Tips for Coping with Election Day Stress

With the elections only a few more days away, election stress is getting to many of us. We are constantly bombarded by phone calls, mail fliers and negative television ads. It's enough to make you grind your teeth and reach for the Tums.

Psychologists say economic uncertainty isn't helping. "Human beings, generally we do better in periods of calm, stability and certainty," said Illinois psychologist Nancy Molitor who said this election season is the most anxious she's seen her patients in 20 years of practice. All this anxiety is causing sleep problems, edginess, irritability and concentration problems.

Elections are a major stress producer because people vote from a "very, very core place in their personalities," said Lisa Miller, an associate professor of psychology at Columbia University Teachers College in New York. She said we tend to project our hopes and fears onto presidential candidates, expecting them to protect us keep us safe.

When you start to feel overly stress about the election, here are some things experts say will help:

• Step back. Shut down the computer, turn of the TV, stop answering the phone and close the newspaper. Avoid getting into political arguments with friends and colleagues.
• Be pro-active. Volunteer to help your candidate. If you're actively working for what you believe in you'll won't feel powerless which is at the root of much election anxiety.
• Take care of yourself. Stress wears you down physically and mentally. Make sure you eat healthfully, exercise and get enough sleep. The very act of taking control of something decreases stress.
• Be realistic. Every candidate has both strong and weak points. No candidate is all good or all bad, despite what you may hear. The country has always survived no matter who was elected. Though ideas and view may differ, each candidate is sincerely trying to do his best for the country. And remember, our forefathers mandated a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one person or viewpoint can rule. The President must be supported by Congress and vice versa which guarantees a fair amount of balance and compromise in governmental decisions.
• Change the subject. When you can't take it anymore, just change the subject. Agree to disagree. Go for a walk, get out in nature, do something that takes your mind off politics.
• Remember to vote. Make sure you go to the polls and cast your ballot on Tuesday, November 4. Whether your candidate wins or loses, you'll know your voice was heard!

Foods You Can Really Bite Into

With Halloween fast approaching, your dentist is probably cringing just thinking about the Reese's Cups, M&Ms and Hershey bars you're stocking up on and the damage they'll do to your teeth. But there are dentist-approved foods that will actually strengthen your teeth and gums, though offering them to Trick or Treaters might get your windows soaped.

Here's a list of foods from the Academy of General Dentistry that fight tooth decay and gum disease naturally. You might want to stock up before your Halloween gorge.

• Rebuild tooth enamel by eating yogurt, cheese and milk -- all good sources of bone-building calcium. The temporary coating calcium products form on your teeth also helps prevent tooth decay by protecting teeth against the natural acids in your mouth.
• Boost gum health with grapefruit which aids in wound healing and prevents collagen breakdown which can loosen teeth. In a German study, grapefruit decreased gum bleeding significantly. Because the acid in grapefruit can temporarily decrease the strength of tooth enamel, dentists recommend waiting 30 minutes before brushing. Also, check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding grapefruit to your diet as it interacts unfavorably with some medicines.
• Kill mouth bacteria by snacking on kiwis, oranges, limes, cranberries and strawberries. All are rich in vitamin C with is a powerful killer of oral bacteria. Green tea contains catechins that also fight mouth bacteria; and the phytochemicals in those super spicy foods you love, like wasabi and jalapenos, inhibit germ growth.
• Freshen your breath with mint and parsley which kill mouth bacteria and sweeten breath.
• Whiten teeth by eating cauliflower, spinach, lettuce and broccoli. The minerals in these veggies form a protective film on teeth that helps prevent stains from penetrating enamel. Strawberries have a bleaching effect on tooth enamel; and hard crunchy foods like carrots, nuts and seeds destroy plaque as you chew. Go easy on known stain makers: red wine, cola and coffee.

So fill your plate with these great tooth-healthy foods and SMILE all the way to the dentist!

'Stayin' Alive' Can Actually Help You Stay Alive

The Bee Gees' great disco song Stayin' Alive can put the beat back into a stopped heart. At 103 beats per minute, the 1977 pop standard provides the perfect rhythm for performing CPR. In a study at the University of Illinois medical school, doctors and students produced the ideal number of chest compressions during CPR while listening to the peppy falsetto tune from the John Travolta movie Saturday Night Fever.

Study author Dr. David Matlock said few people realize how quickly chest compressions must be performed to start and keep a heart pumping. The American Heart Association, which uses Stayin' Alive as a CPR instructor training tool, recommends 100 compressions per minute, a considerably faster rate than most people think. When performed properly, CPR can triple the survival rate from cardiac arrest, but few people attempt it because they're not sure of the proper rhythm. According to Dr. Matlock, compressing the chest to the beat of Stayin' Alive will keep you on track.

Why We Spice Up Our Food

My mom likes her food hot. Perhaps not quite as hot as my friend from Texas who doesn't think salsa is hot unless it leaves a red ring around your mouth, but definitely spicier than my poor palate can handle. When we share a meal, mom ladles on the salt, tobasco or hot sauce. One bite would have me sweating and panting, but mom seems to have an asbestos-lined mouth.

As we age, our sense of smell begins to fade. We have trouble detecting and distinguishing certain scents. Because taste is so dependent on scent, this also affects our ability to detect flavors. The lack of flavor sends us in search of stronger, bolder flavors. Hence, the increased use of chilies, horseradish, jalapeno, wasabi and other sharp foods and spices among older Americans.

Interestingly, sweetness is one of the most enduring tastes which must by why mom still keeps Hershey bars and Oreos on the shopping list!

Worried About the Economy? Tips for Coping with Financial Stress

Bad news about the economy has everyone stressed. People are worried about their retirement savings, their mortgage payments, their credit card bills, their jobs, their banks and just about everything you can think of. It's taking a real toll on the American psyche. In fact, according to a new survey by the American Psychological Association, 80% of us say the faltering economy is a source of significant stress in our lives. That's a big increase from April when only 66% of us blamed the economy for making our lives miserable.

People who don't normally have trouble coping with life's stresses are reeling under the constant bombardment of new disasters. All this stress is sending more people to therapists for help coping with the added mental strain. On the flip side, money troubles are causing some people to cut back on needed counseling and medications to save money.

Medical experts say the best way to cope with stress is to exercise, eat healthfully and spend more time with family and friends. The American Psychological Association also suggests the following:

• Don't panic. When you hear bad news, take a deep breath and try to remain calm. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in the doom and gloom. Try to focus on what's actually happening in your life today and not all the things that might happen.
• Make a plan. Identify the things that cause you financial stress. Think of ways you can reduce expenses and manage your money more efficiently. Even small changes like cutting out your daily Starbucks run can have a significant effect on your budget. At $4 a day, that latte costs you $20 a week, $80 a month or almost $1000 a year. Write down your plan and stick to it. Review your plan periodically and make adjustments as needed.
• Be smart. Many of us respond to financial stress in unhealthy ways: drinking, smoking, emotional eating or gambling. These things will only compound stress and should be avoided. Fight unhealthy urges by eating right, exercising more and seeking the support of family and friends.
• Take action. A large degree of the stress people feel during economic downfalls comes from being pummeled by forces out of their control. Take control of what you can. Take a walk or have dinner with your family. Improve your future job potential. Learn a new skill, take a course through your employer or tap into free and low-cost job skill resources available in your community.
• Call in the pros. Seek help from a professional credit counselor or financial planner if you feel like you're in over your head. They may be able to negotiate more favorable loan terms and set up realistic payment plans with creditors. They can also help you develop a workable financial plan to get out of trouble and stay out.
• Get help. If you still feel overwhelmed, talk with a counselor. Don't let yourself sink into depression. Everyone needs a little extra help some time. There's no shame in admitting you aren't Superman.
• Have faith. Don't ignore the power of prayer. Many people find great comfort in their faith, particularly in times of high stress. When you feel life's burdens are getting too heavy to shoulder, ask God to share the load.

What You Can Do to Prevent Falls

Falls are the leading cause of injury for older people. Most falls happen in the home and are such ordinary occurrences -- tripping on a throw rug, stumbling on the stairs, slipping in the shower or momentarily losing balance -- that it's hard to think of them as major medical events. But if you're past 65, falls often require a trip to the emergency room and can even result in a crippling injury or death.

Every year one in three Americans over 65 fall with one-third of those falls requiring medical treatment according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 16,000 seniors die from traumatic brain injury caused by hitting their head as they fall. The CDC estimates the annual medical cost of falls at nearly $20 billion, a figure that is expected to double in the next decade as Baby Boomers crawl past 65.

There are four important things you can do to reduce your risk of falling:

• Exercise to maintain flexibility, strength and balance.
• Improve the safety of your home. Install shower grab bars and eliminate tripping hazards like throw rugs and electrical cords that stretch across pathways.
• Take medications as directed to prevent dizziness or disorientation. Report such symptoms to your doctor immediately.
• Have your vision checked annually.

New Developments in Fighting Colorectal Cancer

Many people feel colonoscopies are one of those things where the cure seems worse than the disease. It's not, of course, but it is one of the most invasive and, for many, uncomfortable preventative/diagnostic procedures people undergo. So there is good news on two fronts:

• Most people over age 75 should stop getting routine colon cancer tests, says the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a government health group; although other medical and cancer organizations disagree. The task force recommends a colonoscopy of the entire colon every 10 years for adults between 50 and 75, a sigmoidoscopy of the lower colon every 5 years, a stool blood test every three years, and an annual stool blood test. Their recommendations are based on studies indicating that although the risks of contracting colon cancer rise after age 75, the benefits of detecting and treating this cancer decline significantly.
• An x-ray alternative to the standard colonoscopy has proven as effective in spotting most cancers, concludes a recent federal study. Faster, cheaper and less intrusive, the test is expected to increase screening rates by 50%. Despite the fact that colorectal cancer is America's second biggest killer, many people don't get tested because they fear the test during which a doctor snakes a thin, flexible scope (a tube with a tiny camera attached) through the patient's rectum into the large intestine while visually checking a monitor for signs of polyps, abnormalities and possible cancer. The new method, called CT colonography, uses x-rays to perform a "virtual colonoscopy." Critics say the new test is better at ruling out cancer than detecting it and that patients who receive a negative result will still have to undergo a standard colonoscopy to verify results and remove growths. In comparative tests, the virtual colonoscopy detected knobby polyps equally as well as the traditional test but was less effective in detecting flat growths on the colon wall that are more likely to be cancerous. Concern was also expressed about x-ray radiation and false readings by radiologists. If you're interested in CT colonography, check with your insurance carrier first. Because this is a new procedure, it is not yet covered by all insurance companies. Coverage by Medicare is currently under review.

Virtual colonoscopy is most likely to be used as an initial screening tool. The test costs $300 to $800 compared to up to $3000 for a traditional colonoscopy. The unfortunate aspect is that both tests require complete colon cleansing, for many the worst part of the screening process. Despite cost or discomfort, don't ignore screen recommendations. Colorectal cancer claims 50,000 lives each year and can nearly always be eliminated when discovered early.

Youthful Habits Check High Blood Pressure

Scientific studies are finding that acting like a kid may reset your body's clock and help you beat high blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) increases your risk of heart attack, heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and stroke. But lowering your blood pressure can be easy -- and fun -- if you just act like a kid again!

• See the doctor every year. Those annual visits to the pediatrician kept us healthy and on track when we were kids, but most adults only see a doctor when they're sick. Annual checkups set a baseline for normal body functions and tell us when things are getting out of whack. Early treatment prevents small, solvable problems from becoming big, life-threatening ones.
• Drink milk. Drinking nonfat milk products reduces your risk of hypertension by 50%. If you're allergic to milk or are lactose intolerant, you can get similar benefits from the milk protein casein which can be found in certain lactose-free products and supplements. Casein blocks the chemical reactions that cause blood vessels to narrow and make pressure rise.
• Play. And you don't even need to play every day. Just 30 minutes of brisk exercise three times a week will lower your blood pressure. Walk, play hopscotch with the kids, jump rope, toss a frisbee -- just make sure you get your heart rate up.
• Eat candy. But not just any candy -- dark chocolate, the darker the better. Eating 30 calories of dark chocolate a day will lower your blood pressure without weight gain.
• Take a nap. People who only get five hours (or less) of sleep a night increase their risk of getting hypertension. If you have trouble sleeping, make sure you take a nap during the day.