Side effects - chrissoprych.com · that are raising your sodi-um intake. It may also be ... es like...

AN EDITION OF XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX m i n d • b o d y • s p i r i t

SPRING 2013

Keeping them safe

Preventing injury in spring youth sports

Side effectsRelationships can change after weight loss

Caring for the ‘sandwich generation’

2 Spring Healthy Living | Xxxday, Xxxxx. XX, 2013

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HEALTHY LIVING is creat-ed quarterly by GateHouse Media, Inc., XXXXXX parent company, and is distribut-ed with various GateHouse papers across the coun-try. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior writ-ten permission is strictly pro-hibited. Opinions expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the management of the publication.

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3Spring Healthy Living | Xxxday, Xxxxx. XX, 2013

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health report

CONTACT US Phone: XXX.XXX.XXXX Fax: XXX.XXX.XXXX

EDITORIAL [email protected]

ADVERTISING [email protected]

CIRCULATION [email protected]

ONLINE [email protected]

HEALTHY LIVING is creat-ed quarterly by GateHouse Media, Inc., XXXXXX parent company, and is distribut-ed with various GateHouse papers across the coun-try. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior writ-ten permission is strictly pro-hibited. Opinions expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the management of the publication.

Cover photo: BIGSTOCK

©2013 GATEHOUSE MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

By Danielle BraffGateHouse News Service

The truth about frozen food

If you and your family are trying to lose weight, you should head straight to the supermarket and stock up on frozen meals. A study published in the Archives of Internal Med-icine finds that overweight people who eat frozen pre-pared food from the super-market lose an average of 6 pounds per year more than people who make their own diet foods. The key: portion control.

Egg patrolThey aren’t good for you,

then they are good for you. The research continues

to go back and forth on eggs. The latest study pub-lished in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition finds that eat-ing eggs doesn’t appear to raise your heart disease risk.

We bet we know what you’ll be eating for

breakfast tomorrow.

Snack attackChances are, you’re

snacking while you read this article. Americans consume two times as ma-ny snacks as they did in 1977, and snacks account for a quarter of the calories in your diet, says a report by the USDA.

While snacking to curb hunger isn’t a bad thing, you should make smart choices — carrots and hummus instead of a bag of chips, for instance.

Cut the saltIt’s not only the salty

soup and preservatives that are raising your sodi-um intake. It may also be bread, according to a re-cent report by the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention.

Two pieces of bread can deliver 20 percent of the USDA’s salt limit. If you’re older than 51 or have high blood pressure, the two pieces account for more than 30 percent of your salt limit.

Breakfast of champions

Want a healthy breakfast?

You should make sure you’re sipping on a cup of coffee daily, says a study by researchers at the Uni-versity of Scranton (Pa.). Coffee is America’s No. 1 source of antioxidants, and it accounts for 40 percent of the average person’s an-tioxidant intake.

New findings on nutrition

MORGUEFILE


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Joanna Volavka models her red dress. COURTESY OF DAYLENE CURRIER


depression

By Erika EnigkGateHouse News Service

For those who suf-fer from depression, the thought of leaving the house in a bright red ball gown may seem imprac-tical, impossible, even preposterous.

And that’s exactly why many do it. It’s all part of the traveling red dress project, begun by blogger Jenny Lawson.

How it startedLawson, the best-sell-

ing author of “Let’s Pre-tend This Never Hap-pened,” writes regularly on her blog, www.thebloggess.com, about her own strug-gle with depression and anxiety.

In 2010, Lawson posted

about a red gown a friend had made, writing that she wanted to be “shocking and vivid and wear a dress as intensely amazing as I want to be.” A commenter said she, too, wanted to wear the dress to celebrate overcoming agorapho-bia, so Lawson took it to her at a conference. Soon, the red dress was traveling the world as others asked to wear it in celebration of victories over their person-al struggles.

Other blog readers, and even dress companies, were offering red dress-es to people who want-ed to participate. The idea hearkens back to the novel and movie “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” in which four friends share a pair of jeans that somehow

fits each of them perfectly.Lawson said she was

“shocked” that the idea was picked up so quickly.

“I had no idea it would become such a sensation,” she said.

How it worksAnyone is welcome to

participate in the red dress project, whether receiv-ing a dress from someone else or putting a new one into circulation. There are several dresses traveling throughout the world al-ready. Periodically, there are posts on the project’s Facebook page from peo-ple looking to send or re-ceive a dress. Many also post photos of themselves in their dresses.

Lawson wrote on her blog: “Your only real

responsibility is to enjoy it and then pass it on to the next stranger who needs it, with instructions to keep it going ….”

‘Depression lies’According to the Nation-

al Institutes of Health, ma-jor depressive disorder af-fects approximately 14.8 percent of American adults and is the leading cause of disability for Americans ages 15-44.

Lawson’s frank discus-sion of her own struggle with depression has in-spired many readers to tell her stories of their own struggles with depression and anxiety. She said it has helped her to realize she’s not alone and that her struggle doesn’t define her.

“There’s something about giving yourself the freedom to be yourself without shame that’s so empowering,” she said. “I think that the support I’ve gotten on my blog has re-ally helped me to become a better person and to ac-cept myself as I am. I’ve re-alized that depression lies and can’t be trusted.”

Lawson faces challeng-es like explaining her con-dition to her 8-year-old daughter in an age-ap-propriate way, particular-ly during days and weeks when she can’t bring her-self to get out of bed. But with the help of family, friends and her therapist, she’s able to keep fighting.

“I can remind myself that eventually I’ll get to be me again,” she said.

Ladies in red

Traveling red dress project helps women cope

Laura Franklin, who blogs at betterinbulk.net, shows off her red dress. COURTESEY OF AMIE ADAMS


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By Melissa EricksonGateHouse News Service

With more than 38 mil-lion kids participating in organized sports, accord-ing to the National Insti-tutes of Health, it would seem American children are fit, healthy and hav-ing fun. But the truth is, we may be playing our kids right into the emergency room.

“We are in an era of epi-demic sports injuries,” said Dr. William N. Levine, a specialist in arthroscop-ic and open shoulder, el-bow and knee surgery and sports medicine at Colum-bia University.

Unlike in the past, today

there is a “super specializa-tion” in year-round youth sports. When injury oc-curs, “the growing skele-tons of preteens and teens are not getting enough time to recover.”

In addition to common strains and sprains, more frequently doctors are seeing younger kids with growth plate injuries to the upper and lower body and repetitive motion injuries such as stress fractures.

“It’s a fallacy that the more children play, the better conditioned they will become,” said Dr. Al-fred Atanda, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at the Nemours/Alfred I.

duPont Hospital for Chil-dren in Wilmington, Del. “Organized sports is lucra-tive as a business, and par-ents have to be more sen-sitive to the dangers and less strident about making their kids practice year-round,” which can lead to increased injuries.

“Up to 50 percent of in-juries seen in pediatric sports medicine are relat-ed to overuse,” said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “But most overuse injuries are completely preventable. We know kids love to play sports all year long, but an offseason of at least 10 consecutive weeks, from any particular sport, helps balance muscle develop-ment, prevents burnout in the child and decreases the risk for an overuse injury.”

Here’s a look at safety concerns of some spring/

summer sports with tips from www.stopsportsinju-ries.org and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Baseball: Elbow and shoulder injuries because of overuse are reaching epidemic levels, with the damage or tearing of the ulnar collateral ligament the most common. Over-use injuries are prevent-able by warming up prop-erly, rotating positions and adhering to pitch count guidelines. The most obvi-ous treatment is rest, fol-lowed by a throwing reha-bilitation program.

Softball: Injuries are on the rise in softball and commonly involve the back, shoulder, forearm, wrist and hand. Pitchers, who use a windmill mo-tion, can suffer injuries to the back, neck, shoulders, forearm and wrist. These

overuse injuries are treat-ed the same as baseball overuse injuries.

Golf: It looks like a low-risk sport, but many young golfers who lack prop-er technique suffer from overuse injuries. Without the proper form, young golfers put extra stress on the back, shoulder and el-bow. Acute injuries can oc-cur from a single, traumat-ic event such as hitting a submerged tree root in a sand trap. To avoid injury, develop a solid swing tech-nique, stretch before play-ing and warm up by hitting some balls, starting with a wedge.

Running: Great exercise for pairs or in groups, run-ning does pose the pos-sibility of injuries to the knees, lower leg, foot and ankle, and pelvic and hip joints. Pushing through the pain will just make the problem worse. If some-thing hurts, see a doctor. Talk with an adult about a running plan and always run with a partner in safe areas in temperate weath-er. Stay hydrated, stretch before running and speed up slowly. Wear the proper attire, shoes and socks.

Tennis: Two-thirds of tennis injuries are from overuse, such as tennis el-bow, which affects the muscles used when the ball hits the racquet. To avoid injuries, strengthen these muscles through exercise, warm up properly and use the correct grip size.

How do you avoid overuse injuries?

“Gradual conditioning in the beginning of the sports season, and active warm-ups and stretching before practices and games makes a big difference,” Carr said. “It might take a small change in the current sports culture, but coach-es and parents should start rewarding players for com-municating any pain or in-jury they may have during practices or games.”

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Safe!Preventing injuries in young athletes


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autism

By Carolyn SperryGateHouse News Service

Autism is so prevalent these days — the latest CDC estimate is that about 1 in 88 children has an autism spectrum disorder — that almost everyone knows of a child with this diagnosis.

If you interact with more than one of these special kids, you will notice that children with ASD can have very different strengths and challenges. In fact, ASD pres-ents itself in a staggering variety of ways — from very verbal kids with vast amounts of specialized knowledge to nonverbal children who may use assistive technology to communicate.

Childhood friendsRelationships with autistic kids

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autism

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Though it can be tough to know where to start, there are ma-ny ways to help kids with ASD in your community, and to help your child be friends with a classmate or neighbor on the autism spec-trum. Rest assured that reaching out is the right thing to do; friend-ships with typically developing children can be invaluable to kids with ASD — and typical kids will learn from the friendship, too.

n Think inclusion. Children with autism are, first and fore-most, children. “It’s more natural to include them from the start,” says Ann Cole, Community Re-lations Director of Upstate New York Families for Effective Autism Treatment and the mother of two teenagers with ASD. It’s possible

for kids on the spectrum to form very real friendships with their peers. You may be surprised at how much common ground your child shares with her classmate; they may both love Legos, science, video games or movies. Often chil-dren with autism want desper-ately to play with other kids, but may not be able to articulate this desire.

n Ask the child’s parents for in-formation. Don’t feel awkward about this; the parents will prob-ably be grateful that you asked. Because each child with ASD is so unique, going straight to the source for information is a great idea — what does their child like to do? How could your kids in-clude him in their play? Are there

certain things that upset the child? (If you are concerned about behavior issues, this is where you will find out.) To help a child with autism fit into a group of typical kids, “Be a detective,” says Cole. “Figure out what strengths that child has, and try building an ac-tivity around that.”

n Be patient. Depending on the child, he or she may have compre-hension problems, may need to be reminded to take turns or might need extra help when trying a new activity. Many kids with autism have “sensory issues” that make everyday sounds, sights and expe-riences unpleasant or even pain-ful. ASD kids may also have trou-ble reading facial expressions, body language or the emotions of

others.n Push for autism awareness

training in schools. With more kids receiving this diagnosis, it behooves everyone to learn what they can. Often, Cole says, kids seem to enjoy disability awareness training, “and there’s not a school that couldn’t use it.” Contact your local autism organization, who should be able to assist you.

For more informationAutism Speaks’ tips on being a

friend to someone with autism: http://tinyurl.com/bugc34f

University of Louisville Kentucky Autism Training Center’s autism re-source guide: http://tinyurl.com/dygsoer


weight loss

By Erika EnigkGateHouse News Service

Losing excess weight can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

However, it can also be a chal-lenge, and not just because of food and exercise. Many people who have lost weight find liv-ing in their new bodies can be difficult around old friends and family.

People who lose weight feel more confident, which changes the way they interact with peo-ple, New York Weight Watch-ers leader and Director of Brand Advocacy Liz Josefsberg said. But that has consequences, and sometimes, they take just as much careful treatment as a food and exercise plan.

The “indulgent ‘good for you’”

Compliments can feel great, but poorly chosen words can be tough to take. Amy Royle of Downers Grove, Ill., who lost 75 pounds on Weight Watch-ers three years ago, remembers a few people giving her “an in-dulgent ‘good for you’” after her first 20 or so.

“People don’t believe you can keep it off and change your life-style,” she said.

Maribeth McCarthy of Ed-inboro, Pa., who has lost more than 50 pounds so far under the guidance of a friend, said she loves being told she looks great, but hearing how beautiful she is now makes her wonder how bad people thought she looked

before.McCarthy, who sings and acts,

has never had a problem be-ing the center of attention. She wasn’t even shy about identify-ing herself as overweight, play-ing hefty heroine Tracy Turn-blad in an Erie, Pa., production of “Hairspray.”

But somehow, she said, know-ing other people think of her that way is hard.

“I was very lucky to have self-confidence to spare,” she said. “But I still feel judged by people who look at me.”

These situations can be un-comfortable, Josefsberg said. But how remarks are inter-preted is on the receiver. Most compliments are well-meant, and the few digs are not worth stressing about.

“Sometimes the best thing to do is just not respond and move on from the conversation,” she said.

The family memberOne thing that’s kept McCar-

thy working hard to shed the 40 pounds she has left to lose is the size 8 dress she ordered for her twin sister Ellen’s July wedding. Months ago, even a 12 was tight, but today, the 8 nearly fits.

But even that triumph has brought about some discomfort. Although McCarthy has always been the twin more likely to seek the spotlight, her sister has had some hard feelings about being upstaged at her own wed-ding. And when McCarthy com-plains about the way she looks, her sister gets annoyed.

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Relationships can change when a person loses weight


weight loss

“She definitely gets irritated with me,” she said. “Since I’m thinner now, I’m not allowed to say I look fat.”

For Royle, her changing body was a source of argument with her husband. Like McCarthy, she acts and sings and had al-ways been outgoing. When she lost weight, her newfound con-fidence had people seeking her out, paying more attention to her, upsetting the balance in her marriage. Her husband became jealous of the attention she was getting and accused her of being shallow when she started tak-ing more of an interest in her appearance.

“I think what he got used to was I didn’t get the same sincere attention when I was the fat girl in the room,” she said.

Their marriage already on the rocks, the issue became a con-tributing factor to their eventu-al divorce.

“When I decided to start los-ing weight, I found myself again,” she said. “He thought I had changed completely.”

According to Josefsberg, it’s common for people in one’s in-ner circle to become confused and even upset with the chang-es that result from weight loss. People can’t help reassessing their own place in the relation-ship, she said.

“When you disrupt someone’s identity, that is very difficult for them,” she said.

Having a support system in place is important, and some-times that comes from out-side of a person’s inner circle. A weight loss group or an exercise group like a running club can be very helpful, she said.

The jealous friendJust like family members,

friends who would like to lose weight can become jealous and distant when they see some-one accomplishing what they cannot.

“They equate your success with their failure,” Royle said.

McCarthy admits she isn’t as patient with these friends as she used to be; she sees herself as living proof that people can reach their goals. But some peo-ple just aren’t ready to make a change, Josefsberg said. It’s im-portant to emphasize that losing weight was a personal choice, and is for everyone.

Food pusher and the overzealous helper

It’s difficult to socialize with-out dealing with uncomfortable food situations, Royle said. The temptation to overindulge can be great, especially with friends and family who want to share their goodies. But there are some tricks that can keep peo-ple keeping their commitments to themselves.

“You can’t just show up at a party expecting not to eat any-thing, ‘cause that’s not going to happen,” she said.

Josefsberg recommends hav-ing a couple of stock answers ready for social situations. Things like “I just ate” or “I’ll just have a small piece of cake” work most of the time, she said.

A firm stance may be likewise necessary for friends and family who nominate themselves pro-tectors, Royle said. One friend of hers used to scold her if he saw her with a piece of candy,

reminding her she’d worked so hard to lose weight. She was able to laugh it off for a while but eventually told him she ap-preciated his concern but knew how to handle herself.

The support systemLife will change when a per-

son loses weight, Josefsberg cautions, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. Mc-Carthy said her health has im-proved, and for Royle, weight loss has led to a career as a

Weight Watchers leader.It’s important to have a sup-

port system in place during and after weight loss, Josefsberg said. Everyone deals with obsta-cles, and some have such a dif-ficult time that they fall off the plan.

When they get on the plan again, however, they come back stronger and ready to focus.

“When you come back, you won’t ever make that mistake again,” she said.

“People don’t believe you can keep it off and change your lifestyle.”

Amy Royle of Downers Grove, Ill.

Maribeth McCarthy (center) plays hefty heroine Tracy Turnblad in a Meadville, Pa., production of “Hairspray.” McCarthy wasn’t shy about identifying herself as overweight but somehow, she said, knowing other people think of her that way is hard. PROVIDED BY ACADEMY THEATRE, MEADVILLE, PA.

“I was very lucky to have self-confidence to spare. ...But I still feel judged by people who look at me.”

Maribeth McCarthy of Edinboro, Pa.


treatment

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Once considered an “old person’s dis-ease,” arthritis is a painful disorder that affects people of all ages. In the United States, two-thirds of the 50 million arthri-

tis sufferers are younger than 65, includ-ing 300,000 children.

In fact, arthritis is the nation’s leading cause of disability,

and the number of suf-ferers will increase

as more baby

boomers feel pain in their joints, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

The pain index doesn’t have to increase, however, say experts who cite safer, more effective treatments and advances in the diagnosis and treatment of the potentially crippling disease.

Because osteoarthritis, the most com-mon form of arthritis, is a progressive con-dition, eliminating risk factors early in life can provide benefits later on. “What starts as a joint strain can progress into arthritis as cartilage gradually wears away,” says Dr. Mark Miller, professor of orthopedic sur-gery at the University of Virginia Health System.

Here are some suggestions and informa-tion that might help keep joint problems at bay.

Arthritis breakthroughs

Tips for sufferers of all agesBy Beverly Burmeier | American Profile

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Diagnose earlierThough there’s no known cure

for arthritis, researchers at the Uni-versity of Missouri-Columbia are examining arthritic joints to deter-mine specific genes and proteins in injured cartilage involved in onset of the disease.

“We’re developing biomarker panels that may allow us to pre-dict which joints will be affected by arthritis and determine the sever-ity of the disease before patients have symptoms. Then we can find better ways to reverse or at least markedly slow its progression,” says study author Dr. James Cook.

Choose flexible footwear

Clogs and stability shoes in-crease the load on knees, while walking shoes and flip-flops allow a natural foot motion similar to walk-ing barefoot, which is better for knees. Flat, flexible shoes provide the greatest benefit for limiting the progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Supplement sunshine

Increased vitamin D levels, par-ticularly for individuals living in northern latitudes or with dark skin, may help improve muscle strength and physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to Boston University re-searcher Dr. Kristin Baker.

Take birth control pills

Women taking birth control pills have tighter, more stable knee joints and more flexibility — an ex-tra level of protection for any wom-an who exercises regularly. That’s especially good news since women are four to eight times more likely than men to suffer a serious knee injury. Such injuries that happen early in life often have a degener-ative effect resulting in arthritis in the affected joint, Miller says.

Grow new cartilageCartilage does not regenerate in

adults, but researchers at North-western University near Chica-go hope to change that with a new material that promotes the growth of new cartilage within the body. By injecting a liquid gel around the damaged joint, bone marrow stem cells are activated to produce natural cartilage. In separate re-search, scientists at Duke Univer-sity in North Carolina have grown cartilage from stem cells culled from body fat and hope to test the procedure in humans within four years.


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By Samantha JohnsonAmerican Profile

Dealing with the loss of a pet is never easy. While adults often have experi-ence with loss and grief, the death of a pet may present the first time that many children encounter this type of situation and the accompanying feelings of grief.

“Every child will en-counter death, it is a part of life,” says Jon Katz, New York Times bestselling au-thor of “Going Home:

Finding Peace When Pets Die.” “It is not something to be dwelled on, but not something to be hidden ei-ther. ... If we deal openly with the loss of an animal, we can learn how to cope with loss in life.”

Help your children to handle the death of a pet by considering these tips:

Be honest. “I can’t tell you how many adults bit-terly recount their par-ents lying to them to pro-tect them from the loss of their pet,” says Katz. “It is not a healthy thing to do, and children feel betrayed when they learn the truth, which they inevitably will.” Instead, Katz suggests be-ing open and honest with your children, possibly

including them in the deci-sion-making process. “Let kids talk to the vet, under-stand the illness, and par-ticipate in ways to help the animal through (its) suffering and illness,” he adds, noting the therapeu-tic advantages of allowing a child to help when feed-ing and medicating a fam-ily pet.

Acknowledge the loss. While it’s wise to provide reassurance to your chil-dren that it’s natural to feel sad and to miss their pet, you should always encour-age them to dwell on the pleasant memories of their pet’s happier and healthier days.

Celebrate your pet’s life. “New technology gives us

many ways to remember our pets. They don’t have to vanish,” says Katz, cit-ing memorial options such as grave markers, digital photo albums, and a blog or website to record spe-cial memories. “Remember the fun the family had, the special things your pet did. Families can put together memory books and look at them.”

Move on — slowly. You may or may not decide to replace your deceased pet with a new one, but if you do choose to adopt a new pet, Katz suggests observ-ing a moderate waiting pe-riod. “Some time should pass so that the loss can be honored and absorbed. Children should not see

life as instantly replace-able,” he adds, while not-ing that “nothing is more healing than another dog or cat.”

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Saying goodbyeHelping children cope with the death of a pet


mental health

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Carve out time for self-care. Vestergaard said boomers need to set boundaries, to know when and how to tastefully say no with-out hurting feelings. “Say, ‘I want to be there for you, but can we do this next week?’” Vestergaard suggest-ed. Take time to exercise, to take care of your health. “You can’t serve others unless you serve yourself first,” Vestergaard said.Find support. Vestergaard said support groups are cropping up as a result of the worldwide aging pop-ulation. Hear how others in your sit-uation have successfully helped all the family members in their life and air your frustrations among sympa-thetic ears. Take advantage of available pro-grams. Vestergaard said large health-care providers have pro-grams on coping skills that are tar-geted toward this group because stress leads to so many health

problems. Also check with your lo-cal parks and recreation activities bulletin, senior centers, social work-ers and clinical psychologists to learn what types of resources and programs are available.Be proactive. Cox said schools need to be sensitive to the fact that some grandparents are raising some students. Make them aware of ways in which they can be more sensitive, such as not having the kids make Valentines to mommy and daddy only.Know government resources. Cox said the federal government pro-vides little financial help for boom-ers raising parents and children. However, boomers can take ad-vantage of the Family and Medi-cal Leave Act of 1993 to get up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period to take care of a parent or child who has a serious health condition.

Advice for boomers

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mental health

By Karen CaffariniGateHouse News Service

Baby boomers are stressed out, frustrated and angry.

For years, they thought they were savvy investors, socking money away into a 401(k) and other investments that prom-ised them an early retirement with a worry-free lifestyle. In-stead, they saw those savings evaporate in the great recession; many were were laid off prema-turely and now have to take me-nial jobs for minimum wage, said Alice Vestergaard, profes-sor in the College of Health, Hu-man Services and Science at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa.

To top it off, an estimated one in eight boomers is also a mem-ber of the “sandwich genera-tion,” according to Pew Research Center, having to care for and

feed their elderly parents, chil-dren and even their grandchil-dren. Some find themselves par-ents to grandchildren, with their own children either in the mil-itary, incarcerated, drug-addict-ed, having mental health prob-lems or other issues, said Carole Cox, professor in the Graduate School of Social Service at Ford-ham University in New York City who specializes in the re-search of grandparents.

“This is a stressed genera-tion. They love their parents, love their kids and love their grandchildren. But they nev-er thought they would be pulled in so many directions. They’re overwhelmed,” Vestergaard said.

She said this stress factor has led to heart disease in women at an early age, sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, obesity and other health problems.

Taking care of ‘sandwich generation’ caregivers

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allergies

By Randall StokesAmerican Profile

During allergy skin tests, according to the Mayo Clin-ic, the skin “is exposed to suspected allergy-causing substances (allergens) and is then observed for signs of an allergic reaction.” Before you submit to an allergy skin test, you may want to ask the following questions of your doctor.

What is the purpose? An allergy skin test can help your doctor formulate a treatment plan that consists of allergy avoidance, medications or al-lergy shots. Allergic condi-tions that are diagnosed by allergy skin tests include hay fever, allergic asthma, der-matitis, food allergies, peni-cillin allergies, bee allergies and latex allergies.

Under what circumstanc-es would you not recom-mend an allergy skin test? Your doctor will likely advise against an allergy skin test if you’ve experienced a severe allergic reaction that even the small amount present in a skin test would cause harm. Other reasons for not recom-mending a skin test occur if you’re taking medications that might interfere with the test or if your allergy involves a widespread skin reaction.

For what allergies are skin tests most reliable? Allergy skin tests are most reliable when diagnosing airborne allergies. Although food

allergies can be detected, it often takes additional tests to fully diagnose them be-cause of their complexities.

What are the risks associ-ated with allergy skin tests? Slightly swollen, red, itchy bumps are the most common side effects with allergy skin tests. Sometimes they last for a day or two but usually dis-appear within a few hours. On rare occasions, a skin test can produce a severe reac-tion. For this reason, it is rec-ommended the test be con-ducted where appropriate equipment and medication is present.

What is the most common type of skin test? Forty dif-ferent substances can be tested with a skin prick test, sometimes called a punc-ture or scratch test. A skin prick test is ideal for detect-ing allergies to pollen, mold, pet dander, dust mites and foods. This type of test is not painful and involves a shal-low puncture of the skin.

Are there other types of skin tests? A skin injection test, which involves injecting a small amount of allergen extract just under the skin of your arm, is used to check for allergies to insect venom or penicillin. A patch test is used to test delayed reaction allergies. It involves wearing a patch on your arm or back for 48 hours. Patch tests are used to detect allergies to la-tex, medications, fragrances, preservatives and hair dyes.

Nothing to sneeze

Irritant avoidance. The best defense against the aller-gy season wars is avoidance. Keeping the pollen out of your respiratory system will keep the allergic reaction from happening in the first place. This method poses a challenge, as it is difficult to stay indoors with condi-tioned air all the time. Whenever possible, use central air and heat. When driving, select the recirculating option on your car’s heat and air conditioning unit.

Top alternative remedies for seasonal allergies

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Local honey. Fight seasonal allergies with locally produced honey. The immunological the-ory is that eating local honey produced by local bees, feed-ing off local plants and their pollen, will inoculate the hon-ey consumer against the al-lergic autoimmune reaction of hay fever brought about by that local pollen. There are no conclusive, scientific studies proving this theory, but ma-ny people swear by this sweet treatment. Be aware, though, that honey can pose its own health risks and should not be given to infants, according to the Mayo Clinic. Speak with your doctor to be sure you can try this safely.

Shower nightly. Any time you spend outdoors or with the windows open is an opportunity for pollen exposure. If this is something you are dealing with, take a shower at night and wash your hair. Removing the pollen before you go to sleep will keep your contact with pollen to a minimum.

Herbal options. If drug alternatives — as an option to prescription medication — are intriguing to you, the Mayo Clin-ic has a few recommendations. Try UPA-free butterbur supplements, stinging nettle, Tinospora cordifolia, cat’s claw, choline, goldenseal, belladonna or bro-melain to help reduce allergic reactions.

Do’s and don’ts

Don’t assume that all multi-vitamins are the same. Professional-grade brands

tend to offer more bioavailable and natural forms of nutrients, often in chelated form (bound with an amino acid for better absorption), a bet-ter balance of trace minerals than lower-quali-ty brands, and the active forms of vitamins. Look on the label for these markers of a better-quality multi: the active form of vitamin D, listed as D3 or cholecalciferol; the active form of B12, methylco-balamin; yeast-bound selenium or selenomethi-onine; and chromium picolinate or polynicotine (not chromium chloride).

Don’t take vitamins and minerals with tea or coffee. Tea has compounds that

interfere with iron absorption. And, while cof-fee won’t hurt vitamin or mineral absorption, it doesn’t help.

Do take your vitamins with food. The stom-ach acid produced when you eat helps you

break down and absorb nutrients.

Don’t take vitamins and minerals with oth-er medications. Vitamins and meds

can interact in ways that decrease their effective-ness. Calcium, for instance, interferes with thy-roid medicine. Even over-the-counter drugs like antacids and fiber supplements interfere with vi-tamin absorption.

Nothing to sneeze 19Spring Healthy Living | Xxxday, Xxxxx. XX, 2013

supplements

By Gale Maleskey, MS, RD | Spry

Want to make sure you are making the most of your vitamin and mineral supple-ments? Find out how with these do’s and don’ts from registered dietitian Patrick Quil-lin, a nutritional supplement expert and former vice president of nutrition for Cancer Nutrition Centers of America.

Do’s and don’tsMake the most of vitamin and mineral use

PHOTOS BY MORGUEFILE

Don’t assume that all multi-vitamins are the same. Professional-grade brands

tend to offer more bioavailable and natural forms of nutrients, often in chelated form (bound with an amino acid for better absorption), a bet-ter balance of trace minerals than lower-quali-ty brands, and the active forms of vitamins. Look on the label for these markers of a better-quality multi: the active form of vitamin D, listed as D3 or cholecalciferol; the active form of B12, methylco-balamin; yeast-bound selenium or selenomethi-onine; and chromium picolinate or polynicotine (not chromium chloride).

Don’t take vitamins and minerals with tea or coffee. Tea has compounds that

interfere with iron absorption. And, while cof-fee won’t hurt vitamin or mineral absorption, it doesn’t help.

Do take your vitamins with food. The stom-ach acid produced when you eat helps you

break down and absorb nutrients.

Don’t take vitamins and minerals with oth-er medications. Vitamins and meds

can interact in ways that decrease their effective-ness. Calcium, for instance, interferes with thy-roid medicine. Even over-the-counter drugs like antacids and fiber supplements interfere with vi-tamin absorption.

Don’t take a prenatal supplement if you’re past menopause. Forgive us for stat-

ing the obvious. But prenatal supplements are safe for most women to take even if they are not pregnant. However, for women past menopause and men, a prenatal will provide more iron than desirable, and double the amount of folate you need.

Do store fish oil supplements in the fridge. This also goes for other oil-based pills like

CoQ10 (even gummy forms of fish oil). But keep other capsules, tablets and multivitamin gum-mies at room temperature. Moisture will con-dense on them, and over time, cause them to clump or crumble.

Don’t take folic acid and folicin if you are concerned about colon cancer. These

may interfere with the body’s ability to convert folate to its active form, 5-methyltetrahydrofo-lic acid. Plus, high intake of folic acid and foli-cin have been associated with an increased risk for colon cancer. Researchers aren’t sure why. Instead, take the form of folate found in nature — methylfolate.

Don’t take the synthetic form of vitamin E. If you take vitamin E supplements,

avoid those containing dl-alpha-tocopherol, which can interfere with your absorption of natu-ral vitamin E. Instead, look for a vitamin that of-fers mixed tocopherols.

Don’t take beta carotene-only supplements if you smoke. Supplemental beta car-

otene may increase your risk of lung cancer. In-stead, get your beta carotene from foods like car-rots and winter squash, or take a supplement that contains mixed carotenoids.

Do take more than one child gummy vitamin. You’ll need two or three to obtain an adult

dosage.

Don’t take individual supplements of trace minerals without medical supervi-

sion. It’s too easy to create an imbalance or over-do it. Instead, do take a multi-vitamin/multi-min-eral supplement or a balanced trace mineral supplement.

Don’t take more than about 500 mg of (el-emental) calcium at one time. Your

body can’t absorb more than that. Instead, split your dose over the course of the day.

Do take vitamin D3 supplements. Some peo-ple don’t convert vitamin D2 to D3 (the ac-

tive form) as well as they should. And don’t worry about taking them at the same time as calci-um. As long as your blood levels of vitamin D are good, you will absorb calcium properly.


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