State-run Woodward facility fined for resident injuries
The state-run Woodward Resource Center for adults with disabilities has been cited for two incidents that resulted in residents being treated at a hospital for injuries.
According to state records, the facility has been fined $2,750 due to the staff being unable to demonstrate the skills and techniques necessary to manage residents' behavior, and failing to provide residents with nursing services required to meet their needs.
In one incident, a resident who had complained of acute abdominal pain in March was sent to the emergency room of a hospital where it was discovered he had swallowed a plastic spoon. An endoscopy was then performed to remove the spoon.
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State inspectors allege Woodward officials investigated the matter and reviewed video footage that showed the resident, who was to receive one-on-one monitoring from the staff, sitting at the dining room table and putting a spoon in his mouth and down his throat. The footage allegedly showed the worker assigned to watch him left the area at least once.
Inspectors reported, without elaborating, that the video footage was 'unavailable' for them to review.
The resident suffered from pica – the practice of eating inedible objects – and had previously swallowed batteries, coins and rocks. A Ziploc bag containing plastic straws and spoons was found in his bedroom after the incident involving the spoon.
In the second incident, a resident of the home was transported to the hospital the evening of March 17, 2025, a day and a half after the staff had noticed one knee was bruised, swollen and unable to bear weight.
The home's administrator of nursing later confirmed the staff should have notified Woodward's physician on the morning of March 16, 2025, when they first became aware of the injury.
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National Geographic
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Protein is getting added to all your favorite snacks. Is that a good thing?
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The current recommended daily allowance for protein—0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight—and that, Oppezzo says, is too low for optimal function. Eating 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight is the minimum, and won't facilitate muscle growth or maintenance. 'I think 1.2 is definitely the minimum, and I would say 1.6 is the sweet spot,' Oppezzo says. Eating this slightly larger amount allows the body to thrive rather than just preventing deficiency. St. Pierre agrees: 'Newer research indicates people are better off at 1.2 grams per kilogram, [and] if you are exercising vigorously, then 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram is probably a better target.' (Oppezzo adds that she hasn't seen added benefit above the 2.2 grams per kilogram, even for bodybuilders or those looking for dramatic muscle growth.) That's because our bodies 'don't have a storage form of protein,' says Oppezzo. That makes it different than the other macronutrients: our bodies store both fat and carbohydrates. If you don't eat enough protein, your body could start to pull the nutrient from muscle, which over time can lead to sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) and osteopenia (bone loss). Protein also helps regulate appetite, meaning you feel fuller from fewer calories which can help with weight loss and maintenance. While most of the U.S. population, with the exception of older adults, are getting the minimum amount protein, according to a systematic analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it's unclear whether they're getting enough to thrive, per Oppezzo. 'We don't have evidence that younger people are not getting enough protein,' she says. Compare that to fiber and the protein fixation starts to feel more skewed: 95 percent of Americans don't consume enough fiber to support good health, per a 2017 analysis in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. And a heightened fixation on protein could lead to even less fiber which is found in fruits, vegetables, and food rich with whole grains. 'Getting overly stoked about protein might displace fruits and vegetables and fiber and phytonutrients,' Oppezzo says. (Want a better high-protein diet? You don't have to eat more meat) How beneficial are ultraprocessed protein snacks? If most Americans are already getting enough protein, then what's fueling the boom in ultraprocessed protein-enriched foods? Part of the answer is women who have become increasingly aware of the importance of muscle mass, says Oppezzo. More women are resistance training, according to a 2025 narrative review in Sports Medicine and Health Science. 'And resistance training and enough protein go hand in hand,' St. Pierre says, because the latter helps maximize the benefits of the former. There's been a shift toward marketing muscle gains to women as part of a new aesthetic standard, Sandersadds. While previous generations have emphasized thinness, 'this new protein craze is [about] this idealized muscular body emerging [as a] positive body type of health,' she says. "I don't know a better word for it than thicc with two Cs." It's clear that many of these ultraprocessed foods are marketed to women. Take, for example, the protein-enriched popcorn that reality star Khloe Kardashian recently launched. 'Clearly if [a] Kardashian has a protein popcorn, [women are] her target audience, that's not targeted towards men,' says St. Pierre. The pastel-colored bags of Kardashian's popcorn is a clear departure from protein powder canisters decorated with skulls and dragons, more obviously geared towards men. St. Pierre says these foods are 'not inherently bad,' but, he adds, 'I wouldn't rely on them as a way to get your protein intake.' Unfortunately, that's what he sees many people doing. 'They're finding these ultraprocessed foods, which are okay in moderation, and treating them [as if] they're equivalent to a chicken breast, which they're not.' With all the talk about protein, some people are missing the point, says St. Pierre. 'We want plenty of protein, but we don't want to eat only protein or use protein as a health halo,' he says. A protein cookie is still a cookie. 'That's just a company adding three extra grams of protein to make it sound like it's more beneficial for you.' The key is to think about what you want out of what you're eating: 'If you're eating it for protein, there are better ways to get it,' Oppezzo says. 'I think people have this intense health halo around it, that if I eat protein, I won't gain weight, it's only going to help my muscle and I'd rather eat protein at any cost rather than something else." In diet culture, she says, people tend to mix up morality with food choices, labeling certain ones 'good' or 'bad,' but that kind of black-and-white thinking can lead to overly restrictive eating. That's true of ultraprocessed foods as well; they aren't innately 'bad' and you don't need to cut them out entirely, but they should only be 20 to 30 percent of your daily calories at a maximum, according to St. Pierre. If you make a frozen pizza once a week and decide to replace that with a 'high protein' frozen pizza, 'that could potentially be very slightly helpful,' he says. But like every diet trend, getting too enthusiastic about protein can have drawbacks. While it's a myth that overconsuming protein can lead to kidney problems, Oppezzo says, it can be dangerous for people with kidney disease or on dialysis. In those cases, or if you have any other preexisting conditions, speak to your provider or a dietitian with expertise in your condition, before upping your protein intake beyond the FDA recommendations. And eating large amounts of red meat can raise cholesterol, increasing the risk of a heart attack. There may be unexpected social consequences, too. Sanders points to meal prep culture where people cook a week's worth of macro-balanced food or those who consume lots of protein powders and packaged foods. 'You're divorcing a lot of the cultural aspects that we associate with food in favor of these things like muscle gains,' she says. 'And it's not a hedonistic experience; it's purely related to outcomes and food as fuel.' ( Statin drugs are an Internet villain. Do they deserve it? ) The protein sweet spot The truth is that the influencers and protein-focused doctors and scientists have a point—protein is critically important. But most people can get enough of the macronutrient with a few small tweaks to their diet, rather than canvassing the grocery store for protein enriched snack foods. 'Emphasizing lean protein is going to help you feel your best, look your best, perform your best, whatever your goal might be, it's going to help for the most part,' St. Pierre says. Aim to get that protein from minimally processed whole foods, like lean beef, seafood, eggs, soy-based products, and dairy rich in protein, instead of manufactured protein foods that come in a pretty package. 'People are always trying to overcomplicate [nutrition],' St. Pierre adds. "They're always trying to sell you something new.' For the most part, a healthy diet is simple to execute. 'Eat lean protein, lots of fruits and vegetables, some whole grains, and some healthy fats, and you're going to be in a really good spot.'
