It’s a Get Healthy Monday!

Studies show that when it comes to making decisions to improve your health, Monday is the day most people make those decisions. The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County want you to think of every Monday as an opportunity to do something to improve your health.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day which served as the kickoff for National Women’s Health Week, an observance led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health. The goal of Women’s Health Week is to empower women to make their health a priority. The week also serves as a time to help women understand what steps they can take to improve their health.

Sometimes it can be challenging to do all the things we need to do to be healthy: Eating healthy, staying active, getting enough sleep, managing stress – just doesn’t happen on its own, you’ve got to work at it.

It’s also important to visit a doctor or nurse to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings. In fact, it’s so important that as part of Women’s Health Week, today is National Women’s Checkup Day. It’s a day when we encourage women to schedule their annual checkup. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, a checkup is considered a preventive service and must be covered by most health plans at no cost to you.

Even healthy women need to see their healthcare providers regularly. An annual checkup helps you get the preventive care you need, including screenings. Screenings can find diseases early, when they are easier to treat. Screenings can also identify other problems and help lower your risk for many conditions, such as heart disease.

Whatever healthy thing you decide to do whether it’s eating more vegetables or getting some type of exercise every day or making an appointment to see your doctor for a checkup – Make the decision today…. it’s Get Healthy Monday!

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As part of Women’s Health Week, the Knox County Health Department is sponsoring a Healthy Happy Hour at Allison’s Finer Diner on Tuesday (5/12) from 5-7:30 p.m. The event is for women only, ages 18 and older and will include health displays, informational tables and services for women. Admission is FREE, but RSVP is required. Women can register by calling 740-399-8014.

This year’s Healthy Happy Hour will feature a presentation from Simona Moore, titled “Finding a Healthy Balance.” Moore is a certified nurse practitioner with a private practice in Mount Vernon. The presentation will begin at 6:15 p.m.
Healthy appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by Allison’s Finer Diner.

We wrapped up Moms Week by sharing a special Morning Thing Fave 5 – the top 5 reasons why we LOVE our Moms!

Our Fave 5 this week is dedicated to our Mothers this week. These are the top 5 reasons we LOVE our Moms.

1. Wesley Boston loves the lessons his Mom taught him and the example that she has lived out for him. She has shown him what it means to live as a good person and has shown him what a woman of God looks like. She has always supported Wesley and always been very intentional about showing that she loves him.
2. Faith Orecchio loves her Mom because she is always putting others before herself. She is the most selfless person that Faith knows. Her devotion to God and others has inspired Faith throughout her life and will continue to inspire her throughout her future. Faith thanks her Mom for always being there for her and being her best friend!
3. Jenna Pott’s favorite thing about her Mom is that no matter what is going on she can call her and her Mom will give great advice. Jenna says that she can’t begin to count that amount of times that she has been stressed and exhausted and just needed to talk to someone and her Mom was more than willing to listen. She puts up with her every mood from happiness and excitement to anger and frustration. Jenna says that her Mom is the best!
4. Marcy Rinehart thanks her Mom for the many sacrifices that she has made for the family. She is consistently seeking to serve her children, even when they don’t deserve it. Her love and support is always there and her loving advice is always just a phone call away. Marcy thanks her Mom for giving all 5 Street kids a living example of what it means to be a servant leader. Her Mom’s example is now impacting the third generation of Street kids!
5. We all can list numerous reasons why we “love” our Moms. She carried us, delivered us and continues to take care of us, even into adulthood. It is hard to even put into words how much Mom means to us. So this weekend, we will try to SHOW our love in simplistic ways – flowers, cards, phone calls and special greetings. Mom, please know that our intention on your special day is to honor YOU! We LOVE you Mom! We hope that you know how special you. Thank you for the many sacrifices you have made for us! Thank you for being a wonderful example of God’s love here on earth. Thank you for loving us through any and all circumstances. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

We also talked about 7 Astonishing Animal Moms. Moms are AMAZING, even in the animal world. Check out these really cute videos! https://www.thedodo.com/7-astonishing-animal-moms-who–543168457.html#7-astonishing-animal-moms-who–543168457.html

We also announced our special winners this week.
Congratulations to Aspen Snow – our birthday winner of the week. Aspen wins a 7 inch birthday cake from Ferrari Baking Company. Aspen’s birthday was 4/23.
Congratulations to Betsy and Scott Campbell – our winning Anniversary couple this week. The Campbells celebrated their 24th anniversary on 5/3. The Campbells win a color 8 X 10 portrait from Seavolt’s Studios.
Get your special day registered at http://wnzr.fm/birthdays—anniversaries.html

WNZR loves moms. Let’s face it, they’re amazing. They sacrifice so much for us and love us with their whole being. That’s why all this week we have been having Mom’s Week on the Morning Thing.

Today we took some advice from Relevant Magazine and talked about their 10 Creative Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day. Let’s be honest, there are things more unique than flowers and chocolate that you can do for your mom. Take a look at these ideas and see what you can do for your mom this year!

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationship/features/29173-10-creative-ways-to-celebrate-mothers-day

Plus, we found some Bible verses that are important to remember as we celebrate our moms this year!

http://www.evangelismcoach.org/2009/17-mothers-day-bible-verses/

Are you stuck on what to do for your mum this Mother’s Day? Here are 10 ideas that might serve to inspire you.
BY LANA WINTER-HÉBER
From http://www.lifehack.org

1. Take On Her Work Without Being Asked

Chances are that unless you’re a mother, you really don’t know just how much your mom does on a daily basis. Many women juggle family lives and careers, while also being active in their community and their kids’ social lives, and caring for the home.

This Mother’s Day, consider being really aware of the goings-on in your mom’s home and take the initiative to take care of things that ordinarily fall on her plate. Do dishes, take out garbage, do laundry, weed the garden—whatever you can do so she doesn’t have to will undoubtedly be appreciated, and if you can do that for the entire weekend instead of just one day, even better.

2. Find Out What Would Make Her Happy

We all have different ideas about what makes a gift or experience great, but we may not all be on the same page. If you’re an outdoorsy type, you may think that getting your mother a gift certificate for white water rafting is the coolest idea ever, but if her favourite activities are crocheting and getting together with her book club, she might not appreciate such a gift as much as you think she will.

Try to find out what she would really like for this holiday without asking her directly. You can ask other family members if she has mentioned any particular interests, such as a massage/pedicure combo, or a restaurant she’s eager to try out, so you’re sure to give her something she’ll truly appreciate. It could well be that the best gift she could receive is a day to herself, without any responsibilities or demands on her time.

3. Start a New Tradition

If you don’t yet have a tradition for celebrating Mother’s Day, start a new one. How about taking a family photo and vowing to take that same photo every year? Or having a glorious all-day picnic in a park nearby? Get together as a family and determine (with her input) what would be a lovely tradition to start, and make it happen.

4. Give Her Your Time

Time flies really quickly, and we often don’t get around to doing what we’d like for/with those we care about. Let your mother know that you’d like to spend Mother’s Day with her, doing something that she’d love to do, and then make it happen. She might be an adventurous sort and you two can go to an amusement park and stuff yourselves with funnel cake and ice cream, or she might like to have dinner somewhere special. Either way, be sure to keep your phone tucked away and devote all your time and attention to the amazing lady you’re with.

5. Write a Letter

No, don’t just pick up a card that has a mildly-applicable, saccharine sentiment in it and sign your name below words someone else came up with. This is an opportunity to write a heartfelt letter to your mother in which you tell her all the things you appreciate about her, whether it’s thanking her for everything she’s done for you, telling her how much you admire her for various reasons, or even just that you love her and that you’re proud to be her kid.

It’s best to write a letter like this by hand, even if your penmanship is less than impressive; typing is easy, but writing something out takes time and effort, which is always appreciated. Also important is sincerity: you may have had a truly crap-tastic childhood, and it could very well be that you and your mother have a strained relationship, but chances are that you have one or two really great memories that you can draw upon for writing inspiration. Remember that mothers won’t be around forever, so it’s important to let them know you care while you still have the chance to do so. You never know—a kind letter of appreciation might even improve your relationship.

6. Let Her Choose

If your mother has a particular fondness for something that you’re unfamiliar with, then give her carte blanche to decide what she’d like to get. You might love vanilla custard bath bombs, but that doesn’t mean that she does, and the last thing you want to do is give your mother something she’ll have to pretend to like, and then hide in the cupboard for re-gifting when you’re not around. You might be surprised at the items she’d choose, but those can influence your gifts on special occasions during the rest of the year.

*Bonus tip: If the item/experience she chooses is something you’d enjoy as well, offer to participate in it with her; she might appreciate your company, but don’t take it personally if she’d prefer to do it solo.

7. Make Something

Chances are that you’re good at something, so why not take the opportunity to make something special for your mum? If you’re a fabulous cook, put together a sumptuous meal that she’ll never forget. Are you an artist or designer? Put those talents to good use! If your only talent is a crazy gift for research, start a family tree and let her know that you’d be happy to trace your ancestry together.

8. Create a Garden

If your mother’s home has any outdoor space, transform it into a lush, gorgeous garden that she can enjoy and retreat to. If she has a large, unused space on her property, get her input on what she’d like done with the place and then either hop to it, or hire some landscapers to do it for you.

If the only outdoor area your mother has to work with is a small patio, that’s okay too! A couple of potted lilacs or climbing wisteria can flank either side with colour and scent, and you can use window-boxes along the length of the railing with all manner of flowers and herbs. Add in a little patio set for 2 and some hanging lanters, and voila: a mini paradise just for her.

9. Make a Donation in Her Name

Everyone has a cause that they feel strongly about, and your mom might really appreciate a donation made in her name to a charity she supports. If you and your mother have opposing beliefs and you wouldn’t feel comfortable supporting one particular group, then try to find one that you can both agree on, like human rights/child protection groups or similar.

10. Team Up for Lavish Pampering

If you feel like splurging a little and would like to do something spectacular for your mother this year, consider teaming up with other family members for a more extravagant gift. This could be anything from a weekend retreat at a spa where she can have massages, pedicures, and uninterrupted sleep, to front-row tickets for a performance she’s dying to see. Pooling resources means that no individual breaks the bank to make mum happy, but she’ll get to experience something gorgeous and remember all of you for having made that possible.

When deciding what to do for your mother this year, remember that some of the greatest gifts have nothing to do with “stuff”, but instead consist of experiences that bring joy, peace, and lasting memories.

We kicked off MOMS WEEK on Monday!

We shared the 3 Cs of Motherhood.

We also shared the top 4 bibles for Moms.

Top 4 Mom Bibles for Every Type of Mom by Sami Cone If you’re anything like me, having just one Bible isn’t enough! There’s the sentimental Bible with years of notes that I’m afraid to travel with for fear of losing it, there’s the Bible I keep in my car in case I get caught in a traffic standstill, there’s the Bible my husband gave me for our wedding engraved with my new name, and of course there’s my daily reading Bible. Different Bibles meet different needs during different periods in my life, which is why I felt it so fitting to share this Mom Bible Round-Up. Yes, you heard me – Bibles filled with insights designed especially for us as moms alongside God’s word. No matter what type of mom you are (and you may find yourself fitting into more than one of these categories), I just know you’ll find encouragement and wisdom from one of my favorite Mom Bibles, or find the perfect Bible to give your mom this Mother’s Day! Top 4 Mom Bible Round-Up 1. The Busy Mom’s Bible I just love the tagline on this Bible: “Daily inspiration even if you only have a minute”. Can I get an Amen? Throughout this Bible, you will find 52 one-minute Thought Starters, followed by an option for a five-minute Reflect and Pray or a ten-minute Study to help you learn even more about what God’s Word has to say to you today. Devotional thoughts are written specifically for you, the busy mom, and cover topics such as raising kids, marriage, emotions, and your identity in Christ. 2. The Homeschool Mom’s Bible Homeschooling moms pour themselves out every day for the sake of their children. Now you can be filled and restored by the original Bible for homeschool moms – with a full year’s worth of encouraging daily devotions. These heartfelt, practical readings written by Janet Tatman, a former homeschooling mom, cover topics such as finding strength to keep motivated, avoiding burnout, staying focused and committed, navigating the needs of toddlers while educating siblings, managing schedules, delegating tasks and chores, setting boundaries, and most importantly, maintaining proper soul care while juggling educational and household responsibilities. 3. The New Mom’s Prayer Bible Being a new mom presents many challenges. But one of them doesn’t have to be finding time to connect with God. Devotional thoughts specifically for the new mom are all presented here. I love what new mom, Lori, had to say about this Bible, “It keeps me encouraged.” When I became a new mom, I was overwhelmed with many physical and emotional changes. My spiritual life was put on hold because I was unsure how to tackle everything. Not only did the Bible speak to me with specific issues I was dealing with, like sleep deprivation and marital adjustments, but it also helped me pray– something I need a little extra help with. I’m telling all new mothers about this Bible!” 4. The Mom’s Devotional Bible What I love about this Bible is that it include so many daily devotional readings by some of my favorite authors! This Bible was edited by Elisa Morgan, President Emerita of Mothers of Preschoolers, International (MOPS) and she offers such great, encouraging advice on holding your head high when dealing with the stress of parenthood. Then there are a year’s worth of daily devotions for Monday through Friday, mostly written by Elisa Morgan, and others including: Stormie Omartian, Tracey Bianchi, Shauna Niequist, Ann Voskamp, Lysa TerKeurst, Shayne Moore, Jennifer Grant, Linda Dillow, Margaret Feinberg, Karol Ladd, Sheila Walsh, Angela Thomas, and Carolyn Custis James. There’s also an index of Bible topics important to mothers and a resource list with timely, practical help for moms.

It was also a GET HEALTHY Monday. Here are some tips from the Knox County Health Department.
Happy Monday – It’s Get Healthy Monday, the day all health breaks loose!

The month of May has been designated National Physical Fitness and Sports Month to raise awareness of the importance of active living.

The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County have joined with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition to challenge Americans to get active, get fit, and eat well throughout the month of May – and, of course, for the rest of their lives. May is the month to begin to set those great health habits for the new you and Monday – today –  is the ideal day to get started.

Studies show that when it comes to making decisions to improve your health, Monday is the day most people make those decisions. The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County want you to think of every Monday as an opportunity to do something to improve your health.

Physical activity is an essential part of a being health. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day for adults, 60 minutes for children, at least five days a week. It’s not surprising that only about 20 percent of Americans actually spend that much time each week being active.

Doing some form of physical activity every day is really much easier than you think, regardless of your current activity level. You can spread this activity out over easy 30-minute increments, five days a week. Or you can choose from many activities and can accumulate activities in bouts of 10 minutes.  The important thing is to get moving.

So grab a rake and clean out a flower bed or run the sweeper.
Take a walk around the block or visit one of great walking trails we have in Knox County

The health benefits of regular physical activity can be remarkable. Regular physical activity can:

• Help you maintain a healthy weight
• Lower your cholesterol
• Lower your blood pressure
• Strengthen muscles and bones
• Reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes,
  some cancers, and obesity

Regular physical activity can also help your mental health. Often, when you’re down or depressed, regular physical activity can pick you up; or, if you’re anxious, physical activity can calm you down.

Whatever your decision to get healthy, make it today.

History is being made in Knox County. For the first time ever, 2 Knox County teams are headed to the National Soils Competition!
Mount Vernon’s Rural Team won the State Competition.
In the Urban Soil Category, Fredericktown took 1st place and East Knox took 2nd place in the State Competition.

All 3 teams are headed to Oklahoma to participate in the National Competition.
Good Luck to all of these outstanding high school students.

Here is our conversation with the Fredericktown FFA Urban Soils State Champion Team.
https://soundcloud.com/wnzr/wnzr-interview-with-fredericktown-ffa-state-champion-urban-soils-team

MTVArts is back with their annual classic series.
This year, Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” will hit the Memorial Theater stage.
Wesley Boston of The Morning Thing had a chance to chat with Director, Ian Ernsberger about the show.

https://soundcloud.com/wnzr/wnzr-interview-with-ian-ersnberger-about-the-mtvarts-presentation-of-the-death-of-a-salesman

For ticket information, go to http://mtvarts.com/index.php/2015-season/details/47-death-of-a-salesman-mtvarts

As Faith and Wesley so eloquently put it, today we celebrate a holiday that is “out of this world.” It’s International Astronomy Day! You might wonder why we should bother to look up to the skies at the stars. Well let me tell you, the heaven’s really do declare the glory of God. The universe is so vast, complex, and beautiful that as Christians we can’t help but be amazed by the God who Created it. Seriously, take some time to google a few photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope or check out this video of Pastor Louie Giglio talking about how incredibly large and amazing the universe is- and consequently how its Creator is even larger and more amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRiIWL04po8

So that’s why we talked about International Astronomy Day on the show today- because we really can worship God in learning about space. As part of our conversation today Faith shared how her Dad named a star after her Mom. Definitely a sweet gesture and you can do it too! Just follow this link: http://www.star-name-registry.org/?gclid=CjwKEAjwsOKpBRCDtfOnzaDg3HsSJAAJ2ojis5KCPhN6oKVaLK0Rbb5LIHCkekPnXbeMTjPeiuK5cxoCSBjw_wcB

Just promise me you’ll pick a better name than “WOH G64” or “HR 5171 A.” Seriously, in an attempt to be orderly science sacrificed creativity and being interesting.

As you look to celebrate this International Astronomy Day, I recommend reading Psalm 8. It says “When I consider your heavens,the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,what is mankind that you are mindful of them,human beings that you care for them?” The universe really is incredibly humbling for us as humans, but despite our insignificance in the cosmos, God still cares about each of us on an extremely intimate and personal level. Happy International Astronomy Day!

Today, we celebrated “Tell A Story Day”. We told you the story of a wonderful organization called Adaptive Homes and how they benefit disabled veterans.
Click on the link below to hear our conversation with Executive Directors, Katie and Greg Filbrun.
https://soundcloud.com/wnzr/morning-thing-interview-with-representatives-from-adaptive-homes

The Mission of Adaptive Homes:
To provide transitional housing and home ownership to disabled veterans and their families. We also provide: Referral services to other nonprofit veterans service organizations. Renovations, whenever possible, to modify your existing home to suit your current needs. The technology features to provide in-home health care services. Through these services, our veterans have increased self-reliance through independent living while they transition back into productive civilian life. On-The-Job Training programs

The Vision of Adaptive Homes:
To provide and secure housing that employs ADA Standards at an affordable cost to our disabled veterans, along with support that reaches beyond their physical limitations ,nurturing them back to civilian life and self reliances. Our goal is to provide these disabled veterans with an avenue to independent living and become the healthiest generation of war time veterans in our history.

To find out more information and how you can help, email Katie@adaptivehomescdc.org or go online to http://www.adaptivehomescdc.org

It was also a GET HEALTHY Monday. Today, we talked about tobacco.

Studies show that when it comes to making decisions to improve your health, Monday is the day most people make those decisions. The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County want you to think of every Monday as an opportunity to do something to improve your health – Make that decision to lose a few pounds, get exercising, make a doctor’s appointment, stop smoking – Make every Monday the day to start getting healthy.

Whether you are a tobacco user or not, you have probably heard that tobacco is not good for you. There are more than 600 ingredients in cigarettes and when they burn, they create 7,000 chemicals including  Acetone which is found in nail polish remover; Ammonia, a common household cleaner; Arsenic which is used in rat poison and Formaldehyde which is an embalming fluid. It had been well documented that tobacco use causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, emphysema and bronchitis.

Despite the fact that about 70 percent of tobacco user say they would like to quit, they have trouble quitting because tobacco is very addicting. But if they would quit, it would be worth it. If you are a tobacco user – meaning you either smoke tobacco or chew tobacco – you will start being healthier soon after you stop:

Within 20 minutes of your last cigarette, your blood pressure and your pulse rate drop to normal. Eight hours after your last cigarette, carbon monoxide levels in your blood drop to normal and the oxygen level in your blood rises to normal

Within 48 hours of quitting, your sense of smell and taste will improve.

Within 72 hours of quitting, you can breathe easier and you have more energy

Within one year of quitting, your risk of heart disease is reduced to 50 percent of someone who continues to smoke.

Don’t think that you are off the hook if you smoke a pipe or use smokeless tobacco: A bowl of pipe tobacco is the same as 2-3 cigarettes; A cigar the size of your index figure is the same as smoking 7 cigarettes at one time; And the nicotine in a can of smokeless tobacco is equal to about 3-4 packs of cigarettes.

If you are not a smoker, but you are around someone who does, you can be affected by second-hand smoke. Riding in a car for an hour with someone smoking is comparable to smoking four cigarettes yourself; If you live in a home where someone smokes a pack a day, the smoke you breathe in is comparable to smoking three cigarettes every day.

Here’s something to think about: Tobacco is the only consumer product that directly contributes to the death of its user.

If you do want to quit tobacco, the Knox County Health Department has a free cessation program that provides up to 8 weeks of nicotine replacement classes. The program is every Thursday from 7-8 at the health department, There’s no need to pre-register, you just need to make a decision to quit and show up.

Whatever your decision to get healthy, make it today. To help you get started, the Knox County Health Department is offering a Get Healthy package every Monday