ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, June 11, 1996 TAG: 9606120014
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Health Notes
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY
Having fun and helping others while doing it is a rare combination. But you have the opportunity June 28-29 at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
This annual event at Roanoke's Victory Stadium is an opportunity to stay up all night and camp out like when you were a kid.
Teams of participants - 10 to 15 people per team are recommended - have to have at least one person on the running track at all times for 24 hours. The person doesn't have to run, though. Walking, skating and jogging are allowed.
The cancer group just hopes each team member has sponsors willing to shell out $100 as a donation. Teams camp out on the stadium grounds and are encouraged to be as silly as they wish in decorating their campsites. Prizes are even given for the most creative digs.
A cookout on the second day, a Saturday, is also supposed to be a competition and feature healthy recipes. And let's not forget the midnight fashion show.
The deal here is to organize a group, find backers and make plans. If you have a company you want to get back at, challenge its employees to beat your team's dollar collection.
Donations aren't the only way to increase the money you give, either. You can hold a bake sale during the event. Or maybe a book sale. Or charge for foot massages.
Entertainment will be provided by the likes of Radar Rose, Red Weather, The Thrillbillyz and Wings of Faith. One highlight will be a "Victory Walk" by cancer survivors.
Call The American Cancer Society at (540) 344-8699 for information. If you don't want to participate yourself, be kind if others ask you to sponsor them.
The national campaign was kicked off in April with a page on the society's website (http://www.cancer.org) where you can read about others' efforts to raise money. Check it out.
Foot hurt?
Society mavens would never say their "feet hurt." They thought that sounded tacky and indicated they'd been in some job that required standing all day. "My foot hurts" was acceptable. However, when it comes to foot aroma, few people will say anything. But it is wise to do something about this condition because where there's a foot odor, there also are bacteria and fungi.
The editors of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter recognize that summer might be more fun if you freshen up your feet and offer these tips:
Towel off your feet after a bath
Use over-the-counter foot powders to absorb moisture
Pick pantyhose with cotton soles
Wear shoes made of leather, fabric and other natural materials that let feet breathe
Go without shoes whenever you can to air out your feet
If you're still having a problem with odor, ask your doctor for help.
Dishcloths and other ughs
While we're on some untidy subjects, consider what Virginia Tech Extension specialist Ann Hertzler has to say about the dishcloth we use to wipe dry our kitchen counters.
Hertzler says we're not cleaning when we do that. We're just moving bacteria around. Someone did a study (Hertzler didn't reveal who) and found that a fourth of the sponges and dishcloths checked were carrying salmonella or staphylococcus bacteria. Both are leading causes of food-borne illnesses.
Sixty-six percent of the sponges and dishcloths tested had at least one of the 24 organisms that infect people unable to fight off infection because of age or illness. So what should we do?
The best way to reduce the micro-organisms in the kitchen is to clean the counter tops and let them dry naturally because the bugs need moisture to survive, Hertzler said.
Or fix sandwiches in the bathtub. (The kitchen has more germs than the bathroom, Hertzler couldn't resist pointing out.)
You can contact Sandra Brown Kelly at (540) 981-3393 in the Roanoke Valley, at (800) 346-1234, ext. 393, outside the valley or through e-mail at biznews@roanoke.infi.net.
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