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)

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

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!

Celebrate National Library Week with Laughter Yoga and Exercise

Next week is National Library Week, and what better way to celebrate than by attending an event in the Healthy Living series put together by the St. Louis Public Library.  There are two options (go to both or either), both at the Library's Buder Branch:

• Tuesday April 14 at 6:30 p.m.
•  Marlene Chertok, founder of the St. Louis Laughter Club, and a Registered Nurse and certified laughter yoga leader, will lead Laughter Yoga – Laugh for the Health of it!  Developed by a physician from Mumbai, India, laughter yoga will help you to stay in high spirits when life throws you challenges. It will enhance your ability to laugh and smile when dealing with negative emotions, situations, and negative or difficult people. Instructor. This session is open to people of all ages and abilities and to anyone who wants to laugh!


• Thursday April 16 at 6:30 p.m. 
• OASIS will provide a free beginners exercise class to teach about the benefits of exercise and how to improve functional fitness.  Participants will learn basic exercises that are not only safe and effective, but energizing and fun! This is a low impact exercise program.

Healthy Eating on a Budget!

This Saturday March 21 it's time for another program on budget-friendly nutrition!

Join Operation Food Search at the Barr Branch at 3 p.m. or tips on how to grocery shop on a budget.  There will be a demonstration of an easy and nutritious (and delicious!) recipe.  Samples and recipe cards will be available while supplies last.

Two Weeks In, And The Moustaches Are Flourishing!

Check out the progress on our competitors' moustaches! Remember, aside from growing fantastic moustaches, Movember is a time to discuss men's health, so take the opportunity to talk to the men in your life about getting routine health exams and screenings.

Today's Movember Fact:
According to studies by Harvard Medical School, men are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, including smoking, drinking excessively, not wearing a seatbelt, and skipping routine health checkups, than women are. Check out the men's health page at BetterMedicine.com for tips on living a healthier life.

Moustache updates!

We're 10 days into Movember, and our competitors have varying degrees of moustaches appearing. (Scott would like it known that he had to shave for a military event, but is starting over this week and intends to catch up with everyone else.) We're still waiting for a few competitors to submit their updated photos, but in the meantime, take a gander at what has transpired over the last week.

Today's Movember Fact:
The easiest way to stay healthy is to know and track your numbers for BMI (body mass index) and weight, waistline, blood pressure, both HDL (healthy) and LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol, and blood glucose (AKA sugar). Keeping track of these and keeping them in a healthy range helps lower your risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and many types of cancer.

Stop by the Baden Branch this Saturday!

The Library's Baden Branch, 8448 Church Road, is once again hosting its Living Life Expo this Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The seventh annual expo will feature a wealth of health information, including routine screenings, referrals, a Zumba class, acupressure demonstrations, and plenty of opportunities to get your health questions answered by professionals! There will even be face painting for kids!

Participating organizations include:

• Bernard Becker Medical Library (of Washington University School of Medicine)
• Barnes-Jewish Care
• CLAIM, a state health insurance assistance program through Primaris
• Grace Hill Health Centers
• OASIS
• Riverview West Florissant Development Corporations
• St. Louis Children's Hospital's Family Resource Center
• St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's 6th District
• Siteman Cancer Center's Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities

While representatives from each of the above organizations will be available throughout the event, there are a couple of special presentations during the event.

First, from 11 a.m. to noon, licensed massage therapist Rachel Davis will introduce relaxation and meditation techniques (including the Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT) to help eliminate stress and improve your health. Then, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., fitness instructor RJ will lead a heart-pumping Zumba class, suitable for having a blast dancing while getting some exercise.

The entire day is free and open to the public. For additional information call Jan at 314.388.2400.

Free Health Screenings for Kids on August 2

Join the St. Louis Public Library for a free Back-to-School Health Fair next Saturday, August 2. 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 demonstrations on water safety and plenty of health screenings available, including vision, hearing, 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, face painting, and a visit from Snowbaby the Clown. Best of all, everything is free and no registration is necessary!

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

Are You At Risk for Diabetes?

All month on the blog, we're talking about diabetes. And we know that some of you are thinking, "Well, I don't have diabetes. Why should I care about this?" Well, considering how many people across the country do have Type 2 diabetes, chances are you know someone who does have diabetes, whether it's a friend, co-worker, or family member.

And then there's the fact of prediabetes, a condition in which someone's blood sugar levels are elevated, though not enough to JUSTIFY a diagnosis of diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 79 million Americans, and half of those over the age of 65, have prediabetes. The truly scary part though is that just 7% of those with diabetes know that they have it, and many of those with prediabetes show no symptoms. If only for that reason, it's worth taking a look at prediabetes and the risk factors associated with diabetes.

For good, easy-to-print information on prediabetes, check out this handout from the American Diabetes Association. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse also has some great information on prediabetes, including a list of factors to consider when deciding whether or not to be tested for prediabetes. Among those factors are being over the age of 45 and being overweight in combination with any of the following:

• being physically inactive
• having a parent or sibling with diabetes
• having high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• having a history of gestational diabetes
• being African American, Latino, Pacific Islander, Native American, or Asian American (these populations typically have higher concentrations of those with diabetes)

There are also several interactive tools online that can help you determine your risk for diabetes. While these should not be considered definitive, they can help you figure out what to talk to your doctor about in regard to diabetes. Here are a couple tools to try:

• The Siteman Cancer Center and Washington University School of Medicine's Your Disease Risk covers diabetes, as well as several other diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
• The American Diabetes Association has a page devoted to tools to help determine Type 2 diabetes risk, including a short questionnaire.

If you think you might be at risk of diabetes, check out the American Diabetes Association's website, which has a whole section devoted to ways in which you can lower your risk through exercise, eating right, and making healthy lifestyle choices.

Stay tuned this month for more information about diabetes!

Let's Talk About Diabetes at the Library

As we head into July, the St. Louis Public Library is turning its focus to diabetes. Diagnoses of the chronic condition is on the rise nationwide, with more than more than 29 million cases across the country, according to the American Diabetes Association. Having diabetes can have an impact on all aspects of your health, including increasing your risk for other serious health problems.

To help raise awareness and educate about diabetes, the Library has partnered with OASIS to provide free 6-week classes to help those with diabetes manage their disease. Led by certified diabetes educators, these classes will take place at several branches throughout the city, starting July 10 at the Schlafly Branch. Registration is required; to secure a spot, call 1-855-805-6168. For a full list of times, dates, and locations, check out our page of Upcoming Events.

On July 22, the third event in our Consumer Health Information Speaker Series will also focus on diabetes. Can I Catch That? Diabetes: What's New, What Works, and How Can I Prevent It? will feature Certified Diabetes Educator Jennifer Markee and pharmacist Amy Drew discussing the best ways to prevent and treat diabetes. The event will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 22 in the Carnegie Room at Central Library.

Check back to the blog throughout July as we offer more insight into diabetes!

Cardio Time at Central Library!

Don't forget that tonight is the second event in the Library's 2014 Consumer Health Information Speaker Series, "Can I Catch That?" Tonight's program focuses on cardio health, and features cardiologist Angela Brown and clinical pharmacist Anastasia Armbruster. The program starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium at Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. See the posts below for more information on the event.

Additionally, the event will feature herbalist and massage therapist Rachel Davis, and Lisa Hays of the Million Hearts Campaign talking about various ways in which you can take care of your heart at home. On your way in, please stop by their tables outside the auditorium.

See you at Central tonight!

Take Care of Those Toes!

As the weather gets warmer outside, it’s time to check in with our feet. After all, warm weather means swimming pools and flip-flops and feeling the grass between our toes as we walk around barefoot, right? So in honor of International Foot Health Awareness Month, as well as the upcoming summer, we’d better go into the warm weather prepared!

For some general information about foot health, check out this page from the National Library of Medicine, and this one from the American Podiatric Medical Association. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons has a lot of great information too, on everything from tips on going barefoot to treating your feet right on your summer vacation. The ACFAS even has info separated into categories for men, women, and diabetics, all of whom have separate issues related to their feet. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society also has a great page to help you with an initial evaluation of your feet, to determine how healthy they are or aren't.

For women in particular, warm weather may mean a trip to the salon for a pedicure. The American Academy of Dermatology offers up this page of tips for the perfect (and perfectly safe) pedicure; another good pedicure resource is this printable tip sheet from the American Podiatric Medical Association. And if your nails just look funky, don't just throw some polish on there! You could inadvertently be compounding a fungus or infection. Check out this page from the National Library of Medicine to find out what might be going on.

Let's Think About What We Eat!

In preparation for March’s Culinary Month here at St. Louis Public Library, we thought it would be a good idea to take a moment to look at what we eat. While we have all kinds of fun events planned, focusing on everything from candy sushi to beer to cupcakes, we’ve also got several programs coming up that are devoted to nutrition. For a full schedule of nutritious events, check out our Upcoming Events page.

On Saturday, March 29, Operation Food Search Nutrition Outreach and Cooking Matters Coordinator Mariella Funk will present a seminar on nutritional cooking. The seminar will focus on healthy eating on a budget, and will feature a cooking demonstration and recipe tasting. All attendees will go home with recipe cards and informational handouts. The seminar takes place at 4 p.m. March 29 at the Julia Davis Branch.

Also on March 29, Local Harvest co-owner Maddie Earnest will present a program about the benefits of eating locally grown food, which is generally more nutritious than food that’s been shipped across the country before it reaches the grocery store. “Local Harvest and Eating with the Seasons” will focus on harvesting local produce and the path it takes from farm to market. The event takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29 in the Central Library’s Carnegie Room.

There are also lots of opportunities for kids to learn about proper nutrition. On Saturdays in March, several branches will offer “Kids in the Library,” in which dietetic interns from St. Louis University will explain the importance of nutrition and exercise. Each child who participates will plant vegetable seeds in an egg carton to take home (and don’t worry, the plantings will come with instructions for grownups!). The program is aimed at elementary school-aged children and families. Click here for a list of times, dates, and locations.

And if you don’t have time to attend a program, next time you come by the Central Library for storytime, check out "You Are What You Eat," a month-long display in the children’s area. Using kids’ meals purchased from fast-food restaurants, as well as some more nutritious alternatives, this exhibit illustrates the nutritional value (or lack thereof) in these meals, as well as how many preservatives and additives are in them.

If all this talk of nutrition has you curious for more information, swing by any of the branches for books on healthy cooking. Look in the non-fiction section under the Dewey Decimal number 641.563 or search “healthy cooking” in our online catalog. You can also check out ChooseMyPlate.gov, Nutrition.gov, and, for teens, BAM! Body and Mind’s nutrition section for more information. Happy eating!

Kids Can (and Should) Still Be Active, Even If the Weather's Nasty

According to the American Heart Association, kids need at least an hour of exercise every day. But with all

of the cold, snowy days we’ve had recently — and the slushy muddy ones that are sure to come — getting outside to play is not easy. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to make sure the kids get their exercise inside, without driving you mad or wrecking your house.

The American Heart Association has several suggestions, from a healthy scavenger hunt to getting kids involved with chores around the house. Check out PBS.org for this list of ways to keep kids active, even while watching TV. Ultimately, however, TV and other screen time should be limited too, according to KidsHealth.org; check out this list of ideas to help keep your toddler moving without the television on.

Another option is to try out yoga with your kids, which is recommended by several sources, including this article on Parents.com and this one from PBS. While it doesn’t have the aerobic activity that, say, playing tag offers, it does increase flexibility, balance, and concentration. St. Louis Public Library has lots of books about doing yoga with your kids, whether they’re toddlers, teens, or anything in between. Here are just a few:

• Yoga Exercises for Teens: Developing a Calmer Mind and a Stronger Body by Helen Purperhart
• Yoga for Kids by Liz Lark
• The Yoga Zoo Adventure: Animal Poses and Games for Little Kids by Helen Purperhart
• Little Flower Yoga for Kids: A Yoga and Mindfulness Program to Help Your Child Improve Attention and Emotional Balance by Jennifer Cohen Harper
• Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers and Preschoolers: 8-minute Routines to Help Your Child Grow Smarter, Be Happier, and Behave Better by Helen Garabedian
• Storytime Yoga: Teaching Yoga to Children Through Story by Sydney Solis
• Babar's Yoga for Elephants by Laurent de Brunhoff

We also have plenty of resources related to general fitness for kids, both for kids and their caregivers. Again, this is just a sample of what we have available:

• 35 Things to Know to Raise Active Kids by Adam Shafran and Lee Kantor
• Fitness for Young People: Step-by-Step by Antony Atha and Simon Frost
• The Fitness Fun Busy Book by Trish Kuffner
• Get Up and Go: Being Active by Amanda Doering 
• Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids: A Family-Centered Approach to Achieving Optimal Health by Robert S. Gotlin

For some online information about kids fitness, check out this page on general fitness info and this one on keeping your kids motivated from KidsHealth.org, as well as Let’s Move, an initiative started by First Lady Michelle Obama to help eliminate obesity.

Stop by the "So You Got Moves" Expo This Saturday to Learn About St. Louis' Health Resources

St. Louis Public Library is proud to participate in the "So You Got Moves" health expo, this Saturday, February 8. Sponsored by the City of St. Louis Department of Health's Let's Move STL initiative, the expo will be held at both the Carondelet and O'Fallon Park Recreation Complexes. The expos will feature plenty of information about living a healthy life, as well as activities including swimming, open gym time, dancing, double dutch, and group performances.

Visit either location between noon and 4 p.m., and make sure to stop by the St. Louis Public Library's booths and say hello. We'll have lots of health information, and we'll be able to talk about the exciting health-related events coming up at the library. Hope to see you there!

Thinking About Quitting Smoking? You're Not Alone, and We Have Resources to Help

In a report released January 16, the Centers for Disease Control noted that the rate of smoking has now reached a historic low — just 18 percent of the population smoked cigarettes in 2012, dropping below 20 percent level, where smoking rates had hovered for several years. In the report, the CDC credits the decline to increased cigarette taxes and to aggressive nationwide anti-smoking campaigns. The report comes 50 years after the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking in 1964, when cartoon characters still appeared in TV ads for cigarettes and 42 percent of the population smoked.

Though great strides have been made over the last 50 years, the CDC report notes that more than 42 million Americans still smoke cigarettes. If you’re one of those people and you’re looking to quit, there are several resources available to help you. Online, there’s the American Lung Association, which has a whole section of its website dedicated to smoking cessation. So does the American Heart Association. The National Cancer Institute has a page dedicated to where you can go to get help when you decide to quit (or to help someone you know quit smoking). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has a website devoted to helping people stop smoking.

St. Louis Public Library also has some great books, CDs, and DVDs related to quitting smoking. Here are just a handful of those available in our catalog:

• The Smoke-free Smoke Break: Stop Smoking Now with Mindfulness and Acceptance by Pavel G. Somov and Marla J. Somova
• The Easiest Way to Stop Smoking: Finding the Way That Works Best for You by Heath Dingwell
• Kicking Butts: Quit Smoking and Take  Charge of Your Health by the American Cancer Society
• Simple Principles to Quit Smoking by Alex A. Lluch
• While You Quit: A Smoker's Guide to Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke by Theodore Fenske
• Stop Smoking: Beautiful Music and Subliminal Affirmations to Support Your Success (CD) by Steven Halpern

Don't Forget to Take Care of Your Skin This Winter

Everyone hears about how important it is to protect their skin during the summer months, but the cold

weather of winter brings its own skin-related concerns. Dry, cold weather can cause dry, itchy skin, susceptible to chapping and cracking, and keeping that skin moisturized is important to overall skin health.

The American Academy of Dermatologists suggests keeping skin moisturized with fragrance- and alcohol-free moisturizers; using lip balms containing petrolatum (also known as petroleum jelly and mineral oil) to keep lips from chapping; taking cooler, shorter showers and using gentle cleansers; and limiting exposure to winter weather by covering your hands and face when outside. 

Check out these skin-care-centric books from the St. Louis Public Library:

• The Skin Commandments: 10 Rules to Healthy, Beautiful Skin by Tony Nakhla
• Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist by Debra Jaliman
• The Essential Guide to Natural Skin Care: Choosing Botanicals, Oils & Extracts for Simple & Healthy Beauty by Helene Berton
• Your Skin, Younger: New Science Secrets to Naturally Younger Skin by Alan C. Logan, Mark G. Rubin, & Philip M. Levy
• Skin Care Secrets: How to Have Naturally Healthy Beautiful Skin by Liz Earle

And if you’d like some more information, here are a few websites to check out:

• Tips on coping with dry winter skin from the National Library of Medicine
• A printable handout on dry skin from the National Library of Medicine
• Dry skin information from the American Academy of Dermatologists
• Risk factors involved with dry skin from the American Academy of Dermatologists
• 10 tips for relieving dry winter skin from the American Academy of Dermatologists