Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
   
2. Place saltine crackers side by side on the parchment paper. Set aside.
   
3. Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
   
4. Pour the mixture evenly over the crackers. Use a greased spatula to spread over the crackers as needed.
   
5. Bake for 5 minutes.
   
6. Remove from the oven. Top with 12 oz white chocolate chips. Let rest for 5 minutes. Use a spoon to spread the melted white chocolate evenly over the crackers.
   
7. Decorate the top with green, yellow and purple decorative sugars. Drizzle with additional white chocolate as desired. Cool in the freezer for 30 minutes.
8. Break into pieces, removing from the paper. Store in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag or airtight container.

Prediabetes is an intermediate stage between normal blood sugar and type 2 diabetes, where the blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 in 3 American adults, or approximately 96 million people, have prediabetes. Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are also becoming more common in children and adolescents, likely due to the rise in childhood obesity. Prediabetes increases risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

The underlying cause of prediabetes is insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone made by our pancreas which works on the cells and lets them use blood sugar as energy. In prediabetes, the cells don’t respond normally to insulin and the pancreas makes more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Eventually when the pancreas is unable to keep up with the insulin resistance, blood sugar rises, leading to prediabetes and later, type 2 diabetes.

What is concerning about prediabetes is that it usually does not have any symptoms and therefore, often goes undetected until serious health problems occur. More than 80% of American adults with prediabetes do not know they have the condition. Screening of people at risk is the key to early diagnosis and prevention of type 2 diabetes. The risk factors include being overweight, being age 35 or older, having a first-degree family member with type 2 diabetes, having a sedentary lifestyle (physically active less than 3 times a week), having a history of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds, having HIV or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Smoking poses an additional risk in prediabetes and diabetes; stopping smoking is of paramount importance to prevent cardiovascular complications. Race and ethnicity are also a factor: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at higher risk.
Prediabetes screening is also recommended in children aged 10 years or above who are overweight or obese and who have one or more other risk factors for type 2 diabetes, such as family history of type 2 diabetes, race or ethnicity with an increased risk, mother with gestational diabetes, or other conditions associated with prediabetes like PCOS, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or low birth weight. Children and adults who have prediabetes should be tested for type 2 diabetes every year or more often if they experience a change in weight or develop signs of diabetes such as increased thirst, increased urination, fatigue, or blurred vision.

Diagnosis of prediabetes is based on one of the following blood tests: hemoglobin A1C, fasting blood sugar (after 8 hours without eating) and an oral glucose tolerance test (performed fasting in the morning, with blood glucose measured 2 hours after ingestion of a 75-g oral glucose load). Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test indicates the average blood sugar level for the past 2 to 3 months. Certain conditions like pregnancy or having an uncommon form of hemoglobin can make the A1C test inaccurate.

The good news is that progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes is not inevitable. Healthy lifestyle choices including healthy diet, regular physical activity and weight loss can help to lower the risk for developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58%. These changes can also improve cardiovascular risk factors and even bring the blood sugar level back to normal. A diet low in carbs, fat, and calories with an emphasis on whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables and minimal refined and processed foods is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. A small amount of weight loss, around 7% of your body weight which is just 14 pounds for a person weighing 200 pounds, can lead to a significant risk reduction. Regular physical activity means getting at least 150 minutes a week of brisk walking or a similar activity – that is only 30 minutes a day, five days a week. The CDC developed the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP), an online resource for lifestyle change programs for preventing type 2 diabetes and providing locations of CDC-recognized diabetes prevention lifestyle change programs. At Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, a prediabetes group class or an individual session is offered at the diabetes education center with a focus on healthy eating and increasing physical activity.

In summary, prediabetes is a silent disease with serious long-term complications if not detected and treated early. It can be diagnosed with a simple blood test and lifestyle changes can improve outcomes significantly. The best time to act is NOW!
Arshpreet Kaur, MD, FACE, is an Assistant Professor of Endocrinology and the Director of Diabetes Initiatives at
LSU Health Shreveport.

Cleaning  

Fortunately, bearded dragons are one of the easiest pet lizards to maintain. Beardies like keeping themselves clean and don’t smell. However, your bearded dragon’s home will need daily spot cleaning to keep it healthy and happy. You’ll need to spend a few minutes cleaning up any unwanted food and cleaning up droppings each day. With daily care, your bearded dragon’s home will only need a full cleaning once or twice a month.

Feeding

Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning they eat plant and animal-based foods. Therefore, you’ll need to provide your bearded dragon with a proper diet and plenty of clean water each day. Young bearded dragons are fed once or twice a day, while adult beardies are fed once a day. Luckily, beardies are not fussy eaters. They enjoy a wide variety of insects, vegetables, and fruits. So, finding inexpensive food they like is not too difficult.

Final Thoughts

Bearded dragons are great pets for many people. They are suitable pets for adults and older children. Beardies are friendly, animated, curious, easy to care for, fun to watch and play with, and capable of bonding with their owners. They are hardy and robust animals when cared for properly, but remember, always do your homework about this type of pet or any pet before adding them to your family.

Licensed esthetician and salon/school owner Carmen Evans is a single mom of three who is thankful that she has always had a solid support system, but that didn’t stop burnout from creeping up on her. Evans, who has been a permanent makeup artist for 12 years, said, “I cannot recall the last time I felt so drained and depleted. I am thankful for the improvements I have made more recently, though I wish I would have listened to my body sooner.” Her experience with burnout was a surprise to her, but it wasn’t a surprise to her body and mind. She explained, “The simplest everyday things were going haywire with no logical explanation. Just complete and total overwhelm that slowly creeped up on me and knocked me to my knees. My body just gave out and I was asleep every day for weeks in December.” Evans is now on a mission to help others to avoid getting to that point she never saw coming.

Though both women walk the tight rope of work/home life, they make a point to keep their families in the foreground. Whether through movie nights, traveling, date nights, or just talking about their days, Hill and Evans prioritize the functionality of their families and the happiness of their children. There is nothing more important than to keep a proper work/home balance for the stability of the children.

So, you’ve dated this girl and decided that you cannot live without her. Your money has been saved. You’ve researched the diamond market, and can easily converse about cut, clarity and color with the best of them. You planned a special evening for the two of you, got down on one knee and even managed to be romantically eloquent. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

Be warned! At some point between the moment she said “yes” to the moment you both say “I do,” you will probably tear out your hair and wonder why your bride-to-be gets a little nutty. While she starts morphing before your very eyes, here is some helpful advice every engaged man needs to consider.

Play on the same team.

There were times in my own engagement period when my fiancée and I were on opposite sides of the tennis court, and every time we had to make a decision, we lobbed arguments at each other, firing off 100 mph serves, trying to beat the other person. As we learned to communicate, and I made my bride a higher priority than winning an argument, our relationship was relieved of a lot of stress. In the process of becoming one, we moved to the same side of the court and began facing decisions as a team.

Enjoy the process with humor.

This is the only way you will survive. And, as the groom, you have to accept in good humor that the wedding is not about you. Weddings—which includes fashion, catering, event planning, photographs, etc.—are all focused on the bride. The bride is beautiful and graceful and charming, while the stereotypical groom is a good-looking oaf with the intelligence of a bag of rocks. All you need to do is smile, enjoy the process, and don’t let the activities grind you down.

Say the word “elope.”

Go ahead, say it—you’ll feel so much better. No, of course you’re not going to elope, but your wedding plans wouldn’t be complete without suggesting it at least once.

The Valentine’s Day gift that people spend the most money on is jewelry.

Candy and flowers might be some of the most common gifts for Valentine’s Day, but the category that we typically spend the most on for February 14th is jewelry, at a whopping $5.8 billion! The second most-paid-for gift on Valentine’s Day is an evening out on the town with $4.3 billion, followed by clothing, candy and then flowers.

Nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is one of the popular days to pop the question. I mean, what better day is there for a marriage proposal than a day literally dedicated to love and romance?

Conversation hearts got their start as medical lozenges.

Weirdly enough, the story of conversation hearts first began when a Boston pharmacist named Oliver Chase invented a machine that simplified the way medical lozenges—used for sore throats and other illnesses—could be made. The result was America’s first candy-making machine, because the pharmacist soon started shifting his focus from making lozenges to candy. Chase founded the New England Confectionery Company, or Necco, and the candy lozenges soon became what we know today as Necco wafers.
Today, more than 8 billion conversation hearts are manufactured each year. Necco has to start making them just days after February 14th to have enough in time for the next Valentine’s Day. Just so you know, that’s almost 100,000 pounds per day! Each box has approximately 45 sayings — including “True Love,” “Hug Me” and “You Rock” — but you can personalize your own, too. Don’t worry if you still have last year’s box — they have a shelf life of five years.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated differently around the world.

Many Latin American countries know the holiday as el Día de los Enamorados (day of lovers) or Día del Amor y la Amistad (day of love and friendship). Though couples exchange flowers and chocolate on this day, the holiday’s focus is also directed at showing gratitude to friends!
In Japan, it’s customary for just the women to give confections to the men in their lives, with the quality of the chocolate indicating their true feelings. On March 14th, exactly a month later, the men repay the favor by celebrating the increasingly popular “White Day.”

“XOXO” didn’t always mean hugs and kisses.

“XOXO” is a popular signature this time of year. The origins of the signature, however, stem from the Middle Ages. During those times the “X” symbolized the Christian cross, and letters ended with the sign of the cross and a kiss to symbolize an oath. As the gesture became more popular in literature, letters, and paperwork, it came to mean something had been “sealed with a kiss.”

There is an official Valentine’s Day alternative for singles.

International Quirkyalone Day is the holiday for single people on the same date. The holiday isn’t an anti-Valentine’s Day event, but rather a moment to celebrate individuality and platonic relationships. International Quirkyalone Day has been celebrated globally since 2003.

William Shakespeare inspired a tradition.

Writing “letters to Juliet” has become a Valentine’s Day tradition for many and even inspired the 2010 film Letters to Juliet. Around Valentine’s Day, thousands of letters are sent to Verona, Italy, addressed to the Romeo and Juliet character Juliet Capulet. These love letters to Juliet are filled with emotion, passion, and in many cases heartbreak. Volunteers, called Juliet’s secretaries, read through each letter, write responses and pick a winner of the “Cara Giulietta” (which translates to “Dear Juliet” in English) prize. The winner gets to visit Juliet’s home in Verona and attend a special ceremony.

An elective class in photography during her final semester of college at Southeastern ignited a love for the craft. Mandy Ducote was in the last few months of earning a degree in Marketing with a minor in graphic design when a photography class caught her eye and helped her to see life in a more refreshing way. She learned the old-school way, using film and developing those pictures herself. Already gifted with an eye for composition and design, Mandy’s early photography efforts were admired by family and friends.

“One of the things that I love about photography is the storytelling aspect of it. So many times, when I’ve shot weddings and I’m shooting a father-daughter dance, I’m literally crying behind my camera because I connect with these people so much, ” says Mandy. 

She remembers fondly a photography experience she had with the family of a dear friend. It was a multigenerational event – children, parents, grandparents. She recalls taking a shot of the daughter with her 85-year-old father and thinking “this is a legacy moment.” We never know when our loved ones are going to leave us, so capturing those special moments in a photograph becomes extremely important. A single photo can tell a story without speaking one word. 

“With digital photography, we’re able to take so many pictures I feel that the value has diminished. People tend to keep them digital instead of printing them out,” she says. Because of this, Mandy has put her graphic design degree to good use and has started designing traditional family albums for clients so that these memories can be more tangible.

Whether telling a story with a snap of the lens or sharing a memory in an album, Mandy believes that a picture not only paints a thousand words, but it also brings people together. 

Photography and self-portrait by Mandy Ducote.

For nearly a century, the American Heart Association has been at the forefront of cardiac research. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is not just a charity; the staff and volunteers are crusaders, innovators, scientists, and partners.

The American Heart Association will celebrate its 100th Anniversary in 2024.

Jill Lucero, the Regional Director for the American Heart Association in Northwest Louisiana shares that there is a lot more to the organization than people realize. This non-profit is dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and volunteers, they raise funds for innovative research, advocate for the public’s health, and share lifesaving resources. The AHA started with six cardiologists in 1924 so that they could take science and bring to the surface the causes of heart disease.

Funding research is the cornerstone of the American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission, and the organization is supporting research at the Center for Cardiovascular Disease and Science (CCDS) at LSU Health Shreveport with approximately $1.4 million. The AHA has invested over $4.6 billion in research since 1949, second only to the federal government. The knowledge that results from AHA funded research benefits millions of lives in every community and in every nation, and is translated into guidelines to provide the best, most updated care. Many life-saving devices and measures were initially funded and researched through the American Heart Association.  Any healthcare provider who has ever provided or anyone who has been the recipient of CPR, pacemakers, drug-eluting stents, clot-busting medicines, or cholesterol inhibitors to patients, has benefitted directly from the impact of AHA research funding.

Lucero is passionate about teaching CPR in our community and the AHA is a world-wide leader in CPR training. The lifesaving skill of CPR recently received nationwide attention when Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills collapsed on the football field bill on January 2 of a cardiac arrest. Lucero said the AHA is “committed to educating the public about Hands-Only CPR. Hundreds of these kits have been delivered to Louisiana schools to help districts ensure that every high school senior learns hands on CPR skills as well as the importance of an AED. This training will add thousands of life-savers to our community annually. By-stander CPR is important because 90% of people who experience an out of hospital cardiac arrest die. For every minute CPR isn’t performed, the person’s chance of survival diminishes by 10 percent.

“Heart disease is the number one killer of women and the number one killer of Americans. A woman dies every 80 seconds of heart disease.” Symptoms of heart disease are not as pronounced in women as in men. Women are our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, our spouses, and our friends. They give and give and give – often at the expense of their own health. The more a woman knows about heart disease, the better chance she has of beating it. Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year – more than all cancers combined. Women need to be more aware of the signs.”

Over the past 20 years, Go Red for Women (GRFW) has been changing the perception women in Northwest Louisiana have about heart disease and stroke. Throughout the year, we share life-changing stories of triumph and loss to inspire women (and men) to make changes to their own personal health. The movement strives to provide women with opportunities to prioritize and take charge of their own health; build communities that support and provide access to healthy choices; demand equal access to healthcare for all women and their families; and increase women participation in STEM in future generations. GRFW challenges women to know their risk for heart disease and stroke and to take action to live a healthier lifestyle. Through celebrations like the GRFW Luncheon on February 28th and National Wear Red Day, February 3rd, they are giving women in Northwest Louisiana the tools they need to overcome heart disease and stroke. 

The funds raised through the campaigns remain in Northwest Louisiana and support local programs. The Chair for the 2023 GRFW campaign is Dr. Steen Trawick, CEO of CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health, with his Executive Leadership Team:  Linda Biernacki, Ross Barrett, Jerry Montgomery, Emerie Gentry, Kristen Brown, Jessica Ruelas, Margaret Free, Dr. James Hobley, Kevin Murphy, Rhonda Anderson, Chief Clarence Reece, Stephen Wright.  

Another activity is the NWLA 5K Heart Walk/Run, which is scheduled for April 29th at Festival Plaza. Lucero said the Heart Walk “is an opportunity where we ask companies and community groups to get their employees, families or members engaged so they can be a part of making a difference,” she said. There is no fee to register for the Heart Walk.  This is an opportunity to celebrate heart and stroke survivors and for families to have a great morning activity. The morning includes a 5K walk/run; survivor lane, Heart walk team t- shirt contest, kids activities, show-sponsored by Shane Pons, wellness expo and special guest Miss Louisiana Jordan Green. The Chair for this campaign is Sarah Collier, Owner/Vice-President of Collier Investments DBA Manpower. Serving on the Executive Leadership Team, Jaf Fielder, Gregg Lott, Henry Burns, Shane Pons. 

There are several areas that the AHA is committed to impacting: women’s health, eliminating tobacco and vaping; community needs and nutritional security, controlling blood pressure, heart attack & stroke, improving nutritional security, and building mental well-being.  

 The NWLA AHA has partnered with Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Southern University and LSU Health Shreveport to fund and mentor three Nursing students from Southern University-Shreveport to participate in our Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholars program: Jayla Oliver, Lindsey Cawthorne and Shandrika Morris. Through their participation in the Scholars program, these students will study how the social determinants of health and other health disparities impact underserved communities. They will also participate in scientific research projects and present their findings at the end of the program. “This program plays an essential role in supporting the pipeline of HBCU students who will increase representation and equity in the health care field,” said Lonnie McCray, of Southern University Shreveport. “We are proud to support this next cohort of HBCU Scholars through our relationship with the American Heart Association, Northwest Louisiana, as it provides them with enriching academic and networking experiences to help them excel in their career paths.” According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, only 8% of medical students and 5% of physicians are Black and African American. 

The students are being mentored by physicians at LSU Medical School, leading the team is Dr. Steven R. Bailey, MD, MS, Professor and Chairman Department of Medicine, Malcolm Feist Chair of Interventional Cardiology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Shreveport. His team includes Dr. Mabruka Alfaidi, Dr. Diana Cruz-Topete and Dr. Tanja Dudenbostel.

 Lucero is working with Willis-Knighton Health System and Collier Investments-Manpower to increase and improve maternal health-care through a blue tooth blood pressure cuff loaner program with local and rural health clinics. “A big problem is high blood pressure, and we’re providing education, as well as a program whereby pregnant women, can self-monitor their blood pressure and report those results to their doctors. Lucero continued, “If somebody has high blood pressure, it’s especially important they learn how to reduce and manage it. It is important for everyone to know their numbers- blood pressure, A1C, and cholesterol. We have an underserved population that may not have the resources to get such a device, and so we are working with clinics to better serve the community. 

We love creativity and art is used as one method to help stroke patients recover. The AHA Strokes for Stroke program provides an opportunity for stroke survivors to create a piece of artwork and the canvases are brought together for a traveling art exhibit throughout Caddo and Bossier Parishes. Strokes for Stroke recognizes local individuals who have shown invincible strength, resilience, perseverance, and aptitude in their fight against stroke. Creating images uses the physical and cognitive sides of the brain and making art combines the two. Engaging with art has shown early promise in assisting the patient with recovery issue such as verbal communication, depression and the physical pain associated with stroke.  

Jill Lucero is passionate about the work of the AHA. “Engaging and educating the next generation is the best way to reduce heart disease.”