Fast Food or Healthy Food? You Can Do Both with Planning and Smart Choices

Many commit to healthy eating as a New Year’s resolution and halfway into the month of January, they may be finding it a challenge. Time to cook and busy schedules top the list of what make healthy eating hard. In the rush of daily life, eating at fast food restaurants is often the default choice for getting through the to-do list.

The concern, says K-State Research and Extension nutrition specialist Sandy Procter, is that many fast food choices can lead to unhealthy eating.

In October, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control released results of a study from 2013 to 2016 concluding that more than one in three adults consume fast food on any given day.

“It’s not the fast food that’s the problem,” Procter said. “It’s the net result of portions that are too big and sometimes contain unhealthy ingredients.”

Convenience is the No. 1 reason why most people choose fast food. The relatively inexpensive cost, the fact that we like it and a lack of alternatives are other top reasons.

“I don’t think we are going to change the fact that many adults on many days of the week take fast food as an option, but I think if we look into it a little more deeply, we can all be better in control of what that means to our health and our diets in general,” Procter said.

She added that one key to avoiding unhealthy choices at fast food restaurants is to plan ahead. That could mean packing your lunch – or even part of the meal — the night before to avoid rushing out without food in the morning.

“When I say part of a lunch, that really helps,” Procter said. “If you do have to grab some fast food, you don’t have to accept what they offer as sides. You don’t have to get the full meal deal. You can order a small, single sandwich or wrap…and add those foods that you chose to bring along with you.”

Plus, planning ahead saves money and helps control the amount you eat.

“A lot of times, you can get those less expensive sandwiches,” Procter said. “They may cost less, and the portioning of those is going to be a lot healthier. There isn’t anything inherently wrong with fast food, but it becomes a problem when the portions are so large and the choices we make contain unhealthy aspects. We can do a lot about those just as wise consumers.”

Procter noted that consumers also can check out nutrition information online for many restaurant chains.

“So even if it’s not posted at the point of sale, you can find out about those choices that you automatically make,” she said, adding that knowing nutrition information could help you cut calories and eat more healthfully.

“It’s about taking control of the way I would like things to be, and finding a way to make it work for me. I think that is part of my job as a responsible consumer.”

Additional tips that Procter provided for avoiding unhealthy choices when eating on-the-go include:

• Split meals with a family member or friend. Portion sizes are often too large for one, but just right for two.
• Pack snacks or parts of a meal for traveling, especially when flying. You can supplement with small, healthy choices in the airport.
• Choose water instead of sodas or other high-calorie drinks.
• Consider purchasing a ‘Kids Meal,’ even if you have to pay a small up-charge.
• Go light on the add-ons, such as dressing, cheese, macaroni salad, heavy sauces and other toppings.

For more ideas on healthy eating, contact Kathy at [email protected] or by phone at 620-365-2242. Check out the Southwind Extension District website at www.southwind.ksu.edu.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy Strength Training Program for Older Adults,

Your Ticket to Better Health

Our bodies are made for activity, but modern conveniences allow us to be increasingly inactive. Building strength promotes quality of life and independence, especially for adults over 50. Here’s the good news, Stay Strong, Stay Healthy strength training program is being offered in your community.

This eight week program can help you get started on the road to better health. Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is built on simple, strength- building exercises that will improve balance and flexibility, too. No one is too inactive to participate. You’ll start at a level that’s right for you. Instruction is provided by Joy Miller, Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent with K-State Research and Extension Southwind District.

The class meets for one hour, two times each week at Buck Run Community Center on Monday and Friday at 8:30 a.m. The fee is $20 for the eight week series. Registration and first session will be held Monday, January 21st. Call Joy Miller at 620-223-3720 for more details.

Kansas State University provides nutrition classes which help with food choices and exercise for Bourbon County residents.

Malynda Payne currently teaches both Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program classes as well as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education for K-State. Mary Daniels also teaches SNAP-Ed programs in the area.

Recently, FortScott.Biz interviewed Malynda Payne about the classes. Her answers are below.

What is the purpose?

“EFNEP- Our program is hands-on and teaches new skills that you can use at home every day—from planning, shopping and cooking tips to simple solutions for healthy eating and daily physical activity.  The program is designed to show families how they can prepare and eat more meals at home, bring more fruits and vegetables into their diets, make healthy drink choices, control portion sizes and many other healthy choices. These classes are provided for free. 

SNAP-Ed programs are nutrition education programs provided at no cost to Kansas families with limited resources.  Our goal is to provide nutrition education to individuals and families who receive food assistance or who are eligible to receive food assistance.”

Who is sponsoring it and who is the target population?

“The two classes that I am currently starting up in Fort Scott are an Eat Smart, Move More Class.  This class is geared towards families that are wanting to learn how to cook and prepare healthy meals for their families and do this on a budget.  Also, I am starting a class called Eat Smart, Live Strong.  It is designed to improve fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity for people 55+participating in or eligible for SNAP. 

 These classes are typically targeted for those receiving food assistance.  However, I will never turn anyone away.  As long as 50% of my audience is lower income, I can justify the class.  That means if they are on disability, social security, live in public housing, receive food assistance etc. then I can classify the class as my target. They don’t have to actually be receiving food assistance.  They only have to qualify for it and most older folks on Social Security would qualify.”

Where located:

“I have been holding my classes at the Professional Building in Fort Scott.  Most people will know it as the Newman Young Clinic building.  Mary Daniels offers a class the second Thursday of each month at the Scott View apartments at 2 p.m. and the third Thursday of each month at Calvary Crossing also at 2 p.m.”

When: 

“Eat Smart, Move More is  Each Wednesday 12:30-2 p.m.and the Eat Smart, Live Strong is each Friday morning 10:30-noon.  Both of these classes are starting fresh so everyone that comes will be new! They will both be at the Professional Building 710 W. 8th Street.”

Why: 

“We offer these classes to improve the likelihood that persons eligible for SNAP will make healthy food and lifestyle choices that prevent obesity

 

These classes are offered FREE of charge to those wishing to participate.”

Bagworms are a yearly pest in our area and can cause considerable damage. Most homeowners typically don’t get too concerned about bagworm control until they see large bags present on plants. By then it is too late and the damage is already done! Now is the time to get your treatment game plan ready.

Bagworms overwinter as eggs deposited in the female bags. From mid-May through mid-June, larvae hatch from the eggs and exit from the bottom opening of the old bag. Larvae begin constructing their miniature silk-lined bags immediately. Only after the bags have been completed do the larvae begin actual feeding activities. And as the larvae grow, so do their bags. By mid-to late August when feeding activities are complete, larvae firmly anchor their bags to the twigs and branches on which they were feeding.

Bagworms are most commonly found on eastern red cedar and junipers. However, bagworms can attack arborvitae, spruce and pine. Broadleaf trees, shrubs and ornamentals can also serve as a host to bagworms. After bagworms have defoliated a host plant, they are capable of migrating in search of additional food sources. They may attack the same species from which they came or a completely different species.

The damage caused by bagworm feeding can be minimal to severe. As larvae enter their later development stages, they require greater amounts of food. Sometimes in what seems to be just overnight, bagworms can completely defoliate a tree. Several successive years of heavy foliar feeding can result in the death a tree, especially with conifers.

There are two ways to control bagworms – cultural and chemical. Cultural practice is used by those who do not want to utilize insecticidal sprays to control bagworms. Instead, bagworms are eliminated by handpicking individual bags from plants. This is best done in the winter months when bags stand out against a trees background color. Keep in mind that a single missed bag could result in a thousand new bagworm larvae. Of course handpicking becomes impractical when a host is literally covered with bags or it is too tall to make handpicking possible.

Chemical control is most effective when larvae are in their early developmental stages. Generally, bagworm larvae will begin emerging from the overwintering bag by mid-to late May. Hatching does not happen overnight. Instead, hatching can continue for 4 to 5 weeks. Controls applied in late summer are often a waste of time and expense because the larvae are large, tough and may have stopped feeding. Now is the time to find the correct insecticide and get the sprayers out and ready for the job ahead.

For more information on bagworm control, please contact me at one of our Southwind Extension District office locations.

KOMA Beef Conference will be coming back to Kansas –

Girard, KS – The KOMA (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas) Beef Cattle Conference will be coming back to Kansas on January 24, 2019 after a long hiatus. The 4-State area’s premier beef cattle conference is designed to help cow-calf producers make better managerial decisions. Next year’s hosts include The Southeast Area Research and Extension Center of Kansas State University, Southwind Extension District, Wildcat Extension District, and Cherokee County Extension.

The conference will take place at Greenbush Education Service Center in Greenbush, KS (947 W. 47 Hwy. Girard, KS), beginning at 10:30 am with registration, and the chance for producers to visit with sponsoring agricultural businesses. Educational sessions will begin at 11:00 am and end at 3:45 pm, with a free catered lunch included.

The focus of this meeting will “From Grass to Cash”. Precentors from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri will address forage management, cow-calf management, cow herd diseases, and economics of production.

The day will begin with Dr. Glynn Tonsor of Kansas State University. Tonsor is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics. Tonsor’s current research and extension efforts focus on cattle and swine industries. Tonsor’s interests span areas of production supply issues to end-user consumer demand issues in regards to the meat supply chain. The title of Tonsor’s presentation will be “Feeder Cattle Marketing Outlook”. He will address marketing strategies for 500 to 800 pound calves.

Dr. David Lalman of Oklahoma State University will be the next speaker with the presentation titled, “Matching my cows to my environment”. Lalman is a professor and Extension Beef Cattle Specialist at Oklahoma State University. Lalman holds the Harrington Endowed Chair with split extension and research appointment. He works primarily in the beef cattle industry focused on cow/calf and stocker cattle production. His extension and applied research program includes beef cattle nutrition and management with emphasis on beef cattle grazing and genetic by environment interactions in beef production systems. His program goals are to provide producers with information and decision tools to facilitate production system profitability, improve cow herd efficiency and to improve product quality. Lalman will discuss the historical changes in cattle phenotype we have been observing and discuss the benefits and possible pit-falls of this changing herd population.

Dr. Gregg Hanzlicek, DVM of the Kansas State University Veterinary School will provide the health component of the program. Dr. Hanzlicek is the director of Production Animal Field Investigations within the Veterinary College. Hanzlicek works with pathologists and microbiologists within the laboratory to diagnosis bovine health events. Hanzlicek’s research activities include disease surveillance and monitoring systems for beef and dairy health programs and disease surveys. For the KOMA Beef Conference, he will specifically be addressing blood-borne diseases of the cattle herd such as anaplasmosis.

Dr. Jordan Thomas from The University of Missouri will discuss, “Optimizing reproductive performance”. Jordan Thomas is an Assistant Extension Professor and State Beef Reproduction Specialist in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri. Dr. Thomas is a Missouri native and University of Missouri alumnus, having earned his Ph.D. in Animal Sciences with an emphasis in Reproductive Physiology in 2017. In addition to extension and education programming associated with the National Center for Applied Reproduction and Genomics, Dr. Thomas maintains an active applied research program in reproductive management of beef cattle. The primary research focus of the Thomas lab is control of the bovine estrous cycle, specifically to facilitate use of reproductive technologies such as timed artificial insemination and embryo transfer. 

The final speaker will be economist Wesley Tucker who is a field specialist in agricultural business from the University of Missouri. Tucker’s work currently focuses on farm transactions and productivity and profitability of beef cattle. The title of Tucker’s presentation is “Keys to profitability for beef producers”. He will address forage production with the goal of economically maximizing grazing.

Sponsors of the event include Ag Choice of Hepler, Frontier Farm Credit, Girard Coop, GNBank, MultiMin, and Zoetis. These sponsors will have trade show style booths. Bring your questions and thank them for their sponsorship and support of beef cattle production.

Please register with the Southeast Research and Extension Center by January 18, 2019. To register please contact Karen Walters, 620-820-6127 or [email protected] or Jaymelynn Farney, 620-820-6125 or [email protected]. You may also RSVP on the Southeast Research and Extension Website, https://www.southeast.k-state.edu/animalscience/index.html.

The Kansas Forest Service is offering low-cost conservation tree and shrub seedlings for purchase again this year. These seedlings are to be used in conservation plantings, such as home/livestock windbreaks, living snow fences, Christmas tree plantations, firewood lots, habitats for game birds and wildlife, barriers to reduce noise pollution, blocking ugly views, marking property lines and creating habitat for songbirds.

These plants are 1 or 2 years old, and their sizes vary from 5 to 18 inches, depending on species. Most of the trees are bare-root seedlings, however some are available as container-grown seedlings such as Ponderosa pine and Southwestern white pine. Some of the deciduous trees that are available include: bald cypress, black walnut, bur oak, cottonwood, hackberry, redbud, and sycamore. Shrubs available include American plum, chokecherry, lilac, and sand hill plum. This is not a complete listing of available trees and not all trees are recommended for this area.

The Kansas Forest Service also offers tree “bundles” for purchase. The Quail Bundle offers a variety of shrubs designed to attract quail, including American plum, fragrant sumac, golden current and chokecherry. It was created in cooperation with Quail Forever to provide excellent food and habitat for upland bird species in eastern Kansas.

If you are interested in supporting pollinators, there are several shrub and tree species also designated to be of particular importance for butterflies, moths, bees, or other insect pollinators. Some are considered to be nectar sources, while others are larval host plants.

Not certain what you would like to order? Then stop by the Extension office and pick up a brochure that has color pictures of various trees and shrubs at maturity. Orders for conservation trees are accepted now through the first full week of May, with shipments beginning in March. However, I recommend that you order early to ensure availability of trees. Order forms and price sheets are available at the Southwind District Extension Office in Erie, Iola Fort Scott, and Yates Center or can be mailed or e-mailed.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Kansas State University provides you with research-based information through many avenues. Locally, your contact is the Southwind Extension District in Erie, Ft. Scott, Yates Center and Iola. Hundreds of publications and fact sheets, written by K-State researchers and specialists, are available through the university’s Publications Library, www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/  Another alternative is to research the information provided on the Southwind website, www.southwind.k-state.edu/

However, not all of our services can be found on the internet. One of the most utilized resources is soil testing. K-State Research & Extension can test soil for $12 per sample or $10 apiece for two or more. Soil testing is recommended for gardeners, farmers, testing for lawn & turf problems, or pasture management. Feed and forage testing is also offered. The only way to know for certain the quality of the feed is to get a lab analysis of it, to take a forage test. A forage test may run from $12-24 per sample, depending on what you want the sample tested for. Other tests that are available include Radon Test Kits ($6) and Water Quality Testing resources.

Have you ever wondered what that unidentified pest or plant lurking around your home may be, or even how you can get rid of it? The Extension Office has expertise and resources available to identify pests that are common to our area and in Kansas. This includes home and crop insects, weeds, and various plants. We can also provide information on how to remove or control the pest, depending on your situation.

One of our “best kept secret” products that we offer for sale are odor neutralizers.  Ecosorb ($28) is used in numerous homes, farm and industrial/commercial applications. Most of our clients seek this product to control the odor from fuel spills, mold smell, or skunk sprays.  Neutroleum Alpha ($35) is a concentrated product utilized in a similar fashion to control strong odors. Because it is a concentrate, it can be used in a larger area.

This time of the year, we sell quite a few Farm and Family Account Books ($4.50 – $8.50). If you haven’t made the transition to computerized record keeping, this resource allows for an accurate accounting of your finances in a form that makes completing taxes easier.

Extension publications are very accessible to the public, and most are free if you pick them up in the Extension Office. The Kansas Garden Guide is a new publication that is available for only $6. If you are looking for resources on planning a garden, seeding & planting, or details about a specific crop, this publication is a must-have.  Extension offers many, many publications on home gardening so please stop by if you are looking for something specific.

Area farmers and ranchers often utilize the Kansas Performance Tests for various crops to determine which varieties will grow best in this area of the state. Next month, the 2018 Hybrid Reports for Corn, Soybeans, and Grain Sorghum will become available in the Extension Office. This is in addition to the Wheat Seed Book that is always available in late summer after wheat has been harvested and data collected.

The 2019 Chemical Weed Control Guide will be published in January and provides suggestions for chemical weed control in several major crops. It offers recommendations, and guidelines for crop specific chemicals.

If you are involved in a club or organization that requests presentations, the Southwind District offers a “Speakers Bureau” brochure, which contains the public speaking topics offered by the Extension Agents. Let us help you with your educational topics during your meetings. We try to mail this to civic and social organizations on an annual basis, but you are also welcome to pick up a copy in any of our three offices.

As a consumer, you have many options for finding the answers to your questions. By choosing to use the Extension Service, you can be sure you are getting research-based, unbiased information. We encourage you to use the Southwind Extension District Offices in Erie, Ft. Scott, Yates Center and Iola to help answer your questions. Or you can find us on the web, www.southwind.k-state.edu/

Need Health Insurance? I’m Here to Help.

Fall is the season for health insurance plan enrollment or re-enrollment. You may be like most people—confused and uncomfortable when it comes to understanding or making decisions about health insurance coverage. Help is available.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is a service that helps people shop for and enroll in health insurance. It provides health plan shopping and enrollment services through healthcare.gov, call centers, and in-person assistance.

Navigators, such as myself, are trained, unbiased assisters that can help you compare health insurance plans, assist you with online application process, and help provide answers to your Marketplace questions. Navigators are available year-round to answer questions or complete Special Enrollment applications for those affected by a life changing event.

When you buy health insurance through the Marketplace, you may qualify for financial assistance to help pay your monthly premiums and cost sharing. You will qualify for financial assistance if you meet the following:

• You can’t get health insurance that covers your basic needs through your job (or a family member’s); Medicaid; Medicare; the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); or the Department of Veterans affairs (VA)
• The amount of money your family expects to make in the year you apply for assistance falls within certain income ranges.

Open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace begins November 1 and ends December 15. You can preview 2019 plans and prices. Now is the time to explore your health coverage options. You can go to healthcare.gov to A benefit in working with a Navigator is help in determining if qualifications are met for financial assistance to lower the cost of premiums.

Each year, health insurance options change along with coverage and costs. I am here to assist you in the process and help you understand the system, rules, and options. To assist people in these programs, it is required to go through training and certification on a yearly basis to become a Navigator for the Marketplace or a Senior Health Insurance Counselor for Kansans (SHICK) to provide unbiased assistance.

• Help you apply and enroll in a health plan with savings or apply for Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Required to provide fair, impartial, and accurate information
• Statewide assistance may also be available

Find free, in-person enrollment assistance from a Navigator serving your community

They can assist you with the online application and help compare plans to find the best one for you. During open Enrollment, Kansans need to evaluate whether to enroll in coverage, stay on their current policies, if available, or enroll in different policies. It is also important for consumers to understand the network requirements of the various plans and to check that their providers of medical services are in the plan’s network.

Consumer Assistance Hotline is 1-800-432-2484 or www.ksinsurance.org