Compliments of: healthletter ® VOL. 33, NO. 9 “ A n o u n c e o f p r e v e n t i o n i s w o r t h a p o u n d o f c u r e .” What’s your weight personality? By 2030, 42% of the U.S. population will be obese... unless we make changes before then. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing U.S. consumers’ ever-expanding waistlines. According to a HealthFocus® International study on weight management, people differ in: • The amount of weight they need to lose, • Their motivations for losing weight, and • How emotionally difficult it is for them to lose weight. Weight-control efforts may benefit from an individualized approach based on weight personality. The first step is identifying which category you fit into. The HealthFocus study uncovered five weight types. 13617 09.13 Quick-Read! You don’t have to know how to pronounce quinoa to enjoy it The “vegetable caviar” is high in fiber and is a complete protein. Discover how to easily add quinoa to any meal. Pg. 2 It’s time to ‘HIIT’ it Want to get more out of exercise in less time? Try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Pg. 3 5 reasons to call 911 Deciding whether a situation is a true medical emergency can be tricky. Pg. 4 Put a gag order on gossip and rumors How to stop negative communication in its tracks. Pg. 5 • Active Maintainers — somewhat overweight, in control of their eating, and fairly consistent about maintaining their weight. • Emotional Seekers — extremely unsatisfied with their bodies, and emotion plays a large role in their weight loss. • Practical Reducers — very unsatisfied with how they look, but are motivated to make changes. • Health Driven — usually have a high body mass index (BMI) and many health issues that drive them to find solutions. • Nonchalants — indifferent about weight. They often feel they’re at the right weight already, or just need to lose a few pounds but don’t focus on their weight. Source: HealthFocus® International SEPTEMBER 2013 For more on weight loss/control and weight type, go to Sep.HopeHealth.com Budgeting when you’re busy (or just don’t want to do it) Tips to make this sound financial practice as painless as possible. Pg. 6 Controlling cholesterol Find out how to keep it in check. Pg. 7 Cut back on kids’ sweet treats Learn how to easily limit the amount of added sugars children consume daily. Pg. 8 Dogged determination helps man shed 145 pounds. See page 7 for details. © HHI OuterAisleFresh: You don’t have to know how to pronounce quinoa to enjoy it Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is a healthful alternative to grains such as rice or couscous. Fresh, frozen, or canned? When it comes to fruits and veggies, it doesn’t matter Nutritionally speaking, all forms of fruits and vegetables count. • Most frozen and canned foods are processed within hours of being harvested, so flavor and nutrition are preserved. • Studies show recipes made with canned foods had comparable nutritional values to those made with fresh or frozen ingredients. Quinoa is high in fiber and is a complete protein, which means it has all nine amino acids that your body can’t make. Quinoa is also cholesterol free. It comes in white, red, or black varieties, and has a nutty flavor. It can be eaten warm or cold. • Canned foods are “cooked” before packaging, so they are recipe-ready. • Frozen foods usually require little preparation. Washing and slicing are already done. Quinoa, which is also spelled quinua, dates back 5,000 years to the ancient South American Andes Mountain civilizations. Quinua means “mother grain” in the Inca language. • Note: Be sure to check the sodium levels on canned vegetables, particularly if you have high blood pressure.You may want to select low-sodium varieties. Although a grain, quinoa is often called “vegetable caviar” because it’s related to green vegetables such as spinach and chard. Source: Fruits and Veggies More Matters To cook quinoa: Mix one part grain to two parts liquid (water or broth work well). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Source: American Nutrition Association Chicken s e o t a m o T d n a with Quinoa • 1 cup quinoa ee, low-sodium • 2 cups fat-fr chicken broth virgin olive oil • 2 Tbsp. extraic, chopped • 2 cloves garl chopped • 1 small onion, inless chicken • 2 boneless, sk strips to breasts, cut in ced di s, oe at • 2 tom umbled feta cr ee fr • 4 oz. fatcheese leaves • 8 fresh basil ic vinegar am • 1 Tbsp. bals a boil in a n broth to e k ic h c d d cover. quinoa an simmer an a to Bring the t a e h and the Reduce absorbed is saucepan. th e. ro b til the s). Set asid Simmer un y (about 12 minute fluff rlic and quinoa is and stir ga en k o o C t. le k il oil in a sk Stir in chic Heat olive nion is translucent. in k in p y tl h o l n is slig e k ic onion unti h c s, l e ti ato feta cook un s). Add tom until te u strips and in m 5 t (abou ar. Cook the middle and balsamic vineg l, bout 10 si (a a t and ho cheese, b d e k o o c fully chicken is quinoa. erve over S . s) minute es, : 441 calori sodium, er serving P g . m 4 0 s 4 e 6 v , r Se fat) g saturated protein (2 t fa g 3 1 2g hydrates, 4 38 g carbo 2 © HHI GetMoving: Think (and act) like a kid It’s time to ‘HIIT’ it Want to get more out of exercise in less time? Consider High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).* It can increase strength and performance with the added bonus of a higher calorie burn. • HIIT involves varying the effort you put into whatever you’re doing — walking, running, biking, or swimming. • During a HIIT session, you exercise “all out” for 60 to 90 seconds, rest for 30 to 60 seconds, and then repeat. • A key principle: always keeping your body guessing. When your body gets used to an activity, improvements slow. • HIIT sessions usually last less than 20 minutes, not including warm-ups and cool downs. • For greatest benefit, pick activities — such as running, bicycling, or swimming — that safely use the largest muscle groups. • HIIT increases the calories you burn during your exercise session and afterward because HIIT increases the time it takes your body to recover from each exercise session. • HIIT workouts shouldn’t be done on consecutive days. If you don’t rest your muscles, you can increase your chances of injury. *If you have a medical condition, you may want to check with your physician before you begin a HIIT program. How to not be a nervous Ned or Nelly at your next sports competition Instead of calling physical activity exercise or working out, give it a better name: play time. Don’t stop there. Grab the kiddos and make play time healthy family time. • Croquet • A treasure hunt • A nature walk through a park • Hopscotch, tag, jump rope, or hide and seek • Walk the family dog (If you don’t have a dog, walk a neighbor’s dog.) • A hula hoop contest • Frisbee® • Wash the car • Rake leaves • Fly a kite on a windy day • Take a trip to a zoo • Play catch • Turn on tunes and have a dance party • Play charades Sitting in front of the computer doesn’t mean you have to be sedentary. Squeeze your glutes and abs at the same time. Give it a try for a count of 10. Repeat. To keep sports performance anxiety under control: • Be prepared. Last-minute practicing or training can never replace proper training and readiness. Being prepared also means having the right equipment, clothing, and accessories. • Get good sleep, especially the night before the event. • Eat right. Try to avoid fried foods, which may upset your stomach. Instead, opt for whole-grain bread and peanut butter. • Be on time or early to warm up and get familiar with the area. Give yourself plenty of time for a pre-event bathroom break. • Keep your heart from racing before the race starts with conscious, controlled breathing. Relax your muscles. Let your mind drift to a happy place. • Burn nervous energy. If you feel anxious, move your body. Warm up with active stretching or walking, but nothing too strenuous. • Compete often to get used to the competitive atmosphere. 3 © HHI TheWholeYou: PHYSICAL HEALTH Avoid the jet lag crash and burn Traveling across time zones can lead to jet lag, when your body’s internal “clock” is out of sync with the local time. The problem can be a mild nuisance or significantly affect how you function. You may have jet lag if, after traveling across time zones, you: You shouldn’t kid around about kidney disease More than 20 million Americans may have kidney disease, and many more are at risk and may not realize it. The good news: If a problem is detected early enough, it can usually be treated. • Feel sleepy during the day • Wake up frequently when sleeping • Are unable to fall asleep at night (after eastward flight) • Wake up early in the morning (after westward flight) • Are less alert and productive during the day • Are less able to concentrate • Suffer stomach and gut issues, and have a loss of appetite Anyone can develop kidney disease at any age. Risk factors for developing kidney disease include: • Diabetes • High blood pressure • Heart and blood vessel disease • A family history of kidney failure To prevent jet lag Early kidney disease has no symptoms. Testing is the only way to know if your waste-filtering organs are having troubles. The sooner you are aware you have kidney disease, the sooner you can get treatment to help delay or prevent kidney failure. Treating kidney disease may also prevent heart disease. • Select a flight that lands in the late afternoon/early evening local time. • A few days before traveling, shift your sleep and wake-up time to match the time of where you’re going. • Change the time on your watch to the destination time when you board the plane. • Avoid alcohol; drink water. • Try not to eat a heavy meal when you arrive at your destination. • Sleep with earplugs and an eye mask to reduce noise and light. • Get sun. Sunlight can help the body to get back in sleep sync. Ask your health-care provider at your next office visit whether you should have your kidneys tested for disease. Source: National Kidney Disease Education Program Source: FusionSleep, www.fusionsleep.com Tired of sitting in a chair all day? Swap out the chair for an exercise ball. It can help with balance and tightening your abdominal muscles. 5 reasons to call 911 Deciding whether a situation — either involving yourself or someone else — is a medical emergency can be tricky. If you aren’t sure how severe the condition is, always contact emergency medical professionals by calling 911. Here are questions to consider: 1. Is the victim’s condition life or limb threatening? 2. Could the condition worsen and become life or limb threatening on the way to the hospital? 3. Could moving the victim cause more injury? 4. Does the victim need the skills or equipment of paramedics/emergency medical technicians? 5. Would distance or traffic conditions delay getting the victim to the hospital? 4 © HHI TheWholeYou: EMOTIONAL HEALTH Put a gag order on gossip and rumors A parent’s cheat sheet to calming kids To help kids learn to ramp down: If your children bounce off the walls, are too loud, frequently fidget, or have trouble playing well with others, your little ones may have hyperactivity issues. • Speak in a calming voice without frustration or yelling. If you want your children to be calm, remain calm yourself. • Provide regular, structured physical activity to help redirect unfocused hyper energy. • Find activities that allow children to develop creativity and release emotional energy. • Massage temples or scalp, lightly run your fingers through their hair, or rub their shoulders. • Encourage children to monitor their breathing when overly stimulated. Teach them to take deep breaths. • Stick to routines. Make certain children know what is expected of them and the consequences for not following expectations. For more ideas on how to calm kids, go to Sep.HopeHealth.com Source: Emily Kensington, PhD, LCSW, www.add-treatment.com Just like with the childhood game of telephone, sharing “news” about someone or something can lead to the spread of misinformation and negative feelings. Here is one technique to stop rumors and gossip. The Block — Use this move when you’re in a group of people and someone begins to gossip about a person who isn’t there. As soon as you hear gossip, say, “I want to step in for a minute. I’m trying this new thing out. I don’t talk about a person unless he or she is here. Because ‘Amy’ isn’t here, I don’t think it’s fair that we talk about her. Thanks for helping me stick with my rule.” You may come off as condescending if you don’t deliver it correctly. Be humble and honest. You’ve put the blame on yourself, so everyone can walk away not offended and the gossip is blocked. An exception to this rule: It may be OK to talk behind someone’s back, if your conversation is designed to be helpful to that person. Source: Marina Sbrochi, relationship and dating expert Setting e-boundaries Q: What are warning signs that you’re spending too much time using electronics? A: Ask yourself,“What do I do first thing in the morning and last thing at night? Do I check my smartphone, computer, or television?” If you answered “yes,” that’s a good indication that you’re hooked to your electronic device. Q: How do you set boundaries? A: Set daily time limits to spend on Twitter or Facebook, surfing the Web, or watching TV. When you look back on your life five years from now, do you want to remember the time you spent tweeting? Source: Hunter Phoenix, certified life coach, national speaker, author of Perfect Lives and Other Fairy Tales, www.HunterPhoenixCoaching.com 5 © HHI FiscalFitness: Kids and credit cards Most moms and dads want to help their children learn to be money smart. At some point, it becomes time to teach kids about credit cards. The lowdown on life insurance When children become teenagers, consider debit cards. Debit cards tied to bank accounts get teens used to carrying cards and not buying more than they can afford. To determine whether you need life insurance, ask yourself,“Would my death leave anyone in a financial bind?” • If you don’t have dependents and have enough money to cover your debts and the cost of dying, you may not need life insurance. When kids start driving, think about gas cards, which allow kids to make small purchases without going on shopping sprees. • If you have dependents and/or don’t have enough assets to cover your debts and cost of dying, you should consider a policy. After high school graduation, consider getting kids their first true credit cards. Find ones with low limits (say $500), low interest rates, and low (or no) annual fees. Apply for a new joint card. Just adding kids to your existing credit cards (known as “piggybacking”) doesn’t help them build a credit history. The rule of thumb: Once you become a parent, any adult in your house should carry life insurance until the youngest child completes college. Term vs. permanent life insurance Term life insurance pays a certain amount if the insured individual dies during a specified time. The term may be one, five, 10, or 20 years or longer. Term insurance policies are: • The least expensive • Have no cash value • Are usually renewable • Can sometimes be converted to permanent life insurance By the end of college (or 21 to 22 years old), consider cutting credit ties with kids. Let kids know of the plan ahead of time so they can prepare to take over. Permanent life insurance doesn’t expire. It provides coverage for a lifetime, if premiums are paid on time. Most policies offer a savings or investment component with insurance coverage. Permanent life insurance policies: • Build cash value • Can have loans taken against them • Have premiums that don’t change It’s never too late to go back to school. Take classes to give your career a boost, enhance your skill set, and increase your earning potential. Budgeting when you’re busy (or just don’t want to do it) • Use a technology-based budgeting tool. Many programs can connect with your online bank records to easily gather historical spending patterns that you can tweak to meet your financial goals. Check with your bank, which may offer a program as part of its online banking. Before entering personal or bank information, research to make sure the site, app, or program is secure. • Automate as much as possible. You can usually set up a recurring payment either through your bank’s Website or the Websites of your creditors and service providers.You can also set up automatic transfers into savings and retirement accounts. 6 © HHI IssueInsight: September is National Cholesterol Awareness Month. Controlling cholesterol Your body needs cholesterol. It helps keep cells healthy. It also helps make hormones, vitamin D, and some acids that break down fat. But… You only need a little cholesterol. Many people have too much. The extra cholesterol travels in your blood and builds up inside your arteries (the tubes that carry blood through your body). This buildup is called plaque. The amount of cholesterol in your blood depends on many things. Some people’s bodies just make too much “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and too little “good” (HDL) cholesterol. However, your habits make a difference, too. • Get moving: Exercise can raise HDL and lower LDL. • Eat fewer saturated fats (found in meat, butter, cheese, palm oil, and coconut oil) and trans fats (found in any foods with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” vegetable oils). • Use heart-healthy fats such as olive or canola oil. • Eat just enough calories to reach or keep a healthy weight. • Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. • Don’t smoke Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 2 1 4 3 6 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ACROSS 5. Type of foods to avoid before a sports competition 6. More than 20 million Americans may have this type of disease 7. People who are indifferent about their weight 10. To prevent jet lag, avoid this 12. Type of life insurance that doesn’t expire 13. Buildup of cholesterol in arteries is called . For the crossword puzzle answer key, go to Sep.HopeHealth.com Crossword Workout — Find out how well you know the health topics covered in this issue of the newsletter. DOWN 1. Often called “vegetable caviar” 2. Abbreviation for High Intensity Interval Training 3. Abbreviation for “bad” cholesterol 4. Type of life insurance that pays a certain amount if the insured individual dies during a specified time 8. Avoid using these types of foods as rewards for kids 9. First type of financial card to get teens 11. To help kids with hyperactivity, speak in this type of voice 7 Source for Tool Your Cool Tools & Box Resources Go to Sep.HopeHealth.com to find: • More information on weight types and how to calm kids • A food and activity diary • A portion control tutorial • A tool for reworking your budget • An inspiring weight-loss success story • Crossword Workout answer key Scan the QuickResponse Code with your smartphone. find us on Facebook facebook.com/HopeHealthToolbox Dogged determination helps man shed 145 pounds Cobalt Blue spent the majority of his life on a weight rollercoaster. He would lose a few pounds through great effort and then gain it back (plus a few extra) with seemingly no effort at all. Despite a somewhat active lifestyle (hiking, rafting, ballroom dancing, etc.), his weight kept creeping up. In 2000, his doctor confirmed Cobalt’s suspicion that he had a thyroid problem. Prescribed medication helped him to lose weight and feel better, but he became complacent. Even though he had fixed the medical problem, he hadn’t really fixed his lifestyle problem. Get the rest of the story at: Sep.HopeHealth.com The information in this publication is meant to complement the advice of your health-care providers, not to replace it. Before making any major changes in your medications, diet, or exercise, talk to your doctor. © 2013 by the Hope Heart Institute, Seattle, WA Institute Founder: Lester R. Sauvage, MD Material may not be used without permission. To view or make comments on this publication, visit HopeHealth.com/comments.asp For subscription information, or reprint permission, contact: Hope Health, 350 E. Michigan Ave., Suite 225 Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3853 Phone: (269) 343-0770 • E-mail: [email protected] Website: HopeHealth.com Printed with soybean ink. Please recycle. Medical Editor: William Mayer, MD, MPH Managing Editor: Jennifer Cronin Medical Advisory Board: Victor J. Barry, DDS • Renee Belfor, RD • Patricia C. Buchsel, RN, MSN, FAAN • Kenneth Holtyn, MS • Reed Humphrey, PhD • Gary B. Kushner, SPHR, CBP • Patrick J.M. Murphy, PhD • Barbara O’Neill, CFP • Lester R. Sauvage, MD • Wallace Wilkins, PhD © HHI HEALTHLETTER Weight control: Cut back on kids’ sweet treats Try to limit the amount of added sugars children consume daily. “If you want your child to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.” — Abigail Van Buren “Life is like a coin.You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once.” • Serve smaller portions. You don’t need to cut out sweet snacks and desserts completely. A little can go a long way. Use smaller bowls or plates for desserts. Have kids split a candy bar or cupcake. — Lillian Dickson “Chronic disease is a foodborne illness. We ate our way into this mess, and we must eat our way out.” • Avoid using sweets as rewards. Instead, let your children know you’re proud of them with kind words, hugs, or non-food items such as stickers. — Mark Hyman “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” • Make fruit the everyday dessert. Try serving baked apples or a frozen 100% juice bar. — Albert Camus • Play sugar detective in the cereal aisle at the store. Teach kids to find the amount of sugars in cereals. Have the kids compare cereals they like and select the one with the lowest amount of sugar. “The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.” • Make good foods fun. Create a smiley face with fruit or cut fruit into shapes using cookie cutters. Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion — Sam Levenson 8 © HHI
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