Safe home-canned vegetables require processing in a pressure canner. This is important to know if you are planning to home-can green beans, peas, carrots or other low-acid vegetables this summer.
The acidity in the food determines if fruits or vegetables are processed in a pressure canner or a boiling water bath canner to control botulism bacteria. Low-acid vegetables and meats contain too little acidity to prevent the growth of these bacteria and must be pressure canned. Friday, July 23, 2010
Attention, desk jockeys: ditching the cubicle and computer screen this summer can be good for your health.
While the hazards of summer Ð sunburn, bug bites, swimmer's itch and so forth Ð are well-known, the hot season offers plenty of health advantages the desk-bound may overlook.
Dr. David Rakel, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Wisconsin and medical director of the UW Health Integrative Medicine program, says the human body needs to connect with nature and the outdoors to build greater immunity to disease. Wednesday, July 21, 2010
With the aging of the United States population, increased attention is being given to programs that lengthen and enhance the lives of older Americans. Since adequate nutrition is a critical part in maintaining good health and preventing illness, it is especially important for seniors to receive well-balanced, nutritious, tasty meals. That's where Catholic Charities Senior Dining comes in. Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Parents and caregivers of youth with disabilities asked to take part in national survey
Parents or primary caregivers of young people with disabilities between 12 and 22 years old are invited to take part in a national research study by completing the National Family Support Survey at www.fastfamilysupport.org by Aug. 13.
Answers to the survey questions are confidential and will help the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities, parent centers, and researchers to understand the information and support families' needs as young people with disabilities move into adulthood. The survey is available in English and Spanish Sunday, July 18, 2010
It's the time of year when Minnesotans have many opportunities to have contact with animals in public settings, such as petting zoos, fairs and farm tours. These contacts provide a tremendous learning opportunity about animals and animal husbandry. Be aware of the risks involved and plan ahead. Thursday, July 15, 2010
Summer is finally upon us and time-honored traditions such as trips to the beach, baseball games, graduation parties, and picnics are in full swing. This can mean fun, sun, and food Ð and often times, lots of it. How can summer go-getters stay fit and avoid the common traps of overeating? According to TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, it's all about gaining your independence from too much food and drink. Sparkle as bright as the Fourth of July fireworks by following the ten simple, yet effective tips below to manage your eating habits for a season without regret. Monday, July 12, 2010
Germs on and in swimmers' bodies can make people sick; preventive measures can help people avoid illness
Awareness of disease risks and healthy swimming practices can play an important role in stopping the spread of illnesses when you go to the pool or the beach this summer, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
"Germs on and in swimmers' bodies can end up in the water and can make other people sick," said Dr. Kirk Smith, epidemiology supervisor for MDH. "Even healthy swimmers can get sick from recreational water illnesses, but the young, elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are especially at risk." Thursday, July 08, 2010
Gary Joseph LeBlanc reads this column in the Hernando (Fla.) Today newspaper. For eight years, he was the primary caregiver for his father, who died a year ago at age 85, of Alzheimer disease.
The Alzheimer Association website says this progressive, gradual onset, fatal brain disease affects perhaps five million Americans. It causes memory, thinking, and behavior challenges, and is our nation's sixth-leading cause of death Saturday, June 12, 2010
When we hear water pollution, we tend to think of oil tankers and petroleum, of toxic chemicals pouring into rivers and lakes from factories, or of garbage waste or sewage dumping at sea. These are all obvious sources of water pollution with harmful effects Ð but many threats to the water supply are often viewed as only being harmful to the ecosystem. Friday, May 21, 2010
Questions from several people have prompted one of our readers to provide information about the donation of bone marrow. There are possibly many people for whom a bone marrow transplant can provide a cure for some types of cancers. There are those people in our own community that are placing hopes on this procedure.
To be on the bone marrow donation list for Katy Stewart-James or Sarah Grunwald, and for other kids waiting for a match, go to www.marrow.org. Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Maybe the cast of the television show I Love Lucy was on to something. A few crazy schemes aside, Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred were on the right track with their close-knit friendship. A recent study shows that having a good group of friends around may be even more important than family for a long and healthy life.
Researchers throughout the United States followed nearly 1,500 people over the age of 70 for 10 years and found that people with the strongest network of good friends lived longer than those with the fewest close friends. Saturday, May 01, 2010
It's been a long and stormy winter and snow has found its way to almost all of the 50 states. But, finally, spring is on its way. Daylight lasts longer, temperatures are getting warmer, and there's more energy in the air. The start of a new season is a great time to renew weight-loss and fitness resolutions. TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, shares the following tips for springing into a healthier, active, better-for-you lifestyle.
Usually, we try to dodge April showers, but the one that arrives the morning of April 22 may be worth seeking out.
That would be the Lyrid meteor shower, which peaks around 7 a.m. Trouble is, a bright waxing moon interferes until well past midnight, leaving meteor fans only a couple of hours between moonset and dawn. But if you do get out, this shower is predicted to be a fairly good one; meteors will radiate from high in the south, just west of the brilliant star Vega in the Summer Triangle.
Ankle sprains, perhaps the most common injury in amateur and professional athletes, account for up to 10 percent of sports-related injuries. A recent study, published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, was conducted to determine the value of chiropractic care in the treatment of ankle injuries.
How much rain fell in your hometown overnight? How much snow fell during yesterday's winter storm? Would you like to share the weather information you record in your backyard with others in your community, as well as those who need weather data at the regional, state and national level?
The Minnesota State Climatology Office and the National Weather Service are looking for volunteers to collect and report daily rainfall and snowfall data across Minnesota as part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, better known as CoCoRaHS.
Well, the first snow flakes are finally beginning to fall and they are not from the big snow makers at Powder Ridge. In some parts of the United States, the average snowfall approaches 10 feet. That is a lot of snow to shovel. It is not surprising to learn that many people suffer from muscle fatigue, low back strain, vertebral disc damage, and even spinal fractures during the winter season. Some of these injuries result from excessive stress to spinal structures and others by slip and fall accidents.
A National Institutes of Health Web site states that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is "one of the most common childhood disorders." Symptoms can include impulsiveness, difficulty focusing on one thing, struggling to follow directions, talking nonstop and being in constant motion, being very impatient, blurting out inappropriate comments, and interrupting conversations.
Matt Lust, a 27-year-old doctoral student in sociology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, offers no excuses for his ADHD-related behaviors. Growing up in Virginia, he was taught to accept responsibility for his actions.
Paynesville Area Health Care System (PAHCS) has announced that as of Jan. 1, 2010, they will no longer accept UniCare, a Medicare Advantage plan, as a health insurance payer. Patients that wish to continue receiving non-emergency services at PAHCS, and have it paid by their health insurance, will need to choose a different Medicare Advantage plan.
This August, my family and I attended our ninth Joni and Friends Family Retreat. The sponsoring organization, Joni and Friends, has retreats like this around the nation to give disability-affected families a respite from daily routine. This particular camp had a unique way of combining fun, faith, and friendship. Over the years at these retreats, we have become friends with Katy Thuleen and her family.
"Our son Zach was born unexpectedly at 31 weeks," said 49-year-old Thuleen in a telephone interview. "The doctors said he'd have no recognition of his surroundings and no ability to function physically or cognitively. They suggested we give him up for adoption, and said if we kept him our marriage wouldn't survive and his many needs would financially devastate us. They also said if we kept him, we shouldn't have any other children because they shouldn't be born into that kind of environment."
