Choose You Blog

There are a lot of reasons to cook at home:

• save money
• better, healthier ingredients
• more control over what you eat (and portions)
• leftovers
• family fun
• teaching opportunity with kids
• make it your way

and so on. Yes, lots of good reasons. Then there’s the “but I’m tired” or “but it’s easier” and the “it’s more fun, I don’t want a lot of work” reasons to eat out or go for a packaged food option, especially during holiday weekend. And here we are, right in front of a lovely, long holiday weekend.

During holiday weekends it’s nice to slow down the pace. But, if you want a home cooked but easy option — especially if you’re having guests over — this is a delicious, easy-to-make, adults and kids alike love it recipe that I got from HHS back in March during National Nutrition Month:

I tried it and loved it, and so did the family!

I thought of it for this weekend because we’re sharing a meal with friends, and everyone is supposed to bring a dish, so we all get un poco de todo. It suddenly struck me that I could substitute a bit and make this a really patriotic red, white and blue meal: blue corn tortillas for blue, white corn for white and of course the tomatoes for red, with everything else the same. Plus, it uses the slow cooker (crockpot) so I can socialize with my friends while the meal cooks, instead of isolating myself in the kitchen preparing complicated food.

Delicious, nutritious, and easy to make.

Have a great weekend! And don’t forget the sunscreen!

An amazing, and inspiring, woman, Christine Green, shared her melanoma story, and that same week a friend said her early twenty-something niece was headed to a tanning bed to prepare for a vacation. Later that same day, I drove past a care bear (Funshine Bear, for the record) standing on the street corner advertising a tanning salon, offering a special for a package of “bed tans.” A couple of days later, at a pool party, a friend eschewed sun screen, “I’ll just catch some Vitamin D and perk up my winter skin.”

I’m thinking people aren’t taking this skin cancer risk very seriously. So I decided to ask the experts, help everyone become better informed about the real risks, real benefits, and real things to be concerned about.

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
• Melanoma, the third most common type of skin cancer, can be deadly. 75% of skin cancer deaths are from malignant melanoma, and 15% of malignant melanoma patients die.
• About 65%–90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

Here’s a few more numbers:

• One in five people and among them one in three Caucasians in the course of their lifetime will develop some form of skin cancer.
• Over 250,000 cases of squamous cell skin cancer are being diagnosed every year, resulting in ca. 2,500 deaths yearly.
• Sun exposure causes more than ninety percent of all skin cancers
• If a person has suffered from sunburn five or more times then they stand a very strong chance of contracting skin cancer.
• The percentage of women under the age of forty with basal cell carcinoma has tripled in the last thirty years, while their rate of squamous cell cancer has increased four-fold.

So…okay. Skin cancer? Very, very real, very real risk.

Prevention and early detection matter greatly in keeping us healthy. The American Cancer Society has some great tips and explanations about how to be safe in the sun.

So do experts…the very same dermatologists who help detect and treat skin cancer:

According to Dr. Amy Derick:

The American Academy of Dermatology has issued a position statement that there is no safe threshold levels for UV exposure for maximum Vitamin D synthesis without increasing the risk of skin cancer. I recommend that my patients supplement their diets with Vitamin D pills. You can have adequate vitamin D levels and practice sun safety . The IOM suggested range (based on age): 400-800 IU/d.

Sunscreens should be broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection), with a SPF of at least 30. I like physical or mineral blocker sunscreens, such as those that contain zinc or titanium dioxide.

Melanoma typically presents as a new or changing brown to black spot on the skin. Non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas) typically present as sores that won’t heal or a pink scaly patches that doesn’t go away.

The frequency of skin checks depends on your risk for skin cancer. Dermatologists diagnose skin cancer in earlier stages than non-dermatologists. Dermatologists are experts in skin cancer screenings, and therefore, are the provider of choice.

The treatment for skin cancer depends on the type of skin cancer and the stage. You can make a decision about the treatment of your skin cancer based on the personalized advice of your dermatologist.

Dr. Amy Derick, board-certified dermatologist practicing in Barrington, IL, is a frequently-quoted media resource for the American Academy of Dermatology and Women’s Dermatologic Society. She would be happy to answer any questions you have about skin protection, weighing benefits and risks, and understanding the Vitamin D issue.

Please visit: www.derickdermatology.com to learn more about Dr. Derick. On this site you can view her web-based educational videos, including ” Sun Protection All Over,” “Say No to Melanoma” and “Watch out For Suspicious Spots.”

According to Dr. James Compton:

Look for sunscreens that protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Also, be aware that PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), found in many sunscreens, triggers allergies in some people, resulting in a contact dermatitis. Non-PABA sunscreen is just as effective. And, of course, use a sunscreen with at least SPF 15 or greater year-round

Avoid midday sun. Enjoy the sun in the early morning or early evening. Be sure to choose a sunscreen with the help of a dermatologist; ensure that it is SPF 15 or higher. If you have particularly sensitive skin, or are particularly light complected, consider investing in clothing with SPF benefits and UV ray-blocking properties.

Also, it is important that people understand what the SPF numbers mean. 30 SPF means that if you are in the sun for 30 minutes, it is like being in the sun 1 minute without protection; 45 SPF means that if you are in the sun for 45 minutes, the effect on your body is as if you were in the sun unprotected for 1 minute, and so on and so forth.

Yes, the average person is Vitamin D deficient. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, the recommended intakes of vitamin D by age group are 200 International Units per day (IU/d) for young adults, 400 IU/d for those aged 51 to 70 years, and 600 IU/d for those over age 70. There is evidence however that these recommended levels are too low for optimum health. I recommend 2000 units of vitamin D per day for my patients delivered via a vitamin D pill, because people are not outside as much as they used to be and there are several studies linking Vit D deficiencies to a myriad of health problems. And, vitamin D deficiency does vary by region. In regions where the peoples spend more time in the sun (like agri-communities), their Vit D deficiency is not as severe.

Dr. James S. Compton is a board-certified internist who founded South St. Louis Medical Associates in 2011. Prior to founding a practice based in premium patient care, he practiced at another St. Louis-based medical center for almost two decades. He currently teaches at St. Louis University, where he is a Full Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine.

Slip, slap, slop. There are so many great quality sunscreens out there, if you need to, look on it as anti-aging and moisturizing. Whatever it takes, as long as you protect!

Shortly after the birth of my daughter my sister came from California to visit the baby and I in Virginia. One afternoon, as we stood outside a snow cone shack, she exclaimed, “What is THAT?”

I glanced at the crook of my left arm and stared for a minute at the mole I’d had ever since I could remember. But something was different.

Wrong.

It was black.

“It’s nothing,” I quickly said and tried to change the subject.

“Are you kidding me? That thing looks bizarre! You need to go get it checked it out. Please.”

But I ignored her. Caring for my two month old baby and preparing for a move to another state simply took precedent in my mind. I had no time to see a doctor about my skin. After all, I thought, it is just a mole.

The weeks passed by in a blur as I packed and nursed and packed some more. The world seemed to revolve around by newborn and her care and our upcoming move. But there was a little voice in the back of my head about the mole. I knew that my sister was right and that something was wrong, but every time the worry seeped to the forefront of my mind I brushed it away like a nagging fly.

The move went as well as it could go, and we settled into our home in New York. My sister asked again when I planned to see a doctor about the mole, and I decided it was time.

The dermatologist was kind and gentle and carefully removed the mole for testing. He didn’t act terribly worried or upset, and I took that as a good sign. But a couple of weeks later I found myself sitting in his office again waiting for my lab results. When I walked in alone he recommended that I bring my husband in from the waiting room to be with me when he revealed the news.

Alarm bells rang, loud and clear, in my head.

“You have malignant melanoma. The good news is that we caught it early. Your sister saved your life.”

I came back a couple of weeks later for surgery to completely remove the cancerous tissue.

It was September 11, 2001.

The highways were empty and the skies ominously quiet. The earth had shifted under my feet, but I had no choice but to right myself, gather my daughter in my arms, and do what I had to do to rid my body of its invader.

I’ve been cancer free for ten years.

I’ve learned a few things about skin cancer and life that I’d like to share with you…

1. My sister is pretty darn smart. Really, she saved my life. My doctor mentions this every single time I go for a check up.
2. There is no such thing as a cancer that is “no big deal.” Unfortunately, many people still think of skin cancer this way. Malignant melanoma can be fatal, and we’d all be wise to take it very seriously.
3. Know your body and listen to it. I knew something was wrong, but I put off getting checked out. Pay attention to your moles and freckles from head to toe. If you have several, go to your doctor, and he or she will “map” your body and take photos to help you get to know your skin and notice any changes.
4. Wear your sunscreen and skip the tanning bed. Seriously, it is not worth it.
5. Parents: Putting off self-care, “because I have to focus on the kids,” does not do anyone any good. Your children need a parent who is healthy and able to care for them. If I had put off that trip to the dermatologist any longer, I might not be here today to care for my children.
6. Everyone: Get checked. Do if for yourself and do it for the ones you love and for those who love you. Don’t put your health on the back burner. Nothing is more important than your life.

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About Christine Green: Christine Green is a freelance writer who also runs a personal assistant business in Brockport, NY.  She has been published in Story Bleed (Blog Nosh), Genesee Valley Parent, and has essays in Mother Muse: A Collection of Poetry & Prose Celebrating the Joys & Challenges of Motherhood. She has essays, non-fiction, and fiction pieces forthcoming in the June issue of the literary journal aaduna as well as the book, Motherly Musings, which is scheduled for publication this summer.  She always wears her sunscreen and routinely slathers it on her children, a daughter, 10, and a son, 6.  She blogs at Grown Ups are Like That.

One of the American Cancer Society expert contributors just wrote something that really resonated with me.  Colleen Doyle, MS, RD explores resolutions and how we can set ourselves up to succeed with our health goals. Here’s a short synopsis of her article, but you can read the full article here (it includes lovely explanations of each tip).

“I just heard on the radio the other day that spring is more than halfway over. Before we know it, the year will be halfway over – and at that point, I always like to reflect back on the last six months, think about those resolutions I set at the beginning of the year, and see how I’m doing. It’s a time for me to take stock, get real, and get back on track if need be.

At the beginning of the year, I did a little research to see just how popular setting New Year’s resolutions is. According to surveys, about 50% of us will make some kind of resolution. And likely, those resolutions will be related to eating better, being more active, and losing weight.

All lofty goals, of course, but according to those same surveys, only 8% of us will achieve what we actually set out to do.  Forty-five percent of us will have thrown in the towel by the end of January, and most of the rest of us? Well, by Valentines’ Day, love may be in the air, but chance are, those New Years resolutions are getting the boot.  And by the mid-year mark, well…let’s just say, most people are asking, “What resolutions?”

So what’s the deal? When the year begins, we have such high hopes to eat better, we’re so motivated to exercise more, and we so want to live a healthier life. Why is it so hard, then, to keep these promises we make to ourselves?

Part of ‘getting real’ is figuring out how to set ourselves up for success – how we make it easier on ourselves to achieve what we set out to accomplish. Especially when it comes to eating better and being more active, there are some solid steps we can take to help us on our path to living a healthier life. If you’ve wandered off that path, now is as good a time as any to get back on track! These tips will help:

1. Start small and be specific
2. Write it down
3. Don’t rely on willpower
4. Set up a support system
5. Reward your successes”

Reading this I immediately thought about a training class I’m helping with and how the very beginning is about SMART Objectives. That’s creating goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Specific.

Why not approach health goals as you would any others and create a plan?

Something like:

Objective 1: Eat Right (by June 30)

1. Eat more whole grains.

2. Decrease portion size.

3. Cut out sugary drinks, stick to diet drinks and water. (earn that new pair of shoes!)

Objective 2: Get Active (by June 30)

1. Start walking 20 minutes three days a week. (ask Jane to come with me)

2. Find a fun sport.

What would your plan look like?

It’s important to keep kids (and you!) moving. The First Lady created her Let’s Move program to support that.

Would you know if you or your child were overweight? A recent study says probably not!

Do overweight or obese mothers and children realize how much they weigh? A study indicates that many don’t. At NewYork Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, resident Nicole Dumas looked at data on people in New York City. They were asked to estimate their body size, and researchers also computed their real size.

The researchers say 82 percent of obese women underestimated their weight. Eighty-six percent of overweight or obese children did.

And Dumas says:

“Almost half of women with overweight or obese children believed that their children were of normal weight.’’

The study supported by HHS was presented at an American Heart Association conference on nutrition and physical activity.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

Being overweight does increase your cancer risk because excess body fat appears to increase the amount of hormones like estrogen circulating in the body, and it can also disrupt how the body processes insulin.

So how do you know if you’re overweight? Your doctor and your child’s pediatrician should be able to tell you, but here’s some stats from ACS:

• About 1 out of 3 American adults is now obese, and another 1 out of 3 is overweight, thanks to bigger food portions; the overabundance of cheap, unhealthy foods; and sedentary lifestyles.
• 17% of women and 11% of men are severely obese – that is, they have a BMI of 40 or more.
• A body-mass index (BMI) greater than 30 is obese.
• a BMI between 20.0 and 24.9 is within the range considered normal.

Calculate your BMI and your child’s BMI.

When it comes to kids, KidsHealth has some good information and advise, as well as some facts:

• 1 out of 3 are overweight or obese.
• Parents who set a good example can prevent obesity in children.

That’s just another good reason to Choose You! You set the example for your children!

And remember — your doctor should be a big help in determining whether your size is healthy for you.

Did you calculate — or have you or your doctor calculated — your BMI? Was it what you expected or different?

Exercise: As easy as riding a bike

In a recent post here about eating right and making healthy food choices (or healthier) over less healthy food choices, (Knowledge about your food really is power!), a commenter left a truly potent remark that has lingered with me ever since:

“De A says:

There was a recent article in my local paper about visitors from Europe. They were quoted as saying they could not believe all the emphasis on exercise here, and it would be less necessary if American portion sizes were smaller, as in their country.”

The assumption in the newspaper quote is that one only exercises as means to some form of weight loss or weight maintenance end. I strenuously (aerobically, lol) disagree.

But I don’t blame anyone; I just think we’ve gotten such a focus on obesity we’ve grabbed the wrong end of the stick. Exercise isn’t just about your weight; it’s about your body, keeping it toned, strong, healthy.

For example, yoga, when it defines itself, says its purpose is to, “involve movements, which bring stability and energy to the body, the senses, the mind, and the consciousness.” So, no mention of weight there. Yoga as exercise intends to balance physical and mental energy, strengthen the body, increase flexibility, relieve stress, improve posture, control breathing, and so forth. These are all things that have the primary goal of improving overall health — not losing weight.

The American Cancer Society advocates activity because, “Being active is an important part of staying healthy, regardless of your age. It may also lower your risk for certain types of cancer. In this section we offer suggestions to help you get and stay active.” It adds that, “Research has proven that we all benefit from being active, regardless of age. People who are active are less stressed, live healthier lives, and have lower medical costs.”

You lessen your risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. You increase your chance of feeling happier and less stressed. And more. The Mayo Clinic has seven proven benefits of exercise:

1. Improves your mood.
2. Combats chronic disease.
3. Manages your weight.
4. Boosts your energy.
5. Promotes better sleep.
6. Puts the spark back in your sex life.
7. It can be fun!

Who doesn’t want that?

Yes, portion control and healthy eating choices and exercise are crucial to managing weight, but it’s not all about the number on the scale or how your pants fit (or what size they are). really it’s all about taking care of your body and being healthy. It’s about lowering your risk for problems.

You can do a little or a lot. You can be creative or follow a standard gym plan. Here’s a great article to help you determine a good type of exercise for you and how much you need, as well as creative alternatives: “Make Exercise Work for You”

And if you can spare a few minutes, Choose You blog has a daily exercise video! Just scroll down to see the ExerciseTV Workout of the Day or click here to download a two-week workout. You can also pledge to get active!

Just remember: it’s for your muscles, bones, heart, organs, and mind as much as it is for your waistline.

Sitting there, watching TV, working at your desk, at a sports event with family…wherever you are, you probably associate some sort of eating and/or drinking with it. Hard day, tired, getting over a cold…whatever your physical state, you probably crave some for of comfort. And one of the first things we reach for to get comfort is food. Whether it’s craving something specific or craving the comfort of something feel good, sometimes, reaching for what you want isn’t the best choice and there are healthier and enjoyable ways to fulfill that craving and get that comfort.

There’s plenty of information on the Internet for alternatives, and this is one handy little guide that can help you figure out better ways fill those cravings (usually–at least it can be the “rule” to choose the healthy choices and the real craving can be the “exception”).

Here’s a few examples:

Sometimes you can fix a craving just by drinking a glass of water first.

And if your cravings are intense, frequently, you might check with your doctor because sometimes cravings indicate a physical situation.