Balanced Living

March 2006

Healthy Eating Can Lead to Good Health

March is National Nutrition Month

Good eating habits can do more than help you and your family stay healthy—they can actually help improve your health. Studies have found that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables—which contain fiber, vitamins, and other valuable nutrients—can help lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer.

But health is only one of the reasons why we make certain choices when it comes to food. Eating is also one of life’s pleasures. And there is no reason not to enjoy all kinds of foods; just don’t overdo it. The key to healthy eating is balance. Eating a balanced diet means eating a variety of foods that supply the calories and nutrients you need without excess fat, salt, sugar, or alcohol.

The Food Groups

Daily you need more than 50 nutrients from food, including those that supply calories (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) and those that help with various body functions (vitamins, minerals, and water). Despite claims to the contrary, there are no known advantages to consuming large quantities of a specific nutrient or food. Each day, you should eat a variety of foods from each food group to get the nutrients you need.

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta

Foods in the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group have carbohydrates to give you energy, as well as B vitamins and iron. Use whole grains—100 percent whole wheat bread, barley, oats, quinoa, and brown rice—to give your meals a boost of fiber. Go easy on sugary and high-fat choices, such as cookies and cake.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide fiber and vitamins A, C, and E. Choose deeply colored vegetables and fruits to get the most nutrients, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, oranges, berries, and squash. Eat at least five servings from a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. Limit fruit juices, which are low in fiber and high in calories.

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese

Dairy products are great sources of calcium and also provide protein. Choose nonfat or low-fat products such as skim milk to get nutrients without adding a lot of fat and calories.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts

Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts provide protein and iron. Choose lean cuts of meat. When preparing, trim the fat, remove skin from poultry, and drain any grease used in cooking.

Fats, Oils, and Sweets

Fat is an essential nutrient, but many foods in this group—including cream, butter, gravy, and salad dressing—provide a lot of calories with few nutrients. Limit the amount of foods you eat from this group, keeping your fat intake at less than 30 percent of your total calories.

Serving Sizes

The Food Pyramid was created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to show how much food you should eat from each of the food groups each day. The amount of food you need depends on your age, gender, physical condition, and activity level. Everyone should have at least the minimum number of servings from each food group daily. Many men, women, older children, and teenagers need more.

Special Concerns

Saturated Fat and Cholesterol

Foods high in saturated fats, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol tend to raise levels of cholesterol in the blood. Limit the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet. Foods high in saturated fats include high-fat dairy products and meats, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil. Foods high in trans fatty acids include baked goods made with shortening, such as crackers and cookies. Foods high in cholesterol include liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats.

Calcium

Calcium requirements depend on your age, gender, and health status. Try to eat at least two or three servings of low-fat dairy products each day. If you don’t like dairy products or can’t tolerate them, try processed foods that have been fortified with calcium, such as orange juice and breakfast cereals.

Salt and Sodium

Most people get too much salt in their diet. Limit the amount of salt you add to your food—use herbs and spices to flavor your food instead. Limit fast, convenience, and canned foods to keep your sodium intake under control.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages supply calories but few nutrients. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Drinking in moderation is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. (One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof liquor.) Although research has shown that drinking alcohol in moderation may have some health benefits, the evidence is not strong enough to make it worthwhile to start drinking if you don’t. Too much alcohol can cause a number of health problems.

Dietary Supplements

Although most people don’t need dietary supplements, some people with special nutrition needs can benefit from them. Some supplements can be harmful in large amounts. Talk to your doctor about whether you need dietary supplements and how much to take.

For more information:
http://www.eatright.org
https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/dieting

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Diabetes: Be Alert

American Diabetes Alert Day is March 28th, 2006

What is the Alert?

The American Diabetes Alert is an annual, one-day call-to-action held on the fourth Tuesday of March for people to find out if they are at risk for diabetes. The Alert’s goal is to raise the awareness that diabetes is serious, you can have diabetes and not even know it, and that taking the Risk Test is an easy way to find out if you are at risk for diabetes.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (sugar) is too high. Your blood always has some glucose in it because the body needs glucose for energy to keep you going. Too much glucose in the blood is not good for your health.

Could you have diabetes?

Diabetes is a silent disease. You could have it for years and never know it. During this time, your eyes, nerves, and kidneys may have been harmed by too much sugar in your blood.

Who is at risk for diabetes?

Your risk for diabetes increases as your get older, gain too much weight, or if you do not stay active. Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Risk factors for diabetes include:

• Having high blood pressure (at or above 130/80)
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Having diabetes during pregnancy or having a baby weighing more than nine pounds at birth.

Don’t wait for the signs

Most people with diabetes do not notice any symptoms. However if you should have any of these symptoms, call your health care provider right away.

• Very thirsty
• Frequent urination
• Losing weight without trying

What can you do?

You can do things now to lower your risk for diabetes by:

• keeping your weight in control;
• eating low fat meals that are HIGH in fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods;
• staying active most days of the week.

Learn more. Get involved.

If you or the people you care about are at high risk for diabetes, you should learn more and get involved.

• Ask your health care provider about your risk for diabetes during your next visit.
• Call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) for free information about diabetes, and to find out about Alert activities in your area. Bilingual representatives are available.
• Learn more about diabetes by visiting the diabetes information section of our website (Go to https://lifeadv.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/hs/collector.cgi?assessment=DRC&page=0 for a free diabetes risk assessment. You will need to log-in to access this section of our website.)
• Take the Risk Test to see if you are at risk for diabetes.
• Share this information with family, friends and neighbors. Help find the 6.2 million Americans with undiagnosed diabetes.

For more information:
http://www.diabetes.org
https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/diabetes

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What’s Your Eye-Q?

March is Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month and Save Your Vision Month

There are many places to consider eye safety, but if like many of us you spend hours each day working at a computer screen, you may experience eyestrain, blurred vision, itchy eyes and occasional double vision. These are all eye strain symptoms that should not be overlooked.

Seventy to 75 percent of people who work at computers experience tired, irritated or watery eyes, but these problems can usually be corrected by wearing a special pair of glasses for computer work, adjusting lighting in the workplace and altering the position of the computer screen.

Correct vision problems

One of the easiest ways to prevent eye fatigue and discomfort is to see a vision specialist. Minor visual problems, such as astigmatism or imbalances between the eyes, can be corrected by wearing corrective lenses, and you’ll greatly increase your comfort. If you don’t have to see distant objects clearly while at the computer, wearing bifocal lenses with the top adjusted for the computer screen and the bottom adjusted for reading is best.

If your distance vision must be clear while working at the computer, bifocal lenses with the upper part adjusted for distance and a large bottom part adjusted for the computer is recommended. As an alternative, a progressive lens with a large middle section for computer work could be used. Some people can comfortably use bifocal contact lenses when working at a computer, but in most cases, glasses will provide greater comfort and clearer vision.

Increase your comfort

The following steps can further reduce your eye discomfort and fatigue:

• Place the computer straight in front of you, not off to the side.
• Place the screen at right angles to any windows to minimize glare.
• Adjust the screen angle to minimize reflections from overhead lights or desk lamps.
• Use drapes, shades or blinds to control window lighting and glare. Vertical or horizontal blinds will direct light away from you and the computer.
• Keep the screen brightness the same or brighter than the brightness of other objects in the room.
• Set your computer to display black characters on a white background.
• Use an adjustable copy holder to keep reference material at the same height and distance away from you as the computer screen. This eliminates the need to change eye focus when looking from one to the other.
• Use a glare-reduction filter to enhance screen contrast and increase character legibility.
• Use a three-sided computer hood if glare continues to be a problem.
• Wipe the screen often with an anti-static cloth.
• Take periodic rest breaks. Every 15 minutes or so, look up and focus on a distant object for about two minutes. Blinking frequently and using artificial-tear eye drops to relieve dryness and irritation can also help.

For more information:
http://www.preventblindness.org
http://www.aoa.org
https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/content?sub=10000310

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Employee Rights

All About Workplace Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) requires employers to:

• provide workplaces free of “recognized safety hazards” that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm
• tell you if you are working with hazardous materials
• give you any special training necessary to do your job safely
• keep records of all workplace injuries, deaths and any exposures to toxic or hazardous materials

As an employee, you have the right under OSHA to question unsafe conditions and request inspections, as well as file a lawsuit to get a court order to correct unsafe conditions without retaliation.

In general, there are hundreds of OSHA safety standards covering:

• Storage of hazardous materials
• Fire protection, including sprinklers, emergency exits and emergency plans
• Protective equipment such as safety glasses and clothing
• First aid and medical treatment where injuries are likely to occur
• Equipment performance and maintenance

If you feel unsafe in your workplace or are injured at work:

• Let your supervisor know of the hazard that concerns you
• If your supervisor doesn’t respond promptly, put your concerns in writing.
• OSHA regulations allow you to walk off the job if there is an “immediate and substantial danger.”
• If the safety hazard remains, file a complaint with your local Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) office, listed under the “U.S. Labor Department” or “Occupational Safety and Health” in the federal government section of your local phone book.
• File a complaint with any appropriate local or state government agency, depending on the particular safety concern (for example, hazardous waste or building construction violations).
• If OSHA sends out an inspector, you should cooperate with the inspector doing what’s called an on-site safety “walk around” in your workplace.
• If you’re injured, make sure workers’ comp claims processors know your injury stemmed from a possible violation of state or OSHA safety laws (which may make you eligible for more workers’ compensation).

OSHA can order your employer to repair unsafe equipment, clean cluttered areas, put new storage or other procedures in place or remove all workers from the area where the danger exists. If necessary, OSHA can ask a court to order your employer to follow OSHA standards for workplace safety.

Protection Against Retaliation

OSHA laws protect you from being fired or disciplined if you’ve:

• Filed a complaint with OSHA about unsafe working conditions, talked with an OSHA inspector during an inspection or otherwise cooperated with an OSHA investigation.
• Refused to work in conditions that were likely to cause your injury or death.

Generally, you can’t be fired or disciplined for refusing to do work if:

• A “reasonable person” in your position would conclude there’s a real danger of injury or death
• You’ve complained to your employer and nothing has been done
• There’s no time to go through the usual OSHA procedures

If you feel your employer has retaliated against you because you have reported safety violations, you should report your concerns to the Department of Labor and OSHA within 30 days of the retaliatory action, in order to be protected under OSHA laws. If investigators determine that your firing or discipline was retaliatory, OSHA will require your employer to restore your lost benefits.

For more information: https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/content?sub=10000381

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Tax Time

Filing Your Taxes Online

The IRS encourages taxpayers to file their tax returns electronically using its e-file system. The online service is free, fast and reliable. According to the IRS, e-file also expedites tax refunds, shaving a week off the average time of three weeks to process a return. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia participate in IRS e-file’s filing program so that you may file a state tax return together with your federal tax return.

Additional features of IRS e-file include:

• Security. Choose a five-digit, self-selected personal identification number (PIN) to substitute as an electronic signature. You can also elect to sign IRS Form 8453, which authenticates your electronic signature and authorizes electronic payments and tax refunds between you and the IRS.
• Accuracy. The IRS claims an error rate of under 1% with e-file, well below an historical rate of about 20% for paper returns.
• Verification. The IRS sends an electronic verification within two working days to the authorized tax professional, or electronic return originator that submits your return. (Note: Before the originator can submit your tax return with e-file, you will need to give it W-2 forms for the tax year.)

Instead of using an electronic return originator, you can also download free software from an IRS-designated Web site to send your return directly. As part of its e-file program, the IRS also offers a touch-tone phone-based system for filing a tax return called Tele-file.

A link to e-file is prominently listed in several places at the IRS Web site (www.irs.gov).

For more information:
http://www.irs.gov
https://fhahelps.personaladvantage.com/content?sub=10000111