Take a look at the latest edition of The Monthly Brush-Up!
BRUSH - UP
ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc.
7525 STATE RD., STE. A, CINCINNATI, OH 45255 | 513-438-8152 | WWW.ATOWNDENTAL.COM | JULY 2021
FOR BUSY FAMILIES LIKE OURS! DR. BROOKS’ WEEKEND VACATION GUIDE
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA (9-HOUR DRIVE) This is a perfect spot not only for sightseeing, but also educational opportunities for the whole family. We went to the U.S. Mint, the Liberty Bell, and many other historical places while here. Don’t miss the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with its bronze statue of Rocky, the famous movie character who trained up and down the steps of the museum on-screen. You won’t want to miss downtown Philadelphia, either. Overall, whether you love eating new food or exploring, this is a very cool place to visit. BRANSON, MISSOURI (9-HOUR DRIVE) We met up with family in Branson for Christmas one year and loved it! The weather was great, the scenery beautiful, and the family-friendly activities were abundant. We had fun together at Silver Dollar City, a small amusement park in Branson that had a fantastic Christmas light show. Visiting during the summer, there are more options for shows, lakeside activities, hiking and more. If you don’t want to drive quite as far as Branson, you can shave off four hours and stop in St. Louis, a really fun place for families with the Gateway Arch, Six Flags amusement park, a world-famous zoo, and the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. SOUTH HAVEN, MICHIGAN (4-HOUR, 50-MINUTE DRIVE) As a beach-loving family, it’s tough to make it out to Gulf Shores everytime we want to enjoy a warm day by the shore. That’s why we love South Haven! Not only is it closer, but it’s on Lake Michigan where the sandy beaches, crashing waves, and massive body of water make it feel like we’re at the ocean. And the sunsets are incredible! In the summer, the water is warm and the weather is usually 75–85 degrees F. Famous Michigan fruit is also easy to come by with farm stands and U-pick options all over the area. There are so many other fun places we’ve road-tripped to like Nashville, TN; Louisville and Lexington, KY; Washington D.C.; and Charleston and Kiawah Island, SC. But we also still have many on our list, starting with the upper East Coast and Niagara Falls. If you’re traveling in the near future, don’t forget to tell us where you’re headed next time you’re in our office. Our entire team loves hearing about your favorite vacation spots so we have new places to try. Have a wonderful summer!
One of my favorite parts of my job is that around July and August, I get to hear about everyone’s exciting vacations and getaways. Although I missed out on many vacation stories last year, I think the family reunions and vacation stories in 2021 will totally make up for it. However, if you’re still looking for vacation spots, you don’t need to travel too far to have a wonderful time (and possibly spend less money while doing so!). Here’s a brief list of spots my family and I adore for weekend vacations, and they’re all within a day’s drive. GULF SHORES, ALABAMA (11-HOUR, 15-MINUTE DRIVE) Want to escape to a white sandy beach? There’s no need to fly out to the tropics. Enjoy a scenic drive to Gulf Shores and enjoy a beautiful summer day at the beach with the whole family! You won’t need to sweat about forgetting anything — these beach communities are fully stocked with grocery and other stores offering everything from food and toiletries to surfboards, bikes and paddle boards you can rent or buy.
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Hammocking has become a popular leisure activity within the last 5–10 years, with the global hammock market growing about 17% between 2017 and 2021. As fun as it is, though, could hammocking be more than that? Could it be a better way to sleep, not just on camping trips or in the park, but in our homes, too? The short answer is that the data is inconclusive. More studies need to be done on the health benefits of sleeping in hammocks, and the studies that do exist lack sufficient sample sizes for meaningful conclusions. With that massive caveat out of the way, however, here are a few potential benefits of sleeping in a hammock. PROTECTION FROM BUGS This benefit really only matters if you’re sleeping outdoors (though, in theory, sleeping in a hammock could mean a decreased risk of dust mites). If you sleep on the ground, bugs will have easier access to you. Flying insects can still bother hammockers, but a good bug net for your hammock can fix that problem. PRESSURE POINT RELIEF A good mattress can reduce pressure on the shoulders, back, and buttocks, while a bad mattress can do the opposite. Some hammock advocates claim that a hammock’s more flexible surface means pressure is spread more equally across all parts of the body. However, this benefit is purely theoretical and more study is needed to confirm the hypothesis. DEEPER SLEEP According to a study from 2011 where 12 men took two 45-minute naps — one in a regular bed and one in a swinging bed — results showed the men fell asleep faster in the swinging bed and that they had a longer light sleep before they entered a deep sleep. However, because the size of this study was so small, its conclusions need more verification. Until more data emerges to confirm what so many hammock enthusiasts already claim to know, you can still rest knowing that hammocking isn’t harmful; in fact, it’s really relaxing and fun. (THEORETICAL) BENEFITS OF SLEEPING WHILE SWINGING Is ‘Hammocking’ a Better Way to Sleep?
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WHY FLOSSING CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Would you eat off a plate that was 40% dirty? Probably not! But did you know that brushing your teeth only reaches about 60% of each tooth?
That leaves 40% of each tooth unclean. When you don’t floss, the food left between your teeth provides a buffet of treats for the bacteria in your mouth. Why does this matter? Because 6 billion bacteria are living in your mouth, and they are ALWAYS hungry! HOW YOUR DIET AFFECTS ORAL HYGIENE Bacteria’s favorite foods include carbs — like bread, pasta, cereal, and generally anything sweet or sticky. Bacteria’s favorite activities include snacking on the food you kindly leave in between your teeth, reproducing, creating a home (plaque), and dropping acid on your teeth and gums, causing infection and bleeding. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AN INFECTION STARTS? Your body will try to heal this bacterial infection by starting the inflammation process (basically sending a bunch of helpful cells to the infected area to do battle). This inflammation causes your gums to get thicker and bleed more. Now, with your gums inflamed and bleeding, it’s even easier for food to get stuck between your teeth and for bacteria to enter your bloodstream. Plenty of studies cite oral bacteria entering the bloodstream as a cause of Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. And if the body is trying to fight a powerful infection in your mouth, your immune system is compromised. TIPS FOR FLOSSING Flossing and brushing are about continuously creating a food and housing shortage for the bacteria in your mouth. Studies show that flossing first allows you to break up plaque for brushing to remove and also allows more fluoride between your teeth while brushing. Ultimately, consistency is key! Be brave! If you haven’t flossed recently, your gums may feel sore or bleed. But don’t worry, as with any habit, it will get easier and more comfortable with time. Best of all, your now- healthier gums will start to feel better as the inflammation decreases.
Check out ATownDental.com for more dental tips!
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You Can Share With Your Kids Fun Facts About the Fourth of July
Two future presidents signed the Declaration of Independence: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. They both died exactly 50 years later, on July 4, 1826. This fact is an interesting coincidence sure to fascinate both kids and adults. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to some of the Founding Fathers and share how they helped shape the United States today. In 1776, the year the United States was founded, only 2.5 million people lived here. Today, the U.S. population is 331 million. Lots of people have been born in the United States since it was founded, and millions more came here from other places, hoping to find a better life. Many succeeded, too. Many people want to call this country home! On the Fourth of July, around 155 million hot dogs are eaten in the United States. Okay, so this fact might not have anything to do with American history, but it’s still pretty funny! If anything, the fact that we have so many hot dogs to eat on that day is evidence of the prosperity so many people enjoy in the United States of America.
What do your kids know about the Fourth of July? Do they know it’s a day when you have a barbecue, spend time with friends and neighbors, and watch a fireworks show? These hallmarks of the holiday certainly do make it fun and memorable, but they don’t really exemplify why we celebrate the Fourth of July, the anniversary of when the United States declared its independence from Britain. So, along with the sparklers and hot dogs, here are a few fun facts about Independence Day you can share with your kids to help them understand the significance of the holiday. The Fourth of July marks our country’s independence because it’s when the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. This fact might seem like a no-brainer, but it contextualizes the holiday for kids. It’s a great jumping-off point to talk about why the United States wanted to be its own country, what the Continental Congress was, what the Declaration of Independence said, and what it means to “ratify” something.
YOUR MONTHLY NEED-TO-KNOW!
EASY ZUCCHINI ENCHILADAS
Inspired by Delish.com
HOW MANY WORDS DID SHAKESPEARE INVENT? Over 1,700 common English words today were invented by Shakespeare by changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words that have never been used together before, adding prefixes and suffixes, and devising words that were wholly original. WHO’S ON THE $1,000 U.S. DOLLAR BILL? Grover Cleveland. It originally featured Alexander Hamilton, but was changed since people realized it’d be too confusing to have Hamilton on multiple denominations of bills. The $1,000 bill was discontinued in 1969. WHAT’S IN ROOT BEER, ANYWAY? The main ingredient is sassafras root. Sassafras is an aromatic tree plant but is banned in the U.S. because it’s poisonous! Other common ingredients in root beer include vanilla, cherry tree bark, wintergreen, molasses, anise, liquorice root, cinnamon, and honey.
This healthy summer dish is the perfect way to use up extra zucchini!
INGREDIENTS • 1 tbsp olive oil •
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. 2. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Cook for one minute, then add chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce. Stir to combine. 3. On a cutting board, lay out three slices of zucchini side by side. Top each with a scoop of chicken mixture, then roll into a tube. Repeat with remaining zucchini slices. 4. Add the rolls to a baking dish. 5. Top the rolls with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with garnishes!
1 onion, chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
Salt, to taste
3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded 1 1/3 cups red enchilada sauce, divided 4 large zucchini, sliced very thin lengthwise and dried 2 cups shredded cheese Sour cream and cilantro, for garnish
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513-438-8152 WWW.ATOWNDENTAL.COM
ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc.
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
7525 STATE RD., STE. A, CINCINNATI, OH 45255
Fourth of July Fun Facts to Share With the Kids INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2 2 3 3 4 Easy Zucchini Enchiladas Local Events: Live Shows and $6 Burgers! Is ‘Hammocking’ a Better Way to Sleep? Flossing Can Strengthen Your Immune System Dr. Brooks’ Weekend Vacation Guide
WHAT’S GOING ON, CINCINNATI? LIVE SHOWS AND $6 BURGERS!
JIMMY BUFFETT & THE CORAL REEFER BAND CONCERT July 13, 8 p.m. Riverbend Music Center 6295 Kellogg Ave. It’s been more than a year since many of us have attended a live, in-person concert. So, we have a win-win suggestion for you: There’s no better way to support the live music industry than to attend a concert, and there’s no better way to start than with a Jimmy Buffett concert! Enjoy a front row seat to Jimmy and his band’s Slack Tide tour while it lasts at Riverbend.org !
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a local events feature on the newsletter, but we’re thrilled to say it’s finally back! Here’s the most interesting local events going on — and don’t forget to bring a mask, just in case it’s still required.
originating from Bali, an island country known for its lush forests, iconic rice paddies, clear lakes, and breathtaking beaches. You must purchase tickets before visiting, so buy yours at Krohn.Ticketspice.com/butterflyshow !
CINCINNATI BURGER WEEK July 12–18 Over 50 Participating Restaurants
BUTTERFLY SHOW Until September 4 Krohn Conservatory 1501 Eden Park Drive
Who doesn’t love a $6 burger? Now you can enjoy all kinds of burgers from gourmet to old-fashioned for this insanely reasonable price at over 50 local restaurants! Many chefs will be offering their unique burgers this week only, so don’t miss out. Check out the participants on CincinnatiBurgerWeek.com .
Want to look at thousands of gorgeous butterflies? Don’t miss the Butterfly Show at the Krohn Conservatory, where each spring, visitors can enjoy the sight of free-flying butterflies
Thanks for joining us, and we hope you’ll give one of these suggestions a try. Enjoy your summer!
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