Add another health concern to the growing list associated with not getting enough shut-eye! Lack of sleep may boost your risk of type-2 diabetes. SUNY-University of Buffalo researchers report that study subjects who averaged less than 6 hours of sleep nightly were 4.5 times more likely to develop abnormal blood-sugar readings than those sleeping longer. Those sleeping less than 6 hours a night were far more likely to have developed impaired fasting glucose, even after adjusting for known diabetes risk factors.
(Source: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, August 2009)
Susan Mills-Gray
Nutrition & Health Education Specialist
Co-County Program Director
University of Missouri Extension
Cass County Center
302 S. Main, Harrisonville MO 64701
816.380.8460
816.380.8465 (fax) 816.506.3338 (cell)
mills-grays@missouri.edu
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Social media interaction affects sales revenues
Research by social media platform Wetpaint and digital consulting firm Altimeter Group revealed that companies with the highest levels of social media activity on average increased revenues by 18% in the past 12 months, while the least active saw sales drop 6% during the same period. According to mediapost.com, the study found that social media efforts tend to build on themselves.
A June 2009 analysis of the top-10 social media properties by Nielsen shows that Twitter.com was again the fastest growing site for the month, increasing 1,928% year-over-year, from one million unique visitors in June 2008 to 21 million unique visitors in June 2009. According to Marketing Charts, even with this increase, Nielsen puts Twitter at #4 on the list of most visited member communities in June.
Blog.com, host of this site, is number three on the list. So engage the power - blog to boost program attendance!
A June 2009 analysis of the top-10 social media properties by Nielsen shows that Twitter.com was again the fastest growing site for the month, increasing 1,928% year-over-year, from one million unique visitors in June 2008 to 21 million unique visitors in June 2009. According to Marketing Charts, even with this increase, Nielsen puts Twitter at #4 on the list of most visited member communities in June.
Blog.com, host of this site, is number three on the list. So engage the power - blog to boost program attendance!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Go (wal) NUTs!!!
Walnuts can boost health:
· Walnuts improve cognitive and motor function. Researchers found that aged rats fed a diet containing as much as 6% percent walnuts (equivalent to one ounce/day for humans) was able to reverse age-related motor and cognitive deficits. The walnuts may protect the brain by destroying free radicals and improving neuron communication and growth. (Tufts’ Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging)
· Walnuts can reduce both total and LDL cholesterol levels. Moreover, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL – a key predictor of heart disease risk – was lowest in the walnut eating control group. (Loma Linda University)
· Walnuts may lower risk of breast cancer. Mice had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer when fed the human equivalent of two ounces/day. The mice were specifically bred to develop breast cancer; in those fed walnuts, however, the rate of malignancy was cut in half. The walnut-eating mice that did develop cancer showed very slow tumor growth rates.
USDA has an approved health claim for walnuts, “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as a part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may recue the risk of coronary heart disease.” So the above mentioned research is a great boost for this health claim.
How much is 1.5 ounces? About 20 halves and that’s also about 300 calories. While walnuts are good for you, they are still a high fat food. Consider substituting walnuts for a less-healthy snack.
(sources: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter July 2009/Environmental Nutrition August 2009/ USDA)
Susan Mills-Gray Nutrition & Health Education Specialist
Co-County Program Director
University of Missouri Extension
Cass County Center
302 S. Main, Harrisonville MO 64701
816.380.8460
816.380.8465 (fax)
816.506.3338 (cell)
mills-grays@missouri.edu
Walnuts can boost health:
· Walnuts improve cognitive and motor function. Researchers found that aged rats fed a diet containing as much as 6% percent walnuts (equivalent to one ounce/day for humans) was able to reverse age-related motor and cognitive deficits. The walnuts may protect the brain by destroying free radicals and improving neuron communication and growth. (Tufts’ Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging)
· Walnuts can reduce both total and LDL cholesterol levels. Moreover, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL – a key predictor of heart disease risk – was lowest in the walnut eating control group. (Loma Linda University)
· Walnuts may lower risk of breast cancer. Mice had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer when fed the human equivalent of two ounces/day. The mice were specifically bred to develop breast cancer; in those fed walnuts, however, the rate of malignancy was cut in half. The walnut-eating mice that did develop cancer showed very slow tumor growth rates.
USDA has an approved health claim for walnuts, “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as a part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may recue the risk of coronary heart disease.” So the above mentioned research is a great boost for this health claim.
How much is 1.5 ounces? About 20 halves and that’s also about 300 calories. While walnuts are good for you, they are still a high fat food. Consider substituting walnuts for a less-healthy snack.
(sources: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter July 2009/Environmental Nutrition August 2009/ USDA)
Susan Mills-Gray Nutrition & Health Education Specialist
Co-County Program Director
University of Missouri Extension
Cass County Center
302 S. Main, Harrisonville MO 64701
816.380.8460
816.380.8465 (fax)
816.506.3338 (cell)
mills-grays@missouri.edu
Friday, July 10, 2009
Garden 'N Grow Gladstone Strikes Again
This time we were featured in the Sun Tribune. This seems to be just the kind of thing that reporters love to do stories on. If you are interested in starting a Garden 'N Grow program in your county, all you need is a few key volunteers and a safe place to garden. Contact me with any questions. (816) 270-2141.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Yes, We CAN: Home Food Preservation
Media interest in food preservation information has increased this year! This may or may not be related to the increased interest in home gardening or buying locally grown foods through CSA’s and farmer’s markets. On several occasions, Karen Elliott and I have been approached for interviews and the opportunity to create photo-journal reports.
On June 16, 2 interns and a photographer with Greenability Magazine participated in our 2 hour water-bath canning class. A story about their experience will appear in an upcoming issue of that magazine. The following week, June 30, WDAF film crew attended the pressure canning class and aired an interview with Glenda to highlight this increased interest in home food preservation. That interview played on the 9 p.m. news that night and throughout the next day.
Another WDAF feature was shared by Lisa Farmer, YWCA nutrition coordinator. She is a participant in the Independence series, and featured the University Extension’s canning classes on her noonday segment June 30.
All this exposure has led to additional inquires about future preservation classes. In addition to the two 4-session series Karen and I organized in Kansas City North and Independence, I have had two additional inquires for series with new key community partners. And as a result a 2-session series is currently being offered at the Platte County Extension office for members of 2 Platte County CSA’s and other community members. In August a 3-session series is being organized for the garden ministry of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty.
And the summer’s not over yet! If you see print information about any of this work, please let Karen or I know. Thanks much!
On June 16, 2 interns and a photographer with Greenability Magazine participated in our 2 hour water-bath canning class. A story about their experience will appear in an upcoming issue of that magazine. The following week, June 30, WDAF film crew attended the pressure canning class and aired an interview with Glenda to highlight this increased interest in home food preservation. That interview played on the 9 p.m. news that night and throughout the next day.
Another WDAF feature was shared by Lisa Farmer, YWCA nutrition coordinator. She is a participant in the Independence series, and featured the University Extension’s canning classes on her noonday segment June 30.
All this exposure has led to additional inquires about future preservation classes. In addition to the two 4-session series Karen and I organized in Kansas City North and Independence, I have had two additional inquires for series with new key community partners. And as a result a 2-session series is currently being offered at the Platte County Extension office for members of 2 Platte County CSA’s and other community members. In August a 3-session series is being organized for the garden ministry of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty.
And the summer’s not over yet! If you see print information about any of this work, please let Karen or I know. Thanks much!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Farm Family announcements
If you haven't issued a press release about the Farm Family selected to represent your county at the Missouri Farm Family Day at the 2009 Missouri State Fair, Monday, Aug. 17, 2009, now is the time. Newspapers are interested in this type of human interest feature, and it's a great way to further support your Farm Family. Official photos of the families receiving their plaques likely won't be issued by the State Fair team until September. Press releases detailing the qualifications of the families are left to the county offices to distribute. You can supply all pertinent info now to the media and let them do their own candid photo shoots.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Active and Healthy grant award
The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City (HCF) has announced a $72,000 grant to University of Missouri Extension in Lafayette County to pilot the Active & Healthy School Program at Leslie Bell Elementary School in Lexington.
“Since our inception, the Health Care Foundation has been dedicated to promoting healthy behaviors around well-known risks like physical inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use by providing grants to agencies that help people develop the skills and motivation to translate knowledge into action,” said Larry Blankenship, Chairman of the HCF Board of Directors. “We are proud to award these grants to agencies that help advance our vision of Healthy People in Healthy Communities.”
Lafayette County Extension and its partners will use the funds over two years to implement the nationally recognized Active and Healthy Schools Program (AHS) at Leslie Bell Elementary School in Lexington, Missouri. The AHS Program includes strategies to change the school environment, naturally encouraging students to increase their physical activity and make healthy nutrition choices. Funding will provide training, equipment, and technical support for school personnel.
“Since our inception, the Health Care Foundation has been dedicated to promoting healthy behaviors around well-known risks like physical inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use by providing grants to agencies that help people develop the skills and motivation to translate knowledge into action,” said Larry Blankenship, Chairman of the HCF Board of Directors. “We are proud to award these grants to agencies that help advance our vision of Healthy People in Healthy Communities.”
Lafayette County Extension and its partners will use the funds over two years to implement the nationally recognized Active and Healthy Schools Program (AHS) at Leslie Bell Elementary School in Lexington, Missouri. The AHS Program includes strategies to change the school environment, naturally encouraging students to increase their physical activity and make healthy nutrition choices. Funding will provide training, equipment, and technical support for school personnel.
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