Category Archives: Health

Fitness, Health

CrossFit: covering all the bases

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I originally wrote the following story for The Charlotte Observer, where it ran on Tuesday, July 13.  Yesterday, I posted a similar story that ran July 13 in The News & Observer of Raleigh.

Back in the spring, Andy Cole would have been happy to just keep up with his 5-year-old and almost 2-year-old at the local playground, let alone squat-lift 285 pounds and run two miles without stopping. read more

Health, Kids

Toolkit pries open the discussion on childhood obesity

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For the last 20 years or so, childhood obesity has been, almost literally, the 800-pound gorilla in the room. The room in question, unfortunately, has been the pediatrician’s examining room.

Despite the fact childhood obesity has reached almost epidemic proportions in the past quarter century — the percentage of obese kids in the U.S. grew from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 17 percent in 2006, one in three kids born here in 2000 stood a risk of becoming diabetic, the statistics go on — it’s been an issue rarely discussed at the annual well-child exam. According to a 2008 survey of its membership, the American Academy of Pediatrics found that only 52 percent of pediatricians measured patients for their Body Mass Index, an imperfect but general indicator of obesity. Even then, if their BMI indicated they were overweight or obese, 59 percent of pediatricians said they were reluctant to discuss the matter. read more

Competition, Health, Kids

Vote to refresh physical activity at school

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Imagine being able to improve the health of North Carolina school kids to the tune of $250,000, and all you have to do is log on to your computer every day this month. Details in a moment; first, some quick introductions.

Be Active North Carolina. Be Active NC is a non-profit aimed at getting more North Carolinians off the couch and: a) into the gym, b) onto the trail, c) out on the playground, d) all of the above. Among its various programs is Just Push Play, the goal of which is to go into our schools and revive the notion that a kid who is receptive to learning is a kid who gets at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
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Health

Sunscreen, sun sense

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OK, everyone. Take a knee. It’s summer, the sun’s out: you need to make sure your best friend for a day of play doesn’t become your skin-zapping mortal enemy. Some tips on dealing with the sun from the American Academy of Dermatology.

  • 30+ Use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 30 to all exposed skin. By broad-spectrum they mean it provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
  • Once is never enough. Re-apply sunscreen approximately every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.
  • Cover up. When possible, wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
  • Shade is your friend. Especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest. SRT (Shade Rule of Thumb): If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade or some biofinity lens.
  • Protect the kids. Be especially diligent with little ones.
  • Water, snow and sand …  all reflect damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
  • Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. “If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun,” advises the AAD, “consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.”
  • Birthday exam. On your birthday, give yourself the once over. If you notice anything changing/growing/bleeding, see a dermatologist. “Skin cancer,” advises the AAD, “is very treatable when caught early.

How treatable? read more