Help yourself and feel better today!

I have found out that taking care of myself and my family by providing healthy meals, encouraging water intake, suggest good sleep habits, introduce exercise by example, and nurture good social skills in order to have good relationships that make you feel good about yourself and who you are and will make for a well adjusted, successful individual.

If you do all of these things in a healthy, balanced way you will not need the care of a doctor.  Make the healthy choices and cause and prevention of disease will be first and foremost and keep yourself in a good place.

Think how easy it is to be a good role model.  There is a mix of all elements together that make for a positive outlook and live the healthy way.

The power of positive words!

Knowledge can help people to be powerful!  It is better to gather information from a valid source and make a wise choice, then to rely on others for your information. 

Weightlifting and calcium!

Muscles contract, they shorten and pull on your bones, which stimulates bone growth.  It is very important to consumer the correct amount of calcium especially for women after menopause because women can lose up to 20% of their bone density. 



References:naturalhealingmag.com, September/October 2011

Dairy farmers develop care for their animals!

Dairy farmers are very much in tune with what their girls need on the dairy farm.  If you choose to be a dairy owner/operator you are a very special kind of person.  There are not many professions that are as dangerous, yet rewarding as agriculture because of the animals and the equipment.  There are many long days in agriculture because of the nature of the business.  Dairy farmers are animals lovers and have a sense of responsibility to their animals, land and to provide consumers with an amazing, wholesome product. 

Building strength and getting rid of the aches and pains!

It is easy to build strength and prevent aches and pains when the right foods are put into your body and weight training is added to the regime.  Sitting at the computer all day is not good for the body, so we need to take the necessary steps in order to combat the effects of the technology that is in our every day life.  It is very easy to throw the back out of whack and injure ourselves at work.  It is better to become strong and fight off the possibility of harming ourselves.  In our every day lives we push, pull, kick and challenge our bodies in a way that some times are bodies are not able to handle.  Do something really good for your body today and invest a little time toning your muscle and then the body can handle normal challenges!

References:naturalhealthmag.com, Sept./October 2011

Let's refuel with chocolate milk!

Chocolate milk - powerfully delicious!

Make chocolate milk your choice for refueling after exercise.  Low-fat chocolate milk has the same or better benefits for athletes as a typical sports drink.  Low fat chocolate milk is the perfect follow-up for active teens after a workout because its powerful package provides water, energy, protein, calcium and seven other essential nutrients.

Chocolate milk has the right blend of carbohydrate and protein to refresh and replenish the body after a rigorous workout.  Research shows that athletes are able to work harder in their next workout if they drink chocolate milk instead of popular sports drinks.

References:www.wisdairy.com/sports

Thanks for the visit!

Thanks to Betsy and Jordan for taking their time to visit Kylecrest Holsteins LLC yesterday.  I had a great time talking to them about speaking out about agriculture and consumer perceptions.  It does take time to promote our wonderful industry, but it is definitely worth it.  Just try it out today and see how you feel! 

Points do work!

OK!  So..my co-worker and I have been trying out the healthy Weight Watchers program and exercise and it is working for us.  It isn't that difficult and it just means keeping track of what you eat every day!  Over the years I have found that if you write down what you eat and also include what emotion you are feeling, it helps with the success of the weight loss.  Try this out by keeping a journal for a few days and see what happens.

Check out the great happenings in Wisconsin!

Visit www.wmmb.com and find out what is going on in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board creates a new 90-second video each week featuring dairy stories from around the state. 

Modification in everything we do is key to success!

Lifestyle modification is a weight management approach that teaches the skills necessary for lasting weight loss. As described by obesity expert Gary Foster, this type of approach goes beyond deciding what eating and activity behaviors need to be changed; it provides methods, skills and techniques to be able to learn how to make the changes.



References:http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?art_id=24011&tabnum=1&sc=804&subnav=Science+Library%3a+Achieving+a+Sustainable+Weight+Los

Self-care pays off in the end and you will always benefit from it!

To improve well-being, a primary focus needs to be on improving areas in lifestyle behavior that impact health. This is an essential component of self-care. And, an ongoing focus on self-improvement can help to enhance factors that affect weight loss, physical activity levels and even relationships with spouses.

Having a good sense of self is also associated with losing weight and maintaining weight loss. In a study of people who experienced fluctuations in weight, those who maintained a stable weight were more likely to have a heightened sense of well-being, make wiser food choices and have lower levels of stress.    On the other hand, researchers found that within a group of women who neglected self-care, experienced depression or had weight-related issues, these factors were associated with less healthful diets and lifestyle practices.

At Kylecrest Holsteins LLC everyday is a new beginning and we as a family work on consistency and moderation.  Self-care is huge in our house and once it becomes a way of life the routine is not a challenge any more - it just is what it is!

Cows love consistency and being handled by animal lovers that do the same things every day! A milker that truly loves animals and all of the care that goes along with it will find happiness and be able to excel at their job. 

References:http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art

Investing our resources to make our dairy stronger!

Dairy producers invest their resources to make their dairies better, which makes the dairy more sustainable. 

At Kylecrest Holsteins LLC we are adding free-stalls in our open-concept compost barn.  We have had many challenges managing the compost barn, which is very true of any operation.  After three years in the dairy barn we have realized that stalls need to be in the front end of the barn in order to better take care of the fresh and cows that aren't feeling just right.  We are putting in stalls and sand.  Sand is much forgiving when it comes to environmental issues.  Since we live in Wisconsin it is important to constantly try and stay ahead of the every-changing weather that the midwest presents.  It is not just because sawdust is costly and hard to get some times, it is because it is hard to keep the front area of the  barn dry.  Our 71 X 184 barn will still be half cow manure and sawdust so we can continue to make the environmentally-friendly compost that our customers like.

Soil is a working factory - and agricultural stewards know how to take care of their soil!

It is described as a working factory with people that need to eat and a place to live.  Good soil has many working organisms in a teaspoon, and it is hard to understand how complex the system really is.  Some people take for granted what we do with our soil every day.  Dairy farmers are always thinking about what is best for their soil and their cows as they know that consistency is the only way to keep their system working without a hitch!  Even though it is hard to keep up that pace some days, it is more rewarding for the dairy steward each and every day.


Just like people the soil needs enhancement some times.  There are several nutrients a human body needs, cows need their own balance and the soil is also a place where nutrient balance is important.  Really...what in life doesn't work well with balance?

Just like people - we need to be comfortable with what we have and treat our bodies, cows and our soil the best we can!

All of us need to look at what we do every day to keep our body tuned up!

Look over the plate, challenge yourself to be the best you can be!

Keep the chocolate milk flowing!

Every child and adult have muscles so why not give the muscles the best recovery drink money can buy and score with 9 essential vitamins and minerals!  Chocolate milk within the first hour of working out is great for runners, volleyball players, football, weight lifting, walkers and also anyone who just wants to enjoy the taste of the rich, chocolate milk.  The milk is the most economical, wholesome drink.  Moms feel good about choosing this special drink for their children. 


References:www.chocolatemilkhasmuscle.com

Cheese and Burger Society - www.cheeseandburger.com

Check out this site!  I can't think of anything I would want right now except a Wisconsin Cheese Burger.  There are many great combinations out there for all taste buds. 

www.cheeseandburger.com






References:WisconsinMilkMarketingBoardInc., 2011

World Dairy Expo experiences!

What a great day at the World Dairy Expo in Madison with the family!  OK...so I know those days are few and far between when my teenagers want to spend the whole day with mom and dad!  Our kids have been with us since they were little working on our first-generation dairy farm and experiencing the ups and downs of every day life in a business, participating in an active family and at the end of the day enjoying each others company eating and relaxing together. 

The World Dairy Expo in Madison is an amazing place to retrieve resources, meet up with old friends and make new friends.  One of the great aspects of the dairy industry is every one is working toward the same goal and that is providing food for all consumers, including their own families.  All of us feel comfortable serving our healthy products to our families and look forward to others enjoying the products as well.  The reason consumers keep coming back is because dairy farmers do provide consistent, wholesome products with an economical price attached to these products. 

Look for your favorite wholesome products in your dairy case and try something new this week.

Energy in a healthy eating plan is key to cows and people in order to sustain!

Animals
Energy (includes primarily carbohydrates and fats, but protein also can be used as energy) in a feed may be separated into: 1) the losses that occur in digestion and metabolism, and 2) the remainder that is available to the animal for maintenance and production.

People
The term “dietary fiber" primarily describes long-chain carbohydrates whose bonds cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes in the small intestine. Included in this definition is resistant starch, a non-digestible starch found in legumes and some vegetables, as well as in resistant starch food products. Nondigestible carbohydrates reach the large intestine, where many are metabolized by colonic bacteria.

World Dairy Expo!

Dave is heading up to Madison to enjoy World Dairy Expo opening day!  Have fun Dave handing out ribbons for exhibitors!  Make sure you get all your talking in today, so we don't have to do it again on Saturday!  Just kidding!  There are so many great ideas at World Dairy Expo that it is hard to get it accomplished in one day!

Leadership in the dairy industry!

There are many people in my life that have been great mentors and leaders for me.  I am passionate about teaching young people about leadership and what it means to be a leader.  It is important as a parent to teacher your children at a young age to present to them how important it is to be a good leader and what it means to be a good role model.  There are two kinds of leadership - leading by example and vocally.  The "Power of one" is very important as it helps the young individual to be the best person they can be.  It is very important to lead yourself and then others will follow!  This is one of the concepts that I talk about to my softball players as well.  I tell them that if they don't like one themselves, then others will pick up on that and they won't ever be viewed as a good role model.  It is important to work on the four areas of leadership, which include:

confidence, commitment, composure, character

The words above are very important to remember no matter what we are doing and no matter how frustrated we get.

The girls on the farm are very similar to females before having a baby!

It is so important to look at what the girls are eating the day or two before calving.  The cows are usually very restless and their appetites are not the same as they are on the other days.  Keep a close watch on these girls as they could take a turn for the worse.  Just like humans the girls need their daily intake of all the food groups and the right amount of water.  Keep a keen eye out and you will have fewer problems.

Keep it light before a stressfull event!

In agriculture there are times that the daily routine on the dairy can be very stressful.  In life there are situations that cause stress, but it is how we handle this stress which helps us to become stronger in order to better deal with the next situation.  I have found that running through the event that is coming up can be helpful in reducing the stress of it.  I am passionate about many things in life and if I am having a hard time with a situation it is easier to find something positive about what is happening then go down the negative path!