Today's posting is actually a column I wrote for tomorrow's editions of The Tribune-Democrat, in print and online at www.tribdem.com.
So you are getting a free preview of Wednesday's paper.
There is an outside chance, I'll put up a few sentences tomorrow, but don't stick by your electronic devices just for that.
I will be pretty busy starting on a new project that I is going to be very exciting. But I'm not telling yet.
Here is the column:
There are many things I love about my job.
I love that it is something different every day. I love getting out in the world and meeting interesting people who are involved in their communities. I love being able to work from home some days. I love having some flexibility in my schedule. I love the feeling that we sometimes can make a positive difference in readers’ lives and have an impact on our community.
But mostly I love learning about different subjects as I investigate my stories.
Boy, did I learn a lot this month.
I learned stuff I can use, like different tips on eating healthy and cranking up my metabolism to lose weight; and about how to gauge my exercise routine.
I learned a lot of stuff I hope I never have to use, like some of the more subtle signs of heart disease, and a whole lot about cardiac electrophysiology – the treatment of heart rhythms.
And there was information that was just plain interesting: Like the history of heart surgery in Johnstown and how physical fitness, health and school lunch programs are changing to address childhood obesity and wellness.
When I tackled the American Heart Month project last year, I used the work as a catalyst to ramp up my own heart-health program. It continued to pay off through the ensuing months and was re-energized during this month’s project. Although my weight loss is not as significant as the six pounds I claimed last year during February, I’m down at least four over the last 29 days.
Through the month, I’ve kept up an almost-daily blog (short for Weblog) that was linked to The Tribune-Democrat website, www.tribdem.com. I did the same thing last year, with thoughts of continuing the postings through the year on different health care issues.
That didn’t happen, mostly because a blog feels like it should be an ongoing thing following a certain subject. I am going to give it another shot this year, but it may be centered around a weekly online wellness tip. From there, I feel like I can expand on the subject, update my own wellness (thereby keeping myself accountable) and maybe preview or expand on subjects we are developing for the newspaper and website.
I’ll keep you posted.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Final throes of heart month
The final package of stories for the American Heart Month project was published in Sunday's editions. I have one more story I'm writing for Wednesday's paper, wrapping up the month with a look ahead toward an April event in Ebesnburg that could be a precursor to the American Heart Association's next big national fundraiser.
I plan to write a final column for Wednesday's paper, which will also be my last heart-month blog posting. Therefore, I don't want to expand too much here, except to say it has been a very rewarding month.
After wrapping up the writing on Friday evening, I was headed home when I realized I had not posted to the blog. I almost batted out a couple paragraphs from home, but decided my marital health was as important as my heart health. I took my Lovely Bride out on the town with for a very enjoyable evening with friends at the Westwood Gardens karaoke event. No I didn't sing “Dog and the Butterfly,” “What About Love?” or any other Heart songs.
We didn't perform at all – only danced a little and cheered on the vocalists.
The rest of the weekend we were busy, but did not get out for any real cardiovascular exercise. I guess we need a personal trainer to scream at us and shame us into the exercise thing.
It worked for our older cat. Gypsy was 10 this year, and was told by her veterinarian a couple years ago that she should get more exercise and lose some weight.
Maybe she'd chase one of those laser lights around the room, or maybe we could get her to run after some toys, the vet suggested. We tried it, but she just looked at us like Morris when he was being finicky (for those of you old enough to remember the old 9-Lives commercials).
Then we got Purrsey. He got his name from being persistent at repeatedly jumping onto things he was pushed off – and for the noise he likes to make in our ears when we are sleeping.
Purrsey races and jumps after and onto Gypsy whenever he is bored. She spends most of her waking hours running away from him and jumping up onto counters or chairs to intimidate him.
It has done wonders for her waistline and heart health.
I plan to write a final column for Wednesday's paper, which will also be my last heart-month blog posting. Therefore, I don't want to expand too much here, except to say it has been a very rewarding month.
After wrapping up the writing on Friday evening, I was headed home when I realized I had not posted to the blog. I almost batted out a couple paragraphs from home, but decided my marital health was as important as my heart health. I took my Lovely Bride out on the town with for a very enjoyable evening with friends at the Westwood Gardens karaoke event. No I didn't sing “Dog and the Butterfly,” “What About Love?” or any other Heart songs.
We didn't perform at all – only danced a little and cheered on the vocalists.
The rest of the weekend we were busy, but did not get out for any real cardiovascular exercise. I guess we need a personal trainer to scream at us and shame us into the exercise thing.
It worked for our older cat. Gypsy was 10 this year, and was told by her veterinarian a couple years ago that she should get more exercise and lose some weight.
Maybe she'd chase one of those laser lights around the room, or maybe we could get her to run after some toys, the vet suggested. We tried it, but she just looked at us like Morris when he was being finicky (for those of you old enough to remember the old 9-Lives commercials).
Then we got Purrsey. He got his name from being persistent at repeatedly jumping onto things he was pushed off – and for the noise he likes to make in our ears when we are sleeping.
Purrsey races and jumps after and onto Gypsy whenever he is bored. She spends most of her waking hours running away from him and jumping up onto counters or chairs to intimidate him.
It has done wonders for her waistline and heart health.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
An excuse to nibble
“Snack often.”
That was my favorite diet advice from Joe Shetler at last week's Women's Information Network luncheon.
Shetler said small, healthy snacks every three hours of so will help keep metabolism rate up. If you starve yourself, the body shuts down metabolism, storing energy as fat, he explained.
“People who don't eat regularly train their bodies to be fat-absorbing machines,” Shetler said. “People who eat and exercise train their body to be fat burning machines. It makes weight loss much more effective.”
So what should you snack on? Shetler said fruit is a good choice, but suggested a little peanut butter or cheese should be included for protein. Even the natural carbohydrates in fruit get absorbed quickly into the blood.
“Protein takes 25 percent more energy to digest than carbs,” Shetler said. “It jump-starts metabolism.”
For me, it's usually a dried-fruit-and-nut trail mix, with extra protein from added almonds and soybeans in the form of edemame, some with wasabi.
Those two snacking suggestions are among six points Shetler stressed during the talk at the Holiday Inn-Downtown.
In a nutshell, here they are:
1.Snack often.
2.Include protein.
3.Strength train to build muscle. Muscle creates a better metabolism, pound-for-pound burning three times as many calories as fat just as maintenance.
4.Include cadiovascular exercise.
5.Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. It helps burn fat more efficiently. Shetler adds that you shouldn't drink your calories because your body doesn't recognize soda or juice as nutrition immediately. Drinking 300 calories will still leave you hungry, so you will probably eat more.
6.Eat a healthy breakfast, including complex carbohydrates, protein and a little fat. The body is starving in the morning and needs food to crank up metabolic rates.
Here is what the American Heart Association recommends for a heart healthy diet:
Fruits and vegetables: At least 4.5 cups a day
Fish (preferably oily fish): At least two 3.5-ounce servings a week
Fiber-rich whole grains: At least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings a day
Sodium: Less than 1,500 mg a day
Sugar-sweetened beverages: No more than 450 calories (36 ounces) a week
Other Dietary Measures:
Nuts, legumes and seeds: At least 4 servings a week
Processed meats: No more than 2 servings a week
Everybody I've been trying to talk to all week got into contact with me today. In fact, I have so much information, I am again contemplating an extra story, which will necessitate an extra picture. I did have some fun and got a cool shot today at Portage Junior Senior High School. A tobacco-prevention program by Mike Messina of Community Action Partnership of Cambria County was getting an encouraging amount of attention.
I actually got onto the track at Windber HealthStyles again last night with my Lovely Bride for a good half-hour walk before heading back home for a late supper of chicken-something pasta.
That was my favorite diet advice from Joe Shetler at last week's Women's Information Network luncheon.
Shetler said small, healthy snacks every three hours of so will help keep metabolism rate up. If you starve yourself, the body shuts down metabolism, storing energy as fat, he explained.
“People who don't eat regularly train their bodies to be fat-absorbing machines,” Shetler said. “People who eat and exercise train their body to be fat burning machines. It makes weight loss much more effective.”
So what should you snack on? Shetler said fruit is a good choice, but suggested a little peanut butter or cheese should be included for protein. Even the natural carbohydrates in fruit get absorbed quickly into the blood.
“Protein takes 25 percent more energy to digest than carbs,” Shetler said. “It jump-starts metabolism.”
For me, it's usually a dried-fruit-and-nut trail mix, with extra protein from added almonds and soybeans in the form of edemame, some with wasabi.
Those two snacking suggestions are among six points Shetler stressed during the talk at the Holiday Inn-Downtown.
In a nutshell, here they are:
1.Snack often.
2.Include protein.
3.Strength train to build muscle. Muscle creates a better metabolism, pound-for-pound burning three times as many calories as fat just as maintenance.
4.Include cadiovascular exercise.
5.Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. It helps burn fat more efficiently. Shetler adds that you shouldn't drink your calories because your body doesn't recognize soda or juice as nutrition immediately. Drinking 300 calories will still leave you hungry, so you will probably eat more.
6.Eat a healthy breakfast, including complex carbohydrates, protein and a little fat. The body is starving in the morning and needs food to crank up metabolic rates.
Here is what the American Heart Association recommends for a heart healthy diet:
Fruits and vegetables: At least 4.5 cups a day
Fish (preferably oily fish): At least two 3.5-ounce servings a week
Fiber-rich whole grains: At least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings a day
Sodium: Less than 1,500 mg a day
Sugar-sweetened beverages: No more than 450 calories (36 ounces) a week
Other Dietary Measures:
Nuts, legumes and seeds: At least 4 servings a week
Processed meats: No more than 2 servings a week
Everybody I've been trying to talk to all week got into contact with me today. In fact, I have so much information, I am again contemplating an extra story, which will necessitate an extra picture. I did have some fun and got a cool shot today at Portage Junior Senior High School. A tobacco-prevention program by Mike Messina of Community Action Partnership of Cambria County was getting an encouraging amount of attention.
I actually got onto the track at Windber HealthStyles again last night with my Lovely Bride for a good half-hour walk before heading back home for a late supper of chicken-something pasta.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Fighting the current
I feel like I'm swimming upstream through quicksand this week.
While that might provide a good cardiovascular workout, it is not very much fun. I think the biggest issue is that I am out of my element. This weekend's installment American Heart Month project will focus on early education and lifetime prevention of risk factors.
I started, naturally, with my usual suspects at the hospitals and institutions I deal with throughout the year as healthcare reporter. With a few minor exceptions, I got some good stuff from them. But since school systems dominate so much of children's lives, I feel it will be important to include school-based programs and wellness policies in the story.
Now I have covered a few school districts over the last few years and have good contacts there, but I thought I would try to start in some of the more rural areas.
That's when I got into the quicksand.
Maybe it illustrates the issue that has made Cambria County the second most-obese county in the state, but many of the school administrative offices seemed confused about who is in charge of these programs. I admit it is a broad spectrum of issues: Nutrition education, tobacco prevention, physical fitness education and physical activity schedules are all involved in heart health. Some districts seem to delegate the programs to individual school buildings, scattered throughout the health, physical education and consumer science departments, with help from the school nurse and food services director.
So what has been happening: I explain what I'm looking for, and I get told someone will call me back or transferred to someone's voice mail where I explain the whole thing again and ask them to call me back.
Mostly, they haven't called back. When they do, it is to tell me I really should talk to someone else. Then I get transferred to a voice mail or told the new contact will call me back.
And now it's Wednesday; and school is out.
All this may explain why I did not post to this blog on Tuesday (I hope someone missed it). It simply got pushed off the schedule. In addition, I covered an airport authority meeting for a story in today's editions.
Despite the setbacks, I have been inspired by the passion of those working with children to improve their health and develop healthy lifestyles. It is also heartening to see different organizations like the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA, Windber Research Institute, Highmark and Alternative Community Resource Program working together and with schools to reach at-risk children.
I am confident the project's child-focused stories this weekend, although likely less voluminous than previous installments, will be informative and useful.
The personal reward of gathering information and completing stories for the Heart Month project has been enhanced by learning more about how to improve my own heart health.
Sometimes the knowledge is hard to use, though. Especially the fitness advice. But I'm doing better.
I didn't have a chance to blog on Tuesday, but I did get out for a quick walk in the rain with my Lovely Bride after working all day and then going to church functions until almost 9 p.m. We may not have been at a cardiovascular pace for the full 30 minutes, but it was a healthy loop of the Richland Town Centre sidewalk, with an extra circuit of the adjacent Starbucks-Five Guys plaza.
The Shrove Tuesday all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage dinner may not have been the best heart-healthy choice, but it was part of an uplifting evening of preparation for lent.
But if the church dinner, service and evening walk provided a rewarding end of Tuesday, it didn't start out so well. We had a tragic loss at our house Tuesday morning: My 20-plus-year-old coffee grinder died after a couple seconds of use, leaving me with no brewable coffee in the house. I thought it might be a message that I should give up coffee for lent, but decided it was just a burnt motor.
Tomorrow, I will try to get back to those weight-loss tips I promised on Monday.
While that might provide a good cardiovascular workout, it is not very much fun. I think the biggest issue is that I am out of my element. This weekend's installment American Heart Month project will focus on early education and lifetime prevention of risk factors.
I started, naturally, with my usual suspects at the hospitals and institutions I deal with throughout the year as healthcare reporter. With a few minor exceptions, I got some good stuff from them. But since school systems dominate so much of children's lives, I feel it will be important to include school-based programs and wellness policies in the story.
Now I have covered a few school districts over the last few years and have good contacts there, but I thought I would try to start in some of the more rural areas.
That's when I got into the quicksand.
Maybe it illustrates the issue that has made Cambria County the second most-obese county in the state, but many of the school administrative offices seemed confused about who is in charge of these programs. I admit it is a broad spectrum of issues: Nutrition education, tobacco prevention, physical fitness education and physical activity schedules are all involved in heart health. Some districts seem to delegate the programs to individual school buildings, scattered throughout the health, physical education and consumer science departments, with help from the school nurse and food services director.
So what has been happening: I explain what I'm looking for, and I get told someone will call me back or transferred to someone's voice mail where I explain the whole thing again and ask them to call me back.
Mostly, they haven't called back. When they do, it is to tell me I really should talk to someone else. Then I get transferred to a voice mail or told the new contact will call me back.
And now it's Wednesday; and school is out.
All this may explain why I did not post to this blog on Tuesday (I hope someone missed it). It simply got pushed off the schedule. In addition, I covered an airport authority meeting for a story in today's editions.
Despite the setbacks, I have been inspired by the passion of those working with children to improve their health and develop healthy lifestyles. It is also heartening to see different organizations like the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA, Windber Research Institute, Highmark and Alternative Community Resource Program working together and with schools to reach at-risk children.
I am confident the project's child-focused stories this weekend, although likely less voluminous than previous installments, will be informative and useful.
The personal reward of gathering information and completing stories for the Heart Month project has been enhanced by learning more about how to improve my own heart health.
Sometimes the knowledge is hard to use, though. Especially the fitness advice. But I'm doing better.
I didn't have a chance to blog on Tuesday, but I did get out for a quick walk in the rain with my Lovely Bride after working all day and then going to church functions until almost 9 p.m. We may not have been at a cardiovascular pace for the full 30 minutes, but it was a healthy loop of the Richland Town Centre sidewalk, with an extra circuit of the adjacent Starbucks-Five Guys plaza.
The Shrove Tuesday all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage dinner may not have been the best heart-healthy choice, but it was part of an uplifting evening of preparation for lent.
But if the church dinner, service and evening walk provided a rewarding end of Tuesday, it didn't start out so well. We had a tragic loss at our house Tuesday morning: My 20-plus-year-old coffee grinder died after a couple seconds of use, leaving me with no brewable coffee in the house. I thought it might be a message that I should give up coffee for lent, but decided it was just a burnt motor.
Tomorrow, I will try to get back to those weight-loss tips I promised on Monday.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Puttin' on the Ritz -- Gangster-style
As you can see we were “Puttin' on
the Ritz” with 1920s swankiness Saturday at the Cambria-Somerset
Heart Ball.
It was really a great time, and I'm not
just saying that because my boss, Editor Chip Minemyer, was a
co-chairman. Nor am I saying that because several people came up to
me and thanked me for the work on The Tribune-Democrat's American
Heart Month Project.
It really was fun for a great cause,
The American Heart Association. Emcee Marty Radovonic of WJAC-TV got everybody
thinking about how to support the important research work, and Eileen
Graham and her party planning team created a festive theme for the
evening.
By the way those are "spats" over my shoes.
I do have to admit I was struck by the
irony of including fake cigarettes with our 1920s theme outfits after
writing a huge story about the dangers of smoking last week. But I
decided it also illustrated how far we have come in so many ways
since those old days.
The rest of my Saturday was spent
recovering from the busy week preparing stories for Sunday's and
today's editions. Although I did help some friends load up their
rented truck for a moving adventure, it really wasn't any sustained
cardiovascular exercise involved; maybe some weight-training.
So it was important that we spend at
least 30 minutes in vigorous movement on the dance floor. That is
never a problem with my Lovely Bride. Becky would go dancing every night,
if we could afford it!
There were two potential downfalls to
the evening: The prime variety of beers and the exquisite dessert
spread featured by the Sunnehanna staff. It was especially dangerous
after our regular Friday night Happy Hour at Tulune's South Side
extended into the evening, with supper and an additional draft on the
calorie count.
So we took it a little easy on the food
Sunday, and ended the day with a healthy walk around the
Pitt-Johnstown campus, where we were carefully observed by about 20
deer in one of the athletic fields.
I am happy to report that, despite the
diet extravagances, I was at 188 both Sunday and this morning,
sustaining that weight for two consecutive days for the first time
since before Thanksgiving.
I give some credit to Conemaugh Health
System exercise physiologist and nutritionist Joe Shetler, whom I
included in one of Sunday's story. I picked up a few more weight-loss
tips during his program last week than I could include in that story.
I plan bring some of those into this blog later this week.
My work on this coming Sunday's Heart
Month package started today with a valuable interview with Dr.
Matthew Masiello at Windber Research Institute. He is a pediatrician
with an extensive background in public health science. Most of the
experts I have been talking to all month say that heart disease
prevention must begin with children, even as infants. That is why
this week's package is focusing on children, with a look at
school-based and community-based programs to encourage healthy diet
and active lifestyles and discourage smoking.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Gangster and my flapper
Friday, February 17, 2012
Ready for the Ball!
I just finished typing up the last of four stories for this weekend's American Heart Month package.
Stories revolve around prevention measures, with a lot of information about smoking cessation and health affects of tobacco use.
With a story about one woman's success in reducing her risk factors and another about a unique research-prevention clinic in Somerset County, I ended up with more than 3,200 words. But I think it will all be useful and very readable.
It has kept me almost glued to my computer for the last couple days. I stopped to get a picture for the clinic story at Windber HealthStyles at the end of my shift Thursday evening and then hit the track for a half hour, completing two miles. I felt so good I took off my jacket and tie and jumped on the elliptical for another 10 minutes.
That session put me above the cardiovascular workout, though, based on Conemaugh Health System nutritionist Joe Shetler's useful sing-talk-gasp scale. I could have carried on a conversation while walking on the track, but not on the elliptical. It left me a little gaspy.
I am looking forward to the Heart Ball on Saturday. My Lovely Bride and I are embracing the “1920s swankiness” theme. She got a flapper dress, with appropriate accessories, and I'm going Gangster.
Next week, I tackle a slightly different angle: Prevention programs geared for children. They target childhood obesity and smoking prevention that doctors say are key to long term reduction in heart disease.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Hummusing a healthy tune
Hummus.
I forgot to mention hummus in yesterday's post about new foods that have found places in my heart-healthy diet.
Hummus, for you carnivores, is a Levantine Arab food dip or spread made from chickpeas, tahini and olive oil, along with flavoring from lemon juice, garlic, peppers or artichoke, among other.
Now, I admit, I tend to overdo it with hummus. I can sit down with a package of carrots and polish off a good two or three ounces of red-pepper or garlic hummus as a snack. Now I've gotten plenty of fiber and some healthy protein out of it; but there is also a good serving of fat from olive oil. And I've probably eaten eight to 10 grams of fat, albeit a healthier fat, high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Then there is the 200 calories.
I like to use it as a meat substitute in sandwiches and wraps when I grab a bite at restaurants that feature hummus. I only know of a couple that do, but I hope it catches on so I have more options – not that I'd consider abandoning my favorites.
It's not like potato chips, ice cream or even french onion dip, but you can overeat on anything, they tell me.
In a way I'm fortunate. I have always been willing to try new foods, and new other things. The family still talks about the time my mother took gourmet cooking classes and my younger sister, in particular, would turn up her nose at Mom's new experiments.
“It's not gourmet?” became her question for every new dish.
I'm more like my my late father, who loved exotic foods – much to his own waistline's demise. The family also talks about the time Dad got Mom to make him some escargot and he offered us kids a quarter if we tried a snail. My older sister swallowed hers whole, I think, but I took time to chew and taste. I don't remember really liking it, but I hadn't really started to like garlic at that age. I have had them since, and I would eat them again. But I wouldn't order them for myself.
For a long time, I was not a big fan of salads. Then I realized why: I've never found a salad dressing worth adding to the fresh vegetables that I do like. And I'm indifferent to iceberg lettuce, which seems to define most salads.
Now I judge a salad by its variety and a salad bar by the quality of a salad I can create without any lettuce from the big bowl. And I pass on the dressing, which is I guess the healthy choice anyway. But you know what does make a great salad addition? Hummus.
I have nothing more to preview on this week's Heart Month package, so I will just dive back into the writing. Suffice it to say, I expect all of the readers to be equipped to take ownership of their heart health after reading Sunday's and Monday's stories.
I forgot to mention hummus in yesterday's post about new foods that have found places in my heart-healthy diet.
Hummus, for you carnivores, is a Levantine Arab food dip or spread made from chickpeas, tahini and olive oil, along with flavoring from lemon juice, garlic, peppers or artichoke, among other.
Now, I admit, I tend to overdo it with hummus. I can sit down with a package of carrots and polish off a good two or three ounces of red-pepper or garlic hummus as a snack. Now I've gotten plenty of fiber and some healthy protein out of it; but there is also a good serving of fat from olive oil. And I've probably eaten eight to 10 grams of fat, albeit a healthier fat, high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Then there is the 200 calories.
I like to use it as a meat substitute in sandwiches and wraps when I grab a bite at restaurants that feature hummus. I only know of a couple that do, but I hope it catches on so I have more options – not that I'd consider abandoning my favorites.
It's not like potato chips, ice cream or even french onion dip, but you can overeat on anything, they tell me.
In a way I'm fortunate. I have always been willing to try new foods, and new other things. The family still talks about the time my mother took gourmet cooking classes and my younger sister, in particular, would turn up her nose at Mom's new experiments.
“It's not gourmet?” became her question for every new dish.
I'm more like my my late father, who loved exotic foods – much to his own waistline's demise. The family also talks about the time Dad got Mom to make him some escargot and he offered us kids a quarter if we tried a snail. My older sister swallowed hers whole, I think, but I took time to chew and taste. I don't remember really liking it, but I hadn't really started to like garlic at that age. I have had them since, and I would eat them again. But I wouldn't order them for myself.
For a long time, I was not a big fan of salads. Then I realized why: I've never found a salad dressing worth adding to the fresh vegetables that I do like. And I'm indifferent to iceberg lettuce, which seems to define most salads.
Now I judge a salad by its variety and a salad bar by the quality of a salad I can create without any lettuce from the big bowl. And I pass on the dressing, which is I guess the healthy choice anyway. But you know what does make a great salad addition? Hummus.
I have nothing more to preview on this week's Heart Month package, so I will just dive back into the writing. Suffice it to say, I expect all of the readers to be equipped to take ownership of their heart health after reading Sunday's and Monday's stories.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
This time, it's personal
Last week at this time, I was overloading on information about heart catheterization, balloon angioplasty, implanted defibrillators, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis and all forms of heart condition.
As I said, learning a little about virtually anything has always compelled me to check out additional information and tidbits on the subject.
But in the case of last week's theme, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, the interest was purely academic. I don't have heart disease and have no plans to start treating patients.
This week's theme, risk factors and prevention of heart disease, sparks a personal interest – as it should for all of us.
So again, I find myself immersed in gathering information – even though I've saved unused notes several previous interviews that included extensive discussion of risk factors and prevention measures. I thought about splitting the important subject over the last two Sundays of American Heart Month, but I want to devote the final package of stories to early prevention: Childhood obesity and tobacco prevention education initiatives.
And to top it off, I again allowed myself to get caught up in the Special Olympics Winter Games and spent extra time on the speed skating assignment. I hope it was worth it, because I am really inspired by the athletes, especially Hillary McFadden. Here's a link to the truncated story and full video.
http://tribune-democrat.com/multimedia/x638260550/Blind-speed-skater-It-s-graceful-and-fast
I still managed to get a couple of worthwhile interviews completed yesterday for the Heart Month Project. I talked to exercise physiologist Gary Pagano at Windber Medical Center and a woman who lost 40 pounds and established an exercise routine to reduce her risk.
All that is my weak excuse for not posting to this blog yesterday.
Today, I crashed the Greater Johnstown-Cambria County Chamber of Commerce Women's Information Network luncheon, featuring a program by Joe Shetler, an exercise physiologist and nutritionist with Conemaugh Health System.
Although Shetler's weight-loss presentation did not specifically address heart health, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are two major risk factors I am addressing for the weekend package. His information about the importance of combining exercise and caloric intake reduction, commonly called dieting, provided some scientific background for the risk factor story.
And Pagano is always a wealth of fitness information.
Since I started getting serious about this heart-healthy lifestyle last year, I keep learning about new words and new foods. Some of them are just fun to say. They make my tongue feel good:
Quinoa – pronounced KEEN-wah, but kin-OH-ah is also accepted – is often cited as a superfood – high in both fiber and important proteins. It is a whole grain the cooks up like tiny rice. My Lovely Bride and I like to include it with rice in pilaf – sometimes with fish.
Edamame (ed-uh-MAH-mee), which is a Japanese word for soybeans picked just before they harden. As a snack or soup, they are also a good source of protein and fiber.
Then there is “inulin,” which usually comes from chicory root and is used as an additive to make foods high in fiber. It can be listed as “chicory root fiber” or “chicory root extract.” It is a little more controversial than some of the other healthy food “discoveries” because some feel the naturally occurring starch has been altered through manufacturing with unknown side effects, Patty Donovan wrote on the Natural News website.
My busy schedule with Special Olympics and Heart Month work yesterday also pushed my daily walking schedule aside. I only managed about 10 minutes on the Windber HealthStyles track while I waited for Pagano to finish a telephone conference.
I didn't eat at the women's luncheon, although the Holiday Inn buffet and desserts looked delicious as usual. I think I could have created a healthy lunch, sans dessert, but I didn't really have time to eat and take notes.
So I grabbed a fast-food veggie wrap on the way to Windber for an interview with one of the Windber Research Institute's cardiovascular risk clinic participants. He lost about 20 pounds and brought his cholesterol levels into the health range.
I did save 30 minutes of my lunch hour to complete my daily walk on the HealthStyles track, confirming the 30-minute brisk walk should cover about two miles at my pace.
As I said, learning a little about virtually anything has always compelled me to check out additional information and tidbits on the subject.
But in the case of last week's theme, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, the interest was purely academic. I don't have heart disease and have no plans to start treating patients.
This week's theme, risk factors and prevention of heart disease, sparks a personal interest – as it should for all of us.
So again, I find myself immersed in gathering information – even though I've saved unused notes several previous interviews that included extensive discussion of risk factors and prevention measures. I thought about splitting the important subject over the last two Sundays of American Heart Month, but I want to devote the final package of stories to early prevention: Childhood obesity and tobacco prevention education initiatives.
And to top it off, I again allowed myself to get caught up in the Special Olympics Winter Games and spent extra time on the speed skating assignment. I hope it was worth it, because I am really inspired by the athletes, especially Hillary McFadden. Here's a link to the truncated story and full video.
http://tribune-democrat.com/multimedia/x638260550/Blind-speed-skater-It-s-graceful-and-fast
I still managed to get a couple of worthwhile interviews completed yesterday for the Heart Month Project. I talked to exercise physiologist Gary Pagano at Windber Medical Center and a woman who lost 40 pounds and established an exercise routine to reduce her risk.
All that is my weak excuse for not posting to this blog yesterday.
Today, I crashed the Greater Johnstown-Cambria County Chamber of Commerce Women's Information Network luncheon, featuring a program by Joe Shetler, an exercise physiologist and nutritionist with Conemaugh Health System.
Although Shetler's weight-loss presentation did not specifically address heart health, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are two major risk factors I am addressing for the weekend package. His information about the importance of combining exercise and caloric intake reduction, commonly called dieting, provided some scientific background for the risk factor story.
And Pagano is always a wealth of fitness information.
Since I started getting serious about this heart-healthy lifestyle last year, I keep learning about new words and new foods. Some of them are just fun to say. They make my tongue feel good:
Quinoa – pronounced KEEN-wah, but kin-OH-ah is also accepted – is often cited as a superfood – high in both fiber and important proteins. It is a whole grain the cooks up like tiny rice. My Lovely Bride and I like to include it with rice in pilaf – sometimes with fish.
Edamame (ed-uh-MAH-mee), which is a Japanese word for soybeans picked just before they harden. As a snack or soup, they are also a good source of protein and fiber.
Then there is “inulin,” which usually comes from chicory root and is used as an additive to make foods high in fiber. It can be listed as “chicory root fiber” or “chicory root extract.” It is a little more controversial than some of the other healthy food “discoveries” because some feel the naturally occurring starch has been altered through manufacturing with unknown side effects, Patty Donovan wrote on the Natural News website.
My busy schedule with Special Olympics and Heart Month work yesterday also pushed my daily walking schedule aside. I only managed about 10 minutes on the Windber HealthStyles track while I waited for Pagano to finish a telephone conference.
I didn't eat at the women's luncheon, although the Holiday Inn buffet and desserts looked delicious as usual. I think I could have created a healthy lunch, sans dessert, but I didn't really have time to eat and take notes.
So I grabbed a fast-food veggie wrap on the way to Windber for an interview with one of the Windber Research Institute's cardiovascular risk clinic participants. He lost about 20 pounds and brought his cholesterol levels into the health range.
I did save 30 minutes of my lunch hour to complete my daily walk on the HealthStyles track, confirming the 30-minute brisk walk should cover about two miles at my pace.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Finding inspiration
I had good intentions for getting off to a running start on this week’s
American Heart Month package. I got up, shot out some emails to set up
interviews and did some home stuff for a while. When I was ready to
start work in earnest, I started scheduling interviews for Tuesday
morning. Then I got an email from the boss, reminding me about Special
Olympics.
“What?” I thought. “You mean there is something to cover besides heart disease?" Oh yeah, that’s right. Special Olympics Pennsylvania Winter Games. Happens every February, same as Heart Month.
From that point on, my day went down hill, accomplishment-wise.
First I launched myself to the Planet Ice for speed skating coverage. Only by the time I picked up the video camera and got to the venue, they were done.
“But the schedule said until 4 p.m.” I said.
“We finished early.” It was barely after 1 p.m.
I did get a nice interview for a story that I’ll write for Wednesday’s paper about a blind skater and her enthusiasm for the sport.
I hope I do her justice. It is tough to convey the spirit of Special Olympics for those who have never experienced it. The challenge is to get the reader to look past the disabilities and even the obstacles that the athletes have overcome, and see the spirit of competition and sportsmanship that should serve as a model for other athletic programs.
Special Olympics is not really about competition, disabilities or even ability, I don’t think. To me, it’s about accomplishment. That’s where we can all embrace the event.
I thought I can draw on that spirit of keeping my sights on the achievements and not being discouraged by the setbacks and not making excuses as I work to improve my own heart health.
Those were my thoughts as I left the Planet and headed back downtown to The Tribune-Democrat office, grabbing a microwave entree for late lunch.
I managed to save enough lunch hour to take the long way from my Kernville parking spot – an invigorating 20-minute hike around the downtown. I was carrying my backpack with notebook, camera, spare lenses and other supplies along with the monstrous tripod. So I got more than the usual benefits, I guess.
Back in the office I had time for a few more phone calls before most of my sources would go home. Then I dove into online research about tobacco dangers and smoking cessation strategies. I’ve already done a number of interviews for the weekend’s stories, but I kept finding little tidbits to follow up on.
Before I knew it, it was suppertime … and I was ready. The 10 ounces of pasta primavera with chicken hadn’t stuck with me.
I was feeling hungry and fighting cravings all day, but I think it was psychosomatic. The needle didn’t get past the 188 line on bedroom scale this morning. It was 188 for the first time since before Thanksgiving. It is my low point, weight-wise, probably since before we moved to Johnstown in 2001.
Luckily, we stocked up on some fresh fruit over the weekend, so my snack time was healthy. And tonight’s tasty dinner of fish with rice and broccoli was a nice low-fat welcome home.
Tomorrow it’s back to Planet Ice in the morning and then off to some interviews in the afternoon for the exercise aspect of heart health.
“What?” I thought. “You mean there is something to cover besides heart disease?" Oh yeah, that’s right. Special Olympics Pennsylvania Winter Games. Happens every February, same as Heart Month.
From that point on, my day went down hill, accomplishment-wise.
First I launched myself to the Planet Ice for speed skating coverage. Only by the time I picked up the video camera and got to the venue, they were done.
“But the schedule said until 4 p.m.” I said.
“We finished early.” It was barely after 1 p.m.
I did get a nice interview for a story that I’ll write for Wednesday’s paper about a blind skater and her enthusiasm for the sport.
I hope I do her justice. It is tough to convey the spirit of Special Olympics for those who have never experienced it. The challenge is to get the reader to look past the disabilities and even the obstacles that the athletes have overcome, and see the spirit of competition and sportsmanship that should serve as a model for other athletic programs.
Special Olympics is not really about competition, disabilities or even ability, I don’t think. To me, it’s about accomplishment. That’s where we can all embrace the event.
I thought I can draw on that spirit of keeping my sights on the achievements and not being discouraged by the setbacks and not making excuses as I work to improve my own heart health.
Those were my thoughts as I left the Planet and headed back downtown to The Tribune-Democrat office, grabbing a microwave entree for late lunch.
I managed to save enough lunch hour to take the long way from my Kernville parking spot – an invigorating 20-minute hike around the downtown. I was carrying my backpack with notebook, camera, spare lenses and other supplies along with the monstrous tripod. So I got more than the usual benefits, I guess.
Back in the office I had time for a few more phone calls before most of my sources would go home. Then I dove into online research about tobacco dangers and smoking cessation strategies. I’ve already done a number of interviews for the weekend’s stories, but I kept finding little tidbits to follow up on.
Before I knew it, it was suppertime … and I was ready. The 10 ounces of pasta primavera with chicken hadn’t stuck with me.
I was feeling hungry and fighting cravings all day, but I think it was psychosomatic. The needle didn’t get past the 188 line on bedroom scale this morning. It was 188 for the first time since before Thanksgiving. It is my low point, weight-wise, probably since before we moved to Johnstown in 2001.
Luckily, we stocked up on some fresh fruit over the weekend, so my snack time was healthy. And tonight’s tasty dinner of fish with rice and broccoli was a nice low-fat welcome home.
Tomorrow it’s back to Planet Ice in the morning and then off to some interviews in the afternoon for the exercise aspect of heart health.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Science and history lessons this week
Heart blog 2-10-12
Although it was probably high school English classes that propelled by career, I always liked science and history – with some notable, teacher-personality-or-competence-related exceptions.
So it was interesting developing the stories for this weekend’s Heart Month Package. I got a history lesson on heart care in Johnstown from Dr. Madgi Azer, and science lessons from three different heart doctors: Samir Hadeed and Genevieve Brumberg from Conemaugh Health System and Saad Alsaab from Somerset Hospital.
I knew about stents, for instance, but having Alsaab describe the exact process of inserting and expanding the tiny mesh tubes to hold open formerly blocked heart arteries was fascinating.
I knew about implanted pacemakers and defibrillators, but I didn’t know you could adjust the device setting over the telephone.
I'll be sharing all that and more in this week's package of stories at www..tribdem.com
Stuff like this makes this job fresh and interesting every day. It also helps me embrace new technologies and media – including blogs!
We had a great discussion about blogs yesterday at a staff meeting Web editor/sports writer Eric Knopsnyder has been blogging about high school wrestling.
http://knopsnyder.blogspot.com/
Web reporter Justin Dennis’ blog, OMNIpixel, brings the latest Internet news to the tribdem.com website.
http://omnipixel.blogspot.com/
And then there is this blog.
http://johnstownhealthbeat.blogspot.com/
Eric described the three blogs something like, “They are as different as they can be.”
His is more like a newspaper column on wrestling, bringing stuff together in a way that today’s print space does not permit. Justin’s is bringing in a whole different universe for the traditional newspaper world. And mine, let’s say, became pretty personal.
I started this last year for Heart Month, and I admit I was embarrassed to read the almost-final entry from February 2011:
“While I will wrap up the heart month postings today, I plan to keep the blog active. I will update less regularly as time permits, perhaps when I’m working on my latest Health Matters monthly feature or another health story.”
Needless to say, that didn’t happen.
I think the problem was this blog started because I was a little frustrated going into last year’s premier Heart-month progress. I knew I wanted to write a lot about prevention and healthy lifestyles, and I was asking myself, “Who is going to listen?”
I had been writing similar advice for almost 10 years and had to confess I was not even taking it to my own heart. At the time I was about 212 pounds, hovering between “overweight” and “obese” for my height (according to the National Institutes of Health), and not in anything like an exercise routine.
So I started the blog to share thoughts on the project, while logging my own new heart health program. I kept up the program, dropping another 14 pounds in the ensuing months, but I dropped the ball on the Health Beat Blog.
I do enjoy this and hope I can keep it going after the month is over. The problem is, I want to talk about health primarily, and not about me. I mean, who cares, really?
But it does help to talk about progress – or lack thereof. I don’t always understand my body. Some days, I do my walking, eat right and seem to be up a pound or two, or unable to drop any. Then yesterday, I didn’t take my 30 minutes to walk, but went out with my Lovely Bride for some chicken wings and beer. Two beers, and six wings. Today I was down a half pound to get back below 190. I don’t get it.
I forgot to mention that on Wednesday, we both went back out after I got home from choir practice and did a couple laps of Richland Town Centre, from Walmart, around to Best Buy and back. OK place to walk at night, except we experience first-hand (or first-face) what I saw on TV later was a wind-chill factor of 12 degrees!
Although it was probably high school English classes that propelled by career, I always liked science and history – with some notable, teacher-personality-or-competence-related exceptions.
So it was interesting developing the stories for this weekend’s Heart Month Package. I got a history lesson on heart care in Johnstown from Dr. Madgi Azer, and science lessons from three different heart doctors: Samir Hadeed and Genevieve Brumberg from Conemaugh Health System and Saad Alsaab from Somerset Hospital.
I knew about stents, for instance, but having Alsaab describe the exact process of inserting and expanding the tiny mesh tubes to hold open formerly blocked heart arteries was fascinating.
I knew about implanted pacemakers and defibrillators, but I didn’t know you could adjust the device setting over the telephone.
I'll be sharing all that and more in this week's package of stories at www..tribdem.com
Stuff like this makes this job fresh and interesting every day. It also helps me embrace new technologies and media – including blogs!
We had a great discussion about blogs yesterday at a staff meeting Web editor/sports writer Eric Knopsnyder has been blogging about high school wrestling.
http://knopsnyder.blogspot.com/
Web reporter Justin Dennis’ blog, OMNIpixel, brings the latest Internet news to the tribdem.com website.
http://omnipixel.blogspot.com/
And then there is this blog.
http://johnstownhealthbeat.blogspot.com/
Eric described the three blogs something like, “They are as different as they can be.”
His is more like a newspaper column on wrestling, bringing stuff together in a way that today’s print space does not permit. Justin’s is bringing in a whole different universe for the traditional newspaper world. And mine, let’s say, became pretty personal.
I started this last year for Heart Month, and I admit I was embarrassed to read the almost-final entry from February 2011:
“While I will wrap up the heart month postings today, I plan to keep the blog active. I will update less regularly as time permits, perhaps when I’m working on my latest Health Matters monthly feature or another health story.”
Needless to say, that didn’t happen.
I think the problem was this blog started because I was a little frustrated going into last year’s premier Heart-month progress. I knew I wanted to write a lot about prevention and healthy lifestyles, and I was asking myself, “Who is going to listen?”
I had been writing similar advice for almost 10 years and had to confess I was not even taking it to my own heart. At the time I was about 212 pounds, hovering between “overweight” and “obese” for my height (according to the National Institutes of Health), and not in anything like an exercise routine.
So I started the blog to share thoughts on the project, while logging my own new heart health program. I kept up the program, dropping another 14 pounds in the ensuing months, but I dropped the ball on the Health Beat Blog.
I do enjoy this and hope I can keep it going after the month is over. The problem is, I want to talk about health primarily, and not about me. I mean, who cares, really?
But it does help to talk about progress – or lack thereof. I don’t always understand my body. Some days, I do my walking, eat right and seem to be up a pound or two, or unable to drop any. Then yesterday, I didn’t take my 30 minutes to walk, but went out with my Lovely Bride for some chicken wings and beer. Two beers, and six wings. Today I was down a half pound to get back below 190. I don’t get it.
I forgot to mention that on Wednesday, we both went back out after I got home from choir practice and did a couple laps of Richland Town Centre, from Walmart, around to Best Buy and back. OK place to walk at night, except we experience first-hand (or first-face) what I saw on TV later was a wind-chill factor of 12 degrees!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
I have to look that one up.
HEART BLOG 2-9-2012
Anyone else have this issue: The more I know the more I want to learn.
As I am writing my heart month stories for this week’s packages, I occasionally come across a term or description unfamiliar to me. So I look it up. And then the definition or article has something else that sounds important, so I look that up.
It helps in the writing; eventually. But it set me behind a little more yesterday. Instead of transcribing all the pages of notes and getting two quick stories done, I only finished the transcription – with the addition of a few hundred words copied from the websites where I found the background.
It came to 6,368 words, more or less (my quick transcribing sometimes adds an extra space in the middle of a word, or runs two words together.
The looking-up issue may be hereditary. My mother says she can’t put the dictionary or encyclopedia down after looking up just one measly word or subject. Something more interesting always catches her eye on the way to the subject of her search.
Besides the compulsion to add to our collection of mental information, we also share the sometimes-harmful compulsion to give out that information. She was telling a story about an outdoor event she and my late father were attending with some of his outspoken know-it-all friends. There was an unusual bird people were talking about and she suggested it looked like a bobolink.
Now Mom is the birder in the family, and I wouldn’t doubt for a minute that she saw a bobolink, especially after I, naturally, looked it up. The Cornell University ornithology lab describes the bobolink:
“A distinctive bird of open grasslands, the Bobolink is the only American bird that is black underneath and white on the back. This coloring makes the male stand out while he is performing his displays.”
But Dad’s buddy, an avid hunter, disputed her, saying “A bobolink is a darn quail!” repeating it again, in triumph.
She said she knew he was confusing it with “bobwhite,” a common species of quail, but she was able to let him have his moment.
When she first told me that story, I asked her, “Why do we do that? Why do we have to find out stuff like that and then why do we have to tell people?”
I don’t think anyone in the family has a good answer for that, but my question, “why do we do that?” has been repeated as a catch phrase when a family member catches another in the act.
I guess I can’t complain, though. If it’s a flaw in our characters (another family catch phrase) it has paid my bills for a lot of years.
I did get my lazy body out for my regular walk, albeit a split session. I got to choir practice about a half-hour early at Bethany United Methodist Church, with plans for the walk then. But I say “about a half-hour” because I picked up neither my cell phone nor my watch; and the 1993 Tercel doesn’t have a functioning clock.
Undaunted I strode briskly off through the streets of Geistown and Richland Township, whispering to myself, “one-thousand-one, one thousand two….” Keeping track of every “one thousand sixty” on my fingers for 23 cycles until I stepped through the door.
Five minutes late!
“Blast and drat,” I said, in my mothers cussing vernacular. “So much for my self-timer.”
I was relieved they were still talking about what new music to feature for Easter and lent. As the newbie in the back row, I did not have much to contribute on that subject – I just try to hit the notes in front of me.
Anyone else have this issue: The more I know the more I want to learn.
As I am writing my heart month stories for this week’s packages, I occasionally come across a term or description unfamiliar to me. So I look it up. And then the definition or article has something else that sounds important, so I look that up.
It helps in the writing; eventually. But it set me behind a little more yesterday. Instead of transcribing all the pages of notes and getting two quick stories done, I only finished the transcription – with the addition of a few hundred words copied from the websites where I found the background.
It came to 6,368 words, more or less (my quick transcribing sometimes adds an extra space in the middle of a word, or runs two words together.
The looking-up issue may be hereditary. My mother says she can’t put the dictionary or encyclopedia down after looking up just one measly word or subject. Something more interesting always catches her eye on the way to the subject of her search.
Besides the compulsion to add to our collection of mental information, we also share the sometimes-harmful compulsion to give out that information. She was telling a story about an outdoor event she and my late father were attending with some of his outspoken know-it-all friends. There was an unusual bird people were talking about and she suggested it looked like a bobolink.
Now Mom is the birder in the family, and I wouldn’t doubt for a minute that she saw a bobolink, especially after I, naturally, looked it up. The Cornell University ornithology lab describes the bobolink:
“A distinctive bird of open grasslands, the Bobolink is the only American bird that is black underneath and white on the back. This coloring makes the male stand out while he is performing his displays.”
But Dad’s buddy, an avid hunter, disputed her, saying “A bobolink is a darn quail!” repeating it again, in triumph.
She said she knew he was confusing it with “bobwhite,” a common species of quail, but she was able to let him have his moment.
When she first told me that story, I asked her, “Why do we do that? Why do we have to find out stuff like that and then why do we have to tell people?”
I don’t think anyone in the family has a good answer for that, but my question, “why do we do that?” has been repeated as a catch phrase when a family member catches another in the act.
I guess I can’t complain, though. If it’s a flaw in our characters (another family catch phrase) it has paid my bills for a lot of years.
I did get my lazy body out for my regular walk, albeit a split session. I got to choir practice about a half-hour early at Bethany United Methodist Church, with plans for the walk then. But I say “about a half-hour” because I picked up neither my cell phone nor my watch; and the 1993 Tercel doesn’t have a functioning clock.
Undaunted I strode briskly off through the streets of Geistown and Richland Township, whispering to myself, “one-thousand-one, one thousand two….” Keeping track of every “one thousand sixty” on my fingers for 23 cycles until I stepped through the door.
Five minutes late!
“Blast and drat,” I said, in my mothers cussing vernacular. “So much for my self-timer.”
I was relieved they were still talking about what new music to feature for Easter and lent. As the newbie in the back row, I did not have much to contribute on that subject – I just try to hit the notes in front of me.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Getting organized and making time
I was feeling overwhelmed yesterday, so today, I’m organizing my work. I have talked to probably a couple dozen people for Heart Month stories and I have pages and pages of notes. That’s right. I take my notes on paper. In Gregg shorthand, no less. Just like Mrs. Shontz taught me at Clarion Area High School.
That’s how old I am.
Now when I’m doing a couple interviews and then writing a story for the daily – as I did yesterday for the airport story in today’s paper – it’s pretty straightforward to go back and write the story.
But going through about 50 pages of notes or more from different people, on different but related subjects, let’s just say it becomes cumbersome. So today I’m starting with transcribing everything I might need this week. Then I can print it out and go through it with highlighter to mark different quotes and information for different stories.
Wow, even writing it out sounds tiring.
But having just completed that description steels me for the continued work. I’m actually making pretty good progress and may have time yet to do a couple of actual stories before the end of the work day.
Don’t know if I’ll get out on the walk, but I have hope. After all, it only takes 30 minutes.
I meant to say yesterday, that’s the other reason the 30-minute walk advocated by Dr. Mike Evans is so appealing. Not only is it a very good way to add exercise, but it only takes a half hour. If I go to the gym for a 30-minute workout, It adds 20 minutes of driving at least, and then a half hour to shower and change. Unless it’s really hot out, I don’t think a brisk walk before or after work, or on a lunch hour, leaves me socially or odoriferously unacceptable. Someone would tell me, wouldn’t they?
That’s how old I am.
Now when I’m doing a couple interviews and then writing a story for the daily – as I did yesterday for the airport story in today’s paper – it’s pretty straightforward to go back and write the story.
But going through about 50 pages of notes or more from different people, on different but related subjects, let’s just say it becomes cumbersome. So today I’m starting with transcribing everything I might need this week. Then I can print it out and go through it with highlighter to mark different quotes and information for different stories.
Wow, even writing it out sounds tiring.
But having just completed that description steels me for the continued work. I’m actually making pretty good progress and may have time yet to do a couple of actual stories before the end of the work day.
Don’t know if I’ll get out on the walk, but I have hope. After all, it only takes 30 minutes.
I meant to say yesterday, that’s the other reason the 30-minute walk advocated by Dr. Mike Evans is so appealing. Not only is it a very good way to add exercise, but it only takes a half hour. If I go to the gym for a 30-minute workout, It adds 20 minutes of driving at least, and then a half hour to shower and change. Unless it’s really hot out, I don’t think a brisk walk before or after work, or on a lunch hour, leaves me socially or odoriferously unacceptable. Someone would tell me, wouldn’t they?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Information overflow
I've got so much stuff for this Sunday's American Heart Month package, that some of the stories will spill over onto Monday. But I don't know what to leave out, or hold for the next week, so it looks like a double hit this week.
This week's package is about the heart disease itself: what causes it, how it develops, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated in Johnstown. It's exciting and challenging, but I'm not getting too stressed out over it – that's bad for the heart.
Actually, I'm pretty excited. It was a great interview this morning with Dr. Samir Hadeed at Conemaugh this morning, and I'm expecting what should be my last interview for this week's stuff any minute from Somerset. The growth and refinement of the local programs is incredible.
On the home front, you may have noticed I didn't mention any walking in yesterday's blog entry. That's because I fell down on the healthy-living job. I started earlier than usual, had church stuff after work that went longer than expected, and ate supper late. I'm sure I could have found a half hour, but I just didn't.
Sunday, my Lovely Bride and I had a nice walk around Moxham after our lunch in the Village Cafe. It's one of our favorite neighborhoods to explore. Today, I did a 35-minute lap of the Eighth Ward in conjunction with my interview at Hadeed's office, and then took the 18-minute long way from my car into the office, instead of the 6-minute short way.
Some may wonder (including one who commented on yesterday's blog post) why I'm not talking about going to the gym like I did last year, or at least doing some cardio workouts.
The answer is 23½ hours. Or more accurately “23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?” It's the title of an online video I was shown. It is one posted on YouTube by Dr. Mike Evans, is a family physician and an Associate Professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto.
His interest is in preventive medicine, and his video was introduced to me by Johnstown's leading prevention advocate, Dr. Matthew Masiello, director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Windber Research Institute.
Here is s link yo the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo
Essentially, Evans says, if you spend 30 minutes each day walking, you will improve your health, including your cardiovascular health. He gives a lot of statistics, including a note that obese people who don't lose weight, but walk every day, will be healthier than obese people who are sedentary.
He wraps up by saying if you walk for 30 minutes a day, you still have 23 ½ hours to sleep, watch TV, drive a car and sit at a computer.
So can we find that 30 minutes? Today, I did. Yesterday, Not so much.
This week's package is about the heart disease itself: what causes it, how it develops, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated in Johnstown. It's exciting and challenging, but I'm not getting too stressed out over it – that's bad for the heart.
Actually, I'm pretty excited. It was a great interview this morning with Dr. Samir Hadeed at Conemaugh this morning, and I'm expecting what should be my last interview for this week's stuff any minute from Somerset. The growth and refinement of the local programs is incredible.
On the home front, you may have noticed I didn't mention any walking in yesterday's blog entry. That's because I fell down on the healthy-living job. I started earlier than usual, had church stuff after work that went longer than expected, and ate supper late. I'm sure I could have found a half hour, but I just didn't.
Sunday, my Lovely Bride and I had a nice walk around Moxham after our lunch in the Village Cafe. It's one of our favorite neighborhoods to explore. Today, I did a 35-minute lap of the Eighth Ward in conjunction with my interview at Hadeed's office, and then took the 18-minute long way from my car into the office, instead of the 6-minute short way.
Some may wonder (including one who commented on yesterday's blog post) why I'm not talking about going to the gym like I did last year, or at least doing some cardio workouts.
The answer is 23½ hours. Or more accurately “23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?” It's the title of an online video I was shown. It is one posted on YouTube by Dr. Mike Evans, is a family physician and an Associate Professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto.
His interest is in preventive medicine, and his video was introduced to me by Johnstown's leading prevention advocate, Dr. Matthew Masiello, director of the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Windber Research Institute.
Here is s link yo the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo
Essentially, Evans says, if you spend 30 minutes each day walking, you will improve your health, including your cardiovascular health. He gives a lot of statistics, including a note that obese people who don't lose weight, but walk every day, will be healthier than obese people who are sedentary.
He wraps up by saying if you walk for 30 minutes a day, you still have 23 ½ hours to sleep, watch TV, drive a car and sit at a computer.
So can we find that 30 minutes? Today, I did. Yesterday, Not so much.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Doctors would rather you stay out of their ORs.
Launching into the second week of American Heart Month, I'm looking at stories on the leading-edge treatment options and how local heart specialists are helping patients live longer.
It's familiar territory for me, in my 11th year as The Tribune-Democrat health care reporter. The doctors, and especially the hospital leadership, have always been eager to give me stories on the growing cardiac surgery and minimally invasive options available in the cath lab.
This year, Conemaugh Health System is expanding the area of its program dealing with pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. All of that will be outlined in Sunday's package of stories and photos.
But despite their enthusiasm for their work, the doctors always emphasize that they would rather keep patients healthy than bring them into the cardiology suite. I've been repeating their advice for more than a decade: Follow a healthy diet, don't use tobacco, exercise regularly, control your weight and watch your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
In gearing up for last year's American Heart Month Project, I decided it was time I took the advice more seriously.
One thing that helps in portion control is limiting myself to the good stuff. If I'm at a church covered-dish dinner, tureen dinner, pot luck dinner, or whatever you call it, I look for the desserts that look like someone went to the trouble to bake them at home – not the iced sugar cookies that are still in the supermarket bakery container. When I am out for an evening with my lovely bride, I chose the imported or craft beer, preferably a stout, double bock, ale or other dark beer. The advantage there is two-fold: Dark beer is better for your heart, and those brews cost more, so I can't indulge as much.
I have also learned to enjoy the dried-fruit-and-nuts trail mix and fiber bars in my between-meal cravings.
It seems to be working, I was back down below 190 this morning, and hope to lose at least another 10 pounds in the next few weeks.
I am about 5 feet, 10 inches, or 5 feet, 11 inches, depending on what convenience store or bank I'm entering. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, if I'm 5-11, I'm overweight above 180 pounds. If I'm 5-10, I have to be under 175 to be healthy-weighted. I feel like I'm well on my way. At one point in my life, I was over 230 pounds, and I can attest that it does feel better to weigh less. So I am motivated.
It's familiar territory for me, in my 11th year as The Tribune-Democrat health care reporter. The doctors, and especially the hospital leadership, have always been eager to give me stories on the growing cardiac surgery and minimally invasive options available in the cath lab.
This year, Conemaugh Health System is expanding the area of its program dealing with pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. All of that will be outlined in Sunday's package of stories and photos.
But despite their enthusiasm for their work, the doctors always emphasize that they would rather keep patients healthy than bring them into the cardiology suite. I've been repeating their advice for more than a decade: Follow a healthy diet, don't use tobacco, exercise regularly, control your weight and watch your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
In gearing up for last year's American Heart Month Project, I decided it was time I took the advice more seriously.
One thing that helps in portion control is limiting myself to the good stuff. If I'm at a church covered-dish dinner, tureen dinner, pot luck dinner, or whatever you call it, I look for the desserts that look like someone went to the trouble to bake them at home – not the iced sugar cookies that are still in the supermarket bakery container. When I am out for an evening with my lovely bride, I chose the imported or craft beer, preferably a stout, double bock, ale or other dark beer. The advantage there is two-fold: Dark beer is better for your heart, and those brews cost more, so I can't indulge as much.
I have also learned to enjoy the dried-fruit-and-nuts trail mix and fiber bars in my between-meal cravings.
It seems to be working, I was back down below 190 this morning, and hope to lose at least another 10 pounds in the next few weeks.
I am about 5 feet, 10 inches, or 5 feet, 11 inches, depending on what convenience store or bank I'm entering. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, if I'm 5-11, I'm overweight above 180 pounds. If I'm 5-10, I have to be under 175 to be healthy-weighted. I feel like I'm well on my way. At one point in my life, I was over 230 pounds, and I can attest that it does feel better to weigh less. So I am motivated.
Weekend special
Filling in for the Saturday reporter allows me to post a bonus entry in the Heart Month Blog.
I'm feeling pretty good about the American Heart Month Project after getting my last three Sunday stories in on Friday afternoon. This week's package focuses on the American Heart Association and its work to improve the cardiovascular health of all people.
When I first heard the organization's lofty goal of reducing cardiovascular disease and stroke 20 percent by 2020, I admit I was skeptical. But the more I thought about it, the more I looked into the subject and the more I wrote about it, I came to understand the motivation:
All the tools are available now. It is a matter of empowering people to use the tools to improve their own health and achieve a better quality of life. It is also important that people have access to the tools and understand how to take control of their own health.
It is in line with why The Tribune-Democrat launched the American Heart Month Project last year and why we've been doing the October Breast Cancer Awareness Project since 2008: In knowledge there is power.
Although I have to say that makes me think of the sign I just saw in a Somerset County restaurant: Knowledge is knowing a tomato is fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put tomatoes in fruit salad.
We can only hope that with the knowledge we share, comes the wisdom to use it.
Personally, I was invigorated by my morning trip to the Flight 93 Advisory Commission meeting in Somerset. Not only did it give me a preview of what is coming to the Flight 93 National Memorial over the next couple years, but it gave me a chance to do my daily walking in a different neighborhood. I always enjoy a fresh scene and I have come to like seeing various types of home designs and checking out how people make their properties unique.
In my rush to get out the door for the Somerset confab, however, I didn't remember to step on the scales at home. So I don't know how our night on the town treated me. I don't think I over ate, and when I took my Life's Simple 7 checkup from the American Heart Association, http://mylifecheck.heart.org, it told me I should eat more fish. And the salmon was delicious.
NOTE
I actually wrote this and posted it to The Tribune-Democrat website on Saturday, but didn't get it on here until Monday! (my bad)
I'm feeling pretty good about the American Heart Month Project after getting my last three Sunday stories in on Friday afternoon. This week's package focuses on the American Heart Association and its work to improve the cardiovascular health of all people.
When I first heard the organization's lofty goal of reducing cardiovascular disease and stroke 20 percent by 2020, I admit I was skeptical. But the more I thought about it, the more I looked into the subject and the more I wrote about it, I came to understand the motivation:
All the tools are available now. It is a matter of empowering people to use the tools to improve their own health and achieve a better quality of life. It is also important that people have access to the tools and understand how to take control of their own health.
It is in line with why The Tribune-Democrat launched the American Heart Month Project last year and why we've been doing the October Breast Cancer Awareness Project since 2008: In knowledge there is power.
Although I have to say that makes me think of the sign I just saw in a Somerset County restaurant: Knowledge is knowing a tomato is fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put tomatoes in fruit salad.
We can only hope that with the knowledge we share, comes the wisdom to use it.
Personally, I was invigorated by my morning trip to the Flight 93 Advisory Commission meeting in Somerset. Not only did it give me a preview of what is coming to the Flight 93 National Memorial over the next couple years, but it gave me a chance to do my daily walking in a different neighborhood. I always enjoy a fresh scene and I have come to like seeing various types of home designs and checking out how people make their properties unique.
In my rush to get out the door for the Somerset confab, however, I didn't remember to step on the scales at home. So I don't know how our night on the town treated me. I don't think I over ate, and when I took my Life's Simple 7 checkup from the American Heart Association, http://mylifecheck.heart.org, it told me I should eat more fish. And the salmon was delicious.
NOTE
I actually wrote this and posted it to The Tribune-Democrat website on Saturday, but didn't get it on here until Monday! (my bad)
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Stories coming Sunday
Filling in for the Saturday reporter allows me to post a bonus entry in the Heart Month Blog.
I'm feeling pretty good about the American Heart Month Project after getting my last three Sunday stories in on Friday afternoon. This week's package focuses on the American Heart Association and its work to improve the cardiovascular health of all people.
When I first heard the organization's lofty goal of reducing cardiovascular disease and stroke 20 percent by 2020, I admit I was skeptical. But the more I thought about it, the more I looked into the subject and the more I wrote about it, I came to understand the motivation:
All the tools are available now. It is a matter of empowering people to use the tools to improve their own health and achieve a better quality of life. It is also important that people have access to the tools and understand how to take control of their own health.
It is in line with why The Tribune-Democrat launched the American Heart Month Project last year and why we've been doing the October Breast Cancer Awareness Project since 2008: In knowledge there is power.
Although I have to say that makes me think of the sign I just saw in a Somerset County restaurant: Knowledge is knowing a tomato is fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put tomatoes in fruit salad.
We can only hope that with the knowledge we share, comes the wisdom to use it.
Personally, I was invigorated by my morning trip to the Flight 93 Advisory Commission meeting in Somerset. Not only did it give me a preview of what is coming to the Flight 93 National Memorial over the next couple years, but it gave me a chance to do my daily walking in a different neighborhood. I always enjoy a fresh scene and I have come to like seeing various types of home designs and checking out how people make their properties unique.
In my rush to get out the door for the Somerset confab, however, I didn't remember to step on the scales at home. So I don't know how our night on the town treated me. I don't think I overate, and when I took my Life's Simple 7 checkup from the American Heart Association, http://mylifecheck.heart.org, it told me I should eat more fish. And the salmon was delicious.
I'm feeling pretty good about the American Heart Month Project after getting my last three Sunday stories in on Friday afternoon. This week's package focuses on the American Heart Association and its work to improve the cardiovascular health of all people.
When I first heard the organization's lofty goal of reducing cardiovascular disease and stroke 20 percent by 2020, I admit I was skeptical. But the more I thought about it, the more I looked into the subject and the more I wrote about it, I came to understand the motivation:
All the tools are available now. It is a matter of empowering people to use the tools to improve their own health and achieve a better quality of life. It is also important that people have access to the tools and understand how to take control of their own health.
It is in line with why The Tribune-Democrat launched the American Heart Month Project last year and why we've been doing the October Breast Cancer Awareness Project since 2008: In knowledge there is power.
Although I have to say that makes me think of the sign I just saw in a Somerset County restaurant: Knowledge is knowing a tomato is fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put tomatoes in fruit salad.
We can only hope that with the knowledge we share, comes the wisdom to use it.
Personally, I was invigorated by my morning trip to the Flight 93 Advisory Commission meeting in Somerset. Not only did it give me a preview of what is coming to the Flight 93 National Memorial over the next couple years, but it gave me a chance to do my daily walking in a different neighborhood. I always enjoy a fresh scene and I have come to like seeing various types of home designs and checking out how people make their properties unique.
In my rush to get out the door for the Somerset confab, however, I didn't remember to step on the scales at home. So I don't know how our night on the town treated me. I don't think I overate, and when I took my Life's Simple 7 checkup from the American Heart Association, http://mylifecheck.heart.org, it told me I should eat more fish. And the salmon was delicious.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Am I behind now, or was I ahead before?
So it's Friday morning, Feb. 3, and I'm writing the third installment of my American Heart Month blog. The first two installments were posted the previous evening; so am I late today, or was I early on the first two?
I'll say I was early.
I had a couple of interesting interviews over the past 24 hours. The first was with an ambitious Forest Hills High School junior who organized a Red Out across the district today in support of American Heart Association. Like many of those involved in Heart Association benefits, Spencer Ivock was inspired by his own family members' experience with heart disease.
Then I interviewed Dr. Victor Morrell, chief of cardiac surgery at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Morrell talked about the differences between adult heart disease and congenital heart disease in children. While most heart doctors deal with a few common issues: heart attacks, bypass surgery, valve replacement, catheterization and heart rhythm issues, pediatric surgeons encounter dozens of different abnormalities discovered in newborns and young children. Dr. Morrell said he can do 15 operations a week and never repeat the same procedure.
“It is fascinating,” he said.
I've said the same thing many times in my career, especially after talking to someone like Dr. Morrell. I love interviewing people who are passionate about the subject of a story.
Also in the last 24 hours, I have managed to get in two days worth of heart-healthy walking – including two nice walks with my lovely bride, Becky.
On Thursday, we took a quick 15-minute loop around the cottages at Arbutus Park Retirement Community before she went in to work at the manor.
I followed up with brisk 20-minute walk around downtown after a Kiwanis meeting.
Then today, we did almost a half-hour on our street. We had to cut it short a bit because on the walk we passed a water company work crew who told us they were shutting the line down to repair a leak. We had to get our showers for work.
The scales weren't too kind today, though. Friday morning is my usual benchmark for how well I'm doing on weight control. Yesterday's 191 was good news after the 193 on Tuesday, but today the needle wasn't much lower. And I skipped dessert at the Kiwanis lunch – mainly because they ran out.
Oh well, maybe the cats were messing with the scales' setting.
Now it's back to work in the Heart Month Project stories. Yesterday, I finished the story previewing the Feb. 18 Cambria-Somerset Heart Ball, and I almost finished Aiden Braatz story. He is the 21-month-old Heart Hero who will be honored at the ball.
Both of those stories, along with an overview on the American Heart Association and its work will be featured as the Heart Month Project installment in The Tribune-Democrat on Sunday.
I'm still trying to decide if I'll do a third story focusing on pediatric heart disease. You'll have to read the paper, in print or on line, to see how that turns out.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
One more story for the project
As if I weren't under the gun enough with three American Heart Month stories due for Sunday's paper, I just assigned myself another story for Friday.
But I would be remiss if I didn't get something in for National Wear Red Day, encouraging people to wear red on Friday in support of heart disease awareness.
The American Heart Association has public events planned through the day in Pittsburgh, but anyone can participate.
For my story Friday, I'm talking to a high school junior who organized a fundraiser, selling t-shirts and other red items in conjunction with Wear Red Day. His project culminates Friday when his high school “goes red” for the American Heart Association. I'm told he raised more than $2,000 for cardiovascular disease research and education.
In conjunction with National Wear Red Day, a Go Red for Women campaign specifically targets women's heart disease, trying to overcome the old thinking that heart disease is a men's issue.
Although more than one third of women did not consider themselves at risk for heart disease, cardiovascular disease was the cause of death for 26 percent of women who died in 2006. It is the leading cause of death for both sexes.
The Go Red for Women campaign was organized to harness the energy, passion and power of women banding together to wipe out heart disease. It challenges them to know their risk for heart disease and take action to reduce their personal risk. It also gives them the tools they need to lead a heart healthy life, the organization's website says.
It is not too late to organize more Go Red events this month, with competition for bragging rights conducted to the Go Red Facebook page.
Here are the links for all the information:
Heart Association: www.heart.org; Go Red campaign: http://www.goredforwomen.org; Go Red Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GoRed.
On my own heart-health front, I didn't move early enough today to get my 45 minute walk in before work, but took time between work and a church event in the evening.
I'm still paying the price for a fun weekend with family, including a birthday party for a 11-year-old grandson. Despite what seemed like a lot of activity and walking, I was up about 3 pounds after the three days of high-caloric intake.
Today I took the vegetarian option for lunch and had some chicken primavera from the freezer for supper. We'll see in the morning how the choices treat me.
But I would be remiss if I didn't get something in for National Wear Red Day, encouraging people to wear red on Friday in support of heart disease awareness.
The American Heart Association has public events planned through the day in Pittsburgh, but anyone can participate.
For my story Friday, I'm talking to a high school junior who organized a fundraiser, selling t-shirts and other red items in conjunction with Wear Red Day. His project culminates Friday when his high school “goes red” for the American Heart Association. I'm told he raised more than $2,000 for cardiovascular disease research and education.
In conjunction with National Wear Red Day, a Go Red for Women campaign specifically targets women's heart disease, trying to overcome the old thinking that heart disease is a men's issue.
Although more than one third of women did not consider themselves at risk for heart disease, cardiovascular disease was the cause of death for 26 percent of women who died in 2006. It is the leading cause of death for both sexes.
The Go Red for Women campaign was organized to harness the energy, passion and power of women banding together to wipe out heart disease. It challenges them to know their risk for heart disease and take action to reduce their personal risk. It also gives them the tools they need to lead a heart healthy life, the organization's website says.
It is not too late to organize more Go Red events this month, with competition for bragging rights conducted to the Go Red Facebook page.
Here are the links for all the information:
Heart Association: www.heart.org; Go Red campaign: http://www.goredforwomen.org; Go Red Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GoRed.
On my own heart-health front, I didn't move early enough today to get my 45 minute walk in before work, but took time between work and a church event in the evening.
I'm still paying the price for a fun weekend with family, including a birthday party for a 11-year-old grandson. Despite what seemed like a lot of activity and walking, I was up about 3 pounds after the three days of high-caloric intake.
Today I took the vegetarian option for lunch and had some chicken primavera from the freezer for supper. We'll see in the morning how the choices treat me.
Lifestyle is key
Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States. There were more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes last year, leading to 800,000 deaths – almost one death a minute. It cost the nation an estimated $108 billion.
It is statistics like these that directed my research while gearing up this year’s American Heart Month project. The primary message the experts keep repeating is that many of these deaths, cardiac events and complications can be prevented.
The advice is familiar: Maintain a healthy body weight, exercise daily, don’t use tobacco, have regular checkups and follow the doctor’s instructions. As always, the challenge comes in making those lifestyle changes.
My challenge is finding and communicating strategies to help The Tribune-Democrat’s readers succeed in reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease.
I feel a little more qualified to share the experts’ advice this year. My own journey toward a healthier lifestyle was inspired by my work on last year’s premier Heart Month project. I have lost about 20 pounds since last February and have been more conscientious about my daily exercise routine.
Instead of rehashing general stories about heart disease, treatment options and overall prevention measures, I tried to find lesser-known stories and take different approaches to the familiar.
A package of stories will be published in each Sunday’s newspaper, with a different theme each week. This week’s package will look at how the American Heart Association provides research and education for all age groups.It will include a preview of the Feb. 18 Cambria-Somerset Heart Ball at Sunnehanna Country Club and an inspiring story about the event’s Heart Hero – a Cresson-area toddler with a rare heart defect who has overcome the odds.
As I did last year, I will try to chronicle my own lifestyle improvement program in a daily blog, available through our website: www.tribdem.com.
I hope the information presented, along with my own progress, will encourage others to decide that this American Heart Month is the beginning of a better, healthier life.
It is statistics like these that directed my research while gearing up this year’s American Heart Month project. The primary message the experts keep repeating is that many of these deaths, cardiac events and complications can be prevented.
The advice is familiar: Maintain a healthy body weight, exercise daily, don’t use tobacco, have regular checkups and follow the doctor’s instructions. As always, the challenge comes in making those lifestyle changes.
My challenge is finding and communicating strategies to help The Tribune-Democrat’s readers succeed in reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease.
I feel a little more qualified to share the experts’ advice this year. My own journey toward a healthier lifestyle was inspired by my work on last year’s premier Heart Month project. I have lost about 20 pounds since last February and have been more conscientious about my daily exercise routine.
Instead of rehashing general stories about heart disease, treatment options and overall prevention measures, I tried to find lesser-known stories and take different approaches to the familiar.
A package of stories will be published in each Sunday’s newspaper, with a different theme each week. This week’s package will look at how the American Heart Association provides research and education for all age groups.It will include a preview of the Feb. 18 Cambria-Somerset Heart Ball at Sunnehanna Country Club and an inspiring story about the event’s Heart Hero – a Cresson-area toddler with a rare heart defect who has overcome the odds.
As I did last year, I will try to chronicle my own lifestyle improvement program in a daily blog, available through our website: www.tribdem.com.
I hope the information presented, along with my own progress, will encourage others to decide that this American Heart Month is the beginning of a better, healthier life.
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