Download THE TRUTH ABOUT TANNING

July 2011
EATING HEALTHY
THE TRUTH ABOUT TANNING
You might think tanning gives you a healthy glow, but the truth is that a tan is a sign that your skin cells have been hurt.
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays damage your skin, cause wrinkles and spots, and play a big role in causing skin cancer.
Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the United States. Young people definitely can get skin cancer, and
years of exposure mean even more risk. And don’t think that if you’ve got dark skin, you can just soak up rays. People
with darker skin may be better protected, but they can still get sun damage.
HOW
CAN YOU BE SMART ABOUT ThE SUN ?
When possible, avoid outdoor activities during midday, when the sun's rays are strongest. That’s usually the hours
between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Wear protective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.
Wear wraparound sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV ray protection to protect your eyes.
Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen and lipscreen with at least SPF 15. “Broad spectrum” means it protects against
both UVA and UVB rays. Broader protection helps guard better against all kinds of skin concerns, from cancer to
wrinkles.
Follow the directions on your sunscreen and check the expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date will
last no more than three years. Sunscreen will not last as long if it is stored in very hot or very cold temperatures.
You need 1 ounce of sunscreen—about the size of a ping-pong ball—every time. Reapply after two hours and after
swimming or sweating. That means a tube of 3 to 5 ounces might be enough for you for just one day at the beach.
Rub sunscreen in well, and don’t forget spots you might miss, like your ears, under bathing suit straps, and the
back of your neck.
Don’t think your skin worries end when the summer is over. You still need protection every day. You can just use a
moisturizer that has SPF 15 or higher. And be extra careful on snow days since the snow reflects sun back up onto
our faces.
You may have heard that the sun helps people get vitamin D, and that many people may not get enough vitamin D. Ask
your doctor if you need to get more vitamin D from your diet or in the form of a supplement. Some people may also
benefit from brief exposure to the sun. Keep important sun safety tips in mind, though. Ask your doctor how best to
protect your skin and get enough of this important vitamin.
WhAT
ABOUT TANNING INDOORS?
Trying to get that tan is dangerous both outside and inside. Indoor tanning salons use light bulbs in the “beds” that
give off dangerous UV rays, the same rays found outside.
Spray tans you can get at a salon and tanning lotions or gels you can buy at a drugstore can be safe. While there
is no known risk for skin cancer with these products, you do have to be careful. Spray tans, lotions, or gels use a
color additive (what makes your skin look tan) called DHA that is approved—considered safe—for use on the
outside of your body by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Make sure it doesn’t get into your eyes or mouth,
though.
Source: The National Women's Health Information Center, A Project of the Office on Women's Health in the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
CHOOSE MYPLATE: 10 TIPS TO A GREAT PLATE
Making food choices for a healthy lifestyle can be as simple as using these 10 tips. Use the ideas in this list to balance
your calories, to choose foods to eat more often, and to cut back on foods to eat less often.
1. Balance calories: Find out how many calories YOU need for a day as the first step in managing your weight. Go
to the USDA website to find your calorie level. Being physically active also helps you balance calories.
2. Enjoy your food, but eat less: Take the time to fully enjoy your food as you eat it. Eating too fast or when your
attention is elsewhere may lead to eating too many calories. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues before,
during, and after meals. Use them to recognize when to eat and when you’ve had enough.
3. Avoid oversized portions: Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. Portion out foods before you eat. When eating
out, choose a smaller size option, share a dish, or take home part of your meal.
4. Foods to eat more often: Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or 1 percent milk and dairy
products. These foods have the nutrients you need for health—including potassium, calcium, vitamin D, and fiber.
Make them the basis for meals and snacks.
5. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables: Choose red, orange and dark-green vegetables like tomatoes,
sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of main or side
dishes or as dessert.
6. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk: They have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients
as whole milk, but fewer calories and less saturated fat.
7. Make half of your grains whole grains: To eat more whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a
refined product—such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice.
8. Foods to eat less often: Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt. They include cakes, cookies,
ice cream, candies, sweetened drinks, pizza, and fatty meats like ribs, sausages, bacon, and hot dogs. Use these
foods as occasional treats, not every day foods.
9. Compare sodium in food: Use the nutrition facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread,
and frozen meals. Select canned foods labeled “low sodium,” ”reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
10. Drink water instead of sugary drinks: Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Soda, energy
drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar, and calories, in American diets.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture.
ORGANIC FOOD—WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
You've probably heard that organic food is good for you and for the planet. But you’ve also probably noticed that it
usually costs more. You may be wondering what the “organic” label really means and if it is worth the higher price.
The answer to that last question is far from clear-cut. The more you know about organic food, the more you’ll be
equipped to make a smart buying decision. And about that price difference: Organic food is usually more expensive, but
not always. There are ways to cut the cost of buying it.
ThE
STORY BEhIND ThE LABEL
The “organic” label means something very specific. It means that the food has been produced under detailed federal
rules. Here are a few of them:
Crops must be raised without the use of most conventional pesticides or fertilizers made from petroleum or sewage
sludge.
Organic meat and poultry must come from animals fed organic feed and given access to the outdoors.
Animal feed must contain no antibiotics or growth hormones.
Genetic engineering and ionizing radiation are also banned.
Selling food falsely labeled as organic can carry a stiff fine—up to $11,000 for each offense.
Thanks to these regulations, consumers who pick up an “organic” item at the store can be confident that they’re getting
the real deal. When you see the “USDA Organic” seal, it means the product on sale has at least 95 percent organic
ingredients.
But there are some things that the organic label does not mean. It does not mean the food was necessarily grown locally.
(In fact, much organic food is imported). It doesn’t mean the food was produced at small farms. And it does not mean
the food is any safer or more nutritious than non-organic varieties. As the USDA points out, “U.S. organic standards and
certification do not address food quality.”
“GREENER”
BY DESIGN
To be certified organic, food must be produced by environmentally sound and sustainable methods. Conventional farming
does not have to follow such strict rules.
The USDA says the organic label is not an “eco-label per se.” But it does say its organic standards “are deeply rooted in
environmental stewardship and resource conservation.” Remember, though, that farm practices are only part of the story.
Transportation uses fossil fuels and produces greenhouse gases, so locally produced organic food is probably the
“greener” option.
HEALTh
CLAIMS DEBATED
Are organic foods safer and more nutritious? Based on research up to this point, it’s impossible to answer that question
for sure. Dieticians Mildred M. Cody and Robert Earl note that pesticide residues “typically are lower for organic
products.” The Organic Trade Association (OTA), citing a May 2010 report from the President’s Cancer Panel, says
choosing organic food “ helps reduce exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase the risk of contracting
cancer.” But the pesticide levels in conventional food do not reach levels that the government considers dangerous.
The jury is also out on nutrition. Studies in Britain and France have found that organic crops have higher levels of
phosphorus, iron and magnesium than conventional foods. But the differences are small and may not be linked to farming
methods. They could result from differences in water, soils and growing seasons. “There’s no evidence right now that buying organic (food) has health benefits over conventional (food),” says Katherine
Tallmadge, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. But she adds, “There’s a dearth
of research, so we don’t really know.”
Whichever option you choose, Tallmadge says, you should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. “All the studies show we
need to eat a plant-based diet,” she says, and none of these studies “has separated out conventional and organic food.”
ORGANIC
ON A BUDGET
As any grocery shopper soon learns, organic is usually not the cheaper choice. But the cost gap is not always wide, and
there are ways to narrow it.
The OTA offers a number of tips, such as buying in bulk, choosing private label products and joining buying clubs or
community-supported agriculture (CSA) groups. (CSA programs are also a good way to support local farmers.) Buying in
season also helps cut the cost of organics, just as it does for produce in general. Also, look for organic products in the
frozen-food section. These may be quite a bit cheaper than fresh produce, without sacrificing nutrition. You may also
consider growing your own food!
Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture; Organic Trade Association; American Dietetic Association; Katherine Tallmadge,
RD
By Tom Gray
© 2011 Achieve Solutions
EATING RIGHT: TIME-SAVING TIPS
Nowadays, you may ask, “Who has time to eat right?”
Yet even if you’ve tried to improve your eating habits many times before, Heidi Reichenberger, MS, a registered dietician
and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says it’s worthwhile to keep trying. “Making healthy eating a
priority is the first step to changing eating habits for the better,” says Reichenberger.
It’s not easy to change meal planning, shopping and cooking habits, which contribute to a healthier diet. One of the best
strategies for improving your diet is to find timesaving shortcuts, which can ease the transition to unfamiliar and new
ways of thinking about food and keep your diet on track for the long run. Try these timesaving ideas.
PLAN
Menu plan. Reichenberger suggests, “Pick out a few healthy meals to prepare for the upcoming week before you
grocery shop. Figure out exactly what you need ahead of time. Doing so keeps you from midweek, time-wasting
trips to the grocery store and resorting to fast food.” Basic cookbooks and the Web are a good source of quick and
healthy meals and usually provide the nutritional data to go with them.
Double up. Casseroles are great make-ahead meals that often can be eaten over the course of several days. If
you can put up with the same menu for multiple nights, give these one-dish hits a try.
Bring lunch from home. Packing lunch based on your weekly menu plan may not seem like a timesaving tip. But
the five minutes it takes to make a sandwich or pack leftovers is quicker than going for take-out. It’s healthier too.
Says Reichenberger: “Lunch brought from home generally contains more fiber, calcium and fruit and veggies and
less saturated fat and salt than buying out. It also saves money.”
ShOp
SMART
If you menu plan, your list should be complete before you leave for the grocery store. But if finding time to prepare a
healthy meal (particularly at dinnertime) is difficult, check out products the grocery store offers, which will save time on
food preparation at home. Most grocery stores now carry such convenient products as:
Prepared vegetables: Carrots, mushrooms, celery, even lettuce can be purchased ready-to-eat. Just add low-fat
mayonnaise and vinegar to slaw mixes. Save time slicing tomatoes for a salad by purchasing grape or cherry
tomatoes.
You can buy some cut-up fruits, such as melons, in small quantities and serve as a side dish.
Cooked, whole and chopped, chicken is now widely available. Many lean meats (such as pork tenderloin) can
be purchased that are already marinated and ready to cook.
FOOD
pREpARATION
Make ahead. Purchase a large bag of frozen chicken breasts at a bulk food/warehouse store and cook all at one
time. Chop and reserve in one-cup quantities. Doing so will prepare several uses for casseroles, stews or soups
that call for cooked chicken.
Try crock-pot cooking. Even if you have the time, you may not have the energy to prepare a healthy meal.
Although crock-pot cooking requires a little morning food preparation, the one-dish meal is cooked over the course
of the day by the heat of a light bulb, which makes it safe to leave unattended.
Do all your food preparation for the evening meal that morning.
Make a large, undressed salad to last several days. Serve what you need to complement your meal, and add
the dressing before eating.
RESOURCES
Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Walter C. Willett, MD. Free Press,
2001.
ADA Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. The American Dietetic Association, 2002.
Source: Heidi Reichenberger, MS, registered dietician; American Dietetic Association
By Christine P. Martin
© 2004-2011 Achieve Solutions ®
FOOD AND MOOD: WHAT’S THE CONNECTION?
Can your lousy lunch affect your afternoon performance? Could that great steak dinner make or break your date?
Most scientists agree that what you eat can influence your mood. The effects may be subtle or dramatic, but your last
meal or snack is contributing to how you’re feeling right now.
The link between food and mood is not new. Folk wisdom has long helped mankind weather life through the use of food.
Today, researchers believe that our moods are influenced by certain neurotransmitters—chemicals that relay messages
along the nervous system to and from the brain. Your body’s neurotransmitters are made up of substances obtained from
the food you eat. Neurotransmitters regulate your mood, appetite, behavior and other functions of the brain. So if you eat
too much or too little of certain foods, you can expect to see an impact on your mood.
WhAT
fOODS WILL ChANGE YOUR MOOD ?
Studies show that a meal or snack high in carbohydrates (starchy or sweet foods) can make you feel drowsy, relaxed or
calm. These moods are related to increased levels of the serotonin neurotransmitter in your bloodstream.
On the other hand, a high-protein meal (meat, dairy products, beans, nuts) can raise blood concentrations of the
dopamine and norephinephrine neurotransmitters, which make you feel energetic and alert.
Of course, everyone’s brain chemistry is unique to a certain degree. So some people may react differently than others to
specific foods.
Always consider the food-mood connection if you’re not sure why you are feeling a certain way.
But keep in mind that not all food influences mood. And, not all moods are linked to food. You can be happy or depressed
because of a lot of things.
MOOD
MANAGERS
The food-mood reaction takes place within two to three hours after you eat. If you don’t want to be sleepy for your
afternoon presentation, don’t eat pasta or pizza. Choose grilled chicken or fish with veggies.
Even small portions can help manage moods. Try one to two ounces of cheese or some yogurt to boost your
energy. Nibble graham crackers to help you unwind.
“Grazing” or eating “mini-meals” are ways to manage your mood throughout the day.
Keep a log of your meals/snacks and related moods. Look for trends and adjust your moods by changing your
eating patterns.
Sources: International Food Information Council; Mayo Clinic; I’d Kill for a Cookie by Susan Mitchell, PhD, RD, LD, and
Catherine Christie, PhD, RD, LD, Dutton, 1997; Food and Mood by Elizebeth Somer, MA, RD, Henry Holt and Co., 1995.
By Rebecca Thomas
© 1999-2011 Lifescape. All rights reserved.
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