Health and fitness briefs

The effort was launched by Regina Pritchett and Jeff Davidson, siblings who own The Team Outdoor Lifestyle. They partnered with Integris Health Edmond.

“Lights of Awareness silently illustrates the support for those who are battling and who have fought these life-changing diseases,” Pritchett said in a news release. “You rarely meet a person who has not, in some manner, encountered them. It is an honor to partner with Integris Health Edmond. I literally could not have done without their support … and trees.”

In all, the display includes 300 strands of lights. They represent AIDS (red), breast cancer (pink), lung cancer (white), prostate cancer (light blue), colon cancer (royal blue), kidney cancer (green), bladder cancer (yellow), leukemia (orange) and general cancer awareness (purple).

The display will remain up until Jan. 31 at the hospital, 4801 Integris Parkway, Edmond.

The American Institute for Cancer Research has declared that coffee does not in itself increase cancer risk. Holiday coffee drinks indirectly may produce a greater risk, though.

“Food That Fight Cancer: Coffee” is a summary of the scientific evidence about coffee, a news release notes. The summary, published online last week, confirms recent reports that say coffee doesn't cause cancer and may have health benefits.

“The bad news … is that this time of year, millions of Americans indulge in high-calorie holiday-themed coffee drinks, some of which contain as many calories as a handful of holiday cookies,” the release notes The institute offers these tips for sensible coffee drinking:

Cut the calories. Don't buy the largest size of coffee shops' holiday drinks, which are laden with calories. Choose low-fat, low-calorie options instead. If that peppermint mocha latte is calling your name and you must indulge, buy the smallest size.

Spice it up. Enliven the taste of a plain coffee by adding a dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves or allspice. They add taste but not calories.

Brew your own. Make your own coffee. That way you know there are no sugary additives.

What's the simplest way to get bored? Do the same thing every day.

Avoid dull workouts by switching things up. Instead of spending 30 minutes on a treadmill, try a few different machines for 10 minutes each. You'll finish your cardiac exercise and work different muscles. Life Fitness, a manufacturer of gym-quality exercise machines, offers these tips: