Healthy Living: March 2014

Monday, March 31, 2014

What to expect when you're NOT expecting

Under normal circumstances, asking a woman when she is expecting a baby is a happy occasion. However, if a woman has gained some weight and is not pregnant, it’s her worst nightmare. This scenario happened to a good friend of mine and was the motivation she needed to lose 30 pounds. Sometimes we just need a motivator. Here are some helpful hints to help women — and men — to lose those extra pounds:

• List your reasons to lose weight. Unless your doctor warned you that there would be dire health consequences if you don’t lose weight, here are some solid reasons we can all appreciate — to feel better, to get healthy, and to feel more energetic, just to name a few. Whatever your reasons, write them down and post them on the fridge, where you can see them everyday.

• Reward yourself for achievements. Whether it’s getting a manicure, downloading some new iTunes, or going to the latest movie, reward yourself for incremental achievements, just not with a pint of double chocolate ice cream or half a pound cake.

• Buddy up with a fellow dieter. This is important for support and to share your successes and failures. Sometimes you won’t feel like exercising or taking that power walk, but if you’ve pre-arranged to meet someone and do it together, you won’t want to disappoint your buddy.

• Create a diversion. Too many demands on your time can result in mindless snacking. Take a moment to put on the brakes. Stand up and look out the window, or step outside. Focus on the view, the weather, and how you feel. Give yourself a few minutes to be in the moment and to assess if you really are hungry.

• Take it slowly. Make small changes so you don’t get discouraged. Last year, I wrote about my husband and his co-worker’s ill-considered food choices when I am working late. That public exposure was the motivation for both of them to make small changes in their food choices. Last week, my husband told me instead of peanut butter and jelly on white bread with diet soda they will snack on fresh fruit and cut up veggies with water to drink. They still admit to occasionally indulging in bologna on potato bread, but these small steps are big victories towards healthier eating.

These are some strategies to stay motivated – each person needs to find what works for them. One last tip — don’t congratulate a woman on her pregnancy unless you are absolutely sure she is expecting!

Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.

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Monday, March 24, 2014

A few fun health facts to ponder

After taking on a very serious topic in last week's column (see below), I feel compelled to write about something a little lighter this week — maybe even a little frivolous.

Here are some fun health facts, gleaned from various internet websites:

• It takes 10-15 minutes of laughter a day to burn up 50 calories.

• Cockroaches can live for nine days after their head has been cut off. (Source: funfactz.com)

• The most pushups ever performed in one day was 46,001 by Charles Servizio. (Source: Wikipedia.com)

• The chances of you dying on the way to get your lottery tickets are greater than your chances of winning. (Source: funfactz.com)

• A sneeze generates a wind of 100 miles/hour, and a cough is expelled at 60 miles/hour.

• An adult produces about 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime, enough to fill two swimming pools.

• It is not possible to tickle yourself. The cerebellum, a part of the brain, warns the rest of the brain that you are about to tickle yourself. Since your brain knows this, it ignores the resulting sensation.

• People have the tendency to chew the food on the side that they most often use their hand.

• About 10% of the world’s population is left-handed.

• The average sperm cell swims at eight inches per hour.

• Your pet isn't the only one in the house with a shedding problem. Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour. That works out to about 1.5 pounds each year, so the average person will lose around 105 pounds of skin by age 70. (Source: www.health.howstuffworks.com)

• Researchers have found that more than 2,000 different species of bacteria live in our belly button. (Source: abcnews.go.com)

• Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

• Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. It was the fashion in Renaissance Florence to shave them off.

• There are as many hairs per square inch on your body as a chimpanzee. (source: wellspringdaily.com)

• By age 60, 40% of women and 60% of men will snore. While snores average around 60 decibels, the noise level of normal speech, they can reach more than 80 decibels. Eighty decibels is as loud as the sound of a pneumatic drill breaking up concrete. (Source: howstuffworks.com)

• The brain operates on the same amount of power as 10-watt light bulb. (Source: wiki.answers.com)

• If you didn’t have valves in your body, when you stand up all the blood in your body would literally fall downward, filling your feet and legs up. (Source: crazyhealthfacts.com)

• You see your nose at all times, your brain just chooses to ignore it.

Researchers say adults laugh 15 times a day on average, but children laugh about 300 times a day. Hopefully, some of these fun health facts helped you meet your laugh quota for today.

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Monday, March 17, 2014

We must stop the stigma associated with mental illness, suicide

Sadly, suicide is far too common in today’s society. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 million people die each year from suicide.

What drives a person to take their own life? It may be hard to understand that a person is in so much pain they can’t see any other option than suicide. Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape pain or suffering that has become unbearable.

There are many common myths about suicide, including that talking about it may give someone the idea. The opposite is true: bringing up the subject of suicide and discussing it openly may be one of the most helpful things you can do. It shows you care.

Another common myth is people who commit suicide are people who were unwilling to seek help. Studies of suicide victims have shown that more than half had sought medical help in the six months prior to their deaths.

Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs and taking them seriously. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers the following valuable information:

Warning Signs for Suicide

• Talking about wanting to die.

• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.

• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.

• Talking about being a burden to others.

• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.

• Acting anxious or agitated.

• Sleeping too little or too much.

• Withdrawing or isolating.

• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.

• Displaying extreme mood swings.

What to do if someone exhibits warning signs:

• Do NOT leave the person alone.

• Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs, or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.

• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

• Locally in Connecticut, call 2-1-1 and press 1 for the Mobile Crisis Intervention Service.

• Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a mental health professional.

If you suspect someone you know is contemplating suicide, the worst thing you can do to stay quiet. Unfortunately, because of the stigma associated with mental illness and suicide, far too many people try to hide the situation because they are embarrassed that someone they know and love is suicidal.

There is an ongoing campaign to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, and it includes taking a pledge to not use words that stereotype or stigmatize those with mental illness. You can take the pledge by visiting www.stopthestigmact.org.

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Monday, March 10, 2014

Have you been keeping your New Year’s resolutions?

New Year’s resolutions are difficult to keep. Like many of you, my New Year’s resolution was to lose weight. It’s been 70 days and it’s getting harder and harder to stick to my pledge. Let’s face it — it’s been easy to stick to the diet while at work with the support of colleagues who are also trying to lose a few pounds. We eat together, support healthy food choices, and try to fit in a 15-minute walk. Walking not only helps us to clear our minds, but to return to work refreshed and focused.

I struggle with healthy habits once I get home from work. I’m running here and there to get my daughters and then bring them to and from their activities. By the time we arrive at home, it’s dark, cold and late. How can I get in some exercise when I have to make dinner, wash uniforms and prepare lunches? All of this got me thinking.

I won’t lie. I’ve been very creative with exercising - doing laundry, loading the dishwasher, dusting, vacuuming and cleaning. I suggest putting on some music — a combination of everyone’s favorites and dance around while accomplishing the household chores. Participating in housework is in fact physical activity — and you do burn calories. According to the website www.FitDay.com, dusting for 30 minutes burns about 90 calories, loading the dishwasher burns about 105 calories, vacuuming burns about 90, and going up and down the staircase burns about 285 calories. If you total up these everyday chores, you’ve burned 510 calories, plus had fun with the family.

By incorporating these daily chores into your activities, you will be teaching your children life skills, spending time together, and most importantly, burning calories. Scrubbing the soap scum off the shower tile, carrying in the groceries, or climbing the stairs to put laundry away can even help you tone muscles. I challenge you to turn mundane chores into fun exercise. Plus, your house will be sparkling clean!

Before I leave you, my last suggestion for getting moving is to play a game on the Wii. In our house, my youngest daughter likes dance videos. Please note, however, these videos can be challenging for those who are uncoordinated (myself included). My girls laugh hysterically at me as I attempt to keep up with all the moves. I wonder if I can find a waltz?

Lisa Cook is a community health nurse for the Backus Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Cook or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.

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Monday, March 03, 2014

Colon cancer — preventable, treatable and beatable

I’ll be dressed in blue on Friday, March 7. Why? Backus and Windham hospitals will be promoting colon cancer awareness throughout the community. Did you know that in February 2000, President Clinton officially dedicated March as National Colon Cancer Awareness Month? The Blue Star, a symbol of the fight against colon cancer, symbolizes the eternal memory of those lives lost to the disease and serves as hope for a future free from colon cancer.

Not too long ago Katie Couric bravely discussed her husband’s death from colorectal cancer and had her own colonoscopy taped and watched by millions. There is still not enough discussion about colon cancer and preventative screenings because people find it embarrassing to discuss the parts of the body affected by colon cancer.

Colon cancer affects men and women of all nationalities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The colon is made up of the small and large intestines and the rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus. In 2010, the CDC reported that 131,607 people in the United States were diagnosed with colon cancer.

On average, the risk of developing colon cancer is one in 20, however, this number varies according to individual risk factors. The risk of colon cancer increases with age, and most cases occur in people age 50 or older. However, this does not mean that younger individuals should not be aware of the factors or participate in preventative screenings. Risk factors include having a family history of colon cancer or colorectal polyps, having an inflammatory bowel disease, a genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

Colorectal cancer screenings are recommended for both men and women beginning at age 50. However, those individuals with a higher risk are usually screened earlier than age 50. Colorectal cancer screenings can find precancerous polyps that can be removed before they become cancerous, preventing this dreaded disease. Screenings can also detected colon cancer in its early stages when there is a greater chance that treatment will be most effective and lead to a cure.

The CDC numbers are staggering — at least six out of 10 deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely. Although screening rates continue to rise in the United States, 22 million people have not yet been screened. Some studies suggest that individuals may decrease their risk of developing colon cancer by exercising regularly, eating fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol consumption, not smoking and eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet.

Remember it is important to keep open lines of communication with your physician. Ask your healthcare provider if you should be screened for colorectal cancer. After all, colon cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable.

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