Hall About Health Spring 2024

Hallabout HEALTH

Spring 2024

WALKING YOUR WAY TO HEALTH

STRESS AWARENESS

Pictured: Dr. Matthew Vaughn, DMD

Spring 2024

GROUP PUBLISHER

Stephanie Woody

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

Jessica Shirley

ADVERTISING SALES

Jenna Wellborn, Ashley Beaz, Heather McAbee

CREATIVE SERVICES

Chelsea Sunshine, April Seymour, Courtney Smith

MAY 18, 2024

Saturday

Mason Strong 5K 5K Virtual Event

MAY 19, 2024

Sunday

North Georgia Super Sprint & Kids Triathlon

1 Mile

MAY 19, 2024

Sunday

Reverse Reverse TriathlonSpring

2 Miles

MAY 25, 2024

Saturday

The Hero Hill Climb 10K 5K

RUNNING IN HALL COUNTY

JUNE 8, 2024

Saturday Tri the ParksLake Lanier Rowing Park Sprint 18 Miles 21 Miles 15 Mile

JUNE 15, 2024

Saturday Run the Ranch & Family Block Party

5K 0.5 Miles 1.5 Miles Virtual Event

JUNE 15, 2024

Saturday

Classic City

Kiwanis Bulldog 5K 3.1 Miles

JUNE 15, 2024

Saturday

2024 Jackson County Brevet

100 Miles

JUNE 29, 2024

Saturday Made in the USA 5K/10K/15K/ Half

5K 10K 15K 13.1 Miles Virtual Event

JUNE 29, 2024

Saturday

14th Annual Twelve Days of Christmas (in July) Races 8K 1

Mile 4K 3.22K 2K 11K 7K 6K 9K

10K 5K 12K Virtual Event

WALKING YOUR WAY TO HEALTH

by Sudie Crouch Health & Wellness columnist

Anytime someone is looking to lose weight or improve their overall health, one of the first questions they ask is what kind of exercise should they try.

Should they lift weights? Began an intense cardio routine? Or maybe even start doing HIIT workouts?

Others want to join a gym but there is also a lot of fear and intimidation that can go along with joining a gym.

There are as many different workout options available as there are different weight loss methods.

Given the fact that recent studies have found a sedentary lifestyle can be as detrimental to our health as smoking, many people have started looking at different options to increase their movement and get in more exercise.

There are as many different workout options available as there are different weight loss methods.

But the good news is, finding a way to get some exercise doesn’t necessarily mean a big investment or joining a gym. It can be as easy as lacing up some tennis shoes and heading out your front door.

Why walking

Walking is not only one of the most effective ways to get in movement, but it has tremendous health benefits as well.

Some of the benefits include:

• Helps reduce blood pressure

• Eases joint pain – motion is lotion!

• Helps lower blood sugar

• Boosts your immune system

• Burns calories

• Reduces stress

Walking is also something that has a lower risk of injury. Oftentimes, people may not have the proper technique with certain exercises or may overdo it; with walking, they are doing a low-impact exercise that doesn’t have many of the potential injuries that other exercises may have. (There may still be risks of falling or tripping, so please proceed with caution and safety.)

Walking is also free – you can get started with just a decent pair of shoes.

How far should you walk?

If you’re not sure how far or long you should be walking, the main thing is just get started. If you haven’t been very active previously, five minutes can be a good target to start with and you can build up from there. Many health apps recommend 10,000 steps a day, but for many, that may be too much. The key is to start with an achievable and doable amount of steps that you can consistently reach. Just get moving. You can stretch the goal to a higher number as you feel comfortable with the pace you’re able to walk.

You definitely don’t have to walk a long distance if you’re just getting started. A good key to remember is that 2,000 steps roughly equals a mile, so if you were hitting 10,000 steps, that would be five miles a day.

If you don’t have a step counter device or don’t have a pedometer on your cell phone, you can also roughly estimate it as

approximately 15 - 22 minutes is equal to a mile.

What if you can’t get in steps?

There may be some obstacles to getting a walk in. The weather – either too hot or too cold – is one of the biggest obstacles that many people encounter. There are several indoor walking videos that are available on YouTube that can help you get in those steps in the comfort of your climate controlled living room. Additionally, walking in place is even a great way to get in your steps. Some people enjoy walking in place while they watch a favorite program or during the commercials.

Another option can be using a treadmill but that’s really not necessary. You can also go to an indoor mall to get in steps or walk extra laps around your grocery store. Just finding creative ways to get in a few extra steps can help you reach your goal.

So if you’re looking to incorporate exercise into your routine, walking is anything but basic and a great way to get in movement and improve your overallhealth.

Nearly 74 percent of the American population struggles with stress –that’s roughly seven out of 10 adults. Odds are, you may very well be one of those seven and not know how to deal with the stressors that are happening in your life.

According to the American Heart Association, stress can lead to poor health behaviors such as smoking, overeating, lack of exercise, among other behaviors.

We may not realize how stress is affecting us until it does. Headaches, fatigue, digestive issues or disorders, disrupted sleep, and irritability are just some of the symptoms we may experience from short-term stressors. Left unchecked, those symptoms can develop into further issues – lack of sleep can affect practically every area of our health; digestive issues may lead to ulcers; and a decreased mood can lead to depression.

'Effects of walking on stress

Walking is a great exercise and has many health benefits – including reducing our stress levels!

It reduces our cortisol levels, releases endorphins (those ‘feel good’ hormones), and helps reduce our blood pressure as well. It also helps improve memory, stamina, and confidence, while reducing our risk of disease.If you’re feeling stressed, getting in a walk can be a simple, yet effective way to help.

'Learning how to cope with stress

Recognizing the triggers can be one of the first steps towards coping with stress. We get bombarded with so many different things each day, that learning how we may be responding to them can help us take measures to lessen their influence on us.

Technology, while convenient, can often be a source of stress with it making us feel like we’re reachable to everyone at any given time. If this is the case for you, creating boundaries around when you check or even respond to texts, emails, and phone calls can be one way to offset some of the stress.

Dealing with traffic is another big stressor for many of us. Finding ways to make the commute less stressful can include leaving a few minutes earlier to get to your destination so you don’t feel as rushed and to allow for traffic; some people have even found listening to calming music during their commute or even an audio book can help them.

Other approaches to coping with stress can include meditation and breathing exercises. There are a few apps that can be downloaded on your phone that provide some guided meditations for you, like Aura, Mindful, Breathing Space and Insight Timer. Perhaps one of my favorite ways to deal with stress is to journal out everything that is troubling me. By writing it out, it sometimes helps solutions present themselves, as well as helps process the stressors.

STRESS AWARENESS MONTH

by Sudie Crouch Health & Wellness columnist

With infographic from the American Heart Association

Of course, another great way to learn how to cope with stress is by talking to a therapist or counselor who can help you find other coping skills as well as provide a healthy environment to work through the stressors.

Ways to decrease stress

Sometimes the stressors are things we may not be able to completely eradicate from our lives, especially if the stress comes from work. But there are many steps we can take to help decrease the effects of stress on our lives.

Laughing is another way to decrease stress. It may be hard to find something to laugh about when you’re stressed and on edge, but it helps release those feel good hormones. Turn on your favorite sitcom or movie and let the belly laughs begin.

Music is another way to help decrease stress. Calm, soothing music can help lower cortisol levels and helps relax your muscles as well – think slow, gentle beats, to help you unwind.

Getting out in nature is another great way to reduce your stress levels. Spending just a few minutes outside, breathing fresh air and getting some natural vitamin D can help improve your mood and help you clear some of the stressors from your mind.

Of course, finding what works for you to reduce your stress levels is the best approach. Being aware of how stress is affecting you and taking steps to help reduce it can help you lead a healthier, less-stressed life.

Sources:

• https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/stressstatistics/#:~:text=How%20many%20people%20are%20 stressed,stress%20in%20the%20last%20month.

• https://newsroom.heart.org/events/april-is-national-minorityhealth-month-stress-awareness-month-and-move-moremonth-featuring-national-walking-day#:~:text=April%20 is%20National%20Minority%20Health,Walking%20Day%20 %7C%20American%20Heart%20Association

Exercise is one way to help decrease stress and can help create a positive cycle in your routine. By exercising, the stress is reduced, thereby helping improve your sleep hygiene. Exercise can also help you improve your sleep, so it may be a matter of improving your sleep that leads to a decrease in your stress levels. The exercise can be something as simple as getting in a 30 minute walk too.

GET OUT IN NORTH GEORGIA

by Sudie Crouch Columnist

Amicalola Falls

It seems like we all wait for the first signs of Spring to help us shake off the doldrums of winter, and there’s no better place to see all nature has to offer than North Georgia.

The Peach State has more than its fair share of scenic attractions, with an abundance of it in the North Georgia area. From the wellknown Lake Lanier spanning across five counties to Lake Chatuge in Towns county and reaching into North Carolina, there are opportunities to get outside and enjoy the beauty our area has to offer.

Natural Wonders

The North Georgia area is home to so many natural wonders, with the Appalachian Trail cutting through the landscape and with well over a dozen waterfalls located throughout the area, making them a great hiking destination.

From Wikipedia:

Dawson County

• Amicalola Falls—at 729 feet (222 m) Amicalola Falls is the highest waterfall in Georgia and the third highest east of the Mississippi River. It is approximately four times the height of Niagara's Horseshoe Falls. It is located on Amicalola Creek in Amicalola Falls State Park and is accessible via several trails, bridges, and parking areas. Visitors may park at either the top or the base of the falls; a well-maintained trail, including over 600 steps, connects those two points. Another trail connects the falls to the terminus of the Appalachian Trail on nearby Springer Mountain. Some sources, including the 2004 Georgia State Parks guide book, claim that Amicaolola Falls are "the tallest east of the Mississippi River," although Crabtree Falls in Virginia (at 1000 feet) and Glassmine Falls in North Carolina (800 feet) are both taller.[2] (The state park website is more specific—and perhaps more accurate—citing Amicalola as "the tallest cascading waterfall". More recent editions of the print version of the guide have corrected the error.) (34°33.81′N 84°14.66′W)

• Bearden Falls —located in the Chattahoochee National Forest on Bearden Creek. (34°36.48′N 84°11.77′W)

• Cochrans Falls —at 600 feet (180 m), is tied with Caledonia Cascade as the second highest waterfall in Georgia. It is on Cochrans Creek near Dawsonville. (34°34.52′N 84°12.97′W)

• Crawford Falls —located on private property and not accessible to the public.

• "Edge of the World" Rapids —Class IV rapids on the Amicalola River. (Parking area: 34°25.60′N 84°12.80′W)

• Falls Creek Falls —located in the Dawson Forest, an area containing at least forty three waterfalls. (Upper Falls:34°30.78′N 84°19.42′W; Falls Creek Falls:34°30.94′N 84°19.11′W; Lower Falls:34°30.79′N 84°18.43′W)

• Lower Falls & Upper Falls —located on Disharoon Creek in the southwest corner of Dawson County, near the gated community of Big Canoe. (34°28.36′N 84°19.12′W)

Lumpkin County

• Black Falls —on the grounds of Camp Frank D. Merrill, a Mountain Ranger camp 11 miles (18 km) north of Dahlonega. Public access may be restricted.

• Blood Mountain Creek Falls —four falls (Lower Falls, Middle

Falls, Upper Falls, and Cascade). (Trailhead for two lower falls: 34°41.87′N 83°57.18′W; for two upper falls: 34°42.40′N 83°57.30′W)

• Cane Creek Falls —located on the grounds of Camp Glisson, a camp operated by the United Methodist Church near Dahlonega, these falls are often (but not always) open to the public.

• Cannon Falls — located on Frogtown Creek, on the grounds of Cannon Falls Lodge, a private fishing preserve, and only accessible with a guide.

• Clay Creek Falls —located on private property but easily viewed from Clay Creek Falls Road, just outside the city limits of Dahlonega. (34°32.26′N 84°1.32′W)

• Copper Mine Shoals —there are several rapid drops on the Chestatee River north of Dahlonega.

• Cow Rock Creek Falls —near Boggs Creek Campground in the Chattahoochee National Forest. (34°42.66′N 83°52.90′W)

• DeSoto Falls —a pair of falls on Frogtown Creek in the DeSoto Falls Scenic Area of the Chattahoochee National Forest. According to legend, Hernando de Soto passed through the area in 1540. (34°42.37′N 83°54.95′W)

• Dick's Creek Falls —a pair of falls just below the site where Waters Creek joins Dicks Creek in the Chattahoochee National Forest. (34°40.782′N 83°56.202′W)

• Elvarado Falls —not open to the public.

• Etowah River Shoals —the Etowah River rises in Lumpkin County, northwest of Dahlonega

• Falls on Branch of Jones Creek—located in the Chattahoochee National Forest and easily accessible. (34°36.618′N 84°9.45′W)

• Falls on West Fork of Montgomery Creek—twenty-foot falls on the grounds of a US Army Ranger Camp. (34°37.452′N 84°6.9′W)

• Grindle Shoals —on private property along the Chestatee River but viewable from the bridge carrying Cavender Creek Road across the Chestatee in eastern Lumpkin, near the White County line. (34°33.6′N 83°52.26′W)

• High Shoals Falls —on Walden Creek; features a porch swing from which to view the falls. (34°38.91′N 84°1.332′W)

• Jones Creek Falls

• Little Ridge Creek Falls —a trio of falls near Boggs Creek Campground in the Chattahoochee National Forest. (34°42.42′N 83°53.4′W)

• Martha Falls —on Pigeon Roost Creek; the area features spectacular lake and mountain views. (34°41.37′N 83°58.83′W)

• Trophy Falls — located on Frogtown Creek, on the grounds of Cannon Falls Lodge, a private fishing preserve, and only accessible with a guide.

• Ward Creek Falls —near Justus Gap, northwest of Dahlonega. {34° 39.107'N 84° 04.071'W}

• Yahoola Creek Falls —just before the Yahoola Creek leaves the Chattahoochee National Forest. The remnants of Nineteenth Century gold-mining operations are nearby.

Anna Ruby Falls

Towns County

• Blue Hole Falls and High Shoals Creek Falls —located on High Shoals Creek in the High Shoals Scenic Area of the Chattahoochee National Forest; features two observation decks. (34°48.972′N 83°43.62′W)

• Denton Branch Falls —easily accessible thirty-foot falls located near Tate City; the approach reveals numerous smaller falls and shoals. (34°59.142′N 83°33.00′W)

• Cupid Falls —near Young Harris College in Young Harris. (34°56.1′N 83°50.34′W)

• Enota Mountain Retreat & Conference Center —the grounds of this facility in Hiawassee contain several falls; visitors must obtain permission before accessing the property.

• Gurley Creek Falls —220-foot falls viewable from an observation deck a short walk from the visitors center. (34°50.298′N 83°46.8′W)

• Joel Creek Falls —a ten-minute walk from the visitors center. (34°50.1′N 83°46.602′W)

White County

• Anna Ruby Falls —actually two separate falls, one on Curtis Creek and the other on York Creek, but known together as Anna Ruby Falls. Combined, they form Smith Creek. Located in a grove of mountain laurel in the Anna Ruby Falls Scenic Area in the Chattahoochee National Forest. There is a visitors center and an interpretive walk from there to the falls. (34°45.83′N 83°42.73′W)

• Duke's Creek Falls —actually on Davis Creek, where it meets Dodd Creek to form Duke's Creek; there is an easy approach featuring boardwalk trails and several observation decks. At least one deck is wheelchair accessible. (Parking Area: 34°42.105′N 83°47.361′W)

• Falls near Unicoi Gap —just off Fire Service Road 44.

• Falls on Dodd Creek—at Dukes Creek Falls.

• Falls on Low Gap Creek—off Fire Service Road 44A near Robertstown. (34°44.60′N 83°47.84′W)

• Raven Cliff Falls —the approach, through rhododendron and hemlock passes many smaller falls; located within the Mark Trail Wilderness Area near the Richard Russell Scenic Highway. (34°43.38′N 83°49.44′W)

• Upper Falls on Davis Creek

Whether you are visiting for a day trip, a weekend, or maybe are fortunate enough to live here, there is something for everyone. And Spring is the perfect time to get out and hit the trails or get on the lake in North Georgia!

Sources:

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_waterfalls_ in_North_Georgia

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