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Feel Confident in the Decisions that You Make with the TalkAboutHealth.com Online Community

December 14, 2011 by

talkabouthealthWhenever an individual is diagnosed with cancer or any other type of disease, they often struggle to find the right information, which, in turn, can make them feel alone and frightened. In an effort to provide personalized answers and a greater understanding for health issues, Murray Jones, founder of TalkAboutHealth, decided to create an online community for people seeking support and medical information and advice.

See below for our exclusive interview with Murray, where he discusses what TalkAboutHealth is and how it benefits individuals seeking support and personalized health advice:

1. What inspired you to start TalkAboutHealth.com?

I was inspired to start TalkAboutHealth based on needs that I saw from being a caregiver to my father, who is a two time melanoma survivor. We had so many questions and it felt impossible to find the right information and then understand it in a limited amount of time. We felt alone and lacked confidence in the decisions we had to make. We needed personalized answers to understand our health situation. We needed perspectives from others like us who had been through similar circumstances. We needed guidance to help find relevant information.

As time passed and I met more people in cancer communities, both medical professionals and survivors, I realized that there was so much knowledge that everyone wanted to share that just needed a place to live and someone to organize it. I thought to myself, I can do that. I can build a website where people can share their experiences.

2. How does TalkAboutHealth.com benefit patients? In other words, what does it offer to patients, survivors, and experts?

Our goal is to help patients get the right information at the right time, so they can understand their health needs and make the right decisions for them. We want to help people feel confident in the decisions they are making, know that they are not alone, and have hope after hearing the stories of others.

To accomplish this, we provide personalized answers from leading medical professionals and experienced survivors. When a patient asks a question, we find and notify the right experts, survivors, and organizations to answer. Each question has answers from several perspectives and provides context and narrative to help the patient.

We then curate and provide structure for all of this information so that it is easy to find. In the future, we will test many different formats to educate—from custom web and email tutorials to working with medical experts on video courses.

3. Why did you decide to make TalkAboutHealth.com a community-based structure, as opposed to a website that featured medical information without the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback?

For two main reasons:

1. Because the combined knowledge and experiences of the community can have an amazing impact in helping others.

2. Community makes it possible to provided personalized and individualized support.

The purpose of TalkAboutHealth is to be a community where all of us share knowledge, stories, and experiences to support each other.

4. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I encourage everyone, including medical professionals, to tell their story and share their experiences in whatever format is comfortable for them. It is so important for us to share and support each other. None of us are alone, we need each other. If you share your story, you will help others and find the support you need.

Have any questions about TalkAboutHealth or want to learn more? Visit TalkAboutHealth.com or contact Murray directly at murray@talkabouthealth.com.

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How to Enjoy Christmas Parties without Compromising Your Waistline

December 12, 2011 by

Christmas CookiesChristmas is one of the most challenging times of year when it comes to watching your weight. Temptations are everywhere, and difficult to resist. Here are a few ways to watch your waistline while still enjoying holiday festivities.

Decide which parties to attend.

If you’re invited to three parties in one night, it might be tempting to attend all of them, but if you do, you’ll have three times the food and drink. Perhaps going to one or two is a better idea.

If you can, find out what will be served.

Some parties serve a full meal, while others have only snacks and drinks. If you know ahead of time how much food and drink will be available, you can create a plan and stick with it.

Don’t go to the party hungry.

If you’ll have a meal, eat a light snack before you go so you won’t overindulge in appetizers. It seems like meals are always delayed at parties! If you’ll enjoy snacks only, eat a small meal before you leave. You’ll be less likely to eat too many Christmas cookies.

Decide how many drinks you can have.

If you’re driving, ideally you shouldn’t drink at all—but if you decide to indulge, have no more than one glass or wine, one beer, or one single-shot mixed drink per hour. And yes, watch the clock. Your liver can process approximately one drink’s worth of alcohol every 60 minutes. Wait an hour after your last drink before driving.

Better yet, have a designated driver, or plan to call a cab.

Follow the 30-minute rule.

Take half of the amount you really want to eat, enjoy it, and then wait 30 minutes before you eat anything more. It takes that long for your stomach to signal to your brain that it’s full. In that 30 minutes, you’re likely to get involved doing something else and won’t miss eating more.

Eat two or three bites of anything you wish.

If you can’t resist Aunt Millie’s Mississippi mud pie, have a small slice and eat just a couple of bites. You’ll get the taste you want without too many extra calories. The same applies to high-calorie drinks—order that raspberry margarita, enjoy three sips, and then give it to someone else.

If you overindulge, make up for it the next day.

Don’t skip meals, but if you overindulge one day, eat less the next couple of days, and be sure to drink plenty of water.

What’s your favorite waistline-watching tip?

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Step 3 in Quitting Smoking: Taking Effective Actions to Stop

December 7, 2011 by

quit smokingThe one thing that many people don’t understand when it comes to quitting smoking is that addressing the physical addiction to nicotine is not enough. They must also learn to manage the ingrained habits that led them to smoke. People smoke after meals, while driving, and while under stress, to name just three examples. Those urges do not go away simply because the cigarettes are gone.

Quitters need to have a plan for when the habitual part of smoking raises its ugly head. We discussed that a little in our previous post about the 4Ds, but here are a few more tips to master the mental piece of quitting.

Look at your habits.

When did you have your first cigarette of the day? Was it right when you got up, after your shower, or after breakfast? Breaking that habitual urge can be as simple as changing your routine. If you smoked first thing, try going outside for a quick walk instead, or hop into the shower right away.

If your habits don’t change, your chances of staying quit are dramatically lower than if you consciously alter the path of your day.

Have substitutes handy.

If you can’t stop doing something that triggers you to smoke, keep something handy that you can put in your hand or in your mouth. Driving is a strong smoking trigger for many, and most cannot avoid it. Try putting a straw in your hand or a cinnamon toothpick in your mouth. If you find yourself lighting up at a certain intersection on your way to work, find a new route until you’re more secure in your quit.

Enlist help.

If you live with smokers, see what they are willing to do to help you maintain your quit. Having them smoke outside is ideal, since you were likely to smoke with them as part of your habitual conditioning and it’s easier to have them out of sight, out of mind. If they will not go outside, perhaps they would confine their smoking to one room of the house and keep the door closed.

If those you live with don’t smoke, perhaps they can help you identify your smoking habits and ways to break those habits.

You may need to alter your routine for only a few weeks while you master the initial difficulty of quitting, or you may need to change a few things more or less permanently. The main thing to remember is to never take one drag. This is no different from being addicted to any other drug. You would not suggest that an alcoholic or heroin addict has “just one” . . . and you can’t either.

What are your tips to quitting smoking?

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6 Fun Christmas Food and Drink Ideas

December 5, 2011 by

holiday seasonChristmas is a great time to experiment with new food and drink. Following are some fun ideas you may not have thought of—and some would make fun gifts for the person who has everything.

Golden Honey Granola

A new twist on breakfast cereal, try this oatmeal granola recipe with sliced almonds, dried cranberries and apricots, brown sugar, cinnamon, and honey.

Parmesan Grissini

These amazing breadsticks work with everything from hearty tomato soup to a fine steak dinner. Crushed fennel seeds, sea salt, and crushed red pepper make them savory and spicy.

Russian teacakes or butterballs

These small cakes are typically served on holidays and are also called Mexican wedding cakes. They are made from flour, ground nuts, and butter and formed into balls before baking. After coming out of the oven, they are coated in powdered or confectioners’ sugar once while hot, and then they receive a second coating after cooling.

See a typical recipe here.

Marinated Goat Cheese

This would make a wonderful gift for the cheese lover on your list. Simply take a log of goat cheese, add spices and olive oil, and allow to steep in a glass jar. Not only is this a delicious gift, but the colorful spices and olive oil make this a beautiful gift too.

Mulled wine

A staple in Germany, mulled wine is typically red wine mixed with spices, such as cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and allowed to heat (but not boil). Heating the wine with the spices brings out a unique flavor, and the drink is perfect for a chilly evening.

The Food Network has a simple mulled wine recipe. Click here to view it.

Hot buttered rum

Another cold-weather drink, hot buttered rum is a timeless favorite that can be made one mug at a time if you choose. Simply place a slice of soft butter at the bottom of a mug and add some brown sugar and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg. Mix the spices and butter well before adding the hot water and rum. Stir and steep for a moment before enjoying.

What are your favorite Christmas food and drinks?

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How to Reduce Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals That Have Been Linked to Breast Cancer

December 2, 2011 by

chemicalsOver 400 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each day, and several hazardous chemicals have been linked with breast cancer. While it might not be possible to completely avoid these toxins, here are some ways to reduce your exposure to them.

Eat as naturally as possible.

Our food supply is loaded with artificial ingredients, dyes, hormones, chemicals, additives, and preservatives. Keep your diet as close to its natural state as possible. Shop the perimeter of the store, as much of the chemical-laden “food” is in the center of the store.

When you arrive home with produce, wash it thoroughly. Buy free-range or organic eggs and poultry, grass-fed beef, and wild fish (not farmed).

Buy BPA-free products.

The less plastic you have in your life, the better, but at a minimum, you should avoid bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is a hormone disruptor found in plastic food and drink containers, as well as in canned food, including infant formula cans. BPA leaches from the plastic or can into the food. Look at the bottom of your plastic containers. Throw away any with the number 7. Plastics with the numbers 1, 2, and 4 do not contain BPA.

Use glass for food storage and cooking when possible, and never microwave food in plastic or Styrofoam.

Avoid furniture made with the flame retardant PBDE.

While flame retardants have a purpose and have saved lives, one type of flame retardant, polybrominated diphenyl ether, or PBDE, has been linked to breast cancer. When buying furniture, look for items with a different flame retardant, or buy organically manufactured when possible.

Use solvent-free cleaning products.

Antibacterial and harsh chemical cleansers are not necessary. The more natural you can go when you clean, the better. Ammonia, bleach, and any cleanser containing a solvent are hazardous to everyone in the home. Hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda make excellent cleansers, and a quick Google search will yield plenty of recipes and ideas to use them.

If you prefer other cleansers, buy green cleaners made with safer ingredients, which can be found in any health food store or online.

Clean out your cosmetics.

Makeup is full of additives, chemicals, and synthetic hormones that no one needs. Toss out your liquid or cream foundation and use mineral makeup. It’s better for your skin and covers just as well as the pore-cloggers you’re used to. Mineral makeup companies also sell eyeshadow, mascara, blush, lipstick, and lip gloss.

Stop the antibacterial foolishness.

Contrary to popular belief and TV commercials, antibacterial soap is not necessary and does more harm than good. The truth is that any soap is antibacterial, and you can find natural or organic soap at health food stores or online.

Know the ingredients of everything you buy, no matter who you’re buying from, as marketing pros often give you the illusion that something is natural or organic when it isn’t.

What tips do you have for reducing chemicals and toxins?

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Healthy Snack Ideas for Your Day

November 28, 2011 by

healthy snacksHaving healthy snacks through the day help keep your blood sugar stable and avoid eating too much at meals. You’ll feel less hungry and more energetic if you fuel your body at regular intervals. Discuss snacking with your doctor or nutritionist, but we suggest going no longer than three or four hours without eating or snacking.

If you keep good-tasting, healthy snacks accessible at all times, you’ll be more likely to resist unhealthy snacking. Keep healthy snacks at your desk or in the fridge at work—hopefully far away from the candy machine!

Healthy snacks that taste good include . . .

Dark chocolate.

While you don’t want to eat a lot of dark chocolate every day, an ounce is good for your heart and for your taste buds. The higher the cocoa content, the better. Ideally, you want at least 70% cocoa, which is a strong dark chocolate.

Fruit.

Chock-full of antioxidants and vitamins, fruit is a good choice for a snack. However, fruit is high in natural sugar, so you may want to eat lower-sugar choices such as berries or apples, or eat fruit with a little bit of protein and fat. An apple with organic nut butter or string cheese is a tasty, nutritious snack.

Raw vegetables.

Any raw vegetable is a good snack choice. Many veggies are high in fiber and keep you satisfied until the next meal. Veggies are a nutritional bargain—high concentrations of nutrients for few calories. Great choices include broccoli, cucumber, and radishes, or celery with nut butter.

Gorp.

Gorp is trail mix that you prepare yourself using your favorite nuts and dried fruit. A typical recipe includes almonds, nuts, dried coconut, dried cranberries, and dark chocolate chips. It’s very simple to make—just mix the ingredients in a bowl and pack in individual serving bags if you wish.

Popcorn.

Simple to make in the microwave and enough to share, popcorn fills you up for very few calories. Beware: many commercial varieties of microwave popcorn contain partially hydrogenated oil, which you do not want to eat. You may need to go to a health food store to find a brand that does not have it.

Cheese.

While you don’t want to eat a lot of cheese on a regular basis, it is a delicious and nutritious snack. You only need an ounce. Try string cheese for a convenient and easy-to-carry snack, or for a real treat, try some goat’s milk or sheep’s milk cheese. You’ll find a little bit goes a long way.

Nuts.

Long vilified for their fat content, nuts are a good source of healthy fats, protein, and minerals. A handful of nuts or a tablespoon of organic nut butter with cheese or apples makes a satisfying treat. If you buy nut butter, ensure that the nut itself is the only ingredient.

Love these healthy snack ideas? Share this post with your friends on Facebook.

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Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner Tips

November 21, 2011 by

thanksgiving dinnerMany of our patients express concerns about eating a healthy Thanksgiving dinner. They don’t want to overindulge, but they do want to enjoy dinner with their friends and family. You can have your cake and eat it too if you’re careful.

Have plenty of fresh, raw veggies available.

These will play a major role on your Thanksgiving plate, so make sure you have plenty of raw vegetables and salads on the table. Good choices include broccoli, peas, beans, cauliflower, cucumbers, cabbage, and romaine lettuce. If you cook sweet potatoes or squash, use butter, not margarine, and keep fat to a minimum.

Eat an appetizer.

Don’t go to the Thanksgiving table ravenously hungry, as you’ll overeat. If you’re going to someone else’s home, have a small snack before you go, or serve appetizers if dinner is at your house. A small amount of fat will help tide you over until dinner, so try sliced avocado, nuts, or smoked salmon with a little cheese on a cracker.

Bake the turkey and eat the white meat.

Instead of deep-frying, bake the turkey and avoid eating the skin or visible fat. Eat mostly the white meat, which is lower in calories and fat than the dark meat.

Use less of the pan drippings to make gravy.

If you use half of the pan drippings in your gravy, you’ll have all of the flavor and half of the fat.

Mentally divide your plate in quarters.

Put fresh vegetables on half your plate, turkey on one quarter, and potatoes and stuffing on the remaining quarter. You’ll be able to taste everything, but with half your plate full of veggies, you’ll eat fewer calories. Eat slowly, and stop when you’re comfortably full—long before you feel stuffed.

Drink water.

Avoid the high-calorie drinks and have a simple glass of water. Dress it up with a splash of juice or a slice of lemon or lime.

Don’t go back for seconds unless it’s for veggies.

When you’ve eaten what’s on your plate, wait for a while before you go back for seconds. It takes time for your stomach to communicate with your brain that you’re full. If you’re still hungry, have more vegetables, preferably raw.

Share dessert, or have just a nibble.

If Aunt Shirley’s cheesecake is too hard to resist, have a small piece, or take a couple of bites from Uncle Dave’s piece. If you like to try several desserts, take small spoonfuls and savor them.

What are your favorite tips for eating healthy at Thanksgiving?

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5 Tips for Reducing the Appearance of Cellulite

November 16, 2011 by

reduce celluliteCellulite is body fat that dimples the skin, and it typically shows up on females of any age. Having cellulite does not necessarily mean you are overweight; in fact, many normal-weight and underweight women have it. Cellulite can worsen as women age simply because we all tend to gain fat as we get older.

Unfortunately, nothing completely eliminates cellulite, but you can take steps to improve its appearance. Following are tips to reduce the appearance of cellulite and smooth out your lower body.

Exercise.

If you exercise, you’ll boost your metabolism, reduce fat, and add muscle, which will help the area appear taut. Work the muscles from all angles to ensure you’re reducing the cellulite evenly.

Stay hydrated.

Your body can burn and remove fat more easily if you drink plenty of cleansing, fresh water. Aim for eight glasses, spread throughout the day, and filter your water or add lemon juice to improve the taste. Cut down or eliminate carbonated beverages and replace them with water.

Eat a healthy diet and watch sugar.

Contrary to popular belief, you need a certain amount of fat in your diet, and good fats such as nuts, avocados, and salmon do not make you gain weight unless you eat too much of them. However, eating too much sugar and simple carbohydrates can make you fat, and many fat-free foods contain sugar in place of fat. Eat as naturally as possible, with a variety of protein, raw vegetables, and fresh fruits.

Stay away from monosodium glutamate (MSG), high-fructose corn syrup, and trans fats, which you’ll know by the word hydrogenated in the ingredient list. Exercise, water, and a healthy diet will not reduce cellulite overnight, but over time, you’ll see an improvement.

Try body wraps.

When you have a body wrap, your skin is massaged and covered with cloth soaked in any of a variety of natural extracts. The combination of the massage, the wrapping material, and the soaking solution soften and smooth problem areas. A wrap will not get rid of cellulite, but it will reduce the appearance and improve the smoothness of your skin. Body wraps are most effective when done at regular intervals.

Use liposuction and laser treatments to help reduce the appearance of cellulite.

As much as I wish it were true, you can’t get rid of cellulite with liposuction or laser treatments. These techniques may tend to improve the look of an affected area but often never completely eliminate cellulite.

Liposuction is a surgical procedure that removes fat cells from the body using a tiny hose similar to a vacuum cleaner. Laser treatments, often with massage or suction, break up the fat and improve circulation.

Have you successfully improved the appearance of cellulite, and how did you do it?

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Stop Smoking Series: the 4Ds

November 14, 2011 by

stop smokingQuitting smoking can be challenging, but if you know what to do when a craving hits, you’ll be ready to conquer any urge. The 4Ds are a good guideline to follow when you desperately want a cigarette. The order we show them is a general guideline, so modify it to work for you.

Delay.

The moment the craving hits, tell yourself you can have a cigarette in 10 minutes. Then when the 10 minutes are up, tell yourself what a good job you did and challenge yourself to go 20 minutes. Any craving will go away in a few moments as long as you don’t keep thinking about it. After you delay, the next thing to do is . . .

Drink water.

In fact, get up and get a glass of water as you’re telling yourself to wait 10 minutes. And you want to drink water, not pop, coffee, or alcoholic beverages. First, while you’re quitting, your body is trying to get rid of the toxic materials you’ve inhaled all these years, and it needs water remove the junk from your system. Second, for many women, other drinks are triggers to smoke, especially coffee and alcohol. Third, the water will change the taste in your mouth and help to break the craving.

Please don’t make the excuse that you don’t like water. You can filter it or flavor it with fruit or small amounts of fruit juice. Find what works for you, and do it.

Do something else.

Your success in quitting may be determined by how well you shift your focus when you have an urge to smoke. The more you think about a craving, the worse it will become. After you’ve had your glass of water, find something else to do. If you were watching TV, move to another room and read a book. Take the dog for a walk. You need to break the association with whatever you were doing when you felt the craving.

Try keeping a bag of entertaining distractions with you, which could include puzzle books, books, art projects, or needlepoint. The main thing to remember is that you need to abruptly and quickly change what you’re doing and thinking to survive the craving.

Deep breathing.

This step can be done at any point in time, as many times as necessary. Deep breathing will release endorphins, which will help you feel better. It will also show you how well your respiratory system is healing during your quit. Take at least 10 deep breaths in through your nose—your stomach will move if you’re truly taking deep breaths. Exhale through your mouth with pursed lips, as if you’re kissing someone. Blow out hard, and imagine you are forcing out all the air in your lungs.

The 4Ds will feel awkward at first, but as you get used to them, you’ll find they are very helpful during cravings.

 

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How to Reduce Stress by Managing Your Time

November 7, 2011 by

time managementTime (or lack of) is a big stressor for many of us, and managing our time can reduce that stress significantly. Time management is something most of us lack, and just a few ideas can help you get a handle on your time and spend it wisely.

The following time management tips are simple but effective:

Get a planner.

Part of the reason we are so stressed is because everything we need to remember is scattered: sticky notes here, cell phone memos there—and then we try to commit important tasks and dates to memory. Everything needs to be in one place, preferably in something you can carry with you at all times.

A planner is the most efficient and easiest way to keep track of everything. It doesn’t have to be large or complicated—you’ll be surprised at how many different planners you’ll find once you make the decision to use one. Some planners are very low tech, while others will also update your computer or other electronic devices. Get whichever makes sense for you. The main goal is to use it.

Plan your day and prioritize your tasks.

Use the planner to decide what you’ll do each day, and determine which tasks have high priority. Those are the tasks you should be focusing on. This is not to say the low-priority tasks are not important, but those with high priority should take precedence. Track your progress each day so you can see how efficiently you’re working.

Quit trying to remember everything.

The planner will become a significant part of your brain once you start to use it. You’ll be amazed at how free you’ll feel when you don’t have to try to remember everything. Just consult your planner each morning, and live your life.

Learn to say no.

Here’s another great use for the planner—it’s a great way to tell someone no easily and gracefully. If you’re asked to do something you don’t want to do or don’t have time for, pull out your planner and consult it, and then tell that person you’re booked on that date.

Delegate when and where you can.

Do you really need to go to the store, or can you send your teenager?  Look at your to-do list and see who could take over some of your low-priority tasks. Maybe it’s time to teach others in your household to do some laundry, or to allow your assistant to help you with your work email. You don’t have to do it all.

Analyze how you’re doing.

At the end of each month, take 10 minutes to look back and see how well you managed your time. You’ll see where you have improved and where you still need help. Adjust accordingly.

Did you find these stress and time management tips effective? Is this a topic you’re interested in hearing about in the future?

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