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drop the diet

8/10/2018

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Dear Ask Alison, 
​What is the best/ simple diet for losing weight? ~ Kevin Y., St. Charles
​The other night my son asked me if I was “on a diet” when I declined some bread with dinner. After putting the pieces of my heart back together, I reminded them that we make food choices based on how it makes us feel, not how it makes us look. We eat for energy! We eat to live a long life! We exercise so we can be strong and happy! 

But as much as I try to model healthy choices for my children, I am not unmoved by the media diet storm. I too am seduced by pretty new cookbooks or Instagram celebrities promoting their “health” wares. It’s fun to try new recipes, but highly restrictive diets are dangerous for many reasons. What used to be called “yo-yo dieting,” now has many terms, including:
  • Disordered eating
  • Restrained eating
  • Weight cycling
Your physician may prescribe a specific diet to manage conditions. For many, however, frequent dieting or restrictive eating has long-term consequences, the least of which is increased weight-gain after the diet is over. Instead, I urge you to check out some of these great "undiet" books, which focus on long-term, nutritional changes, rather than short term gains (or losses ;).
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references

Higginson, A. D., & McNamara, J. M. (2016). An adaptive response to uncertainty can lead to weight gain during dieting attempts. Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 2016(1), 369–380. http://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eow031
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you are not alone: mental health hotlines

7/24/2018

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​If you or someone you know is experiencing an emotional crisis, please know that you are not alone. There are many resources, right here in your area, that offer free 24/7 counseling and connection to professional mental health services. 
St. Louis County Youth Connection Helpline | (314) 628-2929 or Toll Free (877) 928-2929
TEXT: 4HLP to 31658
CHAT: www.keepingkidsfirst.org/GetHelpNow
GO: To see a list of National Safe Place sites to go to, visit www.nationalsafeplace.org

St. Louis City Youth Connection Helpline | (314) 485-4635 or Toll Free (844) 336-2435
TEXT: 2TALK to 31658
CHAT: www.stlmhb.com

St. Charles County Youth Connection Helpline | (636) 642-0642 or Toll Free (855) 642-0642
TEXT: BSAFE to 31658
CHAT: www.stcharlescountykids.org
GO: To see a list of National Safe Place sites to go to, visit www.nationalsafeplace.org

Franklin County Youth Connection Helpline | Toll Free (844) 846-2501
TEXT: 4CARE to 31658
CHAT: www.franklincountykids.org

All Ages Behavioral Health Response (BHR) Hotline | ​314-469-6644 or 800-811-4760

check out more from the library

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Understanding alzheimer's disease: 3 things you can do

6/27/2018

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PictureNational Institutes on Health- National Institute on Aging https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
Last week, the St. Charles City-County Library had the privilege of hosting the event, Understanding Alzheimer’s at the Spencer Road Branch. This event was presented by the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Missouri Chapter in partnership with Barnes-Jewish St. Peters and Progress West Hospitals. Over 140 people came to hear Dr. Beau Ances, Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, speak about the research being done to understand this terrible disease. The presentation was followed by a panel of experts, including Dr. Ances, a Care Consultant, and a woman living with memory loss, as well as a screening of clips from the PBS Documentary,  Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts.

The crowd learned a lot from Dr. Ances, who explained how Alzheimer’s Disease develops in the brain and how it differs from other types of dementia. The audience was especially interested in the major risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease, which Dr. Ances explained are: age, being a woman, and genetics. People were also interested in knowing what they could do to determine their risk and help prevent the disease.

Sadly, Dr. Ances reported that there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, and no proven prevention methods. As with most diseases, however, he emphasized that early detection matters. Early diagnosis can help rule out other disorders that tend to “mimic” dementia, such as infections and medication interactions. Early diagnosis also allows families to get their affairs in order while the person living with the diagnosis can still make important decisions.
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Finally, he recommends three ways that you can empower yourself and your community:
  1. Knowledge is power! Read, attend events, and learn as much as you can about Alzheimer’s Disease. The St. Charles City-County Library has classes throughout the year. Click here to learn more.
  2. Connect with the resources at the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Missouri Chapter. They have everything from support groups to a 24/7 helpline.
  3. Participate in clinical studies. You can learn more about which studies you qualify for through the Alzheimer’s Association Trial Match portal.

Thank you to the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Missouri and to Dr. Ances for bringing this information to the St. Charles County community. 

read more about alzheimer's disease at the library
click a title to reserve in the library catalog

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free your mind with meditation

5/8/2018

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Meditation is all the rage these days. From Oprah to Dignitaries to Supermodels: ALL the cool kids are doing it. The ancient practice of meditation can take many forms, all of which have the end goal of training the brain to be quiet on demand.  

Scientists are starting to study the physical and mental health benefits of meditation practices more closely. Along with other healthy lifestyle practices, meditation may reduce blood pressure, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression, and insomnia, with practically no side effects.
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The best part about meditation: it’s free and you can do it almost anywhere, at anytime! It sounds simple, but it’s called a “practice” for a reason.  If you’ve ever tried to sit alone with your thoughts, without judging or chasing them, you know that it’s anything but easy. Below are some of the most common techniques for wrangling your brain. Try them out for 1-5 minutes at a time, and build from there.
  • Basic Breath meditation:
  1. Sit upright in a comfortable, supportive position with your hands in your lap or on your knees.
  2. Close or soften your eyes.
  3. Bring your attention to your breath moving in and out. Do not manipulate or deepen your breath, just pay attention to it.
  4. If a thought enters your mind, label it as “thinking” but don’t hold on to it. Let it go. (It will be there later, I promise ;)

  • Chanting: Follow steps 1 and 2 above, but instead of focusing on the breath, repeat a mantra quietly or in your mind. A good go-to is “So Hum,” which roughly means “I am that” in Sanskrit.

  • Guided: If you can’t get your mind quiet, call in some help! There are tons of free guided meditations on YouTube and many yoga studios offer group options. Having a guide can keep you focused and help build up your mindfulness muscle.
 
  • Ask Alison Bonus: Balloons! When a million thoughts are running marathons in my brain, I use the balloon technique. It’s whimsical and it works. Even my kids can do it! When an icky or nagging thought bubbles up, I pretend I'm writing it down and putting into a helium balloon. Once it is safe inside, I release the colorful balloon into the sky. I repeat as many times as needed until the thoughts slow down or cease completely. ​
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Mood music: The Library has dozens of streaming Meditation CD’s on the Hoopla app.

references

Levine, Glenn N. et al. “Meditation and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.” Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease 6.10 (2017): e002218. PMC.

Roger Walsh & Shauna L. Shapiro (2006). "The meeting of meditative disciplines and western psychology: A mutually enriching dialogue". American Psychologist. American Psychological Association. 61(3): 227–239. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.61.3.227. PMID 16594839.
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Prescription drug take back

4/24/2018

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Are you Spring Cleaning? I am, in full force! The sun is out and shining down on all the sins of winter: neglected window sills, dingy light fixtures, and who-knows-what lurking under the couches. If you too are in full de-clutter mode, may I suggest starting with your medicine cabinet. Unused, mislabeled, and expired medications take up valuable space, and can contribute to a greater public health problem. According to a 2015 study, over 6 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs, and this number is growing. So, no pressure, but your expired and unused medications can be a danger to your family and community. 

The good news is, disposing of your old medications properly is easy! This Saturday, April 28th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Many police departments and city halls will be collecting unused medications. Find events near you in the DEA Location Finder.  For a list of permanent Disposal Kiosks, visit the St. Charles County Government Prescription Drug Disposal page. 

If you can't make it to an event, most medications can be thrown away in your regular household trash. Follow these basic steps from the FDA:
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From the US Food and Drug Administration
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    Ask Alison

    Alison is the Consumer Health Librarian for the
    ​St. Charles City-County Library. She works with community experts to answer your health and wellness questions.

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Visit the St. Charles City-County Library District website for more information on resources, materials, and programs the Library has to offer.
Materials and reference assistance at the St. Charles City-County Library District are provided for informational purposes only. None of the information provided is intended as
​medical advice nor is it meant to establish a doctor/patient relationship or prescribe or replace the advice or opinion of health care professionals. You should always consult a physician before beginning or making changes in your diet, supplements or exercise program; for diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries; and for advice regarding medications.