CALENDAR OF EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

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May 2013

What’s a liver got to do with it? Your liver is an organ about the size and shape of a semi-defl ated foot-ball on the right side of your body under your ribs. It breaks down toxins in the blood from the air you breathe, the food and drinks you consume, and the drugs you use. The liver produces bile and clotting factors, and it stores vi-tamins, minerals and sugars until they’re needed. Without the liver, your body couldn’t digest food, heal wounds, or survive a round of hot toddies.

Although resilient, your liver has its limits. Signs that your liver has had enough include:

• Fatigue, weight loss or abdominal pain: These can stem from non-alco-holic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), in which the fat builds up in the liver. High cholesterol and obesity raise the risk. NAFLD often causes no problems, but it increases the odds of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

• Flu-like symptoms and clay-colored feces: Such symptoms can point to hepatitis A, B or C – infections that infl ame the liver. Hep A is spread by contaminated food; Hep B and C can be sexually transmitted.

• Yellow skin and eyes: When the liver fails to process bilirubin, a by-product of its fi lter system, the yellow substance can build up in the body.

4 things you can do…

1. Don’t binge drink. Excessive consumption of alcohol causes infl am-mation of the liver. As a result, alcohol hepatitis occurs which can progress into cirrhosis or liver failure. Cirrhosis occurs when the cells of the liver get so damaged that they can’t repairthemselves; the liver shuts down and dies which leads to the accumulation of wastes and toxins in your body, poisoning the body from the inside.

2. Fight on all fronts. Workouts alone may not be enough to ward off non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Eating healthy and being active throughout the day are also key.

3. Say yes to vitamin E. Consump-tion of more than 16 mg (about 24 IU) of vitamin E per day from foods like almonds, olive oil and spinach may lower your risk of liver cancer by 51%. Vitamin E may also support your immune system and DNA repair.

4. Medicate mindfully. The liver processes any drugs taken, converting them into a usable form or shunting them away for elimination. Follow medication instructions carefully, as wrong doses or combinations can be damaging.

Speak with your physician to learn more.

Source: Whole Living Magazine

Just for the Guys . . .Want to feel stronger, happier and more energetic? Follow these nine rules from Travis Stork, MD, ER physician and star of The Doctors:

1. Be in sync with your spouse – couples who play together, stay together. Start a fi tness routine with your spouse.

2. Eat local – you can’t predict what you’re eating in a restaurant, so make dinner yourself. Visit your local farmer’s markets for the freshest seasonal produce.

3. Splurge smartly – part of being healthy is acknowledging your weaknesses. If your late night feeding frenzy includes potato chips or ice cream, try substituting with a couple of squares of dark choco-late or a small helping of frozen yogurt.

4. Don’t fall for health fads – health fads don’t work. Your best bet for good health is a healthy diet and regular exercise.

5. Find your stress relief valve – be sure to take time for yourself to calm down, de-stress and pamper yourself.

6. Be gracious & caring – the good feeling you put out comes back to you. Smiling can bring a great light to someone’s day.

7. Have an impact – volunteer, start a charity, get involved in your community. You will feel as rewarded as those you help.

8. Make health a joyful goal – be positive about your health goals, stay on track and reward yourself for accomplishing milestones.

9. Focus on the future – keep the big picture in mind.

Lose-It to Win-it Weigh InsFridays

See Daphne or Deanna

Stop by and visit the health resource library.

Questions? Stop by the Health & Wellness Department or call Deanna at

530.723.2343

Pink Eye . . . also known as conjunctivitis is a virus caused by bacteria, allergens such as pet dander or dust mites, or irritants like smog or swimming pool chlorine. Symptoms of pink

eye include: redness or swelling, increased tears, eye discharge, itching, burning, sensitivity to light, a gritty feeling, and crusting of the eyelids and lashes. Pink eye is very contagious but fortunately it is easily treatable. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, ask your doctor about pink eye.

Boost Your Mood Losing weight isn’t the only reason you should lace up those sneakers. Regular sweat sessions make you feel happier and brighten your out-look. People who upped their daily activity by as little as 10 minutes felt more enthusiastic, alert and excited for the rest of the day.

Seedless Watermelons Sure, they are easier to eat because you don’t have to cut around or spit out all those seeds, but keep in mind seedless watermelons are actually hybrids. Breeders cross varieties with a differing number of chromosomes to produce a sterile fruit, which has small, white, fully edible “seed coats” instead of mature black seeds. Eating hybrid seedless watermelons are ok, but locally grown watermelons are better.

Cajun Crab & Corn Cakes

Ingredients 8 ounces cooked crabmeat2 green onions, thinly sliced1 red serrano chile, finely chopped1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, roughly chopped 1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup cornstarch1/4 cup panko bread crumbs2 eggs, beaten1/2 cup sweet white corn, cut fresh off the cob1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions To start, make sure there is no shell on the crab meat. Next, mix all the ingredients except the panko bread crumbs. Once all the ingredients are mixed, fold in the panko bread crumbs, then make patties out of golf ball sized balls. Heat a pan to medium, then add a tablespoon of lite olive oil and gently cook each cake until golden brown. Serve with chili cream.

Powerhouse Chef Recipe Corner

Eating Well Eating well is as easy as eating a salad every day. Make your lunch a large hearty salad, loaded with healthy delicious greens, and chock full of colorful veggies, avocado, nuts and seeds.

How long can grilled chicken sit out in the summer sun? From the minute chicken is served, the food-safety countdown begins. You can leave grilled chicken at room temperature for about 2 hours unless the temperature reaches 90 degrees or higher, in which case your chicken is good for only 1 hour. Bacteria flourish at higher temperatures and can cause serious food poisoning. Keep your grilled chicken cool.

Staying up late doesn’t mean you need to eat another meal!

DIA

BET

ES & YOU

The Diabetes Meal Plate

Make ½ of each meal non-starchy

vegetables. Non-starchy veggies are

very low in carbs and offer you vitamins

and minerals. Good veggies to include

in your meals include carrots,

zucchini, salad greens, peppers,

green beans and tomatoes.

Spicy!

After dinner, your digestive system should rest for 12 hours. If you are up late and get that snack attack – eat a high fiber snack like whole wheat un-topped crackers.