Facts About Vitamin B12

Raw oysters on ice. Oyster, shellfish, seafood, food safety. 2009 Annual Research Report photo by Tyler Jones

Vitamin B12 works with folate, another B vitamin, to make DNA, our body's genetic material. B12 is needed for proper formation of red blood cells and protection of nerve cells. This 2-page fact sheet discusses vitamin B12 requirements, ways to get enough vitamin B12, and effects of vitamin B12 deficiency. Written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised January 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy214

Healthy Living: Changing Your Lifestyle to Improve Your Blood Pressure

Figure 1. Women running up stadium steps for exercise. Image used in the 2014 Research Discoveries report. Credits: Javier Edwards, UF/IFAS

Most people know that high blood pressure can often be improved by making smart dietary choices and choosing foods lower in sodium. But did you know there are other ways to help control high blood pressure and even prevent it? This 4-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses four lifestyle changes that can help you keep blood pressure down. Written by Karla P. Shelnutt and Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised February 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1129

Facts About Folate

A pile of shelled, Florida Fancy variety peanuts

Everyone needs folate. It is especially important for women who can become pregnant. Pregnant and nursing women, growing children, and older adults also need plenty of folate. This 2-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses folate requirements, ways to meet those requirements, and possible effects of folate deficiency. Written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised February 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy186

Healthy Living: Diabetes Care During Sick Days

Hand held electronic diabetes monitoring devices. Metabolic diseases, blood sugar. Image used in the 2012 Annual Research Report.

When you are sick, your blood glucose levels are harder to regulate. Being sick often causes blood glucose levels to rise, which can lead to serious health conditions. It is important to have a plan to manage your sick days so you are prepared ahead of time. This 3-page fact sheet is a major revision that provides information on the ways illness can affect blood glucose, suggestions for easy foods to have on hand, and a checklist to use when deciding whether a call to a doctor is in order. Written by Jennifer Hillan, Emily Minton, and Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised February 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy884

Seguridad Alimentaria: Juegatela seguro con los huevos

Fresh eggs at the farmers market downtown union street.

Los huevos frescos pueden contener bacterias que podrían causar una enfermedad llamada salmonelosis. Esta enfermedad causada por alimentos provoca vómito y diarrea. Esta puede ser severa y hasta podría ser fatal para los adultos de mayor edad. Reduzca el riesgo de contraer esta enfermedad al seguir estas pautas. Written by Linda B. Bobroff and Jennifer Hillan, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised February 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy194

The Art of Goodbye: Putting Your Legal and Financial Affairs in Order

Thinking, discussing, and acting ahead of time will help reduce the social discomfort associated with death and dying.

Making final legal and financial decisions can often be an uncomfortable and complex process. This 4-page document from The Art of Goodbye series is designed to help you consider your specific circumstances and gather the information you will need when talking with professionals who will work to carry out your wishes. Written by Brenda C. Williams, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, January 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1472

Seguridad Alimentaria: Su cocina pasa la prueba?

Cutting vegetables and food preparation.

Los adultos mayores corren un mayor riesgo de contraer enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos. Para ayudar a reducir el riesgo, es importante tener prácticas de manipulación de alimentos sanas. Cómo se compara su cocina? Written by Jennifer Hillan and Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised January 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1163

Healthy Eating: Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH

Basket of fresh tomatoes and bell peppers.

One eating plan that has been shown to prevent and reduce high blood pressure is DASH. This 3-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses the DASH eating plan, its importance, foods included in the eating plan, and servings. Written by Valerie Weyenberg, Karla P. Shelnutt, and Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised December 2017.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1128

Living Well to Keep Your Pressure Down

Students running in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida, exercise, bleachers, fitness. UF/IFAS Photo: Sally Lanigan.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, can cause serious health problems. It makes your heart work harder and can damage your blood vessels even if you feel okay. Everyone should have their blood pressure checked regularly. If you have certain risk factors, you are more likely to have high blood pressure. This 6-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses risk factors and ways to reduce risk. Written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised November 2017.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy305

Prevencion de Caidas: Seguridad en el Hogar

Image used in the 2013 IFAS Extension Calendar. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.

La casa donde usted ha vivido la mayor parte de su vida ahora puede causarle problemas a medida que envejece. Lo bueno es que hay cambios que puede hacer para reducir el riesgo de caídas y mantener su casa un lugar seguro para vivir. Use la siguiente lista para identificar posibles áreas problemáticas en su casa. Repasado julio 2017. Written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy859

Healthy Eating: Understanding the Nutrition Facts Label

University of Florida Associate Professor Linda Bobroff shows a student how to read a nutrition label on a frozen dinner, Tuesday (10/14), as part of Smart Food Shopping for Teens, a program developed at UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The program also teaches teens about enviroshopping, the practice of choosing products that are not overpackaged and that can be recycled. The program is aimed at teaching teens good shopping and eating habits before they form bad ones.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that most food packages have the Nutrition Facts label. This label contains information about nutrients in the food to help people make healthier food choices. Older adults can use the label to choose foods that provide required daily nutrients or fit with a diet plan to manage a disease or health condition. This 4-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses the Nutrition Facts label, checking calories, limiting certain nutrients, % Daily Values, and consuming enough fiber, vitamin D, potassium, calcium, and iron. Written by Linda B. Bobroff and Karla P. Shelnutt, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised May 2017.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1127

Choosing Healthy Meals As You Get Older: 10 Healthy Eating Tips for People Age 65+

A man examines a glass of water in the sunlight.

After introducing MyPlate in June 2011, USDA provided a series of fact sheets to help consumers use the dietary advice of the Dietary Guidelines 2010. USDA continues to add fact sheets to the series, reflecting the most current Dietary Guidelines and issues important to consumers. This fact sheet was developed by the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion/USDA in partnership with the National Institute on Aging/National Institutes of Health, with an introduction by Linda B. Bobroff. This series of fact sheets is distributed by UF/IFAS Extension, June 2017.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1474

Prevent Osteoporosis: Catch the Silent Thief

Cheese made by the University of Florida Dairy department.

Osteoporosis means porous bones, or bones that have so many openings (pores) that they can easily break or be crushed. In the United States, 54 million people either have osteoporosis (10 million) or are at high risk (44 million) because they have low bone mass. By 2020, one in two Americans over the age of 50 is expected to have osteoporosis of the hip or be at high risk of developing the condition. This 11-page fact sheet discusses risk factors, calcium for bone building, calcium-rich foods, calcium supplements, vitamin D, and exercise. Written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised February 2017.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy469

Carotenoids and Eye Health

Crown of broccoli. Photo taken 5/24/16.

A diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables provides a variety of nutrients as well as phytochemicals that can promote health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two non-provitamin A carotenoids that may be protective against AMD, the leading cause of permanent central vision loss in older adults. This 3-page fact sheet provides an overview of carotenoids, AMD, lutein, zeaxanthin, risk factors for AMD, and good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin. Written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised October 2016.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1217

Alimentos en Pure: Prueba de Textura con la Prueba de Desplome

Figure 6. A) puréed canned beets with water separation; B) puréed canned beets with the addition of a small amount of puréed kidney beans and showing no water separation (cylinder filled to 2” marking).

This is the Spanish version of FS276 Pureed Foods: Texture Testing with the Slump Test. For individuals with dysphagia, the texture of puréed foods is extremely important. If the puréed foods are either too thick or too thin, it can make it more difficult to swallow. The slump test is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to assess the texture of foods. This four-page fact sheet describes the slump test, how to perform a slump test, and how the slump test can be used to evaluate the texture of puréed foods. Written by Wendy J. Dahl, and published by the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs288

The Art of Goodbye: Communication Considerations

Upfront discussions about expectations could potentially offset or defuse future problems.People are frequently at a loss for the best way to begin a discussion about end-of-life concerns with loved ones and health care providers and are also unsure of the topics they should cover. Nonetheless, conversations about end-of-life care and advance directives can help ensure that the person’s wishes are honored. These measures also eliminate much of the difficult decision-making that loved ones typically face at the time of their loved ones’ passing. This 5-page fact sheet, part of a new series entitled The Art of Goodbye, discusses the barriers to discussing the end of life and the process of communication with loved ones and health care providers. Written by Suzanna Smith, Lynda Spence, and Chelsea Tafelski, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, October 2016.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1470

Vida Saludable: Diabetes

Hand held electronic diabetes monitoring devices. Metabolic diseases, blood sugar. Image used in the 2012 Annual Research Report.

La diabetes es una condición en la que el cuerpo tiene dificultad de producir o utilizar la insulina. La insulina es una hormona que controla la cantidad de glucosa (azúcar) en nuestra sangre. Cuando una persona tiene diabetes, el cuerpo no produce insulina o produce muy poca insulina o una insulina que no funciona bien. Esto resulta en altos niveles de glucosa en la sangre.
This 4-page fact sheet is a major revision that discusses diabetes, possible consequences of high blood glucose, risk factors, healthy weights, symptoms, control methods, and ways to choose a healthy diet. Written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, revised October 2016.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy079

The Art of Goodbye: Why People Are Talking About the End of Life

This series is for individuals who want to be able to communicate effectively with family and/or friends about important end-of-life decisions.Mortality has been a taboo subject for many years. Many cultural, demographic, educational, and policy changes have played a part in a shift toward an increased openness to talking about death as a natural part of life in the United States. This 5-page fact sheet is the first publication in a new series entitled The Art of Goodbye, and it covers changes in living and dying, preferences for the end of life, roles of substitute decision makers in health care, and communication. Written by Suzanna Smith and Lynda Spence, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, October 2016.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1468

The Art of Goodbye: Exploring Health Concerns

Thinking, discussing, and acting ahead of time will help reduce the social discomfort associated with death and dying.

Issues and questions about care at the end of life are as unique and complex as the individual receiving care. The condition and culture of the patient and family, religion, spirituality, education, occupation, social class, friends, and personal preferences can affect end-of-life care. Sometimes decisions are made by the individual patient. At other times, the family and health care providers are involved. This 6-page fact sheet, part of a new series entitled The Art of Goodbye, explores health concerns and discusses aspects and types of care at the end of life. Written by Lynda Spence, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, July 2016.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1467

The Art of Goodbye: Exploring Self-Reflection

Collecting your thoughts in your own space and time can help inform future conversations with loved ones.

Many people assume that preparing for the end of life involves filling out forms at the doctor’s or lawyer’s office. Forms and checklists have their place and can be helpful, but they cannot address every issue because end-of-life concerns are complicated. Self-reflection is a helpful tool that begins to lay a foundation for planning while articulating people’s complex and unique emotions, values, priorities, fears, and preferences when it comes to facing their own mortality. This 4-page fact sheet is the second publication in a new series entitled The Art of Goodbye, and it covers resources that can help individuals explore their personal concerns and values before initiating end-of-life discussions with loved ones. Written by Lynda Spence and Chelsea Tafelski, and published by the UF Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, July 2016.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1465