Mason Street Warehouse at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts presents the third production in its summer season, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, winner of 4 Tony Awards including Best Musical.
A wickedly funny mashup of Downton Abbey meets Mel Brooks, Gentleman’s Guide tells the hilarious tale of Monty Navarro, the dashing heir to the D’Ysquith family fortune, who sets out to jump the line of succession by—you guessed it—eliminating the eight pesky relatives who stand in his way.
“Gentleman’s Guide has a wonderfully clever storyline, over-the-top singing, and visually stunning period costumes and sets. We’re thrilled that our production will be the West Michigan regional premiere for this show!” said Mason Street Warehouse Artistic Director Kurt Stamm.
Mason Street’s production features 5 “alumni” seen in previous productions (including Elliott Litherland as Monty Navarro, Gina Milo as Sibella Hallward, Harry Bouvy as the D ‘Ysquith family along with Ellie Frances and Jeff Meyer) along with newcomers Katie Fay Francis, Jerome Doerger, Dan Krackhardt, Colleen McLaughlin and Abby C. Smith.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder runs through Sunday, Sept. 1. Matinee and evening performances are available.
Pour yourself a drink and enjoy this murderous romp filled with unforgettable music, larger than life characters, and non-stop laughs.
Tickets are available at our box office, by phone at 269-857-2399 or online here.
Vishavjit Singh is a first-generation South Asian-American cartoonist, writer, and performance artist. He joins us to talk about growing up Sikh in North America, living in New York after the 9-11 terrorist attack, and using one’s superpowers for good.
The portion of U.S. 131 between exits 80 and 81 has been named the PCF Nicholas H. Blodgett Memorial Highway. (Tom DeVette)
Remembering the heroes
Have you noticed some new signs along U.S. 131? The signs honor three fallen soldiers who were all from Wyoming: Army Private First Class Nicholas Blodgett, Marine Cpl. Ross Smith, and Army Specialist 4th Class Eric T. Burri. All three died during the Iraq conflict. State Rep. Tommy Brann introduced a bill earlier this year for the memorial highways with the signs being installed this spring. To learn more about the three men honored, click here.
Interim CEO Brian Picardat swears in new Police Chief Bill Nowicki (Ford Airport)
Wage theft can occur everywhere, in offices, on construction sites and in farm fields. (WKTV)
Fair Wage
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), last week announced he is conducting an investigation into illegal wage theft practices that “harm American workers.” And he is asking for worker input on possible wage theft in their lives. In a statement issued by his office, “wage theft violates basic fair pay laws and denies workers a fair wage for their work. It takes many forms, including failure to pay the applicable minimum wage, failure to compensate employees for overtime, and misclassifying employees as ‘independent contractors’ to avoid paying certain benefits or taxes.” If you are interested in sharing your story, click here.
I’ve Got a Gal…
So we are talking about our neighbors to the south, Kalamazoo. Michigan is the only state to have a city named Kalamazoo, which is believed to be a Native American name meaning “mirage of reflecting water” or “bubbling” or “boiling” water. It is the midway point between Detroit (142 miles to the east) and Chicago (138 miles to the west) and the home to some pretty famous businesses: Gibson Guitars and Upjohn, to name a couple. And of course, it is memorialized in that famous Glenn Miller song “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo,” which with the help of Bell’s Brewery, for some has become “I’ve got a beer in Kalamazoo.”
Top: Mark Smith, State Rep. Tommy Brann, and John Burri. Bottom: Susan Smith, Rita Blodgett, Joanne Burri. (Tom De Vette)
Story By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma joanne@wktv.org Photos by Tom De Vette Photographer and WKTV Volunteer
When John Burri drives down US 131 and sees the the brown-and-white sign with his son’s Eric’s name on it, he smiles a little.
“It is just what every parent wants who has lost a son, that he’s remembered. That a stranger would remember him and the sacrifice he made,” Burri said. Stationed in Iraq, Army Specialist 4th Class Eric Burri died on June 7, 2005 when an explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Baghdad.
Burri was one of three Wyoming residents who were killed while serving in Iraq. Army Private First Class Nicholas H. Blodgett died July 21, 2004 while serving during operation Iraqi Freedom when his patrol vehicle hit an improvise explosive device in Abdalluyah, Iraq. On Feb. 9, 2006, Marine Corporal Ross A. Smith died by an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations near Fallujah, Iraq.
The U.S. 131 portion between exits 78 and 79 has been named the SPC Eric T. Burri Memorial Highway. (Tom De Vette)
Army Specialist 4th Class Eric T. Burri
The three men were honored earlier this year through House Bill 6025, sponsored by Rep. Tommy Brann, that would allow for portions of U.S. 131 to be designated as memorial highways. The three sections are all in Wyomig with the portion between exits 78 and 79 named the SPC Eric T. Burri Memorial Highway; between exits 79 and 80 is the Cpl. Ross A. Smith Memorial Highway; and the portion between exits 80 and 81 is now the PCF Nicholas H. Blodgett Memorial Highway.
“Eric knew the risk he was taking when he went over,” John Burri said when his son decided to enlist right after graduating from Kelloggsville High School. Burri said his son wanted to see the world, learn languages and meet different people.
Burri said Eric was touched by the poverty he witnessed, commenting to family members that if he could he would “give them the shoes off my feet.” After Eric’s death, as a tribute, the family organized a shoe drive for the children in Iraq.
The portion of U.S. 131 between exits 79 and 80 has been named the Cpl. Ross A. Smith Memorial Highway. (Tom De Vette)
Marine Cpl. Ross Smith
Ross Smith was the youngest of three and wanted to follow in his older brother’s footsteps and become a Marine. He enlisted before his senior year at Wyoming’s Park High School and was on his third tour of Iraq when he was killed. After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Sue Smith commented that she has asked her son to reconsider his enlistment.
“He said they needed him even now more than before,” she said.
The portion of U.S. 131 between exits 80 and 81 has been named the PCF Nicholas H. Blodgett Memorial Highway. (Tom DeVette)
A Grand Rapids Central Catholic High School graduate, Nicholas Blodgett joined the army a couple of years after graduating from high school. Family members recalled that Blodgett wanted to be in security or a police officer so he enlisted in the Army in 2003. His former high school principal said he remembered Blodgett as wanting to stay involved, so he returned to the school the year after his graduation to help with the color guard.
Army Private First Class Nicholas Blodgett
Blodgett’s troop commander Capt. Cory Mack, remembered him as a “highly motivated and disciplined soldier, answering every question with ‘Yes, sir’ or ‘Roger sergeant.’”
Brann introduced the bill for the memorial highway designations earlier this year. The bill was approved with the signs installed in the spring. Brann hosted a special program in May for the families and friends at his restaurant, Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille, located on Division Avenue.
“It is not so much for me,” Burri said of the memorial highways. “It is to let my grandkids know that there uncle was here. That he was part of this community.”
That’s the answer we’re looking for. But not many people—doctors or patients—give the bone-weakening disease the attention it deserves, according to Jodi Hamblin, MD, a bone health specialist.
“Osteoporosis is a lethal disease that is frequently ignored,” Dr. Hamblin said, explaining that the disease signals a problem with both the quantity and the quality of bone.
In the United States alone, half of adults age 50 and older either already have osteoporosis or are well on their way to developing it.
Silent and overlooked
The trouble is, osteoporosis doesn’t have symptoms, so most people don’t know they have it until they break a bone.
And even then, many patients don’t realize that osteoporosis was the cause of their fracture—when in fact, a low-trauma fracture almost always indicates osteoporosis in older adults.
“After 50, if you fall from a standing position and you break a bone, excluding your hands and feet, then you have osteoporosis,” Dr. Hamblin said. This type of break is called a fragility fracture.
Osteoporosis can also be diagnosed when a bone density test reports low bone density.
Research suggests doctors and patients tend to overlook the threat of osteoporosis.
According to a 2016 study by Northwell Health in New York, more than two-thirds of patients who suffered a hip fracture said their doctors didn’t tell them they have osteoporosis, and more than half said they weren’t given medication to treat osteoporosis after their fracture was treated.
This lack of information and follow-up is a huge problem, the study’s senior author said, because of the seriousness of hip fractures.
“You can die after a hip fracture, and you’re at great risk of prolonged complications,” said author Gisele Wolf-Klein, MD, in a statement. “You can also be left as an invalid—a fear of many older adults.”
Six months after suffering a hip fracture, only 15 percent of patients can walk across a room without help, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Getting on top of the problem
Bringing more attention to the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is the goal, said Dr. Hamblin.
By following up after a break and treating the cause of the bone loss or poor bone quality, doctors can help prevent future fractures.
Patients are more likely to sustain a secondary fracture if they are not treated for their osteoporosis, Dr. Hamblin said.
High-risk patients include:
Heart and lung transplant patients, who are at risk because the anti-rejection medications they take are bone weakening
Breast cancer patients, who are on estrogen-preventing medications that can cause bone loss
Gastric bypass surgery patients, who typically have bad absorption of nutrients so don’t get sufficient calcium and vitamin D—two essential nutrients for bone health
The care plan includes balance testing, nutritional counseling, bone density testing, blood and urine testing to identify risk factors, and medication review and management.
“Sometimes medications taken for other conditions can get in the way of calcium absorption or directly weaken the bone or even contribute to dizziness,” which can increase a patient’s risk of falling, Dr. Hamblin said.
Physical therapy can help people learn how to build bone through exercise and how to prevent falls, which are responsible for 90 percent of hip fractures.
“Fall prevention is half the battle,” Dr. Hamblin said. “If you have weak bones and you don’t fall, you may never break.”
Osteoporosis risk factors
In addition to the medical issues listed above, several other factors can put you at risk for bone loss and poor bone strength. Risk factors include:
Advanced age—this applies to both women and men, though the incidence of osteoporosis is higher in aging women because of a drop in hormone levels
Diabetes
Steroid use (5 or more milligrams a day for three months or longer)—this lowers bone quality in men and women equally
Overactive thyroid or parathyroid activity
Cigarette smoking
Regularly drinking more than two alcoholic beverages a day
Lack of appropriate exercise
Low calcium intake
Vitamin D, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency
“There’s an extensive list of causes for bone loss and for poor bone quality,” said Dr. Hamblin. “If we can get those conditions in order, sometimes that’s all we have to do.”
When medications are called for, doctors have a variety of options based on the patient’s situation. For example, some patients need medications that help build new bone, while others need medications to prevent bone loss.
The aim is to decrease the risk of fracture by keeping bone loss in check and by limiting the risk factors for poor bone quality.
A preventable disease
Of course, prevention is the best course of action, and osteoporosis is very preventable, Dr. Hamblin said.
“If we could get kids and young adults to improve their dietary calcium intake and have a good exercise program, that would be huge,” she said. “And if we could eliminate smoking and excessive use of alcohol, that would make all the difference for most people.”
Stroke survivors often face limited mobility, which quadruples their odds of osteoporosis, broken bones and falls. But most are never screened for these problems, new research reveals.
“Our study adds to previous research that found despite an increased risk, only a small number of people who have recently had a stroke are tested and treated for osteoporosis,” said lead author Dr. Moira Kapral. She is director of general internal medicine at the University of Toronto.
Impaired mobility can result in bone mineral density decline, which is associated with osteoporosis. The condition weakens bones and increases risk of fractures.
In this study, researchers looked at more than 16,500 Canadian stroke survivors, aged 65 and older, from Ontario.
Of these patients, only 5% had undergone bone mineral density testing, 15.5% had been prescribed medications for osteoporosis within the year after their stroke and only a small percentage were prescribed medications for osteoporosis for the first time.
Patients most likely to have bone mineral density testing tended to be younger, female and to have had low-trauma fractures in the year after their stroke.
Patients were more likely to be prescribed medications for osteoporosis after their stroke if they were female, already had the bone-thinning disease, had previously broken bones, had previous bone mineral density testing, or had fallen or broke bones after their stroke.
The study was published recently in the journal Stroke.
“This study offers more evidence that there is a missed opportunity to identify people with stroke at increased risk of fractures and to initiate treatment to prevent bone loss and fractures,” Kapral said in a journal news release.
Less than one-third of older U.S. women are screened for osteoporosis.
The maximum treatment rate for some high-risk patients is about 30%, the researchers pointed out.
Although 170 foods have been reported to cause allergic reactions, there are eight common foods that cause allergies: milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
When you have serious food allergies, eating at a restaurant can literally mean risking your life. But new research suggests you can take steps to protect yourself when dining out.
In fact, the more steps you take to protect yourself from exposure to the allergic substance, the less likely you are to have an allergic reaction, the study found.
The researchers asked 39 people with allergies (or their parents) about 25 behaviors people might do before eating out. Nineteen of those surveyed had experienced a food allergy reaction while dining at a restaurant.
“Overall, when you look at the results and the strategies that people used, people who had an allergic reaction [after eating out] used significantly less strategies compared to non-reactors. Non-reactors used an average of 15 strategies, reactors used an average of six,” said study author Dr. Justine Ade, a pediatric resident at University Hospitals’ Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland.
Up to 15 million people may have food allergies, according to the nonprofit organization FARE (Food Allergy and Research Education). Although 170 foods have been reported to cause allergic reactions, there are eight common foods that cause allergies in the United States: milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and shellfish. FARE reports that sesame allergy is also a growing threat.
Eating food outside the home has been linked to numerous deaths in people with food allergies, according to the researchers.
Although the study didn’t evaluate how well any particular strategy worked, it did note how often people used individual strategies.
The top 5 strategies people use
Speaking to the waiter on arrival (80 percent)
Ordering food with simple ingredients (77 percent)
Double-checking food before eating (77 percent)
Avoiding restaurants with higher likelihood of contamination (74 percent)
Reviewing ingredients on a restaurant website (72 percent)
The strategies used least often
Placing food allergy order separately (23 percent)
Using a personal allergy card (26 percent)
No longer eating at restaurants (39 percent)
Choosing a chain restaurant (41 percent)
Going to a restaurant during off-peak hours (44 percent)
Ade said it may sound like a lot of work just to eat out, but “these
are things that become second nature for some people, and it probably
takes less than five minutes to do most of these things.”
People with food allergies aren’t the only ones who worry about what’s on their restaurant plate. Alice Bast, CEO of Beyond Celiac, a nonprofit health and awareness group, said that every time someone with celiac disease eats out, they play “gluten roulette.”
Celiac disease is a digestive disorder, and symptoms are triggered when someone with the disease eats gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
“Dining out is one of the biggest challenges of living with celiac disease,” Bast said. “When you’re out of control of your food, it’s easy to feel anxious about the possibility of becoming sick. There are always risks when someone else is preparing your meal, especially if they don’t take it seriously, or if they are just unaware of how to take the appropriate precautions.”
Both experts said it’s important to be vigilant and take the steps that you can to make sure your food is as safe as it can be. In the case of food allergies, Ade said it’s important to carry an epinephrine injection pen every time you eat out.
Ade presented the findings at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology annual meeting, in Seattle. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Dave Warners (second from left) and Gail Heffner (far right) were among those nationally recognized during the Urban Waters Learning Forum in Cleveland, Ohio. (Courtesy Calvin University)
Plaster Creek Stewards (PCS) have yet again received national recognition for their work. This summer, the Urban Waters Learning Network, Groundwork USA, River Network, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, awarded PCS the Learning Network Signature Award. The award, which was presented at a conference in Cleveland, Ohio, honors individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the network of urban waters practitioners and to the field of urban waters protection and restoration.
A team effort
Plaster Creek Stewards is an initiative of Calvin University that is dedicated to returning health and beauty to one of the most contaminated urban waterways in West Michigan. Now in its tenth year, PCS has involved students, staff, faculty, community members, and partners in education, research, and many different on-the-ground restoration efforts.
A major goal of this work is to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that enters Plaster Creek. Over the years, the runoff has created all kinds of problems for Plaster Creek: high levels of bacteria, heavy sediment loads, reduced aquatic life, and flooding. It has taken more than 100 years for the Plaster Creek watershed to become so degraded and PCS leaders know it will take at least 15-20 years of concerted effort to reverse the damage.
Getting to the root of the problem
“When we began this work we thought our job was to help clean up a contaminated creek,” said Dave Warners, biology professor at Calvin University. “But before long we realized the creek wasn’t the problem, it was a symptom. The problem is the way people are living in the watershed and the disregard that watershed residents show for the creek. So now PCS focuses on restoring the damaged relationship between people and their creek. We are trying to get people to care for this neglected and abused part of God’s creation.”
Gail Heffner, Calvin’s director of community engagement, started PCS with Warners back in 2009. The two accepted the Signature Award this summer during the Urban Waters Learning Forum in Cleveland. In reflecting on PCS’ work over the past decade, Heffner says simply: “it’s an embodiment of Calvin’s mission.”
Because of the mission
“Calvin’s mission asks us to think deeply. We’ve taken an interdisciplinary approach in looking into what’s causing the problems in this local watershed. What we’ve discovered is that there are populations of people and particular neighborhoods that are disproportionately affected by the contaminated runoff,” said Heffner. “Our mission also demands us to act justly. So when we discover that this environmental injustice is happening, we are compelled to do something about it.”
And that’s what Plaster Creek Stewards have done over the past ten years.
Research. Education. Restoration.
During that time, Plaster Creek Stewards have secured 18 grants totaling more than $2.7 million.These grants have supported research: 63 student summer researchers and faculty from six academic backgrounds have received funding to study the problems and possible solutions to the challenges faced by urban waterways like Plaster Creek.
These grants have also supported the education of hundreds of people, not just in the college classroom but from pre-school through post-retirement, helping people learn how to care for their local place. Since 2009, Plaster Creek Stewards have worked with more than 26 local schools and more than 18 local houses of worship to educate and help them take restorative action in the Plaster Creek watershed.
These grants have also supported numerous on-the-ground restoration projects to capture stormwater where it lands, preventing stormwater runoff which helps improve water quality. This restoration work has included a variety of projects from a large floodplain restoration project in an upstream county park to bioswales in suburban areas and curb-cut rain gardens in urban neighborhoods. Since 2009 Plaster Creek Stewards have expanded their native plant nursery by building two additional greenhouses and now grow more than 100,000 native Michigan plants per year that are used in these various projects throughout the watershed.
A bright future
PCS has also hosted a Green Team comprised of urban high school students who learn about watershed ecology and green infrastructure installation, while simultaneously being encouraged to consider college as part of their future. Grant funding and numerous individual donors have supported the Green Team program, which has provided 96 high school positions to students in the Plaster Creek and the Rogue River watersheds over the past seven years. This has been a rich learning environment for high school students and the college student mentors who have worked alongside them.
The year 2019 celebrates the first ten years of Plaster Creek Stewards. This fall, PCS will host their final 10th anniversary celebration in collaboration with the Art Department and the English Department under the theme of Dwelling: Our Watershed in Image and Word, followed by opportunities for attenders to roll up their sleeves and take part in some tangible restorative action on behalf of the creek. Heffner and Warners say that restoration is hard but hopeful work, and that it points to a future when even urban streams will once again be places of delight and beauty for the communities through which they travel.
Explore the wild side of West Michigan! Get up close to local wildlife, learn about exotic animals, and more with these animal encounters and zoos.
West Michigan zoos
Lewis Farms and Petting Zoo, a 700-acre farm in New Era, is home to a hands-on petting zoo and indoor aviary. Meet Jeffrey the Camel, donkeys, goats, and deer, just to name a few of the fun-loving animals to see. Children can also ride pedal carts, jump on a giant pillow, mine for rocks or take a train ride. The on-site farm market provides home-grown produce, scrumptious bakery items and famous kettle corn. Celebrate Jeffrey the Camel’s 12th Birthday at Lewis Farms & Petting Zoo Aug. 10th.
With over 2,000 animals and 213 individual species, John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids is full of opportunities to encounter and interact with wildlife. You can see animals from around the world, from African lions and Amur tigers to river otters and red pandas. If you’re looking to get a little closer, they have an interactive petting corral, camel rides, and budgie feeding. They also offer daily animal training demonstrations and Tools of the Trade animal encounters, which is a free program that gives you the opportunity to take a look at how John Ball Zoo staff trains the animals.
Have a great day trip to Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek where you can get up close with the giraffes. You can even feed them face to face on the deck in Wild Africa.
No matter what the weather, Raven Hill Discovery Center in East Jordan is full of fun for all ages. The Hands-on Room encourages everyone to explore light, sound, music, magnets, motion, earth, and life sciences. The Animal Room includes reptiles and amphibians to look at, pet, or hold. There are also salt and freshwater fish to watch. If you want to endear yourself to the animals, bring broccoli or apples for the tortoises or worms for the turtle, gar, and Miss Puff.
Grass River Natural Areain Bellaire is a 1,492-acre nature preserve surrounding the Grass River, located in the heart of Antrim County. Along with the beautiful views of Grass River, they also offer seven miles of well-maintained trails including 1.5 miles of boardwalk floating above sedge meadows and cedar wetlands. With all of these natural features, Grass River Natural Area offers visitors an outdoor, living laboratory to explore and learn. The Grass River Center is open year-round, offering a comfortable learning environment for public programming, school field trips, camps, and more. Trails are open 365 days a year, 7 days a week, from dawn until dusk.
You may not be able to pet the animals you find in Mecosta County, but you will still get a great learning experience. The Card Wildlife Education Center, a 5,000-square-foot facility located on the ground floor of the Arts and Sciences Commons building on the Ferris State University Campus in Big Rapids serves as an educational resource for Ferris State University college students, K-12 school children, and members of the Michigan Community. The wildlife specimens found within the wildlife center have been donated by Ferris alumnus Roger Card and his late wife, Debra.
Animal encounters
Since opening to the public in 1997, Oswald’s Bear Ranch in Newberry of Michigan’s UP has grown tremendously both in size and in bears. With lots of room to roam, these rescued bears are given a chance to continue their lives in natural habitats and comfort.
While visiting Black Star Farms near Suttons Bay on the Leelanau Peninsula, you will enjoy viewing the dressage horses and get up close to feed the goats. Up to 18 horses are privately boarded every year on the 160 acre estate. Farm animals change annually and are a delight to children and adults alike. Feeders bring them up close.
With 5,000 acres to explore, Shanty Creek Resort offers a variety of options to just get outside and be one with nature. Grab a pair of hiking boots, walking shoes, or even a bicycle to enjoy the on-site trails at the resort. Or, head just 3 ½ miles down the road from the resort to Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area. Enjoy the 750 acres that make up this combined trail system suited for hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing.
Head to the Holland Area to meet farm animals and more.
Visit the DeGraaf Nature Center and explore the 18-acre nature preserve, and interact with live animal exhibits.
Enjoy pony rides, hayrides, fishing, barn animals, and feed sheep and goats at Teusink’s Pony Farm.
Where can you go to have lots of hands-on FUN this summer? Zeeland’s Critter Barn is filled with growing baby animals, visitors, and lots of classes. Each year, thousands of children and youth join in Farm Classes and Field Trips that teach about feeding, handling, and caring for farm animals. These programs provide entertaining lessons and interactive learning experiences that focus on farm life and how our food is raised: “from the ground to the table.” Help collect eggs, try milking a goat, or hand-feed corn to the hens. Class openings still available.
Plan to feed treats to animals, feed a hungry calf a bottle, learn to hold or lead animals, collect eggs, milk a goat, plus give a goat a bubble bath in the Animal Adventures Class.
Your child will delight to meet the new “baby faces” at Critter Barn’s Baby Animal Class. Ducklings, Chicks, Lambs, Kids, Bunnies, and Calves. This one-time class is to be shared with an adult (yes, please bring your camera).
Critter Camp is a three-day experience that gives animal lovers an inside look at the entire farm operation. Critter Campers learn how to feed and care for animals, clean a pen, tend the garden, eat lunch in the hayloft, and enjoy the option to come back and volunteer throughout the year as a member of the Critter Crew.
Ludington has some unique animal encounters for you this summer! Spend the day at Amber Elk Ranch and take a wagon tour of the 130-acre beautiful pastureland, where you will see cows, spikers, calves, and bull elk up close. Visit the gift shop, or stop by the petting zoo for a closer look at nature.
Tour a 4th-generation dairy farm, meet the cows and learn about milk bottling at Country Dairy in New Era. Visitors can also sample cheese and farmstead ice cream, fresh and smoked meats.
Explore the “Amazing Dinosaurs!” exhibit at Grand Rapids Children’s Museum — an exciting animal encounter for families visiting West Michigan. Dinosaur fossils and skeletons have captured our imaginations for centuries, but once upon a time, they were living, breathing animals. In this interactive exhibit, you can touch real fossils, make raptor tracks, dig for dinosaur eggs, hear a T. rex roar, and more.
Get up close to birds in their natural habitat at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Augusta. Did you know that a Ruby-throated Hummingbird weighs as much as just two paper clips? Learn more about these diminutive birds Tuesday, Aug. 20, at a hummingbird banding demonstration hosted by the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. Visit with experts Rich and Brenda Keith of the Kalamazoo Valley Bird Observatory, part of the Kalamazoo Nature Center, to learn about their research, observe a banding and see a hummingbird up close.
Home to hundreds of reptiles, Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary & Zoological Gardens located in Athens in Coldwater Country, is a must-see destination. Visitors will enjoy daily guided tours and animal interactions. Walk through the swamp, feed your favorite gator, or just watch them bask in the sun and swim in this reptile paradise.
For those who walk clueless among us, you may consider this crisis averted. (You’re welcome.)
Aside from giving you the side-eye, Puff may not divulge her true feelings about that imminent slight, but rest assured, she would have exacted her revenge when least expected. Cats are notoriously sneaky, but the level of revenge here would have elevated stealthiness to epic proportions. Why risk it?
Created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, International Cat Day honors the awesomeness of felines the world over. Cat caretakers (no one owns a cat) are keenly aware how special their little puffballs are. But sometimes we all need a little help coming up with ideas. Some of the following are no-brainers, as seasoned cat worshippers will attest, but for recent initiates, we humbly offer these suggestions:
Um, you do know that we can see you, right?
Employ the slow eye blink (there’s a science behind this)
Buy a new feather toy (a perennial favorite). Don’t relegate it to the closet, however — be sure to engage your feline in robust play.
Reupholster the cat tree (better yet, just buy a new one, but don’t throw the old one out just yet — it takes time to acclimate to new furnishings)
Designate a hiding spot just for her (go ahead, be creative!)
Build a catio (you’ll score beaucoup points for this)
Clean the litter box three times today (this is admittedly risky; her majesty may subsequently expect this level of service daily). Alternatively, purchase an automatic, self-cleaning litter box. (Usage results may vary.)
Treat her to a microchip (you’ll have some explaining to do; use your imagination)
Leave the grocery bag out on the floor for at least an hour (paper only, please, folks)
Turn your house into a cat playground (this might take more than one day but so, too, did building Rome). Another idea here. And here.
Give the gift of cat grass. It’s a great snack and helps the hair ball problem.
Propionate is a preservative commonly found in breads and other manufactured foods. Researchers are trying to pin down the effects on humans, but in animal trials the ingredient led to weight gain. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
If you’re watching your weight, you probably know to avoid sugary and fatty foods.
But what about preservatives?
Eating a preservative widely used in breads, baked goods and cheese may trigger metabolic responses that are linked to obesity and diabetes, an early study suggests.
The additive, called propionate, is actually a naturally occurring fatty acid produced in the gut. When it’s used as an additive in processed foods, it helps prevent mold.
But in the new study, researchers found that feeding mice low doses of propionate gradually caused weight gain and resistance to the hormone insulin—which, in humans, is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
And when the researchers gave healthy adults a single propionate dose, it spurred a release of blood sugar-raising hormones—and a subsequent surge in insulin.
None of that proves propionate-containing foods raise the odds of weight gain and diabetes, said senior researcher Dr. Gokhan Hotamisligil, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.
“The point is not to say this additive is ‘bad,’” he stressed.
Instead, Hotamisligil said, his team is interested in understanding the effects—good or bad—of the various “molecules” humans consume in their diets.
“There’s a scarcity of scientific evidence on a lot of the things we put in our bodies through food,” he said. “Propionate is just one example.”
Still, Hotamisligil said, the findings do raise an important question: “Could long-time consumption of propionate in humans be a contributing factor to obesity and diabetes?”
When it comes to processed foods, the concern is usually directed toward ingredients like added sugar, sodium and trans fats. But there’s also a host of additives that, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are “generally recognized as safe.”
Despite that “GRAS” status, though, there is typically little known about how those food additives might affect metabolism, according to Hotamisligil.
Dr. Emily Gallagher is an assistant professor of endocrinology at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York City.
She agreed it’s important to dig into the potential metabolic effects of food additives.
“People may look at food labels and think they are making healthy choices,” said Gallagher, who had no part in the study. “But without our knowledge, very small amounts of certain additives in food may be causing detrimental metabolic effects.”
That said, it’s too soon to point the finger at propionate, according to Gallagher.
She called these early findings “thought-provoking,” but said longer-term studies are needed to better understand any health effects from the additive.
For the animal portion of the study, the researchers gave mice propionate in their water. The immediate effects included an increase in three hormones that spur the liver to produce glucose (sugar). Over time, chronic exposure to the additive caused the mice to gain weight and become resistant to the hormone insulin, which helps lower blood sugar levels.
The human portion of the study included 14 healthy people given a dose of either propionate or a placebo with a meal. Compared with the placebo meal, the additive caused the same hormonal response seen in mice, plus a surge in insulin in the blood.
Whether those effects over time could harm people’s health is unknown.
Many factors, including overall diet and exercise, affect the risks of obesity and diabetes, Gallagher pointed out.
For now, she said, the findings support the general advice that we should be limiting processed foods in favor of healthier, whole foods.
Hotamisligil agreed. “I’m not saying, if you don’t eat propionate, you’ll live forever,” he said. “But these are the types of foods we should limit anyway.”
The findings were published online recently in Science Translational Medicine.
If your child is headed to college for the first time, you can allay some of your worries by ensuring they’re up to date on vaccinations. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
If you’re looking to help your burgeoning thinker prepare for the first year of college, you could do worse than start with a simple science lesson.
Think of the higher learning universe as a giant petri dish.
Your youngster will dive headlong into that glorious environment, seizing opportunities to broaden the intellect and test new ideas that challenge the status quo.
College is, however, a life-sized cauldron of cellular chaos, swimming with a frightening array of potentially deadly germs.
What important steps can parents take to ensure their college student is prepared for life on campus?
Above all else, make sure your child is properly vaccinated, said Mary Zimmerman, immunization program manager at Spectrum Health.
Does this mean you can’t spend this last month of summer scouting out the best deals on futons, bed sheets and mini refrigerators? No. It just means immunizations need to maintain their proper place at the top of the to-do list.
Teens headed to college should be current on six vaccinations in particular—meningococcal serogroup B, meningococcal conjugate vaccine (serogroups ACWY), hepatitis A, Tdap, HPV and influenza.
Meningococcal serogroup B vaccine
Given their bustling social lives and close-quarter living, college students are uniquely prone to exposure of meningococcal disease, Zimmerman said.
And if there’s just one thing to remember about meningitis, it’s this: It is deadly serious.
“People who have had meningitis had flu-like symptoms and then they were dead within 24 hours,” Zimmerman said. “If you survive, it’s a long-term stay in the hospital.”
The disease kills 10 percent of its victims, she said. Of those who survive, 20 percent will suffer long-term consequences from infection, including brain damage, amputation or loss of hearing.
When the bacteria infect the brain and spinal cord, it’s known as meningitis. When it infects the bloodstream, it becomes septicemia. There are two different vaccinations for meningococcus—serogroup B vaccine and serogroup ACWY vaccine, also known as the conjugate vaccine—and they immunize against different groups of the disease.
The CDC requires children to receive the conjugate vaccination by age 12, with a recommended follow-up conjugate booster at age 16. It’s also recommended that children receive the serogroup B vaccine at age 16, when they get the conjugate booster, but it’s not required, Zimmerman said.
Only recently has there been growth in awareness about the serogroup B vaccine.
In Michigan, the family of Emily Stillman, a Kalamazoo College sophomore who died of meningitis in 2013 at age 19, has emerged as the vanguard in pushing for awareness about meningococcal serogroup B.
Stillman died within 36 hours of contracting bacterial meningitis. She had received the meningococcal conjugate vaccine in her youth and also the recommended conjugate booster at age 16.
She did not receive the serogroup B vaccine.
Why? In 2013, the serogroup B vaccine hadn’t been available in the U.S. Not until 2015 did it become available.
Zimmerman cautioned that parents may encounter circumstances, even today, in which a primary care provider doesn’t have immediate access to the serogroup B vaccination.
This should not discourage them from pursuing it further.
“Check first with your primary care provider,” Zimmerman said. “If they don’t carry the B shot, you can check with the local health department — they do have it.”
Don’t assume the serogroup B vaccination isn’t important simply because the CDC made it a recommended vaccination, as opposed to a requirement, said Mary Wisinski, immunization program supervisor at Kent County Health Department.
“Absolutely get the vaccine,” Wisinski said. “It’s a deadly disease.”
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine
All strains of meningitis are spread through secretions from the throat and respiratory system—coughing, kissing, sneezing, sharing cups and so forth. Simply living in the same environment as someone with the disease could put you at risk.
About 10 percent of people who carry the bacteria in their nose or throat won’t show symptoms of the disease. But they can spread it.
“That’s why it’s so scary,” Zimmerman said. “There’s no rhyme or reason as to who might get the disease and who might just be a carrier.”
This is why vaccinations are so critical, she said, especially for the age 16-to-24 group headed into socially rich environments such as universities.
While the CDC requires the conjugate vaccination by age 12, there are of course children whose parents may have opted them out of vaccines.
College is a great time to reconsider such views.
“A college student will think they’re just run-down, and then they have to be rushed off to the hospital,” Wisinski said. “There’s nothing they can do.
“People do survive it, but the infection can cause them to lose their arms or legs, or cause them to be deaf,” Wisinski added. “It’s not a pleasant thought. Especially when there’s a shot to protect against it.”
The Kent County Health Department follows the mantra, “Vaccinate before you graduate.”
“(Parents) are sending these kids off to college very unprepared and unprotected,” she said.
In recent years, there has been a grassroots push among certain parents to opt out of vaccinations, but that has only led to spikes in diseases that had virtually fallen off the threat radar.
In 2016 and 2017, for example, the CDC logged outsized jumps in the number of mumps cases—directly traced to university campuses. The two largest cases were in Iowa and Illinois.
A Michigan college hit with a recent mumps outbreak didn’t have the data they needed to tackle it, Wisinski said.
“They didn’t know the vaccination status of any of their students,” she said.
In respect to the meningitis conjugate vaccination, nearly half of all teens fail to get the follow-up booster shot recommended at age 16, Wisinski said.
“(In Michigan), 80 percent of our kids get the first meningococcal vaccine at age 12,” she said. “But they don’t come back. In Kent County, only 50 percent of the teens that are immunized with the first vaccine will get that second one. Nationally, it’s 30 percent.”
For about the past decade, the CDC has recommended children receive two HPV vaccinations starting at about age 11.
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus, with some strains causing various types of cancer. Much like other series of vaccinations, it’s important to have the complete series before any exposure, Zimmerman said.
HPV is a two-dose series if the first dose is administered before a child’s 15th birthday. If administered after the 15th birthday, three shots are required, Zimmerman said.
It’s important to remember the follow-up.
“Obviously, you get your best protection by completing the series,” she said.
“So many college students are traveling abroad,” Zimmerman said. “It’s good just to be protected.”
Hepatitis A is a liver disease spread through contaminated food and water. The vaccination is a routine recommendation for children starting at age 1, but there are adults and older children who have never had it.
The hepatitis A disease rate has declined 95 percent since the vaccine became available in 1995, but don’t imagine for a second that it has magically disappeared in this country.
The disease incubates in the body anywhere from 15 to 50 days before manifesting itself, Zimmerman said. Adults who get the disease can be ill for up to six months, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting and jaundice.
“It’s a virus,” Zimmerman said. “You clear it from your system. If you have the disease, you then have immunity. But that’s the hard way to get it.”
The easiest route is vaccination.
Tdap vaccine
Babies and small children receive a series of shots called DTaP, which protect against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
As a child ages, the effectiveness of this vaccination wears off. Consequently, at about age 11 the CDC recommends children receive a Tdap vaccination, Zimmerman said.
It’s effectively a booster for the original shot.
“They get the maximum benefit from (receiving) doses at the proper time,” Zimmerman said.
Tetanus is caused by toxins from bacteria in the soil. Diphtheria and pertussis are spread through coughing and sneezing. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 people who get tetanus will die and 1 in 10 who get diphtheria will die.
Pertussis is most dangerous for babies. They contract the disease from children or adults who haven’t been vaccinated.
“Pertussis won’t kill adults, but it does kill infants,” Zimmerman said.
Here again, the anti-vaccination crowd has given rise to pertussis outbreaks at levels not seen since the 1950s, according to CDC data. In 2012, more than 48,000 pertussis cases were reported—the most since 1955.
Researchers have blamed these developments on a reduction in herd immunity.
Influenza vaccine
A list of recommended vaccinations for any age group, infant to elderly, would be incomplete without the addition of the influenza vaccination.
“The annual flu vaccine is always recommended,” Zimmerman said.
Children from eligible families can receive free vaccinations through the Vaccines for Children program, Wisinski said. This applies to all vaccines, from birth to age 19. Children with medical insurance that does not cover certain vaccines can also receive vaccines, but they must get them at the health department or a qualified facility.
“If they have Medicaid or no insurance, or even insurance that doesn’t cover shots, they can get free shots,” Wisinski said. “It’s part of the VFC program.
“If someone from birth through age 18 has no insurance, or insurance that does not cover vaccines, the vaccine is free—but we do charge an administration fee on a sliding scale fee, from $0 to $23,” Wisinski said.
Beat chronic inflammation—and all of its side effects—with a vegan diet. And if that won’t work, there are other options. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
As it relates to biological processes within the human body, inflammation is often considered a necessary process.
When the body recognizes a threat from something foreign—an invading bacteria or virus—it activates the immune system to protect itself. Much benefit is derived from the inflammatory process, but only when it truly alerts the body to fight the foreign invaders.
Chronic inflammation is another story altogether. It often presents itself in well-known inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders and ulcerative colitis, among various other illnesses.
But chronic inflammation has even a darker side, according to Thomas Boyden, MD, medical director of preventive cardiology with Spectrum Health.
Chronic inflammation can cause coronary artery disease and contribute to the process that causes heart attack and stroke, Dr. Boyden said.
Fortunately, there is a simple solution to help reduce the harmful effects of chronic inflammation: Eat a healthier diet.
In a society where the penchant for meats and over-processed foods runs high, it is admittedly no easy feat for most people to follow a proper diet.
But the most ideal way to reduce chronic inflammation is, in fact, to follow a plant-based diet, Dr. Boyden said. Basically, you would eat nothing that was once alive and moving, such as red meat, poultry, pork or fish. Stay away from animal products such as dairy.
Those who can accomplish this vegan regimen could reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Boyden said.
Realistically, this type of diet doesn’t work for most people, so he highly recommends the Mediterranean diet as the best alternative.
“You can eat fish, poultry and dairy, but it is basically a plant-based diet that allows you to eat small portions of animal-based foods,” he said.
A workable diet
The Mediterranean diet is an entirely accessible, achievable solution for eating.
“I always find it interesting to hear the different reasons that people want to join the program,” Franowicz said. “We’ve had a lot of success with weight loss, lowering blood sugars and cholesterol. Besides these factors, I also have people join because they may have Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer in their families, and they want to reduce their risks.
“I think people have great success with long-term weight loss because the diet is sustainable, delicious and satisfying,” she said.
Another reason people often find success with the Mediterranean diet: It emphasizes good fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds and omega-3 fatty acids. These types of fats are not only delicious and satisfying, they also keep people from feeling deprived of food.
Better still, these fats help fight inflammation.
To reduce inflammation, it’s generally smart to avoid animal products as often as possible, Dr. Boyden said. Avoid saturated fats, too, which are often found in those products.
And more specifically: Stay away from foods that are fried, sugary or processed.
You should avoid artificial sweeteners, too. They’re made from chemicals—and why would you want to put a synthetic chemical in your body?
“They are not healthy,” Dr. Boyden said, explaining how artificial sweeteners can actually stimulate the brain to tell you you’re hungry. They can also make you gain weight.
“Truthfully, if you change your diet, you really do change your life,” Dr. Boyden said.
Dr. Boyden and Franowicz listed some of the obvious foods that exacerbate inflammation, as well as those that help fight it.
Foods that cause inflammation:
Butter and margarine
Fast food and fried foods
Red meat (burgers, steak) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
Refined carbohydrates such as white breads, sweets and pastries
Sodas and sweetened beverages
Foods that fight inflammation:
Olive oil, nuts and avocados
Fatty fish like salmon twice a week
Tomatoes and greens like kale, spinach, swiss chard
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Slink, born in the spring of 2011, was aptly named by his persistent, pint-sized rescuer, none other than Sandi D. Seems this elusive and evasive guy preferred to avoid all human contact and sneak around the feral feeding station Sandi supplied rather than risk getting snagged and snipped; having been intact well into his senior citizenhood, we guess we really can’t blame him.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Sandi laid down the law and told him how things were gonna go, and finally, after weeks of setting her trap, Slink allowed himself to be caught. A week after his trip to CSNIP to remove his manhood in late April, Sandi brought him in to see Dr. Jen as he wasn’t feeling well; as it turns out his neuter site had abscessed, he was running a fever and his white blood cell count was astronomically high.
To top things off, he had a fractured tooth with root retention that was causing him oral pain, major stud tail and was matted and scabby, all from living a rough life out on the mean city streets. And of course, he tested a very strong positive for FIV, a virus transmitted primarily from cat to cat by fighting, which it appeared he had done his fair share of.
Poor old guy. We didn’t have any room at our sanctuary at that time so, Sandi took Slink on home after Dr. Jen tended to his variety of medical needs and let him recover in the cozy confines of her makeshift living room shelter. A week later, he had healed beautifully, so Dr. Jen was able to vaccinate him, and in early June he came back out to see the good doc for his follow-up test, booster vaccines and a long overdue bath and brush out; the hair Dr. Jen removed from him could have made an entirely new cat!
Slink may have been a bit bald when he finally made it down to Big Sid’s, but he was definitely beautiful. His large jowls (fat-headed status comes form being intact and hormonal) had shrunk down nicely, his tail was no longer greasy and he had put on good weight. Our solid, sturdy boy was ready to join the ranks and become a resident.
However, over the next few weeks it was obvious that his mouth was giving him more trouble, as can be very common with FIV+ kitties, so Dr. Jen wasn’t surprised when she had to remove all of his teeth, with the exception of his canines, in late June. Although this sounds shocking, in all honesty we have a sizable population of cats that have very few, or in some case NO teeth, and once that source of chronic pain and inflammation is gone, these cats pork right on out as it is no longer problematic to eat.
Sure Slink may meow with a bit of a lisp, but he is happy and much healthier now!
We asked our shelter director and manager to weigh in on his personality thus far to give everyone an idea of what type of cat he is:
“Slink is slowly but surely coming out of his shell. He was so terrified that he hid under a bed for the first week or so, only coming out when Sandi would come and visit him. He now hangs out in a cubby or on top of the cat walk but will explore the shelter when it’s quiet. If you approach him slowly, he will let you pet him and really enjoys it. He is very passionate about canned food and treats! I would like to see him have a buddy or two in his home to give him confidence and show him how great it is to be an indoor cat.”
“In the past couple of weeks, Slink has gone from cowering behind a bed in a cage to hanging out with us in the meds room. Sandi visited him several times in the first few days, and she must have had a talk with him because suddenly he’s out and about looking for attention. He is not one bit aggressive but a little shy, so we’ve gone a little slower on handling him. We did discover he actually enjoys being brushed — he will be silky soft and shiny in no time. He’ll need a buddy or two to live with to help boost his confidence. I’m going to say dogs and small kids may be a bit too much for him.”
As Slink comes out of his shell more and more each day, we have to smile with pride. He is going to make a fabulous friend for someone who can provide a mellow, quiet life for him, one where he can lounge lazily in a sunbeam after filling his tummy, soaking up the warmth of the type of home he had only been able to dream of for far too long.
More about Slink:
Domestic Short Hair
Gray/Blue/Silver
Senior
Male
Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+
Good in a home with other cats, no children or dogs
Want to adopt Slink? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Today is National Night Out, a time set aside for residents to turn their porch lights on and get out and meet their neighbors.
Both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming will have a number of National Night Out events and activities taking place throughout the day. Below is a list of just some of those activities.
Consumer’s Energy Kick-Off Event
Consumer’s Energy will host its early morning event from 5:30 – 8 a.m. at its Wyoming headquarters, 4000 Clay Ave. SW. Mayors from several cities including Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll and Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley will participate in a joint reading of the proclamation in recognition of National Night Out.
Employees will be handing out light bulbs along Clay Avenue along with area police cruisers on display with lights on.
City of Kentwood
The Kentwood Police Department has partnered with Woodland Mall to offer community members an up-close look at emergency vehicles both outside and throughout the mall from 3 to 5 p.m. Large emergency vehicles will be on display outside by Celebration! Cinema, while other vehicles will be placed throughout the mall for shoppers to learn about and explore. A table featuring Kentwood Police Department giveaways will be located in the Barnes and Nobles wing.
Pentecostals Church, 2627 44th St. SE, will host a party featuring a bounce house, free meal, face painting, music, carnival games and other kids’ activities.
South United Methodist Church, 4500 S. Division Ave., will have free ice cream and hot dogs, a live band, door prizes and a small water slide for young children.
Faith Church, 1412 44th St. SE, will have food trucks and a live band.
More information about National Night Out events in Kentwood is available at kentwood.us/NNO.
Various activities will be offered at several neighborhood National Night Out events. (WKTV)
The Wyoming Concerts in the Park series hosts its last concert tonight with Shadows of the Night, music of the women of rock from 7 – 9 p.m. The evening is centered around National Night Out with a variety of activities taking place along with a visit from a couple of representatives from the city’s most popular police unit, the K-9 Unit.
Other National Night Out events, which will take place between 5 – 9 p.m., taking place are:
The South Godwin Neighborhood Association at Southlawn Park, 4125 Jefferson Ave. SE. This is one of the biggest National Night Out events with lots of activities.
Grace University, 1011 Aldon St. SW, will have activities and food.
Calvary Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Byron Center Ave. SW, will have activities and food.
Oriole Park, 1380 42nd St. SW, will have activities including a children’s parade.
South Kent National Night Out
The Kent County Sheriff’s Department and the Kentwood Community Church have teamed up to host the South Kent National Night Out set for 4 – 8 p.m. at Kentwood Community Church, 1200 60th St. SW.
The free event will feature food, games, splash pads, AeroMed Helicopter, KCSO Mounted Unit, and much more! For more information on the South Kent National Night Out, click here.
Getting away tends to be an excellent idea for aging adults who are looking for an opportunity to get out and explore a new environment for the day while returning to the comfort of their own bed that same night. Day trips also provide an excellent way to get away from the norm, and experience something new.
Shopping
A fun way to get out and explore may be a day trip out to an area mall. Or better yet, taking a trip to a new shopping area you’ve never experienced before to explore some unique and new shops and locations. Shopping can be a great activity to see the latest styles and trends while remaining active at the same time. Remember though, always set a budget before you go!
Winery trips
An organized trip to a nearby winery may be just the thing for a day or weekend outing. Depending on location, there are tons of wineries within driving distance, and many provide a variety of wines to try versus just one. Further, many of these places tend to have restaurants and great cafes with home-grown foods and delicacies matched to the local wines. So these trips frequently produce big wins, especially for those who like to eat. Remember though, make sure you have a responsible driver!
Hikes and rivers
Something about water and trails often reminds people of childhood memories or camping experiences. Fortunately with a day trip, one avoids all the hassle of the tent and campsite construction, cleaning and the breakdown all over again. Additionally, walking or hiking along a river has the added benefit of being able to cool down if the day is a hot one, either for a swim or just a handkerchief soaking.
Spa time
Health spas always offer an excellent way to relax. Whether it involves the full works with a mud bath or just a simple face massage, sweet drink and a lounge chair, sometimes letting down from life’s stress for the day works the best. Even better, it offers a bit of time just to forget about the outside world and focus a bit on “me” time.
Go for a drive somewhere new
Most of us have pretty good idea of where we live, drive, commute to work, hang out, buy our food and watch the sunset. However, that doesn’t mean we know the local area completely. Sometimes a crazy, out of the way drive to a part of town or the region one has never been to can be one of the best day trips to take. Just going somewhere new often produces excitement and interest, as well as a chance to find some new places to go back on a regular basis.
Be a fake tourist
Everyone’s town contains something that draws tourists. Ironically, those who live in the same city rarely go to such places. So break the social rule and be a fake tourist for a day. Go to the local museums, parks, festival events or even the town historical sites and city hall. You might be amazed about how much local history sits buried in these locations that most people don’t know a lot about. And a fake tourist tour provides you a great way to scout out your home for when a friend or relative visits and wants to see the local sights as well.
To ensure your sunglasses provide adequate protection from the sun’s rays, consider asking your eye doctor to have a look at them. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Sunglasses need to be more than just fashion accessories, an eye expert advises.
“Think of sunglasses as sunscreen for your eyes,” said Dr. Dianna Seldomridge, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
“Your eyes need protection from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays, just like your skin,” she explained. “Make sure your eyes are protected year-round. Harmful UV rays are present even on cloudy days.”
You should choose sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of both UVA and UVB radiation from the sun. You may be confused by labels that say the sunglasses provide 100% protection from UVA/UVB radiation, while others offer 100% UV 400 protection. Both will block 100% of the sun’s harmful radiation, the academy said in a news release.
If you’re skeptical of the UV protection label on sunglasses, take them to an optical shop or an ophthalmologist’s office, Seldomridge suggested. Most have a UV light meter that can test the sunglasses’ UV-blocking ability.
Consider buying oversized or wraparound-style sunglasses. The more coverage they provide, the better they protect your eyes, she said.
An important note: Dark lenses don’t block more UV rays than lighter lenses.
And you don’t have to pay a lot to get sunglasses that provide good eye protection, Seldomridge said. Less expensive ones marked as 100% UV-blocking can be just as effective as those that cost more.
Consider polarized lenses, which reduce glare from reflective surfaces (such as water or pavement). This doesn’t provide more protection from the sun but can make activities like driving or being on the water safer or more enjoyable.
Don’t forget sunglasses for your children, Seldomridge advised. Their eyes are just as susceptible to the sun’s harmful rays as yours and it’s a good idea to get them into the habit of wearing sunglasses at an early age.
Help your child adjust to back-to-school sleep schedules gradually. This will help them be alert and eager to learn by the time class starts. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Good sleep habits tend to take a vacation when school is out for the summer.
Long lazy days. Staying up late. Sleeping til noon. It’s all part of the fun.
But in the weeks leading up to the first school bell of the year, don’t forget to plan an adjustment to your child’s sleep routine. It’s never too early.
“It’s natural to be flexible with bedtimes in the summer,” said Jason Coles, MD, a pediatric sleep medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. “But … you’ll want to transition to a more normal routine. The day before school begins isn’t the time to start—kids need to gradually adjust to a new sleep schedule.”
Begin adjusting bedtime and wake time now to work toward the following recommended amount of sleep each night:
Children 3 to 5 years old: 11 to 13 hours
Children 5 to 12 years old: 10 to 11 hours
Teens 13 to 18 years old: 9 to 10 hours
The best way to make bedtime earlier, Dr. Coles said, is to decrease bedtime by 15 minutes every three to four days, giving your child time to adjust.
For example, if your child is going to bed at 11:30 p.m., have him start going to bed at 11:15 p.m. for a few days, then 11 p.m. for a few days, and so on. If your bed time goal is 10 p.m., it’ll take a while to reach it.
Making sleep a priority can be challenging. Especially considering the growing body of evidence that early school start times prevent adolescents and teens from getting the sleep they need.
“Sleep is such an important element in a child’s success at school and their overall health and well-being,” Dr. Coles said. “Just like with adults, lack of sleep can negatively affect memory, concentration, mood and attitude. It’s well worth the effort to ensure that your kids get the sleep they need.”
Dr. Coles noted, however, that it’s equally important to focus on wake-up time.
“Kids will have a hard time falling asleep earlier if they’re not waking up earlier,” he said, suggesting having the alarm ring earlier and earlier leading up to the school year.
“Bright light exposure and physical activity, specifically in the morning, help this process to happen quicker and feel more natural,” Dr. Coles added.
Dr. Coles offers these 8 tips for healthy sleep habits:
Steadily adjust to earlier sleep and wake schedules well before school starts. This will adjust biological clocks to the new schedule.
Avoid physical activity before bedtime and encourage physical activity in the morning upon waking.
Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Reading before bed is a good choice for kids of all ages.
Create a sleep environment that is cool, quiet, dimly lit and comfortable.
Keep television, video games and other electronics out of the bedroom. Avoid using them within one hour of bedtime.
Eliminate or reduce caffeine.
Eat well. Avoid big meals right before bed.
Increase activity (not near bedtime). Exercise and regular physical activity during the day improves sleep at night.
Even on weekends, keep a regular sleep schedule and avoid extremes. Having a regular bedtime every day increases the likelihood that kids, including teens, will get optimal sleep.
Keeping your child on a sleep routine will make it easier to wake them in the morning and they’ll feel better and more rested during the school day.
But don’t expect this to be easy.
“A change in sleep habits is hard, especially when kids want to make summer last and not think ahead to school,” Dr. Coles said. “Younger kids are more likely to question why they have to go to bed before the sunset. Remind them that good sleep means more energy to have fun the next day.”
Sweet plums and peaches are great on their own, a good source of potassium and a sweet low-cal snack with only 40 calories each.
But you can also use them as the foundation of dishes perfect for summer entertaining.
When it comes to picking out the best stone fruit, look for firm, unblemished skins—no scratches or bruises. If they’re firm to the touch, let them rest on a countertop or windowsill or in a basket for four to five days until ripe.
If you love fruit pies, but not their calorie overload, fruit crisps are a great swap. They’re lower in calories because they have only a streusel topping, no pie crust. This also makes them easier to prepare.
Stone fruit crisp
4 plums or peaches, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/2 pint raspberries
(For the streusel)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup rolled oats
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the stone fruit slices in a large bowl along with the lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Toss well. Arrange fruit in an 8-inch baking dish, overlapping them slightly, and then sprinkle with the raspberries.
In a clean bowl, use a pastry blender or fork to mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter and rolled oats until well combined. Sprinkle over the fruit and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until top is golden and the berries are bubbling. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Yield: 4 servings
For a twist on traditional salsa, this fruit-based variation really satisfies.
Stone Fruit Salsa
1 pound ripe peaches, plums or a mix, pitted and diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss well and refrigerate for about an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop. Use as an accompaniment for grilled chicken or fish, or as a dip for whole-grain pita wedges or crackers.
“It always helps to have people we love beside us when we have to do difficult things in life.”
From The World According to Mister Rogers (p. 45).
WKTV file photo
Get to know your neighbor, Aug. 6
Started in 1984, National Night Out has evolved to neighborhoods hosting block parties, festival, parades, cookouts and other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personal, exhibits and much more. More here.
Courtesy Vista Springs Assisted Living
How about doing some daytripping?
Be a fake tourist for a day. Go to local museums, parks, festival events or even the town historical sites and city hall. You might be amazed about how much local history sits buried in these locations that most people don’t know a lot about. Go here for more day trip ideas.
Circle Aug. 8th on your calendar
Comedy-drama, Superior Donuts by Tony® Award- and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Tracy Letts, explores the challenges of embracing the past and the redemptive power of friendship. It opens Aug. 8th at Circle Theatre. Go here for the deets.
Fun fact:
Because he ‘hated it so’
That’s the reason Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers) got into television. When he turned on a set, all he saw was angry people throwing pies in each others’ faces, and he vowed to use the medium to make the world a better place.
Circle Theatre continues its 67th Main Stage season with a production of Superior Donuts opening on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 7:30pm inside the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Aquinas College. Superior Donuts is brought to the Circle stage by Production Sponsor Steelcase and is rated R for strong language and adult situations.
“This is a show about being stuck in life. Stuck because of past mistakes, stuck because of one’s upbringing or background, or maybe stuck because of a crippling anxiety, guilt or fear. This is a show about overcoming these paralyses in order to find freedom, even when opposed by literal violence.” — Andrew Manion, Cast Member (Kevin Magee)
Under the direction of Mike Hull, Superior Donuts tells the story of Arthur, a Polish-American, who owns a decrepit donut shop in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Franco Wicks, a black teenager who is his only employee, wants to change the shop for the better.
This comedy-drama by Tony® Award- and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Tracy Letts explores the challenges of embracing the past and the redemptive power of friendship.
Circle Theatre audience members can take advantage of the Lobby Bar on select nights throughout the summer, including the Aug. 9 performance of Superior Donuts. On Aug. 9, Michigan craft beer and wine as well as donuts from Marge’s Donut Den will be available starting at 7pm; beverages can be enjoyed inside the theatre on that evening.
“Our show is the story of the American Dream as told by ordinary people. If you are someone who believes that America can be the best it can be for all of its people than this is a show that will hopefully inspire some questions and no small degree of hope.” — Mike Hull, Director
Superior Donuts will run Aug. 8-10, 14-17, 21-24 at 7:30pm, and Aug. 18 at 5:30pm. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the box office at 616.456.6656 or visit Circle’s website at circletheatre.org.
The “hygiene hypothesis” holds that early exposure to a variety of microorganisms may decrease the risk for chronic inflammatory diseases, like asthma.
Two Swedish studies that tracked 650,000 children found that exposure to farm animals and even dogs can have this kind of beneficial effect. Living on a farm cut kids’ asthma rate by half. Just having a dog in baby’s first year was linked to a 13 percent lower risk of asthma later on, the researchers reported.
Most Americans don’t live on farms, but these findings show that raising a baby in a household with a dog might have benefits beyond love and companionship. Early exposure to cats as well as dogs may offer some protection from developing allergies and asthma, health experts suggest.
Other steps can also help prevent childhood asthma.
First, don’t smoke or allow anyone else in your household to smoke. Smoking when pregnant increases the chances of your baby wheezing during infancy. And continued exposure to secondhand smoke has a direct tie to asthma and other respiratory illnesses in kids.
Also, try to breastfeed baby for at least four to six months to strengthen his or her immune system and help avoid infections that start in the lungs, common asthma triggers.
Other suggestions:
Reduce exposure to dust mites, a common allergen
Use zippered covers on pillows and mattresses, wash all bedding in
hot water once a week and keep the humidity in your home below 50
percent
If you can, keep baby’s room free of carpeting and upholstered furniture, places where mites hide
“Don’t make me pull this car over!” Siblings will often bicker, fight and disagree, but wait a few minutes and they will be best friends and don’t remember why they were fighting. Or if they are like my boys, they will say, “We are just having a conversation,” yet it sounds like bickering to me and it is stressful to the outside listener!
Families heading out for a summer vacation or even staying at home know all too well sibling “conversations” are inevitable. Fighting can be frustrating for everyone involved. Kids can have conflict for many reasons including jealousy, different temperaments and even the developmental needs of the child. For example, a child that is in elementary school has a strong sense of fairness and will be upset if they are treated differently.
Try not to get involved unless the argument becomes physical.
Effective negotiating and problem solving are skills they will need for
life. When we constantly rescue, they will learn to expect that from us
and the opportunity to learn how to resolve a conflict is missed. In
addition, kids that are always rescued may feel they can get away with
more.
If necessary, resolve conflicts with your child.
Discuss with your kids that equal and fair is not always possible.
Someone may sometimes get more. That is true in a family scenario as
well as real life.
Sometimes it can be as simple as offering, or setting up, space for
time apart. We don’t always get along with friends and coworkers, so it
is unrealistic to think siblings will be non-confrontational.
According to a Mayo Clinic article, “Sibling rivalry: Helping your children get along,” parents can also respect each child’s unique needs, avoid comparisons, set ground rules and stick to them, anticipate problems, listen, encourage good behavior and show your love.
The silver lining is when children disagree, they are showing healthy signs that they are able to express their needs and wants. Sibling rivalry is normal. All children will disagree. Treating them as individuals is key to helping the family through those stressful times.
A school ad shows a student larger than life because of all the new school supplies and clothes she got. But for some local residents, just purchasing the basic school supplies can be a momental task.
“In one of the places I recently volunteered, I talked to families who stated ‘My next paycheck would have to go toward school supplies,’” said WKTV Journal host Donna Kidner Smith.
It is the reason that Denise Kooiker created the School Supply Santa more than 10 yeas ago.
“I am hairdresser and I was at work one day and one of my clients was telling me about the need for school supplies and how much teachers spend on their classrooms and to help their students,” Kooiker said. “I was totally unaware of the need for school supplies.”
Kooiker discovered that more than 94 percent of teachers spend an average of $500 of their money on classroom supplies, she said. She created School Supply Santa to help teachers help those students who need it, Kooiker said.
Through Aug. 7, various locations throughout the Wyoming, Kentwood, Byron Center ,and Grand Rapids area are serving as collection sites. Some of the Wyoming locations are Amethyst Beauty Bar, Beltline Bar, Edward Jones, For the Kids Gymnastics, Maple Hill Golf, Peach Wave, Shape Your Life, and the YMCA – Spartan on Gezon Avenue. In Kentwood, some of the drop off sites are Breton Garden Family Dentistry, DJ’s Landscape Management, Grand Coney Diner, Fast Signs, and the Omelette Shop. For a complete list of locations, visit schoolsupplysanta.com.
Area residents are encouraged to bring donations to those locations. Items needed are backpacks, crayons, colored pencils, dry erase expo markers, ear buds, erasers, solid color folders, glue sticks, Post-it notes, Kleenex, pencils, markers notebooks, three-ring binders, composition notebooks, and headphones.
Kooiker said some of the school supplies, such as backpacks, do take a beating over the course or a year, so buying the cheapest item is not always the best option.
“Some of the less quality backpacks will rip fairly quickly,” Kooiker said.
Staff and teachers from Kentwood Public Schools, Wyoming Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools, Godfrey-Lee Pubic Schools, Kelloggsville Public Schools, and Byron Center Public Schools will attend a special event in August to pick up the school supplies. The staff from the schools then distribute it to students who have a need, Kooiker said.
Last year, School Supply Santa collected 1,219 backpacks, more than 38,000 school supplies, which supported 34 local schools, grades K-12, and more than 2,500 students.
And while the 2019 season for collections is coming to a close, the School Supply Santa does collect year around, Kooiker said. If you are interested in donating or volunteering for School Supply Santa, visit schoolsupplysanta.com or the Facebook page, School Supply Santa.
Some of the volunteers for the School Supply Santa. (Supplied)
A big part of your checklist as you prepare for a trip overseas: Make sure you’re up to date on your measles vaccination. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Due to waning vaccination levels in some areas, measles outbreaks are back with a vengeance.
But many globe-trotting Americans may not realize the problem is worldwide. Therefore, making sure your measles vaccination is up to date is paramount before jetting off.
In fact, U.S. outbreaks of measles “are usually started by foreign travelers importing the virus to the U.S.,” according to Dr. Len Horovitz. He’s a specialist in pulmonary illnesses at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
“This is exacerbated by lack of vaccination in many foreign countries,” Horovitz said. And according to a regularly updated list of measles “hotspots” from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “this is clearly a global epidemic,” he said.
“Asia, Africa and the Middle East lead the list, but in Europe the Ukraine and Romania have had reports of outbreaks,” Horovitz noted. “Also included on the outbreak list are Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Bulgaria and Lithuania.”
Besides ruining a dream vacation, measles is very contagious and can be spread quickly to others, experts warn. And even if you think you got the shot in childhood, it’s smart to check and see if your immunity has waned, Horovitz said.
That’s especially true for some of the baby boomer generation.
“It’s well-known that vaccines between 1963 and 1967 were less effective and immunity can fade over the age of 50, even if you’ve had the disease,” Horovitz explained. “So one cannot assume immunity to measles, mumps or rubella in any adult.”
A simple blood test can gauge your immunity.
Horovitz said he’s been “testing patients for immunity in the last 10 weeks. All are adults and I’ve uncovered two or more patients each week who need booster vaccination. That’s 23 non-immune adults so far in a solo practice.”
According to Horovitz, one large commercial lab that tests for immunity to measles, mumps and rubella found that as many as 9%-13% of specimens lacked immunity to one or more of the three viruses.
So while getting kids vaccinated is crucial, “there’s also clear evidence that there is a significant number of non-immune adults in the U.S.,” Horovitz said.
Meanwhile, the measles situation in the United States continues to be dire.
“The 2018-2019 measles epidemic has been documented as one of the worst on record since 2000,” Horovitz said. “In April 2019, the CDC reported 695 cases in 22 states. The largest outbreaks were in Washington state and New York State.” He pointed out that 2018 saw a 300% increase in cases.
Some patients should not receive measles vaccination (including those with multiple sclerosis), so it’s better to assess a patient’s need for re-vaccination rather than just giving a booster to any patient requesting it or traveling to a country where measles is common, Horovitz said.
“A simple blood test with 24-hour turnaround time will reveal the immune status and need for vaccination. Patients who don’t require a booster should not be vaccinated, but a surprising number will require it,” he said.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
These two boys had it really rough prior to their rescue, and both had significant health issues that needed prompt medical attention. But probably most important of all, they are absolutely enamored by one another. In fact, their bond was almost immediate and has since grown to the point that we will strive to adopt them out as a duo because, honestly, one is rarely seen without the other close by.
We’ll begin with Caboose, a one-year-old fella (born in early 2018) from Lansing who found himself in dire straits when his rectum prolapsed (due to chronic diarrhea secondary to internal parasites). Thankfully, his rescuer took him to emergency immediately, and surgery corrected his issue. Unfortunately, he tested FIV+ (and upon retest, a faint FELV+), and although his rescuer was smitten with this darling boy, she had a houseful to think of for the long haul, so she contacted us for help.
All was going quite well after his arrival, but just three days into his stay at our sanctuary, Caboose prolapsed again — and this time had to have a portion of that pooching rectal tissue amputated. The second time around proved to be successful, and now (a month after his arrival) he is off all meds and pooping like a trooper.
Four days after Caboose came into our program, we opened our doors to a bedraggled but beautiful brown tabby — Snickerz — who hailed from the east side of the state. His rescuer came across him a month earlier, living outside of a local business, begging for dinner from food trucks on the property; he supposedly had caretakers but it was painfully obvious that this five-or-so-year-old fella (we think he was born in early 2014) was suffering, not only from a nasty respiratory infection, but heavy internal parasites, a nasty ear infection, and a horribly rotten mouth that attributed to his malnutrition and poor body weight. He also tested positive for both viruses.
Since his immune system was so run-down, Snickerz also came down with calici virus, an infectious, transmissible feline illness that causes painful oral ulcers, fever and lethargy. However, through it all, nothing dragged him down, and we all truly believe that the comfort he found in cuddling up next to his caring comrade Caboose expedited the healing process.
The two perfect peas-in-a pod have similar personalities as well as being bosom buddies, and it has been delightful watching them interact. Here is what our volunteers had to say:
Heeeere’s Snickerz
“Caboose — I just love this cat! He’s really doing well slowly starting to socialize, and likes to hang out now in different rooms. I love how he perks up when he sees me, almost like he’s proud of himself for being so much more brave and outgoing. He will eat bowl after bowl of wet food, and piles of Temptations. He’s doing great after his surgery and I think it’s obvious he feels good — look at the weight he’s gained! He doesn’t mind being picked up, LOVES belly rubs, and has sat on my lap a few times. Caboose is really starting to come out of his shell. He was so shy for a while, but he has settled in just great. He loves attention and has a great purr almost like Scherzer (our resident pigeon).”
“Snickerz is a bit on the shy side but is starting to show his personality. He prefers to be lying in his big puffy bed (with the stuffed lion his rescuer brought in with him) next to his other lounging friends. To me, he’s very kitten-like because he’s a little on the small size. He’s not real crazy about being picked up, but will curl up in your arms if you sit down with him. He enjoys treats and wet food, along with chin scratches. Being that he’s so shy he’s going to take some patience. Snickerz is a quiet boy who is really enjoying the comforts of indoor life. He’s such a happy and content guy that he has been caught purring in his sleep on numerous occasions.”
Both boys need to go into a quieter home, no small kids or boisterous dogs, and most definitely with one another; how could you separate these soulmates? We would love for nothing more than to give them the storybook ending they so deserve, a happily ever after that includes the both of them not necessarily riding off into the sunset, but rather napping side by side, contentedly, in complete bliss for countless days to come!
More about Caboose:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Tiger-striped)
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+ and FELV+
Good in a home with other cats, no children or dogs
More about Snickerz:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Brown/Chocolate)
Adult
Male
Small
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+ and FELV+
Good in a home with other cats, no children or dogs
Want to adopt these great guys? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Research suggests antibiotic use be kept to as short a period as possible, given the potentially adverse effects of prolonged use. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Antibiotics can be lifesaving, but using them over a long period might raise the odds of heart disease and stroke in older women, a new study suggests.
Researchers tracked the health of nearly 36,500 U.S. women over an average follow-up of nearly eight years. During that time, more than a thousand developed heart disease.
The study found that women aged 60 and older who used antibiotics for two months or longer were 32% percent more likely to develop heart disease than those who did not use antibiotics.
Women aged 40 to 59 who took antibiotics for longer than two months had a 28% higher risk than those who did not take the drugs, said a team led by Lu Qi. He directs the Tulane University Obesity Research Center in New Orleans.
Said another way, the results mean that for older women who take antibiotics for two months or more, 6 per 1,000 would go on to develop heart disease, compared with 3 in 1,000 among those who did not take the drugs.
There was no increased risk of heart disease among women aged 20 to 39 who took antibiotics, according to the study published recently in the European Heart Journal.
“This is an observational study and so it cannot show that antibiotics cause heart disease and stroke, only that there is a link between them,” Qi said in a journal news release. “It’s possible that women who reported more antibiotic use might be sicker in other ways that we were unable to measure, or there may be other factors that could affect the results that we have not been able take account of.”
However, the researchers did take into account other factors, including age, race, sex, diet and lifestyle, reasons for antibiotic use, overweight or obesity, other diseases and medication use.
The most common reasons for antibiotic use among women in the study were respiratory infections, urinary tract infections and dental problems.
So what could be the link between antibiotics and heart risk?
One possible reason could lie in the fact that antibiotics do alter the balance of gut microbes, destroying good bacteria and increasing the proportion of viruses, bacteria or other microbes that can cause disease, Qi suggested.
“Antibiotic use is the most critical factor in altering the balance of microorganisms in the gut,” he said, and “previous studies have shown a link between alterations in the microbiotic environment of the gut and inflammation and narrowing of the blood vessels, stroke and heart disease.”
Study first author Yoriko Heianza is a research fellow at Tulane University. She noted that, as the women in the study aged, “they were more likely to need more antibiotics, and sometimes for longer periods of time, which suggests a cumulative effect may be the reason for the stronger link in older age between antibiotic use and cardiovascular disease.”
According to Qi, the take-home message from the new study is that “antibiotics should be used only when they are absolutely needed. Considering the potentially cumulative adverse effects, the shorter time of antibiotic use, the better.”
Dr. Eugenia Gianos directs Women’s Heart Health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She wasn’t involved in the new research but said the findings are “interesting and warrant further analysis.”
Gianos agreed that the study couldn’t prove cause and effect.
“It is very possible that patients who require antibiotics for an infection have a worse underlying infectious or inflammatory process and that the systemic effects of these diseases are what cause cardiovascular disease,” she reasoned.
But the interplay between antibiotics, the gut’s “microbiome” and the cardiovascular system could be important as well, Gianos said.
Krasl Art Center (KAC) welcomes LaPorte, IN artists Jon Hook and Andrea Peterson to the galleries for their immersive installation: Inhaling the Universe. On view Aug. 9-Sept. 29, this exhibition marks an experimental new adventure by the artists and nature alike, played out in KAC’s galleries.
The artists have created specific pieces for the exhibit, including sculpture, cyanotype, and custom prints in an awe-inspiring installation that is stimulated by and made in collaboration with nature. Their work reflects on the passage of time and life cycles; it leads viewers on a thoughtful and conscientious walk through a wonder-filled landscape.
Hook and Peterson have been living in northwest Indiana since 1997. In both work and study, they attempt to live harmoniously with the surrounding environment. They apply regenerative and sustainable methods on their small farm that entwines their work and life. Hook Pottery Paper consists of a clay studio; a combined book, paper, and print studio; and a gallery shop.
Hook’s wood-fired ceramics use an intense and industrious process that emphasizes the use of local materials for firing as well as glaze-making. He reduces local plants such as hay, cattails, and thistle, as well as clay to their molecular essence, which is then used to create unique glazes. He is a forerunner and expert in his field, specifically concerning sustainable and regenerative firing and ceramic studio processes. Hook has received two consecutive Indiana State grants that aided his research of an oil drip burner system to assist the wood-fired kiln on their farm. Hook’s dedication to mutualism in the environment has evolved to center on regional identity.
Peterson’s work explores all types of paper fibers and processes including paper works, prints, artist books, and environmental installation pieces. She combines paper arts, printmaking and book arts to make works that address the human relationship to the environment.
Courtesy Krasl Art Center
Peterson received her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her MFA in printmaking from University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She has lectured and taught extensively, including at Ox-Bow; School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Sciola de Graphica, Venice, Italy; Paper Museum Steyermeuhl, Austria; Syracuse University and Indiana University. She currently teaches in the Fiber and Material Studies Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Krasl Art Center invites the community to welcome the artists and this impressive undertaking on Friday, Aug. 9, from 6-8pm with a cash bar, live music, and small bites provided by Bistro on the Boulevard. Guests will meet not only Hook and Peterson but also artlab artist Casey Roberts and sculptor Peter Krsko, who created the wooden interactive sculpture Ground Wave in KAC’s East Garden.
Hook and Peterson will give a presentation about their farm and regenerative practices before the opening party at 5:30pm.
“Animals are such agreeable friends — they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.”
George Eliot
On a roll
Only recently, Margo Price “was a country underdog just trying to keep enough gas in the tank to get to the next gig,” but by the end of 2016, she was one of the genre’s most celebrated new artists with gigs on late night television and at major festivals around the world. Don’t miss her performance at Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park this Thursday, Aug. 1st. The Dawes with Margo Price concert will start at 6:30pm (5:15pm gates open), with a $50 general admission ticket price. For more information and tickets visit meijergardens.org. Go here for the story.
Precious cargo
National Heat Stroke Prevention day is July 31, 2019, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding everyone to “look before you lock.” It takes just 10 minutes for a vehicle in the sun to heat up by 20 degrees and become potentially deadly for a child left locked in a car. Go here for the story.
Tick tock
If despite your best prevention efforts, a tick still attaches to you, there’s a right and a wrong way to remove ticks. Don’t use matches or the tip of a cigarette to burn off ticks. This could cause them to transmit bacteria more quickly. The correct way to remove a tick is to lift it gently with thin forceps or tweezers. Here are more tips.
Fun fact:
A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top. You’re welcome.
How the Grand Rapids Public Museum acquired its latest exhibit, “Changing America,” is perhaps just as fascinating as the story the exhibit presents.
It was an article in the Washington Post that lead to the Grand Rapids Public Museum President and CEO Dale Robertson to consider the exhibit. The articled was about a city in Alabama, called Demopolis. The city had had a Confederate statute that was accidentally knocked down with the citizens divided over where the statute should be put back up.
“Are we going to put it up? Are we not going to put it up. What does this mean to me? Well this is what it means to me,” was the discussion according to Robertson the town was having. The town leaders recognized that the town needed to go through a reconciliation and in that process discovered the exhibit “Changing America.”
“It was being traveled by the National Library Association but it was created by the Smithsonian Institute, so you know there is a level of quality and accuracy and factualness that is just part of it,” Robertson said.
Because the show juxtapositions two huge events in American history, the Emancipation Proclamation, which happened in 1863, and the March on Washington in 1963, Robertson talked to the museum staff about bringing the traveling exhibit to Grand Rapids. GRPM Vice President of Marketing and PR Kate Kocienski checked on the exhibit.
“She learned that the exhibit was no longer traveling but if we were interested in paying for the shipping of it, the museum could just have it,” Robertson said.
So the Museum covered the cost of the shipping and brought the panel show to Grand Rapids, augmenting it with items from the Museum’s own collection and borrowing items from the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, located at 87 Monroe Center NW. GRAAMA is hosting a complimentary exhibit “American Freedom 1863-1963 Exhibit.”
“Changing America” will be at the museum through Oct. 13. The exhibit, which opened earlier this summer, has been augmented throughout the months with staff adding elements, including newspaper articles and photos from the Grand Rapids Press archives to the exhibit throughout the months.
“Changing America” and “TOYS” are part of the regular admission to the museum, which is $5 for Kent County residents and $3 for Kent County seniors. Kent County children 17 and under are free and there is free museum parking for Kent County residents when they purchase a ticket. For more information, visit grpm.org.
The Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives is open noon – 5 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday. The museum is free. For more information, visit graama.org
Most people think about going to their primary care provider’s office when they are sick, but did you know it’s also recommended to visit your health center, on average, once per year when you are healthy? This is commonly called a “yearly physical” or “annual preventive visit.” The goal of this visit is to promote health and prevent disease. There are several diseases we can either prevent or catch early before they cause you problems — and most of these don’t have any symptoms, meaning that you feel fine and might not know that something is wrong.
This includes:
High blood pressure
Diabetes or Pre-diabetes
High cholesterol
Certain cancers, such as cervical, breast, or colon cancer
Certain sexually transmitted infections
Coming in for a yearly physical is also a great chance to make sure you are up-to-date on the recommended vaccines (such as your yearly flu shot, tetanus booster, or pneumonia vaccine), and talk to your primary care provider about any other recommended screenings based on your age and risk factors. For example, did you know all baby boomers are advised to be screened for Hepatitis C? This is a virus that can be silent for years but ultimately cause liver damage or even cancer. The good news is we have a cure, and all it takes is a simple blood test to detect it.
At your annual physical, you and your primary care provider will together come up with a plan to ensure you stay healthy and work on any areas that might be holding you back or hurting your health.
Over time, the more you get to know your primary care provider, the more comfortable you will feel seeking help if something does go wrong. And believe it or not, the better your primary care provider knows you, the better care they will be able to give you.
Summer is a great time to schedule an appointment for your yearly physical. Call your health center today!
Shamar Green brings a ladder into the hallway at school. Students passing by know what to do: Climb the Ladder of Success.
“I never thought it would be as big as it is around here,” said Shamar about his news segment of that name, which airs regularly on the high school news channel, Falcon News Network. He stands on the ladder with his microphone and interviews students and teachers, man-on-the-street style. He has many eager participants.
“I just get up there and ask questions about, ‘What are the keys to success?”
(Courtesy photo) Shamar Green participates in a cupcake competition for Falcon News Network
He’s covered topics such as how to be successful at the SAT, how to have an enjoyable Christmas and how to pull off a great Valentine’s Day.
At East Kentwood High School, Shamar is known as a jokester, a fun-loving, energetic student. He graduates May 21 with dreams of becoming a professional actor. But it wasn’t until a few years ago that Shamar decided to channel his energy for the positive. He spent several years constantly in trouble and struggling to find his way.
“In elementary school, it was rough because I don’t think I went to school 10 days straight,” he said. “I couldn’t stop getting suspended.”
Easily triggered and quick to lash out, he was put into a special education program for students with emotional impairments. In sixth grade, he was removed from the traditional educational setting to attend a center-based program for emotionally impaired students.
“My responses were terrible, and it would lead to small things becoming bigger things that would lead to suspensions. … I struggled with low self-esteem at times, and a lack of coping skills and strategies.”
Shamar’s mother, Jaquise Brazil, was constantly trying to help.
“My mother was always looking for me to get help,” he said. “She really made an effort to make sure my mental health was strong and good. She always stuck with it. I never felt like she would quit on me.”
(Courtesy photo) Shamar Green performs in ‘The Music Man’
Considering the ‘Grand Scheme of Things’
Shamar remembers the incident in ninth grade that led to his turning point. After being kicked out of class for fighting verbally with other students, he tried to get back into class to get his backpack. “I was kicking the door to get back in,” he said. “There was glass on the door. I kicked the glass and I broke it.”
The resulting two-week suspension extended into winter break. “That whole month I was in my room, in a funk. I was trying to figure everything out,” he said. “I was like, ‘OK. What do I want out of life? What do I want to be? Are the things that are making me act out really worth it in the grand scheme of things?’”
Once he returned to school in January, “things started to go in the right direction.”
His reflections coincided with getting to know two ninth-grade teachers, Alan Freudigmann and Beth Thompson, who spoke words that resonate with Shamar to this day. They took time after school to talk to him.
HIS NATURAL CHARM CAN BE DISARMING, BUT THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH HE TAKES HIS PERSONAL GROWTH IS IMPRESSIVE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT GREAT THINGS HE WILL DO IN THE FUTURE; I CAN ASSURE YOU IT WON’T BE BORING.” — TEACHER BETH THOMPSON ON SENIOR SHAMAR GREEN
“If it wasn’t for those two, I don’t know how I would view myself today,” he said. Thompson told him, “Find something you are passionate about,” Shamar remembers. “That stuck with me.”
Freudigmann taught him to be gentle when reacting to others. Shamar recalled a moment when he asked Freudigmann if he was going to yell at another student who had not completed an assigned task. The teacher said, “When you yell at someone, that makes them want to help you less.”
“Something so small like that has gone a long way for me,” Shamar said. “I try not to yell at people. That helped me with patience.”
Thompson, who had Shamar in her ninth-grade English class, said she noticed him take responsibility. “There are many things I love about Shamar, but one of his marked characteristics has been his willingness to listen and learn about himself. He has always been honest about making mistakes and asking questions about why he was getting a certain reaction or push-back from some people,” she said. “In my opinion, he has chosen a path to improve himself, which is unusual for such a young person.”
Shamar Green is ‘Climbing the Ladder of Success’
Discovering his Passion
Shamar, who lived outside Kentwood Public Schools’ boundaries, attended a different high school his sophomore year.
He wanted badly to return, which he did his junior year. “It was perfect. It still feels good. I’m so happy to be here. I’m blessed to be here. It’s truly a privilege to be here. There is no other place I would want to graduate high school from. This place fits me like a glove.”
With a better attitude and behavior, Shamar got involved in school. He learned about broadcasting through Falcon News Network and created the “Climbing the Ladder of Success” segment. He performed in the plays, “Don’t Drink the Water” and “Wiley and the Hairy Man,” and the musical, “The Music Man.”
Principal Omar Bakri noticed the transformation.
“Shamar quickly snapped into focus, and began making changes that were evident to all who knew him,” Bakri said. “He was willing to be reflective, and seek alternative patterns and behaviors and responses. Shamar has emerged as an engaged member of the student body. … He is well-connected, and a positively contributing member of the school community.”
Added Thompson: “His involvement at East Kentwood High School with the Falcon News Network and the theater program shows he is willing to take risks. His natural charm can be disarming, but the seriousness with which he takes his personal growth is impressive. I look forward to seeing what great things he will do in the future; I can assure you it won’t be boring.”
When Shamar was suspended he watched TV, he said. “I would just sit down and watch shows like ‘Good Times,’ ‘Martin,’ the ‘Jamie Foxx Show.’
“I fell in love with acting and it became a passion and a dream.”
After graduation, Shamar plans to move to Las Vegas to live with his uncle and audition for acting gigs. His dream job: act in a remake of the 1999 movie “Blue Streak” and a sequel to that movie.
Shamar Green interviews senior Michelle Pham for his news segment
Falcon News Network teacher Geoffrey Westman said he’s seen Shamar mature a lot as he’s taken on challenges. “When he finds something he wants to achieve, he will work relentlessly to achieve those goals.”
Plus, he lights up when he’s on air. “He is very comfortable in front of the camera,” Westman said.
Looking back, Shamar said he is astounded by how far he’s come. “It’s actually unfathomable — that’s the word that comes to mind a lot lately. … I’m 17, but I feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives. I’ve been through many phases and iterations of myself, but it’s for the good.”
Shamar said he wants people to know his story so they can also start fresh.
“A lot of people don’t know these things about me. I want to show people you don’t have to be ashamed of your background.”
He continued: “For anyone who is in a rut or feels hopeless— just stay the course, when I was going through everything. … I always held onto my dream — latch on to some hope and have faith in something. If you have a goal and end game it will be fine.”
For more stories on area schools, visit School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
As a dangerous heat wave descends upon the Midwest, and in advance of National Heat Stroke Prevention day on July 31, 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reminding everyone to “look before you lock.” This national campaign urges drivers to develop a routine habit of checking their backseat before locking their car and walking away. Outside of crashes, heatstroke is the number one vehicle-related killer of children in the United States. Vehicle heat stroke occurs when a child is left in a hot vehicle, allowing their body temperature to rise rapidly and often fatally. In the 20 years from 1998 to 2018, 772 children died of heatstroke in hot cars. Already in 2019, 21 children have died in hot cars.
As temperatures outside climb, the interior of vehicles rapidly reach dangerous temperatures. It takes just 10 minutes for a vehicle in the sun to heat up by 20 degrees and become potentially deadly. This means in the forecasted 95-degree heat, the interior of a vehicle can reach a lethal 115 degrees in the time it takes to run into the bank or gas station.
Children are significantly more sensitive to heat stroke than adults. Infant and children’s body temperatures rise three to five times faster than that of adults experiencing the same temperatures. When a child is trapped in a hot vehicle, their body temperature will rise rapidly. Heat stroke begins when the core body temperature reaches 104. A core body temperature of 107 is fatal.
Make it a habit to look in the back seat EVERY time you exit the car.
ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach.
Courtesy Michigan State University Extension
If you are a bystander and see a child in a hot vehicle:
Make sure the child is OK and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.
If the child appears to be OK, attempt to locate the parents or have the facility’s security or management page the car owner over the PA system.
If there is someone with you, one person should actively search for the parent while the other waits at the car.
If the child is not responsive or appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child—even if that means breaking a window. Many states have “Good Samaritan” laws that protect people from lawsuits for getting involved to help a person in an emergency.
Know the warning signs of heatstroke, which include red, hot and moist or dry skin; no sweating; a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse; nausea; confusion; or acting strangely. If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, quickly spray the child with cool water or with a garden hose—NEVER put a child in an ice bath. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
More than half (54%) of all vehicle-related heatstroke deaths in children are caused by a child accidentally being left in the car, and 26% are from a child getting into a hot car unsupervised. It only takes a few minutes for a vehicle to reach dangerous temperatures. Take time to develop a vehicle safety routine for your family and prevent tragedy.
Joanne Bailey-Boorsma, the host of Locally Entertaining, sits down with members of the Motherland House Concerts. From the right, Netty BM, Ruben Ndjerareou, Beatrice Muriithi, and Mirbel Umenei. (WKTV)
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre wraps up its 2018-2019 season with “Alice in Wonderland” and “All Shook Up.” (GRCT)
Shake the routine up by watching two local high school students perform the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre productions of “All Shook Up” and “Alice in Wonderland.” Both shows run July 26 – Aug. 4 at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. The shows alternative dates and times, so make sure to check ahead if you are look for a specific show. Kentwood’s Micah Hamstra plays Humpty Dumpty and Tweedledum in “Alice in Wonderland.” Wyoming’s Xavier Turner portrays Dennis in “All Shook Up.” Tickets are $10 – $16 with the shows only being about an hour. For more information, visit grct.org.
One ‘Queen’ of a show
The last dual feature of the Queen and Pink Floyd light shows is Aug. 1. (Longway Planetarium)
Buckle up, the Grand Rapids Public Museum will be offering the final Planetarium Double Feature showing of The Queen Light Show and Dark Side: The Light Show in the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium on Thursday, Aug. 1. Tickets are are $8 for non-members, $4 for members. Tickets may be purchased at grpm.org or by calling 616.929.1700.
Take a stand
No matter where you stand in the state of Michigan you are never more than 85 miles away from one of the Great Lakes. So in just under two hours, you could be at beach. This is why we love Michigan!
