Category Archives: Physical Health

Where to Enjoy Fall Foliage in Central and Western Maine

Nature + Exercise = Health

Spending time in nature is excellent for your health, and so is exercise. When you combine these two activities and exercise outdoors, you enjoy many health benefits, including lower stress and anxiety levels, a better mood, and lower blood pressure. This fall, we share our favorite spots in our central and western Maine community to hike and enjoy the breathtaking views on display during peak fall foliage season. 

 

When Is Peak Fall Foliage Season in Central and Western Maine?

Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails this month to enjoy peak foliage in our area. In general, the trees display their most brilliant fall colors during the second and third weeks of October in central and western Maine. If you want to be more precise or travel to other parts of the state, you can find the best dates for peak foliage in the Maine Forest Service’s annual foliage reports.

Where To See the Best Fall Colors, By Region

Best Fall Leaf-Peeping Hikes Near Turner and Leeds

Androscoggin Riverlands State Park in Turner, Maine, offers 2,675 acres with 12 miles of river frontage, making it the fifth-largest park in the state. There are extensive trails available for all ability levels. Please note that hunting is a popular activity in this area, so be sure to wear blaze orange in the fall.

If you’re looking for a bit of a challenge and awe-inspiring views, you might like Bear Mountain Trail in North Turner. At 3.9 miles with some elevation, this moderately difficult out-and-back hike is well worth the views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range in the White Mountains. 

If history is more of what you’re after, try Monument Hill in Leeds, Maine. The 1-mile loop is moderately difficult, rewarding you with healthy exercise as you climb up. When you look west, you’ll see a Civil War monument from the late 1800s erected by Major General Oliver Otis Howard. 

Torsey Pond Nature Preserve in Readfield, Maine, is mostly wooded, which makes for a beautiful autumn display of foliage. The easy paths include two lookout points over Torsey Pond, where you can see wading birds and other waterfowl.

Favorite Hikes Near Turner and Bridgton in Autumn

Hike Hawk Mountain in Waterford, Maine, is a family-friendly 1.4-mile trail with spectacular views. Try going in the late afternoon so you can see the sunset across the fall foliage. 

The Witt’s End Trail is a 4.5-mile year-round, out-and-back hiking trail near Norway in Maine’s Oxford Hills area. The easy walk is family-friendly, including those with strollers. People of all ages enjoy its stone walls and woodlands, which produce a stunning array of colors during leaf-peeping season. 

Also near Norway is the Roberts Farm Preserve. This 212-acre former farm has more than 12 miles of trails managed by the Western Foothills Land Trust. Centered around Lake Pennesseewassee, the autumn colors are especially beautiful because they are reflected in the water. You can also enjoy two large sculptures by Maine artist Bernard Langlais at this location.

For our Bridgton-area community, the Burnt Meadow Mountain Trail, a 3.6-mile loop in Brownfield, and the Jockey Cap Trail in Fryeburg, a half-mile hike, both offer panoramas of the White Mountains. 

Top Spots Near Monmouth for Fall Colors

Considered a great place for a walk, run, or bike ride right by Lake Auburn, the Whitman Spring Road trail in Auburn, Maine, offers an easy 2.1-mile trail on gravel and crushed stone. See loons on the lake and enjoy the peaceful woods.

Kennebec County trails include nearly five miles of paths within the Woodbury Nature Sanctuary in Monmouth and Litchfield, Maine. The Blue Trail offers three lookout points, including beautiful views of Woodbury Pond and Mud Pond. Please note that dogs are not allowed in this sanctuary.  

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Colon Cancer Is on the Rise in Young Adults

You might believe that colon cancer is only a problem for older adults—but you’d be wrong. Colorectal cancer cases (which includes both colon and rectal cancers) in Americans under the age of 50 have increased by about 50% in the last thirty years, including new cases in people who are only in their 20s and 30s. Learn what you need to know to safe at any age from this serious disease. 

Why Are Younger People Getting Colon Cancer? 

Cases of younger people with colorectal cancer are on the rise. Researchers point to a variety of possible explanations. Most agree that our diet is one of the likely causes. People whose diets are high in sugary drinks, processed foods, and red meat—foods Americans are eating more and more of—have an increased likelihood of developing colon and rectal cancers. They’re also more likely to have a recurrence of cancer or to die from it, compared to people who eat lots of fresh and minimally processed foods. 

How Can I Protect Myself from Colorectal Cancer?

Know the symptoms. Early symptoms of colorectal cancer include blood in your stool, a change in bowel habits, weight loss for no known reason, feeling bloated or fullness, lower stomach cramping, and fatigue. Report any of these symptoms to your primary care provider. 

Early screening saves lives. While colorectal cancer is expected to be diagnosed 153,020 times and cause 52,550 deaths in 2023, when it’s detected early, it’s very treatable. This, coupled with the fact that many people with colon cancer experience no symptoms in the early stage of the disease, makes early, regular screening a lifesaver. According to the American Cancer Society, adults should begin screening at age 45. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, let your health care provider know. 

Eat healthy foods and move your body. More than half of all colorectal cancers are linked to risk factors that you have control over. That’s good news! Eating a healthy diet, including plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; not smoking or using tobacco products; being physically active; maintaining a healthy weight; and limiting or eliminating alcohol from your diet may protect you from colon and rectal cancers.

Do I Have to Have a Colonoscopy? 

There are multiple choices for preventative screenings for colon cancer, including a colonoscopy, a sigmoidoscopy, or stool-based tests, such as the fecal-immunochemical test (FIT) or stool DNA test, both of which can be done at home. If you’re age 45 and at average risk with no symptoms, you can typically pick whichever screening method is most convenient for you. If you’re at higher risk due to family history or other risk factors, a colonoscopy will likely be recommended, and you may be advised to begin screening earlier. Speak with your primary care provider about which screening is best for you and at what age you should begin. 

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Top 5 Foods for Staying Hydrated

Our cells, blood, muscles, tissues, and brain all rely on water to function properly. Staying hydrated is vital to keep your body well and to avoid overheating, especially in the summertime, during extreme heat waves, and if you work outdoors or are active. To stay hydrated, you need to drink enough water and eat water-rich foods to replace the water and electrolytes you lose through sweat. Read on to learn how much water you need, how to tell if you’re getting enough water, and which foods are best at keeping you well-hydrated on hot summer days.

How Much Water Do You Need Each Day?

So, how much water do you need every day, exactly? It depends. Your hydration needs vary depending on your age, size, activity level, and how much you sweat. The National Academy of Medicine recommends that the average adult drink 92 ounces of water per day for women and 125 ounces per day for men.

Not a big fan of H20? Try infusing water with fruits and vegetables for more flavor. Crush mint and strawberries into water and let it sit for a while for a refreshing summer beverage.

Drinking enough water every day is essential to good health. Even so, you still need to eat water-rich foods to stay hydrated. We recommend that about one-fifth of your daily water intake come from what you eat.

Which Foods Are Most Hydrating?

Most foods contain some amount of water, but which ones are the most hydrating? Fruits and vegetables top the list. In general, fresh, local foods are the best source of hydration—not to mention vitamins and minerals you need to keep your body functioning well. Here are the top five fruits and vegetables to maximize hydration.

Top Five Foods for Hydration

1. Watermelons and other melons: At 92 percent water content, watermelon lives up to its name! Enjoy this summertime favorite, or other melons such as cantaloupe, which contains 90 percent water, to be hydrated and get plenty of vitamin A.

Try this Refreshing Watermelon Salad.

2. Cucumbers: Plentiful in summer gardens, cucumbers come at the right time of year. They are made of 96 percent water, low in calories, and a great source of magnesium and vitamin K, an essential nutrient for blood clotting and healthy bones.

Cucumber Quinoa Salad is a hit at cookouts. Be sure to leave cucumbers skins on for a healthy dose of fiber.

3. Lettuce: Eat your greens! With up to 96 percent water depending on the type of lettuce, salads are a healthy, quick way to stay fresh and hydrated all year long—and Romaine is #2 on our list of the Top Cheapest and Healthiest Greens.

Load up on nutrient-packed veggies and in-season greens with this Great Green Salad.

4. Tomatoes: At 95 percent water, tomatoes top the list of best foods for hydration not only because of their water content, but also for their potassium—it’s one of the key minerals you lose when you sweat!

Firing up the grill? Add some Blistered Cherry Tomatoes on top of your grilled chicken breast for a delicious, healthy dinner.

5. Strawberries: Chock full of vitamin C, manganese, and folate, it’s a good thing that strawberries are so easy to eat. Put them in smoothies or yogurt for a tasty summer treat that has 91 percent water.

While it’s hard to resist eating ripe summer strawberries by the handful, this Sparkling Strawberry Refresher will also quench your thirst.

Still Not Sure If You’re Getting Enough Water?

If you’re drinking water and eating hydrating foods, that’s great news for your health! But how can you tell if you’re getting enough water? There are two easy ways: check in with yourself and see 1) if you’re thirsty or 2) what color your pee is.

If you’re thirsty, chances are you need more water. (If you find yourself thirsty frequently, mention it to your doctor.)

The color of your urine is another quick and easy way to gauge if your water intake is enough. If your pee is clear or pale yellow, that’s a good sign you’re well hydrated. If it’s darker, you probably need to drink more water or eat more of the hydrating foods we mentioned above.

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Easy Tips for a Healthy Cookout

Summer: ‘tis the season for cookouts! While a typical BBQ can include some not-so-healthy menu items (hello, hot dogs!), it doesn’t have to be that way. Follow these tips to keep your backyard grilling light, healthy, nutritious—and fun!

Taste the best flavors of the season.

In Maine, summertime means plenty of local produce at its peak of flavor and freshness. Now’s the time to indulge! Bring along in-season veggies from the farmers’ market or your garden, fill your plate with fruits and veggies first, and offer some vegetables to the grillmaster.

Simply add a light coat of olive oil and herbs to grillable veggies like red peppers, corn on the cob, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower, and eggplant; place directly on a hot grill, on a kebab, or atop a piece of tinfoil; and roast until tender and brown for a delicious, easy dish everyone can enjoy.

You can even add fruit to the grill for dessert! Peaches, plums, and nectarines are grill classics. Try a sprinkle of nutmeg before they go on or add some fresh mint sprigs afterwards for a taste that can’t be beat.

Go lean—or vegetarian.

Although some traditional fare at BBQs is loaded with fat, salt, sugar, and calories, a healthy barbecue can be had.

  • Pork has more cholesterol and fat than poultry.
  • Hot dogs contain unhealthy nitrates and a heavy dose of sodium.
  • Try lean cuts of meat, such as grilled chicken, turkey burgers, or fish.
  • Keep your protein portion small—about the size of your palm.
  • Opt for a vegetarian meal: tofu, tempeh, bean-based burgers, and portobello mushrooms are healthy alternatives that are easy to grill up. Consider marinating vegetarian proteins first for even more flavor.

“What can I bring?”

Many of us are trying to eat healthy these days. But what can you do when mayo-laden potato salads, bags of chips, and soda pop are there for the taking?

One simple trick for eating healthy at summer gatherings is to offer to bring a dish you know is healthy and help yourself to it. Chopped salads, veggies and a yogurt-based dip, or watermelon are all good choices. Browse our collection of healthy recipes for more inspiration.

Cheers!

Beverage choices abound at parties. Rather than sugary or alcoholic drinks like soda or beer at your next outdoor bash, drink plenty of water. It’s the heart-healthiest answer to “What would you like to drink?” Consider adding a slice of lemon or lime or some fresh herbs to make it feel more festive. Or mix up a batch of cool and refreshing Watermelon Lemonade.

Add a side of exercise.

Look for fun ways to add some movement to your cookout. Break out a croquet game, set up Twister, play family-friendly Mother May I?, or simply invite others along on a walk. Being outside with friends and family is great for your health—enjoy it!

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How to Be Well

While it’s common to think of just your body when you think of health, there are other vital parts to consider: how you think, feel, and act, and the social support system you have in place—in other words, your behavioral/mental health and social well-being. These components (physical, mental, and social) combine to make up your whole health picture.

What’s the Difference between Health and Wellness?

The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being,” while wellness is “the optimal state of health of individuals and groups,” which is expressed as “a positive approach to living.” Another way of putting it is that health is the goal while wellness is an active way to achieve that goal.

You cannot choose the state of your health, but you can choose wellness and exercise some control over your health. These choices are often referred to as “lifestyle” choices.

How to Prevent Diseases and Be Well

Wellness depends on healthy habits for your mind and body. These habits, which can prevent a whole host of illnesses, are lifestyle choices that you have considerable control over: nutrition, exercise, relaxation, sleep, and support.
Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated. To help stay on track with healthy eating, download the MyPlate app for free.

Exercise: Be active! Adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise and two days of muscle strengthening activity each week. This helps your body and your mind.

Relaxation: Disconnect from devices and live in the moment. Mindfulness practices, yoga, deep breathing, and other stress-reduction strategies can help you relax and build up your ability to deal with stressful situations in the future.

Sleep: Get a good night’s sleep. Adults typically need at least 7 hours of sleep each night.

Support: Strive to make and keep friends, learn new things and discover new hobbies, be part of an active group, and care for others and yourself.

In addition to making healthy lifestyle choices, you want to reduce risk factors as much as possible. This includes practicing safe, consensual sex; reducing or eliminating alcohol use; leaving abusive situations; and stopping smoking and other substance use.

How to Improve Mental Wellness

All healthy lifestyle choices contribute to mental health and wellness. When you eat a healthy diet, for example, it affects your mood and can even reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercise reduces depression and anxiety as well, and it improves self-esteem and cognitive function. Relaxation calms us and clears our minds, aiding in positive thinking, concentration, memory, and decision making. Sleep helps maintain cognitive skills and too little of it increases stress, anger, and worsens mental health conditions. Social support fosters self-esteem, combats loneliness, and reduces distress when you’re faced with stressful events.

Being well is an active process. You have to keep making choices and sometimes changes to reach your best well-being, and sometimes you’ll need help along the way. As a patient-centered medical home, we recognize your whole health and treat all of it in one place. One way we may be able to help is through our integrated behavioral health care.

What’s the Difference between Mental Health and Behavioral Health?

As we see with wellness and health, sometimes terms are used interchangeably. So, what exactly is mental health, behavioral health, and integrated behavioral health?

Mental health is about thoughts and feelings. It includes biological and social factors that influence our mental state. A healthy mental state enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community.
Behavioral health has to do with the specific actions people take. It’s about how you respond in different scenarios, and includes mental health as well as substance use, life stressors, stress-related physical symptoms, and lifestyle choices.

Integrated behavioral health care connects medical and behavioral health providers together, to collaborate with each other and their patients. It is a way of recognizing our whole selves.

At DFD Russell Medical Center, we practice integrated behavioral health. This blends care for medical conditions and related behavioral health factors that affect well-being. Because your physical, mental, and social health interact and affect each other, integrated care is the gold standard. Our team works together to keep you healthy.

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Simple Exercises You Can Do at Home or at the Office

Exercising all year long provides you with a natural mood booster, more energy, less stress, better sleep, weight management, less risk of depression, and more. Despite our best intentions to stay fit and healthy, sometimes rain, sleet, or snow—or simply a 9-to-5 job—can get in the way of working out. Whether you are an older adult, an office worker, or simply want to keep moving and maximize your health inside, out of the elements this winter, there are plenty of free, indoor exercises you can do to stay in shape—no equipment needed.

What Are the Best Chair Workouts I Can Do?

Improve strength, flexibility, cardiovascular health, mobility, and balance—all from the comfort of your own chair or couch! Let’s get moving.

Seated Exercise: Calf Raises

Increase your lower legs’ strength and mobility with seated calf raises. This is a great exercise you can do discreetly at your desk, too.

Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor about hip-distance apart. Look straight ahead.

Begin with one foot, lifting the heel from the ground as high as you can. You will likely be on your toes. Slowly lower the heel back to the floor. Repeat 10 times.

Repeat the calf raise exercise with your other foot.

Seated Exercise: Shoulder Press

Develop your strength and maintain flexibility throughout your shoulder area with this simple activity.
Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor about shoulder-distance apart.

Hold a light dumbbell, water bottle, or canned good in each hand at shoulder height. Keep your elbows bent and your palms facing away from you.

Press your arms straight up overhead by extending your elbows. Slowly lower your hands back down. Repeat 10 times.

Seated Exercise: Sit-to-Stand

This exercise is essential for seniors who want to maintain mobility and independence.

Begin from a seated position and repeatedly stand up and sit back down again.

Seated Exercise: Triceps Dips

Build arm and shoulder strength with this bodyweight exercise.

Sit on the edge of your couch. Put your hands on the edge of the couch on either side of you and push yourself up.

Lower your body down toward the floor, then lift again using your arms. Repeat 10 times.

Seated Exercise: Cat-Cow Stretch

Chair yoga can be done by people of all ages and abilities. The Cat-Cow Stretch is a popular yoga movement that tones your muscles, improves spinal flexibility, and helps prevent arthritis.

Sit at the edge of your chair with your back straight. Your core muscles should be engaged.

Inhale and gradually arch your back as far as is comfortable, holding the position for about four breaths. This is the “cow” part.

Then bring your back to the position you began in, and invert the stretch. Your shoulders will be above your hips, but your back will be curved in a forward arch. Hold for about four breaths. This is the “cat” part.

What Are Some Quick Cardio Workouts I Can Do at Home?

Getting your heart rate going with exercise is great for your health. For those looking for cardio exercises with more intensity, here are a few more ideas for keeping physically active at home this winter.

  • Jump rope.
  • Climb the stairs (or stair-step during a screentime session).
  • Clean the house (mopping and vacuuming are especially good calorie-burners).
  • Throw a dance party with your family and get your heart rate going.
  • Do jumping jacks.
  • Perform push-ups.
  • DVD or YouTube workouts. Your local library likely has workout DVDs you can check out.
  • Lunges. Stand up straight with your feet a few inches apart, looking straight ahead. Step forward with one leg, gently lowering your hips toward the ground as you bend both knees. Keep the knee on the forward-stepping leg in line with the ankle. Hold the position, then step back to stand. Repeat for 1 minute, then do the same with the other leg.
  • Planks. Short on time? You can still build your core muscles and upper body strength! Get into a push-up position, but with your arms extended rather than your elbows bent. Try holding the position for 30 seconds each day. Want even more of a challenge? Add an additional 10 seconds every day to your holding time.
  • Squats. Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder-distance apart, looking straight ahead. Start to lower your body as if you’re going to sit in a chair. Keep lowering yourself until your thighs are parallel with the floor. You’ll find your upper body will lean slightly forward as your knees bend. Gradually straighten into a standing pose. Repeat 10 times.
Physical Health

A New Year: New Ways to Achieve the Life You Want

Every year when the countdown to the new year begins, people around the world start the time-honored tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. Gym memberships rises, new hobbies abound, habits are upended. While we, of course, support making healthy goals a reality, a personal resolution might not be the best method to actually achieve a goal.

Less than 10% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions. We strive to be healthier, better versions of ourselves—an admirable aim—but with that track record, we might be better off looking at options beyond resolutions, which can lead to longer-term success, increased happiness, and improved mental wellness. Better results … better lives.

What Works Better than a New Year’s Resolution?

Rather than plunk all your hopes into a New Year’s resolution, consider crafting a New Year’s goal instead. Resolutions are the big ideas—lose weight, get healthy, learn a new skill. Goals, on the other hand, are how you get to the improvement: the steps you take on your journey to a better life.

How Do I Stick with my Goal?

To increase the likelihood your New Year’s resolution will last past the first month of the year, make your resolution a goal, and make that goal SMART. SMART goals are:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

Using these criteria to guide your goal-setting helps make your goal clear and reachable. For more on how to create a health goal, look here.

New Ways to Celebrate the New Year

If you’re searching for how to honor the new year with a new tradition and you’re not interested in a new goal, consider writing a Look-Forward List, developing a self-reflection practice, or composing a letter to yourself. These three rituals can help you on your path to a better life and they don’t come with the pressure and failure rate that New Year’s resolutions have.

Look-Forward List

To increase your happiness, spend time savoring the anticipation of an experience. You might very well find that you enjoy life more by looking forward to life! Positive psychology research reveals it’s healthy to contemplate good times ahead, and it actually makes living in the present considerably easier. (Likewise, those who suffer from depression often experience a loss of positive anticipation.)

To fully embrace anticipation, take time as the New Year’s ball drops to write a list of what you’re looking forward to in the new year. What’s happening in the coming twelve months that you’re excited about? Big or small, include it all.

Reflect Back on the Year

January 1st is symbolically a new start. For many people, the big, bold resolutions they set cause undue anxiety. Instead, why not slow life down a notch? Rather than look ahead, look back. Consider what the past year has meant to you, pick up a pen, and reflect on questions such as:

  • How do I feel about the past year?
  • What matters most to me?
  • How do I want to be remembered?
  • What habits do I have and what habits do I want?
  • What are my strengths?

A review of the previous year helps to develop meaning and purpose in our lives. Meaning, or serving something larger than yourself, is a strong motivating factor. Connect with your core values, and let your goals naturally flow from your larger purpose. This gives you lasting motivation to power through the struggles you may experience as you work toward your goal.

Write Yourself a Letter

To combine self-reflection and anticipating experiences, consider a new New Year’s tradition: write yourself a letter on December 31. Go over how the year has been and what you wish for the coming year. Then, next year on January 1, open the letter you wrote yourself a year ago. This ritual gives you a chance to look back and reflect on how your life is going so far. By putting what we want into words and seeing it in concrete form, addressed to ourselves, we connect with our larger purpose and develop meaning in our lives—major sources of happiness, mental well-being, and ultimately a successful life.

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What is Eczema?

Why is My Skin So Itchy?

To celebrate November’s National Healthy Skin Month, we’re taking a look at a common skin condition: eczema. If your skin is itchy, it may be due to eczema. Learn what to look for and when to seek professional care for your skin.

What is Eczema?

Itchy skin is a leading symptom of eczema. Eczema refers to a group of conditions that cause inflamed, irritated, and often itchy skin. Eczema includes several skin conditions: nummular eczema, contact dermatitis, neurodermatitis, and atopic dermatitis. It is not contagious, but it can be uncomfortable.

While common in childhood, some adults can get eczema, too. Signs of eczema in both children and adults include intense itchiness and a rash that results from scratching it. This skin condition can lead to:

  • Sleep loss due to itch
  • Depression and/or anxiety
  • Skin infections
  • Increased risk of developing asthma, hay fever, and other allergies
  • Decreased quality of life, if left untreated

In adults, eczema is more likely to present as extremely dry and scaly skin, and to be present on particular areas, including:

  • Back of knees
  • Crook of elbows
  • Hands
  • Back of neck
  • Face, especially eyes

It’s important to see your healthcare provider if you show symptoms of eczema, since different skin conditions require different treatments. An accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure you’re properly treated, and other conditions that can cause itchy skin, such as chickenpox, hand-foot-mouth disease, hives, psoriasis, shingles, and ringworm, can be ruled out. Rarely, itchy skin can be a sign of a more serious disease, like kidney disease, hepatitis C, or Hodgkin’s lymphoma. When in doubt, have it checked out.

Physical Health

8 Easy Ways to Healthify Your Halloween

Halloween can be fun, festive, and healthy! Take a pass on the sugar hangover this year, and keep in the spirit of things with these simple, delightful ways to make the Halloween holiday happy and just a little bit healthier.

  1. Bake tasty treats. Put a creative spin on traditional sugar-laden sweets this October. Rather than candy and other unhealthy refined sugars, consider Halloween themes as you craft recipes into yummy, healthy treats.
    • Turn ghostly green apples into goblin faces with peanut butter mouths, a triangle of cheese for tongues, and toasted pumpkin seeds for teeth.
    • Whip up granola and yogurt cups with fruit toppings that resemble pumpkins or black cats.
    • Roast veggies in cutout shapes of jack-o-lanterns, witch hats, and ghosts.
    •  Transform a frozen banana on a stick into a mummy by applying stripes of yogurt and two dots for eyes.
    • Top quesadillas with spooky veggie faces.
    • Try out bat-shaped cookie cutters on pita bread and serve with hummus dip.
  2. Let the fall season be your guide. Whether you pick a local pumpkin to carve (or roast and bake into Healthy Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Pie Smoothies or head to the nearest corn maze, fill your days with all the goodies that fall in Maine brings.
  3. Consider throwing a Halloween bash in lieu of trick-or-treating. Play games, dance, give out fun prizes, and start your own healthy Halloween tradition!
  4. Fill up on good-for-you food before trick-or-treating. As tempting as it is to call in a pizza on All Saints’ Eve, plan ahead. Try putting together a Pumpkin Turkey Chili in the slow cooker the morning of Halloween, and it’ll be ready before it’s time to hit the streets. (Bonus points for serving it in a cleaned-out pumpkin!) Or make a spooky charcuterie board so everyone can help themselves—load up slices of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and meats alongside rubber spiders, skeleton bones, and peeled grape “eyes.” When you fuel up on healthy food first, your kids (and you!) are less likely to overdo the refined sugar.
  5. Mix up what you give out. Trade bowls of candy for Halloween-themed erasers, stickers, fake tattoos, glow sticks, bubbles, or other games or toys. Or hand out bags of healthier snacks, like string cheese, trail mix, or granola.
  6. Get active. Take a bike ride, walk the long way to the trick-or-treating neighborhood, and enjoy time outdoors in Maine’s beautiful fall weather.
  7. Limit bag size and location. If your child has a smaller bag trick-or-treating, they can’t carry as much candy. Likewise, combing a small neighborhood for candy will minimize the amount of candy they collect.
  8. A little goes a long way. Develop a trick-or-treat rationing system that works for your family. Consider setting aside a few of their favorites and managing the stash: allot a certain number of candies for each night in the coming week. Moderation is helpful to model. Or give away the loot. Some homes for older adults, food pantries, and other local charities take donations of candy. Dentists, too, will often “buy back” candy from children. Some families even have a “Switch Witch” come overnight and replace the candy with a special gift for each child.

With a little planning and a dose of creativity, your Halloween celebration doesn’t have to involve copious amounts of candy, sugar overload, and super stimulation. It can be fun—and healthy, too!

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Browntail Moths

Browntail moths are an invasive species in Maine that not only defoliate trees—they can cause a painful, poison-ivy like rash and respiratory issues in humans. If you’re unfortunate enough to come in airborne or direct contact with toxic hairs from the browntail moth caterpillar’s body, chances are you’re looking for relief.

Here’s what you need to know about browntail moths and two over-the-counter formulas that may help soothe the painful, itchy rash they cause.

What are Browntail Moths

Browntail moths are insects that are primarily found on Cape Cod and the coast of Maine, although they are moving more inland each year.

The caterpillar form of the moth begins emerging from overwintering nests in April to feed off budding foliage and will pupate to full grown moths by July. During this time the caterpillars shed their skin, dropping microscopic toxin-filled hairs into the environment. The hairs are barbed and get into the grass, leaves, trees, on outdoor equipment, in the air and even on your pet’s fur. While they don’t seem to cause any harm to pets, coming in contact with even a few of these toxic hairs can cause a severely painful, itchy, poison-ivy like rash and respiratory issues in humans. The rash can last from a few hours to several weeks.

Toxic hairs from the browntail moth can remain toxic for up to three years. Wind or other outdoor activities such as raking, mowing, or gardening can stir up the hairs and lead to a reaction.

How to Avoid Exposure to Browntail Moths

The rash and respiratory issues are a result of airborne or direct contact with toxic hairs from the browntail moth caterpillar. Humans have a chemical reaction to both the toxin in the hairs and physical irritation from the barbed hairs.

Here’s what you can do to reduce risk of a rash or respiratory issue:

  • Avoid infested areas
  • Cover up any exposed skin when outdoors
  • Do yard work on wet days to mitigate agitation of any hairs in foliage debrisDry laundry inside in June and July to avoid hairs getting on clothing
  • Take a cool shower and change (and wash) clothes after activities that may have put you in contact with the hairs
  • Use tape or a lint roller on your pet’s fur and your clothes to remove embedded hairs

How to Soothe Browntail Moth Rashes

Unfortunately, there is no antidote for exposure to the toxins, but there are several things you can do to relieve and soothe symptoms.

For a mild rash, take a cool bath with baking soda and apply calamine lotion, antihistamine cream or hydrocortisone cream topically to the irritated areas. For added relief, try putting the creams in the refrigerator before application.

Alternatively, the following over-the-counter formulas* can be easily made at home with ingredients from your local drugstore.

OTC Lotion

Combine equal parts of the following creams:

  • hydrocortisone 1% (Cortizone 10)
  • diphenhydramine hydrochloride 2% and zinc acetate 0.1% (e.g. Extra Strength Benadryl),
  • lidocaine 4% (Aspercreme)

OTC Spray

In a spray bottle, combine equal parts of the following cremes and fill the rest of the bottle with witch hazel.

  • hydrocortisone 1% (Cortizone 10)
  • diphenhydramine hydrochloride 2% and zinc acetate 0.1% (extra-strength Benadryl),
  • lidocaine 4% (Aspercreme)
  • witch hazel

If pain continues without relief, or you have trouble breathing, swallowing, or have swelling of the face or throat, contact your healthcare provider.

 

 

*provided by Coastal Pharmacy + Wellness

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