The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that in partnership with Kent County Farm Bureau, they will be offering a Museum Free Day for the third year in a row. On March 15, 2020, the GRPM will open their doors free of charge for visitors to explore the Museum’s three floors of core exhibits.
“We’re thrilled to offer a Free Day at the Museum to the community for yet another year,” said Kate Kocienski, VP of Marketing and PR for the GRPM. “We truly appreciate our partnership with the Kent County Farm Bureau because it continues to give the gift of curiosity for visitors of all to explore science, history and culture at the Museum without the barrier of an admission fee.”
The Free Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 15. Kent County Farm Bureau will have additional agriculture themed hands-on activities available as part of the day. Visitors can participate in an apple taste test and vote on their favorite apple variety, as well as learn how to milk a cow by interacting with “Casey the Cow” a life-size cow figure. Educational handouts of My Food Plate will be distributed as well as free apples, and other snacks on a first come, first serve basis. For additional information or to reserve your free ticket, please visit grpm.org, click the purchase tickets link and select March 15 for date of visit to receive free admission.
“Kent County Farm Bureau looks forward to once again partnering with the Grand Rapids Public Museum to welcome friends into the Museum free of charge,” said Bill Seif, Kent County Farm Bureau President. “On behalf of more than 1,200 Kent County farmers, we are delighted to work with the GRPM to continue inviting the community to learn more about our agriculture and food production through this experience.”
The GRPM is a place of never-ending inspiration and discovery, featuring three floors of hands-on fun and educational exhibits for visitors of all ages to explore. Visitor favorites include the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, an immersive exhibit that transports visitors back to 19th century of downtown Grand Rapids, and West Michigan Habitats, an exhibit that showcases the vast wildlife found in West Michigan.
Take a trip down memory lane in the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s “TOYS!” exhibit.
Special exhibits TOYS! and Design Zone will be included free of charge for visitors to enjoy on the Museum’s Free Day. TOYS! is an interactive, multi-generational exhibition of toys and games that rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones. In Design Zone, visitors explore a variety of concepts to learn the processes and tools needed to create a successful design by engaging with interactive games and activities.
Additional experiences for visitors include the special traveling exhibit Bodies Revealed and planetarium shows that are available for an additional charge.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is located at 272 Pearl St. SW. For more information, visit grpm.org.
Here are 10 suggestions from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month. Yes, this is an addition to changing the batteries once a year.
Wash your child’s toys just as you do your hands. (Think of how much time they spend on the floor.)
Wipe up spills as soon as they happen to avoid bacteria growth.
Put together a mini health kit and tuck it into your daily tote. Include adhesive bandages, alcohol wipes, pain relief medication, hand sanitizer, a mini tube of sun protection and an instant ice pack.
Make that wellness appointment you’ve been putting off. Ask if you need a tetanus booster. It’s a must every 10 years.
Put the poison control number—800.222.1222—on all phones and make sure all family members know when to call it.
Before leaving the house do a double check for safety. That means putting on sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for a walk and other activities, or a helmet and other gear for bike riding, or looking at the treads of your shoes before a run.
Schedule a radon test for the air in your home. Have your water checked if you get it from a private well.
Change your contact lenses on the right schedule. Don’t risk eye health by trying to extend their life past the prescribed usage, whether they’re dailies, monthlies or anything in between.
Can’t do a full floss after lunch? Use dental picks to get rid of food caught between your teeth and prevent bacteria buildup.
The evidence continues to mount that staying socially engaged as you age helps keep dementia at bay.
In a new study, British researchers found that being socially active in your 50s and 60s may reduce the risk of developing dementia.
The findings showed that people in their 60s who interacted with friends nearly every day had a 12% lower risk of developing dementia than people who saw a couple of friends every few months.
“This has important implications for people in middle-age as it suggests that keeping socially active is important for brain health. We know that it has other health benefits in terms of benefiting physical and mental health,” said lead researcher Andrew Sommerlad, a research fellow in the division of psychiatry at University College London.
Social activity during midlife was linked with better memory and reasoning skills, he said.
“We think this may be because social contact gives us a chance to exercise different aspects of thinking, like memory and language, which may make people more resilient against the damage which accumulates in the brain in people who develop dementia,” Sommerlad explained.
For the study, Sommerlad and his colleagues collected data on more than 10,200 people who took part in the Whitehall II study between 1985 and 2013. During that time, the participants were asked about their contact with friends and relatives.
In 1997, the study participants also took tests of their thinking abilities. The group was followed until 2017.
The researchers also found an association between being socially active and dementia risk for those who were 50 and 70, but it wasn’t statistically significant.
Sommerlad said that other studies have shown similar results, but this study followed people for a much longer time.
“This gives us much more confidence in the idea that more social contact may reduce dementia risk, although a study like this can never definitively prove it,” he said, since it can only show an association.
In any case, Sommerlad encouraged people to stay connected.
Dr. Sam Gandy is director of the Mount Sinai Center for Cognitive Health and NFL Neurological Care in New York City. He said, “I tend to believe these findings are correct.”
Many studies have shown that being mentally and physically active affects keeping the mind sharp, he noted.
“Physical activity, mental stimulation and social engagement are popping up in these studies left and right all around the world,” Gandy said.
Some patients in these studies may have the beginnings of mild cognitive impairment, which is an early stage of dementia, he said. But he is confident that this possibility is well known and researchers can take it into account.
The bottom line for Gandy is that keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol low and maintaining a healthy weight along with eating a healthy diet—and staying mentally and socially active—is the best recipe for delaying or preventing dementia.
Some studies have suggested that even people with dementia can benefit from a healthy lifestyle, he added.
Gandy thinks that for those with early signs of dementia, these interventions might have some value.
“But not for those with mid- to late-stage dementia or those who are bed-bound,” he said.
The report was published online recently in PLOS Medicine.
It sounds bizarre to many that a company named Grand Rapids Brewing Co. bottled its product in Muskegon. Hear the story behind it, a bubbly narrative, as uncovered by a man who traced the corporate history of those that once brewed our beer. The one-night Lakeshore Museum Center event “The Curious History of Grand Rapids Brewing in Muskegon” hosts West Michigan author Pat Evans and his research on the surprising history of Muskegon beer. The event coincides well with the museum’s latest exhibit “Cheers! A History of Brewing in Muskegon”.
“Our exhibit content manager, Aaron Mace, came across this book in research. The author now lives in Las Vegas, so it’s a rare opportunity to talk to him while he’s back in town,” said Lakeshore Museum Center Program Manager Jackie Huss. “It’s a little known fact that Grand Rapids Brewing Co. operated out of Muskegon, so it’s a great opportunity to learn more about Muskegon’s unique brewing history.”
Evans, author of Grand Rapids Beer: An Intoxicating History of River City Brewing was a reporter for The Grand Rapids Business Journal for five years. He also regularly contributed to Grand Rapids Magazine as a food and sports writer. His work as a corporate historian allows him to combine his passion for both history and hops to explain just how Grand Rapids Brewing Co. ended up in Muskegon.
Cheers! A history of brewing in Muskegon is currently running at the Lakeshore Museum Center through Aug. 8.
“Not a lot of history books cover beer. I think beer is often forgotten,” Evans said when the book was released in 2015. “I think people will be surprised that there’s that much of a beer history… to know that Grand Rapids Brewing Co. back then was bigger than Founders is now.”
This one-night event on Wednesday, March 18, at 5:30 p.m. is free to all Muskegon County Residents and $5 for non-residents via Eventbrite. Copies of Evan’s book will be available for purchase and signing. To learn more about this event, contact Jackie Huss at jackie@lakeshoremuseum.org or call 231-724-5526.
Do you eat healthy during the week, then ease off the brakes on the weekend? You’re not alone.
But such a five days on-two days off eating regimen can erode diet quality, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Not only did participants take in more calories on weekends than on weekdays, they were less healthy calories, to boot.
They consumed more alcohol and fat, and ate less of the good stuff, like yogurt, fruits, dark green and orange vegetables, chicken, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.
And if the calories you consume on the weekend exceed the number you take in during the week, that’s a net surplus—read: weight gain.
Besides stalling any weight-loss efforts, weekend junk-food binges can also negatively impact the healthy bacteria in your gut.
A lab study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found that cycling on and off junk food was almost as detrimental to the delicate balance of the gut microbiome as eating it all the time.
In particular, a junk-food diet reduces the microbes needed to metabolize flavonoids, a category of micronutrients thought to help with weight loss and brain health.
If you look forward to letting loose on the weekends, find other ways to unwind.
For instance, try a new activity—you’ll burn more calories and boost your weight-loss (or control) efforts.
If going out for a big brunch is your downfall, schedule a trip to the gym instead.
Weekends are also perfect for doing some healthy cooking. Make enough to have for brown-bag lunches so weekday eating is more satisfying.
Though the decision to move to assisted living may be bittersweet or difficult, making the process of moving easy and fun can help a new resident settle in more quickly and begin the enriching lifestyle that assisted living communities provide. Here is a rough timeline of how to plan the move to assisted living in the coming year. Let’s get started!
6+ Months ahead:
Six months or more ahead of the move may seem like a long ways away, but it’s never too soon to start decluttering. Start sorting out keepsakes, allowing plenty of time and opportunities to talk about the memories associated with them. Friends and family may feel similarly attached to objects such as childhood artwork or trophies, so it’s great to get everyone involved in this first stage. Giving things full of memories to family is a great way to keep them around while decluttering. If you can, limit sorting to only about one to two hours per day, and keep things light and companionable.
In terms of logistics, gather up important or sensitive documents, and if necessary, go over them with trusted accountants, doctors, and other professionals to determine what needs to be kept.
It’s also time to begin searching for a real estate agent, if necessary. Gather a few options and go with the best fit for you.
Also, start planning creative meals with pantry and frozen food items. Who knows what you’ll come up with?
3 Months ahead:
Contact your assisted living community and obtain a floor plan for you or your loved one’s future apartment. Start planning what goes where, and don’t be afraid of downsizing. Make lists! Are you giving furniture to friends and family, and if so, who gets what? What are essential medications and toiletries that need to get to the apartment? Start decluttering in earnest, and research moving companies if finances allow.
2 Months ahead:
Visit the assisted living community and start getting familiar with their facilities. Making a new home is daunting, but the more comfortable you are with the space before you move, the better. Plan a garage sale and start donating any furniture, decorations, clothing, or other items. It’s also important to make plans for any pets – can they come with you, or do they need another home?
1 Month ahead:
Buy packing materials, such as boxes, tape, and labels, and start packing non-essential items slowly. Be sure to label everything clearly to make unpacking simple. Start donating frozen and canned foods to local food pantries.
This is also a great point to notify the post office, utilities, banks, credit cards, and others about you or your loved one’s change of address. Make a list of everywhere your address needs to be changed and check it off as you go.
2 Weeks ahead:
Get family and friends together for packing and cleaning. Leave no stone unturned! Coordinate plants and valuables, and consider leaving them in a trusted family member’s care so they don’t get neglected in the action.
1 Week ahead:
Pack a day-of-the-move kit, including toiletries, clothes, and bedding. Check and double check rooms, and get rid of any remaining food in order to defrost the refrigerator.
Moving day:
Work with your movers on fragile or special pieces, but most of all, stay relaxed. You’ve done all the legwork, so focus on you and your loved ones today.
After move-in:
Arrange lots of visits with family, and make a goal to try out one new activity every day. Pretty soon, it’ll feel just like home!
Moving to assisted living in Michigan doesn’t have to be a hassle. By leaving yourself plenty of time and doing things little by little, your 2018 move will be just an exciting next step.
The 2019-20 East Kentwood High School girls basketball team. (East Kentwood Falcons)
By Mike Moll, WKTV Sport Director sports@wktv.org
The East Grand Rapids Pioneers were crowned Division 1 District 10 champions Friday, March 6, after defeating the East Kentwood Falcons for a second time this season, 56-53, at Caledonia High School.
It was a game where the Falcons had visions of bringing the championship trophy back to East Kentwood until they committed three consecutive turnovers inside the last two minutes of the game and East Grand Rapids displayed amazing free throw shooting throughout the game.
East Kentwood finishes the year at 19-4 while East Grand Rapids moves to 21-1 and advances to the Division 1 Regionals at West Ottawa to meet 21-2 Muskegon Reeths-Puffer Tuesday, March 10.
The game started off basket-for-basket until the Pioneers ran off 12 of the final 14 points in the first quarter to take a 16-6 lead. East Grand Rapids was led by Jillian Brown with 5 points in the quarter, while East Kentwood had three scorers with two each, Raven Jemison, Kaybriana Hallman, and Madisyn Tillman.
The theme of the night was turnovers right from the first quarter as the Falcons committed seven compared to just two by the Pioneers.
The second quarter had the Falcons getting their offense rolling as they scored 15 points in the quarter, led by Alexis McCully with four including a triple and a free throw along with a three by Deyonce Thompson. Even with that production, the closest they could cut the deficit to was eight as EGR countered with 13 of their own, led again by Brown with six to maintain the lead at the break, 29-21. Just as in the first quarter, the difference was East Grand Rapids capitalizing on four turnovers compared to just another two of their own.
The Falcons were much more aggressive on both ends of the floor after the break and were able to take advantage as the Pioneers more than doubled their turnover total of the first half in just the third quarter with 5. McCully was the main force as she totaled seven points in the stanza but had support as Hallman and Tillman each had four, cutting the lead to just a pair entering the final quarter 40-38. EGR’s sophomore Alli Carlson was responsible for the difference as she had five points.
The final quarter had two ties and two lead changes, as the Falcons were able to go on a 10-1 run to go from down three to what seemed like a huge lead inside the 2-minute mark, 50-44, as they held the Pioneers to no field goals over a 4-minute window. East Kentwood was led by junior McCully with nine points in the final quarter, but after back to back turnovers by EK, and Jillian Brown converting two free throws and a three by her freshman sister Macy Brown, the lead was cut to just one with 1:27 left.
The turnover issues continued for East Kentwood on a third consecutive trip on offense and after a foul on the defensive end, Jillian Brown made two more free throws to give the lead back to EGR with under a minute to play. That was a lead they would not relinquish as the Falcons could only counter with three free throws over the last minute to fall short in the end compared to near perfect free throw shooting for EGR.
The turnover war was the final enemy in that quarter as EK committed seven compared to just two for EGR.
On the night, the Falcons were led by McCully with 20 points, Jemison with nine, Hallman and Tillman with eight each. EGR only had five field goals in the entire second half but countered that low number by making 14-of-17 free throws in the half, including 10-of-12 for Jillian Brown alone, and Carlson was 3-of-4 in the fourth quarter. As a team, East Grand Rapids was 16-of-19 for the game. They were led by Jillian Brown with 21 points, Carlson 16, and Macy Brown with 10.
“Harry doesn’t mind, if he doesn’t, make the scene. He’s got a daytime job, he’s doing alright.”
Dire Straits, “Sultans of Swing”
Kids of all ages and butterflies mix at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (WKTV)
The spring butterfly scene
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition — reportedly the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the nation — is bringing more than 7,000 tropical butterflies to West Michigan. Go here for the story.
Laurie Sears. (Courtesy of the artist)
The jazz club scene
The Listening Room’s jazz series featuring the Robin Connell Trio with guests will continue Saturday, March 7, with singer Mary Rademacher and saxophonist Laurie Sears as guest performers. Go here for the story.
One local resident enjoys his food at a past year’s Taste of Kentwood event.
The foodie scene
The City of Kentwood invites residents and all West Michiganders of all ages to a celebration of food, fun and local business at a community-celebration event, Taste of Kentwood, on Thursday, March 12. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
Who ‘d foodie?
Some say the word “foodie” originated with the “The Official Foodie Handbook” by Ann Barr and Paul Levy, an 1984 British volume that made merciless fun of the food-obsessed. Source.
Crystal Mountain is tapping into spring excitement with four themed weekends during the month of March, all of which feature live outdoor entertainment and fun on-hill competitions and lift ticket discounts for those in costume.
As backyards begin to show signs of spring in March, it’s traditionally a much different story “Up North” as a 50-inch packed snow base holds strong for skiing and snowboarding at Crystal Mountain. The resort plans to soak up the sun and bluebird skies, making the most of winter’s last blast with a month-long celebration featuring bands, food and drink right at the base of the slopes.
“We make the most of winter every March,” John Melcher, chief operating officer, said. “There will be lots of activities for guests of all ages, outside and inside. It will be a great time to come out and enjoy Crystal Mountain and make the most of the rest of winter.”
Here’s a list of some of what’s in store for March at the Mountain:
Mardi Gras on the Mountain, March 6-7
“Let the good times roll!” on Crystal Mountain. Mask making, costume contests, slopeside deejay, a Mardi Gras cookout with BBQ and seafood boil, beads for the entire family and more highlight the first weekend of March at the Mountain.
Spring Carnival, March 13-14
The weekend kicks off with the Cardboard Classic and Slush Cup. Enjoy the slopeside deejay and cookout and stay for the after-party in the Vista Lounge with music from Skarcasm.
Celts and Kayaks, March 21
St. Patrick’s Day weekend features plenty of Irish fare, Celtic dancers, family fun activities like the Shamrock Search with the popular on hill Kayak race and second round of the Slush Cup. Look for Leprechauns! Stay afterward for the free slopeside concert featuring the band Typo.
Retro Day, March 28
Take on Thor’s Challenge and race straight up Thor, or join our Rubik’s Cube contest. There will be lots of retro activities and a free concert featuring the band Risqué.
Spring Break = Free Skiing, March 22 to April 4
Stay, play and relax with free skiing and activities for the whole family. At Crystal Mountain, stay with us March 22 through April 4 in hotel-style accommodations, with room rates starting at $129 per night. Stay at least two nights and get free skiing.
By Dr. Abha Varma, Adult Medicine Physician at Heart of the City Health Center Adult Medicine
Your doctor tells you to lose weight. And you already know this, but it isn’t easy. The following statements may seem obvious, but they can work for you if you commit to a few:
IF YOU DON’T BUY IT, YOU CAN’T EAT IT
Well, duh. But it’s true. If it is not available in your pantry or your fridge, you cannot drink the soda, eat the bag of chips, or indulge in a dish of ice cream.
STAY IN YOUR LANE
Avoid the interior of the grocery store where the cookies and two liters live. Stay on the perimeter or outer circle where the milk, eggs, produce and healthy meats are. There isn’t frozen pizza on the outer sections. You have to walk the distance to arrive at those salty late-night snack attack boxes, so stay on the outer lane and eat to your health.
WALKING IS FREE
Do not long for that gym membership and put off the exercise when the ground beneath you is free and available. When it’s nice out, you should have tennis shoes and socks on and enjoy that walk through the neighborhood. I tell my patients to take advantage of the sidewalks, downtown attractions and bridges along Grand River by going for a cleansing walk after our downtown visits. No excuses — walking is free!
COUNT YOUR STEPS
10,000 steps a day takes a pound of fat off each week. Check your smart phone and clock your steps. Each 2,200 steps is a mile. Don’t stop after one, keep going, take an hour. For all the hours we spend on our back sleeping (7-9 hours) and sitting (another 4-8 hours), we most definitely have an hour to spend walking for our health.
TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR BEST YOU
Find your best you and achieve that. Celebrate with a photograph of your goal or your best self in your wallet or on your desk. Know that your goals are achievable as long as you make your health a priority. Don’t long for what was, work for what still can be.
YES, YOU CAN!
Find a verse in your text of choice, or affirmations on success.com and keep the positive words flowing.
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu
“I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.” – Florence Nightingale
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Starting yoga at or after 60 is extremely beneficial to your joints, muscles, bones and for your flexibility. It also allows you to stay mentally fit even as you experience changes in your body. Instead of focusing on what you do, start by focusing on how you do it. Some poses may require you to use a chair or extra mats for comfort. Prioritize your well-being at all times; get an instructor or studio with experience working with yogis over 60 to help you get started. Speak to your doctor in advance if you have pre-existing condition that may affect your flexibility.
Slightly lift one leg, with the toes touching the ground and the heel touching the inner part of your ankle. Hold it for up to 30 seconds if possible and repeat with the other leg.
As your balance improves, move your raised foot upward; the goal is to try and get the leg to rest above your knee.
Warrior II
Warrior II is a standing pose that strengthens your lower body, stretches the hip area and improves your bone density.
Place your feet firmly on the ground at hip-distance, and your arms resting on your side.
Turn right and move your right foot up to 4-feet wide at a 90-degree angle.
Take a deep breath, lift your arms to shoulder height, and exhale. As you exhale, lower your right leg, allowing the thigh to stay parallel with the floor and your lift leg straight. Try to hold it for up to 30 seconds and focus your energy on your breathing.
Release slowly and repeat with the other leg.
Bridge
The bridge pose is an excellent choice for your hips and lower back, especially if you spent many years working at a desk or if you have not stayed active over the years.
Lie flat on your back, allowing your feet to rest flat on the floor, keep them apart at hip distance under the knees with your arms resting straight on your side.
Feel the floor, breath in and press your hands to the floor.
As you exhale, squeeze your ab muscles, lift your pelvis and spine off the ground and try to get them into the bridge position. Try to hold it for up to 30 seconds, and release slowly starting with the shoulders until you are lying flat on the floor again, with a towel or a blanket under your shoulders for extra support.
Yoga improves lives; it reduces anxiety, stress and depression, it lowers the risk of obesity, cancer, cardiac conditions and diabetes, improves performance and makes you feel good. Start slowly with simple poses and advance gradually to stretch your body further and hold poses longer. You will also enjoy the reflective activities that allow you to focus your energy inwards.
South Christian High School girls basketball, game preview graphic. (From South Christian Facebook page)
By Mike Moll, WKTV Sports Director sports@wktv.org
The Michigan High School Athletic Association tipped off March Madness girls-style Monday, as district play opened throughout the state. A pair of WKTV’s local teams met at South Christian where the Sailors entertained the Titans from Grand River Prep.
When the final buzzer was heard, the Sailors advanced to Wednesday night’s semi-final matchup after their 49-28 victory.
The game plan for the Titans was to get the ball low and they were able to do that multiple times early, but the shots were simply not falling for center Shaelyn Robinson nor guard Gabby Koon.
The first points were scored on a pair of free throws early in the game by Robinson and, after a tying basket and a made free throw by South Christian, the floor leader for Grand River Prep, senior Shaniah Jones, who would later leave the game with a shoulder injury, scored her only two points on the night to give Grand River Prep a 4–3 lead.
The Sailors then began their dominance and would continue it through the end of the third quarter as they would outscore the Titans 8-0 during the remainder of the first, 13-2 in the second to take a 24-6 lead at the break, and then 14-6 in the third quarter to have the game well in control, 38-12 heading into the final stanza.
Grand River Prep came to life in the final quarter from long distance as Abigail Rivera-Sosa, Jasmyn Koon, Kiara Walter, and Tiarra Weddle all connected to help the Titans outscore the Sailors 16-11 to close the game. Jasmyn Koon led the Titans with 6 points on the night as they had nine different scorers, but the Sailors had 11 players score, including fourth-quarter 3-pointers by both Taylor Newhof and Josie Vink.
The Sailors were consistent the entire game on both ends of the floor, between their rotation of players and how they scored when playing together by putting up between 11 and 14 points in each quarter.
Sophomore Sydney Vis was the game’s leading scorer with 11, all in the first three quarters, followed by Maria Schrotenboer with 8, and Kinsey Brinkert with 6.
Coach Josh Bouma’s Titans finish the season at 10-7, while Kim Legge’s Sailors improve to 11-10, and will face 7-13 West Michigan Aviation in the second game of Wednesday’s double header.
The other side of the district bracket will pit 13-8 Wayland, after their 56-40 win over 12-9 Hopkins on Monday, against O-K Silver champion Kelloggsville and their 16-4 record. The two winners will meet in the championship game Friday at 7 p.m., also at South Christian.
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive
by Stephanie Land
If you enjoy nonfiction books that are read like a story then you will love this book! Maid is an incredible story of how the author struggled to make ends meet but still managed to raise a child and get a degree. The author’s story sheds light on poverty, and the many hardships people have to overcome to provide for themselves or their families.
– Hollie at Wyoming
The Dutch House
by Ann Patchett
“Patchett tells an engrossing story of two siblings who grew up in the most beautiful house in town, a house that becomes almost a character in this novel about family, and how we often spend much of our lives trying to go back to figure out and make right our childhoods.”
– Penni at Cascade
Mighty Justice: My Life in Civil Rights
by Dovey Johnson Roundtree
Mighty Justice: My Life in Civil Rights by Dovey Johnson Roundtree is the life story of a Black woman born in 1914 whose strength, drive, and ambition were truly awe-inspiring. She prevailed in spite of overt and covert racism to graduate from college, become one of the first female officers in the armed services, go to law school, and answer the call to become a minister.
– Susan at Plainfield
Children’s
You Loves Ewe!
by Cece Bell
Oh my goodness! This book will win the hearts of elementary students and grammar police of any age. Hilarious twists on our weird English language make for a sweet and memorable story.
– Sara at Nelson Township/Sand Lake
Leyla
by Galia Bernstein
The book Leyla by Galia Bernstein is so sweet. Leyla, a young baboon runs from her large family and comes across a lizard who is busy doing nothing. The lizard teaches her how to seek out moments of peace during chaos. Leyla runs back to her family knowing that wherever she goes she can return to peace any time.
Well it is finally here! Auditions for Circle Theatre’s 2020 Main Stage productions will be this Friday and Saturday.
Area thespians have until Thursday, March 5, by noon to sign up to audition for any of the five Main Stage productions which include “Disaster!,” May 7 -23; “Moon Over Buffalo,” June 4 – 20; “Always…Patsy Cline,” July 16 – Aug. 1; “Noises Off,” Aug. 13 – 29; “Hair,” Sept. 10 – 26; and the Magic Circle production “Goldilocks and the Three Pigs,” June 29 – July 1.
On person who is definitely interested in the upcoming auditions is Mike Hull, director of Circle Theatre’s first production, the musical “Disaster!.” Hull and Circle Theatre’s Market and Outreach Specialist Ashlee McGreevy recently visited the WKTV’s “Locally Entertaining” podcast to talk about Circle Theatre’s 68th season which is set to open in June and run through September.
McGreevy said it is an action pack four-months as the theater company hosts the five Main Stage productions, the Magic Circle Theatre show and its popular Concert Series, which will host auditions on March 13 and 14.
“There really is something for everyone,”McGreevy said, adding that for those who are not interested in being on stage but want to be part of the theater, there are a number of volunteer opportunities including ushering and backstage.
Audition Info
For the Main Stage Musicals (”Disaster!,” “Always…Patsy Cline,” “and “Hair”), all auditions are at one time, in the same room. This means that when auditioning for a musical. attendees will be auditioning for all the musicals at once. Even if they’re only audition for one show, they’ll be auditioning in front of al of the directors of all of the musicals.
Those who are auditioning should be prepared with 16-32 bars of a prepared song along with sheet music. An accompanist is provided, so singing a cappella or with a music track is not allowed. Those auditioning should note that they may be cut off early while singing if the production team(s) have seen what they needed.
For the Main Stage Plays (“Moon Over Buffalo” and “Nosies Off”) and Magic Circle (“Goldilocks and the Three Bears”), those auditioning will be asked to read from the script of the show for which they are auditioning and should note that no prepared monologues are necessary. Al plays audition during the same weekend, however; they do audition separately in different rooms.
If an attendee is auditioning for more than one play, they should sign up for each play and allow enough time to attend each audition. It also helps to let the stage manager or director of each show know that you are auditioning for other shows.
Concert Serie Auditions
Next weekend, March 13 and 14, Circle Theatre will be auditing for its concert series. So even if attendees are auditioning for one show, they will be auditioning for all of the Directors of the concerts. Those auditioning for a concert you will be required to bring two contrasting pieces of music, with 16-32 bars of each, along with sheet music. An accompanist is provided, so singing a cappella or with a music track is not allowed. Those who play an instrument are permitted to accompany themselves. The deadline to sign up for the concert series auditions is Wednesday, March 12.
For more information about auditioning, visit the Circle Theatre website, circletheathre.org. The auditions information is under the “Get Involved” tab.
A chance trip to Holland (before the warm weather) allowed one reader the opportunity to catch Holland’s famous lighthouse, Big Red, surrounded by snow and ice. The broken concrete in front is what remains of the Holland State Park pathway which was damaged in a November 2019 storm.
Do you have a photo you would like to considered for photo of the week? Then email it to Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma at joanne@wktv.org.
The burning discomfort behind your breastbone that moves up toward your neck and throat. The bitter or sour taste of acid in the back of your throat.
Heartburn.
It’s caused when acid from the stomach flows backward, or refluxes, up into the esophagus, irritating the throat, vocal cords and entrance to the lungs.
For most, it’s a minor annoyance. But for some, it’s a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease, a condition that could lead to even more serious health problems.
1. Do you frequently have one or more of the following:
An uncomfortable feeling behind the breastbone that seems to be moving upward from the stomach?
A burning sensation in the back of your throat?
A bitter acid taste in your mouth?
2. Do you often experience these problems after meals?
3. Do you experience heartburn or acid indigestion two or more times per week?
4. Do you find that antacids only provide temporary relief from your symptoms?
5. Are you taking prescription medications to treat heartburn, but still having symptoms?
If you said yes to two or more of the above, you may have GERD. To know for sure, see your doctor or a gastroenterologist. In most cases, an endoscopy should be performed to evaluate the severity of GERD and identify the possible cause.
Don’t ignore your heartburn
Up to 20 percent of Americans suffer from typical symptoms of GERD, noted Praveen Sateesh, MD, a gastroenterologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. These symptoms include:
Frequent heartburn (two or more times a week)
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Food sticking in the esophagus
Dry cough, hoarseness or sore throat
Regurgitation of food or sour liquid (acid reflux)
Sensation of a lump in the throat
While heartburn is the classic symptom, an estimated 65 percent of people with GERD experience atypical symptoms.
“These lesser-known symptoms are important to note because patients and their doctors may not associate them with reflux disease,” Dr. Sateesh said. “They therefore don’t pursue appropriate treatments.”
Atypical symptoms of GERD include:
Chronic cough
Persistent sore throat
Hoarse voice
Persistent postnasal drip
Chronic throat clearing
Choking
Dental erosion
Chest pain
Over time, Dr. Sateesh said, inflammation caused by GERD wears away the lining of your esophagus and can cause some serious complications:
Asthma, chronic cough and ear, nose and throat problems. These are known as extra-esophageal manifestations and the connection to GERD often goes unrecognized, even by health care providers.
Peptic stricture. This is a chronic acid injury and scarring of the lower esophagus. Patients often complain of food sticking in their throat, Dr. Sateesh said.
Barrett’s esophagus. This is a precancerous condition where the lining of the esophagus changes to resemble intestinal tissue. Once this happens, patients who initially experience heartburn won’t be able to feel the burning sensation any longer and incorrectly think the problem has gone away. Barrett’s is the No. 1 risk factor for developing esophageal cancer.
Esophageal cancer. This cancer is increasing at fast rate in the U.S. and results when GERD or Barrett’s is left untreated for many years.
To learn more about acid reflux and heartburn, including treatment tips, watch Dr. Sateesh on Fox 17 Morning Mix.
Last week, Rapid and City of Wyoming officials collected input on what residents and business owners would like to see along Division Avenue. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
As a YMCA community collaboration director Aly Rickman often talks to residents along Division Avenue about the importance of living healthier and having an active lifestyle by purchasing more fruits and vegetables and walking their community.
“Many times the residents say it’s too difficult because of the traffic and safety issues along Division,” Rickman said.
It was for that reason that Rickman along with several Division Avenue residents and business owners attended a series of Silver Line Transit Oriented Development Study open houses Thursday and Friday (Feb. 27 and 28) that took place at several Division Avenue business such as Wei Wei Palace, New Beginnings, Brann’s Steakhouse, and Supermercado Mexico.
Javier Olvera, President and Co-Owner of Olvera Enterprises, which owns Supermercado Mexico, looks over a survey about Division Avenue. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“I think it is very important to get the community together to talk about what their vision is for Division,” sad Javier Olvera, President and Co-Owner of Olvera Enterprises, which owns Supermercado Mexico. For Olvera, he said he would love to see more green space with trees and plants along Division Avenue to help make the area a more welcoming place.
Getting input from the people who live and work along Division Avenue is an important element to the study, said Bill Kirk, a business affairs specialist for The Rapid. When the Silver Line was launched in 2014, it was looked at as a catalyst for potential economic ground development leading into the downtown area. The line runs along Division Avenue from 60th Street in Cutlerville to the Medical Mile/Grand Rapids Community College loop.
“The economic investment did not come,” Kirk said, adding that the Silver Line concept, which was the first Bus Rapid Transit system in the state of Michigan, was taken from other cities, such a Cleveland, which had seen economic growth along its Bus Rapid Transit system.
A Federal Transportation Administration grant of about $900,000 along with $25,000 contributions each from the cities of Grand Rapids, Kentwood, and Wyoming, all of which have parts of Division Avenue within their boundaries, are being used to fund a study to find ways to improve affordable housing options, businesses opportunities, and neighborhood conditions in the corridor without losing much of the diversity that is part of Division Avenue, Kirk said.
The study is utilizing two major components: data on land usage and codes and input from residents and business leaders on what they would like to see along the Division Avenue corridor. The Feb. 27 and 28 meetings were the start of the community conversations, Kirk said.
Community members and officials sit on a Rapid bus in the Supermercado Mexico parking lot discussing the vision for Division Avenue. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Those who came to the open house had the opportunity to take a South Division Corridor Identity Survey to help determine how residents view the corridor. They also could make a Design Workshop Survey which asked a series of questions on what people would like to see along the corridor.
“It made sense to start looking along the corridor because each of the three cities, Grand Rapids, Wyoming and Kentwood, were in various stages of reviewing their master plans,” said City of Wyoming City Planner Nicole Hofert. “The City of Kentwood is wrapping up theirs, the City of Grand Rapids has its Southtown plan and us, the City of Wyoming, is working on our master plan.”
Hofert said the City of Wyoming has not addressed the Division corridor in its master plan because of the Silver Line study and that the city will most likely adopt what comes from that study. Grand Rapids also has not included it in its Southtown Corridor Improvement District plan.
To give the community an idea of what some of those improvements could be, the Oklahoma City-based private urban consultants company Team Better Block will be staging a couple of “pop ups” or temporary use of space.
A community member looks over a map of Division Avenue. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“This could be a pop up shop, a pop up bike trail, a painted bike lane,” said Daniel Sperle, the Division Avenue project manager for Team Better Block. “It will be a test of what the community would like to see and how it would look within the environment.”
Kirk said the team hopes to wrap up the study by the end of the year. For now, the goal is to get as much input from area residents to help complete the study, he said.
Those interested in taking the survey for the Silver Line Transit Oriented Development Study or keep updated on the progress of the study can visit the website silverlinetod.org.
After retirement, you may find that you have a lot of extra time on your hands that you don’t know exactly what to do with. While having different hobbies and finding social activities can help fill the time, another thing to consider could be volunteering some of your time within your local community.
Senior volunteers are especially great for charitable programs and other organizations because your free time is more flexible than that of many other volunteers. Being able to make a difference no matter what your age is has benefits both for you and for your community. Here are some reasons why you should get involved and some different areas you can volunteer in.
Why is it important to get involved?
There are many societal and moral benefits to volunteering your time
which we are all well aware of. However, there are other benefits of
volunteer work that can have a more direct impact on your life and your
health.
Volunteering is good for your cognitive health
By being engaged through activities like volunteering, you can lower your risks of memory health issues like dementia. Staying active and keeping your mind busy in healthy ways can significantly decrease your chances of getting memory diseases like dementia or Alzhiemers as you continue to age.
Volunteering prevents senior depression
Senior depression and isolation is a very serious condition that can lead to a degradation of both your mental health and your general physical state. Meeting new people and remaining active in your community can help you avoid feelings of loneliness and isolation that often arise after retirement.
Volunteering encourages physical activity
It can be hard to stay physically active as a senior, but volunteering is a great way to get in some more activity and movement than you might normally get in a day. From walking as you clean up litter, to helping cook food at a soup kitchen, to playing games with kids, there are plenty of opportunities for healthy activities while volunteering.
1. Food drives and soup kitchens
One of the simplest ways to help out in your community as a senior volunteer is helping feed the hungry through food banks, soup kitchens, food drives, and organizations like Meals on Wheels. These kinds of volunteer opportunities have a major impact on those in need.
2. Helping other seniors
Senior volunteers are able to understand other seniors better than younger volunteers, so there are plenty of opportunities to help seniors with dementia and memory care, socialization, and caregiving through programs like Seniors Helping Seniors.
3. Tutoring and teaching
You don’t need to have been a teacher to be able to help kids and younger people learn. Most people looking for tutoring just need someone who is willing to go at their pace and clearly explain, which senior volunteers can provide. Local schools and after-school care programs are often looking for volunteers to help with tutoring.
4. Work with youth and younger generations
Teaching isn’t the only way you can help younger generations. There are many programs where you can work with youths like Foster Grandparents. Foster Grandparents provides role models and mentors for children across America who need help with reading, who have been abused or neglected, or who have disabilities, among other things.
5. Help with animals and animal organizations
Volunteering with animal shelters or local animal rights groups can bring your love for animals into your retirement years. Shelters are always looking for people to help take care of animals and make sure all these lovable creatures get the attention they deserve.
6. Volunteer with your past career
You can use the skills you gained in your previous career in your
volunteering efforts. There are plenty of people who would benefit from
your expertise in areas like:
Another big area that is in need of senior volunteers is the environment. Cleaning up litter from parks and streets in your community can make a difference not only on the environment, but in the appearance of your local community, as you are able to see the direct impact of your volunteer work.
Find a cause that matters to you
While these are some of the most popular volunteering opportunities for seniors, there are plenty of other causes that need the help of senior volunteers. Finding a cause that is important to you helps you maintain your dedication, as the motivation behind your volunteer work strongly resonates with you.
Doing some research into your favorite causes and letting that inform which organizations or programs you reach out to can help ensure that your volunteer work is going to the people you are most proud to volunteer with. Your assistance is invaluable to many different groups, and both you and your community will benefit from your volunteer work, no matter where you focus your efforts.
Nearly nine in 10 American adults lose sleep to binge watch TV, a new survey finds.
The more than 2,000 U.S. adults who took part in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine poll in September ranked sleep as their second-highest priority, with family being first.
But despite considering sleep important, 88% said they’d stayed up late to watch multiple episodes of a TV show or streaming series.
The rate was highest (95%) among 18- to 44-year-olds. Many also delay bedtime to play video games, read and watch sports, the survey revealed.
“It’s encouraging that Americans rank sleep as one of their highest priorities, but choosing to binge on entertainment at night instead of sleeping has serious ramifications,” AASM president Dr. Kelly Carden said in an academy news release.
Younger adults (aged 18 to 34) were more likely than those 35 and older to have stayed up late to play video games (72% versus 38%), and men were more likely to do so than women (59% versus 42%).
Two-thirds of respondents said they’d lost sleep to read. Women were more likely to do so than men (71% versus 61%), the survey found.
Nearly 60% of adults lost sleep to watch sports, including 75% of men and 45% of women. Adults between 25 and 54 years of age were more likely than those in other age groups to have stayed up late for overtime or extra innings (54% versus 51%).
That lost shut-eye can have serious consequences, Carden said.
“Sleep is essential to health, well-being and safety—and chronic insufficient sleep can lead to an increased risk of health problems, mood disorders and motor vehicle accidents,” she pointed out.
Losing sleep due to streaming, reading or playing video games can also lead to negative feelings. For example, 24% of respondents admitted feeling frustrated after delaying their bedtimes.
Feeling bad was most common for those in Generation Z (born in 1997 or later), who said that staying up late caused frustration (32%), worry (23%) and guilt (19%).
Such feelings can make it harder to drift off, especially if a person tries to make up for the lost sleep, according to the AASM.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points and a confidence level of 95%.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that a new display will open on Saturday, Feb. 29 highlighting its newly acquired collection of toys that move. This display, located just outside the popular TOYS! special exhibition, features the magic of motion in toys.
From the ancient Chinese and Greek automatons to the clockwork marvels of the Renaissance, inventors have always searched for ways to make their creations change and move. In modern times, many German and Japanese companies specialized in making a huge variety of affordable wind-up toys. In the twentieth century, the American firm Fisher-Price became well known for its high quality wooden, and eventually plastic, pull toys, many of which are seen in this new display.
The toys featured in this collection are new to the GRPM’s permanent Collection that contains over 250,000 artifacts and specimens.They come from collector Beth Schwartz, who began toy collecting in the early 1990s when she was traveling the country as an actress/singer working in touring Broadway shows. She loved searching out new pieces for her collection, especially Fisher-Price pull toys and antique wind-ups.
1960s Roly Poly Chime Ball (Supplied)
“We are so grateful to the family of Beth Schwartz for donating her amazing toy collection to the Museum. Although Beth passed away in 2011, her collection will continue to delight and inspire children of all ages who visit,” said Alex Forist, the GRPM’s Chief Curator.
‘Toys that Move’ is on display on the second floor of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and will be part of the general admission experience. The exhibit is presented in both English and Spanish.
Local Spins announced earlier this week that WLAV 996.9 FM will be bringing the popular Blues not he Mall series back to downtown Grand Rapids. The series, which will be on June 17, July 15, and Aug. 12, will feature two national headliners and a local opening act at Rosa Parks Circle. For more, visit the Local Spins website by clicking here.
Dawn Okora, “Roshi,” Mixed Media, 2018
ART
Ground breaking exhibit at UICA
This past weekend, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art opened a new Black-History month related exhibit “A Beautiful Struggle: Black Feminist Futurism.”
The exhibit, supported by a $40,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant, is an interdisciplinary contemporary art exhibition that explores the integration of Black feminist and Afrofuturist ideas.
According the UICA website, Afrofuturisum is a creative and cultural genre that examines perspectives of the African diaspora based in a communal reimagining of theist — as well as envisioned futures — while considering themes of identity, escapism, magical realism, and technology. Black feminism focuses on the perspective of those who are both Black and female.
According to UICA, the relevancy of exploring visual representations of Afrofuturism from a Black feminist perspective rests in the understanding of the necessity to lay aside the historically exclusive nature of both Black nationalism and feminism; instead, promoting the intersectionality of Black womanhood.
The exhibit will be up through June 14. UICA is located at 2 W Fulton St. , downtown Grand Raids. For more information, visit the UICA website.
“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is playing at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. (Joan Marcus 2017 / HANDOUT)
THEATRE
Two Roald Dahl stories come to Grand Rapids
This weekend, the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will open “Matilda, the Musical,” the tale of an extraordinary girl who uses her intellect and fantastical ability to change the course of her own destiny. The show, which is recommended for ages 8 and up due to some mature material and mild language, runs Feb. 28 to March 22. For more, visit the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s website.
Join Charlie Bucket, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, and Violet Beauregarde as they get the chance of a lifetime to visit the famous chocolatier Willy Wonka and tour his chocolate factory in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” March 10- 15. Presented by Broadway Grand Rapids, perhaps the most famous Dahl story will be featured on the DeVos Performance Hall and includes many of the movie’s favorite tunes such as “The Candy Man” and “Pure imagination.” For more information, visit the Broadway Grand Rapids website.
On Feb. 20, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety recognized several of its officers for the work they did in 2019. The 2019 Officer of the Year is Officer Marcus Donker and 2019 Civilian of the Year is Forensic Science Unit Technician Todd Masula. Congratulations to all the officers in both the police and fire departments. For a complete list of who was honored, click here.
Look Who’s Turning 70
City of Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23, named after 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma, is hosting a party to mark its 70th anniversary. The event is set to take place at 4 p.m. at the Post, located at 98 52nd St. SE. A meal will follow prepared by the Blue Star Mothers and is $7 per plate. To learn more about the post or who 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybsema was, click here.
Looking Ahead to August
The City of Kentwood announced this week that it would seek a millage of 0.9 mills on the August ballot. The millage would be for a period of 10 years, which would then be reduced to a perpetual millage of 0.65 mills. The tiered millage would be dedicated solely to construct, operate, maintain and acquire parks, trails and recreation improvements and programs. For more about the millage and how it would be used, click here.
Fun Fact: 48222
If you want to send mail to the those operating the boats on Lake Michigan then the zip code you’ll need is 48222. That is the zip code to the J.W. Westcott II, the only floating post office in the United States. Operating out of Detroit for more than 125 years, the J.W. Westcott delivers mail to the freighters that cross the Great Lakes. It service was so important that after sinking in 2001, it was salvage, refurnished and operates today. The J.W. Westcott, so named after the man who founded the company, has a contract with the postal service through 2021.
People who watch less TV and are physically active live more years free of heart disease, according to a new study.
Past research has shown people who are highly physically active tend to live more years free of cardiovascular disease.
But researchers of a study published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association wanted to look specifically at how TV viewing habits fit into the equation.
Using data from 13,534 people ages 45 to 64, investigators studied three factors—how much TV people generally watched, how often they were physically active in their leisure time and how long they lived without having a stroke, heart failure or coronary heart disease.
After an average of 27 years, people who were highly active and watched little or no TV lived about two and a half years longer free of stroke, heart failure and coronary heart disease than those who often watched TV and weren’t active.
TV watching impacted health regardless of physical activity, the study found.
Those who seldom watched or never watched TV lived about a year longer free of each type of cardiovascular disease than those who often watched TV.
“This study suggests that engaging in any physical activity and viewing less TV could help you live more years free of (cardiovascular) disease,” said Carmen Cuthbertson, the study’s lead author.
“Because there’s such a large cardiovascular disease burden in the U.S., we wanted to focus on how to extend the years you live in health,” said Cuthbertson, a postdoctoral fellow in the epidemiology department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The study was limited, she said, by the fact that participants were asked only about “leisure time” activity and not about household chores or physical activity during work or commuting.
She said she’d like future studies to incorporate wearable devices to track physical activity and sedentary time.
Bethany Barone Gibbs, a professor of health and physical activity at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved in the study, applauded the research for focusing not on death, but on how people can live longer lives free of cardiovascular diseases.
While the results don’t prove frequent TV watching causes heart disease, she said, its findings help clarify how physical inactivity affects health.
“Studies have shown that people who sit for hours at a time develop various vascular dysfunctions—blood begins pooling in the legs and circulation gets worse, especially in the extremities, which we think causes vascular damage that can lead to the long-term development of heart disease,” said Gibbs, vice chair of the American Heart Association’s Physical Activity Committee.
“TV watching is just one domain of sedentary behavior, but it’s also a really modifiable behavior,” she said.
The study began in the late 1980s before smartphones and the internet impacted how long people sit in front of screens, Gibbs said. She called for new in-depth research into how cardiovascular health is affected by overall sitting time as well as binge-watching TV.
“Now, we can sit back and not even have to lift a finger to watch the next show on Netflix,” she said. “I think television-watching is becoming an even more important target when it comes to behavior change and reducing our risk of cardiovascular disease.”
“How Not to Die Alone” by Richard Roper is a darkly comic story of Andrew whose job is to explore the homes of people discovered to have died alone. He is looking for their family and other things of value in their tragically empty lives, an emptiness echoed in his own life. Andrew must decide whether he can face his past and expose the truth of his life to himself and the other people in it, all while maintaining a witty British stiff upper lip.
– Penni at Cascade
A Dream About Lightning Bugs By Ben Folds
This month I read “A Dream About Lightning Bugs” by Ben Folds. It’s a great read for creative types as it explores the art-making process that any art maker can appreciate and learn from. It’s fun, insightful, and interesting, especially for people who loves Ben Folds music.
– Jenny at Kentwood
High Fidelity By Nick Hornby
My pick for this month is “High Fidelity” by Nick Hornby. My one line: “Dive into record shop owner Rob’s brain as he comes to understand why it’s ‘what you’re like’ and not ‘what you like’ that matters in life. (And no, I don’t always plug headphones into the books I’m reading.)
– David at the KDL Service Center
Children’s
Because By Mo Willems
I read the book “Because” by Mo Willems and Amber Ren. It’s such a sweet, simple story about how following your passion can inspire and change the course of someone else’s entire life.
– Ashten at Wyoming
You Are the Light By Arron Becker
This board book is gorgeous. You’ll find a yellow sun with a halo of bright die-cut circles of all different colors. The author has a reflecting on all the things that are light, including ourselves.
– Ashten at Wyoming
For more KDL Staff Picks, visit the Kent District Library’s website, kdl.org, and click on the “Recommendations” tab on the left side.
Nutrition is just one of those things…we KNOW how important it is to our overall health, but it is often one of the first priorities we let slide. Sometimes it is so much easier to grab a fast or convenient option than to take the time to prepare a well-balanced meal. According to the National Resource Center for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Aging, 1 in 4 older Americans have poor nutrition. This occurs partially because as you age, your body’s needs change. Your metabolism tends to slow down, meaning you don’t need to consume as many calories, and your body requires more of certain nutrients than it did before; such as potassium, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, minerals, and dietary fiber, all things we can get from foods. Eating well reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. This means it is more important than ever to choose foods that give you the best nutritional value, here are just a few things you can do to implement healthy eating habits:
MyPlate. This national program offers several quick tips to help you make healthy options as you get older.
First and foremost, drink plenty of liquids. As you age you may lose your sense of thirst, and it is important to stay hydrated.
Vary your vegetables. Vegetables are a good source of fiber, and they are low on calories, so be sure to include a variety of them in your diet.
Use herbs and spices. Sometimes foods can taste like they are losing their flavor as we age from loss of smell/taste or medications that can impact taste. Herbs and spices are a good way to liven up a dish without relying too heavily on salt.
Keep food safety in mind. As we get older we are more susceptible to food-borne illnesses, therefore ensure your food is stored properly and cooked thoroughly.
Group Meals.Maybe you’re tired of cooking or no longer have the means to do so? Many senior centers offer group meals made up of healthy, well-rounded options for a small donation. If you are looking for information on where these group meals are held in your community, visit the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan’s Services Directory at https://www.aaawm.org/services. Another great option is to start a weekly potluck night with friends, that way you aren’t responsible for all of the items of the meal. You may find your mealtimes more enjoyable overall if you spend them socializing with others.
Home-delivered Meals. Home-delivered meals can also be a wonderful option. If you are homebound many organizations offer support through meal drop-offs. Your local Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan would be able to connect you to these resources, visit www.aaawm.org or call (616) 456-5664. If you would rather cook for yourself, there are many online meal kit delivery services that can be a fun option as well. They deliver all the fresh ingredients needed to make the meal along with detailed instructions.
Take a Cooking Class. Perhaps part of the problem is that you’ve just never felt confident while cooking. Many community centers offer cooking classes at an affordable rate. Here at the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, we offer classes taught by a registered dietitian through our Healthy Aging Program. You can learn more by visiting www.aaawm.org/haor call 616-456-5664.
It seems like it only takes a keystroke for a television forensic scientist to determine who left that fingerprint on the wall, but Wyoming Department of Public Safety Forensic Science Unit Technician Todd Masula knows better than that.
He has spent countless hours hours putting in latent prints, manually scanning each useable print and carefully marking as many small details with each print as he can find. The more details Masula’s can isolate, the greater the chance of making an identification.
“The computer does not find the match for Todd, but instead gives him a list of candidates that most closely match the latent he entered,” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Lt. Tim Pols. “This means Todd may have to look at 20 or more candidates for each latent print he enters into the system.”
The number of prints Masula looked at last year alone were in the thousands. In 2019, of the 600 latent prints Masula entered into the new Automated Fingerprint System, 348 were identified to an individual. According to Pols, in the previous three years combined, 550 latent prints were entered, resulting in 281 identifications.
“It is hours of difficult, tedious, and often unnoticed work,” Pols said. “The latent work is in addition to the science work, photography, training and property management still required of Masula.”
It is this reason that the Wyoming Department of Pubic Safety group of civilian employees named Masula as the 2019 Civilian of the Year for the department.
Masula was recognized along with about 60 other Department officers, firefighters, and civilians during the annual Wyoming Department of Public Safety Employees Recognition Ceremony, which was held Feb. 20 at the Wyoming Senior Center. Pols, from police, and Lt. Chris Velzen, from fire, were the master of ceremonies.
Coming in during off hours to help prevent a suicide, returning a teenager safely to her home, noticing a suspicious car that leads to a drug arrest, or even spending countless hours logging latent prints are all part of the job for many of the officers, firefighters, and civilians who work for the department, said Chief Kim Koster.
2019 Officer of the Years: Officer Marcus Donker (Supplied)
“None of these officers seek out the accolades for doing any of this,” Koster said, adding this is a time for the department to recognize just what the team at the Wyoming Department of Public Safety does.
Once such officer is Officer Marcus Donker, who was recognized at the beginning of the hour-and-half event with the first two Individual Commendations for his work that lead to the recover of stolen vehicles. He also was recognized at the end of the program as the 2019 Officer of the Year.
“Since joining the Wyoming team, he has quietly earned a reputation as an outstanding police professional with a keen ability to catch criminals and a heart for serving his community,” Pols said during the ceremony.
Donker has been in law enforcement for 14 years coming from the Constantine Police Department three years ago to serve on the Wyoming Department of Public Safety. He has received praise and accolades across the board from his peers, Pols said.
The Unit Commendation went to Shift B Nights (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
A total of 12 awards were given out to about 60 officers, firefighters, and civilians. Those awards and recipients were:
Citation of Valor
Officer Phil Swiercz
Certificate of Merit
Sgt. Cory Walendzik
Officer Erich Staman
Officer Lee Atkinson
Achievement Medal
Officer Daniel Patterson
“Unit” Commendation
B NightsShift
Sgt. Robert Meredith
Officer Aaron Gray
Officer Daniel Patterson
Officer Aaron Brooks
Officer Erich Staman
Officer Michael Nachtegall
Officer Chad Wells
Officer Andrew Koeller
Field training officers who were recognized included Officer Daniel Patterson, Officer Joshua Yancho, Office Antonio Hutchins, Officer Dwayne Holmberg, Firefighter Anthony Bennett, Firefighter Jason Hanlon, Firefighters Jesse May, and Firefighter Mike Updyke. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Life Saving Award
EO Tom Marsman
EO Steven Boetsma
Inspector Brad Dornbos
Firefighter Daniel Royce
Firefighter Brandon Travis
Lt. Brad Deppe
Firefighters Matt Frazee
EO Lacey Koens
LT. Christopher Velzen
EO Brian Ilbrink
Firefighter Zachary Jones
Firefighter Daniel Rettig
Firefighter Jason Richardson
Firefighter Todd Yonkers
EO Daniel Deppe
Firefighter Jesse May
Firefighter Michele Kelly
Firefighter Matthew Young
Firefighter Jason Hanlon
Officer Ben Hecksel
Individual Commendation
Sgt. Ross Eagan
Officer Marcus Donker
Officer Daniel Patterson
Officer Daniel Sanderson
Officer Chad Wells
Officers Aaron Freeman
Officer Blair Shellenbarger
Officer Antonio Hutchins
Officer Lee Atkinson
Officer Joshua Yancho
Officer Christian Bomer
Officer Jacob Bylsma
Officer Brandon Knowling
Officer Ben Hecksel
2019 Chief’s Award of Professional Excellence: Officer Jennifer Eby (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Joining social groups and establishing their own support network is an essential component to a caregiver’s quality of life. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
If you’re a caregiver for a family member, you need to look after your own mental health to provide the best care for others, an expert says.
Caregivers are at increased risk for depression and anxiety.
Clinically significant symptoms of depression occur in 40%-70% of caregivers, and major depression occurs in 25%-50% of these caregivers, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance.
“Taking time to care for yourself is not selfish. In order to have the strength to care for a loved one, it is extremely important that caregivers take care of their own physical and mental health,” said Dr. Vassilios Latoussakis, a psychiatrist at Gracie Square Hospital, a psychiatric facility in New York City.
Latoussakis offered the following advice.
Pay attention to your stress levels, he said in a hospital news release. If you find yourself crying, losing your temper or having fantasies of rescue or flight, seek help.
Stress can affect your physical health, causing problems such as headaches, sleep issues, heart troubles, high blood pressure, and elevated fat and sugar levels.
If you’re feeling the effects of stress, make an appointment with your primary care provider, Latoussakis advised.
There are a number of ways to reduce stress, including regular physical activity, relaxation techniques such as breathing, yoga or mindfulness, making time to see friends and doing activities you enjoy.
It’s important to have a support network of people with whom you can talk, confide and gripe.
Another good idea is to join a support group of caregivers where you can share concerns, practical issues and problems, Latoussakis said.
More than 34 million Americans have provided unpaid care to an adult aged 50 or older in the past year, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP.
When it comes to the costs associated with senior living options like an assisted living community, there are a lot of questions that family members ask themselves when finding a home for a loved one. Things may be on your mind like what are the costs associated with increased care needs, how much is the monthly room and board, and if luxuries are an additional charge.
Finding senior loved ones the best senior living community depends on knowing the answers to all of these questions and more. When thinking about ways to help finance assisted living, another common question is if Medicare, or senior health insurance available to everyone over 65, will help pay for the costs of assisted living.
What is assisted living?
So what is assisted living? How is it different from other types of residential senior living communities, like a nursing home or a senior retirement community? The biggest difference between assisted living and other senior living options is that assisted living, as the name suggests, assists seniors who need help with activities of daily living, or ADLs, while still offering them plenty of independence.
Nursing homes, which are also an example of a senior living community that offers care services for seniors, have very limited independence due to the high level of care that residents typically need. On the other hand, senior retirement communities are for retirees who do not yet need any help with ADLs.
Assisted living is a perfect medium between the two. Assisted living offers residents plenty of independence in their lives and the ability to make their own decisions, while still providing care services and ADLs assistance for things like:
Medication management
Housekeeping and cleaning
Laundry
Meal preparation
Money management
Bathing and personal care
Appointment and schedule keeping
Standing up and other mobility needs
What Medicare covers
To make a long answer short, Medicare does not cover assisted living costs. Medicare, for the most part, does not pay for any type of long-term residential care, including nursing homes and assisted living communities, so if one of these is the best option for your loved one, you will need to find a different way to pay than through their Medicare plan.
Medicare will sometimes pay for a short-term stay in a skilled nursing facility or for some home health care options, but senior living communities like assisted living are not included in Medicare plans. This can pose a problem for many elders, especially as the senior population often needs some sort of residential care community as they continue to age.
Other payment options
While Medicare doesn’t help pay for assisted living, there are some other payment options that can give your loved one assistance in covering the costs of a senior living community.
Long-term care insurance
Most long-term care insurance policies will cover the expenses associated with senior living, including assisted living costs. While the popularity of the traditional version of these plans has decreased over time, there are new “hybrid” plans that might be a good investment for your loved one.
Life insurance policies
Some life insurance policies will cover assisted living costs, but it varies from plan to plan. While most of us might think that life insurance is only paid out after a death, they can offer payouts to seniors still living if they meet the plan’s qualifications.
Veterans benefits
Often times there are VA benefits that will help pay for assisted living or other residential care options if your loved one served the country. Check with your loved one’s local VA chapter for more information.
Medicaid
If your loved one doesn’t have any savings, or had a low income while they were working, they might qualify for Medicaid, a government program made to help cover the costs of healthcare for those in dire financial circumstances. Medicaid coverage is determined state by state, so it may or may not help depending on where your loved one lives.
Out-of-pocket
If your loved one has saved enough money throughout their life, they may be able to afford assisted living costs from their savings. Planning ahead is key for this payment method, and things like waiting lists, community “shopping”, and retirement income plans are important for your loved one.
I recently heard about two patients who ended up in the hospital with gallstones just a short while after they gave birth to their babies.
They both ended up having their gallbladders removed.
Women who experience gallstones after their child is born will typically experience this within two to four months after delivery.
More than 25 million people suffer from gallstones, but women encounter this at a much greater rate than men—and that’s before pregnancy is factored in.
You are indeed more prone to gallstones when you’re pregnant.
Why? The extra estrogen in your body. Among its various effects, estrogen increases cholesterol.
Progesterone can also lead to gallstones. This hormone relaxes tissue, including within the gallbladder.
Battling blockages
About the size of a pear, the gallbladder is located below the liver.
Though you can live without it, the gallbladder does have its use.
The liver makes bile, which is stored in the gallbladder. When we eat food—especially high-fat food—bile is released from the gallbladder and sent to the intestines to aid in digestion.
In some cases, the bile crystalizes and forms gallstones. These can be as small as sand or as large as a golf ball.
Gallstones are usually composed of calcium bilirubinate, cholesterol and calcium carbonate.
It’s critical to understand that gallstones can cause a problem when they block ducts. They won’t allow the bile to leave, which can cause inflammation, or cholecystitis.
People may have gallstones and not even know it. Symptoms only tend to arise when the stones block or obstruct the body’s natural processes.
Symptoms include:
Upper abdomen pain, which can radiate to right shoulder and back
Steady pain after eating fatty meals
Abdominal pain lasting longer than five hours after eating
Fever or chills
Nausea or vomiting
Yellowing of the eyes
Dark urine
Clay-colored bowel movements
In the past we’ve looked at a condition called cholestasis of pregnancy, which entails symptoms similar to those experienced by gallstones.
Testing for gallstones can involve an ultrasound, which helps doctors visualize what is happening. A blood test can also reveal signs of infection.
Doctors can use CT and MRI imaging to further uncover problems.
Antibiotics may be used if there are signs of infection, but doctors may turn to surgery to remove the gallstones or the gallbladder.
Promoting prevention
There are some steps you can take to help reduce the chances of developing gallstones.
First and foremost: Eat healthy and keep your weight under control. Yes, if you’re pregnant you will be gaining weight—you are growing a human being inside you. But excess weight isn’t helpful.
Other useful tips:
Limit bad fats and make sure you’re getting healthy fats, which are monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
This week’s photo is of partially frozen Lake Michigan taken at Holland State Park during a Sunday sunset. The photo was taken on Feb. 24 one of Michigan’s warmer days.
Do you have a photo that you would like considered for Photo of the Week? Then send it to Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma at joanne@wktv.org.
Sen Dim, who is from Myanmar, works on her project about Bhutan. (School News Network)
Kentwood: ‘All Their Stories Come Together’
In Valleywood Middle School teacher Jane Van Hof’s seventh grade English class — a portrait of diversity in itself– students are studying the stories of people forced to flee their native lands. For the project, dubbed “A Refugee Story,” they are delving into research on refugees and learning about those in their community. What did they learn? Click here to find out.
Andrea Donovan preps her students for the human catapult as part of a collaborative STEAM-PE week. (School News Network)
Godfrey-Lee: Human catapult, shadow-dodging teaches movement & so much more
Here’s a story gathering some STEAM: A group of Godfrey-Lee teachers have come up with games that are more than just play, but may create builders, engineers and life-long physical fitness buffs just by introducing unique ways to keep fit and create while doing it. To learn how they are accomplishing this, click here.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Heart disease can seem so distant, so unreal, and something you don’t have to worry about.
Unfortunately, it is very real, especially for women.
There’s no time like the present to start assessing your own goals on how you want to age and how you can enjoy better heart health. Where do you stand on meeting your goals? If having a heart attack is not something you want to experience, you need to act now.
Having a health goal is important and also the key to staying healthy as you age.
Making health changes such as exercising daily, changing eating habits, and practicing stress-reduction techniques can be challenging, especially if you don’t start with a clear goal.
When my patients say, “I can’t believe you are asking me if I want a heart attack; of course I don’t want a heart attack,” I show them how their actions speak louder than their words. By choosing not to exercise, eating high-sugar foods and allowing stress to rule their lives, they are actually choosing a heart attack.
The good news is that it’s never too late to get healthy, but the sooner the better.
A patient I’ll call Adrienne is living proof that heart disease can affect just about anyone.
At age 39, she suffered a heart attack—way too young—or so she thought. Adrienne was going through a very stressful time in her life and was having shortness of breath occasionally.
Adrienne thought being winded had to do with the stress she was experiencing or maybe because she was tired and had not been eating well. She would simply rest until she felt better and forget about the feeling until it would happen again. Adrienne never even considered she might be having a heart attack.
However, one day the feeling came back and persisted for a long time. When she received some especially bad news, her breathing became very labored, and she knew something wasn’t quite right. She mentioned her symptoms to her husband, and he insisted they go to the ER immediately. Just minutes after arriving at the ER, Adrienne had a full-blown heart attack.
Fortunately for Adrienne, the ER staff took her symptoms seriously. She is alive today thanks to the prompt and expert care she received that day.
Not everyone is as lucky as Adrienne.
More women die of first heart attacks
Many women don’t get help quickly enough or they are not taken seriously when they go for help. But the facts don’t lie: More women than men die from their first heart attack and more women than men have fatal heart attacks.
As Adrienne went through cardiac catheterization, open heart surgery and cardiac rehab, she learned she had risk factors for a very long time, but never realized it. As a result, she never received the preventive treatment needed to prevent a heart attack, and she wasn’t aware of the early symptoms.
Adrienne’s shortness of breath and fatigue had been going on for more than a month, but she never knew the severity of her condition.
Adrienne began to learn more about her health and important risk factors of heart attacks. These include family history, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, diet, high stress, inactivity, inflammation (which can be caused by diet and the presence of heart disease), and age.
In addition, activity and increased stress level can affect your risk of having a heart attack. Adrienne had risk factors she never knew she had.
Unfortunately, Adrienne’s story isn’t unique.
Too many women either don’t know the warning signs of a heart attack or ignore them because they don’t want to bother anyone.
Know the symptoms
It’s important that we know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, especially because they are different in women than men.
Men tend to experience a heaviness, like an elephant, on their chest. They also notice a true pain in their chest that radiates to the left arm and up the neck.
Women tend to have more subtle signs. The most common symptoms for women are progressive shortness of breath on exertion or with great stress, unexplained fatigue, nausea, subtle chest heaviness, neck pain, or arm pain.
I have had patients who dismissed some of their symptoms as jaw pain from TMJ or simply sleeping funny. I have even seen patients who presented with new onset hot flashes years after menopause. After sending them to a cardiologist, they find out they have angina and they ended up with heart surgery instead of hormones.
Risk scores also help physicians predict your chances of having a heart attack in the next year, and even in the next 10 years. My favorite scoring system is the Reynold’s Score, and it can be done at home by going online to reynoldsriskscore.org.
You will need to know your family history, total cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level, systolic blood pressure (number on top), and C-Reacting Protein (CRP) level. You will also be asked if you smoke, which is a significant cause of heart attacks.
Other tests used to assess risk include an ultrasound of the artery in your neck to determine your risk of stroke, and a CT scan of the chest to look for calcium in the artery walls.
When you have symptoms, it is important to have two tests performed: an EKG to see if your heart is suffering low oxygen from blockages, and a stress test with an ultrasound of the heart (ECHO). If you are experiencing symptoms such as chest heaviness or shortness of breath, you will want to go to the ER or call 911.
In our clinic, we use risk scores, including the Reynolds Score, to score for Metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a strong predictor of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
If a woman comes to us for hormone therapy and also has Metabolic syndrome or is at high risk for a heart attack, we will not prescribe hormone replacement therapy as it would put her at greater risk for a heart attack. However, if she is at low risk and does not have Metabolic syndrome, hormone replacement therapy can actually lower her risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
In the not-so-distant past, it was common for women to go to the ER with chest pain and shortness of breath, only to be told it was heartburn or an anxiety attack. It was even thought that women couldn’t have heart disease.
Fortunately, health care experts now take this issue seriously, and we are very aware that heart disease affects both men and women.
We wish that every woman knew her risk factors and made healthy choices to avoid suffering a heart attack. Too many women (and their families) suffer an unnecessary loss. Take control before it happens to you.
Tulip Time 2020 will be the premier of the Dutch Dance Exhibit as part of the new Visual Arts Series hosted by the Holland Area Arts Council.
At this exhibit, visitors can explore a collection of some of the most exceptional and intricately designed Dutch Dance costumes in this beautiful and educational exhibit. Travel through the Provinces, to appreciate the history behind the costumes, the artistry and how the selection of materials serves to maintain authenticity, and the detailed process of their creation. Learn about Tulip Time’s Dutch Dance program, the Dutch Dance music and the dance itself. The exhibit also celebrates the 50thyear of Alumni Dutch Dance.
A fun feature has been added to the exhibit giving everyone a chance to participate. We will display a constant stream of some of the best Dutch Dance photos and we would love to include yours!
We have partnered with the Holland Sentinel to collect all of your fun photos – past and present. And, all entries have a chance to win a great prize. So start digging through all your favorite Dutch Dance memories and click this link to submit your photos: https://hollandsentinel.gatehousecontests.com/Dutch-Dance-Photo-Contest/. The contest ends March 1 at 12:00 am EST.
If you have any other fun Dutch Dance memorabilia or stories you are willing to share, send them to dutchdance@tuliptime.com or stop by the Tulip Time office at 42 W. 8th Street.
About the Visual Arts Series
Tulip Time is expressed through many art forms and now you can experience them in one location. Join us at the Holland Area Arts Council for the Visual Arts Series of exhibits presented by Alpen Rose Restaurant & Catering. The Series includes:
Festival Artwork Top 20 Exhibit where you can participate in the Viewers’ Choice voting
Tulip Time Quilt Show featuring a unique display of exquisite quilts, wall hangings and art quilts created by local artisans.
Premier of the Dutch Dance Exhibit
– Klompen Garden Public Art Project Jurors’ Pick
One ticket ($10/person) gains access to all four of these exceptional exhibits!
Even mild anemia—low levels of hemoglobin in the blood—may raise a person’s odds for Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, a new study finds.
The same Dutch research also found a correlation between heightened dementia risk and high blood levels of hemoglobin.
“With around 10% of people over age 65 having anemia in the Americas and Europe and up to 45% in African and southeast Asian countries, these results could have important implications for the burden of dementia,” noted study lead author M. Arfan Ikram, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen.
The new study included more than 12,000 people averaging 65 years of age. None of the participants had dementia at the beginning of the research.
Hemoglobin levels were measured at the start of the study and 6% of the participants were found to have anemia.
The participants’ health was then tracked for an average of 12 years. During that time, 1,520 developed dementia, including 1,194 who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the report published online recently in Neurology.
The study was not designed to prove cause and effect.
However, the research showed that people with anemia were 41% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and 34% more likely to develop any type of dementia than those without anemia, the team reported.
In another finding, people with high levels of hemoglobin were also more likely to develop dementia.
Those with the highest levels were 20% more likely to develop dementia than those with levels in the middle.
Those with the lowest hemoglobin levels were 29% more likely to develop dementia than those with levels in the middle, the research found.
In a journal news release, Ikram added that the findings could be significant, given that “the prevalence of dementia is expected to increase threefold over the next decades, with the largest increases predicted in the countries where the anemia rate is the highest.”
The question of how hemoglobin levels affect dementia risk is still unclear, however.
“More research is needed to determine whether hemoglobin levels play a direct role in this increased risk or whether these associations can be explained by underlying issues or other vascular or metabolic changes,” Ikram explained.
Dr. Satjit Bhusri is a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Looking over the findings, he stressed that hemoglobin’s role as an oxygen transporter to the brain might be key.
“Any quick or slow loss of oxygen will lead to a cognitive decline and manifest as dementia,” he noted. Conversely, Bhusri said, “elevated hemoglobin is a reaction to some underlying disease. That disease is forcing the body to produce more hemoglobin. This can result in an increase in thickness of blood and poor flow to the brain.”
Another expert believes the findings should serve as a reminder to doctors to pay attention to even mild anemia when it occurs.
“I think that physicians should not write off mild anemia in any age group, because it clearly is associated with brain dysfunction over time,” said Dr. Guy Mintz. He directs cardiovascular health at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.
Mintz also noted that many of the participants in the study were still in their 60s and 70s, so “we are not looking at an elderly, frail group of patients.”
As for people with elevated levels of hemoglobin, he believes that in many instances this happened in response to the smoking habit.
So, the link between hemoglobin levels and dementia “can be another motivational tool to get these patients to stop smoking,” Mintz said.
Your dog might be your heart’s best friend, if a new study is any indication.
Researchers found that compared with people who had no pets, dog owners tended to have fewer risk factors for heart disease: They got more exercise and had healthier diets and lower blood sugar levels.
Even compared with other pet owners, they were doing better with diet and exercise.
The study of nearly 1,800 Czech adults is not the first to suggest our canine friends can do our hearts good. In fact, in 2013 the American Heart Association issued a scientific statement saying that dog ownership is likely linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
That was largely based on evidence that people with dogs are more physically active. The new findings suggest the benefit might extend to diet and blood sugar levels.
It’s easy to see how having a dog could get people moving, according to senior researcher Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez.
And it’s possible that dog owners’ lower blood sugar levels were related to their exercise habits, said Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
It’s less obvious, though, why dog ownership would encourage a healthier diet. One possibility is that the two are not directly related, he said.
On the other hand, past research has shown that dogs do more than demand walks and get us moving: They offer companionship and emotional support, according to Lopez-Jimenez.
“They can decrease your feelings of loneliness and give you a sense of purpose,” he said. “You have someone to look after.”
And that, he speculated, might encourage people to take better care of themselves.
Dr. Glenn Levine, a volunteer medical expert with the AHA, was lead author of its statement on pets and heart health. He said that, overall, there is “reasonably good data” that adopting a dog can increase people’s physical activity levels.
“That’s the strongest and most direct (cardiovascular) benefit,” said Levine, who is also a professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
He agreed, though, that pets might support heart health in less-direct ways, too.
“There may be other benefits as well—including reduced stress, greater companionship and happiness, and other factors that could lead people to take better care of themselves,” he said.
For the study, the researchers used data from a health survey of 1,769 Czech adults, aged 25 to 64.
Overall, more than two-thirds of dog owners (67%) met the “ideal” AHA recommendations for exercise. That means 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, each week—along with muscle strengthening exercises a couple of days per week.
In contrast, only 48% of people without pets met that ideal, as did 55% of other pet owners, the findings showed.
When it came to diet, few people met the AHA ideal, which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, fiber-rich grains, fish and lean meat.
But dog owners were doing better than others: Fewer than 7% scored in the “poor” range for diet, versus 16% of people without pets and 13% of other pet owners.
Dog owners did, however, fall short in one heart-health measure: Their smoking rates were highest.
It’s not clear why, according to Lopez-Jimenez—and it might not hold true in other countries, such as the United States. In general, smoking is more common in Eastern Europe.
The bottom line, according to Levine, is that people might enjoy health benefits from having a canine companion. But the AHA does not advocate adopting a dog for that purpose.
“The primary purpose of adopting or rescuing a dog should be to give the dog a loving and caring home,” Levine said. “The health benefits that may come from this are a bonus.”
The findings were published recently in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes.
