Posted on Thursday, May 5, 2016

Helpful Healthcare Links for May 5, 2016

There’s a lot going on in healthcare news this week! I have put together a handful of trending health topics to share with you in hopes that this information will assist you in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few health articles for this week:

Some people age very well. You would never know they are in their 50s let alone their 60s. A few celebrities come to mind when thinking about aging, I’m talking about you, Cindy Crawford. However, most of us probably won’t be as fortunate to age that gracefully, until now. Dr. Eric Topol and his team at the Scripps Translational Science Institute are delving deep into the study of healthy aging. Their study focuses on the people and populations who seem to be immune to age related disorders such as heart disease, cancer, and dementia. And they are making great strides in identifying genetic factors associated with aging.

These are the genes behind healthy aging

Low carb, no carb, high fat, low fat. All of this diet advice can get so confusing! And it seems to change on a weekly basis. This can make it difficult to stick to a healthy eating plan. However, new research has shown one dietary change that seems to hold true. And that is, FIBER! How much fiber do you eat in a day? The recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of fiber is around 35 grams per day for adults. Find out how increasing your fiber intake can help you reach your weight loss goals.

One basic diet change may be all you need to be healthier at any age

Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death among women. Yet many of us are uneducated as to the signs and symptoms, as well as the preventative measures they could we could be taking. Don’t be another statistic, start combating heart disease today. P.S. Remember how we just talked about fiber? Consuming adequate amounts of dietary fiber significantly reduce your risk for heart disease.

7 heart disease facts women need to know

Endless hours on the treadmill? No, thank you. We all know the heart healthy benefits of regular cardiovascular activity, but often times workouts can be grueling. And we only have a short window of time to squeeze in a workout each day. So why not do something quick and effective? High intensity interval training, more commonly known as HIIT, packs a big punch in a small amount of time. HIIT increases excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), known by some as the after burn. This will not only leave you glowing but allow your body to torch calories up to 36 hours post exercise! Stop making excuses, add a HITT routine to your workout regimen once or twice a week and you’ll starting seeing results before you know it.

How can a HIIT help you get fit?

For more healthcare tips for you and your family, check out my latest offering in dealing with unexpected healthcare: When Life Happens: What to do about unexpected health concerns. This is a bit different than my other books. When Life Happens is a workbook filled with information, tips, and tricks for getting through accidents, difficult diagnoses, rehabilitation, and what to do with the kids through it all. But it also has activities to guide you through your situation. You can find it here.

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Posted on Monday, May 2, 2016

Living With Food Allergies & Asthma

In honor of Food Allergy Awareness Month, I wanted to touch on a topic that can be challenging for families. When dealing with food allergies and asthma, often times they’re intertwined, so it is important to know how to handle and prepare for both, whether it affects you or your loved ones.

There are certain signs that will occur if you experience a food allergy, signs that you must pay close attention to. Symptoms may vary from person to person and may include hives, itching, stomach pain, vomiting, swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, coughing, wheezing, sneezing, shortness of breath, and others. There are also similar indicators when you experience allergy-induced asthma such as nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes or skin reactions.

The most common food allergy triggers in kids and adults include peanuts, tree nuts, cow’s milk, egg, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish. When introducing new foods to your children, make sure to do so gradually and pay attention to their reactions. If your child does have a food allergy, make sure to consult with a physician. When going to school or out to eat, let people know of your child’s food allergies. Also be aware of cross-contamination (cookies baked on the same tray as peanut butter cookies). If your child needs a medical device (auto-injector) for allergy emergencies, make sure you have this with you at all times.

Knowing your family health history can also help greatly. Children who have one or both parents with allergies are more susceptible to developing the same condition. If you know your family has a history of food allergies or asthma, you may find it beneficial to seek out a specialized dermatologist, allergist or immunologist who will be methodical in their approach and will test your child thoroughly for all allergy triggers. Allergists should be consulted too if you or your child develop a peanut allergy or moderate to severe eczema.

Once you know what triggers food allergies or asthma in you, your child or family member, you can better prepare and learn to limit your exposure to those items. Make sure to create a strong relationship with your family doctor and check in with them on a regular basis. Work with your doctor to find the best treatment to manage your symptoms based on the level of your symptoms.

Food allergies and asthma need constant attention especially for your child. However, make sure they don’t feel left out or different from other kids. Keep your child engaged in social activities such as birthday parties and play dates. Just make sure to plan ahead and always let your child know what to expect and make them part of the planning process. This will make your child feel more comfortable and in control.

Posted on Thursday, April 28, 2016

How to Keep Your Kids Active and Eating Healthy

Between your busy schedule, and your kids’ extracurricular activities, finding the time to exercise and eat right often times seems impossible. This was something I struggled with when I was raising my girls. I would often work long hours, and grabbing something quick and easy for dinner took a lot less effort. Working also meant that there was less time for fun and after school activities. However, I knew how important it was to keep my girls active and healthy, and I’d like to share a few helpful tips with you that I learned along the way.

First, limit their computer, television and video game usage. Gaming should be off limits during the school week, and should be limited to one hour a day on the weekends.

Second, encourage them to partake in outdoor activities. Summer time is right around the corner; make them play outside. Help them set up a lemonade stand or get them some chalk so they can decorate the drive way. Being outside is good for their mental and physical health.

Third, do family activities together. Go bowling on a rainy day or go for a family bike ride after dinner. Make exercise fun for the whole family.

Fourth, make sure to sign them up for extracurricular activities. If your city has a public pool sign them up for swimming lessons or get them on a little league team in your neighborhood. Show them that exercise can be fun and can be enjoyed with friends.

When it comes to making sure they’re eating healthy here are a few tips I found to be helpful. First, go to a local farmers market. Living in Metro Detroit I am fortunate to live near Eastern Market. Every Saturday in the spring through the fall local farmers bring in a wide variety of fresh, organic produce. My daughters really enjoyed going to the market and picking out their own fruits and veggies.

Then, have a healthy family cooking night. Letting them help prepare their dinner will make them feel more involved, and they will want to try the foods they’ve put together. Third, set a good example, if you eat well they will too. They will want to try what you’re eating.

Try and start the habit of healthy eating at a young age, and incorporate several vegetables into every meal. But also keep in mind that it’s important not to force them to eat a certain food. Have them try a couple of bites, and if they still don’t like it, let it be. I’ve found that forcing children to eat something they don’t like causes a total aversion to the food and they may be less likely to try new foods in the future. Fourth, don’t keep junk food in the house. If it’s not there they can’t eat it, this will be helpful for you too. Fifth, introduce new foods slowly. And lastly, still allow them to have treats. Balance is important, even with children. If they aren’t allowed to have a cookie every once in a while or a bag of chips they’ll go crazy the next time they’re around junk food they’ll binge.

It’s important to start healthy eating and exercise habits young. If kids grow up living a healthy lifestyle it will be easy for them to maintain it as they get older.