Can’t remember your PIN number? Forgot where you put your keys? Sleepy and non-productive after lunch? Missed a flight because you fell asleep at the airport? Can’t remember the movie plot because you dozed off too many times when the lights were off? You are getting older but maybe your foggy head is simply the result of sleep deprivation that can be corrected.  Take this survey and see.

Check all that are true for you.

_____ You have nightmares.

_____ You need and alarm clock to awaken you – and you put it across the room

_____ You hit the snooze button 2-3 times.

_____ You awaken tired and drag yourself out of bed most days.

_____ It takes 2-4 cups of coffee or tea to get you going in the morning.

_____ You have a hard time concentrating and remembering things during the day.

_____ You eat sugar for energy.

_____ You are often irritable and cranky.

_____ You have a hard time focusing on tasks, problem-solving and being creative.

_____ You fantasize about sleeping and look forward to a good night’s sleep.

_____ You often fall asleep watching TV.

_____ You often fall asleep after heavy meals or after a little alcohol.

_____ You often fall asleep after dinner but cannot fall asleep later in bed.

_____ You often feel drowsy while driving.

_____ You often sleep extra hours on weekend mornings.

_____ You have dark circles under your eyes.

If you checked two or more of these factors, you are probably carrying a significant sleep debt.  Pay up now. You don’t need to “pay it forward”, just add 30-60 minutes a day to your sleep time. Set a goal to be free of this debt by the end of February.

Here’s how: Make sleep a priority in your 24/7 schedule and cultivate healthy sleep habits.  Drink plenty of water during the day (add at least 16 ounces to your current intake). No caffeine or alcohol after 6 PM.  Stop eating sugar at night.  Avoid sleep supplements.  Turn off the computer, TV or electronic devices 2 hours before bedtime.  Schedule your sleep and bedtime and protect it like you do for the other hours of your day.  Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and uncluttered. Set an alarm for the time you want to awaken.  Tell yourself before you sleep that when it rings you will get up.  When the alarm rings, get up and get going.  Drinking 8 -12 ounces of water immediately upon arising will help replenish your overnight loss and will give you almost instant energy for the morning.  If you awake (15-30 minutes) before the alarm goes off, get up – your night is over and the day is waiting for you.

The human body is an amazing creation.  They all look different but operate pretty much the same.  I think there are 4 elements of good health that are missing or fading in our lifestyle today that need our attention. To maximize the functioning of your body so you can look and feel better than ever, try giving it more, more, more of these four elements:

#1  Water – preferably filtered at room or body temperature. 

Why? The human body is composed of 75% water and the human brain is 85% water. So, even minor fluctuations in hydration can affect how a person looks and feela.  Especially in the winter when the air is dry, there is a significant insensible water loss with breathing and subtle perspiring.  The mucous membranes and cilia (the tiny hairs in the nose) need adequate hydration to function properly.  Their job is to wave and push dirt, debris and microbes toward the outside of the body so they do us no harm. All body processes are carried out in a fluid medium and the production of antibodies and white blood cells requires water and protein. 

How? When you first awaken in the morning, drink 8-12 ounces of water.  Leave a glass or bottle next to your bed at night and drink it before you even get out of the bed.  It is amazing how much more energy you will have in the morning.  A netty pot is a great way to flush your sinuses.  Include it in your morning routine, too. (but make sure to use fresh boiled  water cooled to body temperature.

During the day keep water available and drink 4 ounces an hour – that is

in addition to coffee, tea or other clear beverages. Drink before you thirst

and never try to quench your thirst with milk or juice or beer.  Drink water first,wait and then enjoy other beverages.

#2  Sleep – at least 7 hours (adults) and children and teens need 10 hours.

          Why?  Your immune system works hard when you are sleeping.  Give it a

chance to protect you by sleeping well and long. How? Keep your bedroom cool, quiet and dark.  No TV, video games or social networking in the hour or two before bedtime.  Studies have shown that besides keeping the human mind engaged, close range exposure to lighted screens can impede internal secretion of melatonin - the body’s master sleep hormone.  Also, avoid juice, sweetened sodas and caffeinated drinks before bedtime.  The sugar can mess with your blood sugar levels and end up stimulating your brain and awakening you.  Some research has shown that adequate sleep at night can curb appetite and cravings during the waking hours - ultimately saving you calories and grocery money.  

#3 Probiotics – the good bacteria naturally found in yogurt, kefir,  

          Sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and also in nutritional supplements. 

Why?  After taking antibiotics or with poor nutritional intake, the intestines

are depleted of healthy bacteria (like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium)

that compete with the pathogens (like Salmonella enteritidis and

Clostridium difficile) to keep the population in balance and under control.  Probiotics will enhance the body’s immune system and improve your digestion and your complexion.

How? Stay away from yogurt with sugar added or other chemical sweetners.  Use Greek and plain yogurt as salad dressing or combine with granola for a snack. The best probiotic supplements have enteric coating so they make it to your intestines and are not killed by the stomach acid.  Visit www.brendawatson.com for lots more information on probiotics and digestive health.

#4 Laughter –  like a big old belly laugh! 

Why?  Belly laughing will stimulate “feel-good” chemicals within the body

and also enhance the immune system.

How? Pets and children are good laughter stimulants – just watch them

for a while and even start the laughter with fake laughing.  It will turn into

joyful laughing very quickly.  Do it in the privacy of your own home.  Better yet, share it in public – get a wave of laughter going and spread the benefits to others.  And first thing in the morning when you become conscious – smile!  Even a fake smile will affect your internal chemistry and can change your day. Try it!

Earlier this month, I watched most of a program on OWN (OprahWinfreyNetwork) about those people who serve as Santa Claus. The show was a unique peak inside this important role development. I learned that there are training programs called Santa Schools for those aspiring to become a “professional” and others seeking continuing education.  One of the critical skills for a Santa-wannabe is the, “Ho Ho Ho”.  That got me thinking…….

A genuine laugh, known as a belly laugh, where you engage your abdominal muscles with repetitive waves of “ha, ha, ha’s” is really healthy.  Here is the physiologic reality:  when your mood is sad or depressed – your immune system also becomes depressed too leaving you vulnerable to infection.  Generally, we want to think that the holidays are a happy time of the year, but mental health professionals report that this is prime time for clinical depression as well as transient seasonal depressed moods.  These “downer” moods are generated by the expectations of the holidays, the weather, an increase in the ratio of hours of darkness to the hours of sunlight, alcohol consumption and over consumption and remembrances of family and friends who are absent or deceased – and become contributing factors to the increase in incidence of infections this time of year.  That is the depressing reality but on the on the brighter side: 10 minutes a day of belly laughing can turn your mood around.   

Do you suppose Santa Claus knows this or is he just a naturally happy guy?    

I recall taking one of my grandsons to visit Santa when he was 2.5 year old.   It was his first face-to-face exposure to Santa so we rehearsed a bit in the car on the way to the bank (interesting hang out for Santa Clause, don’t you think?) The visit was short and sweet and the dialog went pretty much as we rehearsed in the car.  Santa was a youthful guy with room to spare in the red suit, a generally believable beard and the classic glasses.  His “Ho, Ho, Ho” was not very hearty and didn’t seem to come from deep in his slim belly.  As we drove home with candy canes on our breath, Alex suggested we go back and “do it again” – to which I responded with a riotous round of “Ho, Ho, Ho’s and Ha, Ha, Ha’s” and we both belly-laughed all the way home.  It felt great.  See, infection prevention can be fun!  Try it.

Personification – remember that big word our high school English teachers forced us to add to our vocabulary? It might have been my first 6-syllable word with a real definition (before “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” – which meant nothing except to create a fun memory challenge).  However, the impressive word, personification, didn’t seem to be relevant for my lexicon as I set my sights on a career in nursing and I knew I would probably never “use it in a sentence”.  So what’s the point of putting it on the vocabulary/spelling list? Fast forward to the “afternoon of my career in nursing” as I struggled to engage people of all ages in practical microbiology for the purpose of infection prevention and health promotion.  I was discouraged by the disinterest in audiences around the world about this very important area of foundational knowledge.  My “bright idea” to address this obstacle was to personify the microbes and let them deliver the messages about infection prevention. 

The Encarta Dictionary defines personification as:  a representation of an abstract quality or notion as a human being, especially in art or literature or attributing human qualities to objects or abstract notions

Actually, I have found personification to be an effective tool in changing behaviors in my 5 year old grandson. Example: he can easily become bored with breakfast.  But when we give the scrambled eggs or oats (cooked hearty oatmeal) a voice – and they beg to not have to go down the slide (throat) and into the stomach – Alex is empowered to “control” them and send them there.  And then there are the “sneaky eggs” and “sneaky oats” that hide from the boy in the bottom of the bowl or plate in hopes of avoiding capture and ingestion. They get cleaned up in a flash with a clever little smile.

OK – speak up if you think that my personification psychology violates Alex’s relationship with his food.  Well, he doesn’t seem to tire of the game and he eats  good healthy food without complaint.  

This morning Alex was joyously singing “Frosty the Snowman” before school and it hit me - others have used personification to delight, engage and manipulate children and adults. Barney is a vague personification of a dinosaur that teaches good will and manners and the tyranadon family  and the conductor on “The Dinosaur Train” on PBS teach paleontology. Even Santa Claus is the personification of love and generosity, and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer becomes the personification of hope and humble contribution.    

So the personification of microbes is the educational psychology behind my nanobugs.  They are “microbes with attitude”.  The pathogens are characterized as “a bug you love to hate and avoid”.  The normal flora bacteria and the probiotics are playing on your team – Healthy U – and are recognized as worthy of your support.  Why not join me in this mission and let the nanobugs entertain and educate you and your family about practical microbiology? 

                              the next big microscopic thing…..nanobugs

How many times does the news report and remind us that American children are not globally competitive in the areas of math and science?  That is one of the primary challenges of nanobugs, inc and many other companies, teachers and parents.   As a nurse, grandparent, and health educator, I also know the importance of teaching our children (and their parents) how to manage their health and avoid sickness and infection.  Infection and illness are not inevitable! We only need to learn more about microbiology and infection prevention, anatomy and physiology of the human body, nutrition and food safety, and behaviors that enhance wellness and reduce risk of disease.  The nanobugs can teach the entire family about infection prevention and microbiology while they entertain and engage young and old. 

In recognition of Green Monday – December 12, 2011, nanobugs inc offers 3 healthy ideas for your body, your mind (knowledge) and your pocketbook:

Today is World AIDS Day #23.  It’s hard to believe that we have been using this first day of December for 23 years now to call attention to AIDS and HIV infection.  CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, provides support to nearly 80 countries to strengthen their national HIV programs and build sustainable public health systems.  Here are 3 priority global strategies for HIV infection prevention:  

So many toys and gifts don’t promote health and wellness – and if they are labeled “educational” they may end up at the bottom of that wish list for Santa.  It’s hard for parents to decide between entertainment and education when selecting gifts and toys.  The nanobugs were created to entertain and educate people of all ages about practical microbiology for infection prevention.  Infections and sickness are not inevitable.  We can teach our children how to manage their health and avoid infections.  Parents may need to expand their knowledge too, by learning more about microbiology, human anatomy and physiology, the immune system, nutrition and food safety and behaviors that enhance wellness and reduce the risk of disease.  It doesn’t need to be boring or academic. No need to sign up for a class at the community college. The nanobugs can teach the entire family while they entertain the young and old.

The primary serving rule with a turkey dinner is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold and make sure they spend very little time in between.   Appropriate holding temperatures, whether hot or cold, tend to dehydrate and deteriorate the food as time goes on.  But if the rule is not followed, the consequences can be nauseating! 

Just because a turkey is golden brown on the outside, doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat.  Cooking a turkey safely is a matter of degrees!  The goal is to kill the nanobugs like salmonella without overcooking and dehydrating the turkey flesh.

Whole birds should be cooked to 180 degrees F.  The temperature should be measured in the innermost part of the thigh next to the breast.  A turkey breast should be cooked to 170 degrees F. measured with a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast meat.

The only way to know if the turkey meat is done and safe to eat, is to monitor the internal temperature with a food thermometer.  Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey or the breast, making sure not to touch bones, fat or gristle.

There are four kinds of thermometers available for this purpose. 

          1 – Dial Oven-Safe model: This one is to be inserted into the turkey when

                it goes into the oven and remains throughout the roasting.

          2 – Dial Instant-Read model: This thermometer is used to periodically

                check the temperature of the turkey.  It accurately displays temp

                after 15 to 20 seconds.  It is not intended to stay in the

                turkey during the roasting.

          3 – Digital Instant-Read model: This thermometer is used to periodically

               check the temperature. It does not stay in the food during the

               roasting. Check the temperature with this one when you think the

               bird is done – will only take 10 seconds with this thermometer.

4 – Pop-up Timer:  Some turkey producers insert these devices into the

      birds before they are packaged.  The devices are generally reliable

      within 1-2 degrees.  However, it is best to use the pop-up timer as an

      alert and then confirm the proper temperature with a food  

      thermometer.