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Health Focus NEW! Ask St. John's Acupuncturist Women & Heart Disease: Myths & Reality HeartAware Risk Assessment Featured Resource NEW! RSS News Feeds on a variety of Healthy & Wellness Topics.		We are proud to announce a new sponsorship with Prairie Heart Institute's Center for Living. They offer a wide variety of classes, consultations and support for mind-body health. For information on our class schedule, contact the Center for Living at (217) 544-LIVE or go to www.prairieheart.com/cfl. Family Memberships available now at www.springfieldracquetandfitness.com Call 217-787-2460 for more information. For members ages 7-11 Tween Yoga & Tween Fit Challenge classes available. The Springfield YMCA is offering a FREE week of membership to springfield moms readers who print off the coupon. Try the YMCA free for a week, Nursery and Youth & Family Center included (one free week per year).
Health Focus
Ask St. John’s Acupuncturist By Jim Sullivan, M.AC,L.Ac		Q: Does acupuncture help with back pain? A: Humans have probably had back pain since we began walking upright. It is a matter of biomechanics. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been addressing back pain effectively for more than 2,000 years with a combination of herbs, specialized massage techniques called Tui Na (Chinese medical massage and manipulation), exercise and acupuncture. Today, acupuncture continues to be very effective for relieving back pain. Acupuncture relieves pain and illness by treating energy imbalances. It involves inserting fine, flexible needles at specific points of the body that link to energy pathways that impact muscles, nerves and organs. Stimulating the correct points with the needles restores energy balance and enhances healing. Acupuncture can be helpful for all types of back pain, including muscular (caused by sprains and strains) and spinal or nerve related. It is especially useful when the cause of pain cannot be found through more traditional methods.
The course of acupuncture treatment for back pain is typically four to eight sessions. Each session lasts about an hour. Some people experience pain relief immediately, while others see results after 12 to 24 hours. Most people get better in stages — improving about 25 percent with each treatment. At a client’s first acupuncture appointment, I conduct a detailed interview to gain information about the client’s condition and medical history. I also use various techniques to diagnose the problem. Many styles and techniques have been developed over the years to fit the type of back pain and the style of the practitioner. For example, some styles call for applying needles to the back itself, whereas other styles use a more global approach and use points far from the location of the pain. There have been many smaller studies using MRI that show the effects of acupuncture on pain and changes in brain activity. Findings from a recent study conducted by German researchers showed that a greater percent of patients who received acupuncture for back pain reported relief than those who received conventional treatment such as medication. About the author: Jim Sullivan, M.Ac, L.Ac, provides traditional Chinese medicine services, including acupuncture at the Center for Living. He holds a master’s degree in acupuncture and oriental medicine from Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NIAOM). He is licensed and nationally certified as a diplomate with the National Commission for Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. He has also completed a three-year certification program in Qi Gong from NIAOM; is a licensed massage therapist; and has extensive training in craniosacral therapy. For more information, go to www.prairieheart.com/cfl or call 544-LIVE. Women & Heart Disease The myths surrounding women and heart disease by Holly Novak, MD, Cardiologist, Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital Did you know that more women lose their life to cardiovascular disease than to all cancers combined? Or that your risk of heart attack increases significantly after menopause? The #1 killer of women in America is widely misunderstood. As mothers, we owe it to our families to know the facts. They are: Myth: Breast cancer is the most significant health and death threat to women. Reality: Female deaths caused by cardiovascular disease are 10 times greater than deaths from breast cancer, and nearly twice the death rate from all cancers combined. In fact, diseases of the heart and blood vessels kill more American women than the next 16 causes of death combined. Myth: Heart attack symptoms for men and women are the same. Reality: No. Typical signs of heart attack for both men and women are repetitive pressure or squeezing in the chest; shooting pain to the shoulder, arms, and neck; sweating; and shortness of breath. Additional signs in women include stomach pain and nausea; unexplained fatigue; racing heart rate; back pain; and jaw pain. Lack of understanding about these symptoms causes many women to delay seeing their doctor, and many medical professionals to misdiagnose them. Myth: Men have a greater risk of dying of a heart attack than women. Reality: After menopause, women are more likely to have heart attacks than men and, according to the American Medical Association, have a 70% higher rate of death than men following a heart attack. Most women don't seek help until two to six hours after the first symptoms begin, cutting into valuable time during which they could be saved or heart damage prevented. Myth: Women have a good understanding of the heart-health issues that affect them. Reality: Studies show that only 8 percent of American women believe that heart disease, heart attack or stroke are the greatest health problems facing women today. Only 31 percent mention them as the leading cause of death in women. Building awareness is critical to understanding the facts and reducing your controllable risk factors: weight, cholesterol level, blood pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress. That’s why Prairie Heart Institute at St. John’s Hospital established a comprehensive cardiac program especially for women, by women. Cardiologist Holly Novak, MD, and her expert staff will provide you with an opportunity, not only to reduce your risk of heart disease, but to improve your overall health. Services available Heart disease screening and evaluation You’ll receive a one-on-one consultation and individualized risk assessment with Dr. Novak. The screening evaluation will include blood pressure, body fat measurement, glucose, cholesterol and an overall physical exam. Women may be referred for further testing or consultation if necessary. To make an appointment, call (217) 788-0706. Women’s HeartAware Risk Assessment Take Prairie Heart’s online test, called Women's HeartAware Risk Assessment, to determine your risk of cardiovascular disease. You’ll get a personalized, detailed report outlining your risk factors and what you can do to take better care of yourself. You also have the option of getting updated e-mails every few weeks to help you stay on the right track to better health. St. John’s Center for Living The Center for Living offers a variety of unique health and wellness services to help you take control of your health. Only 15 percent of hospitals nationwide have mind-body medicine programs and Prairie Heart is one of them! Back to NEWSLETTER (top) HeartAware Risk Assessment a free and valuable tool After one of our readers wrote in last week recovering from a pulmonary embolism, it triggered me to remind you to take Prairie Heart’s new online test, called Women's HeartAware Risk Assessment, to determine your risk of cardiovascular disease. The results may surprise you. Best of all, you’ll get a personalized, detailed report outlining your risk factors and what you can do to take better care of yourself. You also have the option of getting updated e-mails every few weeks to help you stay on the right track to better health. It’s private. It’s free. It’s quick. And it’s the best investment you’ll ever make. Take the Women's HeartAware Risk Assessment Need another reason to take the test--- see below. Parents! Take care of YOU first! “Dear Kim, I am writing you from the hospital where I am recovering from a Pulmonary Embolism (a complication of DVT: deep-vein thrombosis). It was discovered on Friday, when I listened to the voice in my head and saw a doctor about a nagging cough and rib pain. I just wanted to make sure you remind your readers how important it is to listen to the voices in our heads and take care of ourselves! If I had not (which would have been the norm for me), I might not be sitting here writing you!” Christina Race, Springfield Coincidentally, it’s deep-vein thrombosis awareness month (March). Remember News Reporter David Bloom’s tragic story? Here are some related websites: http://www.clotcare.com/clotcare/dvtstorymelaniebloom.aspx https://www.preventdvt.org/ Ask the Fitness Professional, Angie Thuma Angie Thuma is an AFAA certified Group Exercise Instructor at the Springfield Racquet and Fitness Center. She has been in fitness for over 15 years. She is a stay-at-home mom with three children and has been known to have push-up contests with all of them. If you have any fitness related questions, please e-mail her at: boomer@warpnet.net Family Fitness & Nutritional Tips Family Health Tips Printable Flier Go Healthy Kids Challenge How to Have a "Hugo Healthy Family" Tips for Healthy Children and Families Family-Fun Ice-Skating! Go Healthy Kids Challenge Childhood obesity is one of our nation’s leading health epidemics. With 12 million kids overweight and another 12 million at risk for becoming overweight, the current generation of young people could be the first to live shorter lives than their parents. We have to work together to promote children’s wellness AND to encourage healthy, active play! The Go Healthy Challenge, created by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Nickelodeon, is a grassroots campaign that empowers kids to make their lives, schools, and communities healthier. The goal is to create a nationwide Go Healthy Challenge that aims to engage 2 million kids by 2008 in a movement that will enable them to eat better and exercise more. To join the movement, kids pledge to take the Go Healthy Challenge at www.igohugo.org and share why they want to join. Their health goals can be for themselves (e.g. “Because I want to join my soccer team”); for their families (e.g. “Because I want my family to eat better”); for their schools (e.g. “Because I want my school to have better lunches’); and/or for their communities (e.g. “Because I want my park to fix its swings.”) (top) How to Have a “Hugo Healthy Family”: Self Assessment & Goal Setting Content provided by the local chapter of the American Heart Association We are excited to share healthy lifestyle tips for you and your family! www.igohugo.org is a new website to support Childhood Obesity by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a joint partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. "Hugo" is the kid-friendly icon for healthy living. We have ideas for how to educate kids on how to assess their own health habits, as well as how to assess the health of their school, community, and family! By using these ideas and tools, kids will understand the things that are healthy (and not so healthy), they’ll have the ability to decide what they want to focus their Go Healthy Challenge on, and they’ll have the knowledge and tools to set the right goals and to get going! As parents, here are some things that YOU can do! Host a Go Healthy Challenge Launch Party! Check out the website www.igohugo.org Goals that kids should be aiming for: Vegetable intake = 2 to 3 cups/day Fruit intake = 1.5 to 2 cups/day with no more than 1 cup coming from fruit juices (they’re HIGH in sugar!) Sleep = 8 to 10 hours, or until they can wake-up without an alarm clock Screen time = anything less than 2 hours per day Active play (anything BUT TV) = at least 60 minutes per day Vigorous activity (the kind that makes ‘em sweat) = everyday or most days; if your kids currently get very little to no activity, they should try to build activity up to 60 minutes gradually, adding 20 minutes every few days until they hit the 60 minute mark Non-sugar flavored fluid consumption = 6+ cups including up to 1 cup juice and 3 cups milk Sugar flavored beverage consumption = zero or less than what they HAD been drinking Milk = 3-4 servings of fat-free/low-fat milk and dairy products, or, if that’s too difficult at first, just progress towards that goal! Scientific recommendations state that young people need: 6-11 cups of fluid per day. They need 3 cups of fat-free/low-fat milk or dairy products (or non-dairy equivalent) and can have 8-12 oz. of juice, but beyond that, water is the best choice. 2-3 cups of vegetables per day, but on average, kids get less than 1 cup. Encourage your kids, and your entire family, to use the Go Healthy calendar on www.igohugo.org to help them become aware of their daily habits – how they spend their time, what they eat, etc! On the website, you’ll find a calendar template, as well as sticker templates suitable for Avery labels. Feel free to contact your local American Heart Association office for Childhood Obesity resources. In central Illinois, contact the Springfield AHA office at 217.698.3838. (top) Tips for Healthy Children and Families Content provided courtesy of Americans in Motion (AIM) by the American Association of Family Practice Physicians. You can get a copy of their free Fitness & Activity Journal at the next Springfield Moms event. Nutrition Suggestions For Children and Families Start the day with breakfast. Refuel your body and gain energy for the day. Let kids help plan one meal each week and eat together as often as possible. Children imitate their parents – so set a good example by serving a variety of foods. Eat slowly. It is easier to tell if you are hungry or full when you eat slowly. Eat more vegetables and fresh fruits. Aim for a total of 5 ½ cups of fruits, juice and vegetables every day. Eat more whole grains (e.g., oats, whole wheat, rye). Try to eat at least 3 ounces of whole grain every day. Drink plenty of fluids during the day. Select water, low fat or fat free mil, and low calorie or diet beverages. For Parents Reward children with praise rather than food. Serve food in small portions. Do not demand or reward “a clean plate.” Let your child ask for more if still hungry. Read nutrition labels for serving size and calorie information. The information on the labels can help you select foods that best fit into your family’s meals and snacks plans. Bake, broil or grill foods to reduce fat. Try healthy oils like olive, canola or sunflower if fat is used. Snacks count for children. Snacks should provide nutrients and energy for active, growing children. Keep a variety of snacks, like fresh fruit, 100% fruit juice, vegetables, whole grain cereals and crackers, in the house. Try lower calorie or lower fat foods, like baked chips, reduced sugar cereals or low fat dressings. Being More Active For Children and Families Move more. Try to get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Several 10 to 15 minute sessions of moderate activity each day add up. Plan regular physical activity into your daily routine. Walk as a family before or after meals. Limit TV, computer and video game time to a total of one to two hours per day. Balance energy calories with activity calories. The energy you get from the foods and beverages should equal the calories you burn in activity every day. Increase household activities (e.g., walking the dog, dusting, vacuuming, and gardening). These activities are good ways to burn calories. Include an activity like hiking or bike riding when you go on vacation. Enjoy playtime with your family by shooting hoops or walking to the park. For Parents Move more. Walking is an easy way to be more active every day. Park the car in a spot farther away from the store and walk. Take the stairs, instead of the elevator, or get off one floor earlier and take the stairs on the last flight. Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way. Use an exercise machine or lift weights while watching television. Walk to do errands. Be a role model for your children. Do something active every day. Healthy Habits for Life Write down what you eat: how much, when and why. For example, what do you eat when you’re stressed out? Record your physical activity: how long, how often and how hard you worked out? Weigh yourself regularly to monitor any weight gain or loss. Eat only at the kitchen table. Don’t drive, watch television or talk on the phone while you eat. Put out your exercise clothes the night before as a reminder to walk or work out in the morning. Set goals you can achieve. For example, aim for eating more vegetables and fewer high-calorie foods. Don’t “up-size” your favorite drink – 32 oz. of soda has 400 calories! Choose a diet drink instead. Eat only until you’re not hungry and push the plate away. Use alternatives to eating when you’re not hungry: take a walk, play a game, read a book, or call a friend. Do your grocery shopping on a full stomach. Eat only because you’re hungry, not because you’re bored, tired or stressed. For more information contact: Americans In Motion (AIM) www.familydoctor.org (top) Family-Fun Ice-Skating! Nelson Center 217-753-2800 In Lincoln Park off 5^th Street, Springfield Ice Skating: General Public Open Skating: Come join the fun! For the little skaters, they have these red “walker” like things that the little kids can use to keep from falling down and help them move across the ice! Lunch Hour Skating: M-F 12-1:30pm $3.50 per person There is no charge for skate rental during the lunch hour skates Evening & Weekend Skates: $6.75 admission for adults $6.00 for kids 12 and under Fri 7-9pm Sat 11:30-1:30pm and 3-5pm Sun 2-4pm (top) RSS News Feeds Check out these helpful news feeds with the latest courtesy of www.wandtv.com ADHD Cardiovascular Health Breast Cancer Children's Health Digestive System News Mental Health News Men's Health News Nutrition News Women's Health News (top) Fitness Health Web Index Aging Alternative (Complementary) Medicine Cancer Chronic Diseases Consumer Health Sites Drugs, Alcohol, & Tobacco Environmental Health Fitness General Information Resources Heart Health Healthy Relationships Infectious Diseases Injury Prevention & Personal Safety Mental & Psychological Health Nutrition Sexuality & Reproductive Choices Stress Management Aging National Institute on Aging www.nia.nih.gov National Council on the Aging www.ncoa.org Alternative (Complementary) Medicine General Information – Dr. Andrew Weil www.drweil.com National Center for Complementary of Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) www.altmed.od.nih.gov Acupuncture – American Academy of Acupuncture www.medicalacupuncture.org Ayurvedic Institute www.ayurveda.com Cancer American Cancer Society www.cancer.org National Cancer Institute www.nci.nih.gov Oncolink – University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center www.oncolink.upen.edu M.D. Anderson www.mdanderson.org Chronic Diseases American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org Alzheimer’s Association National Office www.alz.org Arthritis Foundation www.arthritis.com Crone’s & Colitis Foundation www.ccfa.org National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/index.htm Consumer Health Sites WebMD www.webmd.com At Health-consumers www.athealth.com/Consumer Dr. Koop.com www.drkoop.com Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition Food & Drug Administration www.cfsan.fda.gov Federal Consumer Information Center www.pueblo.gsa.gov U.S. Department of Health & Human Services “Healthfinder” www.healthfinder.gov (top) Drugs, Alcohol, & Tobacco Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) www.alcoholics-anonymous.org Facts on Tap: Alcohol & College Life www.factsontap.org Mothers Against Drunk Driving www.madd.org National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism www.niaaa.nih.org Students Against Destructive Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism www.saddonline.com Environmental Health www.epa.gov National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences www.niehs.nih.gov Natural Resources of Defense Council www.nrdc.org Fitness American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance www.aahperd.org American Heart Association – Just Move www.justmove.org Americans in Motion www.familydoctor.org National Association for Health & Fitness www.ncpad.org Shape Up America! www.shapeup.org Sports Science www.sportsci.org (top) General Information Resources Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality www.ahcpr.gov American Academy of Family Physicians www.aafp.org American Medical Association www.ams-assn.org Combined Health Information Database (CHID) www.chd.nih.gov Food & Drug Administration (FDA) www.fda.gov Go Ask Alice-Columbia University Health Center www.goaskalice.columbia.edu Healthy People 2010 www.healthypeople.gov Mayo Clinic Health www.mayoclinic.com National Library of Medicine www.nlm.nih.gov National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) www.cdc.gov/nchswww/indes.htm National Institutes of Health (NIH) www.nih.gov National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC) www.4woman.org U.S. Department of Health & Human Services www.hhs.og Web M.D. www.webmd.com World Health Organization www.who.int Heart Health Prairie Heart Institute, Springfield IL www.prairieheart.com American Heart Association (AHA) www.americanheart.org American Stroke Association www.strokeassociation.org National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute www.nhlbi.nih.gov/index.htm (top) Healthy Relationships American Psychological Association – Family & Relationships www.helping.aga.org/family/index.html The International Society for the Study of Personal Relationships www.isspr.org Infectious Diseases Centers for Disease Control & Prevention www.cdc.gov Vaccine information www.immunize.org Youth HIV – Peer support groups & resources www.youthhiv.org Injury Prevention & Personal Safety National Center for Child Assault Prevention www.ncap.org National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) www.ncadv.org National Safety Council www.nsc.org Occupational Safety & Health Administration www.osha.gov Herbs – Herb Research Foundation www.herbs.org Transcendental Medication www.tm.org (top) Mental & Psychological Health American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org American Psychological Association www.apa.org Children & Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD) www.chadd.org National Mental Health Association www.nmha.org National Mental Health Information Center www.mentalhealth.org Wellness www.wellplace.com (top) Nutrition American Dietetic Association www.eatright.org American Obesity Association www.obesity.org Five A Day Tracking Chart-National Cancer Institute www.5aday.gov National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Association Disorders (ANAD) www.anad.org Nutrition Navigator: A Rating Guide to Nutrition Websites www.navigator.tufts.edu Office of Dietary Supplements-National Institutes of Health www.dietary-supplements.infor.nih.gov (top) Sexuality & Reproductive Choices American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists www.acog.com Emergency Contraception Website www.not-2-late.com Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) www.plannedparenthood.org Sexuality Information & Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS) www.siecus.org Youth Assistance Organization for Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual Youth www.youth.org (top) Stress Management Prairie Heart Center for Living at St. John's Hospital www.prairieheart.com/cfl American Institute of Stress www.stress.org Job Stress Network www.workhealth.org Stress-Assess-National Wellness Institute www.wellness.uwsp.edu/Health_Service/services/stress.shtml (top) Fitness & Nutritional Tips for Mom & Dad Runner's Resources NEW! Moms on the Move Benefits of Resistance Changing Up Your Routine Fitness Tip Importance of Nutrition Keeping Fit in Winter Moms on the Move Part One by Angie Thuma (New Year's Eve): "I'm starting a diet tomorrow." (New Year's Day): "Okay, maybe next week." (The following week) "Who was I kidding?" Many of us have uttered these promises at least once in our lives. With the advent of a New Year we get all caught up in the swirl of making a New Year's Resolution, only to find, a month later, that not only have we failed, we've failed miserably. That's why I am proposing a different approach. We all know that in the long run, diets don't work, so let's start with chucking that idea right out the window. When it comes to weight management, whether it is for weight loss or maintenance, it's a simple equation: calories in versus calories out. Your body uses calories to produce energy to move. So, if you take in calories, but don't use them to do anything other than sit around doing finger push-ups on the remote control to your TV, your body will eventually use those calories to turn into fat. The good news is, if you use those calories to move, your body burns off the energy, and little, if anything, is stored in your body. So, this year let’s make a resolution to MOVE. Find something you love and do it at least 3-5 times per week for at least 20 consecutive minutes. This could be anything – running, walking, bicycling, and dancing around with your kids. My kids love to take walks, so we turn them into "race walks". Or, we'll have relay races in the back yard. Pushing a stroller is a great way to move, plus you get the added benefit of pushing extra weight, which translates into more calories used. Place a carrier on your bike and take a ride through the neighborhood. As moms, we're always looking for ways to manage our time better. Many women I know feel guilty taking time to exercise, or consider it a luxury. If this is how you think, please reconsider. I have found that taking time for me to exercise is the best stress relief I've found. Not only that, but exercising allows time for social interaction. Moving rejuvenates you and gives you more energy, so find creative ways to fit moving into your schedule. If this means getting up before work, make it happen. If it means working up a sweat in the evening, make it happen. You and your health are so worth it. Find a friend who shares your interest, and do it together. Or, if you need the alone time, use your friend to swap babysitting so you can do it on your own. If you actually want someone telling you what to do, you may find that a personal trainer is the way to go. A Personal Trainer is someone who is trained to help a person reach their specific fitness goals. If this is what works for you, do it. You are worth it. Make a promise, not a resolution this year. Make a promise to yourself to move your body. You know the saying, "Use it or lose it"? Let that be your personal motto and your motivation to keep going. Angie Thuma is an AFAA certified Group Exercise Instructor at the Springfield Racquet and Fitness Center. She has been in fitness for over 15 years. She is a stay-at-home mom with three children and has been known to have push-up contests with all of them. If you have any fitness related questions, please e-mail her at: boomer@warpnet.net . (top) Moms on the Move-- Part TWO by Angie Thuma! The year is in full swing, and hopefully, so is your initiative to get out and move. By now, you may have more questions about your fitness routine: How much should I move? How often? What do I do if I'm short on time? When you think of working out, there are three basic components that should come to mind: frequency, intensity and duration. No matter what your routine is, these are the three components that you can tweak in order to change and challenge your fitness routine. Let's talk briefly about each component, keeping in mind that the answers will vary from person to person. FREQUENCY: This is how often you exercise. Generally, a minimum of three days a week is ideal for maintenance and general good health, although you can exercise daily. INTENSITY: This is how hard you work out when you exercise. This component can vary based on how you feel that day, and/or your fitness level. DURATION: This is how long you exercise at any given time. This also varies based on your individual fitness level. Typically, if you are just beginning an exercise program, you may work out 3 times a week for maybe 20-30 minutes at a moderate intensity. Eventually, your body becomes accustomed to this routine, and you need to alter one or more components to get the same results. For example, you may add in another day of exercise; you may add more time to your routine; or, you may simply stay at three days a week, 20-30 minutes, but increase your intensity. If you keep the above components in mind when making up an exercise routine, you should have no problems keeping it exciting and challenging when you exercise. Let's briefly talk about cardiovascular and strength training. Ideally, you should strive to incorporate both of these into your exercise routine. Cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise is what helps you increase your heart rate, which in turn helps you burn calories. Strength training is exercise that uses increasing resistance to strengthen the musculoskeletal system. Both are important in overall fitness.