Healthy Living 2018
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Small Changes, Big Impact
G
aining control over your heart health doesn’t always mean a drastic overhaul of your lifestyle. There are small steps you can take to get started that ultimately lead to big benefits.
Getting rid of unhealthy habits can take time. By slowly introducing healthy behaviors, you will soon feel the results that inspire you to keep going. It is a good idea to meet with your doctor to tell them your plan of boosting heart health. Understanding your risk factors can determine the urgency in which you act. For those who are not at high risk or already living with heart disease, consider incorporating these
small changes into your daily life.
Find Excuses for Exercise
Sometimes, it’s easy to put off exercise and blame it on your busy lifestyle. The good news is increasing your heart rate doesn’t have to mean setting aside the time for a dedicated workout. Instead, find moments in your daily life to get your blood pumping and
benefit your heart health. Here are some ideas: • Walk on your lunch break. The beautiful spring weather makes it easy for people to get outside and move! On workdays, pack a light, healthy lunch that can be easily consumed, allowing yourself time to go outside for a brisk walk. • Park far from entrances. When searching for a parking space, try and park as far from an entrance as you can. The
extra steps can quickly build up over time, improving your cardiovascular health. • Skip dessert: If your family typically shares dessert after dinner, replace it with a group walk! The extra time you share will be far more rewarding than a sugary treat.
Be Mindful of Calories
Commit to a limiting
your calories and stick to the designated number you’re allowing! Cutting the amount you consume will lead to weight loss and positively change your eating habits. A good rule to stick by is to avoid drinking calories. Instead of enjoying a sugary drink with dinner, have an extra serving of vegetables or lean meats. Training yourself to use the limited calories to boost health is a great habit to start.
WOMEN’S YOUR HEALTH Page 4D • Healthy| Living 2018HEALTH
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Women’s Skin Health
inter’s frigid temperatures and dry air can have devastating effects on women’s sensitive skin. It’s important to help your skin adapt to the changing temperature conditions as it loses the ability to regulate itself.
Learn to protect yourself this winter by taking on a routine that supports cold-weather temperatures. By making minor adjustments to your already present skin-care habits, you can spend the winter with exceptional skin.
STAY MOISTURIZED
When choosing moisturizing products for protection during the winter, there are a few things to look for. Remember the following tips from the Environmental Working Group. Lotion is a great line of defense in chapped or drying skin. Be sure you’re stocked up before the cold arrives. When choosing the best moisturizer, look for thick, creamy options and avoid anything with a fragrance. Manufacturers are not required to disclose ingredients that create scents. This means, there may be dangerous chemicals involved, including hormone disruptors, allergens and asthma triggers. The best time to lather up with lotion is while your skin is still moist. Limit the time in the tub and avoid using bubble bath during the winter, as it accelerates the drying of skin. For those struggling to find a lotion that doesn’t assist in moisturizing or irritate their skin, schedule an appointment with a local dermatologist. They will determine the best method to keep your skin
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healthy while the temperatures are frigid.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
Just as lotion helps moisten the exterior of your skin, you’ll want to drink the recommended amount of water to hydrate from the inside. Naturally
hydrated skin will require much less help from over-thecounter products. Eating plenty of nutritious fruits and vegetables is another great way to stay hydrated. Think of recipes that include moisture-rich foods such as strawberries, pineapple, orang-
es and green peppers to mix into your diet this winter.
DON’T FORGET YOUR LIPS
The skin on our lips is much thinner than the rest of our bodies, and winter’s dry air may make them extremely
chapped and irritated. Make sure you always have an FDA-approved lip balm readily available and avoid licking your lips. The extra moisture caused from licking lips eventually evaporates and makes the problem even worse.
HEART HEALTH GUIDE | EXERCISE
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O
ne of the most effective ways of avoiding heart disease or stroke is to maintain a healthy weight. According to the American Heart Association, between 60 and 70 percent of American adults are overweight or obese.
Get in SShape hape
Commit to sticking to a workout plan to benefit your heart health. If you’re just beginning your journey of weight loss, one tool you can use is a “food diary.” Jot down the foods and beverages you consume, as well as their nutritional value. After a few weeks, meet with a nutritionist to see where you can make positive adjustments. Trying to lose weight can be a frustrating experience, but with strict commitment and a plan in mind, it is a rewarding experience that greatly benefits heart health.
TAKE A HIKE
Find time to get outdoors and exercise. Spring is a great time to start, when wildlife is returning and trees and flowers are flourishing. Taking a hike is a great way to invite spring and obtain excellent heart benefits. A report by the American Heart Association suggests brisk walking can lower the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, just as much as running. Before setting off on a hiking excursion, keep these
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safety tips from the American Hiking Society in mind: • Inform people of your planned path and of an estimated return time; • Be aware of expected weather and pack accordingly; and • Know your routes by studying a map. With safety in mind, hiking can be a wonderful adventure
for the entire family.
JOIN A SWIMMING CLUB
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swimming just two-and-a-half hours per week, will help you obtain all the aerobic heart health benefits your body needs. If you struggle with sore bones or joints during exer-
cise, a swimming regimen will help you boost heart health while experiencing less stress. It is a great way to get started on your weightloss journey, or if you suffer from a condition such as arthritis or overall muscle soreness.
for a dance class. Increasing your heart rate is key to strengthening your overall health. This fun activity is a fun way to build bonds with your partner as well as surround yourself with a social environment. Enlist the help of a local dance instructor to help MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE? stimulate both your body and Grab a partner and sign up the local economy.
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Vincent Beltran: A success story I n May 2015, 25-year old Vincent Beltran began his transformation from 460 pounds to his current weight of 220 pounds. His family history proves that he is prone to being overweight. So why and how did he make such a drastic change? Vincent’s life was filled with bad habits and lack of exercise that led to his obesity issues. As a child, food was very important to the family. There were three meals a day, whether one was hungry or not. He was brought up in one of those families where everyone ate all the food on their plate. He started out in athletics – including softball and football – and was very good at them, but due to injuries, he wasn’t able to continue. That left him idle and it became easy for him to sit in front of the TV and play video games all day. Vincent’s bad habits continued – and worsened – through adolescence and early adulthood, which in turn led to an increasingly unhealthy lifestyle. He was pretty much eating, visiting, playing video games and living from his bed. In May 2015, Vincent weighed 460 pounds and feeling worse than he had ever felt. He decided at that point that he needed to make a change. Initially, he started out in just wanting to lose weight but then found that he needed to change his entire life. He began dieting by watching his calorie intake and the foods he was eating. He quit drinking sodas and started drinking water. He began working out, at a very slow and moderate pace at first because his body was not used to the activity. He began researching nutrition information, exercise routines and muscle building. He later found out that he would come up with a formula for weight loss and start applying it to others who were seeking his help. Today, Vincent is nothing like that person in 2015. He hardly sits down, keeping himself busy from early morning to late at night. He is always
trying to improve himself and help others. He is a major motivator for many people. Vincent has begun personally training and coaching individuals in exercise and nutrition. He has helped transform others and is continuing to spread his knowledge and techniques to others. He weighs 220 pounds with 13 percent body fat, 49 percent muscle, and he has defined the muscles in his body. He continues to keep the good habits and healthy lifestyle. He does have a “cheat day” once a week, but is still disciplined with his workouts and daily routine. He has shown that you can change anything with a lot of hard work, faith, and discipline. It can be done, just ask Vincent! Vincent is a member at Go Fitness and you can usually find him there in the mornings working with others – young and old – helping them reach their fitness goals.
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Flu Shot and Pregnant Women
I
nfluenza affects both men and women, but those who are pregnant are more likely to suffer from severe illness. The toll the flu takes on mom may sometimes involve hospitalization and can even cause damage to a developing baby.
If you’re expecting this winter, make sure to schedule an appointment with your doctor about acquiring the shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a large body of scientific studies supporting the safety of flu vaccines for pregnant women and their babies.
Why Receive the Vaccine?
While pregnant, a women’s body goes through
many changes to the immune system, heart and lungs, which makes them more prone to falling severely ill from the flu. The vaccine protects their weakened systems and is even shown to protect the child after birth. This is thanks to a woman’s ability to pass down antibodies to their baby during the last three months of pregnancy. The CDC recommends all women receive the traditional flu shot while pregnant. There is not
enough research to support the nasal spray vaccine to prove its effectiveness.
What Are the Side Effects?
Commonly, pregnant women only suffer from the same side effects as others who receive it. These may include the following:
• Soreness, redness or swelling near the location where the shot was administered;
• Headache and fever; and • Muscle aches and fatigue. Be honest with your doctor about the concerns you may have about the flu vaccine. By researching your medical history, your physician can ensure that you are not exposing yourself or your new baby to any health risks.
Breastfeeding
It is safe to get the flu shot while breastfeeding. This means that if you decided to wait until after childbirth to receive the flu vaccine, your baby can still benefit. Women also can pass down these important antibodies to their child through breastfeeding. This is incredibly important while your child is less than six months old — too young to receive the vaccine himself.
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About medical cannabis … By Dr. Christopher C. Merchant Medical Director of Ultra Health
C
annabis has been used as a medicine for thousands of years. It is composed of hundreds of different chemical messengers, only some of which are psychoactive. The psychoactive components – of which THC is the most known – causes changes in perception, mood, consciousness, behavior and dreams. Cannabis has hundreds of other chemical messengers that are also psychoactive to a lesser degree. CBD molecules in cannabis do not have a psychoactive effect on the mind or mental processes. CBDs have been proven to control seizures (epilepsy) and pain. Medical cannabis is now approved for use in a wide range of medical conditions. Medical cannabis is helpful in digestive diseases, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, severe nausea and vomiting, hepatitis C, colon cancer, stomach cancer and pancreatic cancer. It’s approved for seizure disorders and diseases that damage nerve cells of the brain and spine, such as multiple sclerosis, ALS and Parkinson’s disease.
Medical cannabis is also approved for PTSD, a mental disorder that develops after people are exposed to traumatic events such as wars, traffic accidents or a threat to personal safety. If a patient can eat with any disease, they can live longer. If a patient thinks they can live, they can live longer. If a patient has hope, they can live longer. Cannabis helps patients develop an appetite for food and provide relief from symptoms of disease, which can encourage hope. Cannabis can now be measured precisely in the whole plant or in ingestible products. New technology for delivery of medical cannabis includes sprays, lozenges (under the tongue), suppositories, topical forms and vapors. Medical cannabis is a drug, and “Do no harm” is the first rule of medicine. All drugs have positive and negative effects. One should always start with the lowest dose possible because no two patients will have an identical reaction to the same drug, which includes medical cannabis. Medical cannabis is not for pregnant women or anyone under 21. No one should drive any vehicle for eight hours after ingesting oral cannabis. No one should operate any vehicle for four hours after smoking cannabis.
HEART HEALTHY HABITS Page 10DHEALTH • HealthyGUIDE Living 2018 |
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Slow Down During Meals
pring means barbecues with friends, outdoor picnics and other social gatherings to invite the warm weather. In addition to eating heart-healthy foods, new studies show that how you eat can also negatively impact your health.
Research by the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions shows eating in a hurry greatly increases risks of metabolic syndrome. This disease affects about 23 percent of American adults and heightens the chances of heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
WHAT IS METABOLIC SYNDROME?
According to the National Institutes of Health, metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that increase risk of coronary heart disease. CHD is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries, which can lead to chest pains, heart attack or even death. Studies show that eating quickly can cause a disturbance in the body’s process of metabolizing oxygen. When this occurs, glucose fluctuation causes oxidative stress, which in turn affects the
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the NIH. body’s natural production of • A large waistline: insulin. This is a key contributor to a build-up of sugar in the Commonly called abdominal obesity, having excess fat in the blood that causes diabetes. stomach is a greater risk factor for heart disease than in other OTHER RISKS While eating quickly certain- parts of the body. ly plays a role in metabolic • High blood pressure: This syndrome, there are other risk dangerous disease causes factors that contribute to heart damage to the heart and prodisease. Here are some of the motes plaque build-up if left most common, as reported by untreated.
• Low HDL levels: HDL is known as healthy cholesterol. When levels are low, it is unable to remove bad cholesterol from arteries. This is a risk for heart disease.
WHY EATING HABITS MATTER
Research by the North American Association for the Study of Obesity shows men
and women took in less calories when they slowed their normal eating pace. This is thought to be because it takes the brain about 20 minutes to signal feelings of fullness. Pacing yourself while eating allows time for these triggers to be released and will result in eating less — a true win-win for your heart.
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