Bob Millikin will present a program on “Advance Medical Directives” on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 9:30 a.m., Saint Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 201 Fairview Road, Mooresville. Read the full story

Chris Magryta

By Dr. CHRIS MAGRYTA

I remember lecturing to my fellow residents back in 1997 about the timing of post-exercise nutrition and the need for sports drinks. In those days we knew little about optimal nutrition, but we knew that sports beverages were not necessary for most athletes.

High-endurance athletes – marathoners, triathletes and cyclists – can make a case for needing some electrolytes during intense training (greater than 3 hours). Johnny in Little League or Susie in gymnastics have no case for a sugar-laden beverage and should avoid them. Read the full story

Davidson College Presbyterian Church’s Community Missions Committee will sponsor its winter Red Cross Blood Drive on Monday, Feb. 6, between the hours of 2 and 6:30 pm. It will be a special day of loving and giving. This drive is being held in memory of Steve Sgouros who died this past December. Read the full story

Neti pots have become a popular remedy for colds and sinus congestion, but health officials are warning people to use them properly in the wake of recent deaths.  For some, the thought of rinsing one’s nose is enough of a deterrent from using a neti pot. But the problem is not the idea of washing your nose – it’s what kind of water you use. In two widely reported cases  last year people used tap water, instead of distilled or sterilized water and wound dying of of water-borne brain-eating amoeba. Read the full story

Beginning this month,  Kannapolis Fire Department is shifting its CPR classes from those focused on healthcare providers a series called Family & Friends CPR. The Department hopes to reach those individuals in the community who would not normally have the opportunity to learn CPR through these monthly classes. Read the full story

Centers for Disease Control, http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/

Now that New Year’s has come and gone, the motivation to stick with those resolutions may be fading. This year, the Town of Davidson has partnered with Snap Fitness to help local residents stay on track and lose those unwanted holiday pounds with an 8-week Lose Weight, Feel Great Challenge. Read the full story

The race will run up the 50-floor Duke Energy Center

CHARLOTTE – Ever run up a skyscraper? Registration is now open for 750 slots in the 2012 Race to the Topon Saturday, March 24, in downtown Charlotte. Runners will see who can be the fastest to scale the 50 floors and 1,194 steps of the Duke Energy Center in downtown Charlotte.

The race begins at 8:30 a.m. with runners starting in waves at 15 second intervals, according to experience level. Runners also will be able to choose their own flight times.

This year’s competition will include a First Responders category, where police, fire and Medic officers will compete against one another.

Part of the proceeds from this year’s Race to the Top will benefit the Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. Read the full story

Here’s an outside reading suggestion: In the Lake Norman section of The Charlotte Observer this week, reporter Elizabeth Arriero introduces us to Cornelius resident Connie Hawkins, whose personal experience led her and others to found the Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center in Davidson. It’s an organization that coaches parents to advocate for their children with disabilities.

LINK: Jan. 11, 2011, Charlotte Observer, “Mom first coached others to be advocates.”

MOORESVILLE – Lake Norman Regional Medical Center hosts a Diabetes Support Group that meets on the fourth Monday of every month from noon to 1 p.m., in the Burlington Room at the Charles Mack Citizens Center in Mooresville. The next Diabetes Support Group will meet Monday, Jan. 23. Read the full story

The ride annually attracts all kinds of bikes. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Hundreds of cyclists are expected for Lake Norman’s 14th annual Polar Bear Ride on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Davidson. The Rocky River Road Club sponsors the half and full metric century bicycle rides through the North Mecklenburg/Lake Norman area, as a fundraiser for Davidson’s Ada Jenkins Center.

Both rides start and finish at Ingersoll-Rand on Beaty Street in Davidson at 10:00 am and registration opens at 8:30 am. Read the full story