Calories In...Calories Out

With the holiday season upon us, it is a good time to think about our habits. There is no need to gain 5-10 pounds during the holidays; it can be avoided by being aware, planning ahead and balancing our eating and exercise.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, calories really do count. It is all about a balance;  calories in, calories out.

A calorie is a unit of energy supplied by food. No matter what the source; protein, fat, carbs, or sugar; a calorie is a calorie.

To remain in balance and maintain a specific weight, you need to maintain a caloric balance. The calories consumed must be balanced by the calories you use with normal body functions, activities and exercise.

It takes about 3500 calorie deficit to lose one pound of body fat. So if you want to lose 1 - 2 pounds per week, you need to reduce your calorie intake by 500-100 per day.

The SuperTracker tool from the USDA is a great resource to look up nutritional values of food, track your daily eating, record physical activity, manage weight, track goals and organize recipes. There are some other great resources at eatright.

No one wants to "diet" especially during the holidays; but you can work to maintain a balance and not gain weight. If you eat a little more, then exercise a little more.

Everyone is different and has different caloric needs. Find your balance and try to maintain. There are many simple tips on cutting calories at each meal. Try one or two each week.

When planning you holiday meals make substitutions in recipes, provide healthy appetizers and encourage an after meal family walk.

MMHD encourages you to keep your holidays healthy and active.



Food Safety

Information provided by the California Department of Public Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 6, or 48 million Americans contract a foodborne illness each year. Of those that become sick, nearly 128,000 people will be hospitalized and 3,000 will die as a result of their illness. There are some easy and effective steps you can take to help lessen your chance of contracting a foodborne illness.

CLEANLINESS 
• Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling food for at least 20 seconds. Humming “happy birthday” twice while washing hands is a good way to ensure you are washing long enough.
 • Scrub cutting boards with hot, soapy water after preparing each item and before moving on to the next food. If your cutting board has deep groves or cut marks which make it difficult to clean, consider replacing it.
• After washing your utensils and cutting boards with soap and water, rinsing them with a bleach solution (made of one tablespoon of unscented liquid bleach diluted in one gallon of water) will provide effective sanitation action.
• Cover any cuts or skin abrasions on your hands to avoid contaminating the food. • Keep pets and household chemicals away from food preparation areas.

PREVENT CROSS CONTAMINATION
• Keep raw and cooked foods separate.
• Use separate cutting boards and knives for chopping ready to eat produce and raw meats.
• Never rinse raw poultry because it spreads germs around the kitchen sink, which can serve as a source of contamination for other foods.
• Discard used marinades.
• Use clean utensils and plates to remove cooked foods from grills and pans. Never place cooked foods back into the dish which held the raw or uncooked foods.
• At the grocery store, separate raw and uncooked meats from ready to eat items. Place raw meats in disposable, plastic bags away from other foods. California Department of Public Health
• Food and Drug Branch • (916) 650-6500
• fdbinfo@cdph.ca.gov Revised: 09/01/2015
 • If you use reusable shopping bags for groceries, designate specific bags for meats to avoid cross-contamination. Wash and dry bags as they become soiled.
 • Store bags used for groceries at home in a manner which protects them from other sources of contamination such as pets, children, and chemicals.
 • Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator in water-tight containers to prevent juices from leaking onto ready-to-eat and cooked foods.

COOKING 
• Color is an inaccurate way to determine if meat is sufficiently cooked. Instead, always use an accurate thermometer to measure the final internal temperature of meat and meat products.
• Measure the temperature in the thickest part of the food, ensuring the thermometer does not touch bone or the cooking pan which can give you an inaccurate reading. Be sure to thoroughly wash thermometers after each use.
• Wait until foods are completely cooked before taste testing.
• When using a microwave to cook or reheat food, be sure to rotate or stir the food to facilitate thorough heating. Additionally, some labels recommend a “resting time” for the food after cooking, before it should be served. Those instructions should be followed in order to allow the heat to evenly distribute.

CHILL
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Bacteria can grow in foods kept in the temperature “danger zone” (41°F—135°F) / (5 °C—58 °C) for an extended period of time.
• Refrigerate leftovers to less than 41°F / 5 °C as soon as possible, but definitely within 2 hours.
• Divide large amounts of warm stews, soups and other food items into smaller portions before placing in the refrigerator. Use shallow pans and loosely cover while in the refrigerator to allow warm air to escape and facilitate cooling.
• At the grocery store, select cold foods last and put them away first when you get home, to keep them cold.
• Refrigerated foods that are packaged in hermetically sealed or vacuum packaged containers should always be stored in the refrigerator. Storing these types of vacuum packaged products at room temperature could allow the production of Botulism toxin.
• Always follow package instructions, especially when it comes to keeping foods refrigerated!
• Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator or in a microwave immediately prior to cooking. Never thaw frozen foods on the counter.

National Rural Health Day

NOSORH created National Rural Health Day as a way to showcase rural America; increase awareness of rural health-related issues; and promote the efforts of NOSORH, State Offices of Rural Health and others in addressing those issues. Plans call for National Rural Health Day to become an annual celebration on the third Thursday of each November.

            Events recognizing National Rural Health Day and “Celebrating the Power of Rural” are being planned throughout the nation. 

            Approximately 62 million people – nearly one in five Americans – live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States. “These small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are wonderful places to live and work; they are places where neighbors know each other and work together,” said NOSORH Director Teryl Eisinger. “The hospitals and providers serving these rural communities not only provide quality patient care, but they also help keep good jobs in rural America.”

            These communities also face unique healthcare needs. “Today more than ever, rural communities must tackle accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens,” Eisinger said. “Meanwhile, rural hospitals are threatened with declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels that makes it challenging to serve their residents.”

            State Offices of Rural Health play a key role in addressing those needs. All 50 states maintain a State Office of Rural Health, each of which shares a similar mission: to foster relationships, disseminate information and provide technical assistance that improves access to, and the quality of, health care for its rural citizens. In the past year alone, State Offices of Rural Health collectively provided technical assistance to more than 28,000 rural communities.

            Additional information about National Rural Health Day can be found at nosorh.org/nrhd. To learn more about NOSORH, visit www.nosorh.org; to learn more about Mayers Memorial Hospital District, visit www.mayersmemorial.com.

Cold or the Flu?

How can you tell the difference between a cold and the flu? Knowing the difference:

The common cold and the flu are contagious respiratory infections that affect  millions of people annually. Children can be affected more often than adults; and may catch a cold up to 10 times per year.

Generally the flu happens less often than colds.

Recognize the difference in the symptoms:

COLD:

• Low grade  or NO fever
• Headaches are UNCOMMON
• Mild fatigue, weakness
• Mild aches and pains
• Sneezing, stuffy nose
• Mild cough
• Sore throat

FLU:

• Sudden fever lasting 3-4 days
• Headache - prominent
• Extreme fatigue that can last weeks
• Severe aches and pains
• Sneezing, stuffy nose - sometimes
• Cough - can be severe
• Sore throat - sometimes

PREVENTION:

• Wash hands with soap and water
• Keep kitchen, restroom, toys, remotes, etc. clean
• Don't share food or drink items
• Avoid contact
• Avoid crowds
• Drink plenty of water
• Keep your hands away from eyes, nose and mouth
• Get plenty of sleep, exercise and nutritious food
• Get your flu vaccine

DON'T SPREAD GERMS:

• Avoid close contact
• Use tissues or inside of elbow for coughing and sneezing
• Wash thoroughly after coughing and sneezing
• Discard used tissues immediately

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF:

• Drink plenty of fluids
• Increase rest
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol

SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE:

• Difficulty breathing
• Feeling of faintness
• Severe sore throat
• Productive cough with colored phlegm
• High fever
• Symptoms last more than 10 days
• Fever with shaking chills
• Chest pain with breathing or cough
• If you have other health conditions

Mayers Memorial Hospital

Second Hand Smoke

Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke is a mixture of two forms of smoke; sidestream smoke from the lighted end of the cigarette and mainstream smoke that is exhaled by the smoker.

Smoke is smoke, right? Not exactly. Sidestream smoke has a higher concentration of carcinogens and is more toxic than mainstream smoke. Additionally, sidestream smoke is made up of smaller particles that make their way into the lungs and body cells easier.

Non-smokers who breathe in secondhand smoke take in nicotine and toxic chemicals the same way a smoker does. The more you are exposed to secondhand smoke, the higher the level of harmful chemicals in your body.

Tobacco smoke is a mixture of gases and particles containing more than 7000 chemical compounds; more than 250 are known to be harmful and 69 of them are known to cause cancer.

No level of secondhand smoke is safe. Every 2 in 5 children are exposed to secondhand smoke and one in four nonsmokers are exposed. Secondhand smoke causes death in over 41,000 nonsmokers each year. Exposure is most common in children ages 3 to 11, African Americans and those living below the poverty level.

Many states have smokefree laws which protect people in restaurants, bars and private worksites.

Avoiding secondhand smoke is important. Try to not be around people that smoke - even better try to encourage friends and family to quit smoking. Keep your home smoke free, especially if you have children.

For more information visit MMHD.