CRESTVIEW — Residents who give blood at OneBlood Donor Center locations between Oct. 1 and Oct. 21 will receive a limited edition T-shirt.

"People who have A+, B+, AB+, AB- and O+ are perfect candidates to donate platelets," a OneBlood spokesperson said.

People with O-, B- and A- blood are encouraged to donate whole blood or double red blood cells. 

Learn about platelets' importance at www.oneblood.org/learn/donation-methods/platelet-donation.stml.  

Learn more about blood types at www.oneblood.org/target-your-type.

Crestview's location is 2400 S. Ferdon Blvd. Call 306-2455 for details. 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Give blood in Crestview, get a T-shirt

CRESTVIEW — Pink is the fashionable color on Main Street this month as businesses observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Pink ribbons grace lampposts, pink dominates shops and eateries’ window décor and, Thursday evening, pink-clad residents strolled the street in a carnival-like defiance of the deadly disease.

Breast cancer survivors — on four legs as well as two — drew cheers from onlookers when, after enjoying a party in the courtyard of attorney Nathan Boyles and his family’s Yellow River Winery, they paraded to the courthouse gazebo to share stories and be recognized.

The event, sponsored by North Okaloosa Medical Center’s Healthy Women program and the Main Street Crestview Association,  was a fun way to address a serious concern, NOMC Healthy Woman and community programs coordinator Alicia Booker said.

“The best way to slip in an important message is to mix it with a little fun, a little music and door prizes,” Booker said. “It’s a good way to draw people to downtown Crestview for a worthy cause.”

In addition to pink-wrapped cupcakes, pink punch, pink lemonade and pink-wrapped candies, there was a serious side to the event.

NOMC surgeons and medical technicians, American Cancer Society representatives and Emerald Coast Hospice staffers answered questions and provided information on topics such as self-examinations.

“We’re not just raising awareness but also raising education,” Booker said.

NOT JUST FOR HUMANS

Humans aren't the only species who can have breast cancer.

Daisy, a Great Dane, wears an “I am a survivor" sign at Thursday's Pink Street Part in downtown Crestview. attention to the importance of checking pets for breast cancer.

“She’s a big girl and likes to stand on the coffee table,” Angie Nousiainen, the dog's owner, said. “When she does, her nipples are at eye level. One day I noticed one seemed different than the other. Just like a human should, we examined her and a found a lump.”

Daisy received a canine mastectomy and now is cancer free, Nousiainen said.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pink Main Street raises breast cancer awareness (VIDEO)

Have you often thought that you need to quit using tobacco products but are not sure just how to go about it?

There are ways to assist you so you’re not alone in your quest for a healthier and longer life. Bridgeway Center, Inc., in partnership with FSU’s College of Medicine, offers the Area Health Education Center Tobacco Cessation Program called Quit Smoking NOW to patients, clients, patient/client caregivers, staff, and staff families free of charge. Patients/clients who have a substance abuse diagnosis or a mental illness diagnosis will find the benefit of the smoking cessation program improves their chance for sustained recovery.

When you stop smoking changes happen immediately! The air around you is no longer dangerous to children and other adults. After 20 minutes your blood pressure drops to normal, pulse rate drops to normal, temperature in hands and feet increase to normal. After 2-12 weeks circulation improves, breathing improves, and walking becomes easier. As your smoke free time increases so does your increase in a healthy life. Find ways to re-direct your cravings such as changing your daily routine, drinking more water, and increasing your exercise. If you work in a building with an elevator, or have access to one, take a break and ride it, you can’t smoke in elevators.

Nicotine replacement therapy is also a way to help with cravings. These can be purchased over-the-counter and don’t require a prescription. NRT comes in the form of patches, gum, and lozenges. NRT slowly provides a small amount of nicotine through your mouth or skin. The patch is a long-acting NRT and the gum and lozenges are short-acting. The use of gum or lozenges is one of the keys to your success.

Some tips to help you succeed in your attempt to stop smoking are: if you feel anxious, try going for a walk, working out, or any activity you would normally do to relax. Does your not smoking making you hungry? Try eating veggies, make a salad or have some of your favorite raw veggies to replace your smoking. Do you have coffee and a cigarette first thing in the morning? Changing this habit is as easy as switching to tea, or having your first cup of coffee an hour after waking. Ice water is also a good way to help with cravings. Find what works for you and stick to it…you can beat this!

The public is made aware of the dangers of second hand smoke, but not many people are aware of third hand smoke. This is the smoke residue that is deposited on walls, furniture, carpets, etc. It affects animals and children by contact. When a child or animal crawls or walks on the floor and then puts their hand or paw in their mouth they are being affected by third hand smoke. The nicotine is entering their system by physical contact, not by breathing in the smoke. Be mindful of the dangers smoking has not only on you but on those you love.

There are resources available to help you quit smoking and using tobacco products. Don’t do it alone. Some resources are free to the public as well as the availability of NRT products.

To talk to a “Quit Coach” call 1-877-U-CAN-NOW (1-877-822-6669). Online help is available at www.quitnow.net/florida, or if face-to-face meetings work best for you, find local classes at www.ahectobacco.com.

Remember, with the determination to quit, the support of friends and family, and the help of available resources, you can enjoy and happy and healthy life.

WANT TO GO?

QUIT SMOKING CLASSES: open to the public. For more local classes, see the calendar at http://www.ahectobacco.com/calendar/.

•5-6 p.m. Oct. 8 and 15, Crestview Health Center, 4100 S. Ferdon Blvd., Crestview, 682-1164.

•10-11 a.m. Oct. 9 and 16, Okaloosa Dept. of Health, 810 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview, 689-7808.

•5:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 13, North Okaloosa Medical Center, 151 E. Redstone Ave., Crestview, 689-8100.

Mary Cox is a tobacco treatment specialist for Bridgeway Center, Inc.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Quit Smoking Now program, classes available

Anxiety, hypertension, elevated heart rates, interrupted sleep patterns and headaches are just some of the side effects commonly associated with energy drinks, and those problems are more pronounced in children, according to a recent University of Miami study.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. These drinks have also been linked to heart palpitations, strokes and sudden death.

The term “energy” drink is an unfortunate misnomer, says food science expert Budge Collinson. They don’t give your body energy; they stimulate you with brief jolts of caffeine and unregulated herbal stimulants, he says.

“Soccer moms and dads buy these ‘stimulant’ drinks for their kids before matches because both kids and parents want that competitive advantage,” says Collinson, founder of Infusion Sciences and creator Youth Infusion, a natural multivitamin beverage that helps people maintain consistent and healthy higher energy levels. 

“For a few moments, you’ll get that spike, but it’s a short-term experience with a heavy long-term toll.”

So, what are some ways kids can get a healthy energy boost? Collinson offers the following tips.

•  Go for a speedy bike ride together, take a brisk walk or hold foot-races in the yard.Numerous studies demonstrate the power of vigorous exercise in boosting energy. Exercise pumps more oxygen – pure, healthy fuel — into the bloodstream and to the brain and muscles for a short-term energy boost. Exercising regularly will increase lung capacity, so the body will gets more oxygen on a sustained level for the long term. Exercise also releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemical, which makes us feel happy. And happy people are energized people.

•  Seek nutrition from a variety of sources. As humans, we need more than 40 different vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies functioning optimally. Since there is no single food that contains them all, it is important for children and adults to eat a variety, including as many different vegetables and fruits as possible. Adding a daily multivitamin supplement with essentials such as CoQ10, arginine, theanine, resveratrol and magnesium can help ensure bodies young and old are running at top speed.

Even mild dehydration can leave children (and adults) feeling listless, so encourage children to make a habit of drinking plenty of water. Kids need more water than adults because they expend more energy, and they may not recognize when they’re slightly thirsty. Parents, too, often don’t recognize the signs of dehydration; a national survey of more than 800 parents of kids ages of one month to 10 years found that more than half feel they don’t know enough about dehydration. A quick, light pinch of the skin on the child’s hand or arm is an easy check. If the skin is slow to resume a smooth appearance, the child is likely at least mildly dehydrated.

Budge Collinson founded Infusion Sciences. Collinson earned a bachelor’s degree in food and resource economics from the University of Florida and certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Recently, he became a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and consistently attends the Natural Products Expo, where he learns the latest science and news about nutritious ingredients. Collinson is also a go-to source for media outlets across the country for healthy lifestyle and food source discussions.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Why your kid shouldn’t be guzzling ‘energy’ drinks