==================== JeffNEWS, April 1995 ==================== You & Your Health & Safety With Good Nutrition The Living Is Healthy ----------------------------------------- Gear up for upcoming nutrition programs: The Weigh to GoSM, Healthy Eating and Cooking a la Health. Cooking classes will begin in April. Be on the lookout for more details. As long as you're going to start eating better, why not try to stop smoking, too? The Smoke Stoppers (SM) smoking cessation program will hold free introductory classes on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 4 and 5, from noon to 1 p.m. or from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The fee for employees if $60. Those who complete the course and remain smoke- free for six months will receive a full rebate. To reserve your seat and for the location of the introductory class, call 6319. Bearing Up Under All-Day Morning Sickness ----------------------------------------- Pregnant women have heard that morning sickness occurs only in the morning, is generally limited to the first trimester and is best treated with dry saltines. But that's not necessarily so, says registered dietitian Beth Meriwether. In some expectant women, nausea and vomiting can last all day (the average duration is 17 weeks, although it can drag on for the entire pregnancy) and can become serious enough to require hospitalization for dehydration. While there are no surefire remedies that work for everyone, Ms. Meriwether offers some tips for queasy moms-to-be: o Don't let your stomach get empty. Eat small amounts of food at least every three hours, beginning as soon as you wake up. o Avoid greasy and fatty foods. o Don't drink anything with meals. Drink liquids 15 minutes before eating or wait 30 minutes after meals to drink. o Don't worry about eating a perfectly balanced diet when you're feeling ill. What matters most is just keeping food down. o If you have severe morning sickness for a long time, consult your doctor. Should You Exercise When You're Sick? ------------------------------------- Sometimes finding the motivation to exercise can be difficult enough; feeling sick only compounds it. Regardless of whether you have the flu or a minor cold, always listen to your body and exercise at the level that feels most comfortable, says Jefferson internist Carol M. Reife, MD. If you have flu symptoms (fever, chills or sweats), you may want to skip serious exercise. It's fine to stretch and tone, says Dr. Reife, but forget workouts that leave you out of breath. When you feel better, resume your routine slowly, easing back into it. If you have a simple head cold (runny nose, congestion), work out if you feel up to it. American Diabetes Association's New Dietary Recommendations ----------------------------------------------------------- Contrary to popular belief, diabetes doesn't change the kinds of foods you can eat. Basically, what's healthy for a person with diabetes is what's healthy for anyone who wants to eat well. New nutrition guidelines issued by the American Diabetes Association finally makes this clear, especially about sugar and diabetes. There are two types of carbohydrates, starch and sugar, and the new recommendations no longer restrict sugar. Research has shown that sugar does not send blood glucose levels out of control, as previously believed. "All carbohydrates eventually turn into blood glucose," explains Julie Funk, RD, of the Joslin Center for Diabetes at Wills and Jefferson. "The types of carbohydrate are less important to a person with diabetes than the total amount of carbohydrate eaten during a meal or snack and how that carbohydrate was processed or cooked. The more carbohydrates eaten, the higher the blood glucose." Therefore, sugar can be included with other carbohydrates, such as potatoes and pasta, in your food plan. For best results, people with diabetes should work with a nutritionist to create an individualized meal plan. AIDS and Young Adults --------------------- AIDS is now the No. 1 killer of Americans 25 to 44 years old according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Source: Modern Healthcare, February 6, 1995. Food and Drug Interactions -------------------------- Some things just naturally go together, like cookies and milk or apple pie and ice cream. Other things should never be mixed, including some foods and medications, because they may cause side effects. Pharmacist Sandra L. Chase, PharmD, dispenses this advice on what food and drink are unsafe to take if you're on the following medications: o Antihistamines. Alcoholic beverages may cause added drowsiness and slowed reactions. o Hypertension medications. For this medication to be effective, sodium should be restricted. Sodium is hidden in many foods, so check labels on food packages for sodium content. o Aspirin or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). Take with food to avoid stomach upset, but avoid alcohol and fruit juice. o Bronchodilators (drugs used for asthma). Asthma patients using these should avoid caffeine because both bronchodilators and caffeine stimulate the central nervous system. o Diuretics. Loss of potassium, calcium and magnesium occurs with some diuretics. Check with your doctor about dietary measures you can take to boost your intake of potassium naturally or about prescribing a potassium supplement. o Laxatives. Excessive use can cause loss of essential vitamins and minerals and may require replenishment of potassium, sodium and other nutrients through your diet. o Penicillins. Amoxicillin (Amoxil) and bacampicillin (Spectrobid) may be taken with food; however absorption of other types of penicillin is reduced when taken with food. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about what type you're taking. o Sleeping pills. Avoid combining sleeping pills and alcohol, which is a depressant, because of its added affects. o Tetracyclines (Sumycin, Vibramycin). Don't take within two hours of eating dairy products or taking calcium or iron supplements because they can decrease this medication's effectiveness. o Ciprofloxacin (Cipro). Dairy products decrease the effectivenss of this medication, so don't take within two hours of eating dairy products. o Warfarin (Coumadin). Avoid alcohol and foods high in Vitamin K while on this medication because they can change the effect of warfarin. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Information provided by: Editor, JeffNEWS (215) 955-6204 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------