How Disgusting Is Your Favorite Device?

     Between talking, texting and surfing the web, your cell phone gets handled a lot—and according to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, it could be full of bacteria and viruses. The British study found that 92% of the cell phones tested in the UK have bacteria on them—and 16% contained E.coli—which comes from human and animal feces. Pretty gross, but think about it. Germs hang out on shopping carts, toilet seats and handles, and door knobs—why not cell phones? Few people wipe off their phones and many share them.

Sodium Lurking in Your Diet

     If you’ve been good about avoiding the salt shaker, three cheers for you. Unfortunately, sodium still lurks in your diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 80% of salt is already in the food you buy, like processed and restaurant foods! Too much salt is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke—and Americans eat far over the recommended daily allowance of 1,500 milligrams per day.

Here are some common sodium culprits and their range of sodium per serving:

I finished the 5K, but now I’m sore.

Mat and I after finishing the 5K! 

     As some of you may remember reading, I started a New Year’s resolution to finish a 5K. (If you don’t remember, you can see those posts here, here, and here).

     Well, on March 17, I finished the St. Patrick’s Day “Run for Your Luck” through Hagerstown! It felt great to finish the race. I didn’t run the whole time – there were a lot more hills than I expected – but I finished. My legs felt like jelly and I got more side stitches than I care to admit, but I’m still proud that I accomplished my goal.

Have You Thanked Your Doctor?

     Have you ever had a doctor who provided you with excellent care and service? How about a doctor who took the extra time to make sure that you were satisfied with your healthcare? Have you ever wished there was a way that you could recognize a doctor who has impacted your life in a positive way? If you answered yes to any of these questions you will be excited to know that March 30th is National Doctor’s Day.

Concussion in Sports

     In recent years, concussion has become a hot topic for media discussion, and public awareness of sports concussions has grown dramatically. This is largely a result of the NFL and other professional sports organizations taking a leadership role in bringing sports-related concussions into the public eye. This has been a welcome development because awareness of concussion is important for all of us, and with March being brain injury awareness month, there’s no better time to learn about concussion in sports.

How to Beat Colorectal Cancer Odds

     In the big picture of life, the 24 hours it takes to prepare for a colonoscopy is a blip on the radar screen. So why do so many people avoid colonoscopies? Well, it could be the fear of the unknown (do I have cancer, what’s the procedure like?) or the special beverage you need to drink to prepare for the procedure.

     Colorectal cancer (cancer of the rectum and colon) is preventable, but not enough people are being screened for the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if everyone age 50 and older committed to regular colorectal screenings, nearly 60% of deaths from colon or rectal cancer could be avoided. 

There’s an app for everything!

     These days it seems like everybody has a smartphone. Advertisements are everywhere talking about the great games, movies, music, and web access that smartphones offer. But how can we use this new technology to improve our health and fitness?

Ways to Relax

     According to a report by ABC News, Americans are working longer days, taking less vacation, and postponing retirement. When added to the daily onslaught of emails, scheduled activities every night of the week, and constantly vibrating cell phones, it’s little wonder we’re all stressed out.

     Constant stress can wear on your immune system and up your chances of developing high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, or a heart attack. Relaxation techniques can help reduce stress and its effects on the mind and body.

Turning Couch Potato Time into Exercise Time

     The numbers are scary. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10.4% of children age 2-5 are obese, as are nearly 20% of kids age 6-19, and 33.9% of adults older than 20. America has a weight issue. 

     Much of the blame goes to our addiction to fast foods and snacks. The truth is, just as much blame should go to our televisions. According to Nielson, Americans spend an average of four hours a day in front of their TVs. This amounts to about nine years of our lives that we spend watching TV! There are two ways to solve this problem. The first is to limit the time you and your children spend in front of a TV. The second, and more fun, solution is to take your couch potato time and convert it into exergaming time.