Community health june 2014

communityhealthmagazine.com | summer 2014

run

for your

Life

millions of Americans have caught the running bug.

Find out what it can do for you

monitor

EATS

Take a Dip

5 healthy condiment alternatives to swap out at your summer barbecue

By Paige Fumo Fox

We all love our summer grill parties—friends gathered on the patio for good food and drinks, kids playing in the sprinkler and eating Popsicles. We’ve gotten smarter about our ’cue food, grilling skewers of chicken breast meat and lean turkey burgers. But after the meat makes it to the plate, we can sabotage ourselves with condiments loaded with calories we don’t consider. Instead of ketchup, barbecue sauce, mayo dips and sweet relish, try these healthier ways to satisfy your condiment cravings.

Vinegar One of the best ways to avoid overdoing the condiments is to make the meat taste better in the first place. Try marinating chicken to infuse it with flavor, and you won’t need to dump on barbecue sauce, saving about 70 calories per serving.

“I want the meat to be ready before it gets to the table,” says chef Jeffory McLean, lead culinary instructor at New York Wine and Culinary Center.

McLean, who has competed in barbecue contests, says one of his favorite marinades is a blend of coffee and vinegar. “Vinegar goes so far with good barbecue. It’s a wonderful accent,” he says. “The flavor profile (with coffee) is off the charts.”

Mustard As a standalone condiment or an ingredient in dressings and sauces, mustard is a grill-out winner. Plain yellow mustard has zero calories. Considering all the types of vinegars and mustards available, you can create nearly infinite combinations according to your taste, McLean says.

Spice blends and rubs When McLean preps a pork shoulder for the barbecue, he likes to use spice rubs, which are a great way to zing up the flavor without adding many calories. Experiment with the dried spices in your cabinet, and try high quality store-bought blends, such as Cajun or Jamaican jerk, and rubs tailored to complement pork, fish or chicken.

Greek yogurt To slim down potato salads and dips, learn to love Greek yogurt. Regular mayonnaise has about 10 grams of fat in a tablespoon. Non-fat Greek yogurt has about 0.7 grams of fat in the same serving. Plain Greek yogurt makes an easy, healthy substitute for dishes with sour cream, butter, salad dressings and more. You won’t even notice the difference.

Cheese A slice of American cheese on a burger is about as American as apple pie. And a slice of classic Kraft American cheese contains 60 calories and 4 grams of fat. You could skip it, but if you have a need for cheese, find varieties where a little goes a long way. “My rule with cheese is to find the strongest cheese with the biggest flavor you can handle. You will use less of it,” McLean says. Experiment with blue cheese burgers. Even a slice of strong-flavored Swiss might encourage you to use one slice, instead of two—or more.

Protein swap-out

Some of the best meat for the grill is often higher in fat. So if you’re craving meat, skimp on sides and condiments. Also, buy meat with lower fat content. “Buy a pork shoulder that’s 25% fat,” McLean says.

“We need to find out where we can reduce, so you can avoid having eater’s remorse.”

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Vinegar goes so far with good barbecue. It’s a wonderful accent.

Chef Jeffory McLean

quick tip Use a mister filled with herb-infused vinegar to spray on meat while cooking, to keep it moist while adding flavor.

Hit the Breaks

MEN

Stave off weak bones with proper vitamin D, exercise and the right diet

By Kevin Carlson

Romantic comedies. Pedicures. Makeup. There are some things men think are for women only, but osteoporosis shouldn’t be one of them. The degenerative condition will cause one out of every four men older than 50 to break a bone.

And as the population ages, that number is expected to increase.“It’s a great idea to build up your bone bank in youth and middle age,” says Dr. Felicia Cosman, an osteoporosis specialist at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, N.Y. “Take the right preventive steps and, with the right medication, you can stop osteoporosis before it starts.”

Crucial Calcium and Vitamin D Calcium is the all-important mineral that strengthens your bones. The Institute of Medicine says men should get 1,000 milligrams daily until age 70, then 1,200 milligrams daily. You can get this from food, and add a supplement if you need to.

“Stick to a diet adequate in calcium content, which can include low-fat dairy foods; green vegetables, such as kale, spinach and collards; and ocean fish, like salmon and trout,” says Dr. Gerald Eisenberg, of the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute.

Men who take a calcium carbonate dietary

supplement should keep the dosage at or under 500 milligrams for best absorption. Be careful with coffee—too much caffeine interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium.

Vitamin D is crucial, too. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, men should get 400 to 800 international units per day up to age 50, and 1,000 IU after age 50 to promote good bone health.

One serving of milk has 100 IU of vitamin D, and some orange juices and cereals are fortified with it. But it is tough to get adequate vitamin D from food alone, so supplements can help here, too. Just don’t go overboard.

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“You need to get adequate vitamin D and calcium. Not extra—adequate,” says Dr. Ethel Siris, director of the Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

“Know your vitamin D level. It’s cheap and easy to take a D supplement.”

How exercise helps Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun, and studies show older men lose more bone mass during winter because of a lack of sun exposure. So take a 15-minute walk in the sunshine.

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Freedom 5 paths to a safe run

Running injuries can be devastating, and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sam Carter has seen the worst. Carter, a Louisville, Ky.based doctor who specializes sports medicine, offers five tips to keep you on your feet.

Start slowly. If you are a beginner or a re-energized runner, don’t start at a pace or a mileage that makes you miserable.

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Don’t increase your pace or mileage too quickly. Total weekly mileage should increase by no more than 10% per week.

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Don’t run through pain. Sometimes knowing the difference between fatigue, discomfort and true pain is the most difficult or a new runner, Carter says.

Pain that does not go away with rest after a run is a warning sign of impending injury.

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Start at the bottom. Well-fitting shoes that match your gait and running style are a crucial factor in avoiding injury. Running shoes should be replaced after 300 to 500 miles, depending on your weight and running surface. Ask the experts at a specialty running store for help finding the right shoe and the correct fit.

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Listen to your body. Most running injuries are from overuse—trying to do too much, too fast. If you need to take a day off, it’s not the end of the world, Carter says. Try cross training, so you still get some conditioning and cardiovascular work without taxing your sore legs.

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M

el Diab motioned with his hands for about 30 runners at his store to join him for a picture.

The runners, clad in tights and layers of bright neon clothing against the cold February

night, gathered around the ever-energetic 64-year-old Diab inside his running shoes and

apparel store, Running for Kicks in Palos Heights, Ill. After taking the picture, the group headed out for its weekly Monday night group run, traversing about 10 miles as they snake through neighborhoods. The photo was used as part of a fundraiser in May for the family of fellow runner Mark Reilly, who abruptly died in 2013.

“That’s what runners do,” Diab says. “This is what it’s all about. Everybody is looking out for everybody else. And it’s something just about everybody can do. One foot in front of the other.”

Most of the regulars at Diab’s Monday night runs are part of the Yankee Runners, an Oak Forest, Ill.-based running club with members who compete in several marathons throughout the year, including in Boston and Chicago.

Among the Yankee Runners who laced up that Monday night was Tracy Rosensteihl, a 48-year-old who took up running about two years ago. Since then, he’s lost more than 50 pounds, and doesn’t have to take cholesterol medication anymore. He’s also able to take a smaller dosage of medicine for his type 2 diabetes.

Rosensteihl has raised about $20,000 in support of the American Cancer Society through races and other efforts, including his first-ever full marathon in November 2013.

“It’s a matter of fitness, friendships and fundraising,” Rosensteihl says. “They all relate together in running. I’ve met so many great people through the running community.”

Running has grown way beyond just a way to stay fit. Old and young, men and women, people of all walks of life are finding fellowship and run through running. And it’s still a killer workout.

A wider track

Across the country, running communities are growing, and the number of races is skyrocketing. From 5Ks and half-marathons, to theme runs and traditional marathons, the sport is in the middle of what New York Road Runners coach John Honerkamp describes as its “second boom.”

In the 1970s and ’80s, running was a male-dominated sport offering a narrow range of events. It was mostly guys running marathons.

But today, the number of half-marathons is rising faster than any other running event, and you’ll see many more women running them, Honerkamp says.

“Part of the second running boom is that both genders are more involved now compared to the first boom,” says Honerkamp, who is an eight-time top 10 finisher at the U.S. Track and Field National Championships.

One of Honerkamp’s goals is to lower the barriers that may keep curious people away from running. People think it’s too difficult, and a regular routine is almost impossible to stick with.

Experienced runners training for their 10th race will still call themselves as “beginners,” he says. So Honerkamp encourages people to focus on hitting their own goals, instead of comparing themselves to Olympians or people who just run more often.

“One of our jobs is to break down those walls of, ‘I’m not a real runner,’ or, ‘I’m too slow,’” he says. “We aim to show people that runners aren’t just really fast people wearing singlets and short-shorts.

We help people not feel intimidated when running with people who have all the gear, and are more experienced.

“I define running as propelling yourself forward using both feet.

If you’ve chased a bus, or chased the subway, or a cab, you’re a runner. Our tagline is, ‘Run for life.’ We want to get people inspired and change lives through running.”

He says running offers a way for a person to set and reach goals independently. Sure, it can get competitive if you want it to be. But most runners are focused on their own progression and development.

“It’s much cheaper to run a marathon than to buy a Ferrari for a midlife crisis,” he says. “It’s about a process and a journey. If you run your best time, then really you did just as well as the top finisher in a race.”

51.4 million 29.4 million

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Americans went running at least once in 2012 ran at least 50 days that year Source: Sports & Fitness Industry Association

on

2 feet

No equipment, no gym, just you and the open road. Or, grab a group and find fellowship.

Millions of regular people around the country have discovered the simple joys of running.

Read about the rewards that come from just putting one foot in front of the other, and how you can get started today.

By Benji Feldheim

C o m m u n i t y H e a l t h summer 2014

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Get the right gear

CLOTHING Warm weather: Get clothing to keep you cool and dry, such as Nike DriFit, at right, or Saucony and Mizuno Coolmax shirts. “You never want to wear cotton,” Diab says. “It just holds the sweat.”

Cold weather: Stay warm and dry by using a base layer on your upper body to wick away sweat, a second layer for insulation, and then a jacket on top to seal in warmth. Thermal tights keep legs warm, while mittens work better than gloves to keep fingers insulated, Diab says.

“And you definitely want to wear a facemask that wicks sweat away and filters cold air,” he says.

SHOES Diab says you should consider much more than brand and color when choosing the right shoes.

“We don’t push one shoe company over another. Everything depends on foot structure, any issues you have like injuries, and what you are training for,” Diab says.

Once they analyze your feet and training needs, he uses a Brannock Device— the foot-measurer that was once a shoe store staple—find your exact fit. “We’re old-fashioned in that respect, but they still work well,” Diab says.

Then, the customer stands up and bends their knees into a squat to make sure the shoes keep their feet stable and level. Lastly, they go outside for a short run while a staff member watches to see if the shoe helps their stride, especially if they pronate (feet roll inward) or supinate (feet roll outward).

“We’d never tell a runner to buy a pair of shoes and break them in,” Diab says.

“They have to feel good when you put them on.”

Late 1890s British company J.W. Foster and Sons, known today as Reebok, builds one of the earliest-known shoes with spikes jutting out of the sole.

Half-marathons, fully committed In 2013 Running USA, a national nonprofit focused on advancing the sport, reported that the half-marathon has been the fastest-growing road race distance in the United States for seven straight years.

➤➤ The number of half-marathon finishers has almost quadrupled since 2000—from 482,000 to 1.8 million.

➤➤ In 2013, a record 36 U.S. half-marathons had at least 10,000 finishers, up from 17 in 2009. Back in 2000, only one U.S. half-marathon had 10,000 finishers. ➤➤ 60% of half-marathon finishers were female in 2012, with a record 1.1 million runners.

➤➤ Men made up 40% of half-marathon finishers in 2012, but still added up to a record high of 740,000.

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1920s Germany’s Adi Dassler follows with his own running spikes, before starting Adidas.

1960s University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman develops the waffle-iron pattern on shoe bottoms to cushion impact, while giving runners more traction. Bowerman’s innovations, which also included the raised heel and nylon upper, led to the creation of Nike.

1970s Following Bowerman’s influence, shoe manufacturers start working with a substance called ethylene vinyl acetate, which captures air bubbles. In 1979, the Nike Air was born. The influence is still seen today in running and athletic shoes, even with advancements in material density, stability and isolation.

2010 Brooks Running announces a breakthrough—a liquid made up of tiny polymer chains that act like millions of “nanosprings.” Because it can move around inside the shoe, it allows a shoe to adapt to the force applied to it.

Today Some people say that while shoe innovations are great, we’ve been running as a species for hundreds of thousands of years without them.

Thus was born isolated-toe shoes. The thinking behind toe shoes is that human feet were not made for a heel-to-toe strike that’s common when wearing shoes. Rather, it’s better to hit the ground with the ball of your foot first.

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monitor

FAMILY

Lose to Win

Why failures can boost your kids’ confidence and set them up for success By Sharon Filkins No one likes to lose. Whether you’re a child or an adult, failing at anything can be painful. And it seems we’re now so afraid of failure, everyone gets a trophy just for trying. It might be nice to call everyone a winner, but many psychologists say we can all learn a bigger lesson from losing.

Take the long view In the moment, a win feels exhilarating. But research shows in the long run, losing can feel even better. It can help kids learn problem-solving skills and ways to deal with frustration, while also boosting their self-esteem, and even unleashing their creative side.

Lindsey Folk is an adolescent counselor with Doreen Zaborac and Associates in Tinley Park, Ill. She says setbacks with friends, sports and schoolwork help children learn how to deal with the emotions they feel when they fail. They develop skills for putting things in perspective, and looking at the bigger picture.

“It is a teaching moment, as children do not always accept or realize why a failure happened,” Folk says.

“In turn, it is also a learning experience for parents. They should understand that how they handle failure will greatly impact their child.”

If a child fails a test, parents can ask why they think this happened, and what could they have done differently, she says. Let them do the majority of the talking, so they can work through their frustrations and come to their own realization about their actions. Don’t accuse them of not studying hard enough, but have a calm conversation about the reason for their failure. It encourages a more positive outcome next time.

quick tip

it never fails

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Famous quote from Michael Jordan

“Speaking in a calm manner allows the child to think about how they could have done better,” Folk says.

“Praising the effort, rather than the outcome, is a more positive approach in dealing with your child.”

Failures help us see strengths Youth football coach David Klusacek has been encouraging kids for 23 years. The Oak Forest, Ill., coach says losing is a great learning tool for athletics, helping young players discover their best skills.

“I once had a player who really wanted to play quarterback, but his mechanics and abilities were not suited to play that position,” he says.

“I knew he was discouraged after all the time he had put in, but after talking to him and letting him see for himself that his abilities were not there, he changed positions and went on to have a great sea-

If your child fails a test, don’t accuse him of not studying hard enough, but talk calmly about what actions could have led to a better outcome.

son. He was determined, and his efforts turned the failure around.”

This ability to learn from mistakes and realize when we’re just not good at something actually builds our self-confidence, Klusacek says. Athletes can pick up on their shortcomings, and then turn their focus to the areas where they thrive. And that’s a prize bigger than any trophy.

“When I talk with my players after a loss, the first things we talk about are the positives of the game. I focus first on what we did well. Then I talk about the mistakes and what might have caused the loss,” Klusacek says.

“I do the same thing with a win, so my players learn that we do the same thing when we win and when we lose. It helps them have a positive attitude about themselves.”

Praising the effort, rather than the outcome, is a more positive approach in dealing with your child. adolescent counselor lindsey folk

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Take a Load Women carry so much on

their shoulders, and a purse shouldn’t add to the weight.

Make your body stronger

Off

By Danette M.

and your purse lighter— without sacrificing your style.

Lipstick. Snacks. Toys. Eyeliner. Running shoes. Wallets full of change. Even laptops. You’d be amazed at the truckload of stuff a woman carries around in her purse. But it’s what many women—especially moms—do every day.

Kerry Struif, of Alton, Ill., is typical of many women on the go. A marketing manager for the Foundation for Wellness Professionals, she carries two smart phones, a tablet, notebooks and a calendar, as well as her wallet, cosmetics and her favorite pens in an average-sized tote bag with handles and a strap.

Struif considers herself capable of handling the heavy lifting, but there still are times when her body says it’s time to put down the excess baggage. She often wonders whether the pain she sometimes feels stems from all the things she carries, or if the purse itself is the culprit.

“Sometimes my neck and shoulders hurt,” Struif says. “I’m not sure if my purse is the cause of my problem, but it certainly contributes to it.”

Like many women, Struif wants to be ready for anything at a moment’s notice, and it leads to hefting around a big bag. But this “be prepared” mentality comes with a price—one you can’t pay from your wallet.

Research shows the size and shape of a bag, the length of its straps, and even the material it’s made from can make for a heavy and harmful combination on the muscles, nerves and ligaments. Plus, constantly shifting your posture can cause headaches, back and neck pain, and shoulder and elbow aches.

Don’t ignore the creep It’s tempting to bring everything you want, rather than choose only what you need, but extra weight can stretch out essential bag-carrying muscles. Carry a heavy load for a long time, and you’ll be exhausted afterward. You might even develop muscle aches and nerve pain.

Chiropractor Dr. Christina Faccin says over time, the added weight from a purse damages the upper and lower back, and shoulder and neck muscles, causing excessive wear and tear, arthritis, disc bulges and herniation.

“It’s called muscle creep. Muscles slowly become elongated from the pressure of a heavy purse,” she says.

A too-heavy purse can also cause tension headaches. When the shoulder becomes depressed or pulled, muscles will contract to hold up the arm being pulled down by the weight of the purse. This causes a counterbalance on the neck muscles, which leads to strain, Faccin says.

When a woman consistently carries her purse on one shoulder, it’s going to damage her posture. The asymmetry between the purse-laden shoulder and the free shoulder eventually forces the body into a “C” curvature. Faccin says she once saw a patient who had one shoulder lower than the other because of how she’d been carrying her purse.

It’s similar to what happens in yoga. When you first start yoga, you aren’t very flexible, but the more you stretch, the more you soften the tissues. Muscle creep involves the same principle, she says.

Over time, the muscles stretch and our torsos can shift to one side. We lean to counteract the weight of the purse. If you carry your purse on your left shoulder, the weight pulls the shoulder down and your pelvis shifts over to the right, creating the C curve. But you have to have your bag, so what’s a gal to do?

“We should alter our habits,” Faccin says. “Carry lighter purses. Switch sides every 20 minutes, so you aren’t holding your bag on just one side.”

And if you don’t want to watch the clock, just listen to your body. The body knows when it’s feeling pain or discomfort, Faccin says, so give in to the subconscious instinct to switch sides.

It’s not just a muscle game, either. Our nerves feel the effects of heavy and poor purses, too. Tight, narrow straps that dig into the shoulders will cause tingling and numbness in the arms and hands.

“The best way to mitigate this is to use a purse with a wider strap or a backpack purse,” Faccin says.

To find relief for these aches and pains, Faccin recommends applying heat, getting spinal adjustments, or getting a trigger-point massage. A trigger-point masC o m m u n i t y H e a l t H | L u d i n g t o n d a i l y n e w S | F R IDAY , J UNE 6 , 2 0 1 4

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It’s similar to what happens in yoga. When you first start yoga, you aren’t very flexible, but the more you stretch, the more you soften the tissues. Muscle creep involves the same principle, she says.

Over time, the muscles stretch and our torsos can shift to one side. We lean to counteract the weight of the purse. If you carry your purse on your left shoulder, the weight pulls the shoulder down and your pelvis shifts over to the right, creating the C curve. But you have to have your bag, so what’s a gal to do?

“We should alter our habits,” Faccin says. “Carry lighter purses. Switch sides every 20 minutes, so you aren’t holding your bag on just one side.”

And if you don’t want to watch the clock, just listen to your body. The body knows when it’s feeling pain or discomfort, Faccin says, so give in to the subconscious instinct to switch sides.

It’s not just a muscle game, either. Our nerves feel the effects of heavy and poor purses, too. Tight, narrow straps that dig into the shoulders will cause tingling and numbness in the arms and hands.

“The best way to mitigate this is to use a purse with a wider strap or a backpack purse,” Faccin says.

To find relief for these aches and pains, Faccin recommends applying heat, getting spinal adjustments, or getting a trigger-point massage. A trigger-point massage releases constricted areas in the muscles, alleviating pain and restoring mobility to the muscle.

“Trigger points are areas of muscular spasms that are about the size of a dime or quarter, what people generally call knots,” she says. “These can be quite painful.”

Try to tote smart The best way to carry a purse is to keep it close to your body and higher up near your underarm by your rib cage. That way, your arm helps support the purse.

“If it hangs low, we’ll subconsciously lean to tuck it in closer to us,” Faccin says. “So keep the straps short. Tie or adjust the straps, so they’re shorter. You want to put the purse in the crook of your waist, not hip level, so it’s not pulling you sideways.”

In recent years, a new syndrome has shown up in medical offices: Poshitis. Named for former Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham, it refers to the back and neck pain women get from carrying a heavy purse in the crook of their arm, like Beckham often does.

Holding your bag in this position damages your body, Faccin says. Your elbows were designed to be moving joints, not hooks for your purse. It’s not only tiring, but it can damage the radial nerve in the thumb, as well as the elbows. And the forearm muscles can end up stiff and sore after being in the same hooked position for a long time, too.

“The muscles in the forearm are all that are protecting the nerves. The forearm is thin, so there isn’t a lot there to protect them,” Faccin says.

Ladies, you can get rid of the excess baggage. Any time you grab your purse to head out the door, think about what you really need to carry, says Robin Harsis, a professional organizer in Ontario, N.Y. “Maintenance of any organizing system is a must for it to function properly,” Harsis says.

“Throw out garbage, take out items that do not belong, and purge unneeded receipts and expired coupons. This can be done while standing in line at the grocery store, waiting for an appointment, or waiting to pick up your kids from soccer practice.”

Dump everything out of your purse, and start the de-junking process by tossing out the trash. We tend to accumulate receipts, tissues and gum wrappers, so create a system to throw it all away at the end of each day. It might seem small, but it all adds up.

Sort everything else into two piles—must-haves and nice-to-haves. Essentials such as a wallet and cell phone can go in first, but think about whether you need less-important items such as phone chargers and several lipsticks. Every woman will have a different answer based on her lifestyle and needs, Harsis says.

To corral the stuff you decide to keep, Harsis recommends using the “bag within a bag” system. “Besides my wallet, I have a bag I keep my coupons in and a small cosmetic bag that holds my gum, Chapstick, mirror and so on,” she says.

“That gives you boundaries. It keeps everything tidy. However many bags you use, they should all fit readily and easily into your purse. You shouldn’t have to cram them all in there.

We have a tendency to stuff it all in.”

Moms whose purses double as diaper bags or family carryalls can use a bigger bag, she says. “But the process still applies. So if you have snacks and small toys, you’d have them in a separate bag,” Harsis says.

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Wash Them Away Eco-friendly ways to free your pets of fleas for good

By Jason Tomcsi

Fleas are a downright nuisance. And they bring serious health baggage when they nest on your pets. Many people turn to pesticides to rid their home of these parasites, not knowing the harmful effects the chemicals might have on their pet and the environment.

The next time you need to defend your home and pets against these pests, think about protecting the planet, too.

Work from the outside in A flea has four life stages: egg, larvae, pupae and adult. By the time you can see them, they’ve reached the adult stage, which means you could already have an infestation on your hands.

To break the cycle, you need to get the problem under control, says Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director of the ASCPA’s Animal Poison Control Center. And the process starts outside.

“Fleas like dark areas that have high humidity,” Wismer says. “Trimming back bushes and removing organic matter from your yard can help decrease the flea population.”

Once the lawn is cleared, Wismer says to invest in beneficial nematodes. When mixed with water and sprayed into the soil, these microscopic roundworms locate and kill flea larvae. Most types are reasonably priced, and you can buy them online.

It’s a great natural way of stopping fleas before they get inside your house, she says.

If fleas make it past the door, a vacuum, washing machine and dryer are your best weapons. Vacuum to pick up adult fleas, eggs and larvae. Wash bedding in hot water and use the high heat setting on the dryer, as the heat kills eggs and larvae that have taken up residence, Wismer says.

Treating animals naturally is as simple as giving them a bath. And for pets that don’t normally get in water, like cats, use a flea comb to pick through sensitive fur.

And you’ll likely have to bathe pets more than once to get rid of the fleas completely.

Pet owners need patience and determination when working with eco-friendly pest control remedies. Wismer says you can’t just do it once and then give up. But if you’re trying to be eco-friendly, it’s worth it.

“You are going to need to do this every day for several weeks to get things under control,” Wismer says. “But by using these methods, we can reduce the amount of insecticides into the environment.”

quick tip Persistence pays

Use beneficial nematodes in the soil around your home.

These microscopic roundworms eat flea larvae.

monitor

WOMEN

It’s Only Natural 4 reasons for moms to bag the bottle

By Erin Golden

Breast milk, as most moms know, does much more than soothe a hungry tummy. Full of antibodies and nutrients perfect for an infant’s particular needs, it’s a powerful tool for development and protection against disease. But the act of breast-feeding can also work wonders for moms.

Breast-feeding expert Diane Spatz is director of the lactation program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She works with critically ill babies, and teaches doctors and nurses about the range of benefits breast-feeding offers moms. Spatz tells us four ways breastfeeding helps moms—even years later.

Post-baby BPs and lbs Breast-feeding can help keep blood pressure levels low, and Spatz says it blasts off baby weight. Breast-feeding burns energy—in particular, the stored-up fat accumulated during pregnancy. It’s something moms have known for years, but maybe now even more relevant, as more women are at risk of becoming obese.

“The longer Mom breast-feeds, the more protected she is from being overweight,” says Spatz, a professor of nursing and nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania.

Getting to a healthy weight after pregnancy can also fight the chance of type 2 diabetes. Though, Spatz cautions that moms who dealt with obesity pre-pregnancy shouldn’t expect breast-feeding to be a miracle diet.

Arthritis avoider Increasing evidence shows breast-feeding may lower a mother’s risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis later in life. One recent study of 7,300 Chinese women found that women who had breast-fed were 50% less likely to develop the condition than women who hadn’t. The study showed a particularly noticeable impact for women who had breast-fed for a long period of time.

Spatz says that means more than a year, which isn’t the norm here. The health effects of breast-feeding for American women are slightly more difficult to track, because women breastfeed for more varied periods of time, and many mix in formula feeding.

Experts aren’t sure exactly why breastfeeding may reduce arthritis risk in moms, Spatz says, but they do know the benefit—and many others, for both mom and baby—is tied directly to the length of time a woman breastfeeds.

“It’s really all about the ‘dose response,’” she says. “The longer she is breastfeeding, the more benefits.”

Lower cancer risk Researchers have also pointed to links between longer-term breastfeeding and a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Again, Spatz says, it’s not clear exactly what’s happening biologically to lower the risk. But it may have something to do with the typical course of development and aging of a woman’s body, and the role pregnancy and breastfeeding play.

“A woman’s breast is designed to get pregnant and lactate, and if you don’t, your breasts don’t go through the final maturation process,” she says.

Help from ‘happy hormones’ Breastfeeding may also help new moms stave off postpartum depression. Spatz says the hormones released while creating milk are the same ones that make you feel good—endorphins or “happy hormones.”

Plus, there are the undeniable feel-good effects that come from time spent bonding with and providing for your baby.

“If you ever speak to a mother who has met her personal breastfeeding goals, that relationship she has with her child—there’s just no other way to gain that relationship,” Spatz says.

your breast-feeding nutrition guide

Minimum recommended daily servings based on a 2,200-calorie meal plan Bread, cereal, rice, pasta 9 to 11 servings Vegetables 4 to 5 servings Fruits 3 to 4 servings

Milk, yogurt, cheese 3 to 4 servings, or a calcium supplement Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, and nuts 3 servings

Saturated and trans fats, oils and sweets Use in small amounts Source: WomenAndInfants.org

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