Category Archives: Wellness

Shoo Flu, Shoo!!

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With Flu season looming and everyone asking if you’ve gotten a flu shot, if you plan on it, and hearing (my favorite) “Eh, I’m not going to get it, I’m healthy and it’s only the flu, I don’t get what the big deal is…” That statement clearly comes from someone who hasn’t had the flu!!  Since I became a nurse, I have always gotten the flu vaccine, mostly because it is offered to you at the hospital, and they come to give it to you….it’s actually hard NOT to get it (and it is currently required at my hospital that all healthcare workers get it.)  But the year that I lived in the UK, I did get my US flu vaccine and considered myself all set, until I flew throughout the EU and to Bali and got the flu; the sickest I have been as an adult and it was MISERABLE.  So, yes, I am a believer in the flu vaccine, and it is one of the few vaccinations that I really encourage everyone to get.

Why is the flu shot such a big deal?

Approximately 49,000 people die each year directly from the flu or flu related causes.  In 2009 (Apr-Oct) approximately 34 million people were infected with H1N1, causing millions of hospital admissions, days of lost work, money out of YOUR pocket for co-pays/meds/lost work, and not to mention one of the highest death rates in children and adults from the flu!!  If getting a quick shot can prevent all that, why not get it?

There are two different vaccines out there for the flu:

A nasal spray and a flu shot.  Both are protective of three different virus strains that the CDC research indicates will be most virulent each season.  For example, these 2010-2011 Flu vaccines will protect against the 2009 H1N1 and the H3N2 as well as the Influenza B virus.  After about 2 weeks, you will build up antibodies against the flu that will help prevent you getting infected, and if you do, it will be a very mild form, like a cold. The flu shot (actual injection) is an inactivated (not living) form of the virus that is injected directly into your arm, and is appropriate for people over the age of 6 months, and for people who are healthy or with chronic medical conditions.  After the injection, you can have redness at the site, soreness, fever (low) and some aches that last 1-2 days. The nasal-spray flu vaccine is made with living, but weakened, flu virus  that do not cause the flu and it is approved for healthy people age 2-49 years old who are not pregnant. After the nasal-spray vaccine, you can have some side effects (for adults) such as: runny nose, headache, sore throat, and cough. For children, the side effects can be: runny nose, wheezing, headache, vomiting, muscle ache, and fever.  Since the flu season is technically October to February, you can get vaccinated at any time, but I always suggest to get vaccinated as early as you can!

Who should get vaccinated?
The CDC suggests that EVERYONE 6 months and older should get vaccinated yearly!  But here is a list of “high risk” people who should definitely get vaccinated:
-Pregnant women
-Children younger than 5 years old (because they start preschool) but even children under 2 are at risk and have low immune systems- they are also at high risk
-People 50-year-old and over
-People of any age with chronic conditions (i.e. asthma)
-People who live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities
-People who live with or care for those at high risk:
Healthcare workers
Household contacts of those at high risk for the flu
Household contacts and home care givers for those less than 6 months old

Who should NOT be vaccinated?
-People with an allergy to chicken eggs
-People that have had a severe reaction to Influenza vaccine in the past
-People who have developed Guillian-Barre syndrome* within 6 weeks of a flu vaccine
-Children under 6 months of age
-People with moderate illness that have a current fever (wait until the fever subsides and then you can get a flu shot)

*(Just as a quick aside, Guillian-Barre syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system and it is activated by an infectious process; basically you lose control/function of all of your muscles from the bottom of your body up, and remember that your lungs are a muscle, so it usually requires a hospital admission and a breathing tube with an acute attack!! So, you would know if you had it in the past!)

I hope you all are encouraged to go out and get a flu shot soon, they are available at pharmacies and clinics everywhere!!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Kettlebells!!

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I have recently been introduced to the world of kettle bells and my abs are thanking me for it!  I thought that it couldn’t really make that much of a difference in my workout, but it really has.  I have 5lb, 10lb, and 20lb kettle bells; the 5lbs for when I am learning a new workout so that I don’t hurt myself and the 10lb and 20lb for actual muscle-building purposes.  They are great because I have totally new workout routines and am working my muscles in different ways.  Also, you are combining cardio with strength training which is the best kind of workout; you increase your metabolic rate significantly, so it truly is a fat burning workout.  The bells are so different from  regular dumbbell weights because they are unstable and it requires extra concentration and muscle strength to stabilize the bells, allowing you to use more muscles with each workout AND most often you are using your core muscles to aid in the stabilization.  Many of the workouts are full head-to-toe workouts and utilize every muscle in your body, that focus on muscle movement and toning, so you don’t bulk up (you can if you want to and use higher weights, but I like to tone).

Kettlebells2

Also, its fun, new to your body (so you burn more calories), and you are supposed to supplement your workout twice a week with kettle bells so it changes your routine. Kettle bell routines are easy to learn (Turkish get-ups are about the most challenging and even I could get them down quickly!), also it is low impact on your joints, and what is better than high intensity cardio that is low stress on your joints??

Give it a try, and let me know what you think, they have changed my abs!!

Yours in Good Health

B

Boost your daily exercise

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A couple of years ago, I was unable to run for a couple of months, and it was absolutely killing me.  My doctor told me that I was allowed to walk as much as I wanted, he just really didn’t want me running for a bit.  Well, I felt like I was constantly walking and seeing all the results of my running going down the drain (I am obsessed with noticing muscle formation in my legs and it makes me really sad when I notice that they aren’t as cut as they should be).  So, I decided to get ankle weights, just 3 lbs, and I thought that they were too light at first, but let me tell you, at the end of a few 4 mile walks with my dogs, I totally noticed a difference, and I saw the definition in my calves coming back! On average, you burn an extra 180 calories an hour using 3 lb ankle weights, which isn’t a huge amount BUT it is an extra calorie deficit, and you are building muscle, which helps you burn more calories during the day.

When I got back into running, I tried with the weights, but that was a touch too much for me…I was lucky to get three miles without dying!  But, I started wearing my ankle weights while doing housework (vacuuming, doing laundry, etc), while running errands (under pants, of course), and even at work.  It tires your legs out so much and puts a little extra boost of exercise in your every day movements that you wouldn’t normally have. Plus, it was hidden, so it was my own little secret that I was getting a workout while running to each Code Blue!

exercise boosters!

exercise boosters!

If I have a great run or workout, I don’t bother with the ankle weights, but if I have a day where I am running around doing errands, and I know that I won’t have time for a proper workout, it gives my body a little exercise that I know I wouldn’t be fitting in otherwise.  Also, you can get spicy and move up and down the weights to work best with your level of activity and comfort; they can be purchased for pretty cheap at Target or Amazon; there are super expensive versions, but really all you need is something to strap onto your ankles that isn’t huge and bulky!  The ones that you can change the weights in tend to be a bit more pricey…I just bought a 3lb and a 5lb version because it ended up being cheaper than the adjustable version.

Also, low weight stimulation to your muscles, while helping to tone the muscles, also helps to adhere them to your bones, thus making your bones stronger, so this is a good suggestion for those of us who don’t get enough calcium OR anyone over the age of 30 to prevent osteoporosis.  So, while helping burn a few extra calories, it also prevents the degradation of your bones!  And, notice what a difference walking, running, etc. feels like when you take the weights off- you feel like you are floating on air!!

Yours in Good Health

B

Start them young on the right foot

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I am not a parent to any human beings, I clearly have two dogs, and I really don’t like when people give me advice related to my pooches (I almost made the statement that I hate when people without dogs give me advice related to my dogs, but really, it is all unsolicited advise!!).  So, I am going to preface that I am not a parent, and not preaching about how to raise a child here at all, but I have touched on it before in my blogs on nutrition, and I do think it is important to teach by example; study just caught my eye, and I wanted to pass it along because it deals with the devils drink, or as I like to call it: SODA!

sodaNow, I am never one to turn down a nice gin and tonic every now and again, or to not drink ginger ale when I have a sick stomach, but daily consumption of soda (diet or full sugar) really is horrible for your stomach (causes ulcers) and for your pancreas (your risk of type II diabetes goes up thus increasing your long-term risk for pancreatic cancer), along with the standard issues of obesity, tooth decay, caffeine dependence, and weakening of bones (phosphoric acid in soda can leach calcium off of your bones- creepy!!).  Also, there are new studies showing that increased soda consumption increases cardiovascular risks (i.e. stroke and heart attack) too because of the dyslipidemia (literally a disruption in lipids, or fats, that are in the blood….too much fat in the blood leads to plaque build up on cells and artery/vein walls) that occurs.

The Journal of American Dietary Association did a long-term study starting in 1996 with 5-year-old caucasian girls (roughly 170 children and parents as subjects), looking at the health/dietary differences between girls that were drinking soda at age 5 and those who weren’t.  I didn’t find the outcome shocking at all, but I did find it very sad: the girls who were drinking soda at age 5 continued to do so through age 15 and had an extremely low milk intake a higher intake of foods with added sugars, and lower intake of protein, fiber, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium in their diets. Basically, these children were eating processed foods and drinking soda on a daily basis as their normal diets.  This significantly increases the rate of obesity and type II diabetes, and treating type II diabetes becomes much more difficult when people have no concept of healthy meal choices.  So these children are engrained with these poor diets, and it is a tough challenge to change their eating habits.

These girls were set up at the age of 5 for increased cardiovascular risks for stroke and heart attack, diabetes, and cancer, all because of poor eating habits stemming around the consumption of soda.

I remember when I was young, and it was a HUGE treat to be able to drink soda; special occasions only!  And I remember my mom always regretting the decision as we were bouncing off the walls, but it was always water and milk only, and juice with breakfast.  Granted, I am very lucky to have the mom that I do, she still treats me like her baby whenever I come home, making me snacks and meals galore!! But, even with busy working moms, who don’t have the time to cut carrot/celery sticks and have them waiting as an after school snack, there are so many healthy snack options at the grocery store to choose from, and if you fill your house and fridge with healthy stuff, your children will learn to eat healthy stuff and that it tastes good!

So, please try to limit soda intake for younger kids and allow them healthy choices when you can control what they eat, so they learn what’s healthy, and we can only hope they continue that path as they grow up and make their own choices, but try to set them up for success in life and decrease their risks for long-term illnesses as much as you can.  And, honestly, in this economy, a Brita filter for a month giving fresh clean water, is a boatload cheaper than even generic brand soda!

Yours in Good Health, and for all the little ones out there 🙂

B

UTI’s: How to prevent them!

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All the ladies out there know the feeling of having to pee so badly, getting to the bathroom, and one drip of razor blades seems to be the only thing coming out: the dreaded UTI (urinary tract infection).  There are OTC (over the counter) tests that you can buy at your local pharmacy to ensure that what you have is, in fact, a UTI (but we all know the horrid signs). And, your HCP will most likely write you for a course of antibiotics (usually ciprofloxacin unless you have an allergy).

Some little UTI  facts:

Women are 30% more likely to get a UTI than men

It is the top three reason women go to their MD each year

60% of all women will experience at least one in their lifetime (and will vow to never get one again!)   These are the times that it is not fun to be a lady!!

A Little Anatomy:

 

 

 

 

 

How can we prevent them?

For those ladies (and some gentlemen) that are prone to get UTI’s, there are actually a few simple steps can help you to stave off the dreaded infection:

– Ladies always pee immediately after sex (the peeing out helps to flush out the bacteria pushed into your urethra which can grow and flourish causing the infection)
-Wipe from from front to back….both after peeing AND pooping
-Drink your eight glasses of water a day (AKA 2 liters). It, again, helps to flush out your urethra and prevent a back up of bacteria which love to congregate there
-Drink cranberry juice (or any other citrus juice.) The Vitamin C and acidity therein helps to make your pee more acidic and kill bacteria in the urethra. Bacteria cannot live where it is too acidic or too basic (the pH has to be just right.)
– Try to use contraception other than spermicidal jelly (nonoxyl-9 triples the risk of UTI’s and bacterial vaginosis in studies) or diaphragms (which can bruise the area near the bladder neck and make it more susceptible to bacterial infection)
-Women past menopause should use vaginal estrogen cream
-Young women should avoid bubble baths…they don’t “cause” UTIs per say, but certain soaps can irritate the urethra and make you more prone to get UTI’s. (i.e. Mr. Bubble is one to avoid, for certain!)

Just some easy tips that can help you prevent future UTI’s.  If you get them after every time you have sex, even if you pee directly afterwards, your HCP may write you for a prophylactic dose of antibiotic to take after each time you have sex.  Try these tips, and if you still have recurrent UTI’s, talk to your HCP and find some way to work prevention into your life; there is no reason to live in fear of UTI’s!!!

Yours in Good Health

B

Quinoa…an amazing gluten-free alternative to rice!

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I have a ton of friends who are allergic to gluten, and had heard from one of them about Quinoa a couple of years ago, but it was super hard to find where I lived in Boston…now I can find it in every supermarket I go to, and it is a staple of my diet.  I must say, I make amazing black bean and rice, which I always made with brown rice, but now I always put atop a bed of quinoa.  I was under the impression that everyone knew about this amazing south american treat, but out to dinner with friends the other night, I asked them about it and they had never heard of it, so I wanted to give so nutritional facts about this gluten-free alternative to rice (which also happens to be in the spinach family, randomly enough).

Its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians, vegans and athletes (actually, probably everyone due to the other contents listed below!!). Unlike wheat or rice, which are low in lysine, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source, and super good for you!  It also is a great source of dietary fiber and phosphorous, and is high in magnesium and iron.  And, as I said before, it is gluten-free and considered very easily digested by the human body.

(cooked red quinoa…see the little curly tails?  That means it’s cooked!!)

Quinoa is light and fluffy after being cooked, and has a mild nutty flavor (don’t worry those of you who are allergic to nuts as I am, it is not even closely related to the nut family) and can be used as an alternative for rice or couscous, and also can be made into a flour to be used for gluten-free baking.  A suggested mix is three parts quinoa flour, three parts sorghum flour, two parts potato starch, and one part tapioca starch, for  gluten-free baking mix!!


I really urge you guys to try it, it is a great alternative to other carbs for dinner (i.e. rice, potatoes, couscous) because it also has a great mix of protein and vitamins/minerals, and you can always spruce it up with some spices and steamed veggies (one of my favorite side dishes), and it is so yummy on its own, you don’t need to laden it with butter to taste good.  One more quick step to a healthier meal!!  So, give it a try, and tell me what you think!


Yours in Good Health

 B