our healthy communities august 2015 publication
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AUGUST 2015
Fewlifestyle choices
affect mortality like theamount – or lack of – physi-cal activity in our day. Withincreasing time spent infront of screens for workand recreation, the need tointentionally move our bod-ies is an epidemic FirstWorld problem. Whetheryour goal is improved physi-cal and mental health orweight loss, resounding evi-dence points to somethingman has done since thedawn of time – walking.
Study upon study hasshown regular brisk walkinghelps lower cholesterol,blood pressure and thethreat of diabetes. Itincreases the heart rate,which, in turn, invigoratesblood circulation. This pro-motes new cells and speedshealing. A 10-minute strollreleases endorphins that
interact with brainreceptors reducing depres-sion, anxiety and stress lev-els. Madison resident NedraKendrick is proof. After adoctor’s visit for unexplainedfatigue and low energy, shefound the culprit was highblood pressure. She beganwalking and running. “So farI have been able to controlmy blood pressure withoutmedication,” she says.Nedra feels her exerciseregimen of 4 miles up tofour times a week plays amajor role. Having a work-out partner helps. In Nedra’scase, her workout buddy isco-worker Kellie Conway.Both women do other formsof cardio, but Kellie likes theconvenience of walking.“With walking, you don’thave to wait on a particulartime of the day like you dowith a class at the gym,”she says.
Madison-based personaltrainer Beverly Morris, a 30-
year veteran of the fitnessindustry, is a walking advo-cate. “I’ve had people cometo me and the most walkingthey did was from the houseto the car,” Beverly says.She counsels extremelyinactive individuals to startby walking from the frontdoor to the mailbox eachday. “When they can do thatthree to four times a daywith no problem, I put themon the street,” she says,laughing. Beverly stressesthe importance of settingdaily goals, even if it is justto walk around the block.
Government guidelinesfor good health and weightmanagement recommend atleast 30 minutes of moder-ate intensity exercise fivedays a week. What is mod-erate intensity walking?Fitness expert and onlinebaby boomer health guru,Kymberly Williams-Evans,promotes the definition pro-vided by Len Kravitz, “If youwalk about 100 steps perminute then you are cruisingalong at a moderate pace,”she says. “Another way tocalculate moderate intensity
is to complete 3,000 stepsin 30 minutes.”
No particular exercisegear is needed to walk, justwear what feels comfortablefor the weather. The onlything experts universallyagree needs special atten-tion is your shoe selection.“Shoes are the first things Ilook at when someonecomes to me because that’stheir sole support system,”Beverly says, pun unintend-ed. She recommends find-ing shoes with lots of cush-ion and going to a specialtyathletic shoe store to haveyour gait analyzed.
A one-hour moderateintensity walk provides thesame health benefits of a30-minute jog. And studiesshow serious race-walking –at least a 5 mph clip – mayburn more calories than run-ning the same distance. Sowhen it comes to weightloss through walking, we’vegot to pick up the pace, liter-ally. Beverly advises findinga base line to work from.“When starting out, timeyourself. On a flat route,walk 2 miles and make note
of the time it took,” shesays. When covering thatdistance becomes no prob-lem, pick up the pace andcover the 2 miles in lesstime. To continue increasingfitness levels and burn morecalories, add challenges toyour route such as hills orbump up the mileage at thesame pace.
One way walking rulesover running is what walkingdoes not do. Running sendsthree times your bodyweight crashing into feet,ankles, knees and hips. Anybad form or odd way thefoot hits the ground is com-pounded over and overagain. It’s hard to find adedicated runner able to runpain-free for long stretchesof time. That’s “happy newsfor you non-joggers, formerrunners and want-to-be-walkers who want a strongheart without the jointstress,” Kimberly says.“Brisk walking maybe as good foryour hearthealth asa run.”
What’sin Season:Summer
Produce
Anaheim ChileApricotsAsian PearBarbados CherriesBeetsBell PeppersBlack CurrantsblackberriesBlueberriesBoysenberriesButter LettuceCantaloupecherriesCherries, SourChinese Long BeansCornCucumbersEggplantEdamameElderberriesEndivesFrench BeansFigsGarlicGrapefruitGrapesGreen BeansHeart of PalmHoneydew MelonsJackfruitJalapeno PeppersKey LimesLima BeansLimesNectarinesOkraPassion FruitPeachesPeasPlumsRadishesRaspberriesShallotsStrawberriesSugar Snap PeasSummer SquashTomatilloTomatoesWatermelonYukon Gold PotatoesZucchini
SUMMER
(June, July, August)
The right shoes and half an hour are all you needto walk your way to better health
Story by JAMIE MILES
I have been writing abouthealth and wellness for years andI recently realized that I haven’tlooked up the meaning of theword health since my 7th gradehealth class:
Health: (noun) 1. The generalcondition of the body and mindwith reference to sound andvigor. 2. Soundness of body ormind; freedom from disease orailment. 3. Vigor, vitality.
There is nothing in the defini-tion about a specific diet or exer-cise program. None of the latestfad drink concoctions that claimto cleanse your liver and washaway all your bad eating deci-sions are named. I don’t see men-tion of a wheat grass shot, fruitsand veggies, or ths suggestion tomeditate until you are a zombie.
So, what is healthy and how doyou get it? To some people it isan urban myth. It is somethingthey hear about but have never
seen for themselves.People go after it bytrying one newthing after another.But, as far as healthis concerned, mostpeople will not con-tinue to makehealthy choices ifthey do not like theoptions theychoose.
What maygive one person“sound andvigor” or“soundness ofbody” may not bethe same for thenext person. Let megive you an exam-ple. I can’t standbeets, watermelon, orraisins. I feel sick just thinkingabout tasting any of them. All areconsidered “healthy”; however, if
I personally were toeat any of them, Iwould be far fromhaving “soundnessof body or mind.”I’m just sayin’! Iwould rather eat a
live beetle than araisin.
There are many healthy activi-ties and foods to choose from.
Exercise comes in manyforms. If you don’t likesomething, then make anew choice. The idea isto choose as manythings as possible thatwill give you “freedom
from disease or ailment.”We’re inundated with endless listsof things marked “good for” or
“bad for us”. Do your researchand understand the facts
behind what will be the bestchoices for you. Just because Imark a box of donuts “fat-free”,
that doesn’t make them fat-free.If a health expert tells you to eata pound of prunes a day to curewhatever ails you, that doesn’tmean it’s in your best interest. It’shard to have vigor, strength,energy, or determination if youare running to the bathroom allday. My suggestion is to notjump on a bandwagon. Neverput yourself on a fad diet ordeprive your body and soul.
My personal definition for theword healthy is (and may be dif-ferent than yours): Eating realfood, and especially food thatpleases and nourishes you, mov-ing your body and doing activitiesthat make you feel happy, andliving a life of gratitude and bal-ance.
Proverbs 17:22 says it this way,“A joyful heart is good medicine,but a crushed spirit dries up thebones.”
JOYFUL HEART – A healthy life is a joyful life. by LISA WADE
Healthy is eating realfood ... moving your bodyand doing activities that
make you happy, andliving a life of gratitude
and balance.
PAGE 2 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S AUGUST 2015
3 Simple Ways to Build ConsistencyBecause Consistency is the Key to Success!
You don’t have to be an expert to figure out that consisten-cy is pretty essential to successfully changeyour life, your health, and your weight. Butit’s also pretty clear that building a consis-tent routine of regular exercise and healthyeating is not an easy thing to do.
You start off the day with the best inten-tions—to exercise, track all your food, andmake healthy choices. But then life hap-pens. One of the kids is sick, the babysitteris late, the snowplow blocked your drive-way, the boss asks you to work overtime, or any one of a hun-dred other surprises that can really wreck your day. Beforeyou know it, your plan is in trouble and your prospects for"sticking to it" aren’t looking very good. In fact, things areprobably going to get worse as the day goes on. By the endof the day, you have no energy left for exercise, and the taskof preparing a healthy meal feels like a big burden when whatyou really want is a break. Something has to give.
More often than not, "what gives" is your plan to exerciseand eat right. When it’s hard to do everything, the things mostlikely to go undone are those that don’t affect or involve any-one but you—especially if those things aren’t exactly yourfavorite things to do anyway.
So how do you change this pattern? With the three rules forbuilding consistency.
These three simple rules, when followed faithfully, will makeit easier for you to be consistent with your healthy lifestylehabits—even on the toughest days.Rule #1: Never tell yourself “I’m not motivated.”
That’s not the real problem, unless you really don’t want tolose weight or live a healthy lifestyle. As long as you do wantthese things, you have all the motivation you need.
It may be true that sometimes you don’t want to exercise, orthat you really want to stop and get fast food rather than cook-ing dinner. That’s understandable, but it doesn’t mean you’renot motivated. It just means that you want two different andopposing things, and you have to make a decision. Tellingyourself that you lack motivation is just a way of denying thatyou really do have a choice. It makes the problem seem mys-terious and out of your control, and it makes you feel lesspowerful than you really are, because you lack something (themotivation) you need. Not true!
In the long run you’ll do better if you acknowledge that thechoice is yours to make. You can choose either option, with-out making excuses or inventing a theory like “lack of motiva-tion” to justify it. Then, pay attention to how you feel about thechoice you made, and decide whether that is how you want tofeel most of the time.
Being consistent does not mean being perfect. (There aregoing to be days when you decide to do something other thanstick to your exercise and diet routine, and that’s fine.) But becom-ing consistent does mean giving yourself the power to choose. Rule #2: Build momentum one step at a time.
It’s never easy to change old habits or start new routines.Studies show that it takes anywhere from 21 to 40 days toreally turn a new behavior into a persistent habit. And duringthat time, you’re going to have to work at it pretty diligently—even when you don’t feel like it.
The key to long term consistency is building momentum.The hardest part is always getting things started. But onceyou’re moving, staying in motion and picking up speedbecomes a lot easier. There are a lot of ways you can gradu-ally build momentum during those first few weeks. Here aresome examples:
Start with something that’s pretty easy to manage and buildup from there. Set a goal of one 10-minute exercise sessionper week. Then increase it to two 10-minute sessions.Gradually add minutes to each workout (and eventually addone or more additional workouts to your week), until you're
exercising as long and as frequently as you should in order toreach your goals. The simple act of settingaside some time for exercise every day, nomatter how little, and sticking to it isenough to start building the habit.
Find an accountability buddy—someonewho knows about your plan and is willing togive you a push when you feel like slackingoff.
Join a Team or Challenge here atSparkPeople. It’s always harder to let
someone else down than it is to let yourself off the hook.Employ an excuse buster. Find a friend, family member, or
SparkPeople member whose judgment and opinion yourespect. Each time you find yourself thinking about skippingan exercise session or blowing your meal plan, write down thereason for your choice. Share this reason with your excusebuster and get her honest opinion about whether the reasonfor your choice is reasonable or just an excuse. You’ll proba-bly find that this makes it a lotharder for you to believe yourown rationalizations.Rule #3: Always have aplan B.
Because life is unpre-dictable and complicated, youneed to have plan B ready—even before you actually needit. Plan B is an alternative wayto stay consistent with yourgoals when your regular rou-tine (or something else) does-n’t work out as planned.Obviously, you can’t foreseeevery single problem thatmight come up. But most ofthe time, the things that get inyour way are things that hap-pen fairly often—like kids get-ting sick, extra hours at work,or days when you just don’tfeel very energetic. Those sur-prises won't throw you off trackif you plan ahead. For exam-ple, have a friend or familymember lined up to stay withyour kids so you can make itto the gym; stock your freezerwith some healthy meals whenyou're short on time; stashyour exercise clothes at theoffice for a quick workoutwhen you can't get away.
Put a little time into identify-ing the most common problemsthat disrupt your healthy rou-tine, and plan (in advance)what you can do to handlethese problems without sacrific-ing your diet and exercise rou-tine. Then all you’ll have to dois put your plan B into action.
Following these three simple ruleswill help you overcome some commonobstacles while building the momen-tum you need to stay consistent. Atthe very least, you’ll be able to take allthose lemons that life hands you, andmake some good (and diet-friendly)lemonade out of them.
By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert
AUGUST 2015 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S PAGE 3
Recently I read a quote by Dr. Wayne Dyer that made me stop and think
about where I have been and where I am going. Dr. Dyer said, “You are
the sum total of the choices you make in life.” Suddenly my past flashed
before my eyes and I saw a lot of poor choices I had made.
There were some good ones among them that provided long term bene-
fit though difficult at times. Among them
was the choice to find an end to my chronic
back pain.
Seven years ago in June I made one of
the best choices of my life. I chose to take
control of my health. I joined a gym and
engaged a certified personal trainer.
At the time my gym experience was nonexistent. The concept of a per-
sonal trainer was someone who could teach me how to exercise. Bottom
line was I knew I needed help, lots of help. Learning the types of move-
ments to make, proper form in making those movements, how many repe-
titions to do and when are a small part of the knowledge and skill required
to train clients.
My choices since that day have added life to my years and years to my
life. My decision to become a certified personal trainer was a surprise to
me as well as my family and friends. Having the right trainer is crucial for
someone making the choice to begin training or change their current exer-
cise routine. There are several professional sites on line to find certified
trainers in your area. If you are 50 or over seeking a personal trainer be
sure to ask what training and experience the individual has in working with
your age bracket. Be sure they understand your goals and challenges.
The older we become the more important specialized training is needed.
Do not be afraid to interview more than one trainer.
Consider your options: choose to improve your health OR choose to do
nothing and continue in your current path.
What choice will you make?
What choice will you make?Nancy Burnham is a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), aFitness Coaching Specialist and specializes in training older adults. She currently operates SimpleFitness for Seniors out of CrossFit Lilburn 678 in Lilburn, Georgia.
PAGE 4 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S AUGUST 2015
Nutrition: Tips for Improving Your HealthGood nutrition is one of the keys to good health. You can
improve your nutrition by regularly eating foods that have alot of vitamins and minerals in them, such as fruits, vegeta-bles, whole grains and low- or nonfat dairy.Do I need to change what I eat?
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, youmay need to talk about improving your nutrition with yourdoctor:
• Has your doctor talked with you about a medical prob-lem or a risk factor, such as high blood pressure or highcholesterol?
• Did your doctor tell you that this condition could beimproved by better nutrition?
• Do diabetes, cancer, heart disease or osteoporosis runin your family?
• Are you overweight?• Do you have questions about what kinds of foods you
should eat or whether you should take vitamins?• Do you think that you would benefit from seeing a reg-
istered dietitian, a member of the health care team whospecializes in nutrition counseling?Won't it be hard to change my eating habits?
Probably, but even very small changes can improve yourhealth considerably. The key is to keep choosing healthyfoods and stay in touch with your doctor and dietitian, sothey know how you are doing. Here are a few suggestionsthat can improve your eating habits:
• Find the strong points and weak points in your currentdiet. Do you eat 4-5 cups of fruits and vegetables everyday? Do you get enough calcium? Do you eat whole-grain,high-fiber foods regularly? If so, you're on the right track!Keep it up. If not, add more of these foods to your daily diet.
• Keep track of your food intake by writing down whatyou eat and drink every day. This record will help you see ifyou need to eat more from any food groups (such as fruits,vegetables or dairy products) or if you need to eat less of afood group (such as processed or high-fat foods).
• Think about asking for help from a dietitian, especiallyif you have a medical problem that requires you to follow aspecial diet.Can I trust nutrition information I get fromnewspapers and magazines?
Nutrition tips and diets from different sources often con-flict with each other. You should always check with your
doctor first. Also, keep in mind this advice:• There is no "magic bullet" when it comes to nutrition.
Short-term diets may help you lose weight, but they arehard to keep up and may even be unhealthy in the long run.
• Good nutrition doesn't come in a vitamin pill. Only takea vitamin with your doctor's recommendation, as your bodybenefits the most from eating healthy, whole foods.
• Eating a variety of foods is best for your body, so trynew foods!
• Stories from people who have used a diet program orproduct, especially in commercials and infomercials, areadvertisements. These people are usually paid to endorsewhat the advertisement is selling. Remember, regainedweight or other problems that develop after someone hascompleted the program are never talked about in those ads.What changes can I make now in my diet?
Almost everyone can benefit from cutting back onunhealthy fat. If you currently eat a lot of fat, try just one ortwo of the following changes, or those suggested in ourhandout on healthier food choices:
• Rather than frying meat, bake, grill or broil it. Take theskin off before eating chicken or turkey. Eat fish at leastonce a week.
• Cut back on extra fat, such as butter or margarine onbread, sour cream on baked potatoes, and salad dressings.Use low-fat or nonfat versions of these condiments.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables both with yourmeals and as snacks.
• When eating away from home, watch out for "hidden"fats (such as those in salad dressing and desserts) andlarger portion sizes.
• Read the nutrition labels on foods before you buythem. If you need help reading the labels, ask your doctoror your dietitian.
• Drink no- or low-calorie beverages, such as water orunsweetened tea. Sugar-sweetened drinks, such as fruitjuice, fruit drinks, regular soft drinks, sports drinks, energydrinks, sweetened or flavored milk and sweetened iced teacan add lots of sugar and calories to your diet. But stayinghydrated is important for good health.
Balanced nutrition and regular exercise are good foryour health, even if your weight never changes. Try to setgoals that you have a good chance of reaching, such asmaking one of the small diet changes listed above or walk-ing more in your daily life.
AUGUST 2015 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S PAGE 5
Yoga At Lake LanierEnjoy a Wonderful
outdoor Yoga classat Lake Lanier. Eachbreath of fresh airwill guide youthrough the gentleyoga poses usingfluid movements.The natural environ-
ment is the perfect backdrop for an outdoors yoga practice.This is a great class for beginners through advanced.
Class led by Certified Yoga Instructor Candace Barfield.
Time: 5:30pmPlace: 6175 Jim Crow Road, Flowery Branch, GA
**Near Beach.Bring water, a mat and a towel, or practice right on the
grass.
Candace Barfield is a yoga instructor that received her Certifica-tion from Yoga of India and is registered with Yoga Alliance. Formore Details call: (678) 672-9591
PAGE 6 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S AUGUST 2015
Daily exercise is a great
way to stay healthy well into
your golden years. When
coupled with a healthy diet,
a workout regimen becomes
even more effective.
For those adamant about
working out but unsure of
how to maximize their work-
outs, the answer might just
lie in your daily diet. Fitness
fans who learn how to make
their diets work for them
often find their workouts
become even more effec-
tive, improving both how
they feel and how they look.
The following are a few
tricks of the trade for men
and women who want to
make their diets work for
them.
• Don't discard breakfast.
Many men and women pre-
fer to workout in the morn-
ing, when temperatures
might be more amenable to
a morning jog or gyms
might be less crowded than
during peak hours.
However, morning exercise
enthusiasts should know
that a healthy breakfast
before working out can pro-
vide them with more energy,
leading to a more effective
workout.
Men and women who
don't eat before their morn-
ing workouts are bound to
feel more sluggish, as the
majority of the energy from
the previous night's dinner
has already been used up.
A light breakfast of whole-
grain cereal or bread paired
with low-fat milk an hour
before working out can pro-
vide the added boost your
body needs and make your
morning exercise routine
that much more effective.
Fruit, including bananas or a
few apple slices, can also
do the trick. Just try to avoid
working out on an empty
stomach and give yourself
enough time between eating
and working out for the
added energy boost to take
effect.
• Don't overdo it. A small
meal prior to working out is
generally the best way to
go. You can workout after a
large meal, but you'll need
to give yourself more time
between eating and exercis-
ing, ideally several hours. If
you like to workout after a
long day at the office, eat a
light snack, ideally an hour
before you expect to begin
your workout, so your blood
sugar won't be too low. In
addition, a light snack
before a workout might pro-
vide some extra energy that
will come in handy when
you hit that treadmill or start
lifting those weights.
• Choose the right
snacks. A snack before
working is alright, just make
sure it's the right snack. A
bag of potato chips, for
example, is not an ideal pre-
workout snack, as it might
produce an adverse effect,
making you feel sluggish as
you prepare to exercise.
Fresh fruit, energy bars or
drinks, granola bars or even
a fruit smoothie will quell
your hunger and help you
maintain proper blood sugar
levels.
• Find something to eat
after you exercise. Eating
after you exercise is also
important. After working out,
eating a meal with carbohy-
drates will promote muscle
growth and recovery, restor-
ing your fuel supplies that
were lost during your work-
out. This will come in handy
tomorrow when you want to
work out again.
Eating protein after a
workout is also important.
Doing so is beneficial when
trying to build muscle, and
protein also promotes mus-
cle repair. Many fitness
experts feel the meal after a
workout is the most impor-
tant meal of the day, but just
be sure yours contains both
carbohydrates and protein.
• Don't forget fluids. Fluids
are part of your diet as well,
and they're especially
important when exercising.
Whether your typical exer-
cise routine is vigorous or
not, you are going to lose
fluids when working out,
sometimes a large amount
of fluids. The American
College of Sports Medicine
recommends men and
women emphasize drinking
fluids, ideally water, before,
during and after their work-
outs. It's important to stay
hydrated throughout the
day, but it's very important
to begin a workout with ade-
quate fluids in your body
and to replenish those fluids
during and after your work-
out as well. Water is ade-
quate for those whose work-
outs are 60 minutes or less,
but choose a sports drink if
you workout for more than
an hour at a time. The
sports drink will help you
maintain your electrolyte
balance and give you more
energy as you're working.
Diet and exercise make
great bedfellows, and men
and women can use their
diets to make their workouts
that much more effective.
Make your diet work for you A TIP FROM YOUR TRAINERWhyPut Off TillTomorrow??Start today. Have you ever heard
someone say "I'm going to start
working out Monday?” Really? Why Monday? Why not today? One
reason people put it off is to have one last hurrah with bad food and
drink, which makes the transition only harder.
SOLUTION: "My new lifestyle starts today". Scale down the
overblown commitments and start with something simple. Instead of 45
min of an intense workout start with a 10 minute walk or 10 minutes of
walking in place while watching TV. Your commit-ments will grow, but
only if you can stick with the smaller ones.
Making Health Not WeightLoss, Your Ultimate Goal
Making health your pri-mary focus can ultimatelyaid your efforts to achievepermanent weight loss. Asole emphasis on weightloss can sometimes lead toextreme or temporary dietplans. A focus on health thatinvolves gaining knowledgeof nutrition, establishing adaily workout regimen andgetting adequate rest on aregular basis can help youestablish important lifehabits that will naturallyresult in your ideal weight.Increase YourKnowledge of Nutrition
Adequate nutrition is aprime requirement for ahealthy body. Making healtha priority means ensuringthat you meet the dailyrequirements for the nutri-ents that your body needsto metabolize your food,repair cells, eliminate toxinsand provide sufficient ener-gy. Eating a well-balanceddiet consisting of proteins,carbohydrates and healthyfats is essential.
An important element ofincreasing your nutritionknowledge is reading ingre-dient labels. In an effort tolimit unhealthy oils and fats,and foods high in sugar orunwanted chemicals, besure to read the labels onpackaged foods. Wheneverpossible, it's best to eatwhole foods. A diet rich inwhole grains, fruits, vegeta-bles, fish, nuts, seeds and
healthy oils is often recom-mended for delivering nec-essary nutrients and helpingyou to achieve permanentweight loss.Establish a RegularWorkout Regimen
Exercise is an importantcomponent of achievinglong-term weight loss goals.A daily workout regimen isimportant for increased cir-culation, muscle develop-ment and good heart health.Focusing on the healthaspects of daily exercise isimportant for warding off along list of diseases thatresult from a sedentarylifestyle. A daily fitness regi-men has the potential toleave you feeling stronger,leaner and more flexible.
When designing a dailyexercise regimen, be sure tochoose activities that ener-gize and reinvigorate you.This will increase yourdesire to exercise daily. It'salso much healthier for yoursense of well-being whenyou spend your timeengaged in activities that arefun and not a chore. With adaily commitment to exer-cise, you will experience adecrease in health issuesand an increased metabo-lism that naturally leads topermanent weight loss.Reducing Stressthrough Adequate Rest
Rest and relaxation arealso important factors inmaking health a priority.
With the demands of a fast-paced society, rest oftentakes a backseat to other lifeactivities. However, rest andrelaxation are important forkeeping you free of diseaseand reducing the stress lev-els that sometimes lead toovereating and giving littlethought to food choices.When you sleep the recom-mended seven to eighthours each night, your bodyretains a healthy hormonalbalance. Sleep deprivationleads to hormonal shifts thatincrease your desire to eatand decrease your ability tofeel full. A good night's restwill make you more resilientto daily stresses, allowingyou to make healthy foodchoices and to keep yourcommitment to working out.When you make health apriority in your life, yourideal weight will be a naturalbyproduct, limiting yourneed to go on diets.
Buy & Grow The Safest, Healthiest,Freshest Food
With so many different labels popping
up on products and the need to pur-
chase healthy food, how can a con-
sumer make the best food choices?
In 2013, the USDA National Organic
Program suspended the Organic Food
Production Act’s sunset provision. This
changed the way the National Organic
Standards Board conducts its 5-year
review of national list substances and
makes it easier to renew an exemption
for a non-organic food substance.
While this was disappointing news for
many consumers, foods that comply
with the USDA organic standards are
still better than conventionally grown
and produced foods. Some labels, such
as the “100% natural” label, can mis-
lead. Consumer Reports recently
reported that more than 60 percent of
people surveyed believed that “Natural”
means “No GMOs.” But Consumer
Reports tested foods labeled “natural”
and found some of these foods con-
tained a substantial amount of GMOs.
The “natural” label does not mean it is
non-GMO or that it is a healthy food
choice. The fact is, American food man-
ufactures are not required by law to list
GMO ingredi-
ents on food
labels. The
best way to
ensure you
are purchas-
ing non-GMO
foods is to
look for the
non-GMO Project Verified Seal.
BE A CONSCIOUS CONSUMERRead the labels! Educating yourself
on food ingredients can help you deci-
pher food labels to make the best food
choices. Foods containing several
unrecognizable hard to pronounce
ingredients, although labeled organic or
100% natural, might be products to
avoid.
KEEP UP WITH FOOD ANDHEALTH NEWS
Certain groups help educate every-
one on food health. One such organiza-
tion is The Environmental Working
Group. It developed the Dirty Dozen
PLUS™ and Clean Fifteen™ lists to
make consumers aware of the pesti-
cides used on foods. The Dirty Dozen
PLUS™ lists the 12 fruits/vegetables
with the most pesticides. The Clean
Fifteen™ represents 15 produce items
with the least amount of pesticides. For
more information, visit www.ewg.org.
Another education group is The Non-
GMO Project. It is committed to pre-
serving and building the non-GMO food
supply and providing verified non-GMO
choices. It is the organization responsi-
ble for the Non-GMO seal. You can
learn more about GMO-modified food
and find a directory of products carrying
the seal by visiting www.nongmopro-
ject.org.
BUY FRESH AND LOCAL Learn the source of your food by get-
ting to know your local farmers. Many
small famers use organic gardening
practices but do not want to invest the
money required to carry the USDA cer-
tified organic label. Ask the farmer if he
uses organic farming practices.
It’s easy to
locate locally
grown foods.
Join a CSA
(community
supported
agriculture),
and/or
farmer’s co-op. Localharvest.org is a
great resource to search for local
farmer’s markets and CSA groups in
your area. You may discover farms that
let you “pick your own” produce, an
exciting adventure for children. Eating
locally grown foods insures your pro-
duce is fresh and healthy.
GROW YOUR OWN FOODIf you don’t have a green thumb, just
start small. Plant a small fresh herb
garden. Herbs are easy and fun to
grown and require little maintenance.
You will gain confidence to expand to
growing naturally produced vegetables.
Burpees and Seeds of Change are two
companies who will supply you with
non-GMO, organic seeds . You can pick
fresh produce from your garden, rinse
it, and eat it. Freshly picked food has a
higher nutrient level and often tastes
better than foods held to ripen.
DIRTY DOZEN
Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Celery
Peaches
Spinach
Sweet Bell Peppers
Nectarines
Cucumbers
Cherry Tomatoes
Snap peas
Potatoes
CLEAN FIFTEEN
Avocado
Corn
Pineapple
Cabbage
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Onions
Asparagus
Mango
Papaya
Kiwi
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Sweet potatoes
The market is THE place to be on aSaturday morning in Snellville
The Snellville Farmers’ Market is held
every Saturday from 8:30 AM to 12:30
PM, June through September, in front of
Snellville City Hall, 2342 Oak Road.
Snellville Farmers Market
AUGUST 2015 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S PAGE 7
PAGE 8 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S AUGUST 2015
GWINNETT PARKS:Alexander ParkBay Creek ParkBest Friend ParkBethesda ParkBogan ParkBryson ParkClub Drive ParkCollins Hill ParkDacula ParkDeShong ParkDuncan Creek ParkFreeman’s Mill ParkGeorge Pierce ParkGraves ParkHarbins ParkHolcomb Bridge Park
Ivy CreekGreenwayLenora ParkLions Club ParkLittle MulberryParkMcDaniel FarmParkMountain Park
Aquatic Center& ActivityBuilding
Mountain Park ParkPeachtree Ridge ParkPinckneyville ParkRabbit Hill ParkRhodes Jordan Park
Rock Springs ParkRonald Reagan ParkSettles Bridge ParkShorty Howell ParkSweet Water ParkTribble Mill ParkVines ParkWest Gwinnett ParkYellow River ParkYellow River Post Office
ROCKDALE PARKS:Black Shoals ParkJohnson ParkPanola Mountain State ParkPine Log ParkSouth River Trail
NEWTON PARKS:Denny Dobbs ParkFactory Shoals Recreational ParkTurner Lake
A Walk In The Park
When today's parents reflect on their childhood, many
likely recall seemingly endless days spent playing out-
doors. But when today's kids become tomor-
row's parents, chances are their recollec-
tions won't recall nearly as much time
spent idling the days away under
the sun.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
roughly 17 percent of American
children and adolescents between
the ages of 2 to 19 are obese. In
Canada, where self-reporting data collection
methods have made such statistics more difficult to
quantify, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in chil-
dren is also on the rise, according to the Canadian
Community Health Survey.
The rise in overweight or obese children is likely a
byproduct of several factors, not the least of which is that
many of today's kids prefer to play a video game on the
couch instead of going outdoors and being physically
active. The potential ramifications of youngsters choosing a
more sedentary lifestyle are dangerous, as it increases their
risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 dia-
betes, respiratory ailments and joint problems, among other
things. What's more, numerous studies have found that
obese or overweight children are more likely to become
obese or overweight adults, which highlights the importance
of embracing a physically active lifestyle as a youngster.
Parents know it's not always easy to get kids to be more
physically active. But the following are a few tips parents
might find useful when encouraging their kids to embrace a
more active lifestyle.
• Give toys that encourage physical activity. Kids love
toys, and their toys will often dictate how they spend their
days. Instead of buying the latest video game console, give
kids toys that encourage them to be active. This can include
balls, bicycles, jump ropes, or even a backyard swingset.
Kids who embrace these activities at a young age are more
likely to continue doing so into adolescence and adulthood.
• Reduce time spent in front of the television. Parents
who can effectively minimize the amount of
time their child spends in front of the tel-
evision, whether reducing their time
spent watching television or playing
video games, will likely be more
successful at instilling a love of
physical activity as well. The
American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends parents limit their
child's time in front of the television to
one to two hours per day, and that includes
the time children spend playing video games. To fur-
ther reduce kids' time watching TV, don't allow televisions in
their bedrooms, as that will only make it harder to monitor
just how much time kids are spending in front of their TVs.
• Remember that physical activity should be fun. Not all
kids are athletic, and some will likely bemoan participating
in recreational sports leagues. But that doesn't mean par-
ents should give up on encouraging physical activity.
Instead, find a physical activity that your child finds fun and
encourage his or her participation. This might be nontradi-
tional kids' sports like cycling or jogging or activities like
dancing, hiking or even bird watching. Once a child exhibits
a healthy interest in a physical activity that you have
deemed safe, encourage it.
• Set a positive example. Kids, especially younger chil-
dren, look up to their parents and often try to emulate what
Mom and Dad are doing. Parents can make the most of that
adoration by setting a positive example and being physically
active themselves. Go for a nightly bike ride or a walk
around the neighborhood with your youngsters in tow. Or
put that elliptical machine in the basement to good use.
Whatever physical activity you choose, you can bet your
children will express an interest in it as well, and that's a
great way to make them more enthusiastic about having a
healthy and active lifestyle.
How to encourage kids to be more physically active
AUGUST 2015 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S PAGE 9
RECIPE OF THE
MONTHSzechuanChicken Stir-Fryfrom heart.org/simplecooking
Ingredients
non-stick cooking spray1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins (can substitutelean pork or beef), all visible fat discarded, cut into 1-inch cubes2 tsp. cornstarch1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce1 tsp. jarred, minced garlic1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes1/4 tsp. ground ginger16 oz. frozen, packaged stir-fryvegetables1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth2 Tbsp. chopped, unsalted, unoiled peanuts1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked to package instructions
DirectionsSpray a medium skillet with cooking spray. In a medium skillet, toss chicken,
corn starch, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes.Cook chicken over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until no longer pink.Add vegetables and broth to skillet, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 20
minutes, stirring occasionally.Top with peanuts and serve over brown rice.
5 Healthy Snacks For Before &After Your Workout
We've allhad pre- orpost-workoutsituationswhen wewished we
had a healthy snack in our gym bag fora little boost. Instead of waiting until youcan get your hands on somethinghealthy and worthwhile, you end up eat-ing something you really didn't want andthen regret it. "If only I had packedsomething healthy," you say.
Don't get stuck with cardboard food orsomething boring. Try thinking about thefollowing healthy snacks as optionswhen you aren't able to eat a full meal. Awin-win every time and the best part is,they're healthy and can hold up in yourgym bag so you'll never be without aquick, easy and healthy snack.
Here are five good-for-you snacks thatare perfect to take to the gym. They giveyou energy and are great for when youneed something to hold you over untilyour next meal.1. Fruit
My favorite gym bag snack is freshfruit. An apple, orange, grapefruit, pearor banana will hold up just fine in yourbag for a day or two, but any fruit isgood as long as your store it well. Checkwhat's in season for the best quality(cherries, peaches and plums are justabout to make their way to your localmarket's produce aisle!). Just make sureyou don't forget the fruit in your bag —it's never fun finding an old banana,right?
Dried fruit (1/4 cup) is also a greatidea if you don't want fresh fruit floatingaround your bag. Try mixing some driedapricots, dried cherries, dates, prunes,figs and coconut flakes for a lovely,won't-go-bad mix.2. Organic nuts & seeds
Before you get too excited, keep inmind that a serving of nuts is 1/4 cup atmost, and for 1-2 tablespoons for nutbutter. This is important so you don'tundo all your hard work. Fat is terrificand very important for your body, butjust keep your portions mindful and you'llbe good to go. Try raw almonds, sun-flower seeds, walnuts, pistachios, pump-kin seeds or Brazil nuts.
Nut butters are also great. Keep youreye out for brands that are available inindividual packets. One of my favoritesnacks is slathering raw almond or sun-flower seed butter over two celery sticksas a perfect snack at my gym. You couldalso get fancy and make your own trailmix by combining your favorite nuts,seeds, dried fruits and spices like sea
salt, cinnamon, nutmeg or ground gingerto change the flavor up a bit. A favoritecombo of mine is raw almonds, driedcherries, cacao nibs, coconut flakes, seasalt and cinnamon.3. A wholesome snack bar
This is a tricky one. You must read thelabels and understand every ingredientfor this snack to really work out. You'reprobably aware that not all protein andnut bars are created equal and in somecases, you might actually be better offwith a candy bar as there can be asmuch sugar and questionable ingredi-ents in an unhealthy protein bar. Instead,reach for a wholesome bar made withreal ingredients that you can pronounce4. Protein powder
Protein is important in any diet. Whilefood is always the best option, it may notbe a bad idea to have a scoop of yourfavorite protein powder in a baggietucked in your gym bag. Add your pro-tein powder to your water for a conven-ient way to fuel with protein. If you aren'ta protein powder fan, try keeping somecoconut water in your gym bag. It won'tprovide the protein, but it'll help refuelwith its natural electrolytes.5. Superfood drink packets
This is for when you aren't really hun-gry but feel like you need something torecharge your batteries, especially whenthe alternative is another cup of coffee.This is also perfect for those days whenyou feel like you may have not had any"greens" in your day! Look for a greensuperfood powder (vegan, gluten-free,raw) that comes in individual packets.Add to your water and enjoy a healthy,alkalinizing pick-me-up.
By Monica Nelson,Personal Trainer, Chef, Accomplished Athlete,
Model and Health and Fitness Expert
Confrontations focusing on diet between chil-dren and parents have been around seeminglysince the beginning of time. Many children startoff as cooperative eaters, anxious to try differenttypes of foods. As they get older, the number offoods they're apt to eat diminishes, which canmake choosing healthy items for lunches and din-ners more difficult. It also can make packinglunches for school more challenging.
Many initiatives have attempted to improve thequality of school lunches provided by school cafe-terias. Government regulations to reduce theamount of fat and sodium in these lunches, andto introduce more whole grains, fruits and vegeta-bles, are one such initiative. Parents of studentswho prefer to bring their own lunches from homemay be left wondering how they can createhealthy lunches their kids will eat.
Considering school lunches must compete withfar less healthy yet widely available alternatives,parents will need to be creative in their creationof homemade lunches. Here are some ideas toget you started.
• Purchase a new lunch container. Thereare many different new and innovative lunch con-tainers that can make separating school lunches
easy. Few kids want to dig into a brown papersack and pull out something that has been sosquashed it's unrecognizable. Partitioned lunchboxes enable you to pack different items togetherwhere they can be stored separately. The divi-sions also help you remember to include foodsfrom the basic food groups, such as a fruit, veg-etable, protein, starch and dairy item.
• Have your child make a list of his orher favorite foods. Once the list has beenmade, see how you can make the foods healthi-er. For example, if chicken nuggets make the list,prepare your own nuggets with white meatchunks that are baked, not fried. If there are anumber of bread items, see if you can substitutewhole grain breads instead of white, bleachedvarieties.
• Get creative. Children may not be inclinedto eat loose pieces of fruit. But if the fruit is stuckon skewers or served with a low-fat dippingsauce or caramel, it may look more appealing.Look to "mini" foods, which tend to be more funas well. Little sandwiches and little burgers maypresent an optical illusion, where kids thinkthey're eating only a small amount, but actuallyit's a full serving.
• Hidehealthy foodswithin others.There are entirerecipe books thatteach you how tomix fruits andvegetables intodesserts to increase nutritive value. Everythingfrom spinach to tofu to beets have been includedin items like cake, cookies and brownies. So ifkids are reticent to dig into their greens, try aclever hiding method.
• Cut foods into fun shapes. Kids may bemore inclined to eat a turkey and cheese sand-wich if it's cut into star shapes or their favoritecartoon characters. Invest in a few cookie cuttersso that lunchtime becomes fun time.
• Don't let the time of day dictate whatyou serve. As long as kids are eating healthyitems, it doesn't matter when they eat them. If achild loves bagels, choose whole wheat bagelsand add an egg on top for a nutritious lunch.Serve with a gelatin dessert that contains chunksof fruit and low-fat milk, and you're set.
How to make healthy school lunches for kids
PAGE 10 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S AUGUST 2015
5 Myths about Exercise and AgingMyth 1: There’s no point to exercising. I’m going to get old anyway.Fact: Exercise and strength training helps you look and feel younger
and stay active longer. Regular physical activity lowers your risk for a vari-
ety of conditions, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, heart disease, dia-
betes, certain cancers, high blood pressure, and obesity. Not only can
exercise help stem the decline in strength and vitality that comes with
age, it even improve it. And the mood benefits of exercise can be just as
great as 70 or 80 as they were at 20 or 30.
Myth 2: Older people shouldn’t exercise. They should save theirstrength and rest.
Fact: Research shows that a sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy for adults
over 50. Inactivity often causes older adults to lose the ability to do things
on their own and can lead to more hospitalizations, doctor visits, and use
of medicines for illnesses.
Myth 3: Exercise puts me at risk of falling down.Fact: Regular exercise, by building strength and stamina, prevents loss
of bone mass and improves balance, actually reducing your risk of falling.
Myth 4: It’s too late. I’m already too old to start exercising.Fact: You’re never too old to start exercising and improve your health!
In fact, adults who take up exercise later in life often show greater physi-
cal and mental improvements than their younger counterparts. If you’ve
never exercised before, or it’s been a while, you won’t be encumbered by
the same sports injuries that many regular exercisers experience in later
life. In other words, there aren’t as many miles on your clock so you’ll
quickly start reaping the rewards. Just begin with gentle activities and
build up from there.
Myth 5: I’m disabled. I can’t exercise sitting down.Fact: Chair-bound people face special challenges but can lift light
weights, stretch, and do chair aerobics, chair yoga, and chair Tai Chi to
increase range of motion, improve muscle tone and flexibility, and pro-
mote cardiovascular health. Many swimming pools offer access to wheel-
chair users and there are adaptive exercise programs for wheelchair
sports such as basketball.
AUGUST 2015 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S PAGE 11
A Different Kind of Senior CareWe provide care in our beauti-
ful center, with friends, deliciousfood, and activities, for seniorswho require assistance duringthe day. Your aging loved one nolonger has to spend the day iso-lated in their home, and in turnproviding peace of mind for thefamily.
Health Related Care byProfessional Staff
Our medically trained staffspecializes in caring for individu-als with physical and cognitive
impairments. At our new centerlocated right here in Snellville,your loved one can enjoy a pro-gram that is designed to meettheir individual needs with inno-vative activities all in a comfort-able environment.
Whether you are a profession-al in the community, a caregiveror family member, SarahCarestands ready to partner with youto assist your needs.
Call or visit us today!770-685-6971.
Free 4-hourTrial DayAt SarahCare of
Snellville, we want you toexperience our programbefore you make the com-mitment.
We offer a free 4 hour trialat our center for your lovedone. We suggest coming 10am to 2 pm where they canenjoy activities, lunch withpeers and individual attention.Our activities director will getto know your loved one duringthe trial day and assist in pro-viding an individual program forthem.
Because we know youwill enjoy it, call today tomake arrangements.
Simple Fitness For SeniorsIt is never too late to start improving your life!
Lilburn, GA US 30047 • 770-289-8883http://www.simplefitnessforseniors.com
About NANCY BURNHAM: My journey to fitness began at age 61 and now at age 67I have been a Certified Personal Trainer for over 2 years. My studies specialize in olderadults with special conditions including Rotator Cuff, Diabetes, Heart Disease and
Respiratory Disease. Pilates Mat Instructor training and ZenGA Instructor training were completed in 2014with plans to complete Barre Instructor training in 2015.ACE Certifications: Personal Trainer Years Certified with ACE: 3 yrsPrograms: Private Personal Training Sessions; Group Fitness Sessions Years in the Industry: 2-5 yrs
Sweet summer is here with days
of fun in the sun! As magnificent as
this season is, it can also take a toll
on your skin. Change your skin pro-
tection and incorporate a home-
made sunscreen into your sun pro-
tection regimen!
Everyone knows that sunscreen is
intended to shield your skin from
harmful UVA and UVB rays and we
all want to keep our skin looking
young and healthy. Knowing these
powerful rays can cause premature
aging and skin cancer, you may
presume you are protecting your
skin by using commercial sun-
screens. However, many of the
most popular lotions and sprays are
made with chemicals that could
potentially be harmful.
Here’s an easy and fun way to
protect your skin by creating your
own sunscreen. It only takes about
10 minutes to make and is a 100%-
natural skin protectant that you can
apply to your beautiful skin with
confidence.
WHITNEY’S ALL NATURALSUNSCREEN RECIPE
Note: Most ingredients can be purchasedat your local health food store.INGREDIENTS:
1 cup coconut oil
¼ cup almond oil
2 tablespoons raw shea butter
¼ cup beeswax pellets
4 heaping tablespoons zinc pow-
der (non-nano)
20-25 drops carrot seed oil
DIRECTIONS:Add 1 cup of water to a saucepan.
Place a heat-resistant glass bowl on
top of the saucepan. Bring water to
a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
In the glass bowl add coconut oil,
shea butter, and beeswax. Melt the
ingredients, being sure to stir fre-
quently.
Remove the bowl from heat, add
remaining ingredients to the coconut
oil mixture. Stir.
Pour the sunscreen into glass jars.
The sunscreen will solidify after
about five minutes. The final result
will be a spreadable lotion.
Stay Protected and Have Fun in the SunBy WHITNEY ALEXANDRA
Exercise At Any AgeAs you grow older, an
active lifestyle is moreimportant than ever.Regular exercise canhelp boost energy,maintain your inde-pendence, and managesymptoms of illness orpain. Exercise can evenreverse some of thesymptoms of aging. Andnot only is exercisegood for your body, it’salso good for yourmind, mood, and mem-ory. Whether you aregenerally healthy or aremanaging an illness,there are plenty of waysto get more active,improve confidence,and boost your fitness.
PAGE 12 O U R H E A L T H Y C O M M U N I T I E S AUGUST 2015