McKinley Grapevine

HI McKinley!

We all want to avoid getting sick…obviously.  Naturally, our focus tends to be on keeping our hands as clean as possible through washing them frequently or using some form of antibacterial gel.  Well, when was the last time you cleaned your cell phone if ever?  Research shows that the bacteria present on our cell phones is equivalent to the bacteria found in a toilet!!! This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise if you think about all the places your phone has been, the hand you’ve shaken, the time you didn’t wash your hands after you sneezed and let’s not forget when we hand it to our kids or our nieces and nephews to play a quick game.   Now that you’re totally grossed out and will never look at your phone the same way again, read the below article, or just start cleaning your phone AND it’s case once a week.  How to clean your phone may differ so I would encourage you to check your owners manual for specific instructions.  I used an alcohol swab to clean mine…this morning 🙂

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2196365/Mobile-phones-germs-toilet-seat.html

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith Mitchell

Hey McKinley!

Some say “Laughter is the best medicine” and from my own experiences I believe this to be true.  It’s no secret that laughter can take stress out of a stressful situation, or at the very least lighten the load of a stressful situation.  It all comes down to a choice.  We can choose to stay stressed while we work through whatever situation we’re going through OR we can choose to have a positive attitude and lighten the load with laughter.

I want to share this short article with you from webmd.com about the affects of laughter on the body.  If you don’t have the time to read the whole article, take 30 sec to read what researchers have found when they studied the effects of laughter on the body:

For the full article click the link below:
http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/give-your-body-boost-with-laughter?page=1

~  Blood flow. Researchers at the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After the screening, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedy behaved normally — expanding and contracting easily. But the blood vessels in people who watched the drama tended to tense up, restricting blood flow.

~ Immune response. Increased stress is associated with decreased immune system response, says Provine. Some studies have shown that the ability to use humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells, as well.

~ Blood sugar levels. One study of 19 people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture. On the next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.

~ Relaxation and sleep. The focus on the benefits of laughter really began with Norman Cousin’s memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful spine condition, found that a diet of comedies, like Marx Brothers films and episodes of Candid Camera, helped him feel better. He said that ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep.

Laughter is very infectious.  In fact, have you noticed how difficult it is not to smile when you walk into a building and you’re greeted with a big, BEAUTIFUL, beaming smile?  Do you realize that something as simple as a smile can not only make you feel better but also brighten up the day of the person you smiled at even if it’s a perfect stranger.  I am pleased to say that every time I visit a property I am welcomed with a smile :).  It is very important to the McKinley family that our residents feel welcomed and happy.  One sure-fire way of making this happen is with your smiles!  I understand there are days when you don’t feel like smiling, so I want to share this video with you that I’ve used in the past when I need some comic relief (I apologize in advance if this does not appeal to your sense of humor, but like I said before…laughter is very infectious)  Enjoy 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4abiHdQpc

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith

Hey McKinley!!

Last week in Michigan we started putting our teams together for this years JDRF walk!  If you are not familiar with JDRF it stands for “Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation”.  JDRF is the only global organization with a strategic research plan to fight Type 1 Diabetes at all ages and all stages of the disease. Driven by dedicated volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with T1D, JDRF is the largest nongovernmental supporter of T1D research.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults.  People with T1D aren’t able to produce enough insulin (the hormone that is needed to convert sugars, starches and other food into energy) so they become insulin dependent.  Can you imagine what your life would be like if you had to check your blood sugar several times a day, wear an insulin pump or take an insulin shot and then eat healthy and exercise because your body depends on these things to function properly.   Now, can you imagine being a child and having to go through that daily routine?   Everything you ate and did would have to be carefully calculated.  But like anything in life, we all learn to deal and adapt to our situations.  JDRF is doing their best to find a cure for T1D and subsequently they are finding ways to make life easier for those with T1D.

Some of the money JDRF has raised is being used to conduct research to create an artificial pancreas.  Take 4min to watch the video below of Tom Brobson who had the opportunity to try the artificial pancreas for 3 days and 2 nights.  It’s amazing what they have been able to create!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNYI3ofxbJ8

The money that is raised helps JDRF do the following:

1.  Award research grants to the scientific community to encourage study in fields that will support T1D scientists
2.  Fund clinical trials that will deliver a continuous stream of life-changing T1D therapies
3. Partner with industry, academia, government, and other organizations to coordinate the global T1D community’s efforts
4. Raise awareness of the incidence of T1D and the millions of people affected by the disease
5. Drive advocacy efforts to contact lawmakers and urge action on crucial legislation
6. Work with regulators like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop responsible guidance on human trials and new therapies

If you are not in Michigan an would like to participate in a JDRF walk, you can click the link below to find a walk nearest you:
http://www2.jdrf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=walk_homepage

If you are not able to participate in one of the walks but would like to donate to this great cause, you can click the link below and help support Team McKinley!!!!
http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/meredith-mckinley

Email me with any questions, THANKS 🙂

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith

Hey McKinley!

Some of you may be very familiar with GMO foods and others may recognize it because you have seen “Non GMO” on food labels.  First of all, you should know what a genetically modified organisim is.  Defined by cowichangreencommunity.org: “GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are the result of a laboratory process of taking genes from one species and inserting them into another species in an attempt to obtain a desired trait or characteristic: they are also known as “transgenic organisms.” This process may be called either genetic engineering (GE) or genetic modification (GM)”.

On average about 70% of our food contains GMO ingredients or have been genetically enhanced.  There is definitely controversy about whether or not GMO foods are safe so I will do my best to give you some useful info and you make the decision for yourself.

Monsanto, which is the largest seed company in the world and owns about 86% of GMO seeds sown globally will tell you that GMO foods are not only safe but they are beneficial.  Below is an article written by Monsanto about the safety of GMO’s.  If you research it further you’ll find most articles claiming GMO’s are safe are written by those who will benefit financially from the use of GMO’s.  Monsanto does not feel they need to do any human clinical trials “Because existing food crops are recognized as safe, the logical starting point for safety assessment of a GM food is to ask “what’s different?”.  Aside from genetically altering our food…nothing :).  I would personally feel more confident about the safety of GMO’s if it was coming from a 3rd party article.
http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/food-safety.aspx

Examples of GMO foods:
1. Tomatoes
2. BT Corn (Bracillus Thruringiensis Bacterium)
3. Potatoes
4. Golden Rice
5. Soybeans
6. Animal Feed
7. Salmon
8. Papaya
9. Some Yellow Squash
10. Canola and Cottonseed oil

Why gentically modify these foods?
1. Gives the food a longer shelf life (specifically the tomatoes)
2. Contains an insect killing gene which results in less pesticide
3. Drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant crops
4. Inexpensive

According to Earth Open Source, there are three possible sources of adverse health effects from GM foods:

1. The GM gene product – for example, the Bt toxin in GM insecticidal crops – may be toxic or allergenic
2. The GM transformation process may produce mutagenic effects, gene regulatory effects, or effects at other levels of biological structure and function that result in new toxins or allergens and/or disturbed nutritional value
3. Changes in farming practices linked to the use of a GMO may result in toxic residues – for example, higher levels of crop contamination with the herbicide Roundup are an inevitable result of using GM Roundup Ready® crops.

Click the link below for the full article:
http://earthopensource.org/index.php/3-health-hazards-of-gm-foods/3-1-myth-gm-foods-are-safe-to-eat#sthash.YIeujewH.dpuf

How to avoid GMO foods:
Unfortunately it’s almost impossible to avoid GMO foods because the government does not require GMO foods to be labeled.  However you can follow the tips below to limit your GMO consumption.
1. Buy certified organic foods.  If you’re not going to buy organic, you can research any brand name and find out if they use GE or GM ingredients.  Click the link below for a list a brands that DO NOT use GMO’s and what stores you can find them in:
http://healthy-family.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/nonGMOshoppingGuide.pdf
2. Avoid processed foods
3. Buy grass fed beef
4. Shop locally when possible
5. Buy foods that are labeled “Non GMO”

There are 3 free apps you can download onto your smartphone so you can conveniently look up information on brands and recommendations for foods while you shop.

1. True Food Shoppers Guide (Android or iPhone)
2. Non-GMO Project Shopping Guide (iPhone)
3. ShopNoGMO (iPhone)

Here is another article on GMO’s if you’re interested:

~ Understanding GMO’s
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/food/understanding-gmo/?gclid=CJXax7r1kLgCFa5DMgodekEAwA

Email me with any questions.  Have a FABULOUS day!!

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith