Saturday, May 31

Good morning everyone,
After a very busy week, I plan to return home today. Thanks again for all the notes, calls, prayers and support. No amount of planning prepares us for the loss of a parent but the pre planning did make all the difficult decisions easier at such an emotional time.

Bob and Johnye did their usual wonderful job of collecting articles this week which I appreciate. I am sorry I missed the Dr. oz show about Yacon.  I thought it was a diet which included Bacon...

Take care and have a great weekend!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Hearing loss

The growing hearing loss epidemic
By Jeannie Ralston
Published May 30, 2014

This is how things sometimes go at my house: Me at the kitchen table, making a to-do list: "I need to wash my car. My husband, sitting nearby, working on his Sudoku: "You need flash cards? Me, shaking my head: "You need your hearing checked. My husband, after a beat: "Huh? Sometimes it's him, sometimes it's the other way around, and we usually laugh off the mix-ups as the natural decline in listenership after 22 years of hearing each other say the same thing a million times. But during the past couple of years, as the misunderstandings have become more frequent, we've gotten snippier. I'll say, "I'll wash this," and he hears only "Wash this," as if I've decided he's the downstairs to my upstairs at Downton Abbey. When I read recently that people with hearing issues are more likely to divorce, I got a little scared. And I called an audiologist.

We're not old. I'm 53 and my husband, Robb, is 51. We're active and health-conscious, trying to beat back the effects of aging any way we can. But having trouble hearing feels like incontrovertible proof that we are old. Which is likely why we've put off hearing tests for years, distracting ourselves instead with Robb's complaints about the funky acoustics of our high-ceilinged house. Early hearing loss (and a reluctance to deal with it) is shaping up to be a grim feature of our generation. Current estimates say that only 18 percent of Americans in their 40s and 50s have auditory issues, but that's based on self-reports, which are notoriously inaccurate. A recent study from Johns Hopkins put the numbers closer to 30 percent for that age-group, and some experts think that if you throw in the whole baby boomer generation, the real count could actually be closer to what it is in the U.K.: 40 percent of people over age 50, which translates to 40 million people here.

  How do everyday sounds stack up? Count the decibels: Something at zero is barely audible. Noises 10 times more intense clock in at 10 dB, and so on. Get hit with 85 or 90 dB for 30 minutes or more and you risk hearing loss. Single-exposure risks 130 dB: Jet plane during takeoff from 100 feet 120 dB: Chain saw, thunderclap 30 minutes or more can cause damage 110 dB: Car horn (from 3 feet), concert, sports event 100 dB: Snowmobile, MP3 player at full volume, motorcycle, train, subway 90 dB: Lawn mower, power tool, blender, hair dryer Unlikely to cause loss 80 dB: Alarm clock, garbage disposal, car wash from 20 feet, diesel truck going 40 MPH from 50 feet, MP3 player at three-quarters volume 70 dB: Traffic, vacuum cleaner All signs point to an oncoming epidemic of hearing loss for those approaching middle age , says Seth S. Horowitz, an auditory neuroscientist and the author of "The Universal Sense: How Hearing Shapes the Mind.

 Gradual age-related hearing loss is normal. What's speeding up the process, Horowitz says, is our ever more urban, iPod-wearing, Weed Eater-wielding world. Not since the industrial age, when almost everyone with a job reported for duty at a factory and every factory was an all-day Metallica concert, have people been so exposed to ongoing noise. "We've grown up in noisy cities, with more access to noisy toys," he says. This aural assault can initially cause the loss of high-frequency hearing that's registered by the sensory cells nearest our eardrums, where they take the worst beatings. We don't regenerate these cells, so once they're gone, they don't come back. Complicating matters (and not just conversations) is that only one in five people who need help actually gets it. That seems an astonishingly low figure when you compare it to our acceptance of glasses and contacts for vision problems.

 "You wear glasses," I pointed out to Robb when he first hesitated about getting his hearing checked, grumbling that the audiologist would likely just try to sell him old-man hearing aids. "Isn't it just as important to hear what's being said as it is to see clearly? "Plenty of clients are brought in like this," said Bill Rudolph, an audiologist at Austin Hearing Aid Center, tugging on his own ear. As Robb and I sat in the doctor's office, Rudolph explained the signs of hearing trouble. Common ones include consistently losing the thread of conversation at a restaurant, thinking that everyone else is mumbling, and denying having a hearing problem. Bickering about the dishes, he said, is plain cute compared to what often happens. In a survey of people with hearing issues in the UK, one-third said their inability to hear properly had caused major family arguments. Relationships and careers both take hits as people bumble interactions, hide their handicap, and bumble some more. "You ask the wrong questions or give the wrong answers; you seem vacant, like you're not paying attention, maybe drunk, maybe senile," says Katherine Bouton, a writer who lost much of her hearing by 60. "People fear being open about it and seeming old or stupid.

 Data confirms that people who don't address their hearing problems have lower salaries and higher rates of unemployment. Before she got hearing aids in her early 40s, Debra Summerlin, 57, of Wetumpka, Ala., retreated at work. "I hated meetings," she says. "I'd be in a room full of bosses, and I didn't want to seem lame, so I'd pretend to understand, then send an e-mail later to clarify what went on. Bouton, who last year published a hearing-loss memoir called Shouting Won't Help, remembers missing announcements and office banter, which led the boss at her newspaper job to tell her flat out, "You aren't a team player. The hearing challenged are also at higher risk of falls (hearing may impact balance), depression (a study published in March found twice the rate in groups with hearing loss), and cognitive problems, possibly including Alzheimer's disease. Researchers don't know if hearing loss is a cause or marker for such cognition issues, but the isolation that comes with missing out on social exchanges may well play a role, say experts from Johns Hopkins. If we'd walked into the doctor's office a little tense, that list of risks didn't ease the mood. Following Robb's hearing exam, Rudolph showed us a graph of his notes. The verdict for us was at hand. "Your hearing is really good through here," Rudolph said, pointing to frequencies of 250 hertz up to 3,000. But then, from 3,000 to 6,000 hertz, Robb's hearing in both ears fell off fast. That's the high end of frequency for normal speech. The diagnosis explains why Robb often confuses rhyming and near-rhyming words. Wash the car becomes flash cards because he can't easily distinguish the sounds of different consonants, which come in at a high frequency. Robb was neither a jet mechanic nor a metalhead, but eventually we came up with a possible cause. In his 30s, he'd spent a few years clearing cedar with a chain saw on a large property, and he only sometimes wore ear protection. Call it the Texas Chain Saw Ear Massacre. Robb was less upset by the news than I'd expected. He found it reassuring that his hearing was still good in most of the conversational frequencies. "This isn't as hard to accept," he said to Rudolph, "as the creaks and pains when you get out of bed. That's the part of getting older I really hate.

When it came time for my evaluation, I was genuinely surprised (and maybe a little too gleeful) that I did well in all frequencies. I learned later that women often have better hearing than men, at least until after menopause, when we lose the protective effect that estrogen seems to have on the inner ear. Could my problems hearing Robb be chalked up to those bad acoustics after all? Before we left, I asked Rudolph to show us some modern aids. He left the room and came back empty-handed. When I asked where the sample was, he said, "I'm wearing it," and pointed to a thin, flesh-colored, barely noticeable wire dropping into his ear. Robb declined Rudolph's offer of loaners, but he's not opposed to hearing aids down the line. Rudolph advised him to visit again in a couple of years, or sooner if he notices a decline in his hearing. Meanwhile, we're making adjustments. We've promised to clarify that we're understanding each other correctly. I vowed not to tune out just because I know exactly what Robb will say. And Robb has received this advice from Horowitz: "Pay attention to other sensory cues to fill in the loss. Watch people when they talk; you can get a ton of information from watching faces and mouths. "I thought it was going to be both of us," I said to Robb as we walked out to the car. "Yeah, well, now I have an excuse for missing things," he said, smiling. "You don't. Is hearing loss in your future?

I thought this was BACON.....

Sent from my iPad



Can yacon syrup help you lose weight?

 Published May 30, 2014

What is yacon syrup? Should I add it to my diet? Dr. Oz's recent segment, which involved several women testing out the product as a weight-loss aid, has us all wondering. Yacon syrup is found in the tuberous roots of the yacon plant, which is native to the Andes Mountains. The Incas originally included this molasses-like syrup in their diet.


 Today people in Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil tout yacon syrup as a low calorie, low sugar food that can help with diabetes, digestive disorders, and kidney problems. So could this syrup, which is said to taste like raisins or figs, really do all this and aid in weight loss? The idea is that since this low-calorie (20 calories per tablespoon) syrup is high in prebiotics, including inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), the naturally occurring sugars found in many plants. Since FOS acts as a fiber, it passes through the digestive system and into the colon without being digested, which helps to keep you regular. While in the colon, FOS promotes the good bacteria in the gut, which some studies have associated with digestive healthy, anti-inflammatory properties, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Like other fiber-containing foods, yacon syrup may also help to keep cholesterol in check, keep blood sugar levels stable, and help to control appetite. Hence the thought that yacon syrup may be beneficial to those who have diabetes or other disorders. Should you use yacon syrup? Research is very limited at this time. While one small 2009 study published in Clinical Nutrition did find that obese women who took 3-4 teaspoons of yacon syrup each day for four months did have a significant decrease in weight, waist circumference, LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), and insulin levels, it should also be noted that these women were also told to walk for 45 minutes and reduce their caloric intake. So these improvements did not occur without diet and exercise.

If you want to try yacon syrup for its nutritional properties or give it a go to enhance weight-loss, just remember that the syrup is not a "magic pill. Consuming a balanced, healthy diet and getting regular exercise is still crucial for weight-loss and good health. Also it should be noted that intake of yacon syrup should be limited to 1 teaspoon before meals, with no more than about 1 tablespoon total consumed each day as too much can lead to bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. As always, if you are pregnant, nursing, or have allergies or other medical concerns, always consult with a doctor before adding anything new, such as yacon syrup, to your daily routine. This article originally appeared on Self.com .

Thursday, May 29

Good morning everyone,
Thanks for all the cards, emails and phone calls. Your support has made a difference in a very stressful situation. I say goodbye to my wonderful  mother today so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Great article

Architects walk in the elderly's slippers By Rodney Brooks, @Perfiguy, USA TODAY The idea popped into David Dillard's head about five years ago. Dillard, president of D2 Architecture in Dallas, was in Baltimore then. He wanted something more from the firm and wasn't sure his staff of young architects really "got it" when they were designing housing for seniors. His thought: Make them move into the senior housing and live with the people for whom they were designing housing. That way, they could get a firsthand feel for the needs and requirements of the residents. He went to the human resources office first to make sure he could do it. Then he tapped on the glass at a staff meeting and made the announcement. "I said, 'We have new protocol, and we will require you to put on pajamas and spend the night as if you were a senior,'" he said. "You put on pajamas, check in and write down in an organized way in a journal. What did you see? What were nuisances? What were joys and difficulties? "You spend 24 hours under the conditions of an 85-year-old or 90-year-old," he says. "They live with limited mobility, (windows) that don't work. To help them get the feel of life for these elders, they do things like tape their fingers together to get a feel of what it's like to live with arthritis. Dillard's firm doesn't design retirement citizen housing, as such. "Our world starts with 78-year-olds," he says. "These are people who want to get out of their houses. They are moving into campuses. There are several levels of care -- independent living, assisted living. You can go to skilled care, or if you are losing it mentally, you go to memory support. These are campuses we're designing on 12 to 20 acres. It's a village. Still, the key is to get the designers to fully understand what the residents need. Each employee keeps a journal, which he turns in at the end of the visit. "The biggest benefit is when I send 27-year-olds out, they come back with a heart 10 times as big," he says. They meet people and understand their plights. The company has done "25 or 30" sleepovers so far. Dillard has participated in four himself. "The taping of fingers together was the first thing that happened to me," he says. "It gives me an idea of the limitations of arthritis. You see that. Then the other thing is, sometimes we'll put dew on the glasses. Or wear someone else's glasses. To get a feel for hearing impairment, designers will wear ear plugs. To get an idea for other disabilities, Dillard has operated as if he could move only one side of his body -- and tried tying shoes with one hand. "They've given us diets that are horrible," he said. "The water is thicker and the meat is thin. Some findings that have sprung from the journal pages: Window sills are too high, and residents can't see out. "We are finding everybody wants larger windows, and they want to see the outdoors. We literally have started designing larger windows -- 10 to 20% larger. We're doing an all-glass 12-story building in Texas. More indirect light. "Direct lights hurt your eyes. Sharp, low-voltage lights come in and punch into your eyeballs in an irritating way. The answer is indirect light. They need a lot of light, but they don't need spotlights in their eyes. We do ceiling fans and light fixtures that shield the light source. No ramps or steps. "We had a lot of complaints about floor levels," he says. "We learned no ramps and no steps. You're shocked at how many places have that. He said even the slightest bump from a change in flooring from carpet to wood was a problem. "Our old friends don't lift their feet," he says. Quieter places. The firm is working on improving acoustics. "Last year, I stayed at a place where a guy across the hall had the television loud because he couldn't hear. All you have to do is don't have the doors right across the hall from each other. It doesn't cost any more to open the door where the wall is there, and just stagger them. Three more sleepovers are planned for May. The next step: A friend encouraged him to turn the journals into a book that operators of the facilities will find useful, too. 

Filling foods

The 10 most filling foods you can eat. Sally Kuzemchak, R.D.. Peter Ardito.

When it comes to fighting hunger, not all foods are created equal. these healthy picks keep you satisfied for hoursand if you're trying to drop pounds, they'll curb the junk food cravings that can sabotage weight-loss goals.; Healthy picks to satisfy you for hours.          

Beans
They've got a winning combo of two proven hunger fighters, protein and fiber (about 7 grams of each per half 'cup'). Beans are also a rich source of a type of fiber called resistant starch. In a study from the University of Minnesota, a snack made with resistant starch kept people fuller in the next two to three hours than a snack made with other fibers such as barley and oat. Researchers speculate that resistant starch may stimulate feel-full hormones in the gut or slow the rate that food leaves your stomach.

How to add them to your menu
Top salads with one-quarter 'cup' beans, dip veggies in store-bought hummus and sub in beans for some of the ground meat or chicken in burritos and tacos.  

Fish
It might seem like the lightest pick, but fish is a more filling main course than beef or chicken. In a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition , people who had fish for lunch ate 300 fewer calories at dinnerand reported feeling just as satisfied than they did when they had beef. Another study from Deakin University, in Australia, found that people rated fish as more filling than either beef or chicken. Researchers theorize that fish is so satisfying because it takes longer to digest than chicken and beef and it may raise levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, a natural appetite suppressant.

How to add it to your menu
To save on calories, choose grilled, poached or broiled fish instead of fried. Cod was used in the study, but fattier fish like salmon and tuna offer bonus heart-healthy omega-3 fats.  

Brussels sprouts
You probably loathed them when you were a kid, but these days Brussels sprouts are a trendy, tasty side dish, thanks to new prep ideas that go beyond boil until mushy. One 'cup' of cooked sprouts contains about 4 grams each of hunger-squashing fiber and protein for just 56 calories.

How to add them to your menu
Trade regular salad greens for shredded sprouts tossed with your favorite dressing (thinly slice them yourself or pick up a package of pre-shredded sprouts in the produce section). I munch on plain cooked sprouts while I'm prepping dinner to take the edge off my appetite, says Elisa Zied, R.D., author of Younger Next Week .

 Raspberries
All fruit kills hunger because of its high water content, which activates stretch receptors in your stomach that send an all full signal to your brain. It's also loaded with fiber, which soaks up water and swells as it moves through your digestive system, making you feel satisfied. Raspberries are the reigning fiber champs at a whopping 8 grams per 'cup'. Add them to your morning bowl of oatmeal and you'll score about a third of your fiber for the day before lunchtime.

How to add them to your menu
Eat fruit whole instead of juicing it, which removes fiber. If fresh berries aren't available, pick up a bag of frozen ones (just make sure they don't contain added sugar). You can actually eat them right out of the bagthey're like little bites of sorbet!  

  Popcorn
Popcorn is a surprisingly good source of whole grains, with only 30 calories per air-popped 'cup'. In a study published in Nutrition Journal , people who ate six 'cup's of popcorn reported feeling more satisfied than those who snacked on a 'cup' of potato chips. They also consumed fewer calories when served a meal afterwards. That's because popcorn is big on volume, which your brain registers as being more filling.

How to add it to your menu
Skip oil and butter and sprinkle your popcorn with nutritional yeast instead. At just 20 calories a tablespoon, it's loaded with B vitamins and adds a great cheesy flavor.  

 Avocado
 If snacking is your weakness, eating avocado might help you curb the habit. Adding half an avocado to a mid-day meal reduced overweight people's desire to eat by 40 percent after three hours and by 28 percent after five hours, according to researchers at Loma Linda University. Though that half avocado adds about 110 calories to your lunch, you'll ultimately save many more if you're able to resist higher-calorie afternoon snacks.

How to add it to your menu
Add avocado slices to your sandwich instead of mayo or toss them into a salad. Love guacamole? Make a quickie version by mashing half an avocado with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Serve with veggies for dipping.  

Mushrooms
A study published in the journal Appetite showed that people who ate ground white button mushrooms instead of meat at lunch (in dishes such as lasagna and sloppy joes) consumed 420 calories less than those who ate the same lunch made with meatand they reported that their meal was just as tasty. The key: Ground mushrooms take up the same volume as the ground meat but are much lower in energy densitythat's the amount of calories a food has per weight. Mushrooms have only 21 calories per 'cup' compared to more than 250 for lean ground beef.

How to add them to your menu
Mushrooms can easily pinch-hit for ground beef. Finely chop them and use in recipes for lasagna, chili and burritos.   Peas They may be small, but they're mighty when it comes to nixing hunger pangs. That's because peas are loaded with proteinabout 8 grams per serving. (Split peas contain twice as much!) A study conducted at the Nestle? Research Center found that pea protein decreases your appetite even better than protein from eggs.

How to add them to your menu
Researchers discovered that pea protein had the biggest impact on hunger when eaten 30 minutes before a meal, not with the meal. That's enough time to activate the hormones that tell your brain you're getting full, explains Dave Grotto, R.D., author of The Best Things You Can Eat . Eat a green salad sprinkled with peas or sip a small 'cup' of split pea soup a half hour before dinner to get the effect.  

Walnuts
You'll curb your appetite for lunch if you add walnuts to your breakfast, according to research published in the journal Obesity . People who ate an a.m. meal that included about 1.7 ounces of walnuts (that's roughly 21 walnut halves) reported being less hungry at lunchtime than those who didn't have walnuts. Walnuts are so filling, in fact, that even though they're high in calories, people who add them to their diet don't end up gaining weight, according to research published in the British Journal of Nutrition .

How to add them to your menu
Because they're high cal, measuring or counting out your portion is key. Walnuts make a great snack and you can even blend them into a smoothiethey add a thickness and richness that gives the typical smoothie a lot more staying power.  

Potatoes Once every dieter's sworn enemy, spuds are actually a secret weight-loss weapon. When researchers from the University of Sydney, in Australia, ranked 38 different foods from apples to ice creambased on their satiety, the humble boiled russet potato came out on top. That may be because potatoes are rich in fiber and resistant starch. How to add them to your menu The potatoes in the study were peeled, but you'll get even more filling fiber by leaving the skin intact. Just be warned: All bets are off when you start frying them. French fries were rated less than half as filling as regular potatoes. You're ready to start eating betternow get even healthier with the fastest workout that really gets results at LHJ.com/workout

Sunday, May 25

Good evening friends,
I will be out of pocket for a few days. My wonderful mother passed away this morning at the age of 81. I take comfort in the fact that she exited this life for a better one and on her own terms. She was so determined to live her remaining time independently and in her own home. She was very blessed to do just that!
I can't promise that I will blog every day this week but I will try.
Take care and hug those you love.
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Salad

Recipe for Strawberry-Banana Cheesecake Salad

Stir together:

1 bag of miniature marshmallows
16 oz of vanilla yogurt
1 regular size tub of cool whip
1 package of nobake cheese cake filling

Stir in
1-2 containers of sliced up strawberries
3-4 sliced up bananas
Coconut as desired

Other fruits can be substituted or added as desired

Spring Smoothies

3 spring smoothies to try
By Amie Valpone Published May 24, 2014

Springtime is here - along with the delicious in-season produce we've been dreaming of all winter. Smoothies are a delicious way to stay hydrated and get in your daily dose of fruits. Try cutting and freezing fresh fruit in small portions, so you can easily pull it out and whip up a quick smoothie on mornings when you're extra tired. You can even blend your smoothie the night before.

Lacking some pep in your step? Try a protein powder, like a gluten-free, pea-based blend. Smoothies are also a great vehicle for supplements like hemp seeds, chlorella, or bee pollen. You can also mix them up with non-dairy alternatives, like flax milk or oat milk. Try these easy blends next time you're craving a fruity treat:

Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie 2 'cup's frozen or fresh rhubarb 2 'cup's frozen or fresh strawberries 2 'cup's almond milk 2 tsp. honey Blend all ingredients. Pour into three glasses. Serve cold.

 Orange Delicious 2 'cup's fresh or frozen pineapple 2 'cup's peeled and seeded orange 1 'cup' coconut water Blend all ingredients. Pour into three glasses. Enjoy.

Green Tropics 2 'cup's fresh or frozen mango 1 'cup' chopped collard greens 1 'cup' chopped kale 1 'cup' apple juice handful of fresh, chopped basil Blend all ingredients. Pour into three glasses. Serve Chilled.

Amie Valpone is a celebrity chef based in New York City and editor-in-chief of TheHealthyApple.com . Specializing in simple, gluten-free recipes, Amie has been featured in numerous magazines and on well-known websites, as well as TV. Visit Amie on Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest.

Outdoor food safety

Tips for outdoor food safety By Dr. Manny Alvarez Published May 23, 2014 FoxNews.com

It's summer time, meaning a lot of people are eating outside while enjoying the sunshine. But if you don't properly take care of the grill or the food you're cooking on it, you could wind up making people sick. According to Dr. Elizabeth Hagen, the under secretary for food safety at the U. S. Department of Agriculture, people may overlook safety precautions during cookouts, because they're busy entertaining and do not have the same "food handling savvy" they might have in the kitchen.

 However, Hagen noted it's important to be vigilant no matter where you cook as thousands of people are admitted to hospitals every year for food borne illnesses. "Forty-eight million people in the United States get sick every year from food poisoning. Forty-eight million," Hagen said. "And 128,000 of them end up in the hospital, 30,000 of them will die from food borne illness each year in the United States. That's why this is worth talking about, raising awareness, and giving people the information they need to reduce the risk. Hagen listed three steps to keeping food safe: - Clean your hands, utensils and food surfaces before and after you cook - Separate raw meat and poultry from foods that won't be cooked - Use a meat thermometer to cook to the proper temperature "When you're eating outside the rule is two hours," Hagen said. "You really can't leave things sitting out for more than two hours, and if the temperature is above ninety degrees, which it often is at fourth of July,...you can't leave things out for more than one hour. So get them back into the cooler, back into the refrigerator as soon as possible. If you get a food borne illness, Hagen said you may start feeling symptoms anywhere from a couple hours to as long as six weeks after you've eaten the tainted food. Dr. Manny Alvarez serves as FOX News Channel's (FNC) Senior Managing Editor for Health News. Prior to this position, Alvarez was a FNC medical contributor. Follow Dr. Manny on Facebook.

Great tips

7 vacation health hassles, solved By Esther Crain Published May 22, 2014

You've triple-checked your hotel reservations, packed your bags and gotten your pre-vacation mani-pedi to boot. But if you haven't given much thought to some of the health issues that could crop up while you're traveling, it's time to start troubleshooting. Read on for seven problems you might face when far from home-and how to prevent and treat them so you can enjoy the R & R that you deserve.

Heartburn
Developing heartburn, also known as acid reflux, on vacation is pretty common. For starters, you're probably (let's be honest) eating more than you're used to; a full belly puts pressure on the valve separating your stomach from your esophagus, allowing stomach acid to wash upward. Reflux is especially likely if you're treating yourself to rich or spicy foods. Get back on track: An over-the-counter antacid that contains calcium carbonate offers fast relief, said internist Dr. Holly Phillips. Another OTC option, Prilosec, stops reflux before it starts. If you're prone to getting heartburn, consider stashing both in your purse. Caught with no meds? Sit upright so gravity eases acid back down where it belongs. Then sip water to help clear out your esophagus.

Muscle soreness
Yesterday you killed it at surf school. Today your muscles are killing you. "We call it DOMS: delayed-onset muscle soreness," explained Dr. Jordan Metzl, sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and author of "The Exercise Cure. "It happens even if you're reasonably fit-you simply engaged different parts of the body more intensely than usual. Get back on track: Keep moving, but "go with gentler activities, like walking or a low-key bike ride, to increase blood flow to the muscles, which helps them recover," Metzl said. Ease soreness with ice or a cold bottle of water; popping a pain reliever, like ibuprofen, can also help. Next time you hit the surf or trails, warm up first-like you would at the gym at home-to avoid more aches. Heat illness Intense heat has you sweaty, flushed and light-headed. It's normal to be thirsty and sluggish on a hot day. But when you're dealing with heavy perspiration, dizziness, rapid breathing or a racing pulse, you might have a more serious medical condition: These are all signs of heat exhaustion. As it intensifies, it may progress to heatstroke, which can be life-threatening. Get back on track: Seek shade or air-conditioning and stay still; drink lots of water and even spritz yourself with it, Phillips suggested. Once you're feeling better, make sure you sip H2O constantly, even if you're not thirsty. Don't stray too far from an AC or at least a cool resting place. If your symptoms persist, call 911 or get some kind of medical attention ASAP-heatstroke may have already set in.

Motion sickness
That queasy feeling is the result of crossed wires in your brain. "Your balance system detects movement," Phillips said-on a boat or train, for example. "But if your eyes can't see the motion, your brain can't figure out what's happening, so it thinks toxins are present. The result: Your stomach starts churning. Get back on track: If you're stuck on that ferry for a while, see if a fellow traveler can spare an OTC antinausea tablet, like Dramamine. If not, try this mind trick: "Look out and note the motion of the water or curves in the road," Phillips said. "Roll down the window so your skin can sense movement. It syncs up what your eyes see and your balance system detects. Riding shotgun may also help. Finally, munching on snacks and taking deep breaths can keep the vomity feeling at bay.

 Blisters
So your feet are a mess of blisters: blame lots of time walking that you'd usually spend sitting at a desk or behind the wheel. Factor in foot sweat and swelling thanks to the heat or new shoes that haven't been broken in, and it's no wonder your tootsies are suffering. Get back on track: To reduce swelling, ice your feet or soak them in cool water, then keep them elevated. Dab an antibacterial ointment on blisters and cover with an adhesive bandage. If a blister gets angrier, you might be better off lancing it: Clean a needle with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, puncture the edge of the blister so fluid is released and cover with antibacterial ointment and a bandage, Phillips said. Even better, prevent blisters in the first place by breaking in new shoes, especially ones with straps, before leaving home and wearing cotton socks when possible to avoid chafing.

Sun poisoning
Forget burned: Your skin is as red as a lobster. If you blister and peel and have a fever and chills, that points to sun poisoning, said Dr. Albert Lefkovits, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Get back on track: A drugstore moisturizer, such as Aquaphor, or an aloe lotion will provide instant relief. Even just a cool shower can help. Take a dose of aspirin or ibuprofen; it will ease painful inflammation. For the next several days, keep burned skin covered in loose clothes and out of direct sunlight so UV rays don't further inflame it. As the skin peels off, it can get itchy and very dry, so keep applying lotion, as well as an OTC hydrocortisone cream. If the burn becomes oozy and more sensitive, see a dermatologist. The caveat to all this: If your symptoms involve lots of very painful blisters, especially if accompanied by a fever or a general sense of feeling sick, see a doctor immediately-you may have a more serious burn, Lefkovits warned.

Weird rash
After a hike, you spot a rash. Get back on track: The timing and appearance of the rash can help clue you in to what's causing it (and how to treat it). Itchy redness that pops up around a bump is probably the result of an insect sting. Treat pain and itching with hydrocortisone cream, ice and/or an OTC pain pill. If an itchy rash shows up within a few days that appears in streaks and isn't centered on a bump, blame poison ivy or poison oak. Apply hydrocortisone cream or take an antihistamine to lessen itching, and thoroughly wash any clothes you were wearing when you think you came in contact with the plant, to remove the irritating oils. A rash that arrives between three days and a month later and appears in a spotted or bull's-eye shape might point to Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever- two tick-spread illnesses. Unfortunately, they're tricky to diagnose. "Not everyone develops a rash; sometimes people get symptoms such as joint pain, headaches, swollen lymph nodes and fever," Lefkovits said. His advice: With or without a rash, if you experience these symptoms following time outdoors, see a doctor. Either illness can be treated with antibiotics if caught right away. To safeguard against brushes with nature, wear pants and socks in the woods (not always comfy, we know) and carry bug spray with DEET, the most effective repellent. And it can't hurt to do a post-hike tick inspection. Of course, vacations are supposed to be spontaneous and fun. But by taking just a few precautions, the good times can last until you board that plane or train to head back home. This article originally appeared on Health.com.

Garden snakes can be dangerous

GARDEN SNAKES CAN BE DANGEROUS...
Snakes also known as Garter Snakes (Thamnophissirtalis) can be dangerous Yes, grass snakes, not rattlesnakes. Here's why.

A couple in Sweetwater, Texas, had a lot of potted plants. During a recent cold spell, the wife was bringing a lot of them indoors to protect them from a possible freeze.

It turned out that a little green garden grass snake was hidden in one of the plants. When it had warmed up, it slithered out and the wife saw it go under the sofa.

She let out a very loud scream.

The husband (who was taking a shower) ran out into the living room naked to see what the problem was. She told him there was a snake under the sofa.

He got down on the floor on his hands and knees to look for it. About that time the family dog came and cold-nosed him on the behind. He thought the snake had bitten him, so he screamed and fell over on the floor.

His wife thought he had had a heart attack, so she covered him up, told him to lie still and called an ambulance.

The attendants rushed in, would not listen to his protests, loaded him on the stretcher, and started carrying him out.

About that time, the snake came out from under the sofa and the Emergency Medical Technician saw it and dropped his end of the stretcher. That's when the man broke his leg and why he is still in the hospital.

The wife still had the problem of the snake in the house, so she called on a neighbor who volunteered to capture the snake. He armed himself with a rolled-up newspaper and began poking under the couch.. Soon he decided it was gone and told the woman, who sat down on the sofa in relief.

But while relaxing, her hand dangled in between the cushions, where she felt the snake wriggling around. She screamed and fainted, the snake rushed back under the sofa.

The neighbor man, seeing her lying there passed out, tried to use CPR to revive her.

The neighbor's wife, who had just returned from shopping at the grocery store, saw her husband's mouth on the woman's mouth and slammed her husband in the back of the head with a bag of canned goods, knocking him out and cutting his scalp to a point where it needed stitches.

The noise woke the woman from her dead faint and she saw her neighbor lying on the floor with his wife bending over him, so she assumed that the snake had bitten him. She went to the kitchen and got a small bottle of whiskey, and began pouring it down the man's throat.

By now, the police had arrived.
Breathe here...

They saw the unconscious man, smelled the whiskey, and assumed that a drunken fight had occurred. They were about to arrest them all, when the women tried to explain how it all happened over a little garden snake!

The police called an ambulance, which took away the neighbor and his sobbing wife.

Now, the little snake again crawled out from under the sofa and one of the policemen drew his gun and fired at it. He missed the snake and hit the leg of the end table. The table fell over, the lamp on it shattered and, as the bulb broke, it started a fire in the drapes.

The other policeman tried to beat out the flames, and fell through the window into the yard on top of the family dog who, startled, jumped out and raced into the street, where an oncoming car swerved to avoid it and smashed into the parked police car.

Meanwhile, neighbors saw the burning drapes and called in the fire department. The firemen had started raising the fire ladder when they were halfway down the street. The rising ladder tore out the overhead wires, put out the power, and disconnected the telephones in a ten-square city block area (but they did get the house fire out).

Time passed! Both men were discharged from the hospital, the house was repaired, the dog came home, the police acquired a new car and all was right with their world.

A while later they were watching TV and the weatherman announced a cold snap for that night. The wife asked her husband if he thought they should bring in their plants for the night.

And that's when he shot her

****Share so your friends can have a laugh too!!!*****
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Elderly and Internet use

Elderly may have trouble accessing electronic medical records Published May 21, 2014 Reuters

Electronic medical records will let patients access their health information over the Internet, but a new study suggests some of the most vulnerable older Americans may be left behind. While Internet use doubled among seniors in general over the past decade, researchers found, there was little growth among people with physical impairments - suggesting a new digital divide could be forming.

Functional impairments, including physical disabilities such as the loss of a sense or the ability to walk, make it difficult for people to live in their community, take care of personal finances and coordinate transportation. "If you look at the subgroup of people functionally impaired, there was also a doubling (of Internet use) there but it was still remarkably low," said the study's lead author, Dr. S. Ryan Greysen, from the University of California, San Francisco. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees those two U.S. government-run health insurance programs, wants doctors to go digital. CMS runs a $30 million incentive program that pays individual doctors to use electronic medical records (EMRs) - also known as EHRs for electronic health records. The agency will also begin penalizing doctors who don't adopt EMRs by 2015. Greysen and his colleagues point out in their report in JAMA Internal Medicine that part of the program requires that patients be able to access their own medical information through online portals. "What I think has gotten lost in this is yes, we need the electronic medical records to be accessible, but who are the groups that will have difficulty getting to those portals? Greysen said.

For the new study, he and his colleagues analyzed responses from a national survey of about 19,000 Americans who were at least 65 years old and did not live in nursing homes. Overall, the proportion of respondents who reported using the Internet in any way doubled from 21 percent in 2002 to 42 percent in 2010. But that increase varied depending on the characteristics and health of some groups. Those who started with very low rates of Internet use saw some of the sharpest increases. For example, among non-white seniors, rates of Internet use rose from 7 percent to 21 percent. After adjusting the numbers for factors that are known to influence Internet access - such as sex, race, education and wealth, the researchers found only those who were 75 years old and older, not white or considered themselves to be in poor or fair health significantly increased their Internet use over the study period. Those with functional impairments ended the study period more or less where the larger group began, however.

Just 10 percent of people with a functional impairment used the Internet in 2002 and that rose to 23 percent in 2010. If people with functional impairments don't start increasing their use of the Internet, Greysen and his colleagues suggest, they may be left behind as the management of healthcare becomes digital.

To address this gap, the authors suggest strategies to help those with functional limitations to access the Internet. For example, people can use special software on their computers to have the text of a website read to them or to operate a computer with voice commands instead of a mouse and keyboard. Greysen added that his team is currently trying to teach older patients how to access their own information through the portals. "We show them how the patient portal works and how to navigate it," he said. "For those who have more severe functional impairment, showing them isn't going to be enough," Greysen said. But teaching younger, unimpaired caregivers about the portals may be another possibility for expanding access.

Thursday, May 22

Good morning everyone,
I am back home and thankful for your prayers and emails. My mother is very ill and frail but we seem to be out of the woods on this particular crisis. As we all know, aging is hard and even harder with serious health issues.

Have a great day and I will post Johnye's wonderful articles for your enjoyment,
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Good stroke info

Can you name the warning signs of a stroke? Most people can name a few signs that indicate someone is having a stroke — dizziness, slurred or loss of speech, face drooping, headaches and blurred vision. But most people do not know that 85% of strokes have no warning, aside from the stroke itself.

Monday and Tuesday

Hello everyone,
Sorry I missed posting this morning. I am in Springdale taking care of my mother. She had a health event but is doing better today! I hope to be back home tomorrow. Keep us in your prayers!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

New AT&T apps

AT&T shows off its innovative side At an innovation showcase in New York City, AT&T demonstrated new app prototypes with real world utility. by Marguerite Reardon

From tracking lost luggage to turning your smartphone into a wireless microphone to making it even easier to troubleshoot your customer service calls, AT&T engineers have been cooking up some interesting new applications to make your life easier. The company showed off some of these new software driven applications at a technology innovation showcase in New York City on Friday. None of the new products at the showcase are available yet for commercial use. But AT&T highlighted several working prototypes. And with any luck, we'll see some of these nifty ideas hit the market in the not-so-distant future. AT&T has embedded GPS trackers in luggage to show how its 3G wireless network can be used to help travelers locate lost bags. Marguerite Reardon/CNET Say buh-bye to lost luggage. AT&T has developed a kind of LoJack for your luggage so you'll be able to track and recover lost luggage much more quickly. The prototypes on display integrated the GPS tracking device right into the bag. It had a built in USB port to charge the device and a blinking blue light that could be activated to help you identify your bag as it's coming off the airport baggage carousel. The embedded tracking device pinpoints the location of the bag using the AT&T's 3G network. Using an HTML 5 website, users could track the whereabouts of their baggage. The software service can also send text messages notifying passengers where their luggage ends up. So for instance, if you're on a flight to San Francisco, but your bag ends up in Detroit, you'd get a message alerting you where your bag is located. And then once you contact the airline to have your bag returned, you can track its route back to you. While the prototype I saw was embedded into the suitcase, it could also be sold as an accessory that attaches to it, or it could be slipped inside a pocket. David Marten, principal hardware designer for AT&T's machine-to-machine foundry, said the product took five weeks to develop from concept to prototype. He said the quick turn around is a demonstration of how quickly AT&T developers are able to take products from conception to near-production. He wasn't able to say if or when AT&T will be offering this product. And he couldn't say how it would be sold. But it sure is nifty enough that I could see it as a terrific gift for the frequent traveler on anyone's holiday list. AT&T has created an app that allows customers to share photos with customer service representatives to help resolve broadband connection issues. Marguerite Reardon/CNET Customer service help has finally arrived. How many times have you been on a call with a customer service representative who is trying to help you solve a problem and you just wish they could see what you're looking at? Well, that wish could soon come true for AT&T broadband customers. AT&T's engineers in Israel have worked closely with the company's Digital Care team to develop a new app that will allow broadband subscribers at home to get more personalized help when troubleshooting common issues. Specifically, home broadband customers can use an app on their smartphones that will allow them to take a picture and instantly share those photos with a technician. This is especially helpful when troubleshooting network set-ups. Instead of technicians blindly trying to figure out whether cables are even hooked to the right ports, they'll now be able to see the set-up. The technicians will also be able to send back pictures and diagrams through the app, which will show customers how they can fix their problems. "Sometimes people just need a visual of what the set up should be," said Theresa Provencio, a manager on the Digital Care team for AT&T's U-verse product. Provencio said that AT&T is now trialing the app with some of its DSL customers. Because most DSL customers install their modems and routers themselves, these customers tend to have more customer issues than U-verse customers, which require a home-visit from a technician for set-up.

AT&T's new pocket microphone app turns a smartphone into a wireless microphone. Marguerite Reardon/CNET A mic in your pocket Smartphones have pretty much taken the place of most specialized, dedicated devices, such as cameras, portable music players, e-readers and GPS devices. Soon you may be able to add wireless microphones to that list. Thanks to the work of a few AT&T application developers in New Jersey, AT&T has developed technology that will allow people to use their Android and iPhone smartphones as wireless microphones that work over Wi-Fi or cellular data connection. David Daudelin, a senior specialist app developer from AT&T's Middletown, NJ facility, who helped develop the app as part of an employee hackathon, said the idea originated from the frustrations he experienced while attending conferences where people had to wait for microphones to be passed around to ask questions or make comments. Using the app that the Daudelin and his partners devised, a smartphone can be connected via a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection to a laptop which is then plugged into a speaker system and voila the phone turns into a microphone. The app is still in its development stage, but Daudelin believes it could used by conference organizers, educational institutions or hotels that host events. "It completely eliminates the need for a wireless speaker system," he said. How AT&T would package and sell the app is something the business unit will have to figure out, Daudelin added. But he sees lots of opportunities. Personally, I could see this app taking karaoke parties to a whole new level. Office holiday parties may never be the same.

Doritos Taco Corn Salsa/Salad Side Dish

Doritos Taco Corn Salsa/Salad Side Dish

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Sweet Corn, drained
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 medium Red Onion, diced
1 bag (10 1/2 ounces) "Taco" Doritos Corn Chips, divided
Garnish with green minced herbs.  I used Chives

1. Mix everything together except the corn chips.
2. separate about 1/4th of the chips to use as a garnish
3. The other 3/4 bag crush coarsely and mix with the corn and mixings

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Sweet Corn, drained
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1 medium Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 medium Red Onion, diced
1 bag (10 1/2 ounces) "Taco" Doritos Corn Chips, divided
Garnish with green minced herbs.  I used Chives

1. Mix everything together except the corn chips.
2. separate about 1/4th of the chips to use as a garnish
3. The other 3/4 bag crush coarsely and mix with the corn and mixings
4. Serve chilled

Coconut Pecan Banana Bread

Coconut Pecan Banana Bread

1 C. all purpose flour
2/3 C. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
3 T. vanilla yogurt
1/4 C. coconut oil, melted
4 medium bananas, mashed
1/2 C. + 1 -2 T. shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 C. pecans, toasted and chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk to combine the dry ingredients through the sugar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, then add the yogurt and coconut oil and bananas. Whisk until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Add 1/2 C. of the shredded coconut and all of the pecans. Mix just until combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and top with the 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut.

Bake on the center rack for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cucumber tricks and tips

I don't know if these work, but they just sound too cool to pass up. Can't wait to hear about the garden pest trick!

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2.For a pick me up in the afternoon... Put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours. Slice some and put in your water bottle.

3. If you rub a cucumber slice along your bathroom mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Place a few slices of cucumber in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemical in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free.
Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries by European trappers, traders and explorers for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the photochemical will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won’t leave streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

Feeling techish tonight!

DataWind's UbiSlate 7Ci (datawind.com) is billed as the world's first $38 tablet. The 7-inch Android tablet lets you read e-books, watch videos, play games, browse the Web and pick up e-mail. It has integrated Wi-Fi, plus there's an adaptor in the box to snap in a WAN stick for cellular connectivity, if desired (3G only). Powered by a Cortex A9 processor (comparable to a first-generation iPad), the UbiSlate 7Ci also has 512MB of RAM (system memory) and 4GB of storage, but it's expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card. The screen isn't spectacular at 800 x 480 resolution, nor is the battery life (three hours between charges), but at $38 and a ton of bundled apps, it's certainly at the right price.

iHOME iBT16 CUBE SPEAKER

Sometimes you just don't feel like wearing headphones. iHome's iBT16 Cube ($29.99; ihomeaudio.com) is a tiny wireless speaker that lets you stream music, podcasts or audiobooks from your nearby Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, tablet, laptop or media play (such as an iPod touch). Available in several colors (gray, blue, pink, green, black and purple), these cube-shaped speakers have a rubberized finish, an integrated rechargeable Lithium-ion battery and a 3.5mm audio jack (cable included).

ROCKI PLAY

Turn any speaker into a Wi-Fi-enabled one, so you can listen to your music untethered. That's the premise behind the Kickstarter-funded Rocki Play ($49.99; myrocki.com). Simply connect this small gadget to the audio input of any speaker system (cables included) and you can then use your phone to play music wirelessly. Similar to Wi-Fi-enabled speakers that cost much more (such as Sonos), you can use the free Rocki app (iOS/Android) to search and select any song, control volume and playback and select which Rocki Play-enabled speaker to stream to (the app also supports HTML5, therefore you can also use a Web browser on a PC or Mac to play music).

VERBATIM FOLDABLE BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD

Don't like typing much on your smartphone or tablet? The Verbatim Foldable Wireless Keyboard ($44.99; verbatim.com) is ideal for long-form typing on virtually any Bluetooth-enabled touch-screen smartphone or tablet. As the name suggests, this full-size QWERTY keyboard folds up to half its size and slips into a matching black case for when you're on the go. When you want to type some notes, write a long e-mail or type an essay or sales report, simply open it up, turn it on and prop up your device with an optional pull-out stand. Because Bluetooth is a universal standard, it works with all four mobile platforms: Apple iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry.

Saturday

We are off to Paragould! Hope to see everyone there! I will give an update when we return.
Have a great Saturday!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Advantages of chocolate

5 healthy ways to eat more chocolate By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD Published May 15, 2014

I'm a huge fan of dark chocolate, not only on a personal level (it's one of my fave treats!) , but also as a health professional. In fact, in my last book, I devoted an entire chapter to its benefits, which include reducing blood pressure, protecting the heart and brain, and curbing cravings for both sweet and salty foods. I even built a 'daily dark chocolate escape' into the book's weight-loss plan. But many people I talk to have a tough time not overdoing it. If you find that a treat of one or two individually wrapped squares quickly turns into a handful, try incorporating small amounts of dark chocolate into meals and snacks instead. Here are five delectable ways to do just that, so you can satisfy your choc-o-tooth without derailing your healthy efforts.

Blend it into a smoothie In addition to adding dark chocolate chips or few squares of chopped dark chocolate to smoothies, you can also get your fix (and the health benefits) by whipping in unsweetened cocoa powder. The chocolaty flavor and sweetness of the cherries mask the bitterness of greens like kale, so you can sneak in an extra serving. Look for raw or pure non-Dutched cocoa powder. Dutching or alkalizing is a chemical process that lowers acidity, which has also been shown to markedly reduce the cocoa's antioxidant content. It's often done to reduce bitterness, but I find that quality brands taste wonderful in their natural, non-alkalized state.

Add it to cereal Add some healthy decadence to the most important meal of the day by chopping a square or two of dark chocolate and swirling it into hot oatmeal, or sprinkling chocolate shavings onto cold cereal, along with sliced strawberries or a chopped mini banana. Research shows that having "dessert at breakfast" helped weight-loss seekers prevent rebound weight gain by reducing hunger and keeping cravings under control. Scientists even found that this strategy helped reduce blood levels of ghrelin, the so-called "hunger hormone. Chocolate for weight loss? Yes, indeed!

 Drizzle it Melt a bit of dark chocolate by adding hot (but not boiling) water a little bit at a time as you continually stir, then drizzle it onto anything from fresh fruit to popped popcorn, along with a sweet spice like cinnamon. But don't stop there: A hot culinary trend is to pair dark chocolate with other unexpected foods, like chocolate-dipped asparagus, roasted cauliflower drizzled with dark chocolate, or chocolate-covered olives, sundried tomatoes, and cloves of black garlic. Hey, you never know until you try it! Fold it into nut butter I'm kind of obsessed with nut and seed butters. I currently have jars of every kind I could find, including pecan, walnut, macadamia nut, cashew, almond, sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, hemp seed, and coconut butter. I use them in lots of ways, but one of my favorite tricks is to add things to them, including minced, unsweetened preservative-free dried fruit, spices like fresh grated ginger, rolled whole oats, and chopped dark chocolate. Smear the combo onto fresh fruit, like sliced figs or wedges of apples and pears, or use it as a filling for celery stalks or a dip for baby carrots.

Add it to savory dishes Chocolate-dipped veggies may sound adventurous, but incorporating chocolate into savory dishes isn't all that unusual. Think: mole, the traditional Mexican sauce made with chocolate, chilis, and other spices. Other delicious ways to incorporate dark chocolate at lunch or dinner include adding it to vegetarian chili, eggplant caponata, or even hummus. Bon appetit!

Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Rangers NHL team and the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Her latest New York Times best seller is S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches. This article originally appeared on Health.com.

Miracles of pet ownership

7 ways pets improve your health Published May 13, 2014 Joop Snijder Jr .

When you come home to a purr or wagging tail at the end of a stressful day, the sudden wave of calm you feel isn't just your imagination. Research suggests that your fluffy friend truly is good for your physical and mental health. "Pets often provide unconditional acceptance and love and they're always there for you," said Dr. Gary A. Christenson, chief medical officer at Boynton Health Service at the University of Minnesota. "There is a bond and companionship that makes a big difference in mental health," not to mention the extra exercise you get from walks and playtime.

Pets may lower your cholesterol If you have a dog, those daily walks are helping to keep your cholesterol in check, says Rebecca A. Johnson, director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Plus, a survey by the Australian National Heart Foundation revealed that people who own pets, especially men, tend to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Pets help relieve stress Simply being in the same room as your pet can have a calming effect. "A powerful neurochemical, oxytocin, is released when we look at our companion animal, which brings feelings of joy," Johnson said. "It's also accompanied by a decrease in cortisol, a stress hormone. Through her research with veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Johnson has witnessed the powerful effects of animals. "One veteran couldn't leave his home without his wife until we placed a dog with him and in less than a week he was able to go around his town," she said.

Pets may reduce your blood pressure It's a win-win: petting your pooch or kitty brings down blood pressure while pleasing your pet. Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo discovered that in people already taking medication for hypertension, their blood pressure response to stress was cut by half if they owned a cat or dog. Pets boost your fitness A dog is the best companion for a stroll-even better than a friend. Johnson-co-author of "Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound"-led a study at the University of Missouri that found that dog walkers improved their fitness more than people who walked with other people. A separate study found that dog owners walked 300 minutes a week on average, while people who didn't own dogs walked just 168 minutes a week. And a study in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that not only did dog owners walk more than non-owners, they were also 54 percent more likely to meet the recommended levels of physical activity.

 Pets reduce your cardiovascular disease risk Lower cholesterol, stress, and blood pressure levels combined with increased fitness may add up to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. That's a theory supported by the American Heart Association. In 2013, the AHA reviewed numerous studies examining the effects of pet ownership on cardiovascular disease risk and concluded that having a furry friend, particularly a dog, is associated with a reduction in risk and increased survival among patients. Pets may prevent allergies in children If you had a pet as a kid, you may be in luck. In a study published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy, children who were exposed to pets before they were six months old were less likely to develop allergic diseases, hay fever, and eczema as they got older. "In the first year of life, babies who are exposed to dogs in the household are more likely not to have allergies, asthma, and fewer upper respiratory infections," Johnson said. "If exposed at an early age to dander and allergens, we may be less reactive to them over time. And kids who grow up around farm animals, dogs, or cats typically have stronger immune systems and a reduced risk of developing asthma or eczema.

Pets can provide social support for their owners, who tend to have better overall wellbeing than non-owners, according to a study published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. And a large review of studies by the British Psychological Society found that dogs especially promote therapeutic and psychological wellbeing, particularly lowering stress levels and boosting self-esteem, as well as feelings of autonomy and competence. "The calming presence and the social bond that pets bring can be very powerful," Christenson said. "Animals give something to focus on instead of the negative thoughts a depressed person is prone to have. When a pet pays attention to you, they're giving you unconditional love and acceptance. This article originally appeared on Health.com.

Wednesday

Good morning friends,
Another rainy day. Sure would like to stay in bed! I enjoy the clear blue sky in the spring time....I don't think I could live in Alaska where they have almost total darkness in the winter. I need sunshine!

Early voting for the political primary is in full swing. Exercise your right to br an American and vote. You May also call your County Clerk and have your ballot mailed to you. Remember if you don't vote you can't gripe!

Don't forget, Saturday is Paragould visit. Can't wait to see everyone!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Happy rainy Tuesday!

Good morning everyone,
It is a rainy Tuesday in my corner of the world! I hope the sun is shining on you. We are off on another busy week. This Saturday, we will be visiting our favorite friends in Paragould! I will try to touch base with Bonnie or Margaret today to firm up our time.

Have a great day!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Easy Apple Dumplings

Easy Apple Dumplings

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1½ cups brown sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cup 7 Up (or other lemon soda)
2 Apples

Instructions
Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
Preheat the oven at 350 F.
Peel and core apples, than cut each apple into 8 slices
Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll and place in a buttered dish.
Melt butter, stir in sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and when it’s thickened, remove from heat and pour over the dumplings.
Pour the soda in the middle and along the edges of a pan(not over the rolls)
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until they become golden brown.
Serve warm.

NOTE* 2 Apples to makes 16 dumplings

Not a pleasant topic, but great advice

7 life lessons from hospice workers By Alex Gardner Published May 11, 2014

You can learn a lot about life from those who see death every day. These snippets of wisdom come straight from those who provide medical care to the dying-palliative care experts who counsel grieving families, and who see the best in people during life's most vulnerable hours. Follow their advice, and you just might live your own life a bit more fully than before.

1) Remember to reflect Reality can suck. It's why we sometimes distract ourselves by playing iPhone games, watching sitcom reruns, and downing one too many beers. But when confronting a life-ending illness, people are forced to think more deeply about the world and their relationship to it. For those in the company of the dying, time can seem to stop, too, says Tom Hutchinson, director of McGill University's Programs in Whole Person Care. Put It To Use: "Turn off the distractions and work on becoming self-aware," says Dr. Balfour Mount, the father of modern palliative care. Go for a run, take a drive, or sit in a park and let time freeze. Reflect on your accomplishments, your attainable goals, and on what actions you are taking that may move you farther from what you really want. Don't be hard on yourself, but acknowledge your shortcomings. Luckily, you're afforded the time to make changes if you're not headed in the right direction. What are you looking forward to? Check out the following tips to make sure your excitement doesn't make the rest of your life fizzle out.

 2) Be compassionate to be manly. Men are naturally excellent caretakers, says Dr. Ira Byock, professor of medicine at Dartmouth and author of The Best Care Possible. He frequently sees men of all ages and backgrounds come to the aid of a dying loved one. "The courage and strength to care well for one another is a healthy, masculine trait," says Byock. "It's what real men do for their fathers and their mothers. Put It To Use: You don't need the occurrence of a life-shattering event to tap into your more masculine, sympathetic side, Byock says: Be a mentor, bring food to your elderly neighbor, and try to approach everyone with understanding. You'll probably be pretty damn good at it.

 3) Learn to lean on people Whether we're caring for an ailing relative or going through a rough time at the office, we need to enlist others. Byock, who has worked in hospice and palliative care since 1978, helps his patients and their caregivers create teams of support and resources made up of medical professionals, relatives, friends, and neighbors. "They shouldn't have to figure this out as if they're the first family that has ever been through this," he says.

Put It To Use: Employ his tactic whenever times become trying. Create a "team" in your life of trustworthy adults to whom you can turn. Ask also for the guidance of those who have been through a similar circumstance. "We are hard-wired as animals to care for one another," says Byock. So, that co-worker you ask to do you a favor while your mom's in the hospital may be more willing to help than you think. Friends keep you healthy by protecting you against life's stressors. Find out how these friendships can help you live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

4) Don't fight life Some days, just getting up in the morning feels like we're going to war. "We spend most of our time struggling against life," says Hutchinson. We view our issues as the enemy rather than something to embrace. Some of Hutchinson's patients hold a different view. They find tranquility in accepting their time is ending. "They begin to give in to life," he says, stressing that this is much different than giving up. They focus on the present and maximize what they can accomplish before they die as opposed to physically healing themselves.

Put It To Use: Adopt the same attitude, Hutchinson suggests. Don't struggle to beat every obstacle you face. Instead, accept when you're clearly outmatched by a situation out of your control. Handle challenges rather than attempting to beat them.

5) Talk about dying Honestly, no one likes discussing it. But talking about death and the process of dying isn't something to shy away from, especially when remaining days are few, says Hutchinson. Those conversations reveal final wishes of the ill and how the dying want their loved ones to live when they pass away. Sharing a discussion on death brings a sense of peace, says Hutchinson.

Put It To Use: Have a real conversation about death even if you're well. That doesn't mean you should say, "Honey, kids, gather 'round so we can chat about death. But when it comes up in conversation, don't instinctively change the subject. Open up about how you'd like your family and friends to carry on if your time on earth comes to an end. Having a calm, natural discussion will lead to less anxiety for you and your loved ones.

6) Check your pride What guy wants to be viewed as weak? It's not easy displaying vulnerability, but it's inevitable. Hutchinson remembers the anxiety one of his patients suffered who was dying and waiting for his brother to arrive from abroad. How would his brother react when seeing the once strong man now feeble? In reality, the brother was just glad to be present in his sibling's final moments.

Put It To Use: Don't shut out loved ones in your time of physical, metal, or emotional frailty. All those who care will want to be included in all parts of your life. So call up your buddy when you're a bit blue. Expressing your time of weakness can lead to a deeper connection with your friends and family.

7) Step up when you're needed Most likely, a time will come in your life when you're needed to care for a dying loved one. Your responsibilities may include physically and mentally taxing tasks like bathing your mother, helping your father use the restroom, or feeding your spouse.

And although we as humans have a heart, it doesn't make the situation easier. But those who aid their loved one at the end generally feel calmer after their loved one's death than those who weren't involved in the final days.

Put It To Use: When your help's required, refrain from fleeing. Stay loyal to your loved ones, like a spouse who remains in sickness and in health. When caring for someone in their last days, "there is a confidence that you did what you needed to do," says Byock. Take time off work if you can. Clean, cook, or even just sit at the bedside of your dying loved one. They truly need you, and caring for them will give them comfort now and will bring you peace later.

Back pain article

A new approach to understanding back pain Published May 11, 2014 FoxNews.

Back pain is one of the most common medical problems, affecting almost 80 percent of Americans at some point in their lives. Neurosurgeon Dr. Patrick Roth believes many people are taking the wrong approach to back pain. Dr. Manny Alvarez, senior managing health editor of FoxNews.com recently sat down with Roth, author of "The End of Back Pain. According to Roth, sometimes back pain actually has very little to do with the back.

"If you were to do an MRI on people with back pain, you would find lots of abnormalities. None of them would definitively explain the pain," he said. "Some of them could be the cause of the pain, but everyone has abnormalities in MRIs so the reality is, if you have back pain and it is carefully investigated, the majority of the time you don't know what it is coming from. When it comes to back pain myths, Roth said one of the biggest misconceptions is thinking the cause of back pain is a weak abdomen. "People look in the mirror and they define their exercise program by what they see," he said. "Everyone has this idea that they should strengthen their abdomen to make their back better. But one of the things is you will get more mileage with strengthening the muscles that are behind you that you can't see.

Many Americans try to alleviate back pain with prescription pain medications, which can lead to dependence and other health problems. Roth believes taking pain medication may cause more harm than good. "You have pain medication that is made by your body, it circulates, and you are in homeostatic condition most of the time," he said. "If you take pain medication from the outside and you add it, the body thinks there is too much of its own medication and the receptors go down. So what happens is when that pain medication wears off, you're actually more susceptible to pain. Roth said the majority of back pain goes away, and is a part of life that can be hard to avoid. "One of the things people do wrong is they assume something is broken that needs to be fixed. And that mindset makes back pain persist," he said. When back pain strikes, Roth said the best thing you can do is get moving and don't be afraid to exercise. "Get back to activities and daily living," he said. "You can begin to exercise even when in pain. A lot of people think the pain has got to be done before I start my exercises. They actually work well while you're in pain. For more information, visit PatrickRothMD.com

Great article

Article from Fox News Health Section 2014 05 10

11 reasons why you're not losing belly fat By Carey Rossi Published May 10, 2014 FoxNews.com

Getting rid of your belly bulge is important for more than just vanity's sake. Excess abdominal fat-particularly visceral fat, the kind that surrounds your organs and puffs your stomach into a "beer gut"-is a predictor of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and some cancers. If diet and exercise haven't done much to reduce your pooch, then your hormones, your age, and other genetic factors may be the reason why. Read on for 11 possible reasons why your belly fat won't budge.

As you get older, your body changes how it gains and loses weight. Both men and women experience a declining metabolic rate, or the number of calories the body needs to function normally. On top of that, women have to deal with menopause. "If women gain weight after menopause, it's more likely to be in their bellies," said Dr. Michael Jensen, professor of medicine in the Mayo Clinic's endocrinology division. In menopause, production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone slows down. Meanwhile, testosterone levels also start to drop, but at a slower rate. This shift in hormones causes women to hold onto weight in their bellies. The good news: you can fight this process. Read on. You're doing the wrong workout A daily run or Spin class is great for your heart, but cardio workouts alone won't do much for your waist. "You need to do a combination of weights and cardiovascular training," said Dr. Sangeeta Kashyap, an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic. Strength training increases muscle mass, which sets your body up to burn more fat. "Muscle burns more calories than fat, and therefore you naturally burn more calories throughout the day by having more muscle," said Kate Patton, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic. Patton recommends 250 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 125 minutes of high-intensity exercise a week.

You're eating too many processed foods "Refined grains like white bread, crackers, and chips, as well as refined sugars in sweetened drinks and desserts increase inflammation in our bodies," Patton said. "Belly fat is associated with inflammation, so eating too many processed foods will hinder your ability to lose belly fat. Natural foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are full of antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may therefore actually prevent belly fat, Patton says.

You're eating the wrong fats The body doesn't react to all fats in the same way. Research correlates high intake of saturated fat (the kind in meat and dairy) to increased visceral fat, Patton said. On the other hand, monounsaturated fats (the kind in olive oil and avocados) and specific types of polyunsaturated fats (mainly omega-3s, found in walnuts, sunflower seeds, and fatty fish like salmon) have anti-inflammatory effects in the body, and if eaten in proper portions may do your body good. But Patton warned that eating too much fat of any kind increases your calorie intake and could lead to weight gain, so enjoy healthy fats in moderation. Your workout isn't challenging enough To banish stubborn belly fat, you have to ramp up your workouts. In a study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, people who completed a high-intensity workout regimen lost more belly fat than those who followed a low-intensity plan. (In fact, the low-intensity exercises experienced no significant changes at all.) "You need to exercise at full intensity because the end goal is to burn more calories, and high intensity exercise does just that," said Natalie Jill, a San Diego, California-based certified personal trainer. High intensity workouts mean you're going all out for as long as you can. If this sounds intimidating, think of it this way: you'll burn more calories in less time. You're doing the wrong exercises Doing crunches until the cows come home? Stop it! When you're down to your final inches of belly fat, the dreaded crunch won't be the exercise that finally reveals your six-pack. "You can't spot reduce," Jill said. Instead, she suggests doing functional exercises that use the muscles in your core-abdominals, back, pelvic, obliques-as well as other body parts. "These exercises use more muscles, so there is a higher rate of calorie burn while you are doing them," she said. Planks are her favorite functional exercise-they activate not just your core muscles but also your arm, leg, and butt muscles. You're stressed Tight deadlines, bills, your kids-whatever your source of stress, having too much of it may make it harder for you to drop unwanted pounds, especially from your middle. And it's not just because you tend to reach for high-fat, high-calorie fare when you're stressed, though that's part of it. It's also due to the stress hormone cortisol, which may increase the amount of fat your body clings to and enlarge your fat cells. Higher levels of cortisol have been linked to more visceral fat.

You're skimping on sleep If you're among the 30 percent of Americans who sleep less than six hours a night, here's one simple way to whittle your waistline: catch more Zs. A 16-year study of almost 70,000 women found that those who slept five hours or less a night were 30 percent more likely to gain 30 or more pounds than those who slept 7 hours. The National Institutes of Health suggest adults sleep seven to eight hours a night. You're apple shaped If you tend to pack the pounds around your middle rather than your hips and thighs, then you're apple shaped. This genetic predisposition means ridding yourself of belly fat will be harder, Kashyap said, but not impossible. You're sick If your testosterone levels are high-something that can occur with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-you might have difficulty losing weight. " If you're an apple shape and overweight, it's a good idea to see your doctor," Kashyap said, since there may also be a chance that you are prediabetic or diabetic. You're unmotivated Are you committed to the work needed to lose belly fat? "Reducing belly fat takes a combination approach of a low-calorie diet that is high in fiber and low in carbohydrates and sugar along with cardiovascular and weight training," Kashyap said. "If you are willing to do the work, you can move past genetics and lose it. This article originally appeared on Health.com.

iPad class update

I just saw the pictures from the class this morning. Looks like everyone had a great time!  Gee, how soon y'all forget me!! Seriously, Rachel is terrific and I appreciate her stepping up when they sent me on a last minute assignment. Thanks   Rachel and Rebecca for a great job!

Next week is Paragould! The bus will leave early so if you want to participate, just let me know!
Have a great day!
Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Moms and Grandmothers!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Friday!

Hi everyone,
It is finally Friday! What a week! Taking a vacation made this week really hard for me. Guess it is true that you have to pay when you play. Those attending the iPad class tomorrow are in for a real treat!
Have a great day, make it count and do a good deed!
Until tomorrow,
Dr. Janet

Keep moving!

Active older adults have healthiest hearts, study says Published May 07, 2014 Reuters

People in their 60s and 70s who regularly engaged in physical activity, such as walking, had the healthiest hearts in a new study. Compared to sedentary peers, the older adults in the study who were active had better heart-rate variability - a measure of the slight differences in time between each heartbeat that is influenced by the health of both the heart and the nervous system.

"Modest physical activity, such as the distance and pace of walking, is important for the heart's electrical well being of older adults," Luisa Soares-Miranda told Reuters Health in an email. The effects were seen over time, added Soares-Miranda, a researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and the Faculty of Sport at the University of Porto in Portugal who led the new research. "In our study, older adults that increased their walking pace or distance had a better heart rate variability when compared with those that decreased their walking pace or distance," she said. Heart rate variability is a sign of a healthy heart that can respond readily to changing demands and is often used as a measure of fitness for adults of any age. Previous research has shown a link between exercise, heart rate variability, and lowered cardiovascular risk in groups of middle-aged people, but little is known about whether those ties persist in older adults, the researchers note in the journal Circulation. Soares-Miranda and her colleagues analyzed data on nearly 1,000 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study that began in the U.S. in 1989. The men and women were 65 or older at the beginning of the study and were followed for five years. Study participants were initially evaluated for their health status, medical history and cardiovascular risk factors, and asked about their usual amounts of physical activity, including sports and everyday activities such as gardening, housework and walking. All the people included in the new analysis had their heart rate variability tested at the beginning and end of the five-year study period. When the researchers analyzed the data, they divided participants into five groups representing the lowest to the highest amounts of physical activity and found that people in the top fifth also had the most favorable heart-rate variability results. That was particularly true for those who increased their walking pace or distance over the five years studied. The results don't prove that the exercise influenced heart rate variability, but the researchers adjusted for several factors, including weight, overall health, use of heart drugs or presence of diabetes, to see if people with the healthiest hearts were the most likely to engage in physical activity. The results held, and based on other large studies, Soares-Miranda and her team calculated that participants who were the most active had about 11 percent less risk of cardiovascular disease compared to participants who were the least active. "Our results suggest not only that regular physical activity later in life is beneficial, but also that certain beneficial changes that occur may be reduced when physical activity is reduced," Soares-Miranda said. She also said the study findings support the need to maintain modest physical activity throughout the aging process. "Even small increases can lead to a better health, while reducing physical activity has the opposite effect," she said. "So, any physical activity is better than none, and more is better. Walking is the most common form of activity, Soares-Miranda said, and she believes it's a good way to achieve physical activity recommendations for aerobic exercise. "I think that if a senior feels comfortable with his or her usual physical activity -- independently of what the activity is, he or she should not slow down," Soares-Miranda said. "If walking is the main physical activity, try to walk an extra block or walk at a faster pace. It is never too late to start and to do more. Dr. Michael Rich said that normal heart rate variability typically declines with age and can be partly due to diseases people develop or to physical deconditioning. Rich is director of the Cardiac Rapid Evaluation Unit of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and was not involved in the new research. "I think what this study shows is that despite what we know about changes in heart rate variability with age, there still is an association between physical activity and heart rate variability that is favorable and that people who exercise regularly have a more favorable profile of different heart rate variability," he told Reuters Health. "What the authors are trying to imply, but can't actually prove in this study, is that the favorable effect of exercise on heart rate variability might be part of the mechanism for - or at least contribute to the general association between - good physical conditioning, regular physical activity and health in general, and risk for cardiovascular diseases in particular, such as heart attack, and congestive heart failure," he said. Rich, who is a cardiology researcher with Washington University in St. Louis and a spokesperson for the American Geriatrics Society, added that more research on the oldest seniors would be beneficial. "The average age of the population of this study was 71, so it's a relatively young older population and whether the findings are applicable in people over 80, I think we don't know from the study," he said. "It would be interesting to do a similar type of analysis on a population of people over the age of 80.