In case you haven’t heard – there is a big football game on Sunday.

The New England Patriots and the New York Giants will battle each other on Super Bowl Sunday.

Whether you are a big football fan or will just be watching for the commercials here are some ideas to keep you healthy during the festivities.

Hosting a party?

The wings, the chips, the dips are all tasty treats for your guests but consider offering some healthy alternatives as well.

• Fresh fruit is a great snack food.
• Vegetables provide that crunch many crave.
• Dips and dressing can be very high in calories, so fat-free versions might be a better substitute.
• Keep your guests in mind – especially those who may suffer from diabetes or need to follow a special diet.

“Super” safe host
You certainly don’t want the day to end with someone not feeling well. Keeping food safe during the duration of your party is important. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Before handling any food, make sure you wash your hands. Also keep all surfaces clean.
• Keep foods that are cooked away from ready-to-eat items.
• Clean utensils after working with raw foods to avoid cross contamination.
• Make sure foods are cooked to their correct temperatures.
• Foods that are hot should be served and kept hot.
• Cold foods should remain cold.

Party central
If you are serving alcoholic beverages at your party make sure your guests don’t over indulge. A better alternative would be alcohol-free beverages, but if alcohol is involved have designated drivers determined for those who may need them.

Halftime fun
We all need physical activity, recommendations say 2.5 hours a week, so consider adding some fun outdoor or indoor activities to get your guests moving.

• Have your own football game at halftime.
• Encourage guests to come up with their own halftime show.
• Dance to the halftime music with your guests.
• Walk around the block.

A little physical movement will also work off those snacks your guests have been enjoying!

The Super Bowl is one event which brings people together for fun and fellowship every year. Enjoy and may the best team win!

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Italy…

Those locations all sound lovely this time of year don’t they? Besides the beautiful weather and stunning scenery – these are also popular locations because of their Carnival celebrations!

Yes, soon it will be Carnival season, with many beginning the Saturday before Lent and concluding with Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday”.

Many attend Carnival festivities for the chance to eat a wide variety of foods, taste an abundance of beverages and dance the night away.

While all that sounds fun, Carnival celebrations can have their downfalls. Venturing to these events can put you at risk for:

• Injuries from crime
• Unsafe food
• Excessive drinking
• Risky sex
• Heat-related illness
• Malaria and other tropical diseases (depending on the country)

Whether you are heading to Rio or New Orleans, keep the following in mind as you prepare for your destination:

• Do some research about the area you are visiting, paying attention to potential risks
• Consider visiting a travel medicine clinic at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to departure
• Make sure vaccinations are current for all those traveling

Now that we have you taken care of before you go, here are some things to remember once you have arrived.

• Stay safe. Americans can often be the targets of crime so keep your travel to the daytime hours, stay out of dangerous areas and always travel with a companion.
• Eat safe: These celebrations draw out the street vendors. Eat food that is cooked and served hot.
• Drink safe: Only drink fluids from sealed cans or bottles and be wary of ice, unless it has been made from bottled water.
• Drink smart: If you are going to enjoy an alcoholic beverage, do so in moderation. Drinking excessively can lead to risky behavior.
• Drink smart II: In many of these countries heat-related illnesses can occur, especially if you are coming from Nebraska! Make sure you are drinking plenty of bottled water, find shade when necessary and wear your sun screen.

Once you return home your work is not over. Watch your health and see your physician if:

• You develop a fever with a cough or sore throat and you have trouble breathing
• You develop a fever, chills, headache or flu-like symptoms, especially if you were in a country where malaria was present.

These types of celebrations can truly be fun and memorable so take the time to prepare properly before you go and enjoy – wisely – your time while there!

Shingles is a disease that impacts about 1 out of 3 Americans, with an estimated one million U.S. cases every year.

In most cases, those who often suffer with shingles are over the age of 60, but children have been known to contract the disease.

Shingles and chickenpox have something in common – both are caused by the varicella zoster virus. If a person has had the chickenpox, the virus will remain in the body, but is dormant. We don’t know why, but years down the road the virus can rear its ugly head – resulting in a case of shingles.

Who is at greater risk?

As I mentioned above, most men and women over the age of 60 are most susceptible. Others who may be at risk include:

• Those whose immune systems don’t work correctly
• People who may be suffering from cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma or HIV
• Those who take immunosuppressive drugs (steroids) or medications prescribed after an organ transplant

What are the signs or symptoms?

• Shingles begins as a very painful rash, usually on the face or somewhere on the body.
• Prior to rash, painful itching/tingling can be expected
• Rash area will develop blisters, scabbing over within 7 to 10 days.
• Area clears itself within two to four weeks.
• Other symptoms can include fever, headache, chills and upset stomach

Can it be passed from person to person?

No, shingles can’t be passed to someone else. However, the virus itself can be passed from someone with shingles to someone who has not had the chickenpox. When this occurs, the person may get the chickenpox, but not shingles.

Transmission of the virus can occur when direct contact is made with fluid from the blisters. The disease can not be spread via coughing, sneezing or simple contact.

If you have shingles, you can eliminate the spreading of the illness to others by:

• Keeping the rash covered
• Not scratching or touching the rash
• Washing your hands so as to not spread the virus
• Avoid contact with those who have not had the chickenpox

Is there a vaccination?
Yes, a vaccine is available for shingles and it is highly recommended for those 60 and older. The one-time vaccination has shown to reduce the risk of shingles by 51 percent. You should ask your health care provider for more information about the vaccination.

As you continue along your path to a health 2012, perhaps you are making nutritional changes to reach your goals.

There are those who believe that foods that have undergone minimal processing are more beneficial to your body. While this may be true in some cases, one food in which this is not accurate is raw milk.

While you may think raw milk will provide you with some health benefits – that is far from the truth. Drinking raw milk can be a dangerous decision and in the long run, do more harm than good.

Raw milk contains bacteria, some of which can be very harmful to your body. There are some who believe you can garner some beneficial bacteria from drinking raw milk. It is quite the opposite. Some of those bacteria can make you very sick.

Milk that you purchase at the grocery store has been pasteurized. Milk that has undergone pasteurization is rid of bacteria which cause disease.

Who is at most risk?

• Infants and young children
• Elder
• Pregnant wom
• Those with weakened immune systems

What is the risk?

Drinking and becoming sick from raw milk can result in many days of diarrhea and stomach issues. If severe, it can result in kidney failure, paralysis, chronic disorders and even death.

Keeping milk in your diet is essential – not serving raw milk truly is a wise decision.

It’s January 6 – how are those New Year’s resolutions working out for you?

According to a poll conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion:

• More than 50 percent of Americans don’t even bother to make resolutions.
• In 2010, quitting smoking was the most popular resolution made, followed by losing weight, saving more money, being a better person, and exercising more.
• In 2010, 60 percent of Americans stuck to their resolutions for at least part of the year.

New Year’s resolutions are things always discussed and a majority of people make them – which is good thing. Having goals for the coming year, regardless of what they may be, can keep you focused on what you want to accomplish.

Whether it’s losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising more, connecting more with friends or improving other relationships – all bring value to you as a person.

A majority of resolutions typically focus on one’s health, which of course, I think is a fabulous idea!

So to help you be in that 60 percent who keep their resolutions, here are some tips you might find helpful in making 2012 a healthy year for you and your family.

Make healthy snack choices: Instead of reaching for that candy bar, go for a piece of fruit, eat some nuts or indulge in a low-fat cheese stick.

Stay active: Being active for at least 2 ½ hours per week will make a big difference. Even at work you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away from your office entrance, when possible walk over your lunch hour.

Keep those hands clean: Washing your hands often with soap and water will keep those winter bugs away. If soap and water are not an option, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is just as effective.

Good night: Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Adequate sleep is essential to your overall health. According to the National Sleep Foundation adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, teens (10-17) should get 8.5 to 9.25 hours and school-age children (5-10) should get 10 to 11 hours.

Get checked out: Don’t put off those annual exams that you should have every year for you or your children. Those yearly visits with your doctor are key to maintaining your health. Those visits will assure that all vaccinations are current as well as other important screenings.

Stay safe: Make sure everyone in your car wears their seatbelt, install smoke detectors on every level of your home, wear sunscreen, store medications in a safe location and have emergency plans in place for your family.

Enjoy your work: Participate in healthy workplace programs, take steps to reduce job stress, adhere to smoke-free policies and stay home if you are sick.

Make 2012 a great year for you and your family – be healthy and be happy!

It is hard to believe 2011 has come and gone and we will ring in 2012 in just a few short hours. I hope you were successful on all those New Year’s resolutions you made last year!

As you begin to look toward 2012 one New Year’s goal I suggest you add to your list is the gathering and sharing of your family history. This is not only good information, but it can be a great health resource for you and your physician.

By having a good family history a physician can look for potential risks and provide you with information and lifestyle changes that could reduce the risk. Having the information will allow your physician to determine which test or screenings might be beneficial to you.

Why is a family history important?

Family members share many things, among them:

• Genes
• Behaviors
• Lifestyles
• Environments

All of which are indicators as to potential health risks. Most families have a history of chronic health issues such as:

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Diabetes

Or families can pass along more mild health concerns such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

If your family has a history of a chronic disease, the likelihood of developing that disease becomes much greater.

Who to include

When gathering a family history the most important members to reach out to include:

• Parents
• Brothers
• Sisters
• Children

This group should be followed by:

• Grandparents
• Aunts and uncles
• Nieces and nephews

What questions to ask?

This is where things become important. You need to dig deep and gather as much information as possible. While you may think you “know it all” there could be a health issue lurking from the past.

The following is a partial list, but I think you’ll get the idea.

• Do you suffer from any chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes or have you been diagnosed with cancer?
• What about other health concerns like high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
• Have you ever suffered a stroke?
• What age where you when any of these issues surfaced?

It’s also a good idea to gather information about relatives in the family, both alive and deceased; the following information can also shed light on potential health concerns.

• What is our/your family’s ancestry? Were they born outside of the United States?
• What diseases, if any, did deceased relatives battle?
• How old were they when they died?
• What was the cause of their death?

Write down all this information and share it with your physician. Keep it in a safe location and update it from time to time. Not only will it benefit you, but it will be a wonderful gift to your children and to the generations that follow.

The presents are wrapped and under the tree – well except those that will be delivered from Santa on Christmas Eve.

The anticipation of that new toy is building for your child or children and rightfully so. After the excitement and squeals of delight have faded, you might want to double-check your toys to ensure your child’s safety.

There can and should be concerns with lead in some toys and jewelry and a few of the following tips might be helpful when assessing those items in your home.

•  Lead can’t be detected by the human eye or for that matter your nose!

• Exposure happens through normal handling of the object – placing the object in their mouth or putting their hands in their mouth after holding the object.

• Toys made in other countries or older toys handed down from generation to generation are often the culprits. Those items may contain lead, which then puts children at risk.

• The paint on toys can also contain lead. While banned in the United States from house paint, most items marketed to children, dishes and cookware since 1978, it is still extensively used in other countries.

• While the use of lead in paint has been banned – the same does not hold true for plastics. Lead softens and stabilizes plastic, but once the plastic is exposed to the sun, air or even detergents the plastic can develop a lead dust.

Testing

A product can be tested for lead – but this service is only available at a certified lab. While there are some home testing kits available they are not able to determine how much lead is present.

Exposure

If you think a toy may contain lead the best plan of action is to remove it from the play or storage area. If you are concerned then I recommend talking with your child’s health care provider. They can then advise if a blood test might be needed and your treatment options.

A great resource for parents is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. They issue recalls of toys on a regular basis – including toys that may expose children to lead.

To reduce these risks, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issues recalls of toys that could potentially expose children to lead. Photos and descriptions of recalled toys and toy jewelry are available. CPSC can be contacted also by telephone at 1-800-638-2772.

Happy Holidays!

Dr. Rudy Kotula, M.D.

For those of you who may be traveling over the holidays the Centers for Disease Control and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health have announced a travel alert for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

At this time, the concern is focused on the southern region of Vietnam, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Long An, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Bac Lieu, Dong Tap, Tien Giang, and Quang Ngai.

Since mid-October, officials have reported 80,000 cases and over 130 deaths.

What is HFMD?

HFMD is a disease that typically impacts children and infants and is caused by a virus, and will present itself, initially as a notable rash. Followed by:

• Small, blister-like bumps in the mouth
• The rash will appear on hands and feet
• A rash can also surface in the diaper area and on the legs and arms
• The bumps most often can be found on the tongue, the cheek area and close to the throat
• A mild fever can also surface

Spreading of the disease occurs following direct contact with someone carrying HFMD. The spreading can occur through saliva, nasal secretions or fluid from the blisters. Transmission can also occur when objects touched by someone carrying HFMD are touched by others.

What to do?

• If traveling to this region over the holidays, make sure you wash your hands, especially before eating.
• Good hand washing is also important after using the restroom or changing a diaper.
• If soap and water are not available, a good alcohol-based hand sanitizer is recommended.
• Be wary of soiled surfaces or items.
• If you encounter or are made aware that someone has HFMD, avoid kissing, hugging or sharing items with that person.

Treatment options
While there isn’t a lot that can be done, a person can at least treat the symptoms:

• An over-the-counter medication can help with symptoms associated with any pain or fever.
• A mouthwash or a spray can help with pain that can occur in the mouth.
• If mouth sores become a problem, it is important to stay hydrated. In some instances, sores can make it difficult to swallow, so medical treatment may become necessary.

The shopping, the baking, the decorating, the traveling…oh my!

It’s the holiday season and with all the hustle and bustle this time of year we often forget about the most important thing – our health.

Here are some ways you and your family can stay healthy and happy this holiday season.

• Keep those hands washed. More frequent hand washing will reduce your risk of spreading germs – thus cutting down on the risk of becoming ill. The rule of thumb we always discuss in this space is a good washing using soap and water for 20 seconds.

• Dress warm. Shorts are no longer fashionable! When going outside on these cold, winter days make sure you are wearing a warm coats, hat, winter boots and gloves. Not only do these things keep you warm – but also dry.

• Control your stress level. You don’t have to do it all – as the saying goes “No means no!” The holidays can bring about many commitments, but give yourself permission to turn down some of those requests. This time of year people are using every minute of every day to get things accomplished – make sure you are getting enough rest.
  

• Watch your children. Be mindful of any toys that may not be age appropriate, or that they don’t get their hands on food or drinks which may not be suitable for their age. Encourage outdoor play when weather permits, but adhere to the advice on dressing warmly.

• Home safety. You may not know that many home fires actually occur during the winter. Make sure your fireplaces are safe and they should never be unattended. The same holds true with space heaters, wood stoves or those great scented candles.

• Enjoy the goodies. The holidays mean lots of family gatherings, resulting in delicious meals and treats for snacking. It is okay to indulge and enjoy those tasty offerings, but don’t forget to exercise. Adults should exercise at least two (2) hours a week and children should have at least one hour of physical activity a week.

Following just a few of these tips will help you to have a healthy and happy holiday season!

On Thursday, Dec. 1, organizations, individuals, medical professionals and others observed World AIDS Day. The theme for this year – “Leading with Science, Uniting for Action” – spotlighted the global effort toward HIV/AIDS prevention, the strides which have been made and the work that still lies ahead.

From a global perspective here is what we know. According to the Centers for Disease Control

• More than two-thirds of the estimated 34 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide are in developing countries and nearly three-fourths of the 2.7 million new HIV infections in 2010 occurred in these countries.
  
• Nearly 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection, with approximately 50,000 Americans becoming infected with HIV each year.
  
• Today, 1 in 7 new infections worldwide occur through mother-to-child transmission.

Research and education about HIV/AIDS continues on a global level and that research has shown us that a focus needs to be placed on the following three initiatives in order to begin to make a difference in the battle against this serious illness.

Those initiatives include:

• Reducing mother-to-child transmission by broad efforts to step up HIV testing for pregnant women and treatment for those who test positive during pregnancy.  Such efforts in 2010 resulted in 114,000 babies not being born with HIV.
• Medical male circumcision on a voluntary basis which would reduce the risk of female to male transmission by nearly 60 percent. This is a priority in eight countries with high HIV numbers.
• Earlier introduction of antiretroviral treatment as a means of prevention. Research has shown that those receiving treatment decreased the risk of transmission to an uninfected partner by 96 percent.

While great strides have been made, there is still much work to be done. While these efforts are great on a global level, we have work to do in Omaha as well.

Founded in 1984, the Nebraska AIDS Project (NAP) leads the community in the fight to overcome HIV/AIDS and its stigma through education, supportive services and advocacy.

As a member of the NAP Board of Directors I feel our work is never done and education on many levels regarding HIV/AIDS continues to be a priority for our organization.

Our organization’s largest fundraiser of the year – Night of a Thousand Stars – is planned for Saturday, Dec. 3.

The event, which runs from 8 p.m. to midnight, is a celebration of the lives of those touched by HIV/AIDS, but also an opportunity for us to educate and advocate for the work that still remains.