4B I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, February 9,2022
February kicks off American Heart month
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
This February is
American Heart month,
and the Department of
Public Health is encour
aging community mem
bers to set health goals to
maintain a healthier heart.
According to a release
by the DPH, heart disease
is a leading cause of
death for both men and
women in the United
States, and there are sev
eral risk factors that con
tribute to heart disease.
“Most middle-aged and
young adults have one or
more risk factors for heart
disease, such as diabetes,
high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, being a
smoker or overweight,”
the release said. “Having
more than one risk factor
increases your chances of
developing heart disease.”
There are many ways to
strengthen your heart
health, the release said,
including being more
physically active, main
taining a healthy weight,
eating a healthier diet and
managing stress.
“Make heart health part
of a self-care routine,” the
release said. “Just 30
minutes a day is all you
need to make your heart a
priority. Heart disease is
preventable and focusing
on improving heart health
is important.”
In order to help com
munity members improve
their heart health, the
National Heart, Lung and
Blood Institute has
released a calendar, giv
ing simple tasks to com
plete each day throughout
the month of February
that combined together
can help strengthen par
ticipants’ hearts.
“Don’t worry about
making changes all at
once, use the month of
February to start with
small steps to meet your
heart health goals,” the
release said.
In support of American
Heart month, the DPH
encouraged community
members to wear red on
Friday, Feb. 4.
For more tips and infor-
mation on how to
improve your heart
health, visit the National
Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute American Heart
month page at https://
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/edu-
cation/american-heart-
month or go to the DPH
healthy living page at
https ://phdistrict2.
org/?page_id=8053.
28 Days Toward a Healthy Heart
Try one of these tips each day for a month, then keep up the momentum and make your favorites part of your regular routine,
#OurHearts
are healthier together
Day 1
Call a friend
and join the
#OurHearts
movement.
Day 8
Get your blood
pressure checked.
Day 2
Make a heart-
healthy snack.
Day 9
Walk an extra
15 minutes today.
Day 15
Swap the
sweets for a
piece of fruit
for dessert.
*5
Day 22
Call a relative
and ask about
your family
health history.
Day 16
Stress less. Practice
mindful meditation
for 10 minutes.
Day 23
March in
place during
commercial
breaks to get
your heart going.
Day 3
Schedule your
annual physical
Discuss your
heart health
goals with
your doctor.
Day lO
Aim for 30 minutes
of physical activity
today.
Day 17
Head to bed with
enough time to get
a full 7-8 hours
O
I II
Day 4
Sport red today
for National
Wear Red Day.
Day 11
Plan your
menu for the
week with heart-
healthv recipes.
Day 5
Squat it
out. Do 1
minute of
squats..
•s
Day 6
Make today a salt-free day. Use
herbs for flavor instead of salt.
Day 18
Add a stretch
break to your
calendar to
increase your
flexibility.
*
Day 24
Get a tape measure
and find out the size
of your waist.
Day 25
Ask a family
member or
neighbor to
join you for
a walk.
Day 12
Reduce stress using
relaxation techniques.
Day 19
Eat vegetarian
for a day.
Day 26
Fill half of your
lunch and dinner
plates with
vegetables.
Day 13
Give the elevator
a day off and take
the stairs.
Day 20
Share a funny
video or joke that
makes you laugh.
Day 27
See how many
push-ups you can
do in 1 minute.
nhlbi.nih.gov/heartmonth
Day 7
Visit Smokefree.gov
to take the first step
to quitting smoking.
Day 14
Protect your sweetheart's
heart: Plan a heart-
healthy date.
Day 21
Dance for 15
minutes to
your favorite
&
Day 28
Pay it
forward
and tell a
friend about
The Heart Truth'
heart
National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute
M heart
TRUTH*
Warm memories of those simple Sunday mornings
RONDARICH
Columnist
It is a small country
church in which we assem
ble most Sundays for wor
ship.
From the midst of those
who gather there, a simple
faith cloaked in humility
rises up. Mountain people
are ‘umble’, as the
Appalachian folks saith,
because none of us ever
had enough to be haughty
about it.
These Sunday mornings
are powerful to me. It
reminds me of the saints of
my childhood. Those peo
ple who survived on
prayer, goodwill, vegeta
bles from summer gardens
and a fattened hog killed
after autumn’s first heavy
frost.
I think often of Miss
Irene. Her husband Mr.
John Nix had been dead
for years by the time I
remember her as rail thin,
white headed and slightly
hunched forward. I was
about nine or 10 when I
saw my daddy take her
gnarled hand in his and
gently ask her, after one
church one Sunday, “Miss
Irene, how you doin’
today?”
Solemnly she replied,
“Well, Ralph, I ain’t doin’
too good. I’m hurtin’
somethin’ awful but I
decided I can have my
aches and pains in the
House of the Lord, just as
good as I can have ‘em at
home.”
It is the anthem of the
Appalachians: the righ
teous believe in a power
mightier than I or my
meek-hearted kinfolk. The
renegades like to claim
they’re in charge of their
own destiny but, sooner or
later, every knee bows. At
least it does where I come
from.
In this tiny country
church, people dress in
their best and gather to
sing hymns drawn directly
from the scriptures we read
in the beautiful King James
language.
“They Shall Walk With
Me In White” holds theo
logically to the vision of
John the Revelator. It is
easier to understand the
song than to read the book
of Revelation. The songs
are full of promise and all
are sung in shaped note
harmonies focusing on
bass, alto and soprano.
While many songs are
written by legendary men
like Albert Brumley, G.T.
Speer, Cleavant Derrick
and Luther Presley, one of
the songs we favor is called
“A Child Of The King”
written by Cindy Walker
who was a prolific song
writer of country songs in
the 1940s and 1950s. This
remarkably moving song
may be the only religious
one she ever penned.
Every time we sing the
song, I think of Miss
Walker’s biggest hit: “You
Don’t Know Me” which
was recorded by many but
were notably hits for
Mickey Gilley, Elvis
Presley and Michael
Buble. It is an achingly
touching song of a secret
love with a lovely lyric,
“You think you know me
well but you don’t know
the one who dreams of you
at night.”
Legend says that Miss
Walker was inspired to
write it because of an unre
quited love for Bob Wills,
the king of country and
western swing.
Goodness, though, “A
Child of The King” is a
gem: “Once I was clothed
in the rags of my sin.
Wretched and poor and
lonely within.” What an
admirable writer she was.
When sweet words of
prayer ring up, I think
often of Daddy. Whenever
he was called on to pray,
he dropped to one knee
and prayed with such
humility that his words
were edged in tears. His
phrases ring back to me
now, “bless those, oh Lord,
who are heartbroken over
the homegoin’ of loved
ones and those who is our
duty and privilege to pray
for.”
And always he ended by
saying, “dear Lord, we
bow our unworthy heads
and give you the honor, the
praise and the glory for it
all.” He prayed in a lyrical,
poetic way.
Some people seem sur
prised that we don’t go to a
fancy city church and that
we happily worship in this
little country church in the
Appalachian foothills.
We adore it. It’s a salve
to our world-weary souls
and a brotherly/sisterly
love that we cherish might
ily.
It is blessed home to us.
Florida Rich is the author of
What Southern Women
Know (That Every Woman
Should). Visit www.rondar-
ich.com to sign up for her
free weekly newsletter.
Recipes for a Romantic Valentines Day dinner for 2
fs.'
ADLEN ROBINSON
Columnist
Valentine’s Day is Monday,
and that usually means a night
out for a romantic dinner. But
why not plan a romantic dinner
for two at home? This menu is
a snap to prepare, can mostly
be prepared ahead of time, and
totally delivers on flavor. Who
doesn’t love a good filet
mignon? Potatoes are a natural
pairing—making twice baked
potatoes has the added bonus or
being made ahead and then you
can just pop them into the oven
before dinner. My Greek salad
is refreshing and flavorful. Just
make the dressing ahead, top
the greens with the salad ingre
dients, and then toss with the
dressing right before serving. It
wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day
without something sweet.
These cupcakes do not disap
point. Wondering what to do
with the money you saved from
not eating out at a restaurant?
Splurge on a good bottle of red
wine, of course. Happy
Valentine’s Day everybody!
Most steak houses sear steaks
first, and then finish them in a
hot oven. You really want to use
a cast iron skillet here—noth
ing conducts heat like these
workhorse skillets. Don’t worry
about the sugar coating for the
steaks—the sugar helps cara
melize the sear and your steaks
will not taste sweet. A ther
mometer is essential—you
don’t want to overcook your
steaks.
Filet Mignons for Two
2 (4-to 6-ounce) filets
mignons
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus
more to serve
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse
black pepper, plus more
to serve
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
(or other high heat point
oil)
Let your filets sit at room
temperature for 30 minutes
before cooking. Preheat the
oven to 350-degrees. In a small
bowl, combine sugar, salt and
pepper. Rub the mixture over
the outside of the filets. Add the
oil to your cast iron skillet and
heat until very hot. Lower the
heat to medium and then add
the steaks. Cook about 5 min
utes per side, and don’t move
them while they are searing.
Now, place the skillet and
steaks into the preheated oven
and cook until the temperature
is 140-degrees. Remove the
steaks and wrap the steaks in
aluminum foil for 5-10 min
utes. Serve with a little sprin
kling of salt and pepper.
Twice Baked Potatoes
2 russet potatoes, scrubbed
clean
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons milk or
cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
or gruyere, shredded
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons chives,
minced (plus more for
garnish)
Preheat the oven to
400-degrees. Bake potatoes on
oven rack until very tender and
cooked through, about an hour.
Remove from oven and cool
until cool enough to handle.
Slice potatoes in half and scoop
out the flesh, while leaving a
1/4-inch border to hold the fill
ing. Mash the potato filling
with the sour cream, milk or
cream, butter, cheese, salt, pep
per, and 2 teaspoons of the
chives. Divide the mixture
evenly in the potato shells. At
this point you can cover the
potatoes with plastic wrap and
refrigerate until you are ready
to cook them. Just bring them
to room temperature for about
30 minutes before cooking.
When ready to cook, preheat
the oven to 350-degrees. Place
on baking sheet and cook pota
toes for about 25 minutes until
hot and bubbly. Garnish with
more chives.
Greek Salad
• 2 1/2 tablespoons red-
wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried orega
no
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic pow
der
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 3 cups Romaine lettuce,
torn or chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes,
halved
• 1/2 medium cucumber,
peeled, de-seeded and
chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely
minced
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives,
pitted and halved
• 1/4 cup feta cheese,
crumbled
In a small jar, add red-wine
vinegar, olive oil, dried orega
no, salt and pepper. Shake to
combine. Toss together lettuce,
tomatoes, cucumber, onion,
kalamata olives and feta cheese.
Cover and refrigerate until
ready to serve. Right before
serving, toss the salad with the
dressing.
Chocolate Cupcakes with
Buttercream Frosting
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened
cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking pow
der
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, at room tempera
ture
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, at
room temperature
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Line muffin tins with liners.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, bak
ing powder, baking soda. In
another bowl, whisk together
eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla
extract. Add half of the butter
milk. Add the flour mixture, stir
ring just until combined. Lill the
cupcake liners just halfway. Bake
18-20 minutes. Insert toothpick
to check for doneness. Cool in
pan on a rack.
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Using an electric mixer, beat
butter 2 minutes. Add the pow
dered sugar, heavy cream, and
vanilla extract. Beat on low 30
seconds. Raise to medium-high,
and beat for 2 minutes. Add the
salt and beat for a few seconds.
When cupcakes are cool, frost.
