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Westside’s 2016
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The Running of the Dads
How a social club is helping new fathers stay fit while bonding with their babies
Go With Your Gut
WRITERs: Bethney Bonilla, Bonnie Eslinger, Michael Reyes Art Director: Michael Kraxenberger DESIGNER: Kate Doll ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Renee Baldwin, Kay Christie, Jillian Libenson, David Maury ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Steve Nakutin
Fermented foods boost energy and immunity the natural way
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Meet the Marathon Goddess
Santa Monica’s Julie Weiss has run 100 marathons to fight the disease that killed her father On The Cover: Whole Life Balance offers restorative and rejuvenating drip IV therapy treatments that deliver vitamins, minerals and amino acids directly to the bloodstream for maximum absorption
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The Running of the
Dads
By Michael Reyes
How a social club is helping new fathers stay fit while bonding with their babies
T
hey call it “dad bod” for a reason. Even the most active guys can slow down drastically when becoming a new parent, with energy centered on the home and little time left for prior social and workout routines. But a new group of Westside dads are working to change the parenthood game. “I realized that the only way I was going to stay in shape was to bring my son with me,” says Alan Mabry, 30, founder of the Dad’s Run and Partner Meetup in Marina del Rey. Each first Saturday of the month, the meetup brings rookie dads, babies and jogging strollers together for a sixmile run and stroller push that’s followed by a coffee break at the Marina Marketplace mall. “This is the most radical change in my life,” says Mabry, a software engineer whose son is seven months old. “I’m 6 • Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016
gravitating toward people who are going through the same thing. [The Dad’s Run] has been a very important part of my routine and my life.” Designed to make physical fitness and social interaction a normal part of the transition into parenthood, the Dad’s Run is also open to partners but specially designed for dads. “It’s really all about the coffee after the run — just for
“It’s easy for your world to shrink when you have a kid. The run has forced me to get out of the house.” — Dad’s Run founder Alan Mabry
encouragement and responses to frantic parenting questions evolved over time into a resource for Westside parents. In addition to the Dad’s Run and Partner Meetup, Folks&Kin organizes weekly support circles for parents of babies and toddlers at various stages of development. Social events include hikes, movie nights, storytime sessions and partnerships with local independent mom organizations.
catching up on what’s working, what’s not, and decompressing with a bunch of dudes who have no idea what they’re doing because they’re all first-time dads,” says John Posatko, 36. He’s been a father for 16 months and is assistant principal of student services for St. Monica Catholic High School. Discussions often touch on parenting styles, education concerns, working with limited home space and unlocking the mysteries of everyday baby products. “I learned how to use my stroller properly from bringing it there one time,” Mabry says. The meetup is linked to Folks&Kin, a Mar Vista-based organizer of parent support activities. Folks&Kin cofounder Bristol Posatko, who is married to John, says building community around staying active is a theme that runs through other groups. In addition to building a peer support network for fathers, the Dad’s Run concept “also started off as a way to give the partner some alone time without the baby,” Bristol Posatko said. Folks&Kin sprang from a late-night email chain among moms taking a birthing class in 2014. Shared words of
“It’s really all about the coffee after the run — just for catching up on what’s working, what’s not, and decompressing with a bunch of dudes who have no idea what they’re doing because they’re all first-time dads.” — Dad’s Run regular John Posatko
Photos by Jorge M. Vargas Jr.
Alan Mabry and his 7-month-old son Dylan bond as they lead the pack during February’s Dad’s Run and Partner Meetup in Marina del Rey
LEFT AND ABOVE:
“It’s about doing the normal things that you enjoy while you have a baby with you. And I feel like that’s not as common,” Bristol Posatko says. “People find friends and family at these meetups, and hopefully longtime support that will influence the next generation that we’re raising.” Now wrapping up its first official year, Folks&Kin calls on volunteers to lead most of its events. The attitude is causal, and the only requirements are being a parent and staying open to having fun. “I wasn’t doing it so I could have a ton of friends. I was doing it so people could meet people and find whatever was right for them —what they needed,” Bristol Posatko says. “Having a baby is one of the harder things I’ve ever gone through,” John Posatko says about figuring parenthood out for the first time. “There’s something about talking to another dad, regardless of age, that takes the whole anxiety level down. And it combines the things that really keep me sane — one being fitness and exercise, the other being that simple human connection and communication piece.” Mabry hopes the Dad’s Run will grow to include other fitness activities in various locations. “It’s easy for your world to shrink when you have a kid,” Mabry says. “The run has forced me to get out of the house.” “The Dad’s Run and Partner Meetup” happens from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. each first Saturday of the month. Meet at Le Pain Quotidien in Marina Marketplace, 13455 Maxella Ave., Ste. 140, Marina del Rey. Visit folksandkin.com for more information, or write to folksandkin@gmail.com for route information and to RSVP for the next Dad’s Run. Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016 • 7
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Go with Your Gut By Bethney Bonilla
Fermented foods boost energy and immunity the natural way
M
ost health food trends come and go faster than you can add kale to a smoothie, but this one has been around for centuries. The movement to reintroduce fermented foods into our diets dials back the clock to the days before refrigeration, when fermentation was a common way to preserve food and consequently provided our ancestors with lots of healthy bacteria cultures. Pasteurization and the industrial revolution wiped these “live-cultured” foods off grocery store shelves for decades, but health-conscious food producers and consumers are bringing fermented foods back to our diets in new and innovative ways.
bifidobacteria,” says Shira Lenchewski, a Westside dietician and clean-eating coach who specializes in the interplay between food and the body and is the resident nutrition expert for LaurenConrad.com. For many products, the fermentation process involves soaking the food in saltwater brine, whey or a starter culture in a sealed low-oxygen container at room temperature. The food essentially becomes predigested in the culturing process, with enzymes breaking down sugars and introducing human-friendly bacteria. Production of lactic acid releases the tangy, pungent flavors commonly associated with fermented foods.
What is fermentation?
What kinds of food are fermented?
“Fermentation means that the sugars and carbohydrates in a certain food have been broken down by ‘good,’ lactic acid producing bacteria, such as lactobacillus and
Many alcohols, sodas and dairy products undergo the fermentation process. But when it comes to healthy fermented foods, look for the following:
10 • Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016
• Live-cultured organic vegetables and pickles
• Sauerkraut, a combination of cabbage and seasonings that’s filled with antioxidants, fiber and probiotics
• Kimchi, a live-cultured cabbage and veggie mix (similar to sauerkraut) that’s flavored with salt and other spices and loaded with vitamins A and C, magnesium, calcium, selenium and probiotics
• Tempeh, which is made from fermented, non-GMO soybeans and a good alternative protein for vegetarians
• Cheese made from raw milk
• Unpasteurized miso
• Live-cultured yogurt or kefir, a drinkable and more nutrient-rich kind of yogurt that’s packed with probiotics, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium and protein
Lenchewski also suggests Bio-K, which can be found in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods. “It’s basically shots of fermented brown rice loaded with benefits,” she says.
How do fermented foods benefit health? Fermented foods have a major BFF in your body — your gut. And we aren’t talking about that extra weight you put on during the holidays. Around 70% of your immune system is housed in your digestive tract, which makes gut health a pretty big deal in terms of overall wellness. The integrity of the intestinal lining is vital, as it acts as a gatekeeper for the bloodstream, allowing essential nutrients in and keeping dangerous pathogens out. Lenchewski describes a healthy gut lining as a “tight woven net” that relies greatly on having a healthy and diverse ecosystem of bacteria living within it. This is where fermented foods come into play. Probiotics released from fermented foods colonize our digestive tract, creating a balanced, diverse flora and a
less-permeable lining. The easily digested products also have more bio-available nutrients and are believed to help eliminate toxins. “A disruption to the lattice and imbalance of bacteria in your GI (gastrointestinal) tract can be caused by infections,
“You are getting more bang for your buck with fermented foods. Oral supplements have nowhere close to the enzymatic activity of many fermented foods.” — Shira Lenchewski, RD toxin exposure, antibiotic overuse, stress, lack of sleep, excess sugar, alcohol and even gluten,” says Lenchewski. When damaged, the gut is more susceptible to bad bacteria. This sends the GI tract and immune system into overtime, as the body works to fight off unwelcome invaders. An overwhelmed gut becomes more susceptible to inflammatory distress, bloating, fatigue and a number of other uncomfortable gastrointestinal troubles. Over time this immune response may translate to food sensitivities and even allergies. Mixing fermented foods into the diet helps restore GI tract lining, improving overall digestion and boosting immunity.
Why not just take a probiotic supplement?
“You are getting more bang for your buck with fermented foods. Oral supplements have nowhere close to the enzymatic activity of many fermented foods,” Lenchewski explains. They may, however, be a good option for pregnant women, the immune-compromised and others who should avoid unpasteurized foods. Lenchewski advises buying probiotics from the refrigerated section, as they will have more active cultures and a higher enzyme activity level.
How do I get started?
It is best to start slow, says Lenchewski. Try adding a teaspoon of fermented food to at least one meal daily. As the body adjusts, move up to a quarter and then a half cup. Sample a variety of fermented foods, as each may contain different strains of helpful bacteria. Look for products explicitly labeled “fermented” or “live cultured.”
Where can I find fermented foods?
Fermented veggies are soaked in saltwater brine, sealed in a low-oxygen container and kept at room temperature for a week to 10 days
You’ll find a lot of fermented food on the menu at Seed Kitchen (1604 Pacific Ave., Venice; 310 396-1604; seedkitchen.com), including organic fresh natto made from fermented soy beans and a blackened tempeh burger topped (Continued on Page 12) Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016 • 11
Go with Your Gut (Continued from Page 11)
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with organic sauerkraut. Chefs Eric Lechasseur and Sanae Suzukican also teach fermentation classes. Locali Conscious Convenience (701 Lincoln Blvd., Venice; 310-399-2254; localiyours.com) offers a variety of readymade fermented foods in its refrigerated section as well as fresh deli items and probiotic smoothies. Locali’s signature vegan Reuben sandwich includes a healthy helping of sauerkraut. The shelves of Co-opportunity Natural Foods (525 Broadway, Santa Monica; 310-451-8902; coopportunity. com) are stocked with both traditional and contemporary fermented foods. Here you’ll find five unique sauerkraut flavors made by Pickled Planet as well as Healing Movement’s fermented raw coconut kefir (an alternative to dairy kefir). New to the store are organic fermented products made right here in L.A. by Brassica & Brine, including its Four Thieves Sauerkraut spiced with lavender, sage, rosemary and thyme. Erewhon Natural Foods is opening a new market in Venice this spring at 585 Venice Blvd. (erewhonmarket. com). In addition to traditional fermented staples such as kimchi and sauerkraut, Erewhon’s Tonic & Juice Bar features innovative and immune system-fortifying fermented tonics made from your choice of some 140 fresh ingredients. For more information about Shira Lenchewski, visit ShiraRD.com.
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Three minutes at triple-digit subzero temperatures can alleviate chronic pain and boost energy levels
The Cold Craze By Bonnie Eslinger
Blast your way to better skin and higher energy levels at 247 degrees below zero
A
s a Southern California native who cherishes the state’s warm climate, I was perplexed by what a woman recently told me during an art opening: She’d just paid several hundred dollars to subject herself to triple-digit subfreezing temperatures, all in the pursuit of improved health and beauty. Crazy, I thought. But later I learned that she was not alone. Cryotherapy — exposing the body to extremely low temperatures in order to relieve muscle pain or get a revitalizing boost — is the latest health trend in L.A. But the practice is not new. Whole-body cryotherapy was developed in Japan in the 1970s and the practice quickly spread west to mainland Asia and Europe, says Matt Sarbello, owner of Coast Cryo in Marina del Rey. “This is pretty popular in Europe; it’s just making its way over here now,” says Sarbello, who set up shop on Washington Boulevard in November. 14 • Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016
Cryotherapy is said to reduce a range of health concerns, from chronic pain to muscle soreness, but its adherents also promise improved skin, weight loss, increased energy levels, elevated moods and better sleep. And all that in just three minutes. Cryotherapy reportedly works because coming out of the big chill makes your body’s blood vessels quickly narrow then widen, processes known respectively as vasoconstriction and vasodilation. “It’s pretty simple,” Sarbello explains. “Your brain is getting tricked into thinking you’re in an emergency situation and rushes most of your blood to your core. When it’s in your core, the body is re-oxygenating that blood and filling it with nutrient-rich, red blood cells. When you get out and it flows back out to the extremities, you have this fresh, new, nutrient-rich blood which promotes healing and brings inflammation down. You also get all these other benefits.”
That includes a little weight loss, he says, since these short sessions can burn up to 800 calories. “Your body’s fighting to stay warm, so it’s burning those calories,” Sarbello tells me. I’m initially skeptical and, to be honest, a little scared of the idea. But when I go online and read about other people’s experiences with cryotherapy, the vast majority of people seem to enjoy it. I am also comforted that Coast Cryo’s chambers only engulf the body up to the neck, the doors don’t lock and an attendant is with you at all times. Next thing I know I’m standing in the buff in a cylindrical, blue plastic-padded chamber at Coast Cryo, wearing only a pair of knee-high socks, cushy slippers and fluffy gloves.
“Your brain is getting tricked into thinking you’re in an emergency situation and rushes most of your blood to your core. When it’s in your core, the body is re-oxygenating that blood.” — Coast Cryo founder Matt Sarbello
Coast Cryo is at 3007 W. Washington Blvd., Ste. 100, in Marina del Rey. Call (310) 305-2796 or visit coastcryo.com. Photos by Thinkstock/ robertprzybysz
I hear the whoosh of air before I start to feel it whirl around me. But it’s not bad. The temperature starts at negative 120 degrees and ramps down over about a minute to 247 below. Sarbello encourages me to move. “Keep turning in circles so the same places on your body are not getting hit by the air the whole time,” he says. “Other than that, it feels good to keep your legs moving because it’s so cold.” I am reminded of ski vacations, running from a cabin to an outdoor hot-tub in my swimsuit, the cold air pushing me to move quickly, the chill an invigorating motivator. I do as Sarbello says, waiting for the inevitable painful freeze to hit me. It never does. “You’ve got 15 seconds left,” I hear him say. “Five seconds left. …” And then I’m done. After, I feel a tingle, like I’ve taken a cold shower, but without the moisture. And as promised I feel invigorated. But do I feel healthier? I remember I woke up that morning with some back tension. I note that it’s now gone. Athletes and celebrities have embraced cryotherapy, with Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, “Dancing With the Stars” pro Derek Hough, actress Lindsay Lohan and famed
life coach Tony Robbins among those who have given it a try. Sarbello says Coast Cryo has a fair share of celebrity and pro-sports clients, including some Olympic athletes training for Rio this summer, but he’s not willing to name names. Most of his business, however, comes from just regular people seeking relief from a chronic injury that’s left them with nagging back, hip or knee pain. Those clients come in several times a week, Sarbello says. Cryotherapy is not cheap: at Coast Cryo even the best prices — $399 a month for unlimited use, or a 10-pack that breaks down to $47 a session — is steep for most. But “people will pay whatever to feel better,” Sarbello says. Sitting in Coast Cryo’s lobby, 38-year-old Bret Sciliano of Playa Vista emerges from his session. He’s clearly a devotee. “I use it mostly for therapeutic reasons. I’m training for the L.A. marathon,” Sciliano says. The frosty therapy is not unlike what athletes endure when they’re sitting in an ice-bath, he adds. “As simple as it sounds, it works. Three minutes, you’re done.”
Cryotherapy treatments can also pinpoint specific muscle tissue Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016 • 15
Photo by Angela Daves-Haley
Meet the
Marathon Goddess By Joe Piasecki
Santa Monica’s Julie Weiss has run 100 marathons to fight the disease that killed her father
F
or Julie Weiss, crossing the finish line at this year’s L.A. Marathon — her 100th marathon in just four years — was a milestone moment. More important to her, however, is all the good she’s done along the way. Weiss, 45, began running marathons to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer and to raise donations toward finding a cure after her father, Maurice Weiss, died suddenly from the disease. A Santa Monica accountant who didn’t get much exercise until she took up running with her father’s support, Weiss started getting the attention she was looking for in 2013 by completing 52 marathons in 52 weeks. The feat not only earned Weiss the right to blog as The Marathon Goddess, it sent a message of hope to families impacted by the disease and inspired donors to get involved. So far, Weiss has raised more than $350,000 for pancreatic cancer research and treatment organizations, and she hopes to raise $1 million in her lifetime.
What kind of physical and mental changes did you experience while running 52 marathons in 52 weeks?
When I started, it was a bit of a shock for my body. How do you train for 52 marathons in 52 weeks? You 16 • Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016
don’t. You train for one and hope for the best. My husband said he viewed it as one giant ultramarathon that lasted an entire year, because it was really all about recovery. When I got to marathon No. 5, my body started getting used to it. The consistency was good. Everything also began to take on a deeper meaning mentally and emotionally after I decided to reach out to people who were impacted by pancreatic cancer and dedicate each marathon to one of them. When I reached out to people, they would reach out to me. I would think about them and they would sometimes run with me, which gave me energy that I didn’t even know I had. When things got hard, I would think about these people and their battles.
Now that you’ve reached 100 marathons, what’s next?
The amount of love, the amount of money we’ve raised, the people we’ve reached all over the world — it’s just been incredible. I’m still high on the [100th] marathon, but I really do want to finish a book. I want to be able to get my message out there without having to run another 100 marathons! I guess I don’t know exactly what I want to do, but I know I’m not done. My mission in life since my father passed away is to raise money and hope and awareness for fighting this disease until we have a cure.
How does that feeling compare to before you started running, when you were on antidepressants?
I ran my first marathon in 2008. Before that I was 37, overweight, severely depressed. Sort of stuck on autopilot. I found myself a divorced single mom raising two teenage kids, and deep inside my soul I knew I just wasn’t living. When I started running I began to instantly feel more positive. I felt alive. Connected. Like I finally found my groove, finally found my life again. I needed those antidepressants at the time. They probably saved my life. Some people do need antidepressants. There’s nothing wrong with them, but for me running eventually became my antidepressant. And my dad, right away, became my biggest fan. We didn’t have the best relationship as I was growing up, but instantly I felt more proud of myself, more confident. And he became more proud of me. That’s when I signed up for my first marathon.
And that’s when running the Boston Marathon became a goal?
It was our dream for me to qualify for the Boston Marathon and for us to go to Boston together. I think I ran 18 marathons trying to qualify for that race. I ran the Long Beach Marathon and missed Boston by two minutes. The very next day my father calls and tells me he’s been diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer and there was nothing the doctors could do.
I had another race five weeks away and he was going to come to Sacramento to see me qualify. He never made it. I knew I had to do something big in honor of my dad. My fastest race ever, still to this day, was when I qualified for Boston 10 days after my dad died. I ran the California International Marathon in Sacramento in three hours, 47 minutes and 19 seconds.
What’s your advice for people who are taking up running?
A lot of people make the mistake of going out too fast and burning themselves out. Start off with a running group or make a plan with a friend. Keep it fun; keep it slow, especially if you’re a new runner. Keep it to where you can talk to people and you’re not out of breath. I started out with L.A. Roadrunners, the official training group for the L.A. Marathon. They meet at Westminster Avenue Elementary School. The power of the group will get you through. In some ways, your motivation found you. What would you say to motivate people who just want to make a change in their own lives? Think of something bigger than yourself. If you’re running for a cause or a friend, it takes on a whole new meaning. Connect with others. Inspiration is contagious. Learn more about Julie Weiss and how to support her fundraising efforts at marathongoddess.com.
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Life Adjustment Team — celebrating its 35th anniversary of helping people
he Life Adjustment Team (LAT) is now celebrating almost four decades of helping T thousands of people to become exceptional
examples of hope and recovery. Pete Linnett founded the Life Adjustment Team in 1977 to help people successfully discharge and stay out of psychiatric hospitals by developing an overall support system that picks up where western medicine leaves off, and exponentially increasing the odds of successful recovery. “What I noticed when I worked with psychiPete Linnett atric hospitals back in the ‘70s was that it was very difficult to watch a family crushed by a doctor diagnosing a loved one with schizophrenia, with the implication that there is no hope. When the latest breakthroughs in technology are combined with a proven recovery system like the Life Adjustment Team, a high percentage of people go on to lead positive and productive lives. Some of our clients have even become professionals and returned to help the mental health community,” said Linnett. Using a holistic body, mind, spirit approach, LAT treats individuals with mental illness and addictions by providing high-quality, dignified in-home support systems using proven treatment concepts that help patients recover and advance in every aspect of their lives. The Life Adjustment Team can help those diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, autism spectrum disorders, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders. The family is also provided with guidance, support and education to become a member of the treatment team, when appropriate. During the initial consultation with Life Adjustment Team professionals, families are shown clear and concrete steps that have to be taken to resolve their situations. They are shown that these steps can help their loved ones, and begin to feel hope. After a few months
of treatment, many families have called to express gratitude to the Team because they have gotten their son or daughter back. The Life Adjustment Team spends as much as 10 to 15 hours a week with clients, helping them with tasks that are the hardest for them. Western medications treat the illness and not the person, and while medications and a therapist are critically important, the first just treats the symptoms and the second is only an hour or two a week. Using a team approach, LAT works in conjunction with the client’s psychiatrist, therapist or other treatment provider. While significant progress has been made in developing new medications that treat the symptoms of mental illness, the transformational, self-empowering state-of-the-art rehabilitation that the Team provides is now being recognized globally by doctors and the mental health community at large as the driving force behind what leads to successful recovery. The Life Adjustment Team is located at 11936 Jefferson Blvd., in the gateway to Playa Vista. For information, please call 310-572-7000 or visit our website at www.lifeadjustmentteam.com
TESTIMONIAL
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate everything that you have done for me. I am currently holding down several jobs and have a 3.9 grade point average in school. I’m living independently outside of institutions and things are going great. There’s no way that I would be where I am today had it not been for your care and compassion and the Life Adjustment Team’s help and guidance. — Stacy
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LIFE ADJUSTMENT TEAM
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310.572.7000 • 11936 Jefferson Blvd., Suite B, Culver City 90230 18 • Fitness Health & Beauty Guide 2016
Weight Loss Program Gastric Sleeve, Lap Band, Gastric Bypass, Tummy Tuck
Even the best bariatric surgery cannot be a success without significant lifestlye changes. For this reason, we offer comprehensive treatment for weight loss, providing guidance in nutrition and exercise. Dr. Naim also offers a monthly support group, patient coordinator to answer all questions and set up regular follow up appointments. There is no program fee and all of these services are included in the cost of your procedure. To set up an appointment call 310-305-9200. Featuring Dr. Joseph Naim, Board Certified General Surgeon/Bariatric Specialist
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