Good Health News • January-February• 2014
Good Health News January-February • 2014 Volume 6 Number 4
In This Issue New Year`s Resolutions ................................Page 1 Is Nail Polish Harmless? & Healthy Recipe ................................Page 2 Cereals Cause Cancer? & Vitamin E effects on Alzheimer's Patients ................................Page 3 Here's What People Have to Say about LIFE ................................Page 4
Health in Motion director Natan Gendelman gives a few tips on New Year's resolutions On New Year’s Day, we say the best wishes to our family and friends in health, happiness and prosperity. But honestly, is it not our health that matters the most? When we fall sick, we cannot enjoy life to the fullest extent. Here are some ways to make some healthy new year’s resolutions in 2014:
Loving yourself means choosing what is good for you The modern-day concept of loving ourselves means saying ‘yes’ to everything that we desire. For example, if we want junk food, go for it. If we want candies or sweets, go treat ourselves. I would argue that to truly love ourselves, we should not satisfy ourselves with whatever we desire, but choose the options that benefit ourselves in the long-term.
Eliminating harmful habits There are plenty of harmful habits that citizens of the 21st century should learn to eliminate from our lives. Take for example, if junk food contains too much sugar and fat, or if liquor takes a toll on the liver, we should give ourselves consumption restrictions. Other preventative guidelines for good health could include: drinking freshly squeezed fruit juices instead of packaged ones; not eating frozen dinners packed with sodium; or even finishing your food in the fridge before their expiration dates. Moreover, when we feel ill, we should not rush to prescription medicine right away to mask uncomfortable symptoms such as heartburns or headaches. What we have to do is to distinguish which food or habits are bad for us, and eliminate them from our lives. It is just like when we want a car to run for a long time, we fill the engine with high quality gas, change the gears from time to time and clean the car’s interior as well. The strangest thing is when it comes to our own bodies, we keep loading it up with junk; but we do not clean it up properly when needed.
Last wishes In this new year, I wish you health and I wish you motivation to work on it: eat good, fresh, organic foods, say ‘no’ to social drinking, wean off your coffee addiction. In time, you will see how your body is thanking you for these new habits. If you have health, other good things come to you as well. May you enjoy 2014 in good shape with much cheer, laughter and life! Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904) www.healthinmotionrehab.com
1
Good Health News • January-February• 2014
General General Health Health
∂ Is Nail Polish Harmless? Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/ask-well-is-nail-polish-harmful/?ref=health&_r=0
Ignite the Night, All Sparkly and Gold,
Lucky Lucky Lavender… All these nail polish names are cute and creative, and certainly they seem to work based on the statistics that people spent $768 million on it in 2012. However, not many consumers who buy the beauty product think of it as a risky substance . Three compounds in leading nail polish brands are referred to as the ‘toxic trio’. It consists of a known carcinogen, formaldehyde, used as a hardening agent, and two other materials: toluene, used for evenly suspending color and the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate, also known as DBP, to improve sheen.
Researchers have been warning of direct health concerns for those who work in nail salons, and propose that salon operators should organize for better regulation. Children are in the higher risk group because phthalates like DBP could pose developmental risks. Some pediatricians warn against young girls biting on their fingers that have nail polish. To do your own research on the safest nail polish brands, you can use this searchable online cosmetics database at www.ewg. org/skindeep
The European Union has banned the use of DBP in cosmetics, however the United States Food and Drug Administration has not taken any such action. There is a risk that these materials would be absorbed through the skin or nails. Inhaling vapors released when putting on nail polish could also be harmful.
Healthy Recipe Lemon Walnut Kale Salad (8 Servings) In this recipe, we have combined the signature Mediterranean flavors of olives, walnuts and lemons to create a healthy and tasty salad.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: • 10 cups of thinly sliced kale • ½ cup of chopped toasted walnuts • 2 tablespoons finely chopped and rinsed lemon rind • ¼ cup of quartered pitted olives • 1 small minced clove of garlic • ½ teaspoon of salt • ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice • 1 teaspoon of dried oregano • ½ teaspoon of ground pepper
Directions: 1. Mash garlic and salt together on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife to form a paste. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in oil, lemon juice, oregano and pepper. 2. Add kale to the bowl. Massage until it is well coated with the dressing. 3. Transfer to platter. Sprinkle with walnuts, olives and lemon rind. Tip: Toast chopped walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 2 to 4 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.
Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904) www.healthinmotionrehab.com
2
Good Health News • January-February• 2014
∂ Cereals Cause Cancer?
Source: http://www.medicaldaily.com/fda-aims-reduce-cancer-causing-chemical-fries-cereals-and cofee-263725
“Don’t forget your breakfast cereal!” “Have you had your cereal this morning?” Cereal is what we have come to regard as a breakfast staple. Cap’n Crunch, Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran, Cheerios, Froot Loops… There are a ton of choices out there. But have you ever thought that the usual big-name cereals might actually be harmful for your health? New research suggests that everyday foods such as crackers and breakfast cereals contain acrylamide, which could cause nerve damage and, according to animal studies, cause cancer. A study from Sweden suggested that acrylamide is formed when foods rich in carbohydrate such as rice and cereals are fried, baked or roasted at temperatures above 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists propose that it is potentially carcinogenic if consumed regularly over a lifetime. Studies show that breakfast cereals containing bran, which is cooked at a particularly high temperature, contained more acrylamide. Recently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued draft guidelines on reducing consumers’ exposure to acrylamide. The FDA said, “Reducing acrylamide in foods may mitigate potential human health risks from exposure to acrylamide. This guidance is intended to suggest a range of possible approaches to acrylamide reduction, and not to identify specific recommended approaches. This guidance also does not identify any specific maximum recommended level or action level for acrylamide.” Other than acrylamide, Butylated Hydroxytoluene is considered a carcinogenic synthetic chemical manufactured from petroleum. It has been banned in Britain and in California, however, it is still found in a number of Kellogg’s brand cereals. There is certain progress made in improving the health benefits of cereals, including Cheerios-maker General Mills announcing that some Cheerios made without genetically modified ingredients to appear in stores soon. The company is primarily switching the cornstarch and sugar to make the original Cheerios free of GMOs. The change comes after group Green America called on General Mills to make Cheerios GMO-free.
Study Shows Vitamin E Slows Deterioration of Alzheimer’s Patients A new study, published in JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association published on Dec. 25, 2013 found that over about two years, high doses of vitamin E slowed the decline of people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s by an average of six months. The study suggests that vitamin E supplements are good for Alzheimer’s patients, but only in doses higher than vitamin E supplements normally available in pharmacies. The research proves that the vitamin was not delaying cognitive or memory deterioration, but it delayed the deterioration of the ability to perform daily activities like putting on clothes, eating or taking a bath. Compared with other study participants, people who took vitamin E required about two less hours of help from caregivers per day. Some experts said the new study does not propose that high dosages of vitamin E should be taken by everyone with dementia or people hoping to prevent it. It only benefitted people in the study with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, which is similar to study results in 1997 that showed vitamin E could delay functional decline for about seven months in people with moderately severe Alzheimer’s. Critics like Dr. Denis Evans, Rush University internal medicine professor, noted that functional abilities could decline because of aging as well, not necessarily because of Alzheimer’s. Also, the study did not explain why vitamin E would only work in fully developed Alzheimer’s but not in earlier stages.
Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904) www.healthinmotionrehab.com
3
Good Health News • January-February• 2014
Learning Independent Function Everyday. That's LIFE.
what people have to say ∂ Here's about our LIFE Program:
Mini Program For: kids 0-12 & 12-15 with CP, ABI or stroke Frequency: 1-3 times a week, 2-3 hours/day Duration: Ongoing as needed Maxi Program For: kids 0-12 & 12-15 with CP, ABI or stroke Frequency: 5 times a week, 3-5 hours/day Duration: 4 weeks Contact us if you are interested in booking for 2014.
"We entered this programme on a recommendation from a friend so I already had an idea of what to expect, but halfway through the four weeks it is exceeding all my expectations. Natan is amazing with Finn, he knows exactly what to do with him & how to handle him. Already I am seeing a huge improvement with Finn and he is delighted with all the new things he is learning to do. For the first time since Finn has been diagnosed I am excited about what he is going to achieve."
Claire Dempsey, Dublin, Ireland ∂ Nothing can be built up on disability.
For more information, visit our website: www.healthinmotionrehab.com.
Want to subscribe? Good Health News publishes articles about current health issues. The material in this newsletter is not copyrighted, and may be reproduced and shared with family and friends. Articles in GHN are for informational purposes only. If you have a health condition, please consult your physician or health care provider before following any advice. Good Health News is published by the Health in Motion Rehabilitation Clinic, Toronto, Ontario, (416) 250-1904, info@healthinmotionrehab.com. Previous issues of Good Health News are posted at: www.healthinmotionrehab.com. If you would like a subscription, or a copy of past issues, feel free to contact us. We hope you enjoyed this issue! -The Health in Motion Team
Have something you’d like to share? Email us! We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to: healthinmotion@bellnet.ca Note: We reserve the right to select content which will benefit our readers.
www.facebook.com/EnabledKids www.twitter.com/EnabledKids www.facebook.com/healthinmotionrehab.com
Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904) www.healthinmotionrehab.com
4