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Joyfully, Audrey Myers Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences

Cooperative

Extension Service

Taylor County

1143 South Columbia

Campbellsville, KY 42718

(270) 465-4511

Fax: (270) 789-2455

www.ca.uky.edu/ces

National Nutrition Month 2

Green Cleaning 2

Effects of Alcohol & Drugs on the Teenage Brain

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Save the Date - Estate Planning

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Defensive Driving Class 3

Extension Homemakers 4

Colon Cancer Awareness Program

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Childhood Obesity Program 4

Financial Considerations While Caring for an Aging Parent

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April Calendar 5

Asparagus Tomato Salad 6

Health Bulletin

Money Wise Newsletter

Taylor County

Having Trouble Concentrating? Do you have so many things to do that you just cannot seem to concentrate on anything? There are many distractions in our day-to-day lives. Here are a list of some distractions you may fight and how to deal with them:

Social Media – Social media is a great way to stay connected to friends and

family, but it can stop you from being able to concentrate on a task you have to do. If you are always checking for status updates, you may not be able to stay on track. The best way to avoid this distraction is to not log onto social media sites when you are at work. If you feel like you have to check, limit it to only when you have break times.

Email Overload – Do you run to answer each email as soon as it comes into

your inbox? If you stop a current project to answer an email, it may take you a lit-tle while to get back to work on the project. If possible, create only certain times that you answer emails, even if it is that last ten minutes of every hour. That way you can work on your project uninterrupted and still check your emails in a timely manner.

Multitasking – We like to think that we are good at multitasking; that we are

able to get more done in a shorter amount of time. The truth is that it usually takes LONGER to complete those tasks than if you had done each one individual-ly. This is especially true if you are working with a tight deadline. Save multitask-ing for tasks that are not urgent.

Stress – When people feel like the plate is full, they may not be able to work

on any one project. A person may also develop headaches or tight muscles which make it even harder to concentrate. The best way to deal with stress is to find a way to reduce stress. You may start deep breathing or even meditation. One study even found that when people meditated they not only lowered the stress but actually increased their focus.

Being Tired ‒ When you are not getting a good night’s sleep and resting, it

can be very hard to concentrate. Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep each night and some may need up to 9 hours of sleep. By getting enough sleep, you are able to be more alert and be able to pay attention to the task you need to com-plete. There are many reasons that people have a hard time concentrating. These are a few examples of the issues and a few solutions. Remember you can always talk to your healthcare provider about having trouble concentrating if it is a serious problem for you. Reference: Ratini, M. (2014). Top Concentration Killers. http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/ss/slideshow-top-concentration-killers

FCS Extension News March-April 2016

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Healthy Bites for March: National Nutrition Month® Developing mindful eating patterns that include nutri-tious and flavorful foods is an important part of an overall healthy lifestyle and should include a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy and lean proteins. As part of National Nutrition Month® 2016, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages everyone to "Savor the Flavor of Eating Right.” How, when, why, and where you eat are just as important as what you eat. Take time to enjoy the traditions and appreciate the great flavors and social experiences food can add to your life. Tips to Savor the Flavor of Eating Right: Experiment with herbs and spices. Discover new and exciting tastes while trimming fat and sodium from cooking. Innovative use of herbs and spices offers a flavor advantage, especially if the goal is to cook with less fat and sodium. Keep a basic assortment of dried herbs and spices on hand such as oregano, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili pow-der, Italian herb seasoning blend, thyme, and rose-mary. Remember to store dried herbs and spices in airtight containers in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry. Enjoy food traditions and social experiences. Food nourishes the body and provides fuel to help us thrive and fight disease. Food is also a source of pleasure and enjoyment. There is an obvious social factor to food, whether it’s a family dinner, special holiday oc-casion or social gathering, food often plays a central role. Research indicates that family meals promote healthier eating and strengthen family relationships. Prioritize family meals and enjoy the food traditions that accompany any type of social gathering. Appreciate the experience and flavors of food. Take time to appreciate the flavors, textures and overall eating experience. In today's busy world, we often eat quickly and mindlessly. Try following this tip to help you savor the flavor of your food: Eat slowly. Eat one bite at a time, and focus on the different fla-vors and textures. Stop and take time between bites. Eating slowly not only allows you to enjoy your food, but can also help you eat less by giving your stomach time to tell your brain you are full. Develop a mindful eating pattern. How, when, why and where you eat is just as important as what you eat. Being a mindful eater can help reset both body and mind and lead to an overall healthier lifestyle. Think about where you eat the majority of your meals. Many eat lunch at their desks or dinner in front of the

television. Take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to find a nice place to mindfully eat in-stead of multitasking through meals. Reduce sugar, sodium, and saturated fats. Choose foods and beverages with no added sugar whenever possible. Read food labels and avoid buying foods with added sugars such as high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, evapo-rated cane juice, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose, honey, agave or maple syrup. Most sodium con-sumed in the United States comes from salts add-ed during commercial food processing and prepa-ration. Use the Nutrition Facts label to compare sodium content of foods and choose products with less sodium. Reduce your intake of saturated fats by replacing them with unsaturated fats. Unsatu-rated fat, which includes polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, is found in foods like oils, fatty fish, nuts and seeds. Check out more re-sources from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at: http://www.eatright.org/resources/national-nutrition-month. Source: University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, Health Bites Newsletter

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The Effects of Alcohol and Drugs on the Teenagers’ Brain You could never imagine that your teen child would use or even try alcohol or drugs. Unfortunately, alco-hol and drug abuse among teens is more common than we think. Even if you think your teen doesn’t use, it is important to understand that these problems exist and that they could be just around the cor-ner. Below you will find information about the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs on a teen’s brain. This is valuable information that can be used to talk with your children and address these problems with them. Drug and alcohol consumption in adolescence can have severe short and long-term effects on a teen’s brain. Short-term effects of marijuana use include impaired short-term memory, which makes it difficult to learn and recollect information, and impaired motor coordination, which interferes with the teen’s driving skills. In high dosages, the teenager can suffer from paranoia and psychosis. Long-term effects can in-clude personality and depressive disorders in later adulthood. Teens that start smoking cannabis at this stage are more vulnerable to cognitive damag-es. Also, drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines can damage neurons that can affect the adolescent’s brain development for life in two areas specifically: impulse control and ability to experience reward. Heavy drinking has been associated with the inability to retrieve verbal and nonverbal information and with poor performance on school tests that require atten-tion skills. Teens that drink are more likely to suffer psychological distress, anxiety, depression and acci-dental injuries. Youth who drink at an early age are more likely to be involved with crime and delinquency activities. If we really want to raise drug-free children, we must talk and discuss the harmful effects of drugs and al-cohol on our own brain. References: Brook, J. S., Cohen, P., & Brook, D. W. (1998). Longitudinal study of co-occurring psychiatric disorders and substance use. Journal of the American Academic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric, 37, 322-330. Brown, S. A., & Tapert, S. F. (2004). Adolescence and the trajec-tory of alcohol use: Basic to clinic studies. New York Academic of Sciences, 1021, 234-244. Drugs: what parents need to know. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/drugs_information.html#cat171. McNeely, C., & Blanchard, J. (2009). The teen years explain: A guide to healthy adolescent development. Johns Hopkins Bloom-berg, Center of Adolescent Health. Retrieved from http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/center-for-adolescent-health/_includes/Interactive%20Guide.pdf . Pope, H. G. Jr., Gruber, A. J., Hudson, J. I., Cohane, G., Huestis,

M. A., Yurgelun-Todd, D. (2003) Early-onset cannabis use and cognitive deficits: what is the nature of the association? Drug Alcohol Dependence, 69, 303-310. Toumbourou, J. W., Catalano, R. (2005). Predicting develop-mentally harmful substance use. In Stockwell, T., Grunewald, P. J., Toumbourou, J., Loxley, W. (Eds.), Preventing harmful substance use: the evidence base for policy and practice (p. 53-64). West Sussex: UK. John Wiley and Sons. Underwood, N. (2006). The teenage brain. Why adolescents sleep in, take risks, and won’t listen to reason. The Walrus. Retrieved from http://teachers.colonelby.com/vitzthumg/tok/perception/7.Teenage_Brain_w_questions.pdf. Volkow, N. D., Baler, R. D., Compton, W. M., Weiss, S. R. B. (2014). Adverse health effects of marijuana use. The New England Journal of Medicine, 370, 2219-2227. Source: Angelica S. Reina, Senior Extension Specialist for Child Development and Parenting Education, University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Defensive

Driving

Course For Seniors (Age 55 & over)

Tuesday, March 29 9:00 A.M.—12:00 P.M.

Deadline to register for the class

is March 25th

By taking this class, you will be eligible for a discount on your

auto insurance.

SAVE THE DATE

Personal Finances & Estate Planning May 3 & 10, 2016 7:00-9:00 p.m.

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Childhood Obesity Program Dr. Summer Tucker

April 19, 2016 Taylor County Extension Service

6:00 p.m. booths and refreshments 7:00 p.m. presentation

Scholarships Applications for the 2016 Taylor County Home-makers Scholarship are now available in the guidance offices of Taylor County High School and Campbellsville High School. The deadline for submission is April 15, 2016. The Scholar-ship Committee will meet at 10:00 a.m. on April 26 to review the applications.

Coming Soon! Taylor County Homemakers want to know what YOU want…what YOU think…and what OUR community needs. We hope you will take the time to help us when you are asked. A survey of our members will begin soon.

Soup Luncheon Many thanks to Kris Fixari and her crew for an-other successful Soup Luncheon fundraiser! We raised $810.00 at the February event.

Dates to Remember

March 24 Lesson Leader Training, Under- standing Pinterest, 10:00 a.m. March 31 Survey Committee Meeting,

10:00 a.m. Each Club should have at least one representative. April 15 2016 Scholarship applications due April 18-21 Kentucky Extension Homemak- ers Association State Meeting, Covington, KY April 26 Scholarship Committee meeting, 10:00 a.m. May 2 Taylor County Homemakers Membership Meeting, 6:00 p.m. May 5 Taylor County Homemakers Council Meeting, 10:00 a.m. May 19 Lake Cumberland Area Home-

makers Annual Meeting, Pulaski County

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Financial Considerations While Caring for an Aging Parent Did you know that almost 10 million adult children provide care for their aging and elderly parents? If you are one of these adult children or if you are thinking about having your aging parent move into your home, the financial impact of doing so can be major. Below are some financial considerations that you may wish to keep in mind:

Lowered income. Caring for your parent may

result in a decrease in your income if you are re-sponsible for their care around the clock. You must also think about the benefits that you may lose if you quit your job. Rather than quitting, you may be able to take advantage of flex-time and family leave poli-cies.

Hiring professional help. It can be difficult to

provide around the clock care for your parent. De-pending on your parent’s health, you may wish to hire a professional to help with bathing, feeding and dressing. Unfortunately, these services are often pricey.

Remodeling costs. Your home may not meet

your parent’s physical needs. For example, many

aging and elderly people require handicap-accessible toilets, tubs and showers. The costs of re-modeling your home to include these features can quickly add up. It is worth looking into these costs prior to committing to car-ing for your parent.

Tax breaks. If you are car-

ing for your parent, there are some financial benefits. Look into available tax breaks for expenses such as transporting your parent to and from doctor appoint-ments. Additionally, you may qualify for a tax break by claiming your parent as a dependent if you pay more than half of your parent’s expenses.

Scams. Sadly, as a caregiver you must also think

of financial elder abuse. Many scams exist to rob the elderly of their money. Be sure that you have a clear understanding of where your parent’s money goes.

Make your own retirement plans. The costs of

caring for an aging parent can be high. Be sure that you are able to support yourself in retirement and that you are able to meet your long-term financial goals! Source: Jennifer L. Hunter, Extension Specialist for Family Fi-nancial Management, University of Kentucky; College of Agricul-ture, Food and Environment; Kristyn Jackson, LMFT,gen Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Family Sciences

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PRESORTED STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAID CITY KY

PERMIT 1067

Cooperative Extension Service

University of Kentucky

Taylor County

1143 South Columbia Avenue

Campbellsville, KY 42718

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

What You Should Know About Routine Home Maintenance

Home ownership is a major financial investment. Maintaining your home is a daily commitment that helps to protect your

investment and ensures that you and your family are living in the safest environment possible. Over the years, routine home maintenance will save you time, money, and effort.

Fortunately, home maintenance is something that most homeowners can do by themselves. The only requirement is to pay close attention to the wear and tear that your home endures. For any necessary repairs, you can choose to either tackle the job yourself or to hire an outside contractor. As with any project, be sure that you have the skills, knowledge, and time required to make the repair.

Home maintenance experts recommend that homeowners complete an inspection of their home every fall and spring. The following guidelines will help you adopt the habit of routine home

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Volume 8, Issue 4

maintenance:

• Foundation and basement. It is a good idea tobe on the lookout for any sign of water or moldas well as any insect or rodent activity. If youdiscover any of these issues, be quick to eliminatethe source.

• House exterior. If you own a house with siding,look for loose pieces or chipped and peelingpaint. Make any necessary repairs as needed.Brickwork must also be inspected— repairbricks and mortar as needed. Wooden trimaround windows and doors is subject to decayand damage, either as the result of weather ortermites, so be sure to address these issues asthey arise.

• Windows and walls. In order to maintain yourhome and to save on your heating and coolingcosts, inspect the weather stripping and caulkingaround all windows and doors, making repairs asneeded.

• Roof. On average, a roof will last for 20 to 25years if properly maintained. You can maintainyour roof by: cleaning gutters and downspouts,ensuring that downspouts are directed awayfrom the house; checking flashing to make surethat it is securely fastened; replacing loose ormissing roof shingles; inspecting the chimneyfor any damage, and checking the attic for anysigns of moisture penetration. If you are notcomfortable being on the roof, consider hiring aprofessional.

• Appliances. The expected lifespan of mosthousehold appliances (range/oven, refrigerator/freezer, clothes washer, clothes dryer,dishwasher, and water heater) is between 12 to15 years, depending on how well you maintainthem. It is important to make sure that youroutinely clean your appliances. Dust refrigeratorand freezer coils, check the seals on refrigeratorand freezer doors, routinely clean the dryer vent,and clean the vent on the range hood.

• Plumbing. Small leaks can easily become aplumbing nightmare. Be sure to routinely check

for and repair any leaks coming from faucets or hoses.

• Heating and cooling systems. A wellmaintained heating and cooling system may lastup to 25 years. Regularly scheduled inspectionsof these systems are important and can be doneby any licensed professional. Be sure to replaceair filters at the beginning of every season andclean any ductwork and vents as needed.

In summary, conducting routine maintenance on your home will help you to identify and address minor issues before they turn into major problems. Every homeowner is well aware that household parts and appliances wear out over time. Consequently, preventative repairs extend the life of many household appliances and are less expensive in the long run.

You may also want to consider including a maintenance fund in your family budget. Experts recommend that you budget one to two percent of the purchase price of your home for yearly maintenance and repairs. Remember, what may cost you a few dollars today could cost you hundreds or thousands next year, making routine household maintenance a great use of your time!

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By:Kristyn Jackson, LMFT, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Family Sciences, University of Kentucky

Jennifer Hunter, Ph.D. Assistant Professor / Extension Specialist in Family Financial Management University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (859) 257-3290 / jhunter@uky.edu

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