Health, Home & Family Development

Transcription

1 March 2014 Tanana District News Health, Home & Family Development Cooperative Extension Service Tanana District Office P.O. Box Fairbanks, Alaska Roxie s corner... R fish Hi! I m Marsha Munsell, a nutrition educator, and I work for the Cooperative Extension Service, a part of UAF. I don t know how many times I ve made that self-introduction since 1993 but it has now changed. I ve recently been hired on to fill in for Roxie as HHFD program assistant while Roxie takes on new duties as interim associate director. Each of us has a few more things on our plate but we are still excited to serve our Fairbanks public. We ve decided to share the newsletter, each of us contributing articles to keep you entertained each month. I d also like to open up a Q & A section to see how that goes. If you have any questions about food preservation, home care, food safety, etc., them to me at mkmunsell@alaska. edu and put Newsletter Q&A in the subject line. I will answer any questions I get before the 20th of each month in the following months newsletter. Looking forward to serving you. Beat the Mad March Hare The phrase mad as a March hare has been around in various forms since the 1500s due to observations of wild hare s strange behaviors that occur during the breeding season, which generally starts in March, in Europe anyway. It was made more popular with Lewis Carroll s March Hare in Alice in Wonderland. Hare-brained is another descriptor for the same behaviors. As March approaches we all get a bit jumpy and may start displaying abnormal behavior. We are tired of winter and cold, we often feel a bit out of shape from being cooped up, and we respond to the lengthening of the days with enthusiasm. This is the time that we often feel we are spinning in circles. Lost your keys lately or got out to the car before remembering they were on the table as you walked out? Feeling a little stressed by simple things that would not affect you Sneak peek inside... March is Nutrition Month...2 Sitting? Get Up and Move!...4 Paying Taxes with a Credit Card? Food Preservation Classes...6 in another season? Can t seem to get things done and the list just keeps getting longer? Feeling a little spaced out or out of touch? Or are you feeling just a bit overwhelmed? So how do we get a grip on the madness of March. Get bundled up and get outside. Any activity out in the fresh air including walking will help alleviate that March Hare, physiologically and psychologically. We are reluctant to get out of our cozy nests but often feel so much better when we do. Whenever we feel a little lost and frantic, a cup of warm liquid like herbal tea or cocoa can do wonders for slowing and settling down. Better yet, have a cuppa with a friend. (Continued on page 2) Note to self Food Preservation Classes, 6-9 p.m. March 5: Fruits April 2: Vegetables & Meat May 7: Jams & Jellies June 4: Pickles & Relishes July 2: Freezing & Drying August 6: Fish September 3: Sausage & Jerky October 1: Cheese & Yogurt America s Arctic University Published by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. Editor: Roxie Rodgers Dinstel Layout/Graphics: Kathy McDougall

2 March 2014 (Continued from page 1) Women connect with each other and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality girlfriend time helps us to create more serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of wellbeing. Guys connect by doing things together like ice fishing, skiing, playing pool or hanging out talking about sports, work, etc. Not to say that women can t do that too, but generally for guys anything physical tends to reduce stress. Another thing you can do is have a good laugh. Others may think you have joined the mad March hares but laughter has been shown to be a powerful antidote to stress, pain and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused and alert. WebMD says laughter has power the power to energize the humdrum, add levity to the everyday blah-blah-blah. Laughter carries such a social connection that it s a mating ritual, a way to bond. Studies suggest that laughter may boost our health. Research shows laughter can improve your health: It helps reduce stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenalin, and pumps up immune system activity by increasing interferon, T cells and white blood cells. A hearty guffaw or belly laugh can also boost heart rate, improves blood flow and stabilizes blood pressure. Find something funny and LAUGH. Watch goofy Youtube videos, comedy shows, or good old fashioned funny movies. So if you can t beat the Mad March Hare feeling with getting outdoors, spending time with friends or having a cuppa; join the Mad March Hare in a good hearty laugh. Tanana District News HHFD March is Nutrition Month Let s color up our plates. MyPlate focuses on half your plate fruits and vegetables. It is a worthy goal. Hard to attain all the time but something to work toward all the time. This time of year we like settling down with a big plate of mac and cheese, the ultimate comfort food. Have you ever added frozen peas to your mac and cheese? What else could you serve with it to add a big splash of color. Go for even the subtle colors of whole grains. We need grams of fiber in our diets every day and ditching the whole grains, fruits and vegetables makes that goal really difficult. So what do colors do. Eating plenty of healthy vegetables and fruits helps prevent heart disease and strokes, diverticulitis, control your blood pressure, prevent some types of cancers, and guards against cataract and macular degeneration or vision loss. Red Fruits and Vegetables Contain nutrients such as lycopene, ellagic acid, quercetin and hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals and support join tissue in arthritis cases. Orange and Yellow fruits and vegetables Contain beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and Vitamin C. These nutrients reduce age-related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones. (Continued on page 3) 2

3 Tanana District News March 2014 (Continued from page 2) Green vegetables and Fruit Green vegetables contain chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium and beta-carotene. The nutrients found in these vegetables reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free-radicals and boost immune system activity. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables Contain nutrients which include lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid and quercetin. Similar to the previous nutrients, these nutrients support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract and limit the activity of cancer cells. White fruits and vegetables Contain nutrients such as beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignans that provide powerful immune boosting activity. These nutrients also activate natural killer B and T cells, reduce the risk of colon, breast and prostate cancers and balance hormone levels, reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers. There is lots of research out there now to support the above claims. Below are lists of foods in what is considered their color group: Green: artichokes, arugula, asparagus, avocados, broccoflower, broccoli, broccoli rabe, brussell sprouts, celery, chayote squash, Chinese cabbages, cucumbers, endive, green beans, green cabbage, green onion, green peppers, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce, okra, peas, snow peas, spinach, sugar snap peas, watercress, zucchini, green apples, green grapes, green pears, honeydew, kiwifruit and limes. White: cauliflower, garlic, ginger, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, kohlrabi, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, shallots, turnips, white corn, white nectar- ines, white peaches, brown pears, dates and bananas. Red: beets, radicchio, radishes, raspberries, red apples, red bell peppers, red chili peppers, red onions, red potatoes, rhubarb, tomatoes, watermelon, blood oranges, cherries, cranberries, guava, pink grapefruit, red grapefruit, pomegranates, red pears, strawberries and red grapes. Yellow/Orange: butternut squash, carrots, pumpkin, rutabagas, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, yellow beets, yellow peppers, yellow potatoes, yellow summer squash, yellow tomatoes, winter squash, yellow watermelon, yellow figs, yellow pears, apricots, cantaloupe, Cape gooseberries, golden kiwifruit, grapefruit, lemon, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, persimmons, pineapples, tangerines and yellow apples. Blue/Purple: purple peppers, black salsify, eggplant, elderberries, grapes, plums, prunes, purple Belgian endive, purple or blue potatoes, purple asparagus, purple cabbage, purple carrots, purple figs, raisins, black currants, blackberries, blueberries, dried plums, elderberries, grapes and plums. There is no one magic food that has all the 40+ nutrients our bodies need every day, so eating a variety of foods and colors every day will give us a wider range of nutrients. This is a worthy goal, especially during Nutrition Month. Source: fruits-vegetables.shtml 3

4 March 2014 Tanana District News HHFD Sitting? Get up and move! If you re 60 and older, every additional hour a day you spend sitting is linked to doubling the risk of being disabled regardless of how much moderate exercise you get, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. The study is the first to show sedentary behavior is its own risk factor for disability, separate from lack of moderate vigorous physical activity. In fact, sedentary behavior is almost as strong a risk factor for disability as lack of moderate exercise. If there are two 65-year-old women, one sedentary for 12 hours a day and another sedentary for 13 hours a day, the second one is 50 percent more likely to be disabled, the study found. This is the first time we ve shown sedentary behavior was related to increased disability regardless of the amount of moderate exercise, said Dorothy Dunlop, professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and lead author of the study. Being sedentary is not just a synonym for inadequate physical activity. Disability affects more than 56 million Americans. It s defined by limitations in being able to do basic activities such as eating, dressing or bathing oneself, getting in and out of bed and walking across a room. Disability increases the risk of hospitalization and institutionalization and is a leading source of health care costs, accounting for $1 in $4 spent. The finding that being sedentary was almost as strong a risk factor for disability as lack of moderate vigorous activity surprised Dunlop. It means older adults need to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting, whether in front of the TV or at the computer, regardless of their participation in moderate or vigorous activity, she said. The study focused on a sample of 2,286 adults aged 60 and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It compared people in similar health with the same amount of moderate vigorous activity. Moderate activity is walking briskly, as if you are late to an appointment. The participants wore accelerometers from 2002 to 2005 to measure their sedentary time and moderate vigorous physical activity. The accelerometer monitoring is significant because it is objective. The older and heavier people are, the more they tend to overestimate their physical activity. Previous research indicated a relationship between sedentary behavior and disability but it was based on self-reports and, thus, couldn t be verified. Because the study examines data at one point in time, it doesn t definitively determine sedentary behavior causes disability. It draws attention to the fact that this is a potential problem, said Dunlop, who is doing a longitudinal study on sedentary behavior and disability risk. Studies with animals have shown immobility is a separate risk factor for negative effects on health. This is the first piece of objective evidence that corroborates the animal data, Dunlop said. To cut down on sitting time, Dunlop has the following suggestions: 1. Stand up when you talk on the phone or during a work meeting. 2. When you go to grocery store or mall, park in a space farthest away. 3. When you get up to have glass of water, walk around the house or office. 4. Walk for short errands instead of taking the car. 5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, if you are able. Dunlop wears a device on her wrist that tracks her steps and is synced to her smartphone and computer. She s created a social circle with her friends and family, so they can keep track of each other s progress. It s great reinforcement to keep moving, Dunlop said. Source: StoneHearth newsletter 4

5 Tanana District News March 2014 Paying taxes with a credit card? April 15 is less than two months away, and many of us are already trying to figure out how to pay our taxes. Using a credit card to pay taxes may seem like an easy way to appease the IRS, but this may not be the most financially prudent thing to do. Before you pay taxes with a credit card, you need to know the pros and cons, and what other options might be available. If you pay your taxes with a credit card, you will not have to worry about being in debt to the IRS or incurring a late payment penalty. You would just have to make payments on your credit card until the balance is gone. In rare cases, you may be able to earn some rewards points for paying taxes with a credit card, depending on how your rewards program is set up. Many credit card companies have blocks on these payments to prevent them from counting towards your rewards, so check with your issuer. If you are trying to consolidate your debts onto a single account, this may give you an opportunity to do so. Use a low interest credit card to pay off all of the debts you have, and then you can focus on making one payment each month. When you charge your taxes to your credit card, you have to consider the interest rate on your card. This is usually much higher than what you would have with a payment plan through the IRS. If you have a new card with 0% interest, note when that introductory rate expires. You will need to make sure to pay off your debt before then. Know there are fees for paying taxes with a credit card. Typically, charging taxes with your credit card will cost an additional 2% to 4% of your tax bill. That means you d be paying an extra $20 to $40 on a tax bill of $1,000. These fees do not go to the IRS. They go to the payment processor. They re basically money out of your pocket. Having a high credit card balance could impact your credit score; having a high tax debt with the IRS will not. Your debt utilization ratio on your credit card--the amount of debt divided by your available credit--will increase when you charge your 5 taxes, and that could negatively affect your credit score if that credit card debt remains high for an extended period of time. If you are going to pay taxes with a credit card, you will need to do so online. There are six websites approved by the IRS to process these payments, as listed on the IRS website. Each one charges a different fee, and they accept different types of cards for payment. Go to the website and complete the information that comes up in the prompts. You will have to select the type of payment you are making (installment, payoff, etc.), and provide information that verifies your identity. Once you pay, you will be sent an with a receipt for the payment you made. If you do not want to pay your taxes with a credit card, consider setting up an installment plan with the IRS. This will give you time to pay off your debts. Call the IRS to speak to a representative about your options. He or she will work something out with you to suit your budget and your bill. You could also make tax payments with a debit card, rather than a credit card. You will not have a chance to earn rewards that way, but you will pay much less in processing fees. Most websites charge a flat fee of $2 to $4 for debit card transactions, which could save a lot of money in interest penalties in the long run. You may be able to take out a low interest loan to pay off your tax debt. Then, you would be making payments to a bank, not the IRS. Note that this may have a negative impact on your credit score at first, but it might actually help your score over time. Consider all of your options before paying your taxes with a credit card. A smarter solution may be out there for you. Source: Lowcards.com

6 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID FAIRBANKS, ALASKA PERMIT No. 2 P.O. Box Fairbanks, AK RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED March Food Preservation Classes Tanana District News HHFD Food preservation classes will begin March 5. A total of eight classes will be held on the first Wednesday of the month from 6-9 p.m. in the Fairbanks Community Food Bank kitchen, th Ave. Cost is $15 each or the series for $90. To register online and pay via credit card, go to To register and pay with check or cash, come by our office at th Ave. Prepayment is strongly encouraged to assure a spot in the class. For more information call or March 5: Fruits April 2: Vegetables & Meat May 7: Jams & Jellies June 4: Pickles & Relishes July 2: Freezing & Drying August 6: Fish September 3: Sausage & Jerky October 1: Cheese & Yogurt 6