Did You Turn It Off?

Just after posting last week’s blog, I was reviewing headlines and realized I missed a significant week. Did you know that April 30- May 6th was “Media Free” week? A few years ago I came across a cute book for kids that talked about how a family decided to turn off their TV and do something else for a week. (Sorry, can’t locate the title right now). A book about the Berenstain Bears does a nice job about talking about how that fun bear family dealt with the issue. As I read my Family Fun Magazine, I learn about families that come up with fun alternatives to sitting in front of an inanimate box for untold hours. In the program we present for engaging families in healthy eating and activity behaviors, a major focus of our time is spent helping families learn about and participate in fun-to-do family activities that require them to be active and communicate with each other. Recently one family remarked, that indeed, they thought they would be more active now together, because they had learned ways to do so. Who knew of such a major knowledge deficit? — but I guess it should be obvious given current statistics . . .

The American Academy of Pediatrics website article states that today children are spending on average- 7 (seven) hours a day on “entertainment media”.  Don’t forget- that includes televisions, computers, phones, and any other electronic devices. Researchers are finding that such habits are affecting the children’s school work, attention problems, disorders related to sleeping and eating, and even overweight/obesity issues.

The book I referred to earlier and the stories from Family Fun magazine indicate that it takes awhile, but when a family hangs in there and pursues the Media Free WEEK LONG idea, eventually kids discover the fun of playing out-of -doors, playing board games, reading hard copy books, and generally engaged conversation with the adults and other family members in their circle of influence.

What do you think? Worth a try?

• Try a “Screen Free Zone” at home- whether it be a locality, during meals, or wherever the idea fits
• Try a Screen Free Time frame in your daily, or at least weekly family in the schedule
• Introduce new/good books to your kids. Leave them laying around in close reach, or even start a book and then leave it laying around to be picked up later by interested sit-by listeners
• Plan regular family outings- the zoo, the park, the lake, or anything that is healthy and gets you moving and interacting together, including taking a class together
• Plan regular family meals together and have a question starter box if you need something to get the conversation going.  ”Tell me about the funniest thing that happened today at school” “If money, time, and whatever else was not an issue, where would you travel to, who would you meet . . .”

Step out of your parental/self comfort zone and experience new, beyond electronic gadgetry horizons. Who knows what you might discover!

For more information about the article I cited- Media and Children

Cancer Survivors News

One more week and then I will move on to other topics. It was in the news again, just a different headline and a different group reporting. This time it comes from the American Cancer Society, who printed guidelines about what Cancer Survivors can and should do-

Which Path to LIfe?

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly- 150 minutes per week
• Healthy diet- high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and other items- avoiding refined foods, red and processed meats, high fat dairy products and fried foods.

It seems similar guidelines are everywhere. I wonder how many will choose to listen and follow? Sound hard? What are your barriers to a healthy lifestyle?

Here is the Guide you can review yourself.

Like Sand Castles?

More discouraging statistics. According to a report citing The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHQR) there seems to be more illness for those who are overweight and obese. Almost 60% of obese individuals suffer from joint pain, and that percentage increases in relation to the increased weight number on the scale. For Obese individuals over 20 years of age- almost 50% indicate they have a heart condition and the same percent rates in relation to elevated cholesterol (according to a reporter from St. Louis Today).

Building Castles in the sand, or on rock?

Whats the good news? According to the AHQR report that the above author refers to,

“Lifestyle practices account for more than 40% of the differences in health among individuals.”  The take away? You do not have to be like a grain of sand on the shore with your health- pushed around according to the whims of the water, or media, or life that constantly bombard you and fight for your attention. Your choices don’t have to be like the sandcastle built to close to the waters edge with a rising tide on the way.

Just engaging in ONE healthy lifestyle choice (as compared to no healthy living activity/choices) cuts your risk of disease in half. If you engage in four healthy lifestyle choices- that decrease by half, goes up to almost 80%. I am beginning to really like those odds!

Finding Treasures in the Building

What lifestyle choices do they list?

• Never smoking
• Not being obese
• Engaging in 3.5 hours of exercise weekly
• Eating a healthy diet-i.e. more fruits, veggies, whole grains,      and less meat.

How hard is that?

Talking with a group last week, one lady stated she needed motivation. I asked the group to consider what would motivate them to make healthy choices- smaller clothes size? Less ill health? Considering what is in for them if they don’t control their Blood pressure, end up with Kidney problems, maybe even dialysis and all the ills that follow in the trail from years of trying to maintain a working dialysis catheter or fistula/graft?

But not to dally on the negative. Work towards building your wellness foundation on solid rock (health principles). Consider what will motivate you and write a plan, or contract with yourself, and maybe a friend, or partner in healthy activity. Start with one step forward and take additional steps when you are able to entertain and consider additional changes. You can do this- and your body and those who love you, will appreciate what you are doing to promote your health and live longer around them!

For information on the AHQR report.

An Emergency? What Now?

We had a leisurely day, as one would, while on vacation, with no particular agenda. Well of course we checked in on the internet for any recent communications, and then went to the nearest local driving range, to see how far we could hit those white little balls. We’d eaten, and spent a significant part of the day reading a good book. As we retired for the evening and took one last walk outside, we were almost immediately hit with the smell of propane or of at least what we thought was propane. There also seemed to be a tell-tale hiss coming from the storage compartment on our RV. Now something like this is neither encouraging at 9:00 at night, nor anywhere near healthful, at anytime, particularly when you are out camping, a long ways from home, and the temperatures still dropping close to freezing overnight. Thin walls of an RV, even if it isn’t an Ultralite, don’t begin to hold the heat of earlier in the day. A quick check of the gas burner, indicated, that, sure ‘nough, there wasn’t much fuel getting through the line. We did the only thing reasonable shut off the propane, making it so there was no leak. That means there was also no more danger of a fire or inhaling toxic gas fumes, but it also meant there would be no heat overnight. Out came the extra sleeping bag, in reserve for just such an occasion.

The next morning we considered our options - abort the trip, turn tail and return home-  short-changing us of the remaining 4 days of leisure in the southwestern sun, or find an RV repair shop and hope that the fix was something uncomplicated that fit what would likely become an overspent budget. Or, of course we could do nothing, and complain about the nighttime cold and cold meals. What would you do?

What do you do when hit with a potential “emergency”? Your health provider indicating you have put on a few too many pounds, or your kidney function seems not to be in optimal range. Or your children are just a little out of control, or . . .? I know a friend who realized her Blood pressure (BP) was getting just a little too high, and she just really did not like it, or want to have to start on medication, and most likely in the end, did not want to have to deal with the results of  the elevated BP on the rest of her system. For long-term, High BP can wreak havoc on body organs and tissue- which leads to need of more medical intervention, more pain, more financial investment, and compromised quality of life.  She decided to make the effort to turn out for a spin class once a week, and another aerobic type class once a week, and said that her BP was returning to normal, and a side effect was that she was sleeping better and feeling better. What a great outcome. It took some effort, but she acted sooner, and was getting good results sooner also.

Thankfully we had encountered an RV repair place earlier in the week and returned there, seeking help for our mischievous propane system.  A couple of  hours later, including a new part and a few greenbacks, and we were back in business. The heat worked, so we would be warm, and the stove worked, so we had cooked meals- and that lasted the rest of the trip. No more worries for the moment, and no derailed vacation time.

Really, it is often better to deal directly with problems, and take action that gets at the root of the problem, sooner, than later. Sometimes we don’t know what the consequences of poor health habits will be in the future, or if our current warning sign will continue, or have ill effects on our body. But we would be better off if we take notice, step into action, and waylay what health problems  might be ours, if we don’t take action. If we really are in the dark, there are a myriad of ways to locate quality information and find out what might be waiting for us if we don’t address a current health issue, now.

Walking?- Really?

I guess I am somewhat used to, or at least aware of the fact that people flock to certain activities- amusement/theme parks are one kind that come to mind. The beach on a warm summer day, races, and sports games are others.  Of course there is interest in participating in something so fun, and/or entertaining, even if it does cost the loss of significant green stuff from the wallet.

Try this path.

What I was surprised at, and inspired about, is all the people walking on the Sabino Canyon Trail/Tram road. As I mentioned, we had the opportunity to check out the Tucson, AZ area while away on a vacation recently, and played tourist ourselves. We gathered that the Sabino Canyon Trail was a great place to visit, (as did a huge number of other people)! Once there, one can choose to take a sort of bus all the way up and back, or walk any part of the same, or a different bus can take you to a trail head and you can walk in 2 plus miles to a waterfall.

My original intent was for us to take the 4 or so mile round trip hike and see the waterfall, and with our initial arrival, we were just in time for the bus ride. That is until I discovered that I had precisely a $1 in cash, after paying the parking fee. (Disappointingly, this is a cash only operation, and $1 will not cover the ride for two people, for that particular trip, or the other more expensive one). By the time we got back after a quick trip to the store down the way, the next bus headed to the waterfall hike/destination would be 45 minutes, as compared to paying more money, and jumping on the next bus, which was headed up the popular canyon road, in the next 10 minutes.

Soon we were headed up a winding canyon road and informed by the driver, about the flora and fauna of the area, and other interesting tidbits. We chose to disembark at the end of the route and do some hiking. We hiked up toward the ridge, and made our way back down the valley, hiking a mile or two off the beaten path. We ate a leisurely lunch and  caught a bus further down the route, headed back to the starting point.

What struck me as interesting is that at this time in March, it was in the neighborhood of 8o or so degrees, blue sky and sunshine,  and people of all ages were walking! Some didn’t even bother with the bus, they just started up the paved canyon road. Another person was off the bus and up the trail in a flash, jogging all the way, and looked like he planned to the make the 4 mile or so run all the way back down to the start of the bus journey. People were smiling and chatting, and for some, it appears they do this quite regularly.

I must admit, the scenery, for being desert, was quite pretty. There seemed to be no hurry about the place. Why do people in their right mind, put on comfortable clothes and shoes, water bottles and snacks in tow, and strike out to walk, where they might otherwise drive? Because they really are in their right mind, and (maybe?) understand the value of physical activity, fresh air, and sunshine. They certainly will be healthier for their “troubles”. Reminds me of a recent wedding shower I attended. The bride and groom actually chose REI for their registry, and accordingly were showered with all sorts of  items designed to make their out-of-doors activities a bit more inviting. But of course they were already spending plenty of time outdoors, together, and must be having a lot of fun in the process, and I am sure benefiting in a healthful way, for doing so. Although that might not have been the reason for their attraction to the “sport”, to begin with. What a great way to start off their long-term relationship- together, in the great out-of-doors, being active in the fresh air and often in the sunshine.

What Treasures Will You Find?

What about you? Have you experienced the thrill of getting somewhere on foot that might or might not have happened without a vehicle? What about the beauty found in out of the way places? What about the feel of a good sweat from a decent work out- that’s when one can really appreciate the benefits of a fresh water shower? Grab those shoes, maybe a friend or two, a map if needed, and plenty of water and some snacks and check out some local sites that attract pedestrians. Or, if this is all new, put on the same and step outside your own front door and get used to putting one foot in front of the other. You just never know what you might encounter, and the joy that might result! Oh- and please write and tell me about your experience!

The Birds Know

Last week we had the opportunity to travel to a warmer climate and slower schedule- i.e. vacation- in southeast Arizona. We did many fun and relaxing things including some bird watching. That was actually an easily accessible task, as certain birds showed a specific interest in our water spigot. Our RV hose was connected to the water spigot (one of the few state parks we have been in that have both water and electricity for campers, in the same site). As we would sit outside and read, or converse with each other, it seemed a pair of birds frequented the spigot and took advantage of the small amount of collected water.

I finally caught on, and after several attempts at catching them on “film”, I was successfully prepared and accomplished my self-imposed task.

So this is your supply depot . . .

I just found it interesting that the birds knew they needed water, and were able to take advantage of our shared source. To think that they might try to access a dripping soda fountain or other sports drink source was an amusing thought.

I had heard that you shouldn’t let thirst be your guide as to how much water you needed on a regular basis. When I went to WebMD online, I found that in fact, they do actually suggest that thirst be your guide, along with the concentration of your urine- if it is dark, that would mean you need more water- as it should really be closer to straw colored, and that also a dry mouth is indicative of a need for more water.

I was also interested to note that the recommendation was actually higher that just 8, 8 ounce glasses for women, and even more was needed for men. It was also noted that if one lives in the heat, or a drier climate, more water intake is needed, as is also the case if you are exercising and sweating.

Of course the other issue, is that if you are always thirsty, or have started being thirsty a significant amount of time, that could be indicative of illness, and should be checked out by your health care provider.

Water intake is important and necessary to the functions of the human body. When enough is taken in, the body works properly and efficiently. When there is too little intake, it puts a strain on things. Those birds in Arizona knew they needed a refreshing drink of water- do you know that you need regular, refreshing drinks of water also?

For previous postings on water- try Your Drink -what is best?

Your Drink-What is Best

Just last week, a family asked me which was better- a drink that was 100% juice with some sugar, or another “fruit” drink made up of artificial whatever and no sugar? This was after they had completed an assignment of reviewing the label on a drink and listing out the ingredients.

What would be your answer?

To Juice or not to Juice

Also last week- a upi.com posted an article online about the fact that despite the recommendation that children ages 1-6 years of age should have only 1 cup of juice a day, one study found that 35% of parents actually gave their young children two or more cups a day. Part of the thought process is that there is reportedly a “strong link” between “consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages” and such problems as obesity and early tooth decay. Serving a child a cup of juice does not adequately replace a serving of fruit. A whole fruit (or one that is cut up) provides fiber and all the vitamins and minerals that are found in the peel. Usually a piece of fruit is close to one serving, whereas it takes many items of the fruit to make up a glass of juice.

For most, water is a great alternative- no cost, no calories, and it doesn’t take the place of nutrients that would otherwise be obtained with eating a meal. On the other hand, it can be a great substitute for putting off nibbling, until the actual meal time- again, without adding unnecessary calories- fat, sugar, or otherwise.

So back to today’s original question- one juice in a day, of the 100% variety is certainly acceptable according to general pediatric guidelines. How about you? How much juice are you consuming in a day? How much water? or would it be more appropriate to ask how many sugary sodas do you take in, in a day? Care to comment?

www.upi.com-Study-Kids drink too much fruit juice.