Eat, Save, and Be Healthy

   Fire Up the Grill! It’s grilling season. Even the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends grilling (as well as broiling, poaching and roasting) as a good way to cook foods to avoid adding extra fat.

Grilling is a healthy way to prepare meat without adding the fat of pan frying. However, potentially cancer-causing chemicals are produced when cooking meat, poultry and fish over high heat, especially if you cook to well done or charring. Many factors can increase your risk of cancer but consuming grilled meat and well-done or very well-done meat was associated with a greater than 50% increased risk. Another study indicated an increased risk of prostate cancer with a high intake of well-done grilled or barbecued red meat. Well-done, boneless, skinless chicken breast; well-done grilled steak; barbecued pork; salmon grilled with skin; and well-done and grilled hamburger contained the highest amounts of cancer causing chemicals.

How can you reduce your risk and enjoy grilled foods?
• Vegetables and fruits can be grilled without concern but using lower temperatures will help retain nutrients.  Enjoy lots of grilled fruits and vegetables.
• Use lower grilling temperatures to cook your meats. In one study grilling salmon at about 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit resulted in lower cancer-causing chemicals than salmon grilled at about 500 degrees.
• Marinating foods prior to grilling helped lower cancer-causing chemicals from being produced. One study showed that marinating an hour in commercial marinade prepared with oil, water and vinegar reduced the cancer-causing chemicals by 57% to 88%. You can also just marinate meat in oil, water and vinegar. Be sure to refrigerate while marinating to keep food safe.
• If you use gas, charcoal or wood, keep flare ups to a minimum if possible. If you use a charcoal grill, always start with fresh charcoal.  Using the same charcoal will cause more flare-ups from previously dripped fat, which resulted in higher levels. You also might try  coconut-shell charcoal. They produced fewer cancer-causing chemicals than regular wood charcoal.
• Choose lean cuts of meat and trim any visible fat.
• Precook meat to shorten the grilling time. Microwaving for a short time can help start the cooking process so it is not so long on the grill.
• Avoid putting frozen meat on the grill which lengthens the cooking time. Thoroughly defrost meat in the refrigerator before grilling.
• Use smaller cuts of meat or cooking kabobs which reduce cooking time.
• Try to finish grilling meats away from the direct heat. Pile coals to one side of the grill or leave half of the burners off on a gas grill and  finish grilling on the cooler side away from direct heat.
• Cook on a water-soaked cedar plank which protects the food from direct flames.
• Use aluminum-foil packets with meat and veggies in a single packet or line your grill with foil to prevent direct contact.
• Grill only to medium well and use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 160⁰ for ground meats, 165⁰ for poultry, and 145⁰ for whole cuts of pork, beef and lamb.
• If food becomes charred, remove that portion before eating.

You can enjoy using the grill and having grilled meat, vegetables and fruits. Take some precautions when grilling meat and enjoy the summer.

Written by: Pat Brinkman, Extension Educator Family and Consumer Sciences
Reviewed by: Melinda Hill and Donna Green, Extension Educators Family and Consumer Sciences

Reference:
Tufts University, [July, 2012}. Grill Power! Keep Your Summer Grilling Healthy and Safe. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, Vol.30 (5)

In our household, between the end of November and the beginning of January not only do we celebrate the national holidays like Thanksgiving and New Years’ we also celebrate five family birthdays!  As nice as it is to spend time with family and celebrate all these milestones, it adds a lot of extra planning, shopping and cooking to the weekly schedule. I want my family to know just how special they are not only on their birthdays but also at holiday celebrations and I work hard to make sure I don’t set up expectations of perfection for this time of year.  As much as I enjoy looking through magazines or new postings on Pinterest, our house and meals don’t all have to be perfect! Here’s a list from a “Less Stress Holiday” handout that I like to use for this time of year:

Take one step at a time

• Those around you will appreciate more time with a relaxed you – the best “present” you can give is your unruffled presence.
• Honesty counts.  Be frank about your needs verses wants when it comes to spending and shopping, eating and exercise or extra holiday activities.
• Rank the “to do” list from most to least important. Cross off the less important activities to increase enjoyment of the more important interests.
• Take Ten. Take a ten minute break, a ten minute nap, or a ten minute walk.

Holiday foods can be healthy foods

• Eating meals together can offer nourishment, health, communication, and loving connections.  Relax and enjoy the company as much as the food.
• Make new family favorites.  Try a healthier version of your most often used recipes. Increase nutritional benefits by adding more fruits, vegetables or whole grains or decreasing the amount of sugar, salt or fat.

• Be choosy with high calorie drinks, snacks, desserts and other holiday foods.  It’s OK to enjoy edible delights. It’s also smart to use a smaller plate, only select half a serving or share a dessert with a loved one.
• Slow down and enjoy your foods. To get the most pleasure and flavor, savor your bites.

“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity” Oprah Winfrey

• Take the time to plan menus, shopping lists and event calendars.  The investment of planning time is worth it. I ask my family “what one activity do you want to make sure you do during the holiday season?”  and “what is one recipe you want to make sure is on the menu?”
• Let the calendar or PDA do their job.  Don’t forget to add “me” time, “down” time or “break” time.

• Expand your stress management tool kit. If one stress reliever doesn’t work, try the next one.

• Create a benefit record.  Imagine the things that bring you delight and have the list ready as a reminder in stressful times.

Enjoy holiday events, just don’t overdo it

• Some indulgence is OK, but also practice balance. Balance your food choices, spending and time commitments.  Budgeting is not only for money, but also for calories, time and energy.
• Get plenty of rest, eat healthy meals and snacks, and keep up usual routines for exercise.
• Connect with others. Identify someone as a stress reduction partner who can be a call or text away.

Make healthy choices that fit your lifestyle so you can do the things you want to do

• Follow this advice for kids: Balance your day with food and play.  Fit in exercise and make use of playfulness    as well as your funny bone.
• Virtually any form of exercise, physical activity or body movement can be a stress reliever.  Try something new.
• Not only does physical activity help reduce stress, it also helps balance out the common increase in holiday calories.
• When choosing gifts for others, look for items to promote a healthy lifestyle like exercise equipment, healthy cook-books or magazine subscriptions, a fresh fruit basket or home canned foods.

Information compiled from Mayo Clinic, Eat Right Montana, and Ohio State University Extension.

Author:  Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension.

The sun is bright today but the wind is still a little brisk.  Think of all the things we might be doing if we were outside today?  Picking up sticks, looking for new buds on the trees or flowers or just taking the dog for a walk, are ways to get a little exercise and fresh air.  When we spend time outside with our children they have a wonderful classroom of new experiences and we can enjoy the moments of discovery with them.

It’s interesting to find more and more information that indicates time outside for children is just as important as good nutrition and a good night’s sleep.  It’s a time to connect with nature and learn about colors, and textures,  and so many living things that are available in our back yards.

When we think about getting children ready for school, the garden or backyard can lead to conversations in math, science, reading and vocabulary.  As adults, we benefit from the fresh air and exercise also.  Gardening supports children’s curiosity about the natural world and to build confidence as they grow and nurture plants that ultimately produce items for them to eat.  Rulers and magnifying glasses are great tools to share no matter what age they are to investigate things that we might miss at first glance.  Here’s a few other tips to consider while you are  outside this spring or summer, whatever you choose to do, remember that you are building relationships  by spending time together engaged in activity and learning.

*Make a wind sock from an empty powdered drink or oatmeal container and crepe paper streamers.

*Take a study stick and tie strings or fishing line to metal items to make your own wind chimes.  Things like old keys, beverage cans, old silverware, small piece of pipe, etc. work well.

*Select a few garden plants and make a container garden.  Use either a bucket or ornamental container for them to care for and observe the changes as they grow.

*Take an empty milk carton or other small container and make a boat to use outside in the puddles after a spring shower.  Which way does the wind blow it?  What ones sink or float?  What or how much can I put in the “boat” before it sinks?

*Take a strip of contact paper and make a loose bracelet.  On a walk around the yard or park pick up unique items that will stick to the bracelet.  Leaves, seeds, pebbles, flowers, bird egg shells, are all great conversation starters.

*How many different shades of green can you find outside?  Take a piece of paper or coloring sheet outside to color with no crayons….just the grass or the leaves, or the bark from the tree.  Ask permission before using flowers but they all share natural colors to enjoy.

*Make a chart of the sky and what it looks like at a particular time during the day.  See how it changes through the week.

There’s so many more fun things to do outside, but hopefully these will get you started thinking.  One of the most common comments, is “there’s nothing to do outside!”  I think once you begin looking, you’ll find so many fun things that they’ll forget about TV and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Melinda Hill, CFCS, CFLE

Extension Educator, Family and Consumer

Happy Birthday America! As you and I gather with family and friends to watch the fireworks, picnics and parades, let’s not forget to share with our children the real meaning of this special time of celebration. Teaching them and reminding ourselves, why independence from Great Britain was important is another step in creating the character pillar of citizenship. We can also talk about the courage it took for our founding fathers to put in writing our “Declaration of Independence”. I found the following paragraph that summarizes the history:
Independence Day is the birthday of the United States of America and is celebrated on the Fourth of July each year. Independence Day is the anniversary of the day on which the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
John Adams, one of the founders of our new nation, said, “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore.” Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.
In 1941, Congress declared July 4 a legal public holiday.
Today, we can enjoy the festivities. We should also have a moment of reflection for all of the men and women who have given so much that we might enjoy the freedoms we have today. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, those leaders of our country didn’t know if they would live to see independence. The Revolutionary War (American War of Independence) that followed this act was a monumental feat for a new country to take on Europe and their military forces.
There’s much to read about this event, more than I can summarize here. But as you are gazing at the fireworks, reflect on the freedoms that were bought with many lives. The last verse of the Star Spangled Banner may say it best.
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

In the early years of life it may seem hard to bond or play with your baby.  They are so little and fragile.  While children in their first year, especially those first three months, are focused primarily on eating and growing, there is a lot of developing going on during this time.  Babies are learning about their world and discovering new things all the time.  From physical development—learning to use their arms and feet—to brain development—beginning to see and feel new things—to social development—who is my family?  Who can I trust?—learning and growing are all around.

In a world where the house still has to be cleaned and food still has to be prepared, it can be tempting to set the baby down in a bouncy chair or swing and let them “entertain themselves”.  While this is ok occasionally, it is important for parents to spend time with their babies helping them along in their development.

So what are some things parents can do with Baby?  Here are a few simple exercises for different stages of life.

0-3 months: DANCE WITH BABY.

Moving and swaying while singing or listening to music with baby can help soothe him.  For months he was rocked around in your womb constantly.  Being held closely to your chest is comforting to him, and listening to music helps his sense of hearing develop.

3 months: TUMMY TALK.

As baby is developing his large muscles and learning to keep his head up, it is important to help him strengthen these muscles.  The time baby spends on his tummy is helping do just this.  Some babies may not enjoy being on their tummies, but often if a parent gets on the floor and talks with them at their level, they may be more comfortable.  Baby my begin to push himself up, or may just start “swimming”.  Laugh with him and encourage him as he moves around.

6 months: MAGIC SCARVES.

Scarves can be a great toy to use to play with baby.  One activity is to thread a scarf or piece of fabric through a cardboard tube (such as an empty paper towel tube).  Let it barely poke out and have baby pull it through the tube.  You can add encouragement in this game such as “Where is the scarf?” and as he pulls, “Oh, there it is!”  This is teaching baby hand-eye coordination and object permanence (understanding that objects can still exist even when they cannot be seen, felt or heard)

9 months: EXPLORE!

Your baby is constantly learning about the world- what it sounds like, looks like, feels like and tastes like.  You can help your baby explore by talking to them about the things that they see inside and outside the house and describing it to them.  Let them feel leaves on plants or the grass and explain each thing as you show it to them.

TALK TALK TALK TALK!

Talking is the most important thing a parent can do with their child.  Constantly describing what you are doing, what you see, what you feel around you, help give your baby words to understand and describe his own world.   Studies have shown that parents who talk and read to children are more likely to have a higher vocabulary by the time they enter Kindergarten.

Take part in your child’s development and watch them grow every day!

For more information on development and activities you can do with your baby and toddlers, you can visit the OSU Family Life website: www.families.osu.edu and under “stages of life” choose “infants and young children” (or click here).   You can also check out some of the Gymboree books such as Baby Play or Play and Learn to find more activities to do with baby.

Vacations are essential to our emotional well being. We all need time to unwind and focus on other things besides deadlines and daily pressures of “success”. If we do this, research has shown we will be more productive when we return to our work duties. We will also live longer and be in better health. You need to give your tired, over-worked body a chance to revive itself from daily pressures. Learning to listen to your body is essential to taking care of it and it’s hard to do when we are running from one event to another, skipping meals, running on little sleep and avoiding regular exercise.

Vacations offer us the opportunity to explore what we would like to do after retirement or as a hobby. What do you really enjoy in this life? When do you get to do it? Don’t put off today, learn to enjoy the simple pleasures in life and develop both hobbies and friends to share along the way. They suggest if you do physical work, then do somthing on your vacation that doesn’t involve a lot of physical effort, or if you work with a lot of people you may want to take a change of pace and be more solitary. If you work on a computer all day then maybe social activity is needed, look for ways to alter you pace in life and give you rest in your daily activities. It is also a great time for talking with your partner about your goals and dreams.   When we don’t take the time to explore these things, retirement can be frightening, “what will I do with my time?”  

 Taking a vacation also gives your office or company to give other employees a chance to fill in. By delegating responsibilities you don’t come back to “overtime” and others have a little change of pace as well. Sometimes we do things, just because that’s the way they have always been done, while others may accomplish the same thing in a different manner. Change is a good thing when it brings about more productivity or a positive work environment. Don’t let the feeling on being indispensable stop you from spending time with your family. Don’t feel insecure about your job, others may be able to do your job, but you are a needed part of the team. If you hate weekends and can’t wait to get to work on Monday along with the other habits listed here you may have what psychiatrists call the “vacation skipper syndrome.” These traits are hard on you as a person, as well as your relationships. Try to look for the positive and focus on the benefits you will gain. Start with small vacations and build to taking time off to really enjoy it.

With the mobile technology, some employees feel as though they can’t get away. E-mail, cell phones and fax machines see to make us accessible wherever we are. Talk about your expectations before you leave and hopefully you won’t need to respond to “urgent” requests. If, that doesn’t work then set aside a certain time of day to deal with these matters and devote the rest to family time. That could be a win win for both family and employer.

Spending time together is essential to having a strong family and building relationships to last a lifetime. Your siblings are the people to know you the best as they have had many of the same experiences as you. Your children and spouse share goals and values and fun memories together. Don’t let time slip away without making family fun times a priority.

Author: Melinda Hill, FCS Educator, Wayne County