by kelsey | Jul 3, 2012 | Etc.
From all of us at the Brown Clinic and STRIVE 2 Survive, we wish you all a very Happy 4th of July! Be sure to take some time to enjoy the day and our country’s freedom and independence. Thank you to all of our veterans and military folks for serving our country! We are blessed to able to live in the land of free!
With the hot temps, be sure to take extra precaution and drink adequate fluids (ie- WATER!) and wear your sunscreen if you’re outside! Also, be sure to practice proper food safety (see my post from last week) as these hot temps can cause bacteria to grow faster.
Enjoy and be safe!
-Kelsey
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 | May 17, 2012 | Etc., Exercise, Wellness/Health
As most of you know Dr. Dan and his wife, Dr. Sarah are exercise fanatics! They truly take their health seriously and make an effort to practice what they preach to their patients daily. Our STRIVE Team often times jokes about how we may not feel like we have the time or energy to exercise, but then Dr. Dan pops into our head and we hear his saying from our first STRIVE lecture: “get out of bed, get out the door, and get moving!” ….and then we think about how busy he is and that he finds time to exercise daily, and suddenly our little time management issue and lack of energy aren’t so big of a deal anymore! Dr. Dan is truly an inspiration to us and we thank him for helping get all of us excited about exercise. Even if you aren’t able to run or bike 20 miles like he does, he inspires us to get moving and do something we enjoy! Dr. Dan will be running the Fargo Marathon this weekend and Dr. Sarah will be running the half marathon. Our STRIVE Team wants to wish both of them GOOD LUCK and thank them for being an inspiration to us. We also want to wish the other Watertown area runners good luck this weekend!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 16, 2012 | Etc.
This Saturday, I get the opportunity to talk to a great group of people: the Watertown Bicycle Club. The group gets together weekly to go on bicycle rides. The ride distance varies each week as member’s skill levels and goals vary. One common thing amongst all members is they love riding bike! Many of the members are training for the long distance bicycle ride, the Tour de Kota. When biking long distances, it’s very important to practice proper nutrition. This topic is also especially important for running long distances such as marathons and half marathons. No matter what type of endurance activity you choose, proper nutrition is essential to get you through it!
Here are some quick training tips for those that are getting ready for an endurance activity:
- Consume a carbohydrate rich snack or meal before exercise to top off muscle stores. Include small amounts of protein in this meal to help build and aid in muscle repair. It’s also important to make this meal low in fat and fiber to ensure optimal digestion. Example: turkey and swiss sandwich, fruit, and sports drink.
- 30-60 minutes before exercise get hydrated with a sports drink or water.
- During exercise it’s important to consume adequate fluids to replace sweat losses. Dehydration can cause fatigue and impair performace. This needs to be tailored to your individual needs as everyone has their own tolerance.
- After exercise, refuel with a good meal or larger snack with a combination of protein and carbohydrates. This will help repair muscles and aid in the recovery process.
If you are interested in learning more about the Watertown Bicycle Club, you can visit their website at: http://www.watertownbicycleclub.com/.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 10, 2012 | Diet, Etc., Food, Heart Health, Wellness/Health
Today I had the honor of being part of the Senior Issues Forum at the Codington County Extension Complex. It was a nice event with a good showing! During our open panel discussion, the topic of blood pressure and sodium came up frequently. Deb Sundem, Extention Specialist had a booth displaying various portions of salt and the amount of sodium in them. We recommend limiting your sodium intake to 1500-2400 mg/day. If you have high blood pressure and/or heart disease or are at risk for these diseases, it’s recommended to stay under 1500 mg to reduce risk for complications. This is very hard to do because salt is in everything! I included a picture of fried foods as processed foods and foods eaten out are typically highest in sodium. 1500 mg of sodium is less than 1 tsp of salt. Most Americans are getting anywhere from 3000-5000 mg/day!
It’s very important to choose low sodium options when you can and to try to use a salt substitute or herbs and spices over the regular salt when cooking. I was also asked about sea salt as some think it’s a better choice. Sea salt is processed differently which results in a more vibrant taste which makes some people use less. It does have a little less sodium than our regular iodized salt, however salt is salt! It’s best to use the salt substitute and/or herbs and spices as the sodium can really add up in a day!
In addition, a higher intake (5-9 servings) of fruits and vegetables has shown to improve hypertension and heart disease. Be sure to get plenty of these in your daily intake!
-Kelsey
