by Dan | Oct 23, 2014 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Nick has been having a much better senior year since his first cross country meet this year where he collapsed 300 meters before the finish line. Now, he is getting ready for the State Cross Country meet this coming Saturday. He is starting to get back to his usual self. Here is his last weekend with Molly and I at Tucks. One proud sister here, and another proud sister Megan, back in college in Virginia, who wished she could have been home for this too.
He has overcome a lot these last few months, and as I posted last week, our first obstacle for all of us to overcome is OURSELVES! We could not be more proud of you Nick.
Mom, Megan, Molly, and I are behind you all of the way. Mom and I will be cheering at the course, and Molly and Megan cheering from afar, but we will keep them posted. Go for broke in your final high school cross country meet. Do your best, and leave no regrets behind. This may be your last high school cross country meet, but your family will be cheering and supporting you forever. We love you. Families live together, support each, stay fit together! Good luck, but have fun, and enjoy your last State meet! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2582
by kelsey | Oct 9, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many of us know of someone who has been affected by breast cancer as it is the most common cancer in women and more than 230,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the United States as stated by the American Cancer Society.
It is important to recognize some symptoms of breast cancer. The most common symptom is the presence of a painless lump in the breast area. Less common symptoms include swelling, tenderness, skin irritation, redness, or nipple abnormalities which may include ulceration or discharge.
Factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer include the onset of menstruation before age 12, menopause after the age of 55, not breastfeeding for at least one year, not having children, or having children after 30 years of age, and having a high body mass index.
Increased body weight in postmenopausal women who are not taking hormones increases the risk for developing breast cancer. The more fat cells you have, the higher your levels of estrogen in the postmenopausal period, when your ovaries are no longer producing estrogen. Moreover, overweight women have higher insulin levels, and insulin may promote breast tumors.
Nutrition Tips for Cancer Prevention:
Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are great sources of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Antioxidants and phytochemicals play a role in cancer prevention. Carotenoids is a type of antioxidant that is found in red and yellow produce. Some examples of foods that contain carotenoids are carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and red sweet peppers. All dark green vegetables contain nutrients that protect against cancer. Good sources of dark green vegetables include spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts and kale. An additional benefit to eating a well balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is that it promotes a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight will help you to decrease your risk of developing cancer. A helpful tip to remember is that the more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrients it contains; so pack your plate with colorful choices!
I will be discussing this topic in greater detail at our upcoming educational event on October 23rd at the HyVee Club Room from 5:30-7pm. Be sure to call Big Stone Therapies at 753-5400 to reserve your spot…it’s going to be a great event!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 1, 2014 | Family, Goals, Motivation, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
As many of you know my maiden name is Likness and my father is Dr.Clark Likness. I have discussed in previous posts about how growing up in a home where medical terms and science were discussed on a regular basis helped shape my interest and passion for health, wellness, and nutrition. Healthy eating and regular activity were norms in our household and have continued to be a focus for us as we all get older. Many of you have probably heard stories, rumors, or maybe the actual truth about what has been going on about my Dad recently. There seems to be a lot more of the rumors versus the actual truth going around about what happened, that Dad and I decided it was time to discuss it on our wellness blog to not only inform you all of the truth, but show how important healthy living, choices, and wellness checks with your regular doctors are.
“Dr.Likness” to many of you, “Dad” to me, “Clark” to friends, and “Grandpa Clarky” to my nieces and nephew has been out of the clinic on medical leave since the middle of August. He is doing well and will be coming back to the clinic to see patients in a few weeks. In the early summer, he noticed he was having some issues with his veins in his legs and decided to get it checked out. A small tumor was found on his kidney and after multiple tests and consults with various top notch health professionals, they concluded the tumor needed to be removed as there was a possibility of it being cancer. If removed, he was cured, no matter if it was benign or malignant. In the meantime, he was working on some landscaping at my parent’s lake cabin and blew out his rotator cuff in his shoulder and developed a hernia. In Dad’s early years (before becoming a doctor), he helped his grandparents and parents on the farm and worked road construction. The years of manual labor and hard work caught up to him this summer and basically his body was falling apart! So facing the fact that he needed to have all of these issues taken care of, he decided to do them all at once so that he could be out at the same time for them and not have to take multiple medical leaves of absence from the clinic. It may seem crazy to have it all done in the same time period, but he thought it was best for himself and his patients to not be out multiple times. In August he had the tumor on his kidney removed and the surgery was successful. The pathology report came back that it was benign, which means NO CANCER! We were relieved and thrilled with the news. A few weeks later, he had the hernia and his shoulder repaired. He is now recovering from that and engaging in therapy to get himself back up to steam and have full range of motion again. The picture above is from our last short boat ride around the lake this last weekend before we pulled everything out for winter. As you can see he’s looking good!
There have been multiple rumors going around that he has liver cancer, lung cancer, and is retiring, and we want you all to know NONE of these are true!! He is doing great and will be back to work and 100% health soon! Each doctor he saw through all of this remarked how he went into surgeries, surgeries were successful, and the recovery will be better all because he has kept himself in good shape. He exercises regularly and makes efforts to eat healthy. The benefits of making these daily choices are rewarding! In addition, regular check ups and screenings are essential for good health and prevention as if he wouldn’t have gotten checked out, there is a chance that the tumor in his kidney could have progressed into a cancerous tumor. Even though making healthy choices, practicing portion control and moderation, and making time for regular activity aren’t always appealing (yes it does take some effort and motivation!), we need to make these efforts to take good care of our bodies as we only get one! We decided to share his story to show you how important healthy living and proper self care is…and a little piece of me wanted to help set the record straight! 😉 Dad’s motivation continues to be his family (all of us below minus the newest addition, my niece Blair who was born in the spring) as he wants to be around to enjoy all of life’s events with us! We all need to find that certain motivation to help us stay on track with our goals and efforts! If you don’t have it now, I encourage you to do some serious thinking on what motivates you to live healthy. That motivation and incentive is your key for a long and healthy life!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Sep 27, 2014 | Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Yesterday, September 26, was the official completion of my 7th year of consecutive exercise days, and went on to begin year 8 today. I still have as much enjoyment now as I ever did. I still have to plan everyday when I am going to exercise, and what type of exercise for that day, but it is a habit. A very enjoyable habit. I can’t see myself doing it any other way. Whether biking, running, walking, lifting weights…and even swimming…I thoroughly enjoy staying active.
My exercise has taken me on many adventures, and with many different people. I would not trade it for anything! Hopefully the adventures still keep coming, and with other people as well. How far can I go without missing a day? I don’t know, but we will all be finding out together. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2556
by kelsey | Sep 25, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Etc., Family, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
This last weekend, our Nurse Practitioner Beth Schultz and her family represented Brown Clinic in the Chili Cookoff. They made up an outstanding batch of chili that won 1st Place-Judge’s Choice! Chili is a great way to combine a bunch of healthy ingredients into one dish that everyone loves! Incorporating lean meats, beans loaded with fiber and protein, and plenty of great vegetables makes chili a balanced and healthy meal! Beth and her husband Auston along with their girls did a great job representing the clinic and showed how eating healthy can be enjoyable and taste great! Congratulations Beth, Auston, and girls!
Delicious Chili
BC’s Booth with Auston hard at work!
by kelsey | Sep 24, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Heart Health, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
September is National Cholesterol Education Month. Whether you have high cholesterol of not, it is important to know what your cholesterol levels are and what you can do to help control them so you can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.
According to the American Heart Association, one out of every three people in the United States is affected by heart-related diseases. There are many risk factors when it comes to heart disease including: excess weight, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure (to name a few). In addition to working with your doctor, you can minimize these risk factors by your dietary intake and physical activity.
For a healthy heart you want to consume a diet low in sodium, low in saturated and trans fat, and cholesterol. Challenge yourself to replace these with some of the foods and food components listed below:
- Fruits and Vegetables- Many fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which helps your body take in more nutrients, can lower cholesterol levels, aid in achieving a healthy weight. Fruits and vegetables not only contain fiber, but they also contain potassium and antioxidants. Potassium can help with blood pressure by blunting the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Antioxidants may help prevent disease and keep your body working properly.. At the grocery store, be sure to choose a variety of deeply colored fruits and vegetables like carrots, apricots, broccoli, beets, berries and kidney beans to maximize your intake of vitamins and minerals.
- Whole Grains-There are many components within whole grains which provide benefits. Whole grains provide fiber, vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. To reap the benefits, aim for at least 3 daily servings of whole grains. On the label, look for the phrase “whole grain” or “whole” before the grain’s name. Some examples include: whole grain breads, cereals and pasta, brown rice, oatmeal and popcorn. Using a supplement such as ground flax seed (shown in the picture) is beneficial to improving total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. You can work up to using 2-3 Tbsps/day for improved levels. This is often mixed into cereal, oatmeal, or used like granola with yogurt…you can also bake with it.
- Heart Healthy Fats- A diet of moderate fat intake is beneficial to your health. You can enjoy the healthy benefits by choosing oils and spreads rich in unsaturated fat, such as olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn, or soybean oils. Salmon, sardines, herring, trout, and tuna are terrific sources of the omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are types of polyunsaturated fats that may reduce the risk of heart disease. If you are unable to get fish into your diet, you should consider taking a fish oil supplement of 1-4g/day with at least 1g of DHA and EPA.
- Stanols and Sterols- These plant-based food components help block the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine, which has a beneficial effect on blood cholesterol. They are found in foods like corn, soy, wheat and some fortified foods like orange juice and yogurt. 1-3 grams of stanols or sterols are needed each day to see beneficial effects.
-Kelsey
