Friday, October 30, 2009

Here Are Some Tricks to Keep From Overeating Treats on Halloween

With Halloween just a few days away it really marks the start of the eating season. First it’s Halloween and all the leftover candy. Then it’s Thanksgiving and all the leftovers, which leads us into the Christmas season with the holiday parties and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, extending until New Years and then there are still leftovers from New Years Day.

As a dietitian I hear many excuses for not eating healthy. Many people who are trying to lose weight just check off two months of excuses on reasons to eat. So let’s make this season different and start right with Halloween.

First off, don’t buy Halloween candy early. If you have the mentality of my husband, we need to buy the Halloween candy early just in case. Just in case the stores run out or the kids come before Oct. 31? Slim chance, but it’s an excuse to have it in the house to nibble on before trick or treating begins. So here it starts with the temptations and splurges, and if you’re not careful, extra pounds free of charge.

Secondly, don’t let yourself or your kids go hungry Halloween night. Have a balanced meal such as a salad with some grilled chicken before the night begins. This will prevent the gorging of Halloween candy and will allow you to enjoy some candy in the right amounts.

Thirdly, if you have candy leftovers just throw it out rather than bringing on the baggage to someone else. Chances are if you bring it to the workplace most people are in the same boat as you and trying to watch their weight. And if you bring sweets to a place where we tend to stress eat we are setting ourselves and others up for a pound increase. So what sense does it make to bring it there? Save yourself and your co-workers the temptation and throw it out.

Lastly, if have you kids control their candy intake. Make it fun by portioning it out and setting treat times or saving for a later date. Maybe make a healthy recipe such as whole-wheat cookies, muffins, or pancakes with candy goodies. Trail mix is another good option with nuts, dried fruit, and some M&M’s for a fix. But whatever you do, remember that candy and rewards don’t mix.

So make this Halloween a trick and a treat – not all eats!

--Beth St.Louis, MS, RD, LDN
Program Dietitian
Martin Memorial Center for Health and Healing

Monday, October 26, 2009

Martin Memorial to Open New Health and Fitness Center in St. Lucie West on Nov. 3

The Martin Memorial St. Lucie West Health and Fitness Center will be opening at a permanent facility on Nov. 3. The fitness center was relocated to a temporary location in October 2008, in order to make room for a freestanding emergency department at Martin Memorial’s St. Lucie West facility.

On Oct. 29 at 2 p.m., the health and fitness center’s temporary facility will close. The new, permanent location will open Nov. 3 at 5:30 a.m., located at 582 N.W. University Blvd., Suite 350. In the interim period between the temporary site closing and the new facility opening, St. Lucie West members are invited to utilize one of Martin Memorial’s four other health and fitness locations: Jensen Beach, Palm City, South Stuart or Hobe Sound.

The new facility at St. Lucie West will also feature something no other fitness center across the Treasure Coast has – Kinesis. This innovative piece of equipment offers a unique fitness experience by taking what the body does naturally and adding resistance. There will also be special classes that focus on tennis and golf, allowing members to improve their fitness levels and work on their games at the same time.

The new location will continue to provide medically directed fitness services that members have grown accustomed to receiving. That includes a full line of cardiovascular and strength equipment, child care, massage, lockers and shower facilities. There are also fitness classes designed for people with specific ailments such as diabetes, cancer and cardiac rehabilitation.

Members of the public are invited to tour our facility when it opens on Nov. 3. They can also find more information or sign up for Kinesis classes by calling (772) 785-5522.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Here's Something Scary: Those Halloween Treats Will Play Tricks With Your Fitness

It is almost time for Halloween, so once again this is a good time to review the cold, hard facts about how long you'll need to jump, walk or run to burn off your favorite devilish little darlings.

Sparkpeople.com did some research on how much damage 10 tiny treats really do. They took a sampling of 10 snack-sized treats – everything from Snickers, Tootsie Rolls, candy corn, Butterfinger, Peanut M&M's and more. The number of calories totaled: 775! Remember, that's just 10 pieces.

What does this mean in terms of calorie expenditure? Sparkpeople.com's fitness tracker calculated a 150-pound woman performing jumping jacks at a rate of one per second will burn 10 calories per minute. She'll need to perform jumping jacks for one hour and 18 minutes. That's a lot of jumping, and that's a fact jack!

If jumping is not your choice of exercise, you may want to go for a walk – a very long walk. A 7.75 mile walk will burn off those 10 tiny treats. Remember, we generally burn 100 calories for each mile of walking at a moderate pace.

Now for the good news. If you do choose to indulge this Halloween, and I'm quite sure I will, Diet.com did some research to find the top Halloween candy for healthy people. The best treats are Junior Mints, 3 Musketeers and Peanut M&M's.

I am not advocating that you go out and eat an entire bag of Junior Mints, but it is comforting to know they actually have some nutritional value, since Junior Mints are made with dark chocolate!

So enjoy a few treats smartly and you won't have to play any tricks to get your body back in shape. Happy Halloween!

--Jane Reynolds
Health and Fitness Technician
Hospital South Health and Fitness

Friday, October 16, 2009

Rehabilitation Can Play a Critical Role in Helping Autistic Children

As a speech language pathologist who works with both children and adults, I see all kinds of diagnoses. As a pediatric therapist, one of the more interesting yet baffling is children within the “Autistic Spectrum Disorder."

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder which affects social and communication skills but can also affect motor and language skills. It is not unusual for a child with autism to also be treated by an occupational therapist and a physical therapist. Statistics vary, but one in every 150 children may be diagnosed with this devastating disorder.

Boys are more than four times likely than girls to be autistic. Usually diagnosed at 3 years of age, a toddler at 16 months can show signs that are telling. These might include: not using words, not responding when his/her name is called, exhibiting repetitive behaviors, resisting cuddling, not pointing to objects and not engaging in simple interactions/games.

A pediatrician is instrumental in helping parents determine if a child is showing the signs and what services to seek out. One of the first professionals that a family is referred to is a speech language pathologist, as speech and language deficits are most noted. A pediatric SLP is trained in the area of language and social deficits, and is key in helping to determine if a child is in the spectrum.

More specific speech and language skills assessed are the following: understanding what others are saying or following directions without needing cueing; interest in age-appropriate toys and playing with them as intended; methods that are used to communicate wants and needs; interest in other people and wanting to interact. Speech pathologists will also be interested in the child’s eating patterns, as children with autism may be very “picky” eaters with a very limited diet.

Occupational therapists will be interested in a child’s sensory system, specifically the areas of touch/sound/light/temperature. Fine motor skills, gravitational insecurities and attention to task are other areas of interest to the OT’s. Large motor skills, such as learning to walk are not deficits often seen, but reduced body and spatial awareness are often deficits seen by the physical therapist.

Now, it’s not to say that all children with autism exhibit the same lack of skills. That is what is confusing about this disorder. It is a broad diagnosis that can include a high IQ as well as mental retardation. A child with autism may be chatty or silent, affectionate or cold, methodical or disorganized, mildly affected or severely affected.

It is a challenging diagnosis for all therapists involved. But the good news is, the earlier intensive therapies are started the better the prognosis for the child. While a child may always be intrinsically autistic, it is possible for the child to overcome the specific impairments in order to lead a very functional, productive, interactive and independent life.

--Cindy Irish, MS, CCC/SLP
Lead Speech Pathologist

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Discounted Mammograms Offered to Uninsured and Underinsured Women

Each year, mammograms provide the early detection necessary to help successfully treat breast cancer.

During October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Martin Memorial is offering $100 screening mammograms for women who are uninsured or underinsured. Payments must be self-pay and not made through insurance. To schedule a screening mammogram, call (772) 288-5817.

Martin Memorial is also continuing a program that began in May 2009 to assist women who might not otherwise have access to mammograms due to their financial situations. Martin Memorial is providing a limited number of free mammograms for medically underserved women, with help from a grant provided by the National Breast Cancer Foundation. That includes women who have no insurance or who are underinsured and have an income of no more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Women must meet other certain criteria to qualify, including:

· They must be 49 years or younger.
· They must have a prescription for a mammogram from a physician.
· They must be from Martin or St. Lucie counties.

For more information, to determine eligibility and to schedule an appointment, call (772) 223-5945, ext. 3331.

Mammograms play a critical role in detecting breast cancer early, which can lead to successful treatment. According to the National Cancer Institute, the regular use of screening mammograms can help reduce the chances of dying from breast cancer by 30 percent in women between the ages of 50 and 69, and by about 17 percent for women in their 40s.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009 there will be 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,170 deaths that result from the disease. The National Breast Cancer Foundation’s goal is to provide increased awareness about breast cancer through education, while also providing mammograms for those in need. Martin Memorial was able to partner with the Foundation, which provided funding for the free mammograms.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Martin Memorial Cancer Program Again Earns Accreditation with Commendation

The Martin Memorial cancer program has once again been granted three-year accreditation with commendation from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.

Martin Memorial’s cancer program has been accredited by the Commission on Cancer for many years, but this is the second consecutive time it has received the commendation distinction, the highest possible level of accreditation.

A facility receives the distinction following on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor. The program must demonstrate a commendation level of compliance with one or more standards that represent the full scope of the cancer program: cancer committee leadership; cancer data management; clinical services; research; community outreach; and quality improvement. In addition, a facility receives a compliance rating for all other standards.

Martin Memorial offers a continuum of care that features outpatient services through the Robert and Carol Weissman Cancer Center, and in-patient services as well. That includes radiation therapy, chemotherapy, clinical trials, social and support services, and nutritional counseling.

“This accreditation is a reflection of the hard work and dedication shown by physicians, clinical staff and support personnel who are making a tremendous difference in the lives of Treasure Coast residents every day,” said Cindy Pingolt, assistant vice president of professional services. “Cancer affects countless people in our community and we are determined to provide access to high-quality care that can help them battle the disease.”

The Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients. The core functions of the commission include: setting standards for quality, multidisciplinary cancer patient care; surveying facilities to evaluate compliance with Commission on Cancer standards; collecting standardized and quality data from approved facilities; and using the data to develop effective educational interventions to improve cancer care outcomes at the national, state and local levels.

Approval by the Commission on Cancer is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance. To maintain approval, facilities with an approved cancer program must undergo an on-site review every three years.

According to the Commission on Cancer, accredited programs ensure that patients receive: Quality care close to home; comprehensive care offering a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment; a multi-specialty, team approach to coordinate the best treatment options available to cancer patients; access to cancer-related information, education, and support; a cancer registry that collects data on type and stage of cancers and treatment results, and offers lifelong patient follow-up; ongoing monitoring and improvement of care; information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options.

There are currently more than 1,400 cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico approved by the Commission on Cancer, representing close to 25 percent of all hospitals. Those hospitals diagnose and/or treat 80 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients each year.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Confused About What You Should or Shouldn’t Eat? Just Ask the Dietitian

Dear Dietitian,

I don’t know what to eat. I know that I shouldn’t eat fast food or fill up on lots of sweets but then what should I eat?

Sincerely,
What Should I Eat?

If you feel confused by all the food hype and diets that flood the market you’re not alone.

Each day I see patients that come into my office not knowing what to do. For basics, think of how you can get the best bang for your buck. You want to eat foods that fill you but for less calories. After all, who wants to be hungry and left feeling deprived? So what it comes down to is choosing the right foods.

For starters your mom always told you to eat veggies. Veggies fill you up for little calories. They have fiber and water which goes a long way, which is why fruit is also a good snack but portion-controlled.

What else fills you up? Protein does, but think lean: fish, chicken, turkey and beans. And believe it or not, fat does. Yes fat. The low-fat craze is over and now the focus is on healthy fats, such as omega-3’s (which you can find in fish), nuts and healthy oils such as olive and canola.

Whole grains are also a good bite but just don’t overdo them. Look at the sugar content. A good goal is less than five grams per 100 calories for breads or cereals. And what about sweets? Think in moderation and serving size. Certainly all that sugar does not do your body any good.

Which brings me to another subject: liquid calories. Just think, if you drink two 12-ounce sodas a day that’s roughly 300 empty calories that you could use more wisely. And lastly, don’t be afraid to add a couple servings of dairy to your diet.

So how do you put this into practice? A simple way is to use the plate method. Fill half your plate with veggies, a quarter with protein and quarter with a whole-grain starch. Think stir fries and be creative! Or maybe instead of having that large bagel topped with cream cheese, you substitute it for a half cup of oatmeal with low-fat milk, blueberries and some nuts. You’ll save yourself about 250 calories. Not a bad way to start the day.

To sum it up: eat real food. Make vegetables the main course, choose lean protein, healthy fats, beans and nuts, fruits, whole grains and everything in moderation. Get rid of the junk that disguises itself as healthy such as those bars that are sitting in your cabinet.

--Beth St.Louis, MS, RD, LDN
Program Dietitian
Martin Memorial Center for Health and Healing