Charity Week; Day Five: Think Globally, Act Locally

Everyone wants to make a difference where the big picture is concerned, but how do you do it?  Where do you start?  The best place to start is at home with your local organizations.  Here are some local charities that MBC contributes to.

Tacoma-Pierce County United Way:
They believe education, income and health are the foundation for a good life. Education is essential to getting and keeping a job. Income is important for economic stability. Good health is critical for everyone.  They're working to build lasting opportunities for a good life for all who live in our community.  MBC attorney James McCormick sits on their board of directors.  Visit their website to find out how to get involved.  Click here to find United Way in your area.

Catholic Community Services:
Every year MBC adopts a family in need for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Click here for sponsorship, here to donate. We also donate blankets, coats, socks and other needed items to their Hospitality Kitchen.


Cancer Society Relay for Life:
Many of the employees here at MBC also participate in the Relay for Life each year.  You can sign up a team, join a team, register as a survivor, or sign up as an individual here.  If you'd rather just donate to a team, individual, or to the even itself, click here.  Click here to find Relay for Life events in your area.

Northwest Harvest:
We team up with the Washington State Association for Justice and Northwest Harvest, our statewide hunger relief agency, to feed families in need.  Volunteer here.  Find many ways to donate here.

These are just a few of the charitable organizations MBC supports.  We also support:

Judicial Dispute Resolution
Thurston, King, and Pierce County's Volunteer Legal Services
Tacoma-Pierce County YMCA
The Brain Injury Association Of Washington
Seattle University School of Law's Access to Justice Institute
Northwest Immigrant's Rights Project
International Rescue Committee
Tacoma-Pierce County Sexual Assault Center
Volunteer Advocates for Immigrant Justice
Lance Armstrong Organization LIVESTRONG Challenge
ACT Theater
Seattle University School of Law Immigration Court Project
Muscular Dystrophy Association
Saint Patrick's School
The Red Cross
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

And don't forget, as the Tacoma News Tribune reported earlier this week, with the economy as depressed as it is our local Tacoma-Pierce County Food Bank could use your help.

 Make it a point to remember those that are less fortunate this  season, both globally and locally.  Happy holidays from those MBC.

Tis the Season...

Although it’s the-season-to-be-jolly, it’s definitely not the season-to-stay-healthy for many.  The holidays can be a stressful, depressing time for some, not to mention the inevitable weight gain most of us pack on this time of year.  

 

Depression

For some, the holidays are not a joyous time; for some they’re difficult and painful to get through.  This could be because of the loss of a loved one, divorce, or anxiety of the upcoming year.  It can also be a time of introspection, loneliness, and reflection which can bring on feelings of despair. 

 Here are some tips for fighting holiday depression:

• Are your traditions working for you?  If not, get rid of them and create new ones. 
• Go outside, get some fresh air and exercise. 
• If you suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) take vitamin D supplements, or use phototherapy to relieve depressive symptoms.
• Don’t compare the current holiday to holidays past, just enjoy it and make new memories to cherish.
• Do something for someone else. Try volunteering some time or donating needed items to charitable organizations in your area.
• Remember, alcohol is a depressant and may add to your holiday melancholy.
• Spend time with supportive and caring people.  Try to make new friends or reach out to ones you haven’t talked to in awhile.

Loss 

If your depression is caused by the loss of a loved one, have a family discussion about what each member wants to do for the holidays and how much they think they can handle.   

•  If you live alone, invite a friend for dinner, go to a movie, or start a new book.  
•  Alleviate yourself of some holiday pressures.  Limit gift buying and giving, and decorate as much as you are ready for. Let someone else host and cook. Be sure to take care of your own needs and get adequate rest and exercise.
• If you’re up to it, acknowledge the absence of your loved one, toast in their honor, or visit the cemetery or memorial site.  Cry, smile, and laugh, if you need to and enjoy creating new memories and new traditions with family and friends. 

Don't Forget the Elderly

Holidays can be very lonely and stressful for the elderly. Remember to include them in your family gatherings.  The passing on of traditions, becoming the guest instead of the host, deaths of spouses or siblings are all things you might not think about, but can add to their feelings of loss and sadness.   If they’re able, try to involve them in the holiday preparation, let them help decorate or cook.  Make them feel important.

Destressing 

• Try to set realistic goals and pace yourself. Make a list and prioritize the important activities. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. Don’t spread yourself too thin, you don’t have to attend every party to which you’ve been invited.

• If you're in charge of preparing the holiday meals, start cooking early so you can enjoy the holidays. Create sauces, jams, cookies, and other items that will keep until the guests arrive in advance.
• Simplify. Bake only one type of cookie instead of a dozen.   
• If you get tired, take a break.  The wrapping, baking, and shopping will be there when you’re rejuvenated.
• Don’t go into the red.  Give gifts of your time or services, or pull names for gift exchanges. Enjoy free activities, such as driving around to look at holiday decorations; window shop, build a snow man, go caroling.
• Return Gifts Later.  The day after Christmas is not the time to return unwanted gifts. Wait until after the New Year when shopping crowds have diminished.

Holiday Weight Gain

The holiday season brings festive family get-togethers, office parties and other traditional activities. What common thread do these activities have? Food, food and more food (with a side of alcohol). The average American gains 5 to 7 pounds over the holidays. 

• When we spend an entire day shopping, we usually end up making poor meal choices by eating fast food, which is high in fat and calories and low in nutritional content. Keep it as healthy as you can.  Avoid "super-sizing", limit fried foods, and avoiding high fat condiments such as dressings, mayonnaise, sauces and cheese. Instead, slather that burger with mustard, ketchup or fat-free dressing or order a salad. 
•  Don't skip meals or eat very little most of the day to save up so that you can eat more at a party or dinner. Eat at your regular times, with perhaps a little lower fat or smaller portions in general. If your meal will be later than usual, have a snack to curb your appetite so that you are not too hungry when you get there.
•  Looking for healthy holiday entertaining ideas? Instead of a traditional holiday cookie exchange, invite friends over for a light meal that includes vegetable soups, fresh breads, fruits and lettuce salads. Plan the event so that food is not the main focus.  Plan activities such as games and a gift exchange.   
•   If you’re traveling during the holiday and staying where there is no gym, bring an exercise band or DVD so you can get your physical activity in. 
•  Modify your recipes to make them lighter.  The sugar and fat content in most holiday recipes can be altered without a noticeable difference in taste. Use low-calorie substitutes for butter, shortening, and sugar, and cook with skim milk.   Strong-flavored cheeses, such as gorgonzola or aged parmesan, add more "oomph" per ounce and have less fat than easy melters such as cheddar.  
• Don't forget the roasted vegetables -- squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips or tomatoes. These vegetables require little if any fat to prevent sticking, and roasting them with your turkey, ham, or prime rib is an ideal cooking method.
•  Watch out for hidden calories in your holiday beverages.  Alcohol is high in calories and some mixed drinks contain up to 450 calories per glass. Soda, fruit punch, and eggnog can be loaded with sugar and calories.  By drinking water and diet sodas you stay calorie free. 
•  Moderation is key; whether we’re talking red meat, alcohol, or cookies, try to balance intake of these items with fruits and vegetables, lean meats and other healthy choices. 
•  Make the season one of sharing. If you are given sweets or other special foods, then share them with family and friends or take them to work.

Eat Out Fear-Free

1. Cocktails: Order your food first. It’s the first thing you’re offered when you walk into a restaurant. But after just one drink, you’re more likely to order the 2,400-calorie Bloomin’ Onion rather than a green salad to start. Until you’re placed your food order, stick with water. 
2. Ordering: Choose before you go. Check out the menu online or call and ask the restaurant to email or fax it to you. Decide what to order in advance and stick with it.
3. Waiting: Don’t go in on an empty stomach. Have a small low-calorie snack before you eat out so you’re not tempted to munch while you wait for a table or your food. Turn down bread or ask that it be placed out of reach.  
4. Portions: Less is more. Most restaurants give you far more food than you need or can eat. Beat the system by ordering two appetizers instead of an entrée, sharing a meal with a friend, or asking for a take-out container when you order so you can put half your meal aside before you eat. 
5. Cooking styles: Steer clear of fats. Beware of anything cooked with cream, such as sauces or soups, also, butter, oil, gravy, au gratin, breaded, Alfredo, blackened, battered, or fried. Stick with poached, baked, broiled or steamed.  Or ask if your meal can be cooked “light” and ask for sauces and salad dressings (plain oil and vinegar is best) on the side.

Party Time 

• Once again, keep alcohol intake down. Drinking sparkling water instead of alcohol will keep your brain from forgetting to watch what you eat. Not to mention that alcohol itself contains 7 calories per gram. That’s twice as much as sugar!
• As with eating out, enjoy a pre-party snack. Arriving hungry to a party makes us more likely to overeat. Plan and prepare to combat this by eating before a party.
• Move away from the buffet. Find a room that’s not full of food. You’ll be less tempted to eat if you can’t see what you’re missing.
• Bring a party platter of sliced veggies and yogurt dip, or another healthy appetizer.  Then you’ll know there will be at least one healthful choice to nibble on. 
• Avoid recreational eating by setting a one plate rule. At parties and holiday dinners we tend to eat beyond our body’s physical hunger simply because food is there and eating is a social activity.  Also, try to eat slowly and possibly on a smaller plate.
• If you overindulge at a holiday gathering, don't just decide that you have blown it and that you won't try to keep a healthy diet until after the New Year. An occasional lapse does not cause excessive weight gain but several weeks of over-eating may.  Instead of giving up, learn from your mistakes and plan better for the next time.

The Gift of Health

Looking for fitness and exercise gift ideas, here you go:

• Yoga mat 
• Exercise Ball 
• Weights
• Personal Training Session 
• Workout Video 
• Fitness Video Game 
• Jump Rope 
• Fitness Fashion

1. Sneakers
2. running pants
3. bicycle shorts
4. sweats
5. swim goggles
6. towel
7. gym bag
8. outdoor gear for outdoor sports, such as, wool socks, gloves, long underwear, hat

• MP3Player, of if that is out of your budget, a new set headphones and a gift certificate for downloadable workout tunes.
• Gym Membership 
• A gift certificate for indoor sports such as bowling or mini golf.  

Have a healthy and happy holiday from MBC

Sources:
Bangor Daily News
Associated Content
Kaiser Permanante
Nurse Tips
Wellness Corporate Solutions
California Progress Report

Christmas can be hazardous to your health.

Okay, that may be a little over dramatic, but in truth, there are certain dangers that come hand in hand with the-season-to-be-jolly.

Trees:

Christmas trees account for 250 fires annually, resulting in 14 deaths, 26 injuries and more than $13.8 million in property damage.  These fires are usually started by shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches.

The video below, from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is an eye opening example of how fast a room can be engulfed in flames during a Christmas tree fire.

The best way to keep your tree from catching fire?  Buy it fresh and keep it wet.  A fresh tree has green needles which are difficult to pull from the branches and don’t break when bent.  When tapped on the ground, a fresh tree shouldn’t lose many needles.

Your tree stand should hold at least a gallon of water.  The general rule is one quart of water per inch of the stem diameter.  An average six foot tree with a four inch diameter truck can consume as much as one gallon of water a day.  When watered properly, a fresh cut tree will keep some natural fire retardant for about twenty-one days.

Remember to keep your tree, as well as other Christmas decorations, away from heaters, lights, fireplaces, radiators, stoves, candles, and ash trays.  A recommended safe distance is three feet.

Poisoning and other hazards:

 Do you ever wonder if the tree you’re bringing into your house is toxic?  Or if a snow globe breaks, can the water inside harm your child?  Scott and White Health Care has kindly put together this list  to either ease our minds, or make us more cautious of what we’re bringing into our homes during the holidays.

Pine Tree (all species)
Christmas trees are non-toxic and usually harmless in regard to toxic exposure concerns. They can scratch the throat if ingested.

Christmas Tree Preservative
Usually contain sugar 90-95%, some form of citric acid, alum and maybe some other trace elements. Drinking the water that contains the preservative is considered usually non-toxic unless ingested in large quantities.

Christmas Tree Ornaments
Most ornaments are made of plastic, glass, Styrofoam, wood and metal. These are considered non-toxic but may present a physical hazard if broken. Other ornaments that are not toxic but can cause mechanical injury are angel hair, glitter, icicles and tinsel. These small things can be inhaled, ingested, placed in the eye or on the skin and can cause irritation.

Christmas Globes
These are also known as snow globes. Some contain little pieces of plastic or glitter but are not considered toxic. The water in these globes is not toxic but may be contaminated with bacteria. If one of these gets broken it is advisable to throw it away.

Bubbling Christmas Lights
These fluid-filled bubbling lights contain at least 50% methylene chloride. Methylene chloride is a respiratory tract and mucous membrane irritant and can cause headaches. Dermal contact may cause irritation and burns. If ingested, methylene chloride can cause CNS depression (sleepiness) and respiratory failure (breathing problems).

Mistletoe
Mistletoe is in the Phoradendron species. Ingestion of any part of the plants usually leads to gastroenteritis, but can also lead to hallucinations, hypotension or hypertension and seizures. The gastroenteritis can last up to eight hours. Fewer than two berries are probably not enough to cause toxicity but ingestion of an unknown amount may require evaluation by a physician.

Poinsettias & Holly
Neither plant is considered toxic. They can, in cases where someone has eaten a large quantity, be considered mildly toxic in that they can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and therefore are a possible risk for dehydration. Holly’s are from the Ilex genus and all plants in that genus causes nausea and vomiting if eaten in large enough amounts.

Flocking
Once placed on the tree it is inert plastic. If ingested it is considered a foreign body ingestion.

Tinsel & Wrapping paper
On a rare occasion tinsel or wrapping paper may contain lead in some of the inks that are used. A small amount ingested should not be a problem but if unsure, then a lead level might be considered appropriate. Do not burn tinsel or wrapping paper.

Fireplace Logs
Metallic salts produce fireplace and log colors, which can be toxic if ingested, even in small amounts in some cases. Make sure the flu is open to avoid combustion vapors and carbon monoxide in the home.

Alcohol
Leaving alcohol around for little children to drink by accident can be a fatal mistake. Ethanol in children can cause hypoglycemia (and subsequent convulsions) and if not recognized can be fatal.

Food
Food poisoning is always a concern, especially during the holidays when foods get left out for office workers to graze on during the day. Safe food handling practices should be observed.  Visit the health department for information about food safety.

Keep in mind many decorations, ornaments, and toys pose a choking hazard to small children.  Use care when buying Christmas presents or bringing small objects into your home and call the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission(C.P.S.C.) at 800-638-CPSC for information on toy safety.

Keeping pets safe during the holidays:

• Holly, mistletoe, and Poinsettias are toxic to  animals and cause cause symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, and even more serious symptoms like temporary blindness and seizures.
• Our pets love to chew on things, err on the side of caution when buy and placing, lights, ornaments, and decorations.
• Tinsel and ribbon are especially tempting to cats and kittens, but can pose a choking hazard, and can severely damage the intestines.  Steer clear of these if you have an indoor cat.
• Chocolate: Pets should never be given chocolate as it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, heart arrhythmia, and death even when it is eaten small amounts. Be sure to keep chocolate off of tables where pets may have access.
• Ham:  This meat is very high in fat and will cause severe stomach problems for pets if eaten in even small amounts.

Keep hazards out of your holidays by using your head, reading labels, and erring on the side of caution.  Have a safe and sane holiday from your friends at MBC.

Sources:

Argyle Veterinary Hospital

Driving drowsy = driving deadly

 by John R. Christensen

With the holidays fast approaching, many of you will undoubtedly be taking to the air and road as part of your plans.  If you’re driving to your holiday destination, make sure you’re traveling as safely as possible.  Before leaving, make sure your car is in good working order, be sure everyone wears their seat belt, and don’t drink and drive.  There is one more hazard on the road that you need to be aware of, one whose dangers have more than quadrupled in the last couple of years.  Drowsy driving. 

After a comprehensive sampling of 50,000 auto collisions, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concluded that 16.5 percent of fatal car crashes involved a drowsy driver.  That’s a startling increase from 2.4 percent just two years prior.  

In a recent study, AAA found that 41 percent of participants said they had fallen asleep behind the wheel.  11 percent of those said it had happened in the last year, and of those 11 percent more than half reported that they fell asleep while driving on the highway.  

This is a scary revelation considering how fast a car can veer off the road or into oncoming lanes at sixty miles per hour. 

More than a 25 percent of those surveyed stated that in the last month they has been so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open while driving.   Driving drowsy has obviously become more of a problem than it has been in the past, so it’s time to take precautionary steps to make sure we don’t become another car collision statistic. 

You can’t help what others do behind the wheel of their own vehicles, but you can ensure that you don’t fall asleep.  People don’t always recognize when they’re tired.  Here are some signs from AAA that you may be more tired than you think.

• You have trouble keeping your eyes open and focused
• You can’t keep your head up
• You daydream or have wandering, disconnected thoughts
• You yawn frequently or rub your eyes repeatedly
• You find yourself drifting from your lane or tailgating
• You miss signs or drive past your exit
• You feel irritable and restless
• You drift off the road and hit the rumble strips
• You are unable to remember how far you have traveled or what you have recently passed by

Here are some tips on how to stay awake while driving:

• Before beginning a long drive, get enough sleep and eat something before you go.
• If you get tired on the road, put on some music, and keep your window cracked open.
• Caffeine is not necessarily the answer.  It takes about 30 minutes to enter your bloodstream and will keep you alert for awhile, but the effects won’t last. Also,it won’t necessarily keep you from falling asleep.  You can use it as part of your strategy but it’s not enough by itself.
• Pull off the road and take a break when you get tired, plain and simple.  You should take breaks every couple hours whether you’re tired or not.  Get out, stretch your legs, and grab a snack.  If you just want to take a quick nap you should pull all the way off the road into a parking lot, especially at night.  If you pull off to the shoulder, you risk getting rear-ended.
• If you’re tired, it’s best not to use cruise control.  Concentrating on your speed can help you stay awake.
•  And this should be obvious, but don’t drink alcohol before a trip.  You may not get drunk off of one beer, but it may make you tired.
• If someone is riding with you, take turns behind the wheel.
• Avoid driving under pressure.  Plan your trip early enough to drive safe.  If you’re late, don’t try and make up time by driving for longer periods without sleep.  You won’t be saving time if you get into a collision.  Trying to make up time could be a deadly mistake.

Be safe on the road this holiday season.