APRIL IS DISTRACTION AWARENESS MONTH!

Imagine that you are blindfolded and driving 55 miles per hour.

 

It will take about 4.6 seconds for you to travel the length of a football field.

 

4.6 seconds is the average amount of time it takes for people to look down and check their phone for a message.

Distracted driving is not just a problem with youth - it is a problem for everyone. From those who are pedestrians, not watching as they cross the street (because they are texting or have their hearing impeded by ear buds) - to drivers who just 'look down for a moment' and end up in a motor vehicle accident, distracted driver is an avoidable cause of morbidity and mortality.

If it took no attention to drive, then perhaps brushing your hair, changing the radio channel, talking on the phone and picking up a phone to text, might not be a big deal. But considering the several ton missile most cars are and the amount of erratic driving that occurs, safety means unplugging and expecting crazy driving, so that you don't end up in an accident or worse.

The national site distraction.gov has a number of powerful stats and even more powerful videos from across the country that brings home the message about distracted driving. One that I found very interesting was a young woman from NJ whose friend was killed by a distracted driver and who admitted that she needed a reminder to not be distracted (so she put a picture of her dead friend on her dashboard)

 How can you prevent distracted driving? 

1. Answer and send texts before you start driving (while sitting stationary in the car). Then start your trip.

2. Stow your phone in an inaccessible place (purse, glove compartment.)


3. Turn your ringer off until you have arrived.


4. Consider if you are tired or having difficulty concentrating and pay extra attention while driving. (phone off, tunes off)


5. Since hands free talking on the phone is no less distracting than holding a phone - consider the unthinkable - DON'T ANSWER!

6. Anticipate that other drivers will be distracted. Is that driver weaving over a line while driving? Might be alcohol but more likely is texting!


7. Anticipate pedestrians texting and being unaware to sound (with ear buds) as they cross the street.

8. Anticipate bicyclists are equally distracted.

9. Help friends and family eliminate distractions. For example, have messages that signal friends and family that you have to concentrate on driving ('have to go now, traffic is tough.")

Here's one story - Ashley age 16:

Do you know the different types of sugars in the market?

I love sugar, but a diet of full of sugary snacks, desserts and drinks is definitely not good for your health or waistline. Fortunately, there are a variety of sugar substitutes on the market for one to choose from. Knowing about the different types of sugar substitutes can help you to choose the best product for your lifestyle.

Saccharine — the main ingredient in the popular pink-packets of "Sweet N Low," saccharine is one of the more well-known sugar substitutes. Saccharine was popular years ago but fell out of favor when it was concluded laboratory rats developed cancer after using this artificial sweetener. While rats may have experienced unfortunate

side effects, this has not been proven to be the case with humans. It's not recommended for pregnant or lactating women. Saccharine can be used to sweeten drinks of all temperatures and can be used in place of sugar in recipes.

Stevia - Stevia sweetener is produced from the species of herb called Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, which is also known as “sweet leaf” or “sugar leaf.” Stevia is much sweeter than sugar. Stevia sweetener is made by extracting the leaf’s sweetening agents: glycosides, steviosides, and rebaudiosides. Further, the body does not metabolize the glycosides in Stevia sweetener, which results in a caloric intake of zero.

Aspartame — you might recognize aspartame as the product contained in the blue packet with "Nutra Sweet" printed on the front. While aspartame might be popular in diet soft drinks, coffee and tea, it's not recommended for baking as it can lose its flavor after being exposed to heat for certain period of time.
Acesulfame-K — also known as "Ace-K," this sugar substitute is actually two hundred times sweeter than sugar! This sweetener should be used in moderation. Ace-K is fine for baking, just use it sparingly.

Cyclamate — this is the sugar substitute used by Weight Watchers. It's great for cooking and baking. It's sweeter than sugar, about ten times sweeter, so keep this in mind when opening a package of "Sugar Twin."

Sucralose — Sucralose is what is contained in a yellow packet of "Splenda." Splenda is gaining popularity not only because it's made of sugar, thereby tasting just like sugar, but because it measures the same as sugar, which makes it more convenient for baking than other sugar substitutes. Sucralose is six hundred times sweeter than sugar, however, so if one is not using the Splenda brand, one will have to do some math to figure out how much to add to your baking.

Most of the above sugar substitutes have been approved by the

FDA as safe for use by diabetics. Those who are diabetic, pregnant or nursing would probably find it in their best interests to check with their physicians before using any of these products regularly.

Do you know the difference between fruit drink vs. fruit juice?

Today, there are so many drinks on the market that are labeled as juice that contain hardly any. The label is what always catches our eye first. You see the beautiful pictures of fruits and the actual word juice; you are obviously going to think that you are buying a nice and healthy drink with a high percentage of real fruit juice. Sadly this very often isn't the case. The drinks packaging is so misleading that the pure juice you think you are drinking is anything but.

Fruit Juice Drink and Fruit Juice Cocktails are fruit juice beverages that contain less than 100% juice. The percentage of juice appears on the Nutrition Facts grid on the product label. These beverages are a blend of and may contain some or all of the following:
· Real fruit juice
· Sweeteners (such as sugar and corn syrup, for flavor)
· Citric acid (to balance sweetness)
· Other ingredients (such as flavor, color and vitamins to enhance the overall quality of the product)

100% Fruit Juice means juice that is directly squeezed from a fruit or vegetable. It can be made from juice concentrate reconstituted with water. It may be a single fruit juice (such as grape or orange) or blend of fruit juices (such as white grape peach). A 100% juice product also may contain added vitamins or minerals, such as Vitamin C, that do not dilute the juice

The best thing that you can do is check the label for the exact wording and juice percentages.

For more information, visit go to

http://www.pdhu.on.ca/pdf/fruit.pdf

Fiber Frenzy!

• Fiber is the part in plant foods that humans can’t digest. Even though fiber isn’t absorbed, it does all sorts of great stuff for our bodies.




• Fiber slows down the absorption of other nutrients eaten at the same meal, including carbohydrates.




• This slowing down may help prevent peaks and valleys in your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes.




• Certain types of fiber found in oats, beans, and some fruits can also help lower blood cholesterol.




• As an added plus, fiber helps people feel full.




• In general, the more refined, or “whiter,” the grain-based food, the lower the fiber.Adults need at least 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day for good health. But most Americans get only about 15 grams a day.

Some tips for increasing fiber intake:

· Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
· Brown rice and whole grain products instead of white rice, bread, and pasta.
· Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast instead of sugary white ones.
· Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
· Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups.

Communicating effectively with your doctor

One of the most prevalent communications gaps is between doctors and patients. Many people feel inferior and are intimidated by what they believe to be the doctor's superior expertise. Often the encounter with the physician is rushed and many people feel like they don’t have enough time to ask all their questions.

These tips will have you communicating more effectively with prescribers during office visits:

1. Prepare for Your Appointment: Doctor's offices these days are a flurry of activity. So unless you're having an initial evaluation, your visit is likely to be as brief as 20 to 30 minutes. Here's how to come prepared:
-Arrive early.
-Bring a list of your symptoms.
-Bring a list of all medications you now take. Be sure to include all over-the-counter medications -- including vitamins, herbals and other supplements. These are medications, too.
-Purchase a spiral notebook and title it simply "My Mental and Physical Health." ---Use it to jot down specific questions you have for the doctor, and to take notes as your questions are answered.

2. Keep It Simple: During your visit, ask your physician or other

caregiver, "What do you think is wrong with me?"

3. Ask About Testing: Your physician may advise that certain psychological tests are warranted to better clarify your problem.

4. Explore Your Treatment Options

5. Prescription Medication: At a minimum, you need to know the following:
-What kind of medication is being prescribed for me?
-For what length of time will I be taking it?
-What can I realistically expect from this medication?
-What are the medication's typical side effects? Can I combat these side effects, and if so, how? Do these side effects diminish over time?

7. Don't Hold Your Tongue:Remember though, you are the customer! And without "customers," physicians have no practices. So don't leave the office until you have answers to all your questions. And be sure they're answers you actually understand.

8. Don't Withhold Information: Doctors aren't mind-readers. If you're not sharing information because you believe it is too sensitive or irrelevant to your visit, please reconsider. What you're withholding just might be a key piece of the puzzle to finding out what's wrong and how to treat you.

9. Bring a Buddy: Companions can help you relax, remind you of questions you need to ask, and help you interpret what the doctor said. If your visit concerns a particularly sensitive matter, your companion can always step outside while you talk with your doctor.

10. Always Follow Up: Following up with them is your responsibility. Don't wait for your physician to call you! Ask your physician when you should have a follow-up visit. Before that date arrives, call the physician's office to make an appointment.

Happy thoughts for a stress-free life

Life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. The bills aren’t going to stop coming anytime soon, there will never be enough hours in the day for all your errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. But you have a lot more control than you might think. Managing stress is all about taking charge of your thoughts and emotions.

One way to prevent or reduce your level of stress is to turn away from negative stress-building thoughts and concentrate on positive stress busting ways of thinking. The moment negative thoughts come into mind, replace them with positive thoughts or when negative thoughts enter the mind, turn your thoughts into prayer.

Example:

Stress builder thought: “I’ll never get this project in on time.”
Stress-Buster thought: “If I stay focus and take it one step at a time, I’ll make steady process.” OR “I can do all things through God who strengthens me.”

How you think can have a profound effect on your emotional and physical well-being. Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tension-filled situation. If you see good things about yourself, you are more likely to feel good; the reverse is also true. Eliminate words such as "always," "never," "should," and "must." These are telltale marks of self-defeating thoughts.

Is beauty really only skin deep?

We are all familiar with the popular sayings “never judge a book by its cover" and “it's what's on the inside that counts," but does anyone really believe this anymore? Every time you turn on the TV you are bombarded with ads for acne creams, make-up, hair care products, diet pills, exercise equipment, teeth whiteners, or other things to help make yourself beautiful. With all these products and gadgets, how can we really say that beauty is skin deep? The sad, superficial truth is that the skin deep philosophy isn't practiced anymore. Today, thousands of women and even some men are dealing with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia just to impress others. Many teenage girls are struggling with low self-esteem because they feel like that can’t live-up to the media’s ideals of beauty. My question is how we can communicate to our daughters, nieces, sisters, cousins and friends that healthy is beautiful. Trying to live-up to other people’s expectations and standards is in fact very unhealthy. Looks fade, trends come and go, but good personalities and attitudes can last forever.

Eating Disorders: Anorexia & Bulimia

Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most effective ways to combat and prevent medical illnesses, including diabetes and high cholesterol. However, when the desire to be "thin" is taken to extremes, and eating disorder can result.

Eating disorders are more common in girls and women. Two of the most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. If not treated, eating disorders can have devastating consequences, including damage to organs and bones.

Anorexia nervosa:
Anorexia is involves individuals who see themselves as overweight, despite being very thin. As a result, these individuals often become malnourished as the desire to lose even more weight is accomplished through deprivation of food. Therefore, the symptoms associated with anorexia often parallel those of individuals experiencing starvation. These include emaciation (extreme loss of fat) and lack of menstruation among women and girls. Anorexic individuals battle an unquenchable fear of gaining weight. For this reason, in addition to restricting eating, excessive exercising and laxatives/diuretics are often used to assist with the drastic weight loss.

Bulimia nervosa:
Bulimia is an eating disorder where the individual undergoes episodes of binge eating (consuming large amounts of food), followed by purging (vomiting, overuse of laxatives/diuretics), fasting, and/or intense exercise. During these binges, control over eating behaviors is lost. The length of time between episodes varies, and can even occur multiple times a day. However, bulimia is often more difficult to recognize than anorexia, since individuals still often maintain a normal weight and participate in the overeating/purging cycles in secret.

Getting Help:
Eating disorders are serious conditions and should be addressed by a health care professional as quickly as possible. Various support groups, including Eating Disorders Anonymous, are also available to assist individuals battling an eating disorder.

For more information, visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml