Category: Health

Mumps and the Vaccine that Safeguards Against the Disease.

By Bryan Cooper, Tulalip Health Clinic

 

The Tulalip Tribes values the health of its citizens and strives to educate all members about disease prevention. Recently, there have been some questions and concerns regarding Mumps and the vaccine that safeguards against the disease.

Mumps cases, although rare, are reported each year in the State of Washington.  In 2014, 9 cases were reported. Last year recorded just 7 cases. To date, this year has only 3 official cases of Mumps.  By comparison, in 1980 there were 166 cases and 1985 there were 165, so the numbers have dramatically dropped.

Who should get vaccinated? 

Generally, anyone 18 to 60 years of age should get at least one dose of mumps-containing vaccine; however, most people received MMR vaccine as children as it is a school requirement.  Anyone who can show that they have been vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), or that they have had these diseases in the past, do not need MMR vaccine.

That said, some people should either not get MMR vaccine or should wait.

  • Anyone who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to the antibiotic neomycin, or any other component of MMR vaccine, should not get the vaccine. Tell your doctor if you have any severe allergies.
  • Anyone who had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose of MMR or MMRV vaccine should not get another dose.
  • Some people who are sick at the time the shot is scheduled may be advised to wait until they recover before getting MMR vaccine.
  • Pregnant women should not get MMR vaccine. Pregnant women who need the vaccine should wait until after giving birth. Women should then avoid getting pregnant for 4 weeks after vaccination with MMR vaccine.

What are the side effects of the vaccine?

A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. However, the risk of MMR vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small.  Certainly, getting MMR vaccine is much safer than getting measles, mumps or rubella.

Most people who get MMR vaccine do not have any serious problems with it, but here is the official list of possible adverse effects:

Mild problems

  • Fever (up to 1 person out of 6)
  • Mild rash (about 1 person out of 20)
  • Swelling of glands in the cheeks or neck (about 1 person out of 75)

If these problems occur, it is usually within 6-14 days after the shot. They occur less often after the second dose.

Moderate problems

  • Seizure (jerking or staring) caused by fever (about 1 out of 3,000 doses)
  • Temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, mostly in teenage or adult women (up to 1 out of 4)
  • Temporary low platelet count, which can cause a bleeding disorder (about 1 out of 30,000 doses)

Severe problems (very rare)  

  • Serious allergic reaction (less than 1 out of a 1,000,000 doses)

Several other severe problems have been reported after a child gets MMR vaccine, including:

  • Deafness
  • Long-term seizures, coma, or lowered consciousness
  • Permanent brain damage

Frankly, these are so rare that it is hard to tell whether the vaccine causes them.

Globalization has exposed many cultures to diseases they would not otherwise be exposed to.  Many of the diseases such as syphilis, smallpox, measles, mumps, and bubonic plague were of European origin; Native Americans at the time exhibited little immunity, and the traditional indigenous medical treatments such as sweatlodges unwittingly worsened smallpox mortality rates.  Over time, immune responses increased and knowledge of effective treatments and care to the “new” disease were developed, and mortality rates improved.

Life is full of risks; healthy choices and wisdom of our elders should guide our way.  Vaccines have and will continue to save countless lives.  As we uncover new diseases, we, as a global people, can more effectively address treatments and cures much better then if everyone was isolated.  Sometimes, quarantine is the only option to halt progression of a disease, but most often, standard precautions like frequent hand washing and covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough keep us healthy.

Men urged to think healthy and get checked

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News 

The Karen I. Fryberg Tulalip Health Clinic is reminding men to take charge of their health as the upcoming Men’s Health Fair is right around the corner. Scheduled to take place on Friday, December 9, from 9:00a.m. – 3:00p.m., the annual health fair is all about raising awareness for men’s health, with a particular focus on preventative measures.

“Getting men to understand their own health, to think about their health, and then getting them to show up and take advantage of the all the preventative health screenings we offer could make a big difference in their lives,” says Jennie Fryberg, Health Information Manager for the clinic. “Our Tulalip men are so used to putting family first, making sure their kids and loved ones are taken care of, that they forget to make themselves a priority when it comes to their own health.”

Some of the health prevention measures offered will be a cholesterol screening, blood pressure checks, prostate screening (via a blood draw), hearing and vision tests, diabetes screening, as well as many informational booths.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol are two of the most frequent diagnosis for Native men. Both can be easily screened for and detected with the simple prevention screenings offered that the health fair. If detection occurs, follow-up appointments can be schedule right on the spot.

In recent years at the health fair, Jennie says there are typically three or four men who, based on their screening results, decide to schedule follow-up appointments.

“Prevention is the best kind of medicine. That’s why we have our Men’s Health Fair, to help our men be as healthy as possible. If we do detect something like hypertension or possible diabetes, then we can start the treatment process right away.”

Along with all the preventative screenings and informational booths there will also be demonstrations by Haggen Northwest Fresh meat department and Klesick Farms. The demos will focus on healthy eating made simple, along with detailing the various health advantages of eating local and organic.

For those who still require that extra incentive to attend the health fair and make their health a priority, let’s not forget about the raffle giveaway. All men who attend and participate in the screenings will be entered into a raffle that includes various prizes and goodies. Highlights raffle prizes include chainsaws, tools, and a stand-up freezer. As a reminder, you do not need to be in attendance at the raffle drawing to win. All winners will be contacted through phone and/or e-mail to collect their prizes.

“This building is named after [my] mom and one of her messages she always said was, ‘Our health fairs are a one stop shop.’ You can come in, get all your screenings done at once, no need for multiple appointments sitting in the office,” Jennie concludes. “By taking advantage of our one stop shop health fair, our men can make sure they are healthy and in best condition to take care of their families for years to come.”

 

8.5"x11" Flyer

Information about Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)

Submitted by Jason McKerry, MD, FAAP, Karen I Fryberg Tulalip Health Clinic 

Many of you may have heard about the recent cases of acute neurological illness seen in kids at the Seattle Children’s Hospital. I know that a child’s health is the most important thing in every parent’s life. I want to share some important information about the illness, Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), a rare condition that affects the nervous system.

Below are common questions and answers provided by the State Department of Health:

Q: What is Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)?

A: AFM is a rare condition with sudden onset of weakness of one or more limbs, sometimes accompanied by weakness of the muscles of the face and eyes.  In severe cases, the breathing muscles can be involved. In all cases, there are distinctive lesions in certain areas of the spinal cord seen with an MRI.

  • Symptoms of AFM vary in severity and range from mild weakness of a limb to absence of movement in all limbs.
  • Unlike most other diseases, suspected AFM are only reports.
  • The cases receive a final classification as confirmed or probable AFM, or are ruled out, only following a review by expert neurologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Q: How common is AFM?

A: AFM is quite rare. Last year, Washington state had no cases, and in 2014 there were only two, so this number of suspected cases within about a six-week time span is unusual. Clusters similar in size to the one we are currently seeing have happened elsewhere in the US, for example, in Colorado and Arizona.

Even with an increase in cases in 2016, AFM remains a very rare disease. Less than one in a million people will ever develop it.

Q: What causes AFM?

A: AFM can be caused by a variety of germs, such as enteroviruses, which typically cause milder illness in children such as respiratory infections. Other causes may be West Nile Virus, autoimmune disease or environmental toxins. For most reported cases across the US, the cause has not been identified.

It can also be mistaken for conditions that cause inflammation of the nerves such as transverse myelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

However, when enteroviruses get into the central nervous system, they can cause more serious illnesses like inflammation of the brain. Polio virus, which is not being considered as the cause of these children’s illnesses, is a cause of AFM that is rare now in the US due to vaccination.

Q: Do you know what caused any of these potential cases?

A: At this point we do not know what has caused these potential AFM cases.

  • Oftentimes, despite extensive laboratory testing, a cause for AFM is not able to be identified.
  • It’s not known why some people develop AFM while others don’t.

Q: Is AFM contagious?

A: AFM is a syndrome, which is basically a group of symptoms caused by many different things. Many of the germs that cause AFM are contagious, such as enteroviruses, which typically cause milder illnesses in children such as respiratory infections. Enteroviruses can get into the central nervous system and cause more serious illnesses like inflammation of the brain, although this is uncommon.

Some of the germs known to cause AFM are contagious between people while others are not. West Nile Virus for example is only transmitted by mosquitos while common cold germs are transmitted between people.

Q: Are these cases connected to each other?

A: At this point we don’t know if these cases are connected in any way.

  • They came from four different counties (Whatcom, King, Pierce and Franklin).
  • Their age ranges between 3 to age 14.
  • And while we can’t discuss specific cases, some have unique symptoms from the others.

Q: Could this be something else?

A: AFM is one of a number of conditions that can result in neurologic illness with limb weakness. Such illnesses can result from a variety of causes, including viral infections, environmental toxins, genetic disorders, and an abnormal immune response that attacks the body’s nerves.

Q: How is AFM diagnosed?

A: AFM is difficult to diagnose because it can look nearly identical to other conditions or syndromes. It is diagnosed based on a combination of symptoms and a type of imaging test called an MRI or laboratory results.

A doctor can rule out other neurological disease by careful examination, for example, looking at the location of muscle weakness, muscle tone, and reflexes. An MRI is essential to diagnose AFM.

Q: Can adults get it?

A: Yes, but it may be more likely to affect children, perhaps because they typically haven’t built up as much immunity to germs as adults.

Q: Is there a treatment?

A: There is no specific treatment for acute flaccid myelitis, other than what doctors call supportive care, which means treating the symptoms. A doctor who specializes in treating brain and spinal cord illnesses (neurologist) may recommend certain interventions on a case-by-case basis.

Q: Do people who get it get their movement back?

A: According to the CDC some do. The CDC did a survey of patients from cases in 2014 investigation and got 56 responses. A small number had complete recovery of limb function after about 4 months, but some had no improvement.  Right now there is no long-term information available, but the CDC is working with states to collect the information.

Q: Is there any way to prevent it?

A: Because being infected by any one of a number of viruses are possible causes of AFM, steps to avoid infections include good hand washing and avoiding contact with people with respiratory and diarrhea infections may help.

AFM can be caused by different things, and because doctors know so little about the cause, there are no known specific preventative measures to recommend.

  • You can help protect yourselves from some of the known causes of acute flaccid myelitis by:
  • Washing your hands often with soap and water,
  • Avoiding close contact with sick people, and
  • Cleaning surfaces with a disinfectant, especially those that a sick person has touched.

Q: What is the investigation looking at?

A: We’ve worked to make sure that tests are being done that might point to a cause – these tests are now being reviewed by us and the CDC and we hope to have some preliminary information back soon.

We are investigating whether the cases have any links to one another and are reviewing other information including if they had recent illnesses. While the types of tests are really comprehensive, sometimes no direct cause is found.

I want to reassure all of our families that we are aware of the cases of AFM in our state and we want to provide our expertise and offer information to concerned individuals and families as requested. If your child is acting ill or unusually, please don’t hesitate to come see us at the clinic or contact us with any questions or concerns, 360-716-4511.

Kicking tobacco addiction through peer support and culture

Ashley Tiedeman, Tulalip Tobacco Cessation Program Coordinator (2nd from right), and program members show the woven cedar frog pins they made during a habit replacement class.
Ashley Tiedeman, Tulalip Tobacco Cessation Program Coordinator (2nd from right), and program members show the woven cedar frog pins they made during a habit replacement class.

 

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

One of the most difficult challenges one might have to personally face in their lifetime is kicking the tobacco addiction. Without even realizing it, long-time smokers’ entire lives are mapped out the moment they first began to crave a cancer stick. Social circles were most likely affected first. Many non-smokers cannot bear to be around smokers because of factors such as the lingering smell of stale smoke a cigarette user often carries. And smokers know that their non-smoking friends and family members have good intentions but their words can sometimes sound preachy, making the smoker feel judged. For this reason, smokers tend to socialize and associate themselves with other smokers and vice versa for non-smokers.

This creates a problem for smokers who are trying to quit. Because of the bonding experience smokers share during work, social and family events, smokers often feel like they are stepping into a completely different world, not to mention the withdrawal symptoms like cravings and irritability they experience from quitting. Smokers who attempt to kick the habit struggle because that’s exactly what it is, a habit. They usually adhere to an internal schedule when it comes to lighting up a stogie such as after a meal or once they hit the road on their daily commute.

A large part of why smokers relapse is the lack of a support system. Since smokers often associate with smokers, if a person who is trying to quit has been smoking a long time, chances are their closest friends are smokers as well. This can sometimes lead to peer pressure, doubt, and negativity from their friends, which then results into a ‘might as well’ attitude. In that moment of weakness, a cig is lit and the chances of quitting again are put on hold for a few months. Many smokers who attempt to quit multiple times, begin secretly trying to quit to avoid public humiliation.

Tulalip’s Tobacco Cessation Program provides smokers with all the resources they need to drop the bad habit for good. Some of the resources include one-on-one counseling, nicotine patches and gum, new friends and support systems, and fun crafts and activities that smokers can use while they slowly begin to transition to a smoke-free life.

Ashley Tiedeman, Tobacco Cessation Program Coordinator, invites and encourages smokers to check out one of her classes, which are held on a monthly basis. She wants to ensure smokers that the program is designed to support and assist during the excruciating quitting process.

She states, “If someone is still smoking but is interested in quitting, they can still come to these classes because that’s the whole idea behind it, to see if different activities or crafts can help.” Ashley says the program does not pressure smokers into quitting but rather gives them a healthy alternative. Whether the alternative is cedar weaving, beading, or having great conversation with others struggling to quit, Ashley has created a space where smokers can feel comfortable and have a fun time while forgetting that cigarettes once ruled everything around them.

Group participant and master haida weaver, Lisa Telford stated, “No matter what I do, how many times I screw up and fall off the wagon, Ashley takes me back because she cares about us.”

For assistance with kicking the tobacco addiction and for additional information contact the Tulalip Cessation Program at (360) 716-5719.

 

 

Contact Kalvin Valdillez at kValdillez@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Gayle Jones provides spiritual healing and guidance 

Gayle Jones.
Gayle Jones.

 

 

by Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News 

Tulalip member Gayle Jones has worked for the tribe for 36 years. The first 32 years of her career she worked with Family Services in various positions, namely Clinical Supervisor and Chemical Dependency Counselor. In recent years, Gayle has taken on a new opportunity where she is able to help the people of her community on an entirely new level.

“It’s all from the spirit, it’s a gift,” states Gayle. Her new position as Spiritual Counselor with the Domestic Violence Program provides her the opportunity of doing what she is most passionate about, helping people who lost their way to find their path again.

“I always grew up around the Shaker religion because my grandpa and auntie were Shakers,” said Gayle, who at 15 years old had a friend invite her to join the Shaker Church. She decided to give it a chance and while in attendance she was so frightened, she left. “I was spooked, my auntie was shaking on me. I was scared I ran away.”

In her twenties, Gayle was still finding her footing in life. During those years of self-discovery, like many young adults, she experimented with alcohol. This turned into addiction. She struggled with that alcohol addiction until age 29, when she decided she needed spiritual healing and made a life change by getting sober and finding her faith again.

The Spiritual Counselor position sees Gayle assisting the entire community of Tulalip. She conducts cleansings and prayers at events as well as individual counseling and home visits. While working on people, she remains respectful of the individual’s personal beliefs. “On home visits, I tell people to pray to who they believe in. I am not here to force anything onto anybody. I am not a priest; I am a human”

When requested Gayle will often travel to hospitals to assist those who need spiritual support. “I pray for them and their families and ask for their strength and health.”

Part of the service that Gayle provides is candle-work. “It’s a blessing. The light of the candle is the light of the spirit, of who you believe in. For me personally, it’s God. The light of the spirit cleanses everything; I am only an instrument,” she explained. The cleansing practice uses a lit candle as a tool, much like cedar branches, to remove negative energy from a person’s aura while simultaneously providing relief and balance to their lives.

“A lot of it is getting rid of stress. People are like magnets, they carry stress from work and a lot of grief too. I can get all that off of them,” she explained. Gayle ultimately wants people who are struggling to know that it gets better. She is working to heal the community, one request at a time, by providing spiritual counseling and guidance.

She says, “Knowing there’s hope out there that’s a huge part of [recovery]. Somebody helped me when I was going through all of it. Somebody grabbed my hand, was there for me and said ‘Come on girl get it together.’ So, that’s what I’m doing in return. All of my chemical dependency work and all of my spiritual work is to make people feel better.”

For more information, contact Gayle Jones at 360-716-4981.

Youth Perspectives: Suicide

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Talking to adolescents and teens about sensitive issues can be a daunting task, let alone trying to start a conversation about youth suicide. However, it is of vital importance that the conversation be had and the youth allowed to speak freely on the subject. It’s imperative there be no judgement, no pressure, and no expectation. The goal is to create a comfortable space where conversation flows naturally. During these times the youth can be very enlightening and provide insight to a topic we may not have considered before.

Over a period of weeks, this comfortable space where conversation could flow freely was created with several Tulalip youth who are highly vested in their community. These are youth who range in age from 8th grade to recent high school graduates, with the majority being current high schoolers. It was made clear that their perspective on suicide would remain anonymous and be contributed to a collaboration article with several of their peers. The focus of conversation was on the recent coverage and response to community suicides over the last few months, their thoughts on what leads Native youth to contemplate suicide, and what they feel would be effective programs and developments to prevent teen suicide.

 

 

“As Native youth, we have endured so much loss and pain when it comes to losing family members or close friends or even just stress within our family. We are still suffering from the impacts of the genocide to our ancestors. Even today, almost on a daily basis the outside world still tries to strip us of what’s left of our culture. We’re like 50 years behind on education, we are more prone to addiction, alcoholism and using drugs. Let the youth know that we don’t have to continue that cycle. We can break those cycles of being addicts and uneducated. We can focus more on education, sports, and being culturally and community oriented.”

 

“Often partying is glorified. We should try to have more programs to go against all the things considered cool to do as a high school students. The underage drinking, smoking, ditching school, and things like that. We need prevention programs that actually speak to us, keep us busy, and focused on what’s really important. Let’s teach the youth to aspire to something greater…than just being on the Rez living paycheck to paycheck.”

 

“When you’re a teen you think it’s cool to look older or act older or do adult things, but you’re still just a kid. You’re still in high school. Why not learn to be a cool kid but in different ways? We try so hard to fit in but really in the world after high school its cooler to stand out.”

 

“There are definitely cycles that have been created. We all know and are told everything about suicide. We’ve seen the statistics that show we are more likely than other cultures to commit suicide. We know that’s there. Even when you’re in the moment, you know that’s going to be passed on, you’re going to become another statistic, but it still happens anyway. It’s hard to get out of that thinking that life just isn’t worth it anymore. Creating programs that help us to aspire, to know that whatever it is we’re going through doesn’t have to define us, that this isn’t the end of our journey, but the beginning, is critical to us breaking those cycles.”

 

“There’s a program at Behavioral Health that’s so amazing, but not a lot of people know about it. They offer counseling, someone for you to talk to about anything. Even if it’s something as simple as wanting to voice your thoughts they’ll listen. It’s located in the old Montessori building. They offer transportation so they can pick you up from school, will take you to appointments if your parents can’t. This program is so readily available, you just have to take the first step of reaching out to them.”

 

“I have cousins whose parents try to deny the fact they need help, that they have depression, and are suicidal. They need help from people who can support them and help them with what they are thinking and feeling, but their parents want to push it all under the rug. That doesn’t help anyone. It’s that old style of thinking that some of our parents still have and we need help breaking that cycle, too.”

 

“There’s a slippery slope that comes when discussing overdoses and deaths related to drugs and alcohol. Suicides is a part of that. The lines get blurred when it comes to a teenager who is driving drunk or high, crashes, and dies as a result. To some that’s considered not a suicide, but to others it is. Sometimes those of us closer to the situation know the true intent even if people want to deny it. If we count some of the drug and alcohol related deaths as suicides then that statistic for Tulalip looks a lot worse.”

 

“We hear a lot about generational trauma and the importance of our culture. After Jaylen, there were a lot of outsiders brought in and our space was no longer ours. In a way the response to bring in those outside professionals triggered more trauma in us. What do they know about our generation? What do they know about our culture? It’s hard enough for us to talk about sensitive subjects with family and friends. How were we expected to talk about these subjects and our thoughts and feelings with people we never seen before and didn’t know? It happened again after Dontae. It’s hard to talk about sensitive issues with strangers. Bringing outsiders to our spaces isn’t effective and doesn’t help us to heal.”

 

“When they had people who we didn’t know posted at the Teen Center it’s like you guys are messing with somewhere we feel safe, where we feel like we don’t have to be afraid or sad. Having those people there made some of us be elsewhere because we go to the Teen Center to be comfortable around our friends, not to be judged by people who don’t know us. It’s our safe haven and for that time we weren’t allowed to feel safe there.”

 

“I think that people find comfort in those they know and are familiar with. Starting our own teen support group is a good start. We want a place to talk about our feelings with people who understand what we’re going through. If you’re feeling suicidal or feeling like you don’t have anywhere else to go, then a peer-to-peer support group would be there for you.”

 

“Over the last couple months, since Dontae, there has been an increase in teens attempting suicide. I know of four or five attempts and that most likely isn’t all that have tried. I know a lot of people who feel so lonely and have suicidal thoughts, but there’s nothing I can do to help them. It’s hard because our youth are so stubborn. Trying to help someone is really hard if they don’t want to be helped. So we, as a community, need to work together on finding out what the emptiness is and how we can fill it.”

 

“A lot of why we are so apart as a community is we’ve lost so much of our culture. We are so disconnected from values are ancestors had. We really need to push our culture, like to an extreme extent to make up for all that we’ve lost. We hear so much talk on the importance of family and community, but it seems we are more divided than ever. Families vs. families, old feuds, and people fighting over who gets what. It’s like we need to learn to be a true community again. At the end of the day, all of us are Tulalip family.”

 

“There are so many of us who don’t even know who their family is because everyone is so caught up in their own day to day life. The support that should be there isn’t and we don’t know who to turn to. It’s sad. That’s where the loneliness comes from.”

 

“It’s interesting that when threatened by outsiders our people band together like no other. The tribal mentality and need to protect one another is super strong then. So why don’t we have that mentality all the time? Something that has stuck with me is at a community potluck put together by Natosha Gobin and Malory Simpson, it was geared towards the youth but a lot of families came together, and they said we should come together in the good times, not only the bad times like funerals. I think there should be more of a push to go to community potlucks, community gatherings, and having the youth get together. We find comfort talking to people that we know. Having events or community dinners where the youth can come and have a good time then our parents would be able to catch up with their friends, too.”

 

“We know the odds are against us. It’s up to us to work against these stats and cycles we hear so much about. Suicides, lack of education, alcoholism, addiction…all these things are working against us, all the percentages are negatively in our favor. We can’t just get stuck in what we know, we have to be open to what we don’t know. We have all this possibility in front of us and in our future. Why not try to turn that possibility into something positive? There’s so much more out there for us than just the stats and cycles. There’s a whole world of possibility out there, beyond this Rez. It’s up to us to realize that and not be afraid to journey on our own path. We decide what our story will be.”

Tricks or Treats can become tantrums and tooth decay

 

 

By Niki Cleary, Tulalip News 

Halloween is a magical time filled with fun, make-believe and, of course, candy, candy, candy. Unfortunately, the delicious caramels, chocolates, gummy treats and hard candies are not necessarily good for you. Here’s how to avoid some of the worst offenders and minimize the candy crash after Halloween.

 

What is sugar?

                Sugar is a simple carbohydrate. The white sugar that you buy at the store is usually taken from sugar cane or sugar beets and processed to remove the plant material and other substances, leaving only the sugar crystals. I want to make clear, sugar occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. Any time a food tastes sweet (think bananas, sweet potatoes or pumpkin), it’s because the food contains a lot of naturally occurring sugar. However, with natural sugars, the fiber and other nutrients in the plant help your body process the sugar more slowly, which reduces its negative effects. Added sugars, which are simple or processed sugars, are the more dangerous sugars. 

 

Diabetes, tooth decay and the sugar hangover

                In Native America, one of the most common specters of sugar consumption is diabetes. Only slightly less publicity is given to tooth decay. For parents, probably the most common and least talked about aspect of sugar is the dreaded “sugar hangover”. Bodycology.com explains that the sugar affects the body in a way similar to alcohol. It’s processed by the liver, kidneys, stomach and small intestines, so dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and tummy troubles can result in ‘hangover’ like symptoms. Over eating sugar can cause fuzzy thinking, lethargy, headaches, joint pain, constipation or diarrhea, skin problems or allergy symptoms and mood swings. If you’ve ever given a toddler chocolate near bedtime, you can attest to the mood altering properties of sugar. 

The best defense against the perils of sugar is moderation. Limit the amount of sugar that you consume, and if you do provide candy, stay away from sticky candies and hard candies. Sticky candies stay glued to your teeth longer, especially in the hard to reach areas between teeth, increasing the possibility of tooth decay. Hard candies can literally break teeth when chewed. Candies that dissolve quickly, soft candies and chocolates are a better dental choice than taffy, caramels and jawbreakers.

Don’t underestimate the power of brushing teeth, or just following candy with a glass of water to remove sugar residue from teeth. Halloween is also a great time to schedule your next dental check-up and talk to your dentist about strategies to keep teeth healthy and clean. 

                

How to avoid the candy trap

                One great strategy is to host a Halloween party instead of going trick or treating. Halloween parties allow you to maximizes the creepy décor and enjoy tasty and healthy treats that have all the fun of Halloween without the sugar. 

Instead of bowls of candy, try scary appetizers and snacks. Spidery deviled eggs are an easy, high protein snack. Top your favorite deviled egg recipe with black olives. Use a half-olive for the body of the spider and slivers of olive for the legs. A name change and some food coloring can quickly revamped dinner into something scary. Spaghetti and meatballs can become worms and eyeballs. Add some green or blue food coloring to tomato soup and cut your bread and cheese with a “hand” cookie cutter for hand sandwiches and black sludge. Maybe try your hand at carving jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers.

Want to involve your kids in the food prep? Start a Halloween tradition of baking and decorating cookies. Roll out either store bought or homemade sugar cookie dough, cut with Halloween cookie cutters, bake then decorate with colorful icing. Again, you can make your own icing, or buy it for quicker, easier decorating. 

Instead of sugar cookies, you might enjoy witches’ fingers. This works with any shortbread cookie recipe or even canned biscuits or breadsticks, add green food coloring or roll in ground almonds for a witchy skin tone. Roll the dough into cylinders, pinch the dough in two places to create skinny ‘fingers’ with arthritic knuckles, and slice the top of the ‘knuckles’ to add wrinkles, insert a slivered almond for the finger nail, and voila, enjoy a crunchy, creepy sweet. 

If you do end up with tons of candy, consider relying on the Switch Witch. Legend has it that the Switch Witch will trade your candy for prizes and money if you leave it out for her (she must be related to the Tooth Fairy). Many dentists will also trade candy for toothbrushes, stickers and other fun dental health items. Another option is to donate your candy to service men and women who may not have access to their candy favorites while they serve oversees in the military.

Whatever you do this Halloween, don’t forget the costumes and lots and lots of fun!

 

Web resources

www.Allrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-events/Halloween

http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/

http://www.switch-witch.com/

http://bodyecology.com/articles/sugar_hangover_physical_emotional_symptoms.php#.VEAOTLd0zcs

http://www.diabetes.org/