Susan Blumenthal, M.D.: 14 Ways To Have A Healthy, Happy Holiday

Susan Blumenthal, M.D.: 14 Ways To Have A Healthy, Happy Holiday

By Susan Blumenthal, M.D. and Beth Hoffman

The holidays are a time for celebrating with family and friends. As we reflect on the things that we are most thankful for this holiday season, don't forget the importance of good health! While the holidays are brimming with joy and happiness for many, it can also be a stressful time with traveling, visiting relatives and trying to maintain diet and exercise goals. This holiday season, when faced with choices about behaviors that will influence your health today and tomorrow, a wonderful gift you can give yourself is to make choices to ensure a healthier future today and in the years to come. Here are some simple steps to staying healthy while fully enjoying the festivities of the season:

1) Eat Healthy
Eating a balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, whole grains, healthy sources of proteins, vitamins including D, folate, and calcium that is low in saturated fats and salt are critical ingredients in a recipe for a healthier future. Eating smart will help you to maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of chronic illnesses including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers [1]. In the 21st century, science is revealing that rather than individual nutrients being the key, the health effects of food result from the interactions of nutrients and other substances within and among the foods we consume. Maintaining healthy eating patterns, however, can be difficult during the holiday season. The USDA recently released, My Plate, a visual guide to healthy eating that simplifies making choices for nutritious meals by emphasizing the foods that are healthiest for us and the proportions in which to consume them. The best way to avoid overeating is to maintain a routine eating schedule during the holidays, pile your plate with vegetables and fruits, eat mindfully, taking the time to enjoy your food, and consume a healthy breakfast every day. Starting the morning with a small but satisfying breakfast, such as whole grain cereal with skim milk or an egg with whole wheat toast, will provide you with more control over your appetite. Whether you are hosting the meal or bringing a few dishes to share at the event, make your recipes healthier by reducing fat, sugar and calories (e.g. use fat free chicken broth, reduce the amount of oil and butter, use sugar substitutes, and replace cream with fat free yogurt or sour cream when preparing mashed potatoes or casseroles). At holiday meals, choose lean turkey meat, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, and other foods that contain lots of water and fiber. Not only are they healthy choices but they will add to a feeling of fullness and satiety. Variety is also important -- sampling a small amount of everything that has different textures and colors on the table can help alleviate cravings! And remember, everything in moderation -- one piece of pumpkin pie will not tip the scales!

2) Cook and Eat Safe
Food safety is very important when you prepare your holiday meal. To reduce the risk of food-borne illness, safely thaw, prepare and cook all meat, poultry and seafood. To keep bacteria at bay, first thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator in cold water or in a microwave oven. Thoroughly clean surfaces, utensils and your hands after touching raw poultry as bacteria can be transferred to other food. Make sure to thoroughly cook all food to the temperature recommended by the FDA (click here for more information). Wash all fruits and vegetables and store leftovers in containers in the refrigerator or freezer. Finally, with the holiday season coinciding with increased travel and the cold/flu season, wash your hands often and use alcohol based hand sanitizers to prevent the spread of viruses and other microbes.

3) Stay Active
Physical activity is one of the most important steps you can take towards a healthier future. If you are not currently exercising, start slowly and build up. Aim for at least 30 minutes at least five days a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise with strength training, or 1 hour and 15 minutes per week of high-intensity aerobic exercise. Pick activities you like -- take the stairs instead of elevators, dance, engage in a power walk instead of a power lunch. Try a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day. This holiday season, enjoy being active with friends and family -- bundle up and go for a walk together or play a game of touch football. Visit fitness.gov to learn more.

4) Stay Hydrated
Whether you are traveling or hosting a holiday event, changing routines and the stress of the season can make it easy to forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drinking water can help with jet-lag if you are traveling, and also help you control your appetite and prevent excessive eating. A reasonable goal is 4-6 cups a day and even more preceding your holiday meal so as not to feel famished when dinner begins.

5) Stamp Out Smoking
If you don't smoke, please never start. If you do smoke, the holiday season can be a great time to utilize family support to quit. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S and is linked to heart disease, cancer and stroke [5]. Furthermore, second-hand smoke significantly impairs the health of those who are in contact with smokers. Not smoking is the number one thing you can do to safeguard your health today and in the future!

6) Limit Alcohol Consumption
If you drink, do so responsibly and only in moderation. Alcohol adds calories. And while one glass a day of red wine might help prevent heart disease, alcohol abuse accounts for 79,000 preventable deaths every year, and is associated with an increased risk of liver disease and some forms of cancer, as well as tens of thousands of motor vehicle accidents annually [4]. Please never, ever drink and drive.

7) Get Plenty of Rest
Between traveling, shopping, and attending holiday events, it can be difficult to get enough sleep during the holiday season. But getting a good night's rest will leave you refreshed and can also help to reduce stress. Most adults require 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Even if you are traveling or away from home during the holidays, try to maintain a regular bedtime routine. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals, and exercising right before bedtime. Create a dark, quiet, and comfortable environment to help you fall asleep. Getting adequate sleep will give you a boost to feel your best and enjoy the holiday season.

8) Enjoy Family, Friends and Strengthen Your Social Network
Oftentimes the focus at holiday events is on food, rather than on the friends and family who have gathered together to celebrate the season. Shifting the focus of the day to visiting with loved ones and away from food can make it easier for those trying to maintain healthy eating behaviors during the holidays. Planning ahead can be a helpful tool, as can maintaining as close to a normal eating schedule as possible. As mentioned above, make sure to eat regularly throughout the day and avoid treating a holiday meal as the only meal of the day [2]. When eating, focus on your own plate, rather than suggesting second helpings for others [3]. Have the conversation at the table focus on the positive atmosphere and love of friends and family rather than on the food. Remember, social support is an important ingredient in a recipe for a healthy, happy life, with many studies showing that relationships influence our long-term health in ways that can be as powerful as a healthy diet and getting enough sleep! Having strong connections to others can improve your health and longevity. It's also more fun and easier to engage in healthy behaviors if others join you. These benefits extend to givers and receivers of support. A lack of connections, on the other hand, is associated with increased mortality by as much as 50 percent, depression, and a decline in cognitive function later in life. It's the quality of relationships that makes the difference, so visit with your friends and family in 2012, make new contacts and enjoy developing meaningful connections.

9) Set Realistic Expectations
Many people get wrapped up in trying to make every aspect of the holiday season perfect. Set realistic goals for yourself -- do not expect that you will find the perfect gift for everyone, focus on weight maintenance rather than weight loss and don't punish yourself if you indulge every now and again.

10) Take Time for Yourself
While it can be enjoyable to spend extra time with family and friends at social gatherings this holiday season, make sure to find your own stress buster and time in the day just for you. Take a walk, read a book, practice yoga. Bundle up with a blanket and cup of hot tea and exercise your mind by playing Sudoku, reading a book, doing crossword puzzles or beginning to learn a new language or skill. Choosing fun and meaningful activities as the New Year begins makes life more enjoyable!

11) Travel Safe
Whether you are driving or flying this holiday season, make sure to travel safe. If you are driving, always wear a seat belt and get adequate sleep before getting behind the wheel. Research shows that driving after being awake for more than 20 hours is similar to driving with a blood alcohol level at the limit of 0.08, with recent studies estimating that driver fatigue was linked to 1 in 6 fatal motor vehicle accidents annually [6, 7]. Getting enough rest is also important if you are flying, particularly across time zones. Finally, with 2 million people crossing national borders every day, the spread of infectious diseases like flu is just a jet plane away. If you are travelling internationally, make sure to speak with your doctor about any necessary immunizations or health safety precautions (such as drinking only bottled water) that might be relevant for your destination.

12) Give Thanks and Give Back
More than 50 million Americans will struggle to put food on the table this holiday season, so consider making a donation to a local food bank or dedicating a day of service to help those who are hungry. Many food banks and local charities also support toy drives for children living in poverty. Visit the Feeding America and Snap to Health websites to learn more about how you can contribute to preventing hunger in your community and in our country.

13) Be Ready in Case of an Emergency
Be prepared in the event of a disaster occurring during the holidays, such as a tornado, hurricane, or severe snow storm. Develop a family plan and communication strategy. For more information, call 1-800-Be-Ready or visit www.ready.gov and www.fema.gov. Know what you can do to keep safe from the flu: practice good hygiene, wash hands, cover coughs, get vaccinated for seasonal flu (this year's vaccine provides protection against H1N1 as well) and avoid settings with people who are ill. Check out www.flu.gov to learn more.

14) Be a Savvy Health Consumer
Read as much as you can and use trustworthy Internet sites (see list below) for reliable health information. Know your health plan. Be informed. Knowledge is power when it comes to your health and the health of your family, business and community. By following the steps in this prevention prescription, you can enjoy a healthier future this holiday season, in the New Year and beyond!

Recommended Websites for More Information:

www.4publichealth.org
www.4globalhealth.org
www.healthfinder.gov
www.healthierus.gov
www.womenshealth.gov
www.cdc.gov
www.fitness.gov
www.sleepfoundation.org
www.medline.gov
www.myplate.gov
www.nutrition.gov
www.flu.gov
www.ready.gov
www.fema.gov
www.healthcare.gov

References

[1] FDA. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005.

[2] Berrett, Michael. Twelve Ideas to Help People with Eating Disorders Negotiate the Holiday. Retrieved 25 Nov 2011.

[3] Hickey, Tracey. Hickey: "Coping with Eating Anxiety During Thanksgiving." November 20, 2011. Retrieved 25 Nov 2011.

[4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fact Sheets: Alcohol Use and Health. July 20, 2010. Retrieved 25 Nov 2011.

[5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Inhaling Tobacco Smoke Causes Immediate Harm. December 9, 2010. Retrieved 25 Nov 2011.

[6] "Two Out of Five Drivers Admit to Falling Asleep at the Wheel, Finds AAA Foundation Study." Retrieved 28 Nov 2011.

[7] National Sleep Foundation. Facts About Drowsy Driving. 2007. Retrieved 28 Nov 2011

[8] Wilper AP, Woolhandler S, Lasser KE, McCormick D, Bor DH, Himmelstein DU. "Health Insurance and Mortality in U.S. Adults." American Journal of Public Health, Sept. 17, 2009 (online); print edition Vol. 99, Issue 12, December 2009.

Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A. (ret.) is the Public Health Editor of the Huffington Post. She is the Director of the Health and Medicine Program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in Washington, D.C., a Clinical Professor at Georgetown and Tufts University Schools of Medicine, Chair of the Global Health Program at the Meridian International Center, and Senior Policy and Medical Advisor at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Dr. Blumenthal served for more than 20 years in senior health leadership positions in the Federal government in the Administrations of four Presidents, including as Assistant Surgeon General of the United States, the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of Women's Health, as a White House Advisor on Health, and as Chief of the Behavioral Medicine and Basic Prevention Research Branch at the National Institutes of Health. Admiral Blumenthal has received numerous awards including honorary doctorates and has been decorated with the highest medals of the US Public Health Service for her pioneering leadership and significant contributions to advancing health in the United States and worldwide. She is the recipient of the 2009 Health Leader of the Year Award from the Commissioned Officers Association and was named a 2010 Rock Star of Science by the Geoffrey Beene Foundation and GQ magazine.

Beth Hoffman graduated magna cum laude from Brown University. She is a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and a former Health Policy Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in Washington D.C.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

David Katz, M.D.: Bethlehem, 'Perfection' and Our Birthmark: Why Perfect Is the Enemy of Good!

David Katz, M.D.: Bethlehem, 'Perfection' and Our Birthmark: Why Perfect Is the Enemy of Good!

Among the big medical news stories of the past week is an increasingly global tale of failing French breast implants. According to Reuters, as many as 400,000 women in multiple countries are potential victims of defective implants, prone to leakage and made using a grade of silicone never approved for cosmetic surgery by a French company shut down in 2010.

While the true magnitude of associated risks remains speculative, there is concern about both cancer and autoimmune disease. Such associations with silicone breast implants in general have largely been refuted by objective data, but the current situation is enough of a departure to propagate legitimate anxiety among those affected, from the women who received the implants, to public health authorities around the globe, to the French policy makers on whose watch these serious corporate transgressions played out.

Any connection of this worrisome story to events in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago seems at first limited to happenstance; this news happens to be breaking, and I happen to be writing about it, shortly before Christmas. But while undeniably goaded by such temporal serendipity, I do see a connection of deeper significance.

For the faithful of a certain faith, Christmas is about more than oddly-clad elves, expedited gift delivery, and flying ungulates. We all know the holiday is ostensibly a birthday celebration for Jesus, but that just scratches the surface. If true meaning can be found beneath all the layers of pagan and pop-culture veneer, it is about redemption. Jesus was sent to us to embody a perfection unattainable for us; to atone for sins we are incapable of avoiding; and ultimately to fall, and rise, on our behalf -- and thereby absolve the worthy.

The story reverberates more deeply for those who believe than those who don't, of course, but the case is not hard to make that it is evocative for us all, regardless of faith. We yearn to be more perfect than our modest aptitudes allow. We are, as we say, only human, and thus inescapably imperfect. Jesus was sent here to help us confront that limitation.

We cannot cross that threshold on our own, and the stakes of trying tend to be high.

Perhaps no one since Jesus has made that point as clearly, and compellingly, as Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his famous short story, The Birthmark. Hawthorne tells of a scientist married to a woman so beautiful that by all accounts, her beauty is nearly perfect; she is a rival to Helen of Troy. Her nearly perfect beauty is marred only, and ever so slightly, by a birthmark on her cheek.

The scientist contemplates his wife's near perfect beauty, and becomes seduced by the concept of "perfect" beauty. He thinks to himself: after all, I'm a scientist -- I have the power -- I can do this!

The story then builds in an ominous crescendo as the scientist prepares an elixir in his lab, and prepares his wife for the procedure. When at last all is ready, he stretches his wife out on a bed and administers the elixir to her. Lo and behold, the birthmark disappears -- and her beauty is... flawless.

But alas, Hawthorne wrote this story for a religious audience of his day as a moral parable about the unattainable conceit of human perfection. So, in fact, the seemingly superficial birthmark was nothing of the sort, but rather the mark of the heroine's inescapably imperfect humanity. The elixir did remove the birthmark, but it traced its remedial effects from the woman's skin, to the very core of her -- to her heart -- and rendered her beauty perfect, even as it killed her. She could not be perfect and still be a living, breathing human being.

This tale is of surprisingly timely relevance. It is germane to all who aspire to the figures of air-brushed, half-starved super models. It seems germane to those who accept the risks of liposuction, rather than embrace the harder, but safer and more rewarding commitment to using feet and forks as well as possible. And it seems germane to hundreds of thousands of perfectly healthy women, now worrying about the loss of that health for the sake of more perfectly contoured breasts.

I am not faulting the women -- I am challenging their potential successors to reject the faults in a culture that prioritizes perfect boobs over perfectly good health. Never mind the men whose favorable attention the perfectly shaped breasts are presumably crafted to attract. I am speaking past them (us?) to the women.

Ladies: Why would a woman allow anywhere near her a man who is more concerned about the size and symmetry of her breasts, than whether she put her health in jeopardy to get there? The scenario reminds of Woody Allen's irony, noting he wouldn't want to join any club that would accept him as a member. None of us should want anything to do with someone who wants us because of surgical enhancements for which we potentially and electively mortgaged our health.

All truly worthy effort leads toward good, but not to perfect. Perfect is out of reach for the standard issue Homo sapien. Perhaps perfect breasts do happen -- but if so they are invariably accompanied by imperfections elsewhere.

The truly worthy generally also requires some genuine effort. Liposuction removes fat expeditiously, but confers none of the health benefits of weight loss achieved by eating well and increasing physical activity. Even Jesus was denied a quick fix or silver bullet -- and instead endured a crown of thorns. In meaningful efforts to better ourselves, we all have our crosses to bear.

That hundreds of thousands of women around the world will spend this holiday season under dark clouds of anxiety about their health would be bad enough if they had been driven to that predicament by true need. That they do so replicating the fate of Hawthorne's hapless heroine is testimony to the superficial values of our culture, our misguided notions of both perfection and health, and our failure to learn from the follies of history.

Perfect is the enemy of good, because we can't get to perfect. Jesus tells us so. Hawthorne wrote it out for us. If a French breast implant company begs to differ, who do you choose to believe?

As a new year looms, we might consider abandoning the quest for superficial perfection -- and embrace the pursuit of humbler, but deeper good. The particular advantage of good over perfect is... We could actually get there from here.

-fin

Dr. David L. Katz; www.davidkatzmd.com
www.turnthetidefoundation.org

Follow David Katz, M.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DrDavidKatz

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Judith Johnson: Spending Holidays With 'Loved Ones' Who Aren't Very Nice To You

Judith Johnson: Spending Holidays With 'Loved Ones' Who Aren't Very Nice To You

Below the surface of many family holiday gatherings are mini dramas playing out, contemporary grudges and resentments and unresolved childhood issues. Nothing hurts with such emotional depth as these familial battles. For the tender-hearted, this can be a psychological mine field while self-righteous bullies reign unchallenged. Many silently suffer through these events while dutifully and unconsciously assuming their childhood role as the family black sheep or underdog. Those in secondary roles are often either complicit or oblivious, leaving the underdog to fend for his or herself. Here are seven strategies for doing it differently this year.

Strategy 1: See it for what it is. The bottom line of these battles is that they are mere reflections of the level of consciousness of the participants involved. Most bullies and tyrants have failed to evolve psychologically past their childhoods and are simply functioning out of a juvenile state of consciousness. Typically, they are caught in a win/lose mentality that drives them to perceive themselves as a winner at the expense of someone else. Putting you down is driven by a desperate attempt to put themselves up. In this sense, you are simply a means to an end and their attack on you is really nothing personal. You cannot evolve another person's consciousness for them. Any attempt to address the matter head on with them will simply further ignite their battle position. On the flip side of this, is there any merit to the accusations and judgments lodged against you? If so, are you willing or able to change? If so, only do so for your own highest good and not to seek the approval of others.

Strategy 2: Stay conscious in the present and study how the dynamic works. Remember, it takes two to tango. Play detective with the situation and notice how this other person gets to you. Is it through sarcastic remarks? Giving you the silent treatment? Disdainful looks? Just how do they communicate their rejection and judgment of you? How do they hook you into their game? Pay attention to your own behavior as well. Do you comply by feeling and behaving like a victim? Do you try to defend yourself against their attacks? Does this drama dominate your entire experience? How do you buy in to this other person's point of view?

Strategy 3: Stand tall in your own integrity and truth. Be at the cause of your own behavior rather than at the effect of others. Stop behaving in relationship to this person. Don't buy into the familiar emotional territory of your childhood. Be your own grown-up person. Stop focusing on them and focus on yourself. Be who you know yourself to be rather than jumping into the underdog or black sheep costume of your childhood. Get out of reactionary mode and simply be yourself. By moving your attention away from the bully, you stop feeding on or into the situation.

Strategy 4: Stop wanting or expecting the other person to change. Before entering the situation, psyche yourself up. Remind yourself that this other person is probably never going to change his or her behavior toward you. Make your consciousness big enough to let that happen without being the center of your attention. Make peace with it. Let it be so without trying to change it in any way. Focus instead on learning how to stay true to yourself in the presence of someone who belittles you. Stop giving them your power. Remember that both of you have the freedom to choose how you will behave. Take the high road and don't expect them to join you.

Strategy 5: Practice forgiveness. If you find yourself having a hard time with the situation, launch yourself into forgiveness mode in the privacy of your own mind. Forgive yourself for judging yourself for any judgments you have against yourself or the other person. Keep doing this as judgments come up. Neutralize them with forgiveness. If you don't really feel the forgiveness, do it anyway -- fake it till you make it.

Strategy 6: Step free of the drama and choose to have a healthy, good time. Setting and holding to the intention of doing it differently goes a very long way. Choose out of the drama and into having an authentically good time. Give more of your attention and interest to other people at the gathering. Help out in the kitchen. Just find some way to do it all differently. If you typically sit in a corner, get up and mingle. Find a buffer -- someone you can engage with to shift your focus. Just do whatever it takes to keep moving your attention away from the drama and into finding new ways to be with your family. By doing it differently, you will elicit different responses.

Strategy 7: Strike out on your own for the holidays. If your family gatherings are simply unbearable for you, don't go! There is no law that you have to spend the holidays with your family. What does the holiday mean to you? If it is about being with your family -- then figure out how to do that using the first six strategies above and evolve a place for yourself that nurtures and supports you. If the meaning of the holiday is about the deeper religious message it brings, then find other people to be with who share your beliefs. Maybe you just want to have a light-hearted time. If so, then give yourself the gift of creating that for yourself with our without other people. Take ownership of your own experience and create a happy and blessed holiday for yourself.

The holidays come and go every year. Don't stay stuck in a bad emotional drama. The willingness to do it differently will always create the means and ability you need. Trust yourself and have the courage to step free. Happy holidays, everyone.

Please feel free to leave a comment below, or to contact me at judithjohnson@hvc.rr.com. You can also retweet this post, share it on Facebook or email it to friends who may enjoy it. To learn more about me, visit my website, www.judithjohnson.com or my Facebook page "Tending to Your Ending." For information on my future blogs, click "Fan" at the top of this page.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com