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| UK Health & Wellness | September 2010 |
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Greetings!
Fall is fast approaching! Students have returned to campus, and we are getting a break from the HOT weather. It's a busy time for all of campus, including your Health & Wellness Program. Your department may have received our Fall Events Calendar. If not, you can print your own here.
Here are highlights of just a few of our upcoming Fall events:
- You still have time to complete the Healthtrac Health Assessment by Sept. 30 and earn $25. Healthtrac is an easy-to-use, confidential, online health improvement program. It gives you an overview of your health status and a customized action plan to improve your health, plus access to reliable health resources. AND you may earn up to $180 per fiscal year for participating. More info here.
- The first Fall Lunch & Learn Session, "Planning for Success," focuses on setting realistic, achievable goals and getting started with a physical activity program. More info here.
- The Start! Moving Fall Challenge will kick off in October. If you haven't participated in Start! before, it's a free 10-week physical activity challenge for UK employees, retirees, spouses, and sponsored dependents. New this Fall, TEAMS may register! More info here.
- The Fall Wellness On Wheels (WOW) schedule is online and appointments are filling up fast! WOW is a FREE mobile health screening. Even if a session is full, be sure to sign up for the waiting list. We often have cancelled appointments and pull names from the waiting list to fill them. More info here.
We hope your Fall is off to a healthy start! Remember, we are here to help. Please contact us at (859) 257-Well with any questions.
Jody Ensman, M.S.
UK Health & Wellness Program Manager |
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Ask the Expert: What is Resistant Starch?
 Q: What is resistant starch? Should I add it to my diet?
A: Resistant starch is a unique type of fiber that is not digested in the small intestine but passes to the large bowel, where it is fermented by beneficial bacteria.
Because of its special characteristics, resistant starch (RS) may have a few health benefits similar to traditional dietary fiber. Resistant starch has been shown to improve calcium absorption, to lower cholesterol levels, and to promote growth of beneficial bacteria in your colon. RS may have a role in preventing colon cancer, and it seems to improve insulin sensitivity, which may help to prevent or manage diabetes. Some research suggests that RS could reduce fat storage in the long-term when replacing other carbohydrates in your diet. Many of these benefits result from the fermentation process in your colon, which may cause some gastrointestinal symptoms, such as gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort. To help ease GI symptoms, increase your fiber intake gradually and drink more water.
You can get RS in your diet naturally in legumes, potatoes, pasta, whole grains, and green bananas. RS is also commercially manufactured and added to some processed foods to increase fiber content, but the food labels do not indicate how much of the dietary fiber listed is from RS. The names of some of these manufactured forms of RS are HYLON VII, Hi-maize 1043, NOVELOSE 240, ActiStar, and CrystaLean. The promising health benefits of RS are likely to increase demand for more research, as well as a universal definition and method to determine the RS content of foods. Food labeling of RS may follow. -- Helen Moseley, M.S., R.D., Wellness Specialist
Sources:
Resistant Starch: Metabolic Effects and Potential Health Benefits, by Janine A. Higgins, published in the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 87:3, May 2004, pp. 761-768.
Resistant Starch; A Review, by M.G. Sajilata, Rekha S. Singhal, and Pushpa R. Kulkarni, published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 5:1, 2006, pp.1-17.
Dietary Reference Intakes: Proposed Definition of Dietary Fiber. Institute of Medicine (IOM), 2001
Health properties of resistant starch, by A. P. Nugent, published in Nutrition Bulletin, 30:1, Article first published online: 16 FEB 2005
Position of the American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2008;108: pp.1716-1731.
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| Upcoming Events
Free Health Screening at Good Samaritan
Wellness On Wheels (WOW) is a FREE mobile health screening. Your 10-minute appointment will include tests for: cholesterol (fasting optional), triglycerides and glucose, height, weight, blood pressure, body fat percentage, and waist circumference. Our expert staff will be on-hand for a consultation regarding your results. Wow is coming to Good Samaritan Hospital, Nov. 4, from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., in the Cafeteria Conference Room. Make your WOW appointment today.
Free Lunch & Learn: Planning for Success
Learn how to set realistic, achievable goals and how to get started with a physical activity program for your fitness level. Join us for "Planning for Success," Sept. 16, from 12:10-12:50 p.m., in the Gallery Room, W.T. Young Library. Feel free to bring your lunch. Register now.
Start! Moving Fall Challenge
The MyStart! Online program is a free and easy way to track your physical activity and nutrition intake, and WIN PRIZES by completing UK's Start! Moving Challenge. It's a free 10-week physical activity challenge for UK employees, retirees, spouses, and sponsored dependents. New this fall, TEAMS may register! UK's Fall Challenge runs from Oct. 6 to Dec. 17, 2010. Register for the challenge by Oct. 11. And be sure to drop by the Start! Kickoff Tent, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the sidewalk between W.T. Young Library and Rose Street. Get water, more info, and a freebie! Register now.
Farmers Market Bus Rides
We're going to the Farmers Market during lunch each Thursday through September 9, 2010 and we want you to come along. The bus ride is free, and you can't beat the market for the freshest fruits and veggies iin town. Click here for pick-up locations and times.
Weight Loss Matters: Reality-Based Weight Loss
Weight Loss Matters is a 10-week weight-loss program that teaches you how to eat, rather than how to diet. You'll work toward your goals with the help of our registered dietitians. Classes meet once a week either in-person or online. The initial fee is $50, and participants can re-join subsequent sessions for free as long as they make progress. New classes begin Sept. 28, 29, and 30. The registration deadline is Sept. 24. Register now. |
 Get Health Smart with a Quick "Check Up"
Allergies or a Cold?
Are your runny nose and watery eyes telling you allergy season in Kentucky is in full-bloom? While that may be true, you should make sure your symptoms really are allergy-related and not a cold. Keep track of how you are feeling. Notice if the watery eyes, sneezing, and sore throat has been around for more than 10 days without a fever. If so, you are most likely suffering from some sort of allergy. Another hint is that "shiner" look around your eyes, dark circles possibly with some puffiness. Have you noticed a loss of smell or taste? Have you had been clearing your throat a lot? If so, it's nice to know that there is help, so you don't have to suffer through the next few months of Fall. Consider checking in with an allergist, a doctor who specializes in treating these symptoms. They might do a skin test to help figure out exactly what you are allergic to, so you can avoid the allergens. For more helpful allergy-related tips and a guide to handling severe allergic reactions, check out Chapter 15 in the "Healthier at Home Book." If you do not have a book, please visit the Health Smart website to learn ways to earn one. |
Beef & Bean Chile Verde
Chile Verde, usually a slow-cooked stew of pork, jalapeņos and tomatillos, becomes an easy weeknight meal with quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought green salsa. Make it a Meal: Serve with fresh cilantro, red onion and Monterey Jack. Add cornbread on the side and your favorite hot sauce.
4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound 93%-lean ground beef
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 16-ounce jar green salsa, green enchilada sauce or taco sauce
1/4 cup water
1 15-ounce can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed
Preparation
Cook beef, bell pepper and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in salsa (or sauce) and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
Nutrition
Per serving : 307 Calories; 8 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 64 mg Cholesterol; 29 g Carbohydrates; 27 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 516 mg Sodium; 641 mg Potassium
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat just before serving.
From EatingWell: January/February 2008 |
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Editor: Melanie J. Sparks
Please Note: Only University of Kentucky employees, retirees, spouses, and sponsored dependents are eligible for UK Health & Wellness services and programs. |
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