Resolution: fitness

From weightlifting to yoga to running, the St. Louis Public Library has many great books and DVDs to inspire and educate.  A small selection is below, and more can be found by a browse of your favorite Branch's shelves or the Library's online catalog.

Books:

• Fitness swimming by Emmett Hines
• Military fitness by Patrick Dale
• Walking for fitness by Nina Barough

DVDs:

• Totally ripped core
• Cardio & strength circuit workout 
• Killer body by Jillian Michaels

'Tis the time for Resolutions

As the year draws to a close, it's time to think of resolutions.  Many common New Year's resolutions spring from an urge for better health, whether it's improving fitness, losing weight, or quitting smoking.  Other resolutions are not so obviously health motivated, but spending more time with family and friends, getting out of debt, and getting organized can also positively affect your health.  Whatever you pick, making sure it's realistic and then taking regular action is the best way to ensure you achieve it.  Stay tuned for blog posts with tips and resources for each of these topics throughout the upcoming few weeks.

Smart drinking

Just in time for the holiday season, the NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) has a site with guidelines and tips for healthy and responsible consumption of alcohol.

Care for yourself while caring for others

Caregiving can be both rewarding and stressful.  On the one hand it can be joyful and fulfilling, and strengthen bonds between carer and care recipient.  On the other hand, it can be a hard job with too much to do and not enough help.

If you are one of the 43 million Americans providing unpaid care, take care of yourself; here are some tips for self-care (also useful for non-caregivers confronting stress).  From the December 2015 newsletter of the National Institutes of Health:

• Get organized. Make to-do lists, and set a daily routine.
• Ask for help. Make a list of ways others can help. For instance, someone might pick up groceries or sit with the person while you do errands.
• Take breaks each day, and spend time with your friends.
• Keep up with your hobbies and interests.
• Join a caregiver’s support group. Meeting other caregivers may give you a chance to exchange stories and ideas.
• Eat healthy foods, and exercise as often as you can.
• See your doctor regularly. Be sure to tell your health care provider that you’re a caregiver, and mention if you have symptoms of depression or sickness.
• Build your skills. Some hospitals offer classes on how to care for someone with an injury or illness. To find these classes, ask your doctor or contact your local Area Agency on Aging at www.n4a.org. 

Other places on the Web to find information and support include National Alliance for Caregiving, AARP, and Administration on Aging.

At the Library, there are books, videos, and ebooks on caregiving.  Search for 'caregiving' in the online catalog.

Meditation

Awareness of the present moment can bring great benefits, and it seems so easy!  In as little as five minutes a day, one can reap the rewards of increased feelings of calm and decreased anxiety and improved sleep and stress management.  It can be as simple as sitting quietly and paying attention to one's breath; though it is an internal experience, it can be helpful to pick or prepare a calm, restful place where one will not be disturbed.  However, it can be difficult to find the focus, and so some external support can be helpful, especially when getting started.

On Wednesday, December 16, Cancer Support Community of Greater St. Louis offers a meditative experience that includes wonderful sounds.

Pets & health

The evidence is clear: pets improve health of their people.  As just one example, a recent article found on MedlinePlus says, "Dogs in the Home May Lower Kids' Odds for Asthma".  (For issues caused by animals, see Allergic to pets? by Shirlee Kalstone.)  In another example, the latest issue of Well Being Journal (available for your perusal at Central Library) has an article profiling an animal companion in a nursing home, and the benefits he brings to fellow residents.

Our furry (or feathered or finned) friends have health considerations too!  MedlinePlus has a page of great information and links, as does the CDC, and here at the St. Louis Public Library we have many excellent books!

Some choices:

• The nature of animal healing : the path to your pet's health, happiness, and longevity by Martin Goldstein
• Caring for family pets : choosing and keeping our companion animals healthy by Radford G. Davis, editor
• The Royal treatment: a natural approach to wildly healthy pets by Barbara Royal, with Anastasia Royal

AND THERE ARE MANY MORE, including books specifically about horses, dogs, cats, and birds.

Happy Birthday to Central Library!

Celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Central Library's Grand Reopening and its 103rd year as the crown jewel of the Library system.  Central Library’s doors first opened to the public on January 6, 1912. One hundred years later, on December 9, 2012, the doors reopened following a $70 million restoration and renewal that not only highlighted the building’s historical significance but also transformed previously closed spaces into a modern facility for use by the public.

In honor of our 150th Anniversary as a system, we’ll celebrate Central’s birthday on December 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Get your slice of birthday cake in the Atrium on the First Floor. Take a tour of the building with a docent, who will tell you about the old and new. And visit the Rare Books and Special Collections for an exhibit about our original opening day in 1912.

Wednesday, December 09, 2015
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Central Library, 1301 Olive Street

Water: essential for life!

The announcement that liquid water has been discovered on Mars was big news, because water is essential for life.  While the presence of ice on Mars was confirmed seven years ago by NASA's Phoenix spacecraft, the liquid water found in September 28 suggests that there could be life on Mars.

Water does good things in your body...

• removes waste
• helps deliver oxygen
• helps the brain
• regulates body temperature

Come on in to the Central Library's Science & Technology Room on the First Floor to consult The Drinking Water Dictionary, or the Dictionary of Water & Waste Management, two great reference books.

Some books you can check out cover the topic of water from a variety of perspectives:

• Drinking water: a history by James Salzman.
• Don't drink the water (without reading this book): the essential guide to our contaminated drinking water and what you can do about it by Lono Kahuna Kupua Ao
• Water: the shocking truth that can save your life! by Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg
• Cool waters: 50 refreshing, healthy, homemade thirst quenchers by Brian Preston-Campbell
• Healing waters: the powerful health benefits of ionized H2O by Ben Johnson
• Your body's many cries for water: you are not sick, you are thirsty! Don't treat thirst with medications!: a preventive and self-education manual for those who prefer to adhere to the logic of the natural and the simple in medicine by F. Batmanghelidj

For exercise in water, try:

• Water exercise by Melissa Layne
• Fantastic water workouts by MaryBeth Pappas Baun

For exercise with water, there's

• The amazing water bottle workout: no gym? no weights? no problem! by Jason S. Greenspan and Lee Noonan

World AIDS Day

                           

Tuesday, December 1 is World AIDS Day, a day to remember those who have died, show support for those living with HIV/AIDS, and join in the fight against HIV.

It will be observed in St. Louis, at the Missouri History Museum from 11 a. m. to 8 p. m. at an event featuring informational tables, a film, musical performances, and free testing.

Sponsored by Viiv Healthcare, Quest Diagnostics, Gateway Apothecary, Walgreens, ACCESS Project, Food Outreach, Gilead, Schnucks, and St. Louis County Health Department

Organized by St. Louis Effort for AIDS, with Doorways, Faith Communities United, Metropolitan Community Church, Missouri Department of Health, MissouriHistory Museum, Myrtle Hilliard Davis, NAMES Project, Nexgen Health Care Strategic Initiative, Places for People, Project ARK, PROMO, SAGE Metro St. Louis, St. Louis City Health Department, and Washington University Infectious Disease Clinic

Let's give thanks!

Thankfulness is an important part of a fulfilling, happy life.  Whether in the midst of troubles or when everything is copacetic, finding something to appreciate can enhance wellbeing.

The Library has books on gratitude from a number of angles, including:

• Gratitude & trust: six affirmations that will change your life by Paul Williams & Tracey Jackson
• The art of thank you: crafting notes of gratitude by Connie Leas
• 365 thank yous: the year a simple act of daily gratitude changed my life by John Kralik
• Gratitude to old teachers: poems by Robert Bly 

and to round it all off:

• Sweet gratitude: a new world of raw desserts by Matthew Rogers and Tiziana Alipo Tamborra

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema, and is the 3rd leading cause of death in the US.  Along with prescription treatments, other ways to help manage COPD include

• pulmonary rehab
• smoking cessation
• physical therapy

These books at SLPL have more information

• Positive options for living with COPD: self-help and treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by Teri Allen
• Natural therapies for emphysema and COPD: relief and healing for chronic pulmonary disorders by Robert J. Green, Jr.
• COPD for dummies by Kevin Felner, Meg Schneider
• Breathe well and live well with COPD: a 28-day breathing exercise plan by Janet Brindley

Online resources include

• http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd/
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0022631/
• http://www.cdc.gov/copd/index.html
• https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/copd.html
• http://nihseniorhealth.gov/copd/whatiscopd/01.html

Stand up!

On the same day that a recent article in the Wall Street Journal* pointed out that more and more researchers are coming to the conclusion that too much sitting is bad for your health, an article in the New York Times* reported on research that extends these findings to children.  Prolonged inactivity is dangerously unhealthy.

One recommendation for balancing sitting with other activities comes from Alan Hedge of Cornell University, who says to break each half hour into 20 minutes sitting, 8 minutes standing, 2 minutes moving and stretching.

Now the November/December 2015 issue of Well Being Journal* has an article titled "Reverse the Negative Effects of Sitting" which includes 5 tips: walk often, stand up at work, stretch your hip flexors (the inner hip muscles), squat at least once a day, and do myofascial release on yourself (these articles explain).

*all available for your perusal at the Central Library, 1301 Olive Street.

Healthy Lunch Day and American Diabetes Month

November is American Diabetes Month, and tomorrow is the first ever National Healthy Lunch Day.  The American Diabetes Association is encouraging people to pack a healthful lunch, and restaurants to offer healthful options on November 17.  The day is an attempt to raise awareness of the need to make good choices at mealtimes.  Use #HealthyLunchDay to join the conversation on Twitter.

Click here and here for information about diabetes.

Furthermore, the St. Louis Public Library collection has many great titles.  Here are just a few.

• 21 things you need to know about diabetes and your heart by Jill Weisenberger
• Overcoming type 2 diabetes by Carrie S. Swift, with Nathaniel G. Clark
• Diabetes for dummies by Alan L. Rubin, MD
• The new diabetes cookbook by Kate Gardner, MS, RD

Healthy Living at the Library wraps up!

Healthy Living at the Library 2015 wraps up at the Julia Davis Branch on November 18 at 11:30 a.m. as OASIS provides a FREE beginners’ exercise class that teaches the benefits of exercise and how to improve functional fitness. Participants will learn basic, low impact exercises that are not only safe and effective, but energizing and fun!

This class is part of the Library’s commitment to presenting programs that encourage healthy living that is useful, fun, and engaging.

Input on Healthy People 2020 objectives

Until Friday, you can share your opinions at this link.  From that site:

Open October 15 through November 13

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is soliciting written comments regarding new objectives proposed to be added to Healthy People 2020 since the last public comment period in fall 2014. Healthy People 2020 will continue to provide opportunities for public input periodically throughout the decade to ensure that Healthy People 2020 reflects current public health priorities.

The topics are:

• Family Planning
• Preparedness
• Social Determinants of Health
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health

TEDMED2015

TEDMED2015, the health and medicine offshoot of the TED conference, is set to kick off in two weeks!  Are you looking forward to it?  The Central Library will be streaming all sessions that occur during normal operating hours.  These sessions include:

Thursday

10:30 to noon	Mind Matters
1 to 2:45	Catalyzing Great Science
4:45 to 6:30	Back to Basics
7:30 to 9	Food Fix

Friday

10:30 to noon	Techno-Utopia
1 to 2:30	Who Cares for Health Care?
4:30 to 6	Out There

Unlike regular TED talks, TEDMED sessions are not available online.  The St. Louis Public Library is pleased to offer this year’s sessions free to the public.  We hope you can join us for some or all of them!

After TEDMEDLive is over, we look forward to showing recordings of the sessions as part of programs with local presenters.

ACA signups continue!

Open Enrollment in the Federal healthcare marketplace has just begun, and continues through the end of January.  Affinia Healthcare's Certified Application Counselors will be at the Locust Street Atrium of Central Library, 1301 Olive Street next Monday the 9th and two weeks later on the 23rd.

Aging with SLU

Frailty
Muscle loss
Weight loss
Cognitive impairment

According to researchers at Saint Louis University, these 4 issues are the most common reasons for hospitalization, disability, and death for seniors.  They have developed a screening tool to quickly catch these problems and more, paving the way for interventions that can address these problems and counteract their damaging effects.

Anyone 65 and older can get a free geriatric assessment next Saturday, November 7
When: 8 a.m. to noon
Where: St. Louis University Medical School Learning Resources Center, 3545 Vista Avenue
Contact: Kathy Leonard, 314-977-8848 or kleona12@slu.edu

Find more information at aging.slu.edu.

Arthritis

If you have joint pain, you may have arthritis.  The symptoms of various types of arthritis, as well as treatments, therapies, and tips for living with arthritis, are detailed by the CDC and at Medline.

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, involves breakdown of tissues in a joint, including cartilage, bone, and ligaments.  Rheumatoid arthritis is primarily an inflammation of the lining of the joints, which results in wear to the cartilage and bone.  Other conditions that fall under the arthritis category are gout and lupus.

Arthritis impacts productivity and quality of life.  For further reading, check these out:

• The very best painkiller foods: 72 natural foods to ease arthritis and joint pain: 115 healing recipes by Rachel Fontaine
• Living with rheumatoid arthritis by Tammi L. Shlotzhauer, M.D.
• Gentle yoga for arthritis featuring contributions by Laurie Sanford and Nancy Forstbauer
• Arthritis: what exercises work by Dava Sobel & Arthur C. Klein

There are more titles on the way!

Free flu vaccinations, and immune system help

Cold and flu season has arrived, so now's a good time to look at ways to boost your immune system!

Along with a flu vaccination [Barnes-Jewish Hospital offers free shots (variety of dates)! and St. Louis County offers free FluMist for children 2-18 on October 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.] here are some tips to help keep your body running smoothly and illness-free:

maintain proper hygiene
handwashing with plain soap and water makes a huge difference

sleep
fatigue weakens the immune system, and makes you more vulnerable to bugs

exercise
a little light physical activity strengthens the immune system, boosts circulation, and increases energy

drink water
staying hydrated keeps systems working optimally

eat healthful foods, which include
yogurt, garlic, tea, mushrooms, berries

Care and conquer

The Alzheimer's Association presents a series of educational events in the St. Louis area starting in late October and running through November.  Tickets are $5 per person, but readers of this blog can get in for free!  Leave a comment or email echadderdon@slpl.org to find out how.

For more information on this series, call 1-800-272-3900 or visit alz.org/stl.

Trail mixer

Social connections, exercise, and good nutrition all are good for your health!

Next Saturday, join Lafayette Square Chiropractic Centre to make trail mix, followed by a walk in the woods.  The walk is around 2 miles, and will last about an hour.

Help further knowledge

Would you like to enjoy yourself, make a little money, and advance scientific knowledge?  Are you 65 or older?  There are opportunities right here in St. Louis for you!

Washington University Aging and Development is conducting research on aging and draws on an Older Adult Participant Pool.  When a study needs participants, they check their database and send out invitations.  Areas they study include cognitive testing, sleep studies, and memory training.  Contact 314-935-6524 or jenniferguyton@wustl.edu to be added to the database or for more information.  Visit www.psychnet.wustl.edu/coglab/ for more information.

KnightADRC (Alzheimer's Disease Research Center) at Washington University is looking for people 65 and older, both with mild dementia, and those with no memory or thinking problems, to join their Memory and Aging Project (MAP).  Their goal is to learn how aging may affect memory and thinking abilities and to better understand brain disorders that cause memory loss.  Brain scans, memory testing, and helping researchers find ways to diagnose and treat dementia are benefits of participating.  Call 314-286-2683 or visit alzheimer.wustl.edu for more information.

Cancer Awareness Fairs

Reminder: Affinia Healthcare, our partner in bringing Obamacare information and assistance to you, will be here in the Locust Street Atrium of Central Library on Monday, October 12 from 10 a.m. until noon.

Then, they are holding 3 Cancer Awareness Fairs this month, and the first is on Tuesday.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and because breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in American women, many lives have been touched by it (and men can get breast cancer too).  There are lots of resources covering risk, prevention, and treatment.  Here are just a few.

Online

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• The National Institutes of Health
• More from the CDC
• WomensHealth.gov

At the library, recent books include

• Bald is better with earrings: a survivor's guide to getting through breast cancer by Andrea Hutton
• A breast cancer alphabet by Madhulika Sikka
• The silver lining: a supportive and insightful guide to breast cancer by Hollye Jacobs
• Pandora's DNA: tracing the breast cancer genes through history, science, and one family tree by Lizzie Stark

Shopping for healthcare

How do you find the health information you need?  What's the best insurance plan for you?  Shopping for health insurance and healthcare can be very confusing!

Open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace starts November 1.  Certified Application Counselors from Affinia Healthcare (formerly Grace Hill Health Centers), will be at Central Library in the Locust Street Atrium on October 12 and 26 from 10 a.m. until noon to help people choose the plan that's right for them, and will be back on select Mondays in November to help with the actual signup.
Counselors will also be available to discuss Medicare and Gateway to Better Health.

For more information, call 314-539-0390.

Strong communities, healthy people

The health of our bodies is connected to the health of our communities, and stronger social bonds increase individual wellness.  In addition, learning and new experiences are good for the brain (interested in a deeper exploration of this topic?  One book to check out is Healthy Brain, Happy Life by Wendy Suzuki).

With that in mind, join the St. Louis Public Library at a film showing and discussion, kicking off the involvement of SLPL with the "Latino Americans: 500 Years of History" series, and build a stronger brain and a stronger community.

• Thursday, October 8
• 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
• Central Library - Auditorium
• Prejudice and Pride, Episode 5 of the PBS series Latino Americans
• Deborah Cohen, Associate Professor at the University of Missouri St. Louis and author of Braceros: Migrant Citizens and Transnational Subjects in Postwar United States and Mexico will lead a discussion afterwards

This program is part of a partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council, the Diversity Committee of the St. Louis Public Library, and a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association.

Wild Things

Have you visited the Central Library lately?  There are Wild Things everywhere, and additional Wild happenings at Branches!  Visit the Library's digital brochure to see what's going on (paper copies at each Branch).



From the Library's shelves:

• The wild city book: loads of things to do outdoors in towns and cities by Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks
• Wild things: the art of nurturing boys by Stephen James and David Thomas 
• Wild things run fast by Joni Mitchell [sound recording] 
• The wild weather book: loads of things to do outdoors in rain, wind and snow by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield 
• Wild things: untold tales from the first century of the Saint Louis Zoo by Patricia Corrigan 
• Eating on the wild side: the missing link to optimum health by Jo Robinson

Fall Prevention Day

As Fall arrives, so does Fall Prevention Day.  Celebrated this year on Wednesday, September 23, Fall Prevention Day highlights the importance of fitness and exercise in maintaining a sense of balance and preventing falls.  Losing your balance and falling can lead to bruising and even broken bones.  Local organizations like OASIS offer classes in balance that are proven to reduce the risk of falling.  Join OASIS for a free event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kirkwood Community Center, and learn about how to reduce your risk of falling.  Click here for more information.

Books the St. Louis Public Library has on this important subject:

• Falls in older people: prevention & management by Rein Tideiksaar
• How to avoid falling: a guide for active aging and independence by Eric Fredrikson

And because abdominal strength can help with balance (as anyone who's ever taken a yoga class can tell you):

• Core strength for 50+: a customized program for safely toning ab, back & oblique muscles by Karl Knopf

SLPL also has a selection of DVDs, including

• Stronger seniors core fitness with Anne Pringle Burnell.
• The Chair fitness series from Fit As A Fiddle

Think positive!

  The National Institutes of Health report in their August newsletter that a positive outlook is good for your health.  A positive attitude won't solve all your problems (though as Herm Albright said, it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort), but if it can help even a little, and also increase your happiness, why not give it a try?

Emotional wellness can be improved with meditation, a sense of purpose, and mindfulness.  Improved mental health can increase physical health.

Here are some books to start with!

Reinventing medicine: beyond mind-body to a new era of healing by Larry Dossey.

The balance within: the science connecting health and emotions by Esther M. Sternberg.

The cure within: a history of mind-body medicine by Anne Harrington.

Spiritual therapy; how the physician, psychiatrist and minister collaborate in healing by Richard K. Young and Albert L. Meiburg. (258)

Manual of psychomagic: the practice of shamanic psychotherapy by Alejandro Jodorowsky ; translated by Rachael LaValley. (131)

What's in Your DNA?

What’s in your DNA?  Find out this Saturday, August 15 from 2-5 p.m. with a talk on the basics of genetic testing for genealogists.

Janine Cloud from Family Tree DNA will be at the Central Library to discuss the types of tests available and the information that each can (and can’t) provide for genealogists.  Attendees will be able to ask Ms. Cloud questions or buy a test kit after her talk. Test kits will be available at a $30 discount to persons attending this program!  To register or for more info email cmillar@slpl.org.

Back-to-School Health Fair this Saturday!

Just three days until great fun and excitement at the Central Library's Back-to-School Health Fair!
The fun starts at 10 a.m. and lasts until 2 p.m.

The Fire Department will be there with a fire truck and an interactive fire safety house.
The Police Department will be making CDs with electronic fingerprints.
OASIS will bring games: jump ropes, hula hoops, and more.
The Library will have face painting and toys, including tricycles and a balance beam.

There will also be:

Library card signups.
Lead screening with the City of St. Louis,
Asthma screening with Barnes Jewish Hospital's Respiratory Care Services.
The Family Resource Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
Water safety demonstrations with the YMCA.

We will have water and lemonade available for what may be a hot day.  Don't forget your sunscreen!

Remember: Limited FREE parking is available in the Library’s lot at 15^th and Olive Streets. Just stop inside the Library to get a token before you leave.

Spotlight: Alive and Well STL

Check out this announcement about a local initiative's new partnership, starting today.

Take Five and Tune in to Alive and Well STL!

We are excited to announce Alive and Well STL, an initiative of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, is launching a year-long partnership with KSDK NewsChannel 5 today! Please tune in all week as KSDK brings you stories and information about the health impact of toxic stress. Alive and Well STL also will be featuring new spots on Old School 95.5 and HOT 104.1 with DJ Kut sharing what it means to be Alive and Well in St. Louis on his daily show. Don't forget to pick up this week's edition of The St. Louis American to get your hands on a special Alive and Well STL insert.  Alive and Well STL is thrilled to be joining together with our media partners on a year-long initiative to bring this information to the St. Louis community and to encourage all of us to Take Five and... ...find out more about how toxic stress is making us sick. ...get the help we need to take care of our emotional well-being. ...learn how to manage the stress in our lives to thrive. ...pause to think...reserve judgment...and ask, "What Happened?" ...reach out to someone who might be feeling down. Take the first step, and Take Five, to learn more: visit www.aliveandwellstl.com.  Alive and Well is an initiative of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

E-cigarettes: helpful or harmful?

Are e-cigarettes good or bad for you?  This is a matter of current debate.  Some claim that electronic cigarettes are less harmful to the body than smoking ("the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States"), and some point out the dangers.  Many of the articles that pop up in a PubMed search point out that research is needed -- hardly any studies have been done.


A point to keep in mind: they are not regulated by the FDA (which is collecting Adverse Events Reports), and there is no way to know what chemicals are in them, and what those chemicals might do to the human body.  E-cigarettes are a new phenomenon, and long-term health effects are not known, so using e-cigarettes is like participating in an experiment.

One thing is for sure, the use of electronic cigarettes is growing rapidly.  As regulators catch up with the technology, and time passes, we will learn more about the dangers and benefits of vaping.

Happy 25th Anniversary of the ADA!

Twenty-five years ago yesterday, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law.  You can see video of that signing here.  This landmark civil rights legislation is a milestone of disability rights movement, and effort on continuing advancement is ongoing.

The ADA improved the ability of people with disabilities to participate in civic life, engage with their communities, and pursue happiness.  Celebrate 25 years of increasing inclusion!

To learn more about the ADA, start here.

TEDMED presenters announced

TEDMED2015 started releasing information on the speakers for this year's stage program - which "will focus on breaking through the status quo and celebrating the typical, the atypical and the spaces in between as we come together to shape a healthier world" - over a month ago, and continues to do so.  So far the speakers have been announced for:

• Catalyzing Great Science
• Mind Matters
• Back to Basics
• Out There
• Human Explorations
• Techno-Utopia
• Food Fix

and we are just waiting to hear who we'll be hearing from in the last session:

• Who Cares for Health Care?

You can find out who the speakers are at http://tedmed.com/event/stage2015.

Start planning to spend November 19 & 20 at the St. Louis Public Library, as we live-stream these sessions.

Back-to-School Health Fair

Join the St. Louis Public Library for a free Back-to-School Health Fair on Saturday, August 8. 

The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Locust Street on the north side of Central Library, 1301 Olive St. downtown.

We'll have electronic fingerprinting with the St. Louis Police Department, lead and asthma screening, as well as dental, nutrition, ADHD, health insurance, and general health information from a wide variety of partners.

We'll have lots of fun at the fair too, with popcorn, a visit from the St. Louis Fire Department, games, and face painting. Best of all, everything is free and no registration is necessary!

For more information, call Eleanore at 314-539-0390. We look forward to seeing you!

Upcoming events at Central Library

This week!

Kombucha!  A reminder that this Thursday evening, July 16, William Pauley will be at the Central Library to talk about the art of handcrafting kombucha, a fermented tea beverage made with active enzymes, live bacteria, organic and amino acids. Participants will see a demonstration of the bottling process, and will get to take home their own bottle of kombucha.

Class limit is 25 participants so registration required by registering on the website or by contacting Katie LaBarbera at 314-539-0349 or klabarbera@slpl.org.

 

August!

What’s in Your DNA? The Basics of Genetic Testing for Genealogists

On Saturday, August 15 from 2-5 p.m. an expert on DNA (Janine Cloud from Family Tree DNA) will be at the Central Library to discuss the types of tests available and the information that each can (and can’t) provide for genealogists. Attendees will be able to ask Ms. Cloud questions or buy a test kit after her talk. To register or for more info email cmillar@slpl.org.

Free parking is available for all library visits: http://www.slpl.org/slpl/library/central_parking.asp

Toxic stress

By some accounts, stress is the new smoking.  Ways to respond and address this threat include:

1. Remove as many sources of stress as possible
2. Seek help (from trained professionals as well as from friends)
3. Get active (walking, weightlifting, stretching, and other forms of exercise)
4. Practice mindfulness

Healthy Living at the Library continues at the Carpenter Branch on July 7 at 7 p.m. Join Philip Horn as he explains how to use Meditation for Stress Relief.

Discover the latest research on the benefits of meditation, learn basic exercises for meditation practice, and see a hands-on demonstration of sitting for meditation and breathing spaces. You’ll come away with tools to reduce daily stress.

Books available at your library

Stress

• The 15 minute heart cure: the natural way to release stress and heal your heart in just minutes a day by John M. Kennedy and Jason Jennings.
• The stress answer: train your brain to conquer depression and anxiety in 45 days by Frank Lawlis.
• When the body says no: understanding the stress-disease connection by Gabor Maté.
• Stress-related disorders sourcebook edited by Amy L. Sutton.

Mindfulness

• Success through stillness: meditation made simple by Russell Simmons.
• New beliefs, new brain: free yourself from stress and fear by Lisa Wimberger.
• Mindfulness: an eight-week plan for finding peace in a frantic world by Mark Williams and Danny Penman.

TEDMED 2015 is on its way!

Join the St. Louis Public Library for TEDMED2015: Break<ing>Through.

The St. Louis Public Library is livestreaming this year’s TEDMED stage program on November 19 & 20 at the Central Library.  The program consists of a series of 90-minute sessions on challenges and opportunities in science, health, and medicine.

TEDMED’s goal for their annual program is “for each person to leave inspired and recommitted to the important contributions they make – to their health, the health of their community and the world at large.”  Come watch and join others passionate about creating a healthier world.  We hope to have stimulating discussions in the breaks between sessions.

The sessions are spaced throughout the day with each session featuring multiple speakers on a single health-related theme.  The titles for the sessions are Catalyzing Great Science, Mind Matters, Back to Basics, Out There, Human Explorations, Techno-Utopia, Food Fix, and Who Cares for Health Care?  Speakers for each session are currently being announced on a rolling basis on http://tedmed.com/.

With a café in the building and free parking, you can stay all day at the Central Library or just drop by to watch a single session.

Mark your calendar for November 19 & 20; for more information on sessions as it becomes available see http://tedmed.com.  For more information about the Library's plans to screen sessions, check back here and on the library's website.

Healthy DIY: Kombucha

Central Library is hosting 5 DIY/craft programs ​this summer on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Carnegie Room.

The program on Thursday, July 16 will feature William Pauley teaching about the art of handcrafting kombucha, a fermented tea beverage made with active enzymes, live bacteria, organic and amino acids. Participants will see a demonstration of the bottling process, and will get to take home their own bottle of kombucha. Registration required via Evanced, or by contacting Katie LaBarbera at 314-539-0349 or klabarbera@slpl.org. Class limit is 25 participants.

Can't make it/want to learn more?  The St. Louis Public Library has an assortment of titles that feature kombucha as well as other fermented foods.  Check out Kombucha tea for your health and healing by Alick & Mari Bartholomew, Delicious probiotic drinks by Julia Mueller, or True brews by Emma Christensen.

[PS: Other programs include seed saving and making things from books and other repurposed materials.  The first of these programs is this Thursday, June 18, when you can join the master-reusers from Perennial to make a custom travel journal and other travel accessories. You'll leave this event with new reuse ideas, simple craft skills, and an urge to hit the road! Register online at: http://perennialstl.org/]

Understanding jargon

When you visit your doctor, do you understand everything he or she says or do you leave confused?  The medical field is full of jargon; sometimes the most precise and accurate way of describing is with a strange phrase, and all you need is a clear definition to make sense of it.  Are you having trouble wading through words that don't make much sense?

Some tips to improve your understanding of health information include:

• Talk to your doctor and speak up when something doesn't make sense.
• Take notes.
• Ask where to get more information.
• Bring a family member or a friend along: four ears are better than two, and someone else might ask questions that hadn't crossed your mind.

Here at the St. Louis Public Library, we have lots of resources to help you figure out what your doctor said and meant: medical dictionaries where you can look up definitions of unfamiliar terms, and encyclopedias where you can learn about symptoms and treatments of illnesses, as well as look up the uses and side effects of drugs.  We also have a database, Consumer Health Complete, which has articles, fact sheets, and encyclopedia entries, as well as a dictionary that you can search or browse.

While we can't give out medical advice (we're not doctors after all, and it's best for both you and us), we can help you navigate the sometimes tricky wording to figure out what your doctor says, or what advertisements are selling.

Being well informed is crucial to making intelligent decisions, and understanding terminology is a necessary first step.

Get and stay active

Physical activity is a must for living a healthy and happy life, and exercise doesn't have to just happen at the gym.  Moving around throughout the day can have lots of benefits.  As the National Institutes of Health points out here, the benefits of being active are both physical and mental, and even 10 minutes at a time can make a big difference.

Books and videos the library has to make exercising easy and enjoyable include

• The Men's Fitness exercise bible: 101 best workouts to build muscle, burn fat, and sculpt your best body ever! by Sean Hyson and the editors of Men's Fitness.
• Strong women stay young by Miriam E. Nelson with Sarah Wernick.
• Core strength training : the complete step-by-step guide to a stronger body and better posture for men and women.
• The 20-minute body: 20 minutes, 20 days, 20 inches by Brett Hoebel.

• Sugar Ray Leonard & Laila Ali: lightweight & heavyweight workouts.
• Bob Harper inside out method: pure burn, super strength.
• Denise Austin hot body yoga.

We have lots more, so browse through the catalog to find the ones that are right for you!

Free summer yoga at Ballpark Village

Ballpark Village has started their 2015 series of free yoga classes.  You can join in tomorrow, May 20 at 6 p.m., for one hour of yoga held at Ballpark Village.  Classes are on select Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer and fall.  For the full schedule and more information, click here.

Afterwards, head on over to the Central Library.  We're only 10 blocks away.  Here you'll find books and videos on yoga that you can use for inspiration to keep your practice going.  Here are some of the great choices you'll find.

Videos:

• Quick start yoga. Fast efficient workouts 20 minutes or less.
• Health & fitness. Vol. 1, Yoga for the rest of us: heart healthy yoga.
• A.M. yoga for your week.
• Yoga for runners intermediate program.
• Kundalini yoga to detox & destress.

Books:

• Complete yoga workbook: a practical approach to healing common ailments with yoga by Stella Weller.
• Step-by-step yoga for conception, pregnancy, birth and beyond by Françoise Barbira Freedman and Doriel Hall.
• Gentle yoga for arthritis featuring contributions by Laurie Sanford and Nancy Forstbauer.
• Yoga for dummies by Larry Payne, PhD, and Georg Feuerstein, PhD.
• Yoga for a healthy lower back: a practical guide to developing strength and relieving pain by Liz Owen and Holly Lebowitz Rossi.
• Little flower yoga for kids: a yoga and mindfulness program to help your child improve attention and emotional balance by Jennifer Cohen Harper.
• Original yoga: rediscovering traditional practices of Hatha yoga by Richard Rosen.

As you can see, SLPL has a wide variety of choices!  We also have Yoga Journal available for checkout.

Strokes: Know the signs and act in time!

Strokes are serious business.  In the United States, they are responsible for more serious long-term disabilities than any other disease, and are a leading cause of death.  Over 800,000 strokes happen in the United States every year.

Knowing the signs is important, because the faster someone having a stroke gets help, the more likely they are to recover.  Learn about the signs of stroke, as well as risk factors, here at the National Institutes of Health.

For books in the SLPL collection, choices include

• Stronger after stroke: your roadmap to recovery by Peter Levine.
• Understanding and dealing with stroke by Dr. Keith Souter.
• Can I tell you about having a stroke?: a guide for friends, family and professionals by Lisa Taylor and Swee Hong Chia.

Double the fun!

Check out the two opportunities for fun fitness happening this Saturday at your library!

• In the morning, try Zumba at the Carpenter Branch.  The fun starts at 10:30.
• In the afternoon, Laughter Yoga at the Schlafly Branch starts at 2 p.m.

Click here for more information in CIO!

Healthy eyes

Vision is important to quality of life. Here are some resources to help you make eyesight a priority, take care of your eyes, and retain visual health.

National Eye Institute at the National Institutes of Health has these tips to protect your vision.

• Eat lots of leafy green vegetables and fish
• Exercise
• Control blood pressure
• Wear sunglasses and a hat with a brim
• Don't smoke
• Use protective eyewear as necessary

Books we have for you to check out include:

• Reader's digest guide to eye care: common vision problems, from dry eye to macular degeneration by Jennifer S. Weizer and Joshua D. Stein
• Fact and fiction of healthy vision: eye care for adults and children by Clyde K. Kitchen
• The big book of family eye care by Joe Di Girolamo
• Eye care sourcebook edited by Sandra J. Judd
• Taking care of your eyes: a collection of the patient education handouts used by America's leading eye doctors by Melvin L. Rubin & Lawrence A. Winograd

Click over to the SLPL catalog to search for more books on eye health, or use your SLPL card to access Consumer Health Complete, a database full of reliable information you can access from anywhere.

Problematic pollen

Seasonal allergies are a very common condition that can make being outside less fun.  The immune system sees pollen and mold as invaders, and tries to protect the body by producing antibodies to fight them off.  This overreaction results in the sneezing, itching, and congestion that affect your quality of life, and maybe even work/school performance.

Pollen levels are higher in the morning, so scheduling your outdoor activities in the evening could help.  Knowing what the pollen counts are could help you avoid allergens too.

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology has a map where you can see what the pollen and mold levels are in your area.  Today's report for St. Louis says that mold is high, tree pollen is very high, and pollen from both weeds and grasses is low.  For more details, including which species are contributing the most, you can create a free account.  Today's top culprits are mulberry, oak, and ash.