Health Education

Odds and Ends

<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Surviving Cancer</u> - For some time now, researchers who study cancer recurrence and survivability have been suggesting that weight control and regular exercise are key factors for both.  Two years ago and times before and since, I <a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2010/07/prevent-or-reduce-cancer-recurrence.html" target="_blank">also noted </a>that the days of telling cancer patients to rest and eat are long gone.  This past week, the American Cancer Society went a step further - they made  official recommendations and are asking physicians themselves to promote the guidelines with their patients.  An article by Mike Stobbe from the AP is really well written and explains the research both simply and accurately.  <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/cancer-survivors-urged-eat-better-exercise-140423383.html" target="_blank">Take a look</a>.  Remember as well, what prevents recurrence and reduces fatality also reduces the risk of primary cancer diagnosis.  I.e. may reduce ones odds of getting cancer in the first place.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><u>ROS</u> - It is hard to believe that it has been a year since I attended my first Ride of Silence.  It was such a powerful experience that I <a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2011/05/today-i-participated-in-national-ride.html" target="_blank">wrote about </a>it that evening.  This year it takes place on May 16 - this is an international event. It is a very low key bicycle ride (7-8 miles, 10 mph pace) that is done in complete silence.  It is in honor of cyclists who have been killed or injured.  Please visit t<a href="http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php" target="_blank">his link</a> to find where the ROS is taking place in your state (in your country).</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXVcXNiEgWh6QEi_-bzmh5IlSd-epdz5tQNZZpCGobpgfUflQSnD5UwBJgonT9DC4h5s-x90uUhudkqDWWLZmKXjFBVo8GJcT2xkSAymSnyGbnZqd-bMIPPEy9EiXgKZBB1hchNaH0san/s1600/ros_logo_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXVcXNiEgWh6QEi_-bzmh5IlSd-epdz5tQNZZpCGobpgfUflQSnD5UwBJgonT9DC4h5s-x90uUhudkqDWWLZmKXjFBVo8GJcT2xkSAymSnyGbnZqd-bMIPPEy9EiXgKZBB1hchNaH0san/s320/ros_logo_small.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Nutella</u> - Well you probably heard that the company that makes this spread has been charged with false or misleading advertising and has agreed to a settlement.  There was a label claim that using the spread was healthier than using another product.  The lawsuit was triggered by some astute NFP (nutrition facts panel) readers who couldn't understand why something so high in sugar and fat would be better for you.  I checked out a jar at the store today.  It is so, though it may be made with hazelnuts, the first ingredient is sugar.  I also noticed on the label a statement that went something like this, "A balanced breakfast would include nutella on toast, orange juice and skim milk."  Yeah - ok.  I am not a fan of the spread, but let us say it is ok - and sure, calcium (in the skim milk) is good.  But the OJ is overkill and just adds more sugar... maybe an orange or other piece of FRUIT would be best - but NOT a banana.  One of my friends told me she liked nutella on a banana - sugar on a high glycemic starchy fruit = blood sugar spike.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><u>WOTN</u> - I almost started this one off by saying if the USA did not have an obesity problem I would not be in the doctorate program at UNC or writing this blog.  But that is not true - because I love both (blogging and school)- I would just be focusing on tobacco again.  We do have a weight problem though.  A serious and substantial one that has led to a great collaboration between some high level folks.  Beginning next month, HBO will air a 4 part documentary titled, Weight of the Nation.  I was able to get a free screening kit from the CDC (well, they tell me it is in the mail) and I hope to set up some community/university showings.  Here is the <a href="http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/downloads/The%20Weight%20of%20the%20Nation%20-%20Press%20Release.pdf" target="_blank">press release </a>on the shows.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Cost of Healthy</u> - For the first time that I recall, I saw a hummus that was fat free. In other words, the food maker did not add oil to it when pureeing the chik peas. The store where I saw this was having a sale on this particular humus brand, 2 for 2.99.  There were lots of flavors, but only the original came in FF.  I made sure that the sale tags covered all the flavors/versions.  When it was scanned at the register it did not come up as on sale.  There was a manager helping to bag the groceries and when I said that the price was wrong she said, "Oh I don't think the sale includes the fat free one."  OF course NOT - right?.  But I did get the sales price because of the tags.</span><br /><br />Now - I hope I don't do bad on my exam tomorrow because I stopped studying to write my blog... but it was a nice break......

Odds and Ends

Surviving Cancer - For some time now, researchers who study cancer recurrence and survivability have been suggesting that weight control an...

6:43 PM

Purposeful Aging

<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Something led me to think of the Andy Rooney quote I have mentioned more than once, last on November 2011, .  You know the story… Bill O’Reilly made fun of him over something and his retort was, “ I didn’t get old on purpose, it just happened.”  </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">When I recalled the quote yesterday it finally hit me – NO, that is not right at all Andy (he died last year).  People do NOT get old by accident at all.  So that led me to the post today.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">I want to (and I will) link you to articles that were written or cowritten by the same author, John Rowe. One was written in <a href="http://www.jstor.org.libproxy.uncg.edu/stable/pdfplus/1699814.pdf?acceptTC=true">1987</a>and the other in <a href="http://gerontologist.oxfordjournals.org/content/37/4/433.full.pdf+html">1996.</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">I love them both.  One is more technical as it discusses ways to intervene in the life course and how to test those interventions. I will summarize the abstract of the 1987 one in a moment.  Every time I talk about this article I am surprised that it was written so many years ago.  I was a young adult in (undergrad) college at the time and aging was not on my personal or professional agenda.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">I returned to school in 2000 to get a  post baccalaureate certificate in Gerontology.  I did end up working with an older population after seven years in the child abuse/neglect field.  It always seemed to me that we (the country, public health) started to talk about aging then (greying of America) – the year 2000, and in the decade that followed the conversation switched to successful aging.  It seemed to me.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">But Rowe began this dialogue long before and it is high time we started to listen.  I consider this blog as having everything to do with aging – but not like Andy Rooney said – not by accident.  This is purposeful aging.  I live my life now and encourage others to do the same, so that if accident and irony escapes me, I will be one of those very active 90 year olds!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">So to summarize the points John Rowe makes:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">(speaking in 1986) Research focuses on the ways in which old age brings about disease and loss of functioning and refers to this as the usual course of life. There is a great difference on the individual level and successful aging does not include such a level of infirmity at all. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Rowe even claims that others have exaggerated the effects of aging.  Instead, the behaviors that people engage in or avoid in the preceding years impact how one ages and at what rate.  He calls for research that will give us the information we need to assist people in their life transitions so that they maintain the highest level of functioning possible. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">In the second article, nearly ten years later, he talks about some of those findings and then adds, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">“</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Successful aging is multidimensional, encompassing the avoidance of disease and disability, the maintenance of high physical and cognitive function, and sustained engagement in social and productive activities.” </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> Do let us all take this to heart and do what we can to age with our faculties (mental and physical) intact.  <b><span style="color: #4c1130;">That is my plan!</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Purposeful Aging

Something led me to think of the Andy Rooney quote I have mentioned more than once, last on November 2011, . You know the story… Bill O’Rei...

6:32 PM

Prevention and Public Health Fund

<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Prevention and Public Health Fund which was established through the PPACA - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is in the news today.  It is in jeopardy of being cut or the funds reallocated to pay for the money that will be lost if the student loan interest rate does not double as it is set to do.  </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A bill keeping that from happening, the interest rate part, passed the House today (US govt) but may be vetoed because of the issue with the Fund.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The language in the fund, much like language in tobacco settlement laws, allows for the money to be used in ways not originally intended by the statute.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So what is the fund supposed to do and what will we give up if we lose it?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I found this <a href="http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/63AB0803-AC5B-41BE-82F8-790F446EAA28/0/PreventionPublicHealthfactsheet.pdf" target="_blank">two page handout</a> about the fund, and page two is the interesting part so do check that out.  The group that put the handout together is NOT part of the government or affiliated with the White House.  It as a public health association and members do stand to benefit from the money.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I like that the document offers a link at the end so that people can see how funds are being spent or are set to be spent in their own states. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can click <a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/02/prevention02092011a.html" target="_blank">on this link </a>to see a map of the USA and click on your state or a state you are interested in to see what the goals for the money are in your area.  For instance, many states are addressing obesity, tobacco use, food safety, immunizations, and work force training, etc. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am much more concerned about losing this money than I am about the student loan interest rate rising.  This is for two reasons and YES one is biased because the funds can help me.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1a) I am interested in obesity and tobacco use</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1b) I am a student and "in training"</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2) The problem with student loans is NOT the interest rate (as I suggested in a r<a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2012/04/debt-and-health.html" target="_blank">ecent past post)</a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Most importantly - please do not let who you like or do not like in politics be the measure of whether or not a program or policy is good for the country.  Do YOUR homework.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(for instance, this cut is not targeted at women - the funds help everyone and will hurt everyone if they are taken away!)</span>

Prevention and Public Health Fund

The Prevention and Public Health Fund which was established through the PPACA - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is in the news to...

6:36 PM

How Sitting Matters

<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Not how you sit but <i>that you sit</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have never missed an opportunity to remind my readers, friends, students, family and faculty of the research results (such as the two listed and linked below) that suggest sitting is harmful.</span></div><br /><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109710044657">Screen-Based Entertainment Time, All-Cause Mortality, and Cardiovascular Events Population-Based Study With Ongoing Mortality and Hospital Events Follow-Up</a><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></div><a href="http://www.natap.org/2010/newsUpdates/SittingTimeCauses.pdf">Sitting Time and Mortality from All Causes,Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer</a><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The results and the take home message that I frequently share is that regardless of age, gender, race and exercise level, people who sit more have higher numbers of heart attacks, more cancer diagnosis and die more from any cause of death (during the research study period).  The risk can be 50% higher in some instances and 2 time as great in others.  The point being, even if you exercise every day - if you sit continuously, without taking stretch or walk breaks, you are more likely to have adverse health outcomes than if you do NOT sit for extended (more than 60 minutes) periods of time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The reason I bring it up today relates to a comment I made yesterday when I was in a 3 hour workshop.  That comment catapulted me back to my childhood. At the workshop, we did not have scheduled breaks but were told to get up as needed for the bathroom or refreshments.  When I did stand up, I said to the learners at my table, I am not leaving, just stretching, followed by these words. "I am not a sitter."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">"I am not a sitter."  That is what got me.  I smiled - almost laughed out loud because it is something that my mother would always say and I said it exactly as she would have said it.  I am one of those girls who does not want to be reminded of how much she is like her mother - regardless of how much I adore her.  I am me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">But indeed, she did say, "I am not a sitter." As well as, "I can't sit around like they do." OR, "I don't like all that sitting."  These words were uttered at almost every one of our family get togethers or when we had visitors.  Because in <b>my</b> family, on both sides, our entertainment involved lots of coffee drinking, cigarette smoking and card playing, OR <i>alcohol</i> drinking  cigarette smoking  and cards playing or just alcohol and sitting and talking all night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The alcohol drinkers gave up the cigarettes in the 1970s, the coffee drinkers held out longer and a few still smoke.  Mom didn't smoke after 1965 and for every two drinks the others had she had one. They had lots of drinks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Fast forward to 2012 - very few of the people to whom I refer are still alive.  Many of them who are are not able to do much more than sit.  They are arthritic actually, one of them quite severely.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">My mother is in her 80s, rides a bicycle, works as a waitress, goes bowling and well - must I go on?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Sit less  - it sure made a difference in this personal story.  </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">(BTW, we, in the 2000s have become a much more active family,thanks to a few of the (then) youngsters who live a different lifestyle than their elders had.)</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 22.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

How Sitting Matters

Not how you sit but that you sit . I have never missed an opportunity to remind my readers, friends, students, family and faculty of the re...

6:16 PM

<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4ISmpBZNUBFu-kIbsJ0JclpGgw2b7IkmR9KPZItV2jWPilnyoOauDbj6MeFiaPyfg0bumACkBRm3cuwiUZrd4TmMEZkwg2JTigWuDnvSfoZ6pwdWocE-d2ggcmSN0HOEOMym7h3youAe/s1600/distractiondotgov.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4ISmpBZNUBFu-kIbsJ0JclpGgw2b7IkmR9KPZItV2jWPilnyoOauDbj6MeFiaPyfg0bumACkBRm3cuwiUZrd4TmMEZkwg2JTigWuDnvSfoZ6pwdWocE-d2ggcmSN0HOEOMym7h3youAe/s320/distractiondotgov.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>APRIL IS DISTRACTION AWARENESS MONTH!</em></strong></span></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Imagine that you are blindfolded and driving 55 miles per hour. </em></span></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>It will take about 4.5 seconds for you to travel the length of a football field. </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>4.5 seconds is the average amount of time it takes for people to look down and check their phone for a message.</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Distracted driving is not just a problem with youth - it is a problem for everyone. From those who are pedestrians, not watching as they cross the street (because they are texting or have their hearing impeded by ear buds) - to drivers who just 'look down for a moment' and end up in a motor vehicle accident, distracted driver is an avoidable cause of morbidity and mortality.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia41WdD3MF2_qQoeB9aiLC7QJFLF-SM1tqhx5v9xNZbmS1e_sFbcDSCdwRKEB31aRmJF60ucPef3dx7Y-WmhlehMw2i3Lo1ppGUdt9K6nt4zAmvUa4o3ZzckoANVSi5NBJlbgr2LRdB69V/s1600/types+of+distraction.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia41WdD3MF2_qQoeB9aiLC7QJFLF-SM1tqhx5v9xNZbmS1e_sFbcDSCdwRKEB31aRmJF60ucPef3dx7Y-WmhlehMw2i3Lo1ppGUdt9K6nt4zAmvUa4o3ZzckoANVSi5NBJlbgr2LRdB69V/s320/types+of+distraction.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it took no attention to drive, then perhaps brushing your hair, changing the radio channel, talking on the phone and picking up a phone to text, might not be a big deal. But considering the several ton missile most cars are and the amount of erratic driving that occurs, safety means unplugging and expecting crazy driving, so that you don't end up in an accident or worse. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ccrCL-r0XYmngzAfhr-cqiXeQccAItJh8yBKgMhLI6ckwq-YepEvtKFZ4oZpLCF0o66cjAhvMTdav1Oikwfn1T-NlkZgr4qZkVvm0leDIAp-GoWo_jPRNGU7Tl_wWgA78VrbAuh12FN/s1600/distraction+faces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ccrCL-r0XYmngzAfhr-cqiXeQccAItJh8yBKgMhLI6ckwq-YepEvtKFZ4oZpLCF0o66cjAhvMTdav1Oikwfn1T-NlkZgr4qZkVvm0leDIAp-GoWo_jPRNGU7Tl_wWgA78VrbAuh12FN/s320/distraction+faces.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The national site distraction.gov has a number of powerful stats and even more powerful videos from across the country that brings home the message about distracted driving. One that I found very interesting was a young woman from NJ whose friend was killed by a distracted driver and who admitted that she needed a reminder to not be distracted (so she put a picture of her dead friend on her dashboard)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Here's one story - Ashley age 16</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RcRTwKminbQ?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">How can you prevent distracted driving?</span></strong>1. Stow your phone in an inaccessible place (purse, glove compartment.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Turn your ringer off until you have arrived.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Consider if you are tired or having difficulty concentrating and pay extra attention while driving. (phone off, tunes off)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Anticipate that other drivers will be distracted. Is that driver weaving over a line while driving? Might be alcohol but more likely is texting!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Anticipate pedestrians texting and being unaware to sound (with ear buds) as they cross the street.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Anticipate bicyclists are equally distracted.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Help friends and family eliminate distractions. For example, have messages that signal friends and family that you have to concentrate on driving ('have to go now, traffic is tough.")</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPgkjomTPJI9HgPIz3zLWExhZ_8gHz2oNoewYH48pycVAvL6xdG6U5VRz1xrfIupXHKnyrctVjSOGosKvW7RXl2PmQe5eaO3JQUIcLkmzi4vyklb5Teu3-OuX7kSXRxlfffeVp4CcM1id/s1600/takethepledgenodistraction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPgkjomTPJI9HgPIz3zLWExhZ_8gHz2oNoewYH48pycVAvL6xdG6U5VRz1xrfIupXHKnyrctVjSOGosKvW7RXl2PmQe5eaO3JQUIcLkmzi4vyklb5Teu3-OuX7kSXRxlfffeVp4CcM1id/s400/takethepledgenodistraction.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">CLINICIAN NOTE: Due the prevalence of this problem, clinicians should screen all patients who come to them with injury (pedestrian, motor vehicle, etc.) and ask if they were texting or listening to music (with ear buds) when the injury happened.</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2sZVSWmrr1-6YpU8BoOqVQGCoY14qRv-6NQLjbYKHtPvgqLYAJr0XSxdJHshyisgSZrR9bT4VGOkD0Z9j-JW_t0JJa4i9n8FKnF7kIbRxE3LNOh0lRBMjaOiuYIpj13cHw3vjh1YWLfA/s1600/katieladenyipodfairmountparkdeath.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2sZVSWmrr1-6YpU8BoOqVQGCoY14qRv-6NQLjbYKHtPvgqLYAJr0XSxdJHshyisgSZrR9bT4VGOkD0Z9j-JW_t0JJa4i9n8FKnF7kIbRxE3LNOh0lRBMjaOiuYIpj13cHw3vjh1YWLfA/s320/katieladenyipodfairmountparkdeath.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>In Philadelphia in 2009, a talented young school teacher was killed while running in Fairmount Park because a huge branch (30 feet) fell from a tree that was 50 feet or the equivalent to five stories. </em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Since she could not hear due to loud music and ear buds, she did not hear it snap and fall. The branch struck her, broke her neck and severely injured her head and limbs. </em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

APRIL IS DISTRACTION AWARENESS MONTH! Imagine that you are blindfolded and driving 55 miles per hour. It will take about 4.5 seconds for you...

1:51 PM

<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>CHECK IT OUT - HOT OFF THE PRESSES APRIL 2012!!</em></strong></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UtRQV4VgJyjPf_nvjTKyuJUTS-7jr2rLYWkf-L1-pdhlEa8t9KcdAp5ZQGREovZocOI_9RgV1H6rc-N2hWs3hmF_mCOU3uxLyFu7GK-Ufhi6yCORfQSYL-bwOBXHiGmbVZI-e_HCrF3-/s1600/ahrqiu.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UtRQV4VgJyjPf_nvjTKyuJUTS-7jr2rLYWkf-L1-pdhlEa8t9KcdAp5ZQGREovZocOI_9RgV1H6rc-N2hWs3hmF_mCOU3uxLyFu7GK-Ufhi6yCORfQSYL-bwOBXHiGmbVZI-e_HCrF3-/s200/ahrqiu.png" width="137" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvgriWoqQS5ylpjNwxkU10WPxJ469-RpqsU6ywilbzUAbyqw5_i5g1DhG1_fGA2Iu1Je4KtvsQI9r96GwFeGL-5GduLLDp7zgm12GW0wRRg8IMu8fmuXLHfZNMw1RmpLhFUYA8gh95MRq/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvgriWoqQS5ylpjNwxkU10WPxJ469-RpqsU6ywilbzUAbyqw5_i5g1DhG1_fGA2Iu1Je4KtvsQI9r96GwFeGL-5GduLLDp7zgm12GW0wRRg8IMu8fmuXLHfZNMw1RmpLhFUYA8gh95MRq/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVNomcTt9UKRSNJw8pC7mcnICVgdpXLc8qdOCvTNXZpCCR_bEd3Zj3YX803-TXy259tyqeYSDyaTf-YJvYmuiHT2aEovBdxUzfdBLxaD_NL_u9XVHX4NijS7adXS140uWFlZ2H6nIFmO9O/s1600/Slide8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVNomcTt9UKRSNJw8pC7mcnICVgdpXLc8qdOCvTNXZpCCR_bEd3Zj3YX803-TXy259tyqeYSDyaTf-YJvYmuiHT2aEovBdxUzfdBLxaD_NL_u9XVHX4NijS7adXS140uWFlZ2H6nIFmO9O/s200/Slide8.JPG" width="200" /></a><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>NO MORE PADS, </em></span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>NO MORE DRIPS -  </em></span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>TIPS TO ADDRESS AND HELP PREVENT</em></span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><em>URINARY INCONTINENCE</em></span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Urinary incontinence (UI) in older women is an under addressed problem by patients and clinicians. In general, women's rates of UI are twice that of men and are a problem for 80% of institutionalized elder (e.g. living in nursing homes.) Because women don't bring it up (less than half in some studies) and clinicians don't screen, clinicians miss the more than one out of three women with this condition. A woman's lifetime risk is 30-60% This 'miss' is incredibly expensive. It is expensive in terms of quality of life (women have greater isolation, depression, anxiety, falls/fractures as well as bedsores and admission to long term care facilities) - but it is expensive in care delivery. Excluding cost of long term care facilities, some estimates are up to $20 billion dollars (about 1/3 are for absorbant products alone)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7IVx3RQrl-0AL_r_iJCvO8Ib4WojMtQEgqYL-VtF9SzO8olziG4JQ-jk6aBz5w8i5YQPP2npR1tiT7fTbJFSnwm26ghkKxfNWRui_DvY7cOLSfXXfIcaGmNV7E9IK_3WCn1gbNbJkvXF/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7IVx3RQrl-0AL_r_iJCvO8Ib4WojMtQEgqYL-VtF9SzO8olziG4JQ-jk6aBz5w8i5YQPP2npR1tiT7fTbJFSnwm26ghkKxfNWRui_DvY7cOLSfXXfIcaGmNV7E9IK_3WCn1gbNbJkvXF/s200/Slide1.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More than one in five young women have IU, for middle aged women the range is about 42-56 percent and in elderly the number is about 75%. With boomers, booming, we will see more and more of IU. Clinicians and patients alike need to be more aware and discuss this.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, the breakdown of types of IU and urine leakage include functional (mobility or access reasons); stress (pressure overcomes pelvic muscles); urgency (bladder signals urination is needed and releases urine); mixed reasons and overflow (this occurs more in men than women but is often seen in neurological conditions or as a result of medications). Overactive bladders refers to bladder wall hyperreactivity that creates urgency (but leakage does not occur) It is also important to recognize that the urinary incontinence can be associated with rectal or fecal incontinence, so even if not identified by the patient, elements of rectal tone should be included in the evaluation.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnrIj6VvYeZy18d8Rscthw-3BqNmnqMVcBpML5RImYRU3D25nHXYW5wm9EH8ZWsprmfhKQcBAH0rXwYqtAVer5scrBOG41KGpwjqfyzJhkZ0G6B3HeMhdjXkMROY3EhuT-wLWlSTXNppP/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnrIj6VvYeZy18d8Rscthw-3BqNmnqMVcBpML5RImYRU3D25nHXYW5wm9EH8ZWsprmfhKQcBAH0rXwYqtAVer5scrBOG41KGpwjqfyzJhkZ0G6B3HeMhdjXkMROY3EhuT-wLWlSTXNppP/s200/Slide1.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Women at higher risk include - ethnicity being Caucasian, being postmenopausal; having multiparity; having a higher BMI, using hormonal therapy; having Diabetes/Sleep Apnea/CHF; having neurologic diseases (Parkinsons, MS) An interesting point I came upon is that women with two or more of the following (DM, HTN, Back Pain, Arthritis, COPD;  hearing/visual deficits; cognitive deficits; parkinsons) are also a higher risk.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pelvic muscles are an amazing grouping of muscles. It is extremely rare in a human body to have a muscle group simultaneous contract and relax in a coordinated fashion. That's what the pelvic floor does. That is why you can void without deficating and deficate without voiding. It is also why the coordination can get confused - post hysterectomy or birth or trauma. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kNB88qO7zh_2yoJxRz-zATIb2MCccIjGJAtGuSRKDcQjCLkvzU3GVEY_17XJMJSn1hX8K05CgGueTeTGpR6t2SH3VyKd0daG0tz3Nax9NVOuR3nC76WnLuFm7Z1D_FCwTH6Ty5VcYFYB/s1600/anatomypelvicfloor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kNB88qO7zh_2yoJxRz-zATIb2MCccIjGJAtGuSRKDcQjCLkvzU3GVEY_17XJMJSn1hX8K05CgGueTeTGpR6t2SH3VyKd0daG0tz3Nax9NVOuR3nC76WnLuFm7Z1D_FCwTH6Ty5VcYFYB/s640/anatomypelvicfloor.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In older women - more than 50% have mixed UI. So it is important to assess if it is stress or urgency predominant in order to treat.  One item jumps out when reviewing contributing factors of incontinence and that is the functional status and the ability to void.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7VbTlJ4U2qvOdEDL3je9AcwhZvqKZ6ao8OmKcW1nlBUv_YctP5LLJzIeSb27BUoSwULOAhyYJ3bfN42MF4ZjVAKtJeUQJMYPUfn-biCZx6yns3q0PwDKNtxQK5RSU1Zhw_u7vZnSZ4JR/s1600/Slide7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7VbTlJ4U2qvOdEDL3je9AcwhZvqKZ6ao8OmKcW1nlBUv_YctP5LLJzIeSb27BUoSwULOAhyYJ3bfN42MF4ZjVAKtJeUQJMYPUfn-biCZx6yns3q0PwDKNtxQK5RSU1Zhw_u7vZnSZ4JR/s640/Slide7.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have no practice standard to assess functional strength of pelvic muscles (and maybe we should!!) So if pelvic floor muscles are weak, women will have IU. How we hydrate and when we void are another important element. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many people only urinate when they feel they can't hold any more urine and are very uncomfortable. The 'waiting until your eyes turn yellow' approach is NOT bladder healthy. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnMVWU1fPbYzxHjmxMguls6vwfl2WYBkfwJHV9-ICHH0NhmLwkpA9d9FgJgHFbZZCh_94ttwNTqxZxneE_rfraMALfOGoWQa5wOrHDz15wUvOgKWtClmsWIzUf2jG1RZGz5ZvXF1G4t4j/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnMVWU1fPbYzxHjmxMguls6vwfl2WYBkfwJHV9-ICHH0NhmLwkpA9d9FgJgHFbZZCh_94ttwNTqxZxneE_rfraMALfOGoWQa5wOrHDz15wUvOgKWtClmsWIzUf2jG1RZGz5ZvXF1G4t4j/s400/Slide1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Retraining on intake and urination is important in addressing incontinence and bladder diaries are used to guide this. Some women have to schedule getting up and voiding in their daily calendar to remind them and that is one strategy that can work. Another important piece of information about hydration is that is you are dehydrated, concentrated urine is an irritant and can contribute to the sense of urgency!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A reversible element a clinician must screen for is urinary infection (taking into consideration that asymptomatic bactiuria should not be treated.) Functional status is also important. If gait is unsteady or arthritis is severe and transfers take a long time, incontinence can results. If there are sensory deficits (vision, hearing) o if it takes far longer to get to the toilet than is planned, women can have leakage. Sometimes, soft cognitive deficits (which can be hidden) are the reason why strategies to address incontinence don't work.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b1UgaYZG0cwHki-clJlEoOjvFKhEuXFGaIK6eV-Lpzmd8Kb0B-QzvITSUKTXyzKD82X_uGWTBIbI2DXt4cDQ2xfhu6jhRtYIEsOsdQqD35_bZbT5fHE6RsVWk97mpGIpeir4b2AoNjjd/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b1UgaYZG0cwHki-clJlEoOjvFKhEuXFGaIK6eV-Lpzmd8Kb0B-QzvITSUKTXyzKD82X_uGWTBIbI2DXt4cDQ2xfhu6jhRtYIEsOsdQqD35_bZbT5fHE6RsVWk97mpGIpeir4b2AoNjjd/s400/Slide2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medications also play a role - these include caffeine and alcohol as well as diuretics.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As seen in the chart, multiple medications can have a urinary effect. It is reasonable to consider that if a patient has polypharmacy, she should be screened for incontinence.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkCaaVhc1AIpbiI1_wjku9AT5PvvPCzLLXPWBQnI-kw2UVBCqSh777kdGTdRCODnC-7E3oLzjn6zYCqYZiNhaIQQ4viA3OBWtFO5ye9BnUlLrog0h-KyOFrtJcfvg4yo2NeCcpcgYbJmT/s1600/Slide3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkCaaVhc1AIpbiI1_wjku9AT5PvvPCzLLXPWBQnI-kw2UVBCqSh777kdGTdRCODnC-7E3oLzjn6zYCqYZiNhaIQQ4viA3OBWtFO5ye9BnUlLrog0h-KyOFrtJcfvg4yo2NeCcpcgYbJmT/s400/Slide3.JPG" width="400" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8tMP_xz84b-p31UvfdHnmlKf3yOyzUNoPEVG24wYYag45ekWcgb9Rn1eKt_wwwrEbJUoWni1sgwr8aSwULd17Zb2f8HxTFH2U-wVjzGIebylRxSlQgfx00PXINHWtMyTAcl3wDIULu4L/s1600/Slide4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8tMP_xz84b-p31UvfdHnmlKf3yOyzUNoPEVG24wYYag45ekWcgb9Rn1eKt_wwwrEbJUoWni1sgwr8aSwULd17Zb2f8HxTFH2U-wVjzGIebylRxSlQgfx00PXINHWtMyTAcl3wDIULu4L/s400/Slide4.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGbRR9tfERLCgXroeKL9yxRl-IU_s614WaqXIdcqYbdLI6edC4sno1N94LskwAObvn4GkKb9jgcEDn0k_8yOZ8UszNIvQSauVp93rpijRyWSse7Jj8zFCHGLp8kYfb75vQS_HWIb1XrJF/s1600/Slide5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFUcpxweuxzVA9AW_3_nePZnf9FsdyWW2Y37c6tuyjuROOM2l4BjiDfIUSRAxc0Y6XX9P1A5MfoDF8oosr_7uIl6JfdrKAUO0o7T_Pw4DcyhOCbz2G7QvXinughQyQEopXLMzMQm2xTlm/s1600/Slide6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFUcpxweuxzVA9AW_3_nePZnf9FsdyWW2Y37c6tuyjuROOM2l4BjiDfIUSRAxc0Y6XX9P1A5MfoDF8oosr_7uIl6JfdrKAUO0o7T_Pw4DcyhOCbz2G7QvXinughQyQEopXLMzMQm2xTlm/s400/Slide6.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">CHECK IT OUT - HOT OFF THE PRESSES APRIL 2012!! Info for clinicians and consumers here: </span></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UtRQV4VgJyjPf_nvjTKyuJUTS-7jr2rLYWkf-L1-pdhlEa8t9KcdAp5ZQGREovZocOI_9RgV1H6rc-N2hWs3hmF_mCOU3uxLyFu7GK-Ufhi6yCORfQSYL-bwOBXHiGmbVZI-e_HCrF3-/s1600/ahrqiu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UtRQV4VgJyjPf_nvjTKyuJUTS-7jr2rLYWkf-L1-pdhlEa8t9KcdAp5ZQGREovZocOI_9RgV1H6rc-N2hWs3hmF_mCOU3uxLyFu7GK-Ufhi6yCORfQSYL-bwOBXHiGmbVZI-e_HCrF3-/s320/ahrqiu.png" width="219" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/169/1030/ui_cons_fin_to_post.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/169/1030/ui_cons_fin_to_post.pdf</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGbRR9tfERLCgXroeKL9yxRl-IU_s614WaqXIdcqYbdLI6edC4sno1N94LskwAObvn4GkKb9jgcEDn0k_8yOZ8UszNIvQSauVp93rpijRyWSse7Jj8zFCHGLp8kYfb75vQS_HWIb1XrJF/s400/Slide5.JPG" width="400" /></span></div>

CHECK IT OUT - HOT OFF THE PRESSES APRIL 2012!! NO MORE PADS, NO MORE DRIPS - TIPS TO ADDRESS AND HELP PREVENT URINARY INCONTINENC...

11:22 AM

Debt and Health

<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have used the term financial health in past blog posts.  I am not sure how I defined it then.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I think of it today in my reaction to student loan debt and the concern about an increase in interest rates. This is what I define financial health to be.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am describing it based on my own circumstances.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Income: I would not say that I <i>have</i> an income but I do have a stipend.  It is enough to pay my rent and monthly bills. I do not go without anything that I need.  I am not able to add money to a savings account, so that would be a point against me.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Debt: I do not have any debt.  I do not have a loan.  I do not have a mortgage.  I do not carry a balance on my credit cards.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Assets: I do not own property (which at one time might have cost me a point, but that view is changing). </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I own my car and it is relatively new so it is dependable.  I must pay insurance and upkeep.  I am able to do so.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have money in a savings account.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Credit: I have good credit.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Future: I have a very small but still tangible retirement account.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I consider myself to be financially healthy and I do not have stress associated with money.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Young persons graduating from college with an average of 25K and an upward range into the 100ks are not financially healthy.  They are starting their careers, if they can start them at all, saddled with debt, lacking a means to address it and destined for poor credit histories.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">However, reducing the interest rate, or keeping it from doubling does nothing to address the <u>cause</u> of the debt.  Some factors I see, and I am sure I have not captured them all, are:</span></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">high cost of tuition</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">high cost of materials needed to learn (books, PCs, software, etc)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">direct to student loan offers or predatory lending</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">students being offered and accepting far more money than they need for their education (multiple loans)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">students not learning how to live without every thing they want, and therefore being inclined to accept those extra loans</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Our solutions then, should address the above issues. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> I understand that universities are beginning to make some budget workshops mandatory, but this may need to take place in the high schools as well - specifically related to loans and debt.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span>

Debt and Health

I have used the term financial health in past blog posts. I am not sure how I defined it then. I think of it today in my reaction to studen...

7:12 PM

Age as Health Determinant

<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I spent about an hour I didn't have looking for statistics to back up the argument I wanted to make today.  I didn't really find what I expected (so that refutes the theory that you can make numbers say whatever you want!), but as I've learned this year - Just because you don't see it or find it doesn't mean it isn't there.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My quest was triggered by ire.  My university offers health care coverage because are all required to be covered.  I am fortunate to have my premium waived by my assistantship.  There has been some talk of raising our costs and in an email that summarized the process and outcomes of the discussions, it was said that one of the options considered was varying costs by age.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">GASP></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here is my point - which may end up in a well crafted letter to some high muckety muck.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Age is not a reliable measure of health status.  Blood assays, lung function tests, health risk appraisals, waist to hip ratios - even the BMI - would all be more accurate in predicting chronic disease.  </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I assure you that my 40 something self is healthier than many 20 something undergraduates.  I have no chronic disease conditions and no 'pre' conditions (whatever that means). </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Nationally, the stats don't back me up - yet.  I blame overweight and obesity for my assumption that the 20 year olds are not the yard stick of health.  The levels of obesity in our children have tripled since the 1970s and that is going to show up in our diabetes, hypertension and cancer numbers. You can see at <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html" target="_blank">this CDC page</a> that the consequences of overweight and obesity are as I indicated. This is not good.  It would be much better if chronic disease went down for all age groups.  </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">(by the way - most of the percentages on these conditions are offered within these categories 20-43, 44- 65 and so on - that is one of the reasons I couldn't find what I was looking for.  I couldn't separate myself from them!)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The closest thing I could get, and not necessary from the best source of data was this <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/152108/key-chronic-diseases-decline.aspx" target="_blank">link here</a>.  There are two charts on this page and you can see the much higher numbers in the older group. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Health care costs have risen because we have more treatment options for more diseases which more people (Americans) have.  Being over 30 is not what causes diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, or being overweight.  Many factors work together for these diseases to occur.  Some of the factors are controllable and are controllable to varying degrees based on circumstance. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A person's age is 1) not controllable and 2) not causal.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Thanks for listening - I almost feel better.  </span></span>

Age as Health Determinant

I spent about an hour I didn't have looking for statistics to back up the argument I wanted to make today. I didn't really find wha...

7:23 PM

Cancer Killers

<span style="font-size: large;">Because it is finals week (another semester and three courses nearly behind me) and I hardly have time to track down interesting stories, I offer you two words and their brief definitions.  I saw these in an article that I read a year ago and am re reading now.  You see, it made very little sense to me a year ago and is much more helpful now.  The article is not about cancer treatment, but research designs.  The words were just used to provide an example of when a drug worked in one condition but not in another. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Before I came back to school, many of my posts were related to disease causes and medications to treat them.  I know that I talked about drugs that target tumors - and the different class of drugs that do so.  With that back story, you might get why the example provided in the chapter was a "oh that's cool": moment for me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Here are the two words as drug types and what they mean:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">cytotoxic</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">cytostatic </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Now that I have read the definitions and I look at the words - I can almost guess the meaning - maybe you can too. Here is a clue - </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Cyto stands for <u>cell</u> (in biology speak)</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Both drugs address tumor growth but in different ways...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Ok - well toxic - pretty much anything that is toxic will kill you, so cytotoxins kill tumor cells</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Think of the word static - if you are static - it means you are not moving or growing -</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">cytostatics stop cells from growing - or delay their growth by manipulating the environment (fluids etc) around them.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">That was fun for me!  Hope you enjoyed it too - now back to that assignment......</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>

Cancer Killers

Because it is finals week (another semester and three courses nearly behind me) and I hardly have time to track down interesting stories, I ...

7:49 PM

Odds and Ends

<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">ABA and Self Regulation</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The American Beverage Association is airing promotional messages in which they highlight efforts to limit sugar consumption.  I imagine that this is a strategy to push back against SSB taxation.  The ad I saw mentioned more "no" and "low" calorie beverage offerings as well as reduced sizes.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Subway at the 7-11</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A friend texted me in disgust yesterday afternoon.  She had just eaten an "800 calorie monstrosity."  She made her choice without the benefit of a menu label and once she got home and looked it up, she realized why I was so passionate about them.  I do not know why there were not labels at the Subway, unless the convenience stores are exempt from the legislation and franchise owners can decide whether or not they are going to participate.  I told my friend that her lunch was half the calories I eat in a whole day when its a high exercise day - AND I eat no less than 7 times a day! (LED)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Gaming and Mental Health</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A study which needs replication, showed that youth who played special video games vs youth who received "talk" therapy, did as well or better in reducing their depression.  I would love to see this study used to compare video games and medication because the side effects of psychotropic medications are pretty significant.  Of course, we already have evidence that exercise works as good as medicine for some people, but I guess video games are more enticing.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5 Hr Energy Drink</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">These commercials are <i>everywhere</i>. I see them when I am watching TV shows on line, when I watch the news, listen to Pandora and even NPR!  Today I heard another which specifically promoted a contest for work sites that use 5 hour energy.   Let me just say - caffeine in coffee has been found to have health benefits, but it's a dose response that is not linear.  In other words, caffeine to a certain point is helpful and over that point, it starts to cause harm.  There is NO research on the benefits of these caffeine drinks.  Also - if one wants to improve work performance - activity breaks should be policy!</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Alzheimer's and Exercise </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Guess we can't say it enough this week.  Get Moving.  Not only does what you eat matter, so does what you do.  Persons who exercise on a regular basis (several times a week) appear to be less likely to suffer from Alzheimer's Type dementia than those who do not exercise.  My theory would be that exercise increases oxygen flow which helps to transport free radicals and cholesterol out of the system.  This could reduce plaque build up in the brain- which is one suspected cause of AD.</span></span>

Odds and Ends

ABA and Self Regulation The American Beverage Association is airing promotional messages in which they highlight efforts to limit sugar cons...

7:23 PM

Keep the Breast - Lose the Cookie

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I want to put this into context but to be fair, the details are sketchy.  I do not know where the actual awards show took place only that this particular "mock" advertisement was created in Korea.  I do not know if many food companies were involved or only Kraft.  The contest and ad were in reference to Oreo cookies which are made by Nabisco - a part of Kraft.  The Oreo cookie is celebrating its 100th birthday and this event could be part of the festivities regarding "<a href="http://www.nabiscoworld.com/oreo/" target="_blank">milk's favorite cookie.</a>"</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The ad of note was entered into a contest (with no expectation of becoming a true advertisement).  It showed an infant breast feeding.  It showed the child sucking from a woman's nipple.  The infant was holding an Oreo cookie.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The public outrage is over the display of breast feeding and I suppose, the showing of a woman's breast. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">To this, once again, I must say...."REALLY?"  That is what's wrong?!!  </span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Breastfeeding for most mothers and children is health promoting and natural.  It provides numerous benefits to both parent and child.  One of these benefits deserves specific mention here, <u>breast fed infants are at less risk of becoming overweight or obese as children AND adults.</u></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So what do <b><i>I</i></b> find scandalous?  Giving an infant a sugar laden, highly processed cookie.  The misplaced outrage (over a breast) might explain why the USA has an obesity problem. I am not saying that children should never have cookies, but I am saying that if sugar addictions or food preferences are real and started in childhood - is this the message we need to send parents?</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Some information on breast feeding:</span></span> </span><br /><blockquote style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Breast milk is widely acknowledged as the most complete form of  nutrition for infants, with a range of benefits for infants' health,  growth, immunity and development.</i><br />-- Healthy People 2010, <i>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia</i></span></span></blockquote><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/breastfeeding/Documents/MO-BF-Benefits.pdf" target="_blank">Link </a>to a nice brochure that was put together by the California Department of Public Health.</span></span> </span></blockquote>

Keep the Breast - Lose the Cookie

I want to put this into context but to be fair, the details are sketchy. I do not know where the actual awards show took place only that ...

6:30 PM

The High Price of Whole Foods

<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I made dinner for a group this week.  My goal for the meal was to highlight a nutritious low calorie vegetable - prepared in a way the maintains the nutrition, tastes good and does not add calories.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My choice this month was kale, fresh kale.  I discovered kale about a year ago when my sister steamed it for me with some fish.  It was delicious.  Its a meaty green - but less 'meaty'  than chard.  It needs to be fresh or it does not taste the same.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My preferred method of preparation, after rinsing it well in the sink and cutting off several inches of each stem, is to season with cumin and simmer with a bouillon cube (vegetarian or chicken).</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I have purchased kale at Walmart, but it scares me a little (enough not to want to risk it when serving to others).  I have also bought it at an upper end grocer, Harris Teeter.  (I would buy it at a farmer's market in a second if one were near by).</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was headed to Harris Teeter Tuesday when I noticed that the new Whole Foods store had opened.  I went in  to get my vegetarian proteins (usually cheaper) and also scoped out the kale.  It was locally grown, as it is at the other store, and was being sold in bunches.  The kale was priced at 2.49 a bunch.  I had to feed 25 people.  I couldn't do it, too expensive.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I went over to Harris Teeter and the kale was loose and priced at 1.99 a pound.  I filled two huge bags which cost less than one bunch at Whole Foods.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">That my friends - is ridiculous. </span></span>

The High Price of Whole Foods

I made dinner for a group this week. My goal for the meal was to highlight a nutritious low calorie vegetable - prepared in a way the maint...

7:07 PM

<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">First I would like to direct anyone who missed it back to the 4-18-12 post (yesterday).  The slide show presentation that is accessible <a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2012/04/you-tube-and-dietary-guidelines-for.html" target="_blank">here</a></span></span>  <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">describes low energy density and the creation of my You Tube channel.  The channel teaches people how to apply the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to real, every day life.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Second, I want to share two of my recent actions/activities with you.  I do this to encourage <i>you </i>to be the one - wherever you are - to speak up, get involved, be the change agent.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1st Scenario:  I am continuing to use the indoor pool on campus.  This semester I have been able to swim once a week.  The other day I finished up a bottle of shampoo and didn't want to put it in the trash can.  My university is pretty forward thinking about sustainability and our chancellor has committed to becoming carbon neutral.  It seemed that a recycling bin in the locker room would be expected. I searched around on our website, not sure which department or person I should contact.  I found the recycling department and here are the emails that followed:</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: garamond,serif;">Hello<br />I am writing to  request a recycle "can" in the Rosenthal Pool locker rooms, esp the  women's.  There is no place for us to recycle our plastic shampoo, body  wash, etc etc bottles.<br />Thanks so much<span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><br />Deirdre </span></span></span></span><br /><br /><div>Deirdre,</div><div>Sorry for the delay, busy time of year for us.  A recycling  container for each locker room will be delivered by the end of the week.</div><div>Cheers,</div>Ben<br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: garamond,serif;"><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was there today!  Isn't that cool? I made that happen - I have agency.  I am empowered.  Feels good.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: garamond,serif;"><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2nd Scenario: I belong to a campus listserv (a listserv is basically an email bulletin board. A group that shares an interest sends out email updates about upcoming events, speakers, opportunities etc).  The listserv to which I refer is for the Office of Leadership and Student Learning, OLSL. Last week the 'mail' included a call for volunteers for the OLSL plots in the campus community garden.  I offered to help - why not!?  Today I planted sun flower seeds, Brussels sprouts, spinach, okra (yuk), squash and more.  This summer I will be around to help water the plants.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: garamond,serif;"><span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was easily 20 years older than the 3 or 4 others that showed up to help today.  The thing is, I did not have the confidence and self esteem to volunteer for anything (without knowing that my friends would be there too) when I was young.  I am making up for that now. I embrace opportunity. I hope that you will do the same.  If your young, don't wait.  If your older, don't wait. :)</span></span></span> </span></span></span></span>

First I would like to direct anyone who missed it back to the 4-18-12 post (yesterday). The slide show presentation that is accessible here...

6:19 PM

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Age as Health Determinant

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Odds and Ends

Keep the Breast - Lose the Cookie

The High Price of Whole Foods

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