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How To Honor Vietnam Veterans

Each year on March 29, the United States honors the brave individuals who fought in the Vietnam War. Supporting National Vietnam War Veterans Day is a worthy effort that can send the right message to veterans who sadly were not always met with open arms when they returned home.

According to the U.S. Army Center for Military History, veterans of the Vietnam War represented nearly 10% of their generation. In recognition of those veterans’ efforts & sacrifice, in 2012 President Barack Obama signed a presidential proclamation designating March 29 Vietnam War Veterans Day, & the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 was subsequently signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2017.

In recognition of the significance of honoring the many brave individuals who served in the Vietnam War, communities can embrace these suggestions for honoring Vietnam veterans.

• Plan a commemorative event. An annual community-wide commemorative event can serve as a great way to honor individuals who served in Vietnam & let them know their efforts are appreciated & not forgotten. Events can highlight local veterans who served in Vietnam.

• Prioritize veterans’ rights. The organization Vehicles for Veterans notes that support for policy makers & organizations that fight for veterans’ rights can ensure more veterans have access to services they need & benefits they’ve earned. This can be especially valuable for Vietnam veterans, the majority of whom are seniors & in need of help. Locally, veterans can find resources through the Veterans Assistance Commission of Boone County located at 130 S. State St., Suite 212, Belvidere. For more information call 815-544-6464 or visit www.VACBC.org

• Support the establishment of a public memorial or memorials. A public memorial or a series of memorials honoring locals who lost their lives in the war or have passed away since returning home can be a great way to remember both deceased & living veterans. For those veterans who are deceased, a public memorial like a commemorative brick or a dedicated, inscribed park bench ensures their sacrifices & bravery live on for years to come. Surviving veterans also can take solace from such memorials, knowing that their own sacrifice & bravery has been highlighted & honored.

• Invite veterans to share their stories. Communities can sponsor oral history projects and/or host public speaking forums that invite Vietnam War veterans to share stories of their service. Such endeavors can prove cathartic for veterans & also ensure the generations that come behind them have first-person accounts of a deadly & costly conflict that lasted for two decades.

Efforts to honor veterans of the Vietnam War can ensure their bravery & sacrifices are never forgotten.

Spring Cleaning Pointers

Spring is a season of renewal. When the flowers are blooming & the trees are budding & the weather is pleasantly warm, people often feel inspired to make changes around their homes.

There is debate regarding where the practice of “spring cleaning” originated. Researchers link it to certain religious groups. It has long been an ancient Jewish custom to thoroughly clean a house in preparation for the springtime feast of Passover. The house is scoured to remove any yeast bread, or chametz, from the home. Similarly, members of the Greek Orthodox church celebrate “Clean Week,” a week of cleaning before Lent. In Iranian culture, families spend days cleaning before the Persian New Year, which begins on the spring equinox. Spring cleaning is still a ritual for many today. As people embark on their plans to tidy up, these tips can help them along.

Tackle one big task a day - Who hasn’t started one project only to be distracted into moving along to another room? This often occurs when people discover something out of place in one space & then move that item where it belongs, only to find a new cleaning task at hand in that space. Inefficiency can make you give up on spring cleaning prematurely. Agree to address one room/task a day. Keep a basket or box handy to store errant items until you move on to the next room.

Stock up on supplies - Prepare all of the cleaning supplies in advance. Put together a tool kit of sorts with what you need, including mops, brooms, rags, cleansers, & the like. Organization can keep you on course. Harness your strengths & weaknesses - Some people clean because they are stressed or angry, others do so to avoid other tasks. Keep personality in mind when establishing a cleaning schedule. For example, clean at night if you’re a night owl, or wait until you are feeling antsy before embarking on a “calm down cleaning.”

Tackle seasonal chores first - Some tasks need to get done to prepare for the spring & summer season. These may include cleaning the grill & sorting through outdoor furniture & decor. Spring cleaning may involve cleaning out rain gutters to prepare for spring storms. Tackle time-dependent tasks first & then move on to others. Spread out the work - Some people like to devote full weekends to spring cleaning, but that can be overwhelming for others. Breaking down tasks into 15-30 minute intervals each day can make it more tolerable. Spring cleaning season has arrived, & certain tips can make the job more efficient & manageable.

What Consumers Can Do To Support Local Farmers

Farming has never been a vocation for individuals looking for easy work. Farmers typically work long hours, braving the elements regardless of how unpleasant the weather may be. All that hard work ensures individuals who live in rural, urban & suburban communities have constant, readily available access to healthy foods. Such devotion merits support, & thankfully there are many things consumers can do to show their appreciation.

• Buy fresh foods at your local farmers market. Farmers markets are many foodies’ favorite places, but they aren’t exclusive to individuals with a passion for food. Everyone needs to eat, so why not eat foods grown locally? Even individuals who don’t typically eat fresh fruit & vegetables can find something delectable at a local farmers market, where anything from homemade tomato sauces to locally raised fresh beef & pork might be on sale.

• Order directly from local farms. Some farmers have embraced the e-commerce revolution & begun selling the foods they grow to consumers via their own websites. Research local farms & determine if it’s possible to buy directly from them. Farms may offer delivery or pick-up, & consumers can enjoy fresh foods even more knowing that they helped farmers earn higher profits by buying directly from them.

• Check labels before buying in local grocery stores. Packaging labels will indicate where fruits & vegetables came from. When possible, choose items produced by local farmers. This may include fruits, vegetables, meat, pork, or even desserts like pies. Locally produced foods often taste more fresh than items sent from overseas or distant farms, & consumers will feel better knowing they helped to support local farmers.

• Spread the word. Get the word out after a satisfying experience with local farms & farmers. Whether it’s buying food from farms or taking advantage of family days that let kids enjoy a day on the farm, sharing positive experiences via social media or word-of-mouth can be a great way to inspire others to support local farmers. Consumers can do much to support hardworking local farmers. In addition to feeling good about supporting their rural neighbors, consumers also might feel good when they sit down & enjoy a meal featuring locally grown, fresh foods.

This Month’s Healthy Recipe

3 Steps To Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

Chronic kidney disease is more common than people may realize. The organizers behind World Kidney Day indicate that roughly one in 10 people across the globe have CKD, which can develop at any age. The prevalence of CKD underscores how significant a threat it poses to the general public. In addition to its impact on public health, CKD also exerts a financial strain on countries across the globe. For instance, a recent report from NHS Kidney Care in England indicated the costs associated with kidney disease in that country outnumber expenses for cancers of the breast, lung, colon, & skin combined. Here in the United States, annual costs to treat CKD are estimated to be around $48 billion. Many instances of CKD are not preventable. However, these three tips can help anyone reduce their risk for CKD.

1. Recognize your risk. The National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases indicates that individuals are more likely to develop kidney disease if they have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and/or a family history of kidney failure. Annual physical examinations can indicate if blood pressure levels are high & help to determine if a person is prediabetic. Prediabetes does not mean a person has type 2 diabetes, but the CDC notes that, without intervention, prediabetes is likely to become type 2 diabetes within 10 years. Individuals also can speak with older relatives to determine their family medical history.

2. Speak to your physician about kidney testing. The NIDDK reports that early kidney disease may not produce any symptoms. As a result, testing may be the most effective way to determine if your kidneys are healthy. Health care providers will determine the frequency of testing, which involves blood and/or urine tests.

3. Eat a healthy diet. The NIDDK recommends individuals ensure less than 10% of their daily calories come from added sugars. In addition, reducing sodium consumption & focusing on heart-healthy foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, & low-fat dairy products, can help individuals maintain a healthy weight & blood pressure, thus reducing their risk for kidney disease.

Kidney disease is a significant threat to public health. You can employ various measures to reduce your risk.