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World Polio Day

Oct 25, 2017 | Ask Mr. Pedometer and Friends..., Health, Info

October 25, 2017

Ask Mr. Pedometer and Friends….

Q:  Mr. Pedometer, I grew up knowing kids who were stricken with polio.  Is it true that that terrible disease has been eradicated worldwide?  

A:  Almost, but not quite.  Yesterday was World Polio Day, “to raise awareness and support to end polio – a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today,” to quote from an article in the October 19 Independent newspaper.

Mr. Pedometer is proud to be a member of Pleasanton North Rotary.  Our international service organization launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative almost three decades ago.  We have helped create a 99.9% decrease in the annual number of cases of this crippling disease — from 350,000 cases a year to only 37 in 2016, and only 8 cases so far this year.

Rotary has committed to raising $50 million per year over the next three years to support polio eradication efforts, keeping all children protected from this debilitating disease.  The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match our donations 2:1.

“Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk,” the article notes.

You can help by going to www.endpolio.org to make a donation.  Our Tri-Valley Rotary clubs will be holding an End Polio Now Campaign from March 1 to April 30, so we will remind you then.

Only one other disease has been successfully eradicated in modern history, and that is smallpox.  You can help make history with your donation of any amount.

Too Early For A Flu Shot?

Oct 11, 2017 | Ask Mr. Pedometer and Friends..., Health, Wellness

Ask Mr. Pedometer and Friends…

Q:  Mr. Pedometer, is it too early to get a flu shot? 

A:  Definitely not!  Those in the medical profession remind us that it takes up to three weeks for the shot to protect you, so getting a flu shot before November is a very good idea.  Most pharmacies — even those in grocery stores – already are advertising the availability of this year’s flu shot.  While it does not guarantee that you will avoid illness, it makes it likely that your malady (if any) will be less severe.  Remember, flu shots protect not only yourself but those around you – particularly the more vulnerable, including the elderly and infants.

Kaiser Permanente clinic in Pleasanton is offering the shots Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  Kaiser also reminds us of the seven best ways to fight the flu:

  • Get your flu shot
  • Wash your hands
  • Stop smoking
  • Avoid touching your face
  • Eat your fruits and veggies
  • Sneeze and cough into your elbow
  • Stay home if you are sick…please!

Some people say the “holiday season” actually starts this month, with Halloween.  No one wants to be ill during the feasting of Thanksgiving in November, nor for whatever holidays you celebrate with family and friends in December.  So, roll up your sleeve and get your flu shot ASAP.

EAT RIGHT, MOVE MORE, BE WELL.

Breast Cancer Awarness Month

Oct 5, 2017 | Ask Mr. Pedometer and Friends..., Health, Info

Ask Mr. Pedometer and Friends…
October 4, 2017

Q: Mr. Pedometer, did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

A: Thanks for the reminder! By now, probably each of us knows someone who has had (or currently has) breast cancer. The good news is that detection and treatment have improved. According to the American Cancer Society, there are over 3.1 million women alive who have a history of breast cancer. For a woman, there is a 1 in 8-lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. However, of those diagnosed and treated, 89% survive 5 years later; 83% survive 10 years later, and 78% survive 15 years later.

The crucial thing – the whole point of this “awareness” month – is early detection. The American Cancer Society estimated that more than 290,000 women would be newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 (latest data available) and that 40,290 would die. The difference between life and death can depend on whether the breast cancer is diagnosed in the earliest, most treatable stages.

For women 45-55, ACS recommends mammography screening every year. For those women at normal risk level, that screening may be reduced to every other year as of age 55, but should continue “as long as the woman’s overall health is good and her life expectancy is for 10 or more years.” Sadly, only 69% of those surveyed had had a mammogram in the previous two years. (Among college graduates, the rate was 78%.) Under the Affordable Care Act, there is no charge for mammograms.

No one gets to choose their family’s medical history, but there are four ways ACS points to for possible prevention of breast cancer:

• Avoid weight gain and obesity.
• Engage in regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes per week).
• Minimize alcohol intake (1drink per day for women, 2 per day for men — and yes, 2,350 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer    each year, and 440 will die from it.)
• Consume a healthy diet, with emphasis on plant foods.

Or, to put it another way…

EAT RIGHT, MOVE MORE, BE WELL.

Prevent Brittle Bones

Jun 20, 2017 | Ask Mr. Pedometer and Friends..., Health, Move More, Walking, Wellness

Q:  Mr. Pedometer, you encourage us to “eat right,” but do you have any suggestions that may help prevent brittle bones?

A:  We just missed National Osteoporosis Month in May, but we found an article in a recent edition of Spry Living newspaper insert that lists snacks high in calcium.  Author Nancy Rizzo, RD, notes that 44 million Americans have low bone mineral density, and 10 million have full-fledged osteoporosis, which she defines as “a condition characterized by weak, brittle bones.”

One way to prevent the disease or to diminish the risk of fractures is by making sure you have a calcium-rich diet – 1,000 mg calcium per day for those under age 50, up to 1,200 mg per day for those of us over 50.

Here are three snack swaps that can provide you with more calcium:

  • Figs instead of fruit. “This sweet dried snack is much higher in calcium than an apple or banana, and two figs are just 45 calories.”
  • Edamame instead of carrots. “The soybean provides an extra shot of calcium, with 10 % of your daily needs in just one cup, and almost 20g of muscle-building protein.”
  • Almond butter instead of PB. “Make your Ants on a Log – celery filled with nut butter and topped with raisins – with almond butter for five times the calcium.”

Visit Parade.com to get online versions of the Spry Living May 2017 recipes for other calcium-rich snacks, including caramelized onion dip, a green smoothie, and healthy chocolate chip cookies (by adding a mashed banana and Greek yogurt).

Brittle bones can lead to falls and fractures – in either order – so adding calcium to one’s diet is a good way to avoid the lack of mobility that can result from such accidents.

Of course, Mr. Pedometer would be remiss if I did not also mention that load-bearing exercise is another good way to promote bone density.  Mr. Pedometer has arranged for a friend to write an anti-osteoporosis guide.  If you would like a copy, email us at [email protected]