May is National Osteoporosis Prevention Month

Osteoporosis means porous bones. The bones can become so thin and brittle that even a cough can cause a broken bone. Bones need minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus, to keep them strong.

Most people believe this is a condition that affects older women, and that’s partly true. The important thing is that the process starts long before we’re old, and can affect men as well. It’s important to keep bones healthy at any age.
When we’re young and bones are growing, we need calcium and vitamin D in the diet to help build strong bones. Regular exercise is also important. Pregnancy and breast feeding are other times when there is an increased need for calcium and vitamin D.
Some things that put a person at high risk of having osteoporosis include:

• White women have a higher risk; but men over 75 also are at high risk
• Getting older
• Family history
• Small frame
• Smoking
• Eating disorders
• Taking steroids and certain other medicines
• Drinking lots of soft drinks with caffeine
• Lack of exercise
  

Osteoporosis causes broken bones; most often, the spine or hip is affected. So it’s important to keep your bones in good shape. Walking is a very good way to exercise for preventing this disease. Most people get enough vitamin D from sunshine. Dairy foods are a great source of calcium, but so are broccoli and almonds.

People who are at risk and older women should have bone density tests, often called DEXA scans. For more information, see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/DS00128

Finding Monthly Observances

You may wonder where I find all this "May is...month" information. For a number of years I've been using "Brownielocks and the Three Bears" found at http://www.brownielocks.com. It is well researched, accurate, frequently updated, and a lot of fun besides. Where else could you find that May 4 is Respect for Chickens Day! And I missed it! If you're feeling out of sorts, May 7 is the Great American Grump Out--prepare yourself. The dates are validated and viewing the lists is free. Have a look!

April is Stress Awareness Month

It seems most appropriate. The month in which income taxes are due is stress awareness month. This year there are any number of reasons for stress: Increasing prices of gasoline which lead to increasing prices of just about anything else, hatred of our country by many around the world (and by some here at home), a society in which believers are looked down upon…I could go on and on, and I’m sure you could, too. The world we live in keeps changing; change, whether good or bad, causes stress.
Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. It can alert us to danger so we can take action or help us to cope with an urgent problem. But stress that continues over a long period of time, overwhelms us, or seems without solution can stop us in our tracks, even leading to physical illness.
Some ways to cope with stress include:
-Don’t try to cram too many activities into your day.
-Don’t be a perfectionist.
-Try to relax.
-Get enough sleep.
-Take care of yourself.
-Don’t go it alone.
The last applies especially to believers. Our awesome God is in control. In the midst of constant change, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. A focus on Him and not our circumstances is the effective way to deal with stress.A great article, actually written for teens but applying to even this old lady, is found at http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/stress.html

PUT HOLIDAY STRESS TO WORK!

Here we are, approaching Christmas, and some of us are stressing out already about gifts to buy, baking, preparing the house for guests and all the many details involved. For believers, the joy and significance of Christ’s birth make a great difference in how we look at the season. Our radio preacher friend Steve Brown once pointed out that, when you go to the mall to shop in the crowds, even non-believers are there for unselfish reasons—to buy presents for other people!
I found an article on the Canadian Health Network that gave a different approach—use holiday stress to work for you! The truth is that stress gives you a certain amount of energy. The trick is not to let the stress take over. So…

• Be realistic in your planning. Don’t try to pack so many tasks, activities and stuff into your schedule. After all, you still have all of your day-to-day things to accomplish.
• Try project management. Have a look at all the steps involved in your plans for a party, decorating, etc. before you jump in.
• Involve the family in planning and make it clear to each person what their responsibilities are—picking up certain gifts, helping with housecleaning, etc. If someone offers to bring a dessert to the dinner, take them up on it.
• Are there a couple of small things you could accomplish today that would lighten the load? Take care of them, and then congratulate yourself!
• Stick to a budget! Going over just ads to stress.
• Reach out to others—needy, lonely, especially those who may be spending their first Christmas without a loved one.
• Count your blessings.
• Keep a positive attitude and don’t wring your hands about what could go wrong.
• Do something nice for yourself! Take a break and enjoy a little pampering or something you’d enjoy doing.

NOVEMBER IS FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH

The National Family Caregivers Association (website http://www.nfcacares.org) tells us that more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member. Stress and the toll on the caregiver’s health are high. This website includes a wealth of information and resources for caregivers.

It is important for caregivers to reach out for help. Friends and other family members might assist by:
Running errands
Helping with household chores
Providing a meal
Carpooling young children or babysitting
Caregivers may feel guilty asking for help, so if you know a caregiver, see what you might be able to do for them. Sometimes just having someone to talk with and receive emotional support from is helpful. The caregiver should be encouraged to look after his or her own health, getting regular checkups and sufficient rest. Respite care, having someone come and stay with the ill family member for a few hours, may be available through a county agency. The caregiver who works should check out the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Most everyone in our Arizona church family is retired. In many cases, there are caregiver situations in which the caregiver is elderly and may have his or her own health problems. We must be alert to these situations so that we can offer support and encouragement as we can.

October is Organize Your Medical Information Month

When we saw our primary physician in June, I picked up a couple of little cards at the desk. These had places for name, allergies, medications, and physician name and phone number. We carry them in our wallets. In case of emergency, we’ve got that information with us. We keep it with our medical insurance card. It’s also useful when we go to the doctor since we’ll have a list of our medicines with us.

A more “high tech” device involves a USB flash drive for your keychain containing your medical information. Two of these are available. See http://www.medictag.com/ or http://www.medicalert.com/E-Health/.

It’s useful to have a record at home as well. This should include:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Allergies
• Prescription medicines with dose and schedule
• Medical problems
• Doctor’s name and telephone number
• Preferred hospital
• Health insurance information

One way make this available in case of emergency is through the Vial of Life program. A form can be printed out and stored in the refrigerator; a decal is ordered to be placed on the refrigerator so emergency responders will know where to look for the information. Details, printable forms, and ordering instructions for decals are found at http://www.vialoflife.com.

Another consideration is finding a next of kin in case of emergency. If you have a cell phone, try ICE. In your contact list, list ICE (in case of emergency) with the number of your next of kin. A sticker on your phone would assist emergency responders as well.

Take care to protect your identity—do not include a social security number in any of these places. Emergency responders do not need this information.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Although more women have mammograms today than ever before, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55. It is the most common cancer in women. Finding the cancer early leads to early treatment and a better outcome.

Most breast cancers are found with mammograms, but some are discovered when women examine their breasts on a monthly basis. The American Cancer Society recommends woman start breast self-exam at the age of 20. Instructions are found at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-self-exam/WO00026/UPDATEAPP=0.

There are some signs women can look for as they examine their breasts:

• Changes in how the breast or nipple feels.
• A lump or thickening in or near the breast or under the arm.
• Tenderness of the nipple.
• Changes in how the breast or nipple looks.
• Changes in the size and shape of the breast.
• Changes in the skin of the breast, such as scaly skin, redness, swelling, ridges, or pitting.
• Any fluid coming from the nipple.

Women who find any of these changes should see their physician.

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms beginning at the age of 40. Women who have a mother, sister or daughter with breast or ovarian cancer (or both) or a male relative with breast cancer, especially before age 50, run a higher risk. About 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are related to two defective genes. Women with these risks should discuss with their physician whether they need to begin yearly mammograms at a younger age.

Some other risk factors for breast cancer include:

• Age older than 50.
• Radiation exposure.
• Excess weight, especially if the weight was gained in the teen years or after menopause, or if there is more body fat in the upper body.
• Early start of menstruation.
• Menopause after age 55.
• First pregnancy after 30.
• White women are more likely to have breast cancer, but black women are more likely to die of it.
• Use of hormones for symptoms of menopause.
• Use of birth control pills.
• Smoking
• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Pre-cancerous changes in the breast.
• Dense breast tissue may hide tumors and may also be a cause of increased risk.

Excellent information is found at http://cms.komen.org/komen/index.htm