Week 5: Dem Bones - Walk to the Beach Fitness Challenge

Week 5 Walk to the Beach Fitness Challenge: Dem Bones

Walk to the Beach Week 5

This is a friendly reminder for participants to submit (at the church or via email) the following information:

• Your name
• Your Week 4 mileage
• Your total mileage (I'll be glad to compute this for you)

Healthy Spirit: Dem Bones Came to Life!

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. Ezekiel 37:7

One verse really doesn't do it justice. I encourage everyone to read the entire chapter of Ezekiel 37 and ponder the fascinating story of the Valley of Dry Bones. You might also listen to Spirit Wind, a song by Casting Crowns. I think many people see efforts at living a healthy lifestyle and many other life struggles as deep, dark, dead, seemingly permanent valleys. We may be tempted to give up if life is not perfect. However, the Bible assures and reminds us that God is capable of accomplishing more than we could ever imagine!

Healthy Mind: Albemarle

Approximately 16,000 people call Albemarle, North Carolina home. The town is named for Albemarle County, the first county established in NC. In 1993, the town was honored as a National Main Street City. The town has several historic properties of note: Freeman-Marks House, Romanesque Revival Opera House/Starnes Jewelers Building, Isaiah W. "Buck" Snuggs House, and the Stanly County Museum. Five parks are located within the city. Morrow Mountain State Park, located east of the city, offers hiking, a natural history museum, and the restored 19th-century homesite of Dr. Frances J. Kron.

Healthy Body: Tips to Increase Calcium

Calcium is a mineral essential for bone and teeth formation and structure and plays a role in multiple essential actions that involve blood vessels, muscles, nerves, and hormones. For example, calcium helps the body regulate blood pressure and may help to prevent some types of cancer. If we do not have enough calcium intake in our diets, the body will remove calcium from the bones, leading to osteoporosis, which places the body at risk for fractures and other complications related to low calcium levels. People typically do not experience symptoms of low calcium levels in early stages. Check with your healthcare provider regarding recommended levels specific for your needs.

Milk, cheese, and yogurt are excellent dietary sources of calcium. People with lactose intolerance may find it easier to digest aged cheeses, yogurt, or lactose-reduced milk. Vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, kale, broccoli, bok choy, collards, and spinach also add calcium to one's diet. Some foods are fortified with calcium, such as cereal, fruit juice, drinks, and tofu. Dietary sources of calcium are superior to acquiring calcium through other means.

One's physician might recommend a calcium supplement if calcium levels are low. Some forms of calcium supplements, such as calcium citrate, are easier to digest, but they carry a higher price tag. Certain antacids contain calcium and are usually easy to find and may be less expensive than calcium supplements. People who regularly exceed the recommended upper limit of calcium intake may experience negative health effects; more is not always better. Vitamin D, whether absorbed from food or sunlight, helps the body to absorb calcium. 

The National Institutes of Health offers a detailed article about calcium and your health.