Archive: May 2006

The 'spoken' gospel

Cycling is a great way to get fit and go fast!

The road less traveled is no more—bikes are slowly taking over. Of course, that makes complete sense. With surging gas prices and a growing population who is looking for ways to save money on medical bills, biking is becoming a growing sport.

Whether it's done in the city streets of Lansing and Jackson, or through the local mountain bike trails, more and more people are turning to biking as an exercise option.

After all, a 150-pound person, who rides for thirty minutes can burn:

• 288 calories on a mountain bike trail. • 135 calories for a leisure ride. • 297 calories at a 12-14 mile per hour pace. • 360 calories at a 14-16 mile per hour pace.

" Our members really enjoy the health benefits of riding," said Steve Schuesler, board member at the Tri-County Bike Association. "Our membership has been steadily increasing."

And that's saying a lot. Shuesler said the 2,000-plus members who belong to the association, which covers, Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties, organize rides throughout the riding season. He said the association is one of the largest of its kind in the country.

Dirk Bus, owner of Eric's Cycling and Fitness, in Lansing, sees more people coming in looking for road bikes.

" I think we're going to start seeing a resurgence with road bikes," he said. "There was a boom with mountain bikes."

Dirk should know. He gave up his car last September and rides on his bike everywhere. "I was told that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad weather gear," he said. "It really doesn't bother me at all."

He said some customers are concerned about safety on the road when riding.

At Pedal and Tour, in Jackson, Shelly Wilson, who rides mountain bikes, road cycles and competes across the country, said she's seen a lot of people inquire about—and purchase—road bikes this year.

" A lot of people are taking a look at hybrids and road cycles right now," she said. "It's been that way for the last couple years. I think most people have already purchased a mountain bike and want to go faster on a road. It's easier to ride on the road because you don't have to pack up and go to a trail."

Whatever you choose to ride, road or mountain bike, make sure it's a comfortable fit. "You need to test ride that bike before you buy," she said. "And then have fun!"

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All thumbs?

If they're green, you're gold when it comes to your health

By Sherri King, Michigan Office of Services to the Aging

Don't let the beauty of the garden fool you—gardening and yard work are great ways to get your daily physical activity and a healthy dose of sunshine and fresh air. Gardening is a great life long physical activity, and it makes positive contributions to the environment.

Don't think it's work? Consider the following: a 140 pound person burns 160 calories per hour doing general gardening, digging, weeding and cultivating. That same 140 pound person burns almost 150 calories per hour using a power mower.

Each year, gardening continues to grow in popularity as a regular physical activity. Even in Michigan, folks are finding ways to continue to have a garden even in the winter, with atriums, and other indoor gardens.

Studies all over the globe continue to show that regular physical activity reduces your risk of many acute and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers.

Depression can also be controlled through regular, moderate physical activity. Yard work and gardening provide you with endurance, flexibility, and strength activities, which are the three components of a good physical activity program.

Studies have also shown that gardeners consume a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, and eat more servings of them, than non-gardeners, regardless of whether they grow fruits and vegetables.

If you still aren't convinced of the benefits of gardening, here are a few more reasons to go plant some flowers:

• Just looking at trees and plants helps to lower blood pressure and relieve muscle tension.
• Patients in a hospital that had a "green view" of the outdoors recovered faster than those who did not.
• Gardening requires creativity, and use of your brain. Research has shown that mental activity can help reduce the risk of dementia-related diseases in older age.
• Gardening outdoors promotes an increased range of motion, develops eye-hand coordination, and improves motor skills.

According to Canada's Go For Green, Gardening for Life Program:

• Horticultural therapists have found that, for elderly patients in particular, gardening can stimulate all the senses--providing interesting sights, sounds, textures and scents--and stimulate memories and connection with the past.
• According to the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association, "people working at computers in an office with plants were 12% more productive and less stressed than people doing the same job in an office without plants."

Gardening is also a great intergenerational activity. Some of my greatest memories of my grandmother are of helping her in her large vegetable garden-watching the corn, tomatoes and cucumbers grow, and then picking and eating them.

So get active and creative. Revive your garden, or plant a new one. Invite your kids or grandkids to help. If you don't have the space, find a community garden project to participate in.

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The skin you're in

Protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun when outdoors

Dr. Marcy Street

As spring and summer approach, protecting yourself from the harmful rays of the sun should be a top priority. May is officially skin cancer awareness month so it seems fitting to equip yourself with all the facts you need to know to keep your skin healthy in 2006.

This year, more than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed. Many people think that skin cancers can only develop from existing moles, but often skin cancer can develop on its own from what seems like normal, healthy skin. Actinic keratoses (AKs) are precancerous growths that result from many years of exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Often going unnoticed, AKs can grow and multiply, forming large patches of rough, white, red or scaly lesions. Overexposure to sunlight can further irritate the AKs, causing the damaged skin cells to grow at a faster rate. If left untreated, they may eventually develop into skin cancer.

Although AKs can be a precursor to skin cancer, they can be treated before they have the chance to progress further. A new breakthrough called Levulan Kerastick coupled with Blue Light Therapy is the only procedure used to treat AKs. The Levulan is applied to the individual AKs on the skin, which makes them more sensitive to light. The AKs are then exposed to a special blue light and are destroyed at the precancerous stage. This method, done in a dermatologist office, has been clinically tested and proven, clearing 100% of AKs in two thirds of the patients treated after just 8 weeks. Sometimes more than one treatment is required.

If a skin cancer does develop on the skin, the two most common forms are basal and squamous cell carcinoma. It is very rare for these types of skin cancer to spread to any other areas of the body. Basal cell carcinoma usually appears as a small, shiny, pearly, or fleshy growth which may eventually form an open sore and bleed. Squamous cell carcinoma often appears as a scaly, red growth. In both circumstances, removal of the skin cancer is essential. The most effective and successful removal technique for skin cancer is called Mohs micrographic surgery.

Mohs relies on the precision and accuracy of a microscope to trace and ensure the removal of skin cancer down to the roots. Since completing my fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery, I have removed thousands of skin cancers and have found that it is especially effective in skin cancers that are in high risk locations (eyelids, ears, nose, etc) or have reoccurred after previous treatment. Since the surgery is done in layers, it improves the likelihood that all of the cancerous tissue is removed and leaves all of the healthy skin intact. This reduces the chance of scarring and offers an exceptionally high cure rate. Official certification in Mohs surgery requires an extra year of training.

Along with using a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 when exposed to the sun, another line of defense is early skin cancer detection. Committing to doing regular self exams at home coupled with annual check ups with your dermatologist will allow you to get a better handle on unusual growths and be the best defense against skin cancer.

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Fit families

Keep your children active and eating healthy foods

Dr. Beth Spyke

It's hard to believe but just three decades ago, there were no computers, cable TV, or video games. Restaurant meals were special treats. McDonalds had just invented the first "fast food" hamburger and fries, which was enjoyed as a rare treat. "Super size" was yet to be invented.

For most kids, physical activity was a big part of the day. After-school hours and summer days were full of biking, hiking, swimming, games like kick-the-can or just running around the neighborhood. Aerobic exercise was performed for fun- except back then it was called "play".

Now fast-forward to 2006. Take a look at health habits of kids today:

• Less than half of school-age children get regular exercise and a quarter get no exercise at all.
• For many, free time is spent playing computer or video games or "surfing" up to 400 cable-TV channels.
• Few kids walk or ride their bikes to activities. For the most part, Mom or Dad provide "Taxi Service."
• The average American grade school child eats fast food at least three times a week.
• In many homes, cupboards are stocked with sugary cereals and pre-packed, high calorie snack foods.

These poor food choices, coupled with insufficient activity, are leading children to become unfit, overweight and even obese. The number of seriously overweight children and adolescents has more than tripled in the last 30 years! One third of elementary age boys and girls are overweight. Of all 50 states, Michigan is ranked near the bottom on all measures of childhood fitness, including weight.

What can you do to ensure a lifetime of good health for your children? Plenty!

The benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating are awesome! Exercise enhances energy levels, improves muscle tone and strengthens heart, lungs, bones, and joints.

The energy created by families playing and exercising together is immense. Unleash this energy by promoting regular physical activity for everyone in your family.

One really fun way to increase family fitness is to participate in the Michigan Mile, the only kids-only running event in the state. This one-mile event is open to children under the age of 12.

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