by kelsey | Jul 11, 2012 | Diet, Food
Hello again! I apologize for the lack of posts this last week! I took a little vacation with the 4th of July holiday last week. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and holiday week! Despite the warm temps, I hope you were able to get out and enjoy it. Before we know it we’ll be complaining about snow, wind, and ice, so take advantage of these sunny, warm days!
I spent last weekend at the lake fishing and boating. It was fun to spend time with family while enjoying the outdoors. We had a fun time fishing and eating our fresh catch. Many times during my visits with patients who are working to improve their cholesterol levels, we discuss types of fats and the benefits of the good fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. The fresh fish found in our local lakes are a great source of lean proteins, however they do not have much omega-3 fatty acids. The fish that have omega-3’s are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, trout, seabass, and mackerel. These are harder to get since these fish aren’t as readily available as our walleye, perch, and northern are. This is why many take a fish oil supplement as they aren’t able to get adequate amounts through their diets to provide the benefits needed to improve lipid levels.
Fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids can reduce your total cholesterol and triglycerides. They can also increase your HDL in small amounts, but they can also increase your LDL as well. If you have high LDL cholesterol taking a fish oil supplement may not be the best for you, so you should always discuss it first with your doctor. The recommended dosage varies from 1-4g/day and you want to have at least 1g of DHA and EPA combination.
Now it’s still good to get out and enjoy our local lakes and rivers and your fresh catch, but keep in mind these local fish do not have much omega-3’s, so if you’re looking for that benefit then you’ll want to incorporate more fatty fish into your diet or consider a supplement. In addition, you will also want to consider a healthy cooking method for your fish, such as grilling, broiling, or baking rather than frying. If you do decide to fry, be sure to use a healthy oil such as olive or canola oil.
-Kelsey
by Dan | Jul 4, 2012 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Happy 4th of July. To go along with our most recent ad campaign…”I’d Rather Be…” for the clinic, our parade float was made out with this same theme. As our commercial states, “…At Brown Clinic, we know there are things you would rather do than come in to get your physical”. We would rather be biking, gardening, coaching, fishing, golfing, anything we enjoy. That is exactly why Brown Clinic is here for you. We want to make sure you can do those things. Make sure to get your yearly physicals, stay healthy, watch our diet, and exercise. “I’d Rather Be…” preventing someone from getting sick, than take care of them after they are sick.
Here is the main parade gang, holding our award for the parade. Our float won for “The Most Original”. Way to go everybody. You saw us out there today walking, even with this heat and humidity. You get out and stay active. Take care of yourself. We are there to help if needed, just meet us half way! Keep moving everybody. Have a good 4th of July, and be safe!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1742
by kelsey | Jul 3, 2012 | Etc.
From all of us at the Brown Clinic and STRIVE 2 Survive, we wish you all a very Happy 4th of July! Be sure to take some time to enjoy the day and our country’s freedom and independence. Thank you to all of our veterans and military folks for serving our country! We are blessed to able to live in the land of free!
With the hot temps, be sure to take extra precaution and drink adequate fluids (ie- WATER!) and wear your sunscreen if you’re outside! Also, be sure to practice proper food safety (see my post from last week) as these hot temps can cause bacteria to grow faster.
Enjoy and be safe!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Jul 1, 2012 | Exercise, Family, Weather, Wellness/Health
It was a great weekend to get out and enjoy the weather. Here is one stretch of the bike trail by Jackson Park. With the weather getting up into the 90’s this weekend, and continuing for the rest of the week, you need to get out early. Very peaceful and quiet out early, so enjoy the weather, before it gets too hot later in the day. Remember to be drinking lots of water during this time, and if you are out when it is hotter, it is even more important to drink often. The humidty causes us to lose a lot of fluids quickly.
Here is Nick this AM after he ran around the lake, about 14 miles. He and one of his cross country friends started early, but still the humidity was too much. I caught up to them later in the car, and kept supplying water. Nick managed to finish, but was totally soaked. I gave his friend a ride after about 9.5 miles. He was cramping too much with the heat and humidity. Everybody needs to remember this. We don’t have to be out running 14 miles for this to happen to us. Spending time outside, mowing, gardening, whatever, you lose fluids quickly. Water is the best replacement. Enjoy the summer, but be smart. Keep moving everybody.
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise day #: 1739
by kelsey | Jun 28, 2012 | Cooking Tips, Food
With the 4th of July right around the corner, you may be busy making plans with friends and family which always involves planning a menu. Summer gatherings are known for picnics and outdoor eating, and often times food safety is overlooked. One small mistake of food safety can result in foodborne illness and sicken your whole crew. Here are some tips to avoid foodborne illness.
1) Wash your Hands: many times foodborne illness can be avoided by simply practicing proper hand washing techniques. Be sure to wash your hands before cooking, after handling raw meat, and before eating. If running water is not available, bring hand sanitizer and rub it all over your hands, inbetween fingers, and around your nails.
2) Use sealed containers for packing your coolers: If juices from raw meats drip into your cooler and mix with other items, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grown. Use ziplock or sealed tight containers for packing your goods. If running water isn’t available, be sure to wash your produce before you leave home!
3) Avoid cross-contamination: bring two sets of utensils and plates to avoid cross contamination. One set for the raw food and one set for the cooked food.
4) Use a good cooler: Make sure your cooler is up to par for keeping your foods cool and be sure to leave enough room (1/4) of it for ice, ice packs, etc. Pack cool and hot foods separately and be sure to use your thermometer to check the temperature of the cooler throughout the day. Temperatures should be under 40 degrees.
5) Dont’ let food sit out: The danger zone for bacteria growth is between 40 and 140 degress F. Bacteria can double in a matter of 20 minutes when in this zone. Do not let any food sit out for more than 2 hours and if the temperature is higher than 90 degrees F, food should only sit out for an hour. Be especially mindful of meats, salads made with a mayo base, and anything dairy.
6) Use a thermometer: Meats needs to be cooked to certain temperatures to ensure doneness and eliminate bacteria. Hamburger must be cooked to 160 degrees F and chicken- 165 degrees F. If you are unsure of what temp your meat should be cooked to, please refer to this chart: http://homefoodsafety.org/cook
Enjoy and be safe!
-Kelsey
