Tag: Health

What’s the Radon Level in Your Home?

Now is an excellent time to test your home for radon gas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends actively reducing indoor radon levels when homes are confirmed with 4.0 pCi/L of radon gas or higher. The only way to determine if your home is above or below 4.0 pCi/L is to test. Chronic, long-term radon gas exposure in homes increases the long-term risk of developing lung cancer. Residential radon gas exposure is the number one leading cause of lung cancer death in the U.S. for non-smokers. Low cost radon test kits are available for purchase in any of our Post Rock District offices.

By: Ashley Svaty

Do You Eat Enough Fiber?

More than 90 percent of women and 97 percent of men in the U.S. do not meet recommended intakes for dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is a complex form of carbohydrate. Several decades of studies have confirmed the health benefits of eating a fiber-rich diet. Only plant foods contain fiber and diets containing fiber such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and improve regularity.

Ways to boost fiber in your diet:

  • Eat more legumes such as dried beans, lentils and split peas.
  • Choose romaine lettuce or spinach instead of iceberg lettuce.
  • Include fruits such as berries for breakfast or snacks.
  • Enjoy 100% whole-wheat or whole-grain bread.
  • Choose breakfast cereals that have a whole grain listed as the first ingredient.
  • Eat the skins on fruits and vegetables, such as apples and potatoes.
  • Substitute whole grain flour for ½ of the all-purpose flour in recipes.
  • Snack on dried fruit, popcorn, whole grain crackers or fresh vegetables.

Source: UNL Fitting in The Fiber & KSRE More Plants On the Plate

By: Ashley Svaty

The Power of Sleep

Sleep has a major impact on overall health and quality of life, including the way we feel, look, and perform on a daily basis. Your body needs sleep to repair muscles, consolidate memories, and regulate hormones and appetite.

Sufficient sleep positively affects our learning and memory, metabolism and weight, safety, heart health, and mood. Sleep needs for adults range between 7 and 9 hours. If you’re having trouble getting quality sleep, try a few of the following tips:

  • Maintain a consistent bedtime routine.
  • Turn off the TV and other electronic devices before bed.
  • Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing at bedtime.
  • Keep a sleep journal.
  • If you can’t sleep within 20 minutes, get out of bed and participate in a quiet, relaxing activity.
  • Eat a balanced diet and don’t eat heavy meals before bedtime.
  • Exercise in the afternoon or early evening.
  • Do not lie in bed once awake in the morning.

By: Ashley Svaty

Deliciously Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Throughout Your Day!

When you think about your overall eating pattern, do you believe you make every bite count? “Make Every Bite County” is the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans theme, and to me that theme is perfect! When I think about making every bite count, I think of focusing on naturally colorful and nutrient dense fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, lean proteins, and calcium rich dairy foods. When we focus towards those foods when we are hungry, we will be less likely to gravitate towards more processed foods. Use the following tips to eat more nutrient rich fruits and vegetables throughout your day, you will be glad you did!

Breakfast:

  • Add bananas, raisins or berries to cereal or oatmeal.
  • Drink a small glass of 100% fruit or vegetables juice (not “fruit drink”, “cocktail”, or “punch”).
  • Add chopped vegetables to eggs such as onions, bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes.

Lunch:

  • Have a fruit or vegetable salad with lunch.
  • Put vegetables on your sandwich, such as cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, or avocado
  • Have a piece of fruit or raw veggie sticks instead of chips.

Snacks:

  • Carry dried fruit, such as raisins, dates, or dried apricots in your purse.
  • Have any type of fresh fruit: grapes, apples, bananas, oranges, kiwi, etc.
  • On hot days, munch on a bowl of frozen fruit such as grapes, bananas, or strawberries.

Dinner:

  • Have a fruit or vegetable salad with dinner.
  • Add a side of steamed or microwaved vegetables-frozen veggies are fine!
  • Add chopped vegetables like onions, garlic and celery when cooking soup, stew, beans, rice, or spaghetti sauce.

Source: American Heart Association

By: Ashley Svaty

Sun Safety

Did you know that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., and that unprotected UV exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer? There are many ways that you can protect yourself and others from harmful UV rays.

 

  • Apply Sunblock: Apply a broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing. Reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating.
  • Wear Sun-Protective Clothing: Wear a lightweight and long sleeved shirt, pants, brimmed hat, and sunglasses with UV protection. For more effective protection, choose clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) number on the label.
  • Seek Shade: Limit direct exposure to the sun, especially between 10am and 2pm when the sun’s rays are the strongest.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology Association

By: Ashley Svaty

Balancing Your Family’s Finances

Much of life carries some sort of risk, from natural disasters to vehicle accidents and global pandemics. Most risk also carries with it an impact on financial health.

When the consumer thinks about their finances and risk management, there are four ways to think about it.  Each involves taking stock in your own financial comfort level.

Avoid the risk – In some cases you may decide not to own items or participate in activities that could expose you to financial loss.

Retain the risk – It’s impossible to avoid all risks, so in some cases you may decide to cover any financial loss yourself. For example, if you own an older vehicle and decide not to maintain collision insurance, you retain the risk that you will have to pay to have the vehicle fixed if you are in an accident.

Reduce the risk – Taking steps to control or reduce the size or frequency of a financial loss is a way to reduce risk.  For example, by locking the doors of your house, you reduce the risk of theft in your home.

Transfer the risk – When you pay someone else to cover a financial loss you are transferring or sharing the risk. For example, buying insurance to cover losses.

Having at least some cash set aside for an emergency is good.  Depending on your situation that might be a relatively small amount or it might be more. Every dollar that you have in your emergency fund is a dollar that you don’t have to borrow from friends or family members or put on a credit card when something unexpected happens.

By: Brenda Langdon

Seasonal Affective Disorder

What is seasonal affective disorder?

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, people may start to feel “down” when the days begin to get shorter in the fall and winter and begin to feel better in the spring with longer daylight hours. In some cases, these mood changes can become more serious and affect how a person feels, thinks and handles daily activities. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior when the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression.

What are signs and symptoms of SAD?

SAD is not considered a separate disorder but is a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting 4 to 5 months. Not every person with seasonal affective disorder will experience all of the symptoms listed below:

  • Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
  • Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Experiencing changes in appetite or weight
  • Feeling sluggish and agitated
  • Having low energy
  • Feeling hopeless and worthless
  • Having difficulty concentrating
  • Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide
  • Oversleeping (specific to winter-pattern SAD)
  • Overeating, particularly craving carbohydrates (specific to winter-pattern SAD)
  • Social withdrawal (specific to winter-pattern SAD)

What causes SAD?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, scientists do not fully understand what causes SAD, but research indicates that people with SAD may have reduced activity of serotonin, which helps regulate mood. Research also suggests that sunlight controls levels of molecules that help maintain serotonin levels. For individuals with SAD, this regulation does not function properly, resulting in lower levels of serotonin in the winter. A deficit in Vitamin D may also play a role in Seasonal Affective Disorder because Vitamin D is believed to promote serotonin activity.

How is SAD treated?

Treatments available to help individuals with Seasonal Affective Disorder include: light therapy, vitamin D, psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. If several of the signs and symptoms listed above apply to you, it is important for you to see your doctor so you can feel better.

If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text the crisis text line (HELLO to 741741).

For more information, please visit the source of this article: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder/index.shtml

By: Ashley Svaty