www.mhrpt.com • (207) 247-3216 SEPTEMBER 2018 Massabesic Monthly
FROM THE DESKS OF Jim Stevenson & Hayes Sweeney
CONCUSSIONS
It is that time of the year when kids get excited to return to their favorite sports. Did you know that football and soccer are sports with some of the highest concussion rates? Recent research demonstrates that the “old way” of treating concussions is very outdated. For example, athletes are no longer told to sit quietly in a dark room and not go to school. This can, in fact, be more harmful. Many schools are now performing ImPACT testing, a computerized measurement tool used to help decide when a player can return to sports after a concussion. While ImPACT testing is valuable, it should be used along with several other evaluation tools to more thoroughly determine when it is safe for an athlete to return to sports following a concussion. At MHR, we are certified by Complete Concussion Management, a network of trained health care professionals that work with physicians, coaches, athletic trainers, and teachers to co-manage concussion injuries We provide thorough examinations that go beyond ImPACT testing. We use the most recent, research-based assessments and treatments to help patients who have suffered a concussion return to school, work, and life safely and effectively.
HOMEWORKHELP 5 W ays to S upport G reat S tudy H abits in Y our H igh S chooler
From homecoming dances and Friday night football games to hours spent playing Block Dude on your TI-84 graphing calculator, high school is sure to leave you with plenty of fond memories. But no matter what kind of student you were, we’re willing to bet you aren’t too nostalgic for all the time and energy spent on nightly homework assignments. Still, if you’re the parent of a high schooler, you should consider spending a little time helping your student hit the books. This is easier said than done. When your kids are young, helping themwith their education can be as simple as having them read aloud to you. But homework gets significantly more challenging in the high school years. You’d be forgiven for not being able to answer your student’s questions about calculus, mitosis, or the meaning of a Shakespearean monologue. However, there are many great direct and indirect ways you can help your high schooler study effectively. SET A SCHEDULE. First and foremost, you should help your high schooler set aside clear blocks of time for homework and studying. This will help your child establish a routine, which leaves less time for hemming and hawing before getting started. It can also prevent your student from putting off long-term assignments until the last minute, resulting in less stress and a better night’s sleep before a big test or presentation. The great thing about setting a schedule is that it is a teachable moment in itself. Consider letting your high schooler be the one to plan out the details of their schedule. Giving them this responsibility will underscore multiple organizational skills, including the importance of planning ahead and setting attainable goals. They may find that they didn’t set aside enough
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-Jim and Hayes
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BE THEIR STUDY BUDDY. When midterm papers and tests roll around, students have a lot on their plates. While you can’t take a chemistry exam for them or write their report on the Battle of Waterloo, you can play an active role in the preparation. For test prep, making flashcards and using them to quiz your student on the subject matter can be a great way for them to learn and for both of you to spend quality time together. For essays, ask your high schooler to explain their thesis to you. Act as a sounding board for their ideas and help them outline the structure of their essay before they start writing. Ultimately, these tips boil down to being supportive of your young adult. Giving them the independence to learn positive habits while holding them accountable to their studies can be a difficult balancing act. But so long as you’re able to have an open dialogue about their homework load and you make clear that you’re there to help them, you can be a great ally in your child’s education.
HELP THEM GET IN THE ZONE. Providing your high schooler with a quiet, distraction-free study area is one of the best indirect ways to help with homework. Maybe you set aside a time and place in the house where all members of the family observe “library rules,”minimizing all noise and outside distraction. If this isn’t possible in your home, taking your student to an actual library can be just as effective, especially during exam season. Most importantly, have a hard-and-fast rule about cellphone use. These devices can prove extremely distracting, regardless of setting. Sometimes students can feel frustrated or embarrassed when they struggle with an assignment. If you worry your high schooler is beating themselves up over a subject, it’s important to be understanding and let them know support is available. If you can guide them through an assignment (without doing the actual work for them), great! Otherwise, you can reach out to teachers and the administration to see if tutoring options are available. LET THEM KNOW IT’S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP.
time in the beginning, or they may realize they work more efficiently at a different time of day, but these mistakes will teach them how they study best. STAY IN THE LOOP. While it can be a good idea to hand over the reins and let your high schooler decide the details of their study schedule, you should still keep yourself abreast of what projects they have going on and when they are due. As behavioral therapist and certified school psychologist Natascha Santos says,“Parents are the ultimate prompt.” This doesn’t mean that you have to track every assignment your high schooler is given, but it does require an open dialogue with them about their school work. Asking questions like, “Do you have any big tests coming up?”or “When did you say that paper was due?”can be a gentle but effective reminder to your student to keep an eye on their due dates, regardless of whether they feel like going over the details of every assignment with you.
Why You Need to Incorporate Ghee Into Your Cooking
vegetable and canola oil in recipes. You can even use it in place of coconut oil.
While ghee hasn’t quite entered the mainstream yet, it’s on the verge of becoming a kitchen staple in the U.S. The reasons why are simple: It’s delicious and better for you than regular butter. In fact, for a food that’s almost entirely fat — ghee is 99.5 percent fat, and 60 percent of that is saturated fat — it boasts quite a few health benefits. Ghee is packed with healthy fat to help your body utilize fat-soluble vitamins and minerals more effectively. It’s also a great source of vitamins A, E, and K2. And ghee is a source of HDL cholesterol, often called the“good” cholesterol. In the kitchen, ghee is exceptionally versatile in all kinds of dishes. It has a high smoke point at 485 degrees (ordinary butter has a smoke point of 350 degrees), making it perfect for sautéing and frying. It makes an ideal replacement for
BUTTER MAKES IT BETTER, BUT GHEE MAKES IT GRAND.
You can find ghee at most grocery stores, though it’s most readily available at specialty grocers. You can also make it right at home. All you need is a pound of high-quality butter (organic, grass-fed is best) and a saucepan. Bring the butter to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer. The butter should foam and bubble, and then the foam should disappear. Continue simmering the butter until it foams a second time. This means it’s done! The butter will be a golden color, and brown milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pan. Pour it through a fine wire-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a heatproof and airtight container.
For hundreds of years, cooks throughout the Middle East and India have known about the magic of ghee. They cook with it, spread it over bread, and use it as a sauce. Ghee is a type of clarified butter. The butter is simmered for a longer period of time than standard clarified butter in order to render out as much water as possible. Then the remaining milk solids are strained away. The resulting ghee has a rich, nutty flavor. Even better, ghee is shelf-stable, doesn’t need refrigeration, and can last a long time — though once you start using it, it’s unlikely to sit around for very long.
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With fall just ahead, it’s a good time to think about your spring garden. For a beautiful garden next year, begin preparing this fall. Here are a few ways to get a head start! Prepare Your Garden Autumn Steps for a Better Spring Garden If you want beautiful flowers in April, you should start planting bulbs now. Many flower bulbs need to be in the ground before winter settles in; this helps activate the bulbs’ biochemical process that allows them to bloom. Getting the bulbs into the ground before it freezes allows their roots to grow deep enough to protect them from the biting winter weather. Among the flower bulbs you should plant soon are tulips, daffodils, irises, and hyacinths. PLANTING BULBS
KEEP YOUR GARDEN TIDY
Once you’ve harvested your best fruits and vegetables, go back through and harvest the rest, even if you don’t plan to eat them. Make sure your garden is clear of old vegetables, fallen leaves, and weeds. Leaving decaying plants in or on top of the ground can spread diseases into the soil and attract unwanted pests to your garden.
CHICKENWIRE
HEALTHY SOIL
After you’ve planted your bulbs, there’s a risk that uninvited guests will dig them up. There are a few ways you can ensure that your bulbs remain undisturbed throughout the fall. One way is to place chicken wire over your bulbs after they’ve been planted. This keeps rodents from digging them up and allows the plants to grow through the gaps in the wire.
Pulling up weeds and all of your vegetables can help keep the earth free from rotting plants, but there are other steps you can take to ensure that your soil stays full of nutrients. Pick up a kit to test the pH levels of your soil. Most gardens thrive in soil with a pH of 6.5. Add compost to your soil supply now to give it time to break down during the winter months.
Take a Break!
Late-Summer
PANZANELLA
Ingredients
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1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
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1 small loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups) 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1 cucumber, sliced into rounds
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20 basil leaves, chopped
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Salt, to taste
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2 large tomatoes, cubed
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Vinaigrette
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2 red bell peppers, seeded and cubed
Directions
1. In a large sauté pan, set to medium-low heat and add olive oil. Add bread and 1 teaspoon salt, and toss often for 10 minutes or until toasted. 2. In a large bowl, mix vegetables and herbs. Toss in bread and your favorite vinaigrette and mix again. 3. Serve immediately or let sit 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
HARVEST APPLE STUDENTS HOMECOMING
EQUINOX LABORDAY BARBECUE SEPTEMBER
FOOTBALL TOUCHDOWN QUARTERBACK AUTUMN
Inspired by Food Network
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Massabesic Health Resources
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desks of Jim Stevenson and Hayes Sweeney PAGE 1 5 Ways to Support Great Study Habits in Your High Schooler PAGE 1 Start Using Ghee in Your Cooking PAGE 2 Get a Head Start on Next Spring’s Garden PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Late-Summer Panzanella PAGE 3 The Best andWorst Foods for Inflammation PAGE 4
FIND THE RIGHT FOOD BALANCE Foods That Cause and Reduce Inflammation
SALMON: As a source of healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is one of the best protein choices for people with inflammatory conditions, or for those who want to keep inflammation at bay.
The food you eat plays a major role in how your body functions on the cellular level. Some foods can wreak havoc on your body, while others can make you feel great. This is especially true when it comes to that all-too- common ailment, inflammation.
cereals. Research suggests that refined carbs may be a bigger contributing factor than fat in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. ALCOHOL: Too much alcohol puts a burden on your liver, an organ that helps flush toxins out of the body. You know all of those detox diets? They don’t work. In fact, the only way to detox is to let your liver do its job. When you consume alcohol, it’s harder for the liver to pump out the toxins in your body. When it can’t do its job properly, the result is inflammation.
BROCCOLI: One of the most nutritious and easily accessible vegetables around, the little green buds that cover the tops
Here are a few examples of foods that lead to inflammation:
SUGAR: One of the biggest culprits behind inflammation, sugar is far worse than eating fatty foods. It’s best to skip foods that have added sugar (and this includes sugar of any kind, including corn syrup, fructose, and sucrose). Many manufacturers now label food with more specific kinds of sugar to hide the fact that they added sugar to their product. Be sure to read labels carefully! REFINED CARBS: Basically anything made from white flour falls into this category, including bread, pasta, baked goods, and
Now, for the good stuff. Eat these foods to reduce inflammation:
of broccoli are loaded with anti-inflammatory compounds.
BLUEBERRIES: Many studies call blueberries one of the best fruits you can eat to ease symptoms of inflammation. These blue orbs of goodness are packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, polyphenols, and so much more. Eat a handful every day!
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