How to Prevent This Eye Infection

Acanthamoeba infection. Doesn’t sound fun at all, does it? For contact lens wearers, this should be something you need to get familiar with. Acanthamoeba infection most commonly occurs in people who wear contact lenses, especially those who shower or enter swimming pools or hot tubs wearing contacts. The chance for infection can be increased if you practice poor hygiene when it comes to caring for your contacts- such as not cleaning or disinfecting them properly. This particular infection caught my eye (no pun intended!) while I was reading Shape Magazine, so I decided to do some more research on it- because I frequently wear my contacts while I shower. Who wants the hassle of removing the contacts, then inserting them again once out of the shower? Seemed like a waste of time. But it is an important step that I should be taking.

According to CDC.gov, Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, single-celled living organism found in the environment. It can cause severe, but often rare illnesses. Infections involving the eyes are called Acanthamoeba keratitis. It is most often linked to contact lenses wearers, but there is also a slim chance that non-wearers can contact the infection as well. Acanthamoeba can be found worldwide, and a few places that it can be found include swimming pools, hot tubs, and drinking water systems.

How can you prevent getting infected? As always, it is important to see an eye doctor on a regular basis. For most people, that is once a year. The doctor will check your eye health, and be able to warn you of any problems. If you do wear contacts, be sure to handle them properly, including disinfecting them and changing them according to schedule. For example, I open a new pair of lenses every two weeks. And be sure to remove lenses before any activity that involves water.

If you think you may have been infected, it is important to be seen by an eye doctor immediately. Eye infections caused by Acanthamoeba are usually treatable. Some of the symptoms include:

• Eye pain
• Eye redness
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensation of something in the eye
• Excessive tearing

My point in writing this article isn’t to terrify people and have you ripping out your lenses if you get a drop of water in your eye. But I was never aware of the added risks contact lenses bring to my health. There are a few eye doctors who say that it is okay to wear contacts while showering, as long as you take care of your lenses properly and try to avoid water in the eyes. Not all water systems are contaminated, but it is simply the awareness we should have. I know that taking a few extra minutes to remove my contacts before I shower is worth preventing an infection. Has anyone experienced an eye infection before brought on by contaminated water? Do you remove your contacts before showering or entering a pool? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Research obtained from CDC.gov

Special K Cereal Bars

I love to sleep, so getting up early in the morning to get ready for work is my enemy. After I moved this past summer, my commute to work went from 5 minutes to 25 minutes. What did that mean for me? Less sleep! I fixed this solution by skipping breakfast at home. I would usually give myself enough time for some toast and fruit or even a bowl of cereal while I fixed my hair. After the move, I started bringing breakfast to work with me, grabbing a banana or pop-tart and eating it while driving or once I started working. While I would occasionally grab fruit, sugary pop-tarts or caffeine loaded coffee drinks started to become the norm for me. Sometimes, I would even just skip breakfast all together- one of the biggest no-no’s out there. I knew I needed to rely on something small and fast that could easily be grabbed from home or stored in my desk at work.

Then one day about a month ago I was in the gift shop at my work (a hospital) when I saw a cute little pink package. The pink immediately caught my eye, along with the bold headline ONLY 90 CALORIES!! I thought, 90 calories- too good to be true! It was a Special K Strawberry Cereal Bar, and my hand wavered as I went to snatch one up. Special K? I tried the cereal once, and I thought it was flavorless and dry. But my break was almost over, I needed something for breakfast, and one bar cost fifty-five cents. I took a leap a faith.

And I am not sorry I did. I loved it! The strawberries were sweet, the drizzled icing a treat, and the rice and whole grain flakes were filling. Even for .81 ounce of food, I was happily satisfied throughout the morning. And did I mention there are only 90 calories in one bar? If you were like me and hesitant to try these cereal bars, give them a shot! They are perfect for a light breakfast, low on calories, but can be enjoyed if you have a sweet tooth like me. They also come in a variety of flavors, including blueberry, chocolate drizzle, honey nut, and raspberry cheesecake. Yum!

Workout Wish List: Bosu Ball

I am one who enjoys a good workout, and I primarily like completing my workouts at home. While I need to go to the gym to use treadmills and ellipticals, I have quite an array of workout DVD’s and small equipment in my house. I have dumbbells, a kettleball, resistance bands, my pink yoga mat, but now I have a new want to add to my wish list: a BOSU Ball. I noticed this workout friend when Kelly Osbourne was spotlighted in Shape Magazine. The BOSU ball helps balance, while strengthening the core muscles around your abdominal and back. Kelly’s workout had her doing planks and pushups on the ball, as well as standing (balancing) while doing bicep curls and other moves with weights. The BOSU ball boasts that not only does it help trim and tone your body, but improves balance and coordination.

I found on Amazon the BOSU Ball Trainer Home Version- which includes the ball, pump, exercise manual, and a workout DVD. I think the BOSU ball would be a perfect addition to my at-home fitness room. It won’t take up a lot of space, and I can get a great workout while doing moves I normally would complete with the added challenge of balance. Does anyone own or have used the BOSU ball? Is this something you would recommend?

Taste and Savor Cookbook by Nancy Waldeck

Chef Nancy Waldeck offered to send me Taste and Savor, her cookbook that features fabulous healthy recipes along with wine pairings to complement the meals. If you follow my blog, you probably already know that I am no master in the kitchen- I need all the help I can get! So I have been so fortunate that people are now sending me their cookbooks. Taste and Savor is one of the most unique cookbooks that I have looked through. The recipes are healthy, and more importantly- it doesn’t take a chef to re-create them. As a beginning wino, I loved the idea that Nancy told which wines would work for certain dishes, and gave a background on different wines. Not only did I find some great recipes, but I also learned a lot from reading the pages. I think the cover is beautiful, and the cookbook is light and easy to carry around if you would want to take it to the grocery store with you. Or it looks beautiful in the kitchen, waiting to be used. Another great idea in Taste and Savor is the bonus Get Creative ideas. I would definitely recommend this cookbook to everyone, whether you are a beginner in the kitchen or more advanced.

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My Water Woes

I’m sure we’ve all heard that we need to drink eight glasses of water a day. Many celebrities boast that their camel like habits gives them great skin and trim waistlines. And doctors say that drinking water can reduce hunger, help us be more productive, and helps with digestion. All great reasons to drink eight glasses of water a day right?

So last week, I decided to keep count of how much water I consume each day. I usually drink only water at work, I rarely buy juice or soda, and have more water again in the evenings with my workouts. I was sure I drank at least eight glasses, if not more. I placed a check mark on my post-it each time another glass was consumed. On my first day of recording, I had only drunk three glasses! I had a glass in the morning with breakfast, another with lunch, and another during my afternoon break. I didn’t have any at home. So the next day, I tried to pay attention, and keep my water bottle filled at all times. I still only drank five glasses that day. I was shocked- I thought my water consumption was much higher. In order to start reaching eight glasses a day, I filled my water bottle right when I came to work, before I even started my computer. Each time my glass became empty, I would fill it again. I also started cutting back on my soda consumption, because I would substitute them with water. It became a game to me, making sure I could check off each glass each day. Now, I am much more aware of much water I drink. I challenge you to try to get to eight glasses a day as well. Start by seeing what you consume in an average day, and find ways to add in more. That may mean cutting back on your coffee drinks or sugary juices, but will only benefit you in other places. Good luck!

New Chip Love: Pita

I have an unhealthy obsession with Doritos. Or really, any kind of chip. But once I started buying two family size bags of Doritos a week, I knew I had a problem. I tried to cut out chips completely, but that wasn’t satisfying me. So instead, I decided to try a healthier chip. I found Stacy’s Naked Pita Chips in the healthy food aisle at my grocery store, and decided to give them a try. I bought them to go along with the spinach dip that I had also bought, but I found that I liked these bare chips by themselves as well. Stacy’s carries a line of pita and bagel chips, all that can be eaten plain or with dips and salsas. I went to Stacy’s website and found their philosophy, which boasts about their natural pita chips and offering a basic, uncluttered snack that still tastes delicious. The chips are thicker and crunchier than most chips, and I find myself not mindlessly munching on them like I would with Doritos. I eat a handful, and then I feel that my crunch and salt craving has passed. Since I started buying the pita chips, my Doritos consumption has plummeted. There are many different flavors offered by Stacy’s and I would recommend you to give them a try. The pita chips and spinach dip have become a big hit at my work potlucks!

Double Delicious Cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld

I am no culinary genius. Not by a long shot. When I am looking for a recipe (which isn’t often) I’m googling “fast, easy, few ingredients” in the search engine. My life is extremely hectic and I don’t have a lot of time to spend grocery shopping and cooking meals. When I received the new cookbook from Jessica Seinfeld called Double Delicious! I promised myself to try at least two recipes. The front of the cookbook claimed simple recipes for complicated lives, and healthy recipes on top of that. I try my best to incorporate healthy whenever I can- whole grain noodles here, reduced fat butter there- so I thought this cookbook could possibly turn into my best friend.

No luck. I can’t even find one recipe that I would cook. They all have at least ten ingredients, which to me, is frightening. The steps are complicated, and there weren’t a lot of recipes that I was excited about attempting to make. Plus, many of them needed a vegetable puree. Do you know how long it takes to make a vegetable puree? I did after I looked it up. These recipes are not simple. I didn’t attempt making any of them so I’m not sure on the taste of any of the dishes. But if you are looking for a cookbook with fast and simple recipes, I would not add Double Delicious! to your list.

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Why Are We So Fat?

A headline from Yahoo! Heath caught my attention: “Why are American’s so fat?” Well, why are we? According to this article, written by David Zinczenko, it’s because we are consuming far more calories than we need. And I agree with that. Each time I open my Shape or Women’s Health magazine, I am learning about consuming too many calories and how to cut them down. I even started using a calorie counting website to help me figure out what exactly I was putting in my body.

According Zinczenko’s research, the food we eat is often filled with extra calories, especially in mass produced foods. Sure, that can help make the food taste better, but it’s only bad news for your pant size- and your health. Zinczenko helps uncover which foods contain more calories than necessary, and where to find healthier options of the same food.

One example is a new favorite food of mine. I recently tried guacamole and fell in love at first bite. I thought the guac was healthy for me (it comes from avocados after all) but that’s not always the case. The truth about premade guacamole dip is that it often times lacks a punch of real avocados. When you see the word “dip” after guacamole, you can assume that is contains less than 2 percent avocado, and is instead filled with chemicals and fillers. So where can you find real guacamole dip? Zinczenko suggests Wholly Guacamole to buy in stores, or making it yourself. Avocados are filled with fiber and mono-saturated fats (good for your heart) and can be easily made from home. Scoop out the flesh of two avocados, combine with two cloves of minced garlic, a bit of minced onion, the juice of one lemon, chopped cilantro, one medium chopped tomato, and a pinch of salt.

Be sure to check out the full article filled with more foods that could be upping your calorie intake!

Source: David Zinczenko, Yahoo! Health

Mari Winsor Pilates for Pink DVD

I was looking to add a new Pilates DVD to my workout collection, and I have found the best results with Shape DVD’s. I found the Mari Winsor Pilates for Pink DVD, which included a pink exercise band and donated $1 from my purchase to breast cancer research. There are three separate sections, and you have the option to do them separately, or all together for a fifty minute workout. There are sections on upper body, lower body, and abs. I thought the workouts were okay. They were less challenging then other Mari Winsor workouts I have tried, and I got a little bored through some of the sections. They feature basically all of the regular Pilates stretches, but they were more difficult with the added resistance of the band. I think having the band included makes the DVD worth it, and if you are a beginner to Pilates, I would suggest picking this one up.

Health Tests Women Need

I read an article from Fitness Magazine that was titled “Eight Medical Tests Every Woman Needs,” and knew I needed to pass the information along. Not only is it important for women to know what tests they need, but they should know how often they need it and why. The writer, Donna Fennessy, did a great job at breaking down the eight different tests. Here are three that she touched on, and be sure to read the entire article yourself.

TEST: Pap Smear

WHO TO SEE: Gynecologist
WHY: Collecting cells from the cervix during a pelvic exam is the best way to tell if your cervix is healthy — cell changes can lead to cervical cancer.
HOW OFTEN: Starting at age 21, most women need to be screened every other year or less, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Once you turn 30 — and you’ve had three consecutive negative tests and no abnormal history — you can get it done once every three years.

TEST: Skin Cancer Screening

WHO TO SEE: Dermatologist
WHY: She can ID weirdly shaped moles or other growths that might be cancerous or precancerous.
HOW OFTEN: Get new or changed growths assessed ASAP. If you’re a current or recovering tanning-bed or sun lover, are fair or dotted with moles or freckles or have a family history of skin cancer, see the derm twice a year. If not, go annually.
FAST FACT: Derms are better at diagnosing melanomas than primary-care docs, finds a recent study. The result of better screening? Higher survival rates.

TEST: Cholesterol Panel

WHO TO SEE: Your GP
WHY: High cholesterol means higher risk for heart disease. You want total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL; LDL (bad cholesterol) under 100 mg/dL; HDL (good stuff) 60 mg/dL or more; and triglycerides under 150 mg/dL.
HOW OFTEN: At least once every five years, starting at age 20.

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