All posts tagged Obesity

How’d You Sleep Last Night?


Sleep is a big deal. The amount and quality of our nightly rest impacts our day-to-day and our long-term health.

Sleep is becoming more important in the field of public health. We are learning more about the impact of sleep insufficiency on motor vehicle crashes, industrial disasters, medical errors, and other occupational errors. People are falling asleep accidentally, closing their eyes while driving, and struggling with regular tasks due to sleepiness.

We’re also learning about the relationship between sleep insufficiency – not getting enough sleep – and chronic diseases. Those who experience sleep insufficiency are more likely to suffer from hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity, cancer, and reduced quality of life and productivity.

Why are we having a hard time getting enough sleep?
The CDC lists the following factors as contributing to barriers to getting enough quality sleep:

What can we do to improve our sleep? 
Below are some tips to improve sleep and sleep habits. Give one of them a try this week!

  • Go to bed at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning.
  • Avoid large meals before bedtime.
  • Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.
  • Avoid nicotine.

How much sleep do we need?
The amount of sleep we need actually varies by individual. See the infographic below from the National Sleep Foundation for information on what’s enough sleep for different age groups, the benefits of sleep, and additional healthy sleeping habits.

sleepinfographic

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by ywcakatie on March 19, 2014  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network, Community Mental Health, Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on March 19, 2014

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/howd-you-sleep-last-night/

What can you do to beat the sitting epidemic?


With all the research that’s been done lately around obesity, it should come as no surprise that a sedentary lifestyle is very harmful to your health. These days, the average American sits for about nine hours every day, longer than the time they spend sleeping each night.

When you sit for more than an hour at a time, the fat-burning enzymes in your body seriously slow down. This decrease in metabolism increases the risk for weight gain and Type 2 diabetes. In fact, your life expectancy gets shorter each time you sit for a while without getting up and moving around.

Perhaps the most striking bit of evidence that has come out of all this research is that sitting all day has the same negative health consequences regardless of whether or not you consistently spend one concentrated period of time exercising. For example, if you were to spend every day of the week sitting at a desk and then going for a 45 minute run when you got home, that run would not be sufficient to offset the harm of the sitting you had done earlier. Rather, it is small, incremental amounts of movement interspersed throughout the day that matter the most. (Ideally, of course, everyone would be physically able to have periodic exercise in their day with an additional, more strenuous workout as well.)

So what can you do to get up more throughout the day?

Like most healthy behaviors, it’s best to do a small amount as often as you can. Try taking a short walk every hour, even just for a minute or two. Just getting up to stand once an hour is better than not getting up at all. If you have the time and the physical means, taking longer periodic walking breaks for 10-15 minutes a few times a day is a great way to get your metabolism restarted when sitting begins to slow it down.  Try getting off the bus a few blocks earlier to fit a walk into your daily routine, or stand up and do some stretching every now and then. Be creative in finding ways to be just a little more active.

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It’s also important to note that most of the research out there about sitting is written with the assumption that most folks are spending their days doing desk work, when clearly that is not the case for everyone. The bottom line is that whatever job or activity your daily life entails, long periods of sitting is harmful, and the more you can move periodically throughout the day the healthier you’ll be.

For more information on the harmful effects of sitting and ideas on how to move more, see these two articles: “Sitting is the Smoking of Our Generation” and “Obesity expert says daily workouts can’t undo damage done from sitting all day.”

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by ninaywca on February 19, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ninaywca on February 19, 2013

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/what-can-you-do-to-beat-the-sitting-epidemic/

Let’s Do This! Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyles & Tobacco-Free in King Co.


Public Health – Seattle & King County launched a new initiative this month – Let’s Do This! – a public awareness campaign and self-proclaimed movement determined to “make it easy to eat healthy and to live actively,” “work together for tobacco-free housing and colleges” and “champion healthier schools, child care and parks, and less tobacco.”

King County residents are coming together to bring healthier foods to neighborhood stores, improve the bike-ability of our streets, provide soda alternatives at schools, after-school programs and child care centers, and cut down on tobacco marketing to children.

Read more about this exciting initiative and upcoming events on Let’s Do This’s website, check out their Twitter feed, and read some articles about what different communities are doing:

Global & Rainier Food Markets Join Healthy Foods Campaign
Food-centered STARTS program gives 8 teens a recipe for living well
King County Grapples With Food Distribution Networks
Promoting healthy school routes

Many thanks to @VolunteerYWCA and @franknam sharing information about this campaign!

-Katie Barnett

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by ywcakatie on August 29, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on August 29, 2011

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/lets-do-this-healthy-eating-active-lifestyles-tobacco-free-in-king-co/

Pregnancy & Nutrition: some helpful hints


Did you know if you eat half a plate of veggies at meal times, you will get all the folic acid you need? Or that you need vitamin D in order to absorb calcium?  These  are just a couple of the helpful tips our Moms-2-Be group learned from Amy and Sarah, who joined us from the Nutrition and Psychology program at Bastyr University.

Amy discussed with us the importance of eating whole foods. Whole foods are foods that are not processed or refined – basically, food that’s not been changed in any way, or that has been changed very little. It’s what you eat straight from the garden.

Processed foods are manufactured through different methods to transform raw ingredients into packaged foods. These foods need certain ingredients so they will last longer on the shelves.  Some of the artificial ingredients used include monosodium glutamate (MSG), flavors, preservatives, hydrogenated oil, fillers, and artificial sweeteners. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as salt, carbohydrates, or fat and are just better for you. LESS IS MORE!

Also! Say goodbye to the Nutritional Pyramid, and take a look at the new “My Plate” planner. This is the new model for measuring your daily intake of nutrition, and it’s super helpful!  Here are some quick tips:

Grains: 6 oz./day

Veggies: 2.5 cups/day

Fruits: 1.5-2 cups/day

Milk: 3 cups/day

Proteins: 5-5.5 oz./day (1 oz. of protein is equal to a tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 cup cooked beans or tofu, 1 egg,  12 almonds, 12 pistachios) another hint: 3 oz. is about the size of a deck of cards or the palm or your hand.

And here are some helpful hints from Moms-2-Be participants have for getting  protein and nutritional needs throughout the day!

1. Cook a dozen hard-boiled eggs at the beginning of the week! Eggs are packed with protein, and hardboiled eggs are great on their own, or in a salad with some fruit and nuts. However you like them, they are easy and quick.

2.   Canned salmon is a fast and easy source for omega, protein and vitamin D.  You can make salmon patties for salmon burgers or mix it like tuna fish for sandwiches.

3.   Some other fish is good to eat, but don’t eat too much because it contains mercury. You can eat up to 12 oz. a week of shrimp, salmon, pollock, catfish, and canned light tuna.  It’s recommended that you eat no more than 6 oz. of Albacore White Tuna.

3. NUTS! NUTS! NUTS! Carry a bag of mixed nuts around with you! Nuts are a great source of protein, iron and omega!  Add some nuts with your salad to give it a little extra crunchy kick!

4. A tablespoon of molasses is also a great source of iron!

5. Another helpful tip is to cook all your deli meats before eating them and putting them in sandwiches. This will help you avoid Listeria.

6. Remember to avoid non-pasteurized cheeses and milk, such as cotija, brie, blue cheese and feta.  Hard cheeses are your best bet!

By eating healthy you are ensuring you are getting all your nutritional needs and that of your growing baby. The foods you eat are what helps your baby develop!

-Logan Hunt

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by loganywca1 on August 11, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Healthy Birth Outcomes
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Posted by loganywca1 on August 11, 2011

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/pregnancy-nutrition-some-helpful-hints/

May 10: Health Education at Westlake!


National Women's Health Week - May 8-14, 2011 - It's Your Time!

Join the Health Access Department on Tuesday, May 10, in Seattle’s Westlake Park to celebrate National Women’s Health Week!

From 10am-4pm, we are going to be all set up in Westlake Park, alongside Pine Street, with materials and resources on everything to do with women’s health – from breast health to heart health. We’ll be there to answer your questions and make referrals. We’ll even be there to help people sign up to join the 2011 Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure!

It’s our goal to meet with women in an open, friendly outdoor space to help you easily and quickly learn about how to adopt healthy behaviors that will benefit you and their families. We’re all very excited to celebrate National Women’s Health Week by engaging women passing through Westlake and sharing health education and access information that speaks to your needs!

We plan to have materials available from many partner organizations, including AARTH, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Puget Sound Affiliate, the March of Dimes, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, and more! See y’all there!

–Katie Barnett

Funding for this activity was made possible in part by the HHS, Office on Women’s Health. The views expressed in written materials or publications and by speakers and moderators at HHS-sponsored conferences, do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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by ywcakatie on May 5, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network, Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on May 5, 2011

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/may-10-health-education-at-westlake/

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation asks, “What Shapes Health?”


“Despite an abundance of information about healthy lifestyles and the most advanced medical care in the world, millions of Americans experience needlessly poor health and don’t practice healthy behaviors. For many, the path to a healthy or unhealthy life is influenced by factors largely beyond their control, like the neighborhoods they grew up in, their parents’ income and level of education, and the stress they’ve experienced in their daily lives. The costs of poor health are borne not only by individuals but by their families and, ultimately, by all Americans.” -RWJF

Much of the health outreach and education done in our communities is focused on changing individual behaviors. We all know that if we quit smoking, eat fruits and vegetables, and exercise regularly, we would all be in better health now and in the long-term. But public health leaders and organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) ask what else affects our individual and collective health?

It turns out that factors like a person’s income, education level and ethnicity can impact her health. In RWFJF’s webinar today, we learned that teens in low-income families are more likely to live sedentary lives than teens living in families with a higher income. The more education a person has, the less likely she is to be a smoker. Adults with a higher income are more likely to engage in regular physical activity, regardless of their ethnicity. As one of the webinar’s presenters pointed out, there is a likely causal relationship between healthy behaviors and income.

But other factors like conditions in your neighborhood can also impact your health. Some of these conditions could include having

  • Safe places to exercise
  • Access to healthy food
  • Targeted advertising of tobacco and alcohol
  • Social support and community and
  • Quality schools for our children

Think about it – if your neighborhood doesn’t have a grocery store that sells affordable and quality produce, or if your neighborhood doesn’t have a grocery store at all, aren’t you less likely to buy healthy food like fruits and vegetables? Or, if there are billboards across from the middle school in your neighborhood that advertise beer or cigarettes, aren’t the local youth more likely to start drinking and smoking at a young age? The makeup of our communities directly affects our health and our ability to make healthy decisions.

Read Robert Wood Johnson Foundation issue briefs on these topics: Early Childhood Experiences and Health, Stress and Health, and What Shapes Health.

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by ywcakatie on March 24, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in BABES Network, Health Care Access, Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on March 24, 2011

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/the-robert-wood-johnson-foundation-asks-what-shapes-health/

New Tips on Healthy Eating


A couple weeks ago, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius announced the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This report provides evidence-based nutritional guidance to all Americans. The goal for these guidelines is “to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through impoved nutrition and physical activity.” By improving our dietary habits and those of our families, each of  us can improve our health today, and increase the likelihood that we will experience good health throughout our lives.

If you want to know more about which foods and beverages to avoid, and which ones to eat more of, these guidelinse will really come in handy. Whether you’re interested in nutrition for yourself, your children, parents or other loved ones, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans will help you make healthy decisions. The guidelines also do a great job of answering questions and clearing things up for those of us too busy to do lots of research on nutrition, like: What’s the difference between whole, refined and enriched grains? Are seafood and fish the same? Should my eating habits change if become pregnant?

Some of their tips include:

  • Drinking water instead of soda or other beverages that are high in sugar
  • Making sure that half the food on your plate are fruits and vegetables
  • Making the switch to fat-free or 1% milk

The guidelines themselves are quite long, so I suggest reading at least the Executive Summary if you don’t have time to poke around the rest of the report for helpful tidbits of information.

Here are few recipes I came across after reading more about nutrition and healthy eating. I hope you get to try one or two – let me know what you think! Or, share a few recipes of your own!

White Chicken Chili: A Tasy Fiber Focus Recipe
Martha Stewart’s Shrimp and Scallion Stir-Fry Recipe
New York Times’ Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Winter Squash Hash
Healthy Fresh Bean Salad Recipe
Food Network/Herb Mesa’s Veggie Tortilla Pizza

-Katie Barnett

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by ywcakatie on February 15, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Healthy Birth Outcomes, Women's Health Outreach
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Posted by ywcakatie on February 15, 2011

https://healthaccessywca.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/new-tips-on-healthy-eating/