Extension Connection is your connection to Missouri’s land grant based research institutions. University Extension is the statewide program of the University of Missouri system and Lincoln University. University of Missouri Extension programs are open to all.

You can hear Janet Hackert's live Extension Connection radio spot at mid-day on Fridays on KCHI (103.9 FM; 1010 AM) Chillicothe, MO; KTTN (92.3 FM; 1600 AM) Trenton, MO; and KAAN (95.5 FM; 870 AM) Bethany, MO

Topics by Janet Hackert, Nutrition Specialist:

Thanksgiving Leftovers   (November 27, 1998)

A Safe Turkey Day  (November 20, 1998)

A Not-so-scary Halloween   (October 30, 1998)

Flu Season is Here!  (October 23, 1998)

Understanding Managed Care Lingo  (October 16, 1998)

Food Safety with the Floods   (October 9, 1998)

An Apple a Day  (October 2, 1998)

National 5-A-Day Week   (September 18, 1998)

Previous Extension Connections

EXTENSION CONNECTION (November 27, 1998)

So, Thanksgiving Day is over, I hope you had a good one and that everyone stayed healthy. But now you come to that age-old question – Whatever will I do with all this turkey?!

First and foremost, if it’s more than you expect to eat within 3-4 days, freeze the extra. It’s a good idea to freeze in quantities you’d expect to use it in, so when you thaw some (in the fridge is the safest way), you won’t have leftovers of the leftovers. Turkey lasts in the freezer for about 4 months. Mark the containers with what’s in it and when it went in. That way, a couple months from now when you want to use it, you’ll know just when it’s from. And especially 10 months from now when you’re clearing out the freezer to make room for next year’s turkey, you’ll know that that container holds "too old turkey" and can toss it. But avoid tossing frozen foods by making a first-in, first-out rotation in your freezer. Labeling and dating freezer items can be a big help in this.

EXTENSION CONNECTION (November 20, 1998)

Food-borne illness is caused by bacteria and other micro-organisms, or the toxins they produce, in our food. But with proper handling and preparation, these nasty critters need not spoil our holiday festivities.

First let’s look at the turkey. A national turkey hotline has received over 15,000 questions about thawing and this is a critical first step in keeping a turkey safe. Thaw whole turkeys by one of two methods – refrigerator thawing, where the unopened frozen turkey is placed breast side up on a tray in the fridge to thaw slowly; and cold water thawing, where the unopened frozen bird is placed breast side down, covered in cold water and is kept cold by changing for colder water every 30 minutes. Refrigerator thawing requires at least one day per 4 pounds of turkey. Cold water thawing needs at least 30 minutes of thawing per lb. of turkey. Although refrigerator thawing is slower, it’s safer since it guarantees that the turkey remains colder than 40° F throughout the thawing process.

Microorganisms that can cause disease require, among other things, warmth and time to grow. The optimal growing temperature range is between 40 and 140° F. So keeping raw meats cold, 40° F or less, is essential in avoiding microorganisms from getting out of control.

On the other end of that Danger Zone, it’s important to make sure foods get cooked hot enough – at least 140° F, and for turkey 185° F - to be sure to kill off any bacteria that may be present. To measure the turkey’s temperature, insert a meat thermometer in the thigh muscle, in the thick part of the muscle, facing the body, and not touching the bone. If you’re using an oven-safe thermometer, place it so it’s most convenient to read while the bird is in the over. If you use an instant-read meat thermometer, be sure to wash it thoroughly after each time you check the temperature so as not to contaminate the done bird with raw juices from the last time you checked it.

Once the turkey, and any other food you may be serving is done, watch the clock. Food left in the Danger Zone (that means, for example, on the dining room table or side board at room temperature) for 2 hours or more may be harboring a colony of microorganisms that could be life-threatening. Pay attention to how long food has been out of the oven or fridge and be sure it gets back out of the Danger Zone within 2 hours. That means if someone will be coming late to dinner, put the food in the fridge anyway and reheat it when they arrive. It also means putting the leftovers away in the fridge BEFORE settling down to watch the game or to visit with guests.

EXTENSION CONNECTION  (October 30, 1998)

A Not-so-scary Halloween

Connie Evers, Registered Dietician, has some great suggestions for a healthy Halloween in the Oct. issue of Feeding Kids newsletter. Her first "trick" is to make sure the kids have a good nutritious meal BEFORE they go out trick or treating. With their tummies full of a balance of whole grain, fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy foods from supper, there won’t be quite so much room for less nutrient-rich foods like candy. Establish a policy for when, how often and how much of their bounty they may eat. If eaten all at once, a load of candy decreases the appetite for foods with more nutrients. But a small piece or two eaten as desert after a good meal or as a snack with something more healthful, becomes part of a balanced diet. This also helps to teach children moderation and how to balance less nutritious foods with the more nutritious ones, with the emphasis on the more nutrient dense ones.

For those who are handing out the treats at their doors or organizing the treats for a party, there are lots of healthy treats you could opt for – small bags of pretzels or popcorn, juice boxes, fresh fruit, fruit rolls or individual sized dried fruit, like raisins. For a party game, the little ones could be given bits of various fruits and/or vegetables that have been washed and cut up, and let them create an edible sculpture. This could even be done after the reading of a scary Halloween story, then have the kids create their favorite character. There are plenty of non-food treats to offer, too. Try stickers, erasers, little glow-in-the-dark figures or other small toys.

Don’t get tricked into poor nutrition this Halloween. Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is more powerful than knowledge." Use YOUR imagination and have a healthy Halloween for yourself and your little goblins.

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EXTENSION CONNECTION  (October 23, 1998)

Flu season is upon us. If you’re going to get a flu shot, now’s the time to do so since flu season in No. America lasts from October through March.

Influenza (commonly called the flu) is a viral infection that can cause cough, fever, chills, sore throat and other aches. It’s not usually serious, but can be life-threatening for some. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (the CDC) recommend that people aged 65 or older and people who have weakened immune systems receive the flu shot since they’re at greater risk of having a serious case of influenza. Also anyone who works closely with those at risk may be more likely to be exposed to it. This includes anyone who lives with someone at greater risk at home with them or those who care for them in health care facilities or nursing homes. The CDC recommends they get the vaccine. It’s also recommended that teachers get a flu vaccine as well as ANYONE who just wants to reduce their chances of catching the flu.

The influenza vaccine only lasts about one year so it needs to be updated every year. Each year the vaccine targets those strains of the flu that are most likely to be around.

Since new strains can develop, the vaccine cannot be 100% effective. It’s only effective against those strains it protects against. Also, a flu shot will not protect against other illnesses, such as a cold, that may have similar symptoms.

EXTENSION CONNECTION (October 16, 1998)

Understanding Managed Care Lingo

Managed Care is a system of health care that controls cost of services, manages the use of services, and measures the performance of health care providers. Individuals choose a physician from a list provided by the plan. When using specialists, different plans have different requirements. In some plans, members can select any specialist from the list provided by the plan. In others, the individual’s primary care physician must make a referral. Providers are paid a fixed amount for each person (member) enrolled in the plan.

Below, some of the terms frequently seen in Managed Care policies are explained.

Balance Billing - The practice of a provider billing a patient for all charges not paid for by the insurance plan. Balance billing is generally prohibited by managed care plans.

Capitation - The insurer pays health providers a set amount for each person enrolled in the managed care plan rather than for the number and type of services delivered. The amount paid may vary by factors such as age and sex of the enrolled member.

Copayment - That portion of a claim or medical expense that a member of a health plan must pay out of pocket. Usually this is a fixed amount, $5 or $10, for each visit.

Deductible - That portion of an individual’s health care expenses that must be paid out of pocket before insurance coverage applies. A common deductible is $200. Deductibles are used in insurance plans and PPOs (Preferred Provider Organization), but usually not in HMOs (Health Maintenance Organization).

Fee-for-service - The traditional method of reimbursing physicians, hospitals and other health care providers for their services. Providers are paid each visit. The fees increase as more services are provided or as more expensive services are substituted for less expensive ones.

Network - A selected group of physicians, hospitals, laboratories, and other health care providers who participate in a managed-care plan's health delivery program. Providers agree to follow the plan's procedures, permit the monitoring of their practices and provide certain negotiated discounts in exchange for a guaranteed patient pool.

Primary Care Physician (PCP) - The term usually applies to internists, pediatricians, family physicians, and general practitioners. It may also apply to obstetrician/gynecologists.

Point Of Service (POS) - Generally, the plan enrolls each member in both an HMO (or HMO-like) system and a conventional insurance plan. Members do not have to choose how they will receive services until they need them. The amount the member is reimbursed depends on whether the member chooses to use the plan or go outside the plan for services.

EXTENSION CONNECTION   (October 9, 1998)

First, when in doubt about a food’s safety condition, throw it out! You and your family’s health is more important than any food, not to mention that the cost of missing work and/or medical care if you get sick could be much more expensive that the food.

Foods other than those in sealed, airtight metal cans that have been exposed to flood waters are not safe and should be thrown out. Foods in cans should be ok, but remember that before opening them, the cans need to be sanitized. Flood waters may contain harmful bacteria that can cause illness if eaten or touched. Cans are sanitized by first removing the label (mark the contents with a permanent marker so you’ll remember later what it was). Then either put the cans in boiling water and boil for just 10 minutes OR scrub the cans in a strong detergent solution to remove all the dirt, then submerse the cans in a solution of 1 T household unscented bleach per gallon of water. Keep them covered in the solution for 2 minutes. Rinse in disinfected water and air dry. Bulging or dented cans indicate that they are unsafe. Also food in any other type container, exposed to flood waters, should be considered unsafe, even if they look dry and fine. That includes fresh fruits and vegetables being stored in the cellar.

Be sure to wash your hands after touching anything exposed to flood waters as they may harbor giardia, E coli, Salmonella, Shigella or other pathogens possibly carried in flood water that can cause illness.

As for the water itself, it needs to be disinfected before being used for drinking (and that includes brushing teeth too). There are 3 options for disinfecting drinking water – Boil water vigorously at a rolling boil for a full 3 minutes; OR mix 2 ½ t. of liquid, unscented household bleach in 2 ½ gal of water and let it stand for a minimum of 30 minutes before drinking; OR mix 2 drops of tincture of iodine thoroughly in a quart of water and let it stand for at least 30 minutes before drinking

EXTENSION CONNECTION   (October 2, 1998)

An Apple a Day

According to the US Dept of Agriculture’s Handbook 8, a medium, raw apple (one 2 ½ inches in diameter or about the size of a fist), eaten with the skin on, has 87 calories, 21.7 g of carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 0.3 g protein, and 0.9 g fat. It would have 10.5 mg Ca, 15.0 mg Phosphorus, 0.45 mg Fe, 165 mg potassium, 1.5 mg Na, 12 mg Magnesium and 6 mg Vitamin C. The nutrients make up 15% by weight and the rest is water. Not too bad for a tasty treat like an apple.

If your preference is more for the liquid forms of the apple, like apple juice or apple cider, here’s some news you may want to pay attention to the next time you pick some up. These products that have NOT been processed by pasteurizing must soon bear a new warning label which reads: "Warning: This product has not been pasteurized and, therefore, may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems." There is a particular concern with fruit juices that are not pasteurized because they have been found to sometimes harbor food-borne pathogens such as E. Coli 0157:H7. Pasteurization destroys such microorganisms by heating the juice or cider beyond the temperature where they can survive, for example, by heating cider throughout to a temperature of 160 F and holding it there for 1-2 minutes followed by a quick cool down. By pasteurizing in this way, that lustrous cider taste of Autumn is maintained, but with a product that is safe from harmful bacteria.

EXTENSION CONNECTION (September 18, 1998)

National 5-A-Day Week

First let’s clear up what constitutes a serving. ½ c of chopped raw or cooked vegetables or 1 c of leafy raw vegetables is one serving. 1 piece of fruit (about the size of your fist), 3/4 c juice, ½ c canned fruit or 1/4 c dried fruit is one serving.

There are lots of ways to get those 5 servings in in a day. One of my favorites is to load a sandwich up with tomatoes, lettuce and onions. 100% fruit juices are another quick, tasty and mess free way to get some fruit in daily, and orange juice can even be bought now with added Calcium. A baked potato for lunch is a quick and easy source of vitamin C. Fresh fruits and veggies, like carrots or celery sticks, broccoli or cauliflower florets or apples, pears or grapes can be used for a nutritious crunchy snack. Vegetables can be served at a meal as they are, or as part of stew or vegetable soup, in stir fry or as a scoop of salsa with a burrito or other Mexican food.

This year’s theme for 5-A-Day week is Taste a World of Variety. Salsa with Mexican food is just one way to discover the world’s food through good eating. Try some veggies from around the world - bok choy, from China, looks like celery with darker leaves and a white stalk and can be used raw in salads or cooked in stir fry or in soup. Jicama, from Latin America, looks like a brown turnip, but with a sweet taste, can be peeled and used in salads, slaws or stir fry. Okra, from North Africa, is a carrot-shaped pod with an interesting slippery texture that’ll help thicken soup or gumbo.

So you see, there’s no excuse. Fruits and Vegetables are interesting quick and tasty. So take the 5-A-Day challenge this week and every day - to get those vitamins and other nutrients you need to have a healthy lifestyle.