| Join Our List |  |
|
Healthy Habits from Fellow Patients
| | | In June, we asked our loyal Advancing Health readers
"What are your favorite strength training exercises?" Here's what our readers had to share:
- Bonnie: "I like to keep it really basic: squats, lunges, push-ups, jumping jacks. These exercises are simple and I can do them anywhere."
- Brian: "I'm a huge fan of the "burpee". Since it's part push-ups, it works your chest and arms. The 'thrust' part works your thighs, your bottom and even your core (stomach). And it's a great way to get your heart rate up."
- Jackie: "I love resistance bands. They're great for packing in a suitcase and can be attached to almost anything: a door, a tree, lamp post. You can do almost every type of exercise with these bands."
- Keith: "I am more of a free weight (dumb bells) fan, but if I had to pick only 1 weight machine to use, the assisted pull-up and dip machine would be it. You can make it more challenging by adding extra resistance (weight) and the 2 exercises (pull-ups and dips) work your entire upper body. It's a good one for when you are pressed for time."
|
|
Spice Spotlight:
Mint
| |
Mint (Mentha) is a general term for many different species that fall under the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Peppermint, spearmint, apple mint and Corsican mint are just several of the many mint plant species. Mint grows in many parts of the world, but is native to parts of Europe, Asia and Africa.
Characteristics: cool, fresh, sharp and sweet flavor with a mild peppery taste
Foods commonly used in: Indian cuisine, Middle Eastern dishes, Mint jelly, tea, alcoholic beverages, candies and desserts. Mint is also widely used in chewing gum, mints, toothpaste and mouthwash.
Possible health benefits:
- Peppermint and Spearmint can aid with digestion and relieve upset stomach.
- Mint is often used as an antiseptic in mouthwashes.
- Menthol is often used in cough medicine, cough drops and as a topical analgesic to relieve chest congestion and minor aches and pains.
- Peppermint oil is antimicrobial, thus stopping the growth of certain types of bacteria.
- Mint contains vitamins A and C and manganese.
How to use and store:
- Choose fresh mint whenever possible, as it has a much more intense flavor compared to dried.
- To store fresh mint, wrap the leaves in a damp paper towel and store in a loosely closed plastic bag in the refrigerator. It should keep for several days. Dried mint will last for about 1 year, if stored in an airtight container in a dark cupboard.
Recipes:
Fun Facts:
- The ancient Romans brought mint to Britain.
- It's believed that the Pilgrims brought mint with them to America.
- The name Mentha is derived from the Greek word, Minthe, which stems from Greek mythology. Minthe was a nymph who transformed into a mint plant.
|
|
Living with diabetes is complicated
| | |
What would you do with FREE time away from some of the daily worries and burden of treating diabetes?
FREEDOM-1 is a clinical research study investigating an innovative approach to delivering treatment for type 2 diabetes that doesn't require needles or even pills. This study is now enrolling.
You may be able to take part if you:
- are between 18 and 80 years of age
- have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes from more than 3 months
The study will last for approximately 1 year, and throughout this time you will receive care from a dedicated team of medical staff. There will be 10 visits to the study center.
Investigational product, examinations, and medical care relating to the study will be provided at no cost to you.
If you would like to help us in our research to deliver a simpler, more convenient diabetes treatment, please contact Ava at (925) 930-7267 or send an email to studies@diabloclinical.comIntarcia_Freedom-1
|
|
Hormone Highlight: Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)
| |
AKA: The boss of calcium and phosphorus
Location: parathyroid glands
Function(s):
-
Controls calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood. If blood calcium is too low, the glands release more PTH. This causes bones to release MORE calcium into the blood, while the kidneys release LESS calcium in your urine. The reverse happens if your calcium levels are too high.
-
If PTH levels are too low (hypoparathyroidism)
OR too high (hyperparathyroidism), it can result in problems with your bones and kidneys, as well as affect the amount of calcium and Vitamin D in your body.
- Normal PTH levels: 10-65 pg/mL or 10-65 ng/L
|
|
Do you have Type 2 Diabetes?
| | |
Are you a Type 2 diabetic and take Lantus? Take our free survey to see if you may be eligible to participate in one of our clincial research studies!
Go online to Survey Monkey
to complete the survey. If you qualify for a study, a member of our recruiting staff will contact you shortly.
|
|
|
| Advancing Health Newsletter | July 2013 | |
Hello! Here's what we have going on at DCR throughout the month of July:
- Recipe Redux: Do you have a favorite recipe that isn't so healthy? Submit your recipe to our Registered Dietitian for a makeover! She will revamp the dish to make it more nutritious yet delicious. These upgraded recipes will be posted on our website.
- Monthly Nutrition Talk: Expand your nutrition knowledge! Our Registered Dietitian will be holding a FREE nutrition talk on Wednesday, July 24th from 4-5pm. The topic is on healthy fish and seafood. Offer available only to persons NOT currently enrolled in a research study. To RSVP, call (925) 930-7267 x 244 or send an email to kbradshaw@diabloclinical.com.
- We're always looking for more people for our studies! If you have a friend, co-worker or family member who you think could benefit from medical research, let us know! They can fill out a Contact Form on our website or they can call (925) 930-7267 and ask for Recruiting at extension #201.
- And in August....Mental Health & Wellness workshops! We will be holding monthly workshops on various mental health topics. Our guest speaker, Amy Leibowitz Psy. D., will be giving our first lecture on Tuesday, August 6th from 4-5pm.
|
Resolution #7:
Your Ticket to a Better Night's Sleep
|
|
At the start of every year, millions of people make New Year's resolutions, yet a majority of these resolutions have fizzled out by February. Engaging in goal setting (such as S.M.A.R.T. goals) or making your goals known to friends and family are just two of many sure-fire ways to help those resolutions stick. And Diablo Clinical Research is here to help! Each month we'll be highlighting a resolution or goal and ways to help you achieve it. Read on for this month's resolution...
July: Sleep is important for your overall physical, mental and emotional health. Dream on.
Why? Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Sleep can help reduce stress, improve your memory, help maintain or lose weight, improve your mood and ward off depression, reduce inflammation (thus helping to reduce risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer), and make you more alert and able to react faster. Time to catch some Zzzzzs!
How?
- Get Your Forty Winks: Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Additionally, try to keep the same sleep schedule. Wake up around the same time each day, instead of sleeping in late on the weekends. If you find that you really need more sleep, consider a few power naps throughout the day.
-
Nap Time:
Napping isn't just for children.
Power naps
are a great way to refresh your mind and body, especially if you have difficulties getting a full night's sleep. The key to a successful power nap (and not waking up feeling groggy) is to keep the nap to around 20 minutes. You won't necessarily be in a deep sleep, but you'll feel rejuvenated afterwards.
You can also consider a caffeine nap
!
- Sweet Dreams Are Made of These: What you eat at dinner or before bed can have an impact on your sleep. Foods that have been shown to help with sleep include cherries, bananas, toast, oatmeal and warm beverages, such as milk or herbal tea. Limit spicy foods, alcohol, sugar and chocolate right before bed, as these have shown to keep some people up at night.
- Dream Weaver: Set up a positive sleep environment by keeping your room quiet, cool and dark. If possible, keep your room technology free and don't use your bedroom to watch TV or do work. If that's not an option, make sure all electronics (except for relaxing music) are turned off 1 hour before you go to bed to give your mind time to wind down. If you are sensitive to sounds, you can try ear plugs. Of course, some people do fall asleep better with noise, so consider a white noise machine or an app if you have a Iphone or Android smart phone. Keep the temperature in your room on the cool side and if it's hot out, try these cooling methods.
- Dream A Little Dream of Me: Keep a few nightly rituals to help your body wind down. Try a warm bath, reading a book or drinking a calming tea.
- Beyond Your Wildest Dreams: While using lots of technology and media products before bed will keep you up, using technology to help you go to sleep is a smart move. You can try white noise machines or smart phone apps (previously mentioned) to help you get to sleep more quickly. Computer software, such as Pzizz, creates soundtracks that help you sleep at night or make the most of your nap. You can also use technology to help track your sleep patterns. Free or low cost smart phone apps allow your phone (place under your pillow) to monitor your movements. The downside is that the accuracy is affected since it's not actually touching your body. Wearable devices, such as WakeMate, FitBit and Jawbone Up, are pricier; however, they are more accurate and help track how many calories you burn throughout the day.
What are your tried and true ways to guarantee a good night's sleep?
Send an email with your ideas to our Registered Dietitian and your healthy habits will be posted in our August newsletter.
|
|
Interested in appetite control research?
| |
We are looking to create a new database of people who are overweight and are interested in participating in studies that involve weight loss, appetite control and other diet focused activities. These studies may involve medications or dietary supplements of new or marketed products.
If you are overweight and are interested in research, please call to be added to our database for upcoming weight related studies.
For more information, please call (925) 930-7267. |
|
Recipe Roundup:
Grilled Vegetable Stacks
| |
A summer BBQ isn't the same without meat, but that doesn't mean you should forget the veggies! Grilled vegetables are delicious, especially when paired with freshly made hummus. Portobello mushrooms provide savory flavor while acting as a 'bun' for your other vegetables. This tasty dish will make you forget about the meat!
Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 1 large red or purple onion, peeled, trimmed, sliced into 6 slices
- 2 large red bell peppers, cored, sliced into 3 pieces
- 2 large yellow bell peppers, cored, sliced into 3 pieces
- 1 large zucchini, halved, sliced lengthwise, to make 6 pieces
- 1 large yellow squash, halved, sliced lengthwise, to make 6 pieces
- 1 medium-large eggplant, trimmed, sliced into 6 pieces
- 6 large portobello mushroom caps, stemmed, gills removed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon each: dried thyme, dill, parsley
- Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
- In a large bowl combine the onion, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, portobello mushrooms.
- In a glass cup combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, dill and parsley. Pour the marinade over the vegetables. Season with sea salt and ground pepper, to taste. Gently toss to coat.
- Cover and marinate for one hour.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the veggies in a grill basket (or spread out the veggies on a large sheet of foil). Place on the hot grill, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender crisp, about 20-25 minutes, depending upon the size of your grill.
- Remove the veggie basket/foil with vegetables to a large platter and set aside.
- To serve, create a vegetable stack. Place the portobello mushroom cap on a serving plate and layer it with a spoonful of lemon hummus. Add the eggplant, peppers, zucchini and onion. Top with a dab of more hummus, if desired. Sprinkle with fresh chopped chives. Repeat for the remaining five servings.
Lemon Hummus
Ingredients:
- 1 14-ounce can chilled chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed, drained (but reserve liquid)
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 TB sesame Tahini
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled, crushed
- Pinch of sea salt, to taste
- 4 TB extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, lemon zest, tahini, garlic and sea salt in a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine.
- Turn on the processor and pour in the olive oil, and a dash of the reserved liquid, and process until creamy smooth.
- Scoop into a serving bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 341 calories, 23 g total fat (3.3 g saturated, 16 g monounsaturated, 4.7 g polyunsaturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrates (10 g fiber, 15 g sugar), 9 g protein, 255 mg sodium, 1047 mg potassium, Vitamin A 31%, Vitamin C 319%, calcium 8%, iron 15%
Note: Not all of the marinade will be used; fat and calories reflect this.
|
New Type 2 Diabetes Study!
| |  |
|
|
Health & Wellness In Our Office
| |
For the month of July, our patient education will focus on summer sun safety and skin care. Stop by our office for handouts!
|
|
|
