Healthy Living

My husband often reminds me, “You have to practice what you preach.” For years I have been writing health columns about positive thinking and the benefits of optimism. I have written about combating depression, caring for the caregivers, practicing gratitude, and the importance of meditation and mindfulness.

This will be my last health column for Healthy Living. My husband and I are retiring and moving to the San Francisco Bay Area of California to live near our daughter and her family. I have mixed emotions. I have always “preached” that life is short, and family comes first. But it is easy to say that, and pretty difficult to make such a big life change. I have made lifelong friends here on the East Coast, and will have to become part of a new community on the West Coast. For over 40 years, I have worked as a nurse, taking time off for only a few months after the births of my children. Looking at retirement looming ahead, especially in a totally new environment, I need to practice what I preach.

In an effort to stay positive, I have written a few tips to keep me motivated.

• Practice gratitude every day. In the words of David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, “The root of joy is gratefulness…. It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” Life can be a roller coaster. When we practice gratitude, we see and experience more of the “good” in life, regardless of life’s circumstances.

• Be kind to others and yourself. Plato, the Greek philosopher said it best, “Be kind to everyone you meet, for everyone is fighting a hard battle.” It’s easier to accept when someone seems unkind — we never know what battle they may be secretly fighting.

• Forgive others — don’t hold grudges. Letting go of grudges and bitterness can make way for happiness.

• Every day, indulge yourself in one thing. Something that prevents or wards off cravings and makes you happy. For me, that indulgence is reading a spicy novel while eating one ounce of dark chocolate.

• “To love what you do and feel that it matters, how can anything be more fun?” Renowned publisher Katherine Graham said these wise words, and hopefully we can always find things to do that we love.

• It’s never too late to live happily ever after. My friends have this saying engraved on a plaque over the entrance to their home. It’s worth remembering after enduring some tough times.

• Laugh more. Laughter feels great. It releases endorphins, the chemical in the body that makes us feel great. Laughter brings us together. It’s a wonderful way to bond with others. One of the nicest things a co-worker ever said to me is, “I always love to share a good laugh with you.”

• No matter what your past has been, your future is spotless. What an interesting perspective...and so very true.

I hope we can all share in these tips for maintaining optimism. Whether young or old, just starting a career, looking at imminent retirement like me, or well into the retirement years, we can all agree it’s always better to look at the positive side of the situation. I have promised my husband that I won’t be preaching about optimism any more; I will be practicing it. I sincerely wish all of you good fortune and sunny skies, too.

The world is getting smaller by way of internet connectivity, social media, Skype, and Facetime on our cell phones.

With that thought in mind, friends, I am signing off “til we meet again.”

Alice Facente is a community health education nurse for the Backus Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal health care 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.

There is simply nothing quite as mouthwatering as traditional fair food. Hot dogs, ice cream and fried dough tempt fair goers at every corner. Name a food to deep-fat-fry, and you will probably find it at a fair. Fortunately, fairs offer so much more than fried food.

If you are watching your waistline you can still sample the finest fair foods without sabotaging your diet. Here’s how:

Review the list of food vendors before you go to the fair. Search for a local restaurant or catering company and check out the menu online. These vendors tend to offer healthier options and cuisine that is unique to the rest of the fair including: salads, smoothies, and vegetarian options.

Look for roasted nuts. Nuts are a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates to keep you feeling full. Twenty-four almonds, the amount that fits in the palm of your hand is a low calorie snack that is also rich in heart healthy fats, so buy a small bag and share with friends.

Find a baked potato vendor. Potatoes are a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Choose toppings wisely because this light meal can turn into a calorie bomb! Skip the sour cream and ask for half the cheese to save 200-300 calories.

What’s it take to burn 300 calories? The average person would have to walk for an hour at 3.5 miles-per-hour. So grab that FitBit before you go.

Looking for a healthier way to cool off? Try frozen lemonade which as has only 110 calories in an eight-ounce cup.

At the Big E, don’t miss out on the Avenue of States, six buildings that represent the states of New England. Here you can step inside each state building to sample local produce such as: blueberries, raspberries, and apples. You can also visit the Maine building to try smoked salmon on a stick. Rich in omega-three fatty acids and only 350 calories this is a healthy choice compared to a smoked turkey leg that weighs in at a hefty 1,135 calories.

The bottom line is that you can sample whatever you like as long as you eat it in moderation. So if you buy a higher calorie food such as a turkey leg or cream puff, share it with friends. Then burn off the extra calories by walking around the fair.

Brenda Viens is a registered dietitian at Backus Hospital and Thames Valley Council for Community Action. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal health care provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Viens or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.

Diet and lifestyle are vital to diabetes management. Start your wellness plan today by following the tips outlined here.

Find support. Your diabetes care team should include your doctor and a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE).

Monitor your heart. Two out of three people diagnosed with diabetes have high blood pressure (140/90 mm/Hg).

Exercise can help control blood glucose, supports healthy cholesterol levels, and may reduce blood pressure. Aim to get at least thirty minutes of physical activity three to four days a week. Every step counts. Choose the level of physical activity that works for you and stick with it.

Have small, balanced meals at regular intervals throughout the day because eating too frequently can cause high blood sugar. However, going too long without food can cause low blood sugar which could result in a medical emergency.

How do I build a balanced meal? Start by filling ½ the plate (9-inch dia.) with non-starchy vegetables, ¼ with lean protein, and the last quarter with whole grains or starchy vegetables. This plate provides about twenty-four grams of carbohydrates. Serve it with one cup of low-fat milk and one cup of berries to create a balanced meal with a total of forty-eight grams of carbohydrates.

Is this the right amount of carbohydrates for me? In general, women should have 45-60 grams of carbohydrates during a meal and choose snacks with 15 grams. Men should have 60-75 grams during a meal and select 15-30 gram snacks.

What does 15 grams of carbohydrates look like? 1 small apple, ½ cup oatmeal, 1 slice of whole grain bread, or 1 cup unsweetened low-fat dairy milk.

Select high-fiber whole foods such as non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, kale, snap peas, cucumbers etc.), whole grains, legumes (beans, lentils, and dried peas), and whole fruit because they are digested more slowly and cause a smaller rise in blood sugar.

Limit saturated fat and sodium. Use serving size and percent daily value on the nutrition label to identify foods that are low in saturated fat and sodium. Select foods that have five percent or less of the daily value for fat per serving. Avoid foods that have twenty percent or more of the daily value for saturated fat, or sodium.

Choose healthy “swaps” for your favorite treats. Have one cup of fruit garnished with two tablespoons whipped cream instead of ice-cream or swap that slice of pie for a single-serve, non-fat yogurt of the same flavor such as Chobani Simply 100 greek yogurt.

Brenda Viens is a registered dietitian at Backus Hospital and Thames Valley Council for Community Action. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal health care provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Viens or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller

This should be the mantra of every person who becomes a caregiver. Providing care for a loved one can be very rewarding but also very stressful and exhausting.

According to estimates from the National Alliance for Caregiving, there are 44.4 million American caregivers (21 percent of the adult population) age 18 and older who provide unpaid care to an adult age 18 or older. Sometimes caregivers are so focused on caring for their loved one they fail to notice problems in their own health. According to one study, caregivers revealed that their most important unmet needs were finding time for themselves, managing emotional and physical stress, and balancing work and family responsibilities.

Caregiver stress is a significant and complicated issue. Here are some tips to relieve caregiver stress:

• Accept help from others. Make a list of things that would relieve some of the burden, then let those offering help choose what they want to do from your list. Let them feel good about helping and supporting you.

• Speak up. Don’t expect people to automatically know what you’re feeling. Involve as many people as you can to share the responsibility.

• Take some respite time for yourself. Arrange for someone else to take over caregiving duties for a bit while you get a manicure, go out to a movie theater, do whatever makes you happy. Professional home health care workers get time off - why shouldn‘t you?

• Don’t strive for perfection — accept that everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Make a list of things that are “absolutely necessary” and let other, non-essential things go.

On Saturday, Sept 24, Backus Hospital will sponsor a Care for Caregivers Day at the Sprague Community Center, 22 W. Main St. in Baltic, from 1-3 p.m. This free event will feature yoga and mini-massage therapy sessions, information on available community resources, and an opportunity to network with other caregivers. Call 860.822.6595 to register. Join us as we support each other to minimize caregiver stress.

Alice Facente is a community health education nurse for the Backus Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal health care 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.