Issuu

E D I TO R’S L E T T E R

When the Groundhog Sees His Shadow, it’s Time for Chili For some, myself included,

SHARE WITH US! February’s blustery winter days require two amenities: a blanket and an invitHave an event you would like to run in Around Kansas? ing sofa. Add a roaring fire, a favorite A story idea or comments you want to share with the hot beverage and I’m content until the editor? A recipe and photo for us to consider publishing? crocus and jonquils emerge. It’s much Let us know: easier to curl up on the sofa with the ffevents@kansascountryliving.com dog then to gear up with a coat, gloves, ffletters@kansascountryliving.com boots, hat and scarf for outdoor exerffphotos@kansascountryliving.com cise. After all, it’s hibernation season. If ffeditor@kansascountryliving.com the groundhog sees his shadow, I take it as a sign to double down with a pot ffrecipes@kansascountryliving.com of chili. After editing this month’s magato the ER or the hospital. Kearny County Hospital zine, I mustered motivation to ditch the sofa, grab in Lakin recognizes that focusing on a patient’s the dog leash—and Jazzie, my family’s German overall well-being, not just symptoms the patient Shepherd—and tackle the cold with a brisk walk, might be experiencing at the time, leads to fewer all while the chili was simmering. It’s amazing hospital readmissions and ER visits. Learn more how tranquil life can be without the TV blaring all about the hospital’s holistic approach on page 20. the bad news that’s not fit to print or broadcast in If you need a bit of spring to help you cope this 24/7 news cycle world. with the winter weather, enjoy our cooking and It only took a few brief walks with my dog to gardening columns this month. Both offer hope notice my thoughts had cleared and calm returned that winter is not eternal and that crocus and jonafter a trying day. The article that begins on page quils will soon emerge to brighten our days. But, if 12 describes the health and clinical benefits our the groundhog does see his shadow, a pot of chili pets can bring us, and the associated article on might be your best prescription for the winter page 22 explains how our four-legged friends can blues. KCL take on the role of personal trainer, motivating their owners into action. Taking care of ourselves and being proactive in our healthcare helps us to avoid expensive trips VICKI ESTES, EDITOR

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

FEBRUARY 2017

(ISSN 0091-9586) FEBRUARY 2017 VOL. 67, NO. 2 © KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC., 2017 WWW.KEC.COOP

Bruce Graham

Chief Executive Officer

Doug Shepherd

Vice President, Management Consulting

Shana Read

Director of Communications

Vicki Estes Editor

FEBRUARY

Carrie Kimberlin

Manager of Creative Solutions

Jackie Moore

Communications Specialist Officers Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

Kathleen O’Brien President

“LIKE” Kansas Country Living on Facebook.

Keith McNickle Vice President

Terry Hobbs Secretary

Craig Kostman Treasurer

Cooperatives You receive Kansas Country Living as a communications service of these electric cooperatives: Alfalfa, Cherokee, OK Bluestem, Wamego Brown-Atchison, Horton Butler, El Dorado CMS, Meade Caney Valley, Cedar Vale DS&O, Solomon Flint Hills, Council Grove Kaw Valley, Topeka Lane-Scott, Dighton LJEC, McLouth Lyon-Coffey, Burlington Ninnescah, Pratt Pioneer, Ulysses Prairie Land, Norton Radiant, Fredonia Rolling Hills, Beloit Sedgwick County, Cheney Sumner-Cowley, Wellington Tri-County, Hooker, OK Twin Valley, Altamont Victory, Dodge City Western, WaKeeney Wheatland, Scott City Kansas Country Living (ISSN 0091-9586) is published monthly for $10 per year (tax included) by Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604. Periodicals postage paid at Topeka, KS and additional entry offices. For members of Kansas rural electric systems, subscription cost is $5.88 per year. This cost is part of your electric service billing. Editorial offices: P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267. Phone 785-478-4554. Fax 785-478-4852.

12| Prescription Pet

Living with pets offers myriad health and clinical benefits.

D E PA RT M E N T S

20| Stable Condition

6| Commentary Understanding retail wheeling

ne rural hospital builds services with O mission-minded medicine.

Talk 8| Guest How to score a door prize

22| Partners in Fitness

Use your four-legged exercise partner as a personal trainer.

Place in the Garden 18| Your Growing gardeners

26| Marketplace 28| Safety Preventing zoonotic illnesses 29| Monthly Recipes

Postmaster Send address changes to Kansas Country Living, P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267.

Kansas Country Living assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Submissions must be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes with sufficient postage to be returned. The publication does not guarantee publication of material received and reserves the right to edit any material published.

Your Utility Bills 10| Cut A look at smartphone apps My Way Home 24| Cooking Hope and herbs spring eternal

Address Changes Please report any change in address to your local electric cooperative.

Advertisers Contact National Country Market: 512-441-5200, or see www. nationalcountrymarket.com. Acceptance of advertising by Kansas Country Living does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Kansas’ electric cooperatives of the product or services advertised.

Kansas 4| Around New calendar timeline

FEBRUARY 2017

ON THE COVER Glenda Flax, Victory Electric Cooperative member, and Lexi, both from Dodge City, take a break before the Jan. 16 ice storm hit the area. P H OTO BY J E R R I I M G A RT E N

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

T H I N G S TO D O

A CHANGE TO AROUND KANSAS CALENDAR TIMELINE

Around Kansas will include events through the middle of the following month when the information is made available. We hope that by extending the calendar the events scheduled the first week of a month will not be missed when the magazine hits readers’ mailboxes later than anticipated. In addition, we post Around Kansas events to our Facebook page (KansasCountryLiving) prior to the first of each month. If you would like your event information published, please submit it to events@kansascountryliving.com as soon as the information is available. We also accept high resolution photos to accompany events when space is available. VARIOUS DATES & LOCATIONS IN FEBRUARY

Navigating a Struggling Farm Economy. This program from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. will focus on different topics to start thinking critically about how the farm operation might withstand hard times. Visit www.agmanager.info/events. Feb. 6 - Hays, Agricultural Research Center. 1232 240th Ave. Call 785-628-9430. Feb. 7 - Dodge City, Knights of Columbus Hall. 800 Frontview. Call 620-227-4542. Feb. 8 - Colby, City Limits Convention Center. 2227 South Range. Call 785-460-4582. Feb. 15 - Eldorado, Butler County Community (4-H) Building. 206 N. Griffith. Call 316-3219660. THROUGH MID-FEB. Charles Rogers

Exhibit, Ellsworth. View paintings by Charles Rogers Monday-Friday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Ellsworth Area Art Center. Rogers was an artist who did a variety of landscape paintings of western and rural central Kansas. Each painting on exhibit will be for sale. 223 N. Douglas Ave. FEB. 4 & 18 Ghost Tour, Ellinwood.

Event takes place at the Wolf Hotel on Feb. 4 and at the Underground on Feb. 18; 6 to 10:30 p.m. Call 785-425-7350 or visit www. adventuretoursofkansas.com. FEB. 4 Central Kansas Market Grower

& Vendor Workshop, Wichita. This workshop is for anyone interested in networking with other growers, improving marketing skills, improving production practices, or learning how to be a better farmers’ market vendor. Morning breakout

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

FEBRUARY 2017

sessions begin at 9 a.m. at the Sedgwick County Extension Center. 7001 W. 21st St. N. Register at http://sedgwick.ksu.edu or call 316-660-0100. FEB. 10 Succeeding in a Challenging Beef Industry, Goodland . This program from 9 to 4 p.m. (MST) will focus on a host of different topics to start thinking critically about how the farm operation might withstand hard times. Held at the Goodland Elks Lodge. 16th and Arcade streets; cfear@ ksu.edu or 785-332-3171, or sandyj@ksu.edu. FEB. 11-13 Singles in Agriculture, Topeka/Lawrence. Enjoy tours of the Kansas State Capitol, North Topeka Arts District, Garden Show at Kansas Expocentre, Brown v. Board of Education Museum, Lecompton’s Constitution Hall & Museum and Haskell Indian Nations University. Contact Jill at 620-682-0079, or visit www. singlesinagriculture.org/kschapter.html. FEB. 11 City Market, St. Marys. Help

support the community and shop local. The market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located at George J. Perry Memorial Armory. 110 S. 5th St. FEB. 11 Acoustic Music Jam, Newton.

Jam meets at Newton East Side United Methodist Church the second Saturday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. All acoustic stringed instruments are welcome; listeners also welcome. 1520 E. Broadway. Call Joan Kennedy or Phil Kimerer at 316-283-0134. FEB. 11 St. Paul’s Lutheran Ladies Aid

Spaghetti and Chili Dinner, Junction City. St. Paul’s Lutheran Ladies Aid invite all to their annual event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Active duty military are invited to eat free otherwise a free-will donation is appreciated. Stock up on baked goods and craft items as a bake and craft sale will be held. 9719 Clarks Creek Rd. Call Lynn Anderson at 785-4823213 for more information. FEB. 12 Love Songs and Sweets Buffet,

Morganville. The Community Chamber Orchestra will play romantic music as the audience enjoys a buffet of desserts in the old Morganville School gym. Tickets available at 785-926-4725 or bclark@diodecom.net. The Orchestra is unique in the country for employing children and adults of all ages and technical abilities to perform string chamber orchestra without a conductor. For more information visit www.kansasmusic.net. FEB. 18 Design & Grow Gardening Workshop, North Wichita. Learn from the pros, garner ideas for your garden and landscape, and find inspiration in new plants and gardening experiences at this workshop from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Extension Center. 7001 W. 21st Street N. Visit http://sedgwick.ksu.edu to register. FEB. 23-26 & MARCH 2-5 Time Stands Still,

Hutchinson. Performances at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on Feb. 26 and March 5. Tickets at stage9hutch.com and at the door one hour prior to a performance. To check availability, email info@stage9hutch.com or call 316-350-PLAY (7529) 9 S. Main.

FEB. 25-26 Flint Hills Greener Living Show, Emporia. The former Emporia Lawn, Flower and Garden Show, the Flint Hills Sustainability Fair and the Small Farms Big Ideas Conference have combined to bring this new show to the Flint Hills area; held at the Anderson Building. Lyon County Fairgrounds; 620-341-3220. FEB. 25 Ghost Tour, Concordia. Event held at Brown Grand Theater from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. 310 W. 6th St. Call 785-425-7350 or visit www.adventuretoursofkansas.com. MARCH 4 Old Settlers Reunion,

Ellsworth. This gathering is for families who have been in Ellsworth County for 100 years or more; begins at 5:30 p.m. with a social of sharing old photographs. Dinner and a program follow with King Midas & the Muflers at 8 p.m. Held at Ellsworth City Hall. Visit www.facebook.com/ nationaldrovershalloffame. MARCH 5 Between Yes and I Do

Bridal Fair, Downs. Over 30 vendors set up at Lakeside High School to help make your wedding special. Downs Bridal World will have several wedding and bridesmaids dresses modeled. RSVP for brides-to-be for special treatment. www.downschamber.com.

from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Fair Building on the Fairgrounds. Enjoy all kinds of exhibits, working trains and layouts, plus vendors will be on hand. 209 Lake Ave. Call Claude at 620-253-3037 with questions. MARCH 18 Tri-State Toy & Collectible

Show, Norton. Browse antique toys, trading cards and collectibles; National Guard Armory. Call 785-877-2341. MARCH 18-19 Roping School, Rantoul. Tie-down and breakaway roping school at Ouellette Family Covered Arena. All experience levels welcome; minimum age is 9. 4455 Jackson Rd. Visit SpoonCreekRodeo. com for more information. MARCH 24-26 Rough Stock School,

Fort Scott. Bull riding, bronc riding & Morton_KSCountryLiv_1.17_Layout more at Fort Scott Community College.1

Minimum age is 9. 2108 S. Horton St. Visit SpoonCreekRodeo.com for more information. MARCH 25 Våffeldagen, Lindsborg.

Spend the day in Lindsborg eating waffles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Originating in Sweden, Våffeldagen is an entire day dedicated to the delicious waffle, and the upcoming arrival of spring. De smakar mycket goda! They taste very good! Restaurants in Lindsborg, various locations; begins at 10 a.m. Send items for your free listing to events@ kansascountryliving.com as early as possible but no later than the 5th of the month for the following month’s publication. Please include a phone number for readers’ questions. We publish Around Kansas events as a courtesy and cannot guarantee publication of your event. KCL

12/9/16 11:53 AM Page 1

join us for building value days, our

biggest sales event

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MARCH 9 KANSASWORKS Statewide

Job Fair, Dodge City. Job seekers and employers, don’t miss out on this opportunity to meet, connect and hire qualified veterans and job seekers from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at the Dodge City Civic Center, 2110 First Ave. Additional sites across the state include: El Dorado, Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Overland Park, Parsons, Topeka, Wellington and Wichita. For more information, visit the Job Fair section at www.kansasworks.com or call 785-2961778. MARCH 18-19 Train Show, Garden City.

The Boot Hill Model Train Club sponsors this event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and

January 1st–February 28th

2017 Sale Dates:

January 1st–February 28th

800-447-7436 • mortonbuildings.com

FEBRUARY 2017

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

C O M M E N TA RY

Retail Wheeling Would Trade Regulation for Complication BY B R U C E G R A H A M

We’ve been hearing much outrage

Bruce Graham

The ironic part of this story is that states such as Kansas with a more traditional regulatory structure have lower rates than most retail wheeling states.

lately about “fake news” or what used to be called propaganda. Unfortunately, in this information-heavy world, our menu of media consumption must now come with a side order of skepticism. Please keep a wary mind if you start hearing from proponents of a concept called retail wheeling or customer choice for electric utility service. A push for this dramatic restructuring of the utility industry has hit the headlines in Nebraska, and we suspect the pitch may soon come to the Statehouse in Topeka. Advocates note that about a dozen states allow customers to choose electric providers. But that doesn’t mean it has been good public policy. Several states rescinded the legislation before it was implemented. Several more wish they could return to the previous structure. But once this change is enacted, it is probably irreversible. Kansas considered this concept 20 years ago and determined it wasn’t a good idea then. We believe it has even less merit today. Some say our industry is changing and we need to adapt. However, things have been shifting pretty rapidly for utilities and we are continually adjusting. Kansas has enacted netmetering as an option for the retail customer. Kansas utilities met a mandate that 20 percent of the state’s generation be from renewable resources—and accomplished it four years ahead of the 2020 deadline. Federal agencies have required significant investment to meet air, water and land impact standards. In addition, the proposed Clean Power Plan will affect generation and investment decisions if it is enacted. All of these state and federal initiatives, combined with our regular business operations, require capital for facilities, upgrades to equipment, etc. Those investments and the necessary loan security, are possible because customers will be there to pay for them in the future. Our

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

FEBRUARY 2017

regulated structure enables power plants to be built, lines to be constructed and maintained, and necessary utility personnel to be employed, trained and retained. Retail wheeling advocates often tout less regulation as a benefit to consumers but experience says this form of deregulation results in —complication. Moving to a market for electricity means instead of one utility, you will have to deal with a number of entities. Your current electric provider is still responsible for the poles and wires and you would pay them for the service needed to deliver electricity. Retail wheeling would require work by consumers to carefully evaluate different rate plans and choose a new company or two to secure the actual kilowatts needed to keep your lights on. Those plans, and offers, can be complex, misleading and fleeting. Utilities in states with retail wheeling have had to divest their generation resources and, in turn, invest heavily in public education campaigns and marketing departments to communicate with potential customers. Advertising budgets balloon. Power suppliers come and go, creating a possible consumer protection issue. And in the end, a market price doesn’t mean a lower price. It does mean being subject to the fluctuations of a volatile energy market that may be attractive today, but could be wildly different in the future. Utility rates are changing in Kansas and across the country. The ironic part of this story is that states such as Kansas with a more traditional regulatory structure have lower rates than most retail wheeling states. KEC and your cooperative will be engaged in this debate to protect the interests of our full cooperative membership. If the issue becomes serious, we will let you know and hope you will let your opinion be heard. KCL BRUCE GRAHAM is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. in Topeka.

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G U E S T TA L K

Will You be Eligible for the Door Prize? BY D O U G S H E P H E R D

Doug Shepherd

Electric cooperatives are owned by those they serve. As an owner, you have a say in how the cooperative is run.

How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? Did you plan to get fit, improve your finances or work on your relationships? Have you thought about your relationship with your electric cooperative? How healthy is it? Most customers have a simple bond with their electric company. They flip a switch and expect electrons to effortlessly flow to the intended device bringing the wonders of electricity to their home and, at the end of the month, they return the favor by paying their electric bill. But electric cooperative members have a different relationship with their electric company: after all, they own it! There are at least three ways that electric cooperatives are different from other power providers: ownership, mission and the treatment of surplus revenues. Ownership

Electric cooperatives are owned by those they serve. As an owner, you have a say in how the cooperative is run. Day-to-day management is the responsibility of the CEO who is accountable to the board. But, you have a vote on major issues such as bylaws and board representation.

Mission

Investor-owned utilities (IOUs) are in business to sell electric energy in order to earn a return on their investments with the ultimate goal of maximizing shareholder wealth. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, you may even be a shareholder of an IOU and like the idea of increasing the value of your stock. But, IOUs weren’t quick to invest in rural

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COOPERATIVE ffStay informed about the electric industry by reading Kansas Country Living

including your cooperative’s insert ffRead your cooperative’s annual report ffAttend the annual meeting ffElect qualified board members or volunteer to run for the board yourself ffVolunteer to serve on a member advisory committee ffSupport your cooperative’s community programs ffParticipate in your cooperative’s grassroots advocacy program

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

FEBRUARY 2017

areas because they couldn’t make as much profit. That’s when electric cooperatives were formed to bring electric service to these areas. “Thank goodness for electric cooperatives”, retired KEC communications director, Bill Ohlemeier used to say, “if it weren’t for them, rural residents would be watching television by candlelight.” Universal access is now a given and today’s cooperatives continue their legacy by focusing on providing safe, reliable, and affordable electric energy.

Capital Credits

IOUs distribute a portion of their profits to their shareholders. Cooperatives on the other hand, operate on a not-for-profit basis. At the end of each year, revenues in excess of operating costs are allocated and assigned to each member’s equity account. These capital credits are held by the cooperative for a period of time and, when replaced with newer capital credits, are eventually refunded. The decision to refund capital credits is made by the board when they determine that the cooperative is financially able.

Rights & Responsibilities

Why should you care about your electric cooperative? Don’t you take an active interest in other things you own? As a member-owner, you not only have a right to be involved, but also a responsibility to be informed. You have the right to vote on major issues, receive a financial interest, and eventual refund, of capital credits and to inspect the cooperative’s annual report. It’s not too late to make another resolution: increase your involvement with your electric cooperative. How? You can start by resolving to attend your annual meeting this year. Show your appreciation to the board for governing and to the CEO and his staff for working for your cooperative’s benefit. You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions of the board, management and staff, visit with your neighbors and meet fellow members. And, if you’re lucky, you just might even win a door prize. KCL is Vice President of Management Consulting Services for Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. in Topeka.

DOUG SHEPHERD

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C U T YO U R U T I L I T Y B I L L S

Smartphone Energy Apps Can they really save you money? Dear Pat: I’m interested in smartphone apps that will help track my energy use and provide tips for how to reduce it. Do you have any suggestions?—Peggy Dear Peggy: There are several smartphone apps that can help you determine how energy is used in your home. Energy use apps can also provide information that helps you choose efficiency upgrades that make the most sense for your home. Here are a few types of smartphone apps you could consider downloading: ffYOUR ELECTRIC CO-OP’S APP: Many

electric co-ops offer smartphone apps that allow you to view recent bills and set high use alerts. Many of these apps will also let you pay your bill through the app, read about any co-op efficiency programs or incentives, compare your energy use to similar homes and learn how the weather may have impacted your energy bill. Visit your co-op’s website to find out if they offer a smartphone app.

ffSMART THERMOSTAT APPS: There

are a number of smart thermostats on the market from companies like Alarm.com, ecobee, Honeywell and Nest. Smart thermostats can optimize your home’s heating and cooling based on your family’s habits and the weather. If you have one of these

Smartphone apps can be powerful tools for understanding your energy use.

smart thermostats, take advantage of the corresponding smartphone app that can give you detailed information about your home’s heating and cooling use. ffENERGY DISAGGREGATION DEVICE APPS:

There are some devices and corresponding smartphone apps from companies such as Bidgely and PlotWatt that analyze electric signals to determine how much electricity appliances are using in your home. With these devices and apps, you can see the energy use of a particular appliance over time. An unexplained jump in energy use could pinpoint a problem.

ffAPPS WITH ENERGY SAVINGS TIPS: Some

apps provide personalized energy tips based on your location, home characteristics and other information that you provide. One example is Touchstone Energy’s “Together We Save” app, which provides energy savings tips for the home, as well as energy use calculators. Additional apps that can help you track and understand your energy use are becoming available each day. Read reviews from other users to learn which apps have been most beneficial. Keep in mind that while these apps can give you an idea of how much energy you are using, which areas of your home are using the most energy and tips for reducing your use—it’s up to you to evaluate the information the app provides. One thing to remember is that apps often only look at a single fuel use, so if you have an all-electric home, the app could be quite conclusive—but if you have appliances fueled by natural gas or propane, the information will be less thorough. With trend data from an energy app, you should be able to pinpoint Continued on page 17 

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LAURA SHACHMUT

... while some pets may act as allergens, investigators are learning that pediatric exposure to animals might actually prevent allergies later in life.

Can

PETSmake us Healthier?

“After a stressful day, sometimes all I want to do is go home and zone out with my cat Ivy sitting on my lap for a while,” said Michele Vaughn, a middle school teacher in Tyler, Texas, who, along with her husband, Jim, rescued the white female with tabby spots nearly seven years ago. “Ivy has a really loud purr and is not shy about using it,” Vaughn said. “You can almost feel your blood pressure lowering.” John Ball, who recently relocated from Ellensburg, Washington, to Little Rock, Arkansas, with his 14-year-old chow chow mix and 8-year-old goldendoodle, echoed Vaughn’s sentiments. “Every time Miss Hallie and GusGus lick my hand to go outside for a romp, I think I can literally feel my blood pressure decreasing,” he said. “I always say, it wasn’t really a bad day if I come home to two wagging tails.” According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s most recent U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, 56 percent of American households include pets. The majority of these pet owners, 63.2 percent, consider their companion animals to be family members. Like Vaughn and Ball, many also believe that their pets are not only “tuned in” to their physical and mental health, but can also actually help improve them. Is this possible? In some cases, yes, according to researchers like Philip Tedeschi, M.S.S.W., L.C.S.W., executive director of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection and clinical professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. The amount of research in the area of

BY A . D . L I V E LY

human-animal interaction is increasing every day, and it is confirming what many people with companion animals have already recognized. “Companion animals are a very critical part of people’s lives — part of their support systems and some of the most reliable and relevant and valued relationships that people have,” Tedeschi said. Experts agree these relationships can, in turn, often have a positive impact on physical and mental health.

Hidden connections

Patients are usually aware of the possible physical downsides of living with pets, said Dr. Lee Blecher, who practices family medicine with a concentration in women’s health in Fairfax, Virginia. They know that pregnant women shouldn’t handle cat litter, for example, because of the risk of birth defects from toxoplasmosis, and they know that animal bites and scratches should be treated immediately to prevent infection. They also know that sniffling, sneezing and other allergic responses to pets can create misery for sensitive household members. The benefits of sharing a home with a companion animal, however, are often overlooked, or in many cases are just now coming to light. For example, while some pets may act as allergens, investigators are learning that pediatric exposure to animals might actually prevent allergies later in life. “Kids exposed to pets early on in life have fewer allergies and pulmonary disorders like asthma. It ends up being a beneficial thing,” said Blecher, who is also an associate clinical professor of family medicine with the Virginia CommonFEBRUARY 2017

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

Flippin, Arkansas, native Courtney Jones now lives in Boston with her steady companion in any setting, Golden retriever Beau.

LAURA SHACHMUT

STEVE CREEK CCCCOCOCOCOCO UCO UCO UCO UCRO UCRO UCRO UTCRO UTCRO UTCRO UTCRN O UTCRN O UTRN O UTRN O UETRN O UETRN UETRN UYETRN UYETRN UYETRNYETRNYETRNYETRN BYETN BYETN BYETN BYEN BYEN BYEN BAYEBAYEBAYEBAU YEBAU YBAEU YBAEU YBAEUBAEUBAEUBAEUBAEUBAEO UABEO UABEO UABEO UABO SUABO SUABO SUTBO SUTBO SUTBO SUO TBSO TBSO TBSO TBSO TBN SO TBN SO TN SO TN SO TN SO TN SO TN SO TN SO TN SO TNO TNO TNO NO NO NNNNN

Edward Creek with his new pup Little Bit in Oden, Arkansas. Experts agree a healthy pet-human relationship begins with matching the animal to the person in personality, activity level, resources and needs.

A heart-healthy match

The primary cause of death in the U.S. is cardiovascular disease (CVD), so studies indicating that pet ownership can improve CVD symptoms and indicators like lipid (fat) profiles, stress response, and, yes, even blood pressure, have been greeted with interest by the healthcare community. After critically reviewing the literature, the American Heart Association (AHA) published a Scientific Statement on Pet Ownership and Cardiovascular Risk in 2013 that concluded that pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with decreased CVD risk and may even have a causal role in reducing it. One possible cause of this positive impact is the increased physical activity usually seen on the part of dog owners. “We all have patients whose only exercise is that they have to get up to walk the dog three times a day,” Blecher said. The same AHA statement cautioned, however, that, while getting a pet might be a “reasonable” recommendation in some cases, “pet adoption, rescue or purchase should not be done for the primary purpose of reducing CVD risk.” That’s in part because not all situations are the same. “Individual variation in people, animals and different contexts likely all matter,” said Meagan Mueller, Ph.D., a research assistant professor at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and associate director of the Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction. “And so far, it seems as though the quality of the relationship matters ... A positive, mutually

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

FEBRUARY 2017

beneficial relationship with a pet is probably going to be associated with more positive outcomes.”

Bioaffiliation

Another area researchers are exploring is the concept of bioaffiliation, or the recognition that we learn about our own well-being by looking at other living things around us. “If you were standing next to a bunch of people, and all of a sudden they all startled and ran away, you would probably think about doing the same thing, right?” Tedeschi said. Contact with other healthy, living systems can also help us assess our situations and relax, and allow our physiology to respond in kind. “For example, we can put a resting therapy dog right alongside the body of a traumatized child, and have that child use that animal’s heart rate and respiration to match their own,” said Tedeschi, adding that this process allows the child to recalibrate his or her own physiology and slow down acute stress reactions. This is particularly significant since the longer the brain of a trauma patient feels unsafe, the less positive their outcome may be. “So the quicker we can be in moving somebody to a sense of feeling safe, and a sense of well-being, the fewer symptoms we have over the long term,” Tedeschi said.

Specific needs

Leading the way in terms of research about bioaffiliation and other human-animal connection questions is work with the therapeutic use of animals for patients with conditions like autism and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients with autism spectrum disorders can sometimes have trouble functioning in traditional settings, said Tedeschi, who has collaborated with celebrated autism and animal behavior expert

LAURA SHACHMUT

wealth University School of Medicine. “It primes the immune system. It’s similar to the concept of immunotherapy, or allergy shots,” he said, citing recently published Swedish studies.

“Most cat owners have a funny, almost roommate-like relationship with their cats, where they love each other but they have habits that drive each other crazy.” whether there’s an actual risk or not and begin to regain control of their own startle reflexes.

The truth about cats

It’s something of a myth that cats are less trainable than dogs, said Tedeschi. They can be trained through positive reinforcement, “often in the very same ways that dogs can be trained — but we have different expectations for them.” Cats can, in fact, learn to participate in our lives much like other companion animals can be trained to do — if you are committed to it, he advised. “You have to be consistent. And most cat owners aren’t,” Tedeschi said. “Most cat owners have a funny, almost roommate-like relationship with their cats, where they love each other but they have habits that drive each other crazy.” There are programs incorporating cats that teach them to walk on leashes, play games, do obstacle courses, fetch things, and interact with and respond to people in helpful ways, Tedeschi said. Cats also offer tremendous opportunities for people with minimal space, or minimal access to the outdoors — for example, someone who is housebound or unable to leave home frequently.

A dangerous situation

“Social isolation is one of the most dangerous conditions that we treat,” Tedeschi said, empha-

Research shows that contact with healthy pets can help us assess our situations and relax, and allow our physiology to respond in kind.

Cats are particularly good companions for retirees who might not get out as much as they once did.

FEBRUARY 2017

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

JENNY BOULDEN

Temple Grandin. Animals communicate using everything except spoken or written words. Many individuals on the autism spectrum are able to use these nonverbal forms of communication to have really successful connections with animals. “Animals provide fantastic opportunities for working with these individuals,” Tedeschi said. Another example of where pet-based interventions are becoming useful is with the military veteran population. It is estimated that there are now about a half million U.S. service members who potentially are experiencing PTSD and similar traumatic brain injuries. One of the outcomes of PTSD is that many individuals retreat and avoid social connections. “So when somebody doesn’t trust a human being, in many cases animals are an alternative safe and supportive relationship,” Tedeschi said. “This allows them to begin to utilize their brain in a capacity consistent with healthy relationships, and to begin to recover, to retrain the traumatized brain to be able to function in everyday life.” One clinical intervention for PTSD, for example, is to teach people experiencing hypervigilance to observe their own animals. Cats are fantastic for this, Tedeschi said, because cats are very sensitive to their environments. This allows somebody to form a second opinion about

Elizabeth Shachmut, age 5, makes friends with Beau, a Golden retriever who is great with children. Dogs and cats are appropriate pets for a child her age.

LAURA SHACHMUT

When spending time with calm animals, a person’s heart rate and respiration begin to match the animal’s, a key concept in the use of trained therapy animals.

sizing it has the same overall impact on health as if they smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. “It shortens people’s lives on multiple, different levels, creating these psychological or emotional circumstances where somebody begins to have other kinds of problems,” he said. A number of specific populations are particularly prone toward becoming isolated — for example, older adults who are losing their friends and spouses. In many cases, pets can become very effective social support systems. When Vaughn and her husband moved her retired mother into assisted living, a top priority was whether the facility would accept her two cats, Dempsey and Abbie. “Even though she is in a wheelchair, mom is still able to look after them with my help, and they really add so much to her life,” said Vaughn. “Abbie’s favorite place is the windowsill, and since mom’s apartment is near the entrance of the facility, Abbie has become the unofficial greeter,” Vaughn added. “She makes a lot of people happy.”

The right fit

For the many millions of adults who are lonely and lacking social connections, as well as for the millions of homeless animals euthanized each year, this may seem like a win-win. But experts emphasize that there also has to be a good fit, both between human and animal and within the larger (and often changing) situational context. Blecher has seen the positive side of living with pets for many of his patients, noting that they can provide emotional comfort when the patient is ill and companionship when someone loses a family member. But he also observed the downside of a bad match or a changing situation, particularly for those who do not have family members like Vaughn to provide backup support.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

FEBRUARY 2017

“Patients develop emotional concerns when they get ill and can’t take care of their pets,” said Blecher. “And sometimes, economically, they can’t afford the veterinary expenses.” It is important for pet owners to have a plan in place for the care of their pets, Blecher said, adding that he has one savvy patient who has even written animal care plans into a will.

Connecting with the moment

Understanding the different types of people and pets that could help each other most is an area where we need more research in human-animal interaction, said Mueller. “One of the major unanswered questions is determining under what circumstances pet ownership is beneficial.” In the meantime, however, “there is something very heartwarming about having someone love you so unconditionally,” said Vaughn. “Dogs require you to be present. And they are geniuses at forcing you to stop and attend to the moment,” said Ball, who in addition to tendencies towards high blood pressure has also experienced challenges with stress and depression. “Hallie and GusGus provide me with empathy and love and playfulness,” Ball said. “I don’t just care for them. They actively care for me.” Ultimately, said Tedeschi, whether or not having a pet improves your health is about relationships. “The same kinds of important qualities that exist in our human relationships that allow us to feel connected, to have the ability to interact, the ability to participate in enjoyable activities — those are right at the heart of many people’s relationships with their companion animals,” he said. KCL A.D. LIVELY is an Arkansas-based writer specializing in

health and wellness.

C U T YO U R U T I L I T Y B I L L S

S M A RT H U B

Continued from page 10 

Above: Many electric co-ops offer the SmartHub app, which allows you to analyze energy use in comparison to weather trends. Below right, the Touchstone Energy’s Together We Save app provides energy tips and energy use calculators.

for example, running your clothes dryer overnight instead of when you get home from work? If your bill is increasing and you are not sure why, or you want more ideas for how to reduce your energy bills, your electric co-op is a great resource. Your co-op’s energy adviser may be able to sit down with you and analyze your bill, talk about your home’s characteristics and your family’s habits, and provide tips for how to reduce your energy use. KCL This column was co-written by PAT KEEGAN and AMY WHEELESS of Collaborative Efficiency. For more ideas on efficiency apps and how to save energy, please visit www. collaborativeefficiency.com/ energytips. FEBRUARY 2017

TOUCHSTONE ENERGY COOPERATIVES

large energy uses in your home. For example, if heating and cooling are significant draws on your energy bills, investing in weatherization measures or upgrading your system to a more efficient one could have a big impact on your bill. Apps that give you access to real-time information can be a powerful diagnostic tool to help you evaluate the impact of an energy efficiency measure. A good practice is to sit down regularly to look at trends and changes to your energy bills. Has your energy use increased in the last month? Was the weather significantly colder or warmer? Was your family at home more often because of a holiday? Does your co-op have timeof-use rates, and if so, do you make any adjustments to your energy use to account for those different rates —

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YO U R P L A C E I N T H E G A R D E N

‘Growing’ Gardeners

BY C Y N T H I A D O M E N G H I N I , P H . D .

Gardening can offer numerous health

Cynthia Domenghini, Ph.D.

With increasing rates of health complications in our nation’s children, it’s time we engage youth in a healthy hobby that can be continued throughout their lives.

benefits including increases in fruit and vegetable exposure and consumption, physical activity and general well-being. Gardening is a popular recreational activity for older adults, but the health outcomes can benefit younger generations as well. Children are likely gardeners due to their natural curiosity though ever-advancing technology creates intense competition for their time. With increasing rates of health complications in our nation’s children, it’s time we engage youth in a healthy hobby that can be continued throughout their lives. The issue is, how to get our kids gardening. Embrace the fact that children garden differently than adults. Their actions are more influenced by adventures in the moment than health benefits or efficiency. If the garden experience is dominated by “chores” their time as a gardener may be short-lived. Begin your young gardener with a reasonably sized garden respective to their age and abilities. He/she will have the opportunity to pull weeds and complete other tasks at a level that will allow them to learn the responsibilities of tending a garden without becoming burdensome and sending them running back inside. Help your child make a sign marking the entrance to the garden promoting creative expression and ownership. Incorporate features such as gnomes and fairies that your child can play with while in the garden. Digging in the dirt is great exploration and physical activity. As you plan the garden space, be sure to leave room for your child to dig just for the sake of digging. Child-sized tools make a great gift and you will be amazed at how much time children will spend filling a small wheelbarrow only to dump it a foot away. Encourage your child to turn over rocks and discover what critters call the garden “home” and learn how to co-exist with those inhabitants. Older children can create experiments to test the effects of soil fertility, sun exposure or water quality on plant growth. Receive questions and guide your gardeners to discover solutions through exploration in the garden. Search seed catalogs with your child and allow him/her to select a few plants to grow this spring. Look for

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

FEBRUARY 2017

unique fruits or vegetables that will motivate your child to anticipate the harvest. Observe as your child determines when the seeds should be started and appropriate planting sites. Offering your child a leading role in the planning phase will increase their investment in the outcome. Establish a spot in the garden for reflection. This is a place where your child can go to marvel at natural processes, consider new questions and design experiments. This can become a retreat for your child to learn to use to self-regulate during times of stress. By meeting our children where they are in respect to their interests and needs we can encourage them to adopt this healthful hobby and the behaviors of hard work, patience and discipline that go along with it. We can use the garden as a healthy resource to feed our child’s body, mind and spirit. KCL CYNTHIA DOMENGHINI is an instructor and coordinator for Kansas State University’s horticultural therapy online certificate program.

For young children, even a single container planting can provide a bountiful harvest and experience in the garden that will keep them coming back for more.

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Digital Hearing Aid Outperforms Expensive Competitors This sleek, fully programmed, light-weight, hearing aid is the outgrowth of the digital revolution that is changing our world. While demand for “all things digital” caused most prices to plunge (consider DVD players and computers, which originally sold for thousands of dollars and today can be purchased for less), the cost of a digital medical-grade hearing aid remains out of reach. Dr. Cherukuri knew that many of his patients would benefit but couldn’t afford the expense of these new digital hearing aids. Generally they are not covered by Medicare and most private health insurance plans.

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Holistic

Approach brings growth BY B R I A N THOMPSON

Rural hospitals are struggling to stay open as the communities around them shrink and average patient counts drop as well. A study released earlier this year said one in three rural U.S. hospitals is at risk of closing. But one small hospital in southwest Kansas — Kearny County Hospital — is drawing patients from as far as 120 miles away and expanding its services. Benjamin Anderson, the hospital’s administrator, in 2015 analyzed statistics dating back to 2005 for the hospital in Lakin. Emergency department visits were up 45 percent. Inpatient hospital days had climbed a whopping 126 percent. At the same time, visits to the hospital’s two rural health clinics had grown by only 21 percent. So Anderson conducted a survey of all patients who came to the emergency department for minor illnesses like sore throats that weren’t really emergencies. To his surprise, Anderson discovered that the main reason they came to the emergency department was because they couldn’t get a clinic appointment. “We had been so short on primary care in our region that we were turning away 50 new patients per week in our clinic for over two years,” he said. That led Anderson to wonder whether the hospital was really helping people stay healthy. “We don’t mind growth and taking care of a larger population. We just want to take care of them well,” he said. “We want them to stay out of the hospital if possible. We want them to stay out of the emergency room if possible. We want them to remain well and not need those services.” With funding from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Bureau of Family Health, Anderson has since partnered with the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita to conduct a comprehensive county-wide survey to determine the health needs of its population. With the help of four students from Baylor University, the collective household response rate in Lakin and Deerfield was more than 85 percent. Dr. Lane Olson, family physician for Kearny County Hospital, served in Rwanda for five months.

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Mission-minded medicine

Anderson’s first step to solving the primary care shortage problem was to recruit two doctors and four physician assistants who started in the fall of 2015. It’s hard to attract and keep providers in frontier counties. But Anderson recognizes that medicine is a calling and its practitioners often are mission-minded. “We offer 10 weeks of paid time off to all of our physicians to be used however they would choose,” he said. “And as it turns out, all of our family physicians choose to use some of that time to serve in developing countries overseas — sometimes in the very places that our diverse patients in southwest Kansas are from.” According to Anderson, that overseas experience helps the doctors understand and connect with their Kansas patients who may be immigrants. Those staff additions have made it easier for patients to book clinic appointments. And when patients need to be hospitalized, they tend to go where their doctor is based. Kearny County Hospital and its rural health clinics in Lakin and Deerfield have added about 3,000 new patients in the last 18 months — most of them from other counties. The hospital’s daily census is between 10 and 12, which is high for a county with a population below 4,000. “We can’t have another 126 percent increase in hospital days, or we’ll run out of our 25 beds,” Anderson said. “So we’ve got to focus on growing the right way, and that means not even seeing everybody in a traditional clinic visit, but seeing people in their homes or building initiatives that would keep people so healthy they wouldn’t even need to come into the primary care clinic as often as they are.”

A holistic approach

Anderson is using a three-year, $360,000 Rural Health System Improvement Pilot Project grant from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, based in Hutchinson, to create what he calls the Pioneer Care Advocacy Team. The Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative, and innovative care delivery and payment model to improve rural Kansans’ heart health and stroke outcomes while lowering healthcare costs, is also paying for a full-time position. It’s a team of social workers and nurse case managers whose role will include making house calls. Their mission will be to focus on a patient’s overall well-being, not just symptoms the patient might be experiencing.

Caring for the whole person is going to become the cornerstone of the health care system in Kearny County. Anderson said when hospitals and health systems evaluate their own performance, they often conduct patient surveys. The questions typically focus on the performance of the staff: Were the doctors and nurses friendly and punctual? Were the meals good? Were the linens fresh? Anderson believes those surveys are missing the most important issues. “What we ought to be asking is: ‘How are you? Does your arm still hurt? Are you still tired all the time? Did the heat get turned on in your house, so that you don’t get pneumonia again? Are you still depressed? Did your pastor come by and see you as you requested?’ “The answers to those questions have profound implications on our

readmission rates, and on our emergency department utilization,” he said. Reducing hospital readmissions and preventable emergency department visits can save money. But Anderson said there has to be a way to pay for this big-picture approach to health care. “Right now, our payment systems really don’t incentivize us to do that,” he said. “We’re paid to admit people into hospital beds and monitor them there. But we’re not paid very well … to manage care from home.” However, that’s starting to change. Anderson said Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is paying his rural health clinics a monthly fee for keeping patients healthy and meeting certain benchmarks. Amerigroup, one of the three insurance companies that administers KanCare, is contributing to Kearny County Hospital a monthly stipend to hire a social worker to help address the social determinants of the health of its most vulnerable members. It’s part of the company’s new care coordination initiative. Caring for the whole person is going to become the cornerstone of the health care system in Kearny County, Anderson said. “It’s about everyone who works here saying, ‘I love you, and I’m going to find a way to communicate that to you in a way that you’ll understand it. I’m going to learn your language, I’m going to learn your culture. I’m going to touch you in a way that breaks down walls, so that eventually you can believe that you’re loved, and that love can lead to healing.’” Anderson said that holistic approach is good for patients and his hospital. It’s one of the ways he’s managing to keep the Kearny County Hospital off the endangered list. KCL Reprinted with the permission of KHI News Service, which became Kansas News Service on Jan. 1. Visit kcur.org for more information. FEBRUARY 2017

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

In the country, dogs may not need to be leashed when walking, though most cities today enforce leash laws.

F R E E I M A G E S . C O M / D O R A H O R VAT H

Working Out with your

BY A . D . L I V E LY

The benefits of having a four-legged exercise partner A recent Michigan State University

study showed that dog owners were 34 percent more likely to get the recommended two-and-ahalf hours of exercise a week than folks without canine companions. And while researchers have long recognized that almost any physical movement and activity is beneficial to human health, they are also beginning to recognize that healthy interactions with animals can increase this positive impact. “Engaging in physical activity with your pet improves human health, it improves optimism — it changes the brain structure,” said Philip Tedeschi, a clinical professor and human-animal interaction specialist at the University of Denver. These ideas make perfect sense to Jessica McMurtrie, an academic administrator and fiddle player from Baltimore, Maryland, who credits her dogs with motivating her to get outdoors and exercise. McMurtrie and Maybelline, a 6-year-old pitbull, and Buster, a 14-year-old Labrador/Akita mix, exercise together every day, whether they are in a city park during the week, exploring nature at the family cabin or headed out on an adventure to a new location. “They definitely make me more active since we walk, hike and kayak together,” she said. Like McMurtrie, many people prefer to exercise outdoors with their pets by engaging in traditional outdoor activities like hiking, running, cycling or even active versions of old-fashioned dog games like “fetch.” However, the number of indoor and specialty options for co-exercising with your pet is rapidly growing with demand. Specialty classes like doga (yoga for and with your dog) and canine-friendly boot camps,

Pets

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obstacle courses and cross-training workouts are becoming increasingly available around the country. For many people in urban and rural areas, electronic activity trackers like Fitbit are currently shaping and informing their daily fitness routines. This tech world trend is also being reflected in the world of pet fitness, with pet owners outfitting their four-legged workout buddies with gadgets like Fitbark, which syncs with a smartphone or computer, or the Whistle, which offers built-in wifi. For the human-canine partners who are both fitness- and fashionconscious there’s even Wonderwoof, an activity tracker disguised in the form of a dapper doggie bow tie. If you want to enjoy the fun and benefits of exercising with a pet but are not able to keep one in your home, you still might be able to find a canine exercise partner by contacting animal shelters near you. These organizations often need volunteers to help take dogs on walks or runs, and you can exercise and help socialize a potentially adoptable pet at the same time. In addition to the physical benefits of regular exercise with your pet, there are psychological benefits as well. It releases oxytocin into the brain, Tedeschi said, which in turn can improve optimism and increase interaction and feelings of connection. “It causes people to be more empathic or more warm and trusting,” he said. “Buster and May keep me sane,” said McMurtrie. “They are my family, and my life wouldn’t be complete without them. They make me happy every day.” KCL

A DV E RT I S E M E N T

Drug Companies Fear Release of the New AloeCure Big Pharma stands to lose billions as doctors’ recommend drug-free “health cocktail” that adjusts and corrects your body’s health conditions.

Drug company execs are nervous. That’s because the greatest health advance in decades has hit the streets. And analysts expect it to put a huge crimp in “Big Pharma” profits. So what’s all the fuss about? It’s about a new ingredient that’s changing the lives of people who use it. Some call it “the greatest discovery since penicillin”! The name of the product is the AloeCure. It’s not a drug. It’s something completely different. And the product is available to anyone who wants it, at a reasonable price. But demands may force future prices to rise. TOP DOC WARNS: DIGESTION DRUGS CAN CRIPPLE YOU! Company spokesperson, Dr. Liza Leal; a leading integrative health specialist recommends AloeCure before she decides to prescribe any digestion drug. Especially after the FDA’s stern warning about long-term use of drugs classified as proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec®, Nexium®, and Prevacid®. In a nutshell, the FDA statement warned people should avoid taking these digestion drugs for longer than three 14-day treatment periods because there is an increased risk of bone fractures. Many people take them daily and for decades. Dr. Leal should know. Many patients come to her with bone and joint complaints and she does everything she can to help them. One way for digestion sufferers to help avoid possible risk of tragic joint and bone problems caused by overuse of digestion drugs is to take the AloeCure.

Acemannan has many of other health benefits?... HELPS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO CALM INFLAMMATION According to a leading aloe research, when correctly processed for digesting, the Aloe plant has a powerful component for regulating your immune system called Acemannan. So whether it’s damage that is physical, bacterial, chemical or autoimmune; the natural plant helps the body stay healthy. RAPID ACID AND HEARTBURN NEUTRALIZER Aloe has proved to have an astonishing effect on users who suffer with digestion problems like bouts of acid reflux, heartburn, cramping, gas and constipation because it acts as a natural acid buffer and soothes the digestive system. But new studies prove it does a whole lot more. SIDE-STEP HEART CONCERNS So you’ve been taking proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s) for years and you feel just fine. In June of 2015 a major study shows that chronic PPI use increases the risk of heart attack in general population. UNLEASH YOUR MEMORY Studies show that your brain needs the healthy bacteria from your gut in order function at its best. Both low and high dosages of digestion drugs are proven to destroy that healthy bacteria and get in the way of brain function. So you’re left with a sluggish, slow-to-react brain without a lot of room to store information. The acemannan used in AloeCure actually makes your gut healthier, so healthy bacteria flows freely to your brain so you think better, faster and with a larger capacity for memory.

Analysts expect the AloeCure to put a huge crimp in “Big Pharma” profits.

Doctors call it “The greatest health discovery in decades!”

The secret to AloeCure’s “health adjusting” formula is scientifically tested Acemannan, a polysaccharide extracted from Aloe Vera. But not the same aloe vera that mom used to apply to your cuts, scrapes and burns. This is a perfect strain of aloe that is organically grown under very strict conditions. AloeCure is so powerful it begins to benefit your health the instant you take it. It soothes intestinal discomfort and you can avoid the possibility of bone and health damage caused by overuse of digestion drugs. We all know how well aloe works externally on cuts, scrapes and burns. But did you know

SLEEP LIKE A BABY A night without sleep really damages your body. And continued lost sleep can lead to all sorts of health problems. But what you may not realize is the reason why you’re not sleeping. Some call it “Ghost Reflux”. A lowintensity form of acid reflux discomfort that quietly keeps you awake in the background. AloeCure helps digestion so you may find yourself sleeping through the night. CELEBRITY HAIR, SKIN & NAILS Certain antacids may greatly reduce your

by David Waxman Seattle Washington:

body’s ability to break down and absorb calcium. Aloe delivers calcium as it aids in balancing your stomach acidity. The result? Thicker, healthier looking hair…more youthful looking skin… And nails so strong they may never break again. SAVE YOUR KIDNEY National and local news outlets are reporting Kidney Failure linked to PPI’s. Your Kidney extracts waste from blood, balance body fluids, form urine, and aid in other important functions of the body. Without it your body would be overrun by deadly toxins. Aloe helps your kidney function properly. Studies suggest, if you started taking aloe today; you’d see a big difference in the way you feel. GUARANTEED RESULTS OR DOUBLE YOUR MONEY BACK Due to the incredible results people are reporting, AloeCure is being sold with an equally incredible guarantee. “We can only offer this incredible guarantee because we are 100% certain this product will work for those who use it,” Says Dr. Leal. Here’s how it works: Take the pill exactly as directed. You must see and feel remarkable improvements in your digestive health, your mental health, in your physical appearance, the amount inflammation you have throughout your body – even in your ability to fall asleep at night! Otherwise, simply return the empty bottles with a short note about how you took the pills and followed the simple instructions and the company will send you...Double your money back! HOW TO GET ALOECURE This is the official nationwide release of the new AloeCure pill in the United States. And so, the company is offering our readers up to 3 FREE bottles with their order. This special give-away is available for readers of this publication only. All you have to do is call TOLL-FREE 800-748-4108 and provide the operator with the Free Bottle Approval Code: JC025. The company will do the rest. Important: Due to AloeCure’s recent media exposure, phone lines are often busy. If you call and do not immediately get through, please be patient and call back.

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.

C O O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E

Hope—and Herb Recipes—Spring Eternal from Seed Catalogs BY R E B E C C A H O WA R D

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that seed

Rebecca Howard

catalogs have long gotten people through the winter. During dark, cold and often bleak winter months, the arrival of those bright publications, full of the promise of juicy ruby tomatoes, rainbow verbena and flowering cherry trees, always gave hope for better days. I remember winter weekends, my dad and grandpa could be seen constantly clutching catalogs from Henry Field’s or Gurney’s like hand warmers, and on long frozen afternoons, my mom would sit at the kitchen table dreamily studying rose-laden pages. These books allowed a musing on the warmth that would surely arrive—if not soon —at some point. And coming from a family of green thumbs, it was never too early to imagine the near quarter-acre plot, tilled, the smell of the rich, black earth (my favorite), the rows laid straight with sticks and string, the drop of delicate seed and the covering, which I still think of today as “squidge-le, squidge-le,” because that’s what my mother told me to do with my hands to just adequately bury the radish seeds. The garden would grow, with the seeds ordered, tomatoes started in magic expanding soil wafers, in seedling potatoes and cucumber vines, feathery fledgling carrots and pale, leafy

TIP

You can freeze fresh herbs to extend their life. Chopped “woodier” herbs like parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, cilantro and chives can be spooned into ice cube trays, then covered in olive oil or melted butter and frozen, to be popped out to use in meats, stews, soups and sauces. This works less well for “softer” herbs like basil and mint.

cabbage I guarded with a flyswatter; peas and green beans to be gathered, mid-summer, in five-gallon buckets and shelled and snapped, and corn with shiny silk. Oh, the possibilities to wait out the cold! Spring was coming, and the catalogs proved it. You could nearly smell the lilac in the photos. You still can. In late December, a Burpee catalog lands in my mailbox and the sunflower on its cover is nearly blinding red and yellow, a nudge out of the darkness that comes too early on winter afternoons. Spring will come! I page through to sustain this reminder, and while I imagine sights and smells, I also ponder tastes. Pages of herbs, in particular, re-ignite my admiration of these culinary wonders. As a child, I buzzed around a beautiful sage plant in my parent’s garden nearly as much as the bumble bees. Its silver-grey leaves gave smoky flavor to so many things; its purple blooms towering from tall stems gave it a regal majesty. Sage is such a sturdy plant. It seems certainly gone forever after all the deep days of winter, but it returns, and in my adult years of growing sage, ff 1 10- to 12-ounce package fresh ravioli ff 12 fresh sage leaves just when I’ve written a sage plant off, ff Juice of 1/2 lemon or pasta of choice (such as fettuccine) ff 4 Tbs. butter ff 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese suddenly those nubby leaves announce this herb’s comeback. Cook pasta according to directions. While it is cooking, melt butter in a 12- to 14-inch sauté Today, herbs dominate my little pan over medium-low heat, until it just begins to turn light-golden brown. Add sage leaves pocket gardens and planters. I grow and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and set aside. Drain the pasta, but reserve 1/2 cup rosemary, parsley, chives, thyme, of the pasta water. Gently add pasta to the sauté pan, to the heat. Add the cheese, toss to coat (try to top ravioli with sage leaves) and serve immediately. Add some pasta water to oregano and several kinds of sage and moisten, if necessary. mint. So many times I walk out and pinch a little of this or that for my Note: This sauce is also excellent on chicken or mild white fish. cooking. Dried herbs work, but having access to fresh is ideal.

Brown Butter and Sage Sauce

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It would behoove anyone who cooks at home to consider growing herbs this spring. Some of the best tea I’ve had lately involves only hot water and lemon thyme. It would behoove anyone who cooks at home to consider growing herbs this spring. They can be started inside during the cold months. They can thrive in pots outside, if you do not have a huge garden plot. They are hardy, weed-resistant and require minimal care. And they are concentrated flavor and nutrition. Fresh herbs add all sorts of wonderful “oomph” to dishes, like fresh parsley topping off finished soup or chopped dill or basil for a pesto or salad dressing. Chives not only add a mild onion punch on top of a baked potato, but also dress meats and fish and mix in beautifully in biscuits or scones. Beyond savory, consider herbs also for sweets. I’ve made thyme muffins, lavender shortbread (and ice cream and lemonade), and recently made a batch of toffee sprinkled with fresh rosemary. My stalwart sage pairs well with honey and orange in hot or iced tea. It’s a go-to for an herb bouquet to flavor roast chicken and a boost for the pan of dressing or cornbread on the side. And one of my favorite winter-to-spring meals is a brown butter sauce infused with sage — those pungent leaves, fried crisp, to crown ravioli or any pasta. KCL grew up in Kansas and received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from Kansas State University. Early in her publishing career, she was a newspaper food editor and later worked as a reporter, newspaper page designer, copy editor, proofreader and fact-checker. She has written for the Los Angeles Daily News, the Los Angeles Times and LA Parent Magazine, and currently writes the food blog, “A Woman Sconed.”

REBECCA HOWARD

TIP

If you can only purchase fresh herbs in those plastic containers at the grocery store, you can keep them around a while longer—up to a few weeks—by placing them in small water-filled jars or glasses like little kitchen bouquets. FEBRUARY 2017

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

WHERE

TO S H O P

Acceptance of advertising by Kansas Country Living does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Kansas’ electric cooperatives of the product or services advertised.

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Only $10 a year. Mail check or money order payable to: Kansas Electric Cooperatives, P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604

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SAFETY

Take Precautions with Pets to Maintain Good Health Studies show that many people expe-

rience positive health benefits, like lower blood pressure and less stress, when they welcome pets into their lives. In some cases, however, dogs, cats and other pets may also cause health problems, either by aggravating existing conditions or by transmitting parasites or infections. Diseases that move from animals to humans are called zoonotic diseases and can be transmitted directly from your pet or indirectly through the environment. Most are treatable, like ringworm and the common cold, but some, like rabies, can be serious or even deadly. “There is always some risk of injury or zoonotic disease transmission in certain circumstances,” says Dr. Meagan Mueller, a researcher in human-animal interaction at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Medicine, who recommends consulting with your pet’s veterinarian on a case-by-case basis to better understand any risks and how to manage them. Fortunately, most problems can be prevented by keeping both yourself and your pets healthy and up-to-date with vaccines. Awareness, common sense and good hygiene are also crucial. People with compromised immune systems (like chemotherapy patients or organ transplant recipients) and pregnant women or women hoping to become pregnant may require extra precautions and should consult their physicians for advice.

Paying close attention to your pet's health and frequently washing your hands after handling them can help prevent zoonotic transmission.

Let sleeping dogs (and cats) lie?

JENNY BOULDEN

More than half of the participants in a recent Mayo Clinic survey responded that their pets slept in the bed or bedroom with them. Many people who turn in with their cats or dogs find it to be a positive, beneficial experience,

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with the presence of their companion animals creating a sense of security. In some circumstances, however, co-sleeping may not be the healthiest choice. For example, people with allergies or asthma may find those conditions exacerbated by sharing a bed with their pets. Those with insomnia or other sleep disorders might also want to make the bedroom a “humans only” zone to avoid nighttime disruptions. Children under 5 years of age should never co-sleep with their pets, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), or indeed be left unsupervised with them at all.

The littlest pet lovers

As most parents can confirm, children under 5 are far more likely than adults to touch (or chew on or eat) objects or surfaces that might be dirty or contaminated, and far less likely to wash their hands, making it no surprise that they are the group most likely to get a zoonotic disease. To best protect infants and young children, the CDC offers the following guidelines: ffDo not allow them to put their hands or other objects in their mouths after handling animals, or to kiss animals. ffMake sure their hands are thoroughly washed with soap under running water after contact with pets. ffAdults should wash their hands before preparing formula or breastfeeding. ffThe CDC also recommends that those younger than 5 years old should not have the following animals as pets and in fact should avoid contact altogether with them: ffReptiles, including snakes, lizards and turtles. ffAmphibians like frogs, toads, newts and salamanders. ffBaby chicks and ducklings. All of the above are particularly likely to carry salmonella bacteria, which can cause severe intestinal problems that can be particularly dangerous for younger children. Older children and adults should also exercise thorough hygiene after handling these animals. KCL A.D. Lively is an Arkansas-based writer specializing in health and wellness.

FEBRUARY 2017

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

Black Skillet Beef with Greens & Red Potatoes

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, FEBRUARY 2017

A healthy, hearty meat-and-potatoes meal is a sure way to warm up on a cold night.

CO U RT ESY G E T T Y IMAGES

KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, FEBRUARY 2017

Blueberries and buckwheat combine for a nutrient-rich breakfast to start your day.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

White Pizza Frittata

KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, F E B R U ARY 201 7

An un-beetable dessert, these vibrant cupcakes don’t need artificial dyes.

KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, F E B R U ARY 201 7

For breakfast, lunch or dinner, the proteinrich frittata will satisfy your hunger.

White Pizza Frittata ff 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil ff 1 large clove garlic, minced ff 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and water pressed out ff 12 large eggs ff 1/4 cup skim milk ff 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

ff 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves ff 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese ff 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese ff 1/4 cup minced fresh basil ff 1/2 cup shredded, partskim mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 325 F. In oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Once garlic is fragrant, add spinach; break up to incorporate and heat. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pepper, oregano, ricotta, Parmesan and basil. Add egg mixture to skillet, reduce heat to low and cook 1 minute, stirring gently. Move to oven and bake 25-30 minutes, or until eggs are almost completely set. Carefully remove from oven and add mozzarella. Return to oven and bake until mozzarella is melted, about 5 minutes.

COURTESY MILK ME ANS MORE

ff 1/2 to 1 tsp. vanilla extract

ff 1/2 tsp. baking powder ff 1/2 tsp. baking soda ff 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon ff 1/2 tsp. kosher salt ff 1/3 cup canola oil, chilled ff 3/4 cup sugar ff 1 large egg, cold

May be served hot, at room temperature or cold. Serves 8.

Red Velvet Cupcakes ff 1 cup canned beets, drained ff 1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk, divided ff 1/2 tsp. white vinegar ff 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract ff 3/4 cup, plus 2 Tbs., unbleached all-purpose flour ff 6 Tbs. unsweetened natural cocoa, plus 1-2 Tbs. for decorating Cream Cheese Frosting: ff 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar ff 4 Tbs. reduced-fat cream cheese

Heat oven to 350 F. Coarsely chop beets; place in blender, add 1/4 cup buttermilk and blend until finely chopped. Add remaining buttermilk, vinegar and vanilla and blend to puree; set aside. In small bowl, combine flour, 6 Tbs. cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In medium bowl, combine oil and sugar. With hand mixer on medium speed, mix until sugar is evenly moistened. Add egg and beat on high 90 seconds until it resembles mayonnaise and sugar is almost dissolved. Add beet mixture and beat until combined. Sift dry ingredients into bowl and mix on low speed or by hand until combined with wet ingredients. Fill 12 lined muffin cups evenly. Bake 28-30 minutes, or until tops feel springy. Cool on wire rack. In small bowl, combine sugar and cream cheese together with wooden spoon or hand mixer. Add vanilla. Frost cupcakes. Note: Frosting is best when refrigerated 8 hours or overnight, loosely covered, before using. Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for up to 12 hours. COU RT ESY AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESE ARCH

ff syrup (optional)

tional for topping (optional)

ff 1-3/4 cups 2 percent milk ff 2 Tbs. vegetable oil ff 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract ff 2 cups fresh blueberries, plus addi-

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes ff 3/4 cup buckwheat flour ff 3/4 cup all-purpose flour ff 2 Tbs. sugar ff 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder ff 1/2 tsp. baking soda ff 1/2 tsp. salt ff 2 eggs

In large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, beat eggs then add milk, oil and vanilla; mix well. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Using 1/4 measuring cup, pour batter onto griddle. Gently place several blueberries all over surface of pancakes.

Flip pancakes when bubbles start to form around edges and bottoms are golden brown. Cook on other side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove to plate and cover to keep warm.

Top pancakes with additional blueberries and syrup before serving, if desired. Serves 4.

COURTESY MI LK ME ANS M ORE

ff 8 red-skinned potatoes, halved ff 3 cups onion, finely chopped ff 2 cups beef broth ff 2 large garlic cloves, minced ff 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2 1/2-inch strips ff 2 bunches (1/2 pound each) mustard, kale or turnip greens, stems removed, coarsely torn

Black Skillet Beef with Greens & Red Potatoes ff 1 pound top round beef ff 1 Tbs. paprika ff 1-1/2 tsp. oregano ff 1/2 tsp. chili powder ff 1/4 tsp. garlic powder ff 1/4 tsp. black pepper ff 1/8 tsp. red pepper ff 1/8 tsp. dry mustard ff nonstick spray

Partially freeze beef. Thinly slice across grain into strips 1/8-inch thick and 3 inches wide. Trim away visible fat.

Combine paprika, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper and dry mustard. Coat strips of meat with spice mixture.

Spray large, heavy skillet with nonstick spray. Heat pan over high heat. Add meat; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Add potatoes, onion, broth and garlic. Cook over medium heat, covered, 20 minutes. Stir in carrots; lay greens over top and cook, covered, until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve in large serving bowl with crusty bread for dunking.

COURTESY HE A LTH.GOV

FEBRUARY 2017

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

2- YEAR