Winter skin care secrets

HealthyJanuary 2008

DOCTORS WHO TREAT SKIN CONDITIONS ALSO

KNOW INSIDER SECRETS ABOUT MAINTAINING

HEALTHY SKIN, HAIR AND NAILS.

‘Healthy’ restaurantshelp make us fat

You eat too much at so-called healthyrestaurants. Just because a food is

considered “healthy,” most people will treatthemselves to higher-calorie side dishes,drinks or desserts, according to studies atCornell University in the Journal of

Consumer Research.

Most people tend to underestimate by 35%just how many calories “healthy” restaurantfoods contain. If you order the low-cal subsandwich, chances are you’ll treat yourselfwith the brownie or a soft drink.

In fact, you’ll eat up to 131% more calorieswhen you think you’re eating healthy than ifyou had just ordered at a fast-food burgerplace, says Brian Wansink, author ofMindless Eating: Why We Eat More

Than We Think, and professor and directorof the Cornell Food and Brand Lab.

The experts at the American Academy ofDermatology offer these top skin care tips:

* Use soap only on select areas of thebody to avoid dryness. Unless you havereally oily skin, just plain water does thejob to get you clean. But you do need touse soap on your face, under your arms,and in the groin area.

* Limit showers and baths to ten minutesand use luke warm (not hot) water.Apply moisturizer within three minutesafter you shower or bathe.

* Don’t smoke. Smoking causes wrinkles.

* Wear sunscreen. Even in winter, usesunscreen every day. Many skin carelotions already contain sunscreen.

* Your skin reflects what you eat. Abalanced diet rich in vitamins can makea real difference in how your skinlooks—from the inside out.

* Do as little as possible to your hair. Lessis more with hair care. Repeated perms,coloring, waving and straightening candamage hair and make it break off easily.

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Life ®

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:Self-Care Corner

Be Fit

Family Life

Healthy Eating

Health Tips

Medical Updates

Letter

2

SELF-CARE CORNERSmart advice about kids and colds

“Parents are concerned about how to treat the cough and cold thisyear since they don’t have access to or feel safe using over-the-counter cough medications right now,” says Arthur Benzick, MD,pediatrician at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine.

Cough and cold medications are not cures. “Most of the virusesand common colds that circulate every year go away on their ownwithout any medication,” says Dr. Benzick. “These medications

only help relieve the symptoms—not kill the virus. Usually, a virus like that willrun its course in about 5 to 10 days.”

Parents can help a child with a cough or cold in ways that do not include drugs.“For example, nasal saline can be used on a young child. You can also elevatethe head of the bed or use a humidifier or vaporizer to help the child sleepthrough the night,” says Dr. Benzick. “If the child still appears to beuncomfortable, you can also give them a non-aspirin pain reliever,” he says.

“But if your child runs a fever of more than 100.4 degrees or if they have hada cough for more than a few days, it’s best to go ahead and call theirpediatrician,” adds Dr. Benzick.

Dry eye screeningUp to 70% of computer usershave what is called computervision syndrome. “While you’re staring at the computer screen, you tend to blink less,which means you’re producing no tears,” said Ernie Bowling, OD,associate professor and chief of primary care service at the University ofAlabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. “It’s especially a problemfor people older than 50, since tear production slows with age anyway.”

He tells his patients to buy omega-3 nutritional supplements, which helpstimulate tear duct production. He also suggests applying hotcompresses (warm, wet washcloth) to eyes to open up the glands orusing artificial tears (drops you can buy at a drug store).

THE FDA RECOMMENDS THAT ALL INFANT

COLD AND COUGH MEDICATIONS BE PULLED

FROM SHELVES. BUT AS COLD AND FLU SEASON

ROLLS IN, PARENTS ARE ASKING, “WHAT AM ISUPPOSED TO DO NOW FOR MY SICK BABY?”

{NNoottee :: Many topics like the ones above are contained in a medical self-care guide, such as Healthier at Home®, Health at Home®,and HealthyLife® Self-Care Guide. They serve as excellent resources. If you have a self-care guide, refer to it whenever you are unsureabout what to do for symptoms and health issues you are experiencing. It can help you make better decisions about when to seek

professional assistance and when you can treat yourself at home using self-care.}

The wonders of water exerciseWater exercise offers a gentle yet challenging way to combinestrength training and balance training. Water’s buoyancy andconstant resistance offer many advantages—and reduces strain onjoints too.

“No matter what you’re doing, you’re automatically musclebalancing, working opposite muscles,” said Indiana Universityfitness expert Carol Kennedy-Armbruster. “Balance training iseasier because buoyancy assists the movement. We can do balanceexercises throughout the whole workout because the water addssupport, and we are in an upright functional position.”

Here are some of the other benefits ofwater exercise:* Gives you strength. In water, you can move quickly

through the water and get a cardio workout. * Provides flexibility. You can move more easily in

water. * Float like a butterfly. Water holds you up and takes

the weight off injured hips and knees. Do it in warmwater, and those with arthritis will love its healingeffects on painful joints.

* No pressure about body image. Underwater, nobodycan see you in your bathing suit.

BE FIT

3

Fitness can be freeDon’t want to spend a lot of money to join a gym or buy workout gear?Here are some solutions if you use this as a barrier for not being active:* Choose free activities. Take a walk. Play with the kids. For weight lifting,

use canned food or plastic jugs filled with water.* Use free fitness programs at work, if offered. * Check out your local recreation or community center. These centers

may let you use outdoor tracks or trails for free. Or, they may offeractivities that cost less than other gyms, fitness centers, or health clubs.

* Choose physical activities that do not require any special gear. Walkingrequires only a pair of sturdy shoes. To dance, just turn on some music.

Source: Adapted from Tips to Help You Get Active from the Weight-control Information Network (WIN)from http://win.niddk.nih.govpublications/PDFs/tipsactive.pdf.

4

FAMILY LIFETime for that ‘talk’ with your aging parents“Many will have a bittersweet new year as they realize that their aging parents are no longerthe pillars of strength of the family,” says Vicki Rackner, MD, a surgeon who helpscaregivers and their loved ones enjoy good health.

“It’s hard for adult children to recognize that their parents require services andresources to live safely,” she says. You can decrease the personal and economic costsof caregiving with proactive planning rather than reactive responding.

Dr. Rackner suggests you begin the conversation like this: “Mom andDad, it would be great if you lived forever, but the discoveryof the fountain of youth is nowhere on the horizon.What thoughts and plans do you have about enjoyingyour golden years?”

Then create a plan. Talk with your parents abouttheir ideal plan if they are no longer able to carefor themselves. Plan for long-term careinsurance, living wills and who makes healthcare decisions.

Identify helpful resources. Makecaregiving a family job to which eachmember contributes. Even children canmake grandma’s life special withdrawings and phone calls. Identifyservices that make your job as a caregivereasier. If you and your parents live in thesame community, check with friends andneighbors and local groups to learnabout services and resources.

We love our pets and grieve when they dieVeterinarians from the CaliforniaVeterinary Medical Association(www.itsaboutpets.net) offer these tipson how to help children, survivinganimals and pet owners workthrough their loss:

Children* Give the child permission to go

through the stages of grief.* Tell their teacher about the pet’s

death.

* Encourage the child to talk freelyabout the pet.

* Discuss death, dying and griefhonestly.

* Explain that is death is forever.

Other pets* Keep other pets’ routines as normal

as possible.* Don’t rush out and get a new pet to

help with the grieving process. Waituntil the pet and the family is ready.

Healing* Give yourself permission to

grieve. Celebrate your pet.* Surround yourself with people

who understand your loss.* Accept feelings that come with

grief.* Indulge yourself in small

pleasures.* Don’t be afraid to get help.* Call your veterinarian for advice.

Take care of yourself. You will give thebest as a caregiver when you’re at yourbest. Get good nutrition, enough sleepand regular exercise. Manage your stress.

The caregiving reality: Over 30 millionBaby Boomers provide countless hoursof help to aging parents at no charge. Itis estimated that, using average hourlywages, the total amount of this

uncompensated care is comparable tothe entire Medicare budget. A recentstudy suggests that actual out-of-pocketexpenses amount to over $5,000 per year.For caregivers who have left, or areconsidering leaving the workforce, tocare for an ailing parent, the costs areeven greater—over $650,000 in lostsalaries, benefits and pensions.

5

Featured RecipeBaked Potato PancakesIngredientsCanola oil cooking spray 2 large eggs, beaten6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled 1 Tbsp. canola oil2 large carrots, peeled 1/2 tsp. salt1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely minced Reduced-fat sour cream or unsweetened applesauce (optional)1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped

HEALTHY EATING

Make mine decafFor hundreds of years, ifsomeone ordered a cup ofcoffee, there was no questionabout what kind. Today, manyAmericans prefer their coffeedecaffeinated.

The choice began at the startof the 20th century, whenLudwig Roselius, a coffee merchant in Bremen, Germany, worked onremoving caffeine. He described his process as “sans caffeine,” whichhe shortened to the familiar name “Sanka.” He moved to the U.S., andsold his process and trade name to a big firm in the 1930s, which madeSanka a household name.

Today, there’s not only a decision to make about regular and decaf, butlatte, cappuccino and espresso. In all its forms, Americans drink anaverage of nearly 25 gallons of coffee each year, according to the USCensus Bureau.

DirectionsPreheat the oven to 450º. Spray a large non-stick baking sheetwith cooking spray. In a food processor or by hand, coarselygrate the potatoes and carrots. Place them in a large sieve, setsecurely within a larger bowl. Squeeze the vegetables to wringout as much liquid as possible. If the vegetables still feel wet,pat them dry with paper towels, then transfer them to a mixingbowl. Add the flour, parsley, onion, eggs, oil, salt and pepper.Combine the ingredients well.

Spoon small mounds of the mixture on the baking sheet to form21/2 pancakes, leaving 1 inch between each. Bake the pancakesuntil they are golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes on each side,turning once with a spatula. Transfer them to a serving platter andgarnish with reduced-fat sour cream or applesauce, if desired.

Makes about 16 pancakes or 8 servings. Per serving: 163 calories, 3 g totalfat (less than 1 g saturated fat), 28 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 5 g dietaryfiber, 185 mg sodium. From the American Institute for Cancer Research(www.aicr.org)

Handle food safelyWise advice from www.MyPyramid.gov, theDietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005:* Clean hands, countertops, fruits and

vegetables. To avoid spreading bacteriato other foods, meat and poultryshould not be washed or rinsed.

* Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eatfoods while shopping, preparing orstoring foods.

* Cook meat, poultry and fish to safeinternal temperatures. Meatthermometers list what temperaturesthese should be.

* Refrigerate foods that can spoilpromptly. Thaw foods properly in therefrigerator.

Find out more about food safety fromwww.foodsafety.gov.

6

HEALTH TIPS

These stones can ruin your day

Subprime mortgages. Rent due. Pressureat work. It’s all about money and work—the leading causes of stress for most of us.

Stress is taking a toll. It can cause healthproblems and lead to poor relationshipsand lost productivity at work, accordingto a new national survey by the AmericanPsychological Association (APA).

One-third of Americans are living withextreme stress and nearly half ofAmericans believe that their stress hasincreased over the past 5 years. The

You think you’re stressedsurvey also found that the housing crisisis having an effect on many. Half ofAmericans say that rent or mortgagecosts are sources of stress.

If stress is keeping you up at night,causing you to overeat, drink or smoke,try these stress-less habits reported bythose who were surveyed: listen to music,read, exercise or walk, spend time withfamily and friends, pray. Even watchingTV, surfing the Internet and playingvideo games can redirect stressfulthoughts.

Gallstones are one of the most commongastrointestinal problems. Women betweenthe ages of 20 and 60 years are 3 timesmore likely to develop gallstones than men.Women who have had many pregnancies.Anyone over age 60. People who are obese.Anyone who has experienced a rapidweight loss (especially after weight losssurgery). Those with diabetes.

What are these stones? Gallstones aresolid clumps of cholesterol or pigmentmaterial that form in the gallbladder. Theycan range in size from a single grain ofsand up to the size of a ping-pong ball.

Gallstones can cause an “attack” withthese symptoms:* Severe pain in the upper stomach* Pain under the shoulder or in the

right shoulder blade* Nausea or vomiting* Yellowing of the skin and eyes* Fever/chills

When the pain of a “gallbladder attack”lasts longer than 1 to 2 hours, or youhave fever with your pain, you should seeyour doctor right away or seekemergency care.

To lower your risk:* Keep a healthy body weight* Avoid crash diets and low-cal diets

(less than 800 calories a day)* Exercise regularly* Choosing a low-fat, high-fiber diet.

This i ncludes fresh fruits, veggies andwhole grains.

For more information on gallstones, goto the Web site of the American Collegeof Gastroenterology, the source for thisstory, at www.acg.gi.org.

The Stress in America survey is part of APA’sMind/Body Health Public Education Campaign.For information on the survey or managing stress,visit www.apahelpcenter.org.

Talk-show host Oprah Winfreyhas thyroid disease, and she’stelling everyone.

Oprah’s disease of the month

Why? Because most people with thyroidconditions never get a proper diagnosis.Or they get the wrong diagnosis. Andmost of those people are women. TheAmerican Association of ClinicalEndocrinologists estimates that morethan 8 out of 10 patients with thyroiddisease are women.

Oprah told her fans about being tired,about unexplained weight gain, and herinability to sleep.

Symptoms of thyroid disease could pointto many other conditions women feel:being tired, depressed, having weightgain, dry skin, anxiety, brittle or thin hair,feeling heartbeats (palpitations), troubleconcentrating.

“The key is for women to know aboutthese symptoms and to report them fullyto their doctors or other health careproviders, because when viewedindividually doctors often dismiss themas isolated problems or examples ofnormal aging,” said Martha Nolan, vicepresident of public policy for the Societyfor Women’s Health Research. “Patientsneed to put the symptoms together,speak up, and doctors need to payattention.”

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped endocrinegland in the neck. It makes hormones andhelps regulate the body. If the gland isunderactive or does not make enoughhormone, it is called hypothyroidism. Withthis, a person may feel sluggish and tiredand gain weight. If the gland is overactiveor makes too much hormone, it is calledhyperthyroidism. With this a person mayfeel thumping heartbeats, be shaky,irritable, and lose weight.

As with other conditions in which thebody’s immune system mistakenly attackshealthy tissues, it’s believed that femalehormones play some role in thyroiddiseases. Just how big a role is not known.Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, allseem to affect thyroid diseases, said RitaBaron Faust, a health educator and authorof The Autoimmune Connection.

Thyroid disease can be easily diagnosedwith a simple blood test. Treatmentdepends on the type of thyroidcondition. It may require taking thyroidmedicine for life. Radiation therapy orsurgery are sometimes needed.

The trick in managing thyroid disease isgetting a proper diagnosis. Too manywomen (and men) neglect their symptomsand think they’re due to other causes.

7

MEDICAL UPDATES

Cover your skinand your eyes

Most people know that sunscreenprotects skin from harmful UVrays of the sun. But only a fewknow that the sun can harm theeyes as well, according to a surveyby the New England Eye

Institute. Every single day, sunnyor cloudy, summer or winter, oureyes are exposed to UV

radiation. Americans averagemore than 1,000 hours outdoorseach year. That’s 1,000 hours ofpotential eye damage. Wear UV

protective sunglasses.

Protect your hearingMore people are taking their music and books with them by listening on portablemusic players such as the Walkman and the iPod. Most use ear buds (notheadphones). But these little loudspeakers placed inside the ear pump up the volume.

Loud noise like this can cause hearing loss. One study said the loudness was likehaving a motorcycle engine inside your ear. Same goes for the Bluetooth in-one-eardevices used for cell phones (users even crank up the sound to mask the outsidenoise).

You know you’re headed for hearing loss if music canbe heard by others who are near you. Try thisinstead:* Buy special ear buds that prevent harmful

noise levels.* Don’t turn up the volume to drown out

outside noise.* Use headphones (that sit on the outside

of the ear and filter noise), not earbuds.

* Follow the 60/60 rule:Listen to music withheadphones at 60% ofvolume for just 60minutes a day.

Source: AAOHN Journal

Copyright 2008, American Institute for Preventive Medicine.

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