Where's Your Shield?

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Summer is coming to a close and fall is upon us. The living is easy...fishing, playing, beaching and hanging outside is a great feeling. Your mood is revived after a long winter's snore and the oppressive heat of summer's shine. The sunshine on your face makes you smile along with the smell of neighbors' grilling and the sounds of children playing. But this can also be a very dangerous time. Dehydration and heat stroke are primary concerns during summer, but early fall can be deceiving. Moreover, skin problems can be just as deadly.

Spreading the news about skin cancer prevention can sometimes feel like you are being a "Debbie Downer" but nonetheless, it is extremely important and can cause premature death. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), there are a few rules on how to best stay skin healthy while enjoying outdoors:

1. Seek shade, especially during the peak of the day. Using an umbrella, parasol (yes, quite cute!), a tent or other shelter to shield you from the sun at it's highest peak. This will prevent direct sun exposure.

2. Wear protective clothing. Wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants made of tightly woven fabrics can offer the best protection from ultraviolet rays. I know long pants and long sleeved shirts do not sound like summer living, but dependent on the fabric, you may actually stay cooler as well as protect your skin. Of course, dark and thick fabrics offer the best protection, but may not be ideal in the sweltering heat. Choose colored cottons and linens to add a level of sun protection. Additionally, you may want to wash some UVA protection into your clothes with the various products out there now. Most last through 20 washings.

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3. Put a Hat on your head! That's a statement that you hear moms screaming in the winter. But, in the summer and on sunny days, a hat with a wide brim offers protection for your full head region: head, ears, face, and neck. It's shade you can take with you. Avoid hats have holes, like straw hats, and those without a brim (baseball caps) unless you are wearing ample sunscreen. A wide brim canvas hat is one of the best options.

4. Look more than cool with wrap around sunglasses. Most sunglasses that are sold in the United States meet the standard of offering 100% UVA and UVB protection. However, not all wrap around or have thick arms to shield your entire eye region. It is important to protect the sensitive skin around the eyes, but also reduce the risk of cataracts in the eyes. Be sure to wear sunglasses whenever it's even somewhat sunny outside. If you have eyeglass adapters, make sure they meet the same standards.

5. Apply and reapply Sunscreen. Choose a sunscreen that offers at least a 15% sun protective factor (spf 15). The more sensitive or fair your skin, you may need more. Be sure to read the directions for proper application. Do not use expired lotions or sprays. Make sure you reapply as necessary to have continued sun protection. Apply before going outside even on slightly cloudy or cool days. Make sure you apply a thick layer on your skin, including hard to reach areas.

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Take care of your skin...your life may depend on it.

Fitness Tip of the Week - Incline Walking

If you are walking indoors on a treadmill, crank up the incline, at least 3-6%. It mimics more natural elements of the outdoors and engages leg muscles. A 0% incline allows the belt to do much of the work for you. So you would really cheat yourself our of cardio and strength training. Incline walking also encourages arm swings! Goodbye waving jelly...hello Michelle Obama! Walk up...you life may depend on it!

Web captured photo, Jillian Michaels, superstar fitness expert

The Heart Truth on Cholesterol

Below is an article presented on the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute website:

What Is Cholesterol?

To understand high blood cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol), it helps to learn about cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. However, cholesterol also is found in some of the foods you eat.

Cholesterol travels through your bloodstream in small packages called lipoproteins (lip-o-PRO-teens). These packages are made of fat (lipid) on the inside and proteins on the outside. Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol throughout your body: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Having healthy levels of both types of lipoproteins is important.

LDL cholesterol sometimes is called “bad” cholesterol. A high LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries. (Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your body.)

HDL cholesterol sometimes is called “good” cholesterol. This is because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver removes the cholesterol from your body.

What Is High Blood Cholesterol?

High blood cholesterol is a condition in which you have too much cholesterol in your blood. By itself, the condition usually has no signs or symptoms. Thus, many people don’t know that their cholesterol levels are too high.

People who have high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease. (In this article, the term “heart disease” refers to coronary heart disease.)

The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood, the GREATER your chance is of getting heart disease. The higher the level of HDL cholesterol in your blood, the LOWER your chance is of getting heart disease.

Coronary heart disease is a condition in which plaque (plak) builds up inside the coronary (heart) arteries. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fat, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis (ATH-er-o-skler-O-sis).

Atherosclerosis

 

Figure A shows a normal artery with normal blood flow. The inset image shows a cross-section of a normal artery. Figure B shows an artery with plaque buildup. The inset image shows a cross-section of an artery with plaque buildup.

 

Over time, plaque hardens and narrows your coronary arteries. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture (break open). This causes a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery.
If the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) or a heart attack may occur.

Angina is chest pain or discomfort. It may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The pain also may occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Angina pain may even feel like indigestion.

A heart attack occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. Without quick treatment, a heart attack can lead to serious problems and even death.
Plaque also can build up in other arteries in your body, such as the arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to your brain and limbs. This can lead to problems such as carotid artery disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.).

Outlook

Lowering your cholesterol may slow, reduce, or even stop the buildup of plaque in your arteries. It also may reduce the risk of plaque rupturing and causing dangerous blood clots.

 

The image focuses on high cholesterol in women and explains how high cholesterol increases the risk of developing heart disease. An estimated 1 in 2 women has high or borderline high cholesterol. The image also lists the ranges of total cholesterol numbers for high, borderline high, and desirable cholesterol levels, and breaks down the percentage of women who have high cholesterol in their twenties, thirties, forties, and fifties.

 

Sources: National Center for Health Statistics (2007–2010). National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; National Center for Health Statistics (2005–2008). National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Cholesterol Education Program (2002). Third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) exert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) final report.

September 2012 Monthly Challenge Issued!

The September 2012 monthly challenge has been issued. We are letting the frying pan take a 10-day vacation! Check out the Monthly Challenge page for details.

Healthy Eating In Chester SC...well, kind of!

A spontaneous nature walk led to a delicious and "can be healthy" little find. It's called Stella's on Gadsden Street in downtown Chester, South Carolina. Betcha wanna know how a nature trail led me to downtown...well, it is Chester! The quaint little restaurant is decorated in a colorful shabby chic manner featuring mix-matched doll-house pastel painted tea room furniture. The menu is simple and clean featuring gourmet sandwiches, salads, wraps, and Blue Bell ice cream cones, shakes, and sundaes. Stella's also features a children's menu with grilled cheese and other kid favorites. The atmosphere is quiet and conducive to all sorts from catching up with a friend, having a small meeting, or getting some work done while grabbing a bite to eat. The service is also great. I spoke with the owner, Jack Treveilier, a former biology teacher at Lewisville High School. He is excited that people are finding them, even if it's by accident. He is ready to serve the town with tasty healthy options at affordable prices .

My lunch - A veggie delight on spinach wrap with added turkey. Yes, I added meat to a veggie sandwich. Hey, I needed the protein! The sandwich made into a wrap comes with feta, black olives, red onion, cucumber, and romaine lettuce. Included in the meal were a side (my choice was kettle chips) and a pickle. To make up for the chips and dessert -we'll get to that part later -, I drank water.  See my lunch below...sorry, I was so hungry I took a bite as soon as the waitress sat down the plate. Luckily, she moved her hand first!  

My lunch and walking partner, Samantha, had the MacDaddy on a tomato-basil wrap. It features roast beef, ham, swiss cheese, pickles and honey mustard. She also had german potato salad (potatoes, onions, bacon chips, and vinegar) and sweetened tea...or as we say in the South - SWEETEA!

Because Sam couldn't resist, we also sampled the homemade (Can it be homemade if it's made in a restaurant?) pimento cheese - just a half-teaspoon - and it was fabulous! Does our excitement count for calories lost? Well, I guess we shouldn't count the calories since we polished off the great midday walk and late afternoon lunch with a good old-fashioned vanilla and chocolate milkshake, respectively. The milkshakes were thick but not suck-so-hard-your-brain-locks-up thick, creamy, and delicious. And yes, I'm lactose-intolerant, but every once and awhile you have to just go for it! Oh, I went for it and paid for it too! See what I do you for guys?!  

As you can tell, as long as it's there, clean, and affordable, I will visit again and again. Actually, I'm trying to figure out an RMDSF event that we can have there or at least feature their cuisine to encourage healthy living in the area.
 

However, there were some minuses worth mentioning. I think the pastel décor is too child-like and does not readily invite adults, especially macho men. I would love to see more comfy couches and chairs that makes it relaxing but still quite conducive to meeting, working, or simply catching up with a friend. Moreover, I would love for the menu to offer additional healthy options like alternative or lactose-free ice cream novelties, smoothies and juices, hot teas  and lattes, and free Wi-Fi! If so, I just may stay there all day. Nevertheless, try them out for yourself! I know I will try them again and again!

Stella's

116 Gadsden Street

Chester SC 29706

(803) 581-1040

M-Th :11am-9pm

F-Sa: 11am-10:30pm

Sunday: 12noon-6pm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGEL ROSE!

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to our angel Rose! Happy Birthday to you! Join us in celebrating RMD day! It's Rosa M. Douglas's birthday and we celebrate her today and everyday! We miss and love her so much, but her legacy lives on through us and this organization! Consider making a birthday donation in her honor! RMDSF, PO Box 88, Chester SC 29706.

Weekly Tip #8: Celebrate

We like to celebrate. Just make sure it fits in the budget. Do not cost yourself your living to have a little fun. Find joy in small things. But remember, you can have a good time like a CELEB but at an affordable RATE! So, CELEBRATE!

Weekly Tip #7: Detoxing

We will cover more on detoxing when we return. However, we want to give a short tip...try detoxing beyond the physical. It's not just about what you eat.