by Dan | Aug 25, 2011 | Wellness/Health

Yesterday was a funeral for Assistant Fire Chief in Watertown, Pat Smith. 32+ years of service helping others. He passed away after a short battle dealing with Melanoma. The funeral was quite the tribute, as multiple different fire trucks from all over the state of SD were in attendance. They had this flag flying at the corner of the church.

Here is towards the end of the processional. I was too caught up in the moment to take a picture, but it goes for as far as you can see, and it was started by all of the firetrucks with lights flashing. It was a very honarable farewell. You will be missed Pat. Thanks for all of your years of service for caring for people. I think this gives me an idea to start next week about the issue of melanoma, and what it involves, and how to prevent it. This will hit closer to home for me as well with all of the outdoor activities I do, my red hair, and light complexion, all of which makes me more vulnerable to this as well.
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1430
by kelsey | Aug 25, 2011 | Diet, Food, Heart Health, Wellness/Health

This last weekend I made fresh salsa for the first time! I was excited for this adventure and am pleased with my end product. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene with is an antioxidant essential in disease prevention. Tomatoes are also low in calories, making them a great addition to your meals or snacks. One of my favorite treats is chips and salsa. We all know that chips aren’t the best for you, but there are some that are better than others. I highly recommend the whole grain tostito type chips. They are whole grain and very tasty. Just remember to be conscious of your portions!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Aug 24, 2011 | Diet, Food, Heart Health, Weight Management, Wellness/Health

As I drove along Hwy 212 yesterday, I couldn’t help but notice the multiple vendors selling fresh garden produce! This time of the year is an excellent time to work on increasing your fruit and vegetable intake. As I have discussed before, we need at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day to promote heart health and weight management. When you dish up your plate, half of it should be fruits and vegetables. Whether you get your produce from a local gardener, farmer’s market, or grocery store, I encourage you to work on adding variety to your meals and snacks by trying new produce. You can also try various preparation methods of the produce to make it more appealing. Tomorrow I am going to discuss tomatoes as I made up some fresh salsa with the abundance of tomatoes I have gotten from friends and family lately.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Aug 23, 2011 | Etc., Food

This is one of my favorite times of the year…I love fresh garden produce! Some friends gave me a few melons they grew in their garden. Here is a picture of the fresh cantaloupe I have been enjoying. Cantaloupe is very high in vitamin A (beta carotene) and vitamin C. In addition there’s only about 50 calories in a cup, which makes it a pretty good treat or addition to your meal! Check out the local farmer’s markets for locally grown produce and enjoy!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Aug 21, 2011 | Exercise, Family, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health

Great weekend for weather, and even better for hanging out at the Lake. Spent the weekend with some friends, and had a bonfire Sat night, then to the Lake sunday. Very relaxing. Our friend even went on a bike ride with us this AM, so we got our exercise in early.

Here are some of us enjoying the water activities. Great to just relax and have fun, and leave the pressures of everyday hectic life behind for awhile. We all need days like this. Take advantage of the weather yet, and spend as much time outside as you can. Good dive into the water Ayden! It was fun Kaleb, and Cory Ann, always good to see you. It was a fun weekend. Family and Friends–important to focus on the important things in life. It was good for me to get out, and not try to be working on something, or just working. Thanks!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1426