Those of us keeping up with keeping warm, however, can take a moment to stop and reflect on some of February’s national health topics. Strong hearts and eyes, healthy eating habits, and pristine teeth all make this month’s list. Read on below, wrapped in your favorite blanket or comforter, and think about which aspect of your health you might work on improving.  Click on the links to learn more!

Monthly

AMD / Low Vision Awareness Month

American Heart Month

Kid’s E.N.T.  Month

National Children’s Dental Health Month

Weekly

Burn Awareness Week (February 5^th – 11^th, 2012)

Cardiovascular Professionals Week (February 12^th – 18^th, 2012)

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 26^th – March 3^rd, 2012)

Daily

National Girls and Women in Sports Day (February 1^st, 2012)

Give Kids a Smile Day (February 3^rd, 2012)

That doesn’t mean we’ll be setting off on impromptu trips to the far corners of the world. You probably won’t see us scaling mountains or fording rivers, equipped with nothing but a L.L. Bean backpack, deluxe pack of protein bars, and raw determination to get us by. Contrary to what Hollywood might have you believe, adventure doesn’t have to occur on an epic scale (sorry, Frodo). In fact, by definition, an adventure is any experience considered “unusual or exciting.” It’s these little adventures – these moments in time where the ordinary yields to the new and unfamiliar – that keep life fluid and unpredictable. In today’s fast-paced, hyper-structured culture, however, it’s far too easy to fall into a comfortable routine that leaves little room for the unusual or the exciting.

With that in mind, the team has decided to stray from the rote and embrace adventure. Enter Pascale’s new “Choose Your Own Adventure” series.
Each week, a team member will make a lifestyle change and record the resulting experiences here. For instance, Gabe – a self-professed carnivore – plans on giving up meat for three whole days starting Monday, February 6. He will chronicle his veggie-filled moments here on the PC blog as a way of inspiring the team, our clients, and readers to make changes of their own. And best of all, he definitely won’t get eaten by that pesky mummy on Page 76: something other “Choose Your Own Adventure” experiences can’t promise.

Work

“Someone Like You” (Adele) – Deb

“Big Yellow Taxi” (Counting Crows) – Hannah

Anything by Jack Johnson – Jamie

“Best Night” (The War On Drugs) – Rosemary

Anything by John Mayer – Devon

Exercise

“Watch the Throne” (Kanye West & Jay-Z) – Georgette

“Levels” (Avicii) – Allison

“Forgot About Dre” (Dr. Dre ft. Eminem) – Gabe

“I’ve Got a Feeling” – Devon

Relaxing

“Across the Universe” (Beatles, Fiona Apple) – Hannah

“Look After You” (The Fray) – Deb

“I’m On Fire” (Chromatics) – Rosemary

Sing-Along

“Home” (Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeros) – Jamie

“Just What I Needed” (The Cars) – Rosemary

“Need You Now” (Lady Antebellum) – Deb

“I Believe in a Thing Called Love” (Darkness) – Gabe

Dancing

“Lay Down Sally” (Eric Clapton) – Hannah

“Party Rock Anthem” (LMFAO) – Hannah

Anything by Fresh Beat Band for dancing with kids – Georgette

Feel Good

“Wildflowers” (Tom Petty) – Jamie

“Yellow” (Coldplay) – Deb

“Opposite of Adults” (Chiddy Bang) – Gabe

January

Cervical Health Awareness Month 

National Radon Action Month                 

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

National Stalking Awareness Month

National Birth Defects Prevention Month 

Thyroid Awareness Month

National Folic Acid Awareness Week

January 15-21

Healthy Weight Week

-GP

With 2012 looming large on our calendars and inspired by The Economist’s recent campaign to have their readers predict what will happen in 2012, we at PC put together a few of our own predictions for the coming year in our field (or at least some things that we hope to see happen).   Feel free to share with us any and all predictions you may have for 2012.  Here’s wishing all of you a safe and happy New Year!

Predictions

Social Media will integrate emotional tracking features, like mood rings, that impact online shopping.

We’ll continue to see an integration of wireless technology for healthcare delivery and personal health management, reducing the nation’s medical spending significantly.  We’d also love to see a way for medical professionals to send secure text messages with test results, QRcode prescriptions, etc. to make life easier and bring the receiving of test results into the 21^st century.

Apple will finally launch the iPhone 5 and destroy all other competition in the Smartphone field.

Updates will be made to streamline the FDA Approval process for medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

Continuing to increase the advantages of an online media presence, there will be more advances in 3D media, Animated Cinemagraphs and more.

Patients will demand their medical offices have Web Registration and Clinical Care Documents that their doctor can post to a secure website with a review of your visit and test results.

Bill Gates’ 10 million dollar effort will return vaccines to popularity and shift the focus from our vaccine-induced autism fears.

Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals will become more accessible to be reached online in real time or via email and text.  We’ve started to see this trend beginning among some of our clients.

We’ll see an increased pressure building on manufacturers of generic drugs to have their products go through a more rigorous testing and study process for FDA approvals.

And finally…

The world won’t end as the Mayan calendar predicted and Pascale Communications will continue to grow and serve the industry in the best way we can through our relationships with our amazing clients and with the support of our loved ones!

Jamie’s “Almost Famous” Cupcake Recipe

Cupcake

1 1/2 C + 2 tbs all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature

1 C sugar

1 egg plus 2 egg whites

1/2 C whole milk

1/4 C sour cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean (or a whole one…but definitely use one, this is what makes them good)

Frosting

1/2 C unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/4 C powdered sugar

1/2 vanilla bean

1 tsp peppermint extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  While oven heats cut open and scrape out the seeds of a vanilla bean.  Put the seeds, empty bean, and the milk into a small saucepan. Heat to just under a simmer for a few minutes and don’t scald milk.  Remove from heat and allow the milk to steep and cool.  Remove the bean after it cools…I always wash it off and keep it to see if I can get any more beans out of it.

2. Beat the butter for 3 minutes at medium speed, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg and beat for 30 seconds.  Add the egg whites, on at a time, beating for 30 seconds each.

3. In one bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  In another whisk together the vanilla steeped milk, vanilla extract and sour cream.

4. Add the flour mix and the milk mix to the butter/sugar/egg mix in alternating additions (wet to dry), starting and ending with the flour mix.  Mix until combined being sure not to over beat.

5. Divide batter into a muffin or cupcake tin and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until SLIGHTLY golden brown.  Watch them, cause they will burn easily.  Try rotating the pan after the first 15 min.

HOLIDAY TIP: Add red food coloring, or Wilton’s icing color to make them more festive and top with chopped candy cane pieces. Enjoy!

Allison’s Family Recipe Cheese Pudding

Start the night before: Cube a loaf of bread (somewhere between Wonder bread and heavy-duty brown bread, not either extreme).  The amount will depend on the size of the pan and the amount of people you’re cooking for.  Cut off most of the crusts and save them to make bread crumbs.  Let them sit out so they dry.

Mix milk and eggs, enough to make the bread seriously soggy.  About one egg per person is standard and supplement the rest with milk.  Grate cheese.  Cheddar or Colby work great.

Grease pan, then begin layering the ingredients — bread on the bottom, then cheese, then bread, then more cheese.  Pour the milk and egg mixture over the bread.  Cover in Saran Wrap (not foil) and let it soak overnight.

The morning that you want to eat the pudding:  Throw the bread crusts in the blender to make a crumb topping.  Cover the pudding in this.  Then melt butter (about ½ stick for a large pan, depending on how health conscious you want to be).  Pour over the top and bake at 350 degrees until done, usually between 45 minutes to an hour.

Rosemary’s Holiday Ornaments

You’ll need:

3 cups applesauce

3 cups ground cinnamon

Directions: Make a paste, pat out and use cookie cutters to create different shapes.

Let air dry (2-7 days, depending on thickness) and hang up with ribbons.

They can be used as tree ornaments or just as homemade air freshener.

This is an excellent project for any kid old enough to understand that they can’t eat the dough.

December

National Aids Awareness Month

National Drugged and Drunk Driving Prevention Month

Safe Toy and Gift Month  

December 4-10

 National Aplastic Anemia and MDS Awareness Week

December 4-10

National Handwashing Awareness Week 

December 1

World AIDS Day     

December 3

International Day of Disabled Persons

December 5

International Volunteers Day  

December 10

Human Rights Day

Georgette: Thankful for my husband knowing me so well (and liking me anyway), my five angels (three kids/ two dogs), my nanny, seasons, phat shoes, my PC team, being a foodie, Italy, the balcony off my bedroom, view from my house, NYC, philanthropy, baby wipes, my iPhone, my dear friends, family, music and love/ passion … .

Jamie:  I’m thankful for my support system, especially my parents, my husband and our beautiful daughter, Claire.  I’m also thankful for my house, vacations, my wine shipment and the ability to work from home.  And, of course, ice cream!

Deb: I’m thankful for my friends, family and co-workers who are always there for me, my three adorable, happy grandsons, good health, my elderly dog and cat, my iPad and the opportunity to move back to Pittsburgh this year.  I’m also thankful to live within three miles of three different Bruster’s ice cream stores!  And most of all, I’m grateful I mustered up the nerve to call the nice gentleman I met on a shuttle going to Orlando, and that he’s glad I did!

Amy: I’m thankful to have an abundance of unlimited love and support from many friends and family this year, without whom I would have been lost.  I’m thankful for my two lovely girls who are and always will be the sunshine of my life.

Hannah: I’m thankful for my silly and fun husband, my two beautiful daughters, my experiences and choices in life that have led me here, my whole family who has always supported me, peppermint ice cream, online shopping, Disney, music, my oldest friends, the great outdoors, and life.

Cassy: I’m thankful to work with people who are supportive and of their word.  I’ve learned so much about myself and untapped interests since I started here. It’s been really enlightening.   I’m thankful for the lack of inclement weather in my life, Apple products, protein shakes, my family – and not because we are family, because they are all very cool and intelligent people outside of all of us being related.  I’m thankful for the lessons I’ve learned to this point in my life, my esthetician, Charles, gel lacquer manicures, almond milk, and my passport.  I’m thankful that my family celebrates Thanksgiving on Wednesday so we can sleep in, eat leftovers, and watch football on Thursday.  I’m also very thankful for our military (I think they’re incredible).

Gabe: I’m thankful for sunscreen, meals that can be prepared in a microwave and my family, especially my siblings.  I’m also very appreciative to have been embraced and welcomed as the only male in the PC family.

Allison: I’m thankful for Christmas music and holiday commercials (during appropriate times of the year).  I’m thankful for roommates to take care of my lovely dog, Dori, when I travel for work, or need a weekend getaway.  I’m thankful for airplanes that enable my weekend getaways, my family, wine, peanut butter, my iPhone, living within walking distance of the beach and all the simple things in life.  I also really like sleep and candy.

Rosemary: I’m thankful for my family, friends and colleagues, the Internets, coffee, delivery services, Spotify, and Steve Jobs.  I’m also thankful for strong women who blazed trails in politics, science and business.

Mona: I’m grateful for my friends and family – and especially for Dennis, who still, after 16 years, doesn’t snore.  Also grateful for my dad, whose voice I can still hear telling me not to be scared of change – but to think of it as an adventure

Adrianne: I’m thankful for amazing friends/people that inspire me to try just a little harder each day.  I’m thankful for self-tanning lotion because even in winter you don’t need tights in Arizona!  I’m thankful for TUMS, because without it I might have to give up chocolate when pregnant.  I’m thankful for a really great job that’s allows me to balance work and family.  I’m thankful for a healthy body that can do all the things I need it to do, even if it could never be swimsuit model perfect.

Audra: I’m thankful for my wonderful family (including the best dog in the world), amazing friends, super co-workers, Angry Birds, Chuck Bass, and vino.

Around the holidays, it’s easy to use some visuals in your house to keep the idea of service ever-present.  Here are three ideas for service reminders for the fall, the holidays, and year-round.

• In the fall.  Draw the trunk of a tree on a piece of poster paper and buy a pack of leaves at your local craft store (or cut out your own if you’re really ambitious).  On the back of each leaf, write an act of service.  Tell your kids that like the leaves outside, this tree should lose all it’s leaves before Thanksgiving.  Remove one leaf each day (or as frequently as you want) and perform the service on the back.
• For Christmas. Do the same, but in reverse.  Draw or cut out a Christmas tree from a sheet of poster board.  Cut out decorations and write services on the back.  Keep the decorations in an envelope and place them on the tree as you complete them.  Try to get your tree fully decorated before Christmas.
• Year-round.  Write acts of service on colorful strips of paper and fold them and put them in a jar labeled “We Can Help”.  Get a second jar/clear container and label it “We Did It!”  Choose acts of service out of the first jar and place them in the second jar as you complete them.  Plan a special outing or surprise for your family when you have completed all of the acts of service/kindness.  Then you can transfer them all back to the first jar and start again.

Now, what should those acts of service be??  Here is a long list of ideas to get your creative juices flowing.  Think of things that apply to your lifestyle and really make it personal for your family!

1. 1.   Put some toiletries and maybe a small snack like a drink and a granola bar in       a bag and give it to a homeless person
2. 2.   Have kids sort through their books and choose some to donate to a library or         shelter
3. 3.   Help a neighbor with yard work
4. 4.   Sweep/remove snow from a neighbor’s front walk
5. 5.   Hold the door open for someone
6. 6.   Allow someone to go in front of you in line
7. 7.   Pay the parking meter about to expire
8. 8.   Pay the toll of the car behind you
9. 9.   Make “Have a nice day” notes and leave them on your neighbor’s door or car         windows
10. 10. Return a shopping cart
11. 11. Write a thank you note and leave it at the local fire or police department
12. 12. Pick up trash in the park for 10 minutes before you start to play
13. 13. Write a letter to someone who made a difference in your life
14. 14. Talk to a homeless person
15. 15. Give directions to someone who is lost
16. 16. Say good morning to everyone you see on your way to school/work
17. 17. Tape quarters to a vending machine for the next person
18. 18. Pick up your toys without your parents asking
19. 19. Make a family member’s bed for them
20. 20. Share popsicles with the kids in your neighborhood
21. 21. Set up a lemonade stand – but give it away instead of selling it
22. 22. Eat only cereal for a day as a family – then make a donation to a charity of your choice with the money you would have spent      on food.  Print out a picture of the charity to put on the fridge so the family can identify with the recipients of their sacrifice.
23. 23. Go through your old clothes and choose some to donate to a shelter – They especially love dress-up clothes for kids!
24. 24. Bake some treats for senior citizens and the elderly who live alone in old age homes or retirement homes
25. 25. In December, contact a tree farm or nursery about donating a Christmas tree to a needy family, shelter or nursing home
26. 26. Clean through your kids toys before the holidays, and talk to them about giving something to someone who doesn’t have as           much.  Donate collected stuffed animals or toys to a Homeless Shelter for new arrivals. Also…check with your local police          station or fire station. Many are happy to take Teddy and Friends; a teddy bear can be a comfort to children in times of                distress.