Sharing Love of Culture & Dance - Inspire Health November-December 2020

INSPIRE GREAT BEND

November/December 2020

Empowering Natural Living

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU STONES MAKE LEMONADE WEIGH IN ON MENOPAUSAL WEIGHT GAIN

INSPIRE HEALTH

1

wellness

A

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU STONES

e a k M

e d a n o Lem

By Kristy Podruchny

Simple Healthy Lemonade Recipe: Juice One Lemon Per Cup of Cold Water Sweeten with Stevia in the Raw Garnish with mint Relax, enjoy, live healthy 2

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

nyone who has had kidney stones knows it’s something they never want to experience twice. If you’ve had a stone in the past, you’re more likely to have more stones in the future. The only way to ensure you’ll never have that painful experience again is to do what you can to prevent kidney stones from developing.

The most common types of kidney stones are calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. These are formed when the right chemicals sit in concentrated urine long enough to form crystals.

These crystals adhere to each other and form one or many stones. Ouch! Even if you’re predisposed to forming kidney stones, you can eat and drink your way to keeping them at bay.

If you’ve had a stone, knowing what kind you’re forming is imperative to prevention.

Drink water—hydration is essential. The less concentrated your urine is, the less likely you are to develop stones. Sugary drinks like soda can encourage kidney stones to develop. Fluids like water, lemonade (with little to no sugar) and coffee are all encouraged by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). They recommend 2-3 quarts of fluid intake per day.

Certain foods can make a hospitable environment for stones. According to the NKF, there’s no specific diet to follow to prevent kidney stones, but you can choose to avoid certain foods depending on what kind of stones you develop. Avoid foods that are high in oxalate—like sweet potatoes, spinach, chocolate and peanuts—if you’re prone to developing calcium oxalate stones.

Uric acid stones are more likely to form with a diet comprised of high-purine foods like red meat, shellfish and organ meat. They need a highly acidic environment, so the NKF recommends that people who are predisposed to these types of stones should avoid alcoholic beverages.

Choose high calcium foods and aim to supplement your diet with 1000-1200 mg of calcium per day. When life hands you kidney stones, make lemonade! The natural citrate present in lemons helps prevent stones, too.

Consuming 4 ounces of lemon juice daily can increase urine citrate levels, which is needed to prevent stones. Lemonade is one way to get your daily lemon juice, but beware of the sugar because it can increase kidney stone production.

An all-natural lemonade is better so you can control the sugar and replace it with an all-natural sugar substitute.

A focus on wellness for you and your family.

Great Bend locations Family Medicine 1309 Polk St. Great Bend, KS 67530 620-792-5341 Primary care is important care, your first and best strategy to promote wellness and reduce risk. Our compassionate, experienced internal medicine and family medicine providers are here for you and yours. From preventive care like checkups, screenings and flu shots to treatment when you are injured or ill, we’ve got you covered.

Your health is our focus. Call today to make an appointment.

St. Rose Medical Pavilion 3515 Broadway Ave. Great Bend, KS 67530 620-792-2511

contents November/December  2020

2 WELLNESS

When Life Gives You Stones Make Lemonade

5 SUPER FOOD Acai Berry

7 RECIPE

Acai Berry Smoothie Bowl

10 RECIPE

Lemon Sorbet

12 GARDENING

Growing Citrus Trees in Pots

14 EXERCISE

Pickleball is a Gift

16 HEALTHY BODY

Weigh-in on Menopausal Weight Gain

17 HEALTHY CHOICES How to Use Your Hand as a Portion Guide

18 HEALTHY MIND

It's a Good Day to Have a Good Day!

19 MIGHTY KIDS

Teaching Kids the Art of Being a Good Listeners

8

20

4

INSPIRE HEALTH

LEMONS

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

y r r e B i a c A

super food

By Ann Bloomquist

I

f you haven’t heard of the benefits of acai berry, chances are you are missing out. This berry looks very much like a grape and is harvested from acai palm trees. These trees are native to the rain forests in South America.

How do you eat acai?

Most health and super food enthusiasts consume crushed acai berries in beverages, like fruit smoothies, juices and energy drinks. However, acai berry is also available in tablet form and in certain food products such as ice What are the health qualities of the Acai berry? cream, jams, and jellies.

A teaspoon contains 1 gram The berry has grown in of fiber, six milligrams of calcium, popularity over the years. It is and only 20 calories. The acai becoming increasingly well known berry, though low in protein, for its health benefits, including also contains 19 amino acids and enabling weight loss, lowering campesterol (helps lower bad cholesterol, improving erectile cholesterol), stigmasterol (lowers dysfunction and promoting a risk of cardiovascular disease), healthy glow to your skin. and beta-sitosterol (helps lower These berries are chocked full cholesterol and improved of antioxidants and fiber and helpful symptoms of an enlarged in mitigating the progression of prostate). arthritis and comes with natural detoxifying abilities. Antioxidants are well-known for their ability to neutralize the otherwise damage caused by free radical cells found throughout the human body.

ONE SUPER FOOD YOU DON'T WANT TO DO WITHOUT What makes Acai a super food?

ACAI CONTAINS HEALTHY FATS, TRACE MINERALS AND PLANT COMPOUNDS, INCLUDING ANTHOCYANINS (ANTHOCYANINS MAY OFFER ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANTI-VIRAL, AND ANTI-CANCER BENEFITS).

ACAI IS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS AND CONTAINS THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT KNOWN TO BE PRESENT IN OTHER BERRIES. AS AN ANTHOCYANIN, ACAI CAN HELP COUNTERACT INFLAMMATION AND OXIDATION IN THE BRAIN. THIS CAN MEAN THE LOWERING OF RISK TIED TO DEVELOPING ALZHEIMER’S AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE, WHICH HAVE NO KNOWN CURE.

INSPIRE HEALTH

5

Inspire Health Great Bend 2020 - All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHED BY THE GREAT BEND TRIBUNE Mary Hoisington, Publisher

LOCAL REPORTING: Veronica Coons LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Hugo Gonzalez DESIGN: Hugo Gonzalez SALES: Tammy Mason

M A G A Z I N E executive publishers Hal G. Fox & Suzanne Polk Fox

managing editor Suzanne Polk Fox

copy editor Chad Ruiz

contributing writers Inspire Health Great Bend 2012 Forest Ave. Great Bend, KS 67530 InspireHealth@gbtribune.com 620-792-1211

Amber Marie Arevalos Ann Bloomquist Juliane Morris Nellie Palmer

All copy and advertising in are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced without permission

Kristy Podruchny Chad Ruiz Tiffany Towne Veronica Coons

creative team production and design

New 2020

Suzanne Fox Claire Thomas The information contained in Inspire Health is intended for educational purposes only. A reader should never substitute information contained in Inspire Health for the advice of a health care professional. Jumpstart Publishing, LLC and publishers of Inspire Health, do not endorse or promote any of the products or services described in the pages of Inspire Health and the publishers do not verify the accuracy of any claims made in the editorial or advertisements contained in Inspire Health. Readers should not use the information in Inspire Health for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Readers should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or have or suspect they have a health problem.

V3

Š 2020 Fox Printing & Creative Publishing, LLC, New Orleans, LA All rights reserved Printed in the USA by Fox Print Services (igofox.com)

Find us online!

www.inspirehealthmag.com

Join our team of successful publishers! www.getfoxcontent.com.com

6

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

recipe

“We Care About Your Health”

Hablamos Español Providing Top-Quality Healthcare for Every Member of the Family

INGREDIENTS  1 cup Greek yogurt  1 cup frozen berries  1 frozen banana  1 tbsp. chia seeds • 1 tbsp. Acai' powder WHIP IT UP  Pour all prepared ingredients into a high-powered blender.  Blend on high for 1 minute.  Enjoy!

GARNISH For healthy munching, garnish with berries, bananas, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

522 Broadway Street Larned 620-804-6100

412 Grand Ave. Stafford 620-792-5700

www.HeartofKansas.com SUPER SEED Chia seeds are a mega super food with whopping benefits.

Just 1 oz. (6 tsp.) of tiny chia seeds provides 10.7 g of fiber. Since your digestive system relies on fiber to move things out of your body, chia seeds are great for digestive health. They also provide adequate amounts of omega 3s, which Americans do not get enough of. They contain antioxidants, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and protein. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. to any smoothie to boost your daily nutritional intake

BLACK STAINLESS

Refrigerator

Made in Denver, Colorado

Made in Amana, Iowa

Dishwasher

Made in Findlay, Ohio

Stove

Made in Tulsa, Oklahoma

0

Down

Washer

Made in Clyde, Ohio

0%

Dryer

Made in Marion, Ohio

Interest Financing Available See Store for Details

Custom Furniture in 30 Days or Less

Made in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Delivering Quality and Value Since 1971

Made in Corsicana, Texas

Recliners from Small up to the Atlas Big Man Chair (400 lbs. capacity)

Made in New Tazell, Tennessee

Made in Cleveland, Tennessee

M a in

By Nellie Palmer

1905 19th Street Great Bend 620-792-5700

Morton

y r r e Acai B ie h t o o Sm Bowl

Accepting: MeDicARe, MeDicAiD AnD ALL MAJOR inSURAnce

10th Street

3 Blocks West of Main

2301 10th, Great Bend 620-792-3999

Check Out Our Web Page: www.greatbendappliance.com

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 - 6 • Sat. 9 - 5

eat fresh “Eat, drink, spritz and take a deep breath of that bright yellow citrus for your health."

LEMONS

By Kristy Podruchny

8

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

L

emon adds that perfect final touch to a meal or a refreshing drink any time you need to tap into your fondest summer memories. This sunshine fruit is packed with antioxidants and can help keep cancer, kidney stones and accelerated aging at bay.

You can also add lemons to your cleaning and beauty routines.

Staying hydrated is crucial for healthy kidneys and adding lemon to your water for flavor can encourage you to drink more. Lemon not only flavors water, it also adds a powerful antioxidant into your daily drink: vitamin C. Humans are one of the only mammals that can’t produce their own ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and one lemon contains half of your recommended daily intake.

Antioxidants like vitamin C protect your body from the damaging effects of free radicals. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin C is necessary for the biosynthesis of collagen, which is important for connective tissue in our bodies.

From fighting free radicals to helping collagen production, lemons have proven themselves to be an essential part of a beauty regimen inside and out. For example, lemons are also great for smoothing rough skin on your elbows. Rub a freshly juiced lemon on your elbows before tossing it in your compost pile. Fun tip: halved lemons

fit your elbow perfectly! You’ll only need to do this for a day or two for softer skin.

If you’ve ever had kidney stones, you know how painful they can be and how important prevention is. The good news is that eating lemons and other citrus fruit can prevent certain types of kidney stones.

Drinking warm lemon water first thing in the morning can help rehydrate your body after sleep. The attention lemon water gets for being a “detox drink” can be misleading. Your body has a complex and natural detoxification process. Lemons along with water and a healthy lifestyle can all help support this system.

So what about weight loss? There is some evidence to suggest that flavonoids found in lemons can help support weight loss.

Lemon’s antibacterial properties and fresh scent make it an ideal natural cleaning product and deodorizer. The acid can remove stains from copper, plastic, bronze and more!

Oil from lemon rinds can be used to condition wooden cutting boards. Add lemon juice and rinds to vinegar and water for an antibacterial multi-purpose cleaner.

Freeze mint, basil and other herbs in ice cubes and keep in the freezer until you are ready for a nice glass of lemon herb tea.

MORNING LEMON REPLENISHER Ingredients:  16oz of water  1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice  2 tsp fresh grated ginger  1/2 tsp fresh or powdered turmeric

Makes 2 Cups

Drinking warm lemon water first thing in the morning can help rehydrate your body after sleep.

DOES YOUR HOUSE SMELL MUSTY? PUT LEMON ESSENTIAL OIL IN YOUR DIFFUSER. Some people swear by lemon essential oil as an ingredient that fights exhaustion, helps with depression, clears your skin, kills harmful viruses and bacteria, and reduces inflammation.

INSPIRE HEALTH

9

recipe

LEMON SORBET

By Amber Marie Arevalos

The smell of lemons brings clean, crisp, refreshing thoughts that remind us of warm summer days. So what’s better then this frozen lemon treat! Lemon sorbet is a recipe that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It is made without high glycemic sugars and it’s simple, yet complex in flavor!

Mixing all of these ingredients together creates a refreshing, cooling sweet treat!

 INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup coconut sugar 1 cup water 1/2 tbsp lemon zest 11/2 cup fresh lemon juice (6-7 lemons)  DIRECTIONS  In a saucepan over medium heat, combine lemon zest, coconut sugar, honey and water, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow it to cool.  Combine cooled syrup with freshly squeezed lemon juice, then pour through a fine mesh strainer into a medium size bowl.  Place mixture in a freezer in a shallow dish and scrape with a fork every hour until frozen.  Once frozen, serve as desired *Alternatively, you can use an ice cream maker by following the manufacturers directions.

Nutrition Facts: 4 servings • Calories: 306 • Protein: 0.51 g • Total Fat: 0.22g • Carbohydrate 81.81 g

Dr. Randall Hildebrand

Caring for Patients Since 1999

To Make an Appointment:

Call 620-792-4383 or visit www.ckortho.net Located at 1514 K-96 Highway in Great Bend

A leader in ORTHOPEDIC TREATMENT & SURGERY: Shoulder Procedures

• Rotator Cuff Repair • Total Shoulder Replacement • Shoulder Arthroscopy

Knee Procedures

• Total Knee Replacement • Sports Medicine / ACL Reconstruction • Knee Arthroscopy

Hand, Wrist, Elbow Procedures • Carpal Tunnel Release • Trigger Finger Release • Lateral Epicondylitis

10

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

Hip Procedures

• Total Hip Replacement • Hip Joint Injections

Plasma Rich Protein (PRP) Injections Fracture Care & Reconstruction

Saturday, January 9, 2021 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM FREE ADMISSION Great Bend Events Center

Start the year off right by investing in yourself and your family tribune.com

2012 FOREST AVE., GREAT BEND, KS 67530 • 620-792-1211 • GREAT BEND TRIBUNEE www.gbtribune.com/e-editions/healthandwellness

INSPIRE HEALTH

11

gardening

GROWING CITRUS TREES IN

S T PO

By Nellie Palmer

A CITRUS TREE CAN PROVIDE AMAZING AND NUTRITIOUS FRUIT THAT YOU CAN SIMPLY PICK, PEEL, AND EAT. THIS ENTICING IDEA OFTEN LEADS PEOPLE TO WONDER IF CITRUS CAN BE GROWN IN A POT OR CONTAINER. THE ANSWER IS YES. WITH A SUNNY SPOT AND A LARGE POT, YOU CAN GROW LEMONS, ORANGES AND MORE.

Step One:

Choosing Your Citrus Tree Some larger or standard sized citrus varieties can be challenging to grow for long periods in containers due to their eventual size and vigorous root growth. Dwarf varieties typically grow to a mature height of about twelve feet tall, and are far better suited to the container life. Some dwarf varieties include Dwarf Persian Lime, Dwarf Improved Meyer Lemon, and Dwarf Moro Blood Orange. Calamondin Oranges and Kumquats are also great specimens of citrus to grow in a pot at home. Dwarf citrus can be pruned to even smaller stature if necessary. Choose the best tree

12

INSPIRE HEALTH

for you, and then follow these remaining steps to successfully grow your own containerized citrus trees.

Step Two: Choosing The Pot For

Your Citrus Tree

New, young citrus trees come in small, but often deep, nursery pots. When you are selecting a pot to move your new tree into, choose

inspirehealthmag.com ยง #inspirehealthmag

one that is slightly larger than the pot the tree came in. All new pots that you use to grow citrus must have adequate holes in the bottom for drainage. A basic starting point for most new container grown citrus is a three-gallon sized pot. Three-gallon pots are usually about nine inches in diameter and ten inches tall. A new tree can typically live in this size pot for up to two years. At two years, when roots appear at the drainage holes, move the tree up to a six or seven gallon pot. As long as the next container is at least two inches bigger by depth and circumference, it will be fine. Re-pot your tree in this manner every two years until you reach a container size of about twenty gallons. Plastic nursery pots are durable and light, while clay or fiberglass pots can be more attractive, but heavier to move.

the rest of the way. Fill the soil up to a point where the surface of the tree’s previously potted root ball is at the level of the new soil. Leave about two inches of space between the top of the soil and the pot rim. This will allow you to water the tree properly.

Do not bury the root ball deeply, or stack soil over the trunk base. Water the newly potted citrus tree well and let it drain.

Step Four: Watering Your Potted Citrus

Step Five: Citrus

Trees Need Regular Fertilizer

The more frequent watering required, the more your fertilizer will wash through the soil. Use slow-release granular citrus fertilizers that contain trace minerals like iron, zinc and manganese. Follow the label instructions for amounts needed.

Yellow leaves can be a sign of lack of fertilizer.

Tree

Step Three: Potting Your Citrus Tree

When you are ready to pot your tree, place enough well draining soil in the bottom of the pot to position the surface of the new tree’s root ball about two inches below the pot rim.

Remove the original pot and inspect the root ball. Cut away any obviously dead roots or roots that have grown into extreme coils within the pot. If the roots are densely packed, loosen them by gently prying them apart.

There is no need to fully untangle the roots. Simply loosen them a bit if needed. Begin to fill the pot with soil and fully cover the root system. Stop at the halfway point, water the soil and then continue to fill the container

Citrus roots like moist but not soggy conditions. The watering needs of citrus are different when they are in pots because the roots will dry out more quickly. Use a moisture meter to determine when its time to water.

Water until it begins to drain out of the drain holes. Pay attention to the foliage. Leaves that are wilted and perk up after watering are a sign of roots that have been allowed to dry out too much. Water more often.

Yellow or curled leaves that do not improve after watering may mean they are getting too much water, so water less.

Step Six: Prune Dead Branches

Prune in the spring, after the chance of freeze has passed and before new growth appears.

For more information on growing potted citrus trees, go to growinginthegarden.com and find tips from Angela Judd, Master Gardener INSPIRE HEALTH

13

exercise

l l a

b e kl

cIS A i P

GIFT

By Chad Ruiz

I

t’s tennis…no! It’s badminton…no! It’s ping-pong…no!

It’s pickleball! The sport no one is talking about but everyone loves to play. If you’re like me and looking for activities to fill the void left by sports leagues on hold, grab yourself a plastic ball with holes, an oversized ping-pong paddle, a friend (or an enemy) and let the hitting commence! But please hit the ball, not your friend.

It’s fun, easy to play and great exercise for all ages. Yes, I’m looking at you!

Two or four players line up opposite each other separated by a low net, like tennis, and use their paddles to lob the plastic ball back and forth. Players complete

14

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

each match when someone reaches 11 points with 2 points more than the opponent.

You’ll build cardio, balance, stamina and friendships!

One of the fastest growing sports, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association reported over 3.3 million pickleball players in 2019. That ranks just below basketball and football participation.

Did you know there’s a U.S.A. Pickleball Association, an International Federation of Pickleball, state, national and international leagues? ESPN even now covers pickleball tournaments.

So what is driving so many people to pickleball? Maybe they’re craving a pickle? Or more likely, after just a few minutes of playing they lose themselves in the exciting and friendly competition of the game.

Look for pickleball at your local tennis courts, recreation facilities and fitness centers where you can play indoors and outdoors. Best of all, the camaraderie may be the greatest part of this budding sport. Players stand closer together than tennis, making it easy to share laughs and conversations (and heckles) while competing. But don’t worry, it’s virus and body odor-friendly because you’ll maintain a safe distance from others.

Medical Park Pharmacy Kevin Regier, R.Ph.

620-792-1221

Plus, it’s affordable! Most athletic retailers sell inexpensive pickleball paddles and balls.

If you’re already playing, you know what fun it is! If you haven’t and want a new activity you, your family and friends will love, I encourage you to try it. What better way to burn calories while having fun?

Go to www.greatbendrec.com and look at their activity guide for the latest pickleball drop-in times, clinics and tournaments for all skill levels.

Xpress Wellness Urgent Care Has Achieved Accreditation and Certification From The Urgent Care Association of America, An Industry Authority For Ensuring the Safe Delivery of High-Quality, Patient-Centered Care

• Free In-town Delivery • Friendly, Quality Service • Patient Profile Card and Tax Records Upon Request

Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 1pm

1309 Polk, Great Bend Independent Hometown Pharmacy

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Save Time and Check-In Online!

XpressWellnessUrgentCare.com

3800 10th Street | Great Bend, KS (620) 603-4216

healthy body

W

EIGH IN ON

Menopausal EIGHT GAIN

Don’t take this the wrong way…but for those of you for whom this applies: Welcome to Menopause.

B

By Juliane Morris

y choosing to survey the knowledge we have around the unraveling mysteries of menopause, you can weighin on how you want to approach your options.

For many women, "the change" brings those hot flashes but also other unwanted biologically driven alterations in sleep, mood, energy and physical capacity; the often-inevitable menopause weight gain and related change of body shape.

Lifestyle changes may not always be sufficient to gain control over these changes. You may have tried increasing your hours sweating at the gym; reducing your intake of calories, fat, carbs, alcohol; increasing lean protein, complex carbs, and diversifying your whole food intake of vegetables, fruits and berries, and still not see the desired reduction of your waistline.

Here are a few ideas you can use to help you get on the right track. If you try these and still don't have the desired results you want, check with your doctor.

16

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS REQUIRE LONG-TERM ACTIONS LIKE THESE: MOVE MORE AND EAT LESS. WORK TO RESOLVE SLEEP1.

If there’s room for improvement, improve 4 ING ISSUES. your exercise and nutrition habits, thinkPoor sleep, like stress, compounds issues that ing long term routine-building and more vigorous working out that makes you sweat which helps weight control.

ADD TO YOUR STRENGTH 2.

TRAINING. Because women begin to lose muscle mass after menopause, it’s

important to try to reverse the loss through weight training, which also naturally increases your basal metabolic rate -- a measurement of the energy your body needs to keep idling when you're not actively moving. So yes, incorporating weight training twice a week or more increases your burning calories baseline.

TRY TO REDUCE YOUR 3.

STRESS LEVELS. Midlife can bring new stressors to lives like providing care and

support to one’s own children, aging parents, career changes and more. Stress-reducing strategies include supportive social circles, mindful exercise like yoga, meditation and prayer, and improvements in communication and resolution.

lead to weight collecting around the midline.

Try to keep a regular sleeping routine. Remove electronic screens from the bedroom at least one hour before bedtime. Consider not eating after 6pm or 7pm, taking a warm bath or shower a couple hours before bedtime and even massaging your calves 30 minutes before bedtime.

Massaging your calves before bedtime has been known to improve sleep and boost serotonin.

HOW TO USE YOUR HAND AS A

e d i u G n o i t Por

healthy choices = 1 oz. meat or cheese

• Your FIST is about the same size as one cup of fruit or pasta.

• Your THUMB ( tip to base) is the size of one ounce of meat or cheese.

• Your PALM (minus fingers) equals three ounces of meat, fish or poultry.

= 3 oz. meat

• Your CUPPED HAND equals one to two ounces of nuts or pretzels.

1 Tsp =

= 1 Tbsp

= 1 cup

All measurements are approximate, depending on the size of your hand.

= 1-2 oz. nuts

healthy mind

It's a Good Day to Have a Good Day!

By Tiffany Towne

TIPS FOR STAYING POSITIVE IN A NEGATIVE WORLD.

weather. Being intentionally positive for just 20 minutes a day can change your attitude.

I

n today’s world, we are receiving messages 24/7. Advertisements tell us we need one more thing to make our life complete. The news shows us struggles happening throughout the world. Social media presents us with friends and family who are happier than us, healthier than us…seemingly better than us.

No wonder so many people in the U.S. struggle to find positivity in everyday life. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the United State’s most common mental illness, affecting 18.1 percent of the adult population each year.

If you find yourself being sucked into the negativity trap, try redirecting your mind, time and attention from negative to positive with some of these tips:

HELP YOURSELF BY HELPING OTHERS

Volunteering your time, effort and energy is never a waste of time.

Do you have an extra hour a week to read to an elderly person or babysit for your exhausted neighbor with small children? If you’re not a people person, try picking up litter in your neighborhood or volunteering time at a local animal shelter. By taking action and helping others, you change your perspective from seeing bad things happen to making good things happen.

DIVE INTO A NEW HOBBY

Have you always wanted to learn to knit or do photography? Want to take a cooking class or become a master gardener? There are many classes that you can take for minimal time and cost – and many you can do online in the comfort of your own home. The sense of accomplishment you’ll feel by doing something you’ve always wanted to is a reward in itself, and time spent on your hobby will help you unplug.

BE THANKFUL

Expressing gratitude is something you can teach yourself to do each day. Carve out time to list at least three things you are thankful for.

Make a habit of doing it daily. These items don’t all have to be heavy. Of course, you can list your children and home, but also take time to be thankful for the little things – a perfect flower in your yard or lovely

18

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

It’s easy to get sucked into negative thought patterns which can lead to negative actions. If you feel yourself headed down that path, redirect your focus on the good – by recognizing the good around you, doing good for others, or doing something good for yourself.

mighty kids

r e n e t s i L d o o G A B Teaching Kids the Art of Being

By Juliane Morris

ecoming a genuinely good listener is a common human lifelong goal -- with areas for ever-improvement, right? As a relationship building life skill, listening requires practice, time and feedback to develop. A good listening skillset is something that we typically expect with maturity and enjoy to see demonstrated in our own circles, whether among friends, at work meetings with colleagues, or in challenging political or moral discussions between exploring individuals.

Cultivating the art of listening and improving listening skills in children means developing the ability to critically listen effectively by processing and responding to provided information.

Properly equipping children from a young age with the necessary listening skills helps ensure more successful personal and professional relationships.

Listening etiquette like keeping quiet and sitting still can be a challenge for little ones. The important thing is to provide many different listening and listening response opportunities.

Children enjoy hearing stories, and telling stories. Select topics of interest to the child – topics of daily exposure, games, foods, activities of enjoyment.

Model that you are listening by responding during a pause to state back a portion of what you heard in your own words, and ask a follow up question. Set reasonable expectations about active listening skills like mak-

Keep in mind that your listening training should be informal and casual.

ing eye contact, nodding on occasion, encouraging remarks like, “Ah ha” or, “Mmm-hmm”, and asking appropriate follow up questions that demonstrate your own active listening.

Keep in mind that your listening training should be informal and casual.

Be intentional, creative and encouraging.

Provide gentle and constructive direction and guidance.

While teaching children to become better listeners, ask questions like these: • What would you like to learn more about?

• What was the best thing about school today?

• What book or game have you been enjoying lately?

• What goal are you working towards?

• Tell me about your day today.

• What is happening tomorrow?

You can also suggest the two of you talk about a particular topic such as: • D iscussing an item in the news or current affairs topic • Sharing with one another a character trait you can be working on • Exploring ideas about a weekend getaway • Planning a household improvement project together • Explaining a new board game or school game The effort of practicing creativity and intentionality to help children develop great listening skills is a reward for families, society and your children as they grow.

INSPIRE HEALTH

19

cover story

by Veronica Coons vcoons@gbtribune.com Photography by Hugo Gonzalez hgonzalez@gbtribune.com ncountering Mercedes Helms, a Great Bend teacher, is an experience unlike most others.

Panamanian born and bred, her outlook and attitude with which she approaches life is infectious and being in her presence is sure to include the unexpected.

That describes the time, in 2013, many in Barton County experienced the pure energy and joy with which she can perform. That year, Habitat for Humanity held an event called Barton County’s Got Talent. Acts from all over the county competed for the coveted prize. Mercedes Helms, in her traditional Panamanian costume, demonstrated dance from her native land and other Hispanic nations.

Over the years, she has shared this love of dance through her church, her classes, and through a local Zumba fitness studio. And most recently, this summer she tried her hand at creating a workout video to encourage people stuck at home during the pandemic stay-at-home order to get out and exercise.

20

INSPIRE HEALTH

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

It turns out, Mercedes is becoming more adept with video since making her latest career move. Two years ago, she changed careers, and is embracing the world of teaching.

It’s never too late to follow a new dream. She embraces each new experience with exuberance and joy, and shares with us a little about what makes her tick.

Welcoming us into her home to share her favorite dish, ceviche (a delightful appetizer made with raw fish cured in lemon or lime juice), she shared about how these two interests have shaped her life.

A PanamanianAmerican love story Husband Cody Helms is by far the yin to Mercedes’ yang.

He’s reserved, where she is not, but together they find joy in one another’s presence.

In December 1999 when the U.S. government was preparing to turn its Panama holdings back over to the Panamanian people, Cody was a Supply Sergeant in the Army, and Mercedes, a civilian, worked in a logistics capacity for the Army. They became friends as they worked together on logistics, inspecting the numerous base and administrative buildings

the U.S. h U S would ld soon abandon.

“As a Panamanian, the event was super important to me,” Mercedes said. “It was epic.”

The people of her country felt great pride regaining complete sovereignty over their land.

But, as the end of December grew near, and Cody learned he would next be stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas, the reality of their parting became more real. Cody took a chance, inviting her to visit him.

She was reluctant at first to visit Kansas in the wintertime. July would have been her preference.

She wasn’t unfamiliar with the weather in the United States, having visited her father and siblings in New York several times.

Still, Cody convinced her the snow would be beautiful, so she agreed to come.

INSPIRE HEALTH

21

The day she arrived, she said, he wasted no time proposing to her.

This was before cell phones were common. They searched for a public pay phone so Mercedes could call her parents and let them know she was okay.

They found one at the state rest stop near Junction City. It was there that Cody dropped to one knee and proposed, and Mercedes, surprised, accepted. When she called to share the news with her parents, one in New York and one in Panama, they weren’t surprised, “They said they knew he was going to ask me to marry him when he asked me to come to Kansas,” she said. They married right away, on Dec. 28, 1999.

But, there was unfinished business.

Mercedes was part way through a university program in Panama City. Her mother, Juliana Alvarez, convinced her to return and complete her degree in accounting. Upon completion, on Mother’s Day, 2001, she and her adopted son, Walter, moved to Kansas.

Cody, whose daughter Niki was about a year younger than Walter, agreed to become Walter’s adoptive father, becoming a new and diverse family of four that would call Great Bend home.

With siblings and her father, Walter Alvarez, living in Brooklyn, New York, her mother in Panama, and Cody’s family in Great Bend, the opportunity to travel widely has resulted in a rich and diverse love of culture Mercedes shares with her students and her community.

Making her way in a new land With a new degree in hand, Mercedes began working in accounting when she moved to Great Bend. In 2006, she joined the staff at the Catholic church in Great Bend, where she worked for the next 11 years.

During that time, she provided many informal hours of Spanish translation service, instruction, and tutoring. Later, she taught classes at Barton Community College in workplace Spanish. She took pride and satisfaction in teaching. In 2018 she took her mother’s advice and looked into how she could parlay her experience into a teaching career.

She enrolled in the Fort Hays State University’s Transition to Teaching program. Through it, she began teaching with a restricted license while attending teaching certification classes. The workload and expectations were high, so she resigned from her job with the Catholic church, and cut back on all her other activities in order to focus all of her attention on classes.

As a Heritage language speaker, she teaches Spanish now to high school students in several southwest Kansas school districts via interactive television

22

INSPIRE HEALTH

(ITV). Now in her second year teaching ITV Spanish, she conducts class in both her home office and at a local school.

Her students attend high school in Ingalls, Ashland, Minneola, Fowler, Bucklin, Meade, Greensburg and Argonia.

“The students are in an actual classroom,” she said. “I can see my students and I can interact with them and correct them.”

For Mercedes, teaching is all about relationships. She asks each student to identify themselves at the beginning of the semester, and takes a screenshot photo she uses like flashcards in order to memorize faces and names so she can call each student by name in class.

She also makes a point of remembering birthdays.

With eight Spanish classes to teach each week the learning curve is steep, but she perseveres until she’s connected with each student. It’s not a one-way street. Using a new web tool, Flipgrid, she recently began asking students to create a short self-introduction. In return, they get to know her as well. When the class learns to count, she introduces them to Salsa, Merengue and Bachata, all Latin dances.

“We sweat,” she said. “I love it. I have to do it eight times, because I teach eight hours of classes, and at the end of the day, I’m tired.”

inspirehealthmag.com § #inspirehealthmag

Lifelong love of dance Mercedes has always enjoyed dancing.

“My dad says I’ve been dancing since I was 11 months,” she said. “My aunts and my cousins, when I go to Panama, they play the music so I can dance, and they sit down to watch.”

When she was about 11 years old, her mother enrolled her in dance theater school, where she learned tap, ballet, modern dance, theater and mime. She learned to use the Spanish castanets which she uses in folk dancing.

When she came to Great Bend, she was surprised to find people were reluctant to dance. That didn’t slow Mercedes down. She danced by herself when no one would join her.

“I started meeting people in the church, and the Hispanic people began inviting me to the quinceañeras, and I learned how to dance to Mexican music.”

She joined a Polka group in Hoisington, and now has a certificate as a Polka dancer.

“If there was dancing, I was there,” she said.

In 2013, she performed a variety of folk dances for the community at the Barton County’s Got Talent event.

About a year later, she found Zumba, and enrolled in a class with Zila Torres, s, a Great Bend Zumba instructor. It wasn’t long before she was asked to become a certified instructor and help teach classes, even as she began teaching high school Spanish.

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited what she and others can do safely. Still, the love of dance can’t be shelved so easily. In recent months, Mercedes has encouraged her students, friends and family to find new ways to have fun exercising on their own. Lately, she’s turned to the hula hoop as her fitness inspiration.

She likes to listen to music and dance..

Hula hooping is a stress reliever, she said. It also provides a great workout providing many of the benefits of dance, jogging, and floor exercises, but it can be done just about anywhere, both inside and out.

Mercedes recommends using one that at is weighted, because it helps to keep the hoop up and above the hips.

She’s not alone. In recent months, celebrities like Kelly Osborne and Michelle Obama have touted the benefits of hula hooping as well. It doesn’t take long before you start to feel the effects at your core.

“It really makes you sweat,” Mercedes said. “You can do it inside, but in 10 minutes, I start to feel hot, so I like doing it

outside, even when it’s colder.”

It takes awhile to get into the rhythm of the practice, and it took awhile before she could consistently keep the hoop moving without dropping it. Approaching it like a

kid helped.

“Keep trying,” she said, “and have fun with it.”

That’s the key, husband Cody said.

“Anything that she does, she makes fun, and she makes people want to do it by being fun.”

Recently, Mercedes’ sister, Hilda Cardew, visited Great Bend from her new home in Maryland. The visit was a first since the recent passing of their mother, Juliana.

Their time together was spent reminiscing, dancing, and enjoying favorite dishes like Ceviche together. Never missing an opportunity to share her community, as well as other joyful aspects of life with family, friends and students is the greatest lesson, perhaps, Mercedes has to offer.

INSPIRE HEALTH

23

Clara Barton Hospital & Clinics Welcome

250 W 9th St St. Hoisington, H i i t KS

To Make an Appointment Call

(620) 653-2386