intouch FA17.pdfFall 2017 intouch 3 ... Staying active is key to living a healthy life as you age. Unfortu-nately, osteoporosis is a common disease that can lead to

Avocados Fatty fish Turkey Citrus fruits Dark chocolate

This nutritious fruit is rich in potassium, which promotes lower blood pressure. Avocados are also an excellent source of vitamin B-6, which has been shown to reduce stress, lift mood, and protect the immune and nervous systems.

Salmon and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that help protect the brain and nervous system from developing stress-related disorders such as depression or anxiety.

If you’re in need of serenity, plan for a hearty serving of turkey. It’s packed with tryptophan, an amino acid that helps release serotonin. Sero-tonin plays a big role in mood regulation, and without enough of it, humans have a greater chance of developing depres-sion. Tryptophan can also be found in dairy and seeds, so try a warm glass of milk or a hand-ful of roasted pumpkin seeds, too.

Regular consump-tion of vitamin C has been associated with lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension. If you’re feeling stressed, snack on an orange or add lemon slices to your water.

Stress can be tough on your heart. But if stress attracts your sweet tooth, you’re not completely out of luck. Researchers have found that dark chocolate increases blood flow among patients with heart disease.

Fall 2017 Volume 16 Number 2

in this issue

Control Asthma Triggers 2

Fall Farmers Markets 3

Osteoporosis 101 4

Practice Self-Care 6

intouchUnited Food and Commercial Workers Union and Participating Food Industry Employers Tri-State Pension Fund

Eat Right, Stress LessFood is a natural and enjoyable reward. It keeps our bodies replenished with necessary nutrients, and eating when we’re hungry activates pleasure centers in the brain. Frustratingly for many, though, foods high in carbohydrates and sugar can easily become an un-healthy crutch when stress takes its toll.

The good news is that eating the right foods during stressful times can help you tackle your anxiety from the belly up. Next time you’re stressed, stop before you reach for the chips and load up on these five foods instead. They’ll help boost your mood, calm your nerves, and promote good health for the long-term.

You don’t have to get weaker as you age. Gaining strength can make it easier to do everyday things like get up from a chair, climb stairs, or carry groceries. Strengthening your lower body will also improve your balance. To strengthen your muscles, you need to do weight-bearing exercises. Here are examples of simple weight-bearing exercises you can do at home:

Overhead arm raise: You can do this while standing or sitting in a sturdy, armless chair.

You can use 1- or 2-pound weights, or cans of soup. Keep your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Hold weights at your sides at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Raise both arms up over your head, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Hold the position for one second, then slowly lower your arms. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Side leg raise: Stand behind a sturdy chair with feet slightly apart. Hold on to the back of the chair for balance. Slowly lift one leg out to the side. Keep your back straight and your toes facing forward. The leg you are standing on should be slightly bent. Hold the position for one second, then slowly lower your leg. Repeat 10 to 15 times with each leg.

Sweet Potato SaladRecipe summaryPreparation time: 30 minutesNumber of servings: 10Cups of fruits and vegetables per person: 1.0

Ingredients:2½ lbs. sweet potatoes2 medium-size tart green apples,

unpeeled and cut in ½-inch dice1 small fresh pineapple, cut into ½-inch

chunks or 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits½ cup golden raisins¾ cup mayonnaise¾ cup plain yogurt1½ tbsp. curry powder½ tsp. salt

Directions:In a saucepan cover potatoes with salted cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes well. Peel potatoes while warm and then allow to cool completely before cutting into ¾-inch chunks; place in large bowl. Add the apples, pineapple, and raisins; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add to potato mixture and toss gently until well combined. Chill for one hour before serving.Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Fruits and Veggies: More Matters”

Control Autumn Asthma TriggersTo thrive during the fall, make sure you are aware of a few common asthma triggers.

Ragweed PollenThis allergen is thickest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. TAKE ACTION: Keep windows closed and limit outside activity during this time of day.

VirusesColds and the flu can trigger asthma.TAKE ACTION: Get your annual flu shot and avoid people who are sick.

Mold Decaying leaves are a prime spot for mold to grow. TAKE ACTION: Wear a mask while raking, or avoid raking and ask somebody who isn’t allergic to do the raking.

Temperature Drops Fall days can get cool. These temperature swings may trigger asthma. TAKE ACTION: When outside in cold weather, wear a scarf that covers your mouth and nose.

STRONGER MUSCLES Make Life Easier

For answers, see page 7.

Try This! Sudoku puzzle

Fall 2017 intouch 3

Get the most from fall produce by filling your canvas tote with a rainbow of foods. Different colored fruits and vegetables contain different types of antioxidants with unique benefits, so eating a variety puts more health-boosting power on your plate. Look for the most vivid colors. The brighter the color, the more antioxidants a fruit or veggie contains.

Antioxidants are important because they may protect your body’s cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. These molecules occur when the body breaks down food. Toxins in the environment, like cigarette smoke, also cause free radicals. Left un-checked, free radicals can cause diseases—including cancer.

Nutrients are at their peak when produce is just-picked, so the goods at a local farmers market are brimming with benefits. Here’s what to look for in autumn:

Green vegetables are rich in antioxidants.

Lutein, for example, helps protect your eyes and may prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. Greens are also a great source of other health essentials, such as folate, minerals, and fiber. Look for broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and Swiss chard.

Orange and yellow plants are packed with carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C.

These nutrients promote vision and may reduce the risk for certain cancers. Shop for acorn and butternut squash, persimmons, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.

4 7 2 34 1

6 7 52 3

7 28 1 95 3 9 6

8 18 5

Find Fall’s Bounty at the Farmers MarketRed, blue, and purple shades mean a fruit or veggie is a rich source of anthocyanins or lycopene.

These antioxidants may reduce your cancer risk and protect your heart. Fill up on cranberries, pomegranates, and red and purple grapes.

Osteoporosis: What You Need to Know

Staying active is key to living a healthy life as you age. Unfortu-nately, osteoporosis is a common disease that can lead to serious injuries and compromise your mobility. Osteoporosis affects both men and women and causes your bones to become weak and fragile. As you lose bone mass, you’re more likely to break a bone.

The inside of a normal bone looks like a honeycomb. When you have osteoporosis, the holes and spaces in the honeycomb become much bigger. The outside of your bone also becomes thinner, which weakens your bones even more.

What Causes Osteoporosis?Many different risk factors can lead to osteoporosis. They include:• Your gender—women are more likely to develop

osteoporosis than men.• Your age—your risk increases as you get older.• Your family history—if you have a family member

with osteoporosis you may be at risk, too.• Sex hormones—the drop in estrogen that occurs with

menopause can lead to osteoporosis; low testosterone levels can cause osteoporosis in men.

• Your diet—low levels of calcium and vitamin D can lead to bone loss.

• Inactivity—lack of bed rest or lack of physical activity can weaken your bones.

• Smoking—cigarettes are harmful for your bones.• Alcohol—drinking too much alcohol can result in

bone loss and broken bones.• Medicines—certain medicines used to treat other

conditions can cause bone loss.• Medical conditions—many different diseases can

impact your bone health.

What Are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis?There are no warning signs that you have osteoporosis. You can’t see or feel bone loss. You may not know that you have it until you break a bone.

Fall 2017 intouch 5

Is There a Screening for Osteoporosis?A bone mineral density test is most often used to diagnose osteoporosis. The screening uses a tech-nique called central dual-energy X-ray absorptiom-etry or central DXA. It measures your bone density at your hip and spine. The results show whether you have osteoporosis and your risk of breaking a bone.

Women older than age 65 should be screened for osteoporosis with a bone density test. If you’re a woman younger than age 65 and have a high risk for fractures, discuss with your doctor when you should begin screenings for osteoporosis. There are no standard screening recommendations for men. Discuss with your doctor if you may be at risk for osteoporosis and whether you should get screened.

How Can I Reduce My Risk for Osteoporosis and Fractures?Whether you have osteoporosis or are at risk of developing it, many of the steps you can take to treat and prevent bone loss are the same. Some lifestyle changes that can help protect your bones are:• Eating a healthy diet that’s high in calcium and

vitamin D with foods such as low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, and foods fortified with calcium like orange juice and cereal

• Increasing your physical activity—aim for about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, most days of the week

• Quitting smoking and limiting your alcohol intake

If your doctor recommends medicine for treating your osteoporosis, there are several different options available. Many of these medicines target either cells or hormones involved in bone loss. Work with your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits to find the one that may be best for you.

If you have osteoporosis, it’s also important to take steps to prevent falls that can lead to broken bones. Some ways to prevent falls are:• Wearing nonslip shoes• Keeping clutter off of your floors• Making sure your home is well-lit• Securing carpets and area rugs to the floor• Using a rubber mat in the shower or bath tub• Installing grab bars in your bathroom

Why You Shouldn’t Skip Regular Doctor VisitsReason #1: Discuss Preventive StrategiesRegular doctor visits help you keep up-to-date on preventive care. And that helps you stay healthier in the years ahead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, if everyone in the United States got recommended preventive care, 100,000 fewer Americans would die each year.

This is a chance to talk with your doctor about making healthy lifestyle choices. For example, you might discuss ways to stay physically active, lose unwanted pounds, or quit smoking.

Reason #2: Get Vaccines and ScreeningsRegular doctor visits also help ensure you receive all the vaccines and screenings you need. Vaccines lower your risk for certain diseases and their complications. Screening tests and exams help you find specific health problems early, when treatment works best.

Reason #3: Manage Chronic ConditionsIf you have a long-term health condition, regular doctor visits help you manage it more successfully. This is a chance to let your doctor know about any changes in your health or problems with your medicine. At these visits, your doctor may conduct a physical exam and do tests, talk with you about how things are going, or adjust your treatment plan, if needed Reason #4: Be Ready for New ProblemsYou never know when an unexpected health problem might arise. Your main doctor may treat the new condition or refer you to a specialist. Either way, it’s good to have a doctor you trust overseeing your care and guiding you in the right direction. That’s the kind of relationship built up through regular doctor visits.

6 intouch Fall 2017

5 Have herbal tea for dessert. A mug of unsweetened tea every night after dinner may be a nice way to unwind and relax without adding extra calories and sugar.

Unexpected Ways

With the holidays approaching, it’s not uncommon to think of everyone else before yourself. But stop for a moment and ask yourself: What would be so wrong about giving myself a break?

In truth, there’s nothing wrong with self-care. Although it might feel selfish during busy times, it’s anything but. Stress management is vital to prevention of health problems, such as heart disease and depression.

If time is holding you back from self-care, start small. Schedule 20 minutes for meditation, a mind-body practice that promotes calmness. All you need is a quiet location, a comfortable posture, your focused attention, and an open attitude. Once there, ask your body what it needs. An intense workout? A good laugh? Find the revitalization methods that work for you. Start by trying one of these techniques:

to Practice Self-Care 6for the Body and Mind

1 Write a gratitude list. Write down at least one thing each day that was good. Even if it’s as simple as getting out of work 20 minutes early, document it as something that enhanced your outlook.

2 Sing in the shower. Research suggests that singing promotes self-expression, stress reduction, better mental health,

spirituality, and feelings of empowerment.

3 Schedule a phone date with a friend. Friends near and far make life more enjoyable and provide support in times of need. And just as you may need a friend to talk with, it can be equally rewarding to

lend an ear.

4 Try laughter yoga. Laughter yoga combines yoga breathing exercises with laughter, which increases the level of oxygen in the brain and body. Partici-

pants report enhanced feelings of self-belief, positive energy, and distraction from negative thoughts.

6 Breathe in essential oils. Aromatherapy uses essential oils to make you feel better physically and emotionally. Try peppermint or rosemary to boost your energy, chamomile to help you sleep, or lavender to reduce anxiety.

Listed below are recent retirees of the UFCW Tri-State Pension Fund. We thought you would like to know which of your former coworkers have now joined the ranks as retirees. We congratulate them on their retirement!

Our Recent Retirees

Answers to the puzzle on page 3.

© 2017 PuzzleJunction.com

Local 27Alvin ParkerAngela ClarkAntoinette M. KaczynskiCeleste AxonCharles T. TirneyDale MillerDarlene WettenHenry Witt Jr.James MckayJoan EvansJohn E. BrownJoseph CelliMary E. BrownMelanie A. HawkinsNancy SkinnerPatricia DonatoSharyn A. KelleySusan E. MurphyTheodore Towers

Local 152Carol L. BradleyDiane KennistonJames BrattenKaren L. WeissenbornLeonard BonittLinda LappLinda SmithMarion VergantinoMichael MurphyOsvaldo SanchezPatricia A. CampbellWilliam FaustWilliam Summers Jr.

Local 1360Antonetta StillitanoApolonia MillsChristine CraigDaryll BerryDavid WengerDenise Gage

Donna L. GibsonDonna Y. WaldenEdward EffrigGeneva OutingGregory M. KomeroskyHector ArroyoJeanette AlbaneseJohn Foster Jr.John McdermottJolyn PollakKathleen WhiteKenneth R. BlakesleeLaura J. RafineLesly A. PalmerLinda Simmons-BirchMadeline BallardMarguerite BerryMary Ann WarnerMaryann LaveeNancy RonaynePatricia BartonPatricia BaumanPatricia M. WittmeyerRhonda ColwellRobert WagnerRussell MorrinSandra SaltzmanSharon GottoviStanley Mackey

Local 1776Anthony BoccutiBarbara A. RiceBelinda BarrBonnie SmithBrenda GyecsekBruce HowardCarol A. OrzechowskiCurtis LadleyCynthia K. DundoreDaniel HoodDarlene N. PearsonDeborah B. Johnson

Denise HillDenise RyanDominic TrimboliEdward PressFrank GaffneyGary LerchGrace ChanGregory BierlyJames J. OgdenJane M. BlewittJeffery HamiltonJo Anne PontelandolfoJohn LavinKathleen A. SundayLinda LappLinda M. SborliniMargaret CumiskeyMarianne CoffeyMarlene MalandrinoMary QuinnMatthew TuckerMichael DambraMichael HarkinsMichael LoebsackMichael PulliMichelle Lukas-TorresPamela Lenhart Patricia Heenan Patricia A. HeilRobert ShallSha KenyattaSharon LewisStanley F. SydnorStephen CummingsTheresa SabellaThomas DaileyThomas KleppingerWilliam Yacovella

1 5 4 7 6 2 9 8 33 8 7 4 9 5 1 2 69 2 6 3 1 8 7 4 54 1 5 9 2 3 8 6 77 9 3 5 8 6 4 1 28 6 2 1 7 4 3 5 95 3 1 2 4 9 6 7 86 7 9 8 5 1 2 3 42 4 8 6 3 7 5 9 1

Fall 2017 intouch 7

SpotlightI retired from Pathmark and after winter-ing in Florida for 13 years, we moved here permanently 11 years ago. We love living here and enjoy cruising. We have been on 34 cruises and have two more booked. We have cruised across the Pacific Ocean and many times across the Atlantic Ocean. We have traveled to 41 different countries and all 50 states. We love to travel! Dave & Martha Richard

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT #882

LONG PRAIRIE MN© 2017. Articles in this newsletter are written by professional journalists or physicians who strive to present reliable, up-to-date information. But no publication can replace the care and advice of medical professionals, and readers are cautioned to seek such help for personal problems. All images are used for illustrative purposes only. Developed by StayWell. (5528M)

The InTouch With Our Retirees newsletter is made available to you by:

Board of TrusteesWendell W. Young IV, UFCW Local 1776, ChairmanDan Dosenbach, Acme Markets, Inc., Secretary

Union TrusteesKevin Drew, UFCW Local 1776Michelle Eubank, UFCW Local 27 Sam Ferraino, UFCW Local 1360Don McGrogan, UFCW Local 1776Michael McWilliams, UFCW Local 152Tim Terifay, UFCW Local 1360

Employer TrusteesStephen E. Moyer, Acme Markets, Inc.Sloan S. Nichols, PHR, Acme Markets, Inc.Stacy Slate, Acme Markets, Inc.

Contract AdministratorRegina C. Reardon

Joining your local union’s Retirees’ Club is a great way to keep in touch with the people you’ve worked with over the years. In addition to monthly meetings, club members partic ipate in various social events and trips. Here is a list of the contact persons and phone numbers for the various Retirees’ Clubs:

Local 27 Towson Office 410-337-2700 Selbyville Office 302-934-5389

Local 1360 Clayton Rager 856-769-0089

Local 1776 Earl Helfand 610-828-4866

Retirees’ Clubs

Keep intouchWe want to stay in touch with you! If you get a new address or phone number, the Pension Fund office needs to be informed in writing so your records stay current and you continue to receive vital pension information. Here’s how to reach us.

By mail or in person: Tri-State Pension Fund3031 B Walton RoadPlymouth Meeting, PA 19462

By phone: 610-941-4282 or 866-928-8329

By fax: 610-941-9347

intouch

By email: [email protected]

Visit our website: www.ufcwtristatepensionfund.org

United Food and Commercial Workers Union and Participating Food Industry Employers Tri-State Pension Fund3031 B Walton RoadPlymouth Meeting, PA 19462

With Our Retirees

Look Inside This Issue …

Unexpected Ways to

Practice Self Care

Control Asthma Triggers

Our Recent Retirees

Send Your Pictures!

How are you enjoying your retirement?

Spending time with family? Traveling?

We want to see what you are up to!

Email your best photo or photos to

[email protected]

or mail to Tri-State Pension Fund

3031 B Walton Road

Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

and watch for it in an upcoming issue.