THIS ISSUE AVAILABLE ONLINE WITH EXPANDED INFORMATION AND PHOTOS AT:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/newsletter/weekly
IN THIS ISSUE:
1) HHS Announces Ban on Ephedra Supplements
2) Steps to a Healthier 2004
3) Tips for healthy eating
4) Quitting Smoking
HHS Announces Ban on Ephedra Supplements
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Mark McClellan announced recently that they have issued a consumer alert on the safety of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids.
"FDA will publish a final rule as soon as possible that will formalize its conclusions that dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids present unreasonable risks to those who take them for any reason," Secretary Thompson said. "Today's action puts companies on notice of our intentions, and it tells consumers that the time to stop using ephedra products is now."
The FDA has recently held a comprehensive evaluation of the science and extensive public comment period before coming to the decision that dietary supplements that contain the adrenaline-like stimulant Ma-huang poses potentially serious risks to the heart.
FDA's concerns about dietary supplements containing ephedra arise in part from ephedra's mechanism of action in the body. Ephedra is an adrenaline-like stimulant that can have potentially dangerous effects on the heart. FDA's evaluation also reflects the available studies of the health effects of ephedra. This includes many studies reviewed by the RAND Corporation, which found little evidence for effectiveness other than for short-term weight loss, as well as evidence suggesting safety risks. Other recent studies have also confirmed that ephedra use raises blood pressure and otherwise stresses the circulatory system, effects that have been conclusively linked to significant and substantial adverse health effects like heart problems and strokes.
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Steps to a Healthier 2004
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson wants Americans to pledge a healthier and more active 2004. Small changes that we make in our daily lives could help prevent a chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
A recent National Institutes of Health study showed that walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week can significantly improve your health. In fact, this walking regimen helped reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent. If just 10 percent of the population engaged in this schedule, we could significantly improve the health of our nation!
If you've made a New Year's resolution to lose weight this year you may begin to include some of these small steps that could yield big rewards for individuals this year:
Park a little farther away from your destination: Whether at work, the mall or the grocery store, parking in the back or even the middle of the lot means more exercise.
Take the stairs, instead of the escalator or elevator: And you don't even have to buy expensive exercise equipment!
Take the dog on longer walks: It will mean more exercise for you and a worn out dog at home.
Get off the bus a stop earlier: The walk will do you good, and you'll get to know your neighbors better.
Play with your children: You'll spend more time together and burn calories.
Walk during the lunch hour: After lunch, take a quick walk around the building. You'll have more energy for the rest of the day.
Eat just half of your desert: Pies and cakes taste good, even in moderation.
Drink plenty of water: It's calorie free.
Snack on fruits and vegetables: Think of the vitamins - and the calories.
Take time out of your busy schedules to make a list of activities that you could engage in with your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors in 2004 to increase the level of activity in your lives. It will make for a healthier, happier lifestyle for everyone around you.
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Personal Health
Tips for healthy eating
Drink plenty of water. Aim for about eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Fruits and vegetables contain water and can contribute to your daily water intake.
Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. Breakfast also gives you energy and helps you think and learn.
Choose whole grains more often. Try whole wheat breads and pastas, oatmeal, brown rice, or bulgur.
Select a mix of colorful vegetables each day. Different colored vegetables provide different nutrients. Choose dark, leafy greens such as kale, collards, and mustard greens, and reds and oranges such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, and tomatoes.
Choose fresh or canned fruit more often than fruit juice. Fruit juice has little or no fiber.
Use fats and oils sparingly. Olive, canola, and peanut oils, avocados, nuts and nut butters, olives, and fish provide heart-healthy fat as well as vitamins and minerals.
Eat sweets sparingly. Limit foods and beverages that are high in added sugars.
Have low-fat, low-sugar snacks on hand at home, at work, or on the go, to combat hunger and prevent overeating.
Eat three meals every day instead of skipping meals or eating a snack instead of a meal
If you need to lose weight
Losing as little as 5 to 15 percent of your body weight over 6 months or longer can do much to improve your health. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, losing 5 percent of your body weight means losing 10 pounds. Losing 15 percent of your body weight means losing 30 pounds. A safe rate of weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week.
Try some of these ideas to support your weight loss efforts:
Keep a food diary.
Shop from a list and shop when you are not hungry.
Store foods out of sight.
Use a smaller plate with smaller servings.
Eat at the table with the TV off.
At restaurants, eat only half your meal and take the rest home.
Take a different route if you regularly pass by a tempting fast food place.
Expect setbacks and forgive yourself.
Seek support from family and friends.
Be realistic about weight loss goals. Aim for a slow, modest weight loss.
Easy snack ideas
low-fat or fat-free yogurt
rice cakes
fresh or canned fruits
sliced vegetables or baby carrots
dried fruit and nut mix (no more than a small handful)
air-popped popcorn sprinkled with garlic powder or other spices
low-sugar cereal
Getting active
You do not have to be an athlete to benefit from regular physical activity. Even modest amounts of physical activity can improve your health. Start with small, specific goals such as walking 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week and slowly build up from there. Keep an activity log to track your progress.
Try these activities to add more movement to your daily life:
Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Make sure the stairs are well lit.
Get off the bus one stop early if you are in an area safe for walking.
Park the car farther away from entrances to stores, movie theatres, or your home.
Take a short walk around the block with family, friends, or coworkers.
In bad weather, walk around a mall.
Rake the leaves.
Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You and your family will walk for hours and not realize it.
Wash the car.
Take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV.
Are you ready to become even more active?
As you become more fit, slowly increase your pace, the length of time you are active, and how often you are active. For a well-rounded workout plan, combine aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening exercises, and stretching. (Check with your health care provider first if you are over 50 or have any health problems.)
Do at least 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity on most or all days of the week. Add muscle-strengthening activities to your aerobic workout two to three times a week. To reduce the risk of injury, do a slow aerobic warm-up, then stretch before aerobic or strengthening activities. Follow your workout with a few more minutes of stretching. See WIN's brochure Walking-A Step in the Right Direction for stretching exercises.
Aerobic activity is any activity that speeds up your heart and breathing while moving your body at a regular pace. If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with easier activities such as walking at a gentle pace. This lets you build up to more intense activity without hurting your body.
Regular aerobic activity can help to:
Reduce weight. Aerobic activity burns calories, which helps to reduce body fat.
Prevent heart disease and stroke. Regular aerobic activity can strengthen your heart muscle and lower your blood pressure. It may also help lower cholesterol, a type of fat in your blood.
Maintain strong bones. Weight-bearing aerobic activities that involve lifting or pushing your own body weight, such as walking, jogging, or dancing, help to maintain strong bones.
Improve your outlook. Aerobic exercise relieves tension and decreases stress. As you get fit, it can help to build confidence and improve your self-image.
Choose aerobic activities that are fun. People are more likely to be active if they like what they are doing. It also helps to get support from a friend or a family member. Try one of these activities or others you enjoy:
brisk walking
jogging
bicycling
swimming
aerobic exercise classes
dancing (square dancing, salsa, African dance, swing)
playing basketball or soccer
Strengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, and doing push-ups or sit-ups. Besides building stronger muscles, strengthening activities may help you to:
Use more calories. Not only does the exercise burn calories, but having more muscle means you will burn more calories-even when you are sitting still.
Reduce injury. Stronger muscles improve balance and support your joints, lowering the risk of injury.
Maintain strong bones. Doing strengthening exercises regularly helps build bone and may prevent bone loss as you age.
Strengthening exercises should focus on working the major muscle groups of the body, such as the chest, back, and legs. Do exercises for each muscle group two or three times a week. Allow at least 1 day of rest for your muscles to recover and rebuild before another strengthening workout. (It is safe to do aerobic activity every day.)
This information is provided by the National Institutes of Health Web site.
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Quitting Smoking
Five Keys for Quitting
Studies have shown that these five steps will help you quit and quit for good. You have the best chances of quitting if you use them together.
Get ready.
Get support.
Learn new skills and behaviors.
Get medication and use it correctly.
Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations.
1. Get Ready
Set a quit date.
Change your environment.
Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.
Don't let people smoke in your home.
Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not.
Once you quit, don't smoke-NOT EVEN A PUFF!
2. Get Support and Encouragement
Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways:
Tell your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out.
Talk to your health care provider (for example, doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, or smoking counselor).
Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. The more counseling you have, the better your chances are of quitting. Programs are given at local hospitals and health centers. Call your local health department for information about programs in your area.
3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors
Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.
When you first try to quit, change your routine. Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place.
Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.
Plan something enjoyable to do every day.
Drink a lot of water and other fluids.
4. Get Medication and Use It Correctly
Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved five medications to help you quit smoking:
Bupropion SR-Available by prescription.
Nicotine gum-Available over-the-counter.
Nicotine inhaler-Available by prescription.
Nicotine nasal spray-Available by prescription.
Nicotine patch-Available by prescription and over-the-counter.
Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package.
All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good.
Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or other health care provider before taking medications.
5. Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations
Most relapses occur within the first 3 months after quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:
Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
Other Smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
Weight Gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight gain distract you from your main goal-quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
Bad Mood or Depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking. If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.
This information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.
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Last updated: January 6, 2004
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Contact the HHS Newsletter Team.