Tips-offs to medical rip-offsAre you tempted to check out the latestmedical cures and claims? Huckstersprey on your fears to make bogus claimsabout products that won’t help andcould even hurt you. The Food andDrug Administration (the governmentagency that regulates product safety) andFederal Trade Commission (whichregulates false advertising) advise you tobe suspicious.

All natural, non-toxic remedy. Truth: Anyproduct strong enough to work like adrug is going to be potent enough tocause side effects. Some so-called naturalsupplements contain strong stimulantsand can harm you by interacting withdrugs you take. Your pharmacist canadvise you on drug interactions.

Ask 3 questionsEvery time you visit the doctor, ask these 3 questions:

1. What is my main problem?

2. What do I need to do?

3. Why is it important for me to do this?

That’s it. The National Patient Safety Foundation’sAsk Me 3 program suggests that these 3 vitalquestions will help you communicate with your doctorand get answers you need to manage your health.

Amazing results in days. Ads that featuretestimonials from people who claim tobe cured instead of scientific prooffrom respected researchers are usuallymade up. Beware of quick fixesespecially for serious conditions withmystery ingredients. Beware of thesewords, too: “Scientific breakthrough”“miracle cure” “contains secretingredients” and “ancient remedy.”

Cures cancer, diabetes and everything else. Noproduct can treat every disease andcondition. For many diseases, there are nocures, only therapies to manage them.Your doctor remains the best medicalsource for treatment information.

Only available through one source. Anyeffective and proven product would notbe hidden in newspaper ads orpromoted on late-night TV. Your doctorwould know about it.

Money-back guarantee. Good luck.

Easy online ordering. Confirm an onlinecompany’s name, physical address, andphone number through the BetterBusiness Bureau first to see if othershave complained about this product. Ifcontact information is not on the seller’sWeb site, beware.

To make a product complaint, contactthe FDA at www.fda.gov or the FTC’sOperation CureAll at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/cureall.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

pg 2 Self-Care Corner

pg 3 Healthy Eating

pg 4 Work Life

HEALTHYLIFE®

LetterJuly 2007

Do Not Reproduce

The old adage “leaves of 3, let them be”is often easier said than done. Thissummer, up to 40 million Americans willfeel the infamous itch of poison ivy – aplant found throughout North Americathat typically grows in the form of avine, often along riverbanks. For mostpeople, this itchy rash will appear 1 or 2days after they have been exposed to theplant, and it can last anywhere from 10days to 3 weeks.

2 Call 800.345.2476 www.HealthyLife.com

SELF-CARE CORNER

{NNoott ee :: Many topics like the ones above arecontained in a medical self-care guide, such asHealthier at Home®, Health at Home®, andHealthyLife® Self-Care Guide. They serve as

excellent resources. If you have a self-care guide, referto it whenever you are unsure about what to do forsymptoms and health issues you are experiencing. Itcan help you make better decisions about when to

seek professional assistance and when you can treatyourself at home using self-care.}

7. If the reaction is severe, seekmedical care. Most cases of poisonivy can be handled at home. In rare cases,poison ivy can be serious or even causedeath. “Occasionally, poison ivy canbecome a more severe situation insomeone who’s highly sensitized to thereaction, or if someone is exposed to alarge amount of the oil, either bybreathing in fumes when the plant isbeing burned or having the oils enterareas of broken skin,” said Dr. Hammer.

For severe reactions, specifically on theface or the genital area, or if there’s alot of swelling, pain or irritation thatdisrupts sleep or daily activities, see yourdoctor for more potent treatments.

Take the “itch”out of summer:

7 ways to ease the itch of leaves of 3“The allergic reaction from poison ivy iscaused by oil in the plant,” said LisaHammer, MD, of the University ofMichigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.“The reaction usually starts with rednessand swelling of the skin, which is thenfollowed by either bumps or blisters.”

1. Wash the area. “If you come intocontact with poison ivy, the best advice isto wash your skin as quickly as possiblewith soap and cold, running water,” saidDr. Hammer. Do this within minutes ofcoming into contact with the plant toprevent the oil from absorbing into theskin. Avoid using hot water since thismay further open pores or cause moreirritation to the skin.

2. Cool off. “People with poison ivytend to find relief from cool baths orcool compresses,” she said. Massage theaffected area with an ice cube for relief.Let the area air dry after soaking ormassaging it with an ice cube. Allowing itto air dry will reduce itching and oozingof blisters.

3. Use anti-itch drugs. Anti-itchpills, such as Benadryl will help to reducethe itch of poison ivy. She alsorecommends the use of creams, such ascalamine lotion to ease itching.

4. Wash clothing and shoes. Besure to wash the clothing and shoes youwere wearing when you came intocontact with the poison ivy. Use soapand hot water to remove any oil that maystill be on these items.

5. Give the dog a bath. The rashcaused by poison ivy can spread if thereare oils from the plant on your pet’s fur,or even on other items around the yardsuch as gardening tools. “Oil can stay onthese types of surfaces for up to 5 years,”said Dr. Hammer. She recommendsthoroughly washing both pets and otheritems that may have come into contactwith poison ivy to remove the oils.

6. Stop the rash from spreadingto others. The rash will only spread toanother person if you have oil on yourhand and touch them. Once the oil hasbeen removed from your skin, it is nolonger possible to spread the rash.

Poison ivyPoison oak

Poisonsumac

Do Not Reproduce

HEALTHY EATING

Do you salt before you taste your food?

High grilling heat produces chemicals that can cause cancer. The smoke fromburning coals and dripping fat adds to the danger.

Grill safer with these tips from the Harvard Health Letter:* Cook smaller pieces: They cook more quickly and at lower temperatures.* Choose leaner meat: Less fat should reduce flames and therefore smoke.* Precook in the microwave: Doing so for 2 minutes may decrease dangerous

chemicals by 90%, according to some research.* Flip often: That way, neither side has time to absorb or lose too much heat.

Master of the grill

Perhaps the most overlooked,and most challenging heart-smart tactic is slashing sodium(that’s salt) from your diet. Whyis that so hard? Because weAmericans crave salty tastingfoods, according to a new studycommissioned by Mrs. Dash (aseasoning brand).

The daily recommended saltintake limit is 2,300 mg. That’sabout a teaspoon of salt overall.For people at risk of heartdisease, the suggested dailyintake is even lower (1,500 mg).

You say you don’t salt yourfoods at the table that much. Ofcourse. But foods naturallycontain salt, and all salt counts.This helps explains why theaverage American consumestwice the amount ofrecommended sodium per day– adding up to over 7 pounds ofsalt a year per person.

We all need sodium in our diet,but a high sodium diet can causethe body to retain water, whichincreases the force (pressure)inside blood vessels. Having highblood pressure damages bloodvessels, increases the heart’sworkload, and sharply raises therisk for heart attack, stroke,congestive heart failure andkidney disease. Eating a healthydiet that is low in sodium canhelp keep blood pressure incheck.

About 2 in 5 Americans (mostlyages 18 to 54) grab the salt shakerwithout tasting first. About halfof us try to avoid high-sodiumfoods. These are soups,condiments, canned vegetables,frozen meals, lunchmeats,packaged noodle and rice mixes,baked goods, and snack foods.

Shake the salt habit* Start by using 25% less and gradually cutback more over time. When reducing salt inrecipes, try using a salt-free seasoning.

* Add a splash. Acids such as a lemon juice orvinegar mimic the effect of salt when added

to vegetables, fish and soups.

* Avoid high-sodium soy sauces. Add flavorto marinades with herbs and spices, fruit juice,wine or flavored vinegars, or use a ready-made

salt-free marinade.

* Go natural. Choose fresh or plain frozenvegetables and add your own seasonings.Prepare rice dishes from scratch instead of

using prepackaged mixes.

* Read food labels: Look for food labels thatread “No Added Salt,” “Low Sodium,” or

“Sodium Free.”

3Call 800.345.2476www.HealthyLife.com

Do Not Reproduce

Copyright 2007, American Institute for Preventive Medicine.

30445 Northwestern Hwy., Ste . 350,Farmington Hills, MI 48334

248.539.1800 • 800.345.2476www.HealthyLife.comAll rights reserved.

An Apple A Day Isn't Enough!®

BEAT BOREDOM,CROSS TRAIN

Beat boredom in yourexercise routine by cross-training. “Play on differenttoys,” suggests WarrenFranke, Director of IowaState University’s ExerciseClinic. “Recognize thatyou don’t have to do one30-minute session on thesame machine. Maybe youcan do three 10-minuteactivities on differentmachines for the sameeffect. Your heart reallydoesn’t care. If you’re

really out of ideas on howto make the workout moreinteresting, hire a personal

trainer.”

Relax the dress code, not your imageHere are suggestions to make sure your businesswardrobe stays professional, regardless of the weather:* No revealing clothing. Showing cleavage, bellies and

lower backs is not appropriate for the office. No see-through tops, no sleeveless tops.

* Avoid short skirts. Revealing too much leg is never anappropriate way to dress for the office. Avoid highslit skirts and keep your skirts no higher than the topof your knees. When the skirt is way above the knee,the knee becomes a visual anchor and draws people’sattention down to your legs.

* Wear stockings (women). Men wear socks. Womencan get away without wearing stockings whenwearing slacks.

* Stay way from skin-tight outfits. Your clothing needsto fit, and not overemphasize body parts. Fabricsbulge and buttons pull when the item is too tight.

* Pay attention to color. Light and bright colors areseen a lot more in the summer. Just don’t shout withsuper bright colors.

* Shoes count. People notice shoes. It’s one of the littledetails that adds polish to your professional presence.No flip flops or sandals. It’s not the beach; it’s work.

WORK LIFE

Do Not Reproduce