New bill to protect teens from dating violence

By Kim Margolis | Friday, March 19, 2010, 02:59 PM

Gov Ted Strickland signed a bill that would allow teenagers to protect themselves from domestic violence.

The bill will allow a teenager whose boyfriend or girlfriend is harming them to obtain a restraining order in juvenile court.

Before this bill, a restraining order was only available to protect adults.

The bill derives from the cases of two teen-agers who were killed by boyfriends, including a Cleveland teen who was shot in the face by her ex-boyfriend. She had wanted to get a protection order, but could not, according to the Associated Press.

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‘Mammo Mixer’ at Miami Valley South

By Kim Margolis | Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 11:14 AM

Miami Valley Hospital South is encouraging women to get mammograms by making it more of a fun event than a medical test.

On Wednesday, March 18, the hospital will host the Mammo Mixer. Call ahead to schedule a mammogram that evening. The number is (877) MVH-HLTH.

You have to call ahead to schedule a mammogram.

In addition to getting the test done, visitors will get spa service, refreshments and a goodie bag.

For more information, go to MiamiValleySouth.org

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Dayton Muslim Women’s Conference on Saturday

By Kim Margolis | Wednesday, March 3, 2010, 03:26 PM

There are plenty of misconceptions that non-Muslims have about both Muslim men and women.

But some Muslim women are more likely to be noticed due to the simple detail of their appearance.

“The ones that do wear the hijab (Muslim head scarf) do kind of stand out,” said Ghada Madkour, chairwoman of the First Annual Dayton Muslim Women’s Conference. “If a Muslim man is walking down the street in a suit and tie nobody is going to know he’s Muslim.”

To help educate people about Muslim women, Madkour and the Islamic Society of Greater Dayton and the University of Dayton Departments of Religious Studies and Women and Gender Studies have planned the conference. It will take place at University of Dayton on Saturday, March 6.

“Some believe we are uneducated, second-class and don’t have a say in our community and in our families,” Madkour said. “We wanted to dispel that myth and show have brains, are educated and go out and educate and organize and speak.”

The keynote speaker will be Michigan State Representative Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim woman elected to the Michigan state legislature.

Tlaib is the eldest of 14 children and the first in her family to earn a college degree. In 1998, she received her B.A. in Political Science from Wayne State University and her law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School in January of 2004.

Other sessions at the conference will deal with topics of family, health, education, socioeconomics and more. Breakout sessions include:

• Shakila Ahmed, Muslim American Women, A Voice for Peace

• Asma Mubinuddin, Muslim American Women, Choosing Our Paths, Making A Difference

• Karen Dabdoug, Muslim Women, Social and Economic Rights

• Wisam Sabagh, Healthy Women are the Key to Healthy Families and Healthy Community

• Omar Attia, The Divine Message for Women

Admission is free and the conference will be open to women, men and to all faiths.

How to go: First Annual Dayton Muslim Women’s Conference Saturday, March 6, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Free continental breakfast and registration from at 9 -10 a.m. Lunch available for $5.) Held at University of Dayton Kennedy Union Admission is free For more Information, contact: www.isgd.org or call Ghada Madkour at 937-477-1850 or Eman Bugrein at 937-474-8824

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Restaurants have $5/500 calorie meals

By Kim Margolis | Friday, February 26, 2010, 12:28 PM

More than one-third of adult Americans are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s 72 million people.

Addtionally, 16 percent of children are obese.

And the numbers have gone up for all people regardless of age, gender, socioeconomic conditions since 1980.

It’s the Dayton Dietetic Association’s mission to do something about it.

March is National Nutrition Month and the local group plans a big push to help us all eat better - while working with our busy lifestyles.

Americans are spending more time away from home, cooking less and finding themselves with less money.

Angela Sims, of the Dayton Dietetic Association, noticed the national trend of chain restaurants having low-fat, low-calorie items on their menus.

“Restaurants are now recognizing the benefit of healthy meals,” said Sims, who is a registered and licensed dietitian.

So for Nutrition Month, Sims has contacted restaurants in southwest Ohio and asked them to create special meals in March.

The ‘5-5-3-3’ meal includes a meal of about 500 calories, sold for around $5 that includes no more than 30 percent fat and includes items from three food groups.

So far, Sims has gotten Panera Bread, McCormick & Schmick, Artisan Cafe and the Atrium Grill & Deli at Kettering Medical Center five sites at Second Street Market to participate including Bann Thai Noi, All Souped Up, Las Americas, Azra’s Mediterranean and Dharma Deli.

The group will also host its Nutrition Fair on March 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Leonard’s in Centerville, said Ann Partlow, a registered dietary technician and president of the Dayton Dietetic Association.

At the fair there will be free samples of healthy food, coupons to purchase healthy food, blood glucose testing, hypertesion testing and a cooking demonstration.

Partlow said she hears from a lot of people who say they both don’t know how to cook and say that cooking healthy is expensive.

She disagrees with both vehemently. Buying ingredients for a cooked meal is cheaper than eating out, she said.

“People say, ‘I can’t cook,’ ” Partlow said. “If you can read a recipe, you can cook.”

For weight loss, she suggests no diets and making only three healthy goals, sticking to those and then adding on others.

She and Sims hates shows like “The Biggest Loser,” because of the drastic diet and exercise regimine. “I want to see those people in six months to a year,” Partlow said.

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Woman says love handles saved her life

By Kim Margolis | Tuesday, February 23, 2010, 05:24 PM

A Florida woman visiting Atlantic City said extra weight around her middle saved her life.

Samantha Lynn Frazier walked into a bar and soon after heard two shots, according to the Associated Press.

She felt pain and noticed she was shot on her left side.

Police said she was an innocent bystander.

Frazier, 35, said she had been trying to lose weight, but now understands the protective power of fat.

“I want to be as big as I can if it’s going to stop a bullet,” she said.

Is it just me or wouldn’t the bullet have just missed her without the love handles?

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Oprah tries to wipe off Brees’ birthmark

By Kim Margolis | Tuesday, February 16, 2010, 04:24 PM

Last week, Drew Brees appeared on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ to talk about his Super Bowl win and how the nation was charmed by his adorable baby after the game.

Oprah apparently isn’t as familiar with the Super Bowl MVP’s face as the rest of us.

Brees has a birthmark on his cheek.

Oprah thought it was lipstick and tried to wipe it off, according to various media reports.

Or is Oprah so all-powerful that she has removed birthmarks with her mere hand?

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Local dogs compete at Westminster

By Kim Margolis | Monday, February 15, 2010, 10:13 AM

Two dogs from the area competed in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York, but neither advanced after the first day’s competition.

The 134th Annual Dog Show permits entry of only 2,500 dogs. The competition started the morning of Monday, Feb. 15 and continues into the evening of Tuesday. Feb. 16.

Entries include:

A Papillon shown by Jessica Ray Isenbarger of Kettering.

A Shetland Sheepdog shown by Jessica Starbuck of Xenia.

A Belgian Sheepdog shown by Sherri Wilmoth of Beavercreek was qualified to enter, but Wilmoth said it was too cold to fly her dog, Ch. Sarron Casino Royale to the show this weekend.

‘We didn’t make the show this year,’ Wilmoth said. ‘I’ll be watching tonight from Beavercreek.’

Neither the Papillon, which was entered in the toy category, nor the sheepdog entered in the herding dog class advanced out of their breed competition.

Dogs selected as best in their breed go on to compete in best of class. One of those dogs is then named Best of Show.

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Speed dating event on Feb. 12

By Kim Margolis | Thursday, February 11, 2010, 02:53 PM

If you’re up for something different this weekend, there is the Valentine’s Speed Dating event on Friday, Feb. 12.

Michael’s Dining and Jazz in Kettering Tower will host the event which will include three sessions of speed dating, door prizes, wine and art for $15.

There will be three speed-dating sessions at 8 p.m., 10 p.m. and midnight. Proceeds will benefit Unified Health Solutions.

For more information or to register, call (937) 220-6610 or email afinch@uhs-dayton.org

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Beat winter blues with dancing at free event

By Kim Margolis | Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 06:15 PM

It’s been snowing a lot, hasn’t it? And we’ve all been stuck in the house.

If you want to try to shake the winter blues, you could try the Day of Dance at the Washington Township Recreation Center.

The free event, sponsored by Kettering Medical Center, will be held on Sunday, Feb. 28 from 2-5 p.m. at the recreation center’s Rec West site at 965 Miamisburg-Centerville Road.

There will be zumba and line dancing. Those visiting also can win one of 10 $50 Macy’s gift cards or a card to use the rec center.

There will be healthy snacks, but there also will be a chocolate fountain. You decide.

Since this is women’s heart health month there will be three cardiac awareness stations and information on body mass index and nutrition. After that, you can get a free chair massage. For more information, call (937) 558-3988 or go to KHNetwork.org/wcs

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Was it OK for Obama to discuss daughters’ weight?

By Kim Margolis | Tuesday, February 9, 2010, 05:29 PM

First lady Michelle Obama is leading a campaign called “Let’s Move” aimed at fighting childhood obesity, a problem she says concerns her both as first lady and as a mom.

One in three American children are overweight or obese, and public health experts say today’s kids are on track to have shorter lifespans than their parents.

In an interview about the issue, the first lady said she became interested in the topic when a pediatrician addressed her daughters’ weight, telling Obama that her daughters’ weight and body mass index were getting ‘off balance.’

Some have criticized the first lady for using her daughters as an example.

They say addressing any weight issues in a girl publicly can be damaging to the girl. Obama, meanwhile, said she is a mother, concerned about her own children’s health and the health of all children.

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