by kelsey | Sep 27, 2017 | Etc.
There are many reasons to get the flu vaccine. Whether it’s to protect yourself, or help prevent loved ones who may be elderly, pregnant or prone to infection from getting sick, getting your shot is an important tool to defend against the flu.
It’s more than just protecting yourself — when you get your flu shot, you are also protecting people around you. The CDC says this includes “those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people, and people with certain chronic health conditions.”
The CDC says how well the flu vaccine works each year can vary, but the greatest benefits of getting vaccinated are:
- Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with the flu.
- Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization, including children and older adults.
- Flu vaccinations are an important preventative tool for people with chronic health conditions.
- Vaccination helps protect women during and after pregnancy. Getting vaccinated can also protect a baby after birth from flu.
- Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick.
In addition, the CDC also recommends other good health habits, such as covering your cough and frequently washing your hands with soap, can help prevent the spread of the flu and other respiratory illnesses.
To help make your flu fight easier, Brown Clinic is holding walk-in flu shot clinics at its Northridge location on Tuesday, October 10 from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, October 21 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Brown Clinic also offers flu shots by appointment throughout flu season.
Flu season is just around the corner, so it’s time to get your shot and defend yourself and those around you against the flu.
by Dan | Sep 26, 2017 | Etc.
Another mile stone completed…10 years of consecutive exercise completed…and on to year 11! This journey started on September 26, 2007. Days where I did not feel the greatest, or recovery from certain injuries, but still capable of doing some kind of exercise, and putting up with the changes in weather…these did not make a difference. Basically there was no excuse, or at least an excuse I was going to listen to. This may be my consecutive exercise streak, but I have had help. The biggest supporter, or training partner has been my wife Sarah!
We support each other with our running, or any kind of exercise. She has been the master motivator. I keep going because I want to be around longer to spend time with her, and with my kids. She is my inspiration!
I was hoping I would be able to help her complete her first marathon…The Twin Cities Marathon coming up this weekend, Sunday, Oct 1. I got an injury a little over a week ago, and tore the calf muscle in my left leg coming in at the end of a run. Now I don’t know if I will be able to run this weekend, or if I will be a cheerleader for the rest of the group. I can still walk, or be on the elliptical with no pain, but I can’t push off with running. I can be a good cheerleader though…and I will help support my fellow Watertown runners who will be running this weekend, as we were running for charity and awareness for Friedreich’s Ataxia. I am really disappointed that I may not be able to run, but I am looking at the bigger picture here. There are bigger things going on than me being able to run, or even my consecutive streak. I guess we all have to take one day at a time, and appreciate everything life has to offer. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3650
by kelsey | Sep 21, 2017 | Cooking Tips, Food
Fall is my favorite seasons and I am always excited when this time of the year comes around. One of my favorite things about fall is all of the tasty foods we get to enjoy thanks to harvest time. My parents have a big garden and I get to reap the benefits of their hard work with fresh garden produce as well as lots of really great apples from their trees. A lot of time and effort goes into harvesting the garden, but being able to enjoy home grown produce nearly year round makes it well worth it. If you do not have a garden of your own, I encourage you to check out the farmer’s market and take advantage of all of the great foods present there during this time of year! The are located in the Running’s parking lot every Saturday morning. One of my all time favorite foods of fall is apple crisp. I think I could eat this every day! Since this is one of my favorites and I struggle with portion control, I have adapted a recipe to make it a bit healthier. Give it a try!
Apple Crisp
Mix your sliced apples with cinnamon and sugar (I use Splenda/Splenda Blend as the sugar form). Mix to your liking of taste.
Layer the apples in the bottom of a pan (use a smaller pan if you like it thicker).
Topping: 1 c flour, 1 c brown sugar, 1 cup quick oats, 1 stick of butter.
My alterations for the topping include: You can use whole wheat flour in place of white flour, Splenda Brown Sugar (use the conversion guide on the back of the bag) in place of regular brown sugar, and in place of the butter, I use Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter All-Purpose stick—this kind is trans fat free and has lower saturated fats than regular butter.
Mix the topping together and crumble over the apples.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 min.
Enjoy!!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Sep 20, 2017 | Etc.
A support group for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) will hold a meeting on Tuesday, September 26th at 6:30pm in the west conference room at Prairie Lakes Hospital.
The group works to educate those who are living with IBS and to increase awareness of the disorder. IBS is a functional bowel disorder characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of both. There is no cure for IBS.
The September 26th meeting will include a presentation by our very own Doctor of Pharmacy Deidra VanGilder. Deidra practices pharmacy at Brown Clinic and is also an associate professor of pharmacy at SDSU. She will discuss and answer questions about the over-the-counter and prescription medications for management of IBS symptoms.
Attendees should sue the west hospital entrance for easy access. There is no advance registration and no cost. Everyone is welcome. To learn more, contact Bruce Ford at 880-5213.
Deidra is a great expert in this area–please join if you are affected by IBS and want to learn more!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by Dan | Sep 17, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
It has been a busy couple of weeks. Using exercise to help promote different things, both for the community, and for myself. First, we had our annual awareness walk/run for suicide prevention. Another great turnout by close to a total of 150 people. I helped map out the course, and helped create the event to be kept locally here. Suicide affects everybody in one way or another, and by promoting awareness of this, we can also promote wellness to those of us here by helping to take care of ourselves as well. That is just as important. We need to keep taking care of ourselves, and by doing this, then we can feel better about ourselves, and about life in general. We can then also give back to others at the same time.
Here is part of the route taking off from the zoo, and then me giving some instructions prior to the start.
The runners took off first, followed by MANY walkers. The idea was to get as many people out to participate, not only in remembrance of someone they may have lost, but to bring awareness to the issue of suicide to start with.
How much more can you strive to survive? We can help remember somebody else, and help take care of ourselves, by walking, and remembering…it was a great turnout, and hopefully we will have even more next year.
Then 4 days later I ran the Sioux Falls half marathon…13.1 miles. That is why I did not have a post on here last Sunday. I was busy doing this. I am in the large group of Watertown runners who are going to be doing the Twin Cities Marathon in 2 weeks from today, running for charity as well to help raise money for research and a cure for Friedreich’s Ataxia, of which I have written about recently as well. This was to be my last long run getting ready for the marathon. That Sunday was supposed to be my last 20 mile run. What I ended up doing was do 3 miles first, then did the half marathon, then another 4 miles after that. I got my 20 miles in, and some speed work, as my time I was actually very happy with, 1:48:59…running the 13.1 miles with an 8:19 per mile pace. Even though I was training for the marathon coming up, and again for charity, this run was for me. I needed some confidence to know what I was capable of for finishing. I was striving for a time I wanted…a goal I wanted…and did it. Over the years if I have learned anything, it’s that you can do a lot for promoting wellness, and improved health, but it means so much more to practice what I preach. I encourage people to do this everyday, just like I encourage myself to. I don’t just talk about exercise, I do it. I had an attending physician I followed for a month when I was a second year medical student. He was very overweight, over 300 pounds, and was a smoker. He would have the cigarette box hanging out of his shirt pocket, and would tell his patients they had to exercise, watch their diet, and quit smoking. Now how many patients do you think actually took him seriously? How many do you think actually listened to him? He could not, or would not, do it himself, why would they listen to him? I have said for many years, lead by example. You hold more credibility if you actually do what you try to have your patients do.
Lead the charge! I may tell my patients to work on their diet and exercise more, but I also show them too. This kind of goes along with the theme we had for our suicide awareness walk/run. “Walk in the path of hope”.
This could have other meanings as well. Hope in that you can believe in yourself. Hope that you can do more than you are capable of…including not only taking care of yourself, but helping to take care of others, and making awareness stand out for you and others. Believe in yourself. Confidence goes a long way in achieving this goal…the goal of you, and what you can do to become a better you. And by becoming a better you, you can help somebody else become better.
There are days when you may exercise by yourself, but those times that you are in a group, the effort becomes much easier to handle…to the point where doing some of those workouts by yourself may not have gotten done had you been by yourself. Both of these events made it come to light even more by showing it is easier to get things accomplished when you work together…workout together…to support each other. A lot of things we do we have to rely on ourselves, and sometimes the stress of doing this can be overwhelming. But even more so, we can’t be afraid to rely on others for help, encouragement, and friendship. We are all here for a purpose, and you want to make the most of that purpose. Strive to survive for yourself, and for those around you!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3641
