Jennifer Carter

Growing up, some of my favorite memories of my

great grandmother are those of her sitting on her front porch quilting. As a child I never thought about the memories I was making as she taught me how to sew by hand. I can still remember some of her words of wisdom, like “measure twice and cut once.” I was the only grandchild she taught how to quilt, and this is something that I am now pass-ing on to my daughter. It was through quilting that I made the connection with my great grandmother that enriched

my relationship with her. There is something about

being able to sit down, turn off the phone and do a hobby like quilting that adds to your wellbeing. When you have a hobby, it can help you unwind from a long day and improve your mental health. Research shows that people who have a hobby like quilting are less likely to suffer from stress and depression. Quilting groups can help improve relationships and communication skills, as well as boost self-esteem and motivation for creating new skills.

In a University of Glasgow study that looked at the cor-

relation of quilting and well-being, researchers learned that quilting could help with cogni-tive, and creative skills among the senior population. Quilt-ing involves not only hand eye coordination, it also includes math skills like geometry and problem-solving. The study also examined the correlation of bright colors and mood. It is believed to help give an en-richment to a person’s mood.

The social side of quilting can include building friend-ships and finding inspiration. When quilting in groups, quilters share ideas and find common interests. Quilting can be meaningful and enrich

a person’s self-confidence with positive feedback from other quilters.

There is a range of benefits to quilting from emotional, social, cognitive, to building lasting memories with family. I know from personal expe-rience that on a cold day one of my favorite things to do is wrap up in a quilt my great grandmother made and think about what good memories I have of her.

Burt, E. L., and J. Atkinson. “The Relationship between Quilting and Wellbeing.” Jour-nal of Public Health, vol. 34, no. 1, May 2011, pp. 54–59.

Vitamin K makes proteins that help blood clot and

regulates calcium metabo-lism. Recommended intake ranges between 120 micro-grams (mcg) for men and 90 micrograms (mcg) for women.

The following is a variety of foods that contain Vita-min K. Raspberries, 1 cup,16 mcg; Iceberg lettuce, 1 cup, 17 mcg; Peas, frozen/cooked, ½ cup, 24 mcg; Cauliflower, raw ½ cup, 48 mcg; Romaine lettuce, 1 cup, 48 mcg; Aspara-gus, 6 spears, cooked, 72 mcg; Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup, 110 mcg; Brussel Sprouts, cooked ½ cup, 150 mcg; Parsley, ¼ cup, fresh, 246 mcg; Chard, 10 leaves, 299 mcg; Spinach, cooked, ½ cup, 513 mcg; and Kale, cooked, 573 mcg.

Anticoagulant prescriptions like Coumadin® or Warfarin are prescribed for people at in-creased risk of forming blood clots and decreases the activity of Vitamin K, lengthening the

time it takes for a clot to form. Blood clots can block the flow of blood to any part of the body and decrease oxygen to the lungs, heart or brain. Many factors can influence Couma-din® absorption. It is import-ant to keep Vitamin K intake as consistent as possible. Sud-den increases in Vitamin K intake can decrease the effect of Coumadin®. Other factors that can influence Coumadin® absorption include age, body weight, nutritional status, acute and chronic diseases, vitamin/mineral supplements, antibiotics, and alcohol intake.

Prothrombin Time (PT) is a laboratory test value obtained from measurements of the time it takes blood to clot. In-ternational Normalized Ratio (INR) is a calculation based on the results of a PT lab value. PT average therapeutic range is 2.0 - 3.0 for individuals be-ing treated with a blood-thin-ning medication.

Keep your PT in the rec-ommended range, take your medicine exactly as the doctor directs, have your PT checked regularly, and keep your Vita-min K intake consistent

References:Food Values from the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2010. USDA National Nutri-ent Database for Standard Reference, Release 23.

NIH Drug-Nutrient Task Force: Important Information to know when you are taking Warfarin (Coumadin) and Vi-tamin K

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NEXT WEEK’S SENIOR NUTRITION LUNCH MENU:

Due to the multiple Friendly Fork Meal Site Closures, Area Agency on Aging is opening 2 temporary drive up TAKE-OUT locations for the Friendly Fork Program beginning March 23. Reservations are required and must be made by 11:00 am the business day prior by calling the Friendly Fork hotline and leaving a message with your name, phone number and which location 970.400.6955 or emailing FriendlyFork@weldgov.com. Suggested Donation $4. Service provided for Weld county residents who are at least 60 years of age, or are a spouse of a person at least 60 years of age. North County: Monday/Wednesday/Friday, Weld County Training Center, 1104 H Street, Greeley. To-Go Boxes will be served at 11:30 am. South County: Tuesday/Thursday, Southwest Weld Complex, 4208 WCR 24 ½, Firestone. To-Go Boxes will be served at 11:30 am.

Beyond 60, Active Liv-ing is sponsored by the Weld County Area Agency on Aging. If you have a story idea or something to share, please contact us at (970) 346-6950 or hdarby@weldgov.com. All content is subject to editing and/or approval by Weld County.

Quilting and Wellbeing