It’s what you do, not what you say, that has the biggest impact on your child’s health. I’ve recently read two studies concerning young girls and how their parents, particularly their mothers influence their behavior. The first study involved nutrition and exercise. A number of studies now show that choices a mother makes - from the beverages she drinks to where she keeps the family snacks - dramatically affect her daughter’s nutrition, long-term health and risk for being overweight. Studies also show both fathers and mothers can influence a child’s physical activity level simply by exercising themselves. Compared with boys, the average girl’s exercise level drops dramatically after age nine.
  The other study concerned a risk factor for initiation of sexual activity in girls. Girls thirteen to fifteen ranked entertainment media as the most likely source for sexual health information. Despite a lower overall rate of sexual activity among adolescents in households where there was strong parental disapproval, those with high television viewing, more than two hours per day, and a lack of parental regulation had the highest rate of initiation of sex. By the way, did you know that on the average, children in the U.S. will spend more time this year in front of a TV (1023 hours) than they will in school (900 hours). 

   So parents, practice what you preach, turn off the television, go for a walk, and watch your diet for the benefit of your children’s health.

Despite the fact that summer is coming to an end you can still get substantial sun exposure on cloudy fall days and even on winter days, especially if you are out with the sun reflecting off water while you are fishing or off of snow while you are skiing or snowmobiling.  The SPF or sun protective factor is a multiple of the amount of time that it would take you to burn under normal conditions.  Meaning that if you are out on a bright, sunny day and you have on a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 and normally it would take 10 minutes of sun exposure before you would start to get a slight sunburn, with the sunscreen on it would take 150 minutes or 2 ½ hours before you would burn.  Reapplying sunscreen is beneficial if you have been swimming and it has been washed off, but that does not give you another 2 ½ hours before you would burn.  I would recommend that you have a sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 30-45.  Of course, a lip balm containing SPF protection is beneficial and for men who do not like to apply cream to their face, sunscreen sticks, which are like a giant tube of lipstick, are very convenient and are clear and less oily.  Also, the new spray-on sunscreens are especially nice for covering an entire area uniformly like the legs, arms and back when you are at the beach in the summer. 

  Certain medication can increase sensitivity to sunlight and sometimes cause a severe burn or skin reactions.  This would include Tetracycline (Doxycycline), Ciprofloxin (Cipro), Sulfa (Septra) and certain blood pressure medications that contain hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). 

  Sunglasses should be worn on sunny days, not just as a fashion statement, but to help prevent damage to your eyes.  The UVA rays increase your risk of macular degeneration and UVB rays can lead to cataracts.  Just because sunglasses are dark colored or polarized or mirrored doesn’t mean they offer good protection.  Sunglasses should have a label indicating how much protection they offer and you should look for 99 to 100% of UVA and UVB blockage.  Of course, wearing a wide-brimmed hat which shades your eyes and face can also reduce by about 50% of the reflected sunlight and also reduce the risk of later getting skin cancers on the ears, forehead and temples. 

So, remember, use your sunscreen and sunglasses when you are out on a sunny day, even in the fall and winter months.

  Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is a common bacteria carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Approximately 25 to 35 percent of the population is colonized. Colonized means the bacteria is present, but does not cause infection in that person. Many of these staph are sensitive to multiple antibiotics.
Some staph bacteria are resistant to most antibiotics. MRSA (which stands for Methicillin Resistant Staph aureus) is a type of staph that is resistant to many antibiotics. While 25 to 35 percent of the population is colonized with staph, approximately 1 percent is colonized with MRSA. The only way to tell if a bacteria is staph and if it is MRSA is to culture it in a lab, although they are developing some rapid testing methods.
   There are two different types of MRSA. The first is found mostly in nursing homes and hospitals and primarily affects those with weakened immune systems. The other is Community Associated staph or CA-MRSA and it can cause skin infections among the general population. Sometimes the individual does not know where they acquired the staph infection, however, you will not get it by simply sitting in the same room as a person with MRSA since it does not travel by air.
Infection Appearance:
Staph bacteria including MRSA cause skin infections that are red, swollen and painful and may drain pus. They look like a large pimple or boil, but may be mistaken for a spider bite. These infections can usually be treated with drainage and/or oral antibiotics. More serious infections occur when the bacteria enters other body systems. When this happens MRSA may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections or surgical wound infections.
Prevention:
* Keeping your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; in both cases, rubbing the hands together vigorously and drying is important.
* Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed especially when you are out in public.
* Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.
* Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors. In the health club you should take the time to wipe down the surface of equipment before and after use with a sanitizing cloth.
* Avoid the overuse of antibiotics and if they are prescribed, avoid stopping them early or missing doses.
Treatment:
Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with select antibiotics. Many staph skin infections may be treated by draining the abscess and may not require antibiotics. If you live with someone who gets the same infection tell them to go to

    Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many cancers, including that of the breast and colon.

    Consume a healthy diet, with emphasis on plant sources. Eat at least nine servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day. Choose whole grains as much as possible. Limit your intake of processed and red meat.

Stay physically active: This not only helps with weight control, but may also reduce the risk of some cancers in other ways.

Limit sun exposure and use sunscreen.

If you drink alcohol, consume no more than one drink per day if you’re a woman, or two per day if a man. Alcohol increases the risk of breast, colon, liver, stomach, and oral cancers.

Get screened. Talk to your doctor about when and how often. The tests include mammograms and Pap smears for women, prostate screening for men, and colonoscopy for all adults.

Young women should get the new HPV vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer. Children, adolescents, and high-risk adults should get the hepatitis B vaccine to help prevent liver cancer.

-Eating Your Antioxidants
Start by making sure you’re getting enough antioxidants in your diet. Among the best sources:

     beta-carotene: carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, kale, collards, peaches, apricots.

     Vitamin c: oranges and other citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, kohlrabi, kale, cauliflower, tomatoes.

     vitamin e: fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, sunflower and safflower and safflower oil, hazelnuts, tomato sauce, peanut butter, wheat germ, avocado.

     selenium: seafood, lean meat and poultry, whole grains, garlic, eggs, low-fat dairy.

  Today tea packages, dietary supplements, and even cosmetics proclaim themselves to be bursting with beneficial antioxidants that will fight off chronic disease and help keep you young. And people now often think “antioxidant” means “something that’s good for you.” But as recent research suggests, including an analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association, too many antioxidants can sometimes do more harm than good.
   To understand antioxidants, you have to know what a free radical is. Free radicals are formed in normal cellular processes of the body, but also are generated in other events at the cellular level - including the effects of ultra-violet light, air pollution, trauma, excess heat, intense physical exertion, and smoking.
    Antioxidants help deactivate free radicals. Some of these antioxidants are familiar - vitamin C and E, beta carotene and other polyphenols; they are found not only in vegetables, fruits, and grains, but also in chocolate, tea, coffee, and wine.
    According to current thinking, free radicals probably play a role in many chronic diseases. They can promote arteriosclerosis, leading to heart attacks and strokes. They can damage the basic genetic material of cells in ways that may lead to cancer. They contribute to the aging process.
    Though they are troublemakers, free radicals sometimes come in handy. Our own cells actually produce them: for example, certain immune cells, including white blood cells, manufacture them and use them as weapons against bacteria and viruses. They help form some useful compounds in the body, including the prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances with a variety of effects, including cell growth and regulation of pain.
    Antioxidants are not always good. For example, studies have found that beta carotene, an antioxidant, can increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Moreover, it’s thought that very high doses of vitamin C can promote free radicals, whereas low doses suppress free radicals. It’s a delicate balance.
    There were early hopes that a single antioxidant, such as C or E or beta carotene, would help prevent chronic diseases. However, in recent years most studies have failed to show a benefit for these supplements. There are different types of antioxidants, and having enough of them and the right ones in proper proportions is essential to health. We know that free radicals play a role in some chronic diseases. We know that a healthy diet, rich in fruits, whole grains, and vegetables (the sources of nearly all antioxidants) can help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. We know that smoking, too much exposure to sunlight, and other processes that generate free radicals can promote cancer. Consuming adequate amounts of vitamin C and E, carotenoids, and selenium is necessary.
   Years ago many physicians advised patients to take beta carotene as well as vitamin C and E supplements. We changed our minds when studies showed that beta carotene might actually be harmful, at least to smokers. Soon afterwards we stopped recommending supplementary C and E because good studies had failed to find that they prevented disease. Get your antioxidants from foods, which contain a wide array of them. The combination found in foods may be what does the most good. And foods also contain many other nutrients your body needs. Antioxidants are part of the chemistry of life, not something in a bottle that can miraculously prevent or cure disease.

  That’s the question many people are asking amidst reports that one of America’s most popular cooking methods is linked with a higher risk for cancer.
   While it’s true that grilled and charred meats can be risky, you don’t have to shut down your grill. Simple cooking and preparation strategies and even the side dishes you serve can dramatically lower and even eliminate the risks associated with grilling. Although Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest grilling events of the year, more than half the people who own grills now use them year around.
   Most people think of grilled meats as a healthier option than other cooking methods because the food isn’t fried or breaded and the fat drips into the grill rather than staying on the food. But while you are saving calories, you may be taking on other risks.
   Grilling creates two risky types of chemical reactions. The first occurs when fat drips onto the coals, forming carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs. The best way to prevent this is to avoid flaming and charring food. If it happens, the solution is to scrape off the black stuff.
   A bigger concern may be the chemical reaction that happens inside meats, chicken, and fish grilled at high temperatures and for long periods. Compounds in the foods react at high temperatures to create heterocyclic amines or HCAs. In laboratory studies, HCAs trigger breast, colon and prostate tumors in rats and mice. About 30 studies have shown a link between high consumption of grilled or well-done foods and cancer.
   A May study in a medical journal showed that postmenopausal women who often ate grilled, barbecued and smoked meats had a 47% higher risk for breast cancer than low meat eaters.
   While studies show the highest risk comes with eating well-done meats several times a week, the problem is we simply don’t know whether there is any “dose” at which grilled foods are entirely safe.

   But the strategies to improve the safety of grilling are surprisingly simple:
 *Microwave foods for about a minute before grilling. Pre-cooking means the food cooks faster on the grill and isn’t exposed to high temperatures as long. More important, the amino acids and creatine come out in the juice in the microwave, so no chemical reaction takes place once you put the food on the grill. A well-done hamburger that is microwaved for a minute first has about 10 times fewer HCAs than a burger cooked entirely on the grill.
 *Eat lots of veggies with your foods. Grilled veggies give you the great grilled flavor but don’t produce the cancer-causing chemicals triggered in meat grilling. (You still need to scrape off the black stuff.) And studies show that eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli as a side dish to grilled meats changes the way the body metabolized the chemicals created in grilling.
 *Use marinades. Marinating foods sets up a barrier against heat that lowers the creation of HCSs. Use a marinade with less oil, so less fat drips onto the coals.
 *Flip your food often. This lowers the temperature, lessening the chance of the risky chemical reaction triggered by high temperatures.
 *Cook red meat medium or rare. The biggest health risk comes when meat is cooked well done.

Finally, it’s important to note that the risk comes mostly from cooking at high temperatures, whether it’s from your oven, frying pan or backyard grill. When cooking indoors, Dr. Felton suggests cooking meats at 350 degrees or lower or use a slow cooker.
Excerpts from a recent Health Journal in WSJ.

  Yes, poultry has less fat and fewer calories, especially when the skin is removed. Breast meat is the lowest in fat and calories. Dark meat poultry (thighs and legs) has two to three times as much fat as breast meat and 25% more calories. It is true that chicken fat is not as highly saturated as beef fat, but is still not a “good fat.” The fat on breast meat is easy to remove. Nevertheless, the healthiest diets are rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains (and include some fish) and lower in animal products of all kinds.

How can you be sure the poultry you buy is free from hormones and antibiotics?

  You need not worry about that. In contrast to beef, it is against the law to use hormones in raised poultry (factory-farmed or organic) in the U.S. Antibiotics are sometimes used to prevent disease, but must be withdrawn prior to slaughter so that no residue remains in the meat. The USDA routinely inspects poultry for antibiotic residues.

What contaminants are in poultry and why do you have to be so careful when preparing it?

  Salmonella and Campylobacter are two potentially deadly strains of bacteria found in raw chicken. They are responsible for millions of cases of food poisoning and hundreds of deaths each year. There are antibiotics available to treat both of these types of infections, however the real worry is that overuse of antibiotics by the meat and poultry industry may lead to drug resistant strains. Contamination may occur at the farm or any stage in the processing, from slaughtering to packaging. Consumers have no choice but self protection; always cook poultry thoroughly. Also make sure poultry’s leakproof wrappings are intact at the market. Never allow poultry juices to contaminate other foods, use soap and warm water to wash all surfaces and utensils that come into contact with raw poultry and wash your hands thoroughly after handling.

What is the difference between farm-raised and organic chicken?

  All poultry is raised on “farms” so “farm-raised” means little on the label. According to the National Chicken Council, “farm-raised” birds sometimes come from small or local operations. However the USDA organic label on meat does have a specific meaning; the animals are raised on 100% organic feed; no antibiotics have been used; and animal welfare must be promoted (a rather vague provision). But slaughtering methods are the same no matter how the chicken was raised and that is where most contamination occurs.

Are free-range and organic chickens safer than factory-farmed birds?

  No. People may assume that these labels mean “safer,” but a study last year in the Journal of Food Protection found that out of 14 lots of free-range chickens, 64% of samples tested positive for salmonella. Other studies have yielded similar findings. Nevertheless, the poultry in the market is safe to eat when properly handled and cooked. Chicken and turkey, particularly skinless white meat, are nutritious sources of lean protein and also inexpensive compared with other meats.