Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/1520
May/Jun 2009 | www.MyFamilyDoctorMag.com | 19 Our Best TIpS "Eat with your nondominant hand so you will slow down. your brain will register being full with less food because you aren't gobbling down your meal." —sandRa MeyeRowitz, M.P.h., R.d., l.d., owner, Nutrition Works, online and in-person nutrition consulting, Louisville, Ky., and www. smartnutritionworks.com "Take precautions with sun- sensitive medications. some medi- cations like benzoyl peroxide and ibuprofen can cause a reaction when skin is exposed to the sun. Medica- tions usually include instructions that will tell you to wear sunscreen or to stay out of the sun altogether." —Paul Reyes, R.Ph. Medco pharmacist; co-host, Ask the Pharmacist radio program "Consider what you can do ahead of time to store your food safely in an emergency. if you live in a location that could be affected by a flood, plan your food storage on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water. Coolers are a great help for keeping food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours—have a couple on hand along with frozen gel packs. When your freezer is not full, keep items close together—this helps the food stay cold longer." —u.s. dePaRtMent oF agRicultuRe, "Consumer Alert: Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency" To encourage healthy dental habits, "It all starts with a simple timer. Children can be rewarded us- ing a sticker chart or other incentive if they brush their teeth for a certain number of minutes, both morning and evening. another sticker can be awarded for proper flossing. "Once your child completes the sticker chart for a certain number of weeks, reward them with a special summer outing to a water park or miniature golf." —John bond, d.d.s., founder and CEO, 6 Day Dental & Orthodontics, Texas "Starting as early as 6 months, every child should wear sun- glasses or properly guard their eyes from the sun. Children are born with unobscured crystalline lenses, which leaves their pupils open for full expo- sure to uva and uvb rays. … "Try a pair of sunglasses that wrap around their head to keep the sunglasses secure while they play outdoors, such as Croakies." —leanne liddicoat, o.d., optometrist; spokeswoman, Vision Services Plan, an eye-care benefit provider "Late spring and early summer is the perfect time to get your garden growing. focus on planting deeply colored vegetables such as heirloom tomatoes, summer squash, bell peppers, or whatever your heart desires. the more color you have in your diet, the more disease-fighting nutrients you're consuming. "Don't have room for a back- yard farm? you can use a flowerbed, windowsill boxes or even freestand- ing pots. an added benefit of these small contained areas? the chore of weeding is almost none existent!" —PaMela M. nisevich, M.s., R.d., l.d., co-founder, Swim, Bike, Run, Eat!, specializing in athletes and active people, Dayton, Ohio "Kneeling is always better for your back than bending over for long periods of time. by kneeling in the garden, you are putting much less strain on your back and spine. if necessary, use kneepads to protect your knees from dirt or soreness. "If you are weeding your gar- den, try sitting on a bucket to keep your body at an angle that supports your back. "If you are going to shovel, make sure the shovel is placed direct- ly in front of you and parallel to your hip bones. also, using long-handled tools will help you maintain a proper posture." —stePhen RitteR, M.d., spine surgeon, Methodist Sports Medicine / The Orthopedic Specialists, Indiana