Coker United Methodist Church
Thursday, February 23, 2012

Health Tips
 
National Marrow Donor Program Dementia & Alzheimer's Disease Eating for Health
Nutrition Hints Personal Health Records High Blood Pressure
Colorectal Cancer
 

Keys to Loving Family Relationships

 
The four keys that will help to unlock loving relationships in our families are: positive communication, conflict resolution, money management, and attitudes of gratefulness.
 
Loving relationships within the family lay a foundation for personal health and wellness.  Families are a special way God's love and healing are made known in the world.  The family is the unique organization in which we become whole in our relationships.  This wholeness requires that we grow in the spiritual graces of faithfulness, patience, forgiveness, and self-control.  From these graces flow the joy and peace of connectedness and loving assurance.
 
Loving relationships don't just happen.  They are the result of a decision and commitment to grow in understanding in spite of all the problems and concerns that family life presents through the years.  Our modern culture emphasizes self-interest, but it is within the family that we learn to accept others.  Families are under stress today because social pressures that once held families together are weakened.  We want our family to be a place of joy and happiness.  It is up to us to make it happen.
 

Positive Communication

 
God planned families for companionship and completeness.  Communication is essential for the expression of these relationships.  When communication breaks down, love is blocked.  Resentment and hostility replace companionship.  Communication takes time, so we need to clear our schedules of activities that keep us from communicating with each other.
 
In many families the key to communication cannot be found.  The doors to meaningful discussions are locked.  Unlocking communication involves talking, listening, and understanding.  Unfortunately we often are more inclined to talk about our own wants than to listen to the concerns of others.  All people have an immense need to be truly listened to.  Communication also requires that you share yourself through speech and body language in such a way that the other person can understand and accept what you are sharing.
 

Conflict Resolution

 
Conflict is natural when people live together.  Conflicts arise out of personal values, beliefs, and needs.  God has made each of us differently.  When we are threatened, we seek to protect our uniqueness.  We truly love the members of our family when we understand and appreciate the ways in which they are individuals.  Conflict in families is an opportunity to recognize each other's needs and uniqueness and to celebrate differences.  Conflicts are to be resolved, not avoided.  Conflict resolution requires working together, listening, and caring.
 

Money Management

 
Money problems often cause anger and conflict in families.  Money problems rank among the top four reasons leading to divorce.  The problems increase as the number of people in the family increases.
 
Problems develop when decisions about money create distance and resentment.  Family members should feel that their needs and values are supported by the way in which family finances are spent.  The value of a family member should never be equated with the person's wealth.  Family relationships can be destroyed if a love of things becomes a higher priority than a love of each other.  Freedom from money problems often results from spending less than earning more.
 

Attitudes of Gratitude

 
Appreciating the people who live in our family is the foundation to loving relationships.  The dynamic that keeps a family happy is a positive attitude.  We are trained in our culture to focus on the problems that need to be solved.  We too often develop a negative attitude and resent the people in our family who aren't living up to our expectations.  When we cling too tightly to expectations, we lose a sense of appreciation for the goodness in those around us.  Often the best way to eliminate negative behaviors is to accentuate the positive ones.
 
Families are God's expression of love.  Through Him we can celebrate the wholeness of our relationships as we celebrate the uniqueness of each member.  We are blessed and can grow in faith into the person God intended us to be.
 
by Marjorie L. Coppock
 
 

Flu Prevention Advice

 
Proper hand hygiene
  1. Lather well with a bar of soap or squirt a coin size of liquid soap in the palm of your hand.
  2. Vigorously rub your hands together, soap up between your fingers AND your wrists, front and back, for 15 seconds.  Sing the first chorus of any song you know and that'll take you through 15 seconds.
  3. Rinse under warm, RUNNING water.  Remember, the object is to dislodge germs.  The force of water is the key.
  4. Dry your hands thoroughly with a disposable towel or under the blower, rubbing your hands together.
  5. Discard the towel.
If you're using alcohol-based gels as hand cleansers:
  1. Put a dime-size amount in one hand.
  2. Vigorously rub your hands and fingers together until the gel is DRY--about seconds.  DO NOT touch your face!
  3. Once your hands are clean, do not touch your face, nose, eyes, or lips.
    1. Rubbing your eyes and nose provides a freeway for micro-organisms and good breeding ground once they've arrived.
(Robert Emery, Dr. PH, vice president for Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management at UT Health Science Center and associate professor in the UT School of Public Health)
 

Remember


Cover your cough
  1. If you must cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue, your sleeve or your hand.
  2. Throw the tissue away in a waste basket. Do not leave discarded tissues on your desk or other surfaces.
    1. The throw-it-away part is essential.  Micro-organisms live a life span from a few seconds to days on inanimate surfaces such as desks, table tops, faucets…tissues. If your tissues are scattered on your coffee table, they then are in contact with community surfaces. Both the tissues and the surface it sits on can spread germs to the person who touches the coffee table.
  3. Wash you hands thoroughly.

If you feel sick:
  1. If you begin to feel ill (feverish, achy, having a dry, painful cough or sore throat) go home from school or work and call your health care provider for further instructions.
  2. If you feel sick with flu-like symptoms and you care for the very young or the very elderly or the chronically ill, inform your health care provider when you call their office.
  3. If you have recently traveled to Mexico or to one of the areas worldwide that has reported a swine flu outbreak, inform your health care provider.  He or she may prefer to treat you with prescription anti-viral medications from home, or may request that you come in for a visit. Follow instructions from your health care providers.
From HealthLeader by Karen Krakower Kaplan
 
 

How Safe Is Your Food?

Summarized from the Health Seminar presentation by Anna Bustamonte

Every day 16,000 Americans get sick from something they eat.  Twenty-five of them die.  Foods can be contaminated by pathogens such as bacteria (staphylococcus aureus, e.coli, colistridium botulinum, salmonella), viruses, parasites, pesticides, pollutants, animal drugs or natural toxins found in the environment such as poisonous mushrooms, solanine, mercury, ciguatera, and carcinogens.  Other contaminants are glass, metal, cleaning agents, insects, dirt, hair, etc.

Fight back and keep food safe from bacteria.  Wash hands and preparation surfaces often.  Don't cross-contaminate.  Use a separate cutting board for vegetables and meat.  Cook to proper temperatures and refrigerate prepared foods within 2 hours.  Thaw foods in the refrigerator.  Most bacterial growth occurs between 40 and 140 degrees.  Therefore, keep your refrigerator less than 40 degrees and keep warm foods at 150-200 degrees.  Your freezer does not kill bacteria, but only stops the growth of bacteria when foods are kept at zero degrees or less.  Reheat foods to their correct temperature before eating.

If you have a dishwasher, the hot water and heat will kill bacteria, but if you are washing your dishes by hand, you may want to wash in water as hot as you can tolerate, rinse once and then rinse again in a weak solution of Clorox and water.  Fresh produce can also be rinsed in a weak Clorox solution to kill bacteria.

The FDA has approved the use of irradiation to control disease-causing microorganisms and insects in meat, poultry, dry or dehydrated enzyme preparations, spices and dry vegetable seasonings.  It is used on fruits and vegetables to delay maturation on the way to market.  Although it is thought to be safe, long term use has not been studied.

The U.S. uses the most genetically modified crops such as soybeans, cotton, corn, and potatoes.  Europeans are concerned about possible ecological damage.  Genetic engineering enhances plant growth, reduces the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and enhances nutrient composition and crop yields.  The risks of genetically altered foods are an increase in new allergens, herbicide resistant weeds, and a loss of biodiversity.  The FDA has label requirements if the food is significantly different, if there are issues regarding the use of the food, if the food has different nutritional properties, or if the new food contains unexpected allergens.  Time will tell what long term effects this will have on our population.

Ms. Bustamante recommends eating the simplest, cleanest, most natural form of a food.  God provides us with food and bodies to digest it.  Changing the food may have consequences we don't know about at present.  She was kind enough to donate a textbook on nutrition and has given us many handouts on proper cooking temperatures, storage temperatures, and a guide about when to throw food away from your refrigerator, freezer, spice rack or pantry.  If you would like a copy of any of these, please stop by the Food Pantry during hours of operation.
 
 

National Marrow Donor Program

 
The National Marrow Donor Program's (NMDP) mission is to establish a system which provides transplants of stem cells from unrelated donors for patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases.
 
There is only a 30% chance of finding a match within the patient's family.  Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are inherited, much like skin, eyes, and hair color, and a match is most likely within the patient's own ethnic group.  Each year thousands of racial minorities die from leukemia and other blood diseases because of the low number of minority donor volunteers registered with the NMDP.
 
The Marrow Program of Central and South Texas added 16,635 new marrow donors onto the National Registry in 2008.  Also, 69 marrow and stem cell donors gave on behalf of patients all over the world!
 
To join the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), you must be between 18 and 60 years old and be in good general health.
 
South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is an authorized donor center of the National Marrow Donor Program.  For more information on our marrow program, please email Yvonne Ybarra or call 731-5513.
 
 

Dementia & Alzheimer's Disease

by Sherry Hatcher
 
The Dementia/Alzheimer's theme for 2009 is "Diagnosing Dementia: See It Sooner."  This year focuses on the importance of medical professionals and individuals recognizing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and getting a diagnosis quickly so that people can receive the treatment they need. 

Dementia is the progressive decline in a person's mental functioning because of changes in the brain which lead to the loss of nerve cells (neurons).  These brain changes lead to problems with memory, thinking, behavior/personality, emotions, and speech.  There are many different causes of dementia.  The most common cause is Alzheimer’s disease. 
 
These are some of the common early symptoms of dementia:
  • Problems with memory occur, especially with things learned recently. People with dementia may not only forget a friend's name, but they may also forget that the person is a friend. They may ask for the same information over and over or they might depend on others for things they used to do for themselves such as operating a washing machine.
  • People with dementia may have trouble doing familiar things such as washing their hands or they may have trouble driving to a familiar location. They may forget how to play a favorite game or how to sew. They may forget such things as socks belong on feet.
  • Language problems can include forgetting simple words, like "chair," or they may call things by unusual names, such as "the thing you sit on" instead of "chair." Sometimes individuals with dementia may have trouble keeping up with a conversation or they may have no idea how to continue a conversation. They may repeat themselves over and over.
  • Confusion can also occur for persons with dementia regarding time and place. They may become lost in familiar places such as their yard, and they may not remember how they got there. Day and night as well as seasons may become confusing.
  • People with dementia may have trouble making good decisions. They may dress incorrectly for the weather or may have trouble with money, such as giving large amounts to telemarketers or to email requests for money. Mail can become confusing and they may have received many charge cards and incur a large amount of debt. They can also be forgetful regarding personal hygiene and keeping themselves and their clothes clean.
  • Keeping track of things becomes difficult for those experiencing dementia. They may have trouble paying their bills and balancing a checkbook. Things may be lost frequently and they may not be able to go back and find them again. Items may be put in unusual places, such as shoes in the refrigerator, and people with dementia may begin to think others are stealing from them.
  • Sometimes dementia affects people's vision, and they might have problems reading, judging distance, and determining color or contrast. Driving can become frightening and stairs can become difficult to manage. Reading a newspaper, magazine, or book or trying to work with numbers can make people with dementia anxious.
  • People with dementia may not seem like their old selves. They experience changes in their mood and personality. They may be confused, suspicious, fearful, anxious, agitated or depressed. They may become unusually emotional for no apparent reason and may be easily upset, especially in places where they are not comfortable.
  • Because of the changes people with dementia experience, they may stop doing things they used to enjoy. They may have trouble remembering how to do hobbies or who their favorite sports team is. They may become withdrawn and passive, sleeping more than usual or sitting in front of a window or the television for hours.
 
Please visit your doctor and discuss your concerns if you or someone you love is experiencing any of these symptoms. An early diagnosis helps people with dementia get the treatment they need and allows these people to make decisions about their future, including financial and legal affairs, before they lose the ability to do so. Finally, an early diagnosis helps the caregiver to be better equipped to deal with the disease.
 
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease or most other causes of dementia, many things can be managed and treated. Medication may be available in the early stages of dementia to stabilize some of the symptoms of the disease. There are many ways to provide support for the family and person with dementia. 
 
The Alzheimer's Association of San Antonio, 822-6449, offers many helpful services. They provide educational materials, are able to answer questions, provide professional speakers, refer to support groups and can schedule Care Consultations for individuals who have concerns and may need one-on-one time with someone to discuss their situation. 
 
Information in this article is from www.alz.org—“10 Signs of Alzheimer’s” and www.alz.co.uk—“About Alzheimer’s Disease.”
 
 

Eating for Health

 
Denise Sprague did a great job of outlining what a healthy diet should look like at our August 30th Health Seminar.  Statistics show that half of our population is overweight, and this leads to the development of many diseases including heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

She gave us heart healthy guidelines such as including 20-35 grams of fiber, 4-6 ounces of protein, 30 to 50 grams of fat (10-15 grams saturated) for women, and 50 to 60 grams of fat for men per day in your diet.  Also, limiting your sodium intake to 2300 mg or about 1 teaspoonful of salt per day can help reduce blood pressure.
   
Eating breakfast is important.  Studies show those who skip breakfast tend to be overweight.  Children who eat breakfast perform better in their school work.  This is a great meal to get those carbohydrates and fiber.  One way to cut calories and decrease weight gain is to limit sugar-sweetened drinks.

By increasing exercise, you can lower your LDL and triglycerides to improve your cholesterol scores and can shed a few pounds.  Denise gave us charts on how many calories are used in various activities.

Limiting portion size was an important suggestion.  Looking at the food on your plate before you start eating will help you decide what and how much to eat.  Half of your plate should contain vegetables, one-fourth should contain a starch and one-fourth should contain your protein (meat, chicken or fish).  Everyday you should try to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables.

Denise shared some handouts with us.  If you missed the program and would like some of the handouts, please stop by the Health and Wellness Center in Annex 2 on Thursdays from 12 noon to 2:00 pm to get your copy.
 
 

Nutrition Hints

  • Boost your memory and lower homocysteine levels by eating plenty of folate in meat, fish, eggs, dairy, spinach, and lentils.
  • Improve your heart health and fight dementia with omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and anchovies.
  • Improve your vision with with lutein found in green leafy vegetables, peas, broccoli, and corn.
  • Keep bones strong with vitamin D and calcium found in fortified milk and cereals, fish, and eggs.
 (Prevention.com by Veronika Ruff)
 
With summer already upon us, our tendency is to drink more sodas, juice, and sports drinks.  But watch out for the amount of sugar you are ingesting!  When reading labels, 42 grams of sugar is equal to 10 teaspoons.  Each 12-ounce can of sugary drink typically has 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar, and 150 or more calories.  Research shows that increased intake of sugar is a major cause of obesity.  Water is the best choice, but if that is too plain consider iced green tea, coffee, and create-your-own spa-style water, infused with cucumber, herbs, and citrus.
 
Summer is also a great time to add fresh fruit to your diet!  Try some of the following:
  • BLUEBERRIES - Rich in antioxidants which may help fight cancer and prevent macular degeneration.  Like cranberries they may help protect against urinary tract infections.
  • APPLES - Eating the skin with the flesh gives you 15% of your daily fiber needs, and they are loaded with antioxidants.
  • KIWIS - Contain twice as much Vitamin C as an orange, ounce for ounce.
  • STRAWBERRIES - Excellent source of Vitamin C and other antioxidants.  A few a day may be good for diabetics, heart patients, and inflammation.
  • ORANGES - A single orange gives you a full day's Vitamin C and potassium. The membrane around each slice may help you lower cholesterol.
  • BANANAS - High in potassium, low in sodium.  May be good for blood pressure, stroke prevention, and preventing stomach ulcers.
  • GRAPES - Contain resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant, that might help fight heart disease.
  • PAPAYAS - May help improve digestion.  Provides a lot of Vitamin C and folate.
     
 (Summarized from Ladies Home Journal/Nutrition/May '09)
 
 
For extra nutrients under those toppings, next time make your salad healthier by adding:
  • WATERCRESS, which is high in iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and lutein, and may protect against carcinogens in tobacco.
  • ARUGULA, which belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family known to help protect against prostate, breast, and colon cancer.
  • SPINACH, which is high in iron, Vitamin C, and magnesium, and may slow mental decline
Bon Appetite!
 
 (Summarized from Los Angeles Times/Liz Baylen)
 
 

Personal Health Records

 
Maintaining your own Personal Health Record is one of the best ways to have constant access to your health information throughout the course of your lifetime.  What should your PHR include?  Your PHR should provide a comprehensive view of anything that impacts your health.
  • Personal identification, including name and birth date
  • Emergency contacts
  • Names, addresses, and phone numbers of your physicians, dentists, and specialists
  • Health insurance information
  • Living wills, advance directives, or medical power of attorney
  • Dates of significant illnesses and surgical procedures
  • Current medications and dosages
  • Immunizations and dates received
  • Allergies or sensitivities to drugs or materials
  • Important events and hereditary conditions in your family history
  • Opinions of specialists
  • Important test results
  • Eye and dental records
  • Correspondence between you and your provider
  • Permission forms
The important thing is to have a single source of your health information, whatever format you choose.
If you don’t have access to a computer to keep a PHR, a simple file folder with copies of your health records can be a valuable tool in documenting your health.

Individuals can create their own PHR, or may be offered one by a variety of sources including:
  • Healthcare providers
  • Insurers
  • Employers
  • Commercial suppliers

A free public Web site, www.myphr.com,  is available where the public can find a wide range of helpful information and resources including:
  • Information regarding your health information rights
  • A step-by-step guide for creating a PHR
  • A guided tour to help you learn more about how your health information is collected, where it goes, and how it's used
 
 

High Blood Pressure

 
WHAT IS IT?
Every person has blood pressure as their heart pumps blood throughout the body.  The force of blood against the walls of the arteries in your body creates your blood pressure.
 
Two numbers are measured when your blood pressure is taken.  The systolic pressure is the first or highest number and is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.  The diastolic pressure is the second or smaller number and is the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.
 
A normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80mm Hg (millimeters of mercury).  Pre-hypertension is a blood pressure of 120-139/80-89.  If you are an adult, you have hypertension or high blood pressure if your reading is 149/90mm Hg or higher.
 
Your heart and arteries have to work harder if you have high blood pressure.  If this continues for a long time, your heart, arteries, and other organs are affected.  Hypertension increases your risk of stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and heart attack.
 
The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have your doctor check your blood pressure or visit a blood pressure screening program.  Most people with high blood pressure do not have symptoms.  This is why it is called "The Silent Killer."
 
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Have your blood pressure checked frequently!  If you have high blood pressure, see your doctor to determine the best treatment for you.  There are many things you can do to lower blood pressure.  Your doctor may make recommendations about the foods you eat, such as low-fat and low-salt diet.  Losing weight and becoming more physically active may also be recommended.  You may be advised to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, and your doctor may advise you to stop smoking.  Your doctor may recommend medication to help reduce and control your high blood pressure.
 
Work together with your doctor to manage your blood pressure.  Keep your appointments.  Monitor your blood pressure between doctor visits.  Understand your medications and any side effects to watch for.  Notify your doctor if you think you are having problems with your medications.  There are many different medications to choose from, and your doctor needs your input to find the best one for you.  Remember, high blood pressure is a lifelong disease; it can be controlled but not cured!
 
The Coker Health and Wellness Committee provides FREE blood pressure screenings.  Liz Hoelscher, RN, organizes the blood pressure screenings, which are offered every 3rd Sunday.  You can reach Liz at 210-378-9522 if you would like to volunteer to help!  The Health and Wellness Committee looks forward to providing educational programs about High Blood Pressure.
 
 

Colorectal Cancer

 
According to the National Cancer Institute, almost 150,000 men and women are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the United States each year.  Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of all U.S. cancer-related deaths, and some 300,000 surgical procedures are performed every year to treat colon disease.
 
If you notice a change in bowel habits, dark stools, rectal bleeding, cramping/abdominal pain, or persistent weakness and fatigue, see your doctor right away.  Most of these symptoms are likely to be caused by conditions other than colorectal cancer, but they could also be signs of colon cancer so you should get checked out immediately.  Ask your physician if you need to be tested.  The American Cancer Society recommends a Fecal Occult Blood Test every year and a Colonoscopy every 10 years beginning at age 50.