Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, communication issues, and unusual, repetitive or severely limited activities and interests. While it can affect anyone, autism has been found to be more common in boys than in girls.

Spread autism awareness in your community this month by getting involved, attending an event, or even just discussing it with family and friends.

Mediterranean Diet Improves Heart Health National Autism Awareness Month

April 2013

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published the results of its study on how a Mediterranean diet affects heart health. This study—the first major clinical trial on the subject—revealed that following a Mediterranean diet can prevent about 30 percent of major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, strokes, and deaths from heart disease in high-risk individuals.

This diet focuses on improving heart health through consumption of certain foods rather than on losing weight. Participants in the study were either assigned to follow a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, wine, beans, fish, fruits, and vegetables, or a low-fat diet. Of the participants following a Mediterranean diet, half were instructed to consume at least four tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil per day, and the other half were instructed to consume at least one ounce of walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts per day.

The basics of the Mediterranean diet were to consume, at a minimum, two servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit per day, fish at least three times per week, and legumes

such as beans, peas, and lentils at least three times per week. Participants were instructed to eat white meat rather than red, and, if drinking was a normal part of their routine, to drink at least seven glasses of wine per week with meals.

Participants’ adherence to the diet was tracked through blood and urine samples. In addition to revealing the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, the study showed that low-fat diets are not significantly beneficial and are more difficult to maintain.

While not everyone is convinced of the study’s findings, the study, which tracked the health of over 7,000 high-risk individuals in Spain, is a major stride in diet and heart health research.

Brought to you by: Henriott Group

DID YOU KNOW

Having a family member with autism can affect many areas of life. Things like going out to eat, attending sporting events and even watching movies can be uncomfortable or even impossible for individuals with autism. Many organizations are working to break down this barrier by hosting autism-friendly events such as movie

showings.

This brochure is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. For further information, please consult a medical professional. © 2013 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.

Are you one of the millions of Americans who make dangerous mistakes with their medications?

Mistake #1: Assuming that the drug you take home is the one your doctor prescribed

The pharmacist may misread the name of the drug on the prescription or on the bottle he is dispensing from. For example, your doctor may prescribe Lamisil for a nail infection, but you receive Lamictal, a drug used to treat seizures. Write down the name and the dose of everything your doctor prescribes and know what each one is for. Then, at the pharmacy, double-check that you have the correct medications. If you're taking a generic drug, check with the pharmacist that it's the right one.

Mistake #2: Not reading or following the instructions on the drug’s label and the fda leaflet

It's "exceptionally rare" for someone to read the pamphlet that comes with a prescription medication, says Albert W. Wu, M.D., the director of the Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. No surprise-it is usually cluttered with chemistry-major language and not nearly as entertaining as Facebook. But it contains vital information that's worth the slog.

Before you leave the counter, get a Cliffs notes summary from the pharmacist. Ask her to go over the most important things you need to know. Details matter:

"Take at the same time every day": Doses that are taken too

close together could put excessive amounts of the compound into your system. Conversely, if you wait too long between doses, you may not have enough medication in your body for it to be effective. "Take with food": The medication may cause an upset

stomach, or an empty stomach could interfere with the drug's absorption. "Avoid alcohol consumption": This warning indicates the

potential for harmful interactions such as drowsiness and dizziness; causing nausea and vomiting; and triggering a rapid heart rate. "Do not chew or crush": A crushed pill is absorbed more

quickly, which could leave you with a dangerously high level of the drug. Be especially cautious of this when giving medicines to children.

Mistake #3: Not keeping track of all medications you use

Between vitamins and allergy medicines, birth control pills and painkillers, losing track of medications and supplements is easy to do.

4 Common Prescription Medication Mistakes

"Some seemingly innocuous medications can interact with other drugs," says L. Jo Parrish, a vice president of the Society for Women's Health Research, in Washington, D.C. For instance, antacids can prevent antibiotics from being absorbed into the bloodstream. That can reduce the effectiveness of the antibiotic or prevent it from working at all. Antacids have the same effect on blood thinners and heart medications

The smartest solution is to write down everything you take, including products you use only occasionally. An easy tracking method is to keep the list of drugs on your phone (put it in your contacts under M, for medications). Record the names and the

strengths of all drugs, vitamins, and supplements plus how often you take them.

Mistake #4: Storing medications improperly and keeping them too long

Store medicines in their original bottles in a cool, dry place such as a hallway linen closet where they won't be exposed to heat or moisture. (A typical medicine chest is one of the worst storage places because a bathroom's moisture can cause pills to deteriorate.) Make sure to follow any refrigeration instructions.

Look at the date on each and dispose of any that have expired. "Some drugs lose their effectiveness over time, but others can become toxic," says Wu. Unless otherwise specified on the label, the FDA doesn't recommend flushing expired medications down the toilet. Instead, place them in a zippered plastic bag, throw in something undesirable, like used coffee grounds (to deter curious kids or pets), then toss the bag in the trash.

By Real Simple Magazine / Healthy Living