Winter 2010 BL

Balanced LIVING

WINTER 2010-2011

Workplace Goals for the New Year Start off 2011 on the right foot pg 4

Nutrition 10 Tips 7

8

Avoid your Usual Winter Cold Need a New Year’s Resolution?

Check out our Reasons to Quit Smoking

Quiz: Patient/Doctor 13 Communication Spotlight On: Seasonal 144 Affective Disorder

A NOTE FROM YOUR EAP With the holidays in full swing, we’ve reached a hectic time of year. In just a few short weeks though, we’ll have shifted into a New Year filled with possibilities. As we enter into the dead of winter, the long, dark, cold days can be a time of dread for some.

Instead, allow yourself to welcome the quiet days as a time of recovery after the holidays, and as a chance to reflect on the past year and set new goals as you enter into 2011. The New Year is a time for change, and we challenge you to make changes to any area of your life that you aren’t completely satisfied with. Our theme for 2011 – DISCOVERING – will help keep you informed on important issues, allowing you to spend time working on becoming your best self.

Here at MINES, we’re in the mood to change as well. And while it may not be life changing, we’re starting with this magazine. With our readers in mind, we’ve moved toward a cleaner format, with more regular features. In addition to the seasonal recipe and quiz we’ve featured in the past, you’ll also have new regular features to look forward to in each issue. Looking Ahead will feature holidays and events as well as upcoming weekly communication articles that tie into each wellness theme for the month. The Wellness Spotlight and Mental Health Awareness both shine a light on different issues, giving you the chance to be informed and take proactive steps in both your mental and physical health. And Kids Corner will provide activities for you and the children in your life to take on together. We hope these new features will be beneficial, along with our regular articles aimed toward improving both the personal and professional aspects of your life.

Here’s to the season of change, and hoping that you take full advantage of it into the New Year. If you need any help, remember we’re just a phone call away.

2 Balanced Living Winter 2010-2011

- The MINES Team

BALANCED LIVING WINTER 2010-2011 MINES & ASSOCIATES 10367 W CENTENNIAL RD LITTLETON, CO 80127 800.873.7138 www.MINESandAssociates.com

CREDITS Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications Workplace Goals for the New Year pg 4-5 Quality Family Time Can Be Antime pg 9 Tips for Tuning Up Your Nutrition pg 10

Doctor Patient Communication: How Well do You Talk to Your Doctor? pg 13 Krames Staywell Head Off Holiday Havoc pg 6 A Winter Cold: Not Inevitable pg 7

Good Reasons to Quit Smoking pg 8 Seasonal Affective Disorder pg 14

Jennifer Lance of ecochildsplay. com Gingerbread Recipe and Instructions pg 12 CDC.gov When to See a Doctor pg 7 American Lung Association Smoking Statistics pg 8

LOOKING AHEAD

DISCOVERING DECEMBER 1 Hanukkah Begins

to be able to enjoy the holidays amidst the rush? Check out our weekly communication, 12 6 Want Ways to Keep the Holidays Stress-Free. week’s article, A Holiday Help Guide for Step Families, will help parents having to deal with a split 13 This household this holiday season. feeling guilty about all the sweets and treats you’ve taken advantage of at holiday parties, 20 Ifthisyou’re week’s communication, Start Some Healthful Holiday Traditions, will help you find a balance.

21 Bundle up - winter officially begins today!

25 Christmas Day 26 Kwanzaa Begins

27 heading out to New Year’s celebrations.

Read up on Alcohol Safety During the Holidays, our last weekly communication of the month, before

JANUARY

Happy 2011! New Years Day

Get your finances back on track after holiday spending with this week’s communication, Six Great Money Saving Ideas.

3

Need help getting your credit score out of a rut? Read this week’s communication, Eight Easy Ways to Boost Your Credit Score, and watch your number rise.

Look to the sky - it’s Ameila Earhart Day

1

10

11

Start the new year with a solid financial plan. This week’s article, Nine Ways to Reduce Your Debt, will help you get started.

Martin Luther King Jr Day 17 With unemployment still high, and many employers hesitant to bring on new hires, it’s a tough time to stay ahead. This week’s communication, Financial Tips for a Challenging Economy, will help.

24

This month’s final article, The Most Common Money Mistakes and Their Remedies, will help you identify any oversights in your habits and get you on track to fix them.

31

FEBRUARY 2

Will there be a shadow? It’s Groundhog Day!

6 Stock up on snacks for Super Bowl XLV Doctor’s visits less stressful and allow yourself to become more involved in your care with this week’s 7 Make communication, Choosing a Doctor.

14

With health information broadcast on the news, internet, magazines, etc., figuring out what’s actually valid can be a headache. Our weekly communication, Making Sense of Medical Advice, will help.

Valentine’s Day

21President’s Day

Stay informed and safeguard your family with this week’s article, Protecting Yourself Against Medical Errors. to Make Better Treatment Decisions, our final weekly communication this month, provides 28 How information that will allow you to weigh all the options when it comes to choices about your health.

Winter 2010-2011 Balanced Living 3

WORKPLACE GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR The new year brings hopes and dreams for the future. You’ve made your resolutions -- to lose weight, exercise, plan a dream vacation, for example.

Don’t forget, however, that you also spend one-third of your day at work. You can improve your on-the-job enjoyment and your productivity by making the following work resolutions.

4 Balanced Living Winter 2010-2011

Learn new skills

To keep your career moving forward and prevent burnout, learn some new skills. Investigate which ones you’ll need for a promotion or for your dream job, then make sure you acquire them. Make a resolution to always be learning something new.

Keep organized

Most people don’t function well in the midst of chaos. The clutter on your desk likely distracts you and muddles your thinking. If your office is disorganized, the time you spend getting organized will be paid back in less stress and increased productivity.

Make a resolution to spend the last 15 minutes of every day clearing your desk and getting organized for the next day.

Take daily breaks

Human beings aren’t built to sit at a desk for hours at a stretch -- that’s why the coffee break was invented. But, there are better ways to use your breaks -- quick, simple techniques that rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit so you can return to work refreshed and ready to accomplish great things.

The following energizing breaks take less than two minutes: Count down from 10 to one, taking a deep breath with each number. Read affirmations, inspiring quotes or poetry. Read a couple of pages of a book. Put your hands over your eyes and visualize a favorite vacation spot.

Gaze out a window. Listen to your favorite music. Stand up and stretch your muscles. Doodle.

Drink a full glass of water. Eat a healthy snack.

Take a short walk.

Structure your time

Are you wasting time taking care of things that just aren’t important? If so, you’ll be frustrated when you fritter away your workdays doing things your boss would consider insignificant.

The solution is to block off one or two hours of quiet time each day that you spend focusing on your important tasks. Since most people concentrate best in the morning, choose your quiet time early in the day. Then transfer your calls to your voice mail and put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door.

Make a resolution to set aside quiet time every day to work on your important projects.

Keep an accomplishment journal

Buy a separate notebook for an Accomplishment Journal. At the end of the day, write the date on a new page and write something that you accomplished. It doesn’t have to be something major. Even little steps of progress need to be acknowledged.

For example: “I dealt with Mr. Jones, a difficult customer, in a very kind and professional way.” “I wrote two pages of a special report.”

Writing such a journal increases your enthusiasm as you look for things to accomplish and write in your journal. Your focus will be on what you did instead of what you didn’t do. Keeping the journal will also give you more confidence during employee reviews or when asking for a promotion.

ONE LAST THOUGHT: When you follow through on your work resolutions and make them daily habits, you’ll experience increased productivity, more energy and enthusiasm and the joy of accomplishment.

Want more information?

Log onto the Employee Services of our website at www.MINESandAssociates. com. You’ll find more resources related to improving your work performance, balancing work/life, and much more.

Can’t remember your username and password? Don’t have online services?

Contact your HR Department today.

Winter 2010-2011 Balanced Living 5

HEAD OFF HOLIDAY HAVOC

“J

oy to the World” may be the theme, but a lot of us find this time of year brings more stress than bliss. As we try to meet age-old ideals, we feel pressure to cook the perfect meal and buy the perfect gift.

It’s time for Americans to make more realistic holiday plans, psychologists say.

“It’s always legitimate to say ‘no,’” says Dorothy Cantor, Ph.D., former president of the American Psychological Association. “People forget that they have that option when the holidays come.” Dr. Cantor, a co-author of “Finding Your Voice: A Woman’s Guide to Using Self Talk for Fulfilling Relationships, Work and Life,” says today’s two-income couple has little time to cook, shop or party. Modern demands mean cutting down on holiday hubbub.

“Hosts and hostesses need to realize that it’s acceptable to delegate some of their responsibilities,” says California psychologist Elaine Rodino, Ph.D., who specializes in relationships and stress.

Have a potluck dinner so you don’t end up cooking the whole meal yourself. See what you can pick up at your local bakery. Ask dinner guests to help you clean up after the meal.

It’s wise to plan ahead and decide how the holidays can be most enjoyable for you and your family -- without holding yourself to artificial norms, Dr. Rodino says. Make plans to flee to a mountain cabin with your family. Feel you’re right not to invite relatives if you have a rocky relationship and fear they may spoil the mood. Talk to the family about spending limits on gifts.

“If you’re not going to do it joyfully, then don’t do it,” says Cecile Andrews, Ph.D., author of “The Circle of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life.” She urges people to make their own choices about how to observe the holidays.

“The holidays are not just about getting presents,” Dr. Andrews says. “It’s a time of inner growth, finding new insight and meeting your own values.”

6 Balanced Living Winter 2010-2011

A WINTER COLD: NOT INEVITABLE H P Y F or most people, catching the common cold is as much a part of winter as gathering wood for a fire and donning wool sweaters. But it doesn’t have to be. Although colds cannot be prevented -- or cured -- you can take precautions to reduce the chance of infection.

ow to

•

What is a Cold?

A cold is an infection that affects the nose and throat. It can last from a few days to a few weeks.

Five different types of viruses can cause colds, but about a third of all colds are caused by the rhinovirus (“rhin” is Greek for “nose”), and there are more than 200 different varieties of rhinovirus. Because so many viruses can cause a cold, there probably will never be a vaccine to prevent people from catching one.

“You really just have to wait out the cold, drink plenty of liquids and rest as much as possible,” says Linda Ford, M.D., past president of the American Lung Association. “An over-the-counter antihistamine/decongestant can reduce nasal congestion and clear up runny noses, but only the body’s own defense system can cure a cold.”

Dr. Ford says, “There’s no way to completely prevent someone from catching a cold, but there are some basic steps that can be taken to help people avoid getting sick.”

rotect

ourself

The American Lung Association offers the following tips for avoiding the common cold:

• • •

Wash your hands often, particularly if someone in your home has a cold or when you’ve been in public places. The cold virus is transmitted by person-to-person contact.

Someone with a cold rubs his nose then touches your hand. As soon as you touch your nose, you’re infected.

Don’t share drinking glasses or eating utensils with someone who has a cold.

Encourage children to wash their hands and to avoid putting their fingers or toys in their mouths.

Avoid exposing infants to people with colds and crowded public areas, as they are more likely to experience complications than older children and adults.

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR See a healthcare provider if you or your child has: • Temperature higher than 100.4° F • Symptoms that last more than 10 days • Symptoms that are not relieved by over-the-counter medicines Remember, if your child is younger than three months old and has a fever, it’s important to call your healthcare provider right away.

Winter 2010-2011 Balanced Living 7

WELLNESS SPOTLIGHT

Good Reasons to

QUIT SMOKING Smokers may want to pretend that they are immune from the damage that smoking causes, but the facts prove otherwise.

“Cigarettes and cigars do damage throughout the body,” says Steven Gay, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. “That’s what makes it so risky -- and what makes quitting so important.”

In the short term, quitters just feel better, Dr. Gay says, and in the long run, their health is better than those who keep smoking. Here are Dr. Gay’s top reasons for quitting smoking:

If you’re a man, you’ll be less likely to experience erectile dysfunction. “Men who smoke have a 50 percent increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction than men who don’t smoke,” says Dr. Gay.

You’ll drastically reduce your risk for lung and other cancers. Smoking is what makes lung cancer the top cause of cancer death in the nation.

But studies also have shown stomach, pancreatic, kidney, bladder and head and neck cancers, and other types of cancer are more common and more deadly among smokers.

Quitting will help your personal appearance.

Quitting will reduce bad breath, yellowed teeth and fingernails, premature skin aging and early hair loss.

You’ll cough less and breathe easier. Besides causing cancer, smoking hurts the lungs’ fragile tissues in ways that can lead to chronic lung diseases, such as bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis can worsen into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Emphysema is linked almost exclusively to smoking.

You’ll decrease your risk for heart disease and heart attack. Numerous studies show smokers have far more heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, than nonsmokers.

You’ll be less likely to have a stroke.

Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States and the top cause of disability.

8 Balanced Living Winter 2010-2011

If you’re a woman, you’ll be less likely to have fertility problems or give birth to a premature or low-birth-weight baby. The hazards related to smoking and pregnancy also may give your baby a higher chance of birth defects, and lifelong health and learning problems.

If you quit, you’ll spare your spouse the dangers of secondhand smoke. Nonsmoking spouses of people who smoke have an increased risk for lung cancer and heart disease, compared with couples in which neither partner smokes.

If you quit, you’ll keep your kids from getting sick from secondhand smoke. “Children who live in a household with a smoker have a two to four times greater risk for asthma as children who live in a nonsmoking household,” explains Dr. Gay.

443,000

The number of American lives claimed by smoking related diseases each year.

Don’t be a part of this statistic.

Make the decision to quit today.

QUALITY FAMILY TIME CAN BE ANYTIME

I

utes, it's the sacrosanct time that everyone agrees f you want to spend more meaningful time is important," says Eve Orlow, Ed.D., a licensed with your children, first make sure you set clinical psychologist. aside enough time for yourself. Put up your feet.

"Turn off the TV and radio and don't read the Have a cup of tea. Walk the dog. newspaper.

Ask questions that create the foundaDuring such moments, and while with your tion for relationships -- not only 'Did you have children, remind yourself "to be here now," suga good day at school?' but also 'What was good gests Denise Braun, health educator for women's about school today?'" Dr. Orlow says it's also a resources at Thomas Jefferson University Hospigood time for children to learn that they should tal in Philadelphia. ask, "And how was your day?"

But don't get hung up on quality time. "Saying this is going to be our quality time puts a lot of pressure on parents and Here are some ways you can become involved with your children: children," Ms. Braun says. "The child • Listen well. Listen not just for what happened, but for what they are telling may be tired or need something else us about their day through their actions and tone. at that moment, and then the parent • Read together. This teaches kids that books are not only a source of edufeels defeated or frustrated." cation but also of pleasure.

Quality time can take place spon• Play board games together. You’ll interact with your children while having taneously in many different ways fun. during ordinary interactions between • Limit and monitor TV viewing. A recent study by the American Medical Asparents and children, whether it's sociation found that children who watch a lot of television tended to be rocking a baby to sleep or driving a more overweight than those who watched little.

• Key into their unique interests. For some it might be going to a ball game, teenager to the mall. for others shopping at the mall or baking cookies.

There are some things you can • Relax more. “With so many things to be done, there’s something magical do to enhance the possibility of these about setting aside two hours or all day for a Monopoly game,” Dr. Orlow moments. Experts say start with dinsays. “It says: ‘We value hard work, but we also value relaxation time and ner. "Even if it's for only 10 or 15 minbeing together.’

Winter 2010-2011 Balanced Living 9

TIPS FOR TUNING UP YOUR NUTRITION Eating more healthful food to improve your health or reduce your waistline isn’t as difficult as you may think. Small dietary changes, made gradually, can result in substantial improvement over time, according to nutrition experts.

“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.

10 Balanced Living Winter 2010-2011

Ms. Bauer offers the following guidelines for improving your diet and your health: 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-quarter to one-half of the meat with cooked brown rice, bulgur or cooked and chopped beans.

Pump some iron into your diet by cooking stews, soups and sauces in cast-iron cookware.

Some of the iron will seep into the food. “This is especially true of tomatoes,” says Ms. Bauer.

Eat more of the right kind of carbohydrates.

Eighty percent of your total carbohydrate intake should come from nutrient-dense carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-grain products (bread, cereal, pasta), barley, couscous, oatmeal and potatoes.

Eat more legumes. 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.

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, beans, lentils, all seafood and fish, split peas, chickpeas and tofu.

Seek low-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 carHealthful eating rots or roasted red peppers to pasta requires little more sauce. Replace some of the oil in nut breads and cakes with canned than paying attention pumpkin. Substitute pureed green to what you eat and peas for half the amount of avoslowly making more cado in guacamole and other recipes. Use mashed potatoes to knowledgable and thicken soups. Put in a layer of healthful choices of vegetables instead of ground beef what you put on your when preparing lasagna.

Don’t forget the soy. “Soy plate. foods can boost the protein, calcium and iron content 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.

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 kind that helps lower blood cholesterol.

Eat more rice, but not the instant kind.

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

“Instant rice has the fewest nutrients.”

apple cranberry cider

SEASONAL RECIPE

Warm up those long, cold winter nights with this warm treat. Look for 100% fruit juice to get the most benefits from the antioxidant-heavy cranberries.

ingredients

8 cups cranberry juice 6 cups apple juice 1/4 c. brown sugar, packed 3 cinnamon sticks 1 tbsp whole cloves 1 orange, thinly sliced

directions

Place all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. If desired, remove cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange slices with a slotted spoon. Serve hot.

Winter 2010-2011 Balanced Living 11

KID’S CORNER

Create your own

Gingerbread House

This holiday season, spend some quality time in the kitchen with your children, creating homemade gingerbread houses. Your kids will get to showcase their creativity and feel a sense of accomplishment by seeing the house go from start to finish. (And they’re tasty!)

Gingerbread 1 cup butter room temperature 6 cups flour 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 cup molasses

2 eggs 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground allspice

Mix all of the dry ingredients together with a whisk. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar, then add the molasses and eggs and beat well. Add about half of the flour mixture to the butter mix and stir well. Add the rest of the flour in increments until fully mixed. If the dough seems really wet, add flour until it has a smooth doughy consistency. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight. You could also start it in the morning and bake it that night.

Create templates for walls and roof pieces on cardboard. Design your own, or find many free templates available online.

Take the dough out of the fridge and let it warm to room temperature for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 325° F. Sprinkle flour over your work surface, and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4 thick. Lay out your pattern pieces, starting with the biggest. Cut around the patterns and remove the scraps. Cut any windows out now. Gently transfer the cut pieces to a foil-lined cookie sheet with a spatula. Combine the scraps in a bowl and roll out again for the rest of your pattern pieces. Make shutters, flagstones, a fancy chimney, or gingerbread people with the leftover dough.

Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough should be somewhat firm when done. Remove foil and pieces as one from the cookie sheet after 5 minutes and let cool on a rack to finish. Don’t try to assemble it when the pieces are still warm.

Royal Icing 3 egg whites 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar 3 & 1/2 cups of powdered (confectioners) sugar Beat the whites until foamy, add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff. Beat in the sugar, mixing for 5 minutes or until a thick consistency is reached. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Note: You may need two batches of icing for a house, depending on the size and amount of decorations you apply.

Assembly & Decorating • • • • • • • • •

Cover a stiff board or cookie sheet with tin-foil.

Start with the rear wall, covering the bottom of the piece with icing and placing in position on the base. Prop the wall up with a heavy jar or water bottle.

Add the first side piece, using the icing as glue to affix it to the base and the back. Assemble the other side, then the front.

Once you have four walls together, the house should stand up by itself. To strengthen and beautify it, run a bead of icing along the outside joints.

Carefully frost the top of the house where the roof sits, and add the roof panels. Run a bead of icing along the top to help hold it together.

Let the icing dry before decorating the house. The house should be solid, and the icing should feel firm.

Using more icing, decorate your gingerbread house with dried fruit and nuts, candy, sprinkles, popcorn, etc.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar for snow.

Make a front walk with gingerbread flagstones, or a porch and yard filled with Lego people.

12 Balanced Living Winter 2010-2011

QUIZ

DOCTOR-PATIENT COMMUNICATION How Well do you Talk to your Doctor?

You and your doctor have a special partnership. Working together, the two of you can solve medical problems and follow a plan to keep you in good health.

As in any partnership, communication is important. That's why it's a good idea to make a list of questions or concerns you have before you head to the doctor's office. Find out how much you know about good doctor-patient communication by taking this quiz, based on information from the National Institute on Aging.

1. True or False: Your doctor knows which medications you’re taking, so you don’t need to bother reminding him.

2. True or False: If you usually wear glasses, bring them with you to the doctor’s office.

3. True or False: A friend or relative who accompanies you to the office must stay in the waiting room during your exam.

4. True or False: It’s not the doctor’s business to know about your personal life, so he or she shouldn’t ask you about anything other than health matters.

5. True or False: It’s OK to fudge the truth

about your smoking or dieting when talking with your doctor.

6. True or False: Your doctor has only a limited time for you, so limit your questions.

7. True or False: You can find out more about your particular medical condition by reading brochures your doctor has.

8. True or False: Problems with depression or memory are a normal part of aging and don’t merit concern by your doctor.

9. True or False: The best time to talk to your doctor about serious illness is when you’re healthy.

For answers, turn to page 14 Winter 2010-2011 Balanced Living 13

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

with the majority women in their 30s. Older adults are less likely to develop it. It is more common in northern latitudes and extreme southern latitudes. The depression is frequently moderate to major. SAD sufferers frequently have other family members with mental illness, such as depression or alcohol abuse.

Varying levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are believed to play a role in SAD. The sleep hormone melatonin, which has been linked to depression, also may play a role. The body makes more melatonin in the dark, so, the shorter, grayer days of winter boost levels of melatonin.

The symptoms of SAD can be confused with symptoms of other illnesses, including hypothyroidism and viral infections such as mononucleosis.

People with a mild case of SAD can ease symptoms by increasing they time they are exposed to daylight each day. Spending time outdoors and getting regular exercise are two effective methods to combat SAD. For more severe cases, doctors may prescribe light therapy and possibly antidepressants. Light therapy involves exposure to very bright, full-spectrum fluorescent light for a certain amount of time each morning.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a depression that occurs during a particular season of the year.

Most people with SAD are depressed during the fall and winter, when the days are shortest. Their depression disappears in the spring and summer.

A less common type begins in late spring or early summer. Changes in the amount of daylight may be the cause of SAD. Although many people say they get the “blues” in the winter, a person with SAD has much more difficulty coping WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? during this season. Like other • During the fall and winter, try to spend time outside each forms of depression, SAD inday. Get regular exercise, outdoors, if possible. terferes with daily life. Over• Rearrange your furniture at home and your workspace and cast days can make a person open the blinds or curtains to take advantage of as much with SAD feel worse. sunlight in fall and winter as possible.

SAD can affect anyone, • Talk to your doctor if you have signs or symptoms of SAD although women are approxisignificant enough to interfere with daily life. Your doctor mately 1.5 times more likely can refer you to a mental health professional trained to to develop SAD than are men. treat patients with SAD. Those most affected are people • Call MINES to access your EAP. in their late teens, 20s and 30s,

QUIZ ANSWERS

1. False. You may see other doctors or specialists who may have prescribed medication for a specific condition. Bring a list or the bottles of all medications you are currently taking.

2. True. If you use a hearing aid, don’t forget that, either. If you have a hard time seeing or hearing, tell your doctor that. Ask him or her to speak more slowly if you are having difficulty following the conversation.

3. False. If you think you might have trouble remembering what to ask to the doctor, or remembering what the doctor tells you, bring a family member or close friend with you to the exam room. Tell the person ahead of time what you need to discuss with the doctor so they can remind you of anything you forget to mention, and keep track of the doctor’s recommendations. If you don’t bring someone with you, write down any questions or concerns you have and take notes during the office visit.

4. False. What happens in your life -- the death of a close family member, a change in your living arrangements -- can affect your health. A doctor who asks you about your personal life isn’t being nosy, but is trying to make sure he or she knows about any major changes or stresses you may be facing.

5. False. Your doctor can’t give you the best care if you don’t say what’s really going on. Also, don’t hesitate to mention any symptoms that concern you. Although a physical exam and medical tests provide valuable information about you, it is the symptoms you report that help guide your doctor to the right tests.

6. False. Although it’s true that your doctor is busy, you can’t get the best care if you don’t understand what he or she is telling you. If you keep silent, your doctor may think you don’t have questions. Don’t worry about sounding silly. Ask questions when you don’t understand a medical term or when you don’t understand the instructions.

7. True. Doctors often have brochures and pamphlets available, as well as cassette tapes, CD-ROMs and videotapes about certain medical conditions. Ask your doctor if he or she has printed instructions available, and ask for a list of resources -- books, web sites, organizations and government agencies -- that can provide additional information.

8. False. Depression, memory problems, sexual function problems and incontinence are not normal. Your doctor needs to know about any of these and discuss possible treatment with you.

9. True. While you’re still healthy, talk with your doctor about advance directives. Examples of advance directives are a living will and durable power of attorney. They let you specify the type of care you want. An advance directive will speak for you, or allow a designated family member to speak for you, when you are too ill to make decisions for yourself.

14 Balanced Living Winter 2010-2011

If you need someone to listen, we’re here.

24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For information or conďŹ dential assistance call 1-800-873-7138