A Healthy Living Newsletter for Seniors

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH’S

Volume 4, Number 9September 2017

It’s hard to keep up with current nutrition advice and new food products. No wonder! It’s estimated that over 20,000 new food products show up on retail shelves every year. New names, new packaging, new marketing campaigns and new appeal. But are they really unique and if they are, are they good for you?

To help you catch up, Fresh Conversations will focus this issue on hot topics that have been in the news: coffee and caffeine, Greek yogurt, strength training and supplements.

Greek YogurtHave you noticed a growing number of yogurt choices in your store’s dairy case? On a single trip to the supermarket, you could easily see more than a dozen brands—each one offering multiple varieties.

Yogurt is generally a healthy choice—watch the added sugars. It’s rich in protein and calcium, contains potassium, and many yogurts are fortified in vitamin D. Many brands of yogurts contain live, active bacteria cultures—be sure to check out the label. These cultures, or probiotics, are considered “good bacteria” for the gut and help maintain a healthy gut.

In recent years, Greek yogurt has become very popular among health enthusiasts. So what’s the difference between Greek yogurt and traditional yogurt? This information from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics may help.

“Greek yogurt is strained. This process makes it thicker, creamier and smoother than traditional yogurt. It also has double the protein of traditional yogurt, but reduced calcium. In both traditional and Greek yogurts, bacteria cultures help break down lactose, so yogurt is sometimes an easier dairy food to digest for those who are lactose intolerant. Greek yogurt has less lactose than traditional yogurt, so lactose-sensitive individuals may tolerate it even better than traditional yogurt.”

Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved July 1, 2017. http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/healthy-eating/daily-dairy-what-to-look-for-in-yogurt

Hot Topics

To ensure you’re eating a true Greek yogurt, read the ingredient label. The main ingredients should be milk and live active cultures. Steer clear of added protein like “whey concentrates” and added thickeners like “modified corn starch.”

Try Greek yogurt with your favorite fruit or grains.

Fresh Conversations is developed by: Iowa Dept. of Public Health http://idph.iowa.gov/inn Iowa Dept. on Aging http://www.aging.iowa.gov2

Caffeine

Love Coffee? Keep Drinking

If you enjoy coffee, you don’t need to give it up. Moderate coffee consumption can be part of a healthy lifestyle.

There’s nothing like a warm “cup of Joe” in our hands each morning. We crave the earthy bitter drink to help us wake up and embrace a new day.

If you’ve always been a coffee drinker, there’s no reason to stop. A recent study has found that drinking coffee might help you live longer. In a study of 186,000 middle-aged and older Americans of all races it was found that coffee drinkers who drank 1-3 cups a day had better survival odds than non-drinkers by 12-18 percent.

We don’t know what’s so magical about coffee, however. Past studies have hinted that coffee might support liver function and may lower the risks of various diseases. But, it’s not proven.

Although coffee may have benefits, don’t go overboard. • Drinking more than 400 mg of caffeine

a day (4-5 cups of coffee) can cause symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and shakiness.

• Loading coffee with cream and sugar adds calories and unhealthy fats.

• Coffee has been associated with greater incidence of heartburn than drinking other fluids such as water.

Source:Daily Jolt of Java May Bring Longer Life. MedlinePlus. Retrieved July 2017. https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_167096.html

Caffeine is a natural compound found in plants including coffee beans and tea leaves. Caffeine can also be man-made and is sometimes added to food, drinks and medicines. In the U.S., 80 percent of adults consume caffeine every day. While most people handle moderate amounts of caffeine without harmful effects, some folks are caffeine-sensitive.

Can’t fall asleep if you drink coffee at dinner? Set a time limit for caffeinated drinks. Caffeine reaches its peak level in your blood within one hour and stays there for four to six hours.

Feel like dancing the jitterbug? Caffeine can make some people feel jittery or shaky—or cause headaches and dizziness.if you’re anxiety-prone, even drinking coffee in moderation may not be healthy for you.

Bothered by headaches, restlessness or anxiety? Take a look at how much caffeine you take in most days. The Mayo Clinic suggests that if your caffeine habit totals more than 400 milligrams (mg) a day, you may want to consider cutting back.

Drink Size Calories Sugar (g) Caffeine (mg)Starbucks Dark Roast

12 fl oz 5 0 195

Starbucks Caffe Latte

12 fl oz 150 14 75

Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino

12 fl oz 300 46 70

McDonalds McCafe Coffee

12 fl oz 0 0 109

McDonalds McCafe Latte

12 fl oz 170 12 71

Caribou Coffee Latte

12 fl oz 120 11 180

Caribou Coffee Depth Charge (black)

12 fl oz 5 0 230

Dunkin Donuts Coffee

10 fl oz 5 0 150

Dunkin Donuts Latte

10 fl oz 70 10 98

Sources: Medicines in my Home: Caffeine in Your Body. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved July 2017. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/UCM200805.pdf. Caffeine Informer. Retrieved July 2017. https://www.caffeineinformer.com/

Caloric content and caffeine content of popular coffee drinks

3Information & resources for seniors with home & family questionsISU AnswerLine 1-800-262-3804

At the Sunset Apartments Fresh Conversations meetings, there is smiley meal site volunteer, Sue Alanis! Sue has diabetes and looks forward to Fresh Conversations meetings to learn more about healthy eating and new recipes. Carol Fisher is the Sunset Apartments FC facilitator, and Sue says, “I learn something every time. Carol presents in an easy to understand way.”

Sharing the Fresh Conversations information is a goal of Sue’s. She shares the monthly newsletter with her sister, invites people in her apartment complex to come, and is actively looking at ways to increase participation.

Sue has learned to increase her vegetable intake to help control her blood sugar and continues to work on her goal of 30 minutes a day of exercise. She laughs that “I need someone to prod me along. I split up my treadmill walking into ten minute segments and sometimes need reminding to do the second and third segments. I can do the first ten!” She appreciates the exercise variety and the reminder at the monthly meeting.

Sue attends Fresh Conversations meetings at the Spencer Sunset Apartments.

Testimonial

What’s in Your Supplement?

Think Your Water Bottle is Germ-Free?

Many of us take supplements because we are trying to make up for what’s missing in our diet. Getting nutrients from a pill sounds easy, but supplements don’t necessarily deliver on the promise of better health.

The FDA regulates dietary supplements as foods, not as drugs. Because they are regulated as foods, the FDA doesn’t evaluate the quality of supplements or assess their effects on the body. If a supplement is found to be unsafe, the FDA can ban its use.

Manufacturers are the ones who are responsible for the content of the supplement. But there is no regulatory agency that makes sure that labels match what’s in the bottles. The label may claim certain health benefits but supplements can’t claim to cure, treat or prevent disease. Some can even be dangerous if taken in more than the recommended amounts.

Talk with your healthcare provider if you’re thinking about taking dietary supplements.

Source: Should You Take Dietary Supplements? News In Health. Retrieved July 2017. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/aug2013/feature1

Reusable water bottles are a great way of helping the environment and staying hydrated. But if left unwashed, water bottles can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Researchers have found more than 300,000 colony-forming units of bacteria per square cm in unwashed water bottles. It doesn’t matter what kind of bottle - plastic, metal, screw top or squeeze.

We think germs can’t get into our water bottles, but they do. Your hands pick up bacteria from touching various surfaces, which can transfer into the bottle. Sharing your water bottle with another person allows bacteria from their mouths to enter your bottle through backwash. Your own germs in your mouth can’t hurt you, but theirs can.

• If your water bottle is left unwashed, germs grow and multiply. • Rinse your water bottle at the end of each day of use. • Wash the bottle and cap with warm water and a little bit

of soap. • For thorough cleaning, use a bottle brush.

Source: What happens when water bottles go unwashed? More bacteria than a dog dish, apparently. Retrieved July 2017. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/07/10/water-bottles-can-carry-more-bacteria-than-dog-bowl/315941001/

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Food Assistance can help you buy healthy food in Iowa. Visit http://dhs.iowa.gov/food-assistance for more information or contact your local Department of Human Services office. This material was developed by the Iowa Department of Public Health and funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

IDPHIowa Departmentof Public Health

Take Action CornerThis month I will…

Strength Train for Body and Brain

Decode Me!

Strength training is popular—and for good reason. Lifting weights or doing simple bodyweight exercises can slow down sarcopenia, the natural muscle loss that occurs as we age. Resistance training as little as twice a week can help you maintain muscle—critical for staying independent.

An added benefit of strength training is that it builds muscle at any age, and it may be good for your brain. In a study of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, strength training two days a week was associated with better performance on Alzheimer’s symptom tests. Interestingly, the individuals who lifted the most weight had the most noticeable boosts in brain function.

Before you rush off to do some bicep curls, be sure you know how to do them safely. Ask for a referral from your primary care provider to learn proper form from a physical therapist or personal trainer.

Strength Training for the Brain. Nutrition Action. Retrieved July 2017. http://www.nutritionaction.com/daily/exercise-for-health/strength-training-for-the-brain/

Sar·co·pe·ni·a: There is muscle loss as part of the aging process. When the muscle loss causes weakness, it is called sarcopenia.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M12 5 19 10 3 21 17 23 14 24 2 26 15

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z22 7 25 9 1 18 11 6 13 20 4 16 8

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Answers to Decode Me1. Coffee2. Hot topics3. Caffeine

4. Greek yogurt5. Strength training6. Supplements