Southern Arizona Wellness News

Upcoming Tucson Events in April

2010-03-24T00:11:00.000-07:00

Thursday April 1, 2010

	April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
	April is Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

Saturday April 3, 2010

3:00 PM	FAIR - Tucson Canine Classic Walk/Run and Festival

Thursday April 8, 2010

	Spring Fling

Friday April 9, 2010

	Spring Fling

Saturday April 10, 2010

	Spring Fling
6:00 PM	A Starry, Starry Night - TROT Hearts & Horses Gala
	American Cancer Society Jubilee Gala

Sunday April 11, 2010

	Spring Fling
	Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure

Thursday April 15, 2010

	Pima County Fair

Friday April 16, 2010

	Pima County Fair

Saturday April 17, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	Sabino Canyon Sunset Run
	Tucson Kids' Try-athon
8:30 AM	12th Annual Coyote Creek Fiesta for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Tucson
10:00 AM	American Cancer Society Relay for Life Green Valley / Sahuarita
6:00 PM	American Cancer Society Relay for Life - UofA

Sunday April 18, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	The Event - Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson
10:00 AM	Cyclovia Tucson: Walking, Cycling and Healthy Street Activities

Monday April 19, 2010

	Pima County Fair

Tuesday April 20, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference

Wednesday April 21, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference
	Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault Denim Day
	Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault Dine Out For Safety

Thursday April 22, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference
6:00 PM	Butterfly Gala for Integrative Touch for Kids

Friday April 23, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference
	Global Youth Service Day

Saturday April 24, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference
	Global Youth Service Day
	Desert Dash Half Marathon & 5k Run/Walk
8:30 AM	Tucson Botanical Gardens GreenFest

Sunday April 25, 2010

	Pima County Fair
	Global Youth Service Day

Wednesday April 28, 2010

	Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona Luncheon

Friday April 30, 2010

4:00 PM	American Cancer Society Relay for Life Tucson/Vail
5:30 PM	Humane Society of Southern Arizona Puttin' on the Dog

Tucson Events in March

2010-03-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday March 13, 2010

	Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona Youth Leadership Awards
	Tucson Festival of Books

Sunday March 14, 2010

	Tucson Festival of Books

Wednesday March 17, 2010

	St. Patrick's Day

Friday March 19, 2010

	4th Avenue Street Fair

Saturday March 20, 2010

	4th Avenue Street Fair
	First Day of Spring

Sunday March 21, 2010

	4th Avenue Street Fair
	Dave's Run for ALS

Friday March 26, 2010

	Tucson Botanical Gardens New Leaf Plant Sale

Saturday March 27, 2010

	Steven M. Gootter Foundation Grand Slam Tennis Tournament

Sunday March 28, 2010

	Steven M. Gootter Foundation Grand Slam Tennis Tournament
	Arizona Distance Classic
	Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation Dance in the Red

Monday March 29, 2010

	Fast Food, Slow Food, and the Future of Food

Nutrition Notes

2010-03-10T21:09:00.001-07:00

March is National Nutrition Month. Eating well can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Eating well means eating a variety of healthy foods in the right amounts so your body gets the nutrients needed to maintain good health and work properly.

What exactly are the nutrients that come from food? Different foods provide different kinds of nutrients:

-- Proteins (lean meats, eggs, beans, nuts) help build muscle and a strong immune system.

-- Carbohydrates (starches, sugar and whole grains that also provide fiber) give you energy.

-- Fats provide essential fatty acids and extra energy.

-- Vitamins and minerals (commonly available in fruits, vegetables and whole grains) regulate body processes, enhance cell function and growth and help build a strong immune system.

-- Water gives cells shape and acts as a medium where body processes can occur.

Including a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into each meal will help ensure that your body gets the right amount of the essential nutrients. Eating too many saturated fats and sugars can lead to excess weight gain and chronic disease. A recent study from the San Francisco VA Medical Center showed that Omega 6 fatty acid can promote prostate tumor cell growth in human prostrate cancer tissue cultures.1 Corn oil is a major source of omega 6 fatty acids, used extensively in the United States' food processing, frying and baked goods. A healthy balance for your fat intake should include higher daily intakes of monounsaturated fats (olive, canola and peanut oils) along with omega 3 fatty acids, which one can get by consuming fish at least twice a week. Avoid trans-fatty acids found in many processed foods.

In general, processed foods tend to lose many of their vitamins during the manufacturing process and often have other less healthy ingredients added such as corn syrup and trans fats. Thus, the term empty calories is often used to describe foods like soda and potato chips. Replacing processed foods in your diet with more fresh foods like fruits, vegetables and plain water helps promote a healthy diet. Additionally, a St. Louis VA Medical Center study in 2004 found that reducing the amount of fat and empty calories in your diet may help improve memory2.

The following are tips on how to practice good nutrition this month and every month:

-- Eat smaller meals including a vegetable as the center of the plate, with smaller meat and starch servings. Include at least one serving of fruit and vegetable with every meal.

-- Drink more water between meals; try veggies or a handful of nuts for a snack and fresh fruit for something sweet.

-- Reduce your intake of deep fried foods and cancer-causing trans fats found in processed foods and baked goods.

-- Read food labels and reduce the amount of added sugar, corn syrup and salt in the diet. Use fresh herbs and spices to season food instead.

VA offers veterans an online tool to help them track their food intake and manage their nutrition. The MyHealtheVet Web site has an online food journal to help veterans monitor what they eat. It also offers tips and information on health and wellness. Veterans (as well as their families and advocates) can log on to www.myhealth.va.gov and begin tracking their food intake today. The journal may be used as a tool for follow-up nutrition counseling with a local registered dietitian. VA provides nutrition counseling as a health care benefit to enrolled veterans. For more information on nutrition, veterans may contact their local VA Medical Center.

Additionally, the VA offers an Internet reference site for reliable links to nutrition resources at http://www.va.gov/nfs/veternnutrition.htm

Veterans Affairs (VA) R&D
103 S. Gay St., Ste 517
Baltimore, MD 21202
United States
http://www.va.gov/resdev

Helping Your Child Enjoy Sports

2010-02-07T11:16:00.001-07:00

Is your child resistant to sports? Is he or she uncomfortable with competition or afraid of performing poorly at the activity?

Help your child enjoy sports fully by following these tips:

Develop a wInnIng perspectIve-
Every decision parents make in guiding their children should be based first on what’s best for the child and second on what may help the child win. Stated another way, this perspective places athletes first and winning second. This is not to say winning is unimportant. Winning—or striving to win—is essential to enjoyable competition. Pursuing victory and achieving goals are important rewards of sports participation. But they can turn sour if, through losing, you or your child lose the proper perspective. An obsession with winning often produces a fear of failure, resulting in below average performances and upset children.

Build Your child’s self-esteem-
Building self-esteem in your child is one of your most important parenting duties. It’s not easy, and it’s made even more difficult in sports by the prevailing attitude that “winning is everything.” Athletes who find their self-worth through winning will go through tough times when they lose.

Building self-esteem in your child takes more than encouragement. You need to show your child unconditional approval and love. Don’t praise dishonestly; children can see through that. If your child strikes out three times and makes an error in a softball game, don’t tell her she played well. Just show the same amount of love and approval for her—not for her performance—that you showed before the game.

EmphasIze fun, skIll development and strIvIng to wIn-
The reason you should emphasize fun is quite simple: without it, your child may not want to keep playing. Kids don’t have fun when they stand around in practice or sit on the bench during games, when they feel pressure to win and don’t improve or learn new skills. Conversely, they do have fun when practices are well organized, they get to play in games, they develop new skills and the focus is on striving to win.

Help your child set performance goals-
Performance goals—which emphasize individual skill improvement—are much better than the outcome goal of winning for two reasons:
1. Performance goals are in the athlete’s control.
2. Performance goals help the athlete improve.

Performance goals should be specific, and they should be challenging but not too difficult to achieve. For example, if your child plays soccer, you might help him set the goals of making short, crisp passes; of staying between the ball and the goal on defense; and of giving his best effort throughout the game. You (and your child’s coach) should help your young athlete set such goals. Help your child focus on performance goals before a game. This focus will help sports be an enjoyable learning experience for your son or daughter.

Additional resources:
The Nemours Foundation has more tips for helping your child enjoy sports and develop healthy attitudes at www.kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/sportsmanship.html. The Citizenship through Sports Alliance has a brochure for parents that includes information about the benefits of sports participation and ways to help your child develop realistic expectations about sports, including the real odds of being able to play professionally, sportsmanship.org/News/CTSA%20PGuide%20Final.pdf.

Source: Activate Tucson

January's Health Topics

2010-01-09T07:29:00.004-07:00

January

Cervical Health Awareness Month
National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC)
6520 Platt Avenue, #693
West Hills, CA 91307-3218
(818) 909-3849
info@nccc-online.org
www.nccc-online.org/awareness.html External Link
Materials available
Contact: Rachel Biety

Glaucoma Awareness Month
Prevent Blindness America
211 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60606
(800) 331-2020
(312) 363-6001
(847) 843-8458 Fax
info@preventblindness.org
preventblindness.org/news/observe.html External Link
Materials available
Contact: PBA Consumer and Patient Hotline

National Birth Defects Prevention Month
National Birth Defects Prevention Network
14781 Memorial Drive, #1561
Houston, TX 77079
nbdpn@nbdpn.org
www.nbdpn.org/current/resources/bdpm2010
.html External Link
Materials available

National Radon Action Month
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
Indoor Environments Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1310 L Street NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 343-9370
(202) 343-2394 Fax
www.epa.gov/radon/nram
Materials available
Contact: Gina Bowler

Thyroid Awareness Month
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
245 Riverside Avenue, Suite 200
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 353-7878 x147
(904) 353-8185 Fax
gwillis@aace.com
www.aace.com External Link
Materials available
Contact: Greg Willis

4 - 10
National Folic Acid Awareness Week
National Council on Folic Acid
c/o Spina Bifida Association
4590 MacArthur Boulevard NW, Suite 250
Washington, DC 20007
(800) 621-3141 x13
(202) 944-3285 x13
(202) 944-3295 Fax
ncfa@sbaa.org
www.folicacidinfo.org/pages/folicacid_in
fo.php External Link
Materials available
Contact: Adriane Griffen

Ribbons of Awareness

2009-08-12T20:26:00.001-07:00

Since their introduction in the United States in 1991, colorful swirling Ribbons have quickly spread. They have wrapped their tendrils around the world to become lasting cultural icons of awareness, unity, support and hope.
Awareness Ribbon Color Meanings

Black= Melanoma Cancer, Sleep Disorders.

Blue (Navy) = Arthritis, Colon Cancer, Down's Syndrome, Osteoporosis, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Child Abuse, Dysautonomia, Hystiocytosis, Erb's Palsy, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), Dystonia, Interstitial Cystitis, Bracial Plexus Injury, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Alopecia, Reyes Syndrome

Blue (Light) = Prostate Cancer, Men's Health and Behcet's Disease.

Blue Pin Stripe = ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

Burgundy = Myeloma, Hospice Care, Sepsis, APS (Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome), FVL, Thrombophilia, Headaches and to support the Permanently Disabled.

Gold = Childhood Cancer and COPD.

Green = Celiac Disease, Transplants, Depression (both Adults and Children), Bipolar Disorder, Mental Health or Illness, Eye Injuries, Tourette's Syndrome, Bone Marrow Transplants and Donation, Fanconi's Syndrome, Glaucoma, Leukemia, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans, Kidney Cancer or Kidney Disease, Neural Tube Defects, Mitochondrial Disease, Cerebral Palsy and to support Stem Cell Research

Gray = Asthma, Juvenile Diabetes and Brain Tumors.

Orange = Hunger, Leukemia, Self Injury, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, Skin Cancer (with a sun in the center of the loop), Addiction Recovery

Lavender = All Cancers (general cancer awareness), Epilepsy, Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis, Rett Syndrome

Purple = Pancreatic Cancer, Chron's Disease and Colitis, Cystic Fibrosis, Leimyosarcoma, Macular Degeneration, Sjogren's Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Sarcoidosis, Thyroid Cancer, ADD, ADHD, Alzheimer's, Cancer Survivors (this is a general color that anyone who has survived cancer can wear), Chronic Pain, and Domestic Violence

Pink = Breast Cancer, Birth Parents, Cleft Palate

Pink/Blue = Prematurity, Birth Defects, Infertility, SIDS, Support for those who have had a Miscarriage

Puzzle = Autism.

Red = Aids/HIV, MDS & Aplastic Anemia, Substance and Drug Abuse (includes inhalants), MADD, DARE, Heart Disease, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW), Pro-life, Hypertension, Evans Syndrome

Silver = Parkinson's Disease

Teal = Ovarian, Cervical, Uterine (all gynecological) Cancers, Sexual Abuse, Myasthenia Gravis and Panic Attacks.

White = Lung Cancer, Diabetes, Adoption, Bone Cancer, Osteoporosis, Scoliosis, Support and Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, Blindness and Holocaust Remembrance

Yellow = Bladder and Testicular Cancer , Liver Disease, Hydrocephalus, Suicide Prevention, Down Syndrome and it represents Hope.

More Ribbons

National Honey Bee Awareness Day (August 22, 2009)

2009-07-21T00:39:00.003-07:00

Can you imagine a world without the Honey Bee?

Busy Bee Facts:
- Worldwide we rely on honey bee pollination for one-third of our total food supply.

Think about it; without pollination from honey bees there would be one third less crops in the world than there is now!

- Honey bees as the main pollinators on the planet are responsible for seeding over 100 crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

- The honey bee contributes $15 billion in crops every year in the U.S. alone.

- Honey bees must visit 2 million flowers and fly 55,000 miles to create each pound of honey

The Disappearance of The Honey Bee

Across the United States in the last three years, more than one in three honey bee colonies has died out. The disappearance of these natural little wonders are creating a risk to our food supply.

One cause of these losses is due to a mysterious ailment called Colony Collapse Disorder, or "CCD." When a hive collapses, the honey bees vanish and die. This has been reported in over 35 states across the U.S. and is a growing problem in Canada, Belgium and Spain

Researchers don't know exactly what causes CCD. Some think there may be many factors contributing to the problem; these include the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), Varroa Mites- tiny, brown relatives of ticks that feed exclusively on honey bees, synthetic chemical exposure- affected hives show 45 different types of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides, and poor nutritional sources due to drought.

Learn How to Plant a Bee-Friendly Garden.

Sources: - "Disorder Caused 45% of Bee Losses." The Daily Green Online. 14 June 2007.
- Agnew, Singeli. "The Almond and the Bee." San Francisco Chronicle 14 Oct. 2007.
-"Tales from the Hive: The Buzz About Bees." PBS Nova Online. October 2000.

Monsoon Season in Southern Arizona

2009-06-28T06:40:00.002-07:00

The word "monsoon", originally comes from the Arabic word, "mausim", meaning "a season". It was first used to describe the winds over the Arabian sea, which blow from the northeast for six months and from the southwest for another six months.

In Arizona, the monsoon, begins with the extreme dry heat of May and June, when temperatures rise to 100 degrees and above. As the atmosphere warms, the dry jet stream moves northward and the winds shift up from the south. This shift brings in humidity and moisture from the Sea of Cortez, and the Gulf of Mexico. Once the moist air arrives, the intense summer sun heats the air, creating columbous clouds, which lead to frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms with a spectacular display of lightning.

Officially, the monsoon starts on June 15th and ends on September 30th.

Flooding causes more deaths in the United States than any other weather-related hazard except severe heat.

In Arizona and New Mexico, floods killed 57 people between 1995 and 2006, while hundreds of others have needed swift water rescues. The economic price tag is also high, costing Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah approximately $5 billion between 1972 and 2006.

The Dangers of Flash Flooding
Flash floods can occur within minutes after the onset of a rain storm. They can be deadly because water levels rise quickly and flow like rapids within minutes.

City streets become rivers, because with no drainage system, except for low-lying washes and arroyos the water has nowhere to go and cannot be absorbed into the ground.

Mountainous areas also experience flash floods, as the higher grounds funnel water into the canyons. One tragedy in 1981, killed eight people in the Sabino Canyon area in Tucson, Arizona.

Learn more here.

Children's Summer Swimming Guide To Stay Healthy and Fit

2009-05-31T12:22:00.003-07:00

A Guide To Defining Healthy Activity Goals With Children
Parents should take the time to discuss health and activity-related goals with their children. You can use these tips as a starting point to develop goals with your child for swimming or adapt this outline for whatever type of activity your child is interested in.

Talk about swimming
Talk with your child about swimming and its positive effect on the body. Get them excited about engaging in a new activity. Your conversation may go something like this:
"It’s fun to be in a sport like swimming. Did you know that it also helps your body? When you play a sport, you build your muscles in three ways...
1. You make your muscles stronger.
2. You make your muscles stretch and pull without getting hurt.
3. You can work and play longer without getting tired. You can swim farther.
Did you know that your heart is a muscle? To build your muscles, heart and lungs, you must play a
sport at least three times a week. Before you play, you should warm up by walking, then gently stretching your muscles. This will keep your muscles from getting hurt when you play your sport. After you stop playing, walk and then stretch. This gives your body a chance to slow down and your heart rate to return to normal. The wonderful thing about swimming is that it’s one of the sports you can do your whole life."

Define goals
Next, define with your child goals for swimming. For example, you may choose to set a main, long-term goal, such as:
• Swim the length of the pool a certain number of times in one session.
• Get really good at one particular stroke, like the breast stroke.
• Practice swimming (number of times a month).
• Convince a friend to learn to swim and then do it together.
• Develop a new game your child and his or her friends can play in the water.
• Join the swim team or a synchronized swimming class.
Then, you can list the intermediate or short-term goals required to reach the main goal.

Write The Goals Down
Goals will become more real for your child if you write them down together. Here’s one way to do it. With your child, check off his or her goals as they are accomplished and post it in his or her room.

Sample Goal Sheet
My Swimming Goals
Name:
Age:
Swimming goal (what I want to accomplish):
In my next swim class, I will:
In one week, I will:
In one month, I will:
By the end of the session, I will:
By the end of the summer, I will:

Resources
The CDC has material on children and water safety, including information on swimming, using sun
screen and more, at www.cdc.gov/node.do/id/0900f3ec8016eb51. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has materials for parents and children, and many of the materials are available in English and Spanish, visit corpslakes.usace.army.mil/employees/watersafety/art.html.

Source: YMCA, Activate Tucson

10 Anger Management Coping Strategy Tips

2009-05-19T23:07:00.001-07:00

1. Keep an "Anger Log":
How often during the day do you engage in aggressive actions such as slamming doors, honking your horn, yelling at other drivers, or barking at others? How often do you provoke people to yell, scream, or honk their horns at you?

How often do you have negative thoughts about other people? "What a jerk she is!" "I'd like to punch him!" "Why don't these morons move faster!"

How often do you blow your cool? Do you shout angrily, fantasize about physically assaulting someone, or even explicitly threaten violence? How often do you find yourself frowning, impatient, irritable, in a hurry, gritting your teeth?

Take an honest look at your anger level. Even if you think it is everybody else's fault, make note of the frequency and intensity of your anger.

Once you have kept your anger log for a week or so, you may see that you are angry more often than you thought, or you may see a pattern to your anger. This gives you the chance to deal better with your anger and to resolve some of the issues that are keeping you angry.

2. Talk to yourself:
Make a promise with yourself to try to delay getting angry. Don't you have better ways to spend your time than being angry? Usually many situations are not worth getting angry over. Your time and your health are much too valuable.

Don't jump to conclusions about the motives of the person who may be annoying you. The person who is not moving through the traffic light on schedule is not deliberately trying to keep you from getting to work on time and is probably not a stupid idiot either. He or she is probably just tired and momentarily distracted. Besides, you are probably not going to be late anyway.

3. Cool It!:
When you become aware of hostile thoughts or attitudes, tell yourself to "Stop!", "Chill" or "Cool it." Telling yourself to stop being angry interrupts your thought patterns, decreasing the chance that you will become angry.

4. Distract yourself
When you see that you really have created a 'tempest in a teapot', then back off from the situation and find some way to distract yourself. Listen to the radio when you are trapped in traffic or read a book when you are late. This will take your mind off of a situation you can't change.

5. Decide what you can do about the situation; then do it and let the anger go:
If whatever is making you angry is important, then do what you can to help change it and then get on with life. Holding on to anger after the event has passed just makes it all worse.

6. If you are chronically angry, take a look at yourself
Do you keep finding examples of situations where life is unfair?

It isn't fair. Life's unfairness is not a new discovery. What's the point of continually getting mad about it? It's also true that some people are jerks. Why bother getting mad about that?

7. Avoid over-stimulation.
- Get plenty of rest and exercise.

When you are always upset, you are more likely to feel and express hostility. Too little sleep, working under time limits, and too many items on your 'to do' list will keep you nervous and jumpy.

Watch your diet. Give up or sharply cut back on sweets, caffeine, cigarettes, and alcohol. All of these contribute to overreactions to people and situations.

8. Learn to listen
Start listening. Don't jump to conclusions. Fight the urge to break in with your own comments. Try to learn something new by listening. Don't turn conversations into cross examinations.

9. Assume other people have good intentions.
If you get angry a lot, you probably don't trust other people. You assume the worst of them. Many times your evaluation of their motives may not be correct.

Try to accept other people as they are and not how you want them to be. Try to look at the situation from the other person's perspective.

10. Learn to laugh at yourself.
We all do things that, in hindsight, are an over-reaction to something that is really a very trivial event. Laughing at ourselves helps to get rid of the anger and to keep the event in perspective.

Source: Fleet & Family Support Centers
Marine Corps Community Services, MTF Mental Health

The Power of The Milagros "Miracle" Charm

2009-05-07T00:32:00.003-07:00

In Spanish the word milagro means "miracle". Milagros are small charms, generally made of gold, silver, copper or brass, which the faithful believe are endowed with spiritual or magical powers for healing and for helping restore and preserve well-being and balance in their lives, or the lives of those for whom they pray.

Milagros came into the new world with the Spaniards and are now used as symbolic decorative elements, as well as for meaningful spiritual gifts. For example, if a friend is about to have an eye operation, the gift of an eye milagro, is appropriate, or an arm and a leg given to a couple trying to buy a house can wish them good luck obtaining financing. The possibilities are endless.

Milagros then, are not solely religious items, nor are they only for collecting. They are part of a magical and symbolic past, and are an ongoing part of a fascinating folk culture which continues to influence our lives in the southwest today.

The History of The Sacred Milagros
The small Milagros charms, often depict arms, legs, praying people, farm animals and a wide range of other subjects. They are typically nailed, pinned or hung from ribbons on crosses, altars, shrines or sacred objects. They are also carried, worn or pinned on clothing for protection and good luck.

Milagros of animals often are used to ask for help healing sick livestock or to ask for fertility; a Milagros of a body part, such as an arm, might be used to ask for the healing of an associated illness, such as arthritis. Similarly, a heart might represent a heart condition, or prayers for love.

In Mexico, the use of Milagros are often connected with a common practice, known as a "Manda". This where a person will ask saint a favor, and then, in order to repay the saint after the favor has been granted, makes a pilgrimage to the saint's shrine, and leaves a Milagros with a small written prayer of thanks.

Discover more at Milagros (Miracle) Healing Charms

Health Awareness Campaign Toolkit Basics

2009-04-01T12:46:00.001-07:00

Creative Program Promotion Ideas
You can put your own stamp of uniqueness on a program through the promotions and incentives you use.

Here are some ideas to get you going:
1. Scheduling
The campaign will probably draw more participants if it coincides with a community event or national awareness week.
Consider:
A. Smoking: Great American Smokeout in November
B. Weight Loss: Getting in shape for summer or New Year's Resolution
C. Physical Activity: When the weather is mild
D. Healthy Eating: Avoid major holidays
For national or state observances: www.health.gov/nhic

2. Campaign Kick-Offs
A. Send invitations creatively packaged to tie in with the campaign theme.
B. Create a pep-rally style event with cheerleaders, school bands, floats, etc.
C. Have a political celebration on the steps of city hall, with the mayor making a public proclamation read at a city council public meeting.
D. Make it Personal- Have sponsors, donors, volunteers, and participants make a "human heart or gather "empty shoes" to signify lives lost to disease for a video public service announcement.
E. Go to the Crowd- Don't try to create a crowd -go to a place where crowds gather, like a shopping mall or large worksite.

3. The Campaign
A. Create contests of competition when possible and appropriate.
B. Award prizes donated by community merchants, and give them free publicity in your campaign materials.
C. Arrange large groups of people together to make the competition more manageable.
- This will also allow you to award more prizes. For example, have elementary schools compete, large worksites, small worksites, etc.
D. Use the Media- Have volunteers spot a few participants each week and recognize them on radio and/or TV.
E. Sponsor a heart-healthy cook-off (choose food items appropriate for you target group) or cooking school.
- Use a cooking school or cooking demonstration as a campaign finale.
F. Hand out recipes and free samples.
G. Make a community heart-healthy cookbook.

4. Other Promotion Ideas
A. Design a logo that can be used for various campaigns, so that each one is more easily identified with your organization.
B. Promote- Never miss an opportunity to put your logo on items that will reach your target audience.
C. Initiate fitness campaigns- Award t-shirts, tote bags, water bottles, visors, sweat bands, gift certificates, etc.
D. Have a nutrition campaign- Give out aprons, recipe cards, and magnets.
E.Give Aways- Hand out heart-healthy food and recipes at the local farmers' market.
F. Find Displays- Check with your local chamber of commerce to see if they have a business fair, offer to set up a booth, or have a booth at the county fair.
G. Use "personal contact" booths in various locations throughout the community to sign up participants for the campaign. Booths should be attractive, of course, and staffed by outgoing, enthusiastic volunteers.
H. Have booths at worksites in locations like the cafeteria or lobby.

5. Work with News Media
A. Change messages every week of the campaign to make it newsworthy.
B. Always have an activity (cooking or exercise demonstration) for television talk shows. The media like action!
C. Study your local newspaper to see where your campaign news might fit- a health and fitness page, the food page, or lifestyle section.
D. Find out who edits those pages, and approach the editor with a package of material written by local experts.
E. Ask a radio station to do a live remote broadcast from the site of one of your activities.
F. Have radio stations read the names of a few campaign participants each hour, to recognize them and give them community support.
G. Feed the information to the stations in short (5 to 15 second) bits each week, delivered in person.

6. Volunteers
A. Award prizes to most volunteers. For example, the volunteer who signs up the most smokers could win a trip.
B. Feed Them- Get a local restaurant (or a campaign sponsor) to donate luncheons, dinners, or banquets to help you recruit volunteers or to reward them after the campaign.

Fall Prevention Basics

2009-03-06T13:15:00.002-07:00

Falls can occur anywhere at any time, and children are capable of falling or hurting themselves at any age.

- No one can escape the force of gravity. Although many injuries from falls are minor, some will be severe or life-threatening, requiring emergency medical care or even hospitalization.

- Falls are the second leading cause of head injuries; more than 300 children die from falls in the United States every year.

- Indoor furniture, playground equipment, tripping and riding toys are frequently related to injuries from falls.

Prevention
Children are very physically active. They love and need to climb. Although it is impossible to prevent all falls, by making sure your home is safe and knowing what to do in an emergency, you can reduce the number and severity of falls and respond to injuries quickly.

- Check in and around your home for safety hazards that pose a risk for falls and other injuries.

- Always supervise young children at play.

- If you have outdoor playground equipment, make sure the surface underneath and around it is shock absorbent and soft. The surface should be covered with loose fill, materials such as hardwood mulch, pea gravel or sand; or you could install synthetic surfaces such as rubber tiles, mats or poured surfaces.

- Use child and playground equipment which are safe and well-maintained.

- Never leave babies or toddlers or infants unattended on beds, couches, changing tables or equipment.

- Use durable, balanced furniture that will not tip over easily.

- Do not allow children to climb on furniture, stools or ladders.

- Discourage running indoors.

- Secure or remove loose mats and rugs.

- Use skid-proof mats or stickers in the bath.

- Place safety gates at the top and bottom of all stairs.

- Pick up toys and other objects from the floor and clean up spills quickly.

- Install window guards on upstairs windows.

- Get rid of baby walkers.

- Remove a misbehaving child from play and explain how his/her actions could hurt someone.

- Teach your children how to play safely, involve them in making rules for active play, and enforce these rules consistently.

What to do in case of a serious injury

Most falls will result in only minor injuries needing minimal first aid. In the event of a serious injury, remember to keep calm and act quickly.

Assess the injury event, and follow these steps:

1. Survey the scene. Prevent injuries to the rescuer or messenger.

2. Check for injury. Do a secondary survey for specific injuries. Look, listen and feel, but do not move the injured child or person.

3. Find out what happened.
Who is hurt? How? What caused this?

4. Check for life-threatening problems.

5. Call the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system (9-1-1)for help if needed.

6. Comfort and reassure the injured person.

by A. Rahman Zamani, MD, MPH

Goal Setting Tips for The New Year

2008-12-26T09:47:00.006-07:00

For many of us, New Year’s resolutions are grandly made and easily broken. Why? Because a resolution is just that—a decision. To make a life change, you need more than a decision. You need a plan. The plan is the guide to put your decision into action so that you can reach your goal. It’s up to you to take steps to get closer to your goal and learning how to set goals takes practice.

Whether you resolve to lose weight, save money, or adopt a healthier lifestyle, New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep. By Valentine’s Day, most New Year’s resolutions are a distant memory.

Understand that time and patience are usually involved in making changes. It takes time and commitment to your plan for your resolution to become a habit.

Setting a small goal, like getting up half an hour earlier in the morning so that you can get where you need to be on time, may be challenging—it just takes practice. After a few weeks or months, it will just be a positive habit. Knowing that you can make small changes can give you the motivation and confidence to tackle a bigger goal.

An adult may choose to become a nonsmoker or start exercising regularly; a child could choose dribbling a soccer ball or practicing multiplication tables on a daily basis.

Setting realistic goals can lead to a healthier lifestyle and improved self-esteem. The temptation to make New Year’s resolutions can be strong, but you can set all kinds of goals at any time during the year. Pick a day that’s meaningful for you—your birthday, your anniversary, your child’s birthday, or any personal date.

Children also benefit from learning how to plan and reach goals. It helps them learn how to manage their time and make good decisions— skills that can have a lasting and positive impact on their future. Together with your child, set a healthy goal and create a plan!

Working toward goals can improve your life in many ways. Once you’ve accomplished a goal, be it big or small, you’ll know it can be done and you’ll have confidence for your next goal.

The following tips can help you and your children successfully plan and achieve your goals:

- Be specific. When thinking about goals, be as exact as possible. People who set specific goals are more likely to succeed. For example, instead of saying that you want to save money, set a specific goal to save $20 (or whatever your goal amount is) per week.

- Put it in writing. Write down exactly what you want to achieve and post it in a place where you will see it every day. This will help remind you of what you’re working toward. When you write, use positive terms. For example, instead of writing, "I will stop eating junk food" re-word your goal in more positive terms: "I will make healthy food choices."

- Set realistic goals. When you think about setting goals, make sure that they are within your reach. Be mindful of your finances, schedule, and other personal affairs. Remembering these important factors will help you set realistic goals. It’s unreasonable to expect to make a lot of big changes at the same time.

- Develop an action plan. Create a timeline with steps toward your goal. Set deadlines for each step and cross them off as you go. Sometimes just crossing things off and watching your list get smaller can give you a sense of accomplishment and help you stay motivated.

- Believe in yourself. Stay positive about your progress. Share your goal with a friend and ask him to help keep your spirits up. To quote Henry Ford, “If you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.”

- Be flexible. Keep in mind that setbacks can happen. Don't get discouraged and give up. Try again! Your hard work will pay off!

- Ask for help. If you get stuck or need a little encouragement, don’t be afraid to talk about it. You might be surprised what kind of support people offer.

- Reward yourself. Acknowledge your achievements, even the small ones. Reaching a goal takes hard work and you should be proud of your efforts. Celebrating could mean sharing an apple with your child or taking some time for yourself.

Having clear goals and a plan can bring your family together and help you be healthier all year. All positive changes—tiny or drastic—can improve your everyday life. Make this New Year count and create a plan to follow through on your resolutions!

Source: www.family.samhsa.gov

Safety Over The Holidays

2008-12-02T06:07:00.004-07:00

Safety During the Holidays
When it's the season to decorate for the holidays, you work hard to create just the right mood. Maybe you like the soft glow from candles, flames crackling in the fireplace, twinkling lights, and a tall tree loaded with ornaments. If you will plan parties and family get-togethers to celebrate the joy of the season, don't forget to make a decorating safety list and check it twice.

Keeping the Flame
Candles and fireplaces bring light and warmth to the dark days of December. Respect the power of fire and take appropriate precautions, now and year-round.

Candles:
• Do not leave unattended
• Supervise children and pets around burning candles and put away matches or lighters
• Burn them in containers made especially for candles, and set those containers on heat-resistant surfaces
• Do not set near trees, curtains, or other combustible items
• Place candles 3" or more apart from each other
• Keep them away from drafts
• Trim wicks to ¼"
• Buy candles labeled lead-free or from U.S. manufacturers

Fireplaces:
• Have your fireplace inspected by a professional
• Clean it
• Use a screen when in use
• Don't burn wreaths which can cause flare-ups
• Don't burn present wrapping paper -- metallic papers are toxic and some papers could float out of the chimney

Tending the Tree
Know what kind of tree to choose, and then make sure you decorate it with care.

How to select and maintain a tree:
• Pick a green tree: fresh spruce and pine trees have needles that don't break easily
• Cut off 2" from the end of the trunk
• Set the tree in a water-filled stand
• No blocking doorways or foot paths
• Place away from heat sources
• Anchor the tree so children or pets don't knock it down
• Refill water as needed
• Use artificial trees that are labeled as fire-resistant

Tips for decorating your tree:
• Use indoor lights inside your house and outdoor lights outside
• Check that lights are in safe, working order
• Use no more than three strings of lights on a single extension cord
• Keep cords out of the way, but not under rugs where they could cause a fire or tripping hazard
• Unplug lights when you leave or go to bed
• No edible or breakable decorations on lower branches in homes with small children and pets
• Keep bells on the bottom branches to let you know if someone is in the tree

Making Merry
The celebrations with family and friends are part of what makes the season "merry." Take care so these celebrations are also safe.

Cooking:
• Cook large quantities of meat for the right amount of time and at the right temperature (for advice, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854).
• Avoid raw meat contamination of utensils and kitchen surfaces
• Don't wear loose-fitting clothing around flames
• Don't overload your outlets with appliances

Alcohol and Adults:
• Offer non-alcoholic choices
• Monitor guests' conditions and provide a designated driver or a room at your house, if necessary

Supervision and Childproofing:
• Hire someone or designate a person to watch small children during get-togethers
• Keep visitors' purses and coats away from children
• Clean-up so that children can't get into food, alcohol, or tobacco products

Your List Checked?
Then, make time for a little fa-la-la in your decked halls.

Enjoy!

Source: www.safety.com

Tis The Season for The Cold or The Flu?

2008-10-28T23:07:00.001-07:00

Tried-and-true home remedies can help you feel better when you find yourself “under the weather” with a cold or the flu. And a few over-the-counter medications can help relieve nasty symptoms.

The first question is; do you have a cold or the flu? Chances are, if you had a flu shot, you don’t have influenza. So get your flu shot early.

The symptoms are confusing, but here’s a simple test: People with the flu get sick more suddenly, look much sicker, and feel sick all over. High fevers, body aches, extreme fatigue and dry cough are also more likely to be flu, according to experts at eMedicineHealth.

The common cold generally consists of; a runny or stuffy nose, a slight fever, and coughing.

In either case, antibiotics are not the cure. In fact, taking these prescription medications weakens their effectiveness for when you really need them. Colds and flu are caused by viruses. Antibiotics cannot fight viruses. So reserve them for bacterial infections, and your doctor is the best judge of that.

Often, what you need to ease the symptoms of colds and flu can be found right at home – where you should be so you aren’t coughing and sneezing and infecting others. Mary Windle, PharmD, Pharmacy Editor of eMedicine, Inc., and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Pharmacy, offers
this prescription to feel better fast:

For chest congestion:
• Drink plenty of fluids (8 to 10 cups a day) such as water, sports drinks, herbal teas, fruit drinks, or ginger ale. Fluids help break up congestion, prevent dehydration and keep your throat moist.
• Inhaled steam can ease congestion too. Create steam with a humidifier, or steam up the bathroom by running a hot shower.

For nasal congestion:
• Relieve clogged nasal and sinus passages caused by excessive mucus with either decongestant pills or with a nasal spray. These are best taken following a hot shower and lots of nose blowing to clear out the mucus as much as possible.

For fever and pain, body aches and tiredness:
• Rest in bed.
• Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) can help decrease fever and ease sore throat pain and body aches.

For cough:
• For a dry hacking cough, you may choose a medication that contains a cough suppressant – Look for over-the-counter medications that contain dextromethorphan.
• For a cough that produces excessive mucus, or phlegm, you may want to use an expectorant that loosens phlegm. Guaifenesin is the most common active ingredient.

For sore throat:
• A warm salt-water gargle can relieve a scratchy throat.
• Lozenges, mouthwashes, and sprays that contain a numbing ingredient can ease the pain.

Source: Consumer Health News

Happy, Healthy Halloween!

2008-10-22T20:22:00.001-07:00

Anytime a child has an accident, it's tragic. The last thing that you want to happen is for your child to be hurt on a holiday, it would forever live in the minds of the child and the family.

There are many ways to keep your child safe at Halloween, when they are more prone to accidents and injuries. The excitement of children and adults at this time of year sometimes makes them forget to be careful. Simple common sense can do a lot to stop any tragedies from happening.

Pumpkin Safety Tips
Pumpkins and jack-O-lanterns are a fun part of the holiday festivities. In order to keep this activity a safe part of every Halloween celebration, consider the following tips:
• When it comes to carving pumpkins, have your children draw the face and scoop the seeds. Leave the actual cutting and candle lighting to the adults.
• Have the children use markers to delineate the face they want carved out of their pumpkin.
• Once the seeds are scooped, rinse and spread them out on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt, and roast at about 325 degree Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Munching the seeds while the pumpkin is being carved will help to keep your child involved and occupied while the actual carving is taking place.
• Once the pumpkin is carved, if you're using a candle to light up your jack-O-lantern, have an adult do the lighting.

Halloween Safety Tips
With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across America, the American Red Cross offers parents some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun.
• Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.
• Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms.
• Cross the street only at corners.
• Don't hide or cross the street between parked cars.
• Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)
• Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you.
• Carry a flashlight to light your way.
• Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flammable.)
• Visit homes that have the porch light on.
• Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger's house.
• Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover your eyes.
• Be cautious of animals and strangers.

Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating. And don't eat candy if the package is already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.

Source: www.familyeducation.com, the American Red Cross and www.wellnessproposals.com

The Night Before Halloween

Marana Chamber 101

2008-10-06T17:34:00.002-07:00

Come one, come all! Marana's New Member Orientation has changed to Marana Chamber 101!!

Marana Operations Center, 5100 W. Ina Road
Friday, October 10, 2008
Registration 7:30 am
Sponsored by Monarch Health Promotions

New members and potential members are welcome to attend to see all of the exciting ways you can participate in networking events with the Marana Chamber of Commerce.

Members who have been with us for a while and want to do more with the Chamber, come and learn about Committees, and other programs if you are not able to attend our networking events.

There is something for EVERYONE! Click Here to RSVP to the Chamber office for the New Marana Chamber 101.

Hiking Southern Arizona (Hiking Arizona)

Institute Receives $1.2M to Study Challenges Faced by Girls in Recovery | UANews.org

2008-09-18T23:32:00.001-07:00

The UA's Southwest Institute for Research on Women has received a federal grant to work to improve the systematic challenges within substance abuse treatment.

By La Monica Everett-Haynes, UANews September 18, 2008

A University of Arizona research institute has received a $1.2 million federal grant to study challenges young women and their families face within the substance abuse treatment system.

The UA’s Southwest Institute for Research on Women, or SIROW, received a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant this month for a gender-specific and trauma-informed project titled “Las Rosas: A Recovery-Oriented Support Systems Approach for Adolescent Girls.”
Coincidently, September is Recovery Month.

SIROW is one of several units and departments at the UA addressing substance abuse issues. The Campus Health Service provides counseling and a brief intervention to address alcohol use and Life & Work Connections offers services to UA employees.

The psychology department, the College of Nursing, the Mexican American Studies and Research Center, the Rural Health Office and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health are among those whose staff and researchers are leading projects or outreach programs related to substance abuse. And SIROW has addressed substance abuse issues among various populations in the past.

Its new project “is really unique as it is really targeting the systems in which young people in recovery maneuver through,” said Bridget Ruiz, the principal investigator for the grant. SIROW is also collaborating with Arizona’s Children Association on the project.

The project is meant to improve the quality of treatment and continuing care services while also creating community-based recovery support systems and community education. The project will also work to develop a recovery support plan for each girl that is in residential treatment.

Studying trauma will also be important to the project, Ruiz said, noting studies that have reported anywhere between 40 percent to 90 percent of youth substance abusers have been victimized and that girls are more likely than boys to report being victimized.

“It’s really about creating a paradigm shift. Substance abuse treatment has historically been an acute episode of treatment where you come in for 90 days, get the curriculum and treatment and are sent on your way,” said Ruiz, also an associate research professor for SIROW.

“We’ve found that it really takes one year at least for young people, moving in and out of recovery, before they come to some stability," she added. The thought is that by providing an approach that targets the system as well as youth and their families, greater recovery support will be available.

The grant from the federal agency, also known as SAMSHA, will enable the institute to study and test a number of different treatment and support models – one of which was developed by Sally J. Stevens, SIROW’s executive director.

“A lot of research has looked at either the systems or intervention, particularly intervention,” Stevens said. “We’ve finally gotten to a place where we can look at the effectiveness of both simultaneously. This hasn’t been common, but this approach is becoming common.” The statistics explain why such a project is important, Stevens added. “At this point in the state of Arizona and across the nation we’re seeing increases in certain types of drug use and certain prescription drug use,” she said.

Also, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported in 2006 that 2.1 million youth aged 12 through 17 needed some form of treatment for alcohol abuse or illegal drug use. But of that population, about 181,000 youth received treatment at a specialty facility.

Stevens said the team “really wants to look at how different treatments are effective for addressing types of drug use.” It’s a different approach to drug treatment research, Stevens said. “This is important. The adolescent research is not that old and we haven’t come that far along to be looking at gender-specific research for girls.”

“Las Rosas,” which means “The Roses” in Spanish, is meant to “expand, enhance, strengthen and improve the recovery-oriented systems of care” for girls and their families living in Pima County, the project proposal noted.

The project intends to engage 120 girls between the ages of 12 and 17 of various ethnic and racial backgrounds over a three-year period. The girls’ caregivers will also be involved. “It is empowering the youth while supporting them,” Ruiz said. “And it’s examining and redefining the approaches and methods used by clinical staff to treat substance abuse."

SIROW team members responsible for implementation, clinical oversight and evaluation are senior program coordinator Alison Greene, research associate Rosi Andrade, senior survey interviewer Susanne Auer and Andrea Verdin, a therapist. Other team members are research specialists Kristin Hedges and Josephine Korchmaros and also research technician Monica Davis.

SIROW will also create a multidisciplinary committee composed of experts and professionals in areas that include education, recovery, wellness, law and commerce. The consortium, which is currently being created, will help figure out ways to support the young women and their families while also advising the project team.

“We are really trying to bring in some people who understand girls and understand the situation,” Stevens said. “This will allow us to look at the youth from a holistic perspective.”

Substance and Shadow: Women and Addiction in the United States

Institute Receives $1.2M to Study Challenges Faced by Girls in Recovery UANews.org

Do You Know Your Risk Factors For Heart Disease?

2008-09-15T07:42:00.004-07:00

Sunday, September 28th 2008 is World Heart Day!

Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease
The American Heart Association has identified several risk factors that contribute to Coronary Heart Disease. Some of them can be modified, treated or controlled, and some can't.

The more risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing coronary heart disease. Also, the greater the level of each risk factor, the greater the risk. For example, a person with a total cholesterol of 300 mg/dL has a greater risk than someone with a total cholesterol of 245 mg/dL, even though everyone with a total cholesterol greater than 240 is considered high-risk.

What risk factors can't be changed?
• Increasing age — Over 83 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older. At older ages, women who have heart attacks are more likely than men are to die from them within a few weeks.

• Male sex (gender) — Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they have attacks earlier in life. Even after menopause, when women's death rate from heart disease increases, it's not as great as men's.

• Heredity (including Race) — Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves. African Americans have more severe high blood pressure than Caucasians and a higher risk of heart disease. Heart disease risk is also higher among Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans.

This is partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. Most people with a strong family history of heart disease have one or more other risk factors. Just as you can't control your age, sex and race, you can't control your family history. Therefore, it's even more important to treat and control any other risk factors you have.

What risk factors can you modify?
• Tobacco smoke — Smokers' risk of developing coronary heart disease is 2–4 times that of nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking is a powerful independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death in patients with coronary heart disease; smokers have about twice the risk of nonsmokers. People who smoke cigars or pipes seem to have a higher risk of death from coronary heart disease (and possibly stroke) but their risk isn't as great as cigarette smokers'.

Exposure to other people's smoke increases the risk of heart disease even for nonsmokers.

• High blood cholesterol — As blood cholesterol rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease. When other risk factors are present, this risk increases even more. A person's cholesterol level is also affected by age, sex, heredity and diet.

• High blood pressure — High blood pressure increases the heart's workload, causing the heart to thicken and become stiffer. It also increases your risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure.

• Physical inactivity — An inactive lifestyle is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity helps prevent heart and blood vessel disease.
The more vigorous the activity, the greater your benefits. However, even moderate-intensity activities help if done regularly and long term.

• Obesity and overweight — People who have excess body fat — especially if a lot of it is at the waist — are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors. Excess weight increases the heart's work. It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and lowers HDL ("good") cholesterol levels.

It can also make diabetes more likely to develop.

• Diabetes mellitus — Diabetes seriously increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Even when glucose (blood sugar) levels are under control, diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, but the risks are even greater if blood sugar is not well controlled.

Take a Load off Your Heart: 109 Things You Can Actually Do to Prevent, Halt and Reverse Heart Disease

Source: American Heart Association
Provided Courtesy of Wellness Proposals

Nutrition, Whole Foods and Your Health: School Time = Lunch Time!

2008-08-31T13:18:00.001-07:00

Packing a healthy lunch for your children is a great way to get them the nutrients they need to power through the school day.

Unfortunately, lunch boxes are often filled with packaged ‘convenience’ foods like full-calorie soda, chips, and cookies. This can add up to a lot of excess fat, sugar, sodium and calories that may contribute to long-term health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.i . These extra calories may also make kids sluggish or cranky in the afternoons.
When deciding what to put in your child's lunch box, it's a good idea to include foods from different groups. Focusing on variety not only makes lunches more interesting, but also helps your children enjoy a balanced lunch that will provide the energy and nutrients they need to grow, play, learn and stay healthy.

The basics for a healthy lunch box:
Try to include:
1. One serving of vegetables or salad and one serving of fruit (fresh, canned or dried can all count).
2. One serving of a low-fat or fat-free milk or dairy item such as a low-fat cheese stick, a yogurt cup, or some cottage cheese.
3. One serving of meat, chicken, fish, eggs, peanut butter, beans or another protein source.
4. A healthy drink such as water or 100% juice.
Easy, quick ways to pack a balanced healthy lunch with punch!

Healthy Sandwiches
• Swap the white bread for whole wheat varieties for added boosts of fiber. Whole wheat bread can also be more filling.
• If your kids are bored with the traditional sandwich, try whole wheat pita or flatbread/tortilla wraps that you can quickly turn into sandwich swirls.
• Switch from bologna, salami, pastrami or corned beef, and other fatty luncheon meats to low-fat alternatives such as lean turkey or chicken breast.
• Sneak veggies like lettuce, cucumbers, or shredded cabbage in between slices of lean turkey or ham on a sandwich or in a wrap.
• Use peanut butter in moderation: 2 tablespoons (about the size of a ping pong ball) provides about 190 calories and 16 grams of fatii.
• Try using a thinner layer of peanut butter and substituting jelly with banana or thin apple slices for a healthier spin on an old favorite.
• Skip high-fat mayonnaise. Consider a small serving of reduced fat mayonnaise or skip it entirely and try using something with more flavor and fewer calories like mustard instead.
Pack a Salad
• Make it colorful: start with a base of dark greens then load up on bright veggies such as pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots.
• A salad can be more than just a side item. To make it the main entrée, include a lean protein like hard boiled eggs, beans or grilled chicken.
• Pack low-fat or fat-free dressing in a separate container to prevent the whole thing from getting mushy. Kids can drizzle it right on the salad before eating.
• If you’re not a fan of washing, chopping, and preparing salad, consider making it easier by buying bags of lettuce or precut carrots or make extra salad for dinner and just pack the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Easy Entrées
• Make a cold pasta salad made from whole wheat noodles leftover from the previous night’s dinner—put in a portable container and voila!
• Mix plain brown rice with canned beans or shredded lean meat for a high dose of protein and fiber.
• Pack humus with fresh veggies and whole wheat pita triangles or flatbreads for dipping.
• Include low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese with carrots, cherry tomatoes, fresh berries, or melon. This makes for a calcium-rich, high-protein lunch.

Healthy Drinks
• If you pack juice, make sure it’s 100% juice. All fruit drinks are required to list the “% juice” on the label. Many juice drinks contain no more than 10% juice and are mixed with a lot of sugar.
• Water and low-fat milk are the best drinks for children. They can be frozen to help keep foods in the lunch box cool and will usually be defrosted for drinking by lunch time.

Energy Snacks
• Swap traditional fried chips for baked potato or corn chips.
• Pack salt-free, dry-roasted almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts to provide kids with a dose of heart-healthy essential fatty acids—be sure to cap the serving at ¼ cup since nuts are high in calories.
• Try a lowfat or light yogurt in exchange for the full calorie varieties targeted at children. If you’d prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners, try packing fat-free plain yogurt mixed with fresh fruit.
• Select whole grain granola bars that are low in fat and sugar – take a look at the food label and choose the ones that contain less than 1g of saturated fat per serving and are no more than 35% sugar by weight. To figure the percentage of sugar per serving, divide the grams of sugar by the gram weight of one serving and multiply this number by 100.
• Aim to make snack treats occasional rather than everyday items. A small serving of animal crackers are lower in fat and sugar than regular cookies, doughnuts, brownies and other baked goods.

Packing a quick lunch when there’s no time
• Piece together things that don’t need any preparation…a whole piece of fruit, a lowfat yogurt, individual packs of baby carrots, and sliced turkey wrapped in a tortilla is a great balanced lunch.
• Save time by packing leftover rice, beans, chicken, salad, and other healthy options into lunch containers at dinner time.
• If you’re looking for pre-packaged lunches, aim for those with no more than a few hundred calories and the least amount of saturated fat, transfat, and sodium.

Brown Bag Success: Making Healthy Lunches Your Kids Won't Trade

Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children

i http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1466
ii USDA Nutrient Data Library: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl.

Healthy Habits for Life: Appetite and The Brain

2008-08-31T12:46:00.001-07:00

Anyone who spends any time people-watching—at a mall, at a sporting event, in the lobby of a movie theater— knows that we’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Two-thirds of Americans are now either overweight or obese. As our collective weight inches upward (and outward), so do our healthcare costs, for obesity raises the risk for many chronic and potentially lifethreatening illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease. In the United States, we spend at least $92.6 billion—or about 9 percent of total U.S. health expenditures—on obesity related health problems.

Although a “cure” for obesity remains elusive, scientists are getting tantalizingly close. In recent years, they’ve unlocked many of the mysteries of the incredibly complex neurochemical feedback mechanisms that regulate our appetite and body weight.

Such research is leading to:

Greater knowledge of how and why people become obese.
Insight into the effects that different diets have on weight regulation.
A better understanding of the link between obesity and diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and other illnesses.
Safer and more effective obesity treatments.

A major breakthrough in understanding the neuroscience of obesity came in 1994 with the discovery of the hormone leptin. Produced by the obese (ob) gene in the body’s fat cells, leptin is largely responsible for the urge to eat. High levels of the hormone activate some of the brain’s nerve cells, or neurons, in a way that suppresses appetite and creates a feeling of fullness.

Low levels create a reverse message: hunger. Scientists now think that leptin may be even more critical than the hormone insulin in regulating the body’s delicate balancing act between calories in (eating) and calories out (exercise). Exactly how leptin regulates appetite remains unknown, but new research has revealed that regions of the brain linked with pleasurable emotions and sensations—particularly the nucleus accumbens in the ventral striatum—jump into greater action at the sight of food when leptin levels are low. Yummier foods such as chocolate cake trigger greater activity than blander ones such as broccoli. Thus, leptin appears to control appetite in part by interacting with the reward areas in the brain that make eating enjoyable. Scientists originally hoped that leptin could be used to treat obesity. But the story turned out to be much more complicated.

Although morbidly obese people born without the ob gene do lose weight when given the hormone, such cases are very rare. Most obese people have the gene and produce plenty of the hormone—too much of it, in fact, causing them to become resistant to its effects.
So they remain hungry, even after eating, say, a cheeseburger, double order of French fries, and a super-sized soft drink. Scientists are now attempting to identify the specific brain pathways and mechanisms associated with leptin resistance.

Another appetite-related hormone that has come under intense scrutiny is ghrelin, which is produced primarily in the stomach. Unlike leptin, ghrelin stimulates appetite—and quickly, on a meal-to-meal basis. Levels of the hormone rise rapidly in the bloodstream when the stomach is empty and then race to tell the brain it’s time to eat. As soon as the stomach becomes full and stretched, ghrelin levels fall. When people lose weight through dieting, their ghrelin levels become chronically high—which may explain why dieters struggle to keep weight off. Scientists are now looking to see if blocking ghrelin may help.
Yet another area of research involves the receptors, or “docking sites,” on neurons for the hormone melanocortin-4. When activated, these receptors help suppress appetite. When they become defective, however, they lead to morbid obesity.

Recent research involving mice has revealed that activation of melanocortin-4 receptors in certain areas of the brain—the paraventricular hypothalamus and the amygdala—help reduce body fat by decreasing our desire to eat, while receptors on neurons elsewhere in the brain help increase the amount of calories our bodies expend.

This finding may lead to more targeted treatments for helping people control their weight. Other research has uncovered differences in how the brains of men and women regulate appetite.

Estrogen, for example, has been found to use the same pathways in the brain as leptin uses to suppress appetite—a possible reason why women tend to gain weight after menopause.

Another study recently reported that the children of women who undergo gastric bypass surgery before becoming pregnant are only half as likely to become obese. This intriguing result suggests that both the genes and the environmental factors causing obesity can be overridden—further hope that the obesity epidemic may one day be brought under control.
Source: Brain Briefings Nov. 2007
Society for Neuroscience
www.sfn.org/briefings

You Are What You Eat: The Plan That Will Change Your Life

Medic Alert Month

2008-08-20T13:16:00.006-07:00

A medical identification tag is worn as a bracelet, necklace or on clothing. It allows the wearer to be identified as an individual with a medical condition that may need immediate attention. This tag serves as a tool to provide information to emergency responders, physicians, and law enforcement personnel in the event that the individual is unable to communicate. Typical conditions warranting a medical alert identifier are:

• Diabetes
• Anaphylactic Allergies (food, drug, insect)
• Adrenal insufficiency
• Pacemaker or other medical devices
• Blood thinners

Who needs Medic Alert?

Persons with any medical problem or condition that cannot be easily seen or recognized need the protection of MedicAlert®. Heart conditions, diabetes, severe allergies and epilepsy are common problems. About one in every five persons has some special medical problem.

Why Medic Alert?

Tragic or even fatal mistakes can be made in emergency medical treatment unless the special problem of the person is known. A diabetic could be neglected and die because he/she was thought to be intoxicated. A shot of penicillin could end the life of one who is allergic to it. Persons dependent on medications must continue to receive them at all times. Furthermore, the MedicAlert® emblem can also help in identification.

When is Medic Alert important?

Whenever you cannot speak for yourself— because of unconsciousness, shock, delirium, hysteria, loss of speech, etc. —the MedicAlert emblem speaks for you.

A New Vision

Today, with Paul Kortschak at the helm as President and CEO, MedicAlert® has gone beyond being just a bracelet company. As the baby boom generation ages, the average life expectancy lengthens and the incidence of chronic diseases rises, Mr. Kortschak’s vision is to have MedicAlert® expand globally to be the world repository of critical health and personal safety information, while enhancing the quality of life and safety of members.

As part of that vision, MedicAlert launched the MedicAlert® EHealthKEY, a portable USB- enabled device that allows for storage of medical records and history, in 2005. This product allows members to carry their complete personal health record at all times.

Tens of thousands of lives have been saved since Chrissie and her husband, Dr. Collins, acted on an idea. The idea, to create a body-worn identification emblem supported by a 24-hour emergency medical information service offering peace of mind, became a reality. It has withstood the test of time over the past 50 years. From index cards to the Internet, MedicAlert® has come a long way since the first bracelet was created for Linda Collins. The original bracelet is now in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.

Today, with offices in 10 countries, MedicAlert® bracelets and necklaces are worn by over 4 million people worldwide. The dedication shown by Chrissie and Dr. Collins continues to be an inspiration to us all and serves as a reminder that our mission is as vital today as it was in 1956.

Employers Mandate; Smoke-Free At Work and Smoke Free at Home?

2008-08-13T23:05:00.004-07:00

It's Legal to Enforce a Smoke-Free Workplace (And Sometimes Even A Smoke-free Home)

By Lily GarciaSpecial to washingtonpost.com Thursday, July 17, 2008

Q.
My friend works at a company that announced, starting in 2009, that nobody is allowed to smoke -- they are getting rid of the smoking areas and they expect employees to follow this policy. Is this legal? And more importantly, is this the norm? I don't smoke, but it would seem that this company feels it has more control over its employees' lives than, say, the employees themselves or the government.

It is one thing to mandate that employees not smoke on premises. It is another thing to mandate that employees not smoke at all.

A.
Not only is it legal to enforce policies that promote a smoke-free work environment. Allowing smoking at work, if the effects are severe enough to threaten employee health, might constitute a violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). Although there is no OSHA regulation prohibiting workplace smoking per se, employers could be liable for the negative effects of workplace smoking under the so-called "General Duty Clause" of the law, which states that each employer "shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees." More specifically, OSHA requires that employers provide employees with an acceptable level of indoor air quality, and the agency's written guidance states that employers must keep air contaminants within "permissible exposure limits." In addition, several states and localities have passed laws banning smoking, to varying degrees, in the workplace. (Including Arizona)

Telling your employees that they cannot smoke off work premises is another matter. A number of states have passed some sort of law protecting employees from employer discrimination based on legal off-duty conduct, and many of these laws explicitly protect the use of tobacco products. Common exceptions to these laws include: the conduct interferes with job performance; the conduct creates a conflict of interest; refraining from the conduct is a bona fide occupational qualification; or the employer is a nonprofit whose mission it is to discourage use of the product. For example, the American Cancer Society prohibits smoking on or off premises because this would be contrary to the mission of the organization.

The Weighty Cost of Inactivity and Obesity

2008-07-29T19:46:00.001-07:00

How much extra is it costing your company for physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity among employees? A 2005 report in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) journal, called Preventing Chronic Disease, gives a revealing overview.

Researchers monitored health charges (claims) of about 8,000 health plan members, aged 40+, for a period of 4 years. Average charges were $4,928 per member. They conducted a survey of these members to determine age and gender, presence of chronic disease, physical inactivity, height and weight (for BMI), smoking, and other lifestyle data. They then compared medical charges of inactive and overweight or obese individuals with health care charges for active, healthy weight persons of a similar age and gender.

Here is what they found:

Charges increased with inactivity (an extra $726 for low-activity persons, and an extra $1,543 per year for inactive individuals compared to active members).*
Charges increased with excess weight (an extra $1,245 for overweight persons, and an extra $2,152 per obese person per year compared to healthy weight members).
Charges were higher for women, increased with age, were higher for people with chronic disease (e.g., heart disease or diabetes), and were higher for former smokers than nonsmokers or current smokers (many ex-smokers quit smoking after they developed chronic health problems).
Their analysis indicates that 23.5% of all medical care charges (medical costs) were due to inactivity and excess body weight.

*Charges are standardized to 1997 US dollars.

That means that nearly one-fourth of your health care expenses are due to inactivity and overweight and clearly illustrates the need for managing these modifiable health risks if you want health care costs to decrease.

Next, the researchers calculated the cost of inactivity and excess weight for our nation using national averages for the prevalence of inactivity and overweight. On a national basis, they estimate that 27% of all health care costs are due to inactivity and excess body weight (the prevalence of overweight and inactivity is higher in the nation than in the health plan studied). The CDC article concluded by stating, “Our data emphasize the potential importance of primary prevention and effective management of overweight and physical inactivity.”

If you are serious about lowering health care costs in your organization, you need to take an active role in promoting physical activity and healthy eating habits to help employees be fit and maintain a healthy weight.

Reference: Anderson LH, Martinson BC, et al. Health Care Charges Associated with Physical Inactivity, Overweight, and Obesity. Preventing Chronic Disease. October 2005.

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