by kelsey | Jun 26, 2012 | Etc.
One our goals with STRIVE 2 Survive is to prevent disease and promote healthy living and longevity. The annual American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life is a reminder of how disease can be truly devasting to individuals and families. We don’t always know why cancer happens, but what we do know is that eating healthy and engaging in regular activity promotes healthy living. The Relay for Life is a great time to honor those who have or had cancer and remember those we have lost. I’m sure everyone has someone in their family or friend group that has been affected by cancer. The American Cancer Society does a fantastic job helping those in need, researching the disease, and creating awareness. Our Brown Clinic team came in 2nd place for fundraising with a grand total of $5,687. The county raised a total of $51, 371. WOW! It’s a great cause and a great reminder of how precious life is. It’s never too late to live healthy, so get active and eat right!
Thanks to our great Brown Clinic Team for a job well done!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jun 21, 2012 | Etc.
We aren’t trying to rush summer, however we wanted to let you know we have set our dates for our fall session of STRIVE 2 Survive! We will start the Tuesday after Labor Day, September 4th, with pre-registration starting in August. The schedule is listed below. All meetings are held from 5:30-6:30pm at the County Fair Banquet Hall. The weeks we don’t meet, you will receive a take home lesson emailed or mailed to you. We also include body composition testing and lab work (cholesterol and glucose) at the beginning and end of our program.
If you are interested in learning more about our wellness program, you can contact us through our contact link on this website, email us at strive2survive@brownclinic.org or call 884-4226. We have seen tremendous improvements in blood pressure, blood sugars, cholesterol, and weight so if you want to put YOU first and work on achieving a healthier lifestyle, we’re here for you!
2012 FALL DATES
September 4 – Dr. Dan Reiffenberger “Exercise for the Health of It”
September 18- Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN “Healthy Eating Made Easy”
October 2 – Dr. Jon McAreavey “Your Equation to Success”
October 16 – Dr. Clark Likness “A Walk thru the Wellness Wheel”
October 23 – Deidra VanGilder, PharmD “Medications…to do or not to do”
November 13– STRIVE Team “Making Health a Way of Life”
by kelsey | Jun 20, 2012 | Wellness/Health
Happy 1st day of summer! Summer is a great time to really focus on getting more activity and eating healthy. Our snowy and cold winters usually result in a decrease in activity for many which is why summer time is such a great time to work on getting more exercise when it’s nice out. Many people think their busy lifestyle or job is adequate for activity however you may not be getting your heart rate up high enough to promote cardivascular health and weight loss if desired. It’s also a great time to encourage activity in your kids as they also have more free time being off from school. Even though today has started out rainy, when the sun comes out again, head outside for a walk, a bike ride or go play tennis or golf.
In addition to the activity, summer time usually brings healthier eating as we are using our grills more and have a better supply of fresh produce. Grilling is a great way to prepare your meals. Besides your typical meats, you can also cook your veggies and fruit on the grill. I had grilled pineapple a few weeks ago that was especially tasty! Don’t be afraid to give it a try!
It’s never too late to work on health and wellness so as we celebrate the official first day of summer, take advantage of it… get outside, be active, and eat healthy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jun 19, 2012 | Food
With the recent storms, you may have experienced a power outage. Without power to your refridgerator or freezer for extended periods of time, the safety of the food inside it is being compromised. Proper food safety practices are essential to avoid food borne illness, so here are some tips for you if you lose power in a storm:
- The fridge will keep food safe for up to 4 hours if the door remains closed. So try not to open and close the door as everytime you do that, you’ll lose some cooling inside.
- A full freezer will keep food cold for 48 hours, however a freezer half full will only keep cold for 24 hours as long as the door remains closed.
- For extended power outages, store refridgerated items in dry ice or in a cooler with adequate ice to keep the food below 40 degrees F. You want to keep frozen goods at 0 degrees F or below.
- Keep a thermometer handy to help you monitor the temperatures.
Hopefully we won’t have to worry about this, but it’s always good to be knowledgable of the safe practices!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jun 14, 2012 | Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Carbohydrates are a common topic when discussing diets and nutrition. Many people feel carbs are bad for us and can cause weight gain and other issues with our bodies. Many times diet companies promote following a diet low in carbs because it promotes greater weight loss, which in turn leads consumers to believe that carbs are bad for us. The problem with many of these companies is that they are not providing the most scientific evidence and information to their consumers as they are trying to sell a product and make money! In addition, many of the representatives selling the products do not have a formal education in nutritional sciences, physiology, and/or medicine. This is a very important concept to understand about the supplement and diet industry.
When looking at a carb restricted diet, there is always going to be initial weight loss due to hydration because the glycogen (storage form of carbs) attracts water. When the glycogen stores are depleted, the total body fluid levels decrease, resulting in weight loss. This process is ok for the body short term, however following a carb restricted diet long term can result in a state called ketosis. Ketosis is a state where the body burns its own fats for fuel and also produces ketone bodies. Normally the body burns carbohydrates for fuel and is a main source of energy for our brain, heart, central nervous system and many other organs. Ketones are small carbon fragments that are created by the breakdown of fat. When the body is in ketosis, you may feel less hungry, resulting in a decrease in caloric intake, however ketosis can lead to serious health problems.
Results of ketosis include:
- Kidney Failure: a high protein diet can cause signficant stress on the kidneys, thus putting a person at risk for kidney disease
- High Cholesterol: high protein diets are often high in fats coming from the greater consumption of red meats, whole fat dairy products, and other high fat foods. Many credible studies have linked high cholesterol levels to increased risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
- Osteoporosis & Kidney Stones: when following a high protein diet, the body tends to excrete more calcium through urine, thus putting you at risk for osteoporosis and kidney stones.
- Restrictive diets can always cause issues with lactation, menstrual periods, and hormone balance in the body.
The dangerous metabolic state of ketosis may seem pleasing at the beginning as you think it’s ok to burn some fat off, however that state can be very dangerous to the body long term. There is limited research indicating that the body can stay in this state long term due to the negative side effects. Ketosis can be prevented by eating at least 100 grams of carbohydrates a day. Thus a moderate intake of carbohydrates is the best for our bodies.
The diets that have been proven most effective for weight loss and disease prevention are the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and the TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diets. Both of these diets promote a balanced intake that is high in fruits and vegetables and includes lean proteins, low fat dairy products, and moderate higher fiber carbohydrates. This is what we promote in STRIVE 2 Survive. We are aimed at promoting lifestyle changes through dietary and exercise interventions with a long term result of disease prevention. All of us at Brown Clinic and our STRIVE 2 Survive Team have formal education in the science areas, including anatomy, physiology, biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, & medicine. I, myself have specialized education in nutrition sciences and weight management.
Weight loss isn’t easy. If is was, we wouldn’t have over 50% of Americans struggling with it. Next time you’re approached by someone promoting a product or you consider a low carb diet to help you lose weight faster, think about the science behind this process. It’s very important to check with your doctor, pharmacist, or myself to make sure it’s safe for you and your body. The supplement industry is not regulated by the FDA so many ingredients may interact with your medicines and health conditions.
-Kelsey
