Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan Receives Web Health Award


The Health Information Resource Center announced the winners of its 13th Annual Web Health Awards which honors the nation’s best digital health resources. Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan received a Merit Award for its monthly consumer e-newsletter called Health e-Solutions.
The competition, which is held twice yearly, featured 17 entry categories, including blog, e-newsletter, interactive content, mobile application, social network, video, and website.

A panel of 39 experts in digital health media served as judges and selected gold, silver, bronze, and merit winners from among more than 500 entries.

RIM’s Health e-Solutions features health and wellness articles, exercise and fitness tips, and our healthy recipe of the month. If you would like Health e-Solutions e-mailed to you, click on this link http://tinyurl.com/4xgxn38 to sign-up. The subscription is FREE.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Energy For Sale: Looking for the right energy bar or drink to buy?

All energy bars and drinks are not created equal.  Some pack in the carbohydrates and fats, while others focus on vitamins and minerals.  The flavors can be plentiful: cookies and cream, carrot cake, lemon poppy seed and chocolate mocha fudge.  Some bars are meant for recovery and are full of protein, while some are meant for pre-workout and are full of carbohydrates.  Some bars and drinks help you loose weight, while others give you that surge of adrenaline to win a race.  The list goes on and on.

There is no ONE energy bar or drink that will do everything for you.  Yes, even energy bars and drinks are specialized!  Energy bars , drinks, and gels can benefit you with any need that you may have.  You just have to know what to look for.  Before deciding on what type of bar or drink to buy, or what ingredient content to look for, you need to decide why and when you will be using it.

While nothing beats real food for the best nutrition, energy bars and drinks are convenient and at times the only choice we have for a meal, snack or with exercise.  In a world where most people have lives filled with busy work schedules, family commitments, and exercise, trying to fit real food into one’s day can be difficult.  The right bar or drink at the right time of day can help you have the energy you need to make it through the day or get you though your workout.  With so many choices or energy, protein bars and drinks on the market, how does one know what to choose?

There are several different groups of bars and drinks: protein, energy, meal replacement, and snack bars.  Also available are supplemental gels and chews that one can take while they exercise.  Pre-workout bars are your best bet prior to working out.  Look for a bar high in carbohydrates, low in protein and fat just before a workout.  This bar should have less than 3 grams of fiber.  Fat content should also be low.  Fat is not digested quickly and can sit in your stomach and cause discomfort during exercise.  There are also bars with slightly higher fat and protein content that you can eat 1-2 hours before a workout.  The high grade carbs in pre-workout bars or drinks provide an endurance boost during a workout: and they replenish glycogen (energy reserves) in muscles. 

Meal replacement bars are going to be high in calories (200-300).  Their job is to make you feel the way a real meal would.  People who work long hours, may need to have a bar that will sustain them.  A bar that taste good and has proper ingredients will help you stay away from the junk food.  These bars and drinks are also used to aid in weight loss.

Gels and chews are used during a workout.  They are designed for easy digestion and absorption into the bloodstream.  The goal is to sustain energy through a gradual rise (not spike) in glucose.  They are easy on the gastrointestinal system (GI), when blood flow is being used for working muscle and not in the stomach.  They are also easy to carry on you which makes then easy accessible.
    
Snack bars are going to have a lower calorie count than a meal replacement bar, about 100-200 calories each.  They help give you that little “pick-me-up” in between meals.  Most of these bars have a little more sugar and salt for taste and are used in between meals.

Post workout bars and drinks are high in protein, amino acids, and muscle restoring elements that repair and restore tissue in your body after a long or hard workout.  They help replenish your body.  Look for bars and drinks with 12-15 grams of protein.

Here are some recommendations to look for when you are trying to decide what bar or drink to buy.  Watch the saturated fat content of the bar or drink.  Look for saturated fat content about 2-3 grams and 0 grams trans fat.  There are bars with 8-10 grams of saturated fat.  That is the same amount you get in a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder Cheeseburger! 

Sugar!  Keep the sugar content low.  According to the American Dietetic Association, look for bars or drinks with less than 18 grams of sugar.  Some bars have so much sugar in them, you might as well eat Twinkies and Hostess Fruit Pies!  Stay away from sugar alcohol.  It can make you feel bloated and could possibly cause some irritation to the GI system before or after exercise.

Fiber should be kept around 3-5 grams per bar or drink.  A high fiber bar or drink prior to exercise can cause digestive stress, so be wary of bars with more than five grams.  Remember that fiber helps keep you feeling “full” for longer.  It is slow to absorb and breakdown.  High fiber in a meal replacement bar is a good ides, but not prior to a workout.

Carbohydrates.  Okay, you want a bar to fuel your workout but not create a carb overload.  Look for a bar that is 20-25 grams of carbs. Count calories.  Some bars and drinks have 350-450 calories of higher.  If you eat more than you burn off, than those extra calories will turn into extra pounds.

Make sure that you are drinking plenty of water when you eat energy bars.  Bars are extremely nutrient dense and chewy and are easier to digest with generous water intake.  Avoid washing them down with a performance beverage.  Consuming too many carbs with a bar and performance drink at once can slow your body’s ability to absorb them.  You may feel bloated, constipated and very uncomfortable.

Remember food is the best source of fuel for your body.  Don’t become an energy bar or drink addict!  Of course an energy bar or drink is better than consuming junk food.  There are many options and healthy choices to pick from as long as you know what to look for.  EAT UP!

By: Charlene Quenneville A.T.C., Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan




Monday, May 16, 2011

Go GREEN with Exercise


With the onset of better weather, longer days and sunshine, now is a great time to get outside!  Consider the following suggestions to be active outdoors and do some good for your planet!

Park it!  Ride your bike
The average person drives about 12,500 miles at 581 gallons of gas and 78 pounds of hydrocarbons each year.  Get out your trusty, old 2 wheeler and put your man power to work.  Even if you rode your bike 10 miles a day, 5 days a week, for 25 weeks a year, you could save yourself and the planet about 60 gallons of gas and harmful emissions.  So, maybe you don’t live 10 miles from work, but it’s likely that your home or your workplace is close to a public parking lot or even park!  Drop off the car and complete the trek via pedal, or bike to meet coworkers to carpool.  Moreover, bicycling at pace of about 11 mph can burn between 400-500 calories per hour!

Hit the pavement
Walking at a pace of 3.0 mph can burn about 224 calories per hour.  Got errands?  Try walking to the pharmacy or grocery for small items.  Lunch date?  Pick a location close enough to get to on foot.  Burn calories, not gas!  Make it a family affair, dog walk, kids….

Plant a garden, even a small one
General gardening tasks burn about 272 calories an hour and you’ll be able to reap the rewards of your own crops throughout the growing season and eat healthier!  By producing your own fruits or vegetables you can reduce carbon emissions, add less to landfills and contributes to a healthier lifestyle. 

Help keep your city clean
Adopt a road or just help keep the outdoors beautiful by picking up litter around the roadways.  Burning about 200 calories per hour, this task will keep you active and enjoying the outdoors.  Get a group together, set a time and place and enjoy the camaraderie!


By: Tonya Potts, DPT, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan

Friday, May 6, 2011

Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan Celebrates Nurses Week 2011

On May 6, 2011, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) is joining the American Nurses Association in celebrating "Nurses—Trusted to Care," as part of National Nurses Week, which is held May 6-12, every year. The purpose is to raise awareness of the value of nursing and help educate the public about the role nurses play in meeting the health care needs of the American people.

RIM employs nearly 100 RN's in various roles including patient care RN's and LPN's, leadership, outpatient clinics, infection control,
PPS
coordination, quality improvement, referral services, research and as physician extenders.

During this week we recognize and thank our nurses for their commitment to the care, education and health promotion of our patients at RIM.
Each day we will be featuring one of our outstanding nurses on our Facebook page. So be sure to visit our page and take a moment to thank a nurse who has made a difference to you.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

RIM Nurse to Receive Prestigious 2011 Nightingale Award


DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s (RIM), Kim Ayler, RN,BSN,CRRN, will be honored with the 2011 Nightingale Award in the category of Long-Term Care/Rehabilitation Nursing at the 23rd Annual Nightingale Awards for Nursing® on May 5th at the San Marino Club in Troy. 
The awards are presented annually by Oakland University’s School of Nursing and its Board of Visitors and recognizes exceptional nurses who are “leading the way” from all over the state of Michigan and Canada.
Ayler has been a staff nurse at RIM since 1986. She completed her BSN from the University of Phoenix and received her Certified Rehabilitation Nurses Certification in 2008.

“Kim is a shining example to her peers, always helping without being asked and mentoring the newer nurses so they can become the best rehabilitation nurses,” says Bridget A. Leonard MSN, RN, MBA, CRRN, Manager Nursing Office, RIM.

Nominees were nominated by their peers, supervisors, friends or patients for their superior service and contributions in one of eight specialty areas. Each winning recipient receives a check for $1,000, a bronze statue of Florence Nightingale and a pin.

For more information, visit www.oakland.edu/nightingale 

Monday, May 2, 2011

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month


May has been designated Better Hearing and Speech Month, a time to raise public awareness of speech, language, hearing and swallowing disorders that affect millions of Americans.

Speech and language problems have many forms.  Babies can be born with these disorders.  Young children can have a delay that limits early learning.  Older people can have aphasia following a stroke, a condition that leaves them unable to comprehend language or express thoughts.  Accidental injury or illness can cause them at any age.  Speech and language disorders can limit academic achievement, social adjustment and career advancement.

Speech and language problems are serious.  They isolate us from other people and frustrate our efforts to learn and grow.  Nobody has to accept a speech or language problem.  Fortunately most people with speech, language and swallowing problems can be helped.  Even if the problem cannot be eliminated, people can be taught strategies to help them cope.  People may not fully regain their capacity to speak and understand, but a speech-language pathologist can help them live more independently. 

Speech-language pathologists are the professionals who treat all types of speech, language, swallowing and related disorders.  They hold at least a master’s degree and are certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. 

Whether it is a difficulty in swallowing or a disorder such as stuttering, delayed language, or a voice problem, a person’s ability to learn and interact with others may be affected. If you suspect you or a loved one may be experiencing a communication or swallowing disorder, contact Speech-Language Pathology at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) by calling 313-745-1149.

Remember, anything that limits your hearing, speech, or language abilities limits your life.