Hidden Risk of Summer Travel : Luggage-Related Injury

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

We all look forward to our family vacation, or some kind of travel during the summer months. And you’ll want to make sure you don’t accidentally injure yourself in at least one way that is totally avoidable.

I’m talking about your luggage – from packing, to pulling, to lifting, here are some of my top tips to do it right, and get to your destination without a back or shoulder injury.

Get your empty suitcase off of the floor.  Place your bags on a towel-covered bed or countertop to pack. Bending to the floor can add strain to your back. And remember to bend your knees when reaching down to the floor. 

Avoid over-packing. This is something we’re all guilty of – and a suitcase feels a lot lighter at home than it does when we’re dragging it around, whether by car, bus, air, or train. Some estimates recommend cutting your clothing “allowance” in half. And use travel size containers for toiletries, to lighten up the weight from containers.

Choose a suitcase to roll, not pull. Update your luggage with a bag that has four wheels to roll along, and not the two-wheeled pull-alongs. Those two-wheelers can put a lot of strain on your back and shoulders.

Lift your bag with care. Use a two-step lifting technique: first to your chest, then second to the overhead bin of a plane, train, or bus. And don’t be afraid to ask for help. You’ll always find someone willing to help. (See “overpacking” tip above to avoid this to begin with!).

What other travel tips can you offer? Have you had a luggage-related injury? Let me know!

Eating at the Ballpark

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

A day at the ballpark puts a smile on the face of most everyone I know. As you make your way to your seat, you’ll see all kinds of tempting foods. And even if you keep walking straight to your seat, you’ll constantly be reminded throughout the game by the vendors who pass through the aisles!

Here are some of my best tips to keep in mind. Following them will allow you to enjoy both the ballgame AND indulge in some fun ballpark foods. One big hint—when it comes to ballpark foods, sharing is a good word to keep in mind!

Think a large soft pretzel is a healthy choice because it’s low in fat? Don’t be fooled, since that doughy delight has about 500 calories!

Debating between the peanuts and Cracker Jack? For the same 6 ounces of each – the Cracker Jack has only 600 calories, while the nuts weigh in with a whopping 1,000 calories and 100 grams of fat (equivalent to eating three cups of cheese!).

While the foot long hotdogs look tempting, covered with chili and cheese, you’d need to walk 9 miles to walk that off – about 900 calories. Stick with a regular size dog and cut those calories in half!

Looking for a “cheesy” option? Stick with a plain personal pan pizza, at 500 calories, and skip the nachos that’ll set you back close to twice that!

How about some beer? Most 12 ounce regular beers have 150 calories. If you choose a typical light beer, you’ll save 50 calories.

Making a non-alcoholic choice? If you’re not picking water or a diet soda – stick with a 16-ounce (medium) regular soda at around 200 calories, instead of a smoothie of the same size with about 450 calories.

Any other ballpark foods you’d like to hear about? Let me know!

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

Want to win a free iPad? It’s easier than you think! Join our My Healthy Summer campaign for some inspiration on healthier living. Just take a picture of your favorite summer health activity, and you’re eligible to win!

Follow these 3 easy steps:

1. Take a picture of yourself and/or your family engaging in a healthy activity of any kind. Maybe a family trip to the playground, a visit to a farmer’s market (or the produce section of your local supermarket), a walk in the park, or cooking for a backyard barbecue? Let your imagination be your guide! 
2. Upload your picture to Instagram (free app available for iphone and Android).
3. Include our Instagram name, @UPMCHealthPlan, and #MyHealthySummer to complete your entry.

Check out all entry photos at http://www.facebook.com/upmchealthplan. 

And stay tuned for my summer blog series for topics ranging from what to eat at the ballpark, to diet-friendly frozen desserts, to what to eat at during vacation travel. Drop me a line if you have a summer topic you’d like to hear about.

Got Popsicles?

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

One of summer’s biggest pleasures is a frozen treat. From the supermarket to roadside stands, you can find dozens of plain and fancy frozen confections. Most of us remember the old homemade version of pouring orange or grape juice into a small paper cups, and inserting a craft stick as a handle for some easy popsicles.

If you’re intrigued by the possibilities of some creative homemade frozen treats, you can pick up a copy of “People’s Pops: 55 recipes for ice pops, shaved ice, and boozy pops from Brooklyn’s coolest pop shop” (Ten Speed Press, $17), a book full of fun ideas for popsicles of all kinds. You have to love the entrepreneurs who’ve made a business out of creating popsicles based on summer’s favorite frozen treats! And with the variety of options, I think you’ll be making ice pops all year round!

You’ll find recipes for frozen pops of all kinds, including “adult” versions combined with small amounts of alcohol. Recipes use ingredients like cucumbers, edible flowers, and jalapenos and combine them with the more traditional fruits like peaches and berries.

If you’re looking to save money and calories this summer, think about popsicles. A refreshing treat for kids of all ages!

Is Obesity the New Normal?

There’s an old joke that goes something like this: “If you want to feel thinner, hang around with heavier people.” Maybe that’s not so funny anymore. With two-thirds of the U.S. population overweight or obese, the “look” of Americans has changed. We’re sizing ourselves up not by personal health, but by how we look compared to others. In discussing their weight, people often tell me they’re a lot slimmer than most of the people they know — as if this removes personal responsibility for their own weight concerns. It’s a defensive posture, implying things could be a lot worse. While often true, it doesn’t make the individual’s weight less important as a personal health risk.

And that view is not limited only to body size perception. As a nation, we’ve changed our view of what a single serving looks like and what “family size” servings mean. What was perfectly acceptable as a single serving a decade or two ago, now looks puny in comparison to the “new” scale of serving size. And a family sized package for four servings, often becomes a meal for two. This is glaringly apparent when we look at federal guidelines (developed years ago) for what “counts” as a serving size. Most of us laugh when we hear about a serving of protein the size of a computer mouse, or palm or your hand. How could anyone fill up with that, many people ask?

We are living in a different world, where our eyes are now accustomed to viewing larger people and larger servings as the new normal. To me, this updated — but skewed — way of looking at the world can only lead to a future with increasing weight-related health problems.

 Do you agree?

Sunscreen Works!

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

You know I’m a vocal supporter of sunscreen use and keep reminding you to incorporate using sunscreen as one of your “daily habits” all year round. I’d like to share an interesting article just out from the New England Journal of Medicine about a unique example of one man’s experience.

Dr. Jennifer Gordon, from Northwestern University in Chicago, studied a gentleman who spent 28 years on the road as a long-haul trucker. This man had extensive sun exposure to the left side of his face (driver’s side). After nearly 30 years, he sustained a huge amount of sun damage to the left side of his face. While the left side of his face was creased, and wrinkled, the right side of his face was relatively smooth and unlined.

I can’t think of a better example for the endorsement of sunscreen! While this is an extreme example, it’s an amazing one that points out just how vulnerable we all are to the sun’s rays.

Another important thing to remember from this example—glass is not an effective barrier for the damaging UV rays of the sun. UV radiation penetrates glass and affects your skin.
If you don’t already do so, make daily sunscreen application a habit, even when you’re not at the pool or the beach. Your skin will thank you!

What is SPF?

SPF — or Sun Protection Factor — is a measure of a sunscreen's ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. Here's how it works: If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer — about five hours.

Another way to look at it is in terms of percentages: SPF 15 filters out approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent and SPF 50 keeps out 98 percent.

Other thoughts on sunscreen? Post away!

Disney Boosts Healthy Nutrition for Kids

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

While The Disney Company has always been linked to children’s entertainment, they’re now taking a bold new step to promote children’s health. All food products advertised on their ABC-TV child-focused TV programs, radio stations, and web sites must adhere to new nutritional guidelines. And their theme parks will also modify their food offerings, with changes including a 25% reduction in sodium. Considering that Disney parks serve nearly 12 million meals to children every year, this is a big step. While these changes won’t occur until 2015 due to existing contracts, it’s a move in the right direction. 

Disney has already been an active leader in this area, when, in 2006, they largely reduced the association of the Disney name and popular characters with foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. You might recall that the “Toy Story” gang of Buzz Lightyear and company were removed from McDonald’s Happy Meals and that Mickey Mouse disappeared from boxes of Pop-Tarts.

The most recent changes are based on federal guidelines, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed guidelines for food marketing to children. You can check out these guidelines for yourself at www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/mohl.

While this is a great step in the right direction to limit the sale of junk food to children, children and their parents are not being encouraged to replace junk food with healthier foods, fruits, and vegetables. However, Disney-licensed foods in grocery stores that meet the criteria for limited amounts of sugar, fat, and sodium will display a new logo – Mickey Mouse ears with a check mark.

So this is a major step in the right direction for healthier eating for children. But will it have a lasting impact? What do you think?

Bye-Bye Supersized Drinks?

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

Across the nation nearly everyone I speak with has a strong reaction to last week’s plan led by New York City’s mayor to ban sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces (a typical “medium”). This includes both bottled and fountain drinks containing more than 25 calories in an eight-ounce serving. The ban would not affect 100% juices or drinks containing 50% or more of milk or a milk substitute (like milkshakes).

Anyone wanting to purchase a 32-ounce drink can purchase two 16-ounce drinks. And that’s the source of the problem. Should the government intervene in a private area like food choice? Freedom of choice, with value is the question here. People have joked about what’s next: smaller slices of pizza, a thinner burger, smaller cookies?

While it seems unlikely that this policy will become a law, from both the regulatory and legal points of view, this attention-grabbing concept is causing a lot of controversy.

Going “retro” on drink sizes makes a lot of sense, and it’s not a new concept. Twenty years ago, 16 ounces seemed like a big size, considering that seven- to eight-ounce servings were very common. And, in Europe, these mega-size cups are not even available. In my mind, size is all relative to what you’re accustomed to!

Is it unfair for people to pay more for a larger size drink? Do these supersized drinks contribute to obesity? Depending on the circumstances, the answer can be “yes” or “no.”

What do you think of this policy? And how do you think this policy would be received in the greater Pittsburgh region? I’d really love to hear your thoughts in this controversial area!

Here's an infographic from the CDC for some perspective on the change in portions over the years:

“Bad” Foods That Are Good for You

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

In my book, there are no bad foods, just bad portions. You’re not a nutritional slacker if you enjoy flavorful, high-fat foods or other favorites. You can learn some strategies to include them in a healthy diet – and avoid deprivation.

Check out some of my favorites and smart ways to incorporate them into your eating routine.

Cheese: While loaded with saturated fat and calories, cheese is hugely flavorful and a little goes a long way. Think of cheese as a condiment, and you’re off to a good start. Grate a tablespoon or two of a hard cheese like parmesan or sharp cheddar to top salads, pasta, or veggies; or try some packaged shredded versions. And consider reduced-fat versions for loads of flavor with less fat.

Pasta: One cup of cooked pasta is only 200 calories – a serving size many people find skimpy. Swap out white pasta for 100% whole wheat (the calories are the same), and the boost of fiber will keep you fuller longer. Add a cup of cooked veggies to bulk up your serving size. Top with a low-fat red sauce (skip those creamy ones!).

Potatoes: At 100 calories for a baseball-sized potato, white and “sweet” versions are packed with fiber, vitamins, and potassium. It’s the toppings – butter, bacon, sour cream – that add the calories. Top your potato with some chopped chives and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Or try a little butter spray.

Red Meat: While marbled, fatty cuts of red meat are linked with heart disease, there are 20+ cuts of beef that are lean and loaded with protein, iron, and other nutrients. Look for cuts like “loin” and “round”; one of my favorites is flank steak. Or try pork tenderloin, another cut as lean as a chicken breast!

What other favorites do you have – and how do you include them into a healthy diet?