Good Health, cheap

BY KAREN SHIDELER

The Wichita Eagle

YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND SAVE MONEY AT THE SAME TIME

If you’re watching your finances — and who isn’t, these days? –you’re also looking for savings. Here are five options that can help you stay at your healthiest even in uncertain economic times.

1. Dental care

The Dental Hygiene Clinic at Wichita State University offers cleanings, X-rays and fluoride treatments. The work is done by students overseen by dental hygiene and dentist faculty members.

Appointments are 3 ½ hours, to give the students plenty of time. But the cost is about half of what you’d pay in a private dental office, says Denise Maseman, chairman of WSU’s Department of Dental Hygiene. Rules keep her from being more specific.

The clinic follows WSU’s academic calendar. During the spring semester, it’s open Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday through Thursday.

Appointments: 316-978-3603.

Another option: The annual Kansas Mission of Mercy offers free fillings, extractions and cleanings on a first-come, first-served basis. This year’s is Feb. 20 and 21 in Manhattan, at the National Guard Armory just east of town.

Details: Check updates at www.ksdentalfoundation.org.

2. Working out

If group settings keep you motivated, but $40 to $50 a month is too much for a gym membership, try the city’s recreation centers. There are 10, spread around the city, and nearly all offer at least one adult group fitness class. Among them: 10 weeks of yoga for $26, 10 weeks of aerobics for $21 or eight weeks of “ab blast” for $11.

Evergreen Recreation Center, at 2700 N. Woodland, has a 10-week fitness center membership for $27 or drop-in visits for $1 each. Orchard Park, at 4808 W. Ninth St., has a fitness center with a $17.50 a month membership. And Lynette Woodard charges a $1 drop-in fee for access to free weights and exercise machines.

For schedules, visit www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/Park/ and click on the Winter 2009 Class Schedule.

3. Prescriptions

Sedgwick County offers a free prescription discount card to anyone, regardless of job or insurance status. Deborah Donaldson, director of the county’s Division of Human Services, said the discount averages 18 to 20 percent on generic and brand-name drugs. But you have to check — on some generics, the stores offering a 30-day supply for $4 are a better deal.

The cards are free, they last forever, and one card covers a whole family.

Pick one up at these locations:

• Catholic Charities, 425 N. Topeka.

• Sedgwick County Health Department, 2716 W. Central.

• County Division of Human Services, 635 N. Main.

• Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, 230 E. William.

• United Way of the Plains, 245 N. Water.

Or call Rachelle Moody, 316-660-7673, to have one mailed.

4. Immunizations

If you have health insurance that requires co-insurance or a co-pay, it may be less expensive to pay full price for immunizations at the Sedgwick County Health Department, 2716 W. Central. They’re offered on a walk-in basis.

The department charges on a sliding-fee scale based on income. The standard fee is the highest possible rate. For a child’s diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, that’s $21.96. An adult TD booster is $22.18, but these days most people should get the version that also includes pertussis, and it’s more — $42.05.

Compare prices at sedgwickcounty.org/healthdept/. Click on the Health Access tab, then look for Immunizations on the right side of the page.

5. Healthy eating

Fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains aren’t always the least expensive way to eat. And sometimes, trying to find a new way to fix a nutritionally sound standby calls for imagination.

Enter the Sedgwick County Extension, part of the statewide Extension system. Its dietitians have free advice on nutrition: what’s in season, 100 ways to cut 100 calories, how to cook fresh veggies, how to buy fresh fruit.

Go to www.sedgwick.ksu.edu and click on Health and Nutrition on the right side of the page to start exploring.

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Wisconsin Firm Recalls Bacon Bit Products For Possible Listeria Contamination

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-001-2009 HEALTH RISK: HIGH Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113 Peggy Riek WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2009 - Patrick Cudahy, a Cudahy, Wisc., firm, is recalling approximately 3,590 pounds of bacon bit products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.     Recommendations For People At Risk For Listeriosis Wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and poultry for at least 20 seconds. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills. Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods. Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, bologna or other deli meats unless reheated until steaming hot. Do not eat refrigerated pâté, meat spreads from a meat counter or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. Foods that don’t need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are safe to eat. Refrigerate after opening. Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat foods that have unpasteurized milk in them. Do not eat salads made in the store such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad or seafood salad. Do not eat soft cheeses such as Feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, Brie, Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and Panela unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk. Use precooked or ready-to-eat food as soon as you can. Listeria can grow in the refrigerator. The refrigerator should be 40 °F or lower and the freezer 0 °F or lower. Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator.     The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels] 10-pound cases of “Golden Crisp APPLEWOOD SMOKED PRECOOKED BACON TOPPINGS.” The products bear the establishment number “EST. 28″ inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a printed Julian date of “8318.” 10-pound cases of “John Morrell APPLEWOOD SMOKED PRECOOKED BACON TOPPINGS.” The products bear the establishment number “EST. 28″ inside the USDA mark of inspection as well as a printed Julian date of “8318.” The bacon bit products were produced on Nov. 13, 2008, and distributed to restaurant and institutional establishments in California, Colorado, Florida, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. The problem was discovered through in-house testing by an establishment that received the product. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact company Director of Customer Service Mike Reitz at (414) 744-2000. Media with questions about the recall should contact company Vice President, Research and Development, Susan Harrits at (414) 744-2000. Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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Colorado Firm Recalls Burrito Products For Possible Listeria Contamination

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-053-2008 HEALTH RISK: HIGH Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113 Roger Sockman WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2008 - Home Fresh Sandwich Distributors, Inc., a Denver, Colo., firm, is recalling approximately 172 pounds of burrito products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The following product is subject to recall: [View Label] 5.3-ounce packages of “7- ELEVEN Fresh to Go BURRITO WITH POTATOES, BACON, EGGS, & MONTEREY JACK CHEESE” with a “Best By” date of “Thursday 1225.” The products bear the establishment number “EST. 19496″ inside the USDA mark of inspection. The burrito products were produced on Dec. 23, 2008, and sold at retail convenience stores in Colorado. Consumers may have purchased these burrito products on Dec. 24 and 25, 2008. The problem was discovered through FSIS routine microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company General Manager Deena Rowland at (303) 370-6766. Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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Missouri Firm Recalls Sausage Products For Possible Listeria Contamination

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-052-2008 HEALTH RISK: HIGH Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113 Peggy Riek WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, 2008 - T. Piekutowski European Style Sausage, a St. Louis, Mo., firm, is recalling approximately 750 pounds of sausage products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The following product is subject to recall: Various sizes of Krakow sausage wrapped in unmarked butcher paper with no label. The products were custom wrapped at the establishment’s retail operation. Packages do not bear the establishment number or USDA mark of inspection. The sausage products were produced on Dec. 18, 2008, and sold at the establishment’s retail counter in St. Louis, Mo. Consumers may have purchased these sausage products on Dec. 18 and 19, 2008. The problem was discovered through FSIS routine microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company Owner-Operator Ted Piekutowski at (314) 534-6256. Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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Ohio Firm Recalls Sausage Products For Possible Listeria Contamination

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-051-2008 HEALTH RISK: HIGH Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113 Roger Sockman WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2008 - DeNiro Cheese, a Youngstown, Ohio, firm, is recalling approximately one pound of Sopressata sausage products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The following product is subject to recall: [View Label, PDF Only] 12-ounce approximate weight packages of “Nostrano SOPRESSATA MILD SAUSAGE, PRODUCT OF CANADA.” Each package bears a use-by date of “07/09/09″ and a product code of “91009″ as well as “CANADA 476A” inside the Canadian mark of inspection. The sausage product was produced on Oct. 9 and sent to one Italian specialty retailer in Boardman, Ohio. The name and location of the retail establishment is made available on the FSIS Web site, in accordance with the FSIS retail rule. The problem was discovered through FSIS routine microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. Media and consumers with questions about the recall should contact company President Greg DeNiro at (330) 746-6011. Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-8…) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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How do you typically celebrate birthdays, graduations, and other occasions with your family and friends? Let me guess — by going out to eat or throwing a party, right? Turns out, people usually eat a lot more when they’re in a group and surrounded by delicious food! Think about the last big gathering you had — with all the laughter and chatter and good-natured teasing, did anyone pay any attention to how fast the nachos or garlic bread disappeared? The longer you sit around the table, the more you eat, and the more the people around you are eating, the more you eat, too! So the truth is, the more often you socialize at restaurants and parties, the harder it may be to maintain a healthy weight.

Starting this weekend, plan social events that are fun, active, and do not involve food. You might find you really enjoy these outings — maybe even more than going for dinner or drinks! So how about inviting the gang out to play miniature golf or take a weekend hike in a pretty area nearby? Doesn’t that sound like fun? You can all sign up for a dance class or a sports team together to make it a regular event, like your weekend dinners. If you don’t want to do something super active, that’s okay, but you should still try to think of ideas that don’t involve food — painting pottery together, for example! It’s relaxing and fun, and because your hands are occupied, you can’t keep throwing chips in your mouth!

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You feel great and are looking more fabulous each day, so why should you take time out of your hectic schedule to visit your doctor or dentist? No matter how old you are, staying on top of regular checkups is crucial to your overall well-being. Prevention is the ideal purpose of checkups, but they also afford the opportunity to catch a problem while it’s in the early stages and can be easily treated — allowing you to live long and feel strong!Mark your calendars! Here’s a checklist of appointments you can’t afford to miss:

• Mammograms: Starting around age 40 (unless you have a family history of breast cancer and your doctor recommends you start earlier), women should undergo mammograms every one to two years. These tests are in addition to monthly self-exams, starting in your twenties.
• Pelvic exam: If you are a sexually active woman or over 21, you should schedule an annual pelvic exam and Pap smear.
• Cholesterol checks: If you’re 20 and are a smoker or have a history of diabetes or heart disease, you should have your cholesterol checked regularly; otherwise you should start around age 45.
• Dental cleaning: For many, a thorough dental cleaning may be at the bottom of the appointment list. Still, even if you have a healthy smile, you should visit the dentist at least twice a year.
• Physical: Here’s a general rule of thumb for having an overall physical, even when you’re feeling fine: at 20, every three years; at 30, every two years; and at 40 and above, every year.

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If you eat less, you lose weight. Seems logical, right? Unfortunately, skipping meals can have consequences. Besides leaving you feeling listless and weak, lack of food can set you up for a major binge. Deprivation can cause hunger and cravings, and in those straits you’re likely to eat the first thing you see, regardless of its nutritional value.Thankfully, the answer to this dilemma is simple. Eat when you’re hungry! Choose vitamin-rich fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains, and you’ll easily beat cravings between meals, feel full, and help your body shed pounds. Isn’t that great?

If you’ve already binged, don’t worry! It happens to all of us at one point or another. Just get right back on track with your next meal. If you need more support, check in with a close friend or family member, or visit my amazing online community!

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A major reason that many out-of-shape men and women avoid exercise is that they feel shy or embarrassed. It can be really tough — and even overwhelming — to start working out, especially if you’re shy, terribly out of shape, or have never done it before in your life.

If you do feel that way, you’re not alone — and though the challenge to overcome your insecurities is huge, so will be the rewards once you do! Exercising is necessary for good health, and it’s even more crucial to weight loss.

Is your fear that you’ll look stupid at the gym, or that you won’t know how to use the machines? Talk to the trainers or staff at your gym as soon as you get there on Day 1. You certainly won’t be the first to ask for help, and it’s their job to show you how to get started! They are trained to answer any and all questions, no matter how seemingly dumb, so ask away! And don’t worry about what other people are thinking when they see you at the gym — chances are, they’re so worried about how they look themselves that they’re not even thinking about you.

You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish once you promise yourself to give working out a real try — and not just once, because it does take practice!

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KU health and fitness day gives kids chance to see college basketball

By Lindsey Slater

November 18, 2008

For an 11 a.m. game on a Tuesday, the stands were pretty full for the Kansas University women’s basketball game against Iowa.

The attendance of more than 3,500 students, teachers, parents and administrators representing Lawrence public elementary schools helped.

Tuesday was the first time that KU planned a health and fitness day with such a large group. Students in third through sixth grades from all of the city’s 15 elementary schools cheered on the Jayhawks and learned a thing or two about what it means to be a student athlete.

Women’s head coach Bonnie Henrickson was impressed with how well the youngsters seemed to know the game.

“Elementary school kids have great basketball IQ in Lawrence because they really knew when we needed help,” she said after KU won, 76-55. “They got loud when we needed them to be loud.”

The kids were more than happy to help cheer on the women.

“It was pretty cool,” said Anya Dickinson-Cove, a fifth-grader at Schwegler School. “Once they got the lead, it was no doubt they’re going to win.”

There were even a few future coaches in the crowd.

“They played really well today,” said Joshua Thomas, a sixth-grader at New York School. “Next time they play, I think that they should do a little bit more defense.”

Before the game, sixth-graders spent time learning about safety, nutrition, fitness and goal setting from the athletic staff and players.

Afterward, some Jayhawk athletes took to the court to answer questions.

“Being an athlete is tough,” said senior Marcus Herford, a wide receiver for KU’s football team. “It’s a tough deal, but we take it on each day with vigor.”

Junior softball outfielder Ally Stanton said she was surprised how many kids were in the stands.

“We felt like little rock stars. They’re so cute,” she said.

KU Athletics and their sponsors paid for everything for the students, from lunch to T-shirts.

And this first experience was a positive one for the school district and student athletes alike.

“We have kids that may or may not be able to do something like this with their families, so to give them this opportunity is just great,” said Anne Hawks, a curriculum specialist for the Lawrence district.

Students also had the chance to get autographs from the women’s basketball team after the game.

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