Welcome to my first installment of Wellness Wednesday -- fitness news you can use. Each week I'll seek to bring you news and information that relates to your health. Let me know what you think. My email address is at the end of this column. ~ Sondra E.Z. Hines

***

Free dental clinic to visit Charlotte

Mark your calendar for August 19 -20 as the North Carolina Dental Society presents its Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic at the Charlotte Convention Center. Dental services -- screenings, cleaning, fillings and extractions -- will be provided to anyone at no charge, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Adults making less than $416 weekly qualify, although proof of income is not required. However, participants will be asked to sign a waiver form. The event, a first for the Charlotte area, has been held previously in smaller N.C. cities. According to the non-profit’s website, lines have formed as early as the day before. Therefore it’s suggested that patients arrive early. Clinic hours begin 6 a.m. Friday, August 19, and end 6 p.m. Saturday August 20, according to the website. For more information, visit: www.ncmom-charlotte.com.

***

FREE dance classes for seniors!

By the looks of the thermometer, the sizzling temperatures of summer are not quite over. To help you stay cool while burning calories, I suggest dancing -- specifically line dancing! The North Mecklenburg Senior Center is recruiting for its award-winning Lucky Stars line dancing team. To participate, you must meet the following: attend four (out of five) free trainings, have basic dance knowledge, and be at least 55 years old. For more information email Northmeckdirector@cmseniorcenters.org or call 704-892-4041. Sessions run through August 30.

***

Adult line dancing classes (low-cost)

I attended a summer line dancing class at Charlotte’s Leap of Faith Dance Academy and had a great time! Classes, which cost a mere $5, are held Tuesday nights, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. It was fun to learn new line dances: The Homey Slide, Chuck Baby and a revised version of Wang Wit It. By far, this was the best $5 I’ve spent in a long time! Leap of Faith is located at 8535-D Hankins Road, just off West W.T. Harris Blvd. Visit the website at www.leapoffaithdance.com, or call 704-597-0209 for more details.

***

Shake it like a salt shaker?

For years, physicians, nutritionists and nearly all messages relating to salt have cautioned that salt is the culprit of many ill-fated conditions, i.e. hypertension and elevated cholesterol, to name a few. But, a study from a Belgian researcher (published in the Journal of the American Medical Association) sparked a bit of controversy with its shocking results: It found that people who consumed the LEAST amount of salt were at a HIGHER risk of cardiovascular incidences than those who consumed MORE salt. This is not a green light to shake the saltshaker. However the study is an interesting read. See for yourself: http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004022.html.

***

Exercise helps women stay mentally sharp

You’d have to search far and wide to find a health professional who disputes the theory that exercise offers numerous benefits, particularly for women with vascular disease. New research from The Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study tracked roughly 2,800 women with this condition. No surprise that the most active women fared better. “Women who were more active were least likely to experience significant cognitive decline,” said the study. “In fact, the most active women demonstrated cognitive ability similar to that of women five to seven years younger.” To read more, click here: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archinternmed.2011.282.

Whatever you do to stay cool, have fun!

In health and wellness

***
Sondra E. Z. Hines is an adjunct professor of health and wellness and is certified to teach group fitness and Zumba. Email: sondraezhines@yahoo.com.

Got news to share with Qcity readers? Email us at editor@qcitymetro.com.
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter below

Sign up for our Weekly Email Newsletter Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

Other Ways to Share Twitter Del.icio.us MySpace

Discussions and Submission Agreement