Healthy Improvements for 2014

Last year, various bloggers posted lists of some of the strangest New Year’s Resolutions that revolved around personal health. While they aren’t the traditional “lose weight” or “eat more fruits and vegetables” types of resolutions, they are truly exceptional goals – all revolving around healthy improvements to your life. Here are six that I encourage you to put on your list for 2014:

1. Learning how to live in an aging body. As we age, our bodies seems to fail us in areas we never expected. A body at age 80 is far different than the same body at age 60. Likewise, a 40-year-old body is truly not an 18-year-old one. The resolution is “learn about how your body changes as you age and adjust your health requirements as needed.”

2. Schedule your prostate or breast cancer screening. Both are not very pleasant, yet they can really help improve your chances of early detection and prevention. Most health insurances will fully cover such preventative care, so there is no need to keep putting it off. The resolution: “Call your doctor and schedule your exam.”

3. Be pesticide-free. Along with the expansion of genetically modified foods and the ever-increasing use of chemicals on our nation’s food supply comes an increase in cancers and other health issues associated with such harmful substances. Resolve to remove or reduce them from your home and your life. The resolution: “eat more organic foods, wash your fruits and vegetables and take care to eliminate exposure to chemicals.”

4. Achieve the perfect smile. Dental health has been associated with a variety of other health issues such as blood disorders and heart disease along with various mental health concerns such as depression. You can start this resolution with little effort: brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss, and maintain routine dental appointments. For some, tooth extractions, braces or even dentures may help you with this goal. The resolution: “Improve your smile with good dental hygiene.”

5. Learn something you never learned as a child. Can you jump rope? How about playing hopscotch? What about riding a bike or swim? Most of us learned how to do these things as children, yet some never did. Find that one thing that you should have learned when you were young but never did. Put in on your list. Some of these can boost not only your mental health but also your physical health. Resolution: “learn how to _______ (you fill in the blank).”

6. Listen to more music. Studies have shown that listening to music – almost anything you like, actually – can help reduce stress. Some say that playing music at work aids in increased productions while others prefer to use music to relax them after a long day. Regardless, music is soothing and is a good resolution to have. Resolution: “Play more music.”

New Year’s resolutions have long been intended to focus on self-improvement. That means that you exit the New Year as a better person than you came into it. It began back in the Babylonian era when the custom of setting such resolutions had moral intentions: be good to others. Early Christians prepared for the coming year through prayer and self-resolutions all based on the concept to improve the self. Resolutions have come quite a long way since their original intent, and today, they are often superficial and more attention-getting than ever before.

Let’s get back to the New Year’s resolutions as they were meant to be: a positive, moral improvement of yourself and others. So, whatever you do as a resolution, do it for you, do it for your health and well-being. Be a better person next December than you are today!

References

Alexander, J. (2013). A history of New Year’s resolutions. The Newsline, Oklahoma State University. Retrieved from http://reslife.okstate.edu/January2013.pdf.

Hughes, A. (2012). Here’s to health: unique and unusual New Year’s Resolutions. Retrieved from http://health.yahoo.net/articles/alternative-medicine/heres-health-unique-and-unusual-new-years-resolutions

The Real Buzz Group Ltd. (2013). 10 unusual New Year’s resolutions. Retrieved from http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/10-unusual-new-year-s-resolutions/#pagination-top.

Rose, V. (2011). My five unusual/funny New Year’s resolutions. Retrieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/my-five-unusual-funny-years-resolutions-7517518.html?cat=74.

De-Stress Your Holiday OR Just Skip It Altogether!

Does this sound like you: Go shopping, visit the family, go shopping again, bake holiday cookies, shop some more, decorate the house, shop again, visit in-laws, pick up stocking stuffers, prepare holiday feast, shop for Secret Santa gift for work, mail Christmas cards, wrap presents, head to church services….and the list goes on and on.

Talk about being stressed out, not to mention maxing out your credit cards on gifts most people don’t need or even want (maybe)! There’s no doubt about it, this time of year can be stressful. And, as I get older, it seems to get worse every year.

I think John Grisham had it right when he wrote the book Skipping Christmas in 2001. Most of you might be more familiar with the 2004 movie based off of the Grisham story, Christmas with the Kranks, but the premise is the same: No shopping, no baking, no holiday parties…no Christmas. It really points to a “no stress” holiday. That was the point. Did you get it? I sure did.

When I read the book in 2002, I posed the idea to my husband to “skip” Christmas that year so we weren’t pulled in so many directions on Christmas day: visiting multiple families, exchanging gifts, cooking a feast and then cleaning mounds of dishes afterward, decorating to the hilt. Although we weren’t as elaborate in our Christmas skip day as Grisham’s character’s The Kranks, who planned a peaceful Caribbean cruise in place of Christmas, my husband and I took off for the ski slopes and enjoyed each other’s company from dawn to dusk. No stress. Seriously, we didn’t overeat, didn’t over buy, and we didn’t feel pulled in all directions.

With a successful first Christmas skip day under our belt, we realized that the world didn’t end because we skipped out on a stress-filled day. Of course, we still celebrated some of the traditional holiday stuff and visited family between Christmas and New Year’s Day…but at our leisure over several days. The best part of it all was that our health didn’t suffer: We had a stress-free holiday!

Your health is a vital part of being able to enjoy the holiday season – regardless if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or just New Year’s Eve/Day. Staying stress-free can not only reduce health hazards such as heart problems, high blood pressure, and headaches, it can actually benefit your overall health. In fact, a study published in the journal Health Psychology discovered something even beyond actual stress and poor health. Researchers found that high amounts of stress coupled with the perception that stress will impact health were associated with poor health and mental health outcomes. In addition, they concluded that “individuals who perceived that stress affects their health and reported a large amount of stress had an increased risk of premature death.” 

Is this really a death-laden holiday? It doesn’t have to be.

While some people simply don’t feel they can “skip” the holiday, health and psychology professionals do offer several tips to help you reduce your stress (which will improve your overall holiday enjoyment):

1. Practice being calm and quiet. Taking several deep breaths or practicing meditation will help you relax, especially if you do this before you start your day.

2. Stay positive. People can be harsh and terse during the holidays, especially at the mall. Do not let their bad mood affect you. Smile or say a kind word instead. You do not know their specific situation, so don’t react negatively.

3. Get moving. Exercising regularly is probably one of the best ways to overcome stress. Getting your blood flowing reduces tension and fatigue and improves your ability to think clearly. While you may want to, don’t skip your workout. It’s critical for your health.

4. Limit the holiday “comfort” foods. Besides cakes, cookies, and candies, this also includes alcoholic beverages. When offered such treats, be kind and take polite bites or sips, but avoid over-indulgence. Sugar, alcohol, and caffeine can increase stress.

5. Be generous. This doesn’t mean cleaning out your retirement account for the holidays. What it does mean is to give compliments and heart-felt sentiments. Giving makes you feel good about yourself, regardless of the gift itself.

6. Make a concrete Christmas shopping list. This will allow you to stay within budget and not overspend on whim or inspirational purchases.

7. Sleep well. Holiday parties that last into the wee hours of the morning rob you of much needed sleep. Make sure you keep as normal a sleep schedule as possible, limiting those late night rendezvous.

Be well and have a wonderful holiday season!

References

Bennett, C. (2009). 7 tips to relieve holiday stress. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/smart-habits-highly-successful-people/200912/7-tips-relieve-holiday-stress. 

The Better Health Channel. (2013). Christmas – tips to reduce the stress. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Christmas_tips_to_reduce_the_stress?open&utm_term=Christmas_tips_to_reduce_the_stress&utm_source=&utm_campaign=newsletter.

Keller, A., Litzelman, K., Wish, L., E., Maddox, T., Cheng, E. R., Cresswell, P. D. and Witt, W. P. (2012). Does the perception that stress affects health matter? The association with health and mortality. Health Psychology, 31(5), p. 677-684.

Are Pillow Cases, Shower Curtains, and Diapers Harmful?

It’s not all that surprising that household cleaners, cosmetics and similar products contain potentially harmful chemicals. Yet, were you aware that some of your every-day, rather unobtrusive products may also contain those same harmful toxins that could adversely affect your health?

As reported last year in the journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, 55 potentially dangerous chemical compounds were detected in some unsuspected mainstream products such as pillow protectors, diapers, toothpaste, shower curtains, dryer sheets, and body wash. Some of these adverse effects include endocrine system disruption that is associated with asthma, poor development of the nervous system and slower metabolism, and a connection to increased cancer risks.

The interesting part about these chemical compounds was that they weren’t reported on the product label. In fact, products such as these do not have to come with a product ingredient label. In other words, if a chemical was added to your pillow protector, that chemical did not have to be disclosed on the label.

What’s more interesting is that this study also tested “alternative” products that were labeled as “green” or “natural” and still toxic chemicals were detected – although not nearly at the same concentration levels as traditional consumer products.

The research, which was presented at this year’s Annual American Public Health Associations’ conference in Boston earlier this month, found a wide range of phthalates, alkylphenols, parabens, and PCBs as well as flame retardants and some banned pesticides in the products that were laboratory tested. While some of the levels of these chemicals were low and tested within safe exposure ranges, the researchers noted that multiple products in the same home combined together may present unsafe exposures to these toxic chemicals.

Here is a run-down of these chemicals:

Phthalates are used in many plastic-type products to increase their durability and flexibility. When ingested or inhaled, they can cause problems with developing endocrine and reproductive systems. In particular, high levels of the phthalate known as DEHP have been linked with severe reproductive system development as well as obesity.

Alkylphenols are used ad additives for fuels and lubricants and are commonly used in the cosmetic industry. Of interest, the European Union has implemented restrictions on the use of alkylphenols because of the high toxicity. The chemical mimics estrogen and when in the system can be harmful to the reproductive system as well as immune system, especially in children.

Parabens are commonly used as a preservative in cosmetics. In small amounts as if often used in the cosmetic industry, these are harmful. However, higher doses and exposures to them has been linked to certain forms of breast cancer.

PCBs stands for Polychlorinated Biphenyls, which have been shown to cause a variety of health effects, in particular cancer. They have also been linked to disruptions in the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, and endocrine system.

Antimicrobials are antibiotics that have become so ubiquitous that they are often ineffective against bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control reports that antimicrobials in products may not actually kill germs as intended because of our growing antibiotic-resistance to infections. The use of this chemical may be a moot point for its originally intended purpose, thus, leaving us at an increased risk for disease.

Probably the biggest take-away from the study was the need for improved product safety reporting measures. There is a huge push from environmental health experts for full product disclosure; the government is slow to respond. In the meantime, the best thing you can do is limit your exposure by using more natural products, or a lesser amount of mainstream products. Furthermore, you can always contact the company to request full disclosures of product ingredients.

A handful of Tested Products and their chemical additives:

Product	Chemicals Detected		Exposure Level		Adverse Health Effects
	Mainstream version	Alternative Version	Mainstream Version	Alternative Version
Pillow Protector	Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate - DEHP	Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phtalate	> 1,000 µg/g	> 1-100 µg/g	Poor reproductive health; asthma/endocrine health
	Other Phthalates	--	> 1-100 µg/g	--	Poor reproductive health and endocrine system development
	Alkylphenols	Alkylphenols	> 1-100 µg/g	> 1-100 µg/g	Poor reproductive health; immune system disruptions
Diapers	Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate - DEHP	--	> 1-100 µg/g	--	Poor reproductive health; asthma/endocrine health
	Alkylphenols	--	> 1-100 µg/g	--	Poor reproductive health; immune system disruptions
Toothpaste	Antimicrobials	--	> 100-1000 µg/g	--	Ineffective against bacteria, potentially causing immune system disruption
	Methyl salicylate	--	> 100-1000 µg/g	--	Asthma, skin irritation, nasal polyps
	Eugenol	--	> 1-100 µg/g	> 1-100 µg/g	Liver damage; digestive issues
	--	Alkylphenols	--	> 1-100 µg/g	Poor reproductive health; immune system disruptions
Body Wash*	Benzyl acetate	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	GI irritation; respiratory issues; cancers
	Hexyl cinnemal	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Immune system disruptions; respiratory issues
	Linalool	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Immune system disruptions; respiratory issues
	HHCB	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Reproductive health
	Diethyl phthalate	N/A	> 1-100 µg/g	N/A	Liver damage; poor reproductive health
Shower Curtain (vinyl)*	Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate - DEHP	N/A	> 1,000 µg/g	N/A	Poor reproductive health; asthma/endocrine health
	Bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Poor reproductive health; asthma/endocrine health
	Bisphenol A (BPA)	N/A	> 1-100 µg/g	N/A	Disruption of immune, nervous and reproductive systems
	Alkylphenol (4-t-Octylphenol)	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Altered sex hormones, hypothalamic-pituitary suppression, poor reproductive outcomes
Dryer Sheets*	Methylionone	N/A	> 1,000  µg/g	N/A	Skin irritation; respiratory distress; no long-term chronic efforts have been studied (unknown)
	Bucinal	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Endocrine system disruption (asthma)
	Phenethyl alcohol	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Endocrine system disruption (asthma)
	Other Fragrances	N/A	> 1-100 µg/g	N/A	Endocrine system disruption (asthma)
	Phthalates	N/A	> 1-100 µg/g	N/A	Poor reproductive health and endocrine system development
	Diethanolamine	N/A	> 100-1000 µg/g	N/A	Respiratory distress/asthma
	Alkylphenol (4-t-Octylphenol)	N/A	> 1-100 µg/g	N/A	Altered sex hormones, hypothalamic-pituitary suppression, poor reproductive outcomes

 *No natural version of these were tested

References:

 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2013). Diethyl Phthalate. Retrieved from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=112

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Antibiotic/Antimicrobial Resistance. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013/.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). National Biomonitoring Program. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Octylphenol_BiomonitoringSummary.html.

Dodson, R. E., Nishioka, M., Standley, L. J., Perovich, L. J., Brody, J. G., & Rudel, R. A. (2012). Endocrine disruptors and asthma-associated chemicals in consumer products. Environmental Health Perspectives, 120(7), 935-943.

EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. (2013). Hexyl cinnemal. Retrieved from http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702841/HEXYL_CINNAMAL/.

EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. (2013). Linalool. Retrieved from http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/703568/LINALOOL/

Health Central. (n.d.). Methyl salicylate-Menthol Top precautions and side effects. Retrieved from http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/r/medications/methyl-salicylate-menthol-top-18536/side-effects

Healthy Child Healthy World. (2013). Chemical. Retrieved from http://healthychild.org/easy-steps/avoid-alkylphenol-ethoxylates-apes-in-cleaning-products-and-more/.

Mayo Clinic. (2013). What is BPA and what are the concerns about BPA? Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bpa/AN01955

Spectrum Chemical. (n.d.) Methylionone Material Safety Data Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.spectrumchemical.com/MSDS/TCI-M0363.pdf

Toxicology Data Network. (n.d.). Benzyl Acetate. Retrieved from http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+2851

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2013). Cosmetics: Parabens. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productandingredientsafety/selectedcosmeticingredients/ucm128042.htm

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2013). Health effects of PCBs. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/tsd/pcbs/pubs/effects.htm.