LifeStop spring sneezing

HealthyApril 2008

USE APEDOMETER(you’ll walk a mile more)

If you clip on apedometer (or step

counter), set a daily stepgoal, you’ll walk anadditional mile a day.You’ll also help yourheart by lowering yourbody mass and bloodpressure, according to areview of research in

JAMA. That’s 2,000 moresteps a day, which isabout a mile.

With a bit of planning, effort andcommon sense, you may be able tolimit your suffering from seasonalallergies, said Mark Dykewicz, MD,Professor of Internal Medicine andChief of Allergy and ClinicalImmunology at the Saint LouisUniversity School of Medicine.

Most seasonal allergies are causedby airborne pollens—very finepowders released by trees, grassesand weeds as they pollinate andfertilize other plants of the samekind. Molds in outdoor air can alsocontribute to seasonal allergies.

Allergy season generally begins inlate winter or early spring whentrees pollinate. Then grassespollinate in late spring and summer.Weeds can trigger pollenthroughout the growing season.The most notorious is ragweedfound east of the Rockies in latesummer and early fall.

Outdoor molds generally reachtheir highest levels in late summeror fall, though some regions such asFlorida can have significant outdoormold counts throughout the year.

PPrroommoott iinngg HHeeaall tthh.. EEnnhhaanncciinngg LLii ffee.. RReedduucciinngg CCoossttss..

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:Self-Care Corner ..............2

Success Over Stress..........3

Family Life ......................3

Be Fit................................4

Healthy Eating ................5

Health Tips ......................6

Medical Updates ..............7

Family Life ......................8 Letter®

Try these 5 tips to prevent or relievesymptoms during allergy season whenpollen or mold counts are peaking:1. Use over-the-counter antihistamines for relief. 2. You can’t completely seal off your home

from the outside, but keeping doors andwindows closed can help prevent pollens andoutdoor molds from entering.

3. Limit outdoor activity, particularly in themorning.

4. When traveling by car, keep the windows up. 5. Take a shower and change clothes. And how do you know when it’s time to see adoctor for allergies? When you’ve followed these 5steps and you’re still suffering, Dr. Dykewicz said.

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SELF-CARE CORNER

Poison proof

The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents andcaregivers to pay attention to poison hazards in the home.The most dangerous potential poisons are medicines,cleaning products, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid,pesticides, furniture polish, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil.

To poison proof your home:* Store medicine, cleaners, paints/ varnishes andpesticides in their original packaging in locked cabinetsor containers, out of sight and reach of children.

* Install a safety latch—that locks when you close thedoor—on child-accessible cabinets containingharmful products.

* Purchase and keep all medicines in containers withsafety caps. Discard unused drugs.

* Never refer to medicine as “candy” or anotherappealing name.

* Check the label each time you give a child medicine toensure proper dosage.

* Never place poisonous products in food or drinkcontainers.

* Keep coal, wood or kerosene stoves in safe workingorder.

* Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors work.

Half the 2.4million peoplepoisoned each

year arechildren underage 6. Knowhow to preventcontact withpoisons andknow thetreatment.

TreatmentIf your child is unconscious, not breathing, or havingconvulsions or seizures due to poison contact oringestion, call 911 immediately. If your child has come incontact with poison and has mild or no symptoms, callyour poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.

In the meantime, do this: * For a swallowed poison: Remove the item from thechild and have the child spit out any remainingsubstance. Do not make your child vomit. Do notuse syrup of ipecac.

* For a skin poison: Remove the child’s clothes andrinse the skin with lukewarm water for at least 15minutes.

* For an eye poison: Flush the child’s eye by holdingthe eyelid open and pouring a steady stream ofroom temperature water. Start at the inside cornerand pour the water downward to the outside corner.

* For poisonous fumes: Take the child outside or intofresh air right away. If the child has stoppedbreathing, start CPR and have someone else call 911.Do not stop CPR until the child breathes on his orher own or until someone can take over.

{Note: Many topics likethe ones on this page arecontained in a medicalself-care guide, such asHealthier at Home®,Health at Home®, andHealthyLife® Self-Care

Guide. They serve as excellent resources.If you have a self-care guide, refer to itwhenever you are unsure about what to dofor symptoms and health issues you areexperiencing. It can help you make betterdecisions about when to seek professionalassistance and when you can treat yourselfat home using self-care.}Do Not Reproduce

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SUCCESS OVER STRESS

Does this clutter make mybank account look skinny?

Put SPRING into your life“Spring isn’t just a season,” said psychologist Dr. Patricia A. Farrell,author of How to Be Your Own Therapist. “It’s your next opportunity toregroup, reanalyze and redirect your life this year. Forget about those NewYear’s resolutions you made in the heat of the moment. Now you’ve hadan opportunity to look at things with a cooler head, and you have a betteridea of what you need/want to do this year.”

Dr. Farrell’s hints for putting spring into your life: S Stay focused on your goals.

P Put off putting off.

R Resign yourself to joy.

I Insist you be treated with respect.

N Not everything needs to be done in a day.

G Go have some fun this week.

FAMILY LIFE

Clutter clearing with Feng Shui techniques can increase the size of a family’s bottom line, saidCertified Feng Shui Practitioner Carol M. Olmstead (www.FengShuiforRealLife.com). “A fewsimple Feng Shui clutter-clearing steps can stop your ship of fortune from sinking, keepwealth flowing, and help make your bank account recession-proof despite a poor economy,”she said. “When you clean up your home and office, your skinny bank account gets fat.”

Feng Shui is the art and science of placing things to help you attract what you want into yourlife, especially wealth, harmony and love.

According to Olmstead, clutter represents postponed decisions and the inability to moveforward. “Think about that as you gaze at the piles of paper on your desk, the unwornclothes in your closet, and the months of unread magazines in your family room,” she said.“Nothing new comes into your life until you make room for it, so clear out at least 25% ofyour clutter collection to make room for new wealth.”

If you can’t decide whether an object is clutter or a keeper, ask yourself these questions.If the answer is “no” to any one, it’s clutter:Do I love it?Do I need it?Does it reflect who I am now in my life?Does it have positive emotional attachment?If it needs to be repaired, am I willing to do it now?If I moved tomorrow, would I pay a mover to take it with me?

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BE FITWhat bugs you about your gym?PLENTY OF BACTERIA, VIRUSES, FUNGUS AND OTHER GERMS

MAY TAG ALONG WITH YOU WHEN YOU WORK OUT AT YOUR GYM.

Dermatologist Joshua Fox, spokespersonfor the American Academy ofDermatology, offers this advice: * Find out what your health club does

about cleaning mats, locker rooms,lockers and equipment. If they wipedown the areas even weekly, that’s notgood enough. You’ll have to takeprotection into your own hands.

* Bring along your own alcohol-basedsanitizer. Apply to a towel and wipedown the incline bench or yoga matbefore your body hits it. Someoneelse’s sweat can transfer to your body.Be polite, wipe down the seats afteryourself too.

* And BYOT if you’re not sure thegym washes its towels in the hottestof hot water. Also bring your ownyoga mat, blanket and blocks.

* If you’re wrestling or boxing, takeextra care about hygiene. Herpes caneasily be transmitted in these contactsports. Equipment such as mats,flooring and gloves must be sanitizedbefore and after each use.

* Don’t be a dummy about dumbbellsand other weights and bars. Wipethem down first too. You might weargloves as well. The hard surfaces keepgerms alive long enough so yoursweaty hand can transfer the littlebugs to your face when you wipe thesweat off your brow. The gloves alsoprotect against burns created whileweight lifting.

* Wear flip-flops in the shower so yourbare feet are not near the drain wherewart-causing germs and toenailfungus and foot fungus can hopaboard.

* The hot environments inside thesauna and steam room are ripe forgerms to flourish. Sit on your towel.

* Avoid the hot tubs. The heat andmoisture can create a perfectenvironment for rash-causing germsto attack you in the areas not coveredby a bathing suit.

* Wear your exercise clothes once. Takethem home and wash them.

Don’t rely onsoft drinks to getyour vitamins

Leading soft drink companies areadding vitamins to their soft drinks.Good idea or bad? “If you’re tryingto get your vitamins from soda,

you’ll probably spend a lot of moneyand still not get significant amounts,”said Ara DerMarderosian, PhD,

pharmacy professor at the Universityof the Sciences in Philadelphia.

Several sodas are being marketedthat contain vitamins and mineralssuch as niacin (vitamin B3), vitamins

B6, B12, zinc and magnesium.

Added vitamins lose their potencybecause water-soluble vitamins willbreak down over time. And it takes along time for drinks to get from

production to you. Carbonated drinksare acidic and will lower the strengthof added vitamins as well, especially if

not chilled along the way.

The vitamin concentrations in sodasare usually small anyway, he said, andcertainly not high enough to make

soda your sole source.

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Featured RecipeRed Snapper Veracruz (Mexico)Ingredients1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp capers1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 6 stuffed green olives, sliced2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/4 tsp ground cloves1/4 tsp cinnamon 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and white vein removed, cut into strips or 1/4 cup canned jalapeno pepper2 pounds red snapper filets (or use any other white fish) cut into 8 4-ounce pieces

DirectionsHeat oven to 350ºF. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat and saute onion and garlic for about 3-4 minutes. Do not allowthe garlic to brown. Add tomatoes, cinnamon and cloves. Cook on low heat for 3 minutes. Add the jalapeno, capers and olives andcontinue cooking for another 2 minutes. Place fish in a 13x9x2 baking dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray and coverwith the sauce. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serves 8. Per 4-ounce serving: 151 calories (34 total caloriesfrom fat), 1 gm fiber, 5 gm carbs, 40 mg cholesterol, 173 mg sodium, 24 gm protein.

Reprinted with permission from the American Diabetes Association’s book Diabetic Cooking for Latinos. For a free copy of the recipe sampler, LatinFlavor in the Kitchen, call (800) DIABETES (press zero to order).

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HEALTHY EATINGLook in your refrigerator toboost your immune systemWhile there’s no single measure toprevent sickness, the secret to astrong immune system may alreadybe in your refrigerator. “I alwaysadvise clients to drink a glass of100% orange juice each day and eat awell-balanced diet because they offermany vitamins and minerals essentialfor a healthy immune system,” saidLisa A. Hark, PhD, RD, Director ofthe Nutrition Education andPrevention Program at the Universityof Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

She pointed out the immuneboosters in most refrigerators:* Vitamin C: One of the most

important antioxidants to help theimmune system. An 8-ounce glassof 100% orange juice providesmore than a day’s suggested DailyValue of vitamin C.

* Magnesium: May help regulate bloodpressure and contribute to bonehealth. Plus it helps your bodygenerate energy and is required forthe action of more than 300 enzymesystems in your body. Eat more foodslike nuts, spinach, seafood and blackbeans to increase your intake.

* Folate: Because the immune systemneeds a constant supply of new cells,folate helps the body make new cells.Folate can be found in whole grains,lentils and other legumes, dark greenleafy vegetables and 100% orangejuice.

* Vitamin B6: Helps maintain the healthof lymphoid organs that make whiteblood cells, which fight infections.Choose brown rice, fish and greenand leafy vegetables.

* Potassium: A diet high inpotassium and low in sodium (salt)may reduce the risk of high bloodpressure and stroke. Choose foodslike fresh citrus and other fruits,fish and vegetables.

* Flavonoids: Substances found incertain plant foods such as citrusfruits and juices. Many haveantioxidant and anti-inflammatoryactivities and may help in the fightagainst cancer, heart disease andother serious health problems.

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HEALTH TIPSDon’t overdo spring cleaning

Don’t go overboard with spring cleaning, cautionsDonna Duberg, Assistant Professor of ClinicalLaboratory Science at Saint Louis University. “Askyourself the question: How contaminated is myhouse?” she said. “If it is just everyday dirt, thensimply dust, vacuum and wipe off surfaces with hotsoapy water, which can kill some germs. It’s alwaysimportant to get the dirt off first.

“Then move on to those specific areas of the houselike the kitchen counters and bathroom sinks that mayneed a diluted bleach solution to kill off peskybacteria. Other than that, wash your hands often andjust relax.” Duberg says you actually can makeyourself sick from cleaning by being too vigilant. Sodo this:* Consider planet-friendly “green” cleaners. With its

high acidic content, white distilled vinegar is agentle and effective fighter against many types ofbacteria.

* Whip out the vacuum cleaner to suck up dust bunnies.* Think about hiring an expert to clean your air

conditioner before you turn it on to prevent bacteriaand molds that may be living in the unit from beingsent into your house.

* Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and keepthem from becoming chapped.

* Keep cleaning products in their original containersand out of reach of young children.

* Instead of using bleach straight from the bottle,dilute it to a concentration of 1 part bleach in 9 partsof water. Pour that mixture in a spray bottle andspritz off germ-friendly places like the kitchencounter or bathtub. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutesand then wipe clean.

* Follow the label directions in using cleaningproducts. For instance, instructions on a can ofmold and mildew remover will tell you to work in awell-ventilated area with an open window becausefumes can damage your lungs, eyes and skin.

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Rest assured Counting sheep may not be the new yoga, but if it helps you fallasleep, then consider it a healthy practice. “Enough studies nowshow that your brain has to work harder to do the same amountof thinking when you’re tired as when you’re rested,” said PhilipGehrman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Universityof the Sciences in Philadelphia.

“A lot of the major industrial accidents of the last 100 years are atleast partly attributable to people being sleep deprived,” he said,referring to Three-Mile Island, Chernobyl and the Exxon-Valdezoil spill. In addition to increasing the risk for making errors, failingto obtain enough sleep can make you just plain irritable.

Need another reason to get a good night’s rest or just an excuseto sleep in? “What studies have been showing is that whenpeople are sleep deprived, or only getting about 6 hours a night,their bodies actually enter a prediabetic state, meaning theirbodies aren’t regulating its hormones in an efficient manner,”said Dr. Gehrman. This disruption can lead you to crave high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods .

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10 unexpected things youdidn’t know about your teethYour mouth and the health of your teethand gums can be a window into youroverall health. Dentist Elisa Mello,Clinical Assistant Professor at NYUCollege of Dentistry, provides thisinsight into oral health.

1. Teeth grinding (or bruxism) can befrequent and severe enough to lead todamaged teeth, jaw disorder,headaches and other problems. Toprevent damage to the teeth, ask yourdentist about using a mouth guardespecially at night.

2. Certain medications used fordepression can cause tooth decaybecause of a common side effect: drymouth. When you have less saliva,harmful bacteria thrive. Dr. Mellosuggests sipping water to keep bacteriafrom sticking to teeth. He also says toavoid over-the-counter mouthwashesbecause their alcohol content makesyour mouth even drier.

3. Gum disease in pregnant women hasbeen linked to premature birth.

4. Bulimia and acid reflux can destroytooth enamel. Many people sufferingfrom bulimia (an eating disorder,food binging) are able to hide thedisorder from others, but it is moredifficult to keep it a secret from adentist, according to Dr. Mello. Acidreflux, in which stomach acid flowsinto the esophagus and mouth, cancause tooth and gum erosion.

5. Swimming in overly chlorinatedpools can wear away the enamel infrequent swimmers. Fluoridetreatments can be given to help keepthe teeth strong. Swimmers may usea well-adapted and custom-fittedmouth guard to minimize exposureof teeth to chlorine.

6. The average American drinks morethan 53 gallons of soft drinks eachyear, more than any other beverageincluding milk, beer, coffee or water.Phosphoric acid in soda and citricacid in citrus drinks can corrode toothenamel. The sugar can cause cavities.

7. Most people don’t know they havebad breath. Try this: Using dentalfloss or a tongue scraper, sniff eitherthe floss or the scraper. If yourmouth is clean, you won’t have atelltale smell.

8. Infection and trauma can cause toothenamel defects. Nutritionaldeficiencies during infancy, antibioticuse, high fever and trauma can alllead to tooth enamel problems suchas pitting.

9. Eighty percent of Americans overthe age of 35 have some form ofgum disease. In gingivitis, the gumsbecome red and swollen and bleedeasily. Untreated gingivitis can lead toperiodontitis, in which the gums pullaway from the teeth and formpockets of infection. If ignored, thebones, gums and connective tissuesupporting the teeth are destroyed.

10. One in 4 adults age 60 and older haslost all of his or her teeth. Good oralcare should include twice dailybrushing, flossing, eating a balanceddiet, limiting between-meal snacksand regular visits to your dentist forcleaning and oral exams.

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MEDICAL UPDATES

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Family Life5 absolute rules for teen drivers

Copyright 2008, American Institute for Preventive Medicine.

30445 Northwestern Hwy., Ste . 350,Farmington Hills, MI 48334

248.539.1800 • aipm@healthylife.comwww.HealthyLife.comAll rights reserved.

An Apple A Day Isn't Enough!®

POTHOLES SO BIG THEY’LLSWALLOW YOUR CAR

The freeze and thaw of winterweather causes potholes to appearquickly. Water seeps under thestreet, softens the soil, and causesa collapse of the pavement. Watchfor these warning signs of damageprovided by the Car Care Council(www.carcare.org):* Loss of control, swaying when

making routine turns,bottoming-out on city streetsor bouncing too much onrough roads. These areindicators that the steering andsuspension may have beendamaged.

* Pulling in one direction,instead of maintaining astraight path, and uneven tirewear. These symptoms meanthere’s an alignment problem.

* Low tire pressure, bulges orblisters on the sidewalls, ordents in the rim. You can seethese problems.

“It’s important that parents take the time togo over good driving behavior with theirdriving children,” said Dr. Federico Vaca,Associate Professor of Clinical EmergencyMedicine at UC Irvine and Director of theCenter for Trauma and Injury PreventionResearch. “You never can be too safe.”

Dr. Vaca, a former National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration fellow andexpert on traffic safety and injuryprevention, said that licensed driversbetween the ages of 16 to 19 encountermore traffic accidents—and relatedinjuries—than any other group of drivers.

Most importantly, Dr. Vaca said, parentsshould be good drivers themselves. Manystudies have shown, he said, that teenagedrivers tend to develop the same drivinghabits—both good and bad—that they seein their parents.

Five absolute rules – no excuses 1. Wear safety belts at all times. Not only

for the driver, but for everyone in thecar.

2. Never, ever drink and drive. “Make apact with your children,” Dr. Vaca said.Tell them that if they have even onedrink, don’t drive. Have them call homeand offer to pick them up, no questionsasked.

3. Never get in a car with a driver youknow has been drinking.

4. Slow down. Speed kills. Teenagedrivers are less experienced and takemore risks.

5. Pay attention! Don’t text, page or talkon cell phones when behind the wheel.

For more information about teenage driving safety, goto the Web site of the National Safety Council:http://www.nsc.org/issues/teendriving/.

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