Here is what you saw on Good Day Alabama for May 13, 2013:
JEH JEH LIVE - Jeh Jeh joins us live from the Shades Shades Valley YMCA with Mikal Thomas. Today he shows us the latest exercises you can do for the week. For more information, call (205) 870-9622.
BETH K - UAB Nutritionist Dr. Beth Kitchin joined us this morning to explain lactose intolerance and how you can work around it. Not as many people are lactose intolerant as researchers once thought. Some researchers estimated that as many as 48% of Americans are lactose intolerant. They put the portion of African Americans with lactose intolerance at about 80%. More recent research shows that only 12% of all Americans and 19.5% of African Americans may be lactose intolerant.
Lactose is the carbohydrate in milk. You may also hear it called milk sugar. Your body uses an enzyme called lactase to help you break down the milk sugar so you can digest it, absorb it, and use it for energy. Lactose intolerance means that you don't have enough lactase to break down lactose. Undigested lactose can cause gas, diarrhea, and nausea as the body attempts to break it down. If you are lactose intolerant, you may notice some typical symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, and nausea. If you have these symptoms right after you drink milk, you might be lactose intolerant. But, other conditions can cause these symptoms too. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is another condition that causes similar symptoms. You can stop using milk and milk products to see if your symptoms go away. There are also lab tests your doctor can order to tell you if you are lactose intolerant. You need to get an accurate diagnosis so that you don't stop drinking milk unnecessarily. If another condition is causing your symptoms, you'll want to treat that condition.
Milk is good food! Milk is a good source of many important nutrients. Milk, cheese and yogurt are important sources of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Many studies show that a diet that includes low-fat milk products along with lots of fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure. If you're avoiding milk because of your weight, you may be doing more harm than good. Several studies show that milk can actually help people keep their weight in a healthy range. Key nutrients in milk include protein, calcium, phosphorus, & potassium.
But if you really are lactose intolerant, what can you do? There are many options for people who are lactose intolerant but who like milk. Small amounts of milk - drinking small amounts spread out throughout the day often works well for people with lactose intolerance. Lactose Free Milk - this is milk with lactase added to it. The lactose is broken down for you. You'll also see it called "lactose reduced". Lactose reduced milk tastes sweeter but does not have sugar added to it. Soymilk - there is no lactose in soymilk. It's high in protein but be sure to get it with calcium added. Yogurt - many people with lactose intolerance do fine with yogurt. The natural bacteria in yogurt help break down the lactose. Aged Cheeses - aged, hard cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, parmesan, and Monterey Jack are very low in lactose.
UNDERSTANDING INSURANCE - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama offers the general public some helpful information and tips regarding Healthcare Reform and the upcoming Health Insurance Exchange. Healthcare Reform is going to affect everyone, whether they have health insurance or not, and Michael Patterson, a healthcare reform expert joined us to simplify/explain this very confusing and complicated issue. Patterson is fully knowledgeable about the Affordable Care Act and how Alabamians can prepare over the next several months and leading into 2014. He works closely with the decision makers both in Montgomery and in Washington. Again, this is not to sell, it's simply a public outreach effort to keep Alabamians informed and to make this confusing topic more understandable.
The Healthcare Exchange open enrollment begins October 1, 2013. The Congressional Budget Office estimates about 20 million American households will be eligible for subsidies. Extension of dependent age limit to 26 years old under parent's policy
For more information, visit www.hcralabamablue.com. It was strictly developed as a resource to help educate the general public on healthcare reform and people can even sign up for free healthcare reform updates just to stay informed.
LIFE AFTER DEATH - May 5th marked the 20-year anniversary of the murders of three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, one of the most notorious cases of wrongful conviction in recent memory. Still unsolved to this day, the actual killer hasn't been found, and the imprisonment and ultimate release of the "West Memphis Three" in 2011 continues to be the subject of major media coverage, a controversial documentary that gained the support of Eddie Vedder, Johnny Depp, Margaret Cho, Henry Rollins, and Marilyn Manson, and a future Hollywood feature. Now, Damien Echols, the central figure in the case, shares the inside story in his New York Times bestselling memoir, Life After Death. In 1993, teenagers Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, Jr.-who have come to be known as the West Memphis Three-were arrested for the murders of three 8-year-old boys in Arkansas. The ensuing trial was marked by tampered evidence, false testimony and public hysteria. Baldwin and Misskelley were sentenced to life in prison; while 18-year-old Echols (deemed the "ringleader") was sentenced to death. Over the next two decades, the WM3 became known worldwide as a symbol of wrongful conviction and imprisonment, with thousands of supporters calling for a new trial. Stunningly, after years of fruitless attempts to overturn their convictions, the WM3 were released from prison in August 2011. Damien Echols spoke out about his torturous 18 years on death row and ongoing quest for exoneration and his new book "Life After Death."
ASK THE GARDENER - Sandra Reaves takes questions from viewers about their gardening needs. For more information, visit her Facebook page - it includes lots of pictures, tips, how to videos, and info on veggie trials going on in the garden. It's a "real time, real life" look at home gardening and food preservation. You can find her at www.Facebook.com/JosieGladysGardens.
DOLLY PARTON - Last year, Dollywood opened the $20 Million Wild Eagle, the country's first wing coaster. The 3,127-foot steel coaster won the amusement industry's Golden Ticket Award for best new ride, sweeping the event with five awards including Friendliest Park, Best Shows and Best Food. This year, the company opens its second history-making coaster, RiverRush, at its award-winning 35-acre water adventure park, Dollywood's Splash Country. Said Dolly, "You know me. I love making a big splash!" The $6 million RiverRush is another key achievement in Dollywood's 2013 expansion, the largest in its history. RiverRush represents the next generation of water coasters, and it¹s the first in the state of Tennessee. It opened this weekend and Dollywood¹s Splash Country will be open on weekends until daily operation begins Memorial Day Weekend on May 25th (sat.). RiverRush combines all of the powerful climbs, plunging drops, thrilling twists and razor-sharp turns of a traditional land coaster for the very latest in jaw-dropping waterpark experiences. At Dollywood, the annual Barbecue & Bluegrass festival returns May 25-June 9 before the park¹s Great American Summer June 22-Aug. 4. It¹s six weeks of extended park hours from 10am-10pm daily, and a nightly musical fireworks extravaganza, Dolly¹s Nights of Many Colors. There are two affordable pricing options for families to experience both parks this summer in Pigeon Forge, TN (Dolly Parton¹s childhood home) a beautiful drive whether you come north or south on I-95, through Knoxville, or via the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Asheville, NC to Gatlinburg. For more information, visit http://www.dollywood.com/.
GOOD DAY COOKING - Chef Chris Vizzina showed us a recipe and reminded us to mark our calendars for the 4th Annual Bob Sykes BBBQ and Blues Festival on Saturday, June 1st from 1-9pm. For more information, visit bobsykesblues.com.
Tomorrow on Good Day Alabama, Jeh Jeh takes us to the McWane Science Center to check out a special new exhibit for your kids to enjoy this summer! Are you sneezing? What about your pets? We check in with the allergist for a look how to help your pets and the symptoms you should look for with them. And Dr. Asa Andrew joins us with a look at humans and our allergies. He offers pointers on beating those seasonal allergies! We're gardening with Jimmy Rockett!
And men, listen up! We show you "Guy Gourmet" for some great recipes you can whip up and enjoy that will keep you fit and strong and impress your family, too! Join us for all of that and much more tomorrow on Good Day Alabama!