by Leonard Achan RN, MA, ANP

Your body is composed of approximately 60% water, which means that it makes sense to keep water flowing in your body. Water is essential to the overall health of all your vital organs and assists with essential roles such as removing toxins, maintaining the chemical balance within your cells, and helping nutrients as well as vitamins and medications to travel and be absorbed into your system.

Most people find themselves in a doctors office, an emergency room or at home feeling sluggish and depleted because of dehydration during hot summer months. It’s very important that during any time of the year, you do not get dehydrated. Remember that you lose water through urination, respiration, and by sweating and depending on your diet and exercise these losses can be more or less over the same period of time.

You may be asking us how much water you should be drinking each day, but this is an individual need and should be assessed based on medications you take, your health, how active you are, how exposed you are to the sun and heat. Even your living and work environment play a large role in how much water you may need to replace each day.

Some clinician’s recommend anywhere from 2- 3 liters a day. Some hydration calculators recommend that a healthy individual without major health concerns or pregnancy should take your weight in pounds and divide it by half which will tell you the amount of ounces you need to drink per day (so if you weigh 120 lbs, this would equal 60 oz or 1.8 liters per day).

Exercise, exposure outside to heat waves or very hot days, increased exercise or mobility can make this estimate vary especially when health concerns are taken into consideration.

Some very easy ways to stay hydrated are:

1. Keep moderate temperature water near you all day. Sometimes water that is on either end of the hot/cold spectrum will discourage you from drinking.
2. Consume fruits and veggies which have a high concentration of water in them naturally.
3. Drink flavored drinks, Iced teas or juices if you really need a break from pure water during the day.
4. Dress in lightly colored clothing if you will be exposed to the sun and protect your skin from direct sunlight.
5. Replace water throughout the day during long periods of activity or exercise.

Also, please don’t take your access to clean healthy water for granted. According to UNICEF, over 900 million people on the planet today do not have access to water and half of them are children. Please feel free to watch this video and donate at www.tapproject.org

Check out this cool INFOGRAPHIC from the group over at www.weightloss.org showing some facts about dieting!

Via: Weight Loss

Via: Weight Loss

Check out this INFOGRAPHIC from the people over at ‘Home Owners Insurance’ A great illustration on some fun facts about caffeine.

Via: Homeowners Insurance

Flickr:kujira_

by: Kimberly Mayo, MA, CCC-SLP

With the increased demands the world has put on us today, the majority of Americans find themselves sleeping less and less every night. While there may be many reasons for this lack of sleep such as work, technology, stress, kids, or just trading in sleep for leisure activities, one thing is for sure; not sleeping enough is not ok!

As our age changes, so does our need for sleep. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that infants receive about 18 hours of sleep per day, toddlers about 13 hours, children 10 hours, adolescents at least 9 hours and finally 8 hours every day for adults. While we are awake, our nerve cells are continuously active and become more or less “fatigued”. Sleep gives our body’s cells an opportunity to relieve themselves of waste as well as repair themselves. According to Dr. Michael J. Breus, reducing your nighttime sleep by as little as 1.5 hours for just one night could result in a 32% daytime alertness reduction. This, in turn, can lead to occupational injuries, decreased response time, difficulty completing daily activities and automobile accidents, just to name a few. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that drowsy driving is responsible for approximately 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 deaths each year.

Sufficient sleep is now being recognized as one of the leading contributors in chronic disease prevention. Getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night can trigger or even accelerate diseases such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke, hypertension, memory loss, obesity and even depression. Children that don’t get enough sleep can suffer from fatigue, night-induced awakenings, a greater chance of attention disorders, possible peer-relation complexity and a decrease in classroom performance. On the flip side, children who slept more during the day and babies who had a set nap time over an extended period of time showed a longer attention span, more sociable behavior, and were overall less demanding. Additionally, good sleep positively affects neurological development as well as overall IQ and brain function.

There are many contributing factors that play into the ability to not only sleep enough, but sleep well. From environmental influences to physiological troubles, it is critical to evaluate your health and lifestyle to accommodate appropriate sleep. Sleep apnea, depression, excess caffeine and too much technology are just some examples of interfering factors.

In order to promote quality sleep, or “sleep hygiene”, there are some simple things you can do to get on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

-go to bed and wake up at similar times each during the week

- remove all gadgets and disruptive technology from the bedroom

-avoid large meals and excess caffeine before bedtime

-avoid rigorous physical exercise within a few hours before bed

-contact your healthcare provider for a sleep evaluation to help identify and target any “disorders” disrupting your sleep

Remember that adequate rest improves our ability to think, handle stress, maintain a healthy immune system and moderate our emotions. Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1880, people slept an average of 10 hours. Now, Americans are sleeping an overestimated 6.9 hours each night. “Sleep is not a luxury…it is a necessity”. Give it to your body the same way you would food and water!

By: Erin C. Lieber

The oil spill in the Gulf Coast is said to be the worst oil spill since the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaskan waters, over 20 years ago, in 1989. The oil tanker bound for California, ended up spilling over 10.8 million U.S. gallons of crude oil, where the clean up measures were arguably slow and the environmental consequences greater than originally anticipated. Not to go unmentioned, the economic conditions created by this disaster disrupted the normal flow of goods are services, where goods could not be produced due to increasing costs of production, driving supply down, and prices up. To add insult to injury, an arduous litigation period, lasting entirely too long to be efficient, created an irresponsible allocation of tax-payer dollars. This unprecedented trial, unveiled some clever lending practices and the advent of the credit default swap between Exxon and J.P Morgan Chase.

Fast forward 21 years. We are now facing the largest oil spill in the Gulf Coast. As of today, June 1st, 2010, scientists are warning of deep unseen underwater disaster, while the CEO of BP, is clashing with the media over response time to the spill. President Obama is also under fire for a delayed response, and to this point, some say that overall gallons leaked are climbing to 20 million.

We have heard a lot in the comparisons between the Exxon spill over two decades ago and the Gulf Coast spill that we are dealing with present day. Most of it has concerned the quantities of the spill, meticulously placing blame on BP in the form of litigation and punitive damages, environmental damage to the wildlife, and the goods and services that are produced, which are now in jeopardy, due to the spill. What we haven’t heard a lot about is the psychological damages to those whose livelihoods depend on the very things that are produced in the Gulf Coast, whether directly or indirectly. These people’s lives and plans have been changed extremely quickly, and they are dealing with enormous uncertainty relative to time back to normalcy and financial stability.

If one types in “Gulf Coast Oil Spill” and “Litigation,”  Google returns 64,310 results. If one types in “Gulf Coast Oil Spill” and “Post-Traumatic Stress,” Google returns 784 results. We can see from the search that the information on the psychological effects of an oil spill like this, may not be top of mind, but maybe they should be. In this case, we have examples from the Exxon Spill 21 years ago. The consequences are quite serious, and still with us today.

Research was conducted on the economic, social, cultural and psychological impacts of the Exxon Valdez (EVOS) from 1989-1997. An interdisciplinary team of researchers was organized and directed by Dr. J. Steven Picou, who was primarily funded by The National Science Foundation and the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council.

(View entire Research Summary here: http://www.jomiller.com/exxonvaldez/articles/picou3.html)

Findings included:

• Commercial fishers and Alaska Natives were the two groups at highest risk for suffering from spill-related negative impacts.

• In 1995, six years after the spill, psychological data for commercial fishers found that:
• 20 percent had symptoms of severe anxiety
• 40 percent had severe depression
• 14 percent had symptoms of hostility
• Spill-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was assessed and 37 % were found to meet the criteria for PTSD.
• Over half of the respondents had severe depression, PTSD or a combination of predominant symptoms.

As we deal with the latest crisis in the Gulf Coast, it is important for policy makers and those involved in the management of the most recent spill to think a little bit outside of the box,and to learn from some of the mental health concerns and subsequent lessons of two decades ago. I can only hope that in the midst of this disaster, resources are being allocated that concentrate on mitigating some of the effects of the mental health reactions from 21 years ago.

by: Elisse Catalan

What do you know about Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. It affects the way the body utilizes glucose for growth and energy. Carbohydrates from our diet are broken down and converted to glucose that can be used in our bodies. In order for glucose to be utilized, insulin from the pancreas is required to allow the glucose to enter the cells.

There are two types of Diabetes Mellitus

• Type 1 Diabetes, there is little or no insulin secretion
• Type 2 Diabetes, there is impaired insulin or insulin resistance

DM is a lifelong disease that should not be overlooked. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC),  More than 23 million Americans are living with diabetes and about 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed every year in the US.

Who is at risk for Diabetes?

• Family History or diabetes
• Obesity (greater than 25 kg/m2)
• habitual inactivity
• Race /Ethnicity (African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander)
• History of Gestational Diabetes
• Hypertension (BP greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHG)
• HDL Cholesterol level <35 mg/dL and or a triglyceride level >250 mg/dL
• History of Vascular disease

Why do you need to be concerned?

It is the leading cause of end stage renal disease, non-traumatic lower extremity amputations and adult blindness. It also predisposes to cardiovascular diseases. With an increasing incidence worldwide, DM will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity for the foreseeable future.

Next Steps?

Consult with your health care provider if you can have your blood glucose levels tested. There is much importance in knowing your glucose levels now because…

A large number of individuals who meet the current criteria for Diabetes Mellitus are asymptomatic and unaware that they have the disorder.

Epidemiologic studies suggest that type 2 Diabetes Mellitus may be present for up to a decade before diagnosis.

As many as 50% of individuals with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus have one or more diabetes – specific complication at the time of diagnosis

When do you need to be tested?

The American Diabetes Association recommends:

• Screening all individuals >45 years every 3 years
• Screening individuals at an earlier age if they are overweight.
• Criteria for the Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus
• Symptoms of diabetes plus random blood sugar concentration >200mg/dL
• Fasting blood glucose  >126 mg/dL
• Two hour plasma glucose >200 mg/dL

As with all diseases early diagnosis brings about early cure. Better now than later! Know your glucose levels now, it might just save your life.

By: Eric Bitet LMHC, MA, MPH

As spring begins to knock on our doors, this is a good time to give an early first quarter review of our healthy behaviors and reflect on the famous New Years resolutions most people set for themselves annually. For some, this means evaluating your progress towards meeting your health related goals you’ve set.  But for others, it already means looking back on a ‘flash in the pan’ idea that didn’t make it through the first few weeks of January and has already been converted to statements like, “I’ll start before the summer” or “soon” and maybe even something like “I’ll start before my birthday.”  The fact of the matter is everyday can be New Years.  If you have already slipped up on your New Years resolution to live healthier in some way this year, it is never too late or too soon to start now!

I want you to think about your resolution and where you stand with it right now!  Was it similar to some of the very common ones such as dieting, exercising, or quitting smoking?  Maybe you wanted to be more health aware and planned to get your physical examination but haven’t got to it yet.  Whatever it may have been, you can still be successful at living healthier in 2010.  After all, it is only February!  By the way, for those of you whose resolutions had nothing to do with your health, hopefully this article can plant a seed or act as a light bulb turning on for you.  Are you out of shape?  Overweight?  Do you smoke cigarettes or have some other aspect of your health that you want and need to improve?  Now is the time to start thinking long and hard about this!

So what do you need to do?  It is always very important to consult your physician and inform them of your intentions.  They can guide you and give you expert advice based on your current health status and age and guide you towards what you should be doing.  Once that is done, a good start would be to develop a plan.  Make a schedule for yourself and stick to it!  A former mentor once said you have to plan your work and work your plan!  In translation, you must take action!  But it is important that you start small, develop a foundation of healthy living habits, and make steady progress.  The old cliché goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and we can’t transform ourselves in a days time.  If your goal is to eat better or go to the gym and exercise, make a daily schedule for yourself that is realistic with specific times to exercise and follow it strictly.  You will see that after two weeks these new behaviors will start to become routine.  The same goes for dieting.  You must follow a set schedule by mapping out your meals on a daily basis and keeping score for yourself.  For those of you who have interest in cutting back on smoking cigarettes, it is important that you consult your physician or your local health department for guidance on what to do and for access to smoking cessation aids and educational materials.  In addition to these common target areas, there are many other areas that a person can focus on to begin to live a healthier life and improve their overall health and well-being.

Maybe you want to improve your health but you just don’t know what to focus on and where to start.  According to many health experts, here are some uniform good habits that you can follow to live healthy, improve your quality of life, and overall increase your chances for longevity.

At the top of the list are diet and exercise.  Eating right and being physically active are very important in maintaining healthy body weight and cardiovascular health as well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes.  It also has been shown to improve mood and reduce stress levels in the body.  In addition to physical activity, the brain must also be exercised and kept active!  Research shows that mental activity such as reading, writing, solving crossword puzzles or math equations can help keep the person’s cognitive and analytical functions intact for a longer period of time.  It is also a good habit to get the proper amount of sleep.  Sleep has been shown to improve cognitive functions such as memory and concentration as well as enhance one’s mood and immune and cardiovascular systems.  The average requirement for sleep is 8 hours per night but many people can function well with 6 hours of sleep.  Ultimately, the most important aspect of sleep is that it gives the individual the energy they need on a daily basis.

Moreover, social activity has also been shown to have positive health effects.  Those who spend more time with family and friends and socialize regularly have been shown to be healthier than others who are isolated and alone.  It is important for the spirit that we make connections with others, share our time, and very importantly unwind and laugh!  Finally, it is recommended that we get regular medical examinations including physicals every 6 to 12 months.  This of course is the key in keeping aware of the status of our health and detecting the development of diseases like many different forms of cancer in their early stages.

For New York City residents, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) along with the Fund for Public Health New York (FPHNY) recommend these 10 steps to living healthier:

• Have a regular doctor or other health care provider
• Be tobacco-free
• Keep your heart healthy
• Know your HIV status
• Get help for depression
• Live free of dependence on alcohol and drugs
• Get checked for cancer
• Get the immunizations you need
• Make your home safe and healthy
• Have a healthy baby

To look at each of these steps in detail and to read about the reasons why these areas are targeted please visit http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/tcny/index.shtml.

All in all, it is up to us to take action for ourselves!!  No one can keep that next Big Mac and large soda out of our mouths or run our next mile and lift the next weight for us!  There isn’t an individual who can be forced to quit smoking, drinking, or make a doctor’s visit.  These responsibilities to take care of ourselves lay solely on us.  It is the choices made now that will shape the future of our health and wellness.  We often don’t look back on something with regret until something has already happened and it is too late.  The heart attack victim and the smoker who developed lung cancer most likely wished they lived differently.  But that doesn’t have to be you.  Take a stand and choose to live a healthier life.  Reinstitute that lost New Years resolution with a new one!  With all this in mind, ask yourself, how’s your health in 2010?

by Kimberly Mayo-Achan MA, CCC-SLP

In today’s fast paced society, people are encouraged to live efficiently and take advantage of all of the modern technologies and short cuts that are now available to give us more “productive” time in a day. Whether that short cut be sending an e-mail instead of a letter through the postal system or getting information through the internet instead of reading hard copy books, almost all of us take advantage of them because we have fallen away from waiting for something to get done. And gone are the days where a family has time to sit down together for a home cooked meal, because both parents are working and have the convenience of a microwave.

Pre-packaged and frozen dinners have become the norm for many families today. More likely than not, if you have a grandparent make you dinner, everything will be freshly prepared and cooked in their own kitchen on, believe it or not, the stove or in the oven! But, since the invention of the microwave, in addition to the stress of having to work full time jobs, it is easier and more time efficient to pop a premade dinner into the microwave, which can mean more time together at the table for some families. If you are a “frozen-food fanatic”, then at least make sure meal time is a healthy time. It is very important for families to gather together at meal time, but this does not mean it is ok to place just anything on the table.

Consumer reports magazine has just released a study evaluating dietary value and information on 22 different types of frozen and pre-packaged brands of food. They evaluated these brands based on cost, taste and nutrition. The findings, while not very impressive, were very interesting, as all three criteria showed a considerable improvement from previous studies. Almost half of these meals provided 5 grams or more of fiber per serving, and 6 out of the 22 provided 20% of the recommended daily intake of calcium. On the contrary, the majority of these meals had over 600 milligrams of sodium, while only 3 had less than 450 per meal. It was also found that many of these “meals” were not, in fact, entire meals in itself. In order to obtain adequate nutrition, servings of fruits and vegetables need to be added to each meal to make them complete.

The overall conclusions were that there are sensible prepared meals to serve to your family, with Kashi being the clear front runner. However, frozen and pre-packaged dinners should not take the place of fresh, home cooked food every day of the week. These meals are highly processed and often contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is known to have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system. It is better to make a few meals over the weekend and freeze your own foods for the upcoming week.

The bottom line is to try to find other ways during the day to make the most out of your time so that you have a few extra minutes to prepare a healthy meal. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it doesn’t have to come in a package either.

For the full report on packaged meals, you can subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org or log onto http://www.walletpop.com/consumer-reports/insurance/article/consumer-reports-packaged-diet-meal/847476?icid=main|search3|dl4|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fconsumer-reports%2Finsurance%2Farticle%2Fconsumer-reports-packaged-diet-meal%2F847476 for an abbreviated version of the study.

by Kimberly Mayo-Achan MA, CCC-SLP

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…or at least that’s how the song goes! For many of us, while the holidays may be fun, festive and joyous, they can also be very stressful. The long lines in the stores, worrying about giving the perfect gift, getting all of the decorations up on time, and of course, cooking and over eating can all contribute to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Take a minute to yourself, read this article, and re-strategize your holiday headaches!

First and foremost, get organized! Before you do any shopping or any decorating, sit down and write a long list of what needs to get done and what gifts need to be bought. This will serve two main purposes. First, it will provide you with a concise visual of what needs to get done and will allow you to make a functional plan of how and when to get everything accomplished. Put a calendar next to you and pencil in your activities. Second, it will lessen your chances of wondering around aimlessly in store after store, spending valuable time and money on items you would not have otherwise purchased. If you are not sure what to get someone, a gift card to a store of their liking with a well written holiday greeting card is often appreciated. Websites such as redenvelope.com also offer an array of personal gifts for everyone on your list.

If you are doing the holiday cooking, make a list of all of the dishes you plan to make along with the ingredients for each meal. Look into a home delivery grocery service, such as peapod from Stop and Shop, and this will save you time, aggravation and a bad back, by not having to haul in numerous heavy bags. It will also help keep money in your wallet by not allowing you to play supermarket sweep and fill your shopping cart up with unnecessary items for your home. Many home delivery services, such as peapod, are offering $15.00 off for first time customers.

Contrary to what people may think, there is no rush, race or competition to have all of your decorations up by a certain date. Sure, they look beautiful, but it’s ok if you give yourself a couple of days to get it all done. If you are putting up a Christmas tree, try having the tree up the day before you decorate. This will allow you to enjoy placing your special ornaments without the stress of maneuvering your tree. If you don’t have a tree in your home, consider taking some of your ornaments and decorate that lonely tree in front of your house. Do your outdoor decorating during the day and dress accordingly. Have your kids, spouse, neighbors or friends lend a hand.

Understand that food is a very important part of the holidays; there is no avoiding it! The smell of gingerbread cookies, stuffing with gravy, potato pancakes or a fresh turkey is enough to make any mouth water. Set realistic expectations for yourself. Drink plenty of water during the day and have a light snack before you attend a holiday party. When you make yourself a plate, walk away from the buffet or main source of food. Take a few bites of everything on your plate to satisfy your palate. Indulging in smaller portions of what you are craving will decrease the likelihood of binge eating later on. When you are finished eating, take a walk over to some of your neighbors homes and deliver some fresh baked desserts or a nice holiday bouquet. This will help spread some holiday cheer while shedding those excess calories you ingested when eating grandma’s apple pie. If it’s too cold or rainy to walk outside, get out your favorite holiday tunes and dance away that ham and sweet potato pie! Also, choose your beverages wisely. Remember that just because it’s liquid doesn’t mean it’s not full of empty calories! In one cup of egg nog there are 343 calories and 19 grams of fat! Try swapping the egg nog for a home made hot chocolate, which has 1/3 the calories! For more “eat this, not that!” ideas, check out the following website:http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100247658.

Finally, remember not to over schedule yourself. Don’t wear yourself out. It’s never easy when you have to get to your uncle’s house by 1, your best friends house by 5, your business holiday party by 7 and then host more family at your house the following day. Make plans that you are able to realistically adhere to. Plan ahead as much as your can. Take 15 minutes a day for yourself. And remember, have fun! This time only comes but once a year! ‘Tis the season.

International Trachoma Initiative

By: Erin Lieber

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few decades, chances are you have heard of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other, for lack of a better word, “popular” diseases, that tend to get a lot of attention. Whether you have been to a U2 concert where the band’s lead singer, Bono, advocates for support of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa or have seen the star studded ads for the ONE campaign, or have been stopped in the mall by M.A.C. cosmetics to “unite against AIDS”, it is evident that celebrities, media, and donors have rallied for the cause. In fact, some research shows that donor contributions have quadrupled since the early 1990’s. This unprecedented amount of attention has been invaluable to raising funds, dispelling the stigma of AIDS and contributing to the prevention and treatment of this high profile disease.

But what about the diseases many of us have never heard of? Have you been to a fancy benefit lately to support lymphatic filariasis or trachoma? How many celebrity designed t-shirts have you seen at upscale boutiques to support hookwork infection or ectoparasitic infections like scabies? Have you seen many famous people using their celebrity to advocate for onchocerciasis on the red carpet?

There is a category for diseases of this kind in Global Health circles, called Neglected Tropical Diseases or NTDs. These conditions are the highest contributors to the overall burden of disease, despite the fact that they are not as high in mortality as some other diseases. Instead, the poorest people in the world suffer from NTDs and live with the debilitating conditions. Since NTDs are largely co-endemic, meaning they often occur simultaneously in one person, inhabitants of many poverty stricken nations often suffer from 4-5 types of these types of ailments at one time. The pictures in this post are that of Trachoma, which is a slow progressing and painful infectious bacterial disease of the eye leading to irreversible blindness. Often transmitted by flies, repeated infections can cause eyelashes to turn inward and scratch the cornea. For more information specifically on Trachoma, visit: http://www.trachoma.org/core/sub.php?cat=trachoma&id=faq. This is just a preview of the horrific nature of some of these diseases. For more information please visit The Neglected Tropical Disease coalition at:  http://neglectedtropicaldiseases.org/.

International Trachoma Initiative

Disturbing and unpleasant? Yes. However, the devastation of HIV/AIDS often paints just as desperate a picture and we have seen a tremendous amount of commendable celebrity humanitarianism for this “popular” disease. The good news? NTDs are amenable to control methods such as mass drug administration and eye surgeries to provide relief to those living with these conditions and a concentrated effort can effectively improve quality of life and in some cases eradication.

So, the answer to the question posed in the title? NTDs do, in fact, have a celebrity face and it’s that of Alyssa Milano. The point is, I don’t think Ms. Milano’s representation is wide spread knowledge, and these diseases deserve all the attention we can afford to give them. Celebrities do a great job of raising awareness for a cause, so let’s hope we see NTDs on the their radar in the near future, sharing some of the spotlight.