optimum wellness spring 2013

eat | think | move

spring 2013

Compliments of

Plus! 7 easy

breezy spring recipes

p. 36

Super seed your diet p. 11

Single focus: The hazards of multitasking p. 24

Battle Ready: Get in fighting shape p. 26

spring rEnEWAL: refresh your home, health and heart

stalk options

Diversify your spring menu with healthful

asparagus

PLAYMAKERNUTRITION.COMDARREN MCFADDENPro Football PlayerLINDSEY VONNPro Skier

CARLOS GONZALEZPro Baseball Player

KEVIN LOVEPro Basketball Player

ERIK JOHNSONPro Hockey Player TOBIN HEATH

Pro Soccer Player

TOM SCHAARPro Skateboarder

MULTI VITAMINCALCIUM+VITAMIN D

MULTI VITAMINCALCIUM+VITAMIN D

Corn Syrup FreeVegan

All Natural Fruit Flavors & Colors

Preservative FreeEasily AbsorbedFree of Gelatin, Wheat (gluten),

Milk, Eggs, Soy, Tree Nuts,

Peanuts & Animal Derivatives

PLAYMAKERVITAMINS ARE:

Spring 2013 / Optimum Wellness 1

Founder James Rouse, ND

editorial director Debra Rouse, ND

Publisher Deborah Juris editor Deborah Williams

creative director Tom Visocchi

coPy editor Kellee Katagi

Project Manager Susan Humphrey

contributing Writers Jonathan Bakker, Nancy Coulter-Parker, Adrienne Crezo, Radha Marcum contributing artists Amanda Lenz, Fabio Napoleoni, Jeff Nelson, Annette Slade

Published by

www.hungryeyemedia.com

800.852.0857

from the founder

spring 2013 | volume 01 issue 02optimumwellness.com

The Promise of Spring.As I sat down to write this editions letter, the tragedy in Boston was unfoldinga harsh juxtaposition to the

oncoming spring. This is supposed to be a time of renewal and hope and life, yet here we were surrounded

again by darkness and loss. I know I wasnt the only one feeling gloomy and sad and, well, hopeless. Yet

even as we allow ourselves to grieve, we must also use events like this to take a step back, reevaluate and

reinvest in the things that are most precious to us.

For me, that includes my community, my family and my personal well-being. In

this issue, we profile a few amazing community garden programs (Lessons From

the Field, page 30) that are teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about the

wonders of local, polycultural farming and agriculture. Small efforts like these remind

us where our food comes from and how blessed we are to have it. And speaking of

food, get to know one of my favorite spring veggies, asparagus (Buy It. Store It. Prep

It. Page 14), and natures smallest superfoods: seeds (Good Things. Small Packages.

Page 11). I trust youll love experimenting with the recipes on page 36 and online at

our recently redesigned website optimumwellness.com.

One of my favorite features in this issue is Nancy Coulter-Parkers Combat

Ready, page 26. I am passionate about movement, and Im a big fan of this military-

inspired fitness wave. My wife, Debra, and I participated in our first Warrior Dash at

Copper Mountain a few years ago along with close friends, and I get over to my

local CrossFit gym for a workout whenever I can. One of the things I like best about

these types of events and workouts is the supportive nature of the community.

Our simple philosophy of eat, think, move can serve us all in challenging times.

How we help ourselves and help each other can be one of the most powerful

ways to not only support our own healing but the healing of everyone around

us. When we eat well and take care of ourselves physically and emotionally, we

are better equipped to help others by being more present, strong, focused and

available.

Peace and blessings,

Dr. James Rouse, ND

When we eat well and take care

of ourselves physically and

emotionally, we are better equipped to

help others by being more present,

strong, focused and available.

contents.

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2 Spring 2013 / Optimum Wellness

Thinking ofeating better?

Its simple

LOGO

ORGANIC LOGONATURAL & FREE FROM 101

INGREDIENTS LOGO

SIMPLE TRUTH BRAND ASSETSNovember 10, 2011

From hearty cereals and delicious snacks to pure and simple staples, Simple Truth makes eating better easier. Youll find affordable Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic items throughout our store. Easy to find. Easy to understand. Only at King Soopers & City Market.

Join the community today at simpletruth.com

issue 02: spring 2013

features.military mightThis spring, get out of the stuffy gym and give your running legs a break. Military-inspired workouts and obstacle-course competitions will ignite your fitness and squash the monotony of your same-old exercise routine. By NaNcy coulTer-Parker

how does your garden grow?To truly understand and appreciate the food you bring home from the grocery store every week, you have to know where it came from and how it came into being. local community gardens are one way to find out. By radha MarcuM

departments.01 welcome letter

begin. 05 Whats really in your TV

dinner? Plus, dIy vertical gardens, turn your trash into another persons tiny treasure and the culprits behind americas expanding waistline.

eat.09 nettle benefits

Maybe youve never heard of this little green plant, but youve prob-ably seen it. It grows wild, often on the side of the road, and is one of natures great healers.

11 good things. small packages. They might be tiny, but flax, quinoa, hemp and chia seeds pack a big punch. If theyre not part of your diet already, they should be.

14 asparagus Thin, fat, steamed, sau-ted, grilled or roasted, you cant go wrong with springs queen of greens.

think.23 slow your roll

you dont have to chant or meditate to reach a higher state of serenity. Simple techniques you can do anywhere from your kitchen to your car will calm the chaos of everyday life.

24 the power of one Think youre a master multitasker? Prepare to have your bubble burst. No ones good at doing more than one thing at a time, not even you. learn why its not only inefficient but why it might also be unhealthy.

move.33 moves you

should use Bulging biceps are nice and all, but they wont keep you from slipping on the ice or falling off a ladder. Functional fitnesstraining your body to respond to lifes everyday physical challengesis the key to staying active and injury-free for years to come.

improve.40 no crust. no

fuss. Sunday brunch doesnt have to be a fattening affair. We cut the crust from this scrumptious quichesaving you a lot of calories and all the guilt.

special section.18 top 10

supplements even the most well-rounded diet has a few nutrient gaps. Fill them in with the right nutri-tion supplements.

26

30

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Thinking ofeating better?

Its simple

LOGO

ORGANIC LOGONATURAL & FREE FROM 101

INGREDIENTS LOGO

SIMPLE TRUTH BRAND ASSETSNovember 10, 2011

From hearty cereals and delicious snacks to pure and simple staples, Simple Truth makes eating better easier. Youll find affordable Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic items throughout our store. Easy to find. Easy to understand. Only at King Soopers & City Market.

Join the community today at simpletruth.com

issue 02: spring 2013

begin.For 75 years,

weve had your back.

And your heart

joints

muscles

immune system...

bones

digestive tract

Schiff has been Nourishing Life Through Nature and Science for over 75 years. Learn more at schiffvitamins.com.

immune system...

has been Nourishing Life Through Nature and Science

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.

New look. Same great products.

Supportive, but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. 2013 Schiff Nutrition Group, Inc. 717-A1

Proof #Colors

ApprovalCreative DesignerBrand ManagerResearchRegulatory AffairsLegal ReviewFinal Creative (final)Jenn Steeves-Kiss (final)

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ColorsProof #

Schiff Nutrition2002 South 5070 WestSLC Utah 84104 USA

(801) 975-5000

2002 South 5070 WestSLC Utah 84104 USA

(801) 975-5000

DATEW/ CHANGESNO CHANGESApprovalCreative DesignerBrand ManagerProject ManagementPackaging EngineerLabeling SpecialistScientist / PEResearchRegulatory AffairsLegal ReviewFinal Creative (final)Jenn Steeves-Kiss (final)

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Purple

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S-9594

S-9594 717-A1 VMS Family Ad

717-A1

Ad

100%

Jake Weierman

--

Optimum Wellness

N/A

8.625"w x 11.125"h

7.25w x 9.75h

Date 01.09.13 Job No.

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Type

Printed at

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SpecialInstructions

Publication Specs

Publication

Trim Size

Bleed Size

Live Area

4 color process


begin.For 75 years,

weve had your back.

And your heart

joints

muscles

immune system...

bones

digestive tract

Schiff has been Nourishing Life Through Nature and Science for over 75 years. Learn more at schiffvitamins.com.

immune system...

has been Nourishing Life Through Nature and Science

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.

New look. Same great products.

Supportive, but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. 2013 Schiff Nutrition Group, Inc. 717-A1

Proof #Colors

ApprovalCreative DesignerBrand ManagerResearchRegulatory AffairsLegal ReviewFinal Creative (final)Jenn Steeves-Kiss (final)

Black

Red

Black

Green

Green

Black

Black

W/ CHANGESNO CHANGES DATE

ColorsProof #

Schiff Nutrition2002 South 5070 WestSLC Utah 84104 USA

(801) 975-5000

2002 South 5070 WestSLC Utah 84104 USA

(801) 975-5000

DATEW/ CHANGESNO CHANGESApprovalCreative DesignerBrand ManagerProject ManagementPackaging EngineerLabeling SpecialistScientist / PEResearchRegulatory AffairsLegal ReviewFinal Creative (final)Jenn Steeves-Kiss (final)

Black

Red

Blue

Pink

Purple

Purple

Black

Green

Green

Black

Black

S-9594

S-9594 717-A1 VMS Family Ad

717-A1

Ad

100%

Jake Weierman

--

Optimum Wellness

N/A

8.625"w x 11.125"h

7.25w x 9.75h

Date 01.09.13 Job No.

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Printed at

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Jeff

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N

Q&AConvenient Foods: Inconvenient TruthsAs a former New York Times reporter and the mother of two young boys, Melanie Warner felt compelled to scrutinize the strange ingredients she encountered on prefabbed, precooked, often portable food package labels and to peer under the hood of the high-tech manufactur-ing processes that create 70 percent of the foods Americans consume today. Her recent book Pandoras Lunchbox: How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal (Scribner, 2013) was the result. Opti-mum Wellness spoke with Warner recently at her home office in Boulder, Colorado. BY RADHA MARCUM

What exactly is processed food? Highly processed foods are ones you cant make in your home kitchen. They have excessive levels of sugar, salt, fat, and refined grains, and they are loaded with synthetic additives or manu-facturing aids so that manufacturers dont have to use as many real ingredients, which tend to be more expensive and harder to work with. some help with how the product looks. Many

are flavoringssome that mask the bad taste of other processed ingredients. And then a lot help in preserving foods. Processing

destroys a foods natu-rally occurring vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. Processed foods dont have these un-less they are added back in synthetic forms.

continued on page 64

5,000 +:A conservative estimate by The Pew

Charitable Trusts of the number of additives in processed foods

70%:Percent of the average Americans

diet that comes from processed foods

1,000:Number of new, untested additives introduced to the food manufac-

turing industry in the past 10 years

$800 billion:Market for processed foods


begin.

In the book, you describe methods using hazardous industrial chemicals. It starts to sound like sci-ence fiction. How did we get here? Its been going on for decades, this gradual progression of technol-ogy and science into food

production. And it has helped make food cheaper by making food production more efficient. In the 1940s, food companies began targeting consumer markets for the convenience foods they sent to the military troops fighting overseas. By the 1950s housewives had fully adopted precooked, pre-prepared foods. Today, most large food companies want to increase sales, cut costs and increase margins. So they have a big incen-tive to push people to these cheaper foods.

Long, hard-to-pronounce words in the ingredient list are a big red flag, but could we miss some highly

processed ingredients because they sound ordi-nary? Yes. Take soy protein isolate. People think its healthy because its has the word protein and because soybeans have a health halopartly because the FDA allows manufacturers to say that the product can lower risk for heart disease. Whole soybeans and foods made from them like tempeh, miso and edamame actually are healthybut theres a lot of disagreement over the health benefits of soy protein isolate. It has been so highly processed, first using the chemical hexanea neuro-toxin left over from the oil refining processand then further processes in which

all of the fiber, vitamins and minerals are lost.

What lost a place on your shelf or in your refrigerator as a result of you writing this book? I stopped buying even the natural kids mac and cheese. Not that its so horrible. I just thought, Why am I giving the kids pow-dered cheese [agglomerated cheese] or liquid cheese when I could make pasta with a simple sauce made with real cheese?

What surprised you most in researching the book? That even the FDA doesnt know how many additives are going into foods and doesnt test new food additives; the food companies do the testing, and the regulatory process is voluntary. Theres no central place or website for consumers to learn about the safety of these ingredients.

4 continued from page 5

iLearn more at melanierwarner.com.


begin.VERTICAL GARDEN DIYAll the things that make Colorado a great place to livewhite winters, dry climate, 300 annual days of bright sunshinecan make it a tricky place to maintain a healthy garden. This time of year, especially, you want to start planting flowers and herbs, but surprise snowstorms as late as May or

even June can freeze plants. By mid-July, sweltering temps, little natural moisture and watering restrictions can fry delicate flora. Sometimes, herbs and plants do better inside than out. Consider plant-ing an indoor garden with a vertical or wall-mounted system that takes up little

space, dresses up any room and requires far less water and care. Deborah King and Whitney Ladwig at Tagawa Gardens on South Parker Road show you how easy it is to build and tend your own vertical garden in five easy steps.

Step 1: PrePA 50/50 mixture of sterilized, pH-neutral organic potting soil and cactus mix will promote drainage. You might also want pruning sheers, a watering gauge, a small watering can and a book that explains which plants thrive best together. Ladwig recommends Small-Space Container Gar-dens: Transform Your Balcony, Porch, or Patio with Fruits, Flow-ers, Foliage, and Herbs, by Fern Richardson (Timber, 2012).

Step 4: tlcUse a high-nitrogen, low-phosphorous fer-tilizer to promote foli-age growth, and water your plants according to the directions that come with them. The wall-mounted systems have large holes on the top for watering. (If you stack more than one layer together, punch out the perforated holes on the underside of all but the bottom layer of the system. Water will drain from the top through all levels.)

Step 2: PlantChoose a theme culinary (edible flowers or vegetables), herbal, aromatherapy, teafor your vertical garden. Tagawa sells pre-packaged kits for each that group varieties with similar watering and sun-exposure needs. Transfer the plants from their temporary containers to the modular system, making sure to loosen the roots. Water immediately.

Step 5: harvestHarvest herbs and vegetables before they flower. To get the best flavor, harvest in the early morning. You can harvest up to a third of the plant at a time, but each herb should be harvested differently, so do your research before clipping.

Step 3: disPlay Tagawa sells a variety of prefabricated, modular, standing or wall-mounted container systems with built-in watering/drainage so-lutions (to prevent root rot). Stack or mount the containers in a location that provides four to six hours of direct sunlight. Once the roots take hold and the weather stabilizes, you can move your vertical garden outside. The planter systems let you easily move them back inside as conditions warrant.

You can build your own vertical garden or find prefabricated displays like these at many home and garden centers or online. For ideas, visit: verticalgardeningsys-tems.com


begin.Karma Train: Double DutyInspired ideas for saving money, cutting waste and increasing your karma quotient.

Spread good cheer and get points for being environmen-tally thrifty by using a card-board box from your pantry to make a handwritten postcard. After youve polished off the cereal, crackers or cookies, cut the box into a postcard-size rectangle. Use a ruler and a fine-point ink pen to draw a vertical line down the middle

of the backside of the card and three horizontal lines on the right half for the address. Use a different color pen to compose your note. Slap a stamp on it and drop it in the mailbox. The deed might even offset your guilt about buying your kids those less-than-healthy snack foods.

from protein

from fat

from carbs

19702,168

20082,673 23%

1,356(63%)

410(19%)

402(18%)

1,563(58%)

651(24%)

459(17%)

calorIes per person per day

% of ToTal daIly

calorIe InTake

Increase over TIme

% Increase

over TIme

5% 58%

-1% 14%

-5% 15%

fat or fiction?In the past 40 years, weve not only increased our average daily caloric intake by more than 400 (enough to gain a pound every 8 days), weve also changed where we get those calories from.

eat.


All About...stinging nettleUrtica dioica, better known

as stinging nettle, is a peren-

nial plant that grows wild all

over the world and has a long

medicinal and culinary history.

One of many nettle varieties,

the stinging nettle is so named

because its leaves contain tiny,

sharp hairs that can cause pain if

handled without gloves or eaten

raw. Once the leaves have been

cooked or dried, the sting goes

away, and they are safe to touch

and eat.

Valued by native tribes in

places such as Asia and the

Americas for its astringent,

anti-inflammatory, diuretic and

tonic properties, stinging nettle

has been used medicinally to

treat arthritis, eczema and aller-

gies and to promote lactation,

boost the immune system and

nourish the blood. It is high in

vitamins A, C and Kan often-

overlooked but vital nutrient

that helps your blood coagulate.

In fact, a cup of freshly boiled,

steeped or dried stinging nettles

supplies nearly 600 percent of

the recommended daily value of

vitamin K. Nettles also supply

B vitamins, which help your

body use and make energy, and

the minerals calcium, mag-

nesium, potassium and iron;

although, they also contain tan-

nins and other iron inhibitors.

Nettle leaf can be harvested

in the wild from forested areas

and even along roadways or

you can purchase it dried in bulk

or packaged in capsules or tea.

2013 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. SpongeBob SquarePants created by Stephen Hillenburg.

IN THEATERS IN 3D JUNE 21

2013 Disney/Pixar 2013 Disney/Pixar 2013 Disney/Pixar

eat.


Small but mighty, seeds have worked their way onto the radar of many a health-conscious consumer. Expert sources such as Dr. Oz and the The New York Times have recently declared seeds among the worlds superfoodsnu-trient- and phytochemical-dense dietary wonders that provide you with a flood of nutrients in compact doses. Seeds have been a staple in many world diets for centuries, if not millennia. Quinoa and chia seeds provided sustenance for many Na-tive American cultures, including the Aztec and Inca. Ancient Mesopotamian cultures incorporated flax into their textiles and diets, and during the same era, hemp seeds helped Himalayan tribes grow and prosper.

Most seedswhether whole, ground, pressed into oil or incorporated into bars, cereals and supplementsare available year-round in the natural-food

section of your local market.

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Good Things. Small Packages.Four superfoods you should sprinkle into your diet. by Jonathan bakker

Quinoa

hemP

Flax

chia

eat.


QuinoaOften mistaken as a grain, the quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) seed is natu-rally gluten-free. A relative of spinach and Swiss chard, it grows in clusters at the end of 3- to 6-foot-high stalks of the Chenopodium plant, cultivated mainly in Chile. A natural, bitter residue called saponin coats the outside of quinoa seeds, so you should rinse them well prior to cooking.

PreP it: Delicious raw or cooked (boiled or baked), its an ideal replacement for rice and other grains.

Bonus: Higher in antioxi-dant content than most berries.

RDA pRofile: magne-sium (37%), iron (50%), zinc (23%)

FlaxNative to the Middle East, flax provided ancient cultures with food, medicine and textile fibers. The seeds have a light, nutty flavor and come in both brown and golden varieties. You can purchase them whole or ground and packaged, although preground and packaged flax can oxidize, which lessens the health benefitsprimarily digestive regularity.

In February, United Nations

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

declared 2013 the International Year

of Quinoa.

PreP it: To get the full nutritional ben-efits of flax, purchase the seeds whole and grind them in a coffee grinder your-self before sprinkling them over cereal or blending them into a yogurt-and-fruit smoothie. You can also stir them into pancake mix.

Bonus: Recent evidence suggests that

consuming flaxseedhigh in phytoestrogensmay decrease risk of hor-mone-dependent cancers, such as breast, uterine and ovarian.

rDA Profile: omega-3 (290%), thiamin (28%), fiber (14%)


HempYes, hemp is related to marijuana, but hemp seeds do not induce intoxication because they are bred for low or no THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content. Like quinoa, hemp seeds boast a complete protein profile, containing 21 amino acids, including those that our bodies dont produce on their own. If you cant find whole hemp seeds look for an alternative such as hemp protein powder.

PreP it: Sprinkle hemp on salads, stir-fries, yogurt or oatmeal or incorporate it with your

favorite baked treats. Its nutty flavor also makes it ideal in oil or hemp nut butter.

Bonus: Hemp is the most readily digestible plant protein because it con-tains no enzyme inhibitors.

rDA Profile: iron (606%), omega-3 (70%), magnesium (37%)

CHiaThanks to its health benefits, chia has come a long way since its days of bad hair and novelty decorative planters. A gelatinous external layer helps slow your stomachs conversion of the seeds carbohydrates into sugar, which means longer-burning energy, ideal during endurance exercise.

PreP it: Combine chia with quinoa, hemp seeds and a few other ingredients for a low-fat variation on granola or trail mix (see page 36), or add it to your water when youre working outit absorbs 12 times its weight in water, which means your body gets more bang for its hydration buck.

Bonus: The seed has five times more calcium than cows milk and more anti-oxidants than blueberries.

rDA Profile: omega-3 (226%), iron (26%), magnesium (21%)

In a recent study conducted at the Human Performance Laboratory

at the University of Alabama, a drink made with chia seed was

found to be comparable to a popular sports drink for its ability

to enhance sport performance but did so while decreasing athletes sugar intake and

increasing omega-3 intake.

Presidents Washington and

Jefferson both grew hemp, as did all

colonial Americans, who were legally bound

to do so by the U.S. government.

eat.


Buy It. Store It. Prep It.Loaded with antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E, asparagus is a free-radical fighter with very few calories, no fat and a lot of fiber. We love it not only for its high nutritional value but also for its colorful, exotic look that dresses up even simple dishes.

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Buy It: Although you can find imported asparagus most of the year, it is in season and at its peak March through June in the United States. The spears come in a variety of diameters; all of them are deliciousits a common misconception that the thickness of the stalks determines their taste or quality. Usually sold in 1-pound bunches, asparagus stalks should be straight, firm and bright green. Look for spears with bright-purple tips that are closed and compactlike a paint-brush loaded with paint.

Chopped Asparagus

Salad Nioise: Pronounced nee-swahfor Nice, France, where it

originated.

PreP It: Snap or trim a half-inch off the bottom of the stalks before cooking them. The woody ends arent good for eating, but theyre great for soups and vegetable stocks. Boil until tender, steam, roast or grill the spears, but keep your preparation simpleolive oil, balsamic vinegar and spices, lemon juice, grated orange peel, or a light cream sauce complement without distracting from the natural, rich flavor of asparagus. Or cut the spears into quarter- or half-inch pieces and add them to salads, pastas, casseroles and stir-fries.

Store It: According to the California Asparagus Commission, asparagus keeps best when set upright in a con-tainer with an inch or so of water and placed in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for up to three months: Blanch the stalks first, pat them dry, lay them so theyre not touching on a cookie sheet, and place the cookie sheet in the freezer. Once theyre frozen, transfer the stalks to a plastic bag.

Look for Free Range products in the natural and bulk area.

Snacks that dont come from a chemistry set

100% All-natural. 100% All-delicious.Free Range snacks are made with only natural ingredients, roasted fresh from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. They dont just taste good. Theyre made good.

dried Fruitsconfections

trail mixes snacksnuts & seeds

ORGANICALL

NATUR

AL


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1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme

1 tablespoon fresh minced basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

8 cups lettuce leaves (Romaine, Butter or Red Leaf), torn or chopped

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 tablespoon capers, drained

4 medium hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

2 medium tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges

Whisk together the vinegars, salt, honey, mustard

and fresh herbs. drizzle in the olive oil while whisk-

ing vigorously to emulsify. Set aside.

bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. add

the asparagus to the water and cook 3 to 5 minutes

until just tender but still firm. remove and rinse

under cold water to stop from cooking further.

toss together asparagus, lettuce, olives, onion and

capers with half the prepared dressing. Place the sal-

ad mixture on a serving platter and arrange eggs and

tomatoes around the outer edge. Serve additional

dressing on the side in a small serving bowl.

Chopped Asparagus Nioise SaladServeS 4

Salad, extra niceLightly steamed asparagus is a flavorful addition to a lively spring salad.

the Full SpectrumWhite asparagus

which comes from the same plant as the green

varietyis colorless because it is grown under a blanket of dirt and is never exposed

to sunlight, which causes the pigmentation. Purple asparagus is a different

variety that has a sweeter flavor, and its color comes

from high levels of the anti-oxidant anthocyanin.

~i

True balsamic vinegar is aged anywhere from 12 to 15 years, much like wine, in wood barrels. And like wine, the red variety is made from red grapes, the white variety from white grapes.

Per Serving: 288 calories, 21g fat (3g sat); 12g protein; 17g carbohydrate; 2g sugars; 6g dietary fiber; 212mg cholesterol; 822mg sodium

Great TastingNutrition

For ANY stage of life

nutritionnow.com

We make Nutrition Taste Good.We make Nutrition Taste Good.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Prenatal

Provides 500 mcg of Folic Acid and 50 mg of DHA per serving

Womens Complete Multivitamin

Contains Calcium, Phospho-rous and Vitamin D which are

important components of bone health.*

Fiber Gummy

Provides 4 grams of Fiber per serving

C

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NNI_WellnessAD_FPB_FINAL.pdf 1 4/9/13 3:13 PM


Have you noticed that your grocers vitamin aisle has expanded in

recent years? If this is evidence of anything, its that the public is

listening to what experts like Dr. Balz Frei, micronutrient

researcher and executive director of Linus Pauling Institute, have

been saying: Eating healthy, exercising regularly, avoiding

tobacco and [taking] some dietary supplements are criti-

cal for optimum health. But which supplements are the most

important? The answer, of course, is different for everyone.

Supplements arent meant to take the place of a balanced,

well-rounded diet but rather to fill in the gaps. You should

consult a nutritionist to determine which combination

of products will best complement your diet and lifestyle.

Many, if not all, of the supplements described in this

article are likely to be on the nutritionists list.

Supplemental HealtH Care

The SupplementTop 10Reinforce your nutritional armor with these expert-recommended supplements. By DeBorah williams

a Omega-3s (eyes, brain, heart)

Also called essential fatty acids, these have been shown to improve cardio-vascular health and have been linked to joint health. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), one of the long-chain acids in omega-3s, is crucial for visual and neurological function, so its especially recommend-ed for pregnant women, young children and elderly adults. Although omega-3s are present in many veg-etable foods, they are most readily available from fish and seafood. If youre not a big seafood eater, supple-ments made from fish and krill oil ensure you get your recommended daily al-lowance of DHA. Alternate forms such as coconut oil, flax and chia are also popu-lar (see page 11).

b Calcium (bones, muscles) The most abundant mineral in the human body, calcium serves many functions. Most notably, it strengthens bones and teeth. Plentiful in dairy and leafy green vegetables, cal-cium is easy to get from a balanced diet, but anyone with a lactose intolerance or allergy or an aversion to green vegetables is at risk for developing a deficiency and should consider taking a daily calcium supplement.

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Before starting any supplement regimen, consult a doctor or nutritionist who can advise you about possible benefits and side-effects.


Supplemental HealtH Care

c Multivitamins (general health & wellness) As the name suggests, multis pack a number of essential nutrients into a single pill. I take a multivi-tamin primarily as health insurance, to make sure I get at least the recom-mended amount of most vitamins and minerals in case I dont get each and every one of them from my daily diet, says Frei. Technically, there are 13 compounds classified as vitamins, including vita-mins A, B (see below), C, D, E and K, but most multis also contain other com-pounds, such as folic acid, zinc, calcium and iron.

d Priobiotics (digestion, intestinal health, immunity, urinary health) Your intestines are a little like a petri dish, full of microorganisms and healthy bacteria that keep your digestive system run-ning smoothly. But with todays less-than-balanced diets and sporadic eating schedules, we can easily throw our systems out of whack. Bad bacteria can sneak in and outnumber the good bacteria, leav-ing you with an upset stomach or discontented bowels. An imbalance can also cause more serious symptoms, such as urinary tract infections. Yogurt and other cultured dairy products contain probiot-icshealthy bacteria. But if you dont get enough from your daily food intake, consider taking a probiotic supplement. Most experts will also agree that im-mune health begins in the digestive tract, so consider use of a probiotic to pre-vent colds and flu as well. Probiotics are differenti-ated by bacterial strain as well as concentration to accommodate all age groupschildren, adults, seniorsand genders.

e Immunity Boosters (cough & cold) The trifecta of a healthy diet, regular exercise and proper hygiene best pro-tects you from coughs and colds. But research has also proven certain supplements to be effective combat-ants. Fortify your immune system with the herb echi-nacea, thought to fight flu by reducing inflammation. Also try zinc, which many experts agree can shorten a cold or flu if taken at the onset of symptoms, and astragalus, derived from a plant root, that stimulates white blood cells that help fight infection.

f CoQ10 (cells, heart) Also sold as coenzyme Q10, it is a naturally occurring element and antioxidant in the human body that provides energy to cells that keep your organses-pecially your heartrun-ning smoothly. CoQ10 can decrease with age and from some chronic diseases in-cluding heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes and muscular dystrophy. Although the jury is still out, some studies sug-gest a CoQ10 deficiency might cause some cases of obesity. Consult a doctor or nutritionist before taking CoQ10. The advanced form of CoQ10, ubiquinol, is also available in supplement form and is easier for your body to metabolize.

g Vitamin B Complex (energy, red blood cell production, metabolism) Supplements called B Complex include all eight B vitamins, which are water-solublemeaning your body cannot store them and must therefore get a constant supply from food or supplements. B1 or thiaminefound in beans, meat, seeds and whole grainsmay prevent ir-regular heartbeat, impaired sensory perception, edema and, in severe cases, heart failure. Vitamin B9, or folic acidfound in leafy vegetables, fruit, beans and peasis crucial in brain development, especially for babies in utero.

h Vitamin B 12 (nerves, energy, red blood cell production) Vegans, listen up: B12, also called cobalamin, is only available from animal products, not plants. B12 aids red blood cell formation and is crucial for nerve develop-ment. People over 50 are at a higher risk for B12 deficiencies, which can cause weakness, fatigue and memory loss. Many energy drinks and supple-ments contain B12, but you can also find it as a standalone supplement.

i Vitamin C (bones and muscles, antioxidant activity, immunity) The long-held assumption that vitamin C can reduce your risk of getting a com-mon cold is coming under some scrutiny, according to the National Institute of Healths National Library of Medicine, and the jury is out on its effectiveness in immune health. But it is still crucial for good health; it helps form col-lagen, which is important for bone, muscle and blood vessel develop-ment. Although support-ing scientific evidence is thin, vitamin C is often used to prevent various infections including gum disease, stomach ulcers and skin infections. An antioxidant that hunts and destroys cancer-causing free-radicals, vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is abundant in many plant foods, in-cluding broccoli and kale, not just citrus foods such as oranges.

j Vitamin D (bones, immunity) Like B vitamins, there are several forms of vitamin D: D2 and D3 are the most critical for humans. D3, which comes from the sun, is absorbed through your skin, and vitamin D2 comes from plants. Both help your body absorb calcium, crucial for bone development and density. An article published by the Harvard School of Public Health suggests as many as 1 billion peoplees-pecially those living at latitudes that get relatively little sun exposure and some ethnic groupshave vitamin D deficiencies. According to the Mayo Clinic, new research sug-gests vitamin D might also protect against osteopo-rosis, high blood pressure, cancer and autoimmune diseases.

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Its simple to work these little activities into your daily life, and the

benefits are many and varied: research shows that focus and calming

techniques can alleviate pain, bump up test scores and fight depression.

AIr AwAreness

Pause periodically, inhale and think to yourself, Breathing in, I know

that I am breathing in. As you exhale, think, Breathing out, I

know that I am breathing out. Bringing yourself into the mo-

ment and focusing on your body improves mental clarity and

emotional stability.

one thIng At A tIme

At work, step away from your desk when you find your focus

waning; just like your muscles, your brain needs breaks. research

shows that multitasking is inefficient and stressful, and concen-

trating on the task at hand can improve working memory

capacity. (see Attention Deficit reduction, page 24.)

unPlug

Being available around the clock to anyone with

your phone number or email address can under-

mine your emotional stability. limit access to media

and constant distractions, and youll free up

moments to tune in to yourself, reducing anxiety and possibly improv-

ing immune function.

slow Your roll

If you already jog, run, swim or bike, consider allotting five minutes

after your workout for a brief yoga flow. the childs pose and

steady cross-legged stretches open up your hips, lower back

and shoulders. Your resulting focused calm wards off hy-

pertension and may protect your cognitive function later

into life.

go ADVAnceD

though simple self-awareness, positive thoughts and

conscious breathing will give anyone a boost, mindfulness

training and concentration meditations can take your

brain to an entirely new level. electrical activity read-

ings from the brains of tibetan monkswho

meditate for many hours per dayreveal

unprecedented gamma wave activity, which

is believed to be a physical marker for

meditative bliss and transcendence.

Om for AlleVen If You Dont thInk of Yourself As the leg-crossIng, om-chAntIng tYPe, mInDfulness strAtegIes cAn stIll ImProVe Your lIfe. BY ADrIenne crezo

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Attention Deficit ReductionThe human brain is one of the finest multitasking machines in existence. The human being, on the other hand, is lousy at doing more than one thing at a time. By adrienne crezo

As you read this, your brain is uncon-sciously running hundreds of involun-tary processes. Your heart beats, your lungs breathe, minerals and vitamins whisk off to their proper locations. Fir-ing neurons allow you to see, read and comprehend these words, and all the while you maintain balance, know where your limbs are and remain aware of your surroundings. A brain left to its own de-vices can do all of this (and much more) without your knowledge or consent. Thanks, brain!

But, say psychology experts and neuro-scientists, performing more than one con-scious action at a time is another matter entirely. It all comes down to our capacity for attention.

The Fallacy oF MulTiTasking Involuntary attention is an unconscious

alertness to stimuli or distractionssuch as a ringing cell phone, something burn-ing in the oven or a flickering light bulbthat trigger your conscious mind to shift its focus.

We Homo sapiens are also excellent at controlled focus, or voluntary atten-tion. But this takes much more effort and requires conscious direction from your brains prefrontal cortex (the executive network). This becomes difficult when your involuntary attention is flipping on and off, thanks to that noisy cubicle neighbor, email alerts, your children or the ringing doorbell.

a culTure oF unproducTive BusynessResearch shows conclusively that per-forming two voluntary-attention-demand-ing tasks at the same time is ineffective,

if not impossibleunless the tasks are intricately related. For example, reading music and playing an instrument are sym-biotic, so to speak, so they are exceptions to the rule.

Our [conscious] brains cannot multitask; they can only switch back and forth and both tasks suffer, says Joanne Cantor, Ph.D., media and productivity researcher and author of Conquer CyberOverload (CyberOutlook 2009), a guide to maintaining focus in a technology-obsessed culture. When we switch back and forth between two tasks voluntarily, we lose both time and accuracy. So much time, in fact, that a 2008 report from research firm Basex estimates that the United States loses approximately $650 billion per year in productivity from interrupted tasks on the job.

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Four ways to reduce distraction, boredom and sensory overload, all while maintaining productivity.

Our [conscious] brains cannot multitask; they can only switch back and forth and both tasks suffer.

1.Choose

Your own DistraCtions

Create an interrup-tion-free zone by si-lencing notifications, turning off phones, wearing earplugs or closing the office door. Focus on your task for 10 minutes, and then check your email if youre expecting something urgent. Youll have something done, and your delay in response will be minor. If youre especially tech-savvy, browser extensions that temporarily block time-wasting web-sites (like Facebook or Tumblr) are easily installed and switched on or off.

2.the 10-Minute

MiCrosCheDule

Break tasks into bite-sized chunks and work through them sequentially to keep your brains executive network engaged, ensure measurable progress and give your brain frequent enough rest to prevent burnout. Work on your project, assignment or chore for 10 minutes. Then breathe deeply, close your eyes and move along to the next item. If you cant break from the cur-rent task, write a note on your status, take a short walk around the desk or move the laundry to the dryer and get back to work. Youll lose less time reorienting because you made sure to re-mind yourself where you left off, and your brain will be ready to tackle another round of work.

3.Double up but onlY on

autopilot

Sandwich mundane chores between interesting projects to stay motivated. Also, Hallowell suggests combining routine, unimportant taskssuch as folding laun-dry and chatting on the phone or marking items off your to-do list while making cop-ies. Plowing through peripheral duties two at a time can be re-warding: Your chores are finished, and now you can do some-thing interesting. (Just remember that the key word here is unimportant.)

4.Keep it loose, Keep it tight

Sip some tea (ginseng, chamomile and mint are excellent choices) during one of your breaks. Regularly schedule time for calming activities, like reading or yoga. Phys-ical fitness is closely linked to stress levels, so maintain a healthy diet and weight to alleviate anxiety. And consider turning off the television. You will benefit by taking a more thoughtful ap-proach to the choices of media you con-sume, says Cantor.

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The monetary sinkhole of lost produc-tivity isnt the only negative impact of frequent distraction: A 2007 study from the University of California at Irvine shows that after interruptions in the workplace, people reported significant-ly higher stress, frustration, workload, effort and pressure. Cantor notes that stress impairs memory and lowers your ability to ignore distractions, obvious obstacles to a productive work and home life.

People dont pay attention to boring things, says John Medina, molecular biologist and author of Brain Rules (Pear Press, 2008). Unfortunately, ev-erything we do cant be the most exciting thing happening at the moment. Our natural inclination, thanks to involun-tary attention, is to drop one task, unfin-ished, to pay attention to something else. And on the clock, Americans typically half-task under the guise of being twice as productive.

Technology has a hand in wasted time, too, as we increasingly rely on disruptive digital communicationslike texting, instant messaging, video conferencing, personal email and social mediato stay in contact with coworkers, family and friends.

This is Your Brain on mulTiTaskingImagine playing a game of tennis with two tennis balls. You have to keep track of both, running each down, watch-ing your opponent do the same, notes Edward M. Hallowell, psychiatrist and author of Crazy Busy (Ballantine, 2007). There is no way your game with two balls could be as good as your game with one. Task-switching and processing informa-tion sequentially at twice the rate of a normal game leaves a lot more room for error and creates mental fatigue.

The object, then, should be to single-task sequentially, devoting full attention to one thing at a time. If you think that seems impossible, relax: Its not all hope-less. Scheduling regular brain breaks, limiting availability by phone, email or social media, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating well all help lower stress, improve mental acuity and reduce distraction.

11 minutesFrequency of interruptions

experienced by the average person

throughout the day

$650 billionEstimated annual

cost of multitasking on

productivity in the workplace

10 minutes Length of time

most people can maintain

controlled focus before becoming

distracted


Think youve got the chops to keep up w

ith the few

and the proud? Military-inspired worko

uts are a

good way to find out and get in shape fa

st.

by Nancy Coulter-Parker


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Crossfit. Boot Camp. Spartan Race. American Ninja Warrior: Meet aerobics in the 21st century.

While the 80s and 90s saw the

rise of the big-box gyms and large,

group workouts, we now realize

that we dont really need all the

bells and whistles of a plush gym.

We can get by with minimal equip-

ment, but what we really need is a

good trainer who can actually show

and tell us what to do.

This no-frills approach to ex-

ercise, which includes using your

body weight to trainthink push-

ups, plank, squatswas identified

as one of the top fitness trends

to watch in 2013, in the Ameri-

can College of Sports Medicines

(ACSM) Worldwide Survey of Fitness

Trends for 2013. And judging by the

increasing popularity of military-in-

spired fitness regimens and com-

petitions, such as TRX, CrossFit and

Warrior Dashtype obstacle races,

this is more than just a fad.

The past 20 years have seen

the rise of the big corporate gyms

and, in general, once you pay your

membership, the gyms dont care if

you show up, says Jim Kean, CEO

of San Franciscobased WellnessFX

(wellnessfx.com) and an avid Cross-

Fit participant. People pay for their

membership, the infrastructure and

the amenities, but in the end they

hardly return. People dont work

together in a big-box gym setting.

You may take a class, but its not a

community, and no one is push-

ing you to be a better athlete. Find

community, buck the establishment

and get in fighting shape with these

three combat-inspired workouts.

5


A competitor in the womens division of the CrossFit National Games competes in the double banger event.

Crossfit CrossFit is a core-strength and conditioning program designed to improve cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility and balance. In other words, it uses functional fitness (see page 34) to improve how participants move in their daily lives.

CrossFit was born out of the idea that as a nation we were increasingly overweight and yet Americans spend more time in gyms than any other nation, says Nicole Christensen, owner of CrossFit Roots in Boulder. Although CrossFit looks extreme on the surface, she says its intent is to deliver health, fitness and longevity, What people want in the long term is to stay out of the nursing home. They want to be able to pick up their grandkids and work in the yard without throwing their back out.

Although workouts such as the infamous Murphwhich is named after a fallen soldier and includes a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats and another one-mile runcan be scaled to ability, for the most part,

everyone does the same workout and is allotted the same amount of time to complete it. This en-courages participants to cheer each other on. You may have a 20-something-year-old working out next to a mom in her 40s and a guy in his 70s. You actually get pretty attached to your group, says Kean. You come out better and not wanting to let your team down.

There are computer software developers who have never worked out a day in their life next to former Division I athletes, Christensen says. Theyre more intrigued by what the program could deliver for them than they are turned off by the challenge.

CrossFit isnt technically a military-style work-out, but it has a big military following because of its intensity, community and, specifically, the functional fitness soldiers need in the field. If a guy has to drag a buddy to safety, running a 5K may not help him do that. CrossFit mimics more how you are going to use your body in the line of duty, says Christensen. CrossFit workouts are different every day, which heightens their intensity.

I would go to strength and conditioning classes at the rec center and do the same workout over and over again, says 43-year-old Lisa Blacker, who works out at CrossFit Castle Rock and whose 12-year-old daughter is also hooked on CrossFit.

boot camp You dont have to look far to find a boot camp workout, originally designed for military-recruit training. Theyre everywhere: outside, at big-box gyms or at boot campspecific train-ing centers. Consistently on ACSMs annual trend report, boot camps have been the most visible poster child for military-style civilian training. Youll likely conjure up an image of someone yelling at you to work harder as you push through a series of intense drills. But boot camps have evolved.

Like CrossFit, boot camps mix, among other components, endurance and cardiovascular training, interval and strength training, and body-weight exercises including pull-ups and push-ups, jump roping, and stair climbing. And whether someone is barking orders at you or not, the intent is to challenge you to move beyond how hard you might normally work.

People dont work together in a big-box gym set-ting. You may take a class, but its not a community, and no one is pushing you to be a better athlete. They coddle you and if you have discomfort, theyll tell you to dial back. JIM KEAN

Crossfit Games seasonreGionals; May 17June 9 nationals; July 2228, Carson, Calif.; games.crossfit.com

The top 48 men, 48 women and 30 teams from each of the 17 world-wide CrossFit regions will compete in the CrossFit Regional Competi-tions, which will take place across four weekends at the end of May into June. Each region will host a three-day event, at the end of which the top three men and women, and top three teams will proceed to the 2013 Cross-Fit Games, to be held at the newly renamed StubHub Center in Carson, California, at the end of July.

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I think the boot camp classstyle workouts are popular now because of the social aspect. People like the feeling of being part of a team and being motivated by keeping up with a group. theres power in numbers. scott harwood

Top: Now you know where Tough Mudder gets its name. Above: The TRX system is basic; the workout is anything but.

Marine training has taught me to push myself to a new level of fitness, says Scott Harwood, owner of Scotts Denver Boot Camp in downtown Denver. I try to teach that to my clients and boot campers. I teach them mental toughness that helps them get through challeng-ing workouts.

Unlike CrossFit, boot camps do not have a prescribed format. They can run year-round, but often they are packaged within a limited time period, such as three- or five-week sessions to fast-track you into shape. Devin Burns, founder of Denver Fitness Boot Camp in Greenwood Vil-lage, concedes that boot camps can fall short: If you havent worked out in a while, it may be way too hard for you, or if you have been working out a lot, it might be too easy. This is where smaller

classes and more personal-ized training comes in, he explains. He also empha-sizes the importance of first vetting a trainer to make sure he or she is qualified and can help you achieve your personal goals.

trx Suspension training builds strength using body-weight exercises, and though it isnt a new concept, its garnered a lot of atten-tion since the TRX system came onto the market. Invented by a former Navy Seal trying to get a full strength workout in the field, TRX allows you to leverage gravity and your body weight to do a large variety of exercises. You can change the intensity by simply adjusting your body position. This formula makes TRX accessible to people of all fitness levels, including seniors. But it also has a very strong military and team-sport following.

TRX is based on military-style workouts, explains former Navy Seal Stew Smith, author of The Complete Guide to Navy Seal Fitness (Hatherleigh, 2008), but with this device a typical military-

calisthenics-based workout is more versatile, especially for training without weights.

The beauty of TRX is its simplicity: Its a con-joined pair of straps made from nylon webbing that you can use anywhere, says Jeff Cowles, 41, of Erie, who keeps his TRX system in his garage most of the time but also takes it along when he travels or just wants a change of scenery. Ive taken it to the park with my son. Ill attach it to the playground structure and work out while he plays. Cowles says that he doesnt respond well to authority or group fitness (ruling out CrossFit and boot camps), so he works out solo. But gyms of all stripes now hold TRX group classes for those who want a workout that combines minimal equip-ment with maximum motivation.

OFF TO THE RACES When Lisa Blacker competed in her first Warrior Dash obstacle-course race two summers ago, the 43-year-old mother of two said there was a moment when she questioned what she had gotten herself into. The ob-stacle was the Giant Cliffhanger, and conquering it meant climbing a 25-foot wall with the aid of a rope and then throwing herself over the topbut thats where she got stuck.

I couldnt figure out how to get over the wall. I remember looking down and thinking, Im in trouble, I cant do this. But somehow I over-came that fear and got over the wall, she explains. And frankly, just to get through that first Warrior Dash felt great. So great, that she went back the next year and will not only be back again this summer, but plans to run another obstacle-course eventthe Spartan Racethis May at Fort Carson.

The Spartan Race was founded in 2009, and the first race was held short-ly thereafter in Williston, Vermont, in 2010. Flash forward to 2013 and par-ent company Peak Races will hold well over 50 races this year around the world. The story is similar for the Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash races, both of which were launched in 2010. The Spartan series is the creation of a former Royal Marine and his girlfriend, while the Tough Mudder races are designed by British Special Forces. In-spired by the obstacle courses found in military training, obstacle races and courses are cropping up not only all over the United States but throughout the rest of the world as well.

The unique physical and mental challenges draw many competitors, as does the camaraderie. Plus, these events tend to not take themselves too seriously. As the Tough Mudder website says, .please dont show up at a Tough Mudder without a sense of humor. Brian Bain, 46, of Castle Rock concurs, I do these challenges with friends for the competition and the fun. He adds, It is more stimulating to do new and varied things, to push yourself and perhaps venture beyond your comfort zone.

Test your mettle at one of these lo-cal adventure endurance challenges that pit contestants against fire, mud, water, barbed wire and other ob-stacles. Tip: Prepare yourself with a CrossFit, boot camp or TRX regimen before jumping in.

REEbOk SpARTAn MiliTARy SpRinT RACE, May 45, Fort Carson, spartanrace.comRuggEd MAniAC 5k ObSTAClE RACE, May 11, Denver, ruggedmaniac.com gORuCk CHAllEngE, June 1, Boulder, goruck.com/eventsTOugH MuddER, June 1516, Bea-ver Creek Resort, toughmudder.comWARRiOR dASH, August 17, Copper Mountain,warriordash.com.

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On a brisk day in March, Boulders Growing Gar-dens fields near Broadway and Iris are little more than grass and bare dirt, but inside the greenhouse its bustling. Executive Director Ramona Clark and a half-dozen interns and staff are moving newly seeded flats to heated boxes for germination; theyre spot-watering and transplanting thousands of tiny seedlings to foster sturdy root systems. The arugula sprouts look like miniature clovers, yet by May they and 30,000 other seedlings will be planted in fields throughout the city, donated to low-income house-holds or sold to the community through Growing Gardens an-nual fundraiser, which last year raised approximately $65,000 for the nonprofit. That money supports GGs facilities, staff, and numerous outreach and education programs.

growing togetherEveryone should know how to grow things, says Clark. When you grow a tomato and then buy one at the grocery store, you understand what it took for a farmer to produce that food. It builds appreciation.

Clark started Growing Gardens 15 years ago in Boul-der County with the mission of cultivating community

Lessons from the Field

local community gardens harvest more than plants. ~ by radha marcum ~


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When you grow a tomato and then buy one at the grocery store, you understand what it took for a farmer to produce that food. It builds appreciation.

through urban agriculture. Since then, interest in urban agri-culture has skyrocketed. In 2011, the USDA-funded Community Food Projects alone generated 1.5 million pounds of fresh produce nationwide.

Thousands of Boulder County residents benefit directly from Growing Gardens programs, which include 10 community gar-dens where individuals and families rent plots seasonally; the Chil-drens Peace Garden school programs and summer camps, which provide hands-on education to more than 3,000 children per year; the Cultiva Youth Project, a youth-run garden-to-market program; and a horticultural therapy program for seniors and disabled citizens. We teach people to grow, harvest, cook, make crafts and preserve foods, but always with a sense of community, says Clark. Gardening together is a real equalizer, she says, regarding the diversity of socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, ethnicities and life situations of the people who participate. Growing Gardens assists as many as 150 low-income families yearly to plant and cook with foods produced in their own gardens.

This spring, Growing Gardens will plant 200 heirloom fruit treesvarieties that thrive in Front Range yardsnear its green-house not only for the delicious fruit, but also to create fresh opportunities for community learning. We want to be the hub for urban farming, to be a public farm, Clark says.

teach your children wellPeople want to develop a stronger relationship with their food source, says Bryce Brown, founder of Growe Foundation, the organization that runs Boulder Valley School Districts (BVSD)Garden to Table Program that reaches 8,000 kids at 18 elemen-tary schools. Theres a greater focus on the connection between our health, the planets health and food. Brown sees community organizations like Growe and Growing Gardensalong with BVSDs School Food Project with its emphasis on fresh, whole-some foodsas synergistic parts of local efforts to inspire healthier eating and dietary choices that lessen environmental impact.

Growes program integrates its seed-to-table learning process into Boulder Valley Schools regular classroom curriculum. If you have to study insects, why not take a magnifying glass out into the garden, says Brown. Other units focus on growth cycles, the geometry of garden planning, water scarcity and nutrition. The year culminates in a Rainbow Salad Day at each school as part of the BVSD School Food Projects Make a Rainbow on Your Tray

campaign. Last year, students harvested an impressive 470 pounds of heirloom lettuces and combined them with a variety of colorful fresh vegetables provided by the BVSD school lunch program for the celebrations. The Cultiva Youth Project at Growing Gardens takes this kind of integrated learning to the next level for students ages 12 to 19. About 60 kids, over half from low-income fami-lies, participate each year. Beyond the skills needed to raise a variety of crops that youd expect to see at farmers markets, like specialty carrots and kale, Cultiva kids learn how to run a business from incep-tion to marketgrowing, managing and distributing produce through Growing Gardens CSA (community-supported agriculture) subscription program.

For many, this is their first job, Clark explains, one that gives them so much more than a job at a fast-food chain. The kids are paid, but more importantly, Clark says, they gain self-worth. If they have an idea, something they want to grow or try, then we help them accomplish it, which gives them confidence, says Clark. Connor Murphy, the market garden grower, loves that the pro-gram teaches kids to lead with their authentic selves.

sharing is caringIn the greenhouse, Clark tends to a few 3-inch, fuzzy-stemmed heirloom tomato plants set in a warm corner. Their name tags suggest an authentic and diverse world of their own: Thessaloniki, Stupice, Opalka, Big Rainbow. These are some of Clarks favorites because, she says, planting tomatoes as a volunteer gardener in Seattle years before she founded Growing Gardens changed her life. Taking the tomatoes by the stem and gently packing dirt around them, I real-ized that this was my lifes callingthat plants have something to communicate. I wanted to give people that experience.

GET INVOLVED Growing Gardens growinggardens.org

303-443-9952

The Growe Foundation

growefoundation.org303-564-0133

Denver Urban Gardens

dug.org 303-292-9900

The Growing Project

(Ft. Collins)thegrowingproject.org

970-556-1065

Pikes Peak Urban Gardens

(Colorado Springs)ppugardens.org

719-651-3416

move.


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Long Live Physical FitnessFunctional fitness, a concept

thats been around since we

were cavemen, is now gaining

mainstream respectrev-

erence reallyamong

exercise experts who not

long ago underestimated

its importance. For years, the

trainers harped on their clients to

work a muscle or muscle group

to build maximum strength or

tone. But our muscles rarely

work alone, and therein lies the

foundation of functional fitness.

the idea is simple: exercises that

train your muscles, joints and

senses to work togethernot

in isolationas they do when

youre performing everyday tasks

protect you against injury. More

important they promote physical

longevity, which means even

if you eventally stop running

marathons or deadlifting 250

pounds, youll still be able to

carry your laundry basket up

the stairs, shovel your

front walk, and play with

your grandkids.


move.

Exercise for LifeStay fit for everyday taSkS with theSe

five exerciSeS. By DeBorah Williams

The benefits of exerciseeven the most basic, like walking or doing sit-upsare well documented, and they go far beyond improving your physical appearance. From boosting your cognitive function to preventing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, movement is good, plain and simple. If youre one of those people who thrives on it and hits the gym every day, youre to be commended. But dont pat yourself on the back too vigorously just yet. Despite your time commitment in the gym, you might be just as likely as your more sedentary neighbors to tweak your back lifting groceries out of the car or bending over to pick your kids toys up off the floor. Hopefully you havent learned this the hard way.

We asked a few local experts how to incorporate functional fit-ness into your exercise routine (if you have one) or just into your daily life to protect yourself from those pesky, around-the-home-and-office tweaks and strains.

1Sitting at a deSk for eight hourS a daySitting for long periods weak-ens the muscles of your torso as you rely on the chair back to hold you up and as you con-tinually hunch forward, says Crissy Codi, a Denver-based yoga and fitness instructor with a masters in sport and performance psychology. It can also tighten and shorten the psoas and/or hamstring muscles, which can affect how your pelvis tilts and increase the load on your low back. If you must sit for long periods, stand up every 15 or 20 min-utes. Take a phone call while standing or walk to the water fountain. While sitting, sit tall with your shoulders back, spine erect, belly tight and a slight curve in your lower back.

One way to avoid develop-ing muscle imbalances is by sitting on a stability ball or ergonomic chair, says Tyler Sonaty, a corrective-exercise and performance-enhance-ment specialist and certified kettlebell instructor with Denver Functional Fitness. Strengthen your sit muscles is a kettlebell Russian twist.

kettlebell ruSSian twiSt1. Sit on the ground with a

small- to medium-weight kettlebell at your side. Place your feet flat on the floor in front of you, knees bent, chest lifted and your back straight.

2. keeping your back straight, grasp the kettlebell handle with both hands and bring it in front of your chest.

3. Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight, to engage your core muscles. then lift your feet a few inches off the ground but keep your knees together and bent.

4. Maintaining your balance, twist from side to side, keep-ing the kettlebell in front of your chest. do two to three sets of 10 to 20 reps.

Exercises that train your muscles, joints and senses to work together as they do when youre performing everyday tasks protect you against

injury and promote physical longevity.


5Changing

LightbuLbs/Dusting high PLaCes/PLaCing

Dishes in CabinetsIf youve had basic weight-training education, you know that youre supposed to work opposing muscle groups: chest/back, biceps/triceps, quads/hamstrings. But what about your shoulders? They dont have an obvious op-posing muscle group and, therefore, often get left out of upper-body strength routines and forgotten, at least until you strain one reaching over-head for something.

Allen recommends think-ing of your shoulders, which move in so many different planes, as their own opposing muscles and working them in three dimensions. That means avoiding machines that only travel in one or two planes of motion, and instead using cable systems, dumbbells or body-weight exercises such as the Y dumbbell shoulder press, that use a more true-to-life motion to stabilize your shoul-der muscles.

y DumbbeLL shouLDer Press1. Stand with your feet hip-width

apart and a slight bend in your knees. Hold a medium-weight dumbbell in each hand near your shoulders.

2. Leading with your fists, push the dumbbells up and out, as if making a Y shape with your body.

3. Return them to the starting position, with your elbows all the way down by your sides and the dumbbells by your shoulders. Slowly do three sets of eight reps.

3Digging in the yarD,

shoveLing snowWhether youre cleaning up the garden in springtime or shovel-ing winter snow, taking care of your property is a year-round gig. According to a 2011 article published in The American Journal of Emergency Medi-cine, 11,500 Americans seek medical care for snow-shoveling injuries every year. More than a third are low-back injuries and half are attributed to muscular and skeletal strains.

Back injuries are often the result of a weak core and back, says RJ Smith, co-owner of and trainer at CrossFit DeCo gym in Denver. Bending over at the waist, adding weight to the shovel and trying to pick it up without stabilizing your core will probably lead to tweaking or straining your back.

Codi agrees. Shoveling is tremendous exercise. To replicate it in the gym, try this dynamic squat with overhead reach and twist.

DynamiC squat1. Stand with your knees slightly

wider than hip distance, toes slightly turned out, heels slightly turned in. Bend your arms to bring your hands in front of your chest, as if in prayer.

2. Keeping your spine as long and tall as possible, squat down until your elbows touch your thighs. Press through your feet, and use your legs to stand up tall as you turn your torso slightly to the right and lift your left heel, pivoting slightly on the ball of your foot.

3. Alternate sides as you continue. 4. Start with a small twist and

no weight and gradually add a larger range of motion and more weight with a medicine ball or a kettlebell.

5. If you feel comfortable you can extend your arms overhead as you stand up, drawing them back to center as you return to your squat. This strengthens the muscles of your torso that are responsible for twisting your upper body independent of the lower body, says Codi.

2Carrying groCeries

One of the problems with lug-ging around groceries isnt so much lifting the bags (useyour legs), but maneuvering in between shopping carts, parked cars, and up anddown the stairs to your apart-ment or house, says Steve Al-len, personal training manager at Denver Gym and Fitness. Your balance is constantly be-ing thrown off kilter. Maintain it by keeping your center of gravity where it should becentered. Work on that with suitcase lunges.

suitCase Lunges1. Grab one medium- to heavy-

weight dumbbell; hold it by your right side with your right hand as you would a suitcase.

2. Step forward with your right leg, and lower yourself straight down until your right knee reaches 90 degrees.

3. Return to standing, keeping your shoulders level and your back fully erect and straight as you move through the range of motion. Do three sets of 10 reps on each side. Tip: You may need a mirror, or a par-ticularly critical friend to help you do this correctly.

4. Once youve mastered this on solid ground, add an addition-al challenge by incorporating an unstable surface. Balancing on one or a pair of Bosus or DynaDiscs while you perform this drill mimics the chang-ing surfaces youre likely to navigate as you move through the real world and forces your stabilizing musclesthe small ones around your spine, hips and ribsto engage.

4Lifting anD

hoLDing your infant or toDDLer

This is very similar to carrying groceries, say Smith and Allen, but now you have a live mov-ing object that can be shifty and unpredictable, so you have to be ready to react quickly. That means you need power and quickness, two things you improve with a classic clean-and-jerk. But, instead of doing it with a single barbell, try it with a dumbbell instead to work the sides of your body independently.

CLassiC CLean-anD-jerk1. Stand with your feet shoulder-

width apart, and place a medium-weight dumbbell on the ground between your feet.

2. Keeping your back straight and your chest up, squat down and grab the dumbbell with one hand.

3. Quickly stand up out of the squat with enough momen-tum to bring the weight in front of your shoulder, palm facing out, but be careful not to push your hips forward or arch your back as you do so.

4. Bend your knees slightly, and then pop up and straighten them as you push the dumb-bell straight up over your shoulder.

5. Reverse the steps, first lower-ing the weight to shoulder level and then down to the ground, keeping your back straight and chest up. Thats one repetition. Do three sets

of eight reps with each arm.

recipes.


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Stinging Nettle SoupmakeS 5 ServingS

1 pound fresh stinging nettle leaves*

1 tablespoon olive oil2 medium shallots, thinly sliced1/2 cup rolled oats6 cups low-sodium vegetable

broth or chicken broth1 teaspoon dill1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1/8 teaspoon white pepper5 tablespoons crme fraiche,

optional

1. bring a large pot of water to a boil and carefully (with gloved hands) add the stinging nettle leaves. blanch for about 2 minutes. this will remove most of the sting. drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. trim any thick or tough stems, and chop the leaves.

2. heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, and stir in the shallots. Cook until shallots have softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the oats, broth, dill and chopped nettles. increase heat until soup comes to a low boil; then reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Pure the soup using either an immersion blender or regular blender (in batches), returning to pot when finished. Stir in fresh lemon juice. Season with white pepper and serve warm. garnish with a tablespoon of crme fraiche if desired.

Per serving: 179 calories, 8g fat (3g sat), 18g protein, 12g carbohydrate, 0g added sugars, 7g dietary fiber, 13mg choles-terol, 700mg sodium

*If you cant find nettles, use spinach.

Asparagus SconesmakeS 8 SConeS

1/ 2 pound asparagus, lightly steamed and trimmed

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper4 tablespoons unsalted butter3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

1 tablespoon honey1/ 2 cup shredded pepper jack

cheese2 tablespoons lowfat buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 425.2. trim ends from asparagus, and discard or save for

soup stock. Chop tips and stalks into -inch pieces, reserving tips apart from stalks.

3. Stir together flours, baking powder, salt, pepper and cayenne in a large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces. Using clean fingers, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in 3/4 cup but-termilk and honey. Fold in cheese and asparagus stalk pieces (but not tips).

4. turn dough onto floured work surface, and knead

six or seven times. Shape dough into one large round or two smaller rounds. Using sharp knife, cut into triangles (ideally 8 to 12 scones total). Place triangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. brush scones with remaining buttermilk; then press two or three asparagus tips into tops.

5. bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.

Per serving: 213 calories, 9g fat (5g sat), 6g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 3.5g sugars, 3g dietary fiber 23mg cholesterol, 383mg

optimum wellness spring 2013

Documents

spring renewal

spring menu

oncoming spring

favorite spring veggies

comthe promise of spring

easy breezy spring recipes

good things

nancy coulterparkers