I admit it. I’m a sucker when it comes to fad diets. You name it, I’ve probably done it, from the cabbage soup diet to Jenny Craig, to Dexatrim, to the current green smoothie craze. When did this fetish begin? I wasn’t an overweight child – but I never had thin thighs either. This journey […]
For 21-year-old Shanel Dewalt cooking goes beyond cutting vegetables and mixing ingredients. This is how her mind finds peace and how she is reminded of her purpose. As the oldest of five siblings being raised in a single-parent household, the Detroit native realized she had to grow up at a very young age. When her […]
A wobbly butt and a sweaty belly are among Maria’s biggest nightmares and a major impediment to the 15 year-old’s ability to maintain the minimum 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although a recent trip and fall incident made her even more self-conscious […]
Eula Johnson kept her nose so deep in her journals she didn’t know how splendidly the Detroit riverfront had transformed until she adopted a six-week-old German shepherd that likes to take walks. “Cassius loves to walk with other dogs, feel the air on his coat and sniff all the smells,” says Johnson, a lawyer at […]
Flying on two wheels. That’s how some describe the powerful and addictive nature of bicycling, which is gaining in popularity across Michigan’s inner cities. Bicycling is an everyday part of life for the Dickerson family. They began to map out their ride schedules and pump up their tires with the first signs of spring. In […]
Ask any parent about their child’s weight and you are likely to get a strong ” oh no, mine is fine” response. Although more than 40 percent of patients that sit in pediatrician offices today are clearly overweight, many don’t know it and if they do they have a passive attitude. It’s an easy mistake […]
The signs couldn’t be ignored. In addition to being smokers, Stephanie Brown’s parents had been struggling with diabetes and high blood pressure. When her mother suffered a heart attack, the message for Brown and her young daughter Kaija was even clearer. “I said, ‘We better do something to prevent that from happening to us,’” Brown […]
Ride at your own risk. That was the gist of the message Michigan’s roadways seemingly imparted to non-motorists brave enough to attempt to traverse its roadways prior to the passage of Michigan’s Complete Streets legislation in 2010. “Without dedicated lanes, it’s really easy for bikers and pedestrians to get squeezed off roadways by large and […]
For one set of peers who faced a life-altering health issue, tomorrow holds promise. Once a month, a range of 10 to three-dozen participants convene as the Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Support Group, hosted by St. Joseph’s Hospital Ann Arbor in Washtenaw County. Together they reflect on experiences, share encouragement – and, occasionally, have a […]
“Working out allows me to do what I need to do creatively, and it helps keep my weight down, which gives me a little added spring.” “Exercise gives clarity. It frees you from mental congestion and helps you simplify the process of creating a piece of artwork.” Accomplished muralist and sculptor Hubert Massey begins his […]