by kelsey | Oct 11, 2018 | Family, Food
If you ate today, be sure to thank a farmer! Tomorrow, October 12th 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 last year. The rain lately has greatly impacted harvest so hopefully it dries out soon so they can get back in the fields! 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.
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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
by Dan | Oct 7, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Yesterday was our 28th wedding anniversary. It seems like yesterday when Sarah and I said “I do”! A lot of things have changed over the years, but the one thing that has not is much I care, and love, Sarah. I thought I was in love that day, but little did I know that was just the beginning. That love has grown so much over these years that I cannot imagine my life without her. We have raised a family, gone on many adventures, and have a passion for exercise and running that has truly been our bond together over these years.
We have been biking, running, walking, hiking all of these years. Here we went back on to where we went on our honeymoon at Estes Park, CO. We spent many times hiking the Rocky Mountains, and have gone back 2 other times and relived that honeymoon as well. We have been in many races together, and separately. We may have run some races separately, but we were there together in all of them!
Here 2 years ago Sarah is patiently waiting for me to finish the Twin Cities Marathon! It was a struggle for me to finish that day. But I knew she would be waiting for me at the finish line, and she was.
I kind of collapsed in her arms at the finish. Tears of joy from me at that time. I knew she would be there, just like always. Supporting, cheering, and many times now, running with me. No other words to describe that kind of a relationship…a relationship that gets even stronger over time.
We have run many races together, and here our friend Cory Ann took one of us in the Brookings half, and we saw her, so of course, I put my arm around her as we ran and smiled! That is what life has been. Doing things together, supporting each other, good days and bad days. I can think of no one else I would rather be with.
Now that the kids are grown and out of the house, we are planning on what our next adventures will be. We don’t know what they will be yet, but guarantee if will involve races, and places we have never been to yet. Many more adventures to go and experience together, and hopefully we will have this for years to come.
It may have been 28 years ago yesterday where we said “I do”, but the lifetime adventure is where it is at. The adventures and lifetime memories only get better, and running and exercise has been that strong bond between. What are you waiting for? It is never too late to start. We can all move, and do something. Start making some ongoing memories for you as well. The biggest limitation is not your legs, but your mind! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 4029
by kelsey | Oct 3, 2018 | Diet, Food, 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!
Be sure to mark your calendars for Running’s Ladies Night Event October 18th from 5-8pm! It is an awesome event supporting and promoting the fight against breast cancer!! Our radiologist Dr.Gwen Schaunaman will be at our clinic booth to visit and answer any questions about our 3D mammography and diagnostic testing we do here at the clinic. Be sure to stop by and say hello!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Sep 30, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
This week the consecutive exercise streak began its 12th year! I have been off on my counting over the years, and so I double checked with an app the number of days from 9/26/07 when my streak began, until today, and I was off by 14 days in my counting. My actual consecutive days of exercise as of today is 4022! The important part is the day I started, so I guess I can allow myself some leeway of not having the number of days right over that time period. It has been fun, but it has also been work. The first year was still the hardest, and the now the rest is habit. I still have to plan at the beginning of each week when I plan on working out each day that week. It is still work, and takes a commitment on my part to stick with it. Many obstacles have gotten in the way over the years, including illness and some injuries, but nothing severe enough to bring the streak to an end.
Weather definitely plays a part when you live in SD! Rain, snow, ice, below zero temps…but what it boils down to if I were to miss is that it would just be another excuse. Once the excuses start, it is very hard to stop. You just put your head down and dig a little deeper.
Some days are tougher than others, but I have learned to hang on. I made this commitment to myself, and it was, and is, important to me. That I guess is really what is important. My goal of telling everybody I see every day that they need to work on their health by working on their diet, and trying to exercise, at least I practice what I preach! If you want it, you have to earn it!
I have had many training partners over the years, both 2 legged and 4 legged. They have all helped me to stay motivated to keep going as well, and hopefully the same as occurred in return for them. We all need help at times, so if it is ever offered, then take advantage of it. That day will come when you can return the favor. So, with that…
…the consecutive streak, just like the races, will continue. Every day is a new record. As long as I am in control, it will continue to keep going. Other things make it easy to keep this going as well.
When you work out, or exercise for a purpose, especially when it can be to the benefit of someone else, is always a motivating factor!
The friends made along the way has become priceless. Running is what brought all those relationships together, and we all work together to keep each other going. No task is too large when you have a automatic group of support backing you up along the way. Feel free to join us anytime, and if that does not work for you, then create your own support group that will work for you. Maybe you are tired of waiting for someone else to start it, so you start it! It has to start with, and by, someone! What are you waiting for!
I am planning on having a lot of running adventures with Sarah over the coming years. I have now ran in 33 of the 50 states, so now have to start hitting some of the rest of those states so that I can say I have been in all of them! There is always something to strive for. What is it you want? What are your goals? Have you told anybody else your goals? Make those goals known. When somebody other than you knows them, you become even more committed to making them a reality. What are you waiting for? Keep moving everybody…and have fun along the way!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 4022 (after having those days in I miss counted)
by kelsey | Sep 26, 2018 | Etc., Goals, Wellness/Health
Last week I was recognized with the honor and award of South Dakota Young Dietitian of the Year! Our South Dakota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics announced I was selected for the honor last spring (you probably remember hearing about it then), but we actually had our awards ceremony last week at our annual conference. I am truly humbled and honored to be selected for this award!
As I was recognized last week, I have been doing a lot of reflection and I can’t help but feel grateful! Dr. Dan is always good about sharing his personal insight and story so I thought I would take a lesson from him and share some about my story today.
It is hard to believe that this summer, marks my 10 year anniversary at the Brown Clinic and 10 years of being a Registered Dietitian. As I look back on this journey, I have a lot of people to thank and be grateful for–for helping me achieve my goals and fulfilling my passion and purpose in life! I knew at a young age I was interested in a health care related field as I got to shadow my dad Dr. Clark Likness around at hospital rounds on a Sunday morning or check out the clinic as he worked on his paper charts (yes paper charts–no internet back then!) on a weekend afternoon. Health and science were normal conversations in our house. My older brothers went into medicine but I just wasn’t sure that was for me. My oldest brother once told me–you need to follow your passion, don’t go be a doctor just because we are…be true to yourself…so I was in search of the right field for me, it just took me a few bumps in the road to find it!
I first became interested in nutrition in high school when I took a nutrition class from Jensi Andrus at WHS. I was fascinated by it…not to mention she is an excellent teacher that helped intrigue my interest more into the subject! I personally saw a dietitian in high school for disordered eating and that showed me first hand how important proper nutrition is to your health and well being inside and out. I went to college at Augustana for biology and pre-optometry and after about a year there, I realized I was in the wrong field. Something just didn’t feel right. I enrolled into another nutrition course there my sophomore year, fall semester, and within two weeks, I knew I had to follow my passion and go into nutrition.
Nutrition is an incredible field of science–something is always changing, new research to learn about, and what is even cooler is how much a person can improve/impact their health by improving what they eat! In addition, our behaviors about food can positively or negatively impact our health–I wanted to help people have healthy relationships with food and not demonize or have negative thoughts and behaviors with it! Well my change of career choice meant that I had to transfer schools, change my major, and move. I can still remember calling my parents to tell them I made up my mind of my purpose in life and them telling me….let’s just calm down and take some time to think about it, and I said nope- I’ve made up mind, I’m going to visit SDSU next week to learn how to transfer into their dietetics program! LOL–I am sure they were really thrilled with me at the time! 😉 For once, it all felt right.
I transferred to SDSU mid-way through my sophomore year and enrolled into their dietetics program. It just so happened that at that same time, they were starting their new equestrian program that helped them comply with Title 9 rules. I received an athletic scholarship and made SDSU my home. I loved my time at SDSU–learning about nutrition and riding horse as a division I athlete! At SDSU, I met Dr.Kendra Kattleman. She was the program director and is now the department head. She asked me if I wanted a job and I knew I couldn’t turn down working for one of the best dietitians, researchers, and professors in the country! I worked for Kendra for 4 years through undergrad and graduate school. I learned so much from her and she has truly helped me get to where I am today–thank you Kendra!!
After SDSU, I completed my dietetic internship at USD’s Center for Disabilities and Med School in Sioux Falls. I had a great experience learning from the best RDs in the state.
I never thought I’d end up back home in Watertown, but the end of my senior year at SDSU, Adam and I rekindled our middle/high school friendship and began dating and the rest is history as we moved back to Watertown so Adam could continue to farm and ranch with his family. I am so fortunate Brown Clinic saw the vision and purpose in wellness and took my new grad self onto the team in 2009. Dr.Dan and I created STRIVE 2 Survive, our multi-disciplinary approach to wellness and I have had the opportunity to work on several other really great wellness projects in addition to making a positive impact in all of the patients I see and the community I call home. It truly has been a journey and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family, friends, colleagues, and community–THANK YOU! I feel like I got the best of my parents in my job–my dad’s medical side and my mom’s education back ground as I truly do both in my job!
I am looking forward to the this next phase in my career as we continue to expand and fine tune our wellness opportunities here at the Brown Clinic. We have some exciting things going on!! Thank you to my family for loving and supporting me through my ups and downs on this journey and especially now helping me be a working mom. Thanks to my great daycare lady Donnietta too–it makes coming to work easy and enjoyable when you know your child is well cared for! It truly takes a village! And thank you to all of you for allowing me to be a part of your wellness journey! I hope I have positively impacted you and your nutrition, health, and wellness!
Here are some pictures to share!
My purpose and loves:
Likness Family: Corbin was a baby and this picture doesn’t include our newest addition of baby Asher (Micah’s son), but these guys are the best!!
My In-Laws–the Ramls! Go Jacks!! (We’re missing the newest addition Ivy here –Grant’s daughter).
Awards Day: September 20, 2018: Dr.Kendra Kattelmann and myself. I wouldn’t be here getting recognized if it weren’t for her! Thank you Kendra!
Myself and Amanda Lambrechts. Amanda is a former student of mine that I had in the clinic and at SDSU. She is originally from Milbank and now working at HyVee in Sioux Falls and has her own private practice. Amanda nominated me for this award–thank you Amanda!
SD Dietitians of the Year:
Myself: Young Dietitian of the Year, Tiffany Krogstad: Emerging Dietitian of the Year, and Veronica Handeland: Outstanding Dietitian of the Year. Tiffany works at Sanford Oncology and Veronica at IHS in Eagle Butte. I am honored to have been recognized with them!
Myself with Dr.Dan….we make a great team for STRIVE 2 Survive!!
If you would like to work on improving your nutrition, health, and wellness give me a call or email! I would love to work with you!
Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
kelsey.raml@brownclinic.org
605.884.4226
