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Today is World Diabetes Day and its purpose it to raise global awareness of diabetes. World Diabetes Day was started by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and is celebrated on November 14th to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting, who along with Charles Best, played an important role in the discovery of insulin in 1922 which has been a life-saving treatment for diabetics. The campaign is in the spotlight each year on November 14th however, it works year round to help educate people on what the risks are and how to prevent diabetes.

WHO estimates that more than 346 million people worldwide have diabetes. Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. The IDF issued a report that estimates that 552 million people could have diabetes in two decades’ time based on factors like aging and demographic changes. The group says that about one adult in 13 has diabetes.

Gojka Roglic, head of WHO’s diabetes unit, said the projected future rise in diabetes cases was because of aging rather than the obesity epidemic. Most cases of diabetes are Type 2, the kind that mainly hits people in middle age, and is linked to weight gain and a sedentary lifestyle. Roglic went on to say that a substantial number of future diabetes cases were preventable. “It’s worrying because these people will have an illness which is serious, debilitating, and shortens their lives,” she said. “But it doesn’t have to happen if we take the right interventions.”

The slogan chosen for this year’s campaign is: Act on Diabetes. Now.

Five key messages have been developed to inform the outputs and deliverables of the 2011 campaign:
• Diabetes kills: 1 person every 8 seconds, 4 million people a year
• Diabetes does not discriminate: all ages, rich and poor, all countries
• Diabetes can no longer be ignored: 4 million lives lost a year, 1 million amputations a year, millions lost in income and productivity
• Life-saving care, a right not a privilege: education, medicines, technologies
• Choose Health: demand healthy food and environments, keep active, eat well. You can make a difference.

Click here to view a  short video from the IDF.

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The following questions and answers are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and they help us to know what to expect from the flu season this year.

Questions & Answers

2011-21012 Influenza Season: Disease Activity

What sort of flu season is expected this year?

Flu seasons are unpredictable in a number of ways. Although epidemics of flu happen every year, the timing, severity, and length of the epidemic depends on many factors, including what influenza viruses are spreading and whether they match the viruses in the vaccine.

Will new strains of flu circulate this season?

Flu viruses are constantly changing so it’s not unusual for new flu virus strains to appear each year. For more information about how flu viruses change, visit How the Flu Virus Can Change.

When will flu activity begin and when will it peak?

The timing of flu is very unpredictable and can vary from season to season. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the U.S. in January or February. However, seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May.

What should I do to prepare for this flu season?

CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease. While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine is designed to protect against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season. For information about which viruses this season’s vaccine will protect against visit Vaccine Selection for the 2011–2012 Season. Getting the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available each year is always a good idea, and the protection you get from vaccination will last throughout the flu season.

How effective is the flu vaccine?

Inactivated influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) can vary from year to year and among different age and risk groups. For more information about vaccine effectiveness, visit How Well Does the Seasonal Flu Vaccine Work?

Will this season’s vaccine be a good match for circulating viruses?

It’s not possible to predict with certainty which flu viruses will predominate during a given season. Flu viruses are constantly changing (called drift) – they can change from one season to the next or they can even change within the course of one flu season. Experts must pick which viruses to include in the vaccine many months in advance in order for vaccine to be produced and delivered on time. (For more information about the vaccine virus selection process visit Selecting the Viruses in the Influenza (Flu) Vaccine.) Because of these factors, there is always the possibility of a less than optimal match between circulating viruses and the viruses in the vaccine.

How do we know if there is a good match between the vaccine viruses and those causing illness?

Over the course of a flu season CDC studies samples of flu viruses circulating during that season to evaluate how close a match there is between viruses in the vaccine and circulating viruses. In addition, CDC conducts vaccine effectiveness studies to determine how well the vaccine protects against illness. However, it’s important to remember that even during seasons when the vaccine is not optimally matched to predominant circulating viruses, CDC and other experts continue to recommend flu vaccine as the best way to protect against the flu. (continue reading…)

On October 9, 2011, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that prohibits most teenagers from using tanning beds. Previously, those between ages 14 to 18 could use the tanning beds with a parent or legal guardian’s permission to do so. California has gone further than any other state’s restrictions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In June, Texas made a law banning children under the age of 16 ½ from tanning beds and requiring in-person parental consent for those under 18 years of age. In Delaware, a new law prohibits those under 14 from tanning facilities unless they have a doctor’s prescription and requires those under 18 to have a parental or guardian sign a consent form in person at the facility. Other states are working on bills to restrict the use of tanning facilities for those under 16.

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers – accounting for nearly half of all cancers within the United States. More than 2 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found each year in the U.S. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), reports that tanning is extremely dangerous to young people. People who use tanning beds prior to age 30, increase their risk of melanoma by 75%. According to www.skincancer.org an estimated 123,590 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the US in 2011 – 53,360 non-invasive and 70,230 invasive, with nearly 8,790 resulting in death. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults ages 25-29 and the second most common form of cancer for people ages 15-29. People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 time more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. Both of these types of skin cancer are classified as non-melanoma and develop on sun-exposed areas of the body and are likely to be cured if caught and treated early.

It is vital that we protect ourselves and our children from the sun’s harmful rays and we need to be aware of the dangers of the sun and tanning beds.

The following information is from www.cancer.org and will help us to learn more on what precautions we can take to protect ourselves from skin cancer and what the risk factors and warning signs are.

What are the risk factors for skin cancer?

Risk factors for non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers include:

• Unprotected and/or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation
• Fair complexion
• Occupational exposures to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, or radium
• Family history
• Multiple or atypical moles
• Severe sunburns as a child

What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer?

Skin cancer can be found early, and both doctors and patients play important roles in finding skin cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor.

• Any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
• Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
• The spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark
• A change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain

Can skin cancer be prevented?

The best ways to lower the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer are to avoid intense sunlight for long periods of time and to practice sun safety. You can continue to exercise and enjoy the outdoors while practicing sun safety at the same time. Here are some ways you can do this:

• Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Seek shade: Look for shade, especially in the middle of the day when the sun’s rays are strongest. Practice the shadow rule and teach it to children. If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest.
• Slip on a shirt: Cover up with protective clothing to guard as much skin as possible when you are out in the sun. Choose comfortable clothes made of tightly woven fabrics that you cannot see through when held up to a light.
• Slop on sunscreen: Use sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen (about a palm-full) and reapply after swimming, toweling dry, or perspiring. Use sunscreen even on hazy or overcast days.
• Slap on a hat: Cover your head with a wide-brimmed hat, shading your face, ears, and neck. If you choose a baseball cap, remember to protect your ears and neck with sunscreen.
• Wrap on sunglasses: Wear sunglasses with 99% to 100% UV absorption to provide optimal protection for the eyes and the surrounding skin.
• Follow these practices to protect your skin even on cloudy or overcast days. UV rays travel through clouds.
• Avoid other sources of UV light. Tanning beds and sun lamps are dangerous because they can damage your skin.

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October is the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) and we will be sharing some articles relating to this topic over the next few weeks to explore what tools and information is out there for breast cancer patients and their loved ones.

With breast cancer, education is empowerment

According to the American Cancer Society, there are now about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States. A diagnosis of breast cancer brings with it many questions, and requires sudden decision making about surgery and treatment. With this comes the need to learn an overwhelming amount of new information at a rapid rate, and to become familiar with new concepts and strange medical jargon.

You may currently be experiencing strong emotions such as anxiety, fear, sorrow or anger. It can be difficult to think clearly while experiencing such strong emotions, but dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis requires that you be at your most focused, because with breast cancer, education is empowerment.

When breast cancer is detected at an early stage of development, a number of effective treatment options are available. A woman and her physician will choose the treatment that is right for her, based on the location and extent of the cancer, her age and preferences, and the risks and benefits of each treatment. The basic treatment choices for breast cancer are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy, not necessarily in that order. Local treatments such as breast surgery and radiation therapy are focused on the breast itself to remove or destroy the cancer cells confined to the breast. Systemic treatments such as chemotherapy and hormonal therapy aim to destroy the cancer cells that may have spread throughout the body.

Though fighting breast cancer may be one of the toughest life challenges you may encounter, it is important to understand that you do not have to face it alone. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) has developed this Web site with many resources for you and your loved ones that will enable you to take an active role in your own treatment, including informational brochures and flyers and links to videos and other important resources. We invite you to explore this site and to bookmark this page and visit often for the latest updates.

Resource: If You’ve Just Been Diagnosed (CancerCare Fact Sheet)

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High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is a health insurance plan with minimum annual deductibles of $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for family coverage. The annual out-of-pocket expense maximums (including deductibles and copayments but not including premiums) cannot exceed $5,950 for individuals or $11,900 for families. These amounts (for 2011) are indexed annually for inflation.

 From EatingWell:  EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook (2008)

Our revision of creamy chicken and dumplings uses whole-wheat flour for the dumplings and adds lots of vegetables to the filling. The delicious, satisfying results are packed with beneficial nutrients and dietary fiber, and because we don’t use canned soup for the sauce, sodium levels are drastically reduced. To go even lighter, try the recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

6 servings (1 1/3 cups stew & 3 dumplings each) | Active Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Old-Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

• 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Dumplings

• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Toss chicken with 2/3 cup all-purpose flour in a medium bowl until coated. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reserving the remaining flour, add the chicken to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Stir in carrots, celery, onion, 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Stir in broth, water, peas and the reserved chicken. Bring to a simmer, stirring often.
3. To prepare dumplings: Meanwhile, stir whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk.
4. Drop the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the simmering chicken stew, making about 18 dumplings. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and cook undisturbed until the dumplings are puffed, the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 463 Calories; 15 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 91 mg Cholesterol; 45 g Carbohydrates; 34 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 629 mg Sodium; 412 mg Potassium

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

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Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) represent “pre-paid” or “capitated” insurance plans in which individuals or their employers pay a fixed monthly fee for services, instead of a separate charge for each visit or service. The monthly fees remain the same regardless of types or levels of services provided by physicians who are employed by, or under contract with the HMO.

New steps are being made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that will help protect consumers from skin damage caused by the harmful rays of the sun. The following measures are listed in the report:

• Final regulations that establish standards for testing the effectiveness of sunscreen products and require labeling that accurately reflects test results.
• A proposed regulation that would limit the maximum SPF value on sunscreen labeling to “SPF 50+”.
• A data request for safety and effectiveness information for sunscreen products formulated in certain dosage forms (e.g., sprays).
• A draft guidance for sunscreen manufacturers on how to test and label their products in light of these new measures.

“This new information will help consumers know which products offer the best protection from the harmful rays of the sun,” says Lydia Velazquez, Pharm.D. in FDA’s Division of Nonprescription Regulation Development. She said that the measures are necessary since “our scientific understanding has grown” and it is important for consumers “to understand that not all sunscreens are created equal.”

The FDA’s regulations will become effective in one year. The regulations will provide a standard test for sunscreen products that are sold over-the-counter which will determine if the products can be labeled as “Broad Spectrum.” The term broad spectrum means protection from both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays.

The FDA has come up with additional labeling regulations designed to help consumers select the right sunscreens and teach them how to use them properly. Here are the additional labeling regulations from the FDA’s recent report:

• Sunscreen products that are not broad spectrum or that are broad spectrum with SPF values from 2 to14 will be labeled with a warning that reads: “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert:  Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.” 
• Water resistance claims on the product’s front label must tell how much time a user can expect to get the declared SPF level of protection while swimming or sweating, based on standard testing. Two times will be permitted on labels: 40 minutes or 80 minutes.
• Manufacturers cannot make claims that sunscreens are “waterproof” or “sweatproof, or identify their products as “sunblocks.” Also, sunscreens cannot claim protection immediately on application (for example, “instant protection”) or protection for more than two hours without reapplication, unless they submit data and get approval from FDA.

Since each and every one of us is exposed to the sun, we need to pay close attention to these new regulations. Any time that we spend in the sun increases our chance of skin cancer and each time we get a sun burn that risk is heightened. Not to mention, it also causes early skin aging. The FDA report lists the following steps we should follow in order to reduce our risk in the sun:

• Use sunscreens with broad spectrum SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed.
• Limit time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are most intense.
• Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun; for example, long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses, and broad-brimmed hats.
• Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours, more often if you’re sweating or jumping in and out of the water.

For more detailed information click here to read the full report from the FDA.

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Many of us suffer from allergies, especially now that spring has sprung. We commonly associate our allergies – sneezing, runny noses and itchy eyes – with all the many pollens floating around outside, however, according to the article below from WebMd, many people are affected by allergens in their own home. Pet dander, mold and dust are just a few of the indoor allergens. The article shows us how we can “allergy-proof” our home and hopefully alleviate some of our miserable allergy symptoms. 

Relief for Allergies at Home  

Allergy-proof your home to eliminate stuffy sneezes

By Gina Shaw
WebMD Feature                              Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Your home is your castle — except when you’re allergic to it. A recent nationwide survey found that over half of all Americans test positive for at least some allergens, and many of these are indoor allergies such as dust, mold, and pet dander.

How can you allergy-proof your home to make it a refuge, not a source of sneezes? Take a tour of your house from room to room, find out where the allergens are lurking, and get relief from indoor allergies.

Allergies in the Bedroom

“This is the most allergen-prone room in your house, because the most common indoor allergen is dust mites,” says James Sublett, MD, an allergist in Louisville, Ky.

The single most important thing you can do for dust mite allergies is to put hypoallergenic casings on your beds, mattresses, box springs, and especially the pillows. “They’re right in your face all the time, so they particularly need allergy casings,” says Sublett.

You can also reduce the presence of dust mites in your beds by using only washable bedding.  Many people may pile their beds with fancy quilts, throw pillows, and wool blankets that aren’t washed regularly.

“If you move them around at night when you’re getting ready for bed, you stir up the particulate found in these linens,” says Sublett.

This applies to stuffed animals in children’s bedrooms as well. Instead of piling stacks and stacks of cuddly toys on the bed, limit the furry friends to one or two favorites that are washable. (Take a look at the label — many stuffed animals are marked “surface clean only.”)  Your child’s linens and stuffed animals should be washed in hot water at least once a week. (continue reading…)

More than likely you know someone who has diabetes. I know someone who is four years old and someone who is 83 years old that has it – which shows that this is a disease that can hit just about anyone, no matter what their age. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet  that shows that 25.8 million people are affected by diabetes – which is 8.3% of the U.S. population.  With statistics like this, it is pertinent that we understand what diabetes is and find out if we could be at risk so that we can possibly stop this disease from growing so rapidly.

Just exactly what is diabetes? According to WebMd,

Diabetes, the most common disorder of the endocrine (hormone) system, occurs when blood sugar levels in the body consistently stay above normal…Diabetes is a disease brought on by either the body’s inability to make insulin (type 1 diabetes) or by the body not responding to the effects of insulin (type 2 diabetes). It can also appear during pregnancy. Insulin is one of the main hormones that regulates blood sugar levels and allows the body to use sugar (called glucose) for energy. 

The CDC states that more than one-quarter of people with type 2 diabetes do not know they have the disease. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type with almost 18 million people being affected by it. You are of higher risk of getting the disease if you are obese, age 45 or older, have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes, had gestational diabetes or not physically active. Type 2 diabetes mainly affects adults and can lead to such results as blindness, amputations and chronic kidney failure.

With such high numbers of people being affected and the terrible conditions type 2 diabetes can lead to, it is vital that we educate ourselves and learn about the disease. We should find out if any close family members have the disease and if we may be at risk. It is a good idea to talk to your doctor about your family health history. By doing this, you may find out if you are at risk and you may be able to help prevent the disease from starting if you catch the early symptoms  and are able to change your lifestyle. My grandfather had the early warning signs of type 2 diabetes. His doctor advised him that he needed to change his diet and begin to exercise on a daily basis, otherwise, he may get the disease. My grandfather did not change his ways since he had been set in his ways with bad eating habits and by never exercising. The doctor gave harsh warnings for the next few checkups…and two years later, my grandfather was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Now he has changed …but it is too late since the damage has been done. By listening to your doctor, and taking the actions they suggest, you may be able to prevent this disease or even be able to possibly stop it.

The CDC has provided detailed information about type 2 diabetes and there is a test you can take to see if you are at risk. Make sure to take that quick test and see what suggestions they have if you have a high score of being at risk. We are fortunate to have great resources at our fingertips, such as the CDC, which has taken the time to put together valuable information for us on diabetes. Make sure to visit the CDC to learn more about diabetes .

Please take the time to evaluate your current health condition – if you think you may be at risk or have any of the symptoms – talk to your doctor and see what steps you can take to help stop this disease from taking over your life and possibly causing you serious health complications down the road.

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On March 4th, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on two sleep studies in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which shows a very serious issue facing the United States. The report shows that an estimated 50 to 70 million adults do not get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can have many negative effects on people such as having difficulties in the ability to concentrate, it can impair a person’s performance at work, cause you to  be a hazardous driver and it can hurt your overall health and well being. 

The studies analyzed sleep surveys of 74,571 adults in 12 states and the results were quite shocking. Almost 37.9% of respondents said they had fallen asleep by accident in the last 30 days. It also showed that 35.3% reported sleeping less than seven hours within a 24 hour period and about one-quarter of these people said they had trouble concentrating during the day. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Another 4.7% said they had nodded off or fallen asleep while driving in the past month. This is a frightening figure since according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, drowsiness or nodding off while driving accounts for 1,550 deaths and 40,000 injuries a year.

The report brought out that people who slept less than seven hours were more likely to have many health issues as mentioned above, compared with people who got seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Increasing sleep time would likely improve everyday functioning, the researchers added. To get a good night’s sleep, it is important to have your bedroom free of cell phones, computers and television. Your bedroom needs to be your sanctuary…a peaceful environment that you can go to and let go of the stresses of your day. You should keep a consistent sleep routine and stay away from performing any activities such as exercise close to bedtime.

Lela McKnight-Eily, a psychologist and epidemiologist at the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, and the lead author of one of the reports, said “over the last 20 years there has been a decline in overall sleep duration in adults.” She noted that changing lifestyle habits, including longer workdays and late nights on the computer, have pared away much-needed sleep time. “Within our culture there seems to be a belief that sleep isn’t a part of overall essential health,” she said.

“It is clear that a lot of restorative activities are going on in the body during sleep,” said sleep specialist Dr. Shirin Shafazand, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “We have to make a conscious effort to pay as much attention to sleep as people do to other healthy activities like exercise and eating right, because they are all linked together,” she said.

This information from the CDC has come out at the perfect time since this week, March 7 – 13^th, is National Sleep Awareness Week. Some other great resources that will show you how important sleep is to our health and well being, visit the National Sleep Foundation and the CDC for further information.

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When I go to the grocery store, I always wonder where the fruits and vegetables have been and just how clean they are. The following article pretty much sums up those questions by listing the top 10 dirtiest fruits and vegetables. After reading it, you will realize that you have to really clean your produce before eating it. To read more about how to properly clean your produce, click here.  I think you will find the article below to be very valuable and make you think twice about taste testing that grape at the grocery store!

One thing to note, the same report pointed out that onions, asparagus, eggplant, avocado and pineapples are the top five cleanest fruits and veggies…so you may want to add those to your grocery list this week!

The following article is from Health.com – By Ashley Macha

Are the fruits and vegetables you buy clean enough to eat?

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) studied 100,000 produce pesticide reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to create a list of 49 of the dirtiest and cleanest produce.

So before you hit the grocery store, see how some of your favorite fruits and veggies measured up.

Did one of your favorites make the list? Don’t worry, the EWG recommends purchasing organic or locally grown varieties, which can lower pesticide intake by 80% versus conventionally grown produce.

Celery
This stalky vegetable tops the dirty list. Research showed that a single celery stalk had 13 pesticides, while, on the whole, celery contained as many as 67 pesticides.

Chemicals fester on this vegetable as it has no protective skin and its stems cup inward, making it difficult to wash the entire surface of the stalk. It’s not easy to find locally grown celery, so if you like this crunchy veggie, go organic.

Peaches
Peaches are laced with 67 different chemicals, placing it second on the list of most contaminated fruits and vegetables. They have soft fuzzy skin, a delicate structure, and high susceptibility to most pests, causing them to sprayed more frequently.

Strawberries
This red, juicy fruit has a soft, seedy skin, allowing easier absorption of pesticides. Research showed that strawberries contained 53 pesticides. Try to buy strawberries at a local farmer’s market for a sweet dessert. (continue reading…)

The following is a delicious recipe from the Diabetic Gourmet Magazine. It is a perfect main course for your upcoming holiday feast and a healthy choice for diabetics!

Honey and Sage-Roasted Rack of Pork

Nothing is more memorable than the unexpected. This rack of pork is perfect for those large holiday gatherings. For serving, two roasts can be positioned with bones interlaced as in photo.

Ingredients

• 2 8-rib pork loin racks, center cut, chine bone off (Frenched)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh snipped sage

Directions

1. Season pork racks with salt and pepper. Place each rack in roasting pans with bones facing up and sides not touching.
2. Roast at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. (about 20 minutes per pound).
3. Stir together honey and sage. Brush honey mixture onto roast after removing from oven. Let rest 10 minutes while internal temperature rises to 160 degrees F. before slicing to serve.

Nutritional Information (per serving); 231 calories; 31 g protein; 95 mg sodium; 90 mg cholesterol; 7 g fat; 9 g carbohydrates

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The following recipe is from the Foodnetwork’s Holidays Made Healthy: Smart Indulgences (click here for more delicious healthy holiday recipes from Foodnetwork.com!)

Yes, you can still have a slice of chocolate cheesecake this holiday season — just make Food Network Kitchens’ lightened-up version, with 1-percent cottage cheese in place of most of the cream cheese. By replacing most of the cream cheese in a traditional cheesecake with 1 percent cottage cheese and adding cocoa powder and just a touch of melted chocolate the end result is a silky rich deeply chocolaty dessert.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs, 8 whole sheets
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

Filling:

• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 24 ounces 1 percent cottage cheese
• 8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Fresh raspberries and mint sprigs, serving suggestion

1. Position the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Put a small roasting pan on the lower rack and fill about 1/3 full of water. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and wrap the outside bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent any leaks.

2. Crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, water, and melted butter in a medium bowl until moistened. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes, while preparing the filling.

3. Filling: Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium power until soft and melted, about 1 minute, depending on the power of your oven. Stir until smooth. Puree the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa, and flour and continue to puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until smooth. Add the egg, egg whites, espresso, and vanilla and puree until incorporated. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until just combined. Pour over the prepared crust.

4. Put the pan on the upper rack in the oven and bake until just set and the center jiggles slightly, about 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and let stand in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake to a cooling rack and run a knife around the edge of the pan.

5. Let stand at room temperature until cooled, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate until well chilled, 8 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. For easier serving, slice with a clean hot knife, wiped clean after each slice. Serve each slice with a few fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Calories 245; Total Fat 9g (Sat Fat 5g, Mono Fat 2g, Poly Fat 0g); Protein 12g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol 36mg; Sodium 373mg

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Home Infusion Therapy Provider is a provider licensed according to state and local laws as a pharmacy, and must be either certified as a home health care provider by Medicare, or accredited as a home pharmacy by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Anthem Blue Cross has announced the launch of a new California website designed to provide reliable information to women about health issues specific to them. It will save women time searching for health related answers since everything is in one place and is accessible at any time of the day or night, which is the convenience that women need with their busy schedules. 

“We recognize that the lives of today’s women are filled with work, friends and family. At Anthem, we wanted to develop a place that’s just for them,” said Pam Kehaly, president of Anthem Blue Cross. “This dynamic new site is all about women’s health, and it can help women in California feel, and become their healthy best.”

According to Anthem’s press release last week, they selected SmartNow to develop the content for the site. SmartNow works with the top two hundred women’s health experts across the country, so the content is relevant, reliable and current. In addition, the information is designed to meet women’s personal, professional and business needs.

Anthem’s press release states that the site will help women:

• Stay on track with a dining out and fast food guide;
• Get more nutrition for their money with a down-loadable grocery guide iPhone app for Anthem members;
• Learn about health conditions and diseases;
• See how improved health can help lower costs;
• Learn how to compare quality and costs for hospitals in their area.

“At home, the woman is most often the one who makes the health care decisions that will impact the health of their family,” Anthem leaders said. “At work too, women are often the ones to make the choices about health care coverage and wellness offerings for their employees. This new site is intended to help guide women in California toward the right choices both at work and at home.”  

This great site provides the tools and programs needed to help women make healthier decisions and help those around them to do so as well. To check out this new site from Anthem click here.

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Few individuals have given as much for as long to CalCPA or been as intimately associated with its growth as John Dodsworth. Actively engaged in committee work since he joined in 1972, Dodsworth was appointed Director of Business Operations for CalCPA in 1984, a position that included responsibility for the financial aspects of the organization, continuing education, and the insurance program. A few years later he led in the creation of CAMICO—where he served as Director from 1986 until his retirement in 2009—and in expanding the Group Insurance Trust. Today he continues to serve on the boards of both CAMICO and the Trust.

Curiously, his first step toward this distinguished career began with a college job in the mail room at Union Carbide in San Francisco, and among his duties was delivering mail to the internal audit department. “I got to know some of the employees,” he recounts, “and they encouraged me to look into accounting as a profession.” As a math major he felt an affinity to the work they were doing. He recognized that “math is the language of accounting,” and saw that accounting offered something practical to do with the math he was studying.

After finishing college and a stint in the army, he went to work for the public firm of John F. Forbes & Co. “They were big in professional association involvement,” he comments, and so he joined CalCPA and became active in committee work for the San Francisco Chapter, eventually chairing the Accounting and Auditing Committee. During those years he was working his way up at Forbes. He made partner in 1977 and then opened an office for the firm in San Jose in 1981. When his firm won the engagement as auditor for CalCPA, he learned how the organization functioned, and he got to know its then executive director, Jim Kurtz. (continue reading…)

If it weren’t a true story, you would have thought that a marketing person with a hand in the world of new media had made it up. Recently, a CalCPA member saw a “tweet” about ProtectPlus, and, wanting to know more, she followed a link to a ProtectPlus blog that gave some background on Group Insurance Trust health plans. She was intrigued enough to follow a link from the blog to the CPA ProtectPlus website (www.cpaprotectplus.com) and found herself thinking that there might be an opportunity to improve her firm’s health plans and reduce premiums. She wasn’t sure, however, if her firm met eligibility requirements, but seeing the linked phrase, “Ask our Sales Manager,” she clicked through, filled out the contact information, and typed in her question.

You’ve already guessed the ending, but the point of the story is to let CalCPA members know—whether or not they are ProtectPlus subscribers—that the Trust has a growing social media presence offering valuable health, medical, and insurance information that you can access at your computer or on your smart phone. At the bottom of the home page on the website, you will find a series of icons with links to our blog (http://cpaprotectplus.com/blog/), Twitter account (www.twitter.com/cpaprotectplus) and Facebook site (www.facebook.com/cpaprotectplus).

ProtectPlus has also created its own popular widget, the Daily Dose, which you can download from the home page. This useful desktop tool delivers top news items that refresh daily, including late-breaking news about health and medicine, stocks, sports, business and finance.

It wouldn’t be quite fair to say that John Phillips was there in the beginning, but as the Group Insurance Trust’s longest-serving member and former Executive Director, he has been intimately involved in the evolution and growth of CalCPA’s insurance program for almost 40 years, including formation of the group health insurance program as a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA).

Phillips joined CalCPA in 1968 shortly after receiving his CPA license. In 1972 he became a member of the Insurance Committee when Jim Kurtz, the long-time CEO of CalCPA, served as its Secretary. The Committee at that time was charged with overseeing all CalCPA-sponsored insurance plans and the Trust. This area of service also fit well with his professional responsibilities at Coopers & Lybrand in San Francisco where he  had become the first employee in what over many years would become a major human resource advisory group. One might say that Phillips was in the right place at the right time in respect to both his job and volunteer service, but that wouldn’t do justice to his enthusiasm for the work that engaged him over his long career. He has always found, he says, the precision of numbers to be “fun” and looked forward to his work every day—31 years with Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) and 10 years as executive director of the Trust.

After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in 1962, serving in the military, and entering the workforce, Phillips soon saw, as he puts it, that “the language of business is accounting.” This insight inspired a return to Cal for an MBA with an accounting emphasis, which he earned in 1966, and then a stint at Golden Gate University at night for an MBA in taxation in 1972. (continue reading…)

From EatingWell:  June/July 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)

Why put the cheese on top of the burger when half of it just melts off? Instead, form the burger around the cheese so you can char the meat and safeguard the more delicate flavors. Use any mixture of hard or semi-hard cheeses–Emmentaler and Gouda or Asiago and Parmigiano-Reggiano also pair well.

4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Diabetes appropriate / Low calorie / Low carbohydrate / Low sodium / Healthy weight

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high or preheat the broiler.
2. Combine Cheddar and Gruyere in a small bowl.
3. Gently mix beef, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper in a large bowl, preferably with your hands, without overworking. Shape into 8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cover each with one of the remaining patties. Crimp and seal the edges closed.
4. To grill: Lightly oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the stuffed patties over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. (Be sure not to press the burgers as they cook or they’ll split open and the cheese will ooze out.) To broil: Cover a broiler pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Broil the stuffed patties in the upper third of the oven, about 4 minutes per side for medium-well. In either case, let the burgers stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

• To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Nutrition

Per serving: 250 calories; 15 g fat (7 g sat, 6 g mono); 74 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 164 mg sodium; 264 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Zinc (37% daily value), Calcium (15% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Exchanges: 3 1/2 medium-fat meat

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