Healthy Living

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THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

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Healthy Living 2021

Continue to celebrate dad by checking on his mental health Page 2

Local trails offer something for everyone Page 4 Lyon County Food and Farm Council releases survey to better understand food system Page 7

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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Continue to celebrate dad by checking on his mental health

By Amanda Cunningham, M.S., LMLP CEO, CrossWinds Counseling & Wellness

Many of us just spent a weekend celebrating all the supportive dads and other positive male role models in our lives, but it remains important to be mindful of such figures moving forward as well, especially when it comes to their mental health.

Society has taught us to view fathers as sources of unwavering strength through difficult times, which can be true in many senses. Unfortunately, this belief can also introduce additional pressure, making fathers hesitate to seek help during times when their own emotional or mental wellbeing is at stake.

It is a fact that new fathers are more susceptible to developing mental health chal-

lenges than other males in general, often stemming from the many responsibilities of caring for younger children, an increased lack of sleep or added financial worries.

Around 10% of new dads will experience paternal postpartum depression, with rates rising as high as 50% when their partner is also depressed.

If left unaddressed, it goes without saying that these problems can soon have a noticeable effect on the entire family. By recognizing signs, however, we can reduce the stigma for fathers experiencing difficulties in early and ongoing parenthood, making it emotionally “safe” for them to admit the need for seeking necessary resources and support.

Common symptoms of depression and anxiety include a continued sense of be-

ing overwhelmed, exhausted or insecure, which often manifests through periods of crying or a marked rise in feelings of general sadness and hopelessness. Others may express these issues through anger, increased irritability or a recurrent frustration involving generalized worries and fears. We can, of course, help fathers combat these symptoms by allowing them to take time for themselves, but some dads may need to spend more time with their children in order to further develop their confidence and coping skills.

Whatever the situation, keeping as much routine as possible when it comes to exercise, diet and sleep is crucial. It is also vital to reassure fathers they are not alone in dealing with stresses and worries and that they are not “wrong” to have such feel-

ings in the first place. Offer to assist them with chores around the house and encourage them to spend time on outside hobbies and interests when possible. Above all, create an open line of communication that is non-judgmental, empathetic and genuine, and be willing to share your feelings as well.

As June comes to an end, please make a point to check in on the fathers and supportive male role models in your life, both young and old. Ask them how they are doing and listen closely to their response. If needed, encourage them to seek help through other loved ones, support groups and therapy.

Whatever you find, keep in mind that our staff at CrossWinds Counseling & Wellness remains ready and willing to help start, or further, these important conversations.

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Shake up a stale workout Eating less and moving more are the hallmarks of many fitness regimens, especially those designed for people who want to lose weight. Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce risk factors for many illnesses, making weight loss a worthy goal for those who can afford to shed a few pounds.

While people have good intentions when designing their exercise regimens, over time hitting the treadmill or doing a weight circuit can lose its appeal. When exercise routines become stale, people may be put off from doing something that is essential to their overall health.

Routinely switching things up can keep

workouts fresh and exciting.

Change small components Apart from preventing boredom, changes to a routine also benefit your body. If exercise regimens are never altered, and you keep doing the same number of reps and sets, your body can adapt to these workouts and make it difficult to break plateaus. Lack of variation also may decrease focus, which can make it hard to achieve your fitness goals. A consultation with a personal trainer can help you adapt your routine or find an entirely new one.

Cut down on workout time It’s easy to lose interest in a lengthy workout. High-intensity workouts can streamline exercise to 30 minutes or less and produce the same results as longer, less intense regimens. High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a popular regimen that pairs bursts of maximum-output moves with short recoveries to streamline efforts.

Try a trendy workout Experiment with a new fitness trend to see if you like it. Start by talking with a personal trainer or group exercise cap-

tain at your fitness center. Chances are they’ve already implemented novel workouts for their clients and they can walk you through some of the offerings. So whether it’s barre classes that make you feel like a prima ballerina or renegade rowing to emulate a crew team, new exercises can help to banish boredom.

Bring a friend along A buddy to exercise alongside can make a regimen fun even if you’ve done the same things over and over. Plus, a healthy dose of lighthearted competition may motivate you to keep going.

The risks of an overly sedentary lifestyle Health experts call it “sitting disease.”

It refers to when people spend more of their time behind a desk or steering wheel of a car or planted in front of a television than they do engaging in physical activity.

According to the American Heart Association, sedentary jobs have increased by 83 percent since 1950, and technology has reduced many people’s need to get up and move. Inactivity is taking a considerable toll on public health.

A study from the University of Cambridge equated inactivity with being obese.

The Mayo Clinic advises that research has linked sedentary behavior to a host of health concerns, and found those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of fatality linked to obesity and smoking. Increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels, and excess body fat all can be attributed to inactivity.

Mental health can be adversely affected by a sedentary lifestyle as well. Australian researchers surveyed more than 3,300 government employees and found men who

sat for more than six hours a day at work were 90 percent more likely to feel moderate psychological distress, such as restlessness, nervousness or hopelessness, than those who sat for less than three hours a day.

In addition, a sedentary lifestyle can significantly increase a person’s risk for various types of cancer. A German metaanalysis of 43 studies involving four million people indicated those who sit the most have higher propensities to develop colon cancer, endometrial cancer and lung cancer.

Johns Hopkins Medical Center says research shows that high levels of exercise at some point in the day can lessen some risk, but it’s not entirely effective if most of the rest of the day a person is inactive. Risk for cardiovascular disease increases significantly for people who spend 10 hours or more sitting each day.

Various medical organizations recommend individuals get up and move at any opportunity to help reduce risks of inactivity. Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S., associate director of preventive cardiology at the Cic-

Did you know?

Golfers can rest assured that their time on the course is as healthy as it is fun. A recent experiment from Dr. Steve Otto, director of research and testing at The R&A, found that the average distance golfers walked during a round of 18 holes at the Royal County Down Golf Club in Northern Ireland was 6.6 miles. That’s great news, as walking has been linked to a host of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness.

carone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, advises people who are very sedentary to aim for 4,000 steps per day. Such individuals can then build up to a target of 10,000 steps daily.

The Mayo Clinic recommends these strategies to reduce the amount of time

you spend sitting. ✦✦Stand while talking on the phone or watching television ✦✦Invest in a standing desk ✦✦Get up from sitting every 30 minutes ✦✦Walk at lunch or during meetings

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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

LOCAL TRAILS OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

By Zach DeLoach zach@emporia.com

When it comes to fitness, it’s hard to beat a pleasant walk in the park. Thankfully for Emporians, there are plenty around to choose from.

While it may not have quite the reputation as other forms of exercise, Healthier Lyon County grant manager and MultiUse Path Planning board vice-chair Daphne Mertens said that walking can be an excellent way to stay active and healthy.

“A lot of people are under the impression that maybe you have to go out and run a bunch of miles or walk for a really long time to make it count, but that’s just not true,” she said. “If you get outside and you can only go for one lap or for five minutes, that’s something. All of that can accumulate into what you need to do for you day.”

Walkers who are looking for a smooth, easy surface might enjoy the brand new Lyon County Fairgrounds trail. Mertens said that the .9-mile blacktop track has

been a hit ever since it opened.

“I would say the fairgrounds trail has been very, very popular thus far,” she said.

“I live near there and I’ve noticed every time I go by, there’s a multitude of different people there.”

Mertens said that the fairgrounds trail has been a great asset to the city because its width and accessibility allows it to be used for a variety of purposes by people with a variety of physical capabilities.

“A lot of the people that are using that trail are doing it in a way that we haven’t seen them be able to do safely previously,” she said. “Seeing bikes out on it, seeing several parents out there with little kids learning to ride their bikes without training wheels for the first time, our community just hasn’t had a great place to do that up to this point, so the variety is really the key to that trail. …

“There are little, bitty kids out there on bicycles or being pushed in a stroller or being able to just toddle along with their Please see Trails, Page 5

COURTESY MULTI-USE PATH PLANNING BOARD

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COURTESY HEALTHIER LYON COUNTY

TRAILS From PAGE 4 parents and get some activity and then we see a lot of our senior population out there using the trail safely.”

MUPP board chair Mark Schondelmaier said that another unexpected benefit of the fairgrounds trail is that it is smooth asphalt, allowing people who might struggle with gravel or natural paths to use it too.

“I was out there using it a couple weeks ago and I talked to a guy that lives out in the county and where he lives it’s just gravel and stuff,” Schondelmaier said. “It hurts his feet to walk on the gravel and so anytime he comes to town he just parks his truck over at the trail and does a couple laps there at the fairgrounds so his feet don’t hurt.”

A similarly undemanding path is the trail at C of E Park, which features a sidewalk surface, although it is less accommodating for things such as bicycles.

If you’re ready for something a bit more intermediate, the paved 1.59-mile Emporia High School Trail might be an ideal destination.

“It is a little hilly, so that could be something that’s problematic for some populations but it is a pretty smooth trail,” Mertens said. “Something that’s a bonus, really, at the high school and middle school trail is that they recently redid some workout stations around the trail, so not only can you go out there to walk or run -- I think they would like us to avoid having wheeled products out there -- but you can also do other activities. So

you can do the pull-up bar and a lot of different multi-function exercises at stations along the way.”

The Campus Woods Trail north of the Emporia State University Campus offers another intermediate path. The 1.7-mile trail itself is gravel, but it’s mostly flat and provides a scenic route through nature for the more contemplative walker.

The most advanced trail within city limits is the .9-mile Cottonwood River Nature Trail, which can be accessed at Peter Pan Park or the All-Veterans Memorial.

“It’s just a natural trail without cement infrastructure so you have to make sure that you’re able to really keep your balance pretty well to be out there,” Mertens said. “It’s maybe not the best space to bring a stroller or walker or wheelchair, but if you’re walking or biking, it could be great.”

Outside of town, Camp Alexander offers a four-mile nature trail that is also more appropriate for advanced hikers.

The Flint Hills Trail is a 117-mile route stretching from Herington to Osawatomie and can be accessed from Miller, Allen, Admire or Bushong.

“The surface has been redone,” Schondelmaier said. “A couple of years ago, they worked on this area and it’s a really nice ground chat surface so it’s easy to walk on.”

Some people hike, bike or ride a horse for the entire length of Flint Hills Trail over multiple days, but of course anyone can traverse it for as long or as short a distance as they’d like.

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THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

How to eat to improve your energy levels A little extra energy during the day could benefit just about anyone. Late morning mental fatigue and the postlunch yawns may seem unavoidable, but there are plenty of ways to improve energy levels throughout the day. One such means to getting an extra hop in your step involves utilizing food.

The health care experts at Kaiser Permanente note that every part of the body, including the brain and heart, require energy to work. The body gets that energy from food. According to the National Health Service, the publicly funded health care system of the United Kingdom, a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to maintain sufficient energy levels throughout the day. A dietary approach rooted in eating to energize can change the way people eat, potentially helping them avoid unhealthy foods that won’t give them the boost they need.

The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics echoes the sentiments of the NHS, noting that eating better is an effective way to improve energy levels.

The AAND also recommends additional strategies for people looking to foods to provide an energy boost. ✦✦Eat every three to four hours. The AAND notes that eating every three to four hours helps to fuel a healthy metabolism. This approach also can prevent the between-meal hunger pangs that compel many people to reach for whatever food is readily available, even if it’s unhealthy. When eating every three to four hours, remember to prepare smaller portions than you would if you were eating three meals per day. The AAND points out that feeling comfortably full but not stuffed is a good indicator that you’ve eaten enough. ✦✦Aim for balance. A balanced plate should include foods from multiple food groups. The AAND notes that

even a small amount of fat can find its way onto your plate, which should include a combination of whole grains, lean protein, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat dairy.

If that’s too much for a single sitting, ensure these food groups are represented on your plate at some point during the day. ✦✦Avoid added sugars. Added sugars can adversely affect energy levels.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that consuming too many added sugars, which are found in sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and iced tea and sweet snacks like candy, increases a person’s risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The AAND notes that the energy provided by foods with added sugars is typically misleading, as it wears off quickly and ultimately leads to an energy crash.

If you’re looking to eat and drink for energy, then choose water or low-fat milk instead of coffee and soda and replace sweet snacks with fruit. ✦✦Choose the right snacks. The AAND recommends snacks have lean protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates. Low-fat Greek yogurt, apples, a handful of unsalted nuts and carrots are some examples of healthy snacks that will provide an energy boost between meals.

Did you know?

The Vision Council notes that roughly 200,000 sports-related eye injuries occur in children each year. Concerned parents should know that estimates from Boston Children’s Hospital suggest that as much as 90 percent of sports eye injuries can be prevented with protective eyewear.

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Did you know?

Spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, is the most common cause of mortality in infants. According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, SMA is a motor neuron disease that affects the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and voluntary muscle movement. WebMD notes that the severity of SMA varies widely, but the disease is known to weaken muscles and can cause difficulty eating, breathing and walking. In the past, infants diagnosed with SMA typically did not survive more than two years, but the MDA notes that doctors now prefer to avoid making rigid predictions on life expectancy based strictly on age of onset.

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TRAILS From PAGE 5 One advantage of that trail, Schondelmaier said, is that it offers a wide variety of interesting sights people might not catch in town.

“When I first started riding there out there, every morning I’d see deer and foxes and coyotes, you know, just all kinds of wildlife out there,” he said. “It’s kind of a neat thing.”

“Just watch out for the rogue skunk,” Mertens added with a laugh.

People who want to get more into walking or hiking need to make sure they’re taking care of their feet, their skin and their hydration, Mertens said.

“Good shoes are really important. You don’t want to end up with blisters on your feet [so wear] good shoes and socks,” she said. “Sun safety is really important during this time of year. Make sure you’ve got a hat to cover some of the skin and maybe some sunscreen. Make sure to bring some water, at least to put in your car so that you’re hydrated. It can be really easy to get dehydrated during these high temps that we have right now.”

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LYON COUNTY FOOD AND FARM COUNCIL LAUNCHES SURVEY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND FOOD SYSTEM

By Baileigh Mertens The Emporia Gazette

The Lyon County Food and Farm Council recently launched a survey in an effort to understand the state of the food system in Lyon County.

Since the creation of the council in 2019, the main focus has been finding ways to improve the food insecurity issue in Lyon County.

“The council is tasked with attending to and improving the local food system. When I am talking about the food system that is everything, not just access to healthy and nutritious food and that everyone has access to sufficient food, but it’s also about the growth of food, the distribution of food, the processing of food and even food waste,” said Dr. Jasmine Linabary, vice-chair of the Lyon County Food and Farm Council. “Our task is kind of to look holistically at Lyon County’s food system, which includes all of those elements, and to see where there is an opportunity for growth, where there are gaps and means for improvement and then to recommend policies and actions so that our county can thrive and so that we can further enhance our local food system.”

The first task the council was assigned was to learn more about the issue with food availability in the community so that it can help find a lasting solution to the problem.

“When a food policy council like this is formed, one of the initial tasks is for us to better understand where we are at as a county in terms of our food system,” Linabary said. “Before we jump to action, we want to have a better understanding of

where our food system is at, what are our opportunities, what are our gaps, what are our strengths, what are our weaknesses.

One of the steps to do that is to do what’s called a Food System Assessment.”

While it looks at the issue with food availability in the community, there are many sources available to help the council. One of the sources is the USDA, which is a government data source. This data source provides information on the number of farms in the area, the size of the farms, and what they produce. Alongside that database, there are numerous other groups that have collected data that can help the council.

Some of these sources provide information about the number of people who are receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, along with other useful information.

“The other thing that we are trying to do is hear from people directly in the county about what they observe and what they experience in trying to engage in our local food system,” Linabary said. “The survey is one way in which we are seeking to do that.

The survey includes questions about how people get their food. Do they grow it, and is that food that they sell to others, where do they get it, not just in terms of their own

houses but do they go to the grocery store, and if so which grocery store, what kind of issues do they have in terms of accessing food, are there any barriers, challenges, or types of food that aren’t available in county or are hard to get?”

Through the survey, the council hopes to collect information on how people in the community receive food, and also some of their struggles while trying to access food.

“Ultimately, we hope to collect people’s — not only how they access food and some of their challenges — but their ideas too about what we could do to grow, sell more food in the county as well as access the food that we need to see our community thrive,” Linabary said. “This is how we are kind of collecting more ideas for the broader county.”

Along with gathering information from data sources and through the survey, the council is also hoping to orchestrate some interviews with select families to gather information about their struggles.

“We are also hoping to do and have done some interviews and focus groups,” Linabary said. “What those do is allow us to have some deeper conversations with folks to kind of dig in on some of the assets of our community but also some of the challenges that we are facing when it comes to food.”

One resource that is already available to people to help them find food in the community is the emporiastrong.com website.

This website was created during the beginning of COVID-19, serving as a central location to inform community members about what businesses are open and under what conditions. The website shifted gears after Healthier Lyon County purchased the website earlier this year. The website now is used as a central location for information about how to access healthy food throughout the community.

“If you are someone that is looking for access to food or if you are someone that is looking for housing-related resources, financial related resources, health-related resources, the nice thing through this process of COVID-19 and needing to kind of put all of these resources together in a central location is that now we have a central location with all of the information so people don’t have to shake it out and so that it doesn’t become a barrier to getting the help they need,” Linabary said.

Anyone who is interested in learning about the council, has suggestions for the council or has information can contact it through their email: lyoncofoodandfarm@ gmail.com.

“For people who are interested in learning more about the council, there is a council email address for people who want to reach out or learn more,” Linabary said. “The council is always open to folks’ thoughts and ideas so we appreciate the time that people are taking and we hope that ultimately this will help make a difference for our community.”

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Tuesday, June 29, 2021