Happy Healthy New Year
2013 has finally arrived. Even if you haven't made a
New Years resolution, make it a year to become a
healthier you!
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Concentrate on getting 5 or more servings of
fruits and vegetables every day.
Reduce the amount of refined sugar in your
diet.
Choose water or milk instead or diet soda or
other "calorie free" beverages.
Only eat when you feel hungry.
Become more physically active.
In This Issue
New Year New You
Vegetable Lentil Stew
Workouts to Do When You Are Sick
Welcome Rebecca Owen
Vegetable Lentil Stew
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Enjoy activities with family and friends.
New Year New You: 5 Health
Resolutions That are Easy to Keep
New Year's Eve brings to mind NYC's Times Square,
noisemakers and bubbly, but what a difference a day can
make. The month of January signifies a fresh start,
complete with a new perspective and for many, New
Year's resolutions. All right, for some it may have looked
Ingredients
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1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp garlic
1 1/2 cups bell peppers, sliced or diced
4-6 carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
6 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/3 cup dry lentils
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 5-oz box spinach
1 1/2 tbsp grated lemon zest
a little more like a hangover-filled day spent on the
couch. But were you one of the many people who made
a New Year's resolution this year?
Resolutions can get a bad rap. They often aren't specific
enough, making them unrealistic and unattainable. But
the notion of aspiring to be better is to be commended.
Self-improvement shouldn't be dismissed as "all or
nothing." You're more likely to stick with your goals if you
set gradual benchmarks. When it comes to establishing
a healthy lifestyle, small changes can make a big
difference. For example, if you want to lose weight,
create a weekly weight loss goal, in addition to your final
target number. Don't give up even if there are weeks in
which you don't lose any weight. Establish ways to hold
yourself accountable: Track and measure your progress
with apps or create a journal outlining your goals and the
steps you're taking to achieve them.
These five resolutions are so easy to resolve to keep,
they risk giving New Year's resolutions a new reputation.
An added plus: They also happen to be kidney-friendly.
1. Avoid unnecessary painkillers. Pain medications
provide pain relief (maybe you even relied on
them to nurse your post-NYE hangover), but it's
important to balance the potential benefits with
the risk of dangerous side effects, such as kidney
damage, fluid retention, increased blood
pressure, and digestive issues. Think twice
before you reach into your medicine cabinet and
check both prescription and over the counter
(OTC) drug labels to evaluate the risks and
benefits before taking a particular medication.
Directions
Heat a large saucepan, then add the oil and onion.
Saute for about 5 minutes, until onions begin to
brown. Add the garlic, peppers, carrots, and celery,
and cook 5 more minutes. Then add everything else
up to the cumin, and cook 15 minutes over medium
heat, stirring occasionally. Now add all but the
spinach and lemon zest. Cover and cook on low
until the lentils are soft and have absorbed most of
the liquid, it takes about an hour on the stovetop.
Add spinach and lemon at the very end, and cook 23 minutes until the spinach wilts. This recipe makes
8 servings.
www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com
Workouts to Do When You Have
a Cold
2. Quit smoking (or never start). Many bars and
restaurants across the country are smoke-free.
It's getting cold out, making it the perfect time to
save yourself the trip outside while bettering your
health. In addition to causing lung diseases and
cancer, smoking acts as an accelerator for any
disease that you may have. Smoking reduces
blood flow to the kidneys and can also interfere
with medications used to treat high blood
pressure, reducing their effectiveness. Quitting
can be difficult, but it is one of the most important
lifestyle changes that you can make. For
additional resources and tips on how to quit, visit
the National Kidney Foundation.
If you're feeling sick but only have a cold (and not the dreaded
flu that's going around), then you're in luck. You can still
exercise if you've got
above-the-neck
symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, and a sore
3. Sit less and stand more. In case you missed it,
recent research has linked sitting for eight hours
or more a day with developing kidney disease, as
well as a host of other chronic conditions. This
rings true even in otherwise physically-active
people. Sitting for that length of time is typical for
the average desk job, but most of us go way
beyond that. We sit on the couch, while driving,
while riding the bus, and during dinner, just to
name a few! While sitting is mandatory for some
activities, get creative and expand your comfort
zone when it's not. The human body was
designed to be upright, but in modern society
sometimes we need to help it out. Consider a
standing desk and standing while talking on the
throat (but not a fever). And since exercising helps boost your
immune system and can make you feel better faster, sticking
to a less-intense version of your normal workout routine is a
healthy decision. Here are four workouts you can do if you've
got the cold.
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Relaxing yoga: Try a slow yoga sequence, not a fastpaced Vinyasa yoga, to help stretch out your body and
relieve tension. This restorative yoga sequence will
help you feel better fast.
Swimming: Now's not the time to do timed laps, but a
low-impact pool exercise routine won't be too hard on
your body.
Jogging: When you're sick, experts recommend you
exercise at 50 percent of your normal intensity, and
slowly work your way up from there until you feel
better. This walk-jogging workout is slow enough to
phone.
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4. Catch more Zzzs. Hit the sack earlier to make
sure you're getting enough sleep each night.
Studies suggest that irregular sleep patterns,
eating before going to sleep and not getting
enough sleep are all linked to obesity, while
getting enough sleep is linked with maintaining a
healthy weight. Sleep health is 50 percent habit
and 50 percent fatigue. Obesity can cause kidney
disease, because the kidneys have to work
harder to filter out toxins and to meet the
metabolic demands of the increased body mass
index (BMI) in obese individuals. When it comes
to a good night's rest, most people require about
seven hours. Cuddle up and snooze your way to
a healthy weight. (Okay, I would be remiss if I
didn't also encourage you to incorporate healthy
eating and exercise routines alongside better
sleeping habits.)
5. Get organized. It's helpful to make a checklist.
Organize one "room" or aspect of your life at a
time. When it comes to your health, tackle your
medical records and lab documents. There are
many apps that can help you keep track of all
recent doctor's visits, test results and
immunizations. A trusty file cabinet will also do
keep you from overexerting yourself; cut it to 30
minutes if you don't have the energy for an hour.
Easy elliptical: Likewise, a mellow elliptical routine
will still burn calories, open up your lungs, and make
you feel better. This 35-minute beginner elliptical
workout is a good go-to workout when you're sick.
www.fitsugar.com
Welcome Rebecca Owen
Be Well Barron County's New Grant Administrator
the trick. Don't forget to clean out your medicine
cabinet -- expired medications and ointments
have a way of lingering around. Make a list of all
the medications you're taking, including vitamins,
supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
Share it with primary care practitioners and
specialists alike. Some medications are kidneytoxic. It's important for your health care providers
to determine if any medications and supplements
could interact with one another in negative ways.
Doses of drugs can change as you age or your
kidney function declines.
Huffington Post
Leslie Spry, M.D.
www.huffintonpost.com
Sincerely,
Be Well
Be Well Barron County
Hello, my name is Rebecca Owen. I am originally from Duluth,
Minnesota. I attended North Dakota State University where I
double majored in public relations and advertising and political
science. While at NDSU, I interned for US Senator Byron
Dorgan, worked as the Student Government Public Relations
Commissioner and was the Arthritis Foundation Special
Events Intern. Upon graduation, I worked as the Club Manager
at Anytime Fitness in Jamestown, North Dakota.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends,
cooking, traveling, staying active, reading, shopping and
playing with my puppy, Dakota.
I recently moved to Rice Lake, Wisconsin with my fiancé, Todd
Volk. I am really enjoying the beautiful area and friendly
people. Healthy living has always been a high priority for me.
When the Grant Administrator position was made available, it
seemed like a perfect fit. I am very excited about this
opportunity and hope to improve the lives of others through
health awareness.
Kaela Wickersham / 335 E. Monroe Ave / Barron, Wisconsin 54812 /