The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Recall of the Week: More Sportspower Trampolines due to fall hazard

Sportspower Ltd. is recalling about 120,000 BouncePro 14’ Trampolines; 92,000 units were recalled in May 2012.

The enclosure netting surrounding these trampolines can break, allowing children to fall through the netting and be injured, the company and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a joint statement.

Sportspower has received an additional nine reports of the enclosure netting breaking since the May 2012 recall. There have been five reports of injuries including broken bones, back and neck injuries, and contusions.

This recall is an expansion of the May 2012 recall of brown tetlon netting to now include black tetlon netting. This involves the Sportspower BouncePro 14' Trampolines with model TR-1686-TPR.

UPC code 687064045552 or 687064042100 is printed on the product’s box. Sportspower BouncePro 14’ is printed on a plate on the leg of the trampoline frame.

The trampolines are surrounded by enclosure netting on the perimeter of the trampoline measuring about 6 feet high. The netting is designed to contain individuals bouncing on the trampoline.

Manufactured in China, the trampolines were sold only at Walmart stores nationwide from February 2009 through March 2011 for about $300.

Consumers should immediately stop using the trampolines and contact Sportspower to receive replacement enclosure netting, the company and commission advise.

For more information, call Sportspower at 888-965-0565, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, visit www.sportspowerltd.net and click on “Recall Information” at the bottom of the page, or e-mail customerservice@sportspowerltd.net.

For details on other recalls, see www.recalls.gov.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Recall of the Week: Implus Footcare Perfect Resistance Bands for exercising due to injury hazard

Implus Footcare is recalling 75,600 Perfect Resistance Bands used for exercising.

The bands can detach from the mesh cloth loops posing an injury hazard to the user and those in the vicinity, the company and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement.

The Perfect Bands are rubber tubes connected through a hole and secured by grommets to cloth sewn into loops. The bands can be used alone or with optional handles, which are sold separately.  

The bands are about 40 inches long and are used for exercises described on the product packaging card and in a Workout Chart available online on the product website.  “Perfect Fitness” is printed on a tag on the cloth loop. UPC codes can be found on the package. The recalled bands are:

• Perfect Bands Heavy 25 lb. capacity with UPC Code 096506310354, color purple.

• Perfect Bands Very Heavy 30 lb. capacity, UPC Code 096506310361, color gray.

• Perfect Bands Ultra Heavy 40 lb. capacity, UPC Code 096506310378, color black.

Twelve incidents were reported, 11 to the firm and one to the commission, including injuries to the back, hand, and eye. None of the injuries were serious and one required medical attention.

Manufactured in China by Dalps & Leisure Products Supply Corp. No. 5, the bands were sold at WalMart, and online at www.perfectonline.com for about $13 to $17.

Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact Implus Footcare for a refund or replacement, the company and commission advise.

For more information, call Implus Footcare at 800-446-7587 and select option 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday; e-mail recall@4implus.com; or visit www.perfectonline.com/recalls.

For details on other recalls, see http://www.cpsc.gov/en/.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

New Coca-Cola advertising campaign on obesity not helpful in addressing nation’s weight crisis

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is critical of the approach Coca-Cola is taking in its new obesity ad. Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson said in a statement:

The soda industry is under siege, and for good reason. This new advertising campaign is just a damage control exercise, and not a meaningful contribution toward addressing obesity. What the industry is trying to do is forestall sensible policy approaches to reducing sugary drink consumption, including taxes, further exclusion from public facilities, and caps on serving sizes such as the measure proposed by [New York City] Mayor Bloomberg.

The center urges consumers to watch the video The Real Bears. Viewed by more than two million people, the video is a sometimes harrowing portrait of a polar bear family's struggle with obesity, diabetes, and other soda-related health problems.

"Manipulative marketing techniques position soda as a life-affirming source of happiness, when in fact out-of-control soda consumption is fueling an epidemic of disease," Jacobson said in another statement.

In addition to the video, The Real Bears web site has a fact sheet that calls attention to a number of what CSPI says are lies told by soda executives. For example, research has proven a direct relationship between consumption of sugary drinks and an increase in obesity, which promotes diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and many other health problems, he said. However, the soda industry refutes the connection.

Other information from the fact sheet:

• Each additional sugary drink consumed per day increases the likelihood of a child becoming obese by about 60 percent.

• Sugary drinks are connected to other health problems as well.

• Each soda consumed per day increases the risk of heart disease by 19 percent in men.

• Drinking one or two sugary drinks per day increases your risk for type 2 diabetes by 25 percent.

• Diabetes can lead to erectile dysfunction.

If you drink a lot of soda, be sure to take a look at The Real Bears video and webpage. It could improve your health and save your life.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Watch out for diet and fitness cons in the New Year

As consumers ring in the New Year, many make resolutions to improve their health in 2013. If you are one of these, the Better Business Bureau warns to beware of ads promising quick and easy ways to lose weight. Doctors, dietitians, and other weight loss specialists agree that the best way to lose weight is to eat less and increase your physical activity.

In 2012, BBBs nationwide received more than 13,000 complaints about the health and fitness industry. This includes health clubs, health and diet products, and exercise equipment. Consumers have complained about deceptive advertising, ineffective products, and confusing or misleading contracts.

For consumers looking to lose weight this year, the BBB offers the following advice:

• Consult a physician. Before starting any weight loss program, visit your family doctor to discuss your overall health and safe and effective weight loss programs.

• Do research. Always check out fitness clubs, websites, and other health-related companies with the BBB by visiting www.bbb.org.

• Read contracts carefully. When signing up for recurring memberships, such as at a gym or weight control program, be sure to understand all the terms and conditions before signing. Make sure you know how to cancel and whether or not your membership is automatically renewed at the end of the contract.

• Be wary of free trials. Know when the free trial begins and ends and whether or not you have to call to cancel in order to avoid future charges. Be clear on how much you’ll be charged if you don’t cancel and whether or not you have to return any unused product.

• Avoid unproven products. Fad diets and new products are advertised every year that promise amazing results. Many such claims aren’t supported by evidence and some products have dangerous side effects.

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of claims that a product can shed pounds without dieting or exercise or programs that promise unusually good results.

Best wishes on finding a weight loss plan that works for you. It can be done. More than a dozen of my friends have been able to lose weight and keep it off.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Dancing your way to better health

More and more older Americans are turning to dancing for exercise, seeing it as an enjoyable way for them to become more active without feeling like they’re doing work.

Here are some of the unique benefits that dancing can provide, according to AARP.

• Dancing doesn’t feel like exercise – One reason dancing is successful is because most people don’t think of it as exercise, even though dancing actually moves more parts of the body than walking.

• Dancing=stretching – Even if you flub a few steps, it’s still fun and great for stretching the midsection, and it will increase flexibility, balance, and coordination. It can also boost muscle power in legs and even strengthen bones, because dancing is a weight-bearing exercise.

• Dancing can protect against dementia and diabetes – A recent study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine found that teaching the cha-cha to a small group of older adults twice a week for six months was enough to improve their memory and cognitive function on a number of tests. Dancing can also help those with Type 2 diabetes lower their blood pressure and control their weight.

• Social dancing – Camaraderie, enjoyment, and laughter during dance classes can help participants become more physically active and, in the process, improve health.

• Low impact, high benefits – Even for those who are already active, dancing provides benefits without the wear and tear that other forms of exercise can cause. Dancing is easy on the joints and can open and elongate the body.
  

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Communication, exercise, food, fall yard work, and travel are the topics for this week’s Blogging Boomer Carnival

Tom Sightings of Sightings from 60 is the host for this week’s Blogging Boomer Carnival #281.

The carnival is a collection of like-minded blogs cooperating to share their best stories of interest to the Baby Boomer Generation.

This week, boomer bloggers are writing about the importance of: communicating with others, exercise for boomers, aging cheese, getting your yard ready for winter, and enjoying travel.

Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are leading corporations, serving as governmental officials, heading up non-profits, worrying about retirement, and experiencing layoffs at a higher rate than younger workers. They’re also reinventing themselves in trying economic times, with some looking for their dream jobs to keep them happy in retirement.

At each stage in their lives, boomers have changed things. They’re continuing to make America different as they begin entering into their retirement years.

In addition to The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide, members of the Blogging Boomer Carnival are: The Accidental Locavore, The Midlife Crisis Queen, Sightings From 60, Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures, So Baby Boomer, and Vaboomer.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Tips for stressed-out women this Mother’s Day

There’s no doubt about it. Being a mom in these modern times can be stressful.

Women are more likely than the general public to cite as sources of stress family health concerns – 57 percent for women, 53 percent for the general public – and family responsibilities – 62 percent for women, 57 percent for the general public, according to the American Psychological Association survey, “Stress in America: Our Health at Risk.”

In addition, caregivers, both men and women, are more likely to report higher levels of stress than others, 6.5 for caregivers and 5.2 for the general public, in 2011, on a scale of one to 10 where one is low stress and 10 is high stress).

“What I see in my practice is that too often women are so focused on other people’s needs that they neglect the stress in their own lives,” Rosalind Dorlen, Psy.D., chair of the New Jersey Psychological Association Public Education Committee and spokewoman for the American Psychological Association, said in a statement. “With so many competing responsibilities, women often don’t take time for themselves, and their overall wellness can be compromised.”

For Mother’s Day, New Jersey Psychological Association offers these strategies for busy women, mothers, and caregivers:

Take care of yourself – Set aside time to engage in healthy activities that you enjoy or that help you relax. Identify hobbies, increase exercising or eating healthy foods. Making time for yourself will help you better manage stressful situations and allow you to better care for the whole family. Also, find something that makes you laugh – humor is important, and laughter can make life a whole lot easier.

Recognize how you deal with family stress – Some people deal with stress by engaging in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, comfort eating, or yelling and becoming irritable. Remember that stress is inevitable. What makes the biggest difference is how you manage that stress.

Reach out to others – Enlist and accept help from others including friends and family. Identify ways your family can help with specific needs that must be met such as proving a meal or babysitting so you can find time to take a break and rejuvenate. Take time to connect with your women friends when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Strong female friendships can help women overcome stressors.

Keep things in perspective – Remind yourself that each morning offers a new start and take things one step at a time. Realize that there’s no one perfect way to parent. Staying optimistic lowers stress.

Prioritize – You can only do one thing at a time. Delay or say no to the unimportant tasks, and make appointments for more important tasks, such as spending quality time with a spouse or child.

Be organized – Keeping the family and yourself organized reduces stress. Put family health information in separate folders; get family members to keep laundry in color-coded baskets; keep book bags in assigned bins. Harried searching for things adds to mom’s stress. Enlist your children’s help in developing an organization plan for your household – if they’re involved in the planning, they’ll be more likely to follow through.

Ask for professional help – If you feel overwhelmed by stress or the unhealthy behaviors you use to cope, you may want to talk with a psychologist who can help you address the emotions behind your worries, better manage stress, and change unhealthy behaviors.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Boomer Project predicts baby boomers will continue to transform America in 2012

By Rita R. Robison

In its recent newsletter, the Boomer Project, a consulting firm focusing on marketing to boomers, predicts that baby boomers will continue to transform American culture, pursuing their own vitality through their midlife years and on into old age.

John Martin, on the left in the photo, and Matt Thornhill, co-founders of the Boomer Project, offer these top 10 predictions for 2012 for boomers:

1. Boomers will remain at the head of the table, heading more households than any other generation, including more multigenerational households.

2. More boomers will embrace city living, attracted by the variety of activities, energy, and hassle-free lifestyle advantages offered by the center city and new urban villages.

3. More boomers will get religion, since the median age in America increases every year as boomers grow older, and older people are more likely to attend church than younger ones.

4. Boomers will become even more wired to stay connected to their kids and grandkids.

5. Health and well-care will be everywhere, with boomer spending on wellness, fitness, and physical appearance increasing in 2012.

6. Boomers will volunteer even more, with boomers projected to swell the ranks of volunteering by almost 50 percent over the next 10 years. 

7. Boomers will drive green innovations that matter, because boomer consumers want to be responsible in their consumption, striving for sustainability, not planned obsolescence. 

8. Boomers will lead the age of responsible consumerism, because the Great Recession – timed with the green movement, volatility of retirement accounts, and anticipated governmental cuts – has helped usher in more responsible consumerism.

9. Boomers will create the "longevity economy," a growing portion of the American economy that will be based on the behaviors, needs, and desires of the 50-plus market.

10. Boomers will support a thoughtful plan for America's future, because boomers are transformational and have led or supported many societal shifts – from women's rights to gay rights.

Martin and Thornhill close their 2012 predictions by saying:

These predictions may paint an optimistic view of 2012, but we have never been fervent believers in the Mayan prediction that the world ends on December 21, 2012. For boomers, 2012 marks the first year of the rest of their lives. Another year when they can make a difference.

See the January 2012 issue of Jumpin' Jack Flash, the Boomer Project's newsletter, for more information on these 10 predictions.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Federal agency launches SuperTracker to help consumers make healthy food, exercise choices

By Rita R. Robison

Just in time to help Americans follow through with their New Year's resolutions, SuperTracker, a new web tool, is being launched to assist consumers as they make changes in their life to reduce their risk of chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight.

"Overcoming the health and nutrition challenges we face as a nation is critical and the SuperTracker provides consumers with an assortment of tools to do just that," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

"This easy-to-use website will help Americans at all stages of life improve their overall health and well-being as they input dietary and physical activity choices into the tool,” Vilsack said. “During the holiday season we are surrounded by good food and this is a perfect time to enjoy your food, but eat less." 

The web tool is the second in a series of consumer messages supporting the MyPlate icon – Enjoy Your Food, But Eat Less – that USDA is promoting over the next three months with more than 5,000 organizations participating in the MyPlate Nutrition Communicators Network.

The SuperTracker, available at ChooseMyPlate.gov, can help consumers choose a variety of features to support nutrition and physical activity goals. It offers them the ability to:

• Personalize recommendations for what and how much to eat and amount of physical activity.
• Track foods and physical activity from a database of foods and physical activities.
• Customize features such as goal setting, virtual coaching, weight tracking, and journaling.
• Measure progress with reports ranging from a meal summary to an analysis of food groups and nutrient intake over time.
• Put into operation the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines.
• Support family and friends by adding their individual profiles.

The SuperTracker complements the USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let's Move! initiative and provides information to help health professionals, nutrition educators, and consumers build healthier diets to combat epidemic rates of overweight and obesity.

Additional consumer messages in the months to come will include Drink Water Instead of Sugary Drinks; Make at Least Half Your Grains Whole Grains; and Avoid Oversized Portions.

ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other user-friendly nutrition information.

Additional resources include Dietary Guidelines.gov, ChooseMyPlate.gov, and LetsMove.gov.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Tips for healthy eating during the holidays

By Rita R. Robison

If you’re like me, you’ve put on a few too many pounds recently and you’re worried about additional weight you could gain during the holiday season. 

Parties abound and fabulous meals will confront you, with tasty wines, eggnog, and special liquors to tempt you. Holiday cookies, fruitcake, pies, and other delightful desserts also are a problem.

What can you do to keep from gaining weight? Here are some tips from the University of Illinois Extension’s DeWitt-Piatt-Macon Extension Unit to help get you through the maze of wonderful holiday food:

1. Be realistic about the holidays and don't try to lose weight. Instead, concentrate on having a good time with family and friends.

2. Eat before you eat. Try not to wait until time for that special meal to eat. Skipping breakfast and lunch can cause you to overeat. Have a bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit, some vegetable sticks, or handful of nuts before arriving for the meal.

3. Bring your own healthy dish. The host may appreciate it, and it can provide at least one healthy item for you to eat. 

4. Use pasteurized eggs for recipes that require raw egg with no additional cooking such as eggnog. 

5. Avoid excessive snacking. Save your calories for the big meal.

6. Be aware of beverages. Alcoholic beverages, soda pop, punches, and other sweet drinks provide a lot of calories and almost no nutritional value. In addition, alcohol can lessen inhibitions that may result in overeating.

7. Eat slowly and savor your food. Take time to enjoy your meal. It usually takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full. Eating slowly may prevent overeating.

8. Eat lightly during the next meal if you’ve overeaten. It takes about 500 calories per day above your normal calorie intake to gain one pound during one week.

9. Make dishes you’re preparing "healthier" by reducing the salt, fat, and sugar content.

10. Keep food safety in mind when preparing turkey, stuffing, and food items if you’re hosting the meal.

11. Find time to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days, including the holidays. Physical activity can help offset some of the calories from holiday eating.

Good luck with your healthy eating holiday plan. We all need it because there are so many wonderful temptations during the holidays.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist