VIP: SPRING 2017Healthy

Understand the Pros and Cons of Cancer Screening

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Most adults shouldreceive their frstcolorectal cancer

screening beginningat age 50.

VIEWS

Cancer screening seems simple and safe to most people. These tests often fnd illnesses before you have symptoms and when cancer may be easier to treat. But screening also has downsides. New studies question whether the benefts of breast and prostate cancer screening outweigh the risks.

Mammograms: What Women Should Know The American Cancer Society recommends women ages 45 to 54 have mammograms every year. After age 55, they should get them every other year.

But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says women at average risk for breast cancer should start mammograms at age 50. Why? The agency says mammograms: • May miss up to one in fve cancers • Do not work as well on younger women because

they have dense breasts

In one study, researchers looked at screening, diagnosis, and death rates over the past 30 years. They estimated about one-third of women treated for breast cancer never would have died from the disease.

PSA Tests: What Men Should Know Some doctors still advise men to get regular PSA tests to screen for prostate cancer. These exams check for high levels of a chemical called prostate-specifc antigen (PSA). However, many expert groups now recommend against screening with a PSA test.

Some men who get screened are treated for cancers that may never have progressed. Common side effects of these therapies include incontinence and sexual problems.

Also, many other conditions cause high PSA levels. That means if your test is positive, you’ll need more tests. The most common test is a biopsy. This involves taking a sample of your prostate. This poses a risk for pain and infection.

Screening Is Your Choice No study can make the decision about cancer screening for you. But it can give you the pros and cons. That way, you can discuss them with your doctor and choose what is best for you.

SPRING CLEAN YOUR MEDICINE CABINET  2 | POLLEN AND ALLERGIES 5 | THE WEIGHT OF OBESITY  6

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Spring Your CleanMedicine

You woke up with a severe headache. That bottle of pain relievers that is gathering dust on your bathroom shelf sounds like an easy fx. Before you open the bottle, check to see if it has expired.

Why does that expiration date matter? Outdated drugs might not give you 100 percent of the benefts because they’re not as potent. That may not sound so dangerous when it comes to treating minor aches and pains with ibuprofen.

Taking expired medications that treat chronic or life-threatening illnesses, such as heart conditions, seizures, or COPD, can be dangerous. If they have lost their strength, they will not work as intended.

Check for Expirations Other medications that should always be taken at full strength include: • Oral nitroglycerin (NTG): This

is a medication used to treat

Cabinet angina (chest pain). This drug loses its potency quickly once opened.

• Insulin: Insulin controls blood sugar in people with diabetes. It may stop working after its expiration date.

• Eye drops: Bacteria can grow in expired products.

• Antibiotics: Expired prescriptions can fail to treat infections, leading to more serious illness and antibiotic resistance.

Not sure where to look for medication expiration dates? Check the label on the bottle or look for a stamp on the bottom of the package. The expiration date can be found in either of those places. You might also see the letters “EXP” next to the date.

Safe Storage The FDA says you should get rid of some medications by fushing

them down the toilet or sink. These are drugs that can be especially harmful (even fatal) to a child or pet who could take them by accident. For an FDA-approved list of medications that you should fush, visit www.fda.gov.

Proper storage of your medication is also key to keeping you and your family safe. Check your medication labels for specifc storage instructions. Certain medications need to be kept in the refrigerator. Others cannot be exposed to extreme heat.

Although a bathroom cabinet is a common place for storage, it’s best to store most medications in a cool, dry place. A kitchen cabinet far from the stove is best.

Drug Disposal To throw away expired medications safely, follow these simple steps:

1. Mix uncrushed medicines with something unsavory like dirt or cofee grounds.

2. Place the mixture in a sealed container, such as a plastic bag.

3. Throw the container into the trash.

4. Scratch out any personal information on the prescription label of your empty bottle or package. Then throw it into the trash.

VIP Healthy Views 2 Spring 2017

Daily Practices toReduce Chronic Pain More than 100 million Americans are living with chronic pain. That’s more than the number of Americans with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes combined. Someone with chronic pain is three to four times more likely to also suffer from depression.

Chronic pain can last for weeks, months—even years. Sometimes an injury, infection, or an ongoing condition like arthritis or cancer causes pain. Not managing chronic pain can lead to: • Deepening depression • Poor sleep • Agitation • Loss of concentration

Chronic pain is uncomfortable. But there is hope. If you are living with chronic pain, you can fnd relief. Many daily solutions are available to help you live a happier, healthier life—despite your pain. For starters, try these strategies:

Get out of bed. While you’re in pain, you may want to stay in bed. Staying active daily will help keep your body—and mind—in better shape. Try low-impact activities that minimize the risk for further injury. Your doctor can suggest the safest activities for you.

Take the right medication for your pain. You can buy anti-infammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, over-the-counter. These effectively relieve you from muscular and bone pain.

Antidepressants may help control pain and your depression. Muscle relaxants, another prescribed option, help to reduce pain caused by muscle spasms. Talk with your doctor about what the best ft for you might be.

Yoga. Depression or anxiety caused by chronic pain can lead to loss in brain tissue. This can impair your memory and lead to emotional problems. Research shows that regular yoga practice can prevent and reverse these mental effects.

Feed your body well. Certain foods can fght infammation, make your bones stronger, and alleviate your pain. The best foods for arthritic pain, for example, are fsh, soy, and olive oil. These foods have anti-infammatory properties like omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, a healthy diet can help lift your spirits.

In addition to these strategies, be sure to talk with your doctor about self-care solutions that are tailored to your own chronic pain.

Take Time to Relax Certain relaxation techniques, such as meditation or breathing exercises, have proven to be helpful in managing chronic pain. Plus, going to your own “happy place” can distract you from any physical pain. The American Chronic Pain Association ofers a relaxation guide. You can fnd it online at www.theacpa.org/Relaxation-Guide.

www.amerihealthvipcare.com VIP Healthy Views 3 Spring 2017

SHOCK: Could Too Much Harm Your Heart?

Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet—and you may be eating way too much. It’s the newest diet warning: Added sugars are taking a toll on heart health.

The average American consumes more than 22 teaspoons or 355 calories of added sugars per day. The term “added sugars” are put into the foods you eat, rather than those that occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, and other unprocessed products.

Health Concerns What’s so wrong with a sweet treat? Sugar provides fuel but has no other nutritional value. Eating more sugar than we need has been linked to: • Higher triglyceride and lower

HDL “good” cholesterol levels • Tooth decay • Trouble controlling diabetes

• Obesity • Heart disease

Most added sugars in our diets come from soft drinks and other beverages, candy, baked goods, and ice cream. They also lurk where you wouldn’t expect them: dairy products such as some yogurt, canned fruits, cereal, and fruit drinks.

Sugar Disguises Experts at the American Heart Association recommend women get no more than 100 calories a day from added sugars and men have no more than 150 calories. To spot sugars, check food labels for amounts. Remember that 1 gram is about 4 calories. And look for these red-fag words in ingredient lists: • Cane juice or syrup • Corn sweetener or syrup • Dextrose, fructose, or glucose • Lactose or maltose • Molasses

Buy sugar-free or low-calorie beverages. Cut back on the amount of sugar you add to items like coffee and oatmeal.

Quick Tip

If you’re baking cookies, cut the

amount of sugar in the recipe

by one-third to one-half. Add

flavor with almond or vanilla

extracts, or use spices such as

ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Are Fruity, Fizzy Waters Really Healthy? Sugar-free, favored sparkling waters seem to be in every favor in every supermarket. Many people are drinking them as a healthy alternative to sodas.

Yes, they are better for you than a cola sweetened with sugar. But the no-calorie fzzy waters also have some drawbacks compared with plain water.

They have two strikes against them: acid and carbonation. Acid in food and drinks damages your tooth enamel. Carbonated drinks dry out the saliva from your mouth. We need saliva to wash away acids and prevent tooth decay.

If you do choose carbonated beverages, you should drink them along with a glass of plain water. This will help balance the acidity and protect your teeth.

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VIP Healthy Views 4 Spring 2017

What You Should Know About Pollen and Allergies About 7 percent of adults suffer from a pollen allergy, also known as hay fever. It can be a major pain to go outside during some of the nicest times of the year. You’ll sneeze. Your nose will run. Your eyes will water. Your throat will itch.

This is your immune system overreacting. Your body thinks pollen is a dangerous invader so it releases the chemical histamine to fght it. Histamine is what causes the onslaught of symptoms. Here are a few other things to know about your pollen allergy.

1There are many diferent plants thatrelease pollen.

Ragweed gets a lot of the blame, but there are actually many different plants that release pollen. Other common sources of weed allergies are sagebrush and tumbleweed.

Trees can also release pollen that can trigger your symptoms.

When you have a pollen allergy, your symptoms only occur when the type of pollen you’re allergic to is in the air. So even if the pollen counts are high, it’s only an issue for you if the type of pollen you’re allergic to is present.

2Start taking your allergy medicinebefore symptoms strike.

Allergy medications need some time to work. Ideally, start taking your medicine a few weeks before you expect symptoms to ramp up. For example, if you tend to experience symptoms starting in April, begin taking your medicine in March.

If the weather is expected to warm up toward the end of winter, start taking your medicine before then. Talk with your doctor about the best time to start taking your medications.

3You can take steps to reduce yourallergy symptoms.

Your best defense is reducing your exposure to pollen as much as you can. Some ways to do that include: • Staying inside as much as possible • Keeping your windows closed and using air

conditioning with a HEPA flter

• Taking a shower and washing your hair before going to bed each night to remove pollen from your hair and skin

• Washing your bedding in hot water once a week • Wearing sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes • Changing your clothes as soon as you come

indoors after being outside

4Sometimes you need more thanmedication.

Many people fnd medications don’t make their allergies disappear. If this sounds familiar, then you may be a candidate for immunotherapy. This is a technique in which you’re exposed to small amounts of an allergen. You receive allergy shots or you place a tablet under your tongue. This helps make your immune system less sensitive to allergens.

5Your allergy symptoms are betterwhen it’s wet outside.

Rainy weather may ruin your outdoor plans, but it can be a boon for your allergy symptoms. On rainy, cloudy, and windless days, pollen doesn’t move around much. However, hot, dry, and windy weather can sweep more pollen into the air and stir up your symptoms.

Working with an allergist, you can fnd out the specifc types of pollen that you’re allergic to and develop a treatment plan that can help control your symptoms.

www.amerihealthvipcare.com VIP Healthy Views 5 Spring 2017

The Weight of Obesity

Obesity isn’t something that occurs overnight. It happens slowly as your weight creeps up over time. The toll obesity takes on your health is often also a slow process. You might not even notice it’s happening until a serious problem develops.

Research shows that obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. If you are obese, you are at risk for many health conditions, including:

Coronary Heart Disease This is a disease that causes a waxy substance called plaque to build up inside your arteries. These are blood vessels that transport blood and oxygen to your heart. When plaque blocks blood fow to your heart, you can develop chest pain or may have a heart attack.

Type 2 Diabetes Normally your body releases the hormone insulin to transport sugar from the foods that you eat into your cells to use for energy. When you

have type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin properly. At frst, your pancreas produces extra insulin to meet your body’s needs. But in time, it can’t keep up. This causes your blood sugar, or glucose levels, to get too high. Over time, high blood sugar can cause a lot of harm in your body. It can lead to conditions such as stroke, kidney disease, blindness, coronary heart disease, and death.

High Blood Pressure High blood pressure is also called

hypertension. It occurs when blood fows through your blood vessels with more force than normal. This can damage blood vessels throughout your body and lead to serious complications, including: • Kidney disease • Eye damage • Heart attack

• Heart failure • Stroke

Cancer Obesity raises your risk for several different types of cancer, including breast, colon, endometrial, and gallbladder.

Osteoarthritis Carrying around extra weight puts a lot of pressure on your knees, hips, and lower back. This causes wear and tear on your joints, and may lead to a painful condition known as osteoarthritis.

Sleep Apnea People who are obese have a higher risk for sleep apnea. This occurs when you stop breathing for a few seconds or up to a few minutes at a time at night. Over time, sleep apnea can have a serious impact on your health and cause: • Diabetes • High blood

pressure

• Heart attack • Stroke • Weight gain

While the health effects of obesity may seem scary, the good news is that obesity is preventable and treatable. If you’re struggling to lose weight, talk with your doctor to fnd out how you can gain control over obesity and any other health conditions you experience.

on Your Health

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VIP Healthy Views 6 Spring 2017

Healthy Recipe

Ingredients 1 tsp. olive oil 1 fnely chopped garlic clove 3 to 4 tiny quartered new potatoes ½ cup sliced sweet onion ¾ cup sliced carrots ¾ cup asparagus pieces ¾ cup sugar snap peas, or green beans ½ cup quartered radishes ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper ½ tsp. dried dill

Directions 1. Heat the oil in a skillet. Cook the onion two

minutes, add the garlic and cook another minute.

2. Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook until almost tender.

3. If the vegetables start to brown, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

4. Add the asparagus, peas, radishes, salt, pepper, and dill. Cook, stirring often, until just tender about four minutes more.

5. Serve immediately.

Per serving Serves four. Each serving provides: Calories: 80, Total fat: 1.5 g, Saturated fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 200 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 3 g

Spring Vegetable Sauté

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www.amerihealthvipcare.com VIP Healthy Views 7 Spring 2017

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