Spring 2010 Magazine

Balanced Living Quarterly Wellness Magazine: Spring 2010

In This Issue Spring Seedlings: Tips for Growing Your Own Vegetables Seasonal Recipe: Asparagus Tips for Tuning Up Your Nutrition

Spring Seedlings: Springtime is Growing Time

Effectively Caring for Aging Parents Keeping Your Cool When Parenting Teens Quiz: Sleep

Spring Seedlings:

Tips for Growing Your Own Vegetables Springtime is seedling time! Growing your own vegetables is a budget‐friendly Springtime is seedling time! Growing your own vegetables is a budget option for getting your daily dose of colorful produce.

Container gardening is ideal for urban locations with limited space options. Grow some lettuce in your window box or a cherry tomato plant on your front porch.

Using the following tips, a novice gardener can produce a variety of inexpensive fresh vegetables that can be included in any summer meal.

Plant Seedlings Indoors for a Jump Start on the Growing for a Jump Start on the Growing Season GATHER THESE 4 GROWING ELEMENTS:

PLANTING CONSIDERATIONS:

Growing containers: These can be egg cartons, washed‐out yogurt containers, or store bought trays with growing cells, just poke a few holes in the bottom of containers for drainage.

Light: Fluorescent grow lamps are an option for environments with limited natural light; 12–16 hours of direct artificial light per day are suggested. For settings with more natural light, place the seedlings by a south‐ or west‐facing window for the maximum amount of daylight.

Trays: Use these to catch the excess water.

Soil: Buy some sterile seed‐starting mix from your local gardening store or department.

Seeds: Some easy and manageable seed suggestions are lettuce, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, beans , and herbs.

Temperature: Seedlings are baby plants and thrive in warm environments. Try to keep the temperature in the immediate environment within 70–75° F. Place the seedlings near a heat source or on a heating pad.

Planting Depth: Follow the planting directions on the back of each seed packet.

Each seed type is planted at a different depth. Typically, the seed should be planted at a depth of 1/5 to 2 times the width of the seed.

Watering: Seedlings like to be moist, but not too wet. Initially, moisten the seedlings with a spray bottle on a daily basis. Once the seedlings begin to emerge, you can water them primarily by filling the tray with a shallow layer of water.

Labeling: Provide name tags for your seeds (e.g., writing on popsicle sticks or tongue depressors), so that they can be identified and planted in an appropriate location when they start to grow.

Transplanting: When small plants have begun to emerge, with 3 to 4 true leaves, they are ready to transplant to a more permanent container (e.g., window box or an inside or outside container) or an outdoor garden.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ©2009

Celebrate Your Harvest!

Soon, you’ll be ready to enjoy the tasty benefits of your labor.

Soon, you’ll be ready to enjoy the tasty benefits of your labor.

Seasonal Recipe: Asparagus Seasonal Recipe: Asparagus

Spring is the season for fresh spears of green, crisp asparagus. We all know that vegetables are part of a healthy diet, and because asparagus is packed with vitamins E, A, and C, it can help guard your body against heart disease. Low in calories and fat, eating this delightful veggie is sure to satisfy your hunger and your craving for nutrition.

Below is a recipe for Asparagus and Chicken Asparagus and Chicken Carbonara. Traditionally, carbonara is a heavy dish with quite a bit of fat thanks to loads of eggs and heavy cream. Here you will find a lighter version of the pasta dish filled with fresh asparagus and lean chicken. Use whole wheat pasta for a nutritional bonus. Enjoy this meal on a cool spring day with a light salad and some whole grain bread.

Asparagus and Chicken Carbonara Asparagus and Chicken "

Ingredients 8 oz. uncooked spaghetti 2 cups (1‐inch) slices asparagus (about ¾ pound) inch) slices asparagus (about ¾ pound) ½ cup egg substitute ½ cup evaporated fat‐free milk 2 tsp. olive oil ½ cup chopped onion ¼ cup dry vermouth 2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast meat ½ cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese 3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat‐leaf parsley ¾ tsp. salt ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preparation Cook pasta in boiling water 10 minutes or until al dente; add asparagus during final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta mixture in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Combine reserved cooking liquid, egg substitute, and milk, stirring with a whisk.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium‐high heat. Add oil and onion to pan; high heat. Add oil and onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add vermouth; cook 1 minute. Add pasta mixture; stir to combine. Remove from heat; stir in milk mixture, chicken, and cheese. Place pan over medium heat, and cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat; stir in parsley, salt, pepper, and bacon. Serve immediately.

Source: http://www.cookinglight.com

“Healthful eating doesn’t involve driving miles out of your way in search of organic produce in obscure health‐food stores. It requires little more than paying attention to what you eat and slowly making more knowledgeable and healthful choices of what you put on your plate,” says Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., nutritionist and founder of Joy Bauer Nutrition center in New York.

Ms. Bauer offers the following guidelines for improving your diet and your health:

Tips for Tuning Up Your Nutrition Eat a variety of foods.

Varying your food provides a much greater range of nutrients. “Eating the same foods every day supplies your body with the same exact vitamins and minerals over and over again to the exclusion of others,” says Ms. Bauer. To add variety: try recipes from new cookbooks or search the Internet for sites with healthful recipes you can download. Check out a different ethnic restaurant or recipe each week. Pick one night a week to create a meal you’ve never tried.

Reduce the fat and increase the fiber.

In soups, stews and casseroles, by replacing one n soups, stews and casseroles, by replacing one‐quarter to one‐half of the meat with cooked brown rice, bulgur or cooked and chopped beans you’ll increase your fiber intake.

When you cook with fat, use the monounsaturated kind.

Olive oil, peanut oil, sesame seed oil and canola oil are high in monounsaturated fat – the Olive oil, peanut oil, sesame seed oil and canola oil are high in monounsaturated fat kind that helps lower blood cholesterol.

Choose lean sources of protein.

The leanest sources of protein include turkey breast, skinless chicken breast, egg whites, lean red meats, low‐fat yogurt, skim milk, low‐fat cheese, fat cheese, beans, lentils, all seafood and fish, split peas, chickpeas and tofu.

Seek low‐salt condiments if you’re trying to salt condiments if you’re trying to reduce your sodium intake.

Ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, powdered sauces, soy sauce and steak sauce are all high in sodium.

Add vegetables to (almost) everything you eat.

Add pureed carrots or roasted red peppers to pasta sauce. Replace some of the oil in nut breads an cakes with canned pumpkin. Use mashed potatoes to thicken soups. Put in a layer of vegetables instead of ground beef when preparing lasagna.

Don’t forget the soy.

“Soy foods can boost the protein, calcium and iron of any dish and can reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and some other chronic conditions,” says Ms. Bauer. To add some: Pour soy milk over your breakfast cereal. Blend soy flour into pancakes, muffins and cookies. Add tofu to soups, dips, stir‐fry dishes and stews. Sprinkle dried soybeans on salads and into stir‐fries.

Eat more rice, but not the instant kind.

Eat more of the right kind of carbohydrates. 80% of your total carbohydrate intake should come from nutrient‐ dense carbohydrates such as

“Brown rice has the most fiber of rice varieties, followed by polished white rice,” says Ms. Bauer.

“Instant rice has the fewest nutrients.”

fruits, vegetables, legumes,

Eat more legumes.

cereal, pasta), barley,

Beans, dried peas and lentils supply protein, iron, zinc, magnesium and B vitamins. Plus, they’re the only high‐protein food that provides ample amounts of fiber.

couscous, oatmeal, and

Source: Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications © 2009 Source: Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications © 2009

whole‐grain products (bread,

potatoes.

Effectively Caring for Aging Parents As more Americans live longer, millions of middle‐aged adults find themselves caring for their aging parents.

It's not an easy task, especially for those with children still living at home.

"Caregiving can be so overwhelming, it's almost impossible," says Donna Cohen, Ph.D., professor and chairperson of the department of aging and mental health at the Florida Mental Health Institute in Tampa, and coauthor of "Caring for Your Aging Parents." "But it can be done if you develop specific skills and tailor them according to your parents' needs and your family's circumstances."

with the same authority you use with your children."

The following is a framework designed to help you provide care more effectively.

Because every family is different, there's no one right way of caring for aging parents. "But there are wrong ways, and the worst one is to do it alone," Dr. Cohen says. The demands of caregiving can become so immense that they can affect your health, leading to illness and depression. "Half of all caregivers get depressed in the course of caregiving," Dr. Cohen says. "In turn, depression takes a toll on their physical health, affecting their job performance and can even lead to the abuse of the parents they're caring for."

Don't parent your parents As your parents age and become frail or ill, resist the urge to regard them as children.

Instead, think of caregiving as a family business and yourself as an executive with problems to solve.

"Treat your parents as having a legitimate role.

This empowers a partnership," Dr. Cohen says.

"Your role will be to take control, but it's not

For example: Your mother can't see well anymore but insists on driving. Instead of taking away her car keys, sit down with her and begin a dialogue. Say, "Mom, I'm worried about you.

Aren't you worried about your driving?”

Don't do it alone

To manage caregiving effectively, seek help and advice from professionals and your siblings. For example: Consult a financial planner or attorney regarding your parents' estate, living wills and other legal matters. Work with physicians to understand your parents' health problems and the treatments they're getting. Talk to a pharmacist to learn the potential side effects of their medications and to make sure those medications are compatible.

Meet with your siblings over breakfast, not at the end of the day when everyone's tired.

Describe the problem you're facing and share your feelings about it with them. Let them do the same.

"Besides determining what's workable for your parents, your goal should be to find the best way for everyone to work together," Dr. Cohen says.

Stay optimistic Unlike caring for children, caring for aging parents, particularly ill ones, involves the reality that their deaths are approaching.

Nonetheless, "let yourself be guided by a tempered optimism," Dr. Cohen says. "Don't let your hope for the future die too fast."

Within limits, there are things you can do now to maximize comfort and improve your parents' quality of life. "You can convey support and show affection by giving your mother a new chenille throw because you know she'll enjoy its softness and warmth," she says. "Even holding someone's hand is a powerful way to ease pain and loneliness."

All told, "caring is more than loving," she says.

"It's a series of discreet skills that involve listening to your parents, making decisions about their needs and taking action, if

necessary. And it has mutual benefits. Through caring, we can learn more about ourselves."

Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications ©2009

Keeping Your Cool When Parenting Teens Adolescence is a difficult time for young people. During those years, they face physical changes, peer pressure, exposure to drugs, alcohol, and sexual relationships, and increased expectations and scrutiny from and sexual relationships, and increased expectations and scrutiny from parents and teachers.

But, as difficult as it is being a teenager, being a parent of one is even harder. After years of being the primary influence on their children, parents of teens suddenly find their kids are more interested in what their friends think and do. And, depending on the child, outright rebellion against family rules and values can take a painful toll. The following strategies from the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth can help you keep your cool and your love intact during your children’s teen years.

•

Learn about adolescent development. Knowing what behaviors to expect can help you prepared for parenting challenges.

•

Look back at your own teen years. Remembering your own moods, risk‐taking activities and Look back at your own teen years. Remembering your own moods, risk attitudes toward your parents and adults can help you understand teen behavior attitudes toward your parents and adults can help you understand teen behavior.

•

Consider taking a teen‐parenting course. Look for one taught by someone with experience in parenting course. Look for one taught by someone with experience in child development or who has spent time counseling teens. Expect to learn from the instructor and other parents facing similar challenges.

•

Use positive reinforcement. Criticism and excessive punishment, including words that belittle, can hurt a teen’s self‐ esteem, thereby increasing rebellious behavior. When parent‐child communication is characterized by warmth, kindness, consistency and love, the relationship will flourish, as will self‐ esteem, cooperation and respect.

•

Teach your teen that rights and responsibilities go hand in hand. Give your child increasing responsibility for his or her well‐being and that of the family.

•

Include your child in discussions involving setting rules and establishing consequences for breaking them. This will increase the chance your teen will respect his or her boundaries most of the time.

•

All teens need daily support and guidance, but some need extra help from outside the family.

When Your Teens Need Help Some signs your teen might need help include: •

Spending a lot of time alone

•

Sudden drop in school performance

•

Drastic mood swings or changes in behavior

•

Separation from longtime friends

•

Lack of interest in hobbies or social and recreational activities

•

Drug or alcohol abuse

Finding a Balance “Keeping Your Cool (continued)”

•

Help your child move toward independence. Parents who encourage independent thought and expression in their children often find they’re raising children who have a healthy sense of self and an enhanced ability to resist peer pressure.

•

Spend quality and quantity time with your child. Teens begin to pull away from their families and spend more time with friends. But time spent with their parents is important to their emotional development. Stay involved in your child’s outside interests; attend his or her school and extra curricular activities.

•

Encourage other adults, including friends and relatives, to spend time with your child. Aunts and uncles or adult neighbors can offer your child support your child. Aunts and uncles or adult neighbors can offer your child support and guidance.

Source: Krames Staywell

Take the Sleep Quiz

Think you know a lot about sleep? Try your hand at this quiz put together by the National Institutes of Health together by the National Institutes of Health. Circle true or false.

1. Sleep is a time when your body and brain shut down for rest and relaxation.

True / False

2. If you regularly doze off unintentionally during the day, you may need more than just a good night’s sleep.

True / False

3. If you snore loudly and persistently at night and are sleepy during the day, you may have a sleep disorder.

4. The primary cause of insomnia is worry.

5. People need less sleep as they grow older.

True / False True / False True / False

The Sleep Quiz: Answers 1. False.

Although it is a time when your body rests and restores its energy levels, sleep is an active state that affects both your physical and mental well active state that affects both your physical and mental well‐being. Adequate restful sleep, like diet and exercise, is critical to good health. Insufficient restful sleep can result in mental and physical health problems and possibly premature death.

2. True.

Many people doze off unintentionally during the day despite getting their usual night of sleep. This could be a sign of a sleep disorder. Approximately 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy and restless legs syndrome. An untreated sleep disorder can reduce your daytime productivity, increase your risk of accidents and put you at risk for illness and even early death.

3. True.

Persistent loud snoring at night and daytime sleepiness are the main symptoms of a common and serious sleep disorder, sleep apnea. Another symptom is frequent long pauses in breathing during sleep, followed by choking and gasping for breath. People with sleep apnea don't get enough restful sleep, and their daytime performance is often seriously affected. Sleep apnea may also lead to hypertension, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. It can be treated, however, and the sleep apnea patient can live a normal life.

4. False.

Insomnia has many different causes, including physical and mental conditions and stress. Insomnia is the perception that you don't get enough sleep because you can't fall asleep or stay asleep or get back to sleep once you've awakened during the night. It affects people of all ages, usually for just an occasional night or two, but sometimes for weeks, months or even years. Because insomnia can become a chronic problem, it is important to get it diagnosed and treated if it persists for more than a month.

5. False.

As we get older, we don't need less sleep, but we often get less sleep. That's because our ability to sleep for long periods of time and to get into the deep restful stages of sleep decreases with age. Older people have more fragile sleep and are more easily disturbed by light, noise and pain. They also may have medical conditions that contribute to sleep problems. Going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning, getting exposure to natural outdoor lighting during the day, and sleeping in a cool, dark, quiet place at night may help.

Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications ©2009

Your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) For the many personal issues and and concerns that arise in life, your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available as a free and confidential service that will provide counseling sessions, telephonic consultation, and support services for you and your family members on issues including including: • Relationships • Stress • Depression • Anxiety • Grief and Loss • Family Conflicts

• Marital Conflicts • Job Pressures • Substance Abuse • Child Care and Elder Care • Legal Issues • Financial Struggles

Your EAP is always available to provide provide you and your family with resources and support.

For everything that comes up in your life, MINES is just a phone call away ‐ 24 hours a day, seven days days a week, including holidays.

Toll‐Free: 800‐873‐7138 s www.minesandassociates.com

www.minesandassociates.com 800.873.7138