Inside This Issue:

Self-Care Corner .................2

Medical News......................3

Feed Your Body – Feed Your Soul ...................4

Family Life...........................5

Well-Being Tips ...................6

VHA Employee Health Promotion/ Disease and Impairment Prevention For further information about this newsletter, please contact: AskVHAemployeewellness@va.gov

®HealthyLife Letter May 2015 Promot ing Heal th . Enhancing L i fe . Reducing Costs .

THE 5th ANNUAL VA2K WALK & ROLL EVENT The fifth annual VA2K Walk and Roll Event will take place on May 20, 2015, at participating VA sites across the nation. The

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NEWS from the VHA Employee Health Promotion/Disease and Impairment Prevention Program Office

purpose of this event is to encourage healthy activity while supporting homeless Veterans with donated items. In 2014 over 25,000 participants donated goods estimated at more than $300,000.

The event is free and open to employees, Veterans and the general public of all fitness levels. The approximately 1.2 mile event can be completed over a lunch break and helps encourage participants to embrace healthy lifestyle choices that sustain and improve their own health. Participation and donations are entirely voluntary.

For more information and photographs from last year’s event, go to: www.publichealth.va.gov/VA2K. To find out if your VA facility is hosting a 2K event email AskVHAEmployeewellness@va.gov. VA facilities can be located by visiting www.va.gov/directory.

May is National Employee Health & Fitness Month AND National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. People of all ages and body types can benefit from regular physical activity. So this is a great time to spread the word about the benefits of becoming active. Not sure of how to get started? How about walking? It’s safe, inexpensive, and you can start off with just ten minutes at a time. All you need are some good shoes! A great way to kick off a new walking program is to participate in the upcoming VA2K.

Self-Care Corner

PREVENT DIABETES Diabetes may run in your In a person with type 2 diabetes, either the

body’s cells have trouble using insulin or thefamily, but you can avoid or body isn’t making enough insulin. As a result,

delay its development. glucose can build up to harmful levels in the blood. That’s why people with diabetes often

You can reduce your risk for type 2 have high blood glucose levels.diabetes by eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of physical activity, and losing These high levels raise your risk for heartexcess weight, according to NIH in Health. disease, kidney problems, blindness,Type 2 diabetes occurs due to problems amputations, and other serious conditions.related to a hormone called insulin. When your body digests food, it’s broken Being overweight, obese, or inactive increasesdown and converted to glucose and other the risk to develop type 2 diabetes. You canmolecules, which then travel through the change these risk factors. Losing just 5-10bloodstream. Insulin percent of your weight and exercising 30signals cells to let minutes a day on 5 days a week goes a longglucose in for use as way to lower your risk. an energy source.

Best exercise for people with diabetes The best exercise for anyone with diabetes The type of exercise really doesn’t matter may be a notch above a casual walk, as long as you’re moving and getting according to Jamie Cooper, assistant some exercise on a regular basis. Finding professor of nutritional sciences at something you enjoy and are motivated Texas Tech University. to do is probably more important than a

basis,” Cooper said. and sweating a little bit— then they know they’re working more intensely,” Cooper said.

specific type of exercise to treat diabetes. “A person should exercise to the “It’s not something you just do once a point when month or for a couple of weeks and quit. they’re It has to be something you adapt into your breathing a new, healthier lifestyle and do on a regular little bit harder

{Note: Many topics like the one on this page are contained in a medical self-care guide, such as Healthier at Home® and/or addressed by a nurse advice line if you have access to one. They can help you make better decisions about when to seek professional assistance and when you can treat yourself at home using self-care.}

STEPS TO PREVENT DIABETES

• Move more. It doesn’t matter what activity you do, as long as you enjoy it.

• Choose healthy foods. Eat fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.

• Maintain a healthy weight. With healthy eating and physical activity, you can drop pounds and keep them off.

• Set reasonable goals. Start with small changes, even walking 15 minutes a day. Add 5 minutes per day next week and so on. Goal: 30 minutes, 5 days a week.

• Record your progress. Keep a diary of what you eat and drink and the number of minutes you exercise to stay focused on your goal.

• Keep at it. Making even small changes is hard in the beginning. If you get off track, start again.

2

Medical News

HEAT & HUMIDITY: A dangerous combination Heat and humidity can trigger three major illnesses, according to Dr. Eric Kirkendall, of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center:

Heat stroke symptoms include hot flushed skin, high fevers (over 104ºF), altered mental states such as confusion, and can be accompanied by seizures. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency and needs to be treated promptly.

Heat exhaustion symptoms include pale skin, profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, or weakness. It is less severe than heat stroke but is still dangerous and may require medical attention.

Heat cramps are most common in the abdomen and legs, especially the calf or thigh muscles. Tightness or hand spasms can also occur, but fever is not a symptom.

HEAT STROKE IS A 911 EMERGENCY. Cool the person off as quickly as possible while waiting for medical services to arrive. Move the person to a cool shady place or an air-conditioned room; sponge the entire body surface with cool water (as tolerated without causing shivering); and fan the person to increase heat loss from evaporation. Keep the feet elevated to counteract shock. If the person is awake, give him or her as much cold water to drink as he or she can tolerate. Fever medicines are of no value for heat stroke.

For heat exhaustion, put the person in a cool place indoors or in the shade. Have him or her lie down with the feet elevated. Undress the person (except for underwear) so the body surface can give off heat. Sponge the entire body surface continuously with cool water without causing shivering. Fan the person to increase heat loss from evaporation. Give as much cool, not cold water or sport drinks as the person tolerates until he or she feels better. If symptoms do not improve or the person gets light-headed or faints, get medical care right away.

For heat cramps, monitor physical activity and make sure children don’t overly exert themselves. Adults can self-monitor. Make sure children drink plenty of water often. Encourage frequent breaks from physical activity to cool down and gently stretch muscles.

Children and adults are vulnerable to these heat-related illnesses, but children playing

sports outdoors may be most at risk.

So do youreallyneed that vitamin?

Before taking a daily vitamin or dietary supplement, you might want to think about what you’re really consuming, suggests a Kansas State University human nutritionist.

“Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration like other drugs are regulated, which is something I think a lot of people don’t realize,” said Brian Lindshield, assistant professor of human nutrition.

Lindshield researches supplements to see if the ingredients listed on the label actually match what is found in the bottle. You don’t always get what you pay for and think you’re getting.

If you want to get the most accurate product, look for the bottles with the more descriptive labels. Also, paying a little extra will usually get you the ingredients you are seeking.

“You should probably avoid buying the cheapest supplement available because if the manufacturer is cutting corners to get the price really cheap, they probably are not using the same standards that the manufacturers of more expensive products are,” Lindshield said.

Another tip: Don’t expect supplements to make up for a poor diet. “Vitamins and minerals will prevent deficiency, but it’s not going to make up for a lot of the chronic disease risks that come with an unhealthy diet,” Lindshield said.

3

4

FEATURED RECIPE:

Feed Your Body—Feed Your Soul

Ingredients 1/2 loaf Italian or French bread (split

lengthwise, or 2 split English muffins) 1/2 cup pizza sauce 1/2 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese

(low-fat, shredded) 3 tablespoons green pepper (chopped) 3 tablespoons mushrooms (fresh or

canned, sliced) Vegetable toppings (other, optional) Italian seasoning (optional)

Directions Toast the bread or English muffin until slightly brown. Top bread or muffin with pizza sauce, vegetables, and low-fat cheese. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings as desired. Return bread to toaster oven (or regular oven preheated to 350 degrees). Heat until cheese melts.

Makes 2 servings: Per serving: 180 calories, 7 g total fat, 12 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 540 mg sodium.

From the USDA What’s Cooking? Mixing Bowl, www.usda.gov/whatscooking

Anytime Pizza

Eating Out Tip Before you choose restaurants, check out

their websites. Read menu options and nutrition information, if provided, to help you make healthy choices. When you are at a restaurant, ask if you can

make healthier substitutes, such as having a vegetable in place of French fries.

4

Menu secrets When dining out, two things that affect your menu choices the most are what you see on the menu and how you imagine it will taste.

But what you order may have less to do with what you want and more to do with a menu’s layout and descriptions, according to a Cornell study in the International Journal of Hospitality Management.

First, any food item that attracts attention (with bold, highlighted or colored font or set apart in a text box) makes us more likely to order that food item rather than the item listed next to it. “In most cases, these are the least healthy items on the menu,” said lead author, Brian Wansink, author of Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life.

Second, menu names with descriptive items sell better and lead you to believe that they taste better. The researchers cite a study where they changed the names of restaurant menu items to make them more descriptive; the seafood filet became Succulent The best solutionItalian Seafood Filet and red beans and

to healthier restaurant dining may be an easyrice became Cajun Red Beans and Rice. one. “Just ask your server,” said Wansink,Sales of these items went up by 28%, “Ask, ‘What are your two or three lighterand they were rated as tastier, even entrées that get the most compliments?’ orthough the recipe was identical. Diners ‘What’s the best thing on the menu if a personwere also willing to pay an average of wants a light dinner?’”12% more money for a menu item with

a descriptive name.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS:

• Vegetables should be cooked and cut into small pieces.

• Hot dogs and cheese sticks should be cut lengthwise, then widthwise, and then into the shape of small moons.

• Grapes should be peeled and cut in half or quarters.

• Nut butters should be spread thinly onto crackers or bread.

• Young children should always be attended to by an adult when they eat and only eat developmentally appropriate foods.

• Children should sit up straight and not play or run while eating.

Family Life

Prevent kids from choking Food—not toys—are the most common culprit of choking accidents in kids under 5. The reasons have a lot to do with a child’s anatomy.

“Young children have underdeveloped

narrow airways, which put them at a higher risk for

swallowing mechanisms, immature teeth and

choking on food,” said Dr. Nina Shapiro, a professor of head and neck surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine. “Plus, the diameter of a child’s airway is about the size of their pinky, so high-risk foods can easily block their tiny airways and prevent their ability to breathe.”

The list of high-risk foods for children under age 5 years includes

Chunks of meat or cheese

many kid favorites: • Cheese sticks

• Chewing gum

•

• Chunks of peanut butter

• Chunks of raw vegetables

• Dried fruit

Hot dogs

Nuts

Popcorn

Seeds such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds

• Grapes

• Hard or sticky candy and lollipops

•

•

•

•

If a child does choke and is unable to breathe, call 911 and perform the Heimlich maneuver. Even if the child seems to choke but then coughs and appears fine, the object may have become lodged, and the child should see a doctor.

10,000+the number of

ER VISITSFOR CHILDREN

CHOKINGon FOOD each YEAR

1CHILD dies every

5DAYS from a food-choking accident

5

Well-Being Tips

Thinkingabout gettingpregnant?

A healthy pregnancy starts with these steps, according to the CDC:

• Take a vitamin with 400 micrograms (mcg) folic acid every day. Read the label.

• Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and street drugs.

• Keep hands clean by washing them often with soap and water to prevent infections.

• See a health care professional regularly. Talk about any medical problems (such as obesity, diabetes, seizures) and medicine use (both prescription and over-the-counter).

• Ask about avoiding any substances at work or at home that might be harmful to a developing baby.

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.

• Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk and foods made from it.

• Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat.

• While pregnant, get early prenatal care and go to every appointment.

Oh the embarrassment If you avoid wearing dark clothing because of those tell-tale dandruff flakes, know this.

“Many people believe dandruff is caused by poor hygiene, but this simply isn’t true,” said Dr. Adam J. Friedman, professor and dermatologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Rather than try to remedy dandruff by over-shampooing or over-brushing your hair, which can both be damaging to the hair, use dandruff shampoo and scalp treatments instead.”

To get the best results from using dandruff shampoo, Dr. Friedman recommends the following tips:

• Follow the instructions on the dandruff shampoo bottle. There are many different dandruff shampoos, and each contains different active ingredients for controlling symptoms. For example, some dandruff shampoos require that you lather the shampoo into the hair and onto the scalp and leave on for about 5 minutes before rinsing; others should not be left on the scalp.

• If you are African-American, only shampoo once a week using a dandruff shampoo. See a dermatologist for the best product recommendation for your hair type.

• If you are Caucasian or Asian, shampoo daily and use dandruff shampoo twice a week. If using one dandruff shampoo does not bring relief, try alternating between dandruff shampoos with different active ingredients.

• Be careful when using a dandruff shampoo that contains coal tar. Tar shampoo can discolor blond, gray, or white hair, so if you have light-colored hair, you may want to choose a different dandruff shampoo. In addition, tar shampoo has the potential to make your scalp more sensitive to sunlight. If you use this type of dandruff shampoo, it’s important to protect your scalp from the sun by wearing a hat when outdoors and seeking shade whenever possible.

“For most people, dandruff does not require medical attention,” said Dr. Friedman. “However, sometimes the flaking and itching that appears like dandruff is actually a medical condition, such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infections of the scalp, or eczema.” If you continue to have symptoms after using a dandruff shampoo, see your doctor.

6

Well-Being Tips

You see a shrink?

It is often the assumption that if you go to therapy that you have serious problems you cannot manage on your own and there is something fundamentally wrong with you. In reality, if someone is attending therapy, they tend to be on the healthier side of self-love and self-awareness.

Because seeing a therapist is stigmatized, many people who want to seek help, either often don’t, or they keep their therapy private so they do not invoke judgment.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Sherrie Campbell, author of Loving Yourself: The Mastery of Being Your Own Person, offers this advice:

• Everyone can benefit from therapy. We are not here to do life on our own nor are we equipped to be 100% objective in our own lives. Therapy is the perfect way to get that objective view, get to know yourself more deeply, analyze your habits of behavior and find solutions and resolutions to life’s everyday issues. Even healthy people seek therapy.

• Deniers don’t attend therapy. The unhealthiest people, the people who need treatment the most, are the ones who never consider therapy. In their mind they are never wrong, it is always someone else’s problem, and they should not have to change. The people who end up in therapy are those trying to deal with the relationships they have with these people who deny there is a problem.

• Own your personal journey. If you have chosen to attend therapy, be proud of it. Most people who are seeing the benefits of therapy tend to brag about how much the therapy is changing their lives. We all want to be happy, and when you communicate about your therapy as a major benefit to your life, you will be surprised how many people either ask for your therapist’s information or confess back to you they have also sought therapy. When you own and take pride in your growth, much to your surprise many others will take your lead.

May is MentalHealth Month

This year’s theme is to address mental health conditions long before they reach the most critical points in the disease process—before Stage 4. When we think about cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, we don’t wait years to treat them. We start before Stage 4—beginning with prevention.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to find out about symptoms of mental health conditions is to take a mental health screening. You can get online screening tools for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder at Mental Health America’s website www.mhascreening.org. Discuss your screening results with

quickly and live full

your primary care

can often recover

and productive lives.

provider. When symptoms are addressed before Stage 4, people

For more information on Mental Health Month and a series of fact sheets on mental health, go to www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may.

7

Drivers worry about speeding, lane changing, and traffic jams. How about concern for getting skin cancer while driving? In a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, a Saint Louis University doctor found that skin cancers on the face were found more on the left side (from exposure to the sun, even through a closed car window), especially in men. The best defensive driving plan is to wear sunscreen.

ANOTHER DRIVING

HARZARD

People who take any of their prescribed medicine regularly have a lower risk of death than people who have a hard time remembering to take pills—even if the medications are just dummy pills. A US researcher, whose study is published in the British Medical Journal, thinks people who are compliant may practice healthy behaviors overall.

PILL POWER

Thinking about changing Do you want to lose weight, quit smoking, eat healthier, get fit, manage stress, drink less alcohol? First, ask yourself: Are you ready to change?

Meg Baker, director of Employee Wellness at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, says while the focus on self-improvement is good, you must be ready to make a change in order to actually do so. To help prepare for any lifestyle change, Baker offers some tips:

• Develop small, short-term goals that will fit into your schedule. Make them realistic.

• Consider the benefits and reasons for the change.

• Talk to a family member, friend, or coworker about goals. Sharing your goals with others will increase the likelihood of your staying committed to a new gym regimen or stop smoking plan, and they may want to join you.

“If the new behavior has lost its luster, switch things up,” Baker said. “Variety is the key to life and can keep you from getting burned out. Spice things up by changing your normal exercise routine, finding new healthy recipes online, or joining a new exercise class.”

8 Copyright 2015, American Institute for Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

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