by Dan | Oct 29, 2017 | Diet, Exercise, Food, Goals, Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
The weather is beginning to change outside, but that does not mean you can’t still get out for some adventures. Halloween is coming up, and a great time for kids, and grandkids, as well as adults, to get dressed up and get creative…and also enjoy some sweets. If you make up for some of it by walking, running, biking, or other activity, then it is easier to enjoy the “sweet”. Many from our run club joined in on the fun at the Wellness Centers Halloween 5k run/walk. The majority of them dressed up as a unicorn, and they were known at the “unicorn herd”.
I think Jill Makepeace was the brains behind the group theme this year. It started out kind of cold earlier on Saturday morning, so you still had to dress well for it.
The McElroy family went as the Wizard of Oz theme, and Jenn and Owen each ran with one of their daughters. Talk about a great way to get your kids involved with running, and just being active in general! Great role models!
Steve Arbogast went as “Jawsome”. What a hilarious costume! Very well done Steve! Way to be creative.
Like I said, when you do the extra activity, then you get to partake in some of the other fun activities…eating candy…especially peanut M & M’s. My weakness! It is ok once in awhile to treat yourself, and enjoy life. Just make up for it in other ways. If you don’t do the activity, or watch your portions in other ways, then all this will accomplish is helping you gain weight. Does it take work? Absolutely! Can it be done? Absolutely! It takes some planning, creative ways of thinking, and making a little bit more effort to accomplish, but overall those extra rewards in life are what make life fun! Enjoy once in a while. I also celebrated my birthday earlier this week, and my nurse Chris made me one of her famous M & M cakes again!
It was excellent! I had to make some accommodations that day, and even that week, for what I planned on having for “extras”, but it was not that hard to do. Plan, make changes, learn to go with the flow, and keep working at it. Working on our diet and increasing our activity is a lifetime goal. One day here or there will not blow your whole plan…as long as you make those accommodations. Be diligent! Be honest with yourself, and still enjoy the pleasures in life! Just remember: Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3683
by kelsey | Oct 25, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Did you know that it is recommended children get at least 60 minutes of activity a day? Meeting this activity recommendation will not only promote a healthy weight, but also ward off diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This 60 minutes does not have to be all at once though…it can be spread throughout their day. You may consider the following tips to help you and your child be more active:
- Join a sports team or try a new physical activity.
- Take a walk or turn up the tunes and do some dancing indoors after your supper meal.
- Instead of catching a movie or watching TV, pick an activity that requires movement such as laser tag, bowling or miniature golf.
- Give children toys that encourage physical activity like balls, kites, hula hoops, Frisbee and jump ropes.
- Limit TV time and keep the TV out of your child’s bedroom.
- Plant a garden. Kids love to water plants, and they’ll get excited weeks later when they see their flowers bloom or vegetables grow.
- Practice what you preach! Kids will be more apt to engage in activity and stay interested when their parent or family is doing it!
Creating a positive environment with encouragement and reinforcement will help your child live a long and healthy lifestyle. These tips are just a glimpse of what we cover in Strive Kids wellness program. If you’d like to learn more about our program, be sure to contact us!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by Dan | Oct 22, 2017 | Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
The wind is blowing. The leaves are changing color, and disappearing. The temperatures are dropping. But it is a great time to spend outside. Get moving, get active, and appreciated the view we have. This first one is Sarah and I earlier this month out by Gettysburg for a meeting, with a view of the river behind us. We took some time sitting out on a deck overlooking this view. Breath taking!
There are lots of nice scenic views right here as well. Go out and hit the trail, and take in all of the changes in color, especially around the lake and golf course.
But don’t keep waiting to go out and see the views. The leaves are going fast, especially with how the forecast is looking as far as wind.
It is always better seeing it with other people as well.
Our run club meets every week, and will continue throughout the Winter. Great times, spent with great people, and staying healthy. That is what it is all about. This is how we strive to survive! This is what life is about. Don’t let life fly by, and miss the important things. Take it all in while you can. Appreciate the experience, the ride, the views along the way. You won’t regret it…but you will if you miss out on it. The days go fast…time goes fast.
Take in all these days before the sun sets…and then watch the sun set sometime as well. It is beautiful to look at, and a great time to just sit and think. We don’t take enough time to just sit and think. Everything is hurry up and do this, and to do that, and much of which is really not that important to begin with. Enjoy life along the way…just take the time to do it! Strive to Survive! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3676
by kelsey | Oct 19, 2017 | Diet, Holidays, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
It’s that time of year again. Not only are the aisles of Wal-Mart strewn with witch hats, zombie make-up and fairy wings, but of course there is the looming aisle of Halloween candy. It can be easy to over indulge on treats this time of year. Most of the candy passed out to trick-or-treaters comes in “fun size” or “mini” portions. However, looks can be deceiving; people often believe that since they are smaller in size, more can be consumed. Calories from Halloween candy can quickly add up. For example; 3 mini snickers bars pack 300 calories. To burn off that many calories you would have to walk at a brisk pace for 1.5 hours or run for 40 minutes.
Fortunately the 31st of October doesn’t have to mean automatic weight gain. Try waiting until the day before to buy treats to pass out. You will be less likely to feel the need to nibble if you don’t buy it a month ahead of time. Keeping it out of site, such as up in a closet you rarely use, can help you forget that it’s even in the house. The biggest challenge with Halloween candy is the leftovers. After the trick-or-treaters have come and gone we are often left with the reality that we stocked up for 400 doorbell ringers, and only got 15. Buying candy that you don’t like is an easy way to keep you from eating it both before and after the holiday.
Halloween Treats to Try
Sugar-free gum
Boxes of raisins
Animal crackers
Pretzels
Trail mix
Fruit snacks
Lollipops
Non-Candy choices: stickers, small toys, erasers, etc.
Halloween Tricks to Avoid
Candy bars
Caramels
Fudge
Skittles
M&M’s
-Kelsey
by Dan | Oct 15, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Ah, those days of medical school. It brings back a lot of memories, good and bad. The amount of time spent with studying was overwhelming, and I often look back and wonder how I did this. I know for a fact if it had not been for running, I don’t think I would have made it. It was a great escape, and again, time for a break. Time to spend working out some frustrations, and giving my mind a chance to think about something other than medicine. The best part of medical school is finding Sarah, as we were classmates, but did not start going out until our second year. We were both dating someone else the first year, and neither one of them could handle all of the time we had to spend studying, so they both ended before the Summer of our second year. I knew Sarah ran too, but did not know much else about her. She definitely got my attention the first year though. I always conveniently planned my running routes that second year that I would end up running past the house she was living in. I think it is safe to say I got her attention! By our 3rd week of our second year of medical school, we started hanging out together, studying, and would meet to go for a run. It did not take long before we were “officially” dating. It was great going through those last 3 years of medical school with Sarah. We had each other for support, to study together, bounce things off each other with questions. It made it so much more enjoyable. All of the pressure we had going through school, and the drive to keep pushing, would get to you after awhile. Having Sarah there, and running together, made things much easier.
This is a picture of our medical school class, the graduating class of the University of South Dakota Medical School class of 1991. We went through hell together, pushed each other, tried to support each other. We may have all had different reasons for going to medical school, and different plans for what we wanted to specialize in, but every single one of us had to go through the same 4 years of medical school. We would have our fun times as well.
This is Sarah and I dressed up as two of our professors our second year of medical school for a Halloween party. It was a hit! You had to find ways to blow off steam, or there was no way you were going to make it through. Running was our common link together, and our way of blowing off steam. I believe it was the difference of being able to make it through!
We got married Oct 6, 1990, a few months into our 4th year. We managed to get a week off for a honeymoon. We went to Estes Park, and spent the week hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Many great adventures on this trip. Being in shape from running definitely helped with all of the hiking, and being able to see things we would not have be able to otherwise. The deer were so tame where we stayed they would come right up to you and eat from your hand!
The views we were able to see by hiking was incredible! Much of this we would not have seen otherwise. Of course, that was not the best view out in the mountains though…the best view was Sarah!
This was the first time we actually got to spend together, and no studying. The first time in 3 years! Estes Park definitely made an impression on us, because we went back on our 10th and 20th anniversary as well. Incredible every time!
Remember, there will be times that overwhelm all of us, no matter what it is that we do. You have to remember to take care of yourself, to strive to survive in this busy, fast paced life. If you want to achieve something bad enough, you will find a way to do it. Then you can look back on it and say, “WoW! I did it!”.
This was me after finishing our second year. We were getting ready to take our first Board test. It was not that the material was that difficult, especially when you had an interest in it. But it was the volume of the material! I still look back and ask myself how we did that…how I did that! Like I said above, if you want to achieve something bad enough, you will figure out a way to do it. I made it because of running, and especially because of Sarah. Thanks!
You can accomplish what you want too! Just keep at it! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3669
by kelsey | Oct 12, 2017 | Etc., Food, Wellness/Health
If you ate today, be sure to thank a farmer! Today is National Farmers Day! Consumers want to know where their food comes from, yet know very little about how food gets from the farm to the dinner table; in fact, most consumers today are three generations removed from the farm. For example, one thing consumers are unaware of is that milk travels from the farm to grocery store in about 48 hours. In addition, some criticize farmers because they use GMO (genetically modified organisms) seeds and hormones in cattle to promote growth. Farmers understand the science behind these products and why they should be used: by using them, they can use less water, less pesticide and herbicide, and produce enough yield to feed the world! Without these scientific advancements, we would not be able to feed the starving world! Farmers share the same values as consumers on many topics including those related to producing nutritious food, environmental stewardship and animal care. This is not a just a “job” for them, it is their life! The above picture is of my favorite little farmer, our son Corbin, who was helping dad combine beans yesterday. Corbin is a 6th generation farmer!
October 12th is National Farmers Day and it’s a perfect time to tip our hats to America’s farmers and recognize all of the hard work they put into getting delicious food to our tables!
Here are few fun facts for you about agriculture in South Dakota include:
- 98% of farms in South Dakota are family owned and operated – in fact, over 2,500 South Dakota farms have been in the same family for more than 100 years.
- The average size of a farm in South Dakota in 2016 was 1,397 acres.
- The average age of a South Dakota farmer is 57 years.
- There are 46,000 producers in South Dakota on 31,000 farms or ranches.
- Each year, one South Dakota producer raises enough food to feed 155 people in the U.S. and abroad.
- South Dakota’s agriculture industry has a $25.6 billion economic impact each year. With more than 19 million acres of cropland and 23 million acres of pastureland, our farmers and ranchers are one of our economy’s key drivers.
- In addition to generating 20% of our state’s economic activity, production agriculture and its value added industries employ over 115,000 South Dakotans.
Here are some fun facts about dairy production:
- Milk takes about 48 hours to get from farm to store. Thanks to hardworking dairy farmers for making our food fresh & local.
- Between 1944 and 2007, milk production has quadrupled but emits 63% fewer greenhouse gasses, requires 90% less cropland and consumes 65% less water.
- Cheers to the dairy farmers working hard to make the milk behind our pizza!
- Take this 10-stop video tour to see how milk from real cows, on a Midwest farm, becomes dairy foods you love. Use your smartphone, tablet or computer for an insider’s view of dairy farm living: http://bit.ly/MidwestFarmTour
- Delicious dairy comes from local farms – see for yourself: http://bit.ly/MidwestFarmTour
Producing the food that you put on your table, truly is a labor of love and hard work, so in celebration of National Farmers Day, I encourage you to thank our local farmers for helping put that delicious food on your table… and take extra appreciation of it!
To all of you that work in acres, not hours. We thank you!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
