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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Classes, workshops, seminars

THE FAMILY SERIES PART SIX: “I SHOULD, I OUGHT, I HAVE TO”: Discuss the guilt that typically goes along with the role of a caregiver. 1:30-3 p.m. Nov. 10, Tri-County Mental Health Services, Northland Human Services Building, Second Floor Conference Room, 3100 N.E. 83rd, Kansas City. Free. Register. www.tri-countymhs.org (913-831-3888)

Flu shots, immunizations

PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST INFLUENZA: Written physician’s order and parental consent are required for those 16-17 years of age. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Nov. 6, American Red Cross, Mill-Walk Mall, 2733 Cantrell, Harrisonville. $25. For those 16 years old and above. www.kcredcross.org (816-380-4271)

DRIVE THRU FLU SHOTS: Non-perishable food items will be accepted for Harvesters at this time. Sponsored by the University of Kansas Hospital. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 8, The University of Kansas Hospital, 3901 Rainbow Blvd Kansas City, Kansas. Free. www.kumed.com (913-588-1227)

Health fairs, screenings

BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS: 9:30-11 a.m. Nov. 5, Olathe Senior Center, Multi Purpose Room 110, 311 E. Park, Olathe. Free, donations accepted. For ages 50 plus. www.jcprd50plus.com (913-782-1878)

STROKE AND OSTEOPOROSIS SCREENING: The complete screening package now includes a new Heart Rhythm screening which checks for irregular heartbeat, a major risk factor for stroke. 9 a.m. Nov. 6, Wexford Place, 6500 N. Cosby, Kansas City. 9 a.m. Nov. 7, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #4, 7844 Leavenworth, Kansas City, Kansas. $149 for a Wellness package. Please call to set up an appointment. www.lifelinescreening.com (1-800-697-9721)

HEALTH AND SPIRITUALITY WORKSHOP: This continuing nurse education activity will count for 11 accredited contact hours. 12:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 7; 7:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 8, Community of Christ Temple, 201 S. River, Independence. $75 for Friday and Saturday workshops including 2 meals. $10 discount for Seniors over 65 years. 1/2 price for students. Call for registration pricing and extra fee information. www.CofChrist.org (816-833-1000 ext. 1262)

BIRTHRIGHT EMERGENCY PREGNANCY SERVICE TRAINING: This class is to train new volunteers. Lunch will be provided. 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nov. 8, Birthright, Emergency Pregnancy Service, 6309 Walnut. Free. Registration required. www.birthright.org (816-444-7090)

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Salina Ks

Fitness, whole-health testing offered for seniors

Sat. Nov. 15th and Tues and Nov. 18th.

Fitness and whole-health testing geared specifically to seniors will be offered Saturday and Tuesday at the University United Methodist Church, 1509 S. Santa Fe.

The testing is available to the public without cost. No appointments are necessary, but advance registration is encouraged.

The tests, administered under the supervision of Evelyn Maxwell, registered nurse, include the nationally known Senior Fitness Test as well as health habits, nutrition and depression screening.

Participants may choose one of four sessions planned over the two days. The sessions, in the church’s lower-level forum, will begin at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each day. Participants are asked to wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes.

To register or seek more information, call Maxwell at 827-3304 or e-mail emmx@cox.net.

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Community health fair Monday

Special to Reflector-Chronicle

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008

A free fall health fair is planned for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Abilene Community Health Center, 1020 N.W. Eighth.

There are door prizes and healthy snacks available. Local fitness centers are participating to offer tips. The project is funded in part by the Dickinson County NPA - “Nutrition and Physical Activity” grant program that is designed to educate citizens to “change something” for a healthier lifestyle.

Abilene Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab, Impact Sports and Fitness and WOW! Workout Women will help with tips.

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Small changes can have big impact on overall health

Lenexa, KS (Oct. 6, 2008) –This October, during National Chiropractic Month, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is encouraging families to make simple changes in an effort to improve their overall health and well-being.

“Making small consistent changes are the keys to achieving better health,” says Dr. Frank Jimenez of Integrity Chiropractic and Wellness in Lenexa, KS and a member of the American Chiropractic Association. “Chiropractic, because of its focus on prevention, can play an integral role in helping Americans improve their health.”

Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to serve as primary care doctors, Dr. Jimenez notes. “They stress preventive protocols such as, dietary and nutritional counseling, exercise, rehabilitation and ergonomics.”

Dr. Jimenez and the ACA recommend the following health tips.
 Exercise daily
 Control your weight
 Commit to proper nutrition
 Avoid smoking or other tobacco products
 Use alcohol in moderation
 Control any chronic diseases or disorders (including high blood pressure, diabetes, or osteoarthritis).

Doctors of chiropractic provide drug-free, non-invasive treatment options for many types of pain and inflammation. For example, chronic back pain, neck pain, joint pain and headaches can often be reduced with the appropriate combination of chiropractic manipulation, rehabilitative exercises and lifestyle counseling – all of which are offered by doctors of chiropractic in a patient’s personalized treatment plan.

“Consumers also should know that chiropractic treatment is a covered benefit in virtually all traditional insurance policies,” adds Dr. Jimenez. “As many as 87 percent of all insured American workers have coverage for chiropractic services in their existing health care plans.”

A significant amount of evidence has shown that the use of chiropractic care for certain conditions can be more effective than traditional medical care, with many patients feeling improvement shortly after their first chiropractic visit.

This October, during National Chiropractic Month, talk with a doctor of chiropractic about ways you can achieve better health. “Doctors of chiropractic believe that prevention is the key to health and wellness. Discover how treatment by your local doctor of chiropractic can not only improve your spinal health, but also start you on the road to wellness.”

Dr. Jimenez is working in collaboration with the American Chiropractic Association to observe National Chiropractic Month. For more information on chiropractic or any of the tips mentioned above contact Dr. Jimenez at (913) 888-2066, visit his office website: www.integrity-chiropractic.com or visit the ACA’s website: www.ACAtoday.org.

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Hundreds expected to take the Plunge

ERIN MATHEWS
Hundreds of Salinans may soon feel like a real weight has been lifted from their shoulders — and their thighs and hips and stomachs. More than 850 people are signed up so far to participate in Pound Plunge, a free, community-wide, 12-week program designed to help participants lose weight the healthy way through regular exercise and nutritious food choices.

“We’re doing the whole thing — nutrition, exercise and having fun,” said Ellen Hogeland, fitness director for the Salina Family YMCA and one of the event organizers. “If we can get a lot of people in Salina motivated, then that’s the key.”

The program, which was patterned after a similar event in Hays, kicks off from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Bicentennial Center, where new four-person teams will still be able to register. Salina Regional Health Center nurses have volunteered to take blood pressure readings, and participants will have the option of having blood work done at half price to determine cholesterol, lipid and glucose levels.

At 9:45 a.m., Salina Mayor John Vanier will address the crowd. At 10 a.m., Jez Luckett, a Garden City man who lost 150 pounds while a contestant on the reality TV show “The Biggest Loser,” will give a motivational message.

Participants, who must be 18 or older and not pregnant, can sign up until Sept. 20 to compete as part of a team. Team members should plan to visit the YMCA each week between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays or during YMCA hours Wednesdays to weigh in and track their progress. Weight information will be kept confidential.

Read more about Pound Plunge in Friday’s Salina Journal.

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While surfing over at SocialSpark.com I came across this.

The BenSpark blog owner Drew Bennett is walking in The American Cancer Society Walk for Life this month and has made some very good offers available to bloggers who donate and help him reach his goal of $250.I would love to help this guy out but unfortunately I came across this blog in the middle of the month which is always a tight time for me. However, I am spreading the word for him because this is a very worthwhile cause.

You can view his personal page and check out The BenSpark blog to get the details of his offer.

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The KDHE is urging people to take The Healthy Kansan Pledge to get all the info on this pledge click the url below or copy and paste it into your browser window.

http://www.healthykansas.org/pledge.aspx 

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I spent some time looking through one of my textbooks that I have acquired since going to school, looking for some ideas to give people out there in the blogosphere to stay healthy so they can keep doing what they love to do. I think before I can clearly give any sound suggestions. I think it is important that I have some sort of assessment tool in hand so I can maybe gauge what people are struggling with and what they would like suggestions in changing.

With that being said I do want to make you aware of the fact that I am not a Doctor (yet) and before you take the advice of anyone you should always consult a Medical Doctor and get a physical done before embarking on a new fitness and diet regimen. However, I can assist you with figuring out what you enjoy to do for physical activity and what you enjoy eating so that the term diet doesn’t sound so foreboding.

There are six dimensions of wellness that make up the health continuum

1. Physical
2. Intellectual
3. Interpersonal/social
4. Emotional
5. Spiritual
6. Environmental

A person can be emotionally well but not be physically well. They can have intellectual wellness but lack social wellness and spiritual wellness. Or even intellectual wellness but no physical wellness.  So what good is knowing all there is to know about blogging or even how to successfully build and maintain a web site if you are so run down you can’t focus? Instead you pop another No Doze and hope to stay awake for another hour trying to scoop someone. Before you know it the excessive caffeine builds up in your digestive tract and starts causing ulcers. Ok so that isn’t a very good push for caffeine as a whole as I am sitting here with a freshly opened can of Diet Pepsi next to me as I type this out. My problem is that I am on a high enough dosage of Zoloft that it makes me drowsy about two hrs after taking it so I need the boost through something so I go through a 24 can case of Diet Pepsi in about four days. That is six cans a day and at 35 mg’s of caffeine per can that is 210 mg’s a day of caffeine. So no I am not hoping on the caffeine is bad for you bandwagon because that would certainly make me look like a hypocrite.

I think what I would like to do instead is take some time to put together a survey OMG not another survey LOL. Yes just so I can help people see where their habits are and then help use the results to better suggest what they could try to make staying healthy maybe not so tedious and boring so they can be alert and handle the demands of their editors and readers or at least their readers if they are self edited. So I am going to be working after my podcast this Friday to put together my own little survey to send out to willing participants.

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In addition to being essential to general health and well-being, exercise is helpful in managing many MS symptoms. A study published by researchers at the University of Utah in 1996 was the first to demonstrate clearly the benefits of exercise for people with MS. Those patients who participated in an aerobic exercise program had better cardiovascular fitness, improved strength, better bladder and bowel function, less fatigue and depression, a more positive attitude, and increased participation in social activities. Since 1996, several additional studies have confirmed the benefits of exercise.

Inactivity in people with or without MS can result in numerous risk factors associated with coronary heart disease. In addition, it can lead to weakness of muscles, decreased bone density with an increased risk of fracture, and shallow, inefficient breathing.

An exercise program needs to be appropriate to the capabilities and limitations of the individual, and may need to be adjusted as changes occur in MS symptoms. A physical therapist experienced with the unique and varied symptoms of MS can be helpful in designing, supervising and revising a well-balanced exercise program. Any person with MS who is initiating a new exercise program should also consult with his or her physician before starting.

Periods of exercise should be carefully timed to avoid the hotter periods of the day and prevent excessive fatigue. With some guidelines, a good exercise program can help to develop the maximum potential of muscle, bone and respiration, thereby avoiding secondary complications and gaining the benefits of good health and well-being.

Source:National Multiple Sclerosis Society

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WASHINGTON - Jan. 7, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing recommendations to the regions affected by severe winter weather and flooding in Western states. USDA is hopeful that this information will help minimize the potential for foodborne illnesses due to food spoilage from power outages and other problems that are often associated with severe weather events.

“Power outages can occur at any time of the year and it often takes from a few hours to several days for electricity to be restored to residential areas,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. “Without electricity or a cold source, foods stored in refrigerators and freezers can become unsafe. Bacteria in food grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, and if these foods are consumed, people can become very sick.”

Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency:

• Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. An appliance thermometer will indicate the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer in case of a power outage and help determine the safety of the food.
• Make sure the freezer is at 0 °F or below and the refrigerator is at 40 °F or below.
• Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is out.
• Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately — this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
• Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.
• Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
• Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours. Purchase or make ice cubes and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler. Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.
• Group food together in the freezer — this helps the food stay cold longer.

Steps to follow after the weather emergency:

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
• 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) and the door remains closed.
• Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items after 4 hours without power.
• Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below when checked with a food thermometer.
• Never taste a food to determine its safety!
• Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer 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 the power has been out for several days, check the temperature of the freezer with an appliance thermometer. If the appliance thermometer reads 40 °F or below, the food is safe to refreeze.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. If the food still contains ice crystals, the food is safe.
• Drink only bottled water if flooding has occurred.
• Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers.
• Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches (for example, flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved. Follow the Steps to Salvage All-Metal Cans and Retort Pouches in the publication “Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency” at: www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/
  keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp
• Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic dishes and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
• When in Doubt, Throw it Out!

FSIS has available a Public Service Announcement (PSA), available in 30- and 60-second versions, illustrating practical food safety recommendations for handling and consuming foods stored in refrigerators and freezers during, and after, a power outage. Consumers are encouraged to view the PSA at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news/Food_Safety_Videos/.

News organizations and power companies can obtain hard copy (Beta and DVD) versions of the PSA by contacting the Food Safety Education Staff in FSIS’ Office of Public Affairs Education and Outreach by calling (301) 344-4757.

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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