by Dan | Jul 30, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Sarah and I spent the end of last week/weekend out in the Black Hills for a family get together. One of my older brothers was getting married, and so we spent a few days out there to take in the sites. Of course, before we left, Sarah and I got in a half marathon run at home here since we were going to be gone on Saturday when they had the Half Marathon around Lake Kampeska.
It was hot, and very humid, but we helped each other get through this, and then took off for the Black Hills. Once we got out there, it was still hot, but really no humidity. It was time to start enjoying the scenery, and doing activities that we are not able to do here at home. On Friday, we set off for a hike up Harney Peak, now called Black Elk Peak.
It was 4 miles up, and 4 miles down. It took us 4 hours to complete. Of course, we took a lot of pictures along the way, and took in the scenery.
It was great! I had a patient several years ago, she is currently 95, but when she was 89 years old, she hiked up Harney Peak. She says it was a thing to do on her bucket list! Now I admit, it was work doing this now, I am not sure about when I am 89…I don’t even know if I will be here yet at 89! Now that was impressive. You cannot describe the view you have, and the things you see along the way, until you are actually up there, hiking it, and seeing first hand! Well worth the time, and effort!
We had rented a cabin in Hill City, and at the bottom of the entrance for this place was the Mickelson Trail…109 miles of converted railroad when you can walk, run, or bike and get to see first hand the Hills.
And boy are there hills! You have some stretches where you coast down for awhile, and then will spend stretches of continuous hill climbing that range in distance from 4-6 miles…and then back and forth. We covered 30 miles that morning on our bikes!
You cross bridges, go through tunnels, and wind your way around the Black Hills. There were actually quite a few people out riding then as well. It was a great view, but it was work.
Until you get out there and try some different adventures, you have no idea what you are missing out on. We may have been on vacation, but our vacation involved staying active, and getting a first hand view of the sites, and enjoying the adventures. We really did not have specific plans of what we were going to do each day, but wanted to at least cover these areas. It was well worth it. Don’t miss out on those special sites, unique experiences along the way in our life. Take advantage of those opportunities when they come. This is what I call a vacation! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3592
by kelsey | Jul 26, 2017 | Weight Management, Wellness/Health
July and August are typically known to be our hottest months out of the year, which is why I thought it was perfect timing to discuss proper hydration procedures to ensure you do not suffer from any heat related illnesses such as heat stroke or dehydration. With the high temps and humidity, it’s extra important to make sure you get enough fluids! It is important to stay hydrated throughout the day, as it is too late, if you wait to get a drink when you feel thirsty. Especially for those older adults, it takes longer for them to feel thirsty even though they may be severely dehydrated.
Tips for getting adequate fluids:
- Keep a glass or bottle of water with you during the day so you can sip on it. Drink when you are thirsty and even when you are not thirsty.
- Drink more water instead of sugary beverages, milk and juice to avoid those extra hidden calories. Alcohol will increase your water loss. Plain water always works the best.
- Increase your fluid intakes if your diet is high in fiber, protein or salt.
- On days where you may be sweating alot or burning extra calories such as an all day softball tournament in 80-90 degree weather, or doing yardwork/landscaping in the heat all day…you may need to add electrolytes such as Gatorade or Powerade. I prefer G2 Gatorade as it’s lower in sugar, yet still has plenty of electrolytes. **Please note, these drinks are not necessary when you’re doing less than an hour of light activity or more sedentary activities as they just add extra calories and sugar.
- Consult with your doctor or dietitian if you are on a fluid restricted diet and would like further help with your hydration needs.
Use the above chart to determine your hydration level by the color of your urine.
-Kelsey
Graphic Reference:http://www.brownsburgathletics.com/images/urine.gif
by Dan | Jul 16, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
![IMG_8563[1] cropped](https://s2sbrownclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/16-6038-post/IMG_85631-cropped.jpg)
High School for the first few years was tough for me. As I mentioned in my last post, as a twin, and being small, it was a little tougher for us to get adjusted. Our sophomore year was really tough. There were a group of kids who liked to single us out, and they had the same lunch period as we did. We would get harassed all the time, they would throw food at us, and it did not matter what we otherwise tried to do, it did not change, until one day just before Thanksgiving. This particular day they were throwing food again, and I got hit in the head with an apple. I had taken enough! I had a banana, and stood up, and went over to the kid who threw the apple, and smashed into his hair, and then I threw the first punch. We managed to get several more hits in each before it was broken up, and long story short, we both got expelled for three days. But you know what…it all ended after that. No more harassment, no more food throwing…it ended! I like to think they realized I was not going to take it anymore, or maybe that first punch actually hurt…who knows. I did not care, it was done.
I was still trying to do some running on my own at that time, but still felt intimidated. I did not think I would be good enough. I think deep down I just did not have the confidence in myself to believe it. My Junior year went by, and nothing really changed. Then the Summer before my senior year, I did more running. I ran quite a few different 5k and 10k races, including the Diet Pepsi 10k race that changed my outlook. I finished right behind 5 other Washington High School Cross Country runners, and all of us were within 10 seconds of each other. I felt like I could actually compete. I decided after that I was going to go out for Cross Country no matter what, or regret my whole life not participating in sports in High School. I had a very good coach, Coach Dick Brook. He helped me believe in me! I owe a lot of this to him. He was bringing out the best in me, and it took me awhile to realize this. I remember him like it was yesterday. Whoever says coaches/teachers don’t make a difference doesn’t know what they are talking about. He had many motivating speeches and talks, and this definitely made an impression on me. I had a great senior year in Cross Country and Track…memories to last forever as well.
That running experience gave me lots of time to think, plan, socialize, make even more friends, and build confidence in me…confidence to believe in myself, and to stand up for myself. Later in Track that Senior year, this same kid who I had gotten in a fight with my Sophomore year, wanted to go out for track. I beat him so bad in the first race that he ended up quitting after that. I did not want him to quit…after all, I would have liked to have beat him many more times in races (ha!), but it was not meant to be!
When you are surrounded by crowds during a race, and pushing yourself to keep going, and to dig deeper than you ever thought you could, you feel like you can take on the world. I am running right behind the front runner in this picture. This was a JV race I was in, and following this race, I got moved onto the Varsity team. In Cross Country, when it came to deciding who was going to go to the State Meet, only the top 7 runners count for team scoring. You were allowed to take 2 alternates in case somebody got sick or hurt. I was the first alternate…this after only going out for the first time my Senior year. The year only got better as I learned so much about running, training, getting in shape, what it took to be involved, and many life lessons.
Coach Brook would always give us a pep talk before we lined up for each race. In this picture, I am right in the middle, at the front. Those speeches got you going, and made you believe in yourself. He always talked about “intestinal fortitude”–When the going gets tough, do you settle for something less than your best effort? Or can you endure some pain and discomfort and stay ahead of your nearest opponent? Just like life! Life always has big challenges. Are you going to keep pushing yourself, and just settle for ok? This coach had a huge influence on me…an influence I will never forget. Coach Brook had a speech framed on his wall of his office, and it was written by a Coach Ray Graham. Now, I don’t remember who Coach Graham was, but I remember my coach. This speech was the following:
“Cross Country is a sport which requires no specific physical endowments. Anyone can excel who has the desire to run, and the will power to keep running past the point when it seems the price is too much to pay for the rewards received. This athlete works hard, while realizing they will receive little praise, as Cross Country is not a glory sport. Their rewards are the few seconds they shave from their last effort, the spirit of competition, and the sense of accomplishment from hard work and a job well done. In learning to endure physical work beyond the point of discomfort of pain, the Cross Country athlete gains psychological advantage. They are better able to handle their mental processes in all aspects of their life. These are the lessons of a sport that will last a runner a lifetime!”
Perfect! Any runner knows this! To all my friends on our Watertown Area Run Club…you get what running does for you! You get what it takes to accomplish your goals, the work you have to put in to do it. The life lessons learned by this are countless! The influence coaches and teachers have on us growing up can either make us or break us. Coach Brook…I will remember you forever! Thank you! I have been running ever since, with no foreseeable end in sight! The “intestinal fortitude” lives on. The confidence and determination running taught allowed me to accomplish what I have done so far in my life! I firmly believe running helped me not only become a doctor, but become the kind of doctor I am!
Keep moving everybody…whether running, biking, walking…whatever…just keep moving!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3578
by kelsey | Jul 13, 2017 | Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
There’s a lot of buzz about carbohydrates….are they good? Are they bad? How much should you have? , etc etc etc. Many fad diets that are very popular right now are no carb diets so I thought it would be appropriate to discuss carbohydrates and give you a better idea of the professional recommendations! Carbohydrates are the main (and best) source of energy for your brain and central nervous system. Carbohydrates are essential for energy; however they raise your blood sugar levels higher and faster than any other kind of food. Carbohydrates are essential for your body to be able to sustain energy, so just like a car needs the right type of fuel (gas) to run, you need the right kind of fuel (food) to function and be healthy. To sustain energy, your body needs adequate carbohydrates: 50-60% of your total calories should come from carbohydrates. Cutting out all carbs can be very detrimental to our body, especially our brain, central nervous system, liver, kidneys, and heart. Because they are an excellent source of energy, but they do raise blood sugars, it’s important to recognize the types of carbohydrates and how to count them in efforts of controlling your blood sugars while still maintaining good health and adequate energy..
Carbohydrates are found in the following:
Starches: found in grains, some vegetables, and beans.
- Grains: bread, pasta, cereal, tortillas, rice
- Starchy Vegetables: potatoes, peas, corn, yams, squash
- Beans: kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, and lentils
- **The best and recommended sources of starches are whole grains…choose them over the white, refined grains!
Sugars: found naturally in foods or added to foods.
- Natural Sugars: fruits, fruit juices, dairy products, honey, and molasses.
- Added Sugars: desserts, processed foods, candy, regular soda, and fruit drinks.
- **Natural sugars are better than added sugars, but large quantities of them can still raise your blood sugars…we recommend getting at 2-3 fruits and 3 servings of veggies/day. Anytime you can limit or eliminate the added sugars, do so!
To aid in ideal blood sugar control, we recommend a moderate intake of carbohydrates which means about 45-60g/meal and 15-30g/snack with several small meals and snacks throughout the day. I visit with patients daily about finding the right balance in their intake. If you would like help managing your blood sugars, to learn more about diabetes self care, or a personalized nutrition plan, be sure to contact me for further help!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by kelsey | Jul 11, 2017 | Diet, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Sadly, there is no magical weight loss pill or a way to lose weight as you sit on the couch enjoying your favorite TV show. Here are some tips for when looking for a weight loss plan and avoiding those FAD diets that make it look like you are losing a bunch of weight but then later gain it all back and maybe then some.
- First off, slow weight loss is the recommendation and is usually the best way to loss the weight and keep it off. It is recommended to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
- Never cut out whole food groups, the key to steady weight loss is making the small daily healthy choices that lead to lifestyle changes. The diets that cut out whole foods groups can cause malnutrition by missing key nutrients and can leave you craving it even more than you did before.
- Summer is also the time when a lot of fruits and vegetables are in season and more affordable at the grocery store. Take advantage of this and get to know what fruits and vegetables you like most, and start incorporating them into your healthy eating habits.
- Lastly, exercise is essential. There is no better time to get physically active than the summer. The weather is nice enough that you can enjoy a nice brisk 30-60 minute walk around the neighborhood, or run, or bike ride every day if possible or at least most days of the week.
The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to make small everyday healthy lifestyle choices. The best part of slow and steady weight loss is you don’t have to wait, you can start today!
-Elizabeth Honner SDSU Dietetic Student
Source: eatright.org- staying away from FAD diets
by Dan | Jul 9, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Growing up as a twin had its ups and downs. You always had somebody to do something with, but at the same time it was a little harder to try and figure out who we were as individuals. We were otherwise always together, and when you are identical, have red hair and freckles, and are some of the smallest kids in your class, you tend to get picked on more. We relied on each for support on this. You could always count on each other when the going got tough, but that does not mean you did not have your own moments when we fought as well. We had some drag out, rolling on the ground fights as well. The name calling would start, and my brother-in-law always helps reminds us of what we would say to each other:
I remember this line! Maybe we were not the brightest color in the box at that particular moment, but I also remember a line out of the movie “Cheaper by the Dozen”. In that movie, the 12 kids of the family would have their arguments, and then would always be there for each other. As one of the siblings stated: “There are times I want to kill you, and other times I would kill for you!” No truer than with my twin brother.
I remember when I first started running, it was in middle school, and my oldest brother Ray went down to the park closest to our house and ran laps. For whatever reason, I joined him one day. I found out it really helped when it came to getting ready for the 600 meter run in gym class. You get tired of being picked on, or singled out, that you want to do anything to help improve things. Well, prior to that, I was toward the back of the pack. When I started doing some running, and we came to the end of our gym class, and got timed on a 600 meter for a grade, I got second place in my gym class, but losing to one of the kids who had been running track all of the time. I got asked to join track following that, but I was not really interested then. Besides, I had to figure out how I would get home after practices, and transportation was not the easiest thing then for us. I did do a lot of bike riding, and we rode bikes to school most days, which was between 2-3 miles. (I could say it was uphill, both ways, a line I always heard from my Dad, but I won’t!) We had lots of practice riding bikes back then…we did it every day as a kid!
I had done some other running after that, but very limited. I did not really get interested to the extent I am now until later in high school. That will be a story for next time. But needless to say, it gave me a taste of how things could improve, and how you could get noticed by running. My twin brother has done a marathon before too, but he is not has into it as I am. We both developed more of our interests, and this has evolved in different ways as we have gotten older. We get busy with our own families, and I live in Watertown, and he lives in Parker SD. We don’t get to see each other that much, but one thing still holds true: I would do anything for him, and vice versa. He is still my best friend!
Nothing will change this! We still have a sense about each other that is hard to describe about any other sibling. One day our sister took us out shopping, and one of us went to the Western Mall in SF, and the other to the Empire Mall. Neither of us had any idea what we were going to get, but we ended up each buying one thing, a book. Turns out it was the same book for each of us! One got it as a paper back, one as a hard cover, but the same book! Even that surprised us!
We went through school together, life together, and each had different experiences, but yet similar. That twin bond will always be there. We both still run, but his marathon days may be finished. It now is just more a stress reliever for him. Someday that competitiveness in me may finish, but I still really enjoy it. We both teach people, help people in times of need, and support them when needed. I am a family physician, and he is a Lutheran minister, and was a elementary teacher prior to that. He was Mr. R, now is Pastor Don, and I am Doctor Dan. Similar, but different. We found our own callings, but still managed to take care of our own health in the process. To my brother Don:
It has been a great life! Here is to many more years! Let me know if you got another marathon in you!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3571
