Category Archives: How-To’s

Container gardening for seniors

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


There are a lot of great benefits to being a senior, but you may be dismayed with lessening mobility. Retirement can also have you searching for hobbies to fill the time that don’t require an abundance of energy or time. While traditionally gardening is a task that requires a lot of both, container gardening is a way to enjoy nature that won’t take as much out of you.

What is Container Gardening?

Container gardening is, as the name implies, gardening that happens in containers rather than in the ground. A container can be anything that holds soil and plants, from traditional pots to repurposed basins and tubs. Almost any plant can be gardened in a container, even some types of small trees.


If you have little or no outdoor space, then container gardening has the extra bonus of not needing a lot of room. A few window planters or pots on a balcony can give you that garden you wanted without needing a lot of yard.


You can also container garden indoors, with smaller pots on windowsills or raised on tables in a mudroom or sunroom. Containers at different heights can add even more dimension and layers to your garden.

Why Seniors?

So why is container gardening a good idea for seniors? For starters, you don’t have to be a natural gardener or someone with lots of experience to begin. Container gardening is great for a new hobby, and it doesn’t cost much to get started.


In addition, the containers you choose to garden in can be raised so you don’t have to bend down and stand up like you do with traditional gardening. If you have additional handicaps or are in a wheelchair, you can find raised planters that come to a level that you are comfortable with.


Even if you are a fairly mobile senior, container gardening can be an exercise that helps you avoid spending long periods of time out in the heat. A slight raise up from ground level can also be a big help for your back, and container gardens are easier to move and manipulate than a garden in the ground.

Picking Containers

While containers can come in any size, from small, egg-sized pots for small succulents to huge planters for bushes, it’s easier to garden in something that has a bit of room for your plants to grow. Because it’s an enclosed space, roots will only grow as big as the container allows, so a larger pot gives your plants more room.


Examples of containers you can use include:

  • Hanging baskets
  • Plastic pots
  • Metal planters
  • Planters with added trellises
  • Wash tubs
  • Clustered pots
  • Wicker baskets
  • Bowls
  • Terra cotta pots
  • Hollow concrete squares

All of these types of containers can also be raised if they don’t already come with a stand to get them off the ground and closer to you.

Prepping Your Container

Once you have a container—or several—picked out, it’s time to start considering the logistics. Move your container to where you want it to be before you start to fill it with dirt, which will quickly add weight to your container.


Another detail to consider is the drainage of your container. All containers should have a draining system like holes in the bottom—unless it is a cachepot. A cachepot is a decorative pot that a smaller, plain pot with drainage rests inside of. A cachepot should not be used as a regular container because without drainage you plant’s roots can get waterlogged.


Containers also use a different kind of dirt than a regular garden. Ground gardening soil is too heavy for plants in containers, so a lighter soil mix like houseplant soil will provide better results. You also want to make sure that the water, once it drains through the soil, doesn’t flow or fall on anything that could be water damaged. A tray or flat plate to collect water can be a big help if your container doesn’t come with one.

Deciding on Plants

Vegetables

Herbs

  • Chives
  • Parsley
  • Basil
  • Mint
  • Lemongrass
  • Garlic

Annual flowers

  • Geraniums
  • Marigolds
  • Dwarf dahlias
  • Bluemink
  • African daisies
  • Black-eyed susans
  • Heliotrope

Perennials

  • Hostas
  • Ferns
  • Lavender
  • Daylilies
  • Echinacea
  • Primroses
  • Carnations
  • Foxglove

Final Thoughts

Here are some final tips about container gardening for seniors:

  1. Keep the soil in your container damp. Drying the dirt out makes it difficult to re-wet and stay moist.
  2. Have quality pruning and gardening tools so you don’t strain yourself.
  3. Regularly fertilize the containers to give plants extra nutrients.
  4. Keep an eye on your allergies, and avoid plants that are going to make you sneeze.
  5. Clear out dead leaves or flowers that might be detracting from the overall look of your garden.
  6. Keep an eye on how much sun and shade your containers get—you may need to adjust what plants you pick to find something that can thrive in different light conditions.
  7. Play around with plant arrangements to find something that you like.
  8. Enjoy yourself!

Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


The power of a pack

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A greater commitment to fitness is one of the payoffs to joining a dedicated walking group in your community. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Len Canter, HealthDay


You enjoy walking and even have an exercise buddy to keep you on track. But maybe your enthusiasm has started to wane.


The answer? Expand your workout circle and form a walking group in your community. By planning walks and encouraging one another, each member will have an impact on everyone else’s health.


Createthegood.org offers simple steps to get started.


First, see if there’s already a community-based organization that might join forces with you or offer ideas, information and resources. Maybe there’s a nonprofit that you’d like to support through a walk six or 12 months from now—check out its website to see if it offers planning pointers for fundraising events.


Next, decide how wide a net you want to cast to recruit members. You might keep the group to people you know or extend it to include friends of friends.


Hold a kick-off meeting and work out key details like the days and times the group will meet, how long you’ll walk each time and a list of routes that will keep things interesting. Set up a system for contacting one another by text or e-mail so you can send updates and reminders before each walk.


If you’d rather join a group than start one, check out Walkwithadoc.org.


Started in 2005 by David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio, it has chapters across the country. Walks are typically held on weekends for an hour and include a conversation with the local doctor who leads the chapter. It’s a great way to meet other people and get fit together.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

 

 

Tick, tick, boom!

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

By Health Beat staff


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Dr. Olivero agreed.


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


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Stay sun smart—shun the rays

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

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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

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


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Easy indoor gardening in assisted living

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


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


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

Aloe

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

English Ivy

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

Rubber Tree

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

Snake Plant

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

Areca Palms

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


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


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.


10 doctor-approved tips for runners

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

By Jason Singer, Spectrum Health Beat

Photos by Chris Clark


Ready to lace up your running shoes?


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


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

1. Set a goal

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


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


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

2. Select a program

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

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


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


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

3. Cross training

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


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


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

4. Listen to your body

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

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

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


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


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

5. Proper shoes

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


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

6. Outdoors vs. Treadmill

All running is helpful, Dr. Axtman said.


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


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

7. Weight lifting

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


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


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

8. Running partners

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

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

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


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

9. Hydration

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


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


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


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

10. Lifestyle changes

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


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


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


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


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Enjoy sugar, but in moderation

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By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


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


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


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


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

Belly up and listen

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Shelly was smart to be worried.


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


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

Icky, sticky

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


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


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


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


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


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

Back to basics

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

Grow with SEEDS

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


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


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


Here are the seven basic things I discussed with Shelly:

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

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


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


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


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


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Picnics, potlucks and … pathogens?

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

By Kristi Veltkamp, Spectrum Health Beat


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


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


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


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


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


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

Keep it cold

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


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

Rule the cooler

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


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


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


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

Avoid cross-contamination

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

Prep your produce

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

Grill it right

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


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


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


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


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


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Transition to summertime

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Carrie Shrier, Michigan State University Extension


All across the country, children are wrapping up their school year. Final projects are turned in, the last concert of the year is performed and awards banquets are being held. Soon the bell will ring on the end of the year and children will be home for the summer.


This is a fun time, but it is also a time of transition. Transitions, both positive and negative, can be challenging times for children and their parents. What can you do to help your family successfully get into the summer routine and limit the beginning of summer chaos? Michigan State University Extension offers the following tips for summer success.

Allow for time to settle into the routine

It’s easy to think that with school out, the pressure is off, and kids should be relaxed and happy. The truth is that it isn’t always that easy. School ending abruptly changes a child’s routine and structure to their day. They miss their friends, they worry about the upcoming school year, they’re bored with long days ahead and (seemingly) nothing to do, or suddenly they’re spending an awful lot of time with their siblings. Expect the first few weeks of summer to be bumpy for children.


Set aside time for a family meeting to plan for a successful summer. What do your children want and need in the summer months? Perhaps it’s siblings respecting the private space of their bedroom or being allowed to wait until late morning to start chores. Allow children to share their feelings and be heard.

Establish rules and guidelines together

Clear expectations and boundaries for children help them be successful. What do you expect your children to do each day in the summer? How much screen time is allowed? Can screen time come before chores or is it after chores only? When can they go play with friends? How far can they go from home when playing outside?

Maintain a routine and bedtime

Routines do not have to mean firm schedules. It’s OK to let children stay up late catching fireflies or sitting around the campfire once and a while. However, maintaining predictable routines and schedules is helpful for children. They might not tell you they enjoy the routine, but knowing what comes next is a safe and predictable feeling for children. They know what to expect and when to expect it. Stick with a reasonable bedtime and support your child getting adequate sleep every night. Blackout blinds or curtains can help children fall asleep when it is still daylight and sleep in later in the morning.

Stay busy, but not too busy

Summer is a great time to be outside playing with friends and family. Schedule fun outings, camps and other activities, but don’t forget to let your child have time to just play at home. Play allows children to use creativity, imagination, dexterity as well as physical, cognitive, social and emotional skills. Authentic play experiences are essential to healthy development. Try to make time for your child to just play.

Keep learning alive

Don’t let the summer months mean an end to educational activities. Take time this summer to read with your children and engage in other learning focused activities. Sign up for the library summer reading program, go on nature walks, explore state parks. Keeping your children learning and engaged through the summer is the key to preventing summer learning loss and ensuring your children are ready to succeed at school in the fall.


Take time to plan ahead for a successful summer with your family. Include your children in creating their summer plans. Find out what they would like to do and schedule in their desired activities. Expect your children to contribute at home. Limit technology and encourage play. Relax, and enjoy your summer!


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


The heal-better diet

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

By Sarah Mahoney, Spectrum Health Beat


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


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


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


Inflammation after any injury is normal.


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


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


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

Building blocks

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


Start with protein.


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


Dr. Axtman recommends getting plenty of vitamin C.


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


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


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


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


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

Mind and body

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you ought to know

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By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain”

~Bob Marley
Tons of talent in one colorful exhibition

Dreaming, thinking
ready for my happy day*

‘Livin’ Is Easy’ summertime exhibition opens June 1st at LowellArts. Feast your senses on depictions of beautifully weathered objects; local Michigan waterways; animal and aquatic life forms; and whimsical figurative work. More details here. *Lyrics from Uriah Heep’s Easy Livin’.

Ready for some summertime fun?

Don’t settle for the
summertime blues

Soon the bell will ring on the end of the year and children will be home for the summer. Follow these handy-dandy tips to avoid the summertime blues. More here.

Look! It’s the International Space Station!

We are all made of stars

A gentle reminder that on Wednesday, May 29 (Hey! That’s tomorrow!), WKTV Government 26 will be featuring live coverage of the International Space Station Russian Spacewalk. Read all about it right here. Don’t miss it!

Fun fact:

3%

That’s how much more milk cows produce when they listen to relaxing music. Just ask the researchers at the University of Leicester. And then there is 2% milk, which is generally available at your local grocer’s. Has nothing to do with music, though.


(Do these look like Guernsey cows to you?)

The Ingenues, an all-girl band and vaudeville act, serenade the cows in the University of Wisconsin, Madison’s dairy barn in 1930. The show was apparently part of an experiment to see whether the soothing strains of music boosted the cows’ milk production. Go here to read the NPR story about it.
Angus B. McVicar/Wisconsin Historical Society



Life in the fast lane

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

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


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


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


What exactly is the difference?


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Dogscaping: Landscaping for you and your dog

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Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Dixie Sandborn, Michigan State University Extension


What exactly is dogscaping? Quite simply, it is landscaping for your dog’s safety and enjoyment. Dogscaping is not only for your dog’s enjoyment, it is for yours as well. If you enjoy the outdoors, like to garden or at least maintain a nicely landscaped lawn, it can be exasperating to have a pooch who does not share your passion. Four-legged friends do not always appreciate the hours you labor to have beautiful flowerbeds and perfectly groomed landscape plants around the patio.


There are a few things to keep in mind if you love your pets and your lawn. With a little planning and training, you and your dog can enjoy a shared outdoor space. Landscape design should always begin with a list of how you want to use the space. Draw a map of your property and identify the spaces and their uses. This will help you to plan how much space you have for specific dog activities. Also, list some of your dog’s behaviors and habits. Think about their likes and dislikes.


Here are a few things to consider when landscaping for you and your dog.

  • How much space do you have? Are you planning to share the entire space with your pooch?
  • What kind of breed is your dog? What are some of the breed’s general characteristics? Like humans, all dogs have different personalities, likes and dislikes. A dog’s breed can tell you general inherent characteristics and certain behaviors that are in their DNA. Try to work with those inherent traits instead of against them. This will be much less stressful for you and your dog.
  • Regardless of the breed, a good fence is highly recommended for your dog’s safety. Different dogs and different breeds prefer different types of fencing, but in general, a fence that the dog can see through is nice as they can patrol their territory. It is much less stressful for most dogs to see what’s on the other side of their enclosure. Also, when planning the landscape, you may want to leave a 3-foot “run” around your property’s perimeter (without landscape plants) so your dog has room to patrol.
  • Observe your dog’s behavior. Where do they like to run? Do they like to dig? Do they love to lay in the shade where you want to plant impatiens? Do they jump into your Koi pond every time they are alone in the yard? Try to find creative solutions so the gardener in you and your best friend are both happy.
  • Dogs love to dig! If you cannot deter your dog from digging in a particular area, work with it. Avoid planting your favorite plants in that spot. For example, my dog loved to dig right next to my deck. As soon as I decided it was OK, life became much better for me and my pooch. I simply planted some taller perennials around the selected digging hole and appreciated that she was not digging anywhere else in the landscape.
  • Train your dog to use a potty area.
  • Be vigilant when planting plants that are poisonous or toxic to your dog. This, of course, depends on your dog and how they use their environment. This does not mean you cannot have any plants toxic to your pet, you just need to be aware of your dog’s surroundings and habits. Some dogs like to chew on plants and others only chew up a few blades of grass from time to time. The best advice is to observe your pet and their interaction with landscape plants. Plan and plant accordingly.
  • Add a water feature your dog can enjoy, even a small kiddy pool filled with cool water is enjoyable for your pooch on hot summer days.

For more information about dogscaping or petscaping, there are many great books and interesting articles. One book I recommend is “Canine Design Dogscaping” by Tom Barthel. This book has a lot of great information about plant selection, dog ponds, walkways and fencing. The author includes a chapter on fruits and vegetables to feed your dog from your garden, including recipes for dog treats from the garden.


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


Reasons why you should throw flip and flop out

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

By Health Beat staff


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


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


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


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

Top 3 reasons to throw out the flip-flops:

1. Ouch! Heel pain.

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


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

2. Pain in the … ball of the foot

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


Treatment requires more supportive shoes with effective arch support.

3. Avoid ‘flip-flop heel’

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


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


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

Other flip-flip concerns

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

Ladies, cherish your heart

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

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



Reprinted by permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Money’s tight? You can still eat right

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You can save money on produce by purchasing it in season and preserving it for later, either by canning or freezing. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Health Beat staff


Gas prices are going up again and food isn’t getting cheaper. That’s the outlook in American homes this year.


Amid a tight budget and high prices, what steps can you take to ensure you and your family eat healthy, great-tasting food?


Planning is the name of the game, Spectrum Health registered dietitian Kristi Veltkamp said.


“Lack of planning is the biggest deal-breaker,” Veltkamp said.


Does your after-school or after-work routine involve the question, “What’s for dinner?” Do you rummage through the refrigerator or pantry at the last minute, hoping to whip up something suitable for dinner?


It may be time to sit down and think carefully about how you’re spending your food money. It can help you avoid the desperate, late-evening runs to fast-food restaurants or pizza parlors—or pricey restaurants—and it’ll keep your wallet and your waistline in top shape.

Veltkamp’s 5 tips to keep your food budget under control:

1. Plan your meals 

This is the No. 1 solution to save money. Planning your meals ahead of time allows you to build according to your budget. It sets you up for success each week, Veltkamp said.


It’s not just about dinner, either. “You can pack your lunch so you don’t have to go out at work,” Veltkamp said. “And you can plan to use the leftovers.”


You should also aim for more vegetarian meals—they’re cheaper and healthier. “Meat tends to be the most expensive item,” Veltkamp said.


With a creative mind, you can find new and innovative ways to use items such as beans and rice, which are cheaper and preserve longer, she said. Tacos made from rotisserie chicken and all the fixings, for example, make for a quick, cheap and easy meal.

2. Get Crocking

If you plan your meals ahead at the start of each week, the Crock-Pot can prove to be a lifesaver not only in money but in time, too.


“When you’re doing the cooking yourself, you’ll save more money,” Veltkamp said.


The tacit message here: Stay away from restaurants as much as possible—they eat up your budget. (They also increase your salt intake.)


Generally, Crock-Pot meals can be healthy. “It depends on what you’re putting into it,” Veltkamp said. Canned goods are OK, but you should rinse them first to cut down on the sodium.


“One of the ways it saves on money is when you use more ingredients that haven’t been prepared—raw products like rice, potatoes, beans or even frozen veggies,” Veltkamp said.

3. Buy in season

Items that are local, fresh and in season should be on your list each week.


“They’re higher in nutrients and they haven’t been delivered across the globe,” Veltkamp said. “And if you buy a lot at once, they’re cheap. You can can them or freeze them and save them for later.”


This includes berries, greens, tomatoes and much more. Veltkamp said some people will toss their herbs in water and freeze them into cubes, then throw them into soups once they’re needed.


One tip: Buy in-season items fresh, then buy them mostly canned or frozen when they’re out of season. Some fresh produce can get pricey when it’s out of season.

4. Buy in bulk

Bulk food stores are sometimes hard to come by without a membership—Costco, Sams Club and the like.


But if you can manage to pick up some essential items in bulk, you can truly save a bundle.


What should you buy in bulk? “Things that aren’t going to spoil fast,” Veltkamp said. “Nuts, grains, rice, beans, flour—non-perishable items.”

5. Shun the junk

This is a big one. Junk foods may sometimes appear like the cheap way to go, but in the long run you’re only setting yourself up for trouble.


Junk foods—processed foods, sugary foods—offer empty calories that only leave you craving more.


“Your body doesn’t need the empty calories,” Veltkamp said. “If you eat healthy, you crave less.”


Healthy foods are simply more filling.


Think about it: A bag of chips is a few bucks, but there are many people who can sit down and make that bag disappear in one evening. A bag of apples may cost slightly more.


“But who sits down and eats a bag of apples?” Veltkamp said. One or two apples will satisfy hunger cravings and also deliver much-needed nutrition.


“Healthier foods tend to fill you up more and make you more satisfied,” Veltkamp said. “You don’t have the cravings you get with those processed foods.”


Bottom line: You’re eating less food and getting more nutrition.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Take caution while spring cleaning

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Repeat exposure to harmful cleaning agents can cause serious health problems later in life. To reduce risk, wear protective clothing and properly ventilate your work area. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


While it’s a regular ritual, spring cleaning can become a dangerous chore for your health, experts warn.


Some cleaning supplies—air fresheners, rug cleaners, bleach, oven cleaners and floor polish—have dangerous chemicals such as volatile organic compounds.


These chemicals become vapors that can irritate the nose, throat, eyes and lungs, said Dr. Timothy Craig, an allergist and immunologist at Penn State Health.


“The nose provides a helpful warning signal,” he added in a health system news release. “If someone’s nose becomes irritated while cleaning, it’s safe to assume his or her lungs will be irritated, too.”


“For most people, using chemical cleaners occasionally would not create clinically significant reductions in lung function,” Craig said.


“But repeated exposure to harmful chemicals over a lifetime could lead to significant disability later in life, especially for people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic disorder that may cause lung or liver disease,” he warned.


“We all clean with bleach and other chemicals from time to time,” said Dr. Ann Bogdan, a family health physician from Penn State Health Medical Group-Mechanicsburg. “But I encourage my patients to be careful when doing so.”


The doctors offer these six safety precautions while spring cleaning.

  • Don’t combine chemical cleaners. “In particular, never mix ammonia and bleach,” Bogdan said. This can result in dangerously toxic vapors.
  • While cleaning, be sure to have proper ventilation by opening a window or running a fan.
  • Wear rubber gloves. “Without them, you run the risk of developing redness or rashes on your hands,” Craig said.
  • Try using old-fashioned cleaners. “Diluted vinegar works well to clean windows and baking soda gives you scrubbing power,” Bogdan said.
  • Read labels and look for volatile organic compounds and other potential irritants, even in products labeled as “green” or “healthy.”
  • Look for products with the “Safer Choice” logo, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deems as “safer for human health and the environment.”

And their final advice: If you develop coughing, wheezing, throat soreness or eye watering while using chemical cleaners, step into another room or walk outside. If the symptoms persist even after leaving the room, call a doctor.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Music therapy for senior holistic care

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Holistic care seeks to address some of the aspects of your health that traditional care options can sometimes overlook. The holistic approach works to heal more than the body by taking the mental and spiritual needs of a patient into consideration. Things like aromatherapy using essential oils and color therapy help promote wellness that, when used with the direction of a healthcare professional in conjunction with regular care options, can lead to a happier and healthier you.


Music therapy is a type of holistic care that involves listening to, creating, or moving to music. A certified music therapist can assess the needs of an individual and create a plan that can improve physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. Seniors in particular, whether in assisted living communities or other senior living communities, can greatly benefit from music therapy as it is low-effort and provides a number of holistic benefits.

Benefits of music therapy

Stress reduction

Music therapy can help seniors relax and focus not on their surroundings—which can often be stressful or frightening—but rather to what they are listening to. The right music and lyrics can slow an anxious heart rate and help seniors relax.

Pain alleviation

As with stress reduction, using music therapy can help seniors by focus their attention on the music rather than any physical pain that they may be suffering from. The treatment can help seniors by creating a sensory stimulation that relaxes muscles and calms the mind.

Bringing seniors together

Music therapy is often a social activity. Seniors can listen and do activities in groups while connecting to each other through the music. Being in a group during therapy helps seniors feel less isolated and alone. And an improved social life is important to your loved one’s overall well-being.

Physical movement and exercise

We all know songs that immediately get our feet tapping, and music therapists know how to take advantage of this. Music encourages movement. Swaying, tapping, dancing, and clapping are all forms of physical movement that can improve a senior’s well being without being straining and taxing on the body.

Improved mental health

Listening to music changes our moods. We notice this as we listen to our favorite songs and playlists. Some music can brighten us up, while other music can have a sobering effect. Music is incredibly powerful when it comes to affecting our moods, and a trained music therapist can harness that to improve the mental health of seniors.

Cognitive benefits

One of the most unique benefits of music therapy compared to other holistic care options is the improvement it has been shown to have on cognitive functions in seniors. The rhythmic sounds and vibrations in music increases blood flow to the brain, which can help with a senior’s ability to speak and think clearly.

Music therapy, dementia, and Alzheimer’s

A major reason behind the use of music therapy as a holistic care treatment for seniors is the relation between music and memory—namely, memory loss diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Music therapy has been shown to help seniors who are suffering from these ailments.


Music can trigger intense memories, even in patients who struggle with memory loss. There have been cases of unresponsive seniors in late stage dementia moving and interacting with music, and cases of nonverbal seniors humming or making noises during music therapy appointments.


Music therapy can also help pacify some of the aggressive and agitated behaviors associated with memory loss disease. As with stress and pain management through music therapy, the relaxing sounds and rhythms can help soothe seniors and encourage calmness.

Paying for music therapy

A big question that you may have is whether music therapy is a reimbursable service through a healthcare plan. Under Medicare, music therapy is a fully reimbursable service so long as they are included in part of a treatment plan rather than as a recreational activity. With Medicaid, music therapy can sometimes qualify under existing treatment categories. Each state is different, so make sure you know beforehand.


Private insurance usually goes through a case-by-case study, but nearly all major health care plans have reimbursed for music therapy at some point. Make sure that you have the backing of a health professional and a treatment plan to show how music therapy will help to reach treatment goals.

Final thoughts

Music therapy provides great benefits for seniors, but as with other holistic care options it shouldn’t be taken as a magic cure for all ailments, or as a replacement for traditional medical care. Music therapy works best when combined with other care therapies.


Another thing to keep in mind is the lack of verified scientific research and scientific studies done on music therapy. While it is an established health profession there are some claims of what music therapy can do that ought to be carefully considered before they are believed.


You can find a music therapist near your loved one, or a sometimes a nearby open class specifically tailored for seniors. The benefits of music therapy when administered by a certified music therapist are incredible, and your senior family member can enjoy all the benefits of this holistic care treatment.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

The 10-minute battle

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An hour a week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity may reduce disabilities associated with arthritis. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Less than 10 minutes a day of brisk walking can help prevent disability in people with arthritis pain in their knee, hip, ankle or foot, researchers report.


Just one hour a week of brisk physical activity “is less than 10 minutes a day for people to maintain their independence. It’s very doable,” said lead study author Dorothy Dunlop. She’s a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.


“This minimum threshold may motivate inactive older adults to begin their path toward a physically active lifestyle with the wide range of health benefits promoted by physical activity,” Dunlop added in a university news release.


She and her team analyzed four years of data from more than 1,500 older adults in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio, and Pawtucket, R.I., who had pain, aching or stiffness in their lower joints from osteoarthritis but were initially free of disability.


The participants’ levels of physical activity were monitored using a wearable device.


An hour a week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reduced their risk of disability, the study found.


Specifically, the activity reduced the risk of walking too slowly to safely cross a street by 85 percent. It reduced their risk of not being able to do daily living activities—for example, morning routine tasks such as walking across a room, bathing and dressing—by nearly 45 percent.


By the end of the four years, 24 percent of participants who did not get a weekly hour of brisk physical activity were walking too slowly to safely cross the street and 23 percent had difficulty performing their morning routines, according to the study.


About 14 million older Americans have symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, the most common type of osteoarthritis. About 2 in 5 people with osteoarthritis—most of whom have it in their lower joints—develop disability.


Federal guidelines recommend low-impact physical activity for older adults with arthritis and recommend that older adults do at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate-intensity activity.


But that amount of activity can be too much for inactive older adults with lower extremity pain, according to Dunlop.


“We hope this new public health finding will motivate an intermediate physical activity goal,” she said. “One hour a week is a stepping stone for people who are currently inactive. People can start to work toward that.”


The study was published recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Get your workout mojo back

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Strength training is a great way to build muscle and avoid weight gain. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)


By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


If you’re like most women, you have a tough time getting back into a workout routine once you get out of the habit of exercise.


We think we are active enough with weekend activities, yard work and the occasional jog or bike ride. But as we get older, we realize this type of exercise routine isn’t quite enough, and we start to gain a few pounds each year.


Worse still, if we become more relaxed about our diet, the weight gain is even greater.


We might not notice until our clothes are suddenly a little too tight.


This may be the wake-up call we need to get our exercise mojo back.


So where do we begin? Let’s start with the basics of exercise.

Aerobic, strength, stretching

I like to focus on three types of activity: (1) aerobic exercise, where we get our heart rate up and keep it sustained for a given time; (2) strength training, to maintain and build muscle; and (3) stretching, to prevent injury and fatigue.


All three aspects are important to help maintain a healthy and strong body.


All three also play a vital role in helping you fit into the clothes you love.


Strength training is especially important for women as we age, because if we allow muscle mass to be lost, fat moves in between the muscle fibers, leaving muscles weak and flabby. When muscle mass drops, weight gain starts.


Men don’t often have the same issues as women when it comes to weight gain. They tend to keep weight off more easily for many years because they start with more muscle mass and naturally express more testosterone.


Women who keep their muscles toned by doing interval training, weight lifting, resistance training and incline training can keep the weight off more easily as well.


You may be shaking your head and thinking all this exercise sounds way too difficult, but it’s much easier than it sounds.

Choose it

First, make sure whatever type of workout you pick is something you like to do. For example, I like to swim—I participated on the swim team in high school. I also like to lift weights, and I learned the proper way to lift from my roommate in college.


One of my other favorite forms of exercise is yoga. I do it twice a week at home. As you can see, if you find something you enjoy doing, you can make it work. If I’m pressed for time, I lift weights and do yoga without ever leaving my home.


Fortunately, there are many different forms of exercise—you just need to find the right one for you and your lifestyle.


If you don’t like yoga, try a Zumba, body pump, or kickboxing class. Pilates, Tai Chi, or aquafit classes are also good options. Even better, mix it up and try several types of workouts each week.


To help build muscle, add in some weight-lifting exercises either at a gym or in the privacy of your own home if you have some weights.


If you need a little help getting started, check out one of my favorite health books, Body for Life for Women by Pamela Peeke, MD.


You’ll find some simple strength-training workouts for the upper and lower body in the back of the book. Even if you do the book’s lower-body workout two or three times per week, you can maintain—and possibly even increase—muscle mass. I think you’ll find the exercises and the entire book helpful.

Schedule it

In addition to the type of exercise you choose, you also need to determine a time when you’ll actually do the exercises each day, or at least several times per week.


I prefer to do my workout at night, when I’m too drained to do other work such as paying bills or writing.


When I have finished helping my kids with their homework and my kitchen is cleaned up after dinner, I head to the exercise bike or yoga mat—usually around 9pm. This allows me to get in a good workout, clean up and head to bed before it gets too late.


This routine works well for me and allows me to de-stress from the day. I know I don’t have time to exercise in the morning, so I don’t plan on it. Many women, however, see morning as the best time to do their workout—they’re then done for the day, and they know there’s no way they would do it at night.


After you’ve chosen an exercise and a time frame, you need to put it on your calendar. You may think you don’t need to schedule your workouts, but it really does help you stick to your plan.


Here’s what I recommend: On Sunday night, plan out your week. Start by listing your priorities: work, kids’ events, appointments, exercise. The rest of your day should be planned around these scheduled priorities.


As I look at each day, I plan a longer workout, such as swimming, when I have more time. On days when I’m pressed for time, I schedule a shorter workout, such as the legs and core session from Dr. Peeke’s book.


There is usually one day each week when I simply have no time to fit in a workout, and that becomes my day off. So when the day comes, I have already planned to take it off—no guilt.

Do it

So what are you waiting for? Create your exercise plan today!


Usually by day five of my routine, I’m feeling so good that I’m choosing to exercise instead of making myself do it.


If you can get into a regular routine, add some strength training, and cut down on your carbohydrates intake—especially after 3 p.m.


The results will soon follow.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Decorating your senior living Apartment

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Senior living communities are often built with specific interior design in mind for communal living spaces, but the individual apartments are often a little more plain. If you are decorating a senior living apartment, you’ll probably want to make it more homey and welcoming, as well as make sure that it’s easy to do all the things you need to do. Here are our tips and tricks to creating a beautiful and personal senior living apartment.

Remember functionality

It’s important that your home fits your tastes, but as you age it becomes more and more important to focus on the functionality of items rather than just style. Functionality should be your number one priority throughout the decorating process.


A good example to think about is glass tables. Glass furniture is pretty and fits with a lot of styles and themes, but the cons may outweigh the pros. They require frequent cleaning, and a fall onto a glass table or bump into a sharper edge can be much more devastating than a table made of other materials.

Choose a style

A good way to make your living space cohesive is to have a theme or specific style picked out. Apartments are much smaller than houses, and if you are moving to a senior living apartment from a house picking one general theme is going to be easier than finding a different style for every room. It will also help improve the overall flow of your apartment. Some themes can include:

  • Rustic: Think of a log cabin. With rustic decoration you want to bring in natural elements like woods and stone, and keep your colors within earth tones.
  • Cottage: A very popular style for seniors because of the warmth and coziness inherent to it. Colors like yellow, blue, white, and green are common and there are often antique or vintage furnishings and decorations.
  • Traditional: Traditional styles often incorporate floral and other patterns in furniture and decorations, and is another way to tastefully incorporate some of your favorite antiques.

Cozy and comfortable

Comfort is another big thing that you will want to keep in mind. Adding touches like warm blankets and softer furnishing can help you improve on functionality while keeping your comfort in mind.


Making sure that your couches and armchairs are cozy and your throw pillows aren’t stiff and scratchy is a good way to keep your home comfortable. Remember to keep thinking about function. A pillow may have a nice pattern on it, but if it isn’t comfortable to use then it becomes more of a annoyance in a small space.

Lighting and Storage

While not always the first thing on anyone’s mind, the practical parts of home decorating are just as important—if not more important—than the furnishings and wall hangings.

  • Lighting: Lighting is a big part of decorating. It’s important to include plenty of sources of light, especially if your apartment doesn’t have that much natural light. You need to see clearly for your safety, especially at night. Table and floor lamps are a great way to inject more light into your space, but make sure that any cords aren’t going to become a fall hazard.
  • Storage: Storage is another important thing to keep in mind. To avoid trips in clogged hallways and rooms, having adequate storage for all your belongings is vital. There are a lot of creative storage options like additional storage units for your living, different shelving options, and closet organizations that can help you with storing your belongings. Just remember to keep them all within reach. The last thing you want is to be unable to access your things.

Kitchen and bath

Most slips and falls happen in kitchens and bathrooms, so keep that in mind while decorating. Adding additional handholds is never a bad thing in these rooms. Another tip is to make sure your rugs or carpeting isn’t going to trip you up or slow you down if you are in a wheelchair. Things like soap and liquids should be stored in a way that they won’t spill onto the floor and make things a slippery mess.


Kitchens and bathrooms are also great places to add a pop of color. A brightly colored kitchen or bathroom can be a great way to bring in some fun in spaces that might not traditionally be thought of as fun spaces.

Bedroom

It’s important that your bedroom is the perfect blend of comfort and functionality. Your bed shouldn’t be difficult to climb into, and should have the right amount of blankets and pillows. Decorative throw pillows are great, but the daily task of removing them and then adding them back on can become more and more difficult as you age.


Instead, consider bringing color and style into the room with your bedding itself. There are an endless supply of bedding and duvets in any color or pattern that you can imagine. Wall hangings and decorations are another great way to include your personal style into your bedroom. Avoid hanging anything over the headboard though, as they can become dangerous if they fall.

Living room

The living room is the room that guests are likely to see most often, so decorating a living space in neutrals with a pop of bright color here and there is often very common.


A living room is a great place to put your personal items—family photographs, personal keepsakes, and collected artworks are all wonderful examples of things that can make an ordinary living space your living space


Moving to a senior living apartment can be a difficult task. It often involves downsizing and getting rid of a lot of items. But there is no reason that decorating your senior living apartment can’t be a fun and creative job. Keep functionality in mind and add your own personal touch, and your senior living apartment can live up to your highest expectations.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.

Protecting ourselves from financial scams

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By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan


Every year millions of Americans are victims of scams or fraud. It is estimated that approximately 11% of the population experiences loss of money or personal property annually. While it can happen to a person at any age, older adults are often the most frequent targets for fraud. Older adults often have access to funds, excellent credit, and own their homes, making them attractive targets for criminals. In fact, older adults lose an estimated 2.9 billion dollars a year to fraud.


These are the current scams targeting older adults: 


Grandchild Scam: A caller will sound distressed and claim to be a grandchild in trouble or in danger and beg to have money wired to them immediately. The best thing to do is to hang up and call family members to insure everyone is safe and sound. 


IRS/Social Security Scam: A person could receive a call, an email or an official-looking letter, demanding immediate payment. They are told information will be forwarded to local law enforcement officials for arrest if they fail to pay. This is not the way any government agency collects debts. If you get this call, hang up immediately or delete the email without opening it. 


Home Repairs: Beware of door-to-door home repair contractors. They intentionally seek out older adults, particularly those living alone. They may say they are ‘working down in your neighborhood’ and are offering discounted work while in the area. They claim you need an expensive repair you cannot do yourself, like a new roof, dangerous branches removed from a tree in your yard, or offer you an amazing deal on new windows. All they need is a deposit and they’ll get to work. The catch is, the deposit is usually a few thousand dollars and they never show up to do the work. The only contractor showing up to your door is the one you called yourself. 


While it seems there are scams everywhere we turn, there are a few ‘rules of thumb’ we can use to protect ourselves from being fooled: 

  • If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Criminals feed on our desires by offering us goods or opportunities we wouldn’t, in reality, be able to attain: vacations, money, miracle cures, property, etc. You can be sure there is always a hidden cost and we end up losing much more than we would have ever gained. 
  • Never send money to someone you do not know. Any business or government agency you owe money to will send you the request through the mail. If a paperless billing notice arrives in your email and you didn’t initiate it, call the company directly to confirm it is from them. 
  • Do not give personal or financial information to someone who calls, emails or shows up at your door. Avoid giving out your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number unless you are positive you know who is requesting the information. Businesses you have accounts with will ask you to verify some information to make sure it’s you, like the last four-digits of your social security number, but they are confirming your information — not receiving it for the first time.
  • If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply, open any attachment or click on any link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information by email and you’re often opening a door to identity theft. You also risk downloading viruses or software that collects your personal information and/or disables your computer’s security

It’s important that we protect ourselves and share tips and information with family and friends who might also fall prey to these schemes. 


If you’re ever unsure about whether you might be the victim of a scam there are several resources available to you. The Kent County Elder Abuse Coalition updates current scams frequently on their website here.


The Michigan Attorney General also has a consumer alert webpage here.


If you believe you may be a victim of a scam, you can call them at (877) 765-8388.


 

Break the cycle

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Learn from your parents and teach your children how to live a healthy lifestyle and age well. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


It’s possible that a simple conversation between parents and their children is all it would take to stop the cycle of some diseases.


If parents would discuss their own health problems with their kids, things like heart disease and diabetes might occur much less often.


Diabetes, heart disease and even breast cancer are preventable by following a healthy lifestyle. A well-timed conversation—before another generation suffers—could make all the difference.


When people say, “Everyone in my family has diabetes” or “Everyone has heart disease,” the underlying reason is usually a sensitivity to sugar.


What does this mean? Some families have a predisposition to belly fat weight gain and get diabetes earlier in life. Anyone can get diabetes if they eat enough sugar and gain enough weight, but some people get diabetes at lower weights.


Examples of this include the Freshman 15, gaining 30 pounds after having a baby, or the 15 pounds many women gain at menopause. More belly fat means more sugar cravings for foods like white bread, white potatoes, white rice and sweets.


Once ingested, the sugar then goes straight from the stomach to the belly fat. It’s a vicious and very unhealthy cycle.


Unfortunately, high blood sugars typically mean high cholesterol as well, especially if your diet is also high in fats like butter, lard, bacon and red meat. Sugar and fat together are a bad combination because high blood sugars make blood vessel walls sticky, the fat sticks to the walls, and plaque or blockages are formed. When enough blockages form in blood vessels, enough blood cannot get through to your vital organs (heart and brain), which would lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Tackle your risk factors

I have discussed the topic of risk factors in previous blogs, and I believe the topic is important enough to mention again here. We all have risk factors we can’t change—family history, age and timing of menopause. But there are risk factors we can change (exercise, sleep habits, and food choices), and it’s not as difficult as you may think.


The first step is to make a goal toward better health.


To create your goal, look at how well your mom, dad, or grandparents aged.


Hopefully, they were able to be a good example of how to lead a healthy life. Sadly, many women have not grown up in households with parents who were positive examples of how to eat right and exercise.


Many parents never talked to their kids about eating a healthy diet or maintaining an active lifestyle in order to avoid diabetes or heart disease. If you were lucky enough to have a mom or dad who talked with you about the importance of being healthy, use that positive example to create your own goals.


If not, create a clear picture of yourself and how you want your own life to be, and use that picture to set some goals for your future. How do you want to look and feel in three months, one year, or when you are 50 years old?


A patient I’ll call Leonica is an example of someone who grew up with several family members who suffered from a variety of health problems.


They had heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer, but they never talked about their health issues. The memories continued to haunt her, and she decided she did not want to suffer in the same way. Leonica respected that her family was strong and independent, however, she wished her family could have talked about their health problems to help her and others from her generation lead better lives.


For example, Leonica had no idea about the connection between craving sugar and eating simple carbs. She didn’t realize that eating things like white bread, white rice and potatoes would make her feel tired.

Things to know (and remember)

By educating herself, Leonica learned how eating more complex carbs like sweet potatoes and brown rice, and having a protein and vegetable for dinner would help her lose weight—without giving up her favorite foods. She continued making diet changes to reverse early diabetes and became more active in her everyday life.


As a result of her changes, Leonica became an example for her children, nieces and nephews. She also became the voice to get others talking about how to change their lives for the better. By passing on this knowledge to her extended family, Leonica hopes to stop the cycle of the diseases that have plagued her family for years.


Here are a few key points to remember:

  • See your doctor—If your family members have heart disease, diabetes or obesity, it doesn’t mean you will have the same fate. However, you are more likely to suffer from these issues, so see your doctor, get tested early for diabetes, and learn how you can avoid the same health problems.
  • Talk with your family about their health—Ask your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and siblings about their health. Learn from them what you should and shouldn’t do to be healthy. Women who cope best ask for help and get educated so they can develop a goal and a plan. It’s OK to talk about bad moods, depression and anxiety; sharing can help others and take away the fear associated with these issues.
  • Know your numbers—Find out your waist size, blood sugar (A1C) level, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It can be scary to know you have pre-diabetes, but knowing gives you power and can be motivating to get a plan in place—before it’s too late.
  • Know how close you are to menopause—Being healthy gets harder after menopause, so you want to know how close you are to being there. As estrogen hormone levels fall, the body craves sugar and stores it in belly fat. And belly fat raises insulin and insulin factors, which increase the risk of breast cancer. Everything is tied together.
  • Cut back on the simple carbs—These are the same as sugar, and, if you want to avoid diabetes and heart disease, you need to have only one simple carb serving per day. Examples of simple carb foods include white bread, white potatoes, white rice, white flour tortillas, sweet treats and alcohol. Remember—only one per day.
  • Eat a good breakfast—Include a complex carbohydrate (whole wheat bread, cooked oatmeal, whole wheat bagel), a protein (eggs, low-fat cheese, turkey bacon), and a healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, nuts). Eating a healthy breakfast will keep your blood sugars stable and curb your cravings all day long.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Tips to help combat allergies as you age

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergies incur Americans up to $18 billion in medical expenses; they take up number six as a leading cause of chronic illnesses. The risk for allergies increases as you grow old and the problem is likely to go unrecognized. Unfortunately, changes to the immune system that occur as you age mean that your body’s response to inflammation from allergies is not as strong as it once was. The resulting effect is that you are likely to experience problems with allergies as seasons’ change, which is characterized by sneezing, a running nose and watery eyes.


Fortunately, there are precautions you can take to prevent allergies as you age, such as:

Indoor plants

While you may enjoy indoor gardening as a relaxing activity, avoid having any pollen producing plants indoors. If you must have plants within the house, water them occasionally to avoid mold from growing, which then creates mold pollen. Additionally, avoid using silk and other fake plants, as they are notorious dust collectors.

Invest in sunglasses

If you are likely to experience hay fever from wind-borne pollen, invest in a pair of quality sunglasses that wrap around your eyes to prevent as much pollen as possible from getting into your eyes. If you wear optical glasses, ask your eye doctor to give you prescription sunglasses to help you outdoors. Sunglasses will prevent the amount of pollen getting into your eyes, making you feel better.

Switch up your exercise routine

Avoid outdoor exercises in the morning; pollen count is highest before 10 o’clock. If you enjoy jogging or taking a walk, do it in the afternoon or later in the evening. Alternatively, choose a different exercise activity such as yoga, which allows you to work out in a controlled environment, with numerous other health benefits.

Run your air conditioner

Keep your filter clean and run your air conditioner instead of opening the windows, which lets in pollen and other allergens. The air conditioner reduces humidity within the house and serves as an alternative to fans, which end up blowing dust and pollen around the room, worsening the likelihood of you developing allergies.

While there are several precautions you can take to prevent or reduce the effects of allergies, you cannot avoid them entirely. If you notice any persistent irritation or inflammation, consult your doctor immediately. Conditions such as a congested nose can become critical fast, especially if you suffer from pre-existing cardiovascular or nasal conditions. Lastly, avoid traditional antihistamines as you can develop negative side effects or suffer from effects of mixing them with your other prescriptions.


Your health care needs change gradually as age, forcing you to take extra precautions to stay healthy. Avoid allergens as much as possible and consult your doctor if you notice any symptoms that may indicate an allergic reaction. Taking the right precautions allows you to enjoy the outdoors more regardless of the season.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



12 tips to prep you for spring activity

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Warm up your body for better weather activities. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Eve Clayton, Spectrum Health Beat


Warmer weather has a way of getting us off the couch and into more active pastimes—biking, yard work, tennis and spring cleaning.


If you’re feeling the urge to get up and get active, take a minute to prepare yourself with these tips from Jason Lazor, DO, a specialist in sports medicine and musculoskeletal injuries with the Spectrum Health Medical Group Sports Medicine.


What you learn here may help you steer clear of tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, shoulder injuries and other forms of tendonitis, which can all result from overuse.


“In the springtime, I see a lot of overuse injuries,” Dr. Lazor said. “People have deconditioned a little bit over the winter, and they jump out expecting to go and perform their sport or activity at the level they were pre-winter.”


So before you get up and go, hit pause and read an orthopedic pro’s suggestions for easing your body into spring and summer.

Dr. Lazor’s Top 12 Tips:

1. Set realistic expectations.

“If you have been more sedentary over the winter, then slowly evolve back into your sport,” Dr. Lazor said. Pushing your muscles too hard too fast isn’t worth the risk of injury.

2. Stretch and warm up.

Do this before any physical activity, whether it’s golfing or working around the house. Stretching your joints for five minutes can do a lot to prevent acute muscle or tendon injuries.


For athletes, Dr. Lazor recommends warming up with sport-specific exercises and drills rather than just, say, jogging to get the blood flowing. But he cautions against “bouncy stretching.” Keep movements slow and controlled.

3. Take a break.

Yes, take a breather when you feel muscle tightness setting in. Then do some more light stretching to loosen up before resuming the activity.

4. Stay hydrated.

This is good advice anytime, but especially when you’re engaged in sports. Dehydrated muscles and tendons are less flexible and less resilient, Dr. Lazor said.


So if you’re a coffee drinker, reduce your risk of muscle strain by drinking more water than coffee. And avoid excessive alcohol, another cause of dehydration.

5. Avoid smoking.

In addition to its other downsides, nicotine impairs the healing process for tendons and muscles.

6. Vary your activities.

To prevent muscle imbalance, you should mix it up. The shoulder, for example, has more than 20 muscles attached to it.


If you keep repeating the same overhead motion, “certain muscles will get overworked and others will decondition,” Dr. Lazor said. That throws off the shoulder’s balance, resulting in tendon damage.


Resistance training is a good way to prevent overuse injuries because it makes the muscles and tendons more resilient. Dr. Lazor emphasizes the essential part of resistance training—the slow, controlled downward motion of a biceps curl, for example, which lengthens the muscle and protects it from injury.

7. Use proper form.

When lifting and carrying heavy items, make sure your body mechanics are correct. Keep an upright position to help protect your back. And if you’re doing overhead work, use a ladder or step stool to put the work at eye level and reduce stress on the shoulders.

8. Eat well.

If you play endurance sports such as tennis, eat well so your muscles have the nutrients needed to stay healthy and heal if they become strained.


Plus, eating well makes you feel better. “If you eat junk, you are going to feel like junk,” Dr. Lazor said.

9. Use proper sports equipment and footwear.

Avoid injury by wearing shoes meant to support your particular foot anatomy.


Also, make sure to have the equipment that fits your body and experience level. For example, tennis players should use a racquet that matches your size and skill level.

10. Practice cross-training.

Keep your muscles in balance with variety. Don’t spend all of your time on one sport, Dr. Lazor said.


“You want to incorporate other sports—swimming, biking, running—because that works the muscles differently. It gives some of those muscles that are getting overused a break and works them in different ways.”

11. Build your core.

This means focusing on your abdomen, back, glutes and pelvis—because many sports injuries are related to deficits in core strength.

“I like planks for core work,” said Dr. Lazor. “When you do planks, whether it’s prone planks or side planks, you have to focus on utilizing your core—squeezing your butt cheeks together and, for both males and females, using the Kegel muscles.”

12. Stretch again at the end.

“I’m a big fan of doing your deep stretching after your activity,” Dr. Lazor said.


Again, using tennis as an example, this means stretching the shoulder, pectoral and back muscles, as well as the hamstrings and quads. Stretching after a workout, whether around the house or on the courts, will help your muscles rebound faster.


Preventing spring and summertime strains and muscle pains isn’t hard. It just takes a little patience, insight and common sense.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Celebrating spring in Michigan: 9 ways to enjoy the outdoors

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Spring has finally arrived and warm weather is soon to follow. Now that the change in seasons has made its way to Michigan, many of us are ready to go outside and enjoy the sun. If you are a senior, you may think that your days of outdoor adventures are over, but that is far from true. From heading out on the water to birdwatching to parties, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors during a Michigan spring.

1. Go fish

Fishing is a great way to get outdoors and into nature, and it’s a great activity to do with family, especially grandkids. You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment or experience to go fishing, just a few rods and some worms.


With so many lakes and rivers in Michigan, finding a nice spot should be no trouble at all. But if you are struggling to get the fish biting, local guidebooks and websites can help lead you to the best places.

2. Test out the waters

You don’t have to own a boat to enjoy the water all around Michigan. Head out with friends and charter a boat to explore the open waters. You can also go on ferry rides to get out on the water and see all the beautiful scenery of spring.


If boating isn’t your thing, a day at the beach might be in order. It’s still too cold in spring to do much swimming, but walking the shoreline or just sitting back and watching the waves can be a peaceful way to enjoy the water without having to get out on it.

3. Start a spring garden

What better way to welcome spring than with flowers! Gardening is a wonderful activity that was made for springtime. You can start a small outdoor garden, or revitalize your flower beds. If you struggle with bending down and getting up, then tall planters can bring the flowers to your level.


Even if gardening isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy some of the floral benefits of spring. You can go flower picking and enjoy some of the wildflowers that are beginning to bloom, or browse around local flower shops to see the spring selections.

4. Explore local walking trails

One of the best ways to get into nature is to go for a trail walk, and there are plenty of options for that in Michigan. There are paved paths so you don’t need to worry as much about falling, or there are more natural paths if you feel daring. Even walking on the sidewalks near you can be a great way to breathe in the fresh air of spring.

5. Take a day trip

Getting out doesn’t just have to mean going out in nature. Sometimes taking a day trip to a different town can be a great way to spend a spring day. Carpool with friends or family and find local amusements, outdoor shopping centers, festivals, crafts and art shows, or other local Michigan attractions and spend the day exploring a new area.

6. Head out for a picnic

A classic warm weather activity for a reason, picnics are a great way to spend a day enjoying the outdoors and having a delicious meal as well. Sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, salads, cheeses, and pastries are all great picnic foods. And all that food is best enjoyed with your family and friends, so invite them along as you find a nice park or meadow to picnic in.

7. Grab binoculars and go birdwatching

As the warm weather returns, so do the birds that had flown away from Michigan for the winter. Birdwatching allows you to get outside, but you don’t need to do a lot of physical activity, which is great for seniors who struggle with mobility. Many areas have local birdwatching groups or clubs for you to join and make new friends.

8. Try your hand at photography

If you want an outdoor activity that doesn’t require a lot of physical movement, but have decided that birdwatching isn’t your thing, then maybe photography is for you. You don’t need the newest camera on the market to start this hobby— even your phone camera is a good start for beginners. Spring is a perfect time to try and capture all the small changes happening outside as the days get warmer.

9. Host a get-together

Is there a better way to spend spring than with your family and friends? Hosting a get-together doesn’t have to be a huge event, but a small party where you and your loved ones spend time together and enjoy the spring weather can help everyone embrace the change in seasons. A garden party theme can get everyone in the mood for spring.


There are so many fun activities to welcome spring back to Michigan, and being elderly doesn’t have to slow you down. With all of these activities and more, there is no stop to the amazing ways you can get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather for a Michigan spring.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



Do your parenting practices contribute to bullying behaviors?

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By Karen Pace, Michigan State University Extension


Most parents don’t want to think that their own parenting practices are contributing to issues of bullying in the lives of their kids. In her book Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear, author Carrie Goldman draws from the work of several scholars and shares information on parenting practices that can help prevent bullying – as well as those that can actually foster bullying behaviors.


Goldman cautions parents to be mindful of the ways that they may inadvertently put pressure on their children to be “popular” or to be liked by other kids, which can put kids at risk for being involved with bullying.


For example, if we have a habit of judging others (or ourselves) based on appearance (saying for example, “She has put on so much weight and is getting really fat!”), we model for children that being disrespectful and judging others based on their appearance is okay. One of the reasons this is so critical is that children in one comprehensive study said that physical appearance is the number one reason kids get bullied or called names.


Children take in verbal and non-verbal messages (for good or for ill) from their parents and other adults around them. These messages too often make young people feel pressured to “fit in” in ways that are not healthy to their overall identities around physical appearance, gender, skin color, sexuality and other aspects of themselves. Feeling pressured to fit in at all costs can lead youth (and adults) to participate in unhealthy relationships – or go along with the crowd in the face of hurtful, mean-spirited behaviors.


When kids are the target of bullying behaviors, they may feel shame, assume it’s their fault, blame themselves or internalize the damaging messages. Parents, families and adults in kids’ lives have important roles to play in helping kids develop resiliency by understanding the difference between fitting in and belonging.


Another way parents can foster resilient kids in the face of bullying is to practice what researcher and educator, Brené Brown calls “wholehearted parenting.”  Dr. Brown’s research on shame, vulnerability and courage illuminates several ways that parents can engage in wholehearted parenting with a focus on raising children who move through the world with courage and resiliency in the face of bullying and other challenging situations.


Goldman encourages parents to take issues of bullying seriously and resist the urge to label or dismiss their kid’s concerns as childhood “drama.” She urges parents to be present with their children by asking them open-ended questions, allowing them to talk, listening deeply and encouraging discussion about mutually acceptable solutions.


Michigan State University Extension provides opportunities for parents, youth workers and other adults to learn more about issues of bullying and ways to create safe, affirming and fair environments with and on behalf of young people.  For more information, check out a new initiative called Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming and Fair Environments.


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

5 ways to help a senior with spring cleaning

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Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living

By Vista Springs Assisted Living


Although spring may seem like it’s been a long time coming, it is finally here. One of the things that comes along with spring is the feeling we have to declutter, clean our homes and clear out the garage. That’s right—spring cleaning.


Spring cleaning gives us a chance to start the year with a fresh mindset. Seniors are no exception, but as they age it gets harder and harder to manage a full house cleaning on their own. Here are five ways in which you can help your senior loved one with their spring cleaning while still encouraging their independence.

Plan for a Full Day

Cleaning always takes a little bit longer than you think it should. You probably notice this working on your own chores, and helping someone who moves a bit slower is going to add a few more hours to a cleaning process. Picking a day well in advance gives everyone who will be involved the chance to prepare and get ready ahead of time.


Planning ahead also gives you plenty of time to gather supplies. Things like boxes for packing things in as you declutter and extra cleaning products for deep cleaning may take a bit more time to buy and gather. You want to make sure you don’t need to halt cleaning and run to the store on the big day.

Ask Others to Help You

Don’t take on an entire project by yourself! Enlist the help of some other family and friends to help you and your aging family member. You can break down tasks so everyone has something to do that fits their skill set and ability. The whole day can go by much faster with extra hands. Even having someone stop by for a few hours can make a big difference.


While many people are going to be happy to help out, you can always consider offering snacks and dinner as incentives. Sometimes people are much more agreeable when there is a promise of a meal to follow.

Make a Checklist

Planning ahead by making a list can help you as you prepare for the big cleaning day. You won’t have to worry about forgetting certain chores or leaving something out that you meant to do when you have a solid plan of attack.


Take your loved one and go through the entire home and write down exactly what you want to get done and how you want to do it. Writing it all down will help you remember exactly what you want to tackle and it allows you to organize your day more efficiently. We’ll get you started with some of the big ones in the next section.

Go Room to Room

As you go around, plan out your cleaning room-by-room to ensure you stay organized and see everything that you want to accomplish. In each room take note of what needs to be done, such as:

In the Kitchen

  • Empty out the fridge
  • Clean surfaces
  • Clean the oven and range
  • Clean appliances like the dishwasher and microwave.
  • Reorganize drawers and pantry
  • Sanitize cutting boards and knives
  • Eliminate unnecessary dishes and small appliances

In the Bathroom

  • Scrub out shower
  • Empty cabinets
  • Disinfect countertops
  • Deep clean the toilet
  • Clean exhaust fan
  • Clean the floors
  • Go through medicines and make sure all prescriptions are up to date

In the Bedrooms

  • Flip the mattress
  • Dust thoroughly
  • Polish wood furniture
  • Organize clothes and switch out seasonal clothing
  • Clean under the bed
  • Sort out closets and drawers
  • Wash all linens

In the Living Room and Family Areas

  • Clean dust off of ceilings
  • Vacuum or wash furniture
  • Air out rugs
  • Dust fans, lamps, bookshelves, and pictures
  • Disinfect door knobs and light switches
  • Shampoo carpets
  • Declutter knick-knacks and decorations

Keep Your Loved One Involved

Don’t have your loved one just sit on the sidelines while you do all the work. Find tasks they can do to help out and allow them to be a part of the cleaning process with you. Simply informing them of what you do as you go along is a major way to keep them invested.


Ask your family member before making big changes, like moving furniture and reorganizing closets. If you plan on donating or selling some things to help declutter, make sure to check in with them before you make decisions. Including your loved one lets them know that you respect their wishes and appreciate their help.


Spring cleaning is a yearly tradition that allows people to start the year feeling refreshed and clean. You can help your elderly family member by lending a hand and helping them out as we all begin to enjoy the spring weather.


Reprinted with permission from Vista Springs Assisted Living.



Self-compassion: An often misunderstood part of health and well-being

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Photo supplied

By Karen Pace, Michigan State University Extension


What comes to mind for you when you hear the word self-compassion? For many, words like self-pity, self-centered and self-indulgent are quickly associated. People often think that self-compassion is about letting ourselves off the hook or making excuses for our mistakes and shortcomings. These are common misconceptions according to Kristin Neff, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Texas and pioneering researcher in the area of self-compassion. 


According to Neff, self-compassion is about asking ourselves what we need and offering comfort and care during times of stress, pain and difficulties. She states that self-compassion is actually a motivator that helps people move toward overall health and well-being for themselves. For example, an increasing body of research suggests that self-compassion reduces anxiety and depression—and enables people to suffer less while also helping them to thrive. 


Too often we get in our own way when it comes to self-compassion. Many of us have learned inaccurate information through a steady stream of dominant culture and societal messages, and we have come to believe that self-compassion is not a quality we should practice. Neff shares five common myths about self-compassion:

  1. “Self-compassion is a form of self-pity.” While this is a common misperception of self-compassion, research shows quite the contrary. People who get stuck in “isn’t it awful” thinking, self-pity and feeling sorry for themselves are actually less likely to be self-compassionate. People who are more self-compassionate are better able to take life’s difficulties as they come, move through them with more ease and grace and keep things in perspective.
  2. “Self-compassion means weakness.” When we come face-to-face with our mistakes, faults and failings, it’s very common for our shame to get triggered which makes us feel exposed and vulnerable. And when we’re unaware that our shame has been triggered, we may try to protect ourselves from painful feelings by shutting down, acting tough or acting aggressively toward ourselves and others. Far from being a weakness, researchers are finding that self-compassion is one of the most important aspects of coping, resilience and mental health as we move through the inevitable complexities and messiness of life.
  3. “Self-compassion will make me complacent.” Many believe that judgement and harsh criticism for self and others is the best way to motivate people and that self-compassion will make us lazy, unmotivated and indifferent. What research actually shows is that fear-based self-criticism leads to a fear of failure, lack of confidence and depression. While self-criticism kills motivation, self-compassion motivates us to be more proactive, take risks and achieve emotional well-being and contentment in our lives.
  4. “Self-compassion is narcissistic.” This myth stems largely from confusion about the difference between self-esteem and self-compassion. Many of us have heard about the importance of helping youth and adults develop self-esteem. And while there is general consensus that self-esteem is positive, research shows that the focus on helping people “feel good about themselves” sometimes comes at a high cost. For example, the emphasis on developing self-esteem is linked to self-criticism, self-judging, self-evaluating, perfectionism and comparing oneself to others. For some, having high self-esteem means feeling superior, above average and better than others and is linked to bullying behaviors such as putting others down as a way of trying to feel better about oneself. Self-compassion is different. Self-compassion honors the fact that we all have strengths and weaknesses and recognizes that our successes and failures do not define who we are. Self-compassion also encourages us to see ourselves as interconnected to a common web of shared humanity while extending to ourselves the same respect, understanding, kindness and care that we would to a beloved friend or loved one.
  5. “Self-compassion is selfish.” For many people, especially women, our concept of self is closely tied to taking responsibility for everyone else’s physical and emotional needs. When we have been taught that we are supposed to take care of others at all costs, we may feel that being self-compassionate is the same as being selfish. According to Neff, a growing body of research shows that being self-compassionate and taking good care of ourselves helps us to sustain our capacity for generosity and service to others while not becoming burned out, angry or resentful.

Practicing self-compassion helps us to accept our own humanness and imperfections with kindness and increases people’s motivation to learn, to change for the better and to avoid repeating past mistakes. It also helps people feel less isolated and helps them keep their problems in perspective. Self-compassion has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression and lead to greater emotional balance and resilience in the face of struggles and challenges. If you’re interested in finding out how self-compassionate you are, you can use Kristen Neff’s self-compassion scale. 


Michigan State University Extension provides resources, workshops and programs to help parents, adults and youth develop social and emotional skills and practice everyday mindfulness through programs like Stress Less with Mindfulness and Be SAFE: Safe, Affirming and Fair Environments.


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

Power of the sweet potato

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Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, B and C. Sweet potatoes are also a source of antioxidants, which are important to reduce cancer and heart disease risk. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


Midlife and menopause are stages of life when weight gain happens fast and weight loss can be very slow.


Let me share a secret that can help: sweet potatoes.


Many people are surprised to learn the sweet potato is a healthy food that can to be added to any meal and help us all keep a healthy weight and get daily vitamins and fiber at the same time.


The sweet potato qualifies as a superfood—a weapon against weight gain, belly fat and diabetes. It can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even as a snack.


The sweet potato has so many health benefits. For weight control, it is a low glycemic index food, meaning that while it contains carbohydrates, the carbs are slowly broken down in the blood and can be used by the brain, muscles and liver and not sent straight to the belly to become fat.


Low estrogen levels, which define the life stage of menopause, cause cravings for sugar or any simple carbohydrate, such as what is found in white potatoes, white rice or white bread. Our body’s response to stress or sleep deprivation can include a rise in insulin surges and insulin response, which can result in an increased waistline.


Including foods such as sweet potatoes in your diet can help slow weight gain and add many good vitamins and fiber.


Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, B and C. Sweet potatoes are also a source of antioxidants, which are important to reduce cancer and heart disease risk. Manganese is also in sweet potatoes and can help with your metabolism.


Being healthy is about using small tips and tricks in daily life. The sweet potato can be used in fast and easy ways. They can be roasted, boiled, steamed, or even eaten raw.


The vitamins are best preserved when steamed, but I tend to roast my potatoes because it is easier. I wash the sweet potatoes, poke holes in the skin to avoid explosions in the oven, and put them on a cookie sheet for an hour at 350 degrees. Once they are cooled, I use the cooked sweet potatoes in a variety of ways to make satisfying and tasty recipes.


For breakfast, especially on the weekend when I have more time, I love to make one of my favorites—sweet potato hash.


Sweet potato hash: 1/2 cup chopped onion, 3 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup of greens such as spinach or Swiss chard, 1-2 cups cubed roasted sweet potato, and optional meat of 1/4 cup cooked sausage or cooked bacon. These ingredients are sautéed together and then topped with a fried egg. Maple syrup added around the edge of the plate makes a tasty treat.


Here are some other ideas:


Sweet potato snack: Cooked sweet potato mashed with a fork, covered with a tablespoon of real maple syrup, chopped nuts such as walnuts, almonds or pecans, and warmed in the microwave.


Fast lunch with sweet potato: Cubed sweet potato with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil, warmed in the microwave and tossed with salad greens and leftover cold chicken or sautéed tofu. This is tasty, filling, and helps avoid sugar spikes.


Sweet potato french fries: For dinner, my kids prefer sweet potato fries, simply made by cutting the raw sweet potatoes into whatever shape works—sliced to be round (fastest) or cut into traditional fry shape. Simply place the pieces on a cookie sheet with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, and bake at 400 degrees until brown or about 30 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through for evenness.


Sweet potato custard: Mash 2 cups of roasted sweet potato and add 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup almond or cow milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and spices such as cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Place in a small baking dish or ramekins, placed on a cookie sheet and baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Yum!


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Top 8 helmet stats aimed at saving your brain

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“Lead by example and keep your kids safe by requiring them to always wear a helmet when riding.” (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Jodi Stanley, Spectrum HealthBeat

The joy of bicycles is a beautiful thing.

Great exercise, endless games and the freedom to “travel” as a kid.

But before the kids flip up the kickstands for the season, hit the brakes for a minute.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration urges everyone to remember that bicycles aren’t toys—they are vehicles, officially—and even experienced riders should do what they can to minimize risk.

Applying that perspective to your family’s youthful riders should motivate every family to do what we can to prepare and prevent accidents before they happen.

And while it might seem about as fun as a flat tire, knowing, understanding, and taking steps to prevent bicycle mishaps now can make a smooth, happy ride for the rest of the summer.

“Bike riding is a great family activity,” said Jennifer Hoekstra, program coordinator of Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Program and Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids.

“Lead by example and keep your kids safe by requiring them to always wear a helmet when riding.”

Why wear a helmet?

Consider these facts about bicycles, kids and injuries from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and www.helmets.org:

  • Helmet use is lowest (for all ages) among children ages 11 to 14.
  • Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury and the risk of brain injury.
  • The Center for Head Injury Services reports that 85 percent of all head injuries in bicycle accidents can be prevented by wearing a helmet.
  • Bicycle helmets have also been shown to offer substantial protection to the forehead and midface.
  • Universal use of bicycle helmets by children ages 4 to 15 could prevent between 135 and 155 deaths, between 39,000 and 45,000 head injuries, and between 18,000 and 55,000 scalp and face injuries annually.
  • Child helmet ownership and use increases with the parent’s income and education level, yet decreases with the child’s age.
  • Children are more likely to wear a bicycle helmet if riding with others who are also wearing one.
  • In a national survey of children ages 8 to 12, 53 percent reported that a parental rule for helmet use would persuade them to wear a helmet, and 49 percent would wear a helmet if a state or community law required it.

Bicycle helmet use by every rider, of every age, for every ride should be every family’s rule.

Kids may think they look “babyish” or “uncool” with a helmet. Teach them it’s just the opposite.

When possible, let them pick out their own helmet or add flair if it helps them get into it. And if they still hate it? Tell them it’s the rule to ride and stick with it.

When parents ride without helmets, kids are quick to copy. They may wonder why, if it is a big deal, mom and dad aren’t wearing them, too. The moral of the story is everybody should wear a helmet, every ride.

It’s a no brainer

Correct fit and proper positioning are essential to the effectiveness of bike helmets at reducing injury.

One study found that children whose helmets fit poorly are at twice the risk of head injury in a crash compared to children whose helmet fit is excellent. In addition, children who wear their helmets tipped back on their heads have a 52 percent greater risk of head injury than those who wear their helmets centered on their heads.

“Remember, it can only protect their head if they wear it correctly each and every time they ride,” Hoekstra added.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum HealthBeat.

Understanding culture and family history: Birth and adoption stories

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Photo supplied

By Darren Bagley, Michigan State University Extension


The most memorable part of many family’s history is when a new child is brought into the family. Often, the date is recorded with photos, but have you captured the stories associated with your birth or adoption? Many times, people don’t think to ask those questions until it is too late. Sometimes these conversations are avoided because they are uncomfortable, so be sensitive if these questions bring up strong emotions.


Here are some things to potentially talk about with your family. You could also ask the same questions about your parents by talking with your grandparents.

  • Does your family have stories about how they knew you were arriving?
  • Were there any “baby shower” events before you arrived? Who was there? Are there any gifts from that event that are still in your home?
  • Are there any memories of the day of the adoption or birth? My grandfather, who worked on an old-school dairy farm, talks about the day his first child was born and how he “ran over the milk cans three times that day.” Bringing a new child into the home can cause moments in time to stand out in our memories. Going through photos can help stimulate even more stories.
  • Were there any complications to bringing you into the family? Was the adoption or birth easy or difficult? Did you arrive when you were planned, or early or late?
  • Do you know where your name came from? Was it based on a family name? Was there argument between your parents on the name? Do you know what your name would have been if you were a different gender? If you were adopted, the stories of your names may be multi-layered and come from different places.
  • If you have siblings or pets, what were their reactions when you were brought home?
  • Are there interesting stories of how other family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) reacted when they found out about you?
  • Is there a story of when you first said “Mom” or “Dad?”

Capturing these and other stories about you and your family could be the foundations for a set of your own stories in the future.


This article was inspired by and adapted from the 4-H Folkpatterns curriculum:

Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan 4-H Youth Development program help to prepare youth as positive and engaged leaders and global citizens by providing educational experiences and resources for youth interested in developing knowledge and skills in these areas.


To learn about the positive impact of Michigan 4-H youth leadership, citizenship and service and global and cultural education programs, read our Impact Report: “Developing Civically Engaged Leaders.” Additional impact reports, highlighting even more ways MSU Extension and Michigan 4-H have positively impacted individuals and communities can be downloaded from the MSU Extension website.


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

5 W’s for eating the Mediterranean way

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Did you know eating a Mediterranean diet could prevent or even reverse metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes? (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Jill Seidelman, Spectrum Health Beat


We always hear about the latest fad diet, but don’t we often wonder what really works?


Where should we start? How should we start?


In an effort to develop positive eating habits, many of us have tried several diets over the years. More often than not, these diets provide only short-term solutions that leave us without a strong foundation to make significant, long-term behavioral changes.


The Mediterranean diet, however, isn’t a diet so much as it’s a way of living.


It’s a lifestyle.

Who?

Who should be interested in the Mediterranean diet? You, me and anyone who wants to cook and eat real, healthy, whole, unprocessed foods that bring your weight, health and life back to their prime.


We all know that eating the right fats, reading labels and watching carbs is beneficial, but what does that really mean? We go to the grocery store and we fill up our carts with products we either know, or think we know, are good for us. But are they really?


The Mediterranean diet offers many healthy options, no matter what your taste palate. It balances carbohydrates with grains, good fats and proteins, promoting optimal health and natural weight loss.

What?

The Mediterranean diet is not a “fad,” but a long-term solution: Eat low-glycemic-index foods to help you keep your metabolism steady, feel full longer and eat less.


Low-glycemic foods break down slowly, allowing you to feel satisfied and lose weight at the same time. Examples include: berries, citrus, apples, pears, vegetables, legumes, minimally processed grains, oatmeal, nuts, hummus, kidney beans and chickpeas.


With this type of meal plan, you can still fit in your favorite foods. It’s a way of cooking and eating that’s non-restrictive, so you don’t have to suffer through deprivation.


Based on the cuisine of Greece, Middle East, Southern Italy and Spain, the diet entails less consumption of red meat, sweets and saturated fats that are found in butter or high-fat dairy products.


It’s also a sustainable diet that you can live with. If you like to eat “real” foods, if you shop at farmers markets, or if you eat farm-to-table, the Mediterranean way could be the right plan for you.


It’s worth noting that U.S. News & World Report ranked the Mediterranean diet first place in the “plant-based diets,” according to Best Diets 2013 rankings.

Why?

How about, why not? How about cooking like a Greek islander, or learning a gourmet dish from Spain or Italy? Eating like a Greek is not only healthy, it’s delicious.


Mediterranean foods are rich in antioxidants and they have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. So you can live longer, with less disease.

When?

Realistically, we can follow it every day. And since it’s proven to help us live longer, healthier lives, we should.


By incorporating techniques that improve our eating behaviors—meal planning, food choice, and cooking prep—we can reap a lifetime of benefits.

Where?

In the kitchen, the heart of the home, and just about everywhere else. The Mediterranean diet fits a busy, healthy lifestyle, whether you’re learning the art of cooking at home or you’re working to educate yourself on healthy food choices when dining out.

Let’s not forget: How?

Great taste and zero calories aren’t the only benefits of infused water—it can also help flush toxins, improve skin and enhance mood. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

Here’s how to follow a low-glycemic diet such as the Mediterranean diet:

  • You do not need to memorize the glycemic index or count grams of carbohydrates in foods.
  • Choose fiber-rich, natural carbohydrates, including vegetables, fruits and legumes. Eat them along with a source of protein and a healthy fat.
  • Eat grain products in the least-processed state possible. Examples include stone ground whole wheat bread as opposed to white bread.
  • When you have a sugary treat, do it in moderation—and after a balanced meal.
  • Limit fruit juice and avoid sugary soda. Drink more water. If you don’t enjoy drinking water, try an infused water recipe to add a little excitement to H2O.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Questions in block play can support mathematical learning

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By Kevin Zoromski, Michigan State University Extension

 


Playing with blocks is one of the most satisfying and fun ways to interact with your child while teaching important skills to enhance their language, social, emotional, cognitive and motor development. Block play can help to increase vocabulary, math, science and overall physical development. In this series of articles, you will learn some specific questions to use to interact with your child using blocks to increase their developmental skills.


There are many ways to increase mathematical skills and knowledge by playing with blocks. Playing with blocks can increase the ability to understand sizes, shapes and patterns. Block play can also lead to increased skills in counting, adding, subtracting and sorting. As you use blocks to play with your children, be aware of some important and fun questions you can ask to support their learning and increasing of mathematical skills.


Questions for learning about counting with blocks:

  • How many blocks do you have?
  • Can we count how many blocks you have?
  • How many square blocks? How many circle blocks?
  • What color blocks do you have?
  • Do you have a red block? Do you have a blue block?
  • How many red (blue, green, orange, etc.) blocks are there?

Questions for learning about patterns with blocks:

  • Can you make a pattern with…? (choose two color or two shape blocks)
  • What comes next in the pattern? (example: red, blue, red, blue)
  • How can you continue the pattern?

Questions for learning about shapes with blocks:

  • Can you pick up a round block? Can you pick up a square block?
  • Can you find a block shaped like a triangle? Can you find a block shaped like a circle?
  • What shapes are you using to build your castle (tower, house, etc.)?

Questions for learning about sizes with blocks:

  • How tall can you build your block tower?
  • Which block is the smallest? Which block is the biggest?
  • Which block is smaller? Which block is bigger?
  • Can you build a castle/tower larger than the one you just built?
  • Can you find the smallest block and place it on top?

Questions for learning about sorting with blocks:

  • Can you put all the yellow (red, blue, green, etc.) blocks right here?
  • Can you put all the red blocks in the bucket? All the green blocks? All the blue blocks?
  • Can you line up all the small blocks? Can you line up all the big blocks?
  • Can you line up all the blocks from smallest to biggest? Biggest to smallest?

Questions for learning about adding using blocks:

  • How tall will your tower be if you add two more blocks?
  • How many orange (red, blue, yellow, etc.) blocks will you have if you add one more?
  • How many red (blue, green, yellow, etc.) blocks will you have if you take one away?

Using any of these questions while playing with blocks can help a child increase their knowledge and excitement of math. Beginning to learn math at an early age can help create pathways in the brain for children to have a greater chance of being successful at learning higher math skills later in life. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides many activities, ideas and articles for playful math learning and is a great place to find extra resources for helping children increase their learning in mathematics.

For more information on developing math skills, please see these articles by Michigan State University Extension:

PMS and the blues

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Brain chemicals can get a bit wonky from time to time, causing moods you can’t shake. There’s help. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


In the dark days of winter, we all start feeling caged in and sick of the cold.


It is normal to feel moody, irritable, anxious, sad, depressed, less motivated and even overwhelmed. Some days we would just rather stay in bed and hide from the world under the covers.


If you have the misfortune to suffer premenstrual syndrome, or premenstrual dysthymic disorder, the winter will seem even longer.


Many women suffer mild mood changes such as irritability during their monthly period, after the birth of a baby or around the time of menopause.


In a normal menstrual cycle, estrogen drops slowly before the period starts. Mood changes are tied to estrogen level changes and, as another cycle begins, estrogen rises and mood changes go away.


What are not as common are mood changes that affect relationships, work behavior or lifestyle habits such as use of alcohol. This happens to women who suffer from these premenstrual syndromes.


The way this works is our brain chemical balance is influenced by estrogen. We each are unique in our chemistry. Our brain chemical balance is a big part of our personality—how we cope, our sex drive, our behavior in general.

Banking with brain chemicals

A couple of brain chemicals to pay attention to are gamma-aminobutyric acid and serotonin.


Gamma-aminobutyric acid is the brain chemical that helps with concentration. Some brains do not make enough of it and this contributes to symptoms of attention deficit disorder.


Serotonin is the brain chemical many women depend on to feel normal. One way to think about serotonin is like money in the bank. Picture a bank balance sheet. We make serotonin during sleep.


Due to genetics, some women make more serotonin than others. Serotonin goes in the “deposit” column of your balance sheet. Serotonin is “spent” on each life event. Unresolved issues or emotional challenges like elder parent care or a difficult job situation “costs” more serotonin than, for example, being late for work or not having any clothes that fit.


When estrogen is low—right before a menstrual period—serotonin is spent more quickly. Something needs to happen to rebuild your balance.

A real life example

A patient of mine I’ll call Mary came to me at the urging of friends.


Mary’s behavior had changed significantly. At Mary’s appointment, we assessed the situation. Her periods were slightly irregular, but still came every month. She had been noticing more headaches, bloating and fatigue around the time of her period. Overall, she thought she was doing well but agreed her moods had been worse.


I asked her what had changed in her life. Mary confided that normally when she was in a bit of a bad mood, she could still “act happy.” Lately, however, she seemed unable to control what came out of her mouth. She worried about everything, particularly—and needlessly—about money or future plans.


Too many nights she could not sleep because her mind simply would not stop. Her weight and sex drive had changed for the worse. Mary simply did not feel connected and often felt sad and she did not know what to do about it.


We talked about how brain chemicals and estrogen are closely related. Because of her lower estrogen level right before periods, she spent her brain chemicals too fast. Also because of low estrogen, she couldn’t sleep well before a period, and therefore didn’t make enough brain chemicals.


Mary had fallen into a vicious cycle.


She hesitated to consider taking medication to help. I reminded her that women 75 years ago would have given anything for the medical options we have today. Women now do not have to suffer like in years past. Times have changed for the better.


Mary did choose to take advantage of medicine that raised her brain chemical serotonin. After three months, she felt like her normal self. She was more active, had started walking again every day and wanted to go out with her friends.


So pay attention, ladies: Bad moods can be a symptom of changing hormone levels, but they do not have to be suffered in silence. Please talk to your doctor and get help.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.