December 2011

It’s that time of year . . . time for Good Health! Holiday Gift Ideas.

Teavana Tea of the Month Club: Green, Black, Oolong or Herbal -- there are lots of great reasons to give the gift of tea to someone you care about this holiday season. Tea contains anti cancer properties, lowers stress level hormones, boosts mental alertness, increases metabolism and it's tasty too. http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/tea-of-the-month-club

Verilux Happy Light: Give the gift of sunshine! Full spectrum light therapy can make a positive difference in the lives of people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) when sunshine is in short supply. http://www.verilux.com/light-therapy-lamps/winter-blues

SheaNetics 6 Disc DVD/CD Collection: Shea Vaughn (Vince's mom), fitness expert and motivational speaker, shares her innovative east meets west approach to a healthy life balance. SheaNetics is a combination of the most popular forms of exercise, including tai chi, yoga, Pilates, gyro-kinesis and more, giving the home fitness diva a complete mind-body workout. http://www.sheanetics.com

Athleta Gift Certificate: Athleta sells really cute, comfortable and functional clothes for the active woman. Say “no” to frumpy sweatpants and “yes” to clothes that will make you look and feel great. http://athleta.com

UP Band by Jawbone: The UP Band and iPhone App work together to help you live a healthier life. UP combines sophisticated technology and variety of challenges that inspire you to move more, sleep better and eat smarter. http://jawbone.com/up

And don’t forget the Cupcake Flavored Dental Floss -- it makes a great Good Health! stocking stuffer because people who floss regularly live six years longer than those who don’t. http://www.amazon.com/Accoutrements-11927-Cupcake-Dental-Floss/dp/B001U6KW3I

This year I hope you make the time to be good to you by making the decision to be happy -- because being happy is good for your health.

Happy Holidays and Good Health!

Terry

"May peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!"


~ Author Unknown

November 2011

Prune eaters rejoice! It turns out that the “dried plum” is the wrinkly wonder of the fruit world. Researchers at Florida State University followed a group of 55 postmenopausal women who ate 9-10 prunes (100 grams) every day for a year. A second group of 45 postmenopausal women ate 3.5 ounces of dried apples. The women in both groups also took daily doses of 500 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D. It turns out that the prune eaters had significantly higher bone mineral density in the forearm and spine when compared to the dried apples eaters. In fact, several studies suggest that prunes increase bone density, decrease bone turnover, reverse bone loss that occurs during bed rest and increase blood markers of bone formation. No other fruit even comes close to having the same effect on bone. That’s very important information for women since one in every two women over the age of fifty experiences a broken bone due to osteoporosis. Bottom line -- Prunes are an important ally in the fight against osteoporosis.

Just when I think I've heard it all . . . I read about another weird medical craze for women. This time it’s women who are eating their baby’s placenta following childbirth. Not for the squeamish (or vegan) I would guess but it is being heralded as a way to alleviate pregnancy complications. In most hospitals the placenta is considered biohazardous waste and is disposed of accordingly. New moms who want to consume the fruits of their labor can bring their placenta to a professional placenta preparer like Jennifer Mayer, owner and operator of Brooklyn Placenta Services. For as little as $250 Mayer will transform a placenta into supplements she and others believe will prevent postpartum depression, aid in breast milk production and lactation, act as a uterine tonic and replenish nutrients lost during pregnancy. According to Mayer, “They’re happy pills.” Trust me – you don’t want to Google this topic. When I did I found recipes for making placenta stew, placenta lasagna and placenta jerky. Calling it weird is an understatement – especially when there is no conclusive study that indicates there is a benefit to consuming human placenta. I believe that postpartum depression is a real problem. I was lucky and did not experience depression after either one of my pregnancies. If I had I am sure I would have opted for Prozac over placenta.

Make the time to be good to you so that a nasty food borne illness doesn’t take the cheer out of your holiday. When preparing food this holiday season make sure you wash your hands, cutting boards, knives & counters often, invest in a good meat thermometer & use it and do not eat hot/cold food that has been sitting out for more than 2 hours. You really don’t want to be the relative that gave everyone stomach cramps and diarrhea, unless of course you never what to host a family dinner again.

Happy Thanksgiving and Good Health!

Terry

“I am a woman above everything else.”
~ Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

October 2011

Approximately 288,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed breast cancer this year. So you might wonder if all the pink ribbons, walks/runs and pink-themed products are making a difference? Absolutely they are! In 2010, there were more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. That’s because medical professionals are now able to find tumors earlier, treat them more effectively and reduce the incidence of reoccurrence.

Here is just some of the latest news in the prevention and detection of breast cancer:

… In three to five years, women will have the option for a zero radiation diagnostic test that will offer breast cancer screening 1000 times more sensitive than a mammogram. This technology, which uses magnetic sensors, is currently being tested and has the potential to detect cancers in the breast an estimated 2½ years earlier than a mammogram.

…The evidence that there is an important connection between physical activity and breast health has never been stronger. According to the National Cancer Institute regular exercise lowers the risk of breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal women. The why is not certain but it may be that physical activity prevents tumor development by reducing insulin and hormone levels and by improving immune system response.

… A study published in the journal of Nutrition and Cancer found that consuming walnuts slowed both the development and growth of breast cancer tumors in mice. Walnuts contain ingredients shown to slow cancer growth like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols. This reinforces previous research that 30 to 60% of all cancers could be prevented with a healthy diet that includes lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts.

… According to Ruthann Rudel, research director at Silent Spring Institute, if we want to figure out what causes breast cancer we need to conduct chemical safety tests that investigate how chemicals affect mammary tissue. Chemicals like atrazine, a pesticide used in agriculture; dioxins, an industrial pollutant found in some fatty foods; bisphenol A (BPA), found in some water bottles and canned foods; polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants, and nonylphenol a breakdown product found in certain laundry detergents. Ms. Rudel is just one of 18 experts pushing for new chemical testing guidelines for safety, human health effects and environmental effects that would require mammary gland assessment.

… And finally, 
a large-scale Swedish study of 6000 women ages 50 to 74 concluded that women who consumed 5 or more cups of coffee a day had a 33 to 57 percent lower risk of developing aggressive ER-negative breast cancer than women who had less than one cup of coffee a day. Those of you who need to justify your Starbucks addiction should be very happy.

Early detection makes a difference. I know because early detection saved my life. Don't be afraid to make your breast health a priority. Talk to your doctor about what screening strategy is right for you. Until a cure for breast cancer is found, early detection and prompt treatment is the only defense against a disease that takes the life of nearly 40,000 women each year. When you make breast health a priority you make the time to be good to you.

Good Health!

Terry

“No! My boobs aren’t natural. My real ones tried to kill me.”
~Unknown Breast Cancer Survivor

September 2011

It has been almost 20 years but, I can still remember listening to another mother at the park describe giving birth to her son . . . in her kitchen . . . in a plastic kiddie pool . . . with her entire family in attendance. At the time I remember thinking ewww . . . . . no way. I never really thought about it again until recently when I heard that the number of mothers having a planned homebirth went up 20% from 2004 to 2008. That of course begs the question -- WHY? What I learned is that there has been a 94% increase in homebirths amongst white women in America. Some of these women are opting for homebirth because it’s cheaper, some because they want to be in charge of their birth experience and some because it is what a growing number of celebrity moms like Ricky Lake, Giselle Bundchan, Cindy Crawford, Kelly Preston and Maria Bello are doing. Homebirth websites tout benefits that include: familiar/comfortable surroundings, no stranger germs, Dad can rest (like that’s important) and convenient access to your favorite foods. Still only about 1% of all births in the US are homebirths. Thankfully my childbearing years are behind me. But I’m thinking the process can’t have changed all that much. It’s still somewhat unpredictable and messy isn’t it? I did it my way – at Methodist Hospital where Todd was able to smuggle in a celebratory cocktail for mom.

For all you ladies who carry those big heavy purses listen up: Ideally, your purse shouldn't weigh more than 10 percent of your body weight. I would encourage you to put your purse on a scale and see how much it weighs. Make the time to be good to you. If your purse is too heavy, give yourself a break -- clean it out or better yet buy a smaller one. Your back will thank you.

Good Health!

Terry

“No day shall erase you from the memory of time.”
~National September 11 Memorial Inscription

August 2011

Some of you are old enough to remember the iconic 70’s ad campaign in which Euell Gibbons asked, “Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible.” And even though Euell claimed Post Grape-Nuts had a naturally sweet taste that reminded him of wild hickory nuts, I thought they tasted like cardboard. Not any more. I recently became reacquainted with the new and improved Grape-Nuts cereal (http://www.postcereals.com/cereals/grape-nuts). Honestly -- it has been life changing. The 7 grams of dietary fiber in a single serving of Grape-Nuts has had an incredibly positive effect on my digestive system. Not only is Grape-Nuts cereal good for your digestive system it’s also good food for your heart. One ½ cup serving contains 100% of the nutritionist recommended daily amount of whole grains and 0 grams of saturated fat. That is really important because diets rich in whole grains and low in saturated fats and cholesterol can help reduce your risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death of women in this country. If that’s not enough to convince you to give Grape-Nuts a try how about the fact that they contain half of a day's requirement for iron, it's a good source of vitamin A and most of the B vitamins and a great source of that oh so important vitamin D. Five or six mornings a week I enjoy ½ cup of Grape-Nuts with a ¼ cup of low-fat milk or yogurt and a handful of fresh berries or dried fruit. I am certainly not a medical professional or nutritionist but I am an expert on me. After years of trying to regulate my moody digestive system I finally found the answer in a bowl of crunchy goodness. It’s good stuff and if it were up to me, Post Grape-Nuts would be classified as a superfood.

Make the time to be good to you -- SMILE.

Good Health & Good Luck to the gals of Team Ped-A-Cure!

Terry

“Is this a hickie or a bruise?”

~Katy Perry, “Last Friday Night”

July 2011

You might be surprised to hear that at least four out of five women in the Unites States will be infected with the HPV virus -- the virus that causes cervical cancer -- at some point in their lives. Ninety percent of the time no symptoms or health problems occur and the body’s immune system clears the HPV in about two years. Even so, 12,200 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually. In February of this year the results of the ATHENA (Addressing THE Need for Advanced HPV Diagnostics) were published. ATHENA concluded that the Cobas HPV Test was able to detect HPV-16 and HPV-18, two of the highest risk HPV genotypes (there are over 100!) that cause 70% of all cervical cancers. One in 10 women, age 30-years and older, who tested positive for HPV-16 and/or 18 by the Cobas HPV Test had cervical pre-cancer even though their Pap test showed no abnormality. The FDA approved the Cobas HPV Test in April of 2011 and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends the Pap test and Cobas HPV Test for women 30 and over. Talk to your doctor and make sure you are being properly tested under the new guidelines.

I am all about celebrating the uniqueness of every woman. But if a nip, tuck or injection makes you feel better about yourself -- go for it. You have spent more hours than you can count doing lunges and squats and you still can’t get rid of those saddlebags -- maybe it is time to consider having a little liposuction. Why not? It is now the most popular cosmetic procedure in the United States. Fat cells get sucked out and they are gone forever. Well, that’s a big fat lie according to a University of Colorado School of Medicine study that concluded the fat cells eventually return – within 1 year. Even more disappointing, the fat cells seem to be redistributed in the body causing fatty areas in the upper abdomen, shoulders and triceps. First we learned that Spanx may cause yeast infections (http://goodhealth-terry.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html) and now we are hearing about the unwanted side effects of liposuction. Very disappointing news for sure – almost as devastating as learning the truth about Santa Claus!

On the 4th of July Americans celebrated our independence and freedom. This month I would encourage you to celebrate YOU. Take the day off, enjoy the summer sunshine, sing like no one is listening and make the time to be good to you.

Good Health!

Terry

“The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you finish the work.”
– Pat Clifford

June 2011

Is it true? Have researchers finally found a way to prevent breast cancer? The results of a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2011 Annual Meeting look promising for exemestane. Exemestane (also known as Aromasin) is an aromatase inhibitor approved by the FDA in 2005 for the treatment of estrogen receptor positive, early stage breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Previous studies have shown that aromatase inhibitors prevent the recurrence of cancer after a breast tumor is removed. Now, it is being reported that a daily dose of exemestane reduced the development of invasive breast cancers by 65% in a placebo-controlled chemoprevention trial that involved 4,560 postmenopausal women considered at increased risk of the disease. Of course, it is never that simple. There are side effects, the study only followed participants for 3 years and Pfizer, maker of Aromasin, paid for the study. But I am really hopeful that the medical research community is on the right track. You can be sure I will be asking my oncologist about exemestane and I will make sure I keep you all informed.

The ladies of Team Ped A Cure are trying to prevent breast cancer too. They are training hard for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure taking place in Minneapolis and St. Paul on August 19-21, 2011. These ladies are some of my personal heroes! If they are willing to spend months training and give up 3 days of their busy lives to walk 60 miles to raise money to find a cure for a disease I have been diagnosed with, the least I can do is spread the word that they would love your support. Please visit http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2011/TwinCitiesEvent2011?team_id=188758&pg=team&fr_id=1626 for more information.

Make sure you make the time to be good to you. When you take care of yourself you have more to give to others.

Good Health!

Terry

"Women are like teabags; you never know how strong they are until they're put in hot water."
~Eleanor Roosevelt

May 2011

Last week my good friend Peggy shared, with our Wednesday morning ceramics group, that she had started taking a daily dose of Chia. Not the pet – the seeds. So I did a little research and WOW . . . Chia seeds are amazingly nutritious. They have been around for centuries but have only recently started to gain recognition as a superfood. Just 2 tablespoons of Chia seeds added to your daily diet provides approximately 7 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, 205 milligrams of calcium and 5 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids! If you are like me and you struggle to get the recommended amount of Omega-3 in your diet and you hate flaxseed, chia seeds may be the answer. Chia can help stabilize blood sugar, improve hydration, improve mental focus and concentration, improve regularity and reduce cravings. Chia seeds are a convenient, ready to eat food that you can sprinkle on just about anything. The best part is that they are almost tasteless. In fact, when the Chia seeds are hydrated they take on the flavor of the food they are added to –- dressings, salsas, smoothies, yogurt . . . you name it. The shell of the Chia seed is easily broken down so there is no need to grind them to receive the health benefits and they have a shelf life of up to two years. Just one word of warning: If you want to include Chia seeds in your diet, do not use the seeds that come with a Chia Pet. Purchase only food grade Chia seeds which are available online or at most health food stores. If you want to boost your energy, immunity, endurance and overall health I suggest you try Ch . . . Ch . . . Ch . . . Chia!

Thank you Bev for being the first reader to bring the typo in my April 2011 Good Health! post to my attention. Did you catch it? If you did I hope it made you laugh. Laughing increases the level of health enhancing hormones in your body. Make the time to be good to you by reading my blog or spend as much time as you can surrounded by people that make you laugh. ☺

Good Health!

Terry

"Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice."
~ Author Unknown

April 2011

I am sure that you have all heard of Lady Gaga but have you heard of Baby Gaga? Baby Gaga is a radical new, naturally blended ice cream being sold at Icecreamist in London. Baby Gaga ice cream is radical not because it costs $24 for a single scoop. It is radical because it is a creamy blend of pasteurized breast milk, Madagascan vanilla pods and lemon zest. Yes, that would be human breast milk. Matt O’Connor, founder of Icecreamist, wants to “liberate the world one lick at a time” and if nothing else he is creating a buzz around his Covent Garden boutique ice cream shop. The idea of using breast milk to make ice cream was born out of O’Connor’s desire not to waste an abundance of frozen breast milk he and his wife had stored in their freezer.

Most cultures of the world consider the consumption of breast milk as a dairy food bizarre. But believe it or not, breast milk ice cream is just one of an interesting new niche of natural products that include cheese, yogurt, bread and soap all made with human breast milk. It is universally recognized that there is no commercial formula on the market today that is superior to breast milk for the nutritional needs of a newborn baby. It sounds weird and wrong for adults to consume breast milk. But is it? Some in the medical community are convinced that breast milk can induce the destruction of some types of cancer cells. And it is used in home remedies for conjunctivitis, insect bites/stings, contact dermatitis and burns. I’ll admit it – this formula feed baby sampled her own breast milk. Like most of you, I tried a little of everything before feeding it to my own babies (even those nasty iron drops). I really can’t remember much about how breast milk tasted but Colby & Brady seemed to enjoy it. However, at this point in time I don’t think the Bolin men are willing to give up their Breyers All Natural Vanilla Ice Cream. And the thought that one day we may see signs in the grocery store that say “Product of a Free-Range Lactating Woman” is way beyond my comprehension.

Make the time to be good to you – treat yourself to a scoop of your favorite ice cream, enjoy the warmer temperatures and take advantage of the extra hours of sunlight.

Happy Spring, Happy Easter and Good Health!

Terry

“If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live”
– Lin Yutang

March 2011

This month I thought I would share some Good Health! tidbits:

Sensitive scalp? If your scalp is sensitive to hair dye you might want to try adding a mixture of two packets of Sweet’N Low and one ounce of skim milk to your color. I have no idea why it works but I found this tidbit in Redbook Magazine so it must be true -- right?

Coffee? Yes, please. Female laboratory rats given caffeine developed an intense interest in their rodent partners.

Massage? Forget the sit-ups ladies. Having a 45-minute massage lowered thelevel of cortisol in study volunteers. Since increased cortisol levels have beenlinked to increased belly fat, stress reducing activities like a massage, exercise, medication or taking a bath may actually allow you to throw out that Ab Blaster.

Shape Ups? You may want to throw those out too. In February 2011 a waitress from Ohio filed a lawsuit against Sketchers, maker of the popular rounded-sole walking shoe. Holly Ward’s lawsuit claims that the Shape Ups she wore to work everyday to tone her legs and butt were responsible for the stress fractures she experienced in both of her hips.

Tired? Well . . . you don’t have to look like it. According to Kathleen Baird Murray, author of Face Value, you can achieve a wide-awake look by hanging your head over the side of your bed for a few seconds.

Allergies? Researchers at Cornell University concluded that the sniffles, sneezing and snottiness associated with hay fever may actually rid the body of toxins before they can harm healthy cells and thus reduce the risk of developing cancers of the skin, lungs, throat, cervix, uterus and gastrointestinal tract.

Leggings? Health officials in Thailand have asked women to stop wearing black leggings. Evidently the dark material of this popular fashion item attracts mosquitoes that carry the dengue fever.

This month get in touch with your inner shamrock. You can make the time to be good to you by believing that you are lucky. People who believe they are lucky are able to see all the ways they really are. Enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day -- just be careful if you plan to consume any funky green adult beverages.

Good Health!

Terry

"I never leaf through a copy of National Geographic without realizing how lucky we are to live in a society where it is traditional to wear clothes."
~ Erma Bombeck

February 2011

On average, Americans spend nearly 8 hours a day sitting down and our backsides are spreading because of it. According to Dr. James Levine, MD of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, long periods of sitting may be contributing to a larger waist, a greater Body Mass Index, elevated blood fats and elevated blood sugar levels in our increasingly obese society. That’s because when we sit our body’s metabolism slows down. Dr. Levine has been conducting research on the topic of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) for 20 years and believes that “people who tap their feet, prefer standing to sitting, and generally move around a lot burn up to 350 more calories a day than those who sit still.” NEAT is the energy you expend for activities other than direct exercise. I like to call it “incidental exercise” – things like gardening, cooking and folding laundry. In our modern society many NEAT activities have been eliminated thanks to the car, appliances and our beloved TV with remote control.

The detrimental effects of our increasingly sedentary lifestyle may be the reason why so many women struggle with weight, blood sugar and cholesterol despite consistent workout schedules. Dr. Levine believes that you can workout for 30 minutes every day but if you spend the rest of the day sitting in your car, behind a desk/computer or in front of the TV you are at risk of suffering the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle. In an independent study conducted by Canadian researchers concluded that no matter how fit your are, the more time you spend sitting each day the more likely you are to die an early death.

Of course, I am all about living a long and healthy life but let’s get real here – there is no way I am giving up my cute red car, TV or dishwasher. I would rather vacuum! Here are a few easy ways you can add small bursts of physical activity to your day:

• Walk. Don’t waste time and gas driving around the parking lot looking for the closest spot to the door. And never use the drive thru window at the bank or at your favorite coffee shop.
• Prepare your own meals. Chopping, mixing, standing over the stove and washing dishes burns calories.
• Walk the stairs whenever possible. I walk the stairs at my house two stairs at a time. It doesn’t look very lady-like but it is kind of like doing lunges.
• Be your own housekeeper/gardener. Cleaning and gardening is a lot more fun when you realize it is a productive way to burn calories. Did you know that making your bed every morning is a good way to stretch?
• Drink lots of water. When you drink water you have to pee and that means you are going to need to find a bathroom. I like to take it to the next level – a bathroom on another level of my home.
• Stand up and fidget while surfing the Internet or talking on the phone. CAUTION -- It’s never a good idea to text while walking as evidenced by this popular YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPpzj4PjNjU
• Do something while watching TV. It is also a good idea to stand up and stretch during the commercial breaks.
• Take your dog out for short walks. Don’t rely on Invisible Fence.

Please share your ideas for adding “incidental exercise” to your day by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post.

Be My Valentine ♥ and make the time to be good to you.

Good Health!

Terry

“Make it simple but significant.” ~Don Draper, Mad Men

January 2011

On January 1st, many of you resolved to make positive changes in your life in 2011. One of those changes may have been to be more eco-friendly. But be very careful if that involves using reusable bags -- they are hiding a nasty secret. Half of the reusable bags tested by researchers at the University of Arizona were contaminated by fecal bacteria. Seventeen percent tested positive for E. coli. Need I say more? If you use the same reusable bags to transport clothing and shoes that you use to transport groceries you can easily transfer bacteria. Make sure to designate bags for groceries only and wash all your reusable bags in hot water regularly to prevent the built up of illness causing bacteria.

Health magazine editors recently posted this question on Pollydaddy.com: What would you give up to lose 10 pounds by tomorrow? The results . . . 6% answered my wedding band, 7% my dog, 26% $1000 and 61% nothing. I am really not sure what that tells us about making good health decisions but thought it was interesting/odd enough to share.

I was shocked to learn that half of women over the age of 40, even those with health insurance, are not getting mammograms. In 2009, when asked what she would have done differently in her life Elizabeth Edwards said, “Well, for one thing, I would have had regular mammograms.” After being diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer, Mrs. Edwards admitted she had not had a mammogram in 4 years. Of course this is a topic near and dear to my heart. I guess that is why I find it unbelievable that a well-educated, wealthy, mother of small children who had access to the best medical care in the world made the choice not to have a yearly breast exam. An exam that most likely would have saved her life.

If you are over 40 and are not getting regular mammograms or you are a younger woman and have not had a breast exam by a trained medical professional in over a year – shame on you. If I stop telling you to make the time to be good to you – shame on me.

Good Health!

Terry

“We cannot control the wind, but we have the power to adjust the sails.”
~Chinese Proverb