Parish Nurse Notes - July 2014

Parish Nurse Notes

Upcoming Events:

• Donate Blood, July 30th, Call the front office for details to donate. 
• Get Your Legal Documents in Order, Bob Michael’s, Elder Law Attorney, October 5th 12:30 PM, Light Lunch provided 

Are You Toxic?

• 0= Never or almost never have symptoms 
• 1= Occasionally have it, effect is not severe 
• 2= Occasionally have it, effect is severe 
• 3= Frequently have it, effect is not severe
• 4= Frequently have it, effect is severePut a number next to each symptom you have to best describe the frequency and severity.

TOTAL THEM UP (find out your results by checking in by the Nurse’s Wellness Board)

____ Nausea/Vomiting
____ Diarrhea

____ Constipation 

____ Bloated feeling 

____ Belching, or passing gas 

____ Heartburn 

____ Intestinal/stomach pain 

____ Watery or itchy eyes 

____ Swollen, reddened, or sticky eyelids 

____ Bags or dark circles under eyes 

____ Blurred or tunnel vision (not near/or far sightedness) 

____ Difficulty in making decisions 

____ Stuttering or stammering 

____ Canker sores 

____ Frequent illness 

____ Itchy Ears 

____ Ear aches, infections
____ Drainage from ear 

____ Ringing in the ears 

____ Headaches 

____ Faintness 

____ Dizziness 

____ Insomnia 

____ Chest congestion 

____ Asthma, bronchitis 

____ Shortness of breath 

____ Difficult breathing 

____ Slurred speech 

____ Stuffy Nose 

____ Sinus problems 

____ Mood swings
____ Anxiety, fear or nervousness 

____ Anger, irritability, aggression 

____ Depression 

____ Irregular/skipped heartbeat 

____ Rapid or bounding heartbeat 

____ Chest pain 

____ Poor memory 

____ Confusion, poor comprehension 

____ Poor concentration 

____ Poor physical coordination 

____ Learning disabilities 

____ Acne 

____ Hives, rashes, or dry skin
____ fatigue, sluggishness 

____ Apathy, lethargy
____ Hyperactivity
____ Restlessness
____ Pain or ache in joint
____ Arthritis
____ Stiffness/limitation or movement
____ Pain or aching in muscles
____ Feeling of weakness or tiredness
____ Chronic coughing
____ Gagging, frequent need to clear the throat.
____ Sore throat
____ Swollen or discolored tongue, gum, lips
____ Binge Eating/drinking
____ Craving certain food

(This is the Daniel Plan Screening and Toxicity Questionnaire. It is not to diagnose or treat an illness.)

The Power of Prayer in Health

As a nurse I know prayer works. I have seen an individual in pain that was on multiple strong pain medications and was still rating their pain at 8 out of 10. 

A family member held their hand and prayed and within minutes they relaxed. I know because that person was me. God wants a relationship with us. Why is your Parish Nurse talking about prayer? Isn't that the pastors job? The power of prayer is the strongest advice I can give anyone when it comes to their health. It is the gift I give you now. Coming from a woman who has had cancer, experienced multiple medical emergencies the blessings that prayer has provided is huge. 

It is always easier to talk about prayer in the simple context, "I will pray for you." I am here to tell you, stop what you are doing and pray right then. Your church family member that needs pray doesn't need it later. They need it now. Not everyone is comfortable praying together. I get it. I am not sure that we should be comfortable all of the time. God calls many people in the Bible to stretch right out of their own comfort level and do great and unusual things. Try it. HE just may be calling you to. I know He has me or I wouldn't be your parish nurse. (Wink) Mention this blog and receive a bonus tip from our Wellness Ministry Group. 

Church Leader Magazine released this information about prayer:

A group of physicians used in double-blind "drug" studies of the efficacy of Christian prayer on healing. Patients from the San Francisco General Medical Center were randomly divided into placebo and test groups. Patients in the test group were prayed for by Christians; the placebo group received no prayer. There were no statistical differences between the placebo and the prayer groups beforeprayer was initiated. The results demonstrated that patients who were prayed for suffered "less congestive heart failure, required less diuretic and antibiotic therapy, had fewer episodes of pneumonia, had fewer cardiac arrests, and were less frequently intubated and ventilated."  (Rich Deem, GodandScience.org)

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U.S. News and the Internet site Beliefnet funded a poll to learn more about why, how, where and when people pray. Here is a summary of the findings:
· 75% percent were Christian.
· 64% say they pray more than once a day.
· 56% say they most often pray for family members, with 3.3% saying that they pray for strangers.
· A little over 38% say that the most important purpose of prayer is intimacy with God.
· 41% say that their prayers are answered often.
· 1.5% say that their prayers are never answered.
· Over 73% say when their prayers are not answered, the most important reason is because they did not fit God’s plan.
· 5% say that they pray most often in a house of worship.
· 79% say that they pray most often at home.
· 67% say that in the past six months, their prayers have related to continually giving thanks to God. (Pastor's Weekly Briefing, 12/24/04)

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An Ellis Research survey for Facts & Trends finds just 16% of pastors are very satisfied with thier personal prayer lives, 47% are somewhat satisfied, 30% somewhat dissatisfied and 7% very dissatisfied. Their median amount of prayer time per day is 30 minutes. During that time, a typical pastor spends 12 minutes with prayer requests, 8 in quiet time, 7 giving thanks, 7 more in praise, and 5 confessing sin. The top 5 things they pray for are individual congregation member’s needs, congregation’s spiritual health, wisdom in leading church, spiritual growth for church, and personal spirtual growth. (Facts & Trends 5/6/05)

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A Newsweek poll titled "Is God Listening?" indicated that, of those who pray, 87% believed that God answers their prayers at least some of the time. Even so, unanswered prayers did not deter them from praying. 85% insisted that they could accept God's failure to grant their prayers. Only 13% declared they have lost faith because their prayers went unanswered. 82% don't turn away from God even when their prayers go unanswered. 54% say that when God doesn't answer their prayers, it means it wasn't God's will to answer.

The things people pray for include health, safety, jobs, and even success, valid or not. 82% said they ask for health or success for a child or family member when they pray. 82% believed that God does not play favorites in answering prayers. 79% said God answers prayer for healing someone with an incurable disease. 75% asked for strength to overcome personal weakness. 73% answered that prayers for help in finding a job are answered. On the lighter side, 51% agreed that God doesn't answer prayers to win sporting events. 36% have never prayed for financial or career success.

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49% of teens say they would be likely to attend prayer meetings before or after school. (Foster Letter, 6/04)

Whole Food Living and Learning

Whole Foods? Isn't that what I am already eating?Want to consider a whole foods movement? My inspiration on this came from a local, Amber Thiel. go to her website: www.amberthiel.com (The Healthy Edge can be searched as well.)

The more we learn about nutrition, the more it seems we should eat the way people did a hundred years ago. Recent research appears to be pointing us in the direction of eating mostly "whole foods" – that is, foods that are as close to their natural form as possible.

This could mean eating:

• Whole grains instead of refined grains whenever possible. 
• Fruits, vegetables, and beans instead of supplements to provide the fiber and vitamins they contain. 
• A skinless chicken breast cooked with healthful ingredients instead of chicken nuggets processed with added fats, flavorings, and preservatives. 
• A baked potato with chopped green onions and light sour cream instead of a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips. 
• Fresh berries with breakfast instead of raspberry toaster pastries or breakfast bars. 
• A blueberry smoothie made with blueberries, yogurt, and a frozen banana instead of a blue-colored slushy or icee. 

Many health experts believe that eating more whole foods is our best bet for improving health and preventing disease. Whole foods – like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and legumes -- retain their fiber as well as the whole portfolio of beneficial phytochemicals and nutrients that are often removed in processed foods.

The idea of whole foods is catching on the popular imagination as well. Consider the now ubiquitous Whole Foods Market grocery chain, which started in 1980 as one store in Austin, Texas. Its mission was simple: "to provide a more natural alternative to what the food supply was typically offering at the time."

Whole Foods is now the world's leading retailer of natural and organic foods, with 184 stores in North America and the United Kingdom. Their 2005 revenue was $4.7 billion, and they have 78 new stores in the development pipeline between now and 2009. (Taken from the WebMD)

Whole Foods website has a weekly meal plan you can download at no cost as well.

5-2-1-0 Rule for Children and Information and Myths about High Blood Pressure

5-2-1-0 RULE & BP INFORMATION

5 OR MORE SERVINGS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES PER DAY
Fruits and vegetables contain many nutrients that a child’s body needs, and they should take the place of high-calorie foods from a child’s daily food menu. Children who eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day are significantly less likely to become overweight or develop obesity than children who eat less than three servings per day. In addition, high fruit and vegetable consumption decreases risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Ensure that your child eats fruits and vegetables at every meal and as a snack.

2 HOURS OF SCREEN TIME OR LESS PER DAY
Children who watch more than two hours of screen time (TV, computer, video games) per day have double the incidence of obesity when compared to children who watch less than one hour per day. Limit screen time to two hours or less per day and keep children physically active. Children should not be allowed to watch TV before 2 years of age, and there should be no TV in a child’s bedroom, no matter what the child’s age.

1 HOUR OR MORE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PER DAY
There is significant improvement in both physical and mental health when children and teenagers obtain their required 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Encourage your child to be active! Have a goal of 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity such as playing outdoors or biking.

0 SUGAR SWEETENED BEVERAGES PER DAY
An easy way to help is to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, punches, flavored milks, sports drinks and flavored coffees. These beverages are liquid candy and should rarely be served. One hundred percent pure fruit juice does not contain added sugar but may well contribute to excess weight gain, and portions should be limited.Provide your child with plain milk and water to drink. Give your child fresh fruit instead of juice. Pack water or milk in your child’s school lunch instead of a juice box.

(Taken from Oregon Health and Science University)
You may pick up some snack ideas from the Parish Nurse on Sunday between services or at the information desk.
Stay tuned next week for other ideas for healthy eating on this blog.

BP Clinic March 2nd!
PS Don't forget March 2nd we have another BP Clinic. Don't get your Blood Pressure checked regularly come and see where you register. You never know how you could catch something before a medical event affects you permanently. Age doesn't matter. Many people have high blood pressure and aren't even aware.

The myth of symptoms

There's a common misconception that people with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, will experience symptoms such as nervousness, sweating, difficulty sleeping or facial flushing. The truth is that HBP is largely a symptomless condition. If you ignore your blood pressure because you think symptoms will alert you to the problem, you are taking a dangerous chance with your life. Everybody needs to know their blood pressure numbers, and everyone needs to prevent high blood pressure from developing.

(Taken from the American Heart Association)

Why Eat Healthy at the Table, Food is Fuel

February Theme: Eat at the Table

The "electrolytes"

Sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium are known as the "electrolytes" as they are minerals which dissolve in water and form electrically charged particles called "ions". Those ions are essential for transmitting electrical impulses along nerves and for muscle contraction. So how do they work? They create electrical impulses that let cells in our body to send messages back and forth to one another (cell communication) and through this, you can perform all the "bioelectrical" functions such as thinking, moving and seeing and so a healthy body needs electrolytes.

Salt (sodium chloride or NaCl) is one of the electrolytes that we all know very well. When salt is dissolved in water, the ions become separated. They are involved in fluid (water) balance in our body, if the balance is off, your nerves and muscles can suffer.

As well as the salt content of your bodily cells and surrounding fluids, calcium, magnesium and potassium are also important in fluid balance of your muscles. Therefore, if your balance of electrolytes is off, you can get muscle cramps because the impulses are not firing correctly and the muscles contract in spasms. This means that fluid balance is important for us so we need correct amounts of electrolytes in our body.

When the levels of sodium are too high, the body retains more water, which also raises the blood pressure (hypertension) as the increased water makes the heart work harder. Think of your home central heating system - if you topped up the water in the system too high, the pressure gauge will go up.

Under normal circumstances, there is more potassium than sodium and chloride in the fluid inside your cells. That means there will be the opposite concentration in your blood system which surrounds the cells (more sodium and chlorine and less potassium outside your cells). The concentration of those electrolytes affects the water content of your cells (diluting or concentrating it). If you become dehydrated (less water in the body cells), there will be more electrolytes in your blood system (outside the cells), which is picked up by your thirst receptors hence why you become thirsty. A hormone (known as the antidiuretic hormone a.k.a. ADH) is also released to prevent further dehydration, it works by reducing the amount of urine being produced by the kidneys, thereby preventing further water loss from our body.

• Did you know? Salt intake makes you thirsty as it makes your blood more concentrated and so we drink more water/fluid so that excess salt can be processed by your kidneys and passed out through your urine.
• Did you know? Chlorine is actually a green gas which is poisonous, but when it is combined with sodium (a soft metal), the combined chemical is known as sodium chloride (a.k.a. salt)?
• Did you know? Food labels which give you the sodium content of the food are not telling the full story? Sodium appears in food labels instead of salt itself so when reading sodium on a food label you have to multiply it by 2.5 times to get the actual salt content. [1]

Minerals [2]

How often do we hear of the need of the body for specific minerals? The body needs calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, sodium, iodine, etc. Minerals have three primary functions within the body:

• They provide structure in forming bones and teeth.
• They help maintain normal heart rhythm, muscle function, neural conductivity, and acid-base balance.
• They help regulate cellular metabolism by becoming part of enzymes and hormones that modulate cellular activity.

Note: I provided this information to give you the opportunity to view information from various sources to help make it more meaningful. This is by no means all inclusive.

Why do I Care?

You care because much of how we feel has to do with what we do and don’t ingest. If your body never has enough water it can’t get rid of the toxins it needs to excrete from your system.

You care because missing out on essential nutrients can cause poor mental function, exhaustion, confusion, poor physical capacity and so on.

You care because God says your body is His temple and we are to care for it.

I challenge you to try to make a change, big or small. Your body will thank you. Change is not easy and to make it a habit you need to make a change for over 21 days before it becomes a habit. Try it out and see if increasing a more balanced diet has you feeling better. –Nurse Doyle, signing out.

[1] Taken from Eat Balanced website.
[2] Taken from Hallelujah Health Website

5 Steps to Eat Healthier

Healthy Families

Although adults usually decide what kids eat, we all know that kids eat what is available. Therefore, surrounding them with healthier options leaves them no choice but to eat better food.

Set the Family Up for Success

Small changes in five key areas can make a huge difference and add up to real results: eat more fruits and vegetables, consume less sugar and fat, eat healthier snacks, watch portion size, and eat together as a family. For more details go to the Parish Nurse Blog on oslc.com under “links and resources”

Fruits & Vegetables

·        Kids should eat five fruits and vegetables a day

·        Serve fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables; they all count

·        Provide fruit or carrot sticks as great snacks

·        Offer 100% juice, with no added sugar

·        Mix vegetables into dishes, like adding peas to rice, or cucumbers to a sandwich

Healthy Choices to Reduce Fat and Sugar

·        Switch to low or non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese

·        Choose lean cuts of meat like skinless chicken or extra lean ground beef for hamburgers or pasta sauces

·        Bake or grill instead of fry

·        Substitute olive or vegetable oil for butter

·        Substitute water or low-fat milk for sodas or sweetened beverages

·        Drink less soda or sugar-sweetened drinks

·        Switch to lower sugar breakfast cereals

·        Switch desserts like ice cream and cake for fruit based desserts

Snacks

·        Reduce the number of snacks served each day

·        Leave a bowl of fruit or carrot sticks on the kitchen table

·        Differentiate between snacks that require permission (cookies), versus snacks that kids can take freely (fresh or dried fruit)

·        Have kids drink water at snack time

·        Save "treats" for special occasions

Portion Size

·        Kids are smaller than adults and should eat smaller portions

·        Use smaller plates for kids

·        Don't force kids to clean their plates if they are full

·        Portions should be about the size of the back of a fist—a child’s fist for a child’s portion

·        Start with a small portion. Children can have seconds if they are still hungry

Eat Together

·        Family meals focus on eating and enjoying food and each other

·        Eating together is a chance to model good behavior

·        Regularly scheduled meal and snack times help kids learn structure for eating

*This information was provided from letsmove.gov 

Eat Healthy at the Table

Eat Healthy at the Table
This month will be spent focusing on teaching ourselves and our children how to make healthy choices every day. These healthy choices need to be taught to our children so that when they are around unhealthy choices they will know why they should make that healthy decision.
This week we will focus on healthy eating, healthy living. Being proactive instead of reactive to your health. Sunday February 2nd will be our next Blood Pressure check. We want those who don't get their blood pressure checked to come by. To assure that you are in a healthy point in your life. Knowing what your numbers are will help you remain or become healthy. Come to the table ready to eat healthy, teach healthy habits and become or remain the person that God created you to be.