by Dan | Jun 25, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Going on almost 27 years now when Sarah and I said: “I do!”. It has been a great adventure. Ups and downs, good times, not so good times…but mostly, great times! We believed in each other then, and we do even more now. We have 3 kids, all now out of the house. One still in college, but the other 2 just graduated in May. We have been active ever since we started dating, and we still work out together, exercise together, and support and cheer each other on. It has taken continuous work and effort. It does not just happen. We push each other to keep going. That is what life is about. Finding that person, or people, who can support you, and you return the favor. I have written now for the last several months on what it takes for you…for me…to become better. Confidence, courage, vision, teamwork, remembering our past, how to improve the future, and taking time to relax. I also discussed about never stop learning, becoming a difference maker, and going after your dreams. It is a continuous process, and one where we will make mistakes along the way. We just have to figure out how to pick ourselves back up, stay motivated, and continue to put one foot in front of the other. The process never ends! We need to work on becoming better for our entire lifetime. For Sarah and I, it has continued from that day when we said “I do”. We have not quit. We keep pushing forward. And…we are having fun along the way, and enjoying adventures I would have never dreamed of.
We participate in a lot of races together, and we sponsor a lot of races/events to help make sure there are plenty of activities for other people to enjoy too. It is also a way to help other people stay motivated, and to get out and stay active, and help them take control of their own health. As Family Physicians, that is also our job description. Our primary focus is on the family…how to take care of them, how to help them in tough times, sick times, and to help keep them motivated as well. If we are not, how can we expect anyone else to be? This is all part of becoming better, and we learn along the way. Life always has a curve ball to throw, and we either swing and miss, and learn from it, or hit it head on! You don’t know how things would be unless you try.
We have gone through many things together over the years, and hopefully there are many more adventures, many more races, many more activities to spend together. I am going to help Sarah finish her first marathon coming up in October. And, we are running for charity, helping to raise money for research in regards to Friedreich’s Ataxia, and there are several people in Watertown alone afflicted with this genetic disease. We are working together…helping each other, and others. We have many finish lines yet to cross together!
We start together, and we finish things together. That helps me become a better me! I am always learning though. It takes continuous effort, just like taking care of your own health, you have to take care of your mental health. Be supportive…be there for others! There may be some occasional posts that I make have again if the right subject comes up again on “Becoming a Better You”. For now, I am going to begin something new. Something new as I/we continue to Strive to Survive. I am titling this next segment of posts as “A Running Doc’s Life”. In it I will explore different aspects of myself, and different times of my life, including current issues, about my life as a doctor…a running doctor…and what I do to help promote exercise and health, and hopefully lead by example. I will help explain things that I have gone through, good things, and struggles, including injuries, and what you can do for them, and can do instead while you may be injured. I write this blog in an attempt to help motivate and inspire others, but, I find it helps inspire and motivate me as well. We all need that. We all need to be reminded of that, and how to do it. We all need to keep working on it as well, “in good times, and in bad times, in sickness and in health, for all the days of my/our life”. Sound familiar? We took a vow all those years ago, to each other, for each other, and will help you too! So stay tuned…if it inspires or helps motivate somebody, then it is all worthwhile! If it is helpful to you, let me know, and feel free to pass it on to someone else…maybe it can help them too! If you become better, everybody around you wins!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan — “The Running Doc”
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3557
by kelsey | Jun 22, 2017 | Cooking Tips, Diabetes, Diet, Heart Health, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
It’s the middle of the afternoon and you are struggling to keep your eyes open and focus. You keep yawning and you’re thinking isn’t it 5’oclock yet?! Has this ever happened to you? I’m sure it has! Many of us can have lows in our energy levels and we often turn to caffeine to rev us back up…which isn’t always the best or smartest choice. Here are some tips to help you keep your energy levels stable and get you through the day!
- Eat consistently throughout the day. I am sure you have heard me say it before, but this really does apply to energy levels. Eating small amounts every 3-4 hours can aid in a healthy metabolism, blood sugar control, and ward off extreme hunger. It will also help you be more focused and attentive!
- Avoid heavy eating (ie-gravys, fried foods, rich foods, etc). Eating more moderately or lightly will help curb your cravings and reduce overeating which often results in feeling sluggish and sleepy (like on Thanksgiving!).
- Focus on balance. It’s really important to eat well balanced meals that include lean proteins, fruits and veggies, whole grains, and low fat dairy. Each food source offers the body various nutrients and a balance of these is best for fueling the body.
- Make healthy snacks. Snacks should be about 100-200 calories and have a balance of protein and fiber rich carbs. This balance stays with you and lasts longer, further helping sustain energy and blood sugar control. A piece of fruit with a handful of almonds, low fat string cheese and a few whole grain crackers, or yogurt and berries are some good choices.
- Watch the caffeine and sugar. Avoid soda, sugary coffee, and energy drinks as these foods will give you an energy boost, but it’s only short term, which result in a big energy crash an hour or two later. Instead choose water or unsweetened tea.
- Get good sleep. It’s really important to get a good nights rest, which includes at least 7-8 hours of sleep. This will help you wake up rested and ready to make the most of your day!
-Kelsey Raml, MS, RD, LN
by kelsey | Jun 21, 2017 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a farm tour around the Brookings area. We toured Baby Bel’s plant, a dairy, VanderWal’s feedlot, and the SDSU Cow/Calf Unit. It was a great day of learning and exploring where our food comes from and the practices involved of getting food to our tables. Dr. Russ Daly, DVM discussed some hot topics such as antibiotic and hormone use. I posted this write up below a few years ago and thought it was worthy of reposting as it addresses the hot topic of hormone use and beef. If you have any questions after reading the facts, please contact me. I am more than happy to help diminish the confusion on this topic!! 🙂
I recently came across a really well written, credible, and easy to understand article regarding hormones in beef. There are a lot of mixed messages and concerns about the use of hormones in our meat production. Hormones are found in all multi-cellular organisms, which does include animals, vegetables, etc. Sometimes producers will use hormone implants which cause the meat to have a little bit more hormones than a non-implanted animal. Federal laws prohibit the use of hormones in hogs and chickens, but it is permissible in beef. The reason producers use implants are to increase efficiency, meaning the cow will gain more muscle, from less feed, more quickly. This really helps keeps prices down of the meat and reduces environmental impact. When implanted, the meat will contain a slightly higher amount of estrogen in a 3 oz serving (1.9 nanograms compared to 1.3 nanograms in non implanted meat). Many people are concerned that the extra estrogen is causing a variety of other issues such as early puberty or faster growing children.
Now here’s where you you pay special attention: our own bodies produce hormones naturally, a child will produce around 50,000 nanograms of estrogen/day and an adult female will produce about 480,000 nanograms of estrogen a day. In addition, when hormones are eaten and digested, they are not able to act as hormones anymore….but even if they did, that 1.9 nanograms in a 3 oz serving of meat is pretty small compared to our own natural production. In addition, it’s important to point out that many other foods have much more estrogen in them naturally, such as potatoes have 225 nanograms, peas have 340 nanograms, icecream-520 nanograms,cabbage- 2000 nanograms, and soy milk has 11,250 nanograms (all based on 3 oz servings). Also, one birth control pill has about 35,000 nanograms of estrogen. So here’s the bottom line, the hormones found in implanted beef are miniscule compared to our own production of hormones and various other foods we normally eat. I personally, am not concerned about this practice and feel it is safe to consume and we shouldn’t have any concerns about it. Now if you are still concerned, even after reading this and learning more from other credible resources, then you certainly can choose organic foods or grass fed meat (they may be higher in price and have a bit different taste, but they are an option for you). Lastly, this also brings us to the very important point that I have mentioned many times: moderation! When you prepare your meals, be sure to plan in a variety of other whole foods withe your lean meats, such as fruits and veggies and whole grains to create a well-rounded, balanced healthy plate!
-Kelsey
http://newsroom.unl.edu/announce/beef/2846/15997
by Dan | Jun 18, 2017 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
As we come upon another Father’s Day, it is once again time to reflect back on the accomplishments that have been made, what went right, what went wrong, and how or what can I do to improve things. Sarah and I over the years have always been active, and we have tried to teach our kids to be active as well. It is that important! There are so many other adventures and activities that you can do together, that will make lifetime memories. This first picture Sarah had made T-shirts for one of Grandma’s marathon’s that I was in, and these guys were my walking cheerleaders. I would come down the road to hear them cheering me on, and to see what they were wearing! Boy, talk about getting fired up. It is one of my favorites pictures, and times, to look back on. There are many times to look back at, with the trips we have made, activities we have done. That is what makes pictures so nice. It helps you to remember details that you may have otherwise forgotten.
This was one year, on Father’s Day, taking a picture with me wearing my shirt that says “Awesome Dad”! Hard to realize they were that little once. There were many times we got to spend out at the Lake as well.
Here we are showing off the fish we caught. Just a little excitement from everybody here! They also came with us to many races/marathons, and were my ongoing cheerleaders. It was great having them come along. Now they are starting to participate in these races with us! Here my twins are with me the following morning after one of Grandma’s Marathon races.
The perfect way to feel ready to go again! With what we do for our jobs, it made it hard many times to figure out how we could spend more time with them. When you look back, there are always things you wish you could change, and how you would spend your time. But, at the time, we did the best we could, and tried to make many lifetime memories. We had a lot of fun when they were growing up. I learned many things from my Dad. I probably got to spend more time with him after he retired, as his job entailed working evenings. We never wanted for anything, except being able to spend more time with him. Later on, we just had to spend more quality time together!
Of course, this may be Father’s Day, but none of these things would have happened without help from Sarah. We were truly a team. We remain a team yet. Yesterday Sarah and I participated in the “Race for Chase”, a 10 mile team race where one of you has to ride, and one has to run. You start together, and have to finish together, and you can trade off as often as you want. We won our age group for coed teams…the age group I refer to as “Team Old”! We had fun, and hopefully there will be many more running, biking, and exercising adventures to do together, not only with the two of us, but later with the kids, and then grandkids.
My three kids are growing up, and moving on with their own lives. Hopefully, we have instilled in them how to become better at taking care of themselves, staying active, and being involved as a family. We all can work at becoming better. Me included…I always have to continue to work on being a better Dad. I got one shot at it, and the job description keeps changing, so hopefully I can continue to adapt and change on the fly. But, one thing is for sure. I will never forget my walking billboard at the marathons. The front of the shirts you saw at the beginning. But, when they would turn around as I ran by, and it was the back of the shirts that I will never forget!
This is what it is all about! This is why I want to be around longer. This is why I need to continue to work on becoming a better Dad…always. You do the same, whether as a Dad, or Mom, or friend, or whatever! Work on becoming a better you!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3550
by kelsey | Jun 14, 2017 | Food
The recent storms reminded that we are due for our annual post about food safety and power outages. I think this content is very important to review during times like this when we can lose power due to summer storms. Without power to your freezer or fridge, the safety of your food is at risk…especially when it’s 80 degrees out. If you don’t have one already, be sure to get a thermometer for your fridge and freezer so you are able to monitor and track temperatures appropriately…and be sure to follow these recommendations below.
Keeping cold foods cool and hot foods hot may be a challenge without power so follow these recommendations to keep your food safe in an emergency.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. Watch the temp on both using a thermometer. You want your fridge to stay under 40 degrees and your freezer under zero degrees F.
- The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.
- A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.
- If are you able to, get dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for 2 days.
- If you are wondering if your food is safe to consume, you need to evaluate each item separately using a thermometer as you cannot rely on the appearance or odor! If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 °F or below, it is safe to refreeze. Refrigerated food should be safe as long as power is out no more than 4 hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) that have been above 40 °F for 2 hours. Remember…it’s better to discard and buy new than risk it and get sick!
For more tips and detailed recommendations please visit the USDA’s website: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp .
-Kelsey
