May is Better Hearing & Speech Month

Posted on by
Reply

Since 1927, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association celebrates Better Hearing and Speech Month each May. This month is a good time to analyze your own hearing and determine if you are one of the estimated 28 million Americans who have a hearing loss that can be treated. You may have a hearing loss if you:
Frequently ask people to repeat themselves.
Often turn your ear toward a sound to hear it better.
Understand people better when you wear your glasses or look directly at their faces.
Lose your place in group conversations.
Keep the volume on your radio or TV at a level that others say it is too loud.
Have pain or ringing in your ears.
People who see themselves in these statements should see an audiologist or a Hearing Aid Specialist for a hearing test,” said Eagle County -based audiologist Dr. Daria Stakiw. “Even a very slight hearing loss can have an impact on your daily life,” Stakiw said. “Hearing loss is treatable, and there is no reason for anyone to miss all the important sounds of life..”
Annual hearing checkups are a good idea for people ages 45 and up, according to audiologists, and Hearing Aid Specialists, the professionals who specialize in preventing, identifying, assessing and treating hearing disorders.
Source:www.vaildaily.com The Elyria-Chronicle 5-22-2013

Did you like this? Share it:

Firing Up A Healthier Barbecue

Posted on by
Reply

If you are trying to eat healthy, eating at a cookout can be a problem. Hot dogs and most burgers are heart-attack-waiting-to-happen foods, full of saturated fat. Then there’s fattening chips and dips, sugar-laden drinks, high-fat side salads and calorie-rich desserts. These foods are not only high in calories and artery-clogging fats, they lack important nutrients to keep us healthy. No wonder Americans are overweight and undernourished.
So what’s a cookout lover to do?
With a few smart swaps, a summer cookout can be not only delicious, but healthy. Enjoy your time in the sun. (And don’t forget the sunscreen).

For starters, ditch the chips
Swap high calorie, salty chips with a beautiful tray of brightly colored raw vegetables: orange, yellow and red mini peppers, green crunchy snap peas, bright red grape tomatoes, green broccoli florets, creamy white cauliflower florets, mini carrots and crunchy celery sticks
IF you can’t resist chips, go for pita chips, whole-grain Sun-Chips or baked chips and serve with (tomato) salsa or a corn and black-bean salsa dip.

Skinny eating tip
Beans and raw vegetables are known as “filling foods,” because they’re high in fiber to “fill you up” so you can eat less. Eating these foods first before eating other foods may help you eat less of other, more fattening foods.

Healthy burgers
Everyone likes convenience. Frozen, ready-made hamburgers are popular for that reason. But instead of hamburgers, try frozen (or fresh) salmon burgers. They’re just as convenient and taste oh-so-good.

Dump the sodas
Simply swapping water for sugary drinks instantly saves hundreds of calories. Plus, high amounts of liquid sugar raise harmful triglycerides, a risk factor for heart disease. Most people are surprised at the number of teaspoons of sugar in sodas, lemonade, sweetened green iced tea, lemonade-tea combo drinks and sports beverages.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to 9 1/2 teaspoons for men and 6 1/2 teaspoons for women each day.

Try green tea
Fresh-brewed green tea is incredibly healthy. It reduces inflammation, fights harmful bacteria in our mouth and can help curb our appetite
So most people drink bottled green teas, thinking they are healthy drinks. But little do people realize, the large quantities of sugar in sweetened teas increases inflammation, feeds the harmful bacteria in our mouth and adds hundreds of unwanted calories. To add insult to injury, most bottled green teas have the healthful antioxidants processed out of them.
So, if you’re going to drink bottled green tea, drink it unsweetened.

Healthier sides
Baked beans and fresh fruit salad are not only traditional favorites, but also healthy choices. But instead of heavily fat-laden potato salad, why not try something on the lighter side?
For pasta lovers, try one of the many pasta primavera recipes.

Desserts
You can’t beat watermelon for a sure-to-please cookout dessert. It’s juicy and refreshing in the summer heat. Plus, it’s incredibly low in calories, healthy (and another rich source of sun-protecting antioxidant lycopene). Another simple-but- healthy dessert is grilled fruit. Try grilling fresh pineapple slices or peach halves for a sweet treat.
For a healthy frozen treat, serve original Fudgsicles, with only 60 calories per bar, Edy’s frozen fruit bars or one of Skinny Cow’s bars.

Kabobs
Instead of hot dogs for the kids (or adults), try serving colorful kabobs. This is a sneaky way to get in more vegetables. Add a colorful assortment of veggies to the kabobs. You can make kabobs out of marinated chunks of tender chicken breast, marinated lean sirloin steak cubes, incredibly low calorie shrimp or even seasoned ground turkey meatballs..
Source: The Chronicle-Telegram May 22, 2013

Did you like this? Share it:

Your Own Stem Cells Could Save Your Life

Posted on by
Reply

The future of heart disease treatment could involve using stem cells grown from samples of patients’ own blood. British researchers have discovered a technique that involves taking a normal blood sample and separating out the cells that can most easily be turned into stem cells. The newly created stem cells can then be transformed into any other type of cell, including healthy heart or blood vessel cells that could be used to repair damage from a heart attack or other cardiovascular disease.
Source: Prevention magazine April 2013

Did you like this? Share it:

Brain-Stimulating Device May Slow Alzheimer’s

Posted on by
Reply

Implanted machines that administer regular electrical impulses to the brain-called deep brain stimulation-could slow memory loss and cognitive decline in people with mild Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers, who implanted two in volunteers last year and plan for 40 more in 2013, are analyzing if DBS in a brain area critical to memory slows symptoms.
They’re following up earlier work that found DBS raises the brain’s metabolism of glucose, which is low in Alzheimer’s patients.
Source: Prevention magazine May 2013

Did you like this? Share it:

Healthy Meals Away From Home

Posted on by
Reply

Even when you’re traveling, it’s important to take your healthy habits into consideration. Being on the go almost always makes it impossible to cook for yourself, so you’re often forced to rely on pre-packaged foods and other outside sources of food. Therefore, it’s necessary to be able to choose the good from the bad and make sure you get the healthiest, most nutritious meals possible. Here are some tips for having healthy meals away from home.

The Local Grocery

In most destinations, there is likely to be a grocery not too far from where you’re staying. This is a great place to begin your search for prepared meals that won’t strain your diet. The produce section is a great place to start. Bags of salad mix, veggie trays and fresh fruit are all great options. Don’t forget the deli and salad bar, either. These are great places to find baked or roasted chicken, fish and turkey, salads, steamed veggies and other nutritious choices.

In Your Car

If your travels only require riding in a car for a few hours, it’s still important to take healthy food along. If you become hungry and there’s nothing around to satisfy your appetite, you’re far more likely to make a beeline for the nearest fast food joint or rest stop vending machine. Consider bringing healthy snacks like fruit, veggies, dried fruit, nuts, jerky, whole-grain crackers and low-sugar cereal or protein bars. For long trips, bring a small cooler and stock it with things like sandwiches, yogurt, water, milk, 100 percent juice or tuna salad.

Healthy Hotels

Before setting out, it is important to find a hotel that best caters to a healthy lifestyle. Doing a little research in this area will go a long way. I have found reviews to be extremely helpful in finding a hotel to fit my nutritional needs. Just this passed month I took a trip out west and found a great site that listed reviews for Las Vegas hotels regarding their amenities and services as well as the restaurants in the nearby area. This allowed me to find a hotel with a completely gluten free menu amongst the buffet ridden restaurants. Finding exercise facilities are a big plus and are in nearly every hotel these days. Ask the manager if the hotel serves meals and what you can expect to find. Common options include whole-grain breads and cereals, real juice, tea, yogurt, oatmeal, peanut butter, scrambled eggs and fresh fruit and vegetables.

At the Restaurant

It would be a shame to go someplace different and not enjoy any of the local restaurants, especially if you have good company to dine with. However, it’s possible to make the experience both fun and healthy. Avoid eating the skin on your meat as this can contain hundreds of extra calories. Go easy on the potato toppings, too. Opt for low-fat sour cream, chives and a little salt and pepper instead of the fully loaded version. Similarly, choose your dessert wisely. Things made from real, fresh fruit, like sorbet or a small slice of pie, are better than cake, cookies or brownies. Watch what you drink as well. There could be well over two hundred calories worth of sugar lurking in innocent-looking beverages like soda, iced tea and lemonade.

At the Bar

Sampling the local nightlife is just as fun as sampling the local eateries. However, you must use extra caution when selecting alcoholic drinks. Different types of alcohol have varying amounts of calories in them with hard liquor and regular beer being the worst. Furthermore, if you order a fruity-flavored mixed drink, you can bank on it having a ton of added sugars that translate into a few hundred calories. It’s better to just choose a nice glass of red wine or a light beer instead.

Did you like this? Share it:

Blast More Belly Fat–In Less Time

Posted on by
Reply

You’ve heard us say it before and we’ll say it again, because the proof is in the science-backed pudding: Interval training–alternating high intensity bursts of exercise with moderate-intensity ones for the duration of your workout–is an easy way to increase calorie burn and get faster results in less time
Try this beginner friendly interval workout the next time you walk, swim, bike or hop on the elliptical. Alternate 30 seconds at a fast pace with 90 seconds at a moderate pace and repeat that 9 times. (Always do a short warm-up first.) Slowly reduce the time you spend at a recovery pace as you become more fit.
Want to speed results? Do 2 or 3 interval workouts each week.
Source: Prevention magazine May 2013

Did you like this? Share it:

New Foods to Fight Fat

Posted on by
Reply

Want to fill up, whittle your waist, and possibly ward off diabetes all at the same time? Listen up: A recent study from the UK found that mice fed high-fat diets gained less weight if their diets were also supplemented with beta-glucan or inulin, two types of fermentable carbohydrates found in foods such as oats, barley,,jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, onions, and bananas.
Fermentable carbohydrates are a type of fiber that’s broken down–or fermented–by the bacteria in your colon. “When this fermentation takes place short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are formed,” says Lona Sandon, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. “These seem to produce more of the appetite-controlling hormones that help us feel full.” They may also help lower levels of dangerous body fat. Preliminary research on obese women found that higher blood levels of the SCFA acetate were associated with lower levels of visceral fat, the dangerous kind that’s packed around your organs and is linked to diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. These foods may also play a role in managing or preventing diabetes and maintaining good digestion. “Because fermentable carbs don’t start to break down right away, they don’t contribute to the big spikes and crashes in blood sugar,” says Sandon. They also act as prebiotics, which feed the healthy probiotic bacteria in the gut and keep things running smoothly.”
There’s one initial drawback, gas, if you’re not use to eating so much fiber, “Increase your consumption of these foods gradually to reduce symptoms,” says Sandon.

6 superfoods that control your appetite
Oats
Jerusalem artichokes
Mushroom
Aspargus
Bananas
Onion
Source: Prevention magazine May 2013

Did you like this? Share it:

The Natural Cure for Gas and Bloating

Posted on by
Reply

Uncomfortable–and sometimes embarrassing–gas and bloating are problems I hear about all to often from my patients. A little gas is normal, but excessive amounts can be caused by bacteria in the colon feeding on partially digested food, such as carbs and sugars.
Fortunately, many herbs and some foods can ease gassiness. Most bitter foods (such as chard and kale) stimulate the production of enzymes that allow your body to digest food more fully and efficiently, so there’s less for gas producing bacteria to consume. Bitter herbs like dandelion and chamomile also promote healthy digestion, especially when combined with carminatives–herbs that reduce intestinal cramping and bloating. That’s almost all the aromatic spices and culinary herbs, including ginger, anise, fennel, peppermint and thyme. Other foods that help are yogurt with live and active cultures and enzyme-rich pineapple.
Source: Prevention magazine April 2013 by Tieraona Low Dog, MD.

Did you like this? Share it:

Cut Your Risk of Deadly Breast Cancer

Posted on by
Reply

Certain foods may help cut your risk of a deadly form of breast cancer by as much as 50%.  A diet rich in carotenoids–nutrients found in red-orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, cantaloupe, and tomatoes–is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, especially an aggressive form affecting about 58,000 women every year, says a new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
“Women with the highest blood levels of carotenoids had a 15 to 20% lower risk of developing all types of breast cancer and a 40 to 50% lower risk of developing estrogen-receptor negative {ER-1 breast cancer.” says Heather Eliassen,ScD, lead study author. {ER-breast cancer tumors are fast growing and don’t respond to the hormone therapy that is so successful in estrogen-receptor positive tumors.
“Some carotenoids are precursors to vitamin A, which helps regulate cell growth and death,” says Dr. Eliassen. “They’re also antioxidants, which help eliminate cancer-promoting free radicals.” Because blood levels of carotenoids are very responsive to diet changes, a good tip is to fill up half your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables at each meal.
Source: Prevention magazine April 2013

Did you like this? Share it:

The Walking Trick That Lowers Blood Pressure

Posted on by
Reply

It’s no secret that regular exercise can help lower your blood pressure, but if finding the time to fit in the recommend 30 minutes a day has been a challenge, we have good news.
Quickie workouts sprinkled throughout your day may be even more beneficial.
Researchers from Arizona State University found that taking three 10-minute walks each day is a smarter strategy for blood pressure control than logging a single 30-minute session. The exercisers who did multiple minisessions not only reduced their systolic blood pressure during the day and evening (similar to the 30-minute group), but they also still saw reductions the following day.
“Walking three times a day, even for a short period, reduces blood pressure after each instance, so you wind up with a longer-lasting reduction,” says principal investigator Glenn Gaesser, PhD. To reap the benefits, walk at a quick pace, as though you’re late for an appointment
Source: Prevention magazine April 2013

Daily breakdown
Morning energy boost
Kick-start your day with an invigorating stroll.

Afternoon delight
Escape from your desk and head outdoors

Healthy nightcap
Enjoy a quick lap around the neighborhood with Fido before bedtime.

Did you like this? Share it: