Do you have your Valentines ready to go? Besides a lot of love in the day, Valentines day is known for chocolate! The one item that seems to make everyone happy, but may not be the healthiest of treats for us to enjoy. This Valentine’s day you can enjoy your delicious treat without feeling guilty. Although chocolate may not seem healthy, there are some perks to eating chocolate. Dark chocolate is good for the heart and lowers high blood pressure. So when you’re thinking of getting your loved one that nice box of chocolates, maybe go for a box of Dark Dove Chocolates. If you don’t like eating the dark chocolate plain you can melt the chocolate and dip it in strawberries. It is a treat that will leave your taste buds wanting more and you will find it easy to prepare. If you want to stay sugar free, try making sugar free gelatins in a shape of a heart. Add fat free whip cream on top for a little extra punch to the dessert. If you want choices and variety to your dessert try a chocolate fondue. Melt chocolate and choose sides to dip into the chocolate. Some choices of sides could be bananas, strawberries, pretzels, pineapple, marshmallows, dried apricots, pear slices, apples, or any of your favorite snack foods! If you want to add more to your sweet tooth, try a sherbet ice cream with a dark chocolate topping. If you crave a saltier valentine’s day treat then you can try a trail mix with mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, pretzels, marshmallows, dark chocolate m&m’s, or a low fat candy such as Twizzlers.
I started off the weekend Saturday morning riding the exercise bike at home. It was too cold to go outside. But that did not stop Dakota from trying to convince me to go outside! She sat by me for the majority of my 15 mile ride, hoping that we would go outside afterwards. She walks twice on most days, once in the morning with Sarah, and then in the evening with me. She absolutely loves it, but it was just too cold to take much of a chance with the wind chill, so she hung out all day in the house with us. Normally she would be outside during the day in the kennel, which is attached to the garage, and is heated, but we were home, so we kept her in with us.
Right away Saturday morning, even though I got to sleep a little later, I still got my Dakota wake up call. “Time to get up Dad!” Still hoping all morning she was going to go for a walk. But, she got to find out what it was like hanging inside with us all day. I think she had a pretty good time too.
Always around for attention! Later in the day it was time to take a little nap.
Just hanging out with me, dreaming of the Vikings one day winning a Super Bowl! Hope is a good thing! It could happen someday, right? It won’t this weekend, so we will be Chiefs fan for the weekend. I managed to get out for a little bit for some pictures, with lots of frequent breaks back into my truck to warm up. The sun dogs were impressive Saturday Morning.
They were very cool to see! The rest of the weekend we stayed in side and got things done at home, with Dakota by one of our sides the whole time. She always wants to be right in the thick of things. She is part of this family.
She is hard to resist with a face like this! I promise, when we get at least closer to zero, we will be back out again walking. We have had a pretty good Winter so far. It just decided to get really cold this weekend. We may have to go anyway, but very short distances, warm up, then go again. Sunday will be the worst, so will have to see what Monday brings. We have to be creative with how we are going to get our activity in, just like everybody needs to as well. Just come up with a plan B, and go with it. This is a time to be creative as well. We got to spend the weekend with the dogs, both with Dakota inside, and the Sun Dogs outside! Keep moving everybody!
We have had a mild winter in regards to temperatures, but we haven’t seen the sun much!! It can certainly wear a person out mentally and physically. When you’re feeling the winter blues, it can really get you down in the dumps which can result in overeating, less activity, and depression. Check out the tips below for overcoming the winter blues!
•Get active! Activity produces natural endorphins that boost mood. I was exercising already, but to help ward off the winter blues, I have increased the amount of exercise and added some strength training to my routine. Try getting at least 30 minutes of activity in a day…if you can do more, the better.
•Eat Right: healthy eating will make you feel healthier inside and out. Aim to get at least 5 fruits and veggies a day, include whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats. Vitamin D has been proven to aid in SAD (seasonal affective disorder) so be sure to get your 3 servings of low fat milk or dairy products. If you aren’t a milk drinker you may consider taking a daily multivitamin with calcium and vitamin D or a vitamin D supplement. Please ask your dietitian, pharmacist, or doctor for the correct dosage.
•Spice up your life: Sometimes getting a new shirt, going to the movies, reading a new and exciting book, or listening to some new tunes will help spice up your life and add some more excitement to your life.
•Get out! Plan a family/friend outing –can be COVID safe such as an outdoor activity when it’s nice! It’s easy to dwell in our sorrows by becoming a hermit and staying inside. We need to get out and get some socialization!
•Think Positive! Dwelling on the negatives can sure take a person down. Instead think about the positives in your life. Tell yourself one positive thing about yourself and your self-worth daily. Focus on the blessings in your life!
•If you feel you are suffering from the blues very seriously then I encourage you to contact your physician for further assistance as we can help you with this!
Stay positive, eat right, exercise, and get out…those winter blues will be gone before you know it and spring will be here soon!
We just had our annual South Dakota Family Physician conference this last 3 days. Normally we would have been out in Deadwood, but because of COVID, it was all done virtually this year. So we did this from home! Sarah and I always teach a section of the conference on the first day, which usually encompasses up to 4 hours for the entire afternoon. We have been doing this now for about 13 years. Well, this year we got presented with an award. We taught our section virtually from Carletta’s house, as she is our Executive Director for the South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians. The residency began giving out an award about 3 years ago to a physician recipient who “…exemplifies excellence demonstrated by commitment to community service, academic achievement, rural practice, full-spectrum family medicine, and care of underserved populations locally, nationally, or internationally.” It is called the Dr. Earl Kemp Excellence Award. Dr. Kemp was our residency director back in Sioux Falls when we went through the program. I am not sure how many years he was there before we started, but he just retired within the last 2 years, and we have been out of residency since 1994. He was a great teacher! I think that is the part that attracted us to Family Medicine to start with. In order to be a good Family Physician, you have to listen, but you have to be able to teach as well. Teach students, residents, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and of course…patients…everyday! Normally our conference room would have looked like this.
We usually have around a hundred physicians attend each year. But this year was virtual, and we still had around 90! We always have to learn, and keep up, as medicine changes continuously. Here was Sarah and Carletta with all of the setup for our portion of the conference.
We learned a lot this weekend, and the best part of all of it…we did not have to drive across to the other side of the state! I miss seeing all of our other Family Physician colleagues, though. It is our time to learn from each other, and catch up on how everybody else is doing, and how they are handling everything with this pandemic. Hopefully next year we will be back there.
Teaching is a big part of what we do everyday. Patients need to understand their own health, and what may be involved. We do not have all the answers, but we are giving our opinion on what we think is the issue, and how we may be able to help somebody. Every day is a challenge. We have to keep learning as well. Lifelong learning. There is always something new. There are always new challenges. It was a very special honor to be recognized. Dr. Earl Kemp was the epitome of teachers. We both learned so much from him, as did all of the other hundreds of residents who went through that Sioux Falls Program. I have always said with all of the doctors we have had teaching us when we were in medical school and residency, that we learned something from all of them. We learned what to do in certain situations, and what not to do. We learned how to interact with patients. Some taught me how I wanted to be when I was done, and others taught me exactly how I was not going to be when I was on my own. But, it was all a learning experience. We have had a good time over all these years teaching other students, residents, and colleagues. The underlying principle of Family Physicians entails lifelong learning, and passing that knowledge on to others. Stay healthy everybody, and keep moving!
With Superbowl Sunday approaching quickly, many are getting their grocery lists ready and starting to prepare all those tasty snacks. Here are some tips to help you enjoy without busting the calorie bank:
Be sure to eat consistently throughout the day and leading up to the party and game. If you fast all day to allow for extra eating during the game, you’re more likely to over-indulge as you’ll be extra hungry.
Include fresh fruits and vegetables into the spread.
Beware of the dips and sauces. They usually have a lot of extra calories, sugar, and fat. If you’re making your own, try using light or fat free to make your recipes healthier.
Choose your beverages wisely. Liquid calories are hidden calories and we often times don’t realize how much they can add up. Opt for sugar free or calorie free beverages or limit your portions.
Stay away from the fried and breaded items. Instead choose lean meats such as white meat chicken without the skin, lean hamburger, fish, or lean pork.
And remember that the food doesn’t always have to be the focus of the event, instead really take in and enjoy the fun and fellowship with friends and family!
I got a great present at Christmas, but had to wait until now before I could start spreading the word to everybody. My daughter Molly is expecting their first child toward the end of July. My last Christmas present to open was from them, and I did not even realize my son-in-law was videoing me doing this. I could not believe it when I opened it up!
I got a picture frame with an Ultrasound picture of my future grandchild! Wow, what a present!!! I can’t wait to be a Grandpa! With everything going on in life lately, I try to stay as calm as I can. But no way with this!
For those of you have read my blog posts in the past, or have been to one of our Strive 2 Survive sessions, you have heard me talk about my Grandfather. He died just before he turned 54, and never got to see any of his grandchildren. He had 10 kids, who went on to create 35 grandchildren. The first one was born one month after he passed away. I have always said that if I have anything to say about it, that was not going to happen to me. Well, March of 2019 brought some tough reality into play. That is when I had my major health issue, and I was 54! I could have been in the same situation. I am not taking anything for granted anymore. My grandkids are going to know me, and remember me!
Here is a picture from this week! Molly is an ultrasound tech, so she has been checking. Apparently I am going to have a grandson! Imagine what I thought when I found out my grandson will be named Daniel! Hee Hee! I just have to keep reminding Molly and Tanner how good of a name that is. In all honesty, I have no idea what name they are considering, but whatever it will be, it will be great!
I had to wait for Molly to put out her announcement before we could say anything. Do you know how hard that is? I am busting at the seams, but could not say anything! I can’t believe one of my little girls is old enough to now have her own child! Where did the time go! It was a year and half ago I gave her away to Tanner. Her wedding day was one of my favorite memories, I can’t even imagine what it will be like when she delivers.
I find myself looking back at her wedding pictures often. It brings me right back to that moment. These are the things in life that are important.
Tanner and Molly, you are going to be great parents! Congratulations! I hope…change that to I know…we are going to make great grandparents. Sarah and I are both so excited for this next adventure of our lives too. But, just don’t forget, this grandchild is going to be a part of the Reiffenberger family, and you know what that means…
…our grandkids will learn they get to work out with us…walk, run, ride bikes…all of it. They will be active with us! We have to keep doing this so we can keep up with them. If they are part Reiffenberger, they will be active along with us! After all, it will be in their blood! We are so excited for this next adventure in our lives too. I am one proud Grandpa to be! Keep moving everybody!
