Living Well Wednesday Returns in September
Sound Living
Fentanyl and opioid awareness; recognizing, avoiding, and reporting scams; and the negative health effects of energy drinks are the topics being covered this fall when Kansas State University’s Living Well Wednesday webinar series returns. The free webinars are the third Wednesday of each month from September through November. The sessions begin at 12:10 p.m., with the virtual room opening at noon. K-State Extension northeast area family and consumer sciences specialist, Sharolyn Jackson, says the Fall series continues to focus on topics that highlight the work Extension agents are doing in...
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Tailgating? Avoiding a Food Safety Penalty Flag
Sound Living
As the NFL and college football seasons get underway, millions of fans will be spending countless hours in parking lots consuming their favorite tailgating foods. Unfortunately, fans who don’t follow the four main rules for food safety: clean, separate, cook and chill, are risking more than getting a penalty flag. Kansas State University food scientist, Karen Blakeslee, says they're putting themselves and others at risk for a foodborne illness. She explains the steps to take to have a food-safe tailgate party. Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to...
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The Ups and Down of Retirement
Sound Living
Kansas State University Extension adult development and aging specialist, Erin Martinez, says retirement is one of life’s most stressful events – and it’s not all tied to how much you’ve saved. Researchers have been focusing on more than just managing retirement accounts and are exploring retirees’ life experiences and they’ve found several distinct stages of retirement that many retirees face. Martinez discusses those stages and why it’s important to have a plan for your retirement years. Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and...
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Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Intentional Kindness
Sound Living
A growing body of research indicates that intentional kindness is a critical component of physical and mental health, as well as economic well-being. A new Extension fact sheet, Kindness Matters, details how being intentionally kind, including random acts of kindness, can benefit health. Kansas State University community health specialist, Elaine Johannes, says the fact sheet aims to help communities, schools, families and workplaces understand and implement more intentional acts of kindness. Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and consumers....
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Are You Prepared for a Financial Emergency?
Sound Living
A financial emergency can take many forms. It may include car damage, property damage, unemployment or family emergencies. Regardless of the emergency, if you’ve been building an emergency fund, you’ll be better prepared to cover unexpected expenses. K-State professor and Extension family resource management specialist, Elizabeth Kiss, (kish) discusses how to prepare for an emergency now, during and after an unexpected financial emergency occurs. Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and consumers. It is hosted by Jeff Wichman. Each episode...
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Packing a Safe School Lunch
Sound Living
With summer winding down, parents and kids are starting to enter their back-to-school mode. In addition to purchasing the traditional items: notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers and crayons, Kansas State University food scientist and coordinator of the university’s Rapid Response Center, Karen Blakeslee, reminds parents to think about school lunch. She says purchasing an insulated lunch bag and ice packs will allow them to send a variety of healthy foods that will be safe to eat when they have their lunch break. Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to...
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A Visual Guide of Kansas Seasonal Local Food
Sound Living
A variety of seasonal local food is available in Kansas. In fact, the state has about a nine-month growing season. However, consumers don’t always know what is in season and at the peak of freshness. A new poster from Kansas State University’s Local Food Systems is making it easier to know which fruits and vegetables are available in the winter, spring, summer and fall, as well as food that’s available year-round. Local Food Systems administrator, Rebecca McMahon, thinks the poster will be helpful for those shopping at farmers markets, roadside stands and local grocery stores. Sound...
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Heat Concerns for Older Adults
Sound Living
As the summer heat continues, it’s important to remember that we all need to stay cool and hydrated. This is especially true for people aged 65 years or older. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults are more prone to heat-related health problems. They don’t adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperatures. They are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat, and they are more likely to be taking prescription medicines that affect the body’s ability to control its temperature or sweat....
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Community Planning and Urban Food System Research
Sound Living
A group of Kansas State University faculty members is working to improve food access across urban areas in Kansas. The 1-point-2-million-dollar project, “Development of Resilient Urban Food Systems That Ensure Food Security in the Face of Climate Change,” is funded through the university’s Game-Changing Research Initiation Program. K-State assistant professor of landscape architecture and regional and community planning, Shakil Kashem, says their key research objective is how to make plans and policies that can create more equitable and resilient cities and communities in Kansas. He...
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Preserving the Freshness of Homegrown Food
Sound Living
Food preservation is a way to preserve the freshness of homegrown food. When done properly and safely, home preserved foods can reduce food costs and food waste and allow seasonal produce to be enjoyed throughout the year. Kansas State University food scientist and coordinator of the Rapid Response Center, Karen Blakeslee, discusses some of the common food preservation methods. Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and consumers. It is hosted by Jeff Wichman. Each episode shares the expertise of K-State specialists in fields such as child...
info_outlineA variety of factors have combined to elevate grocery prices. Data from the USDA shows that a family of four can expect to spend anywhere from $567 to $1,296 per month on groceries – or about $130 to $300 per week. The recommendation is to spend no more than 15% of your take-home pay on food and groceries. So, what can we do to stretch our food budget? For the March Living Well Wednesday webinar series, K-State Research and Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Specialist for the Northwest Area, Ashley Svaty, and SNAP-Ed Regional Specialist for the Northwest Area, Janelle VanKooten, provided some simple, cost-effective strategies to help reduce food expenses.
Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and consumers. It is hosted by Jeff Wichman. Each episode shares the expertise of K-State specialists in fields such as child nutrition, food safety, adult development and aging, youth development, family resource management, physical fitness and more.
Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to [email protected].
K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.