January 2008: Health Briefs from Baylor Health Care System

When You Quit Smoking: How Your Body Will Thank You

Smokers constantly hear that quitting smoking is something they should do for those around them, because secondhand smoke poses health risks to family members and others. True. But that aside, quitting smoking is something you should do for yourself. Every organ of the body is affected by nicotine and the many cancer-causing substances in tobacco, according to Barbara Mann, LPC, smoking-cessation counselor at Baylor Medical Center at Garland.

"Smoking causes the blood vessels throughout the body to constrict, which limits their ability to deliver vital oxygen and nutrients to the organs," says Mann. "When this continues over a long period of time, organs lose their function."

According to the American Cancer Society, the healing process begins immediately after you put out that last cigarette. Here's the timeline:

• 20 minutes later: Heart rate and blood pressure drop
• 12 hours later: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal
• 2 weeks to 3 months later: Circulation and lung function improve.
• 1 to 9 months later: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
• 1 year later: Your excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
• 10 years later: Your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas also decreases.
• 15 years later: Your risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a nonsmoker's.

Mann's advice is to make "a total commitment" to quitting.

"Try the patch, gum, medication—if one approach doesn't work, try another," she says. "It may take six or seven attempts, but you have to look at the big picture—it's a process. When you succeed, it's definitely worth it."

Tips For Reducing Hearing Loss

For most people, two factors contribute to their hearing loss: aging and noise exposure. Aging is out of your control, but you can take steps to reduce your noise exposure.

"Occupational and recreational noise exposure can have a dramatic impact," says Paul Reder, M.D., an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist) on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie. And, while some forms of hearing loss are treatable, the damage that comes from noise exposure is irreversible, though amplification can help you cope.

Dr. Reder says it's most important to identify potentially damaging sounds that occur in everyday life, such as power tools and equipment. He also notes that it's not just the intensity of the sound that can harm hearing-duration plays a part as well. While the hearing damage from an explosion may be obvious, many people don't realize they are chipping away at their hearing whenever they listen to music at high volume with earphones, or every time they mow the lawn without protection.

For safer listening, keep headphone volume low enough that you can hear conversations. If others can hear the music from your headphones, it's too loud. When using power tools and lawn mowers, earplugs are a good choice.

"Testing by an audiologist might be appropriate if you notice that a loved one raises the volume on the television or has trouble hearing in places with a lot of background noise, such as restaurants," says M. Lynn Norwood, Ph.D., an audiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Waxahachie.

An otolaryngologist or an audiologist can measure your hearing and help determine possible causes of the hearing loss.

"If you have a question, see a health professional," says Dr. Reder. "Sometimes it's as simple as wax buildup." And certain conditions, such as problems with the middle-ear bones, may be surgically correctable. In other cases, hearing loss may be a symptom of another condition.

For hearing loss that won't respond to treatment, hearing aids can help, and new aids are smaller and more powerful than those from years ago. And, for people who have hearing loss that's considered severe or worse, cochlear implants—electrode arrays implanted in the inner ear—may be another option.

Holiday Letdown: Tips for Beating The Post Holiday Blues

The houseguests are gone. The gifts have been exchanged. The decorations are down, and so are you.

If you're feeling blue following the holidays, you're not alone.

"I see more cases of depression in January than any other time of year," says Gary L. Malone, M.D., medical director and chief of behavioral health at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth.

Why is depression so common following the holidays? The frantic holiday season is catching up with you. You overate, overdrank, overspent and overextended yourself. Maybe a family gathering reignited an old grudge, or a get-together reminded you of a lost loved one. The hustle and bustle of the season may have distracted you, but now there's seemingly nothing to look forward to until spring.

The good news is that you can beat your post-holiday blues. Dr. Malone offers the following tips:

• Eat, drink and be healthy. Raid your pantry and toss any leftover holiday treats. Eating a balanced diet will give you more energy and will make you feel better. Cut back on caffeine if you're having trouble sleeping, and limit your alcohol intake. Excessive consumption contributes to depression.
• Work it out. Physical activity releases feel-good chemicals in your body that help make you happier. Plus, it will rid you of those extra pounds you gained during the holiday season. If the winter weather is keeping you from your regular fitness routine, take it inside. Walk the inside perimeter of a mall or join a gym. Many offer New Year's specials.
• Share your feelings. Don't keep your frustrations bottled up. Confide in a trusted friend or family member. Often just talking about what's bothering you can be a big relief. Your confidant may be able to offer a realistic perspective on what you're going through.
• Know when to ask for help. If your post-holiday blues don't go away, or if you experience physical symptoms of depression, talk with your doctor or call Baylor All Saints Behavioral Health Services at (817) 922-1162. Treatment is available and may include antidepressants and therapy.

Symptoms of Depression

• a persistent sad or "empty" mood
• sleeping too little or too much
• weight loss or weight gain
• loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities
• restlessness
• difficulty concentrating
• fatigue
• thoughts of death or suicide

Source: National Mental Health Association

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Losers: Realistic Lifestyle Changes That Can Help You Lose Weight and Keep It Off

They're out there among us—the losers. They don't lose weight only to gain it back. They steadily drop the pounds. They look great, they're healthier than they've been in years and they have energy to spare. Want to join their ranks? Here are some tips from a registered dietitian at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.

1. Go slow. The weight didn't come on overnight and it's not going away overnight. The important thing is to start moving in the right direction. Tips for accomplishing this include: Avoid an "all or nothing" approach. Begin by setting one to three goals that you feel are attainable..once you achieve these consistently begin to slowly add new goals. Before you know it your waistline will be shrinking and the changes you have made have become part of your normal routine.

2. Eat what you want. All food can fit into a well-balanced eating plan. even you're favorite chocolate cake. It all comes down to portion control. Consider beginning your meal with 1-1 ½ cups of low calorie salad or vegetable soup. Studies have shown that by filling up on vegetables, low calorie fiberous foods (and very healthy), you will be less likely to overeat and may actually eat 1/3 less food. Go lightly on added condiments like salad dressings, butter, gravies and cream sauces since their calories add up quickly. Decide before the meal if you are going to enjoy a dinner roll or very small dessert - not both. Also, include some lean protein such as skin-less chicken, pork, beef, fish, tofu, or eggs and small amounts of whole grain carbohydrates such as 100 per cent bread, beans, whole wheat pasta or rice at most meals which will help to help keep you full longer. Information on portion control, selecting the right types of foods at restaurants, etc.

3. Be realistic. Habits were hard to break well before Chicago sang about them in 1984. If you're in the habit of eating fast food for lunch every day and you haven't exercised regularly since you were in college, don't expect a sudden turnaround.

Drastic changes often don't stick long term and healthy eating does not mean deprivation. "Most people are not going to commit to exercising and packing their lunch every day right away," says Julie Bender, a registered dietitian at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.

Start small, and once you have a new habit, add another small step. Try choosing a healthier fast-food lunch and walking 10 minutes to get it.

4. Write it down. Keeping a food journal is an excellent tool that will help you become more aware of your food choices. There are many creative ways to keep your journal that may be more conducive to your lifestyle, compared to the old stand-by pen and paper style. There are many free on-line programs that will help you track your intake and help show you how to meet your nutritional goals.

5. Use plans, plates and portions. Bender teaches her clients to follow the three P's—pre-planning, pre-plating and portion control. Pre-planning means thinking about what and where you choose to eat ahead of time so you can make healthy choices. Pre-plating combats our tendency to eat on the run.

"I encourage folks to put everything on a plate before they eat it so they can actually see it. No eating from boxes, bags or containers," she says.

Portion control means taking a step back from super-size servings and eating a more appropriate amount.

6. Get support. There's a tendency to eat in times of stress. Discuss your goals to make health and wellness a priority in your life with family and friends; explain how they can provide a supportive environment. Gaining the support and encouragement of those around you can be a tremendous advantage to your success. Also you may want to seek out support group programs in your area or form your own support group!

7. Do it for yourself, but not by yourself. Loosing weight alone can be challenging, try seeking out individuals around you who have the same health goals. Discuss ways to positively encourage one another.such as enjoying a healthy lunch together, walking three nights a week after work, or picking up the phone once a week to check on their progress.

Healthy Snacking 101: "No snacking between meals." For years, this was a cornerstone of every weight-loss plan. No longer. "It's a misconception that if you snack you're automatically going to gain weight," says Julie Bender, R.D., L.D., a dietitian at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. In fact, Bender encourages her patients to eat more often. "Metabolism is like a fire that constantly needs small amounts of fuel," she says. "If you don't eat regularly, that fire slows down."

So what's the key? Advance planning, so you can always have a healthy snack at hand when hunger strikes. Snacks combining carbohydrates and protein will stay with you longer. Bender suggests filling individual plastic snack bags with:

• a quarter-cup of nuts and some high-fiber dry cereal
• string cheese and whole-grain crackers
• an individual container of cottage cheese with crackers or fruit
• turkey, ham or cheese wrapped in a mini tortilla

Bender's advice? "Listen to your body, and when you're hungry, eat—just eat the right thing most often."