This weekend’s Super Bowl XLVIII will feature athletes in their physical prime, while its viewers are, for the most part, watching from the living room couches of America. Our blog on Jan. 21 suggested ways to pursue positive goals in the new year that will lead to a better you.  Here’s a simple way to tackle one of those on Sunday:  eat healthier!

 

If you’d like to break with tradition and come out a winner on Sunday, substitute some nutritious and lighter snacks for the typical game-day fare.

 

Consider these three delicious recipes to kick off your creativity, courtesy of SIU dietician Sara Lopinski and The Healthy U Cookbook.

 

LIGHTENED SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

A lower fat version of a favorite restaurant appetizer.

 

INGREDIENTS

14 oz. can artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained, finely chopped

10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

½ c. fat reduced grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. reduced fat sandwich spread (Note: Miracle Whip Light was used in this recipe development)

½ c. nonfat plain yogurt

⅓ c. reduced fat Mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 oz. jar diced pimientos, drained

½ tsp. garlic powder

 

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients, and spoon into 9-inch quiche or pie plate.  Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

 

YIELD                                     2 ¾ c. or  22 servings

SERVING SIZE                      2 tablespoons

CALORIES PER SERVING              25

FAT CALORIES                                0

CHOLESTEROL                               2  mg.

SODIUM                                             85  mg.

CARBOHYDRATE                            2.5 gm.

FIBER                                                 .5 gm.

PROTEIN                                           1.5 gm.

CALCIUM                                           38 mg.

 

 

CHOCOLATE PARTY MIX

One serving is a perfect chocolate fix.

 

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ c. Wheat Chex cereal

2 c. Crispix Cereal

¼ c. unsalted peanuts

1½ oz. bittersweet baking chocolate

 

PREPARATION

Combine cereals and peanuts in a medium bowl.  Melt the baking chocolate in a small bowl by microwaving at 50% power for 1½ minutes.  Stir and if needed, microwave for 20 second intervals stirring after each until melted.  Don’t overheat or chocolate will burn.  Pour melted chocolate over the cereal mixture; mix.  Spread the mixture on a baking sheet or large container lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the chocolate is set.  Divide the chocolate party mix into 4 equal servings.

 

YIELD                                                 4 cups

SERVING SIZE                                  1 cup

CALORIES PER SERVING              250

FAT CALORIES                                70

CHOLESTEROL                               0 mg.

SODIUM                                              280 mg.

CARBOHYDRATE                             39 gm.

FIBER                                                  4 gm.

PROTEIN                                            6 gm.

CALCIUM                                            60 mg.

OVEN FRIED CHICKEN STRIPS

They’ll never realize this is a heart healthy version.

 

INGREDIENTS

No-stick cooking spray

½ c. corn flakes, crushed

2½ Tb. all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. ground pepper

1 egg white, slightly beaten

2 Tb. skim milk

1# boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into even-sized strips

 

 

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray.  Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine the egg white and milk in a small bowl.  Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then into the cornflake mixture to coat the chicken.  Place on the prepared cookie sheet and spray with more no-stick cooking spray.  Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the chicken over and spray with more no-stick cooking spray.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

 

YIELD                         4 main dish servings

CALORIES PER SERVING              240

FAT CALORIES                                35

CHOLESTEROL                              95 mg.

SODIUM                                            180 mg.

CARBOHYDRATE                            13 gm.

FIBER                                                0 gm.

PROTEIN                                           28 gm.

CALCIUM                                           40 mg.

 

 

SIU School of Medicine is excited to announce the official launch of its hand transplant program, the first in Illinois and one of only 11 in the country.  Transplantation is a newer option for patients who have lost one or both hands/arms and are unhappy with the function and appearance of prosthetics.

 

“SIU is known nationally and internationally for our expertise in microsurgery and replantation, or re-attachment of fingers, hands and arms,” said Dr. Michael Neumeister, director of the hand transplant program and chair of SIU’s Department of Surgery. “This is a logical next step for us in offering state-of-the-art reconstructive procedures to the region.”

 

A grant from the Memorial Medical Center Foundation made it possible to establish the new transplant program. An operation of this nature requires an extensive multi-disciplinary team, with specialists from almost every field in medicine. It’s headed by the SIU Institute for Plastic Surgery in partnership with transplant nephrology at Springfield Clinic and Memorial Transplant Services.

 

Patient recruitment and screening for transplants candidates is underway.  Since so few of these procedures have been performed across the world, hand transplantation is still considered experimental and requires approval by the Springfield Committee for Research Involving Human Subjects. SIU will screen at least 20 patients and transplant five hands during the next three years.

 

Like other organ transplants, the tissue comes from an organ donor and requires taking lifelong medications to prevent rejection. The patient must also undergo an extensive rehabilitation process after the transplant in order to regain function of the transplanted hand. “The medications required after a hand transplant are very similar to what we use to prevent rejection in kidney transplants,” said Dr. Bradford West, medical director of the kidney and pancreas transplant program at Memorial and medical director of the hand transplantation program.

 

“An advantage we have in hand transplants is that the organ is external, so rejection can be diagnosed and treated immediately before it causes problems. We believe that this is why hand transplants seem to survive longer than kidney transplants,” West said. At five years after transplant, about 90% of hands are still functioning well, compared to 75% for kidneys.

 

For questions regarding hand transplantation, to enroll in the study or to refer a patient, please contact:

 

Jennifer Koechle, MPH, CCRP

handtransplant@siumed.edu

Local: (217) 545-7014

Toll free: (855) SIU-HAND (855-748-4263)

 

Or visit our website: www.siumed.edu/handtransplant

 

– Shaun Mendenhall, MD

Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU (SCI) takes an advanced approach to coordinated cancer care. In  In addition to quality patient care and research, SCI offers a variety of additional programs and services to improve the experience for patients and their caregivers.

Through the American Cancer Society (ACS), they have access to many benefits at SCI, regardless of treatment location.

• SCI houses an ACS wig salon where patients can select a wig and up to two scarves or hats for free. Patients can attend classes to learn how to tie the scarves and style the wigs.
• The ACS also sponsors a Look Good, Feel Better program where a cosmetologist gives women make-up tips.
• An ACS patient navigator is available to guide patients through the health-care system and connect them to qualifying services.

Other programs and services offered at SCI:

• Three board-certified genetic counselors help people before cancer strikes by providing knowledge about appropriate cancer screening guidelines, genetic testing and in some cases, preventive surgeries.
• Support groups and counseling services
• Wellness classes through the Side-by-Side program
• Animal therapy
• A nutritionist offers extra dietary support as patients go through radiation and chemotherapy.
• A licensed pharmacist helps patients with specific issues that may arise from cancer treatment.
• Clinical trials to help doctors and scientists develop more effective cancer treatments
• A team approach to cancer care

Read more about the array of services provided at SCI.

January is almost over. Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? How are you doing on them?

If you need help sticking to your goals, here’s some ways to start on three of the most common: losing weight, staying fit and quitting smoking.

 

Get off the couch and get moving!

Regular exercise keeps your body healthy and helps to fend off a host of ailments and diseases. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only one in five U.S. adults participates in enough physical activity to gain substantial health benefits.  And a survey by the Associated Press this month showed that only one in four teens in the U.S. is getting the recommended amount of weekly exercise.

Why exercise? Because it:

• Controls weight
• Reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers
• Strengthens bones and muscles, reducing the risk of strains and fractures
• Improves mental health

How much do you need?

• At least 2½ hours of aerobic exercise using moderate effort (walking, running, biking, dancing, hiking, etc.) per week
• At least 2 days per week devoted to muscle strengthening (push-ups, sit-ups, weight lifting, etc.) using all the major muscle groups

Local gyms are eager to attract new members in January, and many are offering specials to capitalize on your motivation. Shop around and find one that’s both affordable and convenient to work or home.

 

Kicking tobacco

According to The Book of Odds, 70% of people who smoked in 2013 wanted to quit smoking all together, and 1 in 2.5 (40%) will try to quit this year. Unfortunately, the addictive properties of nicotine make smoking a hard habit to break. Smokers can read mortality statistics until they are blue in the face and still not summon the willpower to overcome its pull.

Is it something you’ve been considering?

There’s a proven support plan being offered by Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU. The “Freedom From Smoking” course is designed by the American Lung Association and begins on January 27. It uses individual techniques and group interaction to help people quit over a two-month span. And now businesses can host the course on site.

More information is available at http://www.siumed.edu/news/ReleasesFY14/SCIFreedomFromSmokingBusinesses.html.

 

No present like the time

A New Year’s resolution can seem like a distant memory in February.  So get going now, and before long you’ll be a happier and healthier person in 2014.

Who knows?  It may even add some years to your life.

-ss/rb

 

Source: Amram Shapiro, Louise Firth Campbell and Rosalind Wright, Book of Odds, From Lightning Strikes to Love at First Sight, published by HarperCollins and William Morrow, 2014.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. It’s so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives. Most people who become infected with HPV don’t know they have it, and in 90% of cases it goes away by itself before it causes any health problems.

But sometimes HPV infections persist. These can cause a variety of serious health problems, including cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms until it is quite advanced, so it’s important for women to get regular screenings. Screening tests can find early signs of disease so that problems can be treated before they ever turn into cancer. All women should begin cervical cancer screening at age 21. Women aged 21 to 64 should have a Pap test every 3 – 5 years, according to the American Cancer Society.

January is Cervical Cancer Screening Month. Free cervical cancer screenings are being offered to uninsured women as part of a program by the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, St. John’s Hospital and Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU School of Medicine.  For more information, go to http://www.siumed.edu/news/ReleasesFY14/SCICervicalCancerScreenings.html.

And check out our blog ‘HPV puts men and women at risk for cancer’ to learn why both genders need to guard against the virus.

Source:  Center for Disease Control and http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm

-ss

Did you know that women are more likely than men to contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) but less likely to have or notice symptoms?  Unchecked STDs can lead to numerous health problems, including – for women – cervical cancer.

While having “the talk” can be a stressful task for many parents, it can be especially tense for parents of girls. The physical, social and emotional repercussions of unprotected sex often weigh heavier on females. For many young women, unprotected sexual activity can lead to life-long issues caused by STDs.

Once a woman is infected with an STD, symptoms may be hard to detect. “Many women with an STD may have abnormal vaginal discharge or aches and pains that they mistakenly attribute to their normal menstrual cycle,” says OB-GYN Dr. Katherine Hild-Mosley.

Other symptoms could include an odor, blisters, a burning sensation and flu-like symptoms.

However, a majority will experience no symptoms at all.

Unchecked and untreated, STDs can wreak havoc in the female reproductive system, causing:

• scarring in the reproductive tract
• increased risk of ectopic pregnancy
• cancer
• permanent infertility
• significant risks during pregnancy and delivery, including passing the infection on to the baby

Most STDs can be treated with antibiotics, penicillin or a combination of drugs.

Once a woman is sexually active, an annual visit to a gynecologist is recommended to aid detection of “silent” STDs and help maintain overall health.

– rb/ss

Patients at Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU (SCI) can benefit from a new treatment. Certified therapy dogs help patients cope and heal from health issues.

Animal therapy is used in many settings, and studies have shown benefits to the patient such as reduced blood pressure and elevated mood. Especially popular with the elderly in long-term care facilities, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder  and pediatric patients, dogs, cats, rabbits and even horses provide immeasurable health benefits.

Dan Austif trained his dogs Shamus, Darby and Radar under trainer Susan Poludniak. The rigorous training is more than just “sit” and “stay” for the dogs. To be certified animal therapy dogs, they must be able to complete certain obedience tasks such as sitting in a spot and staying without barking, whining or pulling while the owner leaves the room. The dogs are trained to remain calm in the tense circumstances they may encounter in medical settings, such as a wheelchair or stretcher going by, canes and walkers or someone collapsing from a heart attack or seizure. Poludniak’s sable-coated, six-year-old German Shepherd, Rogan, is also a therapy dog.

“Pet therapy benefits patients, their families and caregivers,” says Dr. Thomas Robbins, director of SCI. “These special animals offer a distraction from illness and treatment and provide a lot of smiles for all of us.”

Read more about SCI’s animal therapy program in our latest edition of aspects.

-rb