National Better Breakfast Month

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – right? Perhaps not. Some people are ‘breakfast’ people, others cannot even think about eating at least until an hour or two after they have woken up. September is National Better Breakfast Month and we are examining what a ‘better breakfast’ really means.

There is a big debate within the medical community whether you should eat breakfast every morning or not. But why is there a debate? Because the science of it is confusing! Some studies say that eating breakfast aids with weight loss, others say that it is not related. There are two factors to consider: will it lead to weight gain or weight loss? Will it lead to loss of energy?

Benefits of eating breakfast every day for weight loss include helping curb cravings, it emphasizes portion control, keeps you satiated, maintains glucose levels, and improves exercise performance. The conventional guidelines say that breakfast helps ignite your metabolism. Keep in mind though, these are benefits of a healthy, modest breakfast with lean protein, whole grains, and fresh fruits and veggies. A healthy breakfast could be oatmeal with nuts and a banana, or whole grain toast with a scrambled egg and tomato with herbal tea.

There is a solid case for not eating breakfast though. Studies have found that those who do not eat breakfast tend to eat less calories overall during the day. Skipping breakfast also helps reserve your calories for later in the day, which is a version of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is when you go longer without eating, your body starts the process of ketosis, which means it is burning your own fat by putting ketone bodies out through urine, which expels fat from your body. The data says that the longer you can go between dinner and brunch/lunch, the more weight you lose. In addition, because cortisol levels are higher in the morning, naturally your body should not require breakfast as fuel first thing when you wake up because that hormone provides energy.

Another benefit of skipping breakfast could be that oftentimes, traditional American breakfasts are simply not healthy. They tend to be carb-heavy and not nutritionally dense. A big bowl of highly sweetened cereal and a large glass of sugar-filled orange juice, or a greasy bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich is not a healthy choice, and will not not help you lose weight, rather it may make you gain weight. Eating too heavy of a breakfast will cause your blood sugar to spike, and you will crave high sugar or high fat foods to bounce back from that crash after the spike.

For the breakfast-eaters who made the switch, during the first few days your body may feel sluggish and very hungry during your normal breakfast hours. After a little while, your body adjusts.

At the end of the day, weight loss or weight gain is about the amount of calories in and out throughout a 24 hour period. If eating breakfast means you’re also eating less throughout the day, then you should eat it. If you start eating breakfast and still are overeating at other meals, then you should consider skipping it.

The answer as to whether you should eat breakfast or skip it depends on your lifestyle, preferences, and weight loss goals. You should only eat when you are hungry, and if you are not hungry within the first hour when you wake up, then do not eat breakfast. Instead, just wait a few hours until you are hungry (but not starving!). If you are pregnant or take medication in the morning that must be consumed with food, then of course eat breakfast. Sometimes your schedule can dictate when is best for you to eat breakfast. If you work out in the morning, some people prefer to have a little something before they work out, or right after. One thing is for certain though – drinking coffee with lots of cream and sugar is not going to help you lose weight. It could also depend on the needs of your particular body – some people are naturally lower energy in the morning than others and need breakfast to help wake up. Whatever is best for you, Private Home Care wishes you the best of health!

National Food Safety Education Month Continued

More about National Food Safety Education Month

Anyone can get food poisoning, and there is potential for it to be serious, depending on the type of virus or bacteria that they are exposed to. However, there are certain groups of people who are more susceptible to get sick and to have a serious illness or complications from foodborne illnesses. Their bodies’ ability to fight germs and sickness is not as effective for a variety of reasons. These groups of people include pregnant women, children 5 and younger, adults 65+, and people with chronic diseases or compromised immune systems. These populations should try to avoid foods that have higher risk of food poisoning like oysters or steak tartare.

Older adults have a higher risk because as people age, their immune systems and organs don’t recognize and get rid of harmful germs as well as they once did. Nearly half of people aged 65 and older who have a lab-confirmed foodborne illness from Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria or E. coli are hospitalized. Seniors need to be conscious of food safety because as the body ages, taste buds fade and some older adults may not realize if meat tastes or smells off. Elderly people need to keep food safety in mind because they may forget how long food may have been left out or the length of time it has been sitting in the fridge.

Symptoms of food poisoning may range from mild to severe. The symptoms include:

-Upset stomach

-Cramps

-Nausea

-Vomiting

-Diarrhea

Sometimes it is difficult to tell if it is the flu or food poisoning. If symptoms persist for more than a day or you are violently ill, consult a medical professional immediately. it could be a sign of a serious case of food poisoning like E. Coli or salmonella, which doctors can test for. The sooner you treat food poisoning, the better. When treated early, it can eliminate or reduce the risk of dangerous illness.

Think you have a stomach of steel? Not so fast. Sometimes food poisoning can take days to manifest, or as little as 20 minutes. Keep in mind that even if you do not get sick from eating something risky, others may get sick from you after if they share a drink or food with you.

In terms of food safety, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By following simple food safety measures, you can prevent illness for you and your loved ones. An extra rinse of an apple or cooking chicken for an additional minute or two could be the difference between a lovely meal or days of misery.

Do not play roulette when it comes to foodborne illnesses. If you think that food may be iffy or are unsure of the level of sanitation from where it was made, skip it. Absolutely no one needs to eat gas station sushi. If you dropped your piece of toast on the floor (how is it that it always seems to land butter-side down?!), no need to scrape it off, just make a new piece of toast.

Don’t be a hero. If the milk in your fridge is questionable, just go ahead and toss it. While we should try our best not to waste food, do not consume food that is iffy or past its prime and can make you sick. When eating out, put food safety and your health first. If a restaurant has a reputation for food recalls (we’re looking at you, Chipotle) or you see that the restaurant is not sanitary, do not eat there. If your salad is slimy or an oyster smells off, do not try to be polite and eat it anyways, tell your server immediately.

Fruits, and veggies are good for me – right?! Yes, proper nutrition is essential for health, and eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables gives important health benefits. But it’s important to select and prepare them safely. But sometimes raw fruits and vegetables contain harmful germs that can make you and your family sick, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. CDC estimates that germs on fresh produce cause a large percentage of U.S. foodborne illnesses. Non Organic produce is often sprayed with chemical pesticides, which is dangerous for your health and can also make you sick. Some produce have higher instances of foodborne illnesses, especially when eaten raw. Fruits such as melon and berries carry a higher risk for food poisoning. Always wash fruit before eating and eat freshly cut fruit right away or store it in the fridge. As for veggies, sprouts, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, celery and tomatoes are more prone to becoming contaminated with harmful bacteria. To reduce your risk, always wash vegetables and salad leaves and only purchase prepackaged salads that have been refrigerated. The safest produce is cooked; the next safest is washed. When in doubt, rinse again and pat dry with a fresh paper towel.

During National Food Safety Education Month, we raise awareness of foodborne illness and promote education about food safety and how to prevent foodborne illness. Private Home Care wishes you Bon Apetit for enjoying healthy and safe meals!

September is National Food Safety Education Month!

September is National Food Safety Education Month

September is National Food Safety Education Month. Foodbourne illness affects about 1 in 6 Americans each year and can be very serious, with an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually. Bacteria and viruses are the most common type of food poisoning. However, the good news is that it is easily preventable. Private Home Care encourages you to take an active role this month in preventing food poisoning by educating yourself and others and implementing important, yet simple, food safety measures. 

Why is food safety so important? As the Greek physician Hippocrates said “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” Food safety is the foundation of nutrition, and nutrition is essential for a healthy and high quality life. Private Home Care is dedicated to promoting healthy practices, which includes keeping people safe from foodborne illnesses. 

Thankfully, many cases of food poisoning do not require hospitalization. Anyone who has had it can tell you that it is not at all a pleasant experience and often people have to miss work or school due to illness. Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Symptoms of foodborne illness can include: vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain – and flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache. 

‘CSCC’ (Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill) are four key steps to remember when keeping you and your loved ones safe from foodborne illness in the kitchen. 

1. Clean

-Wash your hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before cooking and after using the bathroom, handling pets, or touching raw meat. 

-Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, etc after using them with a generous amount of soap in warm water. In case of doubt, wash it in the dishwasher with a drying setting of ‘high temp’ or ‘sanitize’. 

-Rinse ALL  fresh produce thoroughly, scrubbing firm fruits and veggies with a clean produce brush and special produce soap. Even if your produce says on the package that it is rinsed, it is good practice to rinse it again at home.

-Wipe down or rinse cans or any packaged foods that have gotten dusty.

-Pat down or wipe preferably with paper towels, use kitchen towels only if they are freshly laundered.

2. Separate

-Separate raw animal products (such as meat, poultry, and eggs) in your shopping bag, grocery cart, and refrigerator. 

-Use separate cutting boards for veggies, raw meat, poultry, and seafood. 

-Never place cooked food on a plate or surface that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs unless the plate has been washed in hot, soapy water.

-Don’t reuse marinades used on raw food.

3. Cook

-Food must be cooked to the right temperature in order to avoid illness and kill off any germs, bacteria, or viruses. Contrary to popular belief, color and texture are actually unreliable indicators of safety. Using a food thermometer is the only way to ensure the safety of meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products for all cooking methods.

-Strive for eggsellence: Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Only use recipes in which eggs are cooked or heated thoroughly.

-When cooking in a microwave oven, cover food, stir, and rotate for even cooking. Always allow standing time, which completes the cooking, before checking the internal temperature with a food thermometer. This applies to all microwave products because even microwaved veggies may not be properly rinsed before being packaged and frozen, so they need to be cooked to destroy anything that could make you sick.

-Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating.

4. Chill

-Always keep your cool: Use an appliance thermometer to be sure the temperature of the fridge is 40 degrees or below, and the freezer is 0 degrees or below.

-Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, seafood,and other perishables within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing. Refrigerate within 1 hour if the temperature outside is above 90 degrees. 

-Never thaw food at room temperature, such as on the counter top. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.

-Once you have thawed frozen raw meat, poultry, or seafood, do not freeze again!

-Always marinate food in the refrigerator. 

-Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator. If storing in plastic tupperware, it is best to wait until the food has cooled so as to not melt the plastic. 

Letter Writing and Exchanging is Especially Beneficial for Seniors

Writing and Receiving Letters is Good for the Soul, Especially for the Elderly.

Exchanging letters with seniors is particularly important and welcome right now. Older people living alone can experience loneliness and isolation in the best of times, not to mention during a pandemic. Thankfully there has been a strong initiative, often lead by young people (!), to write and send letters to the elderly.

Having a pen pal and writing more can help ease anxiety, loneliness, depression, and also relieve stress and improve physical health! While everyone can benefit from writing and exchanging letters, it is especially rewarding for seniors. Having a penpal helps combat loneliness and depression for the elderly. That’s because the act of sitting down to write a letter creates a mental shift. Just like a gratitude practice forces your brain to scan for the good, knowing that you have a letter to write forces your brain to scan for connections with the outside world.

And when your loved one is feeling down, the letter can be read over again and is sure to bring a smile to their face. This also applies to rereading letters from decades ago. It helps remind them of when they were younger and lets them relive those moments. Rereading letters is also healing because it helps us to feel closer to those who may no longer be with us.

By having penpals, seniors can stay socially connected and look forward to receiving and answering letters from others. Anticipating a letter along with the joy of receiving correspondence may elevate an older adult’s mood.

Boosts physical health – Seniors with arthritis are often advised to engage in mild exercise to alleviate the stiffness in their hands. Handwriting or typing requires fine motor skills and joint movements, which increases dexterity while alleviating arthritis symptoms. Knowing a penpal looks forward to hearing from them may create a sense of importance and make seniors more likely to take care of their health.

Encourages compassion and understanding – Having a penpal of a different age or from a different cultural background provides seniors a wider view of the world. They have the chance to impart compassion to someone who is going through a difficult time. Perhaps the penpal lives a lifestyle less fortunate than the senior, or the senior might have lived through an experience that a penpal is currently having difficulty with. The correspondence may include a way out of the situation or a means of managing an unpleasant circumstance. Older loved ones also gain compassion and comfort from their penpals.

When writing a letter to the elderly, you may not be sure what to write, but all you need to remember is keep it simple, cheerful, and sincere. Your words should be optimistic and uplifting. You may want to include a fond memory you have of yourself and the recipient of the letter. Or, if the letter is for a penpal that you have not met yet, you can write about something pleasant like your garden or a pet. Including a picture is even better! Any memory or life experience that triggers a smile or chuckle is a perfect addition to the letter.

In honor of World Letter Writing Day, Private Home Care invites you to write a letter to a senior through ‘Letters Against Isolation’. It will surely brighten their day, and it will bring you joy as well!

National Lemon Juice Day

National Lemon Juice Day

August 29th was National Lemon Juice Day! This citrus juice is not only very healthy, but is very versatile and can be used in dozens of ways! Many nutritionists recommend starting off the day with lemon water due to its many health benefits. These include:

-Promotes hydration, especially for some people who don’t like the taste of plain water

-A good source of Vitamin C, which has a primary antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals. Vitamin C may also reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and lower blood pressure. Lemons are one of the most Vitamin-C rich foods, and are fantastic for helping boost your immune system.

-Improving skin quality – Vitamin C found in lemons may help reduce skin wrinkling, dry skin from aging, and damage from the sun. Lemon water hydrates you as well, and we know that If your skin loses moisture, it becomes dry and prone to wrinkles.

-Drinking lemon water or water with lemon juice aids digestion

-Lemon juice is antibacterial and can freshen breath.

-Helps when you are sick – lemon helps to cleanse the lymphatic system so you can gargle with some lemon juice to help with a sore throat.

-The citric acid in lemons may help prevent kidney stones. Citrate, a component of citric acid, paradoxically makes urine less acidic and may even break up small stones. Drinking lemon water not only gets you citrate, but also the water you need to help prevent or flush out stones.

-Aids in weight loss – Research has shown that polyphenol antioxidants found in lemons significantly reduces weight gain in mice that are overfed in order to induce obesity. In addition, consuming water helps flush your system out and further helps with weight loss.

-Lemon juice has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds!

Lemon juice is also a wonderful, healthy seasoning! You can use lemon juice as a replacement for unhealthy ingredients or high amounts of salt. Instead of salad dressing, sprinkle Lemon juice over a salad to instantly brighten it up, and squeezing some over seafood or fish enhances the flavor. It is also great to use in cocktails when you are watching out for calories!

There are many uses for lemons and lemon juice around the house as a fresh, natural alternative to chemical cleaners! Slice a lemon in half to shine pots and pans, remove stains from marble counter tops, as an air freshener and deodorizer for the garbage, polish wood, remove stains from dishes, remove rust of mildew stains, brighten laundry and remove stains, repel insects, descale tea kettles and coffee pots, remove rust, and more!

To get the most lemon juice out of a lemon, roll it on a hard surface before you cut it to loosen up the juices. Dealing with a particularly tight lemon? Pop it into the microwave for a few seconds!

Use National Lemon Juice Day to enhance your day and make lemonade out of lemons!