HEALTH/FITNESS

Northeast Ohio Health and Medical Consumer News

Eat right, think right & work out: A guide to healthy golden years

by Dr. Matthew S. Wayne/University Hospitals Case Medical Center

Friday November 21, 2008, 2:30 AM

It may not be the fountain of youth, but it is the next best thing: here are four essentials to promote successful aging.

Proper nutrition
A well-balanced diet is essential for good health and should include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish and nuts. In fact, a recent study showed that a Mediterranean diet (including vegetables, fruits, fish, legumes, and olive oil) may decrease the risk of developing dementia.

On the other hand, foods rich in saturated and trans fats such as red meat, butter, margarine, cookies, cakes and potato chips should be limited or avoided.

I am frequently asked about the benefits of dietary supplements, vitamins and minerals. The medical literature shows little evidence that taking these supplements is beneficial unless an individual has a documented nutritional deficiency.

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Organ-donation group names award in memory of Stephanie Tubbs Jones

by Angela Townsend/Plain Dealer Reporter

Thursday November 20, 2008, 10:58 PM

Mervyn Jones II remembered having a conversation as a child with his mother, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, about her intention to be an organ donor.

They never dwelled much on her decision, but the message of the importance of donating was something that she constantly drilled in his mind.

"It was all about giving, how you can provide help for others," said Jones, now 25.

On Saturday, Cleveland MOTTEP (Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program) will present the first Stephanie Tubbs Jones Hero Award in honor of Jones' mother.

The group, which works to increase the number of minority organ and tissue transplant donors and to decrease the rate at which minorities need those transplants, selected Jones and his mother's sister, Barbara Walker, as the first recipients.

"We thought it was a perfect way to honor Stephanie," said Cleveland MOTTEP Executive Director Mark Robinson, who approached Walker and Jones several weeks after the congresswoman's death on Aug. 20 from a brain aneurysm. "She was always very supportive of our work."

Not only is the award -- one of three that MOTTEP will hand out -- designed to honor Tubbs Jones, but it also will serve to raise awareness of the need for more minorities as organ donors.

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Health-care reform effort gains steam

by Joan Mazzolini/Plain Dealer Reporter

Thursday November 20, 2008, 6:53 AM

The U.S. economic crisis, rather than hinder health-care reform, might hasten it instead.

Before the election, health reform advocates said the economic downturn, coupled with the federal bailout of banks, might doom efforts to overhaul the country's health-care system.

The cost would be too high.

But since the election, momentum to overhaul the system has increased, despite -- or maybe because of -- ever-gloomier economic conditions.

"If we're going to revive our economy -- if we're going to restore a sense of economic security to ordinary American families -- we have to fix health care," Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern testified Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Finance.

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Winter weight gains stick with you

by Robin K. Bowman and Lorena C. Devia/Summa Health System

Thursday November 20, 2008, 1:37 AM

It all starts at the end of October.

It begins to get chilly outside, and before we notice, there goes our morning workout routine. It's cold and dreary outside, and all we want is to be cozy and snuggle up in our favorite quilt at home.

Then comes the comfort food.

It begins with the inevitable flood of candy into our homes during Halloween. So now we are not only skipping that workout that we were so devoted to during the summer, we're also indulging in peanut butter-caramel chocolate-covered treats. Soon after that, the holiday season is upon us.

We use Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's as an excuse to indulge in the richest of foods, because of course, it's only "once a year."

As a result, we find ourselves trying to squeeze into clothes that fit just right only a few short weeks ago.

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Are you ready to accept the Great American Smokeout challenge?

by Karen L. Ahijevych/Ohio State University

Wednesday November 19, 2008, 1:59 AM

Every year, all current smokers are encouraged to quit smoking for one day on the third Thursday in November as part of the Great American Smokeout.

If you've been thinking about quitting, this is the perfect time to take action. There are many support systems in place so you don't have to face this big challenge alone. The Smokeout helps smokers prove to themselves that they can go without smoking for 24 hours.

Currently, about 46 million adults smoke in the United States. Quitting tobacco use is hard and it may take several serious tries before you are successful. But keep in mind that half of all people who have ever smoked have quit. You can, too.

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Health-obesity study at Mayfair Elementary School in East Cleveland uses dance as exercise

by Jennifer Gonzalez/Plain Dealer Reporter

Tuesday November 18, 2008, 7:57 AM

EAST CLEVELAND -- Students at Mayfair Elementary School are dancing their way to better health.

Hip-hop. Salsa. Rock 'n' roll. They kick off their shoes and move to the beat every morning in the school's gym.

"Exercising is healthy," said Bryanne Coleman, 9, little beads of sweat popping on the bridge of her nose. "It keeps you strong."

Bryanne is one of about 20 students in grades two through six participating in a school-year-long study led by Peg Heinzer, associate professor of nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

The Dance Pad Exercise for a Healthy Weight in Childhood is investigating whether increasing exercise alone can make a difference in a student's body mass index -- a way to estimate a healthy body weight based on a person's height.

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Choosing the right Medicare plan during open enrollment

by Mary Vanac

Tuesday November 18, 2008, 1:30 AM

It's the time of year when people who are eligible for Medicare wrestle with plans that seem to be written in foreign languages, sift through comparisons of coverage and worry about making the best medical insurance choices for next year.

Open enrollment began Saturday and will continue until Dec. 31. People -- largely senior citizens -- can enroll in original Medicare or enroll in or change Medicare prescription drug and Medicare Advantage plans.

The challenge is choosing the right Medicare plan to meet your expected medical needs.

"Medicare was never designed to completely cover all the senior's health-care costs," said Anne Armao, vice president of marketing and product development for SummaCare Inc., the medical insurance unit of Summa Health System in Akron.

"Unfortunately, the cost of what is not covered has grown to the point where an individual cannot pay out of pocket."

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How to tell loved ones what you want at the end of life

by Diane Suchetka/Plain Dealer Reporter

Tuesday November 18, 2008, 1:25 AM

It's the gift nobody wants to ask for.

But one of the best you can give.

When family and friends gather this year for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas, talk to them about how you want to die -- no matter how old you are.

It's not as morbid as it sounds.

First, you'll give peace of mind to those you love. If they know what you want at the end of life, they can take comfort in following your wishes.

Second, you'll greatly reduce the chances they'll end up fighting over what they think you want.

"One of the really awful things to see is divided families," says Mark Aulisio, director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics at MetroHealth Medical Center. Aulisio gets called in to help families and health professionals work through ethical concerns and conflicts over end-of-life decisions a few times a month.

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