An estimated 11 million residents of the United States do not have formal authorization to live there. Some overstayed visas. Others crossed the border illegally in search of work, safety, or family members.
Over the years, they have become contributing members of their respective communities: from Savannah to Spokane, from Albany to Albuquerque. They clean our hotel rooms, pick our produce, construct buildings, and even start businesses in their adopted cities.
Born of the farmworker movement, Cosecha (Spanish for “harvest”) is advocating for life with dignity for all immigrants. Sergio Cira Reyes explains how.
As we head into the first full week of 2020, Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma compiled the top WKTV Journal stories of 2019. Those vying for the number one spot were all stories about raising awareness on a variety of subjects, child abuse and neglect, autism, Multiple Sclerosis, and helping those in need. We salute all who have worked to make the world a better place.
Mel Trotter Ministries hosts its annual Thanksgiving event. (Supplied)
As of Jan. 1, Heartside Ministry and Mel Trotter Ministries have merged. Reducing operating costs, eliminating potential duplication of services, and creating a greater impact for the populations the agencies both serve were the driving forces for the merger, according to organization officials. Services will not be immediately impacted as officials said the two organizations will need most of 2020 to work through the details of the merger.
Fun Fact: Pie Fight
Once, a long time ago, a northern Michigan city decided it needed a “claim to fame” so the residents of Charlevoix made the world’s largest pie at 17,420 pounds. Well, Charlevoix’s city to the south, Traverse City, was not to be outdone. In 1987, the city made a pie weighing in at 28,350 pounds and to prove it was the world’s largest pie, had officials form the Guinness Book of World’s Records certify it. Of course, that called for a “Who can make the biggest pie” challenge with a town in Canada — Oliver — taking over the title in 1998 with a pie that weighed 39,386 pounds. A monument to the pie wars still remains in Traverse City at 3424 Cass Road where the original cherry pie tin stands along with a marker as the World’s Largest Pie…in 1987 that is.
This week’s photo is around a fun fact. If you have ever travelled to Traverse City and ventured passed 3424 Cass Road, you may have wondered what the giant pie tin was for. Well, at one time Traverse City was in the Guinness Book of World’s Records for having baked the largest pie. According to the story, the former Chef Pierre Bakeries, now Sara Lee, got miffed that Charlevoix was claiming to have made the world’s largest cherry pie. So in 1987, the company made the world’s largest cherry pie, weighing in at 28,350 pounds, almost twice the size of Charlevoix’s and Chef Pierre Bakeries had Guinness Book officials certify it as the largest. Once it was announced, you know someone would take that as a challenge and 11 years later, a town in Canada made a cherry pie that was 10,000 pounds heavier than Traverse City’s. The pie tin that once served the Traverse City pie and the Guinness Book of World’s Records still stand at the former Chef Pierre Bakeries plant.
Do you have a photo for photo of the week you would like considered? Then send it to Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma at joanne@wktv.org.
Winter gatherings might not seem complete without a warm crackling fire, but when a get-together includes kids, safety needs to be on everyone’s mind.
First of all, a window should be cracked open to provide proper ventilation whenever a fire is burning, advises the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Then, the group suggests, take these additional steps to help avoid fire-related accidents and injuries:
Check the damper or flue before starting a fire. This can be done by looking up the chimney with a flashlight or mirror. Make sure the flue is open. Then, keep it open until the fire is out completely so that all smoke goes outside. It’s also important to check for animal nests or other blockages in the chimney that could cause smoke to fill the house. Chimneys should also be checked at least once a year by a professional.
Avoid burning wet or green wood. Dry and well-aged wood burns evenly and creates less smoke and soot that can build up in the chimney. It’s also a good idea to burn smaller pieces of wood on a grate. They will burn more quickly and generate less smoke than larger logs.
Don’t allow ashes to build up. Once a fire is out, the ashes left behind should be removed. Ashes restrict air supply to burning wood, which produces more smoke. There should never be more than an inch layer of ashes in a fireplace.
Clear the area around the fireplace. Placing furniture, curtains, decorations, newspapers, books or other items near a fireplace could result in a house fire. Nothing flammable should be stored too close to a fireplace. Also keep a fire extinguisher handy.
Don’t leave fires unattended. There should always be an adult in the room when there’s a fire in the fireplace. Never leave children alone in a room with a fire. Children should also be taught about fire safety. And, before leaving the house or going to bed, make sure that the fire is completely out.
Use safety screens. Hot glass doors in front of a fire can cause serious burns. Installing a safety screen in front of the fireplace can reduce the chance of an injury.
Store fireplace tools out of children’s reach. Kids can be tempted to play with the tools. Also store lighters and matches out of sight.
Equip your home with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Check the devices monthly to make sure they’re working. Replace their batteries at least once a year.
Tri-unity boys basketball is one of the many local sports teams WKTV’s Featured Game coverage team will be covering this season. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
By Mike Moll sports@wktv.org
The holidays are in the rear-view mirror as the calendar has turned over to 2020, and January is jam-packed with high school sports most every night of the month as the winter season goes into full force.
Be sure to get out and show your support for your local school and its student-athletes in person, but then watch the replay on WKTV or watch on-line at any time within a few days of the event.
WKTV has your weekly high school sports schedule, and our coverage crew will be out twice the week. The Featured Game coverage schedule for January includes the following:
Friday, Jan. 3 — Boys Hockey Portage Northern at East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation
Tuesday, Jan. 7 — Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian at Godwin Heights
Friday, Jan. 10 — Girls/Boys Basketball Kelloggsville at Wyoming Lee
Tuesday, Jan. 14 — Girls/Boys Basketball Wayland at Wyoming
Friday, Jan. 17 — Girls/Boys Basketball Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Tuesday, Jan. 21 — Boys Basketball NorthPointe Christian at Godwin Heights
Friday, Jan. 24 — Boys Basketball Zion Christian at Tri-Unity Christian
Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Girls/Boys Basketball Grand River Prep at Zion Christian
Friday, Jan. 31 — Girls/Boys Basketball Caledonia at East Kentwood
Want to be a television sports announcer?
If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! We are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.
Where and when to see the game
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Jan 6 Boys/Girls Bowling Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights Wyoming @ South Christian Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee
Tuesday, Jan. 7 Girls Basketball Northview @ East Kentwood Tri-Unity Christian @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event Wyoming @ Rockford Wyoming Lee @ Holton Kelloggsville @ Wayland Potter’s House @ Ravenna Kent City @ Grand River Prep West Michigan Lutheran @ Hudsonville Home Schoolers Holland Black River @ Zion Christian West Michigan Aviation @ Martin Boys Basketball Wyoming @ Rockford Holton @ Wyoming Lee South Christian @ Byron Center Potter’s House @ Kenowa Hills Kent City @ Grand River Prep West Michigan Lutheran @ Lansing Martin Luther Holland Black River @ Zion Christian West Michigan Aviation @ Martin
Wednesday, Jan. 8 Girls Cheer East Kentwood @ West Ottawa Wyoming @ Zeeland West Wyoming Lee @ Belding Kelloggsville @ Belding Boys/Girls Bowling Godwin Heights @ Hopkins Unity Christian @ Wyoming Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian Tri-Unity Christian @ Calvin Christian South Christian @ Zeeland East Boys Wrestling Belding @ Godwin Heights Wyoming @ Hamilton Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins Kelloggsville @ Ravenna Boys Hockey Rockford @ South Christian Girls Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Wellsprings Prep Boys Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Wellsprings Prep
Thursday, Jan. 9 Boys Swimming South Christian @ Union Boys/Girls Bowling Potter’s House @ Muskegon Orchard View Girls Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES Boys Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES
Friday, Jan. 10 Boys/Girls Bowling Godwin Heights Ottawa Hills Girls Basketball Godwin Heights @ Hopkins South Christian @ Wyoming Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee – WKTV Featured Event Covenant Christian @ Potter’s House Hudsonville Libertas Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran Fruitport Calvary @ Zion Christian Boys Basketball Godwin Heights @ Hopkins South Christian @ Wyoming Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee – WKTV Featured Event Bridgman @ Tri-Unity Christian Covenant Christian @ Potter’s House Hudsonville Libertas Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran Fruitport Calvary @ Zion Christian
Saturday January 11, 2020 Girls Dance East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills Boys Wrestling East Kentwood @ West Catholic – Dunneback Invite Kelloggsville @ Fruitport Wyoming @ West Catholic Boys Swimming/Diving East Kentwood @ East Grand Rapids South Christian @ East Grand Rapids Boys Hockey East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ FH Central Rochester @ South Christian Girls Cheer FH Eastern @ Wyoming Wyoming Lee @ Allendale Kelloggsville @ Allendale
Monday, Jan. 13 Boys/Girls Bowling Godwin Heights @ Belding Wyoming @ Zeeland East Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Tri-Unity Christian @ Sparta – Boys Hopkins @ Kelloggsville South Christian @ Unity Christian
Longevity science is targeted not only towards extending our natural life spans, but also improving the quality of life overall. Longevity science has grown in recent years into a complicated and advanced discipline, with a variety of studies emerging that may have very real benefits within our lifetimes. Here are some of the tips and tricks discovered that appear to slow the process of aging.
Keep mentally active
Crossword puzzles and Sudoku are popular for a reason. Keeping yourself mentally active is one of the keys to reducing mental aging, such as dementia and the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. While keeping mentally active is not a cure to either of these issues, it can significantly slow down their progression. Play memory games, read books, and do other mentally focused activities each day.
Get your exercise
Physical fitness is important not only to keep you comfortable and healthy but also to keep your mind sharp and your spirits raised. Exercise has been shown to improve cognitive performance and mood. That doesn’t mean that you need to take a step aerobics class each day. Taking a long walk, gardening, and hiking are all excellent examples of physical activities that will slow down the aging process without being too intense.
Invest in hobbies
Hobbies are one of the best ways to keep yourself active. Knitting, book clubs, and other social hobbies can fulfill multiple needs at once — and all hobbies provoke thought. Think about the things that you enjoy doing; if you enjoy doing it, there’s almost certainly a group devoted to it. There are even groups available for individuals who enjoy scrapbooking and other relaxing activities. Your hobbies are one of the things that will likely keep you the most active outside of the house.
Stay social
Whether you volunteer at a local community center or simply chat with your friends, remaining well-socialized is one of the keys to keeping yourself active and fit. Socialization isn’t just a basic human need; it also involves a lot of mental stimulation. When you carry on a conversation with your friends, you’re remembering things and applying logic — both things that will keep your mind sharp. Remaining well-socialized also helps keep you motivated.
Eat right
Studies have shown that the cultures with the most longevity tend to eat diets that concentrate on lean meats, fruits, and vegetables. These diets often include high amounts of good fats, such as those found in avocados and olive oils. Red meats and starchy staples are relatively rare. By eating right, you can both feel better and potentially slow down your aging process. Antioxidants are also said to have a positive effect.
Slowing aging isn’t just about living a long life — it’s also about living a comfortable one. In general, keeping both physically and mentally active is one of the best ways that individuals can slow down the aging process and remain youthful and vital even in their later years.
Federal health officials have unveiled plans to allow prescription drug imports from Canada and other foreign nations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing a rule under which states could import some prescription drugs from Canada, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced recently.
The agency also plans to make it easier for drug manufacturers to import their own FDA-approved drugs that are manufactured abroad and intended for sale in other countries.
“This would potentially allow for the sale of these drugs at lower prices than currently offered to American consumers, giving drug makers new flexibility to reduce list prices,” Azar told reporters.
Azar touted the proposals as “historic.”
All imported drugs would have to be FDA-approved, tested to ensure quality and relabeled to meet U.S. labeling requirements, added Admiral Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary for health.
State programs created to import medications would be limited to pills that patients would typically get from a pharmacy, Azar said.
Injectable products, controlled substances, biologic products and intravenous drugs would not be allowed.
States would create these programs, possibly in conjunction with wholesalers or pharmacies, and then submit them to FDA for approval, Giroir said.
However, drug manufacturers would be able to import any of their own products from other foreign countries, Azar said. That would include products such as insulin, which has recently been subject to steep price hikes.
“Every product is available for importation from every country by a manufacturer,” Azar said. “There is no restriction there, if a manufacturer is willing.”
The manufacturer pathway is intended to address the “bizarre” system of drug rebates that some pharmaceutical companies have blamed for high prices, Azar said.
“Even if the drug company would like to lower the list price of their drug, they may actually be precluded from doing so because of their arrangements with these middle men, where they have to funnel a certain amount of rebate money to those middle men,” Azar said.
Drug companies have said if they can get a new National Drug Code for an imported version of the exact same medicine, then they would compete against their own products at a lower list price, Azar said.
The new proposals are only aimed at brand-name drugs, Giroir said.
“The draft guidance does not address generic drugs because we are not aware of similar private market challenges for reducing the cost of generic drugs,” Giroir said.
The FDA is open to considering similar proposals for generic if warranted, he added.
The officials could not say how soon patients will benefit from these proposals, but said that the manufacturer’s guidance will likely move faster because it faces fewer regulatory hurdles.
You may be familiar with the census—it happens every 10 years, after all—yet there are often a number of misconceptions about how it works and why it is done.
The U.S. Census Bureau is set to conduct the next census in 2020, and if you are a Michigan resident, it is important that you are counted! The census count determines the share of billions of dollars in federal funding that Michigan receives each year, and your being counted helps communities create jobs, provide housing, fund K-12 education, prepare for emergencies, support programs for older adults; and build schools, roads, hospitals, and libraries.
There are changes being made in how the count will be managed this time around, which may make it more difficult and confusing for older adults and lead to opportunities for scammers to take advantage of seniors. We want you to be prepared and confident when filling out your census information; therefore, here are a few quick things you need to know.
How it works:
Each home will receive a request to respond to a short questionnaire—online, by phone, or by mail in mid-March. This mailing will include a unique Census ID code for your residence. This year will mark the first time that you will be able to respond to the census online, and you also have the option of responding by phone.
A reminder postcard and letter will be sent before a census worker will come to your home to try to fill out the census. They will wear an official Census worker badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date. Be aware, census workers will never ask for a Social Security Number or banking information. Census forms are filled out by household. Everyone living at the address matters and everyone needs to be counted, including children.
Funding:
As mentioned, federal funding is determined through the census. The distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds, grants, and support to states, counties, and communities is based on this census data. For each person that is not counted properly in Michigan, the state will lose approximately $1,800 in state and federal funds per person each year for the next ten years. You matter!
How you fit in:
Courtesy Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan
Of course, we want everyone counted and that means YOU. Be ready for the census information to come out in mid-March, and if you happen to travel to a different state in the winter months but spend more than six months each year in Michigan, then you should still respond as a Michigan resident. You can use the unique Census ID code sent to your Michigan address to respond online or by phone, or you can wait to respond until you get home.
It is also important to note that the census is completely confidential, and your responses to the census are safe and secure. Under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, the Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about individuals, households, or businesses, even to law enforcement agencies. The Census Bureau can only use your answers to produce data and statistics.
Be sure to fill out the census this coming spring! You can learn more about the census at https://mivoicecounts.org/ or by calling (517) 492-2400.
Well the calendar flipped to a new decade — it you start at zero to mark the decade — and with the changing of the calendar, we thought we would take a look at some of the most popular WKTV stories of 2019.
In compiling this list, I took a look at both page views on a story, which indicates the number of people who clicked on the article, and also social media statistics. The result is a mix of both most read and shared articles from the WKTV Journal website.
Ranking Number One
All we can say about the top 2019 story is that everyone must love a good mystery as the “Mystery billboards along US-131 revealed” was the WKTV’s most read story for 2019. The billboards which featured the words “abuse, lonely, neglect, fear, trauma, abandonment” got people talking which according to officials from D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s was the purpose in raising awareness about April’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Top 2018 stories for the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming
There was a lot of anticipation of special events, the City of Wyoming’s annual Spring Carnival, and all of the redevelopment activity at Woodland Mall which included the addition of Von Maur and The Cheesecake Factory.
Winter in the Midwest is no joke! Sudden storms and freezing temperatures can make life difficult for anyone who lives here—especially for seniors. It’s important for seniors to have a steady internal temperature, as their bodies aren’t able to regulate body heat and maintain warmth the way they could when they were younger.
In the Midwest, winters can be extremely harsh, so it’s important that you take the necessary steps to ensure that your senior loved one is staying warm. From making sure their apartment is full of blankets and sweaters to limiting outdoor exposure as much as possible, there are plenty of ways you can help protect your loved one and keep them warm!
1. Turn the heat up
While most of us are used to turning down the heat in winter to help save money on heating bills, a senior’s home should be kept at a warmer temperature to protect them from getting chills. Remember, a senior’s body loses heat faster than people middle aged or younger. A senior’s home should be kept at 70 degrees during the winter at the very lowest.
2. Prepare for outages
Harsh storms can sometimes cause power outages at the most inopportune moments. Having no heat or light is a dangerous situation, so help your loved ones prepare for the risk by:
Stocking their house with flashlights and batteries
Keeping an eye on the weather report and encouraging your loved one to go stay with family before big storms
Reminding loved ones to keep their cell phones charged
Having a case of bottled water and shelf-stable foods in case of multiple-day outages
3. Dress in layers
It’s always easier to take layers off when you get too hot than it is to try and add them on after you’ve gotten too cold. Putting on a sweater after your internal body temperature has dropped often means a slow reheating process.
Encourage your elderly family members to wear multiple layers, which will help them maintain their body temperatures. And remember, layering isn’t just for heading outside, it’s equally as important to have extra clothing while staying indoors as well.
4. Keep blankets nearby
When we start to feel chilly, throwing a blanket over ourselves is a great way to quickly warm up. In your loved one’s home, make this simple task even easier by strategically leaving blankets in places where they might need them, such as near chairs or by their bed.
5. Warm drinks and foods
Eating and drinking warm foods can help encourage the body to maintain its internal temperature, as well as proving the essential nutrients needed for the body to maintain its mass and health during the winter. Rather than cold foods and iced water, encourage your senior family members to have foods like hot soups and tea.
6. Cover extremities
It’s important to remember in colder months that the hands, feet, and head are the parts of the body that get chilled and lose their warmth first. With that in mind, it’s essential for these extremities to be protected in winter.
Hats, mittens, gloves, socks, and slippers are all examples of clothing items that are necessary to keep an elderly loved one from getting too cold throughout the winter. Hats and gloves can be worn inside to stay warm if needed, and having these clothing items nearby is helpful, so seniors don’t need to go searching when they get cold.
7. Safety when traveling
Just like we need to prepare for a power outage, it’s important to prepare for vehicle breakdowns in winter as well. If your loved one travels alone, ensure they keep extra coats, blankets, and even boots in their car in case of an emergency. Similarly, if they are being driven by someone else, make sure they have extra warm clothes and water with them in case of an emergency.
8. Limit outdoor exposure
The worst of winter weather is obviously found outdoors. Freezing temperatures, ice, and wet snow that chills us quickly are all dangerous features of a Midwest winter. In order to protect your loved one, do what you can to keep them out of the elements.
Helping keep a loved one indoors can mean anything from running errands for them to doing what you can to encourage them to enjoy the weather from inside the home rather than out of it. Keeping seniors inside helps them stay warm, and also reduces the risk of dangerous falls.
While Midwest winters are more punishing than in other areas, they are still manageable with a plan and some preparation. Helping your senior loved ones stay warm is a wonderful to keep them safe from the elements, even as the winter storms rage outside.
Apart from the sheer fun of owning a pet, having a dog enhances well-being and even personal growth in many ways.
Caring for a dog teaches kids responsibility and offers everyone in the family unconditional love.
Many studies have found that the social support that dogs—and pets in general—provide boosts their owner’s emotional health.
There are also many physical benefits to dog ownership.
Walking Rover on a regular basis—once or twice every day—can help you reach your own daily exercise goals and, in turn, lower your heart disease risk.
In fact, according to one study, owners who walk their dogs on a regular basis are over 50% more likely to meet minimum exercise guidelines. Surprisingly, though, many people simply don’t walk their dogs enough for them or their pets to get in a good workout.
The advantages of having a dog extend beyond the home.
Bringing your pooch to work can reduce your stress.
And studies by researchers at Central Michigan University suggest the presence of a four-legged “co-worker” can boost cooperation, bonding and trust among employees.
That’s important because getting people to work effectively as a group is often a challenge, even when companies try to engage staffers with activities like team-bonding exercises.
For the study, researchers divided participants into groups with and without a dog and gave each group creative tasks to complete. People in the groups with a dog showed more enthusiasm and energy and felt more closeness and trust than those without a dog.
It seems that having a dog in the room encourages kind and helpful behavior, which in turn can help boost how well you do.
If your workplace morale needs a jolt, consider a canine addition to the staff.
“Just this side of Heaven is a place called the Rainbow Bridge.” — unknown
Almost without exception, someone during the monthly grief support group I facilitate will ask about or refer to ‘The Legend of the Rainbow Bridge’.
The Rainbow Bridge tells of a pastoral place filled with green meadows and hills located just outside of Heaven’s gates. According to the Legend, when a companion animal dies, he goes to this place — free of illness and injury but saddened by the continuing absence of his human companion. The animal, it continues, playfully romps with other animals as they patiently await the arrival of their human companions. Upon the death of an animal’s human companion, the two reunite to walk over the Bridge into Heaven, hand-in-paw, to live eternally ever after.
It is unknown who originally penned The Rainbow Bridge. A number of people claim authorship including the following: Paul C. Dahm, a grief counselor who is said to have written the poem in 1981 and published it in a 1998 book of the same name; William N. Britton, author of Legend of Rainbow Bridge; and Dr. Wallace Sife, head of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, whose poem All Pets Go to Heaven appears on the Association’s website as well as in his book, The Loss of a Pet.
Today, The Rainbow Bridge appears in publications as well as websites throughout the world. Veterinarians routinely provide copies to their human clients upon the death of a companion animal. There are a stack of take-home cards with the words printed on them sitting on a small table alongside a box of tissues in the Serenity Room, the room offered to people whose animals have just died, at the Humane Society. The Legend has inspired writers to gently dissect the rainbow by color and meaning and use it as a launching point for the development of a grieving kit. There is even an interactive virtual memorial home for companion animals at http:/www.rainbowsbridge.com.
The Rainbow Bridge is undergirded by what some would believe to be religious ideas of an afterlife and Heaven. While none of the world’s religions ascribe to such a place, in Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in the Judeo-Christian tradition, after the Flood, God establishes a covenant Noah and “every living creature.” God tells Noah to keep an eye out for rainbows, as they will forever serve as a reminder of God’s eternal promise.
The Legend also shares similarities with the setting of Canadian Margaret Marshall Saunders’ 1902 book, Beautiful Joe’s Paradise. Her book was a sequel to her 1893 story, Beautiful Joe, for which she had won a Humane Society writing contest. Saunders’ vision in her book differs slightly from that of The Rainbow Bridge. In Saunders’ imagination, companion animals arrive to a green land to heal and learn from neglect and abuse suffered during their lives. When ready, animals are taken to Heaven by a balloon.
When The Rainbow Bridge is broached in our Group, the reactions mimic those I’ve received to my informal inquiry made in preparation for writing this month’s column. Most people experience an extreme response. Either the Legend provides a great source of comfort, or it evokes an expression of scornful derision.
Yesterday, a veterinarian friend of mine shared her love-hate relationship with the idea. On the one hand, she finds it to be a kitschy cliché to which people desperately cling for comfort. On the other, it actually is a source of deep comfort and healing. She went on to share that she had recently attended a conference in which The Rainbow Bridge was put to music and played during a guided grief meditation. My friend admitted to being instantly reduced to tears.
In the end, the critical question isn’t whether one believes in the existence of The Rainbow Bridge or not. What matters is whether The Rainbow Bridge is a meaningful source of comfort and light in the painful and dark journey of grieving.
Animal advocate and attorney Ginny Mikita is the founder of Animal Blessings, an organization dedicated to honoring the sacred worth of all animals. Mikita’s companion animal loss support services include facilitating a monthly Companion Animal Loss Grief Support Group, officiating an annual Memorial Service in December, writing grief columns for local publications and speaking at gatherings — local and national — of animal care and protection professionals. Additionally, Mikita regularly officiates Blessings of the Animals in both religious and secular environments.
While leading an exhibit on frogs, second grader Alex Meyer focused on the facts: They eat bugs. They have teeth on their upper jaws (but toads are toothless). Poisonous ones are colorful.
Kalen Lee shares information about snakes. (School News Network)
Alex indicated how he found interesting information within several nonfiction books during his time spent as a researcher. “My teacher had me put sticky notes in books,” he said.
Alex and his classmates at Oriole Park Elementary School spent a recent morning as mini-experts, presenting information in the multi-purpose room turned nonfiction museum. The event was attended by parents, teachers and district administrators. The museum served as a celebration to cap off a month-long study by students on topics like hurricanes, tigers, butterflies, horses and birds.
“There are billions of stars in the Milky Way galaxy,” said second grader Jace Bloomer as he talked about the sky and space.
Said student Amy Hernandez during her presentation: “Hurricanes are bad but cool, and are amazing but dangerous.”
Jace Bloom researched and presented on the sky and space. (School News Network)
Students of second grade teachers Danielle Terpstra, Kristen Accorsi and Sarah Buys-McKenney created their own nonfiction books, complete with ideas condensed into sections and lingo as well as illustrations and diagrams. Each student used several books for research and to develop their materials.
“Because they had to look over multiple books, they couldn’t just focus on one page, they had to think about their ideas across all of their texts,” Terprsta said.
The teachers use a curriculum called Lucy Calkins Units of Study, which involves a nonfiction unit. Students learn early research skills, like how to access and read nonfiction. The class focused on becoming “tour guides of their knowledge,” McKenney said.
“Our real focus is that they learn to retell and talk about what they know as a topic, not just retell and talk about what happened in a book. It so they can pull in lots of books about the same topic and be able to talk in that expert way about what they wanted to talk about.”
A typical workout doesn’t give you license to eat whatever you want.
Even a full hour of vigorous skiing burns just 600 calories—less than the amount in a super-sized fast food sandwich. That’s why it’s important to think of exercise as just one part of a shape-up plan.
Exercise works the cardiovascular system and builds muscle, but it takes calorie restriction to also lose weight. Small diet tweaks that you can make when you’re building a healthier body through exercise will maximize your efforts.
Here’s what you need to know about nutrition when you work out regularly.
You don’t need to fuel up like a marathon runner, but give your body some nourishment about two hours before every workout to make exercise more effective. Have a small meal with healthy carbs and protein and some fat. If eating two hours in advance doesn’t work with your schedule, aim for a small snack about an hour before your workout.
It’s also important to eat a small meal with carbs and protein within two hours after your workout to give your body the nutrients it needs.
Keep in mind that “calories in and calories out” is a balancing act that varies from person to person.
So whether you’re trying to lose weight or maintain, keep a journal that records the amount of calories you get from food as well as the amount of calories burned off during workouts to see if your intake needs to be adjusted up or down.
Beware of so-called training supplements. These products aren’t regulated and their claims may not have any science behind them.
If you’re getting a good amount of whole foods in your diet—that is, unprocessed and unpackaged foods—you shouldn’t need any of these aids.
Finally, it can’t be stated often enough: Drink water as needed before, during and after exercise to stay hydrated, especially in hot and humid conditions.
The quest for health and fitness can be a difficult challenge with the hectic pace of busy schedules and the bustle of the holidays.
It seems that New Year’s Day offers us all a fresh new outlook and opportunity to start the year with optimism and hope to improve our lives.
Health and fitness is a journey that requires dedication and commitment.
There is no easy quick fix, patch, pill, cleanse or detox that will replace optimal nutrition and exercise.
Sometimes we can get side-tracked by injury, self-doubt, medical issues and a host of things, which complicate and derail our health goals. It is important to never give up and always continue to fight the good fight for your health. You are worth it!
Jan. 1 is a great time to start by making a resolution to strive for health.
Here’s how:
1. Schedule your annual
A physical exam with your primary care physician or provider should be first on your list. Make sure you are up-to-date on your screening labs, preventive cancer screenings and immunizations.
If you are starting an exercise regime or have weight-loss goals, this is an excellent time to discuss your options with your doctor and create a plan that will hold you accountable at future follow-up appointments.
2. Strive for 60 minutes of exercise a day
This could be broken up into smaller bits of time throughout the day. For example, you could take the stairs at work or park farther from an entrance.
3. Find a workout partner to hold you accountable
You are much less likely to let another person down. You can keep each other on track virtually through text messages or agree to meet in person to walk or exercise.
4. Add exercise to your schedule, and hold firm
Exercise either before work or on your way home from work. It is much easier to either get it done before the day starts or before you get home.
5. Prep your work-out items the night before
If you are an early morning exerciser, get all set well in advance of the alarm going off.
Sometimes sleeping in your exercise clothes might be the trick until you get into the habit of rising early. Set your shoes out, have your water bottle filled and things ready to go.
6. Get at least eight hours of sleep
Studies have shown that adequate sleep reduces stress hormones and will help with weight loss and overall health.
7. Drink enough water
Stay hydrated. This means 64 ounces for an average size adult. (Sorry, caffeinated beverages don’t count.)
8. Cut screen time
Decrease the amount of time spent in front of screens (TV, computer, tablet, phone) and move as much as possible.
Consider walking on your lunch break or taking a 10-minute walk around the house instead of checking social media posts.
9. Fill up on fruits and veggies
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables at all meals. This is an easy way to increase the amount of healthy foods without taking the time to measure anything.
10. Know the stats
Research shows it takes 21 days to make a habit. If you fall off the wagon, climb back on. The ride is much more enjoyable when you are doing positive things for your health.
Commit to just the day in front of you and make it great. Pretty soon, you might have an entire compilation of days that could add up to a new, healthier you.
Bullied teens are more likely to develop mental health problems—and people with mental health problems are also more likely to become bullies, researchers report.
Even though many studies have shown that being bullied can leave mental scars, “no studies to date” have tested the notion that mental health issues might also help drive bullying, explained study author Marine Azevedo Da Silva. She’s a postdoctoral researcher in Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, in New York City.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 13,200 U.S. youth, aged 12 to 17, and found that:
79% said they’d never bullied others
11% said they’d bullied others over a year ago
10% said they’d bullied others in the past year
16% said they’d bullied others over a month ago
5% said they’d bullied others in the past month
Youth who said they’d been bullies were more likely to have a moderate to high rate of mental health problems than those who said they hadn’t bullied others.
The study also found that teens with moderate to high rates of mental health problems were more likely to bully others, compared to those without such issues.
In other words, the link between mental health issues and bullying “is likely to be bidirectional,” Azevedo Da Silva said in a school news release.
According to study senior author Dr. Silvia Martins, the findings suggest that efforts to stem bullying “should consider how to take into account and handle negative feelings and mental health problems” of young perpetrators.
Martins directs the Substance Abuse Epidemiology Unit at Mailman.
It’s estimated that between 18% and 31% of U.S. youth are involved in bullying, the researchers noted.
The study was published recently in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Many people have heard the term “hospice” without really understanding exactly what it is or what hospice care provides. Those who don’t understand the term have probably never had a reason to think about it, and most don’t think about it until they are in a situation that requires it.
But, hospice care is something everyone should understand because you never know when a family member may require hospice services. But, before we answer, ‘what is hospice care?’ It’s important to point out that there are a lot of misconceptions about hospice. So, let’s start by talking about what Hospice care is NOT.
Hospice is NOT:
Just a place or facility
Whether you desire the full-time care of a Hospice facility or the convenience of a team of caregivers in the comfort of your home or in an assisted living community, hospice care offers flexibility.
Just for cancer patients
A long-standing myth, hospice provides end of life care to those with a wide range of end of life conditions such as kidney failure, heart failure, and advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Just for the patient
Many hospice services provide not only medical care for the patient but grief counseling and after death assistance for the family.
Permanent
Hospice is not a permanent choice. Anyone in hospice care may choose to leave and receive curative treatments at any time.
So, what is hospice care?
Hospice is medical care geared toward maintaining and improving quality of life for an individual whose illness or condition is likely incurable. Hospice is offered as an option when all curative measures have been exhausted and the life prognosis is six months or less.
Hospice IS:
Well-rounded care
Hospice care doesn’t just focus on one aspect of end-of-life care, like pain management. Pain management is part of it, but hospice professionals look at the whole life of the patient. They want to make them comfortable, help them engage in life as much as possible and help ease their minds and hearts. To do that, they provide not only medical care but emotional care as well.
A team of caregivers
Hospice isn’t just a single individual. To provide proper, end of life care, a team of professionals works together to administer medications, provide support, give physical therapy, and provide all the services that account for a fulfilled life, all the way to the end.
Respite care
Even those individuals who have vowed to care for their sick loved one sometimes need a break. In order to provide the best care possible, they need to be able to step away from time to time and leave their loved one in the care of someone they trust. Many hospice providers offer respite care so, even if you haven’t turned to a facility for full-time hospice help, you can still get the help you need when you need it.
Affordable
Many insurance plans cover a portion of the expense for Hospice care but for those that don’t, it is “covered by Medicare (through the Medicare Hospice Benefit), Medicaid (in most states), and The Veteran’s Health Administration,” according to the American Hospice Foundation’s website.
While different programs may offer different benefits, you can find a list of the services most Hospice Care Services provide on the the Hospice Foundation of America’s website. You should be sure to ask any facility or service you are considering what exactly they provide.
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
— The eternal optimist
Hope is a roof over your head
The 3:11 Youth Housing Program is for youth ages 18 to 24, to transition from homelessness to stability. They focus on that age range because it’s when people are entering adulthood. It now consists of eight rehabbed duplex-style homes in Grand Rapids, each with room for three to four youths and a mentor or mentor couple. More info here.
Still time
David Wiesner (American, b. 1956), Art & Max, 2010. (Supplied)
If you haven’t taken your kids to the Grand Rapids Art Museum yet during winter break, you’re still in luck. The GRAM will waive admission fees for visitors age 17 and under through Jan. 5.
Grieving the loss of a loved one?
The holidays can often serve as a stumbling block on the journey from grief to healing. The topic of grief is not often something anyone wants to talk about, especially at a time of year that, for most, is a time of great joy and happiness. Here are some tips on how to cope.
Fun fact:
It’s nothing new
Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) began the concept of celebrating the new year in 2000 BC. Back then, people observed new year in mid-March, around the time of the vernal equinox. See? We’re not so special.
“Baby boomers are a lot more willing to embrace hearing aids than their elders were,” said Debbie Youngsma, AuD, CCC-A, an audiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “They are into their smartphones. They are into all that technology. And hearing aids are smart.” (Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat)
There long has been a big gap between the number of people with hearing loss and those willing to wear a hearing aid.
But tech-savvy baby boomers just might be the ones to narrow that gap.
“Baby boomers are a lot more willing to embrace hearing aids than their elders were,” said Debbie Youngsma, AuD, CCC-A, an audiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “They are into their smartphones. They are into all that technology. And hearing aids are smart.”
The number of people with hearing loss is growing as rapidly as hair is graying in the baby boomer population.
According to a recent federal report, 17 percent of Americans—1 in 6—say they have trouble hearing. Not surprisingly, the number increases with age. Forty-three percent of those over 70 report hearing loss.
Those self-reported numbers likely don’t capture the full picture, Youngsma said.
People don’t always recognize when they have trouble hearing. Why? The loss may occur too gradually to notice. They may have never had their hearing checked. Or they could be in denial.
“Less than 21 percent of those with hearing impairment are wearing hearing aids,” she said.
Those who do get hearing aids wait an average of seven to 10 years to seek help. That’s a lot of missed conversations.
Accepting the technology can mean a big difference socially and emotionally, Youngsma said.
“Untreated hearing loss usually results in isolation and withdrawal from social situations,” she said. “They can get depressed, frustrated and lonely.”
“Obviously, the earlier you get (hearing aids), the easier it’s going to be to adjust and get back into the world of hearing.”
Tired of saying, ‘What?’
Rochelle Morris, 52, said she didn’t realize how much she missed before she got hearing aids two years ago.
She traces problems with her left ear to a car accident in 2004, when the air bag deployed and slammed into the left side of her head.
She started noticing problems hearing about five years ago. She often asked co-workers or family members to repeat something. She missed the punchlines of jokes.
“I felt myself not doing things because I didn’t want to say, ‘What?’ or ‘Say that again,’” she said.
Morris resisted the idea of wearing hearing aids—until she saw how small and unobtrusive they are.
“I pictured an old person and was really kind of embarrassed about it,” she said. “I didn’t need to be, because you don’t even notice it.”
Within a couple of days, she embraced the technology.
Youngsma said she is encouraged to see the stigma waning, particularly among the young baby boomers.
Many are still in the workforce, and communication is crucial to performing their jobs. They also are more likely than their elders to see a hearing aid as just one more technological device—to add to their tablet, laptop, smartphone, Kindle, FitBit or Apple Watch.
“You can act like you’re texting while you’re changing what the hearing aids are doing,” she said.
For Morris, hearings aids opened up a world of sounds she had missed—from the wind blowing through the trees to conversations with her husband, Brian, and their children, Anna and RC.
And when she could hear better, her balance improved.
Causes of hearing loss
Injuries, like the one Morris sustained, are one of several causes of hearing loss, Youngsma said. Others include aging, ear infections, cancer treatments and exposure to noise—either cumulative or one loud burst.
And remember when your parents would tell you to turn down your music? Well, they were on to something. Going to loud concerts, or listening to loud music with ear buds, can take a toll on your hearing.
Impacted ear wax also can cause temporary problems with hearing.
“Hearing loss is the third most common complaint, following hypertension and arthritis, in older adults,” Youngsma said.
It’s intuitive that acne causes depression, but a massive new study out of England shows just how devastating acne can weigh on people’s psyches.
Researchers, following nearly 2 million men and women in England over a 15-year period, found a 63 percent increase in clinical depression in the first year people had acne compared to those without acne.
Most people were younger than 19 at the start of the study, but they ranged in age from 7 to 50.
“This is not surprising,” said Adele Cadieux, PsyD, a pediatric psychologist with Spectrum Health Helen Devos Children’s Hospital. “Unfortunately acne begins when kids are much more focused on their physical appearance” than other qualities.
Acne is mostly unavoidable: About 85 percent of people will experience a breakout at some point, making it the most common skin condition in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Women are more likely to get acne, and more likely to suffer depression because of it.
There are ways, however, to reduce children and teens’ risk of suffering depression after an outbreak.
Recognize the signs
Acne is a skin condition in which hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. This can cause whiteheads, blackheads or pimples on the face, forehead, back, chest and shoulders.
Many people think of acne as a relatively benign condition, but the study shows otherwise, researchers said.
“For these patients with acne, it is more than a skin blemish—it can impose significant mental health concerns and should be taken seriously,” Dr. Isabelle Vallerand, the lead researcher, noted in a statement.
Parents concerned about their children should look for possible signs of depression.
“If (kids) mention they might not want to go social or extracurricular activities, or their child’s behavior or grades start changing, or they seem more withdrawn,” those could be signs the child is struggling with something, Dr. Cadieux said.
“Whether the child identifies whether any of this is related to acne or not, it’s important to take that next step of trying to evaluate what’s contributing to these changes.”
The best way to find out answers: Ask questions, Dr. Cadieux said.
If kids seem reluctant to talk to their parents, take them to a pediatrician or encourage a special teacher, coach or religious figure to talk with them, she said. Sometimes children are more likely to open up to non-family members than they would a parent.
‘You’re on a stage and being judged’
An effective way to gird children and teenagers against depression is to focus on qualities other than physical appearance.
“One of the things that is really important for kids is to focus on aspects of their life that are going well,” Dr. Cadieux said. “Families can be very important in providing some of that feedback, whether it’s their personal qualities, their skills, really anything other than focusing on physical appearance.”
Fostering those other skills and qualities—getting them into music classes, sports leagues, coding or theater camps, depending on their interests—can also help them form an identity around those qualities rather than their physical appearance, doctors said.
If those efforts don’t work, counseling is an option.
The increase in risk of depression is the worst in the first year of acne, and lasts for five years, the study showed. Although still high, the increased risk of depression decreases each year after the first year of diagnosis.
After five years, the increased risk disappears, even if the acne persists. This also isn’t surprising, Dr. Cadieux said.
“As you get older, your maturity level changes,” she said. “In adolescence, you’re so focused on physical appearance, as if you’re on stage and being judged.
“But as you transition into adulthood, you begin to recognize your skills, abilities and successes—you can build your self-esteem on these and not focus as much on physical appearance. These can help reduce the risk of depression.”
By Chia-Hui Neilly, NP-C, Barry Community Health Center
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body is unable to maintain normal levels of blood glucose using a hormone known as insulin. Currently, more than 100 million people in the U.S. are diabetic or pre-diabetic. If this trend continues, almost 1 in every 3 people will have this condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Moreover, diabetic and pre-diabetic patients are more prone to heart attacks, strokes, and other health problems than other individuals.
1. What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
Overweight and obesity: The more fatty tissue, the higher chance for type 2 diabetes
Inactivity: Inadequate physical activity leads to weight gain that causes type 2 diabetes.
Smoking: Smokers are susceptible to type 2 diabetes, and non-smokers are more immune to heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses
A family history of diabetes is associated with a high risk of type 2 diabetes.
Pregnancy-onset diabetes (gestational diabetes) increases risk of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, characterized by an erratic menstrual cycle, obesity, and excess hair growth, is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
What is the first step to preventing diabetes?
Always observe for type 2 diabetes symptoms, which include: increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination, fatigue, headaches, and blurred vision.
What are the best strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes?
You may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by doing the following:
Lose excess weight by balancing food intake and physical exercise. A 5% to 10% reduction in weight significantly lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and substantially improves one’s health status.
Stay active for at least 30 minutes daily to prevent excess weight gain and reduce fatty tissues. A relatively high-paced walk with no extra gymnastics per day is an adequate physical activity to maintain a healthy body.
Avoid sedentary behaviors such as physical inactivity, continuous watching of television, and prolonged sitting sessions.
Adopt health-conscious diets and behaviors to avoid being overweight and to counteract other food-related risk factors for type 2 diabetes. To achieve this goal, one needs well-balanced meals that contain the following items.
A variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
Protein from diverse sources, including seafood, white lean meat, poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products
Fat-free or low-fat dairy products, namely milk, yogurt and cheese, and soy milk
Nut-based oils such as olives and avocados
What other dietary measures are effective to prevent type 2 diabetes?
Limit daily consumption of meat, sweets, and refined grains.
Avoid sweetened drinks such as soda and juice.
Maintain the recommended portion sizes in every meal by filling the plate with ¼ grains, ¼ protein, ½ fruits. Additionally, consume six to eight glasses of water daily.
Always consume a high-fiber diet to enhance digestion, facilitate weight management, and control blood sugars.
Limit the amount of alcohol to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The recommended daily liquor intake for men is two drinks, but women should ingest half that amount.
Are there tests for type 2 diabetes?
Three different tests for type 2 diabetes are available. However, your primary care provider will determine whether one test is adequate to confirm an individual’s diabetic status.
Please feel free to contact us for any questions, comments, or concerns. Importantly, discuss with your primary care provider about testing for type 2 diabetes.
Mark Contreras and Jamie Hendricks stand in the nurse station at HQ. The two nurse practitioners dedicate part of their work week to provide care for HQ members. Photo Credit: Valerie Wojciechowski
Grand Valley State University teamed with area nonprofits to officially launch a health initiative on Dec. 12 in an effort to interrupt the cycle of youth homelessness.
Shandra Steininger, co-founder and executive director of HQ called the Comprehensive Health Initiative (CHI) a hub of resources housed at HQ, a drop-in center for teens and young adults who are experiencing unstable housing or homelessness. She said CHI will provide hundreds of youth with access to primary health care, health system navigation, holistic therapy and substance abuse intervention.
The core partners with HQ are 3:11 Youth Housing, which provides housing to youth experiencing homelessness; GVSU Family Health Center, operated by the Kirkhof College of Nursing; the Wisdom Center, which provides counseling services; and Health Net of West Michigan, which provides health system navigation services.
CHI received grant funding in excess of $400,000 over three years from the Steelcase Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Herman Miller Cares, Frey Foundation and Mars Hills Bible Church.
During the launch event at HQ, 320 State St. SE, Steininger said as state and federal funding for nonprofits has decreased over the years, it became clear a one-stop shop of providers for homeless youth was needed. She drew in partners who would dedicate time at HQ to build relationships with teens and young adults and provide assistance.
“We still have youth who think sleeping outside at night is their best option, so we used a model of building a resource hub with providers who would build intentional relationships with our members,” Steininger said.
Mark Contreras, nurse practitioner at the GVSU Family Health Center, is one of two providers who have regular hours at HQ. The Family Health Center, 72 Sheldon Blvd. SE, serves the GVSU community and many adults who live in the city’s Heartside district.
“We’ve learned from caring for this marginalized population that navigating the health care system for them is complex,” Contreras said. “They can’t purchase a prescription that’s $200 or go across town for a referral if they don’t have a car.”
The FHC nurse practitioners employ the same relationship-building techniques at HQ that they use with patients at the Sheldon Street center.
“I’m a big advocate that if we’re asking a patient questions, we better be able to do something about it,” he said. “If I ask an HQ member if they have insurance and they don’t know, I can say, ‘Let me introduce you to my friend at Health Net who can help.'”
Steininger is confident assisting HQ members with mental and physical health care needs plays a key role in helping them find stable housing. She said 40 percent of adults who are homeless first experienced homelessness as a teen or youth.
For high school math students, calculation errors are an opportunity to grow and to learn. But if you’re a Barbie or Ken doll in teacher James Rex’s classroom at Godwin Heights High School, such errors could be detrimental to your head.
Ken dangles from the balcony. (School News Network)
Recently, students in Rex’s statistics class applied what they had learned to determine the length of a rubber-band “bungee” cord needed to drop a doll off of the gym’s balcony.
A good jump would bring a doll within 70 centimeters of the floor. A jump above the 90 centimeter mark or one that resulted in a head bump for Barbie or Ken would cost students extra points. The stakes were high, as Rex promised a pizza party if the average score stayed below 70 centimeters.
“We spent three weeks doing the math to get to this point,” said 12th grader Teara Morris, who worked with classmates Jessica Wise and Carlos Arroyo to calculate how many rubber bands it would take to get their doll, “Kenny G”, close to the floor without hurting his head. Teara said the math could be confusing but between the three of them, they figured it out.
Jessica said it took a step-wise process involving a response, explanatory variable, scatter plot, finding a correlation on a website, then figuring out if the bungee falls in a quadratic or linear fashion to prepare Kenny G for the jump.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network at schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Above left, Z’Khariah Brown, Tears Morris, and Jessica Wise do a test drop before the big jump. Above right, Deven Fox and Holden Wells prepare to send Barbie on a bungee jump.
LowellArts recently announced twelve concerts for the 2020 Gallery Concert Series, where guests can listen to music while enjoying the exhibition that is on display.
Concerts include: The Ryne Experience on Jan. 10; Edye Evans Hyde and Mike Hyde on Jan. 19; Lowell High School Fusion Rock Orchestra on Jan. 24 & 25; Roger MacNaughton and Friends on Feb. 9; Josh Rose and the Founding Fathers on Feb. 15; Chain of Lakes on Feb. 29; Blue Water Ramblers on March 7; Delilah DeWylde on March 14; Hayes Griffin and Nate Roberts on March 21; Political Lizard on March 28; and The Willeys on April 4. The concerts are sponsored by Chimera Design with additional support from Local Spins and New Union Brewery.
The Ryne Experience is a solo/collaboration project from Lowell and West Michigan, led by front man and songwriter Ryne Clarke (formally of the Preservers). The Experience verses in styles of folk, rock, alternative, punk, funk, jam, and comedy. Tickets are $10 in advance / $12 at the door. A ticket to the show gets you a copy of their new album, “Funky Town”.
Edye Evans Hyde & Mike Hyde – Jan. 19 at 4pm
Edye and Mike are a Grand Rapids married musical couple that specialize in jazz standards and light pop covers. Tickets are $10 in advance / $12 at the door.
Lowell High School Fusion Rock Orchestra – Jan. 24 & 25 at 7pm
Lowell High School Fusion Rock Orchestra
Fusion Rock Orchestra is a student-led ensemble that has a style to entertain all audiences, from Motown to Metallica and Moondance to Mozart. Tickets are $10 in advance / $12 at the door.
Roger MacNaughton and Friends – Feb. 9 at 4pm
Roger MacNaughton and Friends
Join Roger and Friends for an afternoon of Songs & Memories from Mackinac Island, music composed by Roger during an Artist-in-Residence in the summer of 2019. Tickets are $14 in advance / $16 at the door.
Josh Rose and the Founding Fathers – Feb. 15 at 7pm
Josh Rose and the Founding Fathers
Josh Rose and the Founding Fathers offer music that resonates and melds with the listener long after the last note fades. Tickets are $10 in advance / $12 at the door.
Chain of Lakes – Feb. 29 at 7pm
Chain of Lakes
This Grand Rapids quintet features singer songwriter Kyle Rasche, great vocal harmonies, and performs a blend of Americana songwriting and energetic folk/rock. Tickets are $10 in advance / $12 at the door.
Blue Water Ramblers – March 7 at 7pm
Blue Water Ramblers
The Blue Water Ramblers write and perform contemporary folk songs of love and life. Their intricate arrangements for guitar, bass, banjo and pedal steel support close harmonies and dynamic deliveries with a distinct bluegrass and old country vibe. Tickets are $10 in advance / $12 at the door.
Delilah DeWylde – March 14 at 7pm
Delilah DeWylde
Whether boppin’ to a rockabilly classic or performing one of her great originals, Delilah puts on a show that is not to be missed! Tickets are $12 in advance / $14 at the door.
Hayes Griffin and Nate Roberts – March 21 at 7pm
Hayes Griffin & Nate Roberts
Guitarist Hayes Griffin and mandolinist Nate Roberts are leading the charge in West Michigan’s progressive acoustic music scene. Tickets are $12 in advance / $14 at the door.
Political Lizard – March 28 at 7pm
Political Lizard
Political Lizard musical endeavor seeks to combine musically mature composition with quaint, but intense lyrical sketches that can pierce the vulnerable part of your soul. Tickets are $12 in advance / $14 at the door.
The Willeys – April 4 at 7pm
The Willeys is a folk rock band playing original songs and unusual eclectic covers with a Celtic/Americana edge. Tickets are $12 in advance / $14 at the door.
About LowellArts
LowellArts connects artists and audiences through the visual and performing arts. Located on Main Street in downtown Lowell, LowellArts is a vibrant arts organization that has served the greater Lowell community since 1977. Annual programming includes: rotating gallery exhibitions, art and theater classes, house concerts, community theater, the Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series (featuring free evening concerts every Thursday June through August by the Flat River), and the Fallasburg Arts Festival (a two-day juried art fair with 100+ artists, live music, and craft demonstrations held at Fallasburg Park).
Older women, beware: New research warns that drinking a lot of diet sodas or artificially sweetened fruit juices may increase your risk for stroke.
In a study that tracked nearly 82,000 postmenopausal women, those who drank two or more diet drinks per day saw their overall stroke risk rise by 23 percent, compared with those who consumed diet drinks less than once a week.
Blocked arteries were often the main culprit, with heavy diet drink consumption linked to a 31 percent greater risk for an ischemic stroke, which is triggered by a clot, the study findings showed.
Study author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani acknowledged that an “association does not imply causation.” But she stressed that the findings held up even after taking into account the nutritional value of each participant’s overall diet.
So, “we can’t assume these diet drinks are harmless, particularly when consumed at high levels,” Mossavar-Rahmani said.
“The take-home message is that these findings give us pause,” she added. “We need to do more research on why we are seeing these associations. What are the scientific mechanisms? Is there something about the artificial sweeteners, for example, that affect the bacteria in the gut and lead to health issues?”
Mossavar-Rahmani is an associate professor in the department of epidemiology and population health’s division of health promotion and nutrition research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City.
The study authors pointed out that the American Heart Association has recently underscored the lack of sufficient research into the cardiovascular impact of diet sodas. Until more work is done, the AHA says the jury remains out on whether artificially sweetened beverages do or do not hasten heart disease.
Women in the latest study were between 50 and 79 when they first enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative trial between 1993 and 1998.
Investigators tracked the general health of all the enrollees for an average of nearly 12 years. During that time—at the three-year mark—all the women were asked to indicate how frequently they consumed diet sodas and diet fruit drinks over a three-month period.
The researchers did not take note of which brands of artificially sweetened drinks the women drank and so did not know which artificial sweeteners were being consumed.
That said, nearly two-thirds of the women consumed diet sodas or drinks very infrequently, meaning less than once a week or never. Only about 5 percent were found to be “heavy” consumers of artificially sweetened drinks.
After taking into consideration a variety of stroke risk factors—including blood pressure status, smoking history and age—the study team concluded that heavy consumption of diet drinks did appear to be tied to cardiovascular risks in a number of ways.
For example, those women who drank two or more diet beverages a day saw their overall risk for developing heart disease increase by 29 percent. They were also 16 percent more likely to die prematurely from any cause.
Certain groups fared even worse: Among obese women and black women with no history of heart disease or diabetes, a diet drink habit pushed clot-driven stroke risk up by roughly twofold and fourfold, respectively, the researchers reported.
Whether or not the findings would apply to either men or younger women remains unclear, the study authors noted.
The findings were published online recently in the journal Stroke.
Lona Sandon is program director of the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
She agreed that more research is needed to further explore a possible diet drink-heart disease connection. But for now Sandon offered simple advice: diet or regular, sodas offer no nutritional value other than calories.
“If they replace other drinks, such as milk and 100 percent fruit or vegetable drinks, then these women miss out on valuable nutrition for protecting the heart and vascular system,” Sandon warned.
“The nutrition you are missing because you are drinking artificially sweetened beverages instead may be the real problem,” she said.
A group representing the artificial sweetener industry offered another caveat about the findings — that many women who drink diet drinks are already struggling with weight issues.
“It is likely study subjects were already at a greater health risk and chose low-calorie sweetened beverages to manage their calorie and sugar intake as these products are proven safe and beneficial for those managing their weight and blood glucose levels,” said Robert Rankin, president of the Calorie Control Council.
“The contribution of reverse causality, meaning that individuals already at a greater risk of stroke and cardiovascular events chose low-calorie sweetened beverages, is very likely the cause of the associations presented by these researchers,” the council added in a statement.
Student Council reps (from left) Jonathan Jimenez, Lily Cano and Autumn Smith discuss the holiday share book project with teacher Carrie Zeigler (School News Network)
Southeast Kelloggsville Elementary had never had a Student Council, but that changed this year, thanks in large part to the efforts of fourth grade teacher Carrie Zeigler.
The school, which serves fourth and fifth grade students, now has a 12-person Student Council, one representative for each of Southeast’s classes. Zeigler said the council began as a way to give a different kind of enrichment opportunity to motivated students who are ready to be challenged, and it also worked well with what she and her colleagues are trying to do educationally.
“Since we cover government in the fourth grade social studies curriculum, it seemed like a good fit,” she said.
After a short campaign season that saw students either giving speeches or making posters to garner votes, elections were held in November, once students got to know each other a little better and they had completed the government unit.
The campaign process, students said, was a little nerve-racking, but now that they’ve been elected, they’re enjoying the work and the opportunity to make a difference in their school.
Fifth grader Autumn Smith gave a speech as part of her election campaign, something she admitted was pretty terrifying. Fourth grader Jonathan Jimenez made a poster telling classmates what he hoped to do if elected, and fellow fourth grader Lily Cano went old-school and talked to most of her classmates one-to-one as she highlighted her goals if elected.
And while the trio took different tacks in seeking election, Autumn, Jonathan and Lily all had similar reactions upon hearing they had won.
Said Jonathan: “It felt good but also a little bit scary. You’re like ‘Oh my gosh, it’s so good’ and then you’re like ‘Wait, oh …’”
At this, Lily and Autumn both smiled and nodded.
“I was happy too,” said Lily, “but also a little nervous.” Added Autumn: “I felt that way too.”
Now that the work has begun, the three, and the other nine students who were elected, are eager to make good on their campaign promises and give back to a school they say has given so much to them.
Student Council meets twice a month for 20 minutes on Tuesdays during recess. Reps are required to attend meetings, present information to their classmates, and lead activities and fundraisers.
The first Southeast Kelloggsville Elementary student council: Back row (from left): Carrie Zeigler, Karla Chavez, Lilyana Cano, Specioza Irangunda, Marley Eller, Briseida Pernal, Jonathon Jimenez, Brittany Dietz. Front row (from left): Khloe Vandergeld, Sherlyn Alvarado, Cindy Echeverria, Autumn Smith, Ivan Pineda, Iyanna Kilgo. Courtesy of Southeast Kelloggsville Elementary (courtesy photo)
First Project
The theme for the council this school year is “Bigger Than Me.”
“We will explore what that means throughout the course of the year, how we can be of service and make responsible decisions for our classes, school and community,” Zeigler said. “Since this is a brand-new adventure for us, the council will spend a lot of time determining our role within the school and what needs there are that we can address. We will promote respect, responsibility and looking beyond ourselves to recognize the needs of others.”
The council’s first project will be what Zeigler calls a holiday share book. “Each class will complete one (book),” she said, “filled with memories, stories, jokes, well wishes and thanks for our service men and women overseas.”
The students will manage the project and work with their teacher on when and where to work on the books. When they are done, Zeigler will work with two organizations – Hugs for Our Soldiers and Support Our Troops – which will send the projects overseas.
The new council also is planning to visit and work with local charities, and will sponsor several special days or events throughout the year to raise funds for the council and the school.
For more on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Researchers likely have a ways to go before they’ve perfected a cat vaccine that alleviates allergic reactions in humans. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
“This is an interesting concept,” said Theodore Kelbel, MD, section chief of allergy and immunology at Spectrum Health. “However, there is much to be studied before this will translate to regular practice.”
The vaccine would be administered to cats in three doses over nine weeks, with some cats getting a booster shot six months later, Dr. Kelbel said. The injections would be administered in the cat’s hind legs. It can be given to any cat at any age, but a booster shot may be necessary. Consequently, the effect on the feline protein may not be immediate.
Purr-fect solution?
In theory, humans would benefit because the cats would only need the three shots and a booster.
People who require allergy shots, on the other hand, typically get them on a more continuing basis.
Dr. Kelbel said individuals usually receive weekly shots for a few months, returning to a physician each month for a shot over a three- to five-year period. They also require booster shots if a cat lives in the house.
Allergy shots for humans have been around for decades and they work reasonably well, Dr. Kelbel said.
Researchers have plenty of testing to do on the cat vaccine, Dr. Kelbel said. They need exposure studies in which immunized cats would come into contact with humans who have known allergies to the felines.
They also need to conduct long-term studies, he said.
If a cat is still producing the protein in smaller amounts, it could build up over time and eventually affect humans again.
Other companies continue to research new medications or shots for people, which could improve the currently available treatments. But “the research is still very, very early,” Dr. Kelbel said.
From a common sense standpoint, there remains a leading solution for a person allergic to cats: Avoid contact with the animal.
That is, until researchers fine-tune their vaccine.
“I think it will be a few years, at minimum, before they can tell us (the vaccine) will be clinically beneficial for cat allergy patients,” Dr. Kelbel said.
Being a caregiver for a loved one is a job most people are happy to take on. They want to take care of the person who, in many cases, took care of them. And while caregiving has its rewards, it’s also a 24/7 job. Caregivers are on call at all hours of the day, especially if they are the primary caregiver. This constant responsibility and added emotional and physical strain can cause something called caregiver stress. When caring for a loved one, you are less likely to care for yourself, give yourself much-needed breaks, or keep yourself healthy.
In many cases, those keeping others from becoming even more ill, end up in the hospital themselves. To stay strong for your family and avoid the ails caused by caregiver stress, remember these self-care ideas.
Ask for and accept help
If you’re caring for a family member, ask another family member to step in once in awhile. Even if they just come by to read while you sit with a cup of coffee, this small break can refresh your body and mind. Or ask a neighbor to stop by for an hour while you go grocery shopping. Even though you are the primary caregiver, you don’t have to shoulder the responsibility on your own.
The chance to talk to someone who understands what you are going through can lift a huge weight off your shoulders. Only another caregiver will understand that while you love your family member, you may sometimes get frustrated with them, and then feel guilty about it. Find a safe space where you can express these feelings with people who are probably feeling the same things. It’s also a place where you can brainstorm solutions to the problems you face every day and find the resources you need to face those problems head on.
Stay active
You can combat fatigue, depression, and insomnia by staying active. Even if it’s just a 20-minute walk every day or jogging in place in front of the TV, any movement helps. Try Yoga in the morning before your loved one wakes up or a simple stretching routine every night before bed. It doesn’t have to be intense; it just needs to get you moving. Though, if you do have the option to get out the house (remember when we said to ask for help?) getting outside can play a large role in staying happy and healthy.
Stay social
While it’s tempting to spend almost all your time with your loved one, chatting, watching TV, reading or playing games, it’s also detrimental to your health to cut off other connections. When we don’t socialize, ailments like depression and loneliness are quick to set in. Maintain your social life as much as possible by asking neighbors or other family to step into the caregiver role once in awhile. Make daily phone calls to friends and family and share updates and stories with your loved one. If they have a hard time getting out, they will enjoy hearing your stories and being involved in your life.
Overall, the best advice for caregivers is to take care of yourself, too. Eat right, drink water, get plenty of sleep, and see your doctor regularly. You won’t be any help to your loved one if you wear yourself down!
As it was mentioned in part one of this series about the importance and value of informal family caregiving, caregivers often experience depression as well as physical health challenges. In a Family Caregiver Alliance 2006 report, Caregiver Assessment: Voices and Views from the Field Caring, it says that caring for persons with dementia can impact a person’s immune system for up to three years after their caregiving experience ends, increasing their chances of developing a chronic illness themselves.
In the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009 report, Caregiving in the U.S., it states that 17 percent of caregivers feel their health in general has gotten worse as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The report also says that studies have found that 23 percent of family caregivers who have been providing care for five years or more report their health is fair or poor.
Michigan State University Extension says that caregivers need to make their own care their first priority. It isn’t possible to be an effective caregiver for others without taking responsibility to keep their own well-being in mind. But, because of the constant demands of family caregiving, it is often difficult to include self-care in the daily list of responsibilities.
It is important to keep self-care simple. Stick with the basics. According to the National Center of Caregiving at the San Francisco-based Family Caregiver Alliance, it is vital to focus on the following basic self-care practices:
Learn and use stress-reduction techniques.
Attend to your own healthcare needs.
Get proper rest and nutrition.
Exercise regularly.
Take time off without feeling guilty.
Participate in pleasant, nurturing activities.
Seek and accept the support of others.
Seek supportive counseling when you need it, or talk to a trusted counselor or friend.
Identify and acknowledge your feelings.
Change the negative ways you view situations.
Set goals.
All of these activities are easier to accomplish with the support of family, friends and community resources. Reaching out to others to gather support for your family caregiving efforts can mean the difference between the normal caregiver burden and disastrous caregiver burnout. Contact your local MSU Extension office, your county commission on aging or the regional Area Agency on Aging to locate community resources to support your valiant efforts at family caregiving and self-care.
Many of my patients come to see me about symptoms and health issues they are experiencing, but I make it a point to help them recognize when they are at risk for something they don’t yet have.
This is especially true if they have increased risk factors for specific diseases or various health problems. There are changes they can make to help prevent these issues.
One of my patients, who I’ll call Judy, was faced with some life-changing decisions she needed to make, so we sat down and talked about what was happening in her life.
Judy’s mom had recently been diagnosed with end-stage endometrial cancer, and Judy wanted to know how she could shape her own future to be different from her mom’s. We first looked at Judy’s current health and how she was handling perimenopause.
For the most part, she was taking her perimenopausal symptoms in stride, but she struggled with weight gain (especially around her middle) and she was a smoker. She was afraid to quit smoking, fearing that she would gain even more weight.
As with all of my menopause patients, we discussed what she wanted her Picture of Self to look like at a specific point in her future and what she had planned to help her achieve her goals.
Before we discussed the changes Judy could make, we talked about some of the well-defined risk factors of endometrial cancer that she can control.
Excess estrogen increases the risk of endometrial cancer because it induces the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to grow. When this growth occurs unchecked, there is a risk of abnormal or cancerous development. Progesterone acts as a natural balance by stabilizing the endometrium and keeping it from growing out of control.
Excess estrogen can occur for two reasons: the levels can increase naturally during perimenopause, or there may be too much “unopposed” estrogen if you take estrogen-containing medications without balancing them with progesterone.
Low-dose combination oral contraceptives and appropriate doses of hormone therapy can help prevent endometrial cancer by controlling the level of circulating hormones and thus the growth of the lining of the uterus. Progesterone-releasing IUDs also help control the growth of the endometrium and decrease the likelihood of abnormal growth.
Finally, Judy and I discussed some lifestyle habits that can make a significant impact on her risk of developing endometrial cancer.
Smoking increases the risk of developing many cancers—another great reason to quit! Weight loss can help to decrease the risk, because estrogen, like many hormones, is stored long-term in body fat. Therefore, decreasing the body fat reduces the excess estrogen in your body. Other healthy changes you can make include increasing your physical activity, and eating a diet low in saturated fats and high in ruits and vegetables.
After talking with Judy, she was much more optimistic about her future. She has a clear understanding of her specific risk factors, specifically her smoking and central obesity. She has also regained a sense of control, and by making healthy choices, she is continuing to work toward her goals.
The digital age we live in today is fast-paced and full of constantly changing technology. This can be intimidating to aging adults who may fear they can’t understand new devices. However, combined, seniors and technology can be a powerful tool.
Modern devices connect us with loved ones, keep us in touch with medical professionals, and help us stay safe. If your loved one is nervous about getting started, here are a few easy ways to explore technology for seniors.
1. Use Technology to Connect
Today’s technology offers powerful ways to connect with our family and friends. For seniors who may not be as mobile as they once were, this is a huge benefit. There are many ways to use the digital world to stay social:
Help your loved one set up a social media account to see the latest photos and updates from grandchildren or long-distance relatives.
Use Skype or other video-chatting services to stay in touch when distance or health prevents face-to-face visits.
If your elderly family members can’t attend gatherings, upload family videos to YouTube and share privately.
2. Find Community Resources
The first step to understanding the digital world is mastering basic computer skills. For those of us who didn’t grow up with modern technology, this can be quite a challenge! If you need assistance or ideas for helping your aging loved one become comfortable with computers, research what resources are available in your area.
Many senior living community centers offer technology education. Local libraries, schools, and junior colleges have computer facilities and may offer classes or tutoring programs to the general public. Another great resource is your local Area Agency on Aging, a free service offered by the U.S. Administration on Aging.
3. Start Learning and Creating from Home
As we age, we may find that active pastimes are simply too demanding for our current health. Additionally, the living spaces in most retirement communities may not allow space for large projects. However, the digital revolution has made a huge range of new creative and educational activities possible from the comfort of our own homes.
Many people have always wanted to learn another language, but never had the time; some have a novel inside them just waiting to be written. Perhaps your loved one would enjoy blogging on a favorite topic and connecting with others who share their interests. Technology makes all these things possible! Check out resources like the National Novel Writing Month and Khan Academy for inspiration.
4. How to Get Started
No matter our age or lifestyle, trying new habits can be intimidating. Some seniors are ready and excited to get started with new technology, while some may be very overwhelmed.
Focus on small steps and loving communication.
Forming a new habit takes at least two months, so remember that this change in your loved one’s lifestyle probably won’t happen all at once.
To help keep your loved one from becoming even more overwhelmed, start with bite-sized projects.
Even a few small changes can make a huge difference! Just one email or social media account is enough to increase contact with family and friends.
These are just a few of the ways modern technology can enhance senior living for aging adults! With a few simple steps to introduce your loved one to the digital world, you can help them enjoy a happier, safer, and more convenient lifestyle. No matter where we are in life, the digital world is an exciting place to learn and explore.
Patricia Osorio (left) and twin sister Johanna Osorio enjoy some downtime between classes on the Grand Valley main campus (cr. Sarah Anderson/University Communications/GVSU)
Grand Valley State University freshmen Odalis Johanna Osorio, who goes by Johanna, and her identical twin sister, Odalis Patricia Osorio, who goes by Patricia, do nothing the easy way.
Consider their time at Wyoming High School, from which they graduated this past spring.
Already as freshmen they’d decided to push themselves and signed up for Honors English.
“My mom didn’t even know,” recalls Patricia, “and I can remember her asking ‘Why are you guys studying so hard?’”
Johanna continues the story for Patricia — a not uncommon occurrence for the pair, who also often answer questions in unison.
“We wanted to take on that challenge,” says Johanna. “It was hard, but we made it through.”
“I was scared every day in that class,” Patricia adds with a laugh.
“But we gained so much knowledge and skills,” concludes Johanna. “We learned how to study; we learned how to be students.”
Patricia Osorio (left) and twin sister Johanna Osorio pause prior to an afternoon lab on the Grand Valley State University main campus (cr. Sarah Anderson/University Communications/GVSU)
First Generation Students
The twins have taken that knowledge, and much else learned during their high school days, to their university experience at GVSU, where they are part of a pre-dental program with a goal of one day opening their own dental practice. They already have a name picked out: Osorio Dental. And though they know the road ahead of them will be difficult, they are determined to succeed.
This semester the first-generation college students are taking four classes each, and two of those classes are chemistry and biology, each of which also has a lab.
“It’s harder than we expected,” says Johanna. “It’s going to be a big challenge, but we’ll get there.”
One thing that is making life a little easier for the pair is financial aid. They’ve received assistance from GVSU and were awarded scholarships from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, based on their grades, activities and a short personal essay. Each received a foundation award of $1,000 from the Josephine Ringold Scholarship fund, which has given approximately $600,000 to students in the Grand Rapids area since it was established in 1991.
“We are still paying a lot since it’s two of us,” says Johanna. “We are very grateful for getting any financial assistance because it does help, no matter how much.”
Patricia Osorio (left) and twin sister Johanna Osorio enjoy some downtime between classes on the Grand Valley State University main campus (cr. Sarah Anderson/University Communications/GVSU)
Hot Chocolate in French
They’re also grateful to teachers at Wyoming High School, who not only made an impact on them during their time there but have stayed in touch now that they’re at GVSU.
The twins took French all through high school to push themselves and get out of their comfort zones. Fluent in Spanish, thanks to family ties to both Honduras and Mexico, they knew taking Spanish would have been easy. But French would present a challenge, and the twins were resolute in their belief that surmounting challenges was the best way to use high school as a launching pad for college.
They found a bonus in Wood, whom they call Madame Wood.
“She was a big influence on us, and she’s stayed in touch with us and given us advice,” says Patricia. “We had her class in the morning, and she had this little machine where you could make hot chocolate. It made us feel comfortable.”
‘IT’S HARDER THAN WE EXPECTED. IT’S GOING TO BE A BIG CHALLENGE, BUT WE’LL GET THERE.’ — JOHANNA OSORIO ON UNIVERSITY LIFE
Jonathan Bushen was another mentor and guide for the twins, and he too has stayed in contact with them.
“He motivated us to go to university,” says Johanna. “Just the other day he texted, and he was like ‘Have you joined any clubs yet?’”
Patricia laughs. “We told him ‘yes’ because we joined the Latino Student Union, and we’d just been at a meeting!”
Patricia Osorio (left) and twin sister Johanna Osorio catch up on a reading assignment at a scenic spot on the Grand Valley State University main campus (cr. Sarah Anderson/University Communications/GVSU)
Drive + Compassion = Success
Bushen, who teaches business, technology and video production, says Johanna and Patricia are two of the most gracious and kind students he has taught at Wyoming High School. “Their drive for success along with compassion for others are some of their many great qualities,” he says. “As their business teacher for three years, I watched them develop into young women who have a passionate heart for others, along with determination for individual success, and it wasn’t hard to see that they would be successful in college, and beyond. I am fortunate to know them and to have just had a small piece in their journey.”
In addition to supportive former teachers, the twins also have support from family — not just their mom and step dad but also numerous aunts and uncles and cousins — encouraging and pushing them to succeed. In turn, they have a deep desire to model success for others in their family, including a 3-year-old brother and a number of school-aged cousins.
“At Wyoming, when you graduate you get cords that you wear for all of the clubs and activities you’ve been part of,” says Patricia. “For Honors Society, for Key Club (a group that coordinates volunteer activities), for class committees. I remember my cousin looked at us wearing them and said ‘I want those.’ And I said: ‘Girl, you have to earn them.’”
Earning it. For the Osorio twins, there’s no other way.
For more on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Studies have found associations between artificially sweetened beverages and increased risk of stroke and heart disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
The health risks of sugary drinks, from juice to soda, are well known.
They can lead to overweight and diabetes, stroke and other problems in the brain, including poorer memory and smaller brain volume.
But diet sodas aren’t the answer.
A number of studies have found an association between artificially sweetened beverages and an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, heart attack and other heart-related deaths in women.
The most recent was published earlier this year in the journal Stroke, with researchers suggesting that, even without identifying a specific cause and effect, people should seriously consider the potentially harmful effects of artificially sweetened drinks.
And there’s more.
Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine followed 4,000 people of both sexes over 10 years.
Using MRI tests, they linked just one artificially sweetened soda a day to brain changes that can lead to dementia, as well as the type of stroke caused by a blockage in a blood vessel.
These risks were triple those of people who don’t drink diet sodas.
It didn’t seem to matter which common artificial sweetener—saccharin, aspartame or sucralose—was consumed.
While some people see diet soda as a way of weaning off regular soda, it may be healthier in the long run to skip this type of transition.
If you like soda’s carbonation more than the better option of water, flavor plain seltzer with a squeeze of your favorite citrus fruit, a few crushed berries or both.
For variety, try freshly grated ginger, chopped mint or a teaspoon of vanilla. Also consider replacing soda with a glass of milk—you’ll get important protein and a shot of calcium in the bargain.
Whole-grain breads provide immunity-boosting nutrients and dietary fiber that can help improve cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
There may be no dietary staple more in need of a public relations makeover than bread.
Concerns over carbs, sodium and gluten sometime overshadow what can be a simple, tasty way to add important vitamins and minerals as well as fiber to daily meals.
But some breads are better for you than others.
Whole-grain breads are good sources of nutrients that help maintain a healthy immune system. They also provide dietary fiber that can help improve cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Refined grains, on the other hand, can lead to a surplus of sugar in the bloodstream, which in turn becomes stored in the body as fat.
And refined-grain breads—which have a finer texture and a longer shelf life than whole-grain breads, but lack most of the nutrients—turn up often in everyday foods. White bread is an obvious example, but French bread, bagels and pizza crust commonly contain refined grains as well.
White bread “looks pretty much like plain sugar, really, just simple carbohydrates,” said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University in New York. “Not the complex carbohydrates that we find in whole grains.”
Fad diets may warn against bread’s calories and carbohydrates, but both are necessary components of a daily diet. Complex carbohydrates provide energy for longer periods of time than simple carbohydrates, like those found in white bread.
“I always find it comical when I see low-carbohydrate bread, because you know, it’s all carbohydrates,” St-Onge said. “If there are concerns about bread, it’s probably more about what you put between those two slices than the slices themselves.”
A slice of whole-grain wheat bread typically contains 70 calories, compared with 77 calories in a slice of white bread. Whole-grain bread has more dietary fiber than white bread (2 grams compared to 0.8 grams) and white bread has 1.64 grams of sugar while whole-grain bread has none.
Whole-grain bread can come in a variety of forms, with a variety of other healthy ingredients.
“You can be very creative with the types of bread that you consume,” St-Onge said. “Having different breads that are whole grain can be a way to make your sandwiches more interesting. You can include flaxseed, rye, oats, walnuts, hazelnuts. Those are good for your heart.”
Whole grains are typically low in sodium, but salt may be added during processing of certain types of bread.
“Bread must have sodium. It needs it,” St-Onge said. “You have to stop the yeast at some point, and you need to have salt to do that for preservation purposes. But I would not consider that to be a reason not to consume bread.”
Bread also contains gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, barley and rye. People who have celiac disease are unable to tolerate gluten and others may have a sensitivity to gluten that causes symptoms such as nausea or abdominal pain.
Gluten-free bread may be an option, St-Onge said, but only if it is truly necessary.
“The gluten craze is something to be wary about,” she said. “Baked gluten-free foods often do not have optimal nutrient value.”
The safest way to make sure your bread is healthy, St-Onge said, is to make it yourself.
“It’s easy; you can use a bread machine or a no-knead recipe where you don’t even have to knead it,” she said. “You can control the flour that you put in. There are no additives.”
Some people trying to limit the carbs and calories of bread may opt for tortillas or lettuce wraps, St-Onge said, but there are dietary implications to be considered.
“A leaf of lettuce will have a couple of calories, where a slice of bread will have 100-something calories. But will you have the same amount of vitamins and minerals in a leaf of lettuce that you will get in a slice of bread? No,” she said.
“Have your regular sandwich and add in leaves of lettuce. Make it crunchy. Make it fresh. And then your sandwich is heftier, it’s bulkier, it’s bigger. It’s more satisfying.”
