In Part 2 of 3 of this blog series we mentioned that you’ve probably heard of the “stages of readiness” for making actual behavior change based on the work of Prochaska & other colleagues. In Part 1 of 3 of this blog series we talked about what to expect from a professional resource and even touched on the subject of health coaching.

In Part 1 of 3 of this blog series we also cited an example of a chance encounter we had in the produce section of a supermarket highlighting that timing is everything and how it provided an opportunity to support someone who was ready to make a positive choice for behavior change at the point of purchase.

Opportunities for making small changes in life can occur at any time on any day.

We also mentioned a simple downloadable pdf with some family stories focusing on “A Year of Being Well” that mention how anyone can implement small changes and have those steps add up in improving the quality of their lives. The family members kept some key points in mind as they engaged in behavior change that made it easier for each of them to be successful.

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In Part 1 of 3 of this blog series we mentioned a chance encounter in a supermarket with a man who had reached the produce section and wanted to buy more salad vegetables, but was stymied once he was actually in the store at the point of purchase.

He almost walked away without any salad ingredients because he was still going through the stages of making an actual behavior change.

All he needed was a little encouragement, information & support in his decision making once he was right there in the store. Timing can make such a huge difference in life!

He’d been thinking about eating more vegetables as one of his New Year’s Resolutions for 2013, but hadn’t yet gone through all of the stages of readiness to really be fully prepared to follow through on such behavior change.

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We’ll start off this blog post with a true story about a chance encounter with someone in the supermarket who appeared to be ready to make behavior change just this week.

While shopping on the day before New Year’s Eve, a fellow shopper was staring at various salad making packages in the produce section.

He seemed to be trying to decide if he should get a package and if so, which one to get.

He had put a package with added seasoning packets into his cart, then just as our cart was reaching that section, turned right around and put the package back onto the produce cooler shelf. His hands were then moving around between two other packages and he was hesitating before he drew them back. His body language indicated it was likely he was about to leave the produce area with no selection made.

Noticing our cart, he offered to get out of the way, saying he knew he should be eating more vegetables and was thinking of getting some salad greens, but he really was unsure of what to get. “I know I should be eating more vegetables and I really want to, but I’m not much of a cook” he said.

This was a split second opportunity to support him in what he really wanted to do, before he wheeled his cart away due to self doubt in his own food shopping & preparation skills and missed the chance to turn his intent into action. Fortunately he had no dietary restrictions to consider.

Asking him if he preferred any type of salad green(s) over others, it turned out he did prefer the mixed baby greens. Next we determined if he had any seasonings already at home and he remembered he had some Italian Seasoning blend he liked–so we discussed quickly how he could sprinkle that on a plate of mixed baby greens.

Then it was time to determine if he liked his salad with anything else in it or on it. Once it was clearer what he enjoyed, it was easy to discuss how to simply add some of those other raw vegetable items he liked that were right there ready-to-use, and then working with some other preferences he expressed, review options for a touch of a more healthful salad dressing with taste and flavor elements he liked to top it all off.

This discussion in total literally took just about a minute, but in that time he was able to move into preparation for behavior change and then next hopefully take action and actually change his behavior since he left the produce section with ingredients in his cart and a big smile on his face and said “thanks” for the help.

He appeared ready to make behavior change–he just needed to see how he could successfully do it. He verbalized a stumbling block to making change was his doubt of his own food shopping & preparation skills. He just needed a little help when shopping in order to feel confident about making fresh produce choices in the supermarket.

Coping With New Year’s Resolutions That Involve Behavior Change

Yes, it’s that time of year again when people begin the annual cycle of making New Year’s Resolutions that might involve behavior change.

It happens every new year. Just as life is a cycle, so is each year. Sometimes failed attempts at previous New Year’s Resolutions are “recycled” and sometimes new resolutions that involve behavior change are contemplated.

Many people have probably been going through thinking about making some 2013 New Year’s Resolutions, just as this man stated his desire to start eating more vegetables in the new year. Some might even be considering exactly how they might implement such behavior change.

The man in the supermarket went shopping without a grocery list, so he hadn’t taken all the steps necessary to help himself once he got to the supermarket to shop more confidently and purchase the items that would allow him to make the behavior change to eat more vegetables.

Others may not yet have fully crystallized their thoughts on the topic. They may not realize what is actually involved in making serious behavior change or they may not yet be convinced they need to make any serious behavior change.

(Image of “A Year of Being Well” property of & courtesy of the Michael and Susan Bell Foundation and shown here for illustrative purposes only).

Many New Year’s Resolutions have to do with behavior change involving food consumption +/or fitness. Keep in mind that for an approach to work long term, you will probably have to adopt some new behaviors.

If you seek professional advice and assistance, just what should you expect to receive?

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In Part 1 of 2 in this series, we mentioned some sites to check for emergency information for storm preparedness, including for downloading apps to a smart phone, and some water and food considerations to stock in advance of any emergency storm situation.

In this Part 2 of 2 of this series, we’ll mention various other considerations, including clothing; paperwork pointers including having handy paper versions of emergency contact info for your own family and then for local services; other equipment and supplies to consider and some ideas of what to possibly have handy for the various human family members; and as well supplies to have handy for any family pets.

NOTE: Please remember that the following is for infotainment purposes only and is NOT meant to be all inclusive and is NOT meant to replace information available in your own unique location. You are URGED to make yourself aware of information available in your own locale from emergency management services there as they are most familiar with the location where you live and how you should prepare for any emergency in your area.

Clothing:

• Any water resistant clothing should be stored in waterproof containers so it can be easily accessed as needed– the space-saving type bags (which allow you to remove any extra air) can be especially useful for this purpose.
• Depending upon your climate, that could mean extra outerwear and other items such as water resistant shoes and/or water resistant boots, jackets with hoods, ponchos, gloves, hats, wraps/blankets, etc.

 Appropriate Fire Extinguishers:

• Remind yourself where you keep your A-B-C or other type fire extinguisher(s) in case you need to reach same in the dark with only flashlights to guide you. Especially keep these near by if you plan to use a camp stove to heat up any food and/or water.

Paperwork:

• All important papers for you and your family including copies of credit cards and passports should be stored in a water-proof and fire-proof safe.

Available on you, in water resistant pouches should be:

• drivers license
• medical insurance cards
• credit cards
• passport if you live near a border crossing and might be considering crossing over into another country, along with some
• paper money in various denominations (we’ll mention this again later as well, since during a power outage in an area your credit cards might not be useful to you initially, whereas cash and/or traveller’s checks depending upon where your location is and where else you may be going may be king)
• contact number for insurance of all sorts

Emergency Information including Health & Medical Information; other Contact Information:

• Any child needs emergency contact info in waterproof packaging to be kept with the child at all times–and make sure any medical condition alert, including any allergy or intolerance information is FIRST on the listing, and make sure a picture of the child with the child’s name on it is also there, plus a picture of the child with the family in case family members get separated.
• Each member of the family should have emergency contact information with them as unfortunately in emergencies sometimes family members may become separated. If possible, include contact information for any family members or close friends who live in an area not anticipated to be affected by the storm system and could provide support if they can be reached and might even be able to provide shelter later on if need be.
• Medical Alert Bracelet, etc.: Make sure any family members who have a medical alert bracelet, etc., are wearing the bracelet, etc.

UPDATE your List of Emergency Contact Info for Local Services:

• Local Emergency Management Agency if run by your county
• Local Community Red Cross Including for area shelters
• Other Local Shelters (besides Red Cross) such as at schools, Salvation Army, etc.
• Police & Fire Depts if any number other than 911 is used in your area
• Public Health Department services your family might need to access
• Rescue services in your area if any are private
• Area Emergency Rooms and
• Area Urgent Care Centers

Other Equipment & Supplies:

• Portable radio(s) with fresh batteries and we actually like also having the emergency type radio(s) that you hand crank as backups –especially any one that has NOAA frequency setting, etc; make a note of the local AM and FM radio stations that provide updated information pertinent to your locale during an emergency in your area as well).
• At least one working flashlight with fresh batteries per person of appropriate size for the individual plus a couple of extra flashlights for the entire family unit that are of a larger size.
• Make sure you have refilled any medications and store them in easy enough to open containers inside resealable plastic bags and keep them with you at all times.
• Personal hygiene items of all types–include disposable special pads as needed, any needed disposable diapers for babies even if you usually use cloth diapers, disposable personal wipes, hand sanitizer)
• Emergency first aid kit with alcohol wipes and ointments and bandages, etc., including ace-type wrap bandages to deal with sprains that might occur
• Space-saving type (removal of excess air) stored washable blankets and sleeping bags (they are more portable if enclosed in the space-saving type bags), packaged tarp (to put under sleeping bags to help keep them dry), etc.
• Backup prescription glasses (better than contacts d/t dirty hands issues, wind issues, etc.–plus contacts need special cleaner solutions, etc.)
• Disposable dust masks sometimes can come in handy in windstorms; also bring scarf type wraps with you
• Check battery supplies including for specialty batteries such as hearing aid batteries, etc.
• Fill up the gas tanks on any cars
• Have gas can(s) filled up in case they are needed for refueling a vehicle (gas becomes scarce in many a storm situation)
• Area map should be kept in water-proof packaging
• Walking sticks should be available for older family members
• Evacuation travel bag packed with appropriate level of warmth clothing in case you somehow wind up at an emergency shelter; extra set of house keys and car keys with each adult or teen licensed to drive
• Cash of various denominations in water proof bags inside water proof container
• Emergency medical form for each family member inside water proof bag
• Fully charged cell phone inside waterproof bag; portable charger inside waterproof bag
• Waterproof matches
• Light sticks (which are considered safer than candles) for each family member
• *Manual safety-type can opener (that is actually a can lid uncrimper) as noted on our Pinterest site under Kitchen Gadget Favorites (the type of can opener that unseals cans, rather than cutting them is always best to use, especially in a storm crisis when the last thing anyone needs is a cut from a can lid, but a can opener that cuts off can lids could be used if there is no other option) for whoever will be opening canned food supplies as needed. Uncrimping style safety can openers really are much safer to use under low lighting conditions.
• Adults or children old enough to use them should each have their own multi-purpose tool, again because during an emergency sometimes family members become separated
• Walkie-talkie type two way radios if available
• If you have to leave your home, you may choose to use a wrench to shut off the main water supply and also the main gas supply to your house prior to leaving (this can help when it comes to gas main/water main emergencies)

Pet Supplies:

Pet supplies for your pet including adequate water & food/snacks (keep all pet food & snacks in waterproof containers) & appropriate bowls, medications, extra leashes, extra pet towels, cleanup bags and more, proof of rabies vaccination (in case you have to go to a shelter), records of microchip information, and photos and descriptions of pet(s) (should pet(s) become separated from you), emergency contact info that includes for their veterinarian, etc.

Portioning dry pet food into sealed plastic bags or having some canned product you can open with a safety can opener* can be particularly helpful (some pets only take certain meds with canned food, etc., so bring what your animal(s) are used to). Some pets actually are used to having a travel bag on their back and if so, bring that, also if possible, pet blanket/pad and at least one sturdy toy. (Image of pet dog with travel bag ©2012 courtesy of webmaster)

Make sure any dog and/or cat, etc., wears the collar and tags you have for the animal.

Hopefully you, your family and friends, and any pet family members will be able to make the best of a difficult situation by being better prepared for it. Sharing your own tips for coping with storms with family and friends may also benefit them as well.

If you are safe and sound and able, consider checking on those around you in your area, including any with various physical or intellectual challenges. Don’t forget to check on any elderly persons you know of, especially those who are frail and/or may live alone. Hopefully they will be able to find some support before the brunt of the storm hits, but be sure to check on them at least afterwards to see if they need any additional help.

Also consider contributing to any of the relief agencies that help those who experience the worst brunt of the storms to get through them. Your contribution might be of your time, and/or your talent, and/or your money.

Anyone who has gone through and survived a bad storm knows there’s no feeling comparable to being safe and sound after a storm. The aftermath of a storm can seem to last forever sometimes and any help is always welcome in the days, weeks, and sometimes months of cleanup & rebuilding of lives afterwards.

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There have been many kinds of storms including hurricanes, tornadoes, nor’easters & more over the years & such storm activity will continue in the future. One can’t stress enough how important it is to have an emergency plan of preparedness that includes a checklist for supplies & be ready at a moment’s notice to actually implement any such plan.

Dietitians who operate feeding centers have to be prepared to serve thousands of meals, even if there is no power available and limited water supplies.

We have personally experienced 11 days without power after a microburst storm hit our area back in 1998 around Labor Day that year. Farther north of us earlier that same year many people experienced microburst storm activity to a much greater extent with freezing rain/ice.  Just two years prior that area had experienced similar microburst winter ice storm activity and been without power for at least 17 days (and in many instances for several weeks) during the height of freezing cold winter.

Many people have experienced much worse storm damage and much longer periods without power, so know that being prepared really is essential.

(Image of potential disasters striking from 1993 Federal Emergency Management Agency aka FEMA materials developed in conjunction with the American Red Cross)

Disaster preparedness includes much more than just having adequate water and food supplies.

This two-part blog series is a compilation of some advisements put out by various emergency preparedness agencies and other sources to encourage readers to implement any emergency planning should you be in the path of any storm system at any given time.

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Have you ever wished you could easily build a customized grocery shopping list that would make it easier when it comes time to head to the farmers market and stores for supplies?

There are MANY “kitchen” and “pantry” focused food item shopping lists that have been posted over the years, with some being much more comprehensive than others.

In this technical age there are both low tech and high approaches to dealing with coming up with those grocery shopping lists and we’ll cover some details of each type of approach.

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In the Northeast, August is the month where truly more localized produce variety increases and all sorts of marketplaces will start to feature a wider range of locally sourced product.

We’d like to share some tips below to help make shopping for August Abundance that much more enjoyable for you. We’ll include ideas for before you head out shopping, once you arrive at the market place destination and while you are there, and then after you get back home again.

In PA the weather has often been more temperate in the growing regions and they’ve had enough rain fall to enable farmers to send their harvest to stores that buy directly from them, including ones in NY.

(Photo of corn stalks growing in a farmer’s field courtesy of our webmaster in PA).

As the month progresses, here in the Northeast, we expect to see sweet corn (including the classic “butter and sugar” variety), along with some early apples showing up at farm stands, farmers markets, and in grocery stores that buy “locally” as well. (Usually some produce will come in from both NJ and PA as well as NY).

Do you remember what other fruits and vegetables are typically seasonally available in the Northeast right now?

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We’ve discussed the importance of eating food choices from the “rainbow of color” options out there, but some readers wrote in asking for even more specifics than we have previously listed in various blog posts.

Although within the US we have moved from using a model of a food guide pyramid to using a model of a plate to encourage healthful choices in dining, there are still some useful pyramid options out there.

(Fresh Produce on Display in Taormina, Sicily, Italy, graphic courtesy of Betty H)

The “Mediterranean Diet” (general Mediterranean style dietary intake as part of a total lifestyle) visualized as a food guide pyramid is one example; and an anti-inflammatory pyramid popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil is another example.

For infotainment purposes only, we’ll share some anti-inflammatory food item options in the following listing, which is by no means all-inclusive, but should give you the gist of the breadth and depth of wonderful food source options that have been reported to have some anti-inflammatory properties. A dietetic colleague, John S. Pasztor, MPH, RD, CDE, over at the The Regional Diabetes and Endocrine Center, Cape Fear Valley Health System, gladly shares another version of a list from 2009 with his patients and with members of a dietetic practice group one of us belongs to.

We have used for inspiration bits and pieces of various skeleton listings out there and then come up with our own fleshed out infotainment version, subject to change/further updating, which follows. Research is ongoing and some items will show up on one list, but not another, in various reviews of research, so realize the list* is always subject to modification/updating as newer research results are reported and older results further clarified.

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