by kelsey | Apr 10, 2013 | Food, Weather
Well for once Watertown has dodged the bullet with this winter storm. It sounds like there is more coming, but we have avoided the terrible ice that the Sioux Falls and southeastern SD region has gotten. There are many without power and it sounds like it may be days-week before they get power back on. These poor conditions are not ideal but, like I said yesterday, we can’t change the weather so we must do what we can to keep safe. Without power to the fridge and freezer, many may be wondering how to keep their food safe. Even though we aren’t dealing with these issues here in the Watertown area, you may have friends or family dealing with them so be sure to share these recommendations with them! 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 oder! 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. The way it sounds, this will be case for many in the Sioux Falls area. 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 .
Stay safe and warm everyone!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 9, 2013 | Motivation, Wellness/Health
I posted a few weeks ago about warding off the winter blues (https://s2sbrownclinic.com/2013/03/feeling-the-winter-blues/)….and since we are once again in a winter blizzard and it’s mid-April, I thought this topic was fitting again. We are all frustrated with the weather and really ready for spring and warmer temperatures and nicer weather to come, but no matter how much you complain and get down about this poor weather, we aren’t going to change it! So…pick your battles and don’t let this dampen your spirits!! Since you can’t go for a walk outside, get active inside! Dance to some music, do some stretching, walk around your house, do some jumping jacks, or use your inside exercise equipment. Whenever I look at this picture I took outside our hotel balcony on vacation in Cancun this winter, I immediately smile…it’s pretty, it’s calming, and nice to look at. Picture this when you’re feeling down and focus on the positives! The storm will move through and brighter, sunnier days will come!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 9, 2013 | Etc.
DUE TO THE WEATHER TODAY (4/9), STRIVE 2 SURVIVE IS CANCELLED.
Deidra’s lecture will be on May 21st instead of today.
Be safe and stay warm with this nasty blizzard!!
by Dan | Apr 7, 2013 | Exercise, Goals, Wellness/Health
The snow is getting less and less all of the time (we won’t talk about the upcoming forecast though!). Soon, we will be able to have full access to all of the bike trails here in town. For the Watertown Initiative, H20-20, (also symbolic for the consecutive exercise day for me today!) I am chairman of the Watertown Bike Trail Systems committee. I would take any input anybody would have as to ideas of how to improve the trails.
The city gets so much funding each year, and is able to set aside only so much each year, for upkeep, re-paving, and development of future trails in the city. Their is a plan in place to continue adding onto the existing trail over the next 5 years. In the meantime, we would like to know what else could be done. Signs, such as distance markers, bench seats, bike racks, port a potties, drinking fountains, bike rental stations, or anything you can think that would be of benefit out on the trail. This goes for everybody…walkers, runners, and bikers.
How can we help maintain the bike trails? Can we have sections where individual, or group volunteers, are in charge of keeping the trail clean: picking up garbage, sweeping the trail to keep glass and garbage off, and to help keep it safe for everyone to use. This also could include more drop points of having garbage cans around to dispose of the garbage. Get your thinking caps on. This trail system benefits us all in Watertown. We have a great trail system, and want to continue to maintain the current system, plus continue to develop more trails, particularly around the lake. Any suggestions would be of benefit.
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2020
by kelsey | Apr 4, 2013 | Weight Management
I send periodic updates to our staff about STRIVE 2 Survive. I thought I’d share today’s update with you all. We ended our winter session a few weeks ago and have started our spring session. We will be taking a summer break and starting a fall session after Labor Day. As many of you know, our focus is to promote lifelong healthy habits and not just a quick fix. There are all kinds of fad diets out there that will give you the quick fix, but we are focused on your overall health (inside and out!) and want to give our participants the education and tools they need to live a long and healthy life. Below is a glimpse of the results we see. This female participant lost about 22lbs in the 12 weeks, 15% body weight and greatly improved her lab results, waist circumference, and fat composition…all with the help of our program. She didn’t do anything crazy such as eliminate food groups, skip meals, only drink shakes, or over-exercise…she basically started watching her diet more closely and kept a food log of her intake, made healthier choices by reading labels and being more aware of the choices out there, and exercised about 30 minutes every day. Seeing her cholesterol elevated at the beginning of our 12 weeks was a motivator for her and she wanted to work hard to improve her weight and her cholesterol to prevent disease later in life. When we were visiting about her results, the biggest thing that stood out to me was that she said she knows she can stick with this. She didn’t do anything drastic that she can’t keep up with the rest of her life. If you want to learn more about our wellness opportunities and our 12 week program, be sure to give us a call or email! We’d love to help you be healthier…that’s the best part of my job is making a positive difference in others lives!
|
Initial
|
Final
|
|
|
|
| Weigh In |
165.2lbs
|
143.4lbs
|
|
|
|
| lbs lost |
|
-21.8lbs
|
| % lost |
|
|
|
0
|
-15.2%
|
|
|
|
| Lab Work |
Initial |
Post |
| Total Cholesterol |
259
|
201
|
| LDL |
146.6
|
110.8
|
| HDL |
92
|
81
|
| Triglycerides |
102
|
46
|
| Glucose |
89
|
88
|
| BP |
128/80
|
122/82
|
| Waist Circ. |
33.5
|
29.5
|
| BMI |
28.8
|
25
|
| % Body Fat |
40.1
|
32.7
|
| Fat Mass |
66.2
|
46.8
|
| Fat Free Mass |
99
|
96.8
|
| Water Mass |
72.4
|
70.8
|
| BMR |
1377
|
1283
|
-Kelsey
