Salt (sodium chloride) is an important part of our diet. The body uses sodium to maintain the balance of fluids and send nerve impulses. The contraction and relaxation of our muscles is also influenced by sodium.

While the body needs sodium, too much of it increases the chance of developing high blood pressure (hypertension), coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney disease.

The American Heart Association and other health organizations recommend consuming less than 2,300 mg of sodium (about 1 teaspoon of salt) per day. People with hypertension, African-Americans and middle-aged and older adults should aim to consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

“Most Americans are consuming more than 10,000 mg of sodium per day,” Brand said. “Decreasing your sodium intake can reduce the risk for serious health problems. Check with your doctor to determine the amount of sodium you should be consuming.”

Source of Sodium

§With the exception of fresh fruits and vegetables, sodium is found in most of the foods we eat. Some sodium levels of are low, while others are very high. Food doesn’t have to taste salty to contain sodium; foods such as bread, processed cheese, cereal and peanut butter — not considered salty foods — contain higher levels of sodium.

Tips to Reduce Sodium in Your Diet

§Be aware of how much sodium is in the foods you eat. Read food labels to determine the amount of sodium in foods you buy

§Choose low- or reduced-sodium cereals, soups, crackers, pasta sauces, canned vegetables and other low-salt foods

§Cook from scratch when possible, and use garlic and herbs or salt-free seasonings in place of salt to spice up your dishes

§Limit convenience foods. Many frozen dinners and pizzas, packaged mixes, canned soups, salad dressings and other processed foods contain higher levels of sodium

§Condiments such as soy and other sauces, pickles and olives are high in sodium

§Eat more fresh fruits and fresh or frozen vegetables (without sauces)

§Limit eating of smoked or salt-cured meats (hot dogs, ham, bacon and lunch meats)

§Avoid adding salt to foods at the table or use small amounts

If you had to name all the medications you’re taking, could you do it? Do you know what each medication is for and the doses you are taking? Many people have trouble remembering the names and dosages of their medications. But having a complete list of all your medicines is very important. It could even save your life.

“Knowing all of your medications is especially important in an emergency situation,”

Having a list of your medications can also protect you from allergic reactions, prevent the need to be admitted to the hospital and prevent drug interactions. “In some cases, a medication side effect or a drug interaction may actually be causing the symptoms that brought you to the Emergency Department.” This is why it is so important to know all of the medications you are taking.

To make your medication list, it helps to have everything you take in front of you. This should include:

§Prescription medicines

§Over-the-counter medications (those you can buy without a prescription)

§Natural health products, such as herbal medicine

§Vitamins and supplements

§Insulin (for diabetes)

§Inhalers (for asthma)

§Oral contraceptives

Make a table to record information for each medicine you take. The table columns should include:

§The name of each medicine

§How much you take — the dose, which may be in milligrams (mg), grams (g), units, milliliters (ml) or ounces (oz.)

§How often and when you take the medicine (e.g., three times a day with meals)

§Reason for taking the medicine (e.g., for arthritis pain)

§Date you began taking the medicine

§Date you will stop taking the medicine (if prescribed for short-term use)

Who prescribed it or told you to use it

July 09

Humor and Gentleness: Tools for Healing

There’s nothing funny about trials and extreme circumstances. But a little humor can help someone who is coping with the issues of life . Humor is the quality of being able to see or show the amusing side of any given predicament,”

Laughter has a positive effect on the body. It stimulates the heart, lowers blood pressure, releases endomorphins (hormones in the brain that reduce the sensation of pain and make you feel good), relieves tension, exercises the lungs and muscles, lowers blood pressure and increases oxygen to the brain. Humor also creates a bond between people.

“Most people wait until they’re happy to laugh,”. “But you can laugh to make yourself happy. Laughing is one of the best antidepressants available.”

Gentleness

Gentleness is also important for healing. “Gentleness is the physical and emotional display of comfort, encouragement and advocacy,” it’s the capacity to show empathy.

Gentleness is conveyed through a person’s voice, behavior and body language. This includes things such as a smile, a touch, making eye contact, creating a relaxed atmosphere and conveying a sense of warmth. “It’s giving a person the sense that he or she is the only one on your mind”.

Add Humor to Your Life

Because of humor’s healing properties, here are the following tips for all of us to add humor to life:

1. Look for the funny side of everything.

2. Keep a humor first-aid kit, stocked with things that make you laugh — jokes, cartoons, greeting cards, comedy tapes/CDs.

3. Humor up your surroundings with funny posters, bumper stickers, whimsical toys, etc.

4. Make time for fun. Schedule a humor break every day.

5. Be playful. Spend time with children and mimic their behavior.

6. Encourage humor in others.

7. Give silly presents to others.

8. Take your work seriously and yourself lightly.

June 09

If you experience nausea, abdominal bloating/pain and diarrhea after consuming dairy products, you may be lactose intolerant.

“This condition, which affects men and women equally, is probably more common than we give it credit for,” said Walter Hogan, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin gastroenterologist. “It’s particularly prevalent among African-Americans and Asian-Americans.”

Cause of Lactose Intolerance

Some people are born with a likelihood of being lactose intolerant; this is called a congenital lactase deficiency. Other people acquire lactase deficiency gradually over time, as the body produces less lactase. In some cases, lactase deficiency occurs as the result of certain digestive diseases (e.g., celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease) or injury to the small intestine reduces lactase levels.

Treatment

Treatment for lactose intolerance generally includes:

1. Avoiding milk and milk products. It’s important to read food labels to look for milk, lactose and words such as whey, curds, milk by-products, dry milk solids, and non-fat dry milk powder, all of which contain lactose.

2. Buying lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk and other dairy products.

3. Using lactase enzyme supplements such as enzyme tablets when consuming dairy foods, and adding enzyme liquid to milk to break down the lactose. These supplements are available without a prescription.

Note: avoiding milk and milk products can lead to a deficiency of calcium and vitamin D which, in turn, can lead to osteoporosis (weakened bones that can break easily). People with lactose intolerance should make sure that each day’s diet includes enough calcium from other sources and/or calcium supplements containing vitamin D.

See you primary care provider for more information.

SLEEP

The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath." There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, obstructive is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. In central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea, as the name implies, is a combination of the two. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality.

Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences.

Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist, and research into additional options continues. Please see local physician for more information.

March 2009

Deep Vein Sinus Infections Thrombosis (DVT)

Difference From "A Cold"

A common cold is due to a virus. A cold will usually clear up in seven to 10 days and does not require antibiotics. A sinus infection is often due to bacteria and may last several weeks if not treated with antibiotics. While many of the symptoms are the same, sinus infections may cause higher fever and more pain in the face than the common cold.

Preventive Measures

v Avoid exposure to tobacco smoke

v Treat colds and allergies promptly

v Wash hands often

v Ask family members who are ill to use tissues when coughing or sneezing, and dispose of them frequently.

v Avoid forceful nose blowing, which may carry infection into sinuses.

Treatment
See your primary care physician for treatment options.

Consider Notifying your Physician If:

v You develop trouble breathing

vSymptoms are worse after four days of treatment

v You have a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit or it lasts more than three days

v You have a severe headache that does not improve with over-the-counter pain or cold medicines

v You have blurred or double vision

vYour cough lasts more than seven days
You have shaking chills

To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first."
-Shakespeare, Henry VIII. Act I. Sc. 1

Walk 10 Minutes a Day and Increase Your Fitness Level Old thinking was to work out in a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. No pain, no gain. New studies show that even short bouts of activity can increase your fitness level, especially if you're new at working out.

Park and Walk

Whenever you have an errand, park your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. At the mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to better fitness.

Crunch in Bed

Before you even get out of bed in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100. Think you'll never get there? Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.

NLBC Health and Wellness Ministry