So much needed sleep

So I leave one bed to go to her and find her in the same state.  Try to bring her to my bed, but my husband who was just struck with same cold is snoring so loud that neither of us would ever get back to sleep.  So we both now go to lay down with my oldest daughter.  This creates the perpetual crying fits randomly from both girls – who don’t even seem to wake up to do it!  So now from the first wake up at 12:30 am it is now 5:30 am – I return to my bed hoping to get an hour in before the alarm goes off!

I am sure this sounds familiar to most of you.  Can we do without sleep?  Not really, especially if we want to function in the happy go lucky mommy like way, ignore the fact that we are tired and sick too.  Go to work continue on with service excellence and baby the entire family.  Sometimes I want to play hookie and come home and sleep after everyone goes on about their day.   Oh wait I can’t do that either the girls are at home with the mother in law, who has been visiting for going on 5 months.  I thought once my girls began to sleep through the night as babies I would at least get 8 hours again.  NOT!

A recent report on sleep patterns states that if we miss a few hours of sleep during the week, we must make them up in a relatively short time period.  Otherwise, we pay the price in terms of sleep related ailments, such as weakened immune system, more colds and flu, grogginess, inability to concentrate, and irritability.  (check, check, check check).  In addition, a growing body of research suggests that sleep may have an impact on hunger and appetite control (SUPER CHECK)!  Lack of sleep, therefore, has been linked to increased risk for obesity and type II diabetes.

So what to do now?  My husband works so hard on owning two companies, how can a husband and wife team pull off a family of little ones, growing careers, and stay healthy?  Does anyone have any answers or suggestions for me?

Screen For Life

Colorectal cancer is 90%preventable …..So why is it the second leading cancer killer?  I can tell you why, men and women once they hit 50 are not getting the recommended screenings.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states.

“If everyone aged 50 years and older had regular screening tests, at least 60% of the deaths from this could be avoided.” Screening Saves Lives

Colorectal cancer usually starts from polyps in the colon or rectum.  As time goes by polyps can turn into cancer.  So if you are getting your screening done regularly polyps can be removed before they become cancerous.  When they are found early the prognosis is good.

In the early stages when most preventable there may be no symptoms at all as you develop colon cancer.  You could have no idea and colon cancer could be developing and growing within you.  That is why having a screening test is so crucial.

So who gets Colorectal Cancer?  Both men and women can get it.  Most frequently found in adults over the age of 50, and the risks increase with age.  Your risk factor will increase if you have a family relative that has had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or a genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.  If you are at high risk speak with your physician about getting screened earlier. 

I have a female friend that is 43 years old and has a family history of colon cancer.  Her family physician recommended a simple non invasive take home test to detect blood in the stool.  Sure enough they found some blood and did some further investigating with a colonoscopy.  Polyps were found just before they had turn cancerous.  Lucky for her it was caught early and she is now on an alternative screening schedule.

There are several tests that are available, speak with your physician to decide which is right for you.  The colonoscopy is the most thorough in that it check the entire colon.  I have had not one yet but I hear it is not as bad as one may think it is.  However, I highly recommend the fecal ocult blood test annually.

I hope this friendly reminder helps to educate you and act as a push in the right direction.  So next time someone you know and love turns 50 years old – forget the Over The Hill balloon and get them information regarding colon cancer.  Screening is key to saving their life.

Copyright Jen B Photography

OMG – I do not know about how the story goes at your house but every episode I have the tooth brushing showdown in the bathroom.   I have two girls ages 1 & 3, both with their own agenda.  I am feeling like a terrible mother today because I realized I am lacking in teaching my daughters good oral hygiene.

I get the I am tired or I didn’t have any candy today!  Excuses that sometimes I give to.  Shame on me!!

So I began my Internet search as always when I wonder what to do, thinking their must be a better way.  I found that both of my girls should have been to the dentist by now, and that I am really going to have to forge the brushing battle at minimum twice a day!!  So I have scheduled appointments for both girls to see a kid friendly dentist and will share with you what I found from other mothers and “experts”.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you take your child to visit the dentist for the first time around the age of 12 months.  At this stage, the dentist will be able to identify potential problems and will recommend regular regimen of visits and cleanings at the age of 2!  OK so I am so very behind – what a bad mommy I am feeling like today!

Obviously going to the dentist will be scary for a toddler the first time,  just think of the stress involved with the brushing at home or going to see the pediatrician.  So try to make it a  fun positive experience or growing milestone.  Express they are such a big girl now and they are so lucky to go see a dentist – they will get a prize for visiting, etc.

Ask your dentist to give you some additional tips on getting your child to brush their teeth.  I have read some parental advice that went as far as having daddy hold the child upside down while mommy brushes the teeth (since it is hard to keep your moth closed in this position ?!? OMG seriously?).

I think the following ideas sound like the route I am going to take:

1.  Let your toddler pick out their own tooth brush – color, character etc.

2. Offer training tooth paste in different flavors.

3. Get a fun timer or play a song for two minutes – so your toddler will know when it is time to brush & stop.

4. Provide a reward of some kind (sticker chart) - at least until the new desired behavior is achieved.

5. Get a brush for mommy or daddy to do with them to model the appropriate behavior in their bathroom.

6.  Take my turn brushing regardless of the protesting!!  Hard yes – but better than having to sit through the torture of having your child need to get a cavity filled!

Hope this helps and inspires you to fight the battle regardless of how hard it is, ignore the excuses and schedule your toddlers regular dental exams.

It appears that nowadays everyone from the president to the guy at the McDonald’s counter is talking about obesity and how to deal with the issue. Countless shows and investigative journalism are flooding the airwaves covering many aspects and faces of obesity none however offering much of an explanation on how we got here. 1 in 5 Americans is overweight or obese and the trends are pointing upward.

No longer than 5 decades ago, the majority of our population used fruits and vegetables rich in natural sugars – aka glucose – as a source for sweetness. However in 1975 the food processing industry adopted a new standard – High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – a sweetener devastating to our health but exponentially cheaper to produce than nature sugars and get this – as a bonus it is also 20% sweeter pound for pound. With the introduction of HFCS sweeteners in everything from mac and cheese to juices and salad dressing, the food processing industry has basically modified drastically our lifestyle and our intake of fructose.

If one is now rto look at the trend of obesity over the last 3 decades, one would notice the direct correlation between the new HFCS introduction and the obesity trend in U.S.  There is a little bitter truth that The Corn Producers and Refiners of American (CPRA) won’t tell you – this is killing your liver!

The average American consumes about 142 lbs of sugar wether it is glucose of HFCS a year. Most media outlets sponsored  by the CPRA will tell you that it is natural and it is organically grown but hey so is cocaine and I don’t see anyone jumping on consuming 142 lbs of cocaine each year.

And lets go into this – organic? really? All corn used for productions of HFCS, and I mean all is genetically modified which comes with its own bill or risks.

So here is the bad news, we are obese because of the food available today in our grocery stores, because the way the processed food is made and because of the Corn Producers and Refiners of America. I fyou really want to get some sweetness in you rlife look out for the processsed sugars like HFCS and its derivatives. Avoid them and try to find alternatives to them. Your liver will not only tell you “Thanks a lot” but will actually be there when you’re 80.

If you must have it – sugar that is – use natural substitutes rich in glucose and not fructose such as honey, sative plant extracts, sugar cane extracts (limited) , and control the intake of sweeteners.

Every night just before dinner the request for snacks begin.  My daughter is teeny tiny and just does not have an appetite.  What she likes one day she will not the next, I have had a hard time deciding on how to handle this.

There is always the old wives tale – they will eat when they get hungry.

Or you could go to the extreme, I remember as a child not being to get up from the table until my plate was cleared.  The stubborn child I was, I spent many nights sitting there until it was time to go to bed.

My tummy says its not hungry !

How do you keep dinner time a fun, sharing family time when stressed about nutrition?  I decided to do some research and found many different approaches.  Below are some of the ones that I felt would work best in our home. 

1. Change the environment – “picnics” are always fun inside & out, move to the dinning room for fancy dinner.  We have done this and had great outcomes.

2. Change the utnesil or plate – big girl fork or spoon & fun paper plates.

3. Get them involved with cooking & setting the table.

4. Get them active treasure hunt or a fun game of follow the leader.  This will get their appetite going.

5. TV can work some of the time and sometimes it can be a distraction.  The key is mix it up.

6. Try a variety of foods & offer new ones.

7. This actually is the one suggestion I found on many sites – do not make meal time a battlefield.  Provide encouragement, offer alternatives, & encourage them to enjoy family time.  They may just begin eating once the control issue is gone. This is the one that I have not done but will change immediately.

8. Make it pretty – decorate with a smiley face or make into a flower.  Use fresh fruit, veggies or anything you are having dinner to create a fun environment.

9. Take them to the farmers market, food shopping, or picking fresh fruit or veggies.  My oldest loves helping Nana & Papa in the garden.

10. Try not to give drinks prior to mealtime.  I think this is why I have such a hard time with breakfast – my daughter does not eat well so I still give her a bottle in the morning when she wakes up & before bed – whole milk, scoop of enfamil next step, & chocolate syrup upon request.

Well I am interested in trying some of my newly acquired tips & tricks.  Hopefully some of this will inspire you to make it fun and make it count!

Boost Your Immune System

We know you’re always looking for ways to reduce the affects of winter colds and flu but how about doing something to actually prevent getting them in the first place? The answer is as close as your grocery store.

You need to feed your immune system the right ingredients to help keep it running in peak condition. By including the following 10 ingredients and recipes in your meal planning, you’ll increase your family’s chances of fighting off those winter bugs before they get you sick.

1) Citrus

Most people turn to vitamin C after they’ve caught a cold but did you know it tops the charts of foods that keep your immune system running at 100%? Vitamin C helps increase the production of white blood cells, key to fighting infections. Because your body doesn’t produce or store it, daily intake of vitamin C is essential for continued health. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C and with such a variety to choose from it’s easy to add a squeeze of C to any meal.

2) Red Bell Peppers

Vitamin C not only boosts immune systems but it helps maintain healthy skin, which is the frontline in our war on colds. Think citrus fruits have the most vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable? Think again. Ounce for ounce, red bell peppers have twice as much flu-fighting vitamin C, as well as being a rich source of beta carotenes.

3) Broccoli

Broccoli is super-charged with an arsenal of vitamins and minerals ready to do battle with any germ or infection. Packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as numerous antioxidants, broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can put on your table. The key to keeping its power intact is to cook it as little as possible, or better yet, not at all.

4) Garlic

Found in almost every cuisine around the world, garlic not only adds a little zing to foods, it’s definitely a must-have for your health. Early civilizations recognized its value for fighting infections and modern science has shown that garlic helps to lower cholesterol and prevent hardening of arteries. Its immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.

5) Ginger

Ginger is another ingredient many turn to after they’ve caught a cold. But like vitamin C, ginger can also help you prevent that cold from taking hold in the first place. While it’s used in many sweet desserts, ginger packs some heat in the form of gingerol, a relative of capsaicin, which gives chili peppers their distinctive heat. Ginger may help decrease chronic pain and may possess cholesterol-lowering properties.

6) Spinach

Spinach made our list not just because it’s rich in vitamin C but because it’s packed with numerous antioxidants and beta-carotene, which have been proven to increase the infection-fighting cells of our immune systems. Similar to broccoli, it is best cooked as little as possible so that its nutrients are retained.

7) Yogurt

When selecting yogurt look for ones that have “live and active cultures” printed on the label. Recent studies suggest these cultures help stimulate your immune system to help fight diseases. Additional studies also suggest a link between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of catching a cold, so select brands fortified with vitamin D.

Almonds

When it comes to preventing and fighting off colds, vitamin E tends to take a backseat to the more commonly mentioned vitamin C, but vitamin E is also key to a healthy immune system. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed properly. Nuts (especially almonds) are packed with vitamin E and a half cup serving provides nearly 100% of the daily recommended amount.

9) Turmeric

A key ingredient in many curries, this bright-yellow, bitter spice has been used for years as an anti-inflammatory in treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. High concentrations of curcumin, which gives turmeric its distinct color, have been shown to contain strong flu and cold fighting properties.

10) Green Tea

As one of the most popular beverages in the world, green tea’s health benefits have been studied for centuries. Packed with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, both green and black teas have 150 to 200 mg per cup. Where green tea really shines is in its levels of epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, another powerful antioxidant. The fermentation process black tea goes through destroys a lot of the EGCG. Green tea, on the other hand, is steamed and not fermented, preserving that EGCG. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also a good source of the amino acid L-theanine, which aids in the production of germ-fighting compounds from your T-cells.

Fiber for Everyone

Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.

I personally have found that increasing the fiber in my diet has assisted with weight loss and taking care of hunger pains.  Only warning I give is that it may increase your opportunities for being more gassy than classy – hence the added benefit prevention of constipation!  Many studies have suggested that increasing your fiber intake may reduce your risk of colon cancer as well.

Many breads, cereals, pastas, and even some yogurts have increased levels of cholesterol lowering fiber.  Making good choices when shopping and eating out is imperative.  There are a growing number of products that market their levels of fiber however, many of these are functional or isolated fibers.  Manufacturers may add ingredients such as polydextrose, inulin, and maltodextrin to increase a products fiber content percentage.

I have decided to revisit my shopping list and replace some of my previous choices with the following  grains, fruits, vegetables, and snack options.

Grains

• whole grain breads,  bagels, muffins, & buns
• whole grain pastas
• breakfast cereals or bars with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving – this comes with a 2 bar gassy warning

Fruits

• dried fruits (my girls love them) – apricots, raisins, raisins
• berries such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries
• oranges, apple with skin, avocado, kiwi, mango and pear

Vegetables

• dark green leafy veggies – broccoli, spinach and green peas
• dried peas & beans  (kidney, lima, chick pea, & black eyed peas)

Nuts & Seeds

• almonds, whole flax seed, sunflower seeds, & soy nuts

Just making this list made me hungry!  Life is about choices and making a healthy food choice does not always mean eating diet food or something reminding you of cardboard.

Nintendo Wii - A New Medicine?

A group of my friends were chatting about our weekend, the topic of Wii came up. Laughter broke out when the mention of putting my shoulder out trying to sword fight my husband.  Another one of my girl friends was complaining about her arms and stomach muscles being sore from a boxing match with her husband. Interactive games are great for getting many of us off the couch and moving but, did you know that there is a therapeutic component that many are finding.  Check out this article I found on USA Today reporting about a local hospital using Wii as part of rehab therapy.

Doctors use Wii games for rehab therapy

By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press

CHICAGO — Some call it “Wiihabilitation.”Nintendo’s Wii video game system, whose popularity already extends beyond the teen gaming set, is fast becoming a craze in rehab therapy for patients recovering from strokes, broken bones, surgery and even combat injuries.

The usual stretching and lifting exercises that help the sick or injured regain strength can be painful, repetitive and downright boring. In fact, many patients say PT — physical therapy’s nickname — really stands for “pain and torture,” said James Osborn, who oversees rehabilitation services at Herrin Hospital in southern Illinois.

Using the game console’s unique, motion-sensitive controller, Wii games require body movements similar to traditional therapy exercises. But patients become so engrossed mentally they are almost oblivious to the rigor, Osborn said.

“In the Wii system, because it’s kind of a game format, it does create this kind of inner competitiveness. Even though you may be boxing or playing tennis against some figure on the screen, it’s amazing how many of our patients want to beat their opponent,” said Osborn of Southern Illinois Healthcare, which includes the hospital in Herrin. The hospital, about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, bought a Wii system for rehab patients late last year.

“When people can refocus their attention from the tediousness of the physical task, oftentimes they do much better,” Osborn said. Nintendo Co. does not market Wii’s potential use in physical therapy, but company representative Anka Dolecki said, “We are happy to see that people are finding added benefit in rehabilitation.”

The most popular Wii games in rehab involve sports — baseball, bowling, boxing, golf and tennis. Using the same arm swings required by those sports, players wave a wireless controller that directs the actions of animated athletes on the screen.

The Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital west of Chicago recently bought a Wii system for its spinal cord injury unit. Pfc. Matthew Turpen, 22, paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident last year while stationed in Germany, plays Wii golf and bowling from his wheelchair at Hines. Turpen says the games help beat the monotony of rehab and seem to be doing his body good, too.

“A lot of guys don’t have full finger function so it definitely helps being able to work on using your fingers more and figuring out different ways to use your hands” and arms, Turpen said.

At Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the therapy is well-suited to patients injured during combat in Iraq, who tend to be in the 19 to 25 age range — a group that’s “very into” playing video games, said Lt. Col. Stephanie Daugherty, Walter Reed’s chief of occupational therapy.

“They think it’s for entertainment, but we know it’s for therapy,” she said. It is useful in occupational therapy, which helps patients relearn daily living skills including brushing teeth, combing hair and fastening clothes, Daugherty said.

WakeMed Health has been using Wii games at its Raleigh, North Carolina, hospital for patients as young as 9 “all the way up to people in their 80s,” said therapist Elizabeth Penny.  ”They’re getting improved endurance, strength, coordination. I think it’s very entertaining for them,” Penny said. “It really helps the body to loosen up so it can do what it’s supposed to do,” said Billy Perry, 64, a retired Raleigh police officer. He received Wii therapy at WakeMed after suffering a stroke on Christmas Eve.

Perry said he had seen his grandchildren play Wii games and was excited when a hospital therapist suggested he try it. He said Wii tennis and boxing helped him regain strength and feeling in his left arm. “It’s enjoyable. I know I’m going to participate with my grandkids more when I go visit them,” Perry said.

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that Wii games help in rehab, researcher Lars Oddsson wants to put the games to a real test. Oddsson is director of the Sister Kenny Research Center at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. The center bought a Wii system last summer and is working with the University of Minnesota to design a study that will measure patients’ function “before and after this ‘Wiihab,’ as someone called it,” Oddsson said.

“You can certainly make a case that some form of endurance related to strength and flexibility and balance and cardio would be challenged when you play the Wii,” but hard scientific proof is needed to prove it, Oddsson said.

Meantime, Dr. Julio Bonis of Madrid says he has proof that playing Wii games can have physical effects of another kind. Bonis calls it acute “Wiiitis” — a condition he says he developed last year after spending several hours playing the Wii tennis game. Bonis described his ailment in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine— intense pain in his right shoulder that a colleague diagnosed as acute tendonitis, a not uncommon affliction among players of real-life tennis.

Bonis said he recovered after a week of ibuprofen and no Wii, and urged doctors to be aware of Wii overuse. Still, as a Wii fan, he said in an e-mail that he could imagine more moderate use would be helpful in physical therapy “because of the motivation that the game can provide to the patient.”

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Health Tip of the Week

Red meat is an excellent source of protein, zinc and iron. When shopping for lean beef, look for “round” or “loin” cuts, such as eye of round, top round steak, sirloin, and tenderloin. These cuts tend to be lower in both saturated and total fat. Moderation is the key (a serving is 3 ounces or about the size of a deck of cards). To promote variety, think of red meat as one of many lean protein choices you eat each week. Balance out your week with other lean proteins such as fish, poultry (remove skin) and beans.

Rehab Facilities

The state of our rehabilitation facilities:

My mother was recently entered into a rehab facility.  On one of the days I went there to visit there was an old woman sitting in a wheelchair.  She sort of reminded me of Grandma Moses (if my idea of Grandma Moses was accurate).  She sat there in the hallway in her wheelchair looking very old and very decrepit and very, very sad.  If that wasn’t bad enough, when I returned the following day, the same woman in the same wheelchair looked to be sitting in the very same spot.  I can’t positively say whether she remained there overnight, nor can I say that she hadn’t been moved and then returned to the same position.  All I can say for certain is that she hadn’t looked like she had moved very far.

My mom has always been a very active sort.  Being confined to a bed with period bouts of therapy didn’t sit very well with her.  After having visited four different facilities (the facilities that her insurance would cover) I had deemed the one she wound up in to be the best: that didn’t mean it was great by any means.  It had decent food; it had a pretty good amount of therapy time provided for her; and it had activities to keep her amused throughout the morning/afternoon. 

The only reason I went to visit the facilities prior is because experience is the best teacher and prior to my mother’s ‘incarceration’ in rehab (as so many there feel it is more like prison than a get-well facility) my dad had also been placed in a facility two years previously.  Unfortunately at the time, we did not realize that some rehabs were better than others.  His facility looked like it had been built and still lived in the era of the 1950’s.  Additionally, cleanliness was apparently not a high priority, as a dead frog remained in the indoor corridor for two days until I pointed it out to the charge-nurse.  Even then, it took almost 4 hours for them to remove it.

However, continuing on with my mother’s story… once 4pm rolled around, my poor mom found herself with hours of time left on her hands.  Hours which she could neither leave her bed, nor find any activity on-site to entertain her.  She would talk to me at 11pm or midnight because she couldn’t sleep and regale me with stories of the woman screaming down the hall in pain who had to be restrained and therefore her nighttime nurse would be unable to assist her to the bathroom for a period of time and ‘would she be okay managing by herself?’

I cannot stress the need or the importance of overhauling the rehabilitation system enough.  There are so many people out there entering these facilities who need to get just enough better so they can handle life at home, but they also need something – or someone – there to take their mind off of things.  A little more caring and a lot better time management would get the people home sooner and help their mental health enough so the physical healing could happen more quickly.