So many women come into the office and share now familiar symptoms.
“Why am I gaining weight?”
“I do not feel like myself!”
“How do I avoid a heart attack so I do not suffer like my mom?!”
“I am afraid to go out in the winter because I do not want to break a hip.”
“How do I deal with all of my stress?!”
Women’s health is different than men’s health and the topic deserves research and attention to better recognize and offer the best prevention and treatment options to women.
Menopause symptoms are important to understand and treat as these symptoms can be a sign more is going on under the surface.
Low estrogen causes hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. It also accelerates development of heart disease, bone loss, diabetes and obesity.
Emotional changes can be a sign of the existence of a high level of stress from handling kids and aging parents. Or this can be a red flag symptom of changing levels of brain chemicals, less sleep and a need for improved coping tools.
Women who cope well with life and body changes have three things in common:
1. They believe they deserve to be happy.
2. They keep a support network around them.
3. They ask for help when they need it.
A patient I’ll call Katie came to us because she was facing the perfect storm of menopause and felt like it was a hurricane.
She had all the symptoms—hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, insomnia, bladder urgency and low sex drive.
She no longer felt motivated to get up early to exercise and ate cookies at 3 p.m. to stay awake.
She and her husband argued about minor things, especially about how to deal with their son who was failing his class. Her mom, who’d suffered a stroke, fell and broke her hip in the assisted living center.
Work seemed crazy as her boss had left and she had to do both their jobs until a replacement could be found.
Katie came to us because she heard we could help with hot flashes. We certainly could offer meds and call it a day, but we see such a situation as an opportunity to become her partner in her health and consider all options.
This included a practical plan for a healthy lifestyle using the SEEDS, tracking and treating her symptoms, and assessing her health risks for bone loss, stroke and heart attack.
We also know emotional health is a big part of healthy aging. We support this facet of wellness by listening, discussing how the SEEDS can support the body and mind, and also having a team that includes a psychotherapist who can help our patients cope with strong emotions.
Three months later, Katie had improved sleep, better moods, only a rare hot flash, and she and her husband had a plan worked out with their son. Her mom had started to heal and feel better, and she was excelling in her new role at work.
Further, she ate better, took her vitamin D and calcium, and made time for small bursts of exercise. She no longer needing cookies to stay awake.
Best of all, she had a plan to reduce her risk of stroke, heart attack and bone loss.
Her hurricane of menopause had passed and life returned to smooth sailing.
Between the corridors of West Godwin Elementary is a courtyard area. Last spring, it was all pavement and grass. Now, it’s brimming with sunflowers, zucchini, watermelons, carrots, and cucumbers.
The new garden is a collaboration between West Godwin’s T.E.A.M. 21 after school program and H.O.P.E. Gardens, a Wyoming-based nonprofit that teaches students in grades K-12 about sustainable ways to grow food while “Helping Other People Eat,” which is what the name stands for.
First grader A’Sahra Kanjia explores the garden. (School News Network)
Ellen Veenkant is the site coordinator for the building’s T.E.A.M. 21 program. Last April, she received a grant from the Michigan Community Service Council to plant the garden.
On their first visit to the garden, students had the opportunity to harvest two items to take home.
“My favorite food was the watermelon. It was juicy,” said first grader Aixi Medina-Mati. “I like that we get to plant veggies and fruit. I liked eating the basil leaves too. It’s important to have a garden so we can get flowers and food.”
“Who wants to sample some cucumbers?” Julie Brunson asked students.
“Meeeeeeee!” answered a chorus of first, second, and third graders.
Julie and her husband, Rich Brunson, visit the school every other week and work with students to maintain the garden. The Brunsons founded H.O.P.E. Gardens to fulfill an idea dreamed up by Rich, who had experienced homelessness and hunger as a teen in the Wyoming area.
Second grader Andy Valenzuela samples the harvest. (School News Network)
The couple work alongside students, teaching them about sunflowers, encouraging them to chew mint leaves, and showing them what’s ripe for the picking.
Julie said that besides the obvious benefits of teaching students to garden and providing fresh produce, there is another plus to a garden at school: working in the dirt is good for you, and can uplift your mood. Students don’t always realize it, she said, but this is their happy place.
The Brunsons want students to take ownership of the space. Julie makes a habit of starting discussions by asking students, ‘Whose garden is this?”
“Our garden!” is the answer.
While H.O.P.E. Gardens is doing similar work in other districts, this garden is the first of its kind in Godwin Heights Public Schools.
Autumn is just about here — and that means it’s time to fill your calendars with some fun, fall-themed events. This season of cool nights, brisk mornings, and changing leaves is a lovely time to refresh with new activities. Whether you’re a Pumpkin Spice Latte fan or you’re counting down the days until you taste Thanksgiving stuffing, here are some senior-friendly fall activities to enjoy autumn with your loved ones.
1. Decorate for fall
Take an hour — or if you’re inspired, a whole weekend — and put away those summertime clothes and household items you won’t need this fall. Once you’ve de-cluttered, it’s time to decorate.
Create a fall centerpiece for your table with miniature pumpkins and dried leaves.
A cozy, plaid blanket is a nice touch for a recliner or rocker.
Turn your door into a lovely autumn entrance with a festive seasonal wreath.
Collect fallen leaves to use in your decor.
Embrace warm fall colors like red, orange, and yellow.
Have fun with pumpkins. Display them on festive plates, in glass vases, or on a bookshelf.
2. Create autumn-themed artwork
Creating beautiful things is fun and therapeutic for all of us, no matter our age. During the fall months, craft stores overflow with wreaths, pumpkins, and scarecrows, and a quick internet search turns up ideas for dozens of easy projects.
Cut paper or fabric into leaf shapes and hang a garland from a fireplace or doorway.
Paint stay acorns or even dip them in glitter.
Press fallen leaves and frame them for a striking autumn wall hanging.
If in-depth craft projects aren’t right for you, an autumn-themed adult coloring book is a calming option. Psychologists recommend coloring as a relaxation technique. There is a huge variety of coloring books available today, so you’ll be sure to find one that suits your style.
3. Enjoy the brisk fall weather
For those of us who couldn’t spend much time outside during the hot summer, the autumn months are a perfect chance to relax outdoors. Many communities offer fun fall activities for the whole family, such as corn mazes, hay rides, or pumpkin patches.
To ensure a healthful day outdoors, remember to check the weather report. Fall weather can change unexpectedly, so make sure you choose appropriate clothing. Don’t forget hats and sunscreen — UV rays can still cause skin damage even on cloudy days. Also, hydration is essential even after the hot summer months, so make sure to bring extra water.
4. Enjoy autumn treats
Everyone has a favorite fall flavor, from spiced apple cider to the classic Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. Whether you’re an experienced chef, or if a trip to the local bakery is more your style, make time for a special fall meal.
If you or your loved ones are creative in the kitchen, plan a day of cooking together. For aging adults who are not as active as they once were, perhaps more able loved ones can assist with shopping for a favorite fall menu to prepare and enjoy. Some families have traditional recipes perfect for this time of year. Or you can keep it simple and just enjoy a delicious slice of pie after lunch.
These senior-friendly fall activities are a great way to have a refreshing autumn season with your family. Whether you’re crunching through piles of brightly colored leaves or carving a fat orange pumpkin with your grandchild, fall is a special season and a great time to rejuvenate.
Exercise is a great way to stay youthful and even turn back the clock on aging.
If you’re new to exercise or simply want a fitness reboot, here are ideas by the decade.
In your 20s
Experiment with different workouts to find what you enjoy. Make exercise a regular habit that you won’t want to give up, even when career and family make heavy demands on you.
In your 30s
Short on time? Try three 15-minute walks spread throughout the day. To stay fit and retain muscle, do cardio just about every day and strength training two or three times a week. If you’re new to exercise, take classes or have a personal trainer create a program for you.
In your 40s
Enhance your weekly routine by doing both low-intensity exercise, like yoga for stress relief and flexibility, and high-intensity workouts, like interval training or a spin or kettlebell class, to boost calorie burn and muscle elasticity. Expect longer recovery times after high-intensity workouts, so make sure to get enough sleep.
In your 50s
Regular exercise remains a must, but ask your doctor for modifications if you have any chronic conditions. Varying your workouts or taking up a new sport will engage your brain as well as different muscles. Get in at least one or two high-intensity workouts a week and try to take active vacations that include favorite pastimes like biking, hiking or even walking tours.
In your 60s and beyond
Stay fit and strong to stay independent longer, and stay socially engaged by taking group classes. Stick with strength training, but consider using machines rather than free weights for more control. Water workouts may be easier on joints, too, especially if you have arthritis. But always keep moving. Try tai chi for flexibility and balance, and go dancing for fun and fitness.
A couple of weeks ago, the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce helped marked the opening of the area’s newest hotel, Try by Hilton Grand Rapids Airport.
Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce representatives and Tru by Hilton officials cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the new Kentwood hotel. (Chamber)
The chamber hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new hotel located at 4570 28th St. SE in Kentwood, right next to the Home Depot and across from the Wyndham Garden Grand Rapids Airport and the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Grand Rapids Airport.
Just three miles north of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, the hotel, which is owned and managed by Auburn Hills-based Midwest Lodging Group, is 42,000 square feet. The hotel has 98 rooms with a lobby designed for guests to work and lounge. There also is a 24/7 market for snacks and drinks and a fitness center.
GVSU’s annual Shakespeare Festival returns this weekend featuring one of the Bard’s most famous comedies “A Midsummer’s Night Dream.” Roger Ellis directs the production that centers around four young lovers who leave Athens due to a law that requires a daughter to marry the wrong man or die. The group ends up in the lair of some fairies who decide to have some fun with them and a group of bumbling actors. Opening night is Friday Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. with shows running this weekend and next.
Music for the Soul
Shayna Steele joins the Grand Rapids Symphony for the “Queens of Soul.” (Supplied)
The Grand Rapids Pops pays tribute to the voices that revolutionized rock and revitalized R&B with Queens of Soul on Sept. 27-29 in DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW, to open the 2019-2020 Fox Motors Pops series. Special guest vocalists Shayna Steele, Kelly Levesque and Brie Cassil will be joining the Grand Rapids Symphony for such songs as Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary,” and Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude.” Tickets start at $18 for adults and $5 for students. Visit grsymphony.org.
Lending Your Voice
WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma with St. Cecilia Music Center Executive Director Cathy Holbrook. (WKTV)
St. Cecilia Music Center kicks of its season on Oct. 3 when country and folk singer Lee Ann Womack visits Grand Rapids. Or you could wait until Oct. 20 for when Judy Collins makes her way to the the facility located on 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Better yet, just visit scmc-online.org to check out the full St. Cecilia Music Center season, which includes a classical, jazz and folk. Want a few more hints? How about Rosanne Cash Feb. 19. For more, list to the Locally Entertaining podcast.
Fun Fact: Country Royalty
Since Rosanne Cash is coming to Grand Rapids (in February), we could not resist digging into her family past. Most people know Rosanne is the daughter of country legend Johnny Cash. Her mother was June Carter Cash, who was the daughter of Maybelle Carter. Maybelle was one third of The Carter Family, which also included A.P. Carter and his wife Sara. The Carter Family is considering the first family of country music.
It’s not always possible to lower cholesterol through diet alone—sometimes there’s no way to override your DNA. Sometimes medication becomes a must.
But certain foods can be part of the plan to improve your numbers, to both lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the bad one, and raise your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the good one.
First, choose foods with soluble fiber.
Think of this type of fiber as a magnet, drawing cholesterol out of your body. Good sources are oats, oat bran and barley, along with beans, eggplant and okra. When used in recipes, these foods tend to take on the flavors of other ingredients, so be adventurous with recipe planning—and generous with herbs and spices.
Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are good choices because of their pectin, a type of soluble fiber.
Next, go for foods with polyunsaturated fats. These include vegetable oils like canola, sunflower and safflower, as well as fatty fish like salmon, rich with omega-3 fatty acids, and most types of seeds and nuts.
Plant-based foods also contain substances called plant sterols and stanols, which help keep the body from absorbing cholesterol.
Particularly good sources are Brussel sprouts, wheat germ and wheat bran, peanuts and almonds, and olive, sesame and canola oils.
In terms of foods to limit, talk to your doctor about your unique needs. High-cholesterol foods like shellfish and eggs aren’t as dangerous as once thought. The verdict is still out on the saturated fat found in meat, but some research has found that full-fat yogurt, milk and even cheese may be good for you.
The one type of fat to completely avoid is trans fat.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned its addition to foods in 2018, but because of extensions granted to some manufacturers, certain items could be on store shelves until January 2021. So keep checking the ingredients on any packaged foods you’re considering.
Your efforts to help the planet don’t have to take a vacation just because you are traveling. Many West Michigan destinations, businesses, and organizations are making sure to do their part to promote eco-friendly and sustainable practices to conserve energy and minimize environmental impact.
Eco-friendly lodging
Crystal Mountain’s village in Thompsonville has been built iteratively, piece-by-piece, over time and the same approach has been applied to make meaningful strides toward a more sustainable future, such as:
Designing the resort as a pedestrian- and bike-friendly village, reducing use of carbon-emitting transportation
First resort in Michigan to invest in wind energy credits, offsetting the carbon footprint of the Crystal Clipper high-speed quad chairlift to help supply the grid with more clean, renewable energy sources—reducing CO2 emissions by 174,000 pounds annually
Building the first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) spa in the Midwest—one of only four in the nation in 2009—that uses 28% less energy than a baseline structure
First northern Michigan resort to provide complimentary electric vehicle charging stations
Including a closed-loop, geothermal heating and cooling system as part of a $12 million expansion to the Inn at the Mountain (2018), reducing CO2 emissions by 150,000 pounds per year
Setting aside a 30-acre wooded preserve leased to Michigan Legacy Art Park for $1 per year
LED lighting in accommodations and public spaces, including the resort’s 33,000 square-foot conference facility
In-room recycling, electric golf carts, re-fillable bath amenities, efficiency sensors for irrigation and snow-making and more
Courtesy West Michigan Tourist Association
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa’s Green Committee is dedicated to creating a sustainable vacation experience. Here are just a few of the ways Grand Traverse Resort, located in Williamsburg, works to improve their carbon footprint:
Partnership with TerraCycle, to recycle partially used and empty toiletry bottles. TerraCycle provides the Resort with a penny for each bottle, saved up to donate to local green nonprofits.
Partnership with Eminence Organics, which plants a tree for each product sold. To date, over 3,500 trees have been planted.
A composting program with Bay Area Recycling for Charities that directs roughly 100 tons of food waste from the Resort’s dining outlets away from landfills.
In 2016, the Resort replaced an aging boiler with a Micro CHP (Combined Heat and Power) unit with an engine that runs on natural gas to generate electricity with useful heat—clean hot water—as a by-product of cooling the engine. The Micro CHP is estimated to save up to $20,000 in electric energy each year, and received an EPA certificate of approval for commercial emission standards.
The Golf & Grounds team has won numerous awards for their eco-friendly approach; resort is certified as a Michigan Turf-grass Environmental Steward; is adding space to the no-mow natural zones on the 900-acre property.
The Resort is eliminating single-use plastic products from the property—a work in progress.
In Mecosta County, being eco-friendly is something that hospitality businesses are familiar with—most hotels have a detailed Green program as part of hotel policy.
The Holiday Inn and Conference Center in Big Rapids has an eco-friendly initiative known as the “Green Engage”, striving to provide a sustainable environment. This particular hotel achieves these policies through the maintenance of the building as well as housekeeping—ensuring that there is energy-efficient output on all room units, light bulbs, furnaces, etc. Housekeeping offers guests opportunities to re-use personal items like towels and toiletries.
Your headquarters for Upper Peninsula outdoor adventures in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale National Park, the Keweenaw Adventure Company hosts Lake Superior sea kayaking and world-renowned Copper Harbor mountain biking. Environmentally conscious and community players, the Keweenaw Adventure Company celebrated their 25th Anniversary this season, and are proud to be “ultimately contributing to the region’s well-being through education, stewardship, conservation and sustainable tourism.”
Courtesy West Michigan Tourist Association
For over 30 years, Inland Seas Education Associationin Suttons Bay has been teaching people about protecting the Great Lakes through their programs on tall ship schooners. Participants engage in hands-on activities as they collect lake samples and analyze them to determine the health of the Great Lakes. Some of the programs also collect microplastics. Individuals also get a chance to raise the sails and steer the ship. Click through to find more information about ISEA public programs.
A hidden gem tucked behind tall dune hills, Lost Lake at Muskegon State Park is a botanical treasure with plants found in both bog and coastal plain marsh habitats. A three-mile, unpaved trail leads around Lost Lake, easily accessed from the Snug Harbor parking lot. A wheelchair-accessible trail from the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex leads to an accessible overlook and viewing scope on the wetland’s north side.
John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids is committed to conserving resources and in doing so strives to make all of their operations as green as possible. The Zoo stays green by diverting 80% of waste from landfills through compost and recycling. They offer compostable straws and other plastics at the concession stands and have a variety of sustainable gift options in the gift shop. The Zoo is also committed to conserving endangered species around the world and right here in West Michigan. Every year John Ball Zoo sends zookeepers out into the field to help native species like the Kirtland’s warbler, Massasauga rattlesnakes, piping plovers, and wood turtles.
Sustainable eating and shopping
Going Green in Ludington is made easier with a number of restaurants using compostable containers, utensils, bags, and straws, or implementing a no-straw policy. Stores use biodegradable paper bags, eco-friendly cleaning practices, and some businesses have promotions in place with donations going to local eco-minded organizations.
Visitors looking to minimize their impact on the planet can feel good about visiting the BarFly Ventures restaurant family, which includes HopCat locations in Grand Rapids,Kalamazoo,East Lansing, and Holland, as well as Stella’s Lounge in Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Brewing Co. The businesses recycle all metal, plastic, cardboard, and glass and locally compost all food scraps, napkins, straws, and any other organic materials, diverting up to 90 percent of their waste from landfills and incinerators and helping to create soil instead of trash. BarFly has helped raise more than $50,000 for local clean-water nonprofits.
Courtesy West Michigan Tourist Association
Visit the HollandFarmers Marketon Wednesdays and Saturdays 8am-2pm and support local agriculture. By purchasing locally grown produce, shoppers and vendors cut back on packaging and emissions that would otherwise be used to transport goods to grocery stores from across the country.
Crane’s Pie Pantry in Fennville has gone strawless. Paper straws are only available on request. If you refuse a bag in the bakery or bring your own reusable bag, you leave with a free donut.
It’s time to get the kids together and pull out your family’s favorite costumes because Trick or Treat Trail is right around the corner!
After a widely received social media contest, fans of Wyoming Parks and Recreation’s Facebook page unanimously voted to rename Pumpkin Path to Trick or Treat Trail. The event has been titled Pumpkin Path for the last 14 years.
The City of Wyoming and its Parks and Recreation team is excited to once again host this signature community event under a new name but with many of the traditional elements the community has come to know and love. Trick or Treat Trail is a free event for kids and families on Saturday, Oct. 12, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will host spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.
“The newly branded Trick or Treat Trail was created to be a fun, safe, family-friendly event for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Trick or Treat Trail gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
In addition to receiving treats, children should also look forward to a DJ and dancing, face painting, jumping in various bounce houses and games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or in regular clothes.
In previous years, the event has welcomed over 65 local businesses and organizations, and more than 6,000 children, parents, grandparents and friends.
Woodland Mall sketch new entrance Von Maur wing 2019 (Supplied/Woodland Mall)
By Woodland Mall
This fall, shoppers will enjoy the long-anticipated grand opening of first-to-portfolio department store Von Maur and the expansion of what will be known as the Von Maur wing at Woodland Mall, along with The Cheesecake Factory as a new dining anchor.
“Over the past two years, we have invested $100 million in order to continue to create a premium shopping experience in the changing retail environment,” said Cecily McCabe, Woodland Mall marketing director. “Many of our major redevelopment efforts will soon culminate with the opening of the Von Maur wing and The Cheesecake Factory, along with a number of other destination retailers and an experiential dining offering.
“If you have not visited us recently, now is a great time to come and rediscover Woodland Mall.”
Saturday, Oct. 12, will be an important date to save as several retailers plan to host grand opening events, including Von Maur, Urban Outfitters, Williams-Sonoma, Tricho Salon and Paddle North. The Cheesecake Factory is set to open Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Destination retailer Von Maur will occupy 90,000 square feet in the former Sears space. The location will be the high-end department store’s first in the region, joining a series of other new-to-portfolio and new-to-market retailers at the mall.
Based in Davenport, Iowa, Von Maur is expanding its footprint across the U.S. with larger stores and new brands. The strength of the Von Maur brand lies in its wide selection of brand-name merchandise, open and attractive store design and amenities that enhance the customer experience, including free gift-wrapping year-round and easy returns.
Woodland Mall’s Von Maur will feature a live pianist, and exclusive brands such as: Kiehls, Sunday Riley, Cath Kidston, Mint Velvet, Joules, Kendra Scott, Miss Selfridge, John Hardy, Rebecca Minkoff, Nora Flemming, Kuhl, T2 and Coast.
Known around the globe for its extensive menu, generous portions and legendary desserts, The Cheesecake Factory will occupy 8,500 square feet in Woodland Mall next to Barnes & Noble. The Kentwood location will be the restaurant’s second in Michigan and the only location within 50 miles.
The Cheesecake Factory features more than 250 menu selections including SkinnyLicious® dishes with 590 calories or less and Saturday and Sunday Brunch – all handmade, in-house with fresh ingredients – and more than 50 signature cheesecakes and desserts.
Lifestyle retailer Urban Outfitters will open an 8,000-square-foot store in the Von Maur wing. Urban Outfitters currently operates more than 200 stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, offering experiential retail environments and a well-curated mix of women’s, men’s, accessories and home product assortments.
Woodland Mall will also welcome Paddle North to the expanded wing this fall. The Minnesota-based company offers stand-up paddle boards and accessories, as well as an array of apparel.
The award-winning steakhouse and another first-to-market restaurant Black Rock Bar & Grill will open in mid-October in the expanded Von Maur wing. As part of its immersive dining experience, guests sear their selection of meat or seafood on hot volcanic granite at their tables. This will be the Michigan-based chain’s first location in West Michigan and its ninth in the state.
Complementing these diverse retailers and restaurants will be Tricho Salon, a best-in-class salon offering a personalized experience with talented stylists and the top hair styles, designs and products, as well as makeup and waxing services. An innovator in the salon business since 2003, Tricho Salons operates 12 locations in the most sought-after markets across the United States.
This summer, Woodland Mall welcomed West Michigan’s first REI store. Within its 20,000 square feet, shoppers can explore in-demand outdoor gear, clothing and footwear. Bath & Body Works’ White Barn Shop and A’Beautiful Soul, the companion to Altar’d State offering a plus-size clothing line, also recently opened.
In addition to welcoming new retail offerings, the mall has had several retailers relocate and/or expand within the mall over the past year, including Apple, Chico’s, Hollister, J.Jill, LUSH, Shoe Dept., Sleeping Tiger, Torrid, Vans and Victoria’s Secret.
Woodland Mall also features an exclusive line-up of other retailers, such as Pottery Barn, The North Face, Dry Goods and H&M, along with several other dining establishments and Celebration! Cinema.
Shoppers can anticipate more new and seasonal store announcements throughout the year as part of its $100 million redevelopment.
The electronic babysitter is alive and thriving in the new digital age.
A new study says it all: Children under the age of 2 spend twice the amount of time in front of a screen each day—almost three hours, to be exact—as they did 20 years ago.
Kids are being exposed to far more screen time than recommended by pediatric experts, the researchers added.
That screen was most often a TV set, with the television viewing of toddlers rising fivefold between 1997 and 2014, the study findings showed.
Children aged 3 to 5 actually spent less time on screens than younger kids, around two-and-a-half hours per day, with no significant change between 1997 and 2014, according to the report.
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages all media use for kids younger than 2 and recommends limiting screen time for children aged 2 to 5 to just one hour a day of high-quality programming.
The researchers found it “surprising” that television still served as the screen of choice for young children, even four years after the debut of the iPad in 2010, said lead researcher Weiwei Chen, an assistant professor with the Florida International University College of Public Health and Social Work, in Miami.
Kids aged 2 and younger spent an average of 2.6 hours a day watching TV in 2014 and children 2 to 5 watched an average of 2.1 hours a day. On average, both groups spent a half-hour daily on mobile devices, Chen said.
“It’s possible they are using it in good ways, like for educational purposes,” Chen said. “But also remember that looking at this young age, it’s before they are attending school, so I would think these are not children that are using that for homework.”
For their study, the researchers used data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the world’s longest-running household survey. The study has been tracking U.S. family trends since 1968.
The findings were published online recently in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
TV might have become an easier option by 2014 because streaming services and on-demand programming had largely replaced video tapes and DVDs, said Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center.
“By 2014, there were many more choices in children’s television programming following in Sesame Street’s example and with lots of cable channels to fill,” Rutledge said.
“Some shows intentionally build in interactivity that reinforces learning, such as ‘Dora the Explorer’ and ‘Blue’s Clues.’ However, not all programming is suitable for children and not all children’s programming is truly educational,” she added.
It’s likely parents still are using the time-honored strategy of using TV as a babysitter, said Sarah Domoff, director of the Family Health Lab at Central Michigan University.
“Research my collaborators and I have conducted indicates that TV may be used to help manage children’s behaviors and allow parents to accomplish tasks at the home,” Domoff said. “Some households frequently leave TV on in the background throughout the day, which may also increase a child’s screen time.”
Domoff recommends limiting screen time for young children to educational content alone, with active parental involvement at all times.
“We know that having a TV in a child’s bedroom increases a child’s risk for sleep issues and obesity,” Domoff said. “Additionally, research has also indicated children hear fewer words from caregivers and have fewer conversations when TV or other electronic media is on, compared to when it is not on. Therefore, excessive screen time may interfere with important activities or routines essential for a child’s development.”
Chen also pointed out that it’s very likely that tablets and mobile devices have become more used among kids 5 and younger since 2014.
“In 2014, it was still a relatively early stage for those products. It’s understandable at that time, they weren’t as common as today,” Chen said. “Now you see we have many more tablets and devices and all kinds of things.”
There is still time for you to add your thoughts and ideas on the vision of the City of Wyoming.
The city leaders and staff will be hosting another Wyoming [Re]Imagined meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Godwin Heights High School, 50 35th St. SW, Wyoming.
“We are really looking for community input on this,” said Mayor Jack Poll during a recent City Council meeting. “This is a big deal that will set agendas, look at properties, look at where we want the city to go in the next number of years.
“We have staff here that does a wonderful job. We try to do our best to give out input but when we have 75,000 people in the City of Wyoming, so there are a lot more opinions then you see in this room and we want those to be a part of the plan in a community where you live and work and do business.”
For the past several months, the City of Wyoming has hosted community workshops, student/youth workshops, focus groups, surveys, and pop-up meetings at various locations.
A key component to the various programs have been an interactive mapping exercise to help identify future desired land uses throughout the community. The exercise is an opportunity for residents to help identify where they would like to see such items as future housing, commercial centers, and employment centers.
According to staff, the mapping exercise will provide residents an opportunity to talk about specific areas within the city such as Site 36, Divison Avenue, and 28 West Place/Downtown area. At Thursday’s meeting there will be a Spanish version of the mapping exercise available with a translator provided.
Those unable to attend the workshop can utilize the mapping exercise at the website wyomingreinagined.com or click here for a direct link to the map.
Also available on the website are ongoing surveys which are offered in both English and Spanish.
Junior Jessi Talluto painted a deer skull surrounded by fire and smoke recently on the wall of Wyoming High School.
Finished murals now decorate the hallway (courtesy photo)
The message she hopes to convey through the mural, located between lockers, is about deforestation, she said. Pictures of tiny factories behind the deer symbolize the takeover of wildlife habitat.
Art students are using a soon to-be-demolished hallway as their canvas to temporarily spread awareness and get their peers thinking about social, mental health and environmental issues. Art teacher Robyn Gransow-Higley said they wanted to use the space for art with the purpose of conveying messages before the hallway is torn down.
Renovations and construction of a large building addition are under way at the school, with much to be completed by fall 2020.
“We’re allowing this space to do one last and hopefully positive thing before it goes away,” Gransow-Higley said, noting that students took charge of the project after she got permission to paint on the walls.
Juniors Nicole Start and Onna Burger painted a picture of a bin containing trash with a large recycling bin above it. Onna said she wants students to think about how much they consume and discard. “A lot of people use a lot,” she said. “I want them to think about how things could be in the future if they don’t think about the waste they create.”
For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, we continue a series looking at the depth and breath of poverty throughout Kent County and specifically in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
To introduce us to some of the issues, we talk with Susan Cervantes, the Director of the Kent County Community Action program which, according to its 2018 annual report, served more than 7,000 individuals including more than 3,800 families, and also handled more than 42,000 information and referral calls.
The Community Action program came into existence 55 years ago when President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation to establish a War on Poverty.
The local group, according to its website “works to eliminate the causes and circumstances of poverty by investing in individuals and families with low incomes. Through dedicated staff and community partnerships we provide services, resources, education and advocacy to improve the quality of life for all residents of Kent County.”
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times).
All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) and Avflight tossed the first mounds of dirt today at a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of a new state-of-the-art fixed base operation (FBO) and hangar on a five-acre leased parcel at the Airport.
The event included local airport staff, airport authority board members, dignitaries and Avflight executives.
The new facility includes a 5,000 square foot FBO building, plus a 30,000 square foot hangar located on the airport’s east side with convenient access to the terminal and taxiways/runways as well as the local highway system.
Other services provided to the airport community include premiere indoor car parking, secured access, and 1,650 square feet of office space with the ability to build to suit.
“We are anxious to break ground on this new facility, and we are proud to see growth in general aviation at our airport as the demand for more options increases,” said Tory Richardson, Gerald R. Ford International Airport President & CEO. “The Ford Airport contributes over $3.1 billion in economic output in West Michigan each year and as our community grows so does the need for air travel and services associated with air travel. General aviation at our airport is responsible for business traffic, mission trips and charitable flights, health-related services, and even educational opportunities. Avflight is a welcomed addition to our airport.”
“We look forward to bringing Avflight’s expertise and passion for aviation to GRR. Grand Rapids is one of Michigan’s flagship communities with so much to offer its businesses and visitors. Our multimillion dollar investment in this new complex reflects our long term commitment to the region and confidence in our shared future at the airport,” said Avflight’s vice president of operations, Joe Meszaros.
On his return visit to our studio, orphaned refugee Phillip Nguyen expresses gratitude for the country that took him in. With pride, he talks about his company’s new charity app, EZsamaritan. With an investment of 45,000 work hours, this app is a free resource to the 1.7 million non-profits across the United States. According to entrepreneur Nguyen, it’s all about giving back.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Magnificent Margaery, a regal and royal specimen of all things fine and feline, came to us in late August of 2019. As the story goes, she had been wandering around a Wyoming neighborhood, searching for a place to claim as her own, for almost an entire year before one of our former adopters took matters into his own hands and enlisted the aid of his sister, who welcomed her into her humble home.
The lovely lady (born in early 2015) took up temporary residence there until she was brought in to the clinic for a work-up; when she tested positive initially for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), Dr. Jen offered to take her into our program. We were all very upset by this news, but more so because a microchip revealed that she once had an owner who had either abandoned her or released her out into the world to fend for herself; since the virus is transmitted by bite wounds, it was obvious Margaery wasn’t used to fighting off feline foes.
However, as luck would have it, when retested at her one-month follow-up, our gorgeous gray girl sported negative results, meaning that her immune systems was strong and valiant enough to recognize the virus was present and posing a threat, but yet conquer and defeat it before it laid claim.
We have gotten to know Margaery quite intimately over the past few months, and we are all in agreement that she needs to be the ruler of her own domain:
She may look down upon her subjects, but she’s a lovely, lovely girl
“Margaery is not too crazy about the other cats but for the most part doesn’t really stir up any trouble. She will hiss if someone gets too close to her, but a lot of it is talk. She had no trouble moving over to Crash’s side—the fewer cats for her, the better. She doesn’t care to be picked up, but does enjoy human attention, especially loves back scratches. She’s slowly learning that being brushed isn’t so bad but will still swat and let you know when she’s had enough. I think it would be best if she’s an only cat, no small kids, or dogs. She loves bird-watching, so give her a perch with a window view, and I guarantee you she will be the best girl ever.”
“Margaery is yet another pretty girl who thinks she’s a queen. She spends most of her time hanging out on top of a cage, looking over her peasants below. She also enjoys watching birds at the feeders. She needs a home where she is treated like the royalty she thinks she is, so no other cats and probably no children.”
We just know there is a place for her to call her own out there, and after so much time on the streets she certainly does deserve to reign supreme. She has so much love to give—so much potential laying in wait in that pretty little package—that we are most eager to give this to her.
More about Margaery:
Domestic Long Hair
Gray/Blue/Silver
Adult
Female
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Prefers to be an only cat; no dogs or children
Want to adopt Margaery? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
On any given day, 1 in 5 American youngsters don’t drink any water at all, a new survey shows.
And those who don’t end up consuming almost twice as many calories from sugar-sweetened beverages.
That, investigators warn, translates into an extra 100 calories per day, which over time can raise the risk for becoming overweight or obese.
“Drinking water is the healthiest beverage to drink,” said study author Asher Rosinger, director of the Water, Health and Nutrition Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University. “Water is an essential nutrient that is critical to proper physiological and cognitive functioning.”
By contrast, sugary drinks “are problematic because they have been linked to many negative health conditions, such as weight gain, dental caries (cavities), and type 2 diabetes,” said Rosinger. He noted that current guidelines recommend limiting daily intake of added sugars to less than 10% of all calories consumed.
“Kids should drink water every day and it should be the first option (parents) go to when their kids are thirsty,” Rosinger said.
In the study, data was collected from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys between 2011 and 2012 and between 2015 and 2016.
About 8,400 children, aged 2 to 19, reported whether they drank water each day—although amounts were not quantified—and how much of sugar-sweetened beverages they routinely consumed.
The latter included all non-diet sodas, sweetened fruit juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, and/or presweetened tea and coffee drinks. Zero-calorie diet sodas and drinks, 100% fruit juices and unsweetened coffee and teas were excluded.
Among the 1 in 5 who didn’t drink any water daily, sugared-drink calories totaled 200, on average, compared with 100 calories a day among water drinkers.
Sugared-drink habits varied somewhat by race, however. For example, white non-water drinkers were found to consume more additional calories from sugared drinks than Hispanic non-water drinkers (123 extra calories per day versus 61 extra calories per day).
Regardless, are such relatively low amounts of excess calories really a big deal? Yes, say investigators, who point out that taking in an extra 3,500 calories means packing on an extra pound.
That breaks down to just a little more than a month of 100 extra calories per day.
Rosinger did note that sugary drink consumption among American children has dropped over the last 15 years.
But he added that “there are still pockets and sub-populations that have high consumption levels. (So) it’s critical to identify which kids are particularly at risk for high sugar-sweetened beverage intake, since this can lead to these negative health effects.”
On that front, Rosinger noted that water insecurity due to contamination “is a growing problem in the U.S., so we need to keep that in mind as important context, especially when it comes to parents who may be giving their kids soda or juice because they distrust the water. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure that everyone has access to safe, clean water.”
The findings were published recently in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Lona Sandon is program director in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She said the findings “confirm what I have seen in practice: If someone is not drinking water, they are drinking something else, likely soft drinks or other sugary drinks.” She was not involved with the study.
Sandon’s advice to parents? “Provide water and low-fat plain milk at the table. Keep flavored milk only for special occasions. Avoid purchasing soft drinks or other fruit juice-type drinks that are laden with added sugar.
“Try no-calorie, flavored seltzer water instead. Make a no-soft drink or other sugary drinks rule in the household. Save them for special occasions. Keep 100% fruit juice to 1 cup per day. Keep sports drinks for sports, not with meals, and only if the child will be exercising for more than an hour.”
From the left, candidate Ron Draayer, Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob O’Callaghan, moderator Kathey Batey, and candidate Bill Benoit. (WKTV)
Meet the Candidates
With Michael Brown’s decision not to seek another term as a 2nd Ward commissioner for the City of Kentwood, two candidates are vying to serve the city in that seat. Both candidates Bill Benoit and Ron Draayer were at the September candidate forum hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, where they shared their ideas and discussed why they were the best fit to serve in the 2nd Ward seat. WKTV will re-broadcast the debate on Wednesday, Sept, 25, at 9 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 26, at noon along with several times in October before the Nov. 5 general election. For air dates and times, visit the WKTV Schedule.
Getting the Scoop
Who knew that studying wombat scat could be so rewarding? GVSU alumna Alynn Martin, along with the research team she was with, received the Ig Nobel Prize for studying the question why is wombat scat square. “It’s not going to change anybody’s life but it’s a great little piece of information that we didn’t know before,” said Martin, who earned a master’s degree in biology at Grand Valley State University. No, but it is certainly a fun fact which is why the group won the award. So why is the wombat’s scat square? It appears to form that way in the digestive system.
Time to Take the Leaves Out
The colors are a changin’ which means we can forecast a lot of raking for many area residents. With that in mind, the City of Kentwood announced it would be opening its brush and leaf drop-off sites at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, located at 5068 Breton Ave. SE. The sites will run concurrently from Saturday, Oct. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 7, with open hours from noon to 8 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. The City of Wyoming operates a year-round yard waste site next to its Public Works Facility, 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. Hours are 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday through Dec. 7. Residents should bring ID when dropping off.
(Geosciences, Utrecht University)
It Once Was Lost, But Now Is Found
So some of the people visiting or skiing in the Alps may not have been on the European continent at all, but rather Greater Adria. Researchers announced this week that they have found the eighth continent, which is stuck under Southern Europe. Most of the original continent was under water but much of its rocks were scrapped off when it was forced under Europe with the rocks helping to form mountain ranges in the Alps, Apennines, the Balkans, Greece and Turkey. Source: CNN
Kent County Land for planned Sustainable Business Park, aerial shot that includes the property adjacent to the landfill, with the landfill in the background. (Supplied/Kent County)
By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org
Kent County’s plan to create a Sustainable Business Park adjacent to the South Kent Landfill in Byron Center took another step forward early this month when the Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) received a $95,000 site readiness grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The grant was announced by Kent County DPW and The Right Place.
The planned 250-acre Sustainable Business Park is aimed at creating a industrial center with the prime goal to convert waste into marketable goods and services.
“Kent County is committed to becoming a regional, state and national leader in reducing landfill waste by attracting companies that can convert that waste into new products, consumer goods and energy,” Dar Baas, director of the Kent County DPW. said in supplied material. “The Sustainable Business Park will have a positive economic and environmental impact for both Allegan and Kent Counties and we are thankful for support from the MEDC to begin the site planning phase of this innovative, first-of-its kind project.”
The grant is part of the MEDC’s new competitive Michigan Build Ready Sites program, the targeted grant program of the Site Readiness Improvement program, according to supplied material.
The MEDC program, according to its website, is intended to allow “Michigan to gain a competitive advantage when it comes to business attraction and expansion projects, it must assist communities or other public entities … with the development/enhancement of industrial sites to make them vetted sites and ready to compete for site selection projects. Vetted sites may be defined as a site that has appropriate planning, zoning, surveys, title work, environmental conditions, soil conditions, infrastructure is in place or preliminary engineering is completed, the property is available for sale and development and site information is ready, and up-to-date.”
The grant was secured as part of the Kent County DPW’s and The Right Place’s 3-year partnership to help support the planning and development of the Sustainable Business Park, as well as identify sources of funding for the project and building community partnerships.
Last year, the Kent County DPW board approved a master plan for the Sustainable Business Park on 250 acres of land currently used for agriculture and previously designated for landfill expansion. The grant, with a 1:1 match from Kent County, will be used to survey and develop topographic profiles for the Sustainable Business Park, as well as develop engineering and environmental reports.
“The Sustainable Business Park is a collaborative economic development project that will attract investment and create jobs while making a positive environmental impact,” Birgit M. Klohs, President and CEO, The Right Place, Inc., said in supplied material. “The site readiness grant from the MEDC will provide critical support in developing shovel-ready land, which will give the Sustainable Business Park a competitive edge in attracting businesses.”
The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) provides solid waste management services to Kent County. The DPW manages facilities and programs that include the Recycling & Education Center, Waste-to-Energy Facility, North Kent Recycling & Waste Center and South Kent Recycling & Waste Center.
According to the DPW, building a Sustainable Business Park is part of the Kent County DPW’s solution to decreasing the growing amount of solid waste buried in landfills. Kent County DPW processes over 1 billion pounds of waste each year and estimates 75 percent of that waste could be reused, recycled or converted. For more information, visit reimaginetrash.org.
The two candidates for the City of Kentwood’s Ward 2 Commissioner seat currently held by Michael Brown, which will be decided on the Nov. 5 ballot, participated in WKTV Journal’s “We the People” public service videos, which allow the candidates to communicate their qualifications and goals directly to the public.
The two candidates for the Ward 2 seat are Bill Benoit and Ron Draayer. Also on the ballot in November but running unopposed for other Kentwood Commission seats are incumbent Commissioner at Large Maurice H. Groce and incumbent Ward 1 Commissioner Robert D. Coughlin.
Benoit, Draayer and Commissioner Coughlin each produced “We The People” videos, which are available on WKTV’s YouTube Channel at WKTVvideos. Commissioner Grace was invited to produce a video.
WKTV’s “We The People” candidate introduction videos series are produced prior to each election voted on by Wyoming and Kentwood residents. Each video is five minutes or less, with content decided upon by the candidates, and produced without content edit by WKTV staff.
The two Ward 2 candidates also recently answers questions from a moderator at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Candidate Forum, which took place Sept. 11, at the Kentwood Branch of the Kent District Library, with WKTV Community Media cameras recording the event.
Benoit, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who works for the Charter Township of Cascade as a building inspector and plan reviewer, and is currently on the City of Kentwood Planning Commission.
Draayer, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who was a classroom teacher at Davenport University for 40 years and taught classes in the field of technology and cyber security.
WKTV Community Media was at the forum and will both broadcast it on WKTV Government Channel 26 as well as making it available on WKTV’s YouTube Channel at WKTVvideos. The forum will be broadcast Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, at noon; as well as several but as-yet unscheduled times in October. See the WKTV on-air schedule for dates and times.
West Michigan is home to great shopping destinations. Whether you are looking for souvenirs to bring back from your vacation, a unique gift, antiques and collectibles, or planning a special shopping spree, you’ll find all wide variety of shops to get the retail therapy you need.
If you’re looking for some retail therapy, look no further than Old Town Lansing. This renaissance neighborhood is chock-full of galleries, boutiques, and trendy shops. Find everything from sassy goods to Michigan-made items, quality clothing stores and retro consignment shops lining the streets. And if you get hungry, know there’s great barbeque, two taco joints, a fancy burger bar, pizza parlor, and more.
Marshall’s downtown is filled with unique shopping experiences for all ages and interests. Located in a Historic District, original and restored buildings house a bit of everything: charming antiques, Michigan-themed gifts and housewares, distinctive clothing, adorable toys, new and gently used books, natural and environmentally-friendly items, one-of-a-kind artwork, salons and spas, high-quality items for your furry friends, and much more.
Locally owned boutiques, art galleries, and artisan shops filled with unique items line the downtowns of Saugatuck, Douglas, and Fennville. Swing in on your stroll through town to find items you won’t find anywhere else.
Visit Purely Michigan in St. Joseph to find Michigan products, including beer and wine.
You’ll find paintings, photography, fabric art, and household novelties like napkins, table runners, towels, chenille pillows, and scrubbies, as well as pottery, jewelry, note cards, hand-knitted, crocheted, and quilted items at Ledge Craft Lane in Grand Ledge. Ledge Craft Lane offers changing weekly workshops and classes for kids and adults. Artist of the month featured in the gallery, too.
Courtesy West Michigan Tourist Association
South Havenboasts many unique shops and boutiques in the downtown area. Two large antique malls, stores with women’s, men’s, and children’s fashions, home décor, handmade jewelry, and children’s toys and games.
You will find a large variety of antiques, collectibles, vintage jewelry, sport and fishing items, furniture, and much more at the Allegan Antiques Market.
The Bookman in Grand Haven is your locally owned, full-service bookstore offering over 10,000 new books and thousands of used paperbacks, as well as a great selection of magazines, newspapers, and greeting cards.
Visit Muskegon for a range of vintage and antique stores, specialty grocery shops, unique pop-up shops along Western Ave., and the Muskegon Farmers Market.
Shop with a purpose at GR8LKS Apparel for Change in Norton Shores. For each retail dollar spent, GR8LKS will spend one minute cleaning the water and shoreline of the Great Lakes.
Ludington includes a variety of stores offering name-brand clothing and shoes, home decor, specialty foods and more. For a unique shopping experience, visit the downtown gallery of Todd & Brad Reed Photography. The famed Ludington artists offer traditional prints, gallery canvases, and coffee-table books of the highest quality, featuring gorgeous scenes of Lake Michigan, Hamlin Lake, notable lighthouses, and the local countryside.
There are many wonderful local shops to explore in Mecosta County. You can find a variety of these shops just in Downtown Big Rapids, including Michigan and Big Rapids items, unique gifts, wedding decor and supplies, furniture, books, jewelry, and handmade items created by local artisans. Mecosta County is a great place to look for antiques, collectables, retro items, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Find freshly made pastries, pies, and more at a variety of local eateries and restaurants where you can enjoy a delicious treat while taking a shopping break.
Shopping for family, friends, or that special someone can be hard, but the Mt. Pleasant Area has a number of specialty shops and artisan stores to make it easy. Downtown Mt. Pleasant is home to unique boutiques and shops featuring arts and crafts from Michigan-based painters, sculptors, and other creators. Find stops to add to your next shopping spree in the Mt. Pleasant area.
Courtesy West Michigan Tourist Association
Downtown Holland is widely regarded as West Michigan’s premier shopping, dining and events destination, with over 125 locally owned clothing and accessory boutiques, home furnishing stores, specialty food shops, art galleries, and more.
Hollandis also home to craft breweries, fine dining destinations, and cozy coffee shops… meaning there’s something to satisfy everyone’s cravings, whether sweet or savory or something in between.
Summer may be over, but the Holland Farmers Market is still in full swing. The Market is open from 8am–3pm every Wednesday and Saturday at the Eighth Street Market Place through the end of December. All autumn long, you can shop for apples, pumpkins, squash, potatoes, and so much more, not to mention breads and other baked goods, mums, hay bales, honey, maple syrup, jam, meat, eggs, and cheese too.
While visiting Holland, stop by the Holland Museum gift shop, filled with unique items including books, cards, games, and pottery.
Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus is an outdoor adventure sports specialty retailer with over 50 years in the Grand Rapids area. They sell skis, snowboards, backpacking and camping equipment, kayaks, apparel, and more.
Add some retail therapy to your fall color tour around the Cadillac area, with restaurants and over 20 art, clothing, and gift shops, then head east to Lake City to several new restaurants and small town gift shops.
Dublin General Store in Wellston is your destination for world-famous Dublin Jerky Company jerky, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, ostrich & wild game. Also steaks, ribs, smoked fish, various spices and rubs, award-winning sauces, aged cheeses, and more.
Find all things cherry (and delicious) at Cherry Republic in downtown Traverse City, the cherry capital of the world.
Oryana Natural Foods Market in Traverse City is your source for local, organic and natural food. Oryana carries the region’s largest selection of locally sourced goods, organic and locally-grown produce as well as locally roasted fair-trade coffees, naturally leavened breads, and body care products.
If shopping is always included in your vacation plans then head to Shanty Creek Resort for a fun-filled getaway; resort-themed gifts abound on-site. Check out the charming shops in downtown Bellaire for unique gifts, clothing, art, and more. Need to include more shopping during your getaway? Traverse City is just 31 miles from Shanty Creek Resort.
Family owned and -operated since 1933, McDonough’s Market on Beaver Island specializes in grocery, custom-cut meat, fresh produce, and a wide selection of beer and wine.
Courtesy West Michigan Tourist Association
The brand-new Courtyard by Marriott Petoskey is opening soon and booking rooms in November. The beautiful property is only two miles from downtown Petoskey and local attractions. Featuring 129 guest rooms and 10 suites, you’ll be able to enjoy a day on property in the pool, arcade, and bistro or you can explore the shops in the Gaslight district of Petoskey with our Shopping Spree package. Indulge with $100 in Downtown Dollars and breakfast in the Bistro.
Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts of Petoskey is a favorite source of treasures from Northern Michigan offering Lynn Haney Collectible Santas, Minnetonka Moccasins, home decor and native gifts, as well as signs for your home or cottage including personalized ski signs, and pre-printed Walloon and Crooked Lake signs.
Don’t forget your furry friends while you’re on your shopping spree. Ruff Life Pet Outfitters in Petoskey carries the latest products in the pet care industry, offering natural items and unique, high quality affordable pet products.
Being a full-time caregiver for your loved one is a taxing job. It takes a lot of energy and time to give good care, not to mention the emotional toll it takes. Caregiving is a difficult journey, and it takes a lot out of you. Because of that, many caregivers can suddenly find themselves burned out.
Caregiver burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion brought on by the stress of full-time caregiving. Avoiding caregiver burnout should be a top priority for you as a caregiver. After all, how can you give your best effort to caregiving if you aren’t in good health yourself?
Here are some ways to take care of your health and avoid burning out.
Find Other Caregivers in Your Area
Building a support network of other caregivers can be a big asset in avoiding burnout. Meeting with people who can understand and sympathize with your situation is a great outlet for your stress, and talking with people who experience similar feelings as you can help you feel less alone and isolated during your time as a caregiver.
You can meet other caregivers through online groups, Facebook pages, support meetings, or by asking medical professionals if they are aware of any type of caregiving support groups in the area. Social media and technology allows you to stay connected to your support group when you need them.
Take Respite Breaks
There aren’t regular breaks from caregiving like there are for other jobs. You don’t get weekends off, and your hours aren’t from 9am-5pm. You are constantly on the clock and need to be prepared at all hours of the day, every day. One way to regain some energy is to use a respite care service. Respite care is temporary, professional care of a dependent person that provides relief for usual caregivers.
Taking advantage of respite care helps you avoid isolating yourself, lets you stay healthy and avoid exhaustion, and allows you to stay focused and remain positive. You also don’t have to worry about the quality of care your loved one is receiving when they are at an assisted living community or other senior care center that offers respite care.
Keep an Eye on Your Health
Another important step in avoiding caregiver burnout is to keep a close eye on your own health. Remember, you can’t take care of your loved one if you aren’t doing well yourself. Staying active, exercising, and eating right are all ways to keep your health in check.
You also need to watch out for signs of stress and depression, which can signal caregiver burnout. Signs to look out for include:
Feeling sad, hopeless, or empty.
Losing interest in things that used to bring you joy
Outbursts and sudden changes in emotion
Changes in appetite
Changes in regular sleep patterns
Increased anxiety and restlessness
Trouble thinking clearly
Feeling extremely guilty and constantly blaming yourself
Frequent thoughts of death or suicide
If you experience these symptoms, seek medical help. There are services dedicated to helping caregivers maintain their mental health, and you can take advantage of those services.
Stay Organized
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the stress of caregiving and burnout, so help yourself by keeping organized where you can. By staying organized, you don’t have to worry about where your loved one’s insurance papers or appointment schedules are.
Set up calendars either online, on your phone, or in paper form to organize appointments and meetings. File away paperwork in an orderly fashion that you can remember later on. You can also create daily checklists and task lists so you don’t have to worry about what you need to get done in a single day.
Organizing your life can help you feel more relaxed and confident in your role as a caregiver. It doesn’t take a lot to organize, but it can go a long way in reducing your overall stress and your likelihood of burning out.
Find Caregiving Services Near You
There are services and companies that provide caregiving assistance to people who need extra help. The National Eldercare Locator can help you find caregiving services around you. Examples of caregiving services include:
Meal deliveries
At-home nurses or physical therapists
Housekeeping services
Doing “elder-proofing” in your home with ramps and handrails
Legal aid
Financial counseling
Taking advantage of these services doesn’t mean you are incapable of
doing these things on your own— it just means that you don’t have to do it alone. Using these services can help you avoid feeling isolated and burning out.
Accept Help from Family and Friends
Along with accepting help from caregiving services, you should also use the help offered to you by family and friends. It can be hard to admit that you can’t do everything on your own, but everyone will be better off when you do. Not only does this greatly reduce your odds of burnout, but it will make your family feel better to be able to help you as well, even in small ways. Family and friends can help with:
Cleaning
Cooking
Doing house and yard work
Grocery shopping
Driving you and your loved one to appointments
Running errands
The last thing you want to do as a caregiver is burn out. By using these tips as a guide, you can avoid burning out and relieve some of your stress so you can be a better caregiver to your loved one.
Sagar Dangal is the host of the Bhutanese Talk podcast. (WKTV)
For the past couple of years, Kentwood resident Sagar Dangal has been wanting to put together a show focused on his community, the Bhutanese.
“The show is about the Bhutanese issue from my perspective, someone who grew up in the refugee camp,” Dangal said, adding that is the reason he titled his podcast “Bhutanese Talk,” which can be found at the wktvjournal.org under the “Podcast” tab.
First, a history lesson
Bhutanese are from the Asian country Bhutan, bordered by India and China and just west of Nepal. Bhutan is about half the size of South Carolina, totaling around 14,800 square miles. It has a population of 758,288, which is about 12 percent of the U.S. population, which is estimated at around 9.8 million.
Since the 1600s people from Nepal settled in the southern region of Bhutan however, larger settlements of people with Nepalese origins happened in the early 20th century as the government saw it as way to collect more taxes. The Nepalese — or Lhotshampas as they are called in Bhutan — where never given the same status as the majority, the Drukpa people.
Bhutan is an Asian country bordered by China and India. (Free Domain)
In the 1980s, worried about the growing ethnic Nepali minority, the government adopted the Bhutan’s Citizenship Act of 1985, also called the “One Nation, One People” policy. The government had officially adopted the culture of the northern Bhutan, banning the teaching of the Nepali language in schools and requiring residents to dress in the traditional clothing of the Drukpa. The act created tension between the Nepalese people of the south and the Bhutanese of the north.
Tensions grew to demonstrations which escalated in the 1990s with more than 100,000 people — many who had families that had lived and farmed in southern Bhutan for generations — leaving the country to live in refugee camps in eastern Nepal.
Dangal’s family was among those who left in the early 1990s.
“This podcast is not only about, ‘hey my parents were forced out of their home country and we became refugees and the government of Bhutan did not treat us well,'” Dangal said during his first podcast. “It is not all about that. Those are all facts. It will always stay with me and it will always stay with my parents, and thousands and thousands of Bhutanese folks.”
About 96,000 Bhutanese are ow living in the United States. There are about 15,000 still living in the refugee camps in Nepal. (Wikipedia)
A Community Connected
Dangal said technically he was born in the refugee camp and lived most of his life there, coming to the United States in 2009 when he was 16. From about 2008 to 2015, approximately 111,673 Bhutanese refugees were resettled to eight different countries with about 86 percent of the Bhutanese population coming to the United States. Dangal estimated the total Bhutanese U.S. population to be about 96,000 of which somewhere between 5,000 to 10,000 live in the Wyoming/Kentwood/Grand Rapids area.
“We are not really refugees anymore,” said Dangal, who became a U.S. citizen in 2017. “We have settled.”
Dangal lived in Lansing, attending school there and Michigan State University. After graduating from MSU in 2017, he moved to the Grand Rapids area, where his family had located.
“Even through we live all over the United States, a group might be in Pennsylvania and another in California, because Bhutan was such a small country, we all know each other and we are all connected,” Dangal said.
Like for most refugee groups. the transition to living in the United States has not been easy for everyone, something Dangal has seen firsthand with his own family. He noted that the Bhutanese community has one of the highest suicide rates when compared with other immigrant communities in the United States, a topic he explores in his second podcast.
He plans to explore the traditions and beliefs of his community and the generation gap that has evolved as the next generation, many of whom have not lived in Bhutan, embrace the American culture. To help build the bridge of open dialog, Dangal said he plans to speak in his native language, with some English, so as to reach his target audience.
“With this show, I wanted to talk about the Bhutanese refugees, the issues, both the positive and negative,” he said, “talk about the progress and the downside of some of the issues in and within the Bhutanese community not just those in Nepal, but in the United States and all over the world.
“The show is about the issues I see in my community and how we can approach them, how we can talk about it, how we can tackle it and how we can actually make things better.”
The City of Kentwood will again offer leaf and brush disposal this fall. (WKTV)
By the City of Kentwood
This fall, the City of Kentwood will again offer its brush and leaf drop-off sites at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, located at 5068 Breton Ave. SE.
The sites will run concurrently from Saturday, Oct. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 7, with open hours from noon to 8 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to again offer the convenience of having both leaf and brush drop-off sites at the Department of Public Works this fall,” said John Gorney, director of public works. “We encourage residents to take advantage of the services as part of their fall lawn cleanup efforts.”
The brush drop-off site will accept brush, sticks, tree limbs and logs. Materials that cannot be accepted in the brush pile include plastic bags, trash, dirt, concrete, asphalt, tires, rocks, stones, construction materials, glass or metal.
The leaf drop-off site will accept leaves and grass clippings. Leaves should be loose when dropped off, not left in bags. Small dumpsters will be provided for the disposal of bags.
Beyond helping make yard maintenance easier, leaf and brush collections services help residents stay in compliance with City ordinances. The accumulation of leaves and debris within the lot line of a property or upon the adjacent right-of-way is prohibited in the City of Kentwood, as is burning leaves and brush.
The services are available to Kentwood residents only; anyone wishing to drop off items must show proof of residency. After closing for winter in December, the City plans to open both drop-off sites again in the spring of 2020 from Saturday, April 4, through Saturday, May 30.
Candy VanBuskirk is the new Lee Middle and High School principal. SNN gets to know her in this edition of Meet Your Principal.
Other positions you have held in education:
Principal at Michigan City High School, Indiana
Assistant Principal at New Prairie High School, Indiana
Biology and chemistry teacher, New Buffalo High School
Head women’s basketball coach, Roberts Wesleyan College, New York
Head women’s basketball coach, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago
Assistant women’s basketball coach at Miami University, Ohio
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in biology from Bowling Green State University, where she was a team co-captain in basketball
Master’s degree in educational leadership from Western Michigan University
Master’s degree in science education from the University of Dayton
Currently pursuing a doctoral degree from Indiana State University
Principal Candy VanBuskirk with children Dawson and Sela, and husband, Todd
Spouse/children: husband,Todd; children Dawson and Sela
Hobbies/Interests: Running and reading
What kind of kid were you at the age of students at this new school? I was an athlete, and all I wanted to do was play sports. My personality has always been fun, engaging and adventurous.
The biggest lesson you have learned from students is… You have never walked in (their) shoes.
If I could go back to school, I would go to… my senior year in high school, because I could have done more.
If you walked into your new school building to theme music every day, what would the song be? “We are the Champions” by Queen
Three goals for the school year: Attendance, Achievement and Attitude.
Late bloomer: VanBuskirk said she didn’t get into education until her senior year in college.
“I was going on to medical school; I was a bio/chem major and had a conversation with my college basketball coach, who encouraged me to go into education. Right out of college I was a college basketball coach, got engaged and got married, and went on to get my master’s in education and then taught high school.
“When my children started getting into school age, I went back into high school coaching and teaching, and taught high school for six years before I went into administration.”
Principal Candy VanBuskirk, second from left, was a server at her prom at Waynesfield-Goshen High School in Ohio
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
After a little heat wave, fall is in the air. Families and friends gather around the television to watch football, and the leaves are just starting to turn color. There are many things to love about fall, but some of our favorites are the foods we associate with the season. We have hand-picked these heart-healthy, antioxidant loaded recipes because they remind us of cozy autumn evenings, warm colors, and the bountiful harvest we receive every year, here in the Midwest.
Appetizers and soups
Baked Brie Envelopes: These bite-sized pastries feature melty brie cheese paired with the beautiful fall flavors of cranberry, citrus, and cinnamon. With the perfect amount of sweet and salty, these tasty morsels can hold their own as an appetizer or a stand-alone snack.
Three Sisters Soup: The name of this hearty soup refers to the Native American practice of planting squash, beans, and corn together. In each stage of their lives, these plants would nurture one another and encourage a good harvest. This soup is creamy, and packed with protein and fall flavor for a dish suitable as a companion to a main course, or on its own for quiet evenings.
Main dishes
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples: This delicious dish is great for chilly autumn days, with the smells of tender pork and roasting apples in the oven warming you inside and out. Apple picking is one of many great fall activities for seniors and their loved ones, as is making and eating a meal together. As this dish is low in saturated fat and high in protein, everyone is sure to get plenty of energy for fall fun.
Fennel-Garlic Braised Brisket with Roasted Peppers and Potatoes: With a name that’s just as much of a delicious mouthful as the meal itself, this brisket is rustic and wholesome. This heart-healthy recipe is easy-going, and makes plenty for everybody at the table — plus leftovers for sandwiches. EatingWell.com suggests a “flat” or “first” cut of brisket for a leaner meat, and to be sure to call your market to make sure they have what you want.
Desserts and snacks
Apple Nachos: Make good use of your apple-picking adventures with these fun apple “nachos.” Drizzled with peanut butter and honey, and topped with dried fruits and roasted nuts, this snack allows the many wonderful flavors of Midwest apples to shine. Combine sweet, tart, and spicy apples for maximum fall flavor, and make sure to snag a few slices before they all disappear.
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkins are fun for carving and decorating as well as eating, but make sure not to throw away the seeds. This recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds is sweet and savory with a little cayenne kick. Great as a snack, dessert, or even as a topper for soups and salads, pumpkin seeds contain tons of healthy vitamins and minerals. Who knew?
With all the fun of fall to experience, these healthy autumn recipes will be sure to get you excited for activities like hayrides, apple picking, and more. It’s always amazing how the nutritious produce grown in our backyards can be transformed into these heart-warming meals. Just be sure to make a little extra and pack them along for those longer adventures!
Not a creature was stirring—except for Myra Moritz, 61, a Hudsonville, Michigan, business supervisor who had no plans of missing work.
But something felt a little odd that day. A sluggish left arm. And a heavy hip.
“It got worse over the day,” Moritz remembers. “I told my husband the next morning that I was having a stroke.”
Her husband, Dennis Moritz, took her to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, where doctors soon confirmed what she suspected: She had suffered a stroke.
Lifestyle change
Not all strokes move quickly.
While minutes and seconds certainly matter when treating the victims, the type that hit Moritz had been slow-moving.
“I was too late for that magic pill that turns a stroke around,” she said. “But the staff immediately started tests and treatment and they found I had 95 percent blockage in my right artery and 75 percent in my left.”
In the years leading up to the stroke, Moritz underwent treatment for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. She also had five successful bypasses eight years prior, with surgery performed at Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
She knew enough about stroke to recognize her condition, even though she didn’t experience the more classic FAST symptoms associated with stroke:
F—Facial drooping
A—Arm weakness
S—Speech difficulties
T—Time to call emergency services
“I did not have any facial drooping or slurred speech,” Moritz said. “But as the day went on, I felt more weakness in my arm. And my brain was getting foggy. I was having trouble comprehending.”
Justin Singer, MD, Spectrum Health Medical Group neurosurgeon, served on the stroke team that treated Moritz.
“Myra had severe bilateral carotid stenosis, or carotid artery disease,” Dr. Singer said. “Lifestyle habits that contribute to this are high blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, but also genetics. She had these high risk factors.”
To reduce Moritz’s chances of having another stroke, Dr. Singer performed carotid endarterectomy on her right artery. This surgical procedure removes blockages in the carotid arteries of the neck.
Carotid endarterectomy is not a cure, Dr. Singer said. Arteries can become blocked again if conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol are not controlled. This causes new plaque buildup.
“So I quit smoking,” Moritz said. “That was the last day I smoked.”
Moritz immediately began to exhibit mild seizures during rehab.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“That’s not uncommon after a stroke,” Dr. Rector said.
But the seizures were enough to set Moritz back in her recovery.
“After the seizures, my memory seemed to be more affected,” Moritz said. “I was very tired. And about six days later I started to have hallucinations—probably a side effect from some of the meds I was taking to control the seizures.”
Moritz remembers seeing pirate ships sailing across the lake outside her window at Blodgett Hospital. Dogs she had owned in the past, now dead, suddenly trotted into the room to greet her. When she reached out to pet them, there was nothing there.
“I learned to check with my husband before trusting anything I was seeing,” she said. “And then I also realized that if I blinked, if it was a vision, it would go away.”
The good news: Moritz wasn’t bedridden during recovery.
Under Dr. Rector’s guidance, the rehab team gave her a proper workout to strengthen her left leg and left arm.
She practiced ascending and descending the stairs. She’d get in and out of a pretend car, use the bathroom independently and improve her balance with a walker.
“All the things I needed to be able to do when I go home,” Moritz said.
A return to normal
Before the stroke, Moritz would swim 60 laps twice a week at an indoor pool.
It may be a while before she achieves that level again, but her prognosis is excellent.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
On leaving the hospital a little more than a month after her stroke, she felt optimistic and strong.
“A physical therapist comes out to the house three times a week to work with me,” she said. “That will go down to twice a week soon. My brain doesn’t feel foggy anymore and my appetite is better.
“Although, maybe that’s not so great,” she laughed.
Her doctors have recommended a Mediterranean diet, heavy on fruits and vegetables. She expects to drive again in about six months, when the risk of seizure has passed.
“Myra has made a remarkable recovery,” Dr. Rector said. “By the time she was discharged, we scored her 4 out of 5. We expect her to eventually return to normal or near normal.”
The directive from her doctors: control blood pressure, screen for hypothyroidism, stay active, maintain a healthy diet and keep watch on any reoccurring stroke symptoms.
And don’t smoke.
“An amazing group of doctors and nurses and rehab people have worked with me,” Moritz said. “Everyone has been so kind and supportive throughout every step of my recovery. My rehab people always ask me during my exercises: ‘Can you do one more?’”
Many seniors who reach retirement age start to slow down and decrease the time they spend exercising—or just stop exercising altogether after feeling fatigued from activities that at one point had been easy. However, doing so may have some serious consequences.
Choosing not to exercise as a senior can have a negative impact on your health. As you age, exercise becomes more than creating a healthy habit. Even simple exercises can give you significant benefits to your overall health—sometimes even more so than when you were younger.
1. Exercise stops muscle loss
Muscle loss starts to affect all adults around age 30, with an estimated 5% loss of muscle in each subsequent decade. This process can speed up quickly around 65 years of age, which is why seniors can rapidly lose muscle mass and become enfeebled in a matter of a few years.
There’s no way to completely halt muscle loss, but exercises ranging from more intense weight-resistance training to simple daily exercise like walking and functional movements that use a wide range of muscle groups can slow the progress of muscle loss.
2. Exercise improves mental health
Exercise is a huge stress reducer and releases hormones like endorphins that improve overall mental health and make you happy. A regular release of endorphins through exercise can significantly lower your risk of becoming depressed as you age. In addition, seniors who exercise have better moods and more self-confidence than seniors who don’t exercise.
3. Exercise builds stronger bones
Falling and hurting yourself or breaking bones are some of the most devastating injuries that seniors can suffer from. Breaking a bone and losing bone strength creates long-lasting negative impacts on other areas of senior health. Exercise, usually in conjunction with good foods, can help build stronger bones that are able to withstand wear and tear without breaking.
4. Exercise keeps your weight in check
Metabolism and the ability to naturally burn calories slows down as you age, which is one of the main reasons why it’s difficult for seniors to lose or maintain a consistent weight as they grow older. Regular exercise can burn calories and speed up your metabolism which helps you control your weight.
5. Exercise decreases the risk of falling
Damage from falls are some of the most debilitating injuries to seniors, as they both limit independence and can actually reduce life expectancy. A good exercise routine can improve flexibility, stamina, balance, coordination, and strength in seniors. All of these things combined can work together to reduce the risk of falling.
6. Exercise helps you sleep better
Sleep is important as it gives seniors energy for their day and allows the mind to rest and maintain good health. Sleep is also an important factor in reducing senior depression and irritability while at the same time improving concentration and motivation.
Regular exercise can help you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer—beating the insomnia that often keeps seniors from getting their recommended levels of sleep. Exercising can also help you feel more energized when you wake up after a good night’s sleep.
7. Exercise prevents disease
One of the most well-known benefits of exercise is that it helps to prevent a number of serious diseases that affect not only seniors, but adults of every age. This can include heart-related diseases like high-blood pressure and heart attacks, along with other diseases like diabetes and osteoporosis.
Exercise also has been shown to improve immune health—as people who exercise regularly get sick less often than people who don’t exercise at all—along with digestive and gut health.
8. Exercise reduces the risk of memory disease
Exercise and physical activity has been shown to reduce the chances of coming down with serious memory diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Exercises that include multiple parts or are more detail-oriented can improve cognitive functions by working areas of the brain that might not otherwise be stimulated.
9. Exercise encourages socialization
Most senior exercise ends up becoming a group activity, especially for seniors who are exercising in the same senior living community. This leads to increased odds of having more social engagements and opportunities to make friends and cultivate relationships.
Even if you exercise alone, the added energy gained from a daily exercise routine can help you feel motivated to socialize rather than isolating yourself. Seniors who live more sedentary lives might not be as willing to get up and leave the comfort of home, despite the benefits of socialization.
Not all exercise needs to be intense in order to have a large impact on senior health. Even simple chair exercises, stretches, or short walks can make major long-term improvements to overall senior health. Understanding what your limits are and finding exercises that fit your lifestyle can help you improve your health, both physically and mentally for years to come.
Playgrounds are fun, but all too often result in injuries.
From kids falling from swings and monkey bars, to little tykes flying off the merry-go-round, hazards abound.
But that’s not a reason to avoid them altogether. If a playground has good equipment with soft landing surfaces, add in a bit of adult supervision and the risk is greatly reduced.
To make sure everyone has a merry time at the playground, keep in mind a few statistics.
Each year in the United States, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children for playground-related injuries, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Falls are the most common, accounting for more than 75 percent of all playground-related injuries, according to Jennifer Hoekstra, an injury prevention specialist.
Lack of supervision is associated with approximately 45 percent of playground-related injuries.
Check out some helpful advice from the Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention team for keeping your kiddos safe at play.
7 tips to avoid playground injuries:
1. Actively supervise children on playgrounds.
It won’t be hard—they’ll probably be calling for you to watch them climb, jump and swing.
2. Look down.
Take your kids to playgrounds with shock-absorbing surfaces such as rubber, synthetic turf, sand, wood chips or mulch.
If your child falls, the landing will be more cushioned than on asphalt, gravel, concrete, grass or dirt.
For swings, make sure the surfacing extends in the back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar. (If the swing set is 10 feet high, the surfacing should extend 20 feet.)
3. Dress appropriately for the playground.
Remove necklaces, purses, scarves or clothing with drawstrings that can get caught on equipment and pose a strangulation hazard. Even helmets can be dangerous on a playground, so save those for bikes.
4. Make sure your kiddos are kind.
Teach children that pushing, shoving or crowding while on the playground can be dangerous.
5. Focus on the littles.
Little kids play differently than big kids, so it’s important to have a separate play area for kids younger than 5.
6. Inspect equipment.
Check playgrounds for hazards such as rusted or broken equipment and
dangerous surfaces such as sharp points or edges. Report hazards to the
school or local office.
7. Look up.
If playground platforms (such as the top of slides) are higher than a few feet, there should be guardrails that little ones can’t slip through and fall.
All openings should also have gaps of less than 3 1/2 inches or more than 9 inches to avoid head entrapment.
The two candidates for the City of Kentwood’s Ward 2 Commissioner seat currently held by Michael Brown, which will be decided on the Nov. 5 ballot, recently answers questions from a moderator at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Candidate Forum.
The Chamber’s Candidate Forum took place Sept. 11, at the Kentwood Branch of the Kent District Library, with WKTV Community Media cameras recording the event. The event was hosted by Chamber President Bob O’Callaghan and moderated by Kathey Batey.
The two candidates for the Ward 2 seat are Bill Benoit and Ron Draayer. Also on the ballot in November but not at the forum as they are running unopposed for other Kentwood Commission seats are incumbent Commissioner at Large Maurice H. Groce and incumbent Ward 1 Commissioner Robert D. Coughlin.
Draayer, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who was a classroom teacher at Davenport University for 40 years and taught classes in the field of technology and cyber security.
Benoit, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who works for the Charter Township of Cascade as a building inspector and plan reviewer, and is currently on the City of Kentwood Planning Commission.
WKTV Community Media was at the forum and will both broadcast it on WKTV Government Channel 26 as well as making it available on WKTV’s YouTube Channel. The forum will be broadcast today, Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, at noon; as well as several but as-yet unscheduled times in October. See the WKTV on-air schedule for dates and times.
WKTV also recorded candidates Benoit, Draayer and Coughlin as part of “We The People” candidate introduction videos series which are produced prior to each election voted on by Wyoming and Kentwood residents. Those videos will be made public the week of Sept. 23.
“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Roy T. Bennett
Finny, the finback whale skeleton, greats visitors as the enter the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)
Free day at GR Public Museum
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM), in partnership in the 15th annual Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day on Saturday, Sept. 21, is offering the opportunity for free general admission to Museum Day ticket holders. Get more info here.
A scene from a previous West Michigan Freedom Cruise and Gold Star Family Honor Ride at the Fifth Third Ball Park. (Supplied)
Honor America with a ride
The 2019 West Michigan Freedom Cruise and Gold Star Family Honor Ride — an event intended to to “Remember Gold Star Families, Support All Veterans and Never Forget!” — will return to Fifth Third Ball Park in Comstock Park Sunday, Sept. 22. Get more info here.
A close-up of part “Community” by British installation artist Rebecca Louise Law. (Supplied by the artist)
New show at Meijer Gardens
When Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park opens its next exhibit, “Rebecca Louise Law: The Womb”, on Sept. 20, the Gardens horticultural staff and community volunteers might be excused if they feel a little ownership of the artwork. Get more info here.
Fun fact:
2.32 hours
On average, in 2018, people watched TV for 3 hours 19 minutes per weekend day and 2 hours 32 minutes per weekday. (An NFL game lasts at least 3 hours, so …)
With thousands of visitors flocking to Northern Michigan annually to catch the peak of autumn color, the Manistee County Visitors Bureau (Visit Manistee County) is making it easier to see fall colors in the region that also boasts two distinct fall color seasons, offering free fall planning tools to help visitors plot their autumn visit, along with a host of seasonal events and attractions.
“The fall season is a key draw to our beautiful part of the state, and we are so fortunate to have two distinct phases that extend our season — our inland region shows earlier signs of fall color, and our Lake Michigan coastline stays green longer with warmth from the lake,” said Kathryn Kenny, executive director of Visit Manistee County. “We want to make it easy for visitors to find everything they need at their fingertips to have a wonderful autumn getaway while enjoying the longer color season here.”
2019 Fall Color Guide – Developed for the first time this year as a stand-alone guide for the fall season, this free, downloadable 36-page fall color guide provides top photo spots; three color tour driving routes (inland, coastal and Lake Michigan coastal tour/M-22 scenic drive) with food, shopping and lodging stops along the way; plus evening activity suggestions. Visitors also can request a free printed guide in the mail by contacting the visitors bureau at 877.626.4783.
Biweekly fall color update videos – Visit Manistee staff provide twice-a-week, short video updates about where the leaf color is around the county to help with travel plans. The latest video appears on the fall landing page, and past videos are archived on Facebook.
Fall “color dial” – Two color dials are updated every few days – one for the coastal region and one for the inland region – visually depicting the leaf color from green for “still early” or “here and there,” to yellow for “feels like fall” and “good color,” to red for “great color” and “peak color.” A short description of the current status is listed below the dial.
Visit Manistee County highlights three primary fall color driving routes in its new 2019 Fall Color Guide, which can also be combined with additional tours from the Manistee County Self-Guided Tour series of the county for fall leaf peeping. Driving tours for the best chance to see fall colors include:
Inland Fall Color Tour– This 175-mile scenic inland loop takes visitors east into Manistee County toward higher elevations and dense hardwoods of Manistee National Forest, plus along winding dirt roads and through tunnels of trees. (Can be combined with the Bridges and Dams Tour and Quilt Trail Tour.)
Coastal Fall Color Tour– This scenic route traversing 130 miles of Manistee County’s shoreline along both Lakeshore Drive and the start of the famous M-22 passes through coastal towns like Onekama and Arcadia while offering expansive glimpses of Lake Michigan at vistas like Arcadia Overlook. Fifteen points of interest are mapped out, along with fun facts and diversions. (Can be combined with the Natural Wonders Tour and U-Pick & Farm Markets Tour.)
Lake Michigan Coastal Tour /M-22 Scenic Drive – Manistee County is the gateway to scenic Michigan Highway M-22, which this 150-mile route follows from Manistee County north along Lake Michigan past 21 points of interest and through 11 communities, all the way to Northport and down to Traverse City. (Suggested in conjunction with the above-mentioned Coastal Fall Color Tour.)
Fall events and attractions
Manistee County also features fall events and attractions that cater to adults and families alike:
Hops and Props on the River, Manistee, Sept. 21. This fall favorite features classic wooden boats and craft beer, cider and wine. Visitors can taste their way through more than 100 beers from 35 Michigan breweries, view classic Century boats (originally manufactured in Manistee), and listen to live music.
Little Manistee River Weir – Fall Egg Harvest, Manistee, tours scheduled in the fall and group tours by appointment. (Call 231.775.9727, ext. 6072 to check tour dates.) This occurs once a year when the DNR Fisheries Division harvests chinook salmon eggs from the weir that is used to block fish on the Little Manistee River. The eggs are sent to state fish hatcheries to be reared and stocked across Michigan and other states. During the fall egg take, visitors can tour the operation and view salmon from a platform.
Onekama Fall Festival, Onekama, Oct. 12. This annual tradition features live entertainment, arts and crafts, scarecrow and pumpkin decorating contests, pet parade, hay rides, food wagon and other family-friendly activities.
Manistee Ghost Ship, October weekends. The historic 1931 S.S. City of Milwaukee car ferry transforms into the Manistee Ghost Ship, where visitors explore five decks of thrills, scares and ghostly beings. Admission fee.
Scenic Airplane Tours, October weekends. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Michigan’s fall colors on a scenic flight over Manistee County. Orchard Beach Aviation conducts two scenic flights – one over downtown Manistee and the Lake Michigan shoreline, and one of the M-22/Portage Lake area – for $30 per person (two person minimum) departing from Manistee County Blacker Airport.
Sunset Cruises, Manistee, Daily through mid-October. Enjoy a privately chartered cruise on Lake Michigan with someone else captaining the boat. Inn Fun Cruises offers day trip and two-hour evening sunset cruises on its 28-foot Bayliner where guests are treated to light snacks and beverages from local restaurants. Guests can bring alcoholic beverages as well. Guests meet on the dock behind Taco ‘Bout It and cruise around Manistee Lake, Manistee River channel, and out to Lake Michigan (weather permitting) to see the sun set. Groups of up to six are welcome, with pricing for the sunset cruise ranging from $250 for 1 to 2 people, to $450 for 5 to 6 people.
Visit Manistee County encourages visitors this fall to tag their photos and posts on social media with #MyManistee and #FallFilter for a chance to be featured in Visit Manistee County’s fall campaign.
Late last summer, Tricia Johnson experienced subtle stomachaches.
Job stress, she thought. Or maybe tight muscles from starting a new workout routine.
“It was kind of constant, but not like pain,” Johnson said. “More like pressure would be the word for it. I kind of blew it off.”
But then, her stools started to change color. And change consistency.
She visited her primary care doctor, who ordered blood work.
“Everything came back pretty OK,” Johnson said. “My white blood count was a little down, but nothing she was concerned about. She chalked it up to my having irritable bowel syndrome. She gave me some anti-cramping pills. I took those for 10 days, but didn’t see any change.”
She returned for a CT scan on Aug. 30.
“I was barely home and I was getting a phone call from the physician,” Johnson said. “He said ‘I have bad news for you.’ My instinct was I thought it was my gall bladder. So when he said, ‘I have bad news for you,’ I thought, ‘Yeah, it’s my gall bladder, I’m going to need surgery.’”
Soul shock
That would have been welcome news.
Instead of hearing about gallbladder issues, she heard unthinkable words spill from her telephone earpiece: “You have pancreatic cancer.”
Johnson sat down on her bed. Shock flooded her soul.
“He must have set me up with an oncologist,” she said. “I just don’t remember much of that day. My husband (Shane) was working in Detroit. I had to call him. He couldn’t believe it. We stayed on the phone with each other that whole three-hour drive home. He even called the doctor to make sure I wasn’t hearing things wrong.”
She had Stage 4 cancer in her pancreas, liver, lymph nodes and some of her vessels. And the cancer was too advanced for surgery.
“She told me it was the worst kind,” Johnson said.
Johnson underwent aggressive chemotherapy with four different medicines twice a month. Each session would take between five and six hours. She would return home with a pump that would continue to deliver chemo drugs.
“They told me it was going to be like dropping a hand grenade in my body,” she said. “They only gave me 6 to 9 months to live, depending on how I handled treatment.”
Johnson wasn’t about to let cancer rule her future. She started researching and studying, trying to learn everything she could to combat the criminal in her cells, the one trying to steal her health and life as she knew it.
“I learned we needed to do our part to take care of the rest of me and we changed my diet,” Johnson said. “We were typical Western Americans that ate processed foods, sugars and red meat.
“After reading a lot of different things, we changed to whole foods,” she said. “We still do some chicken and fish and learned about the top 10 cancer-fighting foods. I really do attribute that to helping me get through chemotherapy and keeping me healthy. If people don’t know I have cancer, they wouldn’t know. I don’t look like a cancer patient at all.”
Johnson concluded chemotherapy at the end of January. Scans showed the tumor had shrunk.
Reason for hope
Then, came the most encouraging news of all.
Spectrum Health surgical oncologist G. Paul Wright, MD, was starting a new clinical trial for hepatic artery infusional chemotherapy to the liver. The trial is the first of its kind in the United States and only a few places around the country have an HAI pump program.
Photo credit: Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
He inserted the pump in late February. During this surgery, he and his partner, fellow surgical oncologist Mathew Chung, MD, performed nanoknife ablation of the tumor in the pancreas. This uses high voltage electrical pulses to shock the tumor while preserving the surrounding structures.
“It’s pumping chemo directly to my liver,” Johnson said. “So far so good with the pump. I haven’t had any side effects. Before with a port, by the time the chemo got to my liver, it was only 25 percent effective. Now, it’s 400 times the amount I would be getting through regular chemo.”
Dr. Wright said the hope is to increase longevity for patients who respond to what he called a “very aggressive” treatment.
“One of my primary career interests is the delivery of regional chemotherapy to isolated areas of the body,” Dr. Wright said. “This targets affected areas while minimizing toxicity that the rest of the body experiences.”
The pump in her abdomen, about the size of a hockey puck, slowly delivers high-dose chemotherapy to the liver over the course of two weeks.
“We then empty the chemotherapy out and take a two-week break before the next pump chemotherapy treatment,” Dr. Wright said. “These treatments are combined with regular chemotherapy through the standard port.”
So far, the results are astounding.
“As part of the trial we track tumor response using a blood test that is specific to pancreatic cancer,” Dr. Wright said. “So far, early into her treatment, those numbers have already improved by 90% from when she was first diagnosed.”
Photo credit: Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Johnson and her husband recently visited Lemmen-Holton to have the chemotherapy removed and heparin placed in the pump, as a two-week placeholder before the next treatment.
Clinical research nurse Marianne Morrissey told Johnson she’s looking great.
“We’re very hopeful,” Morrissey said. “And so far, you’ve been a model first patient, so we like it. The tumor shrank. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it because it’s working.”
Johnson announced that she’s ready to go back to work in her role as a restaurant manager at Brann’s in Grandville.
“Your asking is a good sign that you’re ready,” Morrissey told her.
Shane, a martial arts instructor, said his wife works out three days a week.
“I help people with health and fitness and training,” Shane said. “I’ve taken and applied all of that to Tricia, as if she’s one of my fighters. Every day we work at this. Realistically, she didn’t have six months. It was that bad. That white flag is pretty easy to throw in the air. That’s not an option now. Everything is very positive.”
Including Johnson’s attitude.
Although she felt scared at first to trial the “direct-to-the-liver” chemotherapy pump, she remained hopeful.
“It made me feel so comfortable because Dr. Wright was so passionate about it,” Johnson said. “I look at it like, ‘What do I have to lose?’ I’ll do anything I can to be around longer.”
The plan is for Johnson to undergo the clinical trial pump treatments for six months, with a CT scan after three months.
Photo credit: Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“I think that’s why I’m still here,” she said. “There’s a reason I was chosen to do this.
“Number one, it’s to help with medical research. Number two, I want to give back,” she said. “I can’t wait until I can volunteer at the hospital. Eventually, this disease is going to get me, but if I can help others have better quality of life, that makes me feel wonderful. There are so many people who have touched me, prayed for me, and done amazing things including my family members.”
A Grand Valley alumna was part of a research team that helped unlock at least some of the long-held mystery about the droppings of the wombat: Why are they shaped like cubes?
It turns out the Australian marsupial actually forms the unusual shape in its digestive system, a discovery that led to the research team, including alumna Alynn Martin, ’14, being recognized with an Ig Nobel Prize.
The annual awards are presented each September at Harvard University to honor “achievements that make people laugh and then think,” according to the organizers’ website.
Other winners this year studied how much saliva a 5-year-old produces and whether pizza consumption protects against illness (apparently only if it’s made in Italy). The stated goal of the awards is to honor the unusual and imaginative in scientific discovery, and Martin embraced that spirit.
“It’s not going to change anybody’s life but it’s a great little piece of information that we didn’t know before,” said Martin, who earned a master’s degree in biology at Grand Valley.
Martin’s part in the wombat waste discovery came during her time working on a doctorate in ecology at the University of Tasmania in Australia. She was working with researcher Scott Carver on wombats and disease when they examined a wombat cadaver. That’s when they discovered the cubic waste in the intestine.
The team sent cadavers to colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology for further analysis, such as the dimensions and elasticity of the intestine. All of the researchers were part of the award.
Aside from this interesting discovery about wombats, Martin has developed an affinity for the creatures that survive on grasses and roots (a dry diet that she said may also play a role in their waste formation).
First of all, they’re inarguably cute. Martin described them as burrowing marsupials with pouches specially configured to protect their young from the kicked-up dirt from digging. She also noted that wombats seem to play an unwarranted second fiddle to their fellow Australian marsupial and close relation, the koala.
She was fascinated by these animals whom she described as charismatic and surprisingly regimented. “Working in the field, you could see they were creatures of habit. It’s incredible that for wild animals that can go anywhere and do anything they pretty much stick to a routine,” she said.
A Grand Valley alumna was part of a research team that helped unlock at least some of the long-held mystery about the droppings of the wombat: Why are they shaped like cubes? (Supplied)
Since receiving her doctorate, Martin has gone on to work in Montana with the U.S. Geological Survey to assess the impacts of disease on wild big horn sheep.
Studying disease in wild animals is Martin’s life passion and part of what brought her to Grand Valley, where she studied under Amy Russell, associate professor of biology. Martin, who researched tricolored bats while at Grand Valley, credits Russell with providing the foundation for understanding population genetics as well as research training that is useful every day.
Russell said Martin, her first graduate student, is smart and passionate.
“I remember her being tremendously curious and just always wanting to be out in nature and to learn new things,” Russell said.
Wombats are burrowing marsupials with pouches specially configured to protect their young from the kicked-up dirt from digging. (Supplied)
