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Learn the facts about vitamins, supplements and healthy food choices

Posted on May 16, 2012 by . Tags: , , , , , . No Comments

Source: livewithhealthylife.blogspot.com

It is easy to let healthy eating habits fall by the wayside in today’s fast-paced society. But consuming the proper amount of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients is key to healthy living.

That is why Dr. Jennifer Norden, integrative medicine specialist, and Julia Salomon, corporate dietician, are teaming up to inform the community about vitamin and supplement intake, as well as which foods are the best sources for nutrients.

Join them on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., for a free presentation at Mercy Medical Center. Here is an overview of what will be covered during the presentation:

Vitamins and Supplements: What should you take?
Review the evidence and marketing behind vitamins, supplements and natural medicine to help decide what really works:

Sorting fact form fiction in the marketing for vitamins and supplements can be challenging. In her presentation, Dr. Norden will be talking about the medical evidence of common vitamins and herbal medicines, as well as safety and quality concerns. During her presentation, you will find out what really works for preventing disease.

Colorize for Good Health: Do you know what Colorize is?
Bring color, texture and freshness to your diet and life:

Julia Salomón will be teaching you how to think food first! Her presentation will highlight the importance of focusing on healthy food as the first source for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. You will learn about the benefits of various foods and how to easily incorporate them into your daily life.

This presentation might be just what you need to get on the right track toward living a healthy lifestyle. 

The Weight of the Nation

Posted on May 10, 2012 by . Tags: , , , , , , , . No Comments

Source: obesityinamerica.org

According to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 42 percent of American adults will be obese by 2030. Currently, 34 percent of adults are obese. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or above.

Obesity seems to be rising among higher-income men while severe obesity (BMI greater than 40) is increasing in both sexes.

Obesity is a serious condition that shortens life and leads to other chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis and heart disease to name a few. In addition, the rising rate of obesity slows down efforts to limit health care costs, which have skyrocketed in the last few years. Some estimates cite that compared to healthy weight individuals, obese adults spend close to $1,500 more in medical expenses each year.

The obesity epidemic has been cited as one of the most pressing health issues facing the nation today. To draw attention to it, a national public education campaign will be launched with the broadcast of a documentary called The Weight of the Nation.

The Weight of the Nation is a four-part documentary series. Parts one and two premiere Monday at 8/7c. Parts three and four premiere Tuesday at 8/7c. HBO will drop its subscriber fees during the premier and stream the episodes of “The Weight of the Nation” in English and Spanish at HBO.com to make them widely accessible to the public. Continue Reading »

Summer Sports Season is Here: Tips for Injury Prevention

Posted on May 8, 2012 by . Tags: , , , , , , , , . No Comments
Playing sports is a great way for your child to stay fit and healthy, learn about teamwork and develop a sense of personal satisfaction. However, kids’ injuries from playing sports are on the rise, due to several factors. Most of these sports injuries can be prevented.

The first step in preventing sports injuries is finding out why sports injuries occur. Sports injuries may be caused by:

  • Individual risk factors (such as medical conditions including heart, lung or neurological disease)
  • Inadequate physical exams before participating (every child should get a thorough sports-specific physical exam before each season)
  • Playing while injured (whether it is playing with a MSK injury, infection or concussions)
  • Improper training (including overtraining) or coaching, or lack of instruction
  • Not warming up, cooling down and stretching properly
  • Lack of pre-season conditioning
  • Lack of safety equipment or poorly fitted, improper equipment
  • Unsafe playing fields or surfaces
  • Stress and inappropriate pressure to win

Join me at the Bone and Joint Lecture Series: Top 10 things every parent should know on May 22 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the St. Elizabeth Hospital, Fowler Conference Room 1, where we will discuss these risk factors in detail as well as what you can do as parent, coach, teacher or player to ensure the safe participation of youth in sports.

For more information on the series, click here to download a PDF of the poster.

 

 

Peaceful Meal Times and Children

Posted on May 2, 2012 by . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , . No Comments

Source: parentsinaction.osu.edu

Have you noticed how kids like to hear the same book read over and over, like to listen to their favorite song on repeat and don’t tire from watching the same video again and again?

Most young children do not like surprises or new situations. Some, like my own daughter, need time to get used to new environments, activities and food. Having parents repeat something over and over gives the child a sense of security because they know what will happen next in the storyline, song or video. Routines offer the same sense of security to children.

With food and feeding children, some of these same principles apply. Below are some tips to keep in mind when establishing eating habits with your child.

Patience: Much like the book, song or video, children find comfort in eating the same food over and over. Keep this in mind when you are serving something new. When offering a new food or even a new way of serving a familiar food, give your child time to get used to it. Don’t expect him or her to eat it the first time. It may take repeated tries (as many as 15 times or so) for your child to try something different, or new.

Routines: Try to serve meals and snacks at the same time. That is, establish some sort of routine when it comes to meals. Offer or serve the vegetables or salad first, that way if your child is hungry before the actual meal is ready, they can start eating healthy items that are part of the meal and not fill up on snack foods, which often have low nutritional value. Offer milk with the meal for an excellent source of calcium.

Mimicry: Studies have shown that children mimic their parents. If parents aren’t eating fruits and vegetables, it is very likely the child will not want to either. If the parent is averse to trying new foods, the child will likely not be an adventurous eater, and so on. Research has shown that this mimicry extends to grocery shopping patterns as well. When children see parents purchasing healthy foods, they also adopt these patterns later on. Continue Reading »

Everything you need to know about sports physicals

Posted on April 26, 2012 by . Tags: , , , , . No Comments

It is recommended that children participate in 60 minutes or more of physical activity every day. Sports are a great way to accomplish this.

Prior to participation, most high school and club teams require an athlete’s physician to complete a sports pre-participation physical form. It is important to schedule the appointment a few months before the season starts in case the doctor needs to address any potential barriers for participation.

As children mature, sports physicals often take the place or occur in conjunction with the well child exam. The sports physical exam is similar to a well child exam, but special attention is placed on the musculoskeletal system. It is important that every child be seen on a yearly basis. Prior to a sports physical, it is important to complete all of the necessary paperwork on the sports physical form. Your doctor will want review your child’s health history to see if there are previous sports-related injuries or disabilities. Continue Reading »

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