Volume 6 April 2006

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Welcome to TAKE-A-MOMENT!

The Take-A-Moment newsletters strive to provide quick-to-read content to improve and enhance the quality of life at home and in the work place...for when you can "take-a-moment" from your hectic schedule. Take-a-Moment is provided by the Louisville Area Cooperative Extension Agents. When you have "more-than-a-moment" visit our web site for expanded articles, article archives, sign-up and contact information, and links to other web sites of interest.

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Did You Know...?

C O N T E N T S

Stain Removal --  Paint
Financial Fitness -- New Service Can Help You Uncover Additional Government Benefits
Family Life -- Beat The Rush
Nutrition & What's Cooking -- Make Physical Activity Fun
Home Tips -- Spring Cleaning with a Plan
Ways to Wellness -- April is Cancer Awareness and Prevention Month
In The Work Place -- Tips To Feeling Good

STAIN REMOVAL
PAINT
stainremoval@take-a-moment.com

Paint-water based

Rinse fabric in warm water while stains are still wet; launder immediately. Once paint has dried, it can not be removed.

Paint-oil based and varnish

Use thinner recommended on the paint label. If label is not available, use turpentine. Rinse. Pretreat with prewash stain remover, bar soap or laundry detergent; launder. Do not leqave prewash on for a time past a couple of minutes which allows for it to dry. Examples of prewash stain remover are Shout, Spray'n Wash, Magic PreWash, and Magic Wand.

*The mention of such products is not an endorsement of the specified product, but rather an example of terminology.

FINANCIAL FITNESS
NEW SERVICE CAN HELP YOU UNCOVER ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT BENEFITS
finances@take-a-moment.com

BenefitsCheckUpRx™ is an internet screening service of the National Council on Aging (NCOA) that is sponsored by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration on Aging.

“This service is a screening tool which takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and can help consumers determine their eligibility for a variety of benefits including Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage, Extra Help, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income and State Pharmacy Assistance Programs,” explained Lisa Hart, Pharm.D, BCPS, Extension Specialist with the UK Cooperative Extension HEEL Program.

This program helps adults aged 55 and older discover if they are qualified to receive benefits and helps them enroll in the programs for which they are eligible. According to the NCOA, many older adults are not receiving benefits to which they are entitled, and the BenefitsCheckUpRx™ service was developed in response to this concern.

To utilize the internet screening service, consumers will need to provide the following information: your state and ZIP code, date of birth, any public benefits, insurance coverage, and prescription drug savings programs you currently have, income and assets from all sources for yourself and your spouse, the number of prescription drugs you take, and the approximate out-of-pocket dollar amount you pay for prescription drugs.

This service may also be used for people who need assistance with their prescription drug costs, but are not yet eligible for Medicare. “To find out more, about BenefitsCheckUpRx™, go to www.benefitscheckuprx.org.”

FAMILY LIFE
BEAT THE RUSH
familylife@take-a-moment.com

Rushing all the time is a terrible habit. It's hard on us physically, it hampers our creativity, and it strains relationships. Here are some tips for weakening the habit of rushing:

• Try driving 5 or 10 miles an hour slower.

• Schedule some protected free time.

• Try not wearing a watch.

• For one day, avoid looking at the clock.

• Allow yourself some transition time to shift gears between activities: sit in the car for a few minutes before getting out; take a moment of silence before eating a meal; let the telephone ring several times before answering it.

• Focus your full attention on whatever task is in front of you, whether it's washing dishes, commuting, talking with someone, or attending a meeting.

Adapted from Mind/Body Health Newsletter, Vol. V, No. 1, 1996
Source: Sam Quick

NUTRITION & WHAT'S COOKING
MAKE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FUN
whatscooking@take-a-moment.com

Despite its many health benefits, daily physical activity can sometimes feel like a chore. The good news is physical activity doesn’t have to feel like work! The key is to choose activities that you enjoy and make it fun so you’ll stick with it.

If you enjoy being alone, use your physical activity session for quiet thought and reflection. If it would be more fun for you to be with a buddy, ask a friend to join you for a walk instead of a meal, or organize a walking group with family and friends.

The atmosphere of your activity is important. Find a place where you enjoy going. It might be a local park, the mall, a fitness center or right in your own home.

The best time to exercise is a time that works best for you. Everyone is a little bit different. You might enjoy the early morning before your day gets started. Lunchtime can be a great time too. Take a break from work and use half of your lunch hour for a walk, or use the stairs. Sometimes evening provides the best opportunity. Take a brisk walk with your family after dinner, or play an active game together.

When it comes to physical activity the options are endless. Try to think of things you did for physical activity as a child. These activities weren’t work at all; they were fun! Fly a kite, play a game of tag, or have a hula-hoop contest with your family. Try a new sport, or change your walking route. Try an exercise video at home or join a group exercise class. Be creative and bring back the fun of physical activity. It’s time to Get Moving Kentucky!

HOME TIPS
SPRING CLEANING WITH A PLAN
hometips@take-a-moment.com

Spring cleaning may seem like an overwhelming task, but a few common sense guidelines will make it more manageable. First, list what needs to be accomplished. Then organize the job into reasonable segments.

Have the right tools, including a vacuum cleaner, clean rags and cleaning supplies available. You will need bleach or another disinfectant cleaning solution; a non-abrasive all purpose cleaner; tub/tile/sink cleaner; glass cleaner and upholstery cleaner. Read the labels carefully to match the right cleaning product with the right surface.

Clear out the clutter and there will be fewer items to move and clean. Clean the dirtiest rooms first. Work top to bottom, beginning with ceilings and walls. Windows and furniture come next, then floors. This way, dirt won’t filter down to previously cleaned areas. To prevent streak marks when cleaning large vertical areas, such as walls, start at the bottom and work upward, overlapping and cleaning in a circular motion.

Use the proper cleaning product to make jobs easier. For floors, use a no-rinse product or use a general, all-purpose cleaner and rinse the floor well after each cleaning.

Spray glass cleaners on a cloth -- not directly on a mirror or picture glass. This will keep the cleaner away from the frame and prevent it from seeping onto a picture. Avoid using rags which have fabric softener in them - they may leave a lint residue.

Dust wood furniture using a clean cloth with furniture polish on it. Dusting with a dry cloth can scratch and dull the finish.

When using upholstery cleaner, pretest it on an inconspicuous area first. The same advice holds true for painted surfaces, including walls, furniture and woodwork. Although these are usually washable, test the cleaning solution first, especially if the surface is newly painted.

WAYS TO WELLNESS
APRIL IS CANCER AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH
wellness@take-a-moment.com

Eating healthy foods and exercising are two choices you can make to help reduce your cancer risk and to help you feel better at work and home.

Eating Healthy Foods - Choose at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day. Eat six servings of whole grain products such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, and beans each day. Cut back on fat in your diet. Increase the fiber in your diet. Plan your meals and snacks by the Food Guide Pyramid recommendations.

Exercising - Kentucky has the HIGHEST percentage of sedentary people in the continental United States. This is not a record we are proud of because this means we are not exercising. This choice is detrimental to Kentuckians' health. The main reason people give for not exercising is "lack of time". This is readily understandable as each of us fills many roles during the day such as worker, family member, community member, etc. Sometimes there is not enough time left to care for ourselves. However, caring for oneself makes one a more productive worker, nurturing family member, and contributing member of the community.

If "lack of time" is a problem for you, then try to build exercise in your day as you go. You might "take-a-moment" to
1. Park further from the door when you go to work or to shop.
2. Take the steps instead of the elevator.
3. Take a short walk during lunch or break time.
4. Push a lawn mower instead of riding one.
5. Plant and tend a garden or flowers.

According to the National Cancer Institute, physical activity reduces the risk of colon and breast cancer, and may reduce the risk of prostrate cancer. The Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week for good health. If you cannot fit in a 30 minute block of time, think of getting the 30 minutes through accumulation of 10 minute exercise breaks throughout the day. Start today to "just move it".

For more information on healthy food choices or implementing an exercise program, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service. For more information on diet and cancer, call the Cancer Information Service anytime at 1-800-4-CANCER or the American Cancer Society anytime at 1-800-ACS-2345, or on the Internet, www.cancer.org.

IN THE WORK PLACE
TIPS TO FEELING GOOD
workplace@take-a-moment.com

Learn to say “no” to things you don't want to do.

• Stop using such phrases as “I can’t,” “yes, but.” They feed into depression. Use more honest words like “I really don’t want to,” “I haven’t the time.”
• Keep things in perspective. Ask yourself – “Will this matter in one hour, one day, one year?”
• Stop blaming the past. We know life is unfair; some people are privileged, some people have handicaps, diabetes, depression, some have had violent, cruel parents. No one chooses their load – we need to accept our past and move on – use action to rid yourself of bad feelings and depression.
• Gain support from others by networking – being “connected” to others. When we get involved we can get a lot of energy (called synergy) from other people.
• Develop stability. Focus on keeping some things stable in your life (i.e. living in the same house or area, keeping old friendships, going to the same church, etc.). This will give you security.