DAC Donates 10K Race Proceeds to Nonprofit

Greg Clark, Mandy Macri, Herbe Krisle & David Creech

DAC has announced it raised $2,150 from its second-annual DAC New Year's Eve 10k Race. The race, held on December 31st, benefited the Page Robbins Adult Day Care Center, a Collierville, Tenn.-based nonprofit organization that provides care for those suffering from dementia-related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.

"DAC has always been dedicated to giving back to the community," said Robert Creech, president of DAC. "We're thrilled that the participation of our members and the Collierville community made the race possible and helped us surpass our fundraising goal for the second year in a row."

Earlier this month, David Creech, vice-president of DAC; Mandy Macri, community outreach director for DAC; and Greg Clark, of the City of Collierville; presented the check to Herbe Krisle, the executive director for Page Robbins Adult Day Care Center. To date, the club has raised more than $5,000 for the Center.

Vitamins 101

If you're stumped by the vitamin aisle at the local pharmacy or aren't sure what foods are rich in vitamin E, you aren't alone. It is estimated that while three out of five people include vitamin supplements in their diet, half of those people don't know what they're ingesting.

While you should always check with your doctor before incorporating dietary supplements into your routine, here is a list of common vitamins, what they do and what foods they can found in:

Vitamin A: Aids in eyesight and helps you see in color, as well as keeps skin healthy. Foods rich in this vitamin include eggs, milk, apricots, nectarines, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.

Vitamin B (includes B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, biotin and pantothenic acid): Important in metabolic activity and in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Foods rich in vitamin B are whole grains, seafood, poultry, red meat, eggs, dairy products, leafy green vegetables, beans and citrus fruits.

Vitamin C: Necessary for keeping body tissues, including muscles, in good shape. It also helps your body resist infection and heal wounds faster. Citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli and cabbage are all rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin D: Keeps bones strong and helps form strong teeth by helping your body absorb the calcium it needs. Find this vitamin in milk and other vitamin D-fortified dairy products, as well as fish and egg yolks.

Vitamin E: Maintains the body's tissues, protects lungs from damage by polluted air and is important in the formation of red blood cells. Foods rich in this vitamin are whole grains, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables, sardines, egg yolks and nuts.

Vitamin K: Essential in helping the blood clot. Leafy green vegetables, liver, pork and dairy products are all good sources of vitamin K.

While they make a pill for every vitamin or mineral possible, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act has greatly restricted the Food and Drug Administration's ability to regulate claims and ingredients in these pills, making it hard to tell what you may or may not be ingesting.

The body will digest and absorb more of the beneficial vitamins found in the foods listed above than from a pill. Try to include as many of these nutrient-dense foods into your daily life to reap the benefits.

Beating Family Boredom

We're all guilty of it. After a long day, we have dinner and flip on the television to zone out for a few hours. With 60% of American adults and 30% of children considered obese, it's time to make a change and motivate your family to get moving.

Here are some ideas on how to monitor and increase activity:

Create a schedule of activities ahead of time for the week. This way, you won't waste time deciding what to do that day.

Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day. Sometimes a family might have an especially hectic day, so try to plan other days accordingly.

Set small goals for the family such as losing weight or becoming stronger. Once the goal has been reached, maintain it for a bit and then aim for something new.

Invest in family time. Make sure to have some fun equipment to use, like jump ropes or a soccer ball. Spending money on gear can help motivate you to invest the time to use it.

Research family health club memberships. Take full advantage of the fitness programs offered for children. Going to the gym will give you access to a wide range of equipment and training and family members can help keep you motivated.

Getting the family involved in an exercise routine will not only benefit their health, but help children learn the importance and benefits of staying active.

Health Club Benefits

If you're a month into a new workout routine at home and find yourself losing motivation, it may be time to make a change. Set aside that aerobic DVD and leave the treadmill behind to try something new at the gym. Doing so can benefit your workouts and strengthen your commitment to becoming healthier.

Wonder why? Here are a few things to consider:

Social Interaction: Meeting people might not be the reason you join a club, but helps keep you coming back. Meeting other members provides extra incentive to workout, especially if you set times to exercise out together.

Access to Equipment: That dusty set of free weights and lone treadmill in your garage won't allow you to add any diversity to your workouts. A fitness club membership will give you access to a wider variety of equipment and you'll have the opportunity to change up your routines whenever boredom starts to set in.

Proper Training: Not only will you have access to a wide range of machines and weights, you also have professional fitness coaches on-hand to demonstrate how to properly use all of the equipment. It's a good idea to work with a fitness coach when joining a club in order to develop the best plan to achieve your goals.

Exercise Classes: Most fitness clubs offer exercise classes that can help spice up your ho-hum routine, while giving you time to work with a qualified instructor. Some classes are progressive and taught in a series, which might help further your commitment level to the instructor, the class and yourself.

Distraction-Free Environment: Cell phones, PDAs and laptops are great communication tools, but they can distract you from your goals. Workouts at home can be easily interrupted by any of these items, but there's no reason to tote your cell phone around as you navigate the club.

Extra Amenities: Many health clubs now offer access to a spa or sauna, pools and childcare facilities. Treat yourself once a week to a guilt-free trip to the sauna or take a few laps in the pool to de-stress and relax. It changes up your routine and provides a healthy alternative to the standard workout.

Make sure you take the time to find the best club for you. For insight and advice, check out our earlier post on Fitting In at the Gym here.

Heart Healthy

While you might associate February with chocolate kisses and candy hearts, the American Heart Association has designated it as American Heart Health month. Heart disease has evolved into a common killer among men and the number one killer of women.

By altering your daily routine and adding more exercise, you can become healthier and lower your risk for future cardiac problems.

To help boost your activity level, try these tips:

Go for a short walk before breakfast or after dinner. Start out walking for five to ten minutes, and work your way up to 30 minutes. If you're up to it, try to walk both in the morning and evening, boosting your overall daily activity time.

Use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. If needed, take the elevator, but get off a few floors early and take the stairs the rest of the way.

Spend time outside working in your garden. Rake leaves, prune flowers or pull weeds. If you mow your yard, opt for a push mower instead of the riding mower.

Ride an exercise bike or walk on the treadmill while you watch your favorite television program. Time will go by quickly because you won't watch the clock while you're working out. If you don't have equipment at home, try walking in place or jumping rope during the commercials.

Instead of meeting friends for dinner or drinks, take them on a walk or jog in a local park or take a new fitness class together.

During your lunch break at work, go for a quick, 15-minute walk outside. It's refreshing, will help clear your head and boost your metabolism.

Incorporating a few of these tips into your daily routine will reduce your risk of heart-related diseases, while increasing your overall health.