Eat, Save, and Be Healthy

Hopefully, you are enjoying the nicer, sunny weather and taking precautions to protect yourself from skin cancer.  Although it isn’t summer yet, we need to protect our skin from the sun to prevent skin cancer in the future.

Most of us get too much sun because we don’t take precautions.  That’s why we are seeing so much skin cancer.  Did you know that it is estimated that 90% of the new cases of skin cancer each year are preventable if we would just practice skin safety measures?

Follow these few simple practices to make a difference.

•    Wear sunscreen.  Sunscreen protects the skin from burning as quickly.  Select a sunscreen with moderate to high protection with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 to 30.  If your skin tone is fair you should use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or above.  Remember to apply it 10-15 minutes before going outside and reapply every two to three hours or sooner if swimming or perspiring on a hot day.  Be sure to apply sunscreen on your children.  It is best to keep infants and young children out of the sun as much as possible. 

•   Also protect your lips with lip balm that contains sunscreen.   Some medications increase sun sensitivity so be careful if you are on medication.

•   If possible stay out of the sun between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM when the Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the highest. Most weather reports are giving the sun intensity which is rated on a scale of 1-10.  Anything above a 4 means we should be taking some precautions.  Remember that even on cloudy days you can get sunburn so protect yourself.  Avoid sunlamps and tanning salons as these also damage the skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.

•    Wear a broad brim hat.  A three-inch brim is recommended to provide the best protection.  Forget the baseball caps!  They do not provide protection for the ears and back of the neck.  A sun safe hat is dense enough to block UV rays from the sun.  Tight dense weaves are best.

• Wear sunglasses that filter out the UV radiation.  They should provide 100 percent UVA and UVB protection.  Not all sunglasses do so check carefully.  UVA and UVB protection is clear and not determined by the color of the sunglasses.

• Consider clothing choices.  Long sleeve shirts and pants provide additional protection but can be hot on warm days.  Looser styles and woven rather than knits are usually cooler to wear.  Light colors provide the least UV protection.  A wet white T-shirt is no protection against UV rays.  Darker colors provide a high UV protection but are hot to wear, so find a medium color, which will provide some protection with comfort.  Detergents with optical brighteners can increase the UV resistance of fabrics.  This can help provide some extra protection, but you still need to wear sunscreen.

Making some changes can help reduce your risk of skin cancer and damaged skin, which gives the wrinkled leathery look as you age.  You can enjoy the warmer, sunny weather and still protect yourself if you follow these precautions.

(References: American Academy of Dermatology web site  http://www.skincarephysicians.com/skincancernet/prevention.html;   American Cancer Society (2012) Web site  http://www.cancer.org;      Skin Cancer Foundation (2012) Web site  http://skincancer.org

Author:  Pat Brinkman, Extension Educator

March is National Nutrition Month and a great time to add more fruits and vegetables to your plate.  You know that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is good for you but sometimes difficult in our fast-paced lives.  Here are some tips to add more fruits and vegetables to your day.

• Start your day with a fruit smoothie.  They are easy to make, portable and tasty.  Two recipes are listed below.  Be creative and make your own signature smoothie.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great fast food.  Clean and cut them and put them a ready-to-go bag.  If they are ready to eat, you’ll be more likely to pick them over an unhealthy option.
• Enjoy a piece of fruit for a mid morning or mid afternoon snack.  Easy, tasty and full of vitamins and fiber.
• Try a vegetarian option while eating at a restaurant.  Fill your plate with salad (go easy on the dressing) or order a vegetable plate.
• Make a batch of trail mix using seeds, nuts and dried fruit.  Kids love the crunchy mix & it is fun to make.  Try dried apples, bananas, pineapple, raisins and dates for variety.  Store it in small bags so you can pack it in your lunch or take it for an afternoon snack.  Controlling the portion size also helps you control calories.
• No-added sugar applesauce in individual containers makes a great snack.  Sprinkle in some low-fat granola and a few raisins and cinnamon for a tasty treat.

Strawberry Yogurt Shake

½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice

¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 ½ cups frozen or fresh unsweetened strawberries

1 tsp. granulated sugar (optional)

1. 1.    Add ingredients in the order listed to a blender container.
2. 2.    Puree at medium speed until thick and smooth.
3. 3.    Pour into glass and enjoy.  (Makes 2 servings).

Nutrition info per serving:  Calories: 140 kcal; Fat 2 g; Sodium 65 mg; Carbohydrate 27 g; Protein 6 g; Vit A 2%; Vit C 90%; Iron 6%.

Fruit and Yogurt Breakfast Shake

Serving Size:  1/2 of recipe.  Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium very ripe, peeled banana

3/4 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup yogurt, low-fat vanilla

1/2 cup strawberries, remove stems and rinse

Instructions:
Blend banana with pineapple juice, yogurt and strawberries in a blender.

Blend until smooth.

Divide shake between 2 glasses and serve immediately.

Calories:  160 kcal; Fat 1 g;  Sodium 45 mg; Carbohydrate 37 g; Protein 4 g; Vit A 2%; Vit C 50%; Iron 2%.

Be creative and enjoy adding fruits and vegetables to your day!

Author:  Michelle Treber, Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County and Heart of Ohio.

Sources:  www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

SNAP Ed Connection Recipe Finder http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/ Fruit and Yogurt Breakfast Recipe from University of Illinois Extension Service

This year’s Nutrition Month theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.”  That means making good nutrition choices which includes filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables.  Fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories and are associated with the reduced risk of chronic disease.  As you grocery shop each week, try to choose one new fruit or vegetable to add to your list.  One that I have chosen this month is the mango.  It is one of the most popular fruits in the world. They are available year round and have a taste similar to a peach or pineapple. Mango is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A. It also contains B vitamins and potassium.  Cut-up mango can be eaten raw, grilled, or blended to add flavor to any dish.  The recipe which follows can be made for a quick breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Fresh Mango Shake

Quick and easy to prepare, this recipe makes one serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 small mango (8 oz) quartered, pitted, and peeled
• 3/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 ice cubes

Combine all the ingredients in a blender until thick and smooth.

Nutritional Information per Serving:  Calories: 250, Carbohydrates: 58g, Total Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sodium: 105 mg, Protein: 9g

Source: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov

Author:  Linnette Goard, Field Specialist, Food Safety, Selection and Management, Ohio State University Extension.

Normally none of us likes to be second.  We’ve been conditioned to strive for perfection—in essence, to be number one. But when it comes to saving money, second is first, if you get my drift.  You can save a lot of money by not requiring perfection in your purchases.

Food

Most grocery stores now have “second stands” where you can purchase food that is safe to eat, but might be slightly past its prime.  Second-hand baked goods, produce, and even milk and meat are available if you are lucky enough to find them at your normal shopping time. For dry goods, the store will probably have a rack set up in a corner of the store where you can buy day-old donuts, breads, cakes and cookies at 40% off the regular price. The quality is still very high if you want to eat them over the next few days; however, you can also freeze them for later use down-the-road.  Produce follows the same time restrictions; eat immediately or clean and freeze.  Want to make banana bread?  Buy bananas that are turning brown at half the cost.  A bag of reduced apples makes a great crisp for dessert.  Peppers can be cleaned, diced, and sautéed in a little oil; then frozen for later use in pizzas, casseroles, and soups.

If you see a gallon of milk on sale for 50¢, but the date on the container is stamped with that day’s date, take it home and drink it!  The date is the sell-by date, not a use-by date.  Usually, milk is good for up to a week past the sell-by date. If you have a large family and know you can drink a gallon in 2-3 days, you’ve just gotten a heck of a deal!

One of our local grocery stores discounts meat every morning that is sell-dated for that day at 50% off the original price.  You can take it home and cook it that evening, or put it in the freezer for later use.  I stopped in last Sunday morning on my way home from church and got four packages of meat for under $9 (steak, pork chops, meat loaf mix, and bulk sausage).

If you are a local foods supporter, ask the vendor at your favorite farm market or farm stand if they have any seconds for sale. I particularly like to get seconds when I buy peaches. Since I’m going to peel and slice them immediately, I don’t care if they don’t look “perfect.”

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