Consume Sun Safely

girl with sunscreen
Limit your time in the sun and use sunscreen to keep your skin healthy.

Between days at the beach and barbecues, over-exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be a real threat in the summer. In excess, UV radiation is a leading cause for the most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma. Read this Best Doctors article to learn more about melanoma and how you can prevent it.

View the PDF provided by Best Doctors.

Facing a medical decision? Best Doctors is here to help.

Call 1-866-904-0910 or visit www.bestdoctors.com/members.

Celebrate National Blueberry Month

July is National Blueberry Month! As if taste alone isn’t reason enough to indulge in this super-fruit, blueberries are packed with outstanding health benefits. According to MSU’s Health e-Guide, consuming blueberries can help ease a sore throat, stomach discomfort and even urinary tract infections. The berry is also high in fiber and Vitamin C, components that are necessary for a healthy diet. Try any of the following recipes from allrecipes.com to add blueberries to your diet- both simply and deliciously.

Blueberry Walnut Salad blueberries

1 (10 ounce) package mixed salad greens
1 pint fresh blueberries
ÂĽ cup walnuts
½ cup raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing
ÂĽ cup crumbled feta cheese

In a large bowl, toss the salad greens with the blueberries, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette. Top with feta cheese to serve.

Heavenly Blueberry Smoothie
1 frozen banana, thawed for 10 to 15 minutes
½ cup vanilla soy milk
1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
1 ½ teaspoons flax seed meal
1 ½ teaspoons honey

Cut banana into small pieces and place into the bowl of a blender. Add the soy milk, yogurt, flax seed meal, and honey. Blend on lowest speed until smooth, about 5 seconds. Gradually add the blueberries while continuing to blend on low. Once the blueberries have been incorporated, increase speed and blend to desired consistency.

Blueberry Salsa
2 cups chopped fresh blueberries
1 cup whole fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
½ cup chopped red onion
ÂĽ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 fresh lime, juiced
salt to taste

In a bowl, combine chopped and whole blueberries, jalapeno pepper, onion, red pepper, lime juice and salt.

Looking for a fun way to obtain this month’s star ingredient? There are two blueberry farms right in Ingham County, Balzer Blueberries and Lechleitner Blueberry Farm, open this summer for your picking pleasure!

 

Healthy Eating is Accessible for You!

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be time-consuming or tasteless. In and around East Lansing, there are numerous grocery stores that sell delicious whole foods and organic produce. Visit some of the retailers listed below in celebration of National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month!

MSU Student Organic Farm

Right on campus every Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the MSU Student Organic Farm sells produce to the community. Stop on by for the season’s freshest locally grown goods.

East Lansing Food Co-Op (ELFCO)

A community-owned operation, ELFCO sells everything from local cheeses to organic meat. The co-op also has a great selection of bulk foods. By becoming a member for a small fee, patrons gain access to special discounts.

Foods For Living

watermelon picture
Healthy eating can be simple, tasty, and wholesome.

Foods For Living offers a myriad of delicious food options that are as pleasing for your taste buds as they are for your health. The store features a produce department that includes 100% certified organic fruits and vegetables, a frozen department that provides easy vegan and vegetarian meal options, and a deli that makes healthy meals daily- try the orzo, spinach and feta salad.Continue Reading… Healthy Eating is Accessible for You!

Stay Healthy This Year with Safe Food Handling Practices

With warm weather and sunny skies, a trip to the park for a picnic or an outdoor barbecue may be on your agenda. Safe food handling practices are important regardless of location, but they’re even more important when you’re handling food outdoors. Unsafe food handling practices can result in foodborne illness. To prepare you for upcoming food-related festivities, here are some safe food handling tips from the MSU Health e-Guide.

Proper food handling techniques will keep you safe and help you avoid becoming ill.
Proper food handling techniques will keep you safe and help you avoid becoming ill.
  1. Wash your hands and prepare a clean surface for cooking
    Wash your hands before and after touching food. Soapy water can clean your hands and cooking utensils. Make sure to keep cutting boards, knives, etc., clean. Also, make sure to wash fresh fruits and vegetables.

Continue Reading… Stay Healthy This Year with Safe Food Handling Practices

Staying Healthy Outside This Summer

Summer is creeping up on us! Whether you plan on participating in summer sports or have to work outdoors, it’s important to know precautions when dealing with the warm weather. Here are a couple tips to ensure your safe as you work and play in the upcoming heat.

Women walking on campus
Light exercising in the warm summer weather can be relaxing and good for your health. Photo courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

Being hydrated is key! Make sure you have water when working out or spending an extended period of time outside. MSU’s Health E-Guide suggests that intense exercise be avoided during the hottest times in the day. Dehydration occurs when your body has lost too many fluids. Remember to keep water and sports drinks nearby. At temperatures above 90 degrees, the heat can become dangerous. The article also recommends you consider humidity levels when deciding activity levels for the day.Continue Reading… Staying Healthy Outside This Summer

How to Deal with Stress

Stress can cause headaches, anxiety and tension. Learn how to manage stress and reduce its negative impacts on your life with this video from Employee Assistance Program Counselor Lisa Laughman.

Want to learn more about stress management? Consider an Emotional Wellness course offered through Health4U, such as the Healing Power of Guided Imagery.

Upcoming Walks in the Greater Lansing Community!

Are you looking to get involved in the Greater Lansing community? Here are some upcoming walks for great causes!

On Saturday, April 26, the March of Dimes is hosting its annual March for Babies Walk in Lansing. This is a safe, fun event for friends and family. The March of Dimes is setting lofty goals! The goal is to reach $104,000 in donations that goes directly toward improving the health of babies. Even if you can’t contribute financially, you can still make a difference by participating in the event. This is a great opportunity to help the families of those in need. To learn more, go to Marchforbabies.org.

MSU Walkers
There will be an abundance of walks and runs in Greater Lansing this spring! Photos courtesy of Communications and Brand Strategy.

The 2014 Komen Mid-Michigan Race for the Cure is Sunday, April 27! This is a wonderful opportunity to increase breast cancer awareness and research in Greater Lansing and beyond. For more information on how you can make a difference, go to komenmidmichigan.org. This is a golden opportunity to walk with your fellow community members in efforts to help others. This race is open to runners, walkers and anyone willing to give it a go!Continue Reading… Upcoming Walks in the Greater Lansing Community!

Get Fresh Produce at MSU from the Student Organic Farm

Vegetable lovers have a resource right here on campus that provides access to organic produce. The Student Organic Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program has a summer-only membership option available that runs from June through October. The program offers produce such as potatoes, beets, rutabaga, onions, garlic, parsnips, carrots, cabbage and squash.

The Student Organic Farm provides vegetables to the Greater Lansing community and beyond.
The Student Organic Farm provides vegetables to the Greater Lansing community and beyond.

Individuals that sign up receive a fresh box of local organic produce each week from the Student Organic Farm, which they can pick up on Mondays from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the Student Organic Farm located at 3291 College Road, Holt, MI 48842.

The Student Organic Farm also has a year-round CSA. The year-round program is the first year-round CSA in Michigan. Michigan residents who are members of the CSA can receive locally grown organic produce for 48 weeks of the year. In the winter, produce includes: kale, collards, scallions, herbs and chard to salad mix. The year-round program also includes summertime produce.Continue Reading… Get Fresh Produce at MSU from the Student Organic Farm

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, colorectal cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the U.S.

Doctor
Staying healthy requires regular checkups and screening tests.

Colorectal cancer develops when cells that aren’t normal grow in your colon or rectum. These cells grow together and form polyps. Over time, some polyps can turn into cancer.

The American Cancer Society provides tips to reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer in the following flyer.

Colorectal cancer, like so many other health-related topics, can be complex and confusing. Sometimes you have questions for which you need answers, but you don’t know who to talk to. That’s where Health Advocate comes in.Continue Reading… March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Best Doctors’ “Ask the Expert” Service Helps You Gain Access to Medical Experts

Finding the right medical information for a condition or illness you have can be a daunting task. With so much information available, it can be hard to decipher what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s trustworthy and what’s not. But with the Best Doctors’ “Ask the Expert” service, you can gain direct access to experts in the medical field that can answer any questions you may have. The following video explains how this important and beneficial service works and why it might be just right for you.