Work(out) Stoppage

Regular physical activity offers so many benefits including many measures of improved physical health, improved mental health, more energy, reduced stress, better sleep, etc.! In fact, some advocates even think Not Exercising? That's as Bad as Smoking (WebMD).

People give a lot of reasons for not being active. Some are legitimate-- sickness; injury or recovery; short-term schedule changes; etc. (although when modified properly, being active may even help improve these situations...). Meanwhile, other reasons may seem more like excuses.

So, what happens if you stop exercising? When will ill effects start? How long does it take to regain lost ground? Find out at:
- Prevention's 6 Things That Will Happen When You Stop Working Out
- Livestrong's 5 Things That Happen When You Stop Working Out
- Self's This is What Happens to Your Body When You Take a Break From Working Out

Need motivation to overcome obstacles? Check out our 4/7/14 or 2/5/15 blog posts.

Need help figuring out how to start an exercise program? Check out our 4/16/13 (general), 3/21/15 (weight/resistance training), or 3/30/15 (cardio) for low or no cost resources.

Fast Food vs. Sit-Down: Which is Healthier?

Fast food has gotten a bad (although sometimes well deserved!) rap. But, are you guaranteed a healthier meal at a sit-down restaurant? Maybe... or maybe not.

Studies show that home cooked meals have less calories, fat, salt, & cholesterol than prepared meals. Surprisingly though, restaurant meals may provide a better source of certain nutrients.

Learn more at:
- CBS News' Restaurant Meals Can Be as Bad for Your Waistline as Fast Food
- WebMD's Fast Food no Worse for Health Than Sit-Down Meals 
- WebMD's Most Restaurant Meals Exceed Recommended Calories
- CNN's Restaurants, Fast Food Cost You an Extra 200 Calories

Whether for celebration or convenience, many of us eat out. We obviously have far more control over meals prepared at home. However, we can choose what & how much we eat when out. Need help? 
- Prevention's 13 Simple Tips for Dining Out on a Diet
- Mayo Clinic's Make Healthy Choices at any Restaurant
- Forbes' Which Restaurant Chains Really Have Healthy Food? (Many listed are options in neighboring Wake & Durham counties.)

Changes to Food Labels are Coming

Last month, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that nutrition labels will be changing over the next couple years. Here are some highlights:

- Information about calories & serving size will be made more noticeable. Serving sizes will also now reflect a more typical amount. (For example, people often eat more pasta than the nutrition labels suggested was one serving.) So, your favorite food/drink may list a higher calorie count than you are used to seeing...

- The calories from fat line will be removed. This is being done to avoid demonizing all fats. Current research shows that unsaturated fats are heart-healthy.
 
- There will now be 2 lines for sugars:  total & added. Total sugars will include both natural & added sugars. Natural sugars are ones that naturally occur in fruits, milk, etc. Added sugars may be natural (e.g., sugar, honey, etc.) but are added during manufacturing.

- The required nutrients will also change. Potassium & Vitamin D will become mandatory (replacing Vitamins A & C... Calcium & iron are remaining unchanged). All other vitamins will be voluntary.

For more information, check out:
- WebMD's After 20 Years, a Food Label Makeover
- PBS NewsHour's New Food Labels to Emphasize Calories, Amount of "Added Sugar" (5 minute video & the transcript)

Protect Yourself From the Sun

Even though protection from the sun's effects should happen year-round, it often becomes a summertime discussion.

Did you know that:
- skin cancer is one of the most common cancers?
- you can get sunburned on a cloudy day?
- you can get sunburned through a window?

Sunscreen:  Look for a water resistant, broad spectrum (protects against both UVA & UVB) sunscreen. There is some disagreement about the recommended minimum SPF (sun protection factor). The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) says at least SPF 15 while the AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) prefers at least an SPF 30. Currently, research hasn't shown any benefit to sunscreens above SPF 50. However, sunscreen that is expired may be less effective. People also routinely apply too little sunscreen & do so too late. Find out more at:
- WebMD's Study Finds 4 in 10 Sunscreens Fall Short on SPF
- Merck's Common Myths About Sun Protection
- American Academy of Dermatology's Sunscreen FAQs
(This article also gives advice for kids & what to do if you get sunburnt.)

Sunglasses:  Choose sunglasses that provide 100% UVA & UVB protection plus have a large surface area. Lens color & cost doesn't influence safety. Learn more at American Academy of Ophthalmology's How to Choose the Best Sunglasses.

Plus, don't forget about the protective roles that clothing, hats, & shade can play. The Centers for Disease Control's Summer Sun Safety Tips offers a good overview.

Taking the "OWW" Out of Mosquitoes

Have you ever felt like this?

(Reader's Digest explains 10 Weird Reasons You're Getting Bitten.)

The best ways to protect yourself from mosquito-borne diseases is through prevention! Learn more about the Most Common Illnesses You Get From Mosquito Bites with WebMD. Worried about Zika? Check out the Centers for Disease Control's Zika Virus Disease in the US (statistics by state).

- Get rid of standing water to limit mosquito breeding grounds. Moving water or chlorinated pools are less attractive to mosquitoes. Learn more about the Mosquito at Nat Geo.
- Stay inside when possible. If using windows screens, make sure they are in good condition. Despite common thought, mosquitoes can bite at any time of day.
- Use insect repellent when going outside. Light colored long-sleeve & loose pants offer extra protection. Check out NPR's What's the Best Way to Stop Mosquitoes From Biting? to find out what researchers use.

Unfortunately, even our best efforts may not be perfect... So, here's what you can do after the bite.
- Women's Health's 9 Genius Ways to Relieve Bug Bites
- Huffington Post's 14 Natural Ways to Ease the Itch

Free Over-The-Counter Medication Giveaway Today!

NC MedAssist will be in Henderson TODAY (May 18^th) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity Annex Building (155 W. Andrews Ave). This is a great opportunity to stock up on FREE pain & allergy meds; bandaids; vitamins; cold & cough syrup for adults & children; etc.!
 
NC MedAssist also offers help with prescription medicines for low-income or uninsured people in around the state. Click the above link to access their website.

Over-the-counter medications can improve a wide range of health symptoms. However, always:
- follow the label's directions. When taken inappropriately, they can be useless or even harmful.
- keep all medicines out of children's reach to prevent accidental poisoning.

Medications can also interact with each other. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if taking prescription or other over-the-counter products. Learn more at Family Doctor's OTC Meds: Know Your Risks & Reduce Them.

Be Smart About Food Safety

Foodborne illnesses seem to dominate the news these days. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 1 in 6 Americans get sick from foodborne illness every year. Although it will cause discomfort, most people are fortunately able to recover.

However, there are many easy things that we can do to keep ourselves safer including Fight Bac's The Four Core Practices:
- Clean hands & surfaces often.
- Separate raw proteins from fresh produce.
- Cook to recommended temperatures.
- Chill to recommended temperatures.

To help prevent public outbreaks, Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH) staff perform unannounced inspections of restaurant, food stands, school cafeterias, etc. In case of a local situation, staff would also assist in the investigation, education, & remediation.

For more info, check out:
- Centers for Disease Control's Food Safety
- US News' New Produce Safety Rules Aim to Prevent Illness Outbreaks
- WebMD's 20 Food Poisoning Dangers, Common & Uncommon

How Much is Too Much TV?

Americans watch an average of around 3 to 5 hours of television per day (varies by source... although some sources report even higher amounts). Although most of us have a TV in our home, we can also watch shows on our laptops, tablets, & phones. As such, shows are now available day & night.

Excessive television often limits physical activity & encourages mindless eating. Both can contribute to weight gain. Even young children are now routinely being treated for a range of screen related ailments including joint pain, chronic health issues, etc.

Limited amounts of TV can fit into a healthy lifestyle.
- Watch only the shows that are most important to you. Or, choose shows that challenge your brain.
- Be physically active during commercial breaks. Standing or sitting on an exercise (swiss) ball can also be beneficial.
- If you eat while watching TV, control portion size.
- Don't skimp on sleep just to watch TV. Since the blue light can disrupt sleep quality, avoid watching around bedtime.


Learn more at:
- WebMD's Too Much TV Linked to Leading Causes of Death
- Yahoo Beauty's You Can Lower Your Odds of Becoming Obese by Doing This One Easy Thing
- Huffington Post's 100 Things to do During Screen-Free Week
- The Simple Dollar's Why You Should Stop Watching TV & What to Replace it With

TV & Children
- University of Michigan Health System's A Guide to Managing Television: Tips for Your Family
- NY Times Well's Screen Addiction is Taking a Toll on Children
- Eat Smart Move More's Tame The Tube- Pregnancy.org's 13 Substitutes for TV
- Babycenter's Prime Time Fun: Alternatives to TV

Body Fat-- The Good, The Bad, & The Dangerous

Eat Smart, Move More NC reports a whopping 67% of North Carolina adults are overweight or obese. We're also the 5th worst in the US for childhood obesity. Excess weight can lead to, contribute to, or worsen many common health issues. Studies have also shown that excess weight can impact some people's quality of life & even their finances.

Fat is necessary & important-- both in our food (last week's blog post) & in our bodies. Not all fat is created equal, though.
- There are different kinds of body fat. Some people have small amounts of the healthier brown fat in their neck & shoulders. Certain healthy behaviors (e.g., being physically active, getting enough sleep, etc.) or significant trauma are thought to help encourage brown fat. One benefit of brown fat is an extra 100 - 300 calories burned daily. (To put this into perspective, this would roughly take 2-4 weeks to burn off 1 pound).
- Where you carry your fat actually matters, too. Abdominal fat tends to be linked to more health issues than thigh & buttock fat. Even people who look skinny may have a dangerous amount of visceral fat around their internal organs. Too much can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, & certain cancers.

For more information, check out:
- WebMD's Fat Facts Quiz
- Cleveland Clinic's Do You Know the Color of Body Fat? (infographic)
- Women's Health's What's the Difference Between White Fat & Brown Fat?
- WebMD's How 'Bad' Fat Can Turn Into 'Good' Fat 
- Cleveland Clinic's Build Fat to Get Fit-- Brown Fat...
- WebMD's The Truth About Belly Fat

Learning About the Fats We Eat

A few months ago, the federal government released the "2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans". These are eating recommendations to promote overall health & chronic disease prevention for everyone over 2 years old. Guidelines are updated every 5 years.

One noticeable change was the removal of the total fat limit. The limit began in the 1980 version (less than 30% of total calories). The 2005 "update" created a range of 20 - 35%. Less total fat was thought to limit saturated fat & cholesterol. This, in turn, was expected to lower cardiovascular risk. Unfortunately, efforts to reduce saturated fat turned into trends to avoid all fats (even healthy ones) & eat more refined starches, salt, & sugar.

Newer research shows diets that include healthy fats can protect heart health... even if higher than the older standards. Meanwhile, low-fat/high carb diets have not shown evidence of disease prevention. (For more details, check out Medpage Today's Experts Applaud Dietary Guidelines....)

Basics
This infographic summarizes the different types of dietary fats. Remember to:
- choose unsaturated (plant based) fats. Healthy fats are still calorie-laden so control how much is used.
- limit saturated fats (usually animal based; maximum of 10% of total daily calories).
- avoid trans fats (usually found in processed foods).

Read more at ChooseMyPlate's All About Oil or search our blog for "oil".

Learn More About Unsaturated (Healthy) Fats
- American Heart Association's Healthy Cooking Oils
- University of Michigan's Healing Foods Pyramid: Healthy Fats (good charts & considerations)