Maine Health & Wellness Guide

WHAT KEEPS Patrick Dempsey's SPIRITS UP p.6

MA M AII N E

+ THE DEMPSEY CHALLENGE: Opportunities for Everyone

Health&Wellness p. 8

GUIDE 2021

A Happier, Healthier You in 2021 page 4

Rewild Ourselves page 10 Tick Season Tips page 15

The Healing Power of Plants page 18

Plus Events Calendar page 8

Jumping Rope to Run Faster page 20

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In This Issue...

MA MAINE

Health&Wellness

G UIDE UID E

9 Susan’s Way, Windham, ME 04062 www.activitymaine.com stan@activitymaine.com (207) 671-7230 PUBLISHER Stanley J. Rintz III ART DIRECTOR Larissa Davis

A HAPPY R YOU H E A LT H IE IN 2 0 2 1 p. 4

HOW T O R E W IL D OU R S E LV E S

KEEPING OUR SPIRITS UP WITH PATRICK DEMPSEY p. 6

p. 10

GRAPHIC ARTIST Kristina Roderick Robin Bean SOCIAL MEDIA MA.NAGER Kristina Roderick MANAGING EDITOR Kay Stephens

Events Calendar page 8

TICK SEASON TIPS p. 15

4 A HAPPIER HEALTHIER YOU IN 2021

by Garrick Hoffman

6 KEEPING OUR SPIRITS UP WITH PATRICK DEMPSEY

by Kay Stephens

8 2021 RACEME EVENTS CALENDAR HEALING POWER OF PLANTS p. 18

10 HOW TO REWILD OURSELVES

& find remedies for stress in the forest

by Saisie Moore

15 CHECK YOURSELF! TICK SEASON TIPS

by Jaclyn Sanipass

18 THE HEALING POWER OF PLANTS

An interview with award-winning herbalist, Kathi Langelier

by Jenna Lookner

20 OLD SCHOOL RUNNING TIP: JUMPING ROPE TO RUN FASTER

WEB & DIGITAL DESIGN Robin Bean PHOTOGRAPHY Mike Leonard ADVERTISING SALES Stanley J. Rintz CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Garrick Hoffman Jenna Lookner Saisie Moore Jaclyn Sanipass Kay Stephens Heidi Walls OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Kristina Roderick MEMBER Maine Brewers’ Guild Maine Tourism Association Convention & Visitors Bureau Chambers of Commerce FOLLOW ACTIVITY MAINE

by Heidi Walls, MD

ON THE COVER Dempsey Challenge participant Jennifer Jordan gets a boost of energy from Patrick Dempsey during her run. Jennifer was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma in September of 2020. Jennifer plans on lacing up her sneakers to run in her 7th Dempsey Challenge 10K this fall – this time as a cancer survivor.

Photo by Derek Bissonnette.

2 Spring 2021

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A HAPPIER

healthier you PHOTO COURTESY Jamie

Brown on Unsplash

in 2021

By Garrick Hoffman

Healthy habits to help you ride out the pandemic

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be paradoxical

Porter. In addition, he said, “Some

for our health: it’s engendered unhealthy habits by

research has found an association

incentivizing some people to eat and drink more, exercise less, and consume more screen time in a sedentary state. Conversely, it also fomented a new culture of self-improvement, inspiring

between exposure to blue light at night . . . and chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.”

To consciously seek out ways to buffer your screen time, consider

people to learn how to eat healthier, and pushing them to use

picking up a book. THE MAINE BOOK CLUB/

their free time to exercise more and get in shape.

DISCUSSION group on Facebook is a great resource to get an idea of what to read, with nearly 2,000 members in the

Here’s how you can be part of the latter

ways, according to Dr. Jordan Porter, a

group offering recommendations and

category if you wish to stay happy and

lecturer with UMaine Orono School of

forming small, online book clubs.

healthy as we continue to ride out the

Nursing.

pandemic.

“Prolonged exposure to blue light

Another way to combat the adverse health effects of the pandemic

emitted from computer screens and

is to head outdoors, where again, we

mental and physical health is by

hand-held devices can suppress

can divorce from our screens and

reducing screen time. Excessive

natural melatonin production, which

delight in all the vitamin D the sun

screen time can languish our mental

upends our circadian rhythm and

offers, which studies show improves

and physical health in a myriad of

often results in sleep difficulties,” said

both physical and mental health.

One way to pursue improved

4 Spring 2021

“It’s time to trade blue light for regular

to socialize—safely. With the warmer

bright light, especially in the mornings,”

weather here, spend time with family

Porter advised. “Exposure to regular

or friends by enjoying the outdoors

bright light during day hours can help

together at a state park such as WOLFE’S

maximize alertness, maintain a regular

NECK IN FREEPORT, or visiting a restaurant

circadian rhythm, and counteract the

or brewery with outdoor seating. With

winter blues, also known as seasonal

more people being vaccinated each day,

affective disorder (SAD).”

we’ll soon be able to spend more time

There’s a slew of ways to be active

with each other, safely.

outdoors in Maine, whether it’s

At the end of the 1994 prison film

mountain biking the 50+ official trails

The Shawshank Redemption, the

throughout the state, paddling along a

character, Red reads a letter from his

lake or river, or hiking in the western

escaped fellow inmate Andy Dufresne:

Maine mountains. Visit NEMBA.org

“Remember Red: Hope is a good

for mountain bike trails and visit

thing— maybe the best of the things—

mainetrailfinder.com

and no good thing ever dies.”

to browse hikes all

Even though it feels like we’ve been

over Maine.

crawling through a 500-yard tunnel

Since the pandemic hit, online fitness and meditation classes have

of horror this last year like Andy did,

multiplied. According to a 2021

just remember: hope is a good thing,

Bloomberg article, “How COVID-19

maybe the best of things, and it’s on the other side of this tunnel.

Has Permanently Affected the Fitness Industry,” 72 percent of fitness club-

One Portland-based cycling studio

owners currently offer on-demand

has mastered the balance of online

and livestream group workouts. Some

and socially distanced in-person

workouts are pre-recorded and allow

training. RÉVE CYCLING STUDIO moved

for pausing or rewinding, and others

their business entirely online in March

are live-streamed to emulate group

2020 and launched an on-demand

exercise.

platform, Réve At-Home. Once the weather got warm, Réve Cycling switched to in-person mode, offering

Garrick Hoffman is a freelance photographer, writer, and graphic designer based in Auburn. Visit his website at GarrickHoffman.com.

Follow him on Instagram at @garrickhoffmanphotography and @garrickhoffmanportraits and on Facebook at @Garrick Hoffman Photography.

to meet clients at Thompson’s Point and cycle next to the ocean.

“Beyond all of the amazing mental and physical health benefits that come with working out, we go beyond that and really tap into the community through human connection,” said Marketing Manager Meghan Courchesne.

Another critical struggle for people who are pandemic-weary, is staying apart from friends and family, and the toll that has taken on their mental and emotional health. It’s still important

TOP AND LEFT Mami Restaurant, Portland RIGHT Réve Cycling Class PHOTOS by Garrick Hoffman

activitymaine.com 5

Keeping Our Spirits Up

Patrick Dempsey with

By Kay Stephens

P

atrick Dempsey, most known for his role as neurosurgeon Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy is a Mainer through and through. Born in Lewiston, he grew up in the nearby

towns of Turner and Buckfield before becoming an actor and starring in the 1980s films Can’t Buy Me Love and Loverboy. His ties to Maine continue to this day. After his mother was diagnosed with cancer, he founded the Dempsey Center for Quality Cancer Care with physical locations in Lewiston and South Portland, and now virtually through Dempsey Connects. And since 2009, he has organized the Dempsey Challenge, an annual run, walk, and cycle fundraising race to benefit those impacted by cancer at the Dempsey Center.

What outdoor recreational activity do you enjoy most in non-winter months to stay active and find fun?

Being from Maine, what particular strength of Maine’s people do you connect with most?

PD: Cycling, walks, hikes, time at the

PD: Mainers care deeply for their

Dempsey on what he does to stay

beach.

communities, and when people are in

positive, healthy, and balanced as we

When you’re having a down day, what’s something that picks you back up?

need, they step up and help generously.

PD: I have found that quieting my mind

support at the Dempsey Center. The

really helps when I’m feeling a bit off. I

Dempsey Challenge always highlights

found the simple task of sitting in front

the strength of community and love that

PD: Simple days in the beginning. It

of a fireplace does the trick for me.

the state shows.

was nice to be home and not flying

Do you practice any meditation techniques, and if so, what are they?

What is your favorite area of Maine to visit for adventure and makes you feel refreshed?

As we head into the second year of a pandemic, we at the Maine Health & Wellness Guide are looking to inspire people to find their way back to health.

We were lucky to catch up with Patrick

continue to navigate our way through the pandemic this spring and summer.

Can you tell us what you are up to now and what your days in the pandemic look like?

or working— just being together as a family, and then trying to comprehend

They are always last to accept help themselves, but the first to help others. I see this with the incredible

what was going on with so much unrest

PD: I do. It’s important to have time

and fear. We truly just lay around the

to collect yourself in the morning. I

PD: The woods of Maine. The coast. I

house and then as things progressed,

like to wake up before anyone else in

love the wildlife and Maine’s natural

a bit more anxiety grew. We then tried

the house, let the dogs out, and then

beauty.

to keep ourselves busy with positive

sit quietly. I’ve been reading a lot of

activities such as walks, cooking as a

Ryan Holiday's works and have found

family, along with a lot less TV!

his interpretation of stoicism to be incredibly beneficial.

6 Spring 2021

This past year we embarked on a campaign called #keepourspiritsupmaine designed to encourage leaders in Maine to reveal how they found positive ways to handle the pandemic. Check out more of our Industry Snapshots on the craft brew, distilling, and Maine outdoor industries at activitymaine.com

activitymaine.com

7

PHOTO courtesy of Derek Bissonnette, DB Maine Photography

2021 Events Calendar Central Maine DEMPSEY CHALLENGE – Opportunities for Everyone The 2021 Dempsey Challenge will offer both in-person and virtual options to meet you where you are. Run, walk or ride on Dempsey Challenge weekend in Lewiston/Auburn, Maine ~ OR ~ run, walk or ride in your own hometown, anywhere in the world!

In 2020, we successfully reimagined the Challenge as people from around the world came together to support the Dempsey Center’s mission to make life better for people impacted by cancer. Together, we move forward with the same unifying spirit as we create a new Dempsey Challenge in a new world; a Global Dempsey Challenge where we all come together on one powerful weekend in September.

Register for the Local Challenge or the Global Challenge.

You’ll be supported and encouraged every step of the way as you complete your own Dempsey Challenge, regardless of how you choose to participate. Please note: with safety as our priority, CDC and Maine state health practices will be followed for the in-person event. Deadline to register for the Local Challenge is September 1.

To Learn more and register visit dempseychallenge.org.

PHOTO courtesy of Dempsey Challenge

Greater Portland & Western Maine THE GRIND RUN COMPANY – 2021 event line-up has something for every trail lover! FMI on race status and registration thegrindrunco.com.

TINY TRAIL RACE SERIES – Three 5k trail races, the first one is May 9 in Cape Elizabeth, second one is June 12 in Westbrook, and the third one is in Portland on July 10. Runners who complete all three will receive a commemorative t-shirt.

FIREBIRD TRAIL RACE – September 18 – primarily on single track trails in Falmouth, ME. This is a fun, but challenging event, featuring a 13-mile course, and a 50k. Donation to a non-profit is a condition for entry.

SHAWNEE PEAK ULTRA CHALLENGE – October 9 – This punishing two mile loop course has a two-hour or six-hour endurance option. No matter which you choose, the elevation will be noticeable.

Greater Portland MAINE TRACK CLUB 2021 RACE EVENTS • Peaks Island Five-Miler – July 24 • Maine Marathon Half Marathon & Relay with In person & Virtual options – October 23 • Maine Track Club Turkey Trot – November 21 To check updated MTC race statuses, in-person and virtual race options, as well as register for races, visit www.mainetrackclub.com.

The 2021 Cycle Your Way VIRTUAL TREK ACROSS MAINE is taking place through June 30 and encourages Trekkers to stay active and enjoy time on their bike (practicing safe social distancing) while supporting the work of the American Lung Association, including their COVID-19 Action Initiative. FMI and to register online visit: TrekAcrossMaine.org and follow the prompts to complete your registration.

PHOTO courtesy of Trek Across Maine

At MARTIN'S POINT HEALTH CARE, a daily dose of activity is just what the doctor ordered! As a premier provider of primary and specialty care and health insurance plans in Maine and New Hampshire, they have been preaching about the physical and mental health benefits of an active lifestyle for more than 40 years. And their Sports Medicine providers go the extra mile to help keep Mainers of all ages on the go.

As a not-for-profit headquartered in Portland, Martin’s Point serves primary care patients at their seven health care centers located in Southern Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire and offer Sports Medicine in Portland and Brunswick. They also offer the only Medicare Advantage plans in Maine and New Hampshire to achieve a 5-star rating from Medicare for 2021, and highly rated TRICARE® Prime plans for military families throughout the Northeast. Industry-recognized for the quality of both their care and coverage, Martin’s Point is driven by their mission to deliver the care every person deserves and is trusted by their patients and health plan members to put their health first.

8 Spring 2021

Home Gyms Start Here!

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Jewelry for men and women made from precious metals, in the USA, by Pauline Warg.

A portion of the profits are donated to cancer research and charities related to helping those with catastrophic illnesses.

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activitymaine.com 9

Rewild

Can the remedy to stressful modern lives be found in the forest?

By Saisie Moore

I

f you’ve spent less time on familiar downtown streets and more time among the trails and trees of our public

Into the Woods When John Muir wrote of “going into the forest to lose my mind and find

lands during the past year, you’re not alone. Everyone from

my soul,” he may have inadvertently

seasoned hikers to the previously outdoor-averse responded

described the art and science of shinrin

to a collective yearning for space and calm. Now that we’re

bath.”

learning there’s more to our excursions than just exercise and good views, what knowledge and practices can help us maintain an essential connection to the wild – and in doing so, improve health and well-being?

yoku, the Japanese characters for “forest Forest Therapy Guide and Registered Maine Guide Jeanne Christie discovered this concept of forest bathing for herself one day during a trail run. “Several years ago, I found myself stopped on the trail, looking around at the trees with a sudden desire to stay still,” she said.

After completing certification training with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, Christie launched her

10 Spring 2021

PHOTO Unsplash.com

HOW TO OURSELVES

Take a break during your workday

■ Silence or switch off your phone and create distance between yourself and your personal devices for ten minutes.

■ Find a quiet space in nature, whether a park, shorefront, or garden.

■ Practice sympathetic breathing, inhaling, and exhaling slowly while engaging the diaphragm.

■ Close your eyes and focus your other senses; tune in to the sounds and smells around you, feel the wind and sun on your skin.

■ If you have space, practice slow stretches and movements to loosen the body and focus the mind.

■ Before you leave, observe an element of nature with fresh eyes and deeper appreciation.

ABOVE Showshoeing with Registered Maine Guide Jeanne Christie. Photo courtesy Jeanne Christie.

business, CONNECT TO WILDERNESS, and

season, and the group participating

began leading guided forest therapy

since “not everyone is ready to talk

sessions throughout southern Maine.

to the trees,” said Christie.

“If there’s a therapist, it’s the forest,” she said. “I’m simply a guide.”

Each forest bathing session is unique, tailored to the woods,

“The practice is to really experience where you are on a deeper level,” she said. “I’ve heard it described as ‘outward meditation’.” The idea of healing and release simply through quiet reflection in a forest may seem abstract and intangible, but Christie assures it’s a human necessity.

“We’ve lost our connection to the wilderness, but it’s still within us,” she said. “Simply taking time to be in nature without agenda or motive— just an existential awareness of the forest—is an ancient instinct we’ve learned to suppress.”

Her guidance for a self-directed forest bath? “Gently push aside your ‘talking’ mind,” she said. “Experience the world through all of your senses.

Close your eyes and observe the world through your other senses.

Your mind will start talking again – don’t worry. Just allow these

ABOVE Forest Therapy Guide and Registered Maine Guide Jeanne Christie leads a forest bathing outing.

Photo courtesy Jeanne Christie.

thoughts to move past. Wander at will!” (Continued on next page)

activitymaine.com 11

“The land is the real teacher.

All we need as students is mindfulness.”

– R O B I N WA L L K I M M E R E R

For anyone eager to take the plunge, Rasor suggests beginning in August when the ocean water is warmer (by Maine standards) and timing your swim for fair conditions. “The wind is typically lower and the water is calmer at dawn and dusk,” he said.

Whether you opt for a lake, river, or ocean, there are inherent risks associated with wild swimming. “You need to be aware of your surroundings, tides, waves, temperature, and currents,” said Rasor. “You’re aligned in the moment. It’s just you and the water.”

ABOVE Mitchell Rasor at Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Photo courtesy Mitchell Rasor

Wild Swimming For a truly immersive experience in

during a difficult period. Today, it’s a year-round practice he describes as

nature, plunging into the bracing waters

“mentally and physically cathartic.’’ Even

of Maine’s rugged coast is an invigorating

while traveling for work, Rasor is always

approach – if you can work up the nerve.

on the lookout for a nearby swim spot. “I

Yarmouth landscape architect and artist

try never to miss a day between May and

Mitchell Rasor first gave it a try seven

October,” he said.

years ago, while looking for a new focus

12 Spring 2021

Gaia’s Classroom In the woods beyond East Blue Hill, a collective of alternative educators have established Way of the Earth, an inclusive school that teaches Earth skills and ancient arts – from hide tanning to herbalism to survival skills. Students “find skills to build an everyday functional and positive relationship with the surrounding world, and other people,” said instructor and outdoor educator Colby Smith. Much of the curriculum is centered around a Whole-Earth approach that recognizes the need for indigenous knowledge and leadership at its forefront. “We’ve been creating increasingly ‘artificial’ humanconstructed environments without considering most other species in this

ABOVE Cousins Island. Photos courtesy Mitchell Rasor.

process,” he said. “Indigenous or native people have always lived with the natural world at the forefront of their consciousness.”.

Sign up for short courses in traditional arts, or if you’re feeling a real wanderlust, sign up for their immersive five-month summer wilderness program at an on-site primitive village.

For anyone with a desire to rewild but without months to spare, Smith offers some practical advice: “Returning to health and balance is a process – it takes time. Make small, but sure steps. Plug in to the place you live and learn about the interconnections that exist there. Quietly observe how this stream has slowly shaped the ground and how the mink is influenced by these shapes as it travels upstream.

Observe how you too are shaped by the mink’s movements, the sound of the stream, and the shape of the land. Rather than just moving through nature, look around, move slowly, start a relationship with something there Maybe it could use your help. Maybe it could help you.”

ABOVE Building lodging. Photo courtesy Way of The Earth.

Saisie Moore is a freelance writer and gardener living on Munjoy Hill in Portland. activitymaine.com 13

NORTHEAST RUNNERS ALLIANCE (NeRA) is an alliance of road and trail runners located in the Northeastern United States. Our primary mission is to build and connect a community centered around running that encourages engagement and collaboration, stewardship, and responsible use of shared spaces.

Our secondary mission is to foster diversity, inclusion, and access to the sport of running in all forms. Road or trail, recreational or competitive, we believe there is a place for everybody.

Our current initiatives include Shared Miles, an effort to remove barriers in the running community at large, to supply aspiring BIPOC runners in the Greater Portland, Maine community with technical clothing, quality running shoes, gear, and assistance with payment of entry fees to races. We are actively seeking funding, donations, and runners to partner with. We are also in the process of planning an upcoming roundtable discussion around access to trails, environmental stewardship, and how engagement can be encouraged on a broad scale.

We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

14 Spring 2021

CHECK YOURSELF! IT’S TICK SEASON Tips on Ticks & Prevention

By Jaclyn Sanipass

L

ike so many people who

disease existed here in the Northeast.

am back running trails, backpacking, and

live for the outdoors, I’ve

Yet, I didn’t know its devastating effects

practicing martial arts in the elements

when I developed the familiar bull’s eye

again.

spent much of my time in the woods and waters of Maine

rash in 2006. I wished I'd known more

The cool, fresh mornings of spring in

before becoming bed-bound for more

Maine open up so many opportunities

than two years and succumbing to a

to go outside and focus on healthy

desperate search for my health. Luckily

activities. As green begins to return in

after seven years, I fully recovered

the forests, it seems to draw people from

with the help of a team of doctors,

their homes and call them back to the

As a trained wilderness guide and a

neurological rehabilitation, and support

great outdoors. (Continued on next page)

Maine native, I was well aware that Lyme

through adaptive sports programs. Now I

until, at age 26, an unexpected rash brought my life to a screeching halt.

activitymaine.com 15

PHOTO courtesy Jaclyn Sanipass

Staying healthy outdoors while maintaining the proper social distance

Avoid Bushwacking; Stay on Trails Try to stay out of the long grass as

to feel one more easily than being able to see it. Use a mirror to check your

is still on the minds of many fresh-air

many ticks stand on the end of the

back. Then, throw your clothes in the

seekers hitting the trails this summer

blades of grass reaching up with their

washer and dryer. Be sure to check

season. Yet, there is more to think

legs, ready to attach to whatever

thoroughly. Favorite places for ticks are

about beyond the current pandemic

happens to walk by. They will attach

behind the knees, armpits, waistline,

when heading out on that next

to a pant leg, shoe, or sock and then

groin, and scalp.

adventure.

migrate upwards, looking for warmth.

Whether you are hiking, backpacking,

What if you find an attached tick?

camping, trail running, participating

Tick Checks are Extremely Important

in one of the new virtual trail races,

I do quick tick checks along the trail,

or gardening—there is potential for

especially if I travel through low brush,

can find at most outdoor stores or use

tick exposure. Children are most

leaf litter, or tall grasses. I do another

regular tweezers. Grasp it as close to

susceptible because they tend to play

check once I return to my car. Then

your skin as possible and pull with a

outdoors the most, and people who

once back at home, I do a thorough

gentle tug. Try to avoid breaking the

spend time outdoors are at a higher

tick check. Use your hand to rub along

tick. If broken, the head of the tick will

risk. Pets let outdoors can also pose

your skin as it may be easy to mistake

be left inside the skin and may cause

a risk, as they are likely to carry ticks

a tiny deer tick for a freckle. A tick will

irritation. If you suspect infection,

back into the home.

be raised slightly so you might be able

consult your physician right away.

16 Spring 2021

Remove ticks as soon as you see them. There are tick scoops that you

BE TICK AWARE The Global Lyme Alliance, a research and education organization based in Connecticut, gives suggestions on their website to help people to “Be Tick AWARE,” which is an acronym for the following: ■ AVOID areas where ticks live.

Ticks thrive in woodpiles, leaf litter, long grass, beach grass, bushy areas, stone walls, and perimeters where the lawn meets the woods.

PHOTO courtesy Jaclyn Sanipass

Take a picture of the embedded tick.

Write down the day and time that it was found embedded in case you need to have it examined or keep records for a doctor. Watch the area for any signs of rash and note any developments of other symptoms such as headaches, nausea, malaise, diarrhea, fever, etc.

In short, always be mindful of where you walk this summer. Not all ticks carry infectious diseases and not every bite will lead to disease. But better to be careful, educated, and aware.

Consult your physician if you suspect you may have a tick-borne illness.

Jaclyn Sanipass is a survivor in complete recovery of neurological Lyme disease and Babesiosis. After a seven-year battle, she returned to the wilderness and led women’s retreats for more than 10 years. Her newly released book It’s In Your Dreams is a novel about her life as a wilderness guide and her journey of healing from Lyme disease.

■ WEAR light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily, long-sleeved shirts tucked in at the waist, long pants tucked into high socks, closed-toe shoes, and a hat with your hair tucked in, if possible. Do not walk in the grass barefoot or in open sandals, even if it’s cut short.

■ APPLY EPS-approved tick repellent (such as DEET or picaridin) and insecticide (such as permethrin) to skin, clothing, and shoes as directed.

■ REMOVE clothing upon entering the home; toss into the dryer at high temperature for 10-15 minutes to kill live ticks. Putting them in the washer, however, will not.

ABOUT SIZE Tick larvae are less than 1 millimeter long (the size of a poppy seed) while nymphs are 1-2 millimeters long, about the size of a pinhead. Adult ticks can range from about 2 - 6 millimeters long when unfed and can grow up to 10 millimeters long after feeding.

Source: www.domyown.com

activitymaine.com 17

The Healing Power of PLANTS An interview with award-winning herbalist Kathi Langelier

Photo by Kathi Langelier

S

pend a day with Maine

herbalist Kathi Langelier and soon you’ll discover you can create your own power to heal what troubles you and maintain wellness throughout your body, mind, and spirit.

By Jenna Lookner

PHOTO Making fire cider.

Courtesy or Erin Little.

Langelier’s farm and apothecary,

Her first book, titled Herbal Revolution:

The recipes featured in Langelier’s

Herbal Revolution is the result of 25

65+ recipes for Tea, Elixirs, Tinctures,

book make preparing and consuming

years of hard work honing her skills

Syrups, Foods + Body Products that Heal

beneficial foods delicious and easy.

with plant-based medicine. She arrived

was released in December of 2020.

at her calling on a winding path with

“I wanted to create something that

“If people are missing an ingredient, I want them to feel empowered to get

one destination: wellness. She pursued

connects with people, encouraging

creative,” she said. “I wanted to say,

a variety of educational opportunities

the use of everyday products most

‘here is a recipe, but feel confident to

including apprenticing on farms

of us have in our kitchen,” she said.

not follow it exactly.’ So I wrote recipes

throughout the country, eventually

Basics such as garlic, thyme, ginger,

that are really accessible.”

deciding to attend massage school,

honey, and lemon are among those

while gaining knowledge and reliance

approachable staples.

on the healing power of plants. “I

“Many of the herbs we use daily have

A favorite recipe that encompasses medicinal benefits is a Ginger and Elderberry Hot Toddy. This tasty

realized I am not built to be inside,”

historically been used in medicine,”

concoction is enjoyed warm and

she said.

she said.

includes ginger, elderberry, and reishi

After buying her farm, Langelier

Langelier added she believes that the

mushroom. Langelier explained

began growing the variety of plants

value of Western medicine dovetails

that these ingredients combat

that she uses in Herbal Revolution’s

with herbal remedies and that she

inflammation, while boosting the

line of products, which have gained a

values the traditional medical system

immune system. Enjoying them in a

steady following and loyal customer

immensely.

hot toddy helps activate the ginger

base, and her business now boasts

“I definitely do not want to discount

a production facility on Route 17 in

the medical system," she said. “These

Union. While this facility is not open

alternatives enhance the ability for

to the public, Langelier said she has a

people to take charge of their own

vision for the future.

health.”

and cinnamon, which maximizes circulation. (Continued on next page)

Ginger + Elderberry Hot Toddy

with Elderflower Brandy

Makes two cups of Elderflower Brandy and 3 (3⁄4-cup) servings of Elderberry Hot Toddy INGREDIENTS

■ ¼ cup dried elderflowers ■ 2 cups brandy ■ Ingredients for Elderberry Hot Toddy ■ 1– 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger ■ Zest from one lemon (about 1-2 tbsp) ■ 2 tbsp dried elderberries ■ 1 tbsp cinnamon chips or one cinnamon stick ■ 2 tsp dried Reishi powder ■ 4 cups water ■ 1 tbsp Lemon juice, divided ■ 1 ½ tsp maple syrup or elderberry syrup, divided ■ 1 ½ tsp – 3 tbsp Elderflower Brandy (optional), divided

TOOLS

PHOTO courtesy Erin Little

■ ■ ■ ■

Pint jar Strainer Microplane 3-quart cooking pot

DIRECTIONS FOR ELDERFLOWER BRANDY Place the dried elderflowers in the jar; pour in the brandy to the very top of the jar.

Cover and let sit for four weeks. Strain into a labeled jar, and sip on its own or make into a hot toddy below.

DIRECTIONS FOR ELDERBERRY HOT TODDY Use a microplane to grate the fresh ginger root and lemon zest and place in the pot. Add elderberries, cinnamon, reishi, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then, reduce the heat to low simmer for roughly 25 to 30 minutes.

Reduce the mixture by about half.

Remove from the heat and strain. Divide the liquid into three serving cups. Add 1 tsp of lemon juice and ½ tsp maple syrup to each cup and stir. If adding Elderflower Brandy, add ½ tsp to 1 tbsp to each cup.

Cheers!

activitymaine.com 19

Langelier lights up when she talks about another popular

“I want people to enjoy these recipes whenever they feel

Herbal Revolution product, Fire Cider. The spicy infusion

like it,” she said. “It’s preventative care; why get a cold or

contains garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, honey, and hot

flu when you might be able to use it in your diet to avoid it

peppers in an apple cider vinegar base. Langelier said that

all together?”

many drink a shot of it straight for health, but she also

Herbal Revolution: 65+ recipes for Tea, Elixirs, Tinctures,

encourages using it in salad dressings, soups, and various

Syrups, Foods + Body Products that Heal can be found on the

savory recipes.

Herbal Revolution website, and on Amazon where a Kindle

“Every year, I add it to the salsa I make,” she said. The potent formula provides an umami flavoring when mixed

version is also available. Langelier also suggested checking with local, independent bookstores.

into a recipe.

Langelier said her recipes are designed to be enjoyed anytime, not simply as a reaction to illness.

Jenna Lookner lives on her family farm in Camden.

Always curious, she enjoys exploring her natural, cultural and epicurean surroundings with her husband and three rescued mutts.

Jumping Rope

TO RUN FASTER

By Heidi Walls, MD

Fitness trends come and go, but jumping rope might be one exercise for runners to adopt. Plyometric training—a form of intense training that generates strength at a high speed—leads to neuromuscular adaptations, including increased power and stiffness, which can improve running performance.

Jumping rope requires quick rebounds that recruit mainly the foot muscles and joints, a type of plyometric training that would be useful for runners. A recent study in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance set out to investigate this. A group of amateur runners were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group modified their regular warm-up routine to include jumping rope for two to four sessions per week with a total time of 10 to 20 minutes per week. After 10 weeks, runners in the experimental group had greater arch stiffness and statistically significant improvement in their three-kilometer run time compared to the control group. So, for runners looking for a way to increase their speed, incorporating jump rope training drills into their warm up may be a great way to do so. Dust off that jump rope and get going!

PHOTO Getty Images

20 Spring 2021

Reference article: García-Pinillos F, Lago-Fuentes C, Latorre-Román PA, PantojaVallejo A, Ramirez-Campillo R. Jump-Rope Training: Improved 3-km Time-Trial Performance in Endurance Runners via Enhanced Lower-Limb Reactivity and FootArch Stiffness [published online ahead of print, 2020 Mar 12]. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2020;1-7. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2019-0529

activitymaine.com 21

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