Monday, March 23, 2009

Senate renews Kansas Open Records Act exemptions

Senators have sent Gov. Kathleen Sebelius a bill to renew 30 exemptions to the Kansas Open Records Act. The 40-0 vote Monday renews exemptions through July 1, 2014. The House approved the bill last week. The Open Records Act generally requires government agencies to keep the records they collect and compile accessible to the public, but it contains 47 exceptions allowing officials keep certain documents confidential. Dozens of additional exceptions are sprinkled throughout other Kansas laws. State law requires legislators to review each exception at least once every five years. From Film FeedWith the announcement of a special work –in-progress screening of “Drag Me to Hell” at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Tex., I was overwhelmed with a sense of intense anticipation. That feeling was at its height as I sat in the historic Paramount Theatre waiting for the film to begin.

Andrew Bird From I Heart Local MusicThe man who really doesn't need a backup band. Interested in writing a blog? Send us a few sample entries! Let us know what you're interested in writing about, the experience you have with your topic, and anything else you think we'll find useful to know Now you can - register for a free account and post comments to stories, blogs, podcasts and more, only on 49abcnews.com The rate of unemployment in the U.S. is now 8-point-1 percent. That's the highest in more than 25 years. While older workers don't make up the largest segment of the unemployed, increasing numbers of them are now looking for work, many for the first time in decades. Watch video. Who thought you could go shopping for free? Well If you stopped by the Free Methodist Church on Saturday, you could have. Watch video. It's that time of year again when taxes are do and the IRS was helping people for free today to figure out how to pay their taxes Going to restaurants or out for a night on the town is something most people have cut back on lately. But saving money by not going out may be costing you at home.

Proposal would enable Goodyear to invest up to $250 million and retain up to 1,400 Kansas employees Friday, March 20, 2009 The Kansas Department of Commerce will provide training incentives to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., allowing the company to make capital investments of up to $250 million at its Topeka plant and retain up to 1,400 Topeka employees for 10 years, officials announced today. Read story. It was a full house at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library Thursday night. That's where people lined up to comment about the restriction of books about sex Neighbors are fed up and say action needs to be taken now on a problem that brings in crime. As summer approaches over grown weeds on abandoned properties are not only a nuisance, but can be dangerous. 49 News Community Reporter Jessica Drew finds out why neighbors can't wait for action from the city, and what road blocks they are hitting by trying to mow the grass themselves.

Hundreds gathered on the capitol grounds to say no to coal plants and yes to clean air Police say text message circulating indicating a gang initiation at Wal-Mart is a hoax. Who thought you could go shopping for free? Well If you stopped by the Free Methodist Church on Saturday, you could have. The rate of unemployment in the U.S. is now 8-point-1 percent. That's the highest in more than 25 years. While older workers don't make up the largest segment of the unemployed, increasing numbers of them are now looking for work, many for the first time in decades.

Recommended fat

If, once you've reached your realistic target weight, you go back to your old eating habits and activity levels, you'll put the weight back on. It's as simple as that. Beware of 'how to be even skinnier' media messages that lure you into feeling dissatisfied. You have a life to live and enjoy, so hang on the satisfaction of being at a comfortable, healthy weight you can sustain. Continue to eat a balanced, lower fat diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables Don't avoid any foods, just watch portion sizes and limit the amount of certain foods Have three regular meals a day at regular times (starting with breakfast), and fewer snacks Eat out occasionally, but limit fast food
Sit down to eat your meals, take time over them and pay attention to what you're eating
Keep 'self-monitoring' to stay conscious of your new eating and activity habits Flexible Restraint

Many slim people who stay that way by 'watching their weight', show flexible restraint, rather than following rigid all-or-nothing rules. They make healthy choices most of the time, but no foods are seen as forbidden. This means enjoying small amounts of favourite foods without feeling guilty. And if you do over-indulge, or have a big night out, cut back a bit or do more exercise the next day to balance things out. Getting regular physical activity is one of the strongest indicators of long-term success. Not only does it burn calories and increase metabolism-boosting muscle, it also boosts self-esteem and beats stress.

Studies show that just walking for 30 minutes or so each day, plus some other activities during the week, may be enough. Exercise can be ? gasp ? fun! - Exercise doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroomdancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids onthe swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball ortouch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.- Regular exercise can leaveyou feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on yoursex life. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfyingsex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectiledysfunction than are men who don't exercise, especially as they get older. Exercise promotes better sleep. - A good night's sleep can improve your concentration,productivity and mood. And, you guessed it, exercise is sometimes the key to bettersleep. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep.

Prevent Chronic Health Conditions Exercise combats chronic diseases. - Regular exercise can help you prevent ? ormanage ? high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exerciseboosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing low-densitylipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowingsmoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries. Exercise helps you manage your weight.-. When you exercise, you burn calories. Themore intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn ? and the easier it is tokeep your weight under control. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs. -Regular exercise can leave you breathingeasier. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regularexercise helps your entire cardiovascular system ? the circulation of blood throughyour heart and blood vessels ? work more efficiently.

Ideal weight

Monitor your ideal weight to determine if you should be considering losing body fat. You can also regulate your calorie intake to reach your ideal weight. Measure your Calorie intake here.
Know more about weight management in the Healthy Living section. More About Weight
Understanding your weight A combination of factors determines our weight, and that's why it's difficult to set an exact ideal weight that applies to everyone.It's important to remember there's a range of healthy body weights. Aiming to keep within this means an end to aspiring to one magic weight you think you should be.Many people have a distorted perception of what constitutes a healthy body weight. We're surrounded by celebrities, many of whom are underweight.

Comparing yourself with these isn't helpful. But comparing yourself to friends and family isn't that useful either, because as obesity becomes more common our perception of 'average' weight may in fact be too heavy.It's important to make an objective assessment of your size. Looking at yourself in the mirror isn't a good way to assess whether you're a healthy weight. Use our trackers to assist yourself. The calorie intake calculator provides an estimate of how many Calories are required for both men and women. Use the calorie calculator to estimate the number of daily calories your body needs. Recommended daily calorie intake varies from person to person, but there are guidelines for calorie requirements you can use as a starting point.

Do you have excessive body fat? What is your recommended daily caloric intake?Calculate calorie intake from protein, total carbs and fat to maintain a balanced diet. Calorie Calculator is recommended to calculate your daily caloric needs based on physical activity, height, weight.
Maintain Your Weight If, once you've reached your realistic target weight, you go back to your old eating habits and activity levels, you'll put the weight back on. It's as simple as that. Beware of 'how to be even skinnier' media messages that lure you into feeling dissatisfied. You have a life to live and enjoy, so hang on the satisfaction of being at a comfortable, healthy weight you can sustain.

Continue to eat a balanced, lower fat diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables Don't avoid any foods, just watch portion sizes and limit the amount of certain foods Have three regular meals a day at regular times (starting with breakfast), and fewer snacks Eat out occasionally, but limit fast food Sit down to eat your meals, take time over them and pay attention to what you're eating Keep 'self-monitoring' to stay conscious of your new eating and activity habits Flexible Restraint Many slim people who stay that way by 'watching their weight', show flexible restraint, rather than following rigid all-or-nothing rules. They make healthy choices most of the time, but no foods are seen as forbidden. This means enjoying small amounts of favourite foods without feeling guilty. And if you do over-indulge, or have a big night out, cut back a bit or do more exercise the next day to balance things out. Getting regular physical activity is one of the strongest indicators of long-term success. Not only does it burn calories and increase metabolism-boosting muscle, it also boosts self-esteem and beats stress. Studies show that just walking for 30 minutes or so each day, plus some other activities during the week, may be enough.

Body mass index

Calculate your body mass index and set your own diet goal close to a medically-recommended weight.The BMI calculator provides you with details if you are healthy for your weightand height. Know how to achieve an ideal BMI by talking to your doctor to see ifyou are at an increased risk and if you should increase or decrease weight. BMI BMI is a reliable indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of diseaseand death. The score is valid for both men and women but it does have some limits.The limits are: It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.

It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.BMI indicates you are Underweight for BMI less than 18.5,Normal 18.5 - 24.9 Overweight25.0 - 29.9 and Obese for 30.0 and AboveRisk Factors Besides being overweight or obese, there are additionalrisk factors to consider. high blood pressure (hypertension) high LDL-cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) low HDL-cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) high triglycerides high blood glucose (sugar) family history of premature heart disease physical inactivity cigarette smoking Understanding Your BMI

For people who are considered obese (BMI greater than or equal to 30) or those whoare overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9) and have two or more risk factors, the guidelinesrecommend weight loss. Even a small weight loss (just 10 percent of your currentweight) will help to lower your risk of developing diseases associated with obesity.Patients who are overweight, do not have a high waist measurement, and have lessthan 2 risk factors may need to prevent further weight gain rather than lose weight. Talk to your doctor to see if you are at an increased risk and if you should loseweight.

Your doctor will evaluate your BMI, waist measurement, and others risk factorsfor heart disease. People who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of developinghigh blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or other lipid disorders, type 2 diabetes,heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers, and even a small weight loss (just 10percent of your current weight) will help to lower your risk of developing thosediseases. Dissatisfied with your weight? - We're bombarded with scare stories about weight,from size zero to the obesity 'epidemic'. But a healthy weight is determined bydifferent factors for each of us.

Stroke

This assessment estimates your risk of stroke and tells you where to focus yourprevention efforts.A stroke is the sudden death of brain cells due to a problem with the blood supply.Take a few minutes to answer some questions to estimate your risk profile. The bestway to fight stroke is to take steps to prevent it. A stroke is the sudden death of brain cells due to a problem with the blood supply.Begin here for helpful information about precautions to take to avoid a stroke andhow to be better prepared for this medical emergency. Important Safety Information: Information provided here is NOT a prescription or medical advice. You must consult with an authorized healthcare professional before using any of the above information.

This assessment estimates your risk of heart attack and tells you where to focus your prevention efforts.To estimate your risk of heart disease and learn about ways to decrease that risk, take a few minutes to answer some questions about your health, background, and lifestyle. The best way to fight diabetes is to stop it before it starts! A heart scan can offer doctors and patients a non-invasive and painless early detection of heart disease. Living well through early detection means that you will be there for your loved ones and those people depending on you. This assessment estimates your risk of osteoporosis and tells you where to focusyour prevention efforts.Take a few minutes to answer some questions about your health, background, and lifestyleto estimate your risk profile.

Correct and early treatment can help you live a longand healthy life. The best way to fight osteoporosis is to stop it before it starts! Take a few minutes to answer some questions about your health, background, and lifestyle to estimate your risk profile. Correct and early treatment can help you live a long and healthy life. The best way to fight Hearing Loss is to stop it before it starts! The material on this page is for general information only and is not intended for diagnostic or treatment purposes. A doctor or other health care professional must be consulted for diagnostic information and advice regarding treatment. GERD seems to be a common ailment in today’s fast paced life. This interactive toolestimatesyour risk of GERD and tips for prevention. It’s easy and anyone can useit.Take a few minutes to answer some questions about your health, background, and lifestyletoestimate your risk profile.

Correct and early treatment can help you live a longandhealthy life. The best way to fight Gastro Intestinal reflux Disease is to stopitbefore it starts! Some tings you can do to prevent GERD : If you smoke, stop. Do not drink alcohol. Lose weight if needed. Eat small meals. Wear loose-fitting clothes. Avoid lying down for 3 hours after a meal. Raise the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches. You can do this by putting blocks of wood under the bedposts -just using extra pillowswillnot help. Some of these foods can be associated with reflux:citrus fruits, chocolate, drinks with caffeine, fatty and fried foods, garlic andonions,mint flavorings - ( if you thought mint relieves the stomach, it does... butthiscould also cause GERD), spicy foods, tomato-based foods such as spaghetti sauce,chili,and pizza.The material on this page is for general information only and is not intended fordiagnosticor treatment purposes. A doctor or other health care professional mustbe consultedfor diagnostic information and advice regarding treatment.

Diabetes Risk Assessment

This assessment estimates your risk of diabetes and provides personalized tips for prevention.Take a few minutes to answer some questions about your health, background, and lifestyleto estimate your risk profile. Correct and early treatment can help you live a longand healthy life. The best way to fight Diabetes is to stop it before it starts! Millions of people have diabetes mellitus, commonly called diabetes. You may besurprised to know that many of these people don’t even know they have it. Correctand early treatment can help you live a long and healthy life.

Begin here for helpfulinformation about diagnoses, treatments and living with diabetes. This assessment estimates your risk of back pain and provides personalized tips for prevention.Take a few minutes to answer some questions about your health, background, and lifestyle to estimate your risk profile. Correct and early treatment can help you live a long and healthy life. The best way to fight Back Pain is to stop it before it starts! Strengthening the back muscles, keeping fit by taking regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight can all help to minimize the risk of back pain. Begin here for helpful information about diagnoses, treatments and living with back pain.

Take a few minutes to answer some questions about your health, background, and lifestyleto estimate your risk profile. Correct and early treatment can help you live a longand healthy life. The best way to fight Diabetes is to stop it before it starts! Millions of people have diabetes mellitus, commonly called diabetes. You may besurprised to know that many of these people don’t even know they have it. Correctand early treatment can help you live a long and healthy life. Begin here for helpfulinformation about diagnoses, treatments and living with diabetes. Take this assessment to help you determine what your symptoms mean.

Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to feel better. The Zung Depression Self-Assessment Test, based on the Zung Self-Rating Scale, is a widely used depression screening tool that is recognized by physicians worldwide. Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to feel better. Begin here for helpful information about making positive choices for yourself and supporting someone through depression

Coming into her own

Though she includes tips and advice from doctors in Growing Up Again, the book is more a memoir than a how-to for the newly diagnosed. She shares work anecdotes and family tales. She writes candidly about her relationship with her devoutly Catholic father and alcoholic mother, and about her three marriages and her not always emotionally healthy penchant for "alpha" men. She talks about coming into her own in this, her third marriage, finding equity and loving companionship with Levine. She rounds out her story by including reflections from others with diabetes, young and old, and lauds the young people she has met for their intelligence and commitment to managing their disease — something she says they do far better than she did in her early years.

Moore doesn't say other patients should model their lives after hers. She says she just hopes the stories about her losses, the dead-ends and the triumphs she has experienced that have helped her "grow up" will be a comfort to others, with or without the disease, and help them better understand themselves and find new ways to face their own challenges. Of her life overall, Moore says, there have been a few blips along the way. But, she says, "I must say, I did a remarkable job of it." To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification.

To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference.For people with diabetes, staying healthy means keeping blood glucose levels on an even keel. Sometimes, for reasons that aren't clear, levels dip dangerously low (hypoglycemia) or jet too high (hyperglycemia). Knowing the warning signs, symptoms and treatments is crucial. HYPOGLYCEMIA• What it is: Abnormally low blood glucose levels (typically less ?than 70 mg/dl). The target fasting level for a person with diabetes is 70 to 130 mg/dl.• Warning signs: Shakiness, dizziness, hunger, headache, lightheadedness, moodiness, pale skin.

Confusion, loss of consciousness and seizures are more advanced symptoms.• Treatment: Rapidly absorbable sugar such as fruit juice, regular (not diet) soda, glucose tablets, glucose gel. HYPERGLYCEMIA• What it is: Abnormally high blood glucose levels. Even if a person is treating his or her diabetes correctly, hyperglycemia also can occur when the person becomes ill.• Warning signs: Dry mouth and extreme thirst, sleepiness and confusion can be early warning signs. Rarely, when blood glucose levels become dangerously high, coma and death can occur. More often, chronic, long-term hyperglycemia can lead to health complications, including vision damage and nerve, kidney and heart disease.• Treatment: Physical activity; consistent daily monitoring of blood sugar and adjusting diet or dosage of diabetes medications accordingly under a doctor's guidance.