IN THIS ISSUE
What's New at Guardian Nurses?
Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables
Happy Nurses' Week
Take Your Mom to Tea!
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What's New at
Guardian Nurses
Not a bad voice mail message to get...
In the course of our week, we get lots of calls from patients asking for our help, reporting back in to let us know how they're doing, and sometimes, thanking us.
This week, one of our patients who came to us last year with prostate cancer, called and left a voice mail. He said, "I was thinking that it was this time last year that I was diagnosed and only given six months to live. I just wanted to thank you ladies for saving my life."
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Happy Nurses' Week!!
Yes, Virginia, it's that time of year again...time to celebrate National Nurses' Week.
I always thought it odd that Nurses' Week coincides (usually) with Mothers' Day, but that's because Florence Nightingale (remember her?) celebrated her birthday on May 12th. Therein lies the reason that Nurses' Week is celebrated in May.
So, if you're reading this and you know or love a nurse (and who doesn't??), make an effort to express your thanks and appreciation for the job she or he does.
To all of our nursing friends and colleagues, THANK YOU!
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Tea Party for Mother's Day?
 Looking for a fun and unique Mother's Day gift for mom this year? The Betsy Ross House presents its 4th annual Mother's Day Tea Party in the house's courtyard.
Guests will dine on an elegant array of tea sandwiches, scones and pastries, provided by the City Tavern, and sip on fine teas in a beautiful, historic setting with Betsy Ross herself as the hostess. Learn about 18th century tea etiquette and, for the children, enjoy an 18th century game. Ticket price includes afternoon tea, tour of the Betsy Ross House, and a party favor from Betsy. |
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Sunday is Mother's Day and so, in honor of moms everywhere, this edition of The Flame is about mothers knowing best. Particularly when it comes to nutrition.
I must admit, though, some of my mother's advice was not exactly based in science. "Don't sit on a cold step or you'll catch cold" and "Don't go out of the house with your hair wet or you'll catch cold" both come to mind. Or one of my favorites, "Be careful, I have eyes in the back of my head!"
Her nutrition advice, though, was pretty sound. My mom was telling her six kids "A good breakfast is the most important meal of the day" and "Eat your fruits and vegetables" (or you can forget about dessert) well ahead of Oprah or Michelle Obama.
Eating right and eating healthy are perhaps two of the toughest challenges we know. But it can be done! Best to keep it simple and though I am not sure what my mom would say, I know what Phillies' rightfielder Hunter Pence would:
"Good Game, Let's Eat!"
Betty
Betty Long, RN, MHA
President
Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates |
"Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables" With the recent CDC estimate that by 2030, close to 42% of adults will be obese, there is even more reason for us to pay attention to what we're eating. Way back when, before the internet or iPhones, my mom, along with thousands of other mothers at the time, were repeating the mantra, "Eat your fruits and vegetables." Fifty years later, we know yet again that they were ahead of their time. Even today, with all of the attention being given to the use of pesticides and toxic chemicals in farming, the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Believe it...eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. Thanks to groups like the Environmental Working Group (EWG), there is information available for shoppers to weed out (pun intended) the 'dirty,' not so optimal non-organic choices. The "Dirty Dozen," a list of the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables, can help your decisions to consider buying organic this summer. You can download a PDF of the list here. The Dirty Dozen - Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Grapes
- Sweet bell peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries
- Lettuce
- Kale/collard greens
And not to be overshadowed by the Dirty Dozen, there is also a listing by the EWG called the "Clean 15." This list contains the fruits and vegetables least likely to test positive for pesticides or pesticide residue.
The USDA, our federal government group charged with providing nutritional recommendations and guidelines, has also cleaned up its website to be more consumer friendly. Choose My Plate is what many of us may remember as the food pyramid. 
The website offers suggestions for adults and children on weight management, healthy eating on a budget, sample menus and recipes and Super Tracker, a personalized tool to help an individual track his nutrition and physical activity plan. With so many resources on-line and in print, it's hard to believe that folks don't know how to eat right. But, when in doubt, getting back to the basics and eating your fruits and vegetables can't be a bad start! Not that I'll ever like brussel sprouts... |
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