I love quiet candlelight dinners. They’re relaxing, romantic and I actually look pretty good in low light! But imagine dining in complete darkness.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) is providing that opportunity at a unique event May 14. “Dining In The Dark” is a rare sensory awareness experience during which you can join hundreds of diners enjoying a gourmet meal in complete darkness!

The concept got its start in Germany and has been enjoyed by many across Europe and the U.S. “Dining in the Dark” is an unforgettable dining experience that lets people explore a world of sensitivity, taking them through a journey of taste, sound and touch all in the dark!

But the best part of this one-of-a-kind event is that the proceeds will benefit more than nine million Americans who are losing their sight to degenerative retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome and other similar diseases.

Great progress is being made in the prevention and treatment of these diseases and a lot of the research is being done locally at UCSD’s Jacobs Retina Center.

That night, Dr. William Freeman, professor of ophthalmology and director of the center will be honored with the FFB’s Visionary Award.

It’s going to be a great night! There’s a wine tasting and silent auction and “Dinner In The Dark” at 7 p.m. at the US Grant downtown San Diego, all to support the urgent mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

So, don’t be afraid of the dark! Your servers will take good care of you. They just happen to all be visually impaired themselves! Bon appetit!

For more information, contact Jennifer Hecker at JHecker@FightBlindness.org.

I just heard about a pretty cool, innovative program to promote good health.

We all know childhood obesity in this country is a big problem. Most experts believe the epidemic affects 1 in 3 U.S. children. Some believe more government programs are needed and that may be true. But one private business isn’t waiting for the government.
 
Albertsons is launching a new program in the San Diego area called “The Healthy Eaters Field Trip” on Monday, April 14. A class from San Diego Christian Homeschool will take the inaugural hands-on tour through the Albertsons at 14th and Marekt. It’s an interactive tour for the kids which includes making healthy foods, sampling fruits and vegetables and cheering about healthy foods!
 
To show their support, local dignitaries and healthy-eating community partners will be on hand including representatives from Rady Children’s Hospital, the Coalition on Children and Weight, San Diego City Schools and the Downtown YWCA.
 
According to the folks at Albertsons, the Healthy Eaters Field Trip program has the potential to transform the San Diego community and help in the fight against obesity. It’s targeted at kids pre-K through 4th grade because it’s believed the earlier children learn about healthy food choices the more success we’ll all have fighting childhood obesty.
 
Kudos to Albertsons for being part of the solution to a major problem in our country. They are helping reduce childhood obesity in a fun setting, teaching kids about health choices, reading labels, nutrients, fats and portion sizes.
 
Albertsons nutritionist Heidi Diller will lead the inaugural tour starting at 10 a.m. Monday, April 14. If you’d like to learn how you can get involved in future tours, contact Catie Wardwell at (208) 484-7532.

I have a stress fracture in my right foot from a running injury. So the doctor says no running; no walking; no weight-bearing. To help make sure I don’t cheat, I’m wearing one of those attractive boots that makes me look like “robo-woman.” But I’m keeping my eye on the prize: being able to walk without pain by mid-May.
 
Fortunately, the boot comes off and I can swim to my heart’s content. But since I can’t run or walk, I’ve given the stationery equipment at the gym a try. The doctor gave me the go-ahead to use the recumbant bicycle. Kinda boring but with my favorites on the iPod playing, I’ve been burning nearly 500 calories for every 45 minutes on the bike.
 
Or so I thought!

It turns out that some exercise machines overestimate the number of calories burned by 10 to 30 percent! Others UNDERestimate!
 
A demonstration was conducted at a medical center with fairly sophisticated equipment. It provides an exact reading of calories burned by measuring the oxygen used. An exercise physiologist tested a news reporter in Syracuse on a treadmill. The machine said she was using 7.8 calories a minute. But she was actually burning more than 10 calories.
 
The experiment also showed how interval training can be effective. The reporter walked at a steady pace, ran as fast as she could for a minute and then returned to the walk. Now this is interesing: even though she had slowed down, she was consuming more oxygen and burning more calories!
 
The impact of a 20-minute workout?

• - She would have burned 90 calories walking at the same pace the whole time
• - Running the entire time whould have burned 230 calories
• - With interval training, she burned 195 calories and only ran a few short spurts!

Tomorrow I’m going to change my workout from manual to interval on the bike. And when my calorie total appears on the display at the end of the workout, I’ll make a note that it could be more. (But then again, it could be less!) Oh well, it’s still better than sitting at home eating bon-bons!

I received an e-mail from a dear friend recently. A hard-working pillar of the community, Dick was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease nearly two years ago. Fortunately, Dick has had great support from his family, friends and doctors as he’s navigated this major life change. He’s always been known for his positive attitude and has managed to maintain it as he manages his disease.

Dick wrote, “I’m doing well… exercising regularly and working hard as ever. I’ve benefited from new Parkinson’s drugs on the market that treat the nerve instead of the symptoms. Obviously, we are still hoping for a cure.”

My friend is one of more than 1.5 million men, women and increasingly, young adults with Parkinson’s in the U.S. Sadly, 50,000 new cases are diagnosed every year! Research is expensive but it is making a difference in treatment options and hopefully moving us closer to finding a cure.

Frankly, I don’t think Parkinson’s get the attention it deserves. We’ve all seen how actor Michael J. Fox has brought the disease to the forefront in recent years. But he can’t do it alone. I’ve seen how my friend, Dick, and others have benefited from research in treatment options. I am supporting the cause and asking you to join me.

Please support my friend and hundreds of other San Diegans and their families in the fight against Parkinson’s. There’s a fun way to do just that coming up Saturday, April 19. Join us in the 2008 Parkinson’s 5K Walk and Fun Run. The registration fee is $25 but you can raise more by asking family and friends to sponsor you. If you can’t participate (I have a broken foot this year!!) please consider making a donation to the PDA.

The 2008 Parkinson’s Walk will once again be held at the NTC Promenade at Liberty Station in Point Loma. Your leashed dogs are also welcome. Thanks for helping Dick and all those dealing with the effects of Parkinson’s stay a step ahead of this debilitating disease.