I learned at my Jazzercise session this morning that May is National Fitness Month. For many years, I have been keeping fit with Jazzercise and Weight Watchers. With the camping season approaching, you may be thinking that you should start doing something to make yourself fit too. Here’s an idea I actually learned at Weight Watchers, but it ties in with Jazzercise. My Weight Watchers group was discussing ways to get moving, methods of sneaking exercise into our daily routines. I already knew about parking at the far end of the parking lot at the supermarket, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator when I have just one floor to go, but two people came up with truly innovative ideas, I thought, especially for couch potatoes. They started talking about moving around during television commercials. Some people confessed that they used that time to walk to the fridge for a snack, but one person said she leaves the room and walks up and down the stairs several times during the commercials. Then another person said she keeps some weights nearby, and during the commercials she stands up and does some simple upper body exercises. That made me remember the day in 1996 when I was in the hospital with some broken leg bones from a skiing mishap. The physical therapist came to teach me how to walk with crutches, and my husband, who is a specialist in rehabilitation and was her boss, came to check me out. Using the crutches and without stepping down at all on my broken leg, I could walk only ten or twelve feet. My husband watched us and commented, “I had no idea she had so little upper body strength.” Ever since then, I’ve been sensitive about maintaining upper body strength. When I came home from that Weight Watchers session, I went to the garage and pulled out an old pair of weights for the television room. Here’s what I do now during commercials: I pull myself up from the sofa (abdominal strengthening) and walk up and down the stairs ( quadriceps and other leg muscles), lifting and lowering the weights in my hands the way I learned in Jazzercise (arms, shoulders, back muscles). So when the backpacking season starts for me this summer, or when I’m lifting our camping gear out of storage and packing it into the car, I know I will be strong enough to do the work that needs to be done.
Health
29
Mar 10
My Lovely Young Granddaughter, the Star Wars Scout Trooper
Sarah With Teaser, the Space-y Cat
Beautiful Sarah, Unmasked
At the Top! They Rock!
She did it! My love ly young granddaughter, and members of Garrison Titan, climbed 69 stories, 1311 steps, at the Columbia Tower, Seattle’s tallest building, to participate in THE BIG CLIMB on March 21, 2010. Here’s what she said: “We provided moral support and water to the climbers at the start of the troop, and eventually it was our turn to do the climbing! 1311 steps in just under 45 minutes.”
It was not just for fun. The climbers raised funds for research for Leukemia and Lymphoma. My granddaughter’s group raised over $700. I pledged one dollar per floor.
28
Mar 10
National Parks Week–April 17 to 25
This came to me from the National Park Foundation Newsletter:
“Each year we take time in April to celebrate what we all have inherited as Americans: 84 million acres of the world’s most spectacular scenery, historic landmarks and cultural treasures.
“This National Park Week, we invite you to celebrate your ownership. Visit the parks, volunteer in them, and–most importantly–pass them on to our youngest generation. Bring a young person to one of our nearly 400 national parks. See their eyes light up when you tell them they’re part owners of the spectacular mountains, waterfalls and canyons before them. Entrance fees will be waived at all national parks all through the week – so it’s a great time to get outside and enjoy the parks!
“So, want to get involved? It’s easy. This National Park Week, which also coincides with Earth Day, help guarantee the future of our environment and the legacy of our American history—share a park and shape a life.
“Learn more at www.nationalparkweek.org.”
This is a great opportunity for families to visit the National Parks near their homes without having to pay entrance fees. You’ll learn about the parks so you can plan for future visits, and the parks benefit too–the more people know about them, the more they are protected! The theme for National Parks Week is Share a park, and shape a life. It’s a win-win situation.
26
Feb 10
Choking Accidents in Children and Risky Foods
Recently I read that the American Academy of Pediatrics wants parents to know that choking is one of the leading causes of injury and death in children, especially those under three years of age, and aspirated food is the most dangerous threat to children’s airways. In the second edition of Backpacking With Babies and Small Children, and in each subsequent edition including the most recent Authors Guild Backinprint.com Edition, I wrote:
“When you plan your menus for your hiking trips, be sure the foods you take are age-appropriate for your family. According to surveys conducted by Johns Hopkins University, the following foods were most often involved in fatal choking episodes in children under age five:
- Hot dogs, sausages
- Round candy
- Peanuts, nuts
- Grapes
- Hard cookies, biscuits
- Meat chunks or slices
- Raw carrot slices or sticks
- Peanut butter, peanut butter sandwiches
- Apple chunks or slices
- Popcorn”
In the third edition of Backpacking With Babies and Small Children, I added: “All of these are foods you might take with you when you hike. If you do, be sure your children are seated, not walking around, when they eat them. Cut the food into pieces small enough for your child to handle. Don’t introduce new solids on this list to your infant on a camping trip.” On the same page I wrote: “A child hiking along with a piece of hard candy in her mouth could easily choke on it. A mouthful of any food is a danger while walking, and candy on a stick is particularly perilous.”