DON’T LET LACK OF SLEEP WEIGH YOU DOWN

A good night’s sleep is as important as physical activity or healthy eating to maintain a healthy weight and optimum well-being. Sleep allows us to relax, restore and revitalize our bodies and minds every night. Research over the last decade has advanced understanding about the importance of sleep to maintaining a healthy weight.

Sleep insufficiency is recognized as an important public health issue in the United States. According to data from the National Health Interview Survey, nearly 30 percent of adults report averaging less than 6 hours sleep per night. People lacking the benefit of enough good quality sleep are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression and obesity. They also are at increased risk of cancer, infectious diseases, increased mortality and reduced quality of life

and productivity. Poor sleep can double or even triple your risk for the common cold.

Over 50 studies from around the world document that those who regularly sleep less than 6 hours a night are at increased risk of obesity. Those who get insufficient sleep are at greater risk for weight gain even if they exercise regularly and generally eat a healthy diet. When we are tired and sleep deprived, we often try to maintain our energy level with comfort foods. Not getting enough sleep appears to affect hormones that regulate feeling full or hungry so that we tend to eat too much with sleep loss. Feeling sleep deprived can keep you from being motivated to participate in physical activity or prepare a healthy meal.

To further examine the relationship of partial sleep deprivation to energy balance, researchers from King’s College conducted a systematic review and analysis of published studies. They found that lack of sleep was associated with eating 385 more calories per day, with higher fat and lower protein intake. There was no significant difference in carbohydrate intake.

Reference: Al Khatib, HK, Harding, SV, Darzi, J, and Pot, GK. The effects of partial sleep deprivation on energy balance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2, 2016.

Source: Janet Mullins, Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition, University Of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

MARCH 2017

A PUBLICATION OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES AGENTS

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PENDLETON

859/654-3395 “We all have extraordinary coded inside us, waiting to be released” -- Jean Houston

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TIMELY TIPS ................. 1

EATING RIGHT ............... 2

SPENDING SMART .......... 2

RAISING KIDS ................ 3

LIVING WELL ................. 3

WHAT’S COOKING .......... 3

COUNTY INFORMATION ... 4

Raising Kids, Eating Right, Spending Smart, Living

Cooperative Extension Service Gallatin County 395 US Highway 42 West Warsaw, KY 41095 (859) 567-5481 Fax: (859) 567-5432 Gallatin.ca.uky.edu

2

UNDERSTANDING YOUR TERM LIFE

INSURANCE OPTIONS

Term life insurance is a great choice for younger people, in good health, who are looking for life insurance that will cover their debts and other financial needs. A term policy covers a certain number of years, usually 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years.

If you are interested in buying term life insurance, you will have two things to think about: the cash amount of the policy and how long the policy should last. As a rule of thumb, you will want your insurance policy to continue until your last major financial commitment is taken care of. The cash amount of the policy depends on what you hope to do with the policy.

Here are some things to think about when buying term life insurance:

Debt. You should

think about how long it will take you to pay off all of your debts. Most people buy term life insurance that will cover their mortgage payments in the event that they die before their mortgage is paid off.

Children. You will also want to consider how

long it will be until your children will be able to support themselves and if you want to continue to support them through their college years.

Retirement. Once your kids are able to

support themselves, your debts are paid and you are living off of your retirement savings, life insurance is no longer needed.

Cost. The longer a term life policy is, the

greater the cost. You can always buy a shorter-term policy and plan on applying for a different policy when your financial situation improves. Although, your health may change in the meantime, affecting the insurance that you qualify for.

Source: Jennifer L. Hunter, Extension Specialist for Family Financial Management and Kristyn Jackson, LMFT, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Family Sciences, University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

BACK PAIN–COULD GOOD NUTRITION HELP?

For those of us who suffer from back pain, relief is a great thing. The causes of and ways to reduce that pain are not well known. Researchers are looking beyond the normal suspects. Researchers looked

at vitamin C compared to back pain. Vitamin C is involved in making collagen, tendons and ligaments, and repairing and maintaining cartilage. These are key body parts that promote proper movement and are found in the back. They wanted to reveal if low vitamin C levels might be related to back pain and reduced ability to move. Low levels of vitamin C in blood were related to neck pain, low back pain with and without pain below the knee and lower ability to move.

These results do not mean that low levels of vitamin C cause neck and back pain but it likely means they are linked. Since both low levels of vitamin C and back and neck pain are fairly common further study should occur. If you think you might be low in vitamin C, good food sources are: citrus fruit, melon, berries, kiwi fruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, sweet peppers, greens, tomato, winter squash and both sweet and white potatoes.

Reference: Pain. 2016 Nov;157(11):2527-2535. Serum vitamin C and spinal pain: a nationwide study.

Source: Janet Kurzynske, Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition and Jean Najor, Extension Associate, University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

“Put Your Best Fork Forward” is the theme for the Association of Nutrition and Dietetics’ National Nutrition Month. This theme serves as a reminder that every bite counts.

Take time in March to cook more at home and experiment with healthier ingredients.

Source: Association of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.eatright.org

3

KEEP KENTUCKY SMILING!

In 2016, Delta Dental and Kentucky Youth Advocates partnered to study the oral health of Kentucky’s youth. This study examined 3rd and 6th graders at over 60 schools. The study included a dental exam of the students and self-reported data from the parent or guardian.

This study had some interesting findings:

Participants who reported having dental insurance was 15 percent higher than it was in 2001. The survey found that 88 percent of 3rd and 6th graders had dental insurance that was able to pay for some, if not all, of the dental health care.

More children have seen a dentist in the past year. In 2001, about 25 percent of children surveyed had not been to the dentist within the past year. This survey found 16 percent of children had not been to the dentist. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends regular dental visits to help find problems early when treatment can be taken care of easier and often cheaper.

Many 3rd and 6th graders are in need of serious dental care. Serious dental care was defined as, “untreated tooth decay with pain, infection or swelling.” This survey found 49 percent of students needed care.

Forty-one percent of the children observed had untreated cavities. Cavities are damage to the tooth from tooth decay. Cavities do not cause pain as they develop, but untreated cavities can grow large and lead to tooth pain.

Sealants that protect teeth are not found on more than half of 3rd and 6th graders. A dental sealant is a very thin plastic coating that is put on the tooth where food is chewed. This coating helps prevent tooth decay by 80 percent for two years after it is put on and is supported by the ADA as a way to prevent tooth decay.

There are links to poor school performance and poor dental health. It is important to make sure that your child has healthy teeth and mouth.

Reference: Making Smiles Happen: 2016 Oral Health Study of Kentucky’s Youth; Kentuckyoralhealth.com

Source: Nicole Peritore, Extension Specialist for Family Health; University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

SAVE ON YOUR GYM MEMBERSHIP

Before committing to an expensive gym membership, consider these tips designed to save money:

Try it out! Many gyms provide a trial period

of one week to see if you enjoy what the gym has to offer prior to committing.

Bargain. Sit down

with the membership director to discuss the fees. Ask them to meet or beat the fees of their competitors. If they are unable to make such a deal, ask for extras, such as free classes or guest passes.

Piece your membership together. If you will

only use the gym’s fitness classes and not the other gym facilities, get a class card so you only pay for the gym services used. Vice versa, if you only use the gym equipment, look for a gym without classes as classes often raise the cost of gym memberships.

Pay month-to-month. Gym goers who pay

month-to-month save up to 20 percent more than those who pay for annual memberships.

Source: Jennifer L. Hunter, Extension Specialist for Family Financial Management and Kristyn Jackson, LMFT, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Family Sciences, University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

APPLE AND CHICKEN SALAD Serves 4

2 red apples 2 celery stalks, diced 2 cups cooked, diced, boneless chicken breasts 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 16 lettuce leaves

Cut apples in quarters; remove core and chop. In a medium size bowl, mix all ingredients, except lettuce. To serve, arrange lettuce on serving plates, top with apple and chicken salad.

Approximate nutrition per serving: 290 calories; 8g total fat; 2g saturated fat; 65mg cholesterol; 330mg sodium; 34g carbohydrate; 4g dietary fiber; 25g protein; 56mg calcium; 553 mg potassium

Source: What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl at https://whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/recipes/myplate-cnpp/apple-chicken-salad

4

NEWS. . .FROM GALLATIN COUNTY

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

Self-Care Tips for Busy Parents Many parents in today’s world feel like they barely have

enough time to take care of everyone else. There never

seems to be any time left to care for themselves. Parents

may even feel guilty about taking care of themselves. It is

critical to remember that taking care of yourself is part of

taking good care of your kids. Here are some tips to try to

build in self-care as a parent:

Change your priority list. Where do the things that

are just for you fall on your to-do-list? Most likely they

are at the bottom. Self-care is not something that

should go at the bottom with any times that is left over.

It is something that should come first

on your list, even if it is just some-

thing small everyday. You cannot

take good care of others if you are not

taking any time to care for yourself.

Celebrate the mistakes and stresses

along the way. Life throws a lot of

things at us, and we often have no

control. Take a moment to accept

where you are in life and appreciate

yourself. Remind yourself that you

will get through this moment and you

will figure things out. Sometimes bad things happen.

When they do, they are not the end of the world. We

will get through them.

Aim for balance, not perfection. We all try to do too

much as parents. But if you commit to too many

things, something is bound to fall through the cracks.

The joy may also get lost. It is important to choose

things that are the most important to you and your fam-

ily and let some things go.

Laughter really can be the best medicine. Laugh!

Carve out even just a few minutes of time each week to

do something that makes you laugh. You know what

makes you laugh. Pursue it and enjoy it.

Add in exercise. There is nothing else that can have

such a positive impact on mood. Plus it provides criti-

cal health benefits. Find a way to combine things that

make you happy with exercise. This will help with mo-

tivation. Take a walk with your child while talking will

mean a healthier and happier family.

about their day. Sign up for that exercise class with

your friend you no longer get to see often so you can

spend more time together. A healthier and happier you

Have space that is just for you. It does not need to

be an entire room. It just needs to be a spot that is im-

portant to you that is fully your own. Let your family

know that sometimes you need to be alone in that

space to do what you want. Read a book. Think quietly

alone. Watch something online that will make you

laugh.

Ask for help when you need it. It can be very hard

to ask for help. It is a skill that you need to practice.

Over time you will get better and you will learn

who the people are that you can count on and

trust in times of need.

Get as much sleep and down time as you

can. When you get enough sleep and down

time, you can be more present and positive with

your kids. There is a myth that doing nothing is

wasting time. It is actually very productive and

critical for children. Kids can explore the world

at their own place during down time. Parents can

relax and more fully enjoy the time with their

kids when they have nothing planned. Down time

can help children and parents to figure out how to cre-

ate their own happiness and manage their own time.

These are two of the most important skills we can learn

in life.

References: Eight Self-Care Tips for Parents Who Have

No Time for Self-Care (2016). GoZen! Retrieved October

2016 from http://www.gozen.com/8-self-care-tips-for-

aprents-who-have-no-time-for-self-care/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

SHERRI BRODERICK

GALLATIN COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT

FOR FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES