October 2004 Newsletter

This Month's Contents:

• Recipe of the month
• Health tips
• Book reviews

October is breast cancer awareness month

Don’t forget that all women should do Breast Self Exams every month.  Check for lumps, thicknesses or other changes.

If you have any questions on how to perform a BSE properly, I have been trained as a facilitator in BSE and have detailed slides and pamphlets to guide you.  These materials are available for you to review yourself in our private therapy room.

If you are age 40+ have a mammogram & clinical breast exam every year.  Age 20-39 Have a clinical breast exam at least every three years, and get a base line mammogram before you are 40.

Health tips

Removing road blocks to getting healthier with exercise

1.  I don’t have the time- we always have time for things we really want, so you need to make it a priority –you need to feel you really want to be healthier.  Some exercise is better than nothing at all.  Write it into your calendar/day timer, so that it is more likely to happen.  We all have people or things we do that waste or steal our time.  Make a list of three ways you misuse your time: excessive TV watching, email checking, net surfing, shopping, snacking, etc. 

2.  I am too tired to exercise- exercising will give you more energy.  Try exercising at different times of the day and find out which time works best for your body and stick to that time.

3.  Ok I am ready to exercise, but what should I do?  Start with something as simple as walking.  Begin by walking 5 to 10 minutes each day then increase the time when you are ready.  Or you can hire a personal trainer to keep you motivated, give you the appropriate exercises for you, and educate you on what to do.  If you can’t afford to hire a trainer long term, they can develop & teach you a routine that you can do on your own, or try a fitness class.

4.  I feel uncomfortable going to a gym.  Find an environment that you are comfortable in like a small fitness studio, park, mall or neighborhood. 

5.  I get bored easily- try a variety of activities until you find one that you like.  Do everything possible to make the activity enjoyable- good location, workout buddy, train for a charity event, listen to music.

6. What do I do with my kids?- set up play dates, schedule activities for them (dance, gymnastics), trade with another mom in the same situation, look for mom & me classes or hire a personal trainer to develop & teach you a routine that you can do on your own at home.

7.  You don’t have extra money to spend on exercise- the money you will save in being healthier & happier.  You don’t need expensive equipment to exercise at home; there are many inexpensive options for home exercise.  Ask a trusted instructor or trainer to recommend videos or DVD’s.  Check your local library for exercise videos.

Don’t let yourself put it off any longer, if you don’t start now what will your health & body be like in 1year, 5years?

Health Matters
When it comes to exercise a little bit goes a long way

By TARA PARKER-POPE
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
August 9, 2004; Page R5

Everyone knows exercise can improve your health. But most people don't realize how little it actually takes.

While research has long shown that exercise can help prevent heart disease, cancer and other illness, a growing body of research shows that it takes very little exercise to make a big impact on your health. Indeed, studies show the biggest gains in health aren't made by people who attain a high level of fitness. The biggest health boost comes when a person starts to do a little bit more than nothing.

Last month, Swedish researchers showed that older adults who exercised only once a week were 40% less likely to die during the 12-year study period than those who did nothing at all, according to a July study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Another study showed that people with relatively low levels of fitness still were 60% less likely to die during the 10-year study than people who were completely sedentary.

The notion that just a little exercise goes a long way is being trumpeted by the exercise community to alert people that their ideas about fitness may be off the mark. Part of the reason many people are confused about exercise is that some of the nation's top health advisers have offered seemingly conflicting advice.

Just two years ago, the Institute of Medicine, a Washington-based independent adviser to the government on national health issues, announced its recommendations that people exercise at least an hour a day. That more than doubled recommendations from the Surgeon General and the American College of Sports Medicine, which had advised only moderate exercise at least three to five days a week. The hour-a-day exercise guidelines were widely criticized as being far too onerous -- and triggered fears that the report would end up setting back efforts to get more people to exercise.

Ready to Give Up

"That report really was a disservice to so many people," says Tim Church, medical director of the Cooper Institute in Dallas, which has pioneered much of the research on exercise and health. "I literally had participants in our studies who had been doing 30 minutes a day five days a week for the last six months almost crying in our office. They said, 'If I have to do that, I'm just going to give up.'"

But much research shows it takes far less effort to reap the benefits of exercise. The most recent study from Sweden followed more than 3,200 men and women over the age of 65. After accounting for differences in age, education, smoking habits, and illnesses such as diabetes or hypertension, researchers found that people who said they "exercise only occasionally" still had a 28% lower risk of dying during the 12-year study period than those who described themselves as inactive. Occasional exercise was described as exercising less than once a week and even as little as taking a ski trip twice a year. And those who said they exercised at least once a week had a 40% lower chance of dying.

A separate study of 2,200 men with diabetes found that being moderately fit reduced a man's annual risk of dying by 65% compared with men in the poor-fitness category, according to the January issue of Diabetes Care. In fact, overweight men in the study who were moderately fit were less likely to die than normal-weight men who were unfit. Notably, the study defined moderate fitness as exercising a total of about two to 2 1/2 hours a week.

So why did the Institute of Medicine tell us we should be exercising seven hours a week? The group's recommendations were part of an overall report on weight control, and were suggested as the best way to prevent people from gaining weight. Research does show that people who have lost large amounts of weight may need to exercise more to keep it off. A national registry of dieters shows that those successful weight losers typically exercise 45 to 60 minutes daily. Many experts say the high level of exercise shown by successful dieters isn't just about expending calories. They say exercise works as a mild appetite suppressant and may have a psychological benefit as well.

But many fitness experts say most people can maintain their weight with far less exercise than recommended by the Institute of Medicine. More important, some of the most significant health benefits of exercise, such as heart protection and cancer prevention, kick in at fairly low levels of exercise. That's why top health groups still recommend that we engage in about 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity four or five days a week.

While that may sound like a lot, consider the definition of moderate intensity. That means walking at a "determined" pace that can be as slow as a 20-minute mile. But if you jog, play racquetball or take part in any other activities that require more intensity, you can reduce the amount of time you exercise. The Surgeon General's actual recommendation is to get enough exercise to expend 1,000 or more calories a week; whether it takes you three days or seven days to spend those calories doesn't really matter.

For a person weighing about 180 pounds, 1,000 calories of exercise is the equivalent of jogging for 25 minutes three days a week, or playing a 90-minute tennis match. More information on how many calories are burned through various types of exercise can be found online at www.caloriecontrol.org/exercalc.html..

Intermittent exercise during the day, like taking the stairs or parking your car a little farther away, also counts. It's been shown that the amount of physical activity you accumulate throughout the day matters just as much as leisure-time exercise, so splitting your physical activity into 10-minute sessions three times a day can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart problems. In addition, short bursts of exercise can burn calories and help you maintain your weight.

"People have a hard time thinking about doing exercise five days a week," says Donald Hensrud, associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. "That's where a brisk walk after a meal or a walk to a restaurant can help you get in some of that exercise that doesn't make it so demanding for you."

Keeping Muscles in Shape

In addition, doctors say many people focus only on obvious aerobic exercises like walking and jogging, but often overlook the benefits of strength training. As we age, our muscle fibers begin to atrophy. But it takes only two days a week of resistance training of the major muscles to keep in shape.

"From a functional standpoint, you have to maintain muscle strength and power to take care of yourself as you age," says Robert J. Dimeff, medical director of sports medicine for the Cleveland Clinic. "If you think about day-to-day activities like getting up out of the chair or lifting groceries, that explains why strengthening is so important."

But while even two days of strength training or four or five days of brief exercise may sound like too much for some people, remember that even doing very little is better than doing nothing at all. In supervised treadmill fitness tests, it has been shown that for every minute a man could improve his treadmill time from a previous test, he lowered his annual risk of dying by 8% compared with people who didn't improve.

"People really need to rethink exercise," Dr. Church says. "The critical thing people need to understand is that it just doesn't take that much to be fit."

--Ms. Parker-Pope is a staff reporter in The Wall Street Journal's New York bureau and writes the paper's Health Journal column.

Artistic Inspiration: Lowell Open Studios 2004
 
Viewing original art is a great way to restore the spirit. That opportunity awaits you at this year’s Lowell Open Studios on October 23-24.
 
The Mill City is home to a vibrant arts community that opens their lofts and galleries for this free event. You’ll meet the artists and be able to talk with them about their craft; many works are offered for sale. Last year more than 50 artists exhibited paintings, photographs, ceramics, animation, jewelry, and more.
 
The event happens at the same time as the Middlesex Beat Artist Open Studios in towns county-wide. So even if you don’t make it to Lowell, your chance for art appreciation might literally be right around the corner.
 
Times, details, and studio maps
 
Lowell Open Studios 2004: www.cultureiscool.org
 
Middlesex Beat Artist Open Studios: www.middlesexbeat.com/specialevents.html

Book Reviews:
 
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
by Alexander McCall Smith

Review submitted by: Denise Ferbas

 For a refreshing departure from the usual mystery novel, treat yourself to Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. You will discover a new heroine in its protagonist, the ever-resourceful Precious Ramotswe, who opens Botswana’s first woman-owned detective agency. No car chases or gunfights here; close attention to human nature, a strong moral direction, and a generous amount of compassion are Mama Ramotswe’s main sleuthing tools.
 
Along the way you’ll be introduced to the country of Botswana and its people, both of which the author regards with affection. And the writing never strays from its gentle tone at times even when the characters deal with harsh realities.  
 
Like any other of the four later books in this series, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency makes an entertaining read on a crisp fall evening. You might even squeeze in some health benefits while you turn the pages: Sip a cup of Mama Ramotswe’s favorite rooibos tea (red bush), an African herbal tea said to be rich in antioxidants.

A Walk on the Beach - Anderson

Review submitted by: Irene B
An enchanting, liberating, warm and delightful walk with the author in search of herself. As the treasures of  the Cape Cod sands capture the author, so too, the curious reader will travel through the many discoveries of the protagonist and her mentor, Mrs. Erikson. An  unconventional, multi faceted

lover of living,  Mrs. Erikson has a philosophy for how to find one's true identity and the necessary value it holds for self actualization. Simple, profound, sensitive and a tribute to real friendship. Happy walking!

Recipe of the Month

Orange Bran Flax Muffins

Recipe found in prevention magazine-   courtesy of flax council of Canada and Saskatchewan Flax development commission.

1 1/2c oat bran
1 c brown sugar
1 c buttermilk *
1c all-purpose flour 
1c flaxseed, ground 
½ c canola oil*
1c wheat bran
2 eggs*
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 ½ c golden raisins
½ tsp. salt   
2 oranges, quartered and seeded

*I made the following modifications of my own to reduce the fat and make them healthier, I don’t know how they taste without my modifications, but I liked my version.  Use soy milk with powdered buttermilk, use ¼ c canola oil & ¼ cup non fat vanilla yogurt, use 1 whole egg+ 2 egg whites.  Cheryl

1. preheat the oven to 375’  Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners, or coat the pans with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine oat ban, flour, flaxseed, wheat bran, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

2.  in a blender or food processor, combine oranges, brown sugar, buttermilk, eggs, and baking soda.  Blend well.

3.  Pour orange mixture into dry ingredients.  Mix until well blended.  Stir in raisins.

4.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.  Makes 24 muffins

per muffin: 186 cal, 4g protein, 30g carbs, 8 g fat, 1g sat. fat, 18mg chole, 3g fiber, 140 mg sodium, 4g flaxseed.