity of the deer with cold potable water before storing. These practices will also help clean away debris and bacterial contamination.
To safely store the carcass, it must be kept at a temperature below 41 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacterial growth. It is advised to transport your carcass to a processor as soon as possible. Packing the cavity with ice is another way to help cool the venison carcass quickly or for long distance transport.
Aging the meat is a method of enhancing and tenderizing the meat while dispelling the gamey taste of venison. It is important for a safe method of aging to be used. A safe temperature for aging a carcass is 40 degrees F or lower for two to three days. This will safely assist in allowing the natural aging process take place.
Carcass safety will assist you in bringing safe food to the table for everyone to enjoy. Have a safe hunting season!
With food temptations at their greatest, it may seem impossible to lose any weight during the holiday season, but if you pay close attention to detail, losing or maintaining a healthy weight can be done during the holidays. Most of us would agree that holidays are healthier when we can maintain a healthy weight.
Be recipe ready. As you search and shop for holiday recipes, search for those already incorporating low or reduced fat. Other substitutions include:
Replace high fat oil(s) — Applesauce and canned pumpkin are good substitutes in most baked good recipes. Look for trans-fat-free oils, spreads and butter. Instead of oil, use low-fat or non-fat cooking sprays to coat and cook meat, sauté vegetables or prepare omelets.
Cut down on sugar — Keeping tabs on how much sugar you’re swallowing is an important part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Explore using sugar substitutes like stevia which can be used in drinks and for baking. The good news, according to the American Heart Association (AHA) is that cutting down on sugar may be easier than you think. Read food labels to identify sugar and hidden sugars.
Garnish not! — Skip the added butter, whip cream, gravy & cream sauces. Going plain allows you to enjoy 100 percent of the foods natural flavor.
Explore your menu options — The internet, the library and most newspapers include articles that offer step by step tips for healthier baking, shopping and cooking.
You bite it, you write it — What if just by making one change in your habits you could double your weight loss? It may sound too good to be true, but many experts say that the simple act of keeping a food diary can encourage you to eat fewer calories — and thus lose weight. Don’t deny yourself of your favorite holiday foods, instead watch your portion size and track what you eat. Food tracking reveals:
What’s missing — Food tracking or food journaling allows you to see how much and what you are eating. You also see what you’re not eating (good carbs vs. bad carbs, fiber and hidden sugars) and perhaps your diet is lacking fruits or vegetables.
Food triggers — Food tracking can also reveal and identify triggers to avoid, such as not eating enough throughout the day and then overeating at night, or overeating when drinking alcohol.
Track your physical activity — In almost all plans to lose or maintain a healthy weight, you have to stay active. As a start, the CDC recommends that adults need to do two hours and 30 minutes of both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activities weekly.
Set your goal to lose or at least maintain your weight during this upcoming holiday season. There is a tendency to gain weight in adulthood, but being overweight increases the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer, arthritis, breathing problems and other illness. Therefore, most adults should not gain weight. If you are uncertain about your risk of developing a problem associated with being overweight, you should consult a health professional.
November is here, and with it, the holiday season begins. As you begin to plan and shop for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, including the turkey dinner with all the trimmings, a critical step for preparing your great holiday meal is to safely prepare your stuffing.
When it comes to both the turkey and stuffing there are food safety practices that must be considered in order to ensure a great tasting and safe holiday meal. Cooking a home-stuffed turkey is riskier than cooking the stuffing separate from the turkey. Even if the turkey has reached the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the stuffing may not have reached a temperature high enough to destroy potential bacteria.
Purchase a food thermometer if you don’t have one, or if you do have one, find it and calibrate the thermometer in your kitchen
When planning for your stuffing, it is recommended to bake your stuffing outside of the turkey in a separate baking dish, until the stuffing reaches a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you choose to stuff your turkey, follow these tips:
Precook any raw items like meat, fish or poultry that is an ingredient in the stuffing.
Do not mix wet and dry stuffing ingredients until you are ready to stuff the turkey.
Stuff the turkey loosely with the moist stuffing.
Use a food thermometer to ensure that the center of the stuffing reaches the temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria that could cause food-borne illness can survive if the temperature does not reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the turkey has not reached a minimum internal cooking temperature of 165 degrees, continue roasting the turkey until it reaches the minimum temperature.
Let the turkey and stuffing rest for 20 minutes before carving and removing the stuffing.
Refrigerate any leftover stuffing within two hours of removing it from the oven.
Reheat stuffing to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating the leftovers.
Enjoy your safe and tasty stuffing for this year’s turkey day.
Michigan State University Extension is committed to helping people improve their lives by extending research-based knowledge about a variety of topics. One issue of great concern is the increase of those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is not a specific disease, but is referred to as a group of symptoms which show up as a general decline in mental ability that interferes with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is a common form of dementia and is considered a degenerative brain disease.
Data from the 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report states that in the United States, as of 2018, over 5 million people of all ages are living with Alzheimer’s dementia. Due to people living longer because of better health interventions and the aging baby boomer generation, the number of people age 65 and older is expected to increase to 22 percent in 2050. The number of people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will increase. In Michigan alone, the number of those aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s is expected to increase from 180,000 in 2018, to 220,000 in 2025, with additional projections of 13.8 million in 2050.
Dementia can also be a symptom of other underlying health issues and your doctor has the tools to help sort that out. The following is a list of the ten early warning signs. Each one of these can be explored more by visiting the Alzheimer’s Association website at www.alz.org.
Ten Early Signs of Alzheimer’s:
Memory loss that disrupts daily life.
Challenges in planning or solving problems.
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, work or leisure.
Confusion with time or place.
Trouble with visual images and spatial relationships.
New problems with words or writing.
Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
Decreased or poor judgement.
Withdrawal from work or social activities.
Change in mood or personality.
Early warning signs listed above are different from the normal age-related memory changes. Typically as we age, we all misplace things, search for the right word to use and even forget what day it is. One way to explain it is if I just can’t find my keys, I may be experiencing a typical age-related memory issue, but if I don’t know what keys are for or what they are called, I may be experiencing an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Early diagnosis and treatment are critical. One thing you can do is to know the ten early warning signs. If you think they apply to you or a loved one, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss further testing.
If you are a caregiver of someone who is living with dementia or Alzheimer’s consider signing up for a Powerful Tools for Caregivers series through Michigan State University Extension.
Having a TV or movie day once in a while won’t kill you, but frequent binge-watching ups your chances of developing serious health conditions. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
You’ve just settled in to your well-worn spot on the couch, big bowl of popcorn, chips or other savory snacks and soda by your side, ready for an all-day, TV-watching extravaganza.
But you might want to push pause—according to a new study, your health might be Breaking Bad, too.
In a recent study of people at higher risk of developing diabetes, researchers found every hour spent sitting can increase that risk by 3.4 percent. So sitting through the last season of Mad Men can lead to a 30 percent increased risk, according to studies published in the journal Diabetologia and elsewhere.
“I would echo the beliefs, simply because the information is known,” Dr. Selfe said. “We know that individuals at risk, whether it’s a family genetic component, a history of gestational diabetes, metabolic syndrome, are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
“In my mind, this echoes the things we already know, but it puts a focus on our American lifestyle. Sitting on the couch multiple hours a day, I would suspect, whether it’s reading a book, watching television or what have you, all of those things are going to contribute to further risk of diabetes.”
The risk is very real for a growing number of Americans.
According to 2018 statistics from the American Diabetes Association, one in 11 Americans have diabetes. About a quarter don’t know they have the condition, and the majority of them have Type 2 diabetes.
But a day-long The Big Bang Theory marathon probably isn’t a one-way trip to Type 2 by itself, Dr. Selfe said.
“If you’re talking about one day, I’d take (the study) with a grain of salt,” he said. “So this weekend, you binge-watch Breaking Bad for 12 hours, that means, theoretically, in the next five years, you’re going to get diabetes. I think that’s an overstatement of what they’re trying to get at, but it’s kind of for shock value.”
What the study does underscore, Dr. Selfe said, is that our increasingly sedentary lifestyles are taking their toll on our long-term health.
“From my perspective, (the study) confirms what we already know,” he said. “Engaging in regular exercise, being active on a daily basis—which has become more difficult in American society because we have computers, smart phones, the internet and machines to do a lot of the regular work we used to do even 50 or 100 years ago—really has increased that risk.”
But unlike, say, Dexter, this story doesn’t have to have an unhappy ending. The key is all about balance, Dr. Selfe explained.
“You definitely shouldn’t binge-watch and drink soda and eat Cheetos and all these other things that are prolific in American society,” he said. “I think this study, and studies done in the past, all beg toward moderation, and we are not a society of moderation. We super-size all of our foods, and we binge-watch TV at times. The reality is we continue to do less and less on a daily basis. Some of that is out of choice, and some of that is out of our situation. A lot of us sit behind a desk eight to 12 hours a day.
“The bottom line is, people need to engage in moderation, and they need to realize that incorporating activity on a daily basis is markedly impactful across the board, whether we’re talking about heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol … across the gamut, activity has been shown to be beneficial for everybody.”
So don’t forget to mix in some actual walking, before you settle in to watch the last season of The Walking Dead.
Know your numbers. Get your annual physical, including all of the blood and urine labs your doctor deems necessary. Need help finding a doctor? Call 877.362.8362 to get connected with a provider who will suit your needs.
It can be very difficult to be health conscious this time of year as food and festivity will always be a major part of the holiday season. It’s an especially challenging time for those who have diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends planning ahead and provides the following tips and guidelines to help those with diabetes enjoy the foods associated with the holidays, while still staying healthy:
Think about the timing of your meal. Holiday meals, such as Thanksgiving, are often served at times that don’t align with our regular meal schedule. Take this into consideration if you are taking medication such as insulin injections or pills that lower blood glucose. Talk to your health care professional about having snacks available if low blood glucose is a concern.
Be physically active. Consider incorporating more exercise, such as walking, riding a bike or visiting the gym when you know you’ll be eating more than usual. Encourage family members to join you in starting new traditions that involve physical activity such as playing a game of Frisbee, soccer or touch football.
Try healthier versions of your favorite holiday foods. Try using fat-free or light ingredients when preparing your favorite holiday dishes. Add less sugar to dishes that already provide natural sweetness such as winter squash casseroles and fruit pies. Check out the American Diabetes Association website as well as other diabetes friendly recipes available online.
Have low calorie foods such as raw vegetables with low-fat dip or cheese on hand while you’re cooking or waiting to eat. Avoid high-calorie and/or fried foods that are often served as appetizers during the holidays.
Be selective. High carbohydrate foods are a staple when it comes to many traditional holiday foods. Choose reasonable portions of your favorite high carb foods and allow yourself to pass on the rest.
Eat smaller portions. Don’t forget to use portion control when selecting foods that are higher in carbohydrates. Be mindful of keeping your total carbohydrate intake within a recommended range.
Eat your vegetables. Incorporate more color and nutrition to the holiday table by providing non-starchy vegetables dishes such as green salads and steamed vegetables to the menu. Vegetables not only fill you up, they can also help prevent you from overeating other foods that are loaded with calories and fat.
Michigan State University Extension recommends that people with diabetes always work with your health care team and offers diabetes programs that educate on proper eating and self-management, such as Dining with Diabetes.
By Karen L. Pace, Michigan State University Extension
A growing body of reliable, scientific research shows the benefits of social and emotional learning for both youth and adults. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), efforts that promote social and emotional learning improve young people’s academic success and overall health and well-being, while reducing negative behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, violence and bullying.
Learning to navigate distressing emotions and stress are important aspects of emotional growth and development. Kids, like adults, experience daily stressors in their lives that can take an emotional and physical toll. In a national KidsHealth® KidsPoll, young people said the things that caused them stress included grades, school and homework (36 percent); family (32 percent); and friends, peers, gossip and teasing (21 percent). Too often, kids’ reactions to stress are seen as inappropriate negative behaviors that need to be stopped rather than opportunities to teach new skills that help young people learn to calm their minds and bodies.
One way for children and adults to develop self-awareness and the ability to navigate stress is through the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a process of active, open, nonjudgmental awareness. It is paying attention in the present moment with openness, curiosity and flexibility. Neuroscience and psychological research suggests that the intentional practice of mindfulness improves the immune system as well as increases gray matter in the brain involved with learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, empathy and perspective taking.
Parents, educators, youth workers and others can provide opportunities to practice everyday mindfulness with the young people in their lives. Everyday mindfulness involves paying attention to our experiences in the moment rather than being caught up in our fearful, angry, anxious or worried thoughts. When we are caught up in these distressing thoughts, we often lose perspective about the best way to respond in a painful, difficult or stressful moment.
Simply notice the sights, smells and things that surround you. Focus on what’s there for you in the moment, right here, right now. If you find your mind starts to wander, that’s okay. Find something in your surroundings to focus on that will bring you back to the here and now.
Count your breaths either aloud or in your head. This is helpful if you’re feeling stressed, nervous or overwhelmed. Breathe in for five seconds, counting 1-2-3-4-5. Breathe out for five seconds, counting 1-2-3-4-5. Simply be aware of your stressed or nervous feelings. Don’t judge those feelings or try to push them away. They will pass as you count and breathe.
Release tension in your body. Sit, stand or lie down in a comfortable position. Simply notice where you feel tense or stress in your body. When you breathe in, picture yourself gathering the stress or worry into a cloud. When you breathe out, picture yourself releasing that stress or blowing the cloud away.
Research shows that practicing everyday mindfulness is good for our physical, social and emotional health and well-being. Even if our experience in a moment is painful or challenging, we can remain open, aware and curious about it instead of running from it or fighting with it. When we remain mindful and in the present moment, we are better able to tap our deepest, wisest self and respond to hard situations in ways that reflect our core values and who we want to be in the world.
By Tyler Becker, Michigan State University Extension
Due to the importance of exercise, there are physical activity guidelines for both youth and adults. Overall, physically active youth have stronger muscles and bones, lower body fat and lower risk for depression and anxiety than physically inactive youth. Physically active youth are usually healthier adults with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and numerous other chronic diseases. The current guidelines for children 6 to 17 years of age include being physically active for at least 60 minutes or more each day with aerobic, muscle and bone strengthening activities.
Aerobic Activity
Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise is defined as activity in which an individual is rhythmically moving large muscle groups thereby increasing one’s heart rate and use of oxygen. In turn, this increases an individual’s cardiorespiratory fitness. Examples of aerobic activity include biking, running, jogging, swimming, jumping rope, etc. Majority of a child’s daily physical activity should be either moderately or vigorously intense aerobic activity, with the latter included in at least three days of the week. Examples of moderately intense aerobic activity includes hiking, biking and brisk walking and examples of vigorous-intense aerobic activity include running, active games with a running component like tag, some sports like basketball or tennis and martial arts.
Muscle Strengthening Activity
Muscle strengthening activity is movement in which the body’s muscles perform more work than is usually done in daily life. When we think of muscle-strengthening activity, we commonly think of lifting weights, however, this is not necessarily the case. Examples of other muscle-strengthening activities for children include bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats or curl-ups, resistance exercises with bands, games such as tug-of-war and playing on playground equipment. Muscle-strengthening activities should be included as part of the 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity at least three days per week. For further information related to muscle-strengthening activity in younger male and female children, refer to the Updated Youth Resistance Training Position Statement from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Bone Strengthening Activity
Bone strengthening activity is primarily designed to increase bone strength and growth by providing an impact or tension force on the bones. Bone strengthening activities can also be muscle strengthening or aerobic activities as well. Examples of these include jumping rope, running, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, etc. Bone strengthening activities should also be performed as part of the 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity at least three days per week.
What about children under 6 years of age?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges that physical activity in children less than 6 years of age, including infants, is important, however, there currently are not any recommended guidelines. The recommendations emphasize that physical activity be performed to promote health-related fitness and movement skills that are age appropriate. For further information, refer to Physical Activity from Birth – 5 years.
Overall, youth aged 6 to 17 years of age should be performing at least 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day, consisting of primarily aerobic activity, but also muscle and bone strengthening activities at least three days per week. Michigan State University Extension recommends gradually increasing the number of days and time spent being active to help reduce chances of injury.
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde
One hot, little number
We don’t know from whence these lists come, but apparently 4 9 5 0 8 is being hailed by Realtor.com as the hottest zip code in the entire US of A. And, it just so happens to be Kentwood’s zip code. Read all about it here.
Gobble, gobble
Mel Trotter Ministries is asking the community to donate frozen turkeys for its 15th annual ‘Turkey Drop’ project — their goal is to collect 1,500 gobblers to distribute to neighbors in need throughout West Michigan during the holiday season. They’re accepting donations Nov. 14th. Go here for more info.
Here’s to your health
Open enrollment for Healthcare.gov marketplace insurance plans ends Dec. 15th, so be sure to act now. There are some changes for 2019, and you know how time does fly when there’s a ridiculously short deadline. Go here for more info.
Fun Fact:
There is a technical name
for the “fear of long words”
It’s called “hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.”
By Eve Clayton, Spectrum Health Beat; photos by Chris Clark
Kathy Earle had her right hip replaced the first Monday in June. Two days later, she found herself recovering at home and ready to climb the 14 stairs to her second-floor bedroom.
With her daughter, Emily Adamczyk, behind her for support, Earle, 62, recited the rule she learned from the staff at Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital, where she had her surgery: “Up with your good leg first, down with your bad leg first.”
The mother and daughter had picked up that tip and many others when, a few weeks before her surgery, they attended a joint replacement class for patients and their caregivers.
Adamczyk heard this tip again just before discharge, at a new class offered for caregivers of hip and knee replacement patients.
Ready to go
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
The pre-discharge class packs a lot of information into a half hour, including cautions and reminders. The class made Adamczyk more comfortable with the idea of being her mom’s at-home caregiver.
“Seeing what she was capable of in the hospital was great, but then it was like, ‘Oh boy, now I have to support her by myself,’” she said. “To have a chance to sit down and hear it all again in class was really helpful.”
In addition to providing information about helping patients move around safely, the class—co-taught by a registered nurse and a physical or occupational therapist—covers several other topics, including:
Wound care
Pain medications and pain management
Preventing blood clots, infections, constipation and falls
The orthopedics team rolled the class out in March to give caregivers more confidence as they take their loved ones home, according to Liz Schulte, MSN, RN, nurse manager.
“Our patients are seeing shorter and shorter times in the hospital, and when they go home they still have a long road of recovery ahead,” Schulte said. “So to prepare that caregiver, who will be the one helping them with their medications, helping them ambulate—all of these hands-on things—it better sets them up for success.”
Consulting her class notes at home helped, too, Adamczyk said. When her mom’s leg began to swell, she checked a class handout to confirm that swelling is a normal part of the healing process.
“I think that if I didn’t know that, I would have been nervous,” she said.
Spectrum Health’s joint replacement program is one of the largest in the country and one of the first that The Joint Commission certified for total hip and total knee replacements.
“Part of the certification process is looking at your whole program and looking at what you can improve,” Schulte said, noting the program’s recent re-certification. The joint replacement discharge class is a step toward improved patient outcomes.
Freedom from pain
From Earle’s perspective, her outcome has been “amazing.” Just nine days after surgery—about a week ahead of schedule—she abandoned her walker and began using a cane to get around the house.
“Each day there’s something that gets a little easier. Each day it gets stronger,” said Earle, a retired elementary school teacher who lives outside Rockford, Michigan. “It’s amazing what the human body can do.”
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Her right hip replacement has gone so well that she even plans to ask her surgeon, Thomas Malvitz, MD, about moving up the date of her eventual left hip replacement, she said. After dealing with arthritis pain for more than two years, she’s excited about the prospect of being free of pain.
“She loves to travel and has gone a lot of places with this sore hip, but it has slowed her down a lot,” Adamczyk said. “It was affecting her quality of life.”
Once Earle’s post-surgery driving restriction is lifted, one of her first trips this summer may well be to Lake Michigan.
“I definitely am looking forward to walking on a beach,” she said. “I think that would be an awesome thing.”
By Dr. Nancy A. Pattison, FAAP, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Heart of the City Pediatrics and Westside Health Center
Parents need to understand the behaviors they see are not on purpose. Their kids aren’t acting “bad” on purpose. All kids are born “people pleasers” and are trying to do the best they can. When they are not acting the way you think is healthy, please find out why they are acting this way and what you can do to help them. A good child therapist can help if you need to change how you parent your child in order to get the best out of them. Without being rude, I would ask you to consider how dogs are taught to not potty in the house. You train them with kindness and attention to let you know when they need to go outside. The same goes for kids in many ways. As kids don’t come with an instruction manual at birth, getting “training” advice may be helpful! Here are some ways to keep your child healthy:
Make sure they get 8-10 hours of good sleep (if your child snores talk to their primary care doctor and get that fixed!).
Eat food that is pulled off a tree, off a bush or out of the ground – not out of a box. Processed foods (food out of a box like cereal and mac and cheese) are bad for the brain.
Eat good protein (eggs, nuts, beans, chicken, turkey and some fish) and good fat.
Avoid fast food.
Help them go out and play in a green space (and away from video games and TV).
If medication is prescribed, know that it will work better if you do all of these things listed! Enjoy your talented, think outside the box, creative child!
By Brenda Long, Michigan State University Extension
For more information contact Brenda Long.
Health insurance helps provide financial protection. It is for managing the risks of very high medical expenses for potential future health problems. Plan your choices during health insurance open enrollment for 2019. If you obtain health insurance from your employer, ask about the enrollment dates and options. The information below is for people buying health insurance on their own.
Changes for 2019 include the following:
1. Premiums have flattened out for 2019 Health Insurance Marketplace plans after several years of spikes, according to the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Consumers should find more affordable, more comprehensive coverage. In Michigan, nine companies will be competing for policy holders to purchase Qualified Health Plans in the Michigan Health Insurance Marketplace:
Blue Care Network
Blue Cross Blue Shield of MI
McLaren Health Plan Community
Meridian Health Plan of MI, Inc
Molina Healthcare of MI
Oscar Insurance Company
Physicians Health Plan
Priority Health
Total Health Care USA
2. The repeal of the individual mandate requirement to pay for health insurance is still in effect in 2018 but will not be included in 2019. This means when you file federal income taxes for 2019, you will not pay a penalty for not having health insurance.
3. Short-term, limited-duration plans are allowable to cover an initial period of less than 12 months with renewal options, and up to 36 months total. This provides for new, more affordable options. These plans can provide coverage for people transitioning between jobs, students taking time off from school, and middle-class families without access to subsidized ACA plans. These plans offer lower premiums than comprehensive health insurance, but also cover less. They do not have to take people with pre-existing medical conditions. They may not cover maternity, mental health, prescription drugs and substance abuse treatment. Read the fine print if you are considering this coverage.
Not new but important to mention are Health Savings Accounts (HSA), which can be set up through your employer or by an individual. These tax-exempt accounts can be used to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses not covered by traditional health plans. HSAs must be established with a high deductible plan so that the HSA pays for routine health expenses and the health plan for more significant costs. Individuals can go to many banks and credit unions in Michigan to set up an account.
Know the dates of the Open Enrollment period. The Health Insurance Marketplace has a 45-day enrollment period from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, 2018. The Medicare open enrollment period is different from the Marketplace time frame, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2018. If you qualify for the Healthy Michigan Plan, Medicaid or MiChild, you can enroll at any time of the year.
Ask your employer if it offers health insurance as a benefit. Some employers make use of the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) for employees. If not, you may need to get coverage through the Marketplace, or directly from a health insurance agent or company.
Make a list of questions before it is time to choose your health plan. Do you want to stay with your current doctor? Will the plan provide coverage when you are travelling? This will help you compare multiple plans. Have you received a notice from your current health plan about changes to its provider network, co-pays, co-insurance, or prescription drug coverage and what does this mean for you? Read the notice carefully.
Gather your household income information. With the Marketplace, many people qualify for tax credits to save money based on family size and income. Find your most recent W-2, pay stubs or tax return.
Set your budget. You need to figure out how much you can afford to spend on premiums each month. Think about your health care needs, how often you visit the doctor, the number and cost of prescriptions. If you expect frequent visits, prescriptions or medical services, you might want a plan that has higher monthly premiums but pays more medical costs when you use them, so you have fewer out-of-pocket costs. For more information about managing plans with high deductibles, see my February 21, 2017, news article.
Setting family rules is the first step to establishing boundaries for your child’s behavior. Rules tell your children what you value, what is important to you and your family. When rules are enforced, it is an opportunity for children to practice making decisions and dealing with the consequences of their choices. Boundaries that you set will help guide your child’s behavior.
Keep the rules simple. The more complicated a rule, the harder it is to remember. Keep your rules short and simple so it is easier for young children to learn and remember. Rules for young children should be very easy to understand and there should be as few rules as possible.
Make sure rules are enforceable. Rules or boundaries should be connected to consequences, or what will happen if the rule is broken. Set consequences that are fair and reasonable and give your child the opportunity to learn to make better choices in the future.
Enforce rules consistently. If a rule is only enforced some of the time, your child will notice and they will learn that the rule doesn’t need to be followed. Make sure you enforce rules consistently and as soon as possible. This helps build a cause-and-effect relationship for your child (if I do this, then this will happen). This will help them learn to make better choices in the future.
Remind the rule. Kids need lots of reminders about rules and boundaries. Post a picture chart for your family rules in the house where your child will be able to see them regularly. Remind your child of the rules often, and give the warnings so they have the opportunity to change their behavior before facing consequences.
Remember that rules are for everyone. If you set a rule for your family and you break it, you are sending a message to your child that you do not value that rule. It’s important to practice what you preach and impact upon your child that the rule is so important, even you will follow it.
Family rules can help calm the chaos and set limits that will help your child understand boundaries and learn to make good choices.
For more articles on child development, academic success, parenting and life skill development, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.
To learn about the positive impact children and families experience due to MSU Extension programs, read our 2017 impact report. Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways Michigan 4-H and MSU Extension positively impacted individuals and communities in 2017, can be downloaded from the Michigan 4-H website.
Earning a degree in your later years isn’t just a matter of career advancement or personal achievement—it’s another way to stay sharp. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Shawn Foucher, Spectrum Health Beat
Researchers have long held that a heart-healthy diet and an active mind are among your best defenses against dementia.
But evidence continues to mount that you should also strive for a life of learning.
Recent studies suggest that mental stimulation at any age—from teens to post-retirement—is apt to improve the odds of enjoying a sound, healthy mind well into your twilight.
JAMA Neurology recently published results from a Minnesota study that found people ages 70 and older could decrease their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment by engaging in activities such as books, crafts, computers, games and socializing.
Interestingly, crafts and computers were especially associated with a decreased risk, according to the study.
Perhaps more compelling, however, is a separate JAMA Internal Medicine study that found an increase in educational attainment when you’re young may lead to a healthier brain in later ages.
Helmed by professor Kenneth Langa, the study reinforces what other researchers have been noticing—an unexpected but encouraging decline in dementia rates among the aging population in the U.S.
Langa and his team uncovered the association between dementia and educational attainment.
They measured dementia rates in two groups, one with an average age of 75 in 2000, the other with an average age of 75 in 2012. They found the dementia rate at 11.6 percent in the first group, 8.8 percent in the second group.
While those in the first group had attained about 11.8 years of education, on average, those in the second group attained about 12.7 years—almost a full additional year.
Coincidentally, the increasing value Americans have placed on education is borne out in the historical data. Prior to World War II, about 38 percent of those ages 25 to 29 had completed high school. By 1960, more than 60 percent in this age group had completed high school.
In comparing earlier generations to subsequent ones, it may suggest a greater return than expected on education: brain health benefits.
The notion that education could promote longer-term brain health is certainly not lost on the legion of gerontologists and neurologists responsible for treating some of the 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, and millions more suffering from various forms of dementia.
“We know from other studies that education does appear to be a protective factor, so folks with more education are less likely to develop dementia,” said Maegan Hatfield-Eldred, PhD, a neuropsychologist with Spectrum Health.
“The idea is that education, learning new things, stimulates the parts of the brain that produce new cells and grow connections between cells,” Dr. Hatfield-Eldred said. “So people with more education have more brain matter that they can lose, and still maintain normal functioning.”
The implication here, of course, is that this brain stimulation and development occurs in youth and continues to benefit people into old age.
The takeaway: Brain health isn’t something to ruminate post-retirement.
It’s something parents should keep in mind for themselves and their children from the get-go, with consistent emphasis on education and intellectual development.
“It really emphasizes the importance of thinking about brain health over your lifespan,” Dr. Hatfield-Eldred said. “This isn’t something you should think about when you turn 70. It’s really a lifetime thing. The things you do over your lifespan impact whether you may develop dementia down the road.”
Ponder it
A question remains: What can you do now, as an adult, to increase the chances you’ll have a healthy brain into your 70s, 80s and beyond?
While age is the biggest determinant in the development of Alzheimer’s and forms of dementia, genetic factors also play a substantial role. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, although some medications can alleviate the symptoms.
“The No. 1 risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is your age,” said Iris Boettcher, MD, chief of geriatrics for Spectrum Health. “The older you get, the higher the risk.”
You can’t change your genes, but you can change your lifestyle.
Activities that require mental concentration are all apt to help with cognitive function, Dr. Boettcher said.
“The advice I give, even once the diagnosis of dementia is made, is we know that regular mental stimulation is helpful in reducing the progression of the disease,” she said.
Dr. Boettcher is especially keen on discussions and activities that encourage higher-level thinking.
“People say reading, and reading is OK, but it’s really discussing what you have read,” she said. “You can read things over and over again, but it’s not necessarily constructive brain stimulation.”
While that’s no call to run out and enroll in the physics track at your local university, it is a call to challenge yourself mentally.
“It’s not a cure-all,” Dr. Hatfield-Eldred said. “But in general, we know that people who stay (mentally) active have lower (dementia) rates. It may prolong the onset of dementia if you are someone who was going to develop dementia. Maybe you’ll get it later than you would, or maybe it will progress more slowly than it would have without those activities.”
Drs. Hatfield-Eldred and Boettcher also emphasize the importance of regular exercise—at least three times a week, about 20 to 30 minutes each time—and a heart-healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet.
“It’s been shown in multiple studies: It reduces the progression of dementia and it’s healthy for the brain,” Dr. Boettcher said. “You don’t have to be a marathon runner or work out in a gym. It’s very simple.”
The take-home message from these studies: “There’s no one magic activity,” Dr. Hatfield-Eldred said.
He echoes the sentiment that cold weather is particularly tough on lungs and provided some of his top advice for how to stay active.
4 easy ways to help combat the wheeze:
1. Cover your mouth and breathe through your nose
Before heading outside make sure to cover your mouth with a scarf, turtleneck, neck gaiter or whatever you prefer. Covering you mouth helps warm up the outside air before it enters your lungs.
Dry and cold air is a prime trigger for airway narrowing, notes the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, and focusing on warming and humidifying the air you breathe is key.
Breathing through your nose helps.
That may sound like a request from Ms. Manners, but breathing through your nose will help warm the air before it enters your lungs.
“We prefer that children stay active and involved in sports, even in the winter,” Dr. Schuen said.
He works with kids and teens who have cold-induced asthma to avoid issues when braving the outdoor temps. Sometimes that means suggesting the use of inhalers and medications “before going out into the cold Michigan winter.”
“This is in addition to covering your mouth with a scarf or face mask,” he added.
2. Take your exercise inside
Up to 90 percent of people with asthma encounter breathing difficulties while exercising. When you exercise, you generally breathe through your mouth, and the symptoms will only get worse if you’re breathing in cold or dry air.
For some people, this might include limiting activities like shoveling snow or playing outside in the winter months.
Consider taking your exercise indoors. Join a gym, invest in indoor exercise equipment, or learn some indoor routines that will keep you feeling great.
Definitely talk with your doctor about what you can do to prevent flareups while working out, such as warming up, pacing yourself, taking your medication prior to exercising, or the specific types of exercise you might want to consider. Sometimes short bursts of exercise or more leisurely exercise like walking or swimming work best.
3. Skip the cozy wood fires
We all know that cigarette smoke irritates asthma but did you know that fire smoke can have the same effect?
Wood smoke contains benzene, formaldehyde, acrolein and methane. Small particles from the smoke can lodge inside the lungs, sometimes deep, aggravating asthma and causing other breathing issues.
Gas fireplaces are a bit better, but they still release nitrogen dioxide, which can irritate the lungs.
Another note in this area: Make sure to replace your furnace filter and vacuum your indoor space frequently during the winter to keep allergens such as smoke particles, mold and pet dander low.
4. Keep germs at bay
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as many as eight out of 10 asthma attacks in children and four out of 10 in adults are triggered by viral infections.
Between RSV, the common cold, and the flu, winter is rife with viral hurdles. Get vaccinations, when possible. Wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer frequently, and try to steer clear of those who are sneezing or coughing around you.
Sometimes an infection can’t be avoided, so if you start to fall ill, stay home and keep yourself well-hydrated. Talk with your doctor about when you should seek medical care, or consider a MedNow video appointment so you can get treatment while at home. Try to keep your cold from turning into something more serious.
As the days draw shorter and temperatures decrease, we know that the holiday season is upon us. Not only do we usually indulge ourselves during this time, but we also become less physically active.
It is not surprising that the average American gains about a pound this time of year.
There are numerous reasons for this weight gain, especially the overall busyness we tend to have, with parties and preparing for them. Outside of the usual overindulging we go through with at the table, these busy schedules often cause us to reach for more convenient options that are not necessarily the most nutrient-dense.
What are some approaches we can use year round, but especially at this time of year to minimize or prevent weight gain?
Methods to Utilize When Eating This Holiday Season
There are numerous techniques that can be employed to help us enjoy eating during the holiday season, while not going overboard by eating too much. One of these options is to utilize mindful eating practices, as described in previous articles. Mindful eating allows you to checking in with yourselves to see if you are actually hungry, gives you time to appraise and admire your meal, encourages slowing down your eating, lets you savor and taste every bite and helps you stop when you are full.
Another method is to substitute foods with lower calorie options. This could include using sugar substitutes during baking to maintain the sweet taste we enjoy in our desserts, but reducing the number of calories we consume. Other options could be using low fat or fat-free substitutes. One could also load up on more nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and vegetables, but also include some dessert. Other helpful hints for eating during the holiday season can be found here.
Physical Activity During the Holidays
Although the holiday season is upon us, this is not a reason to give up on your current physical activity habits. The best recommendation is to maintain your current physical activity schedule, whether that is going to the gym or outside for a run. However, the busyness of this time of year, plus changes in the weather, are not necessarily conducive to performing physical activity. There are approaches to this dilemma. For example, if you currently run outdoors, you may have to make some modifications such as running on an indoor track, or taking up cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
To prevent extra weight gain, the simplest method is to burn, or expend, more calories. This could be as simple as adding an extra workout day, or encourage some family bonding time and going for walks. Remember, although you may miss a workout or two, it is not the end of the world nor the most important part of the holiday season.
This time of year, we usually consume more foods, especially the sweet ones, and perform less physical activity, however, there are numerous methods we can employ to help us still enjoy the holidays, without gaining that extra pound of body weight. This could be changing the way we eat, or performing extra physical activity. Regardless, we should also utilize these methods throughout the year.
