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Been to the doctor lately? Even if you have insurance, more offices are asking you to cough up more cash up front. This is a departure from years ago, when doctors, dentists and other health practitioners took longer to figure out your share of the cost, and would send you a bill weeks later.
If this sounds familiar, we want to hear from you. Please contact health reporter Richard Martin at (727) 893-8330 or at rmartin@sptimes.com
If you're like me, you wait for the Publix flyer to come out in the Wednesday St. Petersburg Times, carefully circle all the specials and BOGO (that's Buy One, Get One free) deals that look good, and hit the store ASAP before they run out. Rainchecks are so annoying.
Here are some new grocery items that may not make the BOGO list, but they have made registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer's Top 10 list of products she likes for their flavor and nutrition. Get more of Somer's tips from her Web site or in her books, including 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet and Age-Proof Your Body. She also puts out the Nutrition Alert newsletter, where I found her Top 10 (and her evaluations of each.)
I can personally vouch for the Cabot Vermont 50% Reduced Fat Cheese, which really does taste (and melt) like the real deal; and the Kashi bars, which make a great breakfast with a piece of fruit (the dark chocolate one is so good, I definitely would not keep an entire box handy). I'll be working my way through the rest of the list.
1. 8th Continent Complete Soymilk: The only one on the market that also has fiber and the omega-3 fat DHA.
2. Quaker Simple Harvest Instant Multi-grain Hot Cereal: 100% whole grain with a nutty taste that is more interesting than plain old oatmeal.
3. Salad Spritzers: A few squirts of Newman’s Own Natural Salad Mists or Wishbone spritzers spices up salads for few calories and little sodium.
4. Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta: Three times the fiber, yet looks, cooks and tastes like regular pasta.
5. Plum Organics Baby Food: Contains the omega-3 fat DHA, known to aid in brain and vision development in children.
6. 100% Whole Grain Fig Newtons: Has real fruit, made from 100% whole grain, low in saturated and free of trans fats.
7. Cabot Vermont 50% Reduced Fat Cheese: Tastes like full-fat cheese and has DHA.
8. Kashi Chewy or Crunchy bars: Has whole grains, only 180 calories, 4 grams fiber, up to 7 grams protein, and just 7 grams of sugar.
9. Fresh Express Tender Ruby Red bagged lettuce: Great tasting, hand-picked and loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
10. Sahale Nut Blends: Call them gourmet trail mix; nuts and fruits, and seasoned with exotic spices; like lemongrass, Chinese chili, lavender, or ginger.
Let me know if there are any you recommend -- or would never ever buy again.
Charlotte Sutton, health and medicine editor
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This week, we're offering up tips to get your body in motion.
Today, readjust your exercise clock.
Three ten-minute walks (or runs, bike rides, pick your favorite) a day are just as good for you as 30 consecutive minutes.
Or try getting up and moving for 5 minutes, every hour on the hour. If you're awake for 16 hours, that would mean 80 minutes of motion.
Irene Maher, health writer
[Photo: Photos.com]
Living in Florida, we appreciate the importance of protecting ourselves against the sun's UV rays.
But most of us aren't using anywhere near enough sunscreen when we hit the beach. Dermatologists recommend applying one ounce, or the equivalent of a shot glass full.
Studies show that most people only use half to a quarter of that amount, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. So it may be time to start throwing a shot glass in your beach bag (it's for your health, really).
Also, don't forget to reapply often -- and rub it in before you go outside. Another mistake: thinking your sunscreen will last all day. Reapply after swimming or sweating, and every few hours to best protect yourself.
-- Letitia Stein, Times health reporter
(Photo: Photos.com)
This week, we're offering up tips to help you get moving.
Today: Vow to change your mindset and just get moving.
Don't use the "E" word (aka exercise, considered monotonous and boring). Any activity that increases your heart rate counts.
Use safe distractions: put on a movie, music or both, telephone a willing friend (who won't get the wrong idea from your heavy breathing), make your treadmill time more fun by flipping through catalogues and magazines,
Better yet, treat exercise as a game. Include the kids on an after-dinner bike ride around the neighborhood. Maybe they'll grumble, but maybe they'll like it, too.
Irene Maher, health writer
[Photo: Photos.com]
Today’s St. Petersburg Times features a story about chlamydia, which is by far the most reported disease here and in the U.S., with more than 1.1 million cases reported nationally in 2007. Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, also topped local lists of most reported diseases.
We thought we’d use this blog space to provide some other reportable disease numbers and trends in the Tampa Bay area.
• After chlamydia, the next most frequently reported diseases in Hillsborough and Pinellas were gonorrhea and Hepatitis C. In 2007, there were 2,067 reported gonorrhea cases in Hillsborough and 1,516 in Pinellas; and 1,349 cases of Hepatitis C in Hillsborough and 1,743 in Pinellas. No other disease had more than 1,000 reported cases a year in either county.
• Hillsborough County saw a nearly 65 percent increase in the number of reported cases of infectious syphilis, going from 65 cases in 2006 to 107 in 2007. Pinellas saw an 89 percent increase, from 38 cases in 2006 to 72 in 2007.
• Hundreds of local residents are getting stricken with salmonellosis, an infection with bacteria called salmonella. Hillsborough has seen close to 300 cases a year from 2005 to 2007. Pinellas sees about 200 cases a year.
If you want to explore more disease numbers and trends, you can visit the Florida Department of Health’s data site, floridacharts.com.
(photo is of HeLa cells infected with Type-A Chlamydia trachomatis, magnified 400X. Image is from the
CDC Public Health Information Library)
- Richard Martin, Times health reporter.
It's looking like a another beautiful weekend ahead, so take advantage and get outside.
Here are some of the races and walks happening around the bay area, plus a reminder for a memory class (sorry about the pun) starting next week.
SATURDAY
Beach to Bayou: A 5K race benefitting Helen Ellis Hospital. 8 a.m. $25. Fred Howard Park, 1700 Sunset Drive, Tarpon Springs. (727) 943-3651.
Chasco Challenge: 1-mile run/walk, 5K and 10K runs, 13.1 mile half-marathon, 25K, 50K and 100K bike. Benefits Alzheimer’s Family Organization. 8 a.m. $30; $15 16 and younger. J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd., New Port Richey. (888) 496-8004.
Chasco Fiesta Kayak Race: Bring your own kayak or rent one at a special event rate and help raise money for the United Way of Pasco County. 9 a.m. registration: $25 single, $35 tandem; rentals: $15 tandem kayak, $10 single kayak. Port Richey Waterfront Park, 8119 Old Post Road, Port Richey. (727) 859-0213 (kayak rentals). unitedwaypasco.org/kayakrace.html.
Walk MS: A Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week event with 1-mile and 2-mile walks. Check in, 5:30 p.m.; walk, 6:30 p.m. Advance registration required. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Donations appreciated. Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W Sligh Ave., Tampa. (813) 935-8552. www.midfloridamswalks.org.
SUNDAY
Max Bayne 10-Miler: 10-mile and 5K run 8 a.m. Free. Fort De Soto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde. (727) 644-7702. www.maxbayne.com.
Sand Smash Open Beach Volleyball Tournament: Four-on-four coed volleyball tournament includes three-game pool play (beginning at 10 a.m.) with teams advancing to the semis and finals (beginning at 4 p.m.). 10 a.m. $120/team, spectators free. Crabby Bill’s, 7700 Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa. (877) 820-2582.
DON'T FORGET:
If Irene Maher's story on Thursday about building up your memory rang a bell with you, Tuesday starts a new five-week Memory Training Class at Morton Plant Mease for all ages. It's 10 a.m.-noon at the Madonna Ptak Center for Alzheimer’s and Memory Loss, 430 Morton Plant St., Suite 401, Clearwater. Cost is $25 for the series.(727) 462-7500.
[Photo by Scott Keeler, shot at Fort DeSoto Park]
 Healthy living is a journey, and like most trips, it’s better with reliable directions, good friends and tasty snacks. Personal Best is a forum for people who care about health, harmony and beauty, and want to share what they’ve learned.
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is produced by the editorial staff of the Times and is not tied to advertising. Nor is what you read here to be confused with actual medical advice. For that, you will need to see an actual medical doctor. E-mail us with feedback or story ideas. |
| Your cruise director is St. Petersburg Times Health and Medicine editor Charlotte Sutton, a Times journalist for 22 years. She goes to the gym as often as she can, mostly to support her chocolate and red wine habits. Times staff writer Irene Maher reported on health and medicine for more than 20 years at WFLA-Ch. 8. Now she writes a weekly column for the Times’ Thursday Pulse Page, and is never seen without her trusty water bottle. Richard Martin has been a reporter and editor at the Times since 2006. When he's not at work tackling issues such as health care, he's usually out running around - either training for his next marathon or shuttling his kids to baseball games and swim meets. Letitia Stein tries to practice what she writes as a health reporter, but confesses a terrible weakness for all things chocolate. Her alter ego goes by "Deal Diva" and blogs about shopping and fashion. |
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