Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor
Emeritus, University of Minnesota

For thousands of years, people have searched for the meaning and beauty of
life in music, painting, poetry, and other arts.  Now scientists are finding
that the arts can benefit both your mental and physical health.

Research is following a number of paths.  Some scientists measure the
natural substances your body produces when you’re listening to music or
otherwise exposed to the arts.  Others look at what happens when you are
active in the creative process.  Researchers are now investigating how the
arts can help us recover from disease, injury, and psychological trauma.
Many scientists agree that the arts can help reduce stress and anxiety,
improve well-being, and enhance the way we fight infection.

Music plays a key role throughout our lives.  Parents worldwide sing and coo
to their babies.  At the other end of the life cycle music may be the last
thing to go in those with severe memory loss from Alzheimer’s disease.  Even
if they don’t know their own spouse, they can sing the songs of their youth.

Recent studies have found evidence that singing releases substances that
serve as the brain’s own natural painkillers.  Singing also increases the
“bonding hormone” that helps us feel a sense of trust.  When we listen to
music, levels of molecules important for fighting infection can rise.

Many of us intuitively use music for relaxation and enjoyment to socialize,
exercise or change our mood after a distressing day.  Music therapy is
sometimes used in the clinic as well, requiring a certified therapist to
interact with the patient.

To measure the effects of such therapy, one study showed how levels of an
important brain chemical that relays signals between cells increased after
four weeks of music therapy.  It then decreased after the therapy was
halted.

A report from Finnish scientists showed that listening to music helps stroke
patients recover both memory and focused attention.  The researchers also
found that music can reduce post-stroke depression and confusion.  Other
studies suggest that stroke patients may improve faster if they sing, rather
than speak, as part of their rehabilitation.

Scientists are also studying how art therapy can help to ease pain and
stress and improve quality of life.  When traumatic memories are stored in
the brain, they’re not stored as words but as images.  Art therapy is
uniquely suited to access these memories.

Once you draw or paint these images, you can then progress to forming words
to describe them.  This externalizes the trauma and moves it out of
isolation, onto the page and into a positive exchange with the therapist.
This process gives you an active involvement in your own healing.

Several studies have suggested that art therapy can help improve health
status, quality of life, and coping behaviors.  It can improve depression
and fatigue in cancer patients on chemotherapy and help prevent burnout in
caregivers.  It’s also been used to help prepare children for painful
medical procedures, as well as to improve the speech of children with
cerebral palsy.

Expressive writing, writing about traumatic, stressful, or emotional events,
has been shown to have a number of health benefits, from improving symptoms
of depression to helping fight infection.  Writing about emotional upheavals
in our lives can improve physical and mental health.  Although the
scientific research surrounding the value of expressive writing is still in
the early phases, there are some approaches to writing that have been found
to be helpful.

In a series of exercises, healthy student volunteers who wrote about
traumatic experiences had more positive moods, fewer illnesses, and better
measures of immune-system function than those who wrote about superficial
experiences.  Even six weeks later, the students who’d written about what
upset them reported more positive moods and fewer illnesses than those who’d
written about everyday experiences.

In another study of students vulnerable to depression, those who did
expressive writing exercises showed significantly lower depression symptoms,
even after six months, than those who had written about everyday matters.

Arts that involve movement, such as dance, can also bring health benefits.
Researchers already know that physical activity can help you reduce stress,
gain energy, sleep better, and fight depression and anxiety.  Researchers
are now studying Tai Chi, a sequence of slow, graceful body movements, to
see how it affects fitness and stress in cancer survivors.

Remember that the arts are no substitute for medical help when you need it,
but they can still bring health benefits.  If you enjoy writing or any other
art, go for it.  You don’t have to be “good” at them for them to be good for
you.

The arts may bring more than intellectual benefits.  Recent research
suggests they may help your physical and mental health.  Try these for a
start:

*       Write for at least 15 minutes a day, for at least 3 consecutive
days, about something that worries or bothers you.  If it makes you feel too
upset, simply stop writing or change topics.  Experiment to find what works
best for you.
*       Listen to music to reduce stress and improve quality of life.
*       Try a dance class or Tai Chi, a sequence of slow, graceful body
movements.  These kinds of movements can help reduce stress.
*       Try doodling or drawing as a way to work out tension.

If you would like more information on “More Than a Feeling – How the Arts
Affect Your Health” contact Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed.,
C.F.C.S. and Emeritus University of Minnesota at  <mailto:waldn001@umn.edu>
waldn001@umn.edu.  Be sure to watch for more Family Living Focus(tm)
information in next week’s paper.

by Wayne Pelzel, Sleepy Eye Mayor

The last couple months, the primary focus has been on the budget. The Council has had a couple working sessions to bring the budget totals into better focus, but the results have not been real encouraging. Today, the budget increase could be as high as 10 percent. But I don’t think the Council will want to let that stand. Cutting is always an option, but not a very popular one. Another option is to use some investment dollars to “buy down” the budget. It is believed that option could be exercised with some restraint and thereby keep our investment balance high enough that the interest earned would still maintain the principal. This will likely be an agenda item at the August 13 City Council meeting.

A common topic of discussion is the lack of housing options in the City. Even though the apartment building was added, moderately priced single family homes are still in great demand. With that goal in mind the EDA has been looking to construct a patio home (without a basement) in the southeast portion (by the pond) of the community. That area was chosen because the lots are lower priced and the needed infrastructure is already there. There are no decisions made yet as far as who would build it, which lot it would be built on, and so on. But, the concept is being seriously looked at.

My term as mayor will come to an end this December 31. From day one, I have always supported term limits, so it is time to live by my words. I can’t believe how fast eight years have gone by. It really has been an honor to serve as the Mayor of this great community and I hope that I have contributed to the City’s progress during that time. I will have the opportunity to write four more monthly columns and I thought I’d use these columns to reflect on some of the progress that has been made during that time. It is important to note that the progress that has been made is the result of many good folks working together to accomplish those things. The City Council, the City managers, the Downtown Revitalization Committee, The EDA, the other various Boards, Commissions and Committees, as well as many individuals, all have contributed to moving Sleepy Eye forward.

In this column, I’d like to remind folks how far Main Street has come in the last years. The EDA, under the direction of Kurk Kramer, has put in place policies that have significantly encouraged businesses to look at development in our downtown. Although that work is not done, much progress has been made. If you stop and reflect on Main Street in 2016, you will see the progress I’m talking about. Allow me to walk you through new buildings and refurbishments along those 10 blocks.

Beginning on the corner of Highways 4 and 14, the old Skelly Station was removed and an attractive park replaced it. Continuing east on 14, numerous business places have been refurbished including the Mages Building and Pollard Dental Clinic, and certainly the Pix and the Veteran’s Memorial with the Huey should be mentioned, along with airbnb Sleepy Eye Uptown, Hawkins Chiropractic and Powerhouse Nutrition. Matt and Crystal Ibberson tackled two buildings on the corner of Highway 14 and First Avenue, while Matt Mages refurbished the second floor of the Beltz Appliance building, creating another airbnb. Further east is the Schroepfer building with a whole new look. Then at the east edge on 14, we find Kibble Implement, Caseys, AmericInn, the Sleepy Eye Event Center, Double B Car Wash, C and S Heating and Air Conditioning, and Sleepy Eye Apartments.

No doubt I missed some and I apologize for that. But, interestingly, there’s even more planned. There are plans waiting on financing, contractors and miscellaneous other factors to develop even more of our downtown buildings. We can be proud that Sleepy Eye is coming back to life.

Eight years ago, I spoke at the Chamber of Commerce meeting saying that our goal should be to make Sleepy Eye a destination. I think with the cooperative spirit that exists, “destination” is exactly what is happening.

In the next four columns, I’ll speak more about progress in Sleepy Eye focused on staff relations, finances, the lake, and attractions that bring people to Sleepy Eye.

Don’t forget….Summerfest is almost here!

Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota   

Imagine what life would be like if you had to constantly check out the ingredients in your favorite foods to make sure your life was not in danger after eating even a tiny bit.  For some people with severe food allergies, that has become their way of life.

Food allergies cause tens of thousands of severe allergic reactions and many deaths every year in the United States.  They affect adults and children.  Studies show that food allergies are becoming more common.

Food allergies occur if your immune system has an abnormal reaction to food.  Normally, your immune system protects you from germs and disease by fighting off the harmful organisms that can make you sick.  When your immune system makes a mistake and attacks a harmless substance you eat, it can cause serious, even life-threatening, allergic symptoms.

Symptoms of food allergy can include coughing; tingling in the mouth; skin reactions like hives and itching; and nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or diarrhea.  Food allergies can also cause a sudden and severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.  Anaphylaxis brings life-threatening symptoms, which can include difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure and narrowing of the airways and wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe).

Foods that can cause allergies include fish and shellfish such as shrimp, crayfish, lobster, and crab; eggs, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts such as walnuts.  Peanut and tree nut allergies are the leading causes of anaphylaxis.

Research shows that you are more likely to develop food allergies if several members of your family have allergies.  That includes any type of allergy, including hay fever. If you have two allergic parents, you are more likely to develop food allergy than someone with one allergic parent.  There are many different genes or genetic traits that combine to cause various levels of allergies in some people.

People with asthma are particularly at risk for anaphylactic reactions.  If a child has asthma, it is particularly important for parents to know that their child is at greater risk, because most deaths in children from anaphylaxis to a food occur in children who have asthma.

Some children are actually born allergic to certain foods, whereas others develop food allergies over time.  Children are more likely than adults to outgrow allergies to milk, eggs or soy as their digestive tracts mature and their immune systems develop.  They may not outgrow allergies to peanuts.  Scientists are testing whether individuals might be gradually desensitized to peanuts so that eventually they would not suffer an allergic reaction to them.

If you have an allergic reaction to a certain food, you may also be allergic to similar foods.  This is called cross-reactivity. For example, if you are allergic to shrimp, allergy testing may show that you are also allergic to other seafood.

The only cure for a food allergy is to avoid that particular food.  If you have any unpleasant reaction to food, see your doctor to find out what is causing the problem. Although many people have bad reactions to certain foods, it may not always be allergy.

Skin tests are the most common tests for allergies like hay fever, but people with food allergies can have serious reactions to skin tests.  Blood tests are a safer method. They are not always accurate, though, so a positive blood test does not necessarily mean you have an allergy to a particular food.

To help your physician, try to keep a daily diet diary that lists the foods you ate and when you ate them, along with the symptoms you had and when they surfaced.  Individuals should be cautious not to overly focus on such food histories, as they can contribute to food phobias and misunderstandings.  It is easy to mistakenly associate things that happen to you with something you have eaten hours before.  Still, diet diaries can help your doctor decide what allergy tests to give you.

If you have a food allergy, it is best to prepare for an emergency in case you eat the wrong food by accident.  When you have an allergic reaction to food you may have a good idea of how severe the reaction is, but not always, as it is very difficult to predict.

Since allergic reactions to food can be hazardous people should be very cautious.  Call 911 if you or someone you know seems to be having an allergic reaction to food.

Physicians usually prescribe an auto-injector device that has epinephrine (adrenaline) for allergy sufferers.  Unfortunately, too few of these may be prescribed, some people do not always carry it with them and some also fail to renew their prescriptions.  Ask your doctor if you need to carry one and learn how to give that shot to yourself if needed.

Researchers are working to understand why the immune system sometimes launches attacks against seemingly harmless foods.  Researchers are also exploring methods that can lead to quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment of food allergies.  Many potential treatments are also under study.

One established treatment for some allergies is called immunotherapy.  It involves giving shots under the skin with tiny quantities of extract from the thing you are allergic to. Giving these injections over a lengthy period can build up your tolerance.  For food allergies, however, this procedure can be dangerous.  Scientists are currently testing numerous ways of making the approach safer, by modifying the substances themselves or by changing the way they are introduced into the body.

Researchers are also exploring methods to help the immune system dampen allergic reactions and lower your chance of developing food allergies.  Researchers hope that a few of the approaches being tested will work and become licensed therapies, giving people with food allergies options other than avoiding the foods they may love.

Dangerous Food Allergy Symptoms:
A sudden and severe allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis.  Watch out for these life-threatening symptoms and call for help if you see or feel them:

• Difficulty breathing
• Drop in blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeat
• Swollen tongue, throat, and other parts of the body
• Narrowing of the airways and wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe)
• Fainting

If you would like more information on “Living with Food Allergies” contact Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Emeritus University of Minnesota at waldn001@umn.edu.  Be sure to watch for more Family Living Focus™ information in next week’s paper.              

Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor
Emeritus, University of Minnesota

Saving your life can be a race against the clock.

It can happen to anyone.  You are driving to work when you are struck by
another car.  If you are seriously injured, your recovery and even your life
can depend on how quickly the emergency medical team arrives, what type of
treatment you get and how fast they get you to a hospital.

Unexpected injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to
44.  Most are from car crashes.  Burns, gunshot wounds, serious falls and
sudden cardiac arrest are other medical emergencies that require immediate
treatment.

The minute a life-threatening injury occurs, the clock starts ticking on the
“golden hour.”  That is a term used by emergency crews.  They know that the
first 60 minutes after severe trauma can be critical to survival.  Quick
action is even more crucial in the case of cardiac arrest, when the heart
stops beating, and the person passes out.  Starting treatment within the
first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

The good news is that emergency medical care has greatly improved over the
past four decades.  It is critical to call 911 or your local emergency
number right away if someone’s life seems to be in danger.  Your prompt call
summons trained emergency medical crews to the scene.  They can begin
medical care immediately.  For life-threatening injuries, their goal is to
get the patient to a trauma center or hospital as quickly as possible.

If the pre-hospital time is very short, patients with severe trauma will
have better results.  If it were not for the paramedics assisting and
transporting patients in a timely manner, trauma deaths could be two or
three times higher than they are today.

Scientists continue their efforts to improve emergency treatment.  The most
important thing you can do is call 911 when a medical crisis strikes.  And,
if you are able, help the victim before emergency teams arrive.

When to Call 911
Call 911 right away if you think someone’s life is in danger.  Here are some
signs of a medical emergency:

*       Uncontrolled bleeding
*       New or sudden difficulty breathing
*       New chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
*       Loss of consciousness
*       Unexplained seizures or convulsions
*       Sudden dizziness, weakness or change in vision

If you would like more information on “When a Medical Emergency Strikes”
contact Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Emeritus
University of Minnesota at  <mailto:waldn001@umn.edu> waldn001@umn.edu.  Be
sure to watch for more Family Living Focus(tm) information in next week’s
paper.

I wrote an article about the rules of elec- tric foot scooter use a few years ago. This was at the beginning when we saw a few out and about. Scooters of that type have surged in popularity recently with most cities seeing a huge rise in the number. I wanted to see what they were like for my- self, so I rented one and went on a ride. My first thought was they were fast, I was surprised how quick they felt while riding. It was a fun way to get around and I can certainly see the appeal. I don’t see the popularity going away and more and more kids seem to be riding the rentals and having their own.

Fun but dangerous is how I would describe these scooters. I would have loved these as a teenager. I have heard rumblings from citizens concerned for the safety of the kids riding them. My honest thought is that Brown County will see a death or serious injury happening to a rider on a motorized foot scooter in the next few years.

There are laws for these scooters that I will go over again, but most par- ents didn’t see or follow the laws last time I wrote about this. This article really goes out to the par- ents and guardians of the kids riding these scoot- ers. If you don’t inform and teach your children about the safe way of riding these scooters the chance of your kid being involved in a life chang- ing incident goes up. Anytime we drive any- thing, there is a possibil- ity of a life-changing ac- cident happening. Using safe driving techniques, safety equipment and following the rules helps reduce the risks.

What makes these so dangerous is the lack of protection while driving them, the speed they travel, and kids are not usually known for following the rules on their own. Our kids need to be shown and watched for their own safety. We wouldn’t let our kids play on a busy street, so letting our kids drive these scooters outside of the laws seems like the same thing to me.

The state recognizes these scooters the same as a bicycle.

• All traffic signs must be obeyed, I have seen many kids blow though the stop sign by my house while I am outside. I cringe when I see it be- cause one of these times there will be a car that the rider does not see.
• Riding these scoot- ers on the sidewalk is prohibited.
• No one under 12 is al- lowed to ride these scoot- ers. If your child is 11 or younger, they cannot ride a scooter. Officers are not going to stop kids to check their age unless it is obvious that they are well under 12. It is the parent’s responsibility to keep their child safe and not allow children under 12 to ride scooters.
• Helmets must be worn by anyone under the age of 18. Falling off a bike and hitting your head on a bike is danger- ous — I can’t imagine the damage that will be done falling off a scooter going 15 to 20 MPH.
• Scooters on the street must ride as close to the right-side curb as possible.

Please speak with your kids about being safe and following the rules to help keep them safe. No one is one hundred percent safe on a road, we can only try to minimize our risk. Please be safe and have fun.