Mindbody July 2015

Mind Body +

Summer 2015

2015 NortherN Colorado Super WomeN Issue

Presented by

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 1

LOCAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 600

President/Publisher Kathy Jack-Romero kathyjackromero@coloradoan.com Executive Editor Kristin Deily kdeily@coloradoan.com Creative Director Erika Moore erikamoore@coloradoan.com Content Editor Holly Engelman hollyengelman@coloradoan.com Digital Editor Claire Whitworth cwhitworth@coloradoan.com Project Manager Sara Cagle saracagle@coloradoan.com Advertising Director Tyler Kidd tylerkidd@coloradoan.com Marketing Manager Sarah Armstrong saraharmstrong@coloradoan.com Ad Services Manager Matt Varns mattvarns@coloradoan.com Copy Editors

Victoria Murray, Joe Mathis-Lilley, Sarah Diamond

1300 Riverside Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80524 Call (970) 416-3991 | Fax (970) 224-7726 Š2014 Coloradoan Media Group. All rights reserved. PLEASE NOTE that the articles contained in this publication are meant to increase reader awareness of developments in the health field. Its contents should not be construed as medical advice or health instruction on individual health matters, which should be obtained directly from a health professonal.

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Get Style

Get to Work

Navigating summertime work wear 8

Redefining your career path 36

Departments 5 steps to pattern proficiency 10

Features

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Northern Colorado Super Women – 2015 Edition

Get Beautiful A look at Lovely Lady Products 14 Give your face some TLC 18

Get Fit Get fit without the gym 19 Doing the leg work 22 Project:Purpose Update 24

Get Healthy Campfire Cuisine 26 To market, to market 32

Don’t be that person at work 38

Get Centered Morning ritual 39 Knocking down stress 40

Get Home Eat your greens ... and yellows ... and reds ... 42

Get Out Meet Mama Lenny and The Remedy 44 Body movin’ 46 Make it a movie night under the stars 48

Climbing toward confidence

Past Mind+Body Super Women provide advice on embracing your self-worth.

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Expanding your interests

presented by

Don’t let fear, funds, or feelings hold you back from trying something new

on the cover 2015 Featured M+B Super Woman Denny Moyer Mind+Body/Summer 2015 5

Contributors

Stacey McKenna Andrew Kensley

Writer/physical therapist Andrew writes features for Mind+Body Magazine and the University of Colorado Health Insider, and he has written a parenting column, features, and travel content since 2009 for the Fort Collins Coloradoan. He writes a parenting blog, The Dad Life, has published short fiction and completed a literary novel in addition to working as a physical therapist. Follow Andrew on twitter: @amkbean.

Writer

Stacey McKenna is an anthropologist, freelance writer, and yoga instructor living in Fort Collins.

An avid rock climber, animal lover, and traveler, Stacey compulsively collects new and challenging experiences. You can find her writing at www.anthropologyofthefamiliar. blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter: @mckenna_stacey.

Get to Work Sponsor

Susan Larson

Personal Finance Contributor

Rachel Metzgar Writer

Rachel writes to give others new perspective on subjects ranging from food to theology. She cares for patients as a CNA at Pathways Hospice.

6 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Susan and her husband, Derek, are thrilled to have made Fort Collins their forever home two years ago. She is a financial advisor, public speaker, writer, and founder of the nonprofit Intentional Spending. You can follow her posts on LinkedIn: https://www. linkedin.com/in/susanlarson1 or at facebook.com/SusanLarsonFinancial AdviserNorthernColorado.

Welcome to the Super Women issue!

Summer is the time when Mind+Body celebrates the amazing women in our community. These Super Women are some of the unsung heroes of our community, quietly doing amazing things and benefitting those around them with their selfless efforts. Fame is not their objective, but it is our pleasure to provide a platform for these women to be recognized for the positive contributions they make in the lives of others.

These women come from all walks of life and they use their passion, energy, and hard work to benefit our community in many ways. But the one thing they share above all else is their ability to inspire others. All of these women were nominated by a family member, a friend, a co-worker or someone else who wanted to bring their accomplishments to light. The M+B team feels so lucky to have the opportunity to share their stories with our readers, and we would like to ask everyone to join us in giving them a heartfelt congratulations and a huge thank you for everything they do for

Kristin Deily is the executive editor for Mind+Body. Kristin is in charge of the magazine as a whole, setting the tone and direction for content, making sure all of the moving pieces come together effectively and ultimately ensuring the publication is growing. She spends most of her time chasing missing pieces, herding cats, and making sure we have a magazine out the door.

Follow Mind+Body Online

our community. Read all about this year’s Super Women honorees starting on page 58.

While we are making introductions, the M+B team would like to introduce ourselves! This summer has been exciting for our team because not only have we brought together our second group of Super Women, we have gathered a new team to bring Mind+Body to our readers. M+B has undergone some changes, and our team is excited to continue to produce the kind of content you expect from the magazine, making the publication bigger and better all the time. While some of us have been working with the magazine behind the scenes for some time now, we would like to bring our own unsung heroes into the light and introduce them to our readers. We have some amazing women making Mind+Body happen, and we want our readers to know them, too.

So without further ado, please allow us to introduce the team behind Mind+Body.

Sara Cagle is the project manager for Mind+Body.

Sara oversees sales, sponsorship, promotion and ad revenues for the magazine. Sara is our go-to girl when something needs to get done, and is best described as a problem solver. She wears many hats for our team, but wears them all with confidence and panache.

Holly Engelman is the content editor of Mind+Body, and she’s responsible for assigning stories, managing freelancers, and editing content. Holly is the voice of our publication, making sure we are all well-spoken and, maybe more importantly, wellpunctuated. Holly is our wordsmith extraordinaire and ensures the quality of all of the M+B content.

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coloradoan.com/mind-body

Erika Moore has been creative director of Mind+Body magazine since 2012. Erika is responsible for the look and feel of the publication, from photography to marketing.

Erika is the visual guru behind the magazine, and acts as our creative catalyst as well as the glue that holds the publication together. If it looks good, it is because Erika created it.

Claire Whitworth is the digital editor for Mind+Body magazine.

Claire coordinates and curates content across all Mind+Body online channels.

To say Claire is a social butterfly with her finger on the pulse of Northern Colorado culture is an understatement. Claire lets us know what is happening, what is cool, and what we should be paying attention to. Luckily, Claire is good at getting those messages out to our readers as well, and is the voice of M+B on all of our digital platforms.

CMYK / .ai

MindBodyMag

mind.body.magazine

MindBodyMag Mind+Body/Summer 2015 7

get style

Navigating summertime work wear Dressing for the office during the summer can be tricky. Here are a few do’s (maxi dresses!) and don’ts (tube tops!)

DO: Be mindful of hemlines. As temperatures rise, it’s easy for hemlines to follow suit. When in doubt, opt for knee-length dresses and skirts to keep you cool while remaining polished and professional.

DON’T: Bring sheer fabrics to the office without proper undergarments. If you would wear it to a bar, you shouldn’t wear it to work. Headed to happy hour after the office? Layer a neutral cami under a sheer top and put a cardigan or blazer over the top for extra coverage in the workplace.

DO: Make maxi dresses your best friend. If you work in a more relaxed environment, or live for Casual Friday, make sure to have an arsenal of versatile maxi dresses. You’ll stay cool while looking professional, and you can easily head from your desk to dinner in a snap. Be sure to choose fabrics that are airy, such as chiffon or tencel, and steer clear of flimsy cottons or jersey materials that have a super-casual feel. Remember, it’s your office, not the beach!

DON’T: Wear halter, spaghetti-strap, or tube-top styles to the office no matter how adorable they might be. These items are best reserved for a day at the beach or a night out with friends and are too relaxed for the workplace. If you absolutely must wear a thin-strap tank, keep your layering piece structured, professional, and on your body all day at the office.

DON’T: Be afraid to play with color. Adding a bold, happy hue to your office attire plays to the “look good, feel good” mantra. Choose a bright, punchy color and build the rest of your look from there. Stick with neutrals to keep the look professional, while adding in pops of color with accessories to really pull it all together in a chic, cohesive way.* DO: Choose your footwear wisely. Remember, anything rubber belongs at the beach. Open toe is fine, but keep the heels — and wedges — around 2 inches max and save cork styles for the boardwalk bar. If you’re looking for a more relaxed style that still feels professional, opt for an espadrille wedge or flat.

DON’T: Forget to accessorize. If you work in an ultra-conservative environment and power suits are your only workplace-appropriate option, have some fun with color by adding a bold statement accessory, bag, or shoe to the look. If you’ve followed the rest of these rules, chances are you’ll have an easy time switching from desk to dinner wear in the snap of a finger when the clock strikes 5.

Kimberly Cauti is a New York-based writer/stylist who enjoys cooking, crafting, and being outdoors. She can be reached at kimberly.m.cauti@gmail.com.

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Photos: @kimberlycauti/polyvore.com, colored denim by @wntrdove/polyvore.com

DO: Choose light, airy materials. Linen and linen blends are everywhere this summer; they’re super versatile and totally affordable. Try a monochromatic color pallet for a workweek chic look. Another easy breezy option is a great structured denim dress that can easily dress up or down with the swap of an accessory.

get style

Shirts blouse $13, River Island coat $55, St. John red pants $395, Gianvito Rossi pointy-toe pumps $670, Kate Spade pink purse $398, Ashley Stewart gold bangle $6.98, Cz earrings $33.

Blue dress $26, J.Crew j crew shoes $250, Lipsy bucket purse $165, Oscar de la Renta pink ring $167, Elizabeth and james jewelry $175,

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 9

get style

5 steps to pattern Does the thought of mixing patterns stress you out?

Let these recommendations be your guide

Kimberly Cauti is a New York-based writer/ stylist who enjoys cooking, crafting, and being outdoors. She can be reached at kimberly.m.cauti@gmail.com. Follow @kimberlycauti on polyvore.com.

Treat stripes as a neutral

Invert your patterns

Keep colors monochromatic

When in doubt, show your stripes. If you’re looking to try a bold print but aren’t feeling confident in your pattern-mixing abilities, add stripes to the look. Find an item that pulls out one color of your bold print for a more cohesive look. Try continuing the stripe pattern in your accessories to pull together the look in a fresh, modern way.

A super chic, easy way to nail the patternmixing trend is to choose one print with identical colors and invert the pattern in your pairings. Have a black-and-white polka dot top? Pair that with a white polka dot skirt.

Keeping one pattern bolder than the other keeps things from getting too matchy-matchy and helps to soften the look.

Find prints and patterns that have one common color throughout and pull your look together with accessories in that same hue. Keeping things in the same color family allows for a light, airy look that is perfect for summertime.

NLST striped tee $129, Mara Hoffman high rise pencil skirt $158, Liliana strappy booties $45, Brown crossbody $25, Kasturjewels deco jewelry $150.

Leopard cardigan $39, Crewneck sweater $14, Paige Denim white skinny jeans $185, Steve Madden high heel shoes $89, Quilted purse $28, Alexis bittar earrings $245.

Chloé white shirt $950, Michael Stars Striped Tie Shorts $36, Sol Sana flat shoes $62, Kate Spade evening handbag $107, Marc by Marc Jacobs stainless steel bracelet $195, Kurt Geiger aviator sunglasses $62.

10 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

proficiency

Mix pattern and texture

Layer

Love the idea of pattern-mixing but not sure you can pull it off? Start small by mixing textured knits with patterned pieces.

Remember to choose a color in the print to repeat through the rest of the look for a polished ensemble.

A great way to try pattern-mixing is by layering. Start with a floral bottom and layer a plaid shirt under a chambray button down — in the same color family, of course — for a touch of the trend. You can also break up patterns by layering on a wide belt for a more cohesive look.

Alice Olivia tunic $166, Dolce Gabbana A line skirt $590, Topshop pink shoes $47, Marc by Marc Jacobs leather purse $210, Jennifer Zeuner necklace $253, Madewell vintage jewelry $28.

ModCloth Feeling Fab Top $34.99, Button down shirt $22, Abercrombie & Fitch Isabelle Jacquard Pants $68, Topshop leather shoes $25, ALDO brown bag $50, Silver earrings $18, Marc by Marc Jacobs Silver Mesh Peggy Bracelet $200

get style

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 11

get style

fun

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Keep cool this summer in a Straw Cowboy Hat, choose from a variety of ladies’ styles, starting at $23; Minnetonka sandals in a wide selection of colors and styles, $30 and up. Santa Fe Craftsman, Downtown Fort Collins, 970-224-1415, santafecraftsman.com

12 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Gear up for summer fun! Necklace featuring assorted jasper, $89.98, matching Earrings, $27.98; Ladies’ T-Shirt with bike motif, $17.98; Wine sign, $8.98. Alpine Arts – representing Fort Collins & Colorado. Alpine Arts – The Colorado Showcase, Downtown Fort Collins, 970-493-1941

Going fishing? Make sure your angler has the best sun protection possible with Vitamin D-enriched Trilipiderm SPF 30, 8oz pump $38.50, includes 3oz tube gift with purchase ($18.50 value). Shown with gurgling fish pitchers from GurglePot in a rainbow of hues, available in three sizes $7.50 to $45. EsScentuals, Downtown Fort Collins, 970-484-7862

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get beautiful

M+B tries it:

A look at Lovely Lady Products Members of the Mind+Body team tried three products from Lovely Lady, a Northern Colorado company, for about a week. Here’s a rundown of the products we tried and what we thought about them The Product

What we thought

Everlasting Skin Toner

From the website: It will restore the skin’s natural balance while toning and refining your pores ... This product is multi-functional, serves as an after shave spray for men, helping with razor burns and cuts. It’s also wonderful for stopping the itch after a mosquito bite.

Everlasting-Argan Solid Lotion Moisturizer in Lavandin Grosso

From the website: Our deeply nourishing Lavandin Grosso Solid Lotion, complete with helichrysum and argan oils, works well for sensitive and itchy skin, dry elbows, rough feet and hands, cracked or irritated skin ... Unlike traditional lotions, it will simply melt as it is applied to your skin, absorbing quickly and sealing the moisture inside. ...

Everlasting-Argan Neroli Conditioning Shampoo Bar

From the website: Our nutrient enriched shampoo bar functions as an all-in-one shampoo and conditioner to gently cleanse and nourish your hair. This concentrated formula has an exclusive selection of plant essentials and oils ... that are sure to leave the hair smooth, soft and supple, without chemical or greasy residues.

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Claire Whitworth: I found this interesting since toner is not something in my current body-care routine. It had a clean feeling when I put it on my face.

Holly Engelman: The toner felt refreshing, but I didn’t see any changes in my skin.

I noticed in the product description that the toner can be used to reduce itching related to mosquito bites; I’m eager to use it for this purpose.

Kristin Deily: While I thought this product smelled lovely and felt refreshing, I am not a user of toner as a part of my regular routine. As such, I didn’t notice any real change in my skin one way or the other.

Erika Moore: I admit it. I wimped out on this one.

I suffer from rosacea that is pretty under control at the moment and my past experiences with toners spooked me ... a lot.

CW: I am a fan of lotion bars since they’re easier to handle; somehow, I manage to get regular lotion on my clothes or elsewhere. The bar seemed greasy at first, but the more I lathered it in, the more it really seemed to be absorbed.

HE: Of the three products we tried, I liked the solid moisturizer the most.

I’d never used a solid before, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easily it glided onto my feet and legs and that it stuck around for a while without feeling greasy.

KD: This one was an easy sell for me.

I love solid lotion, and I think it works better for my skin than anything else.

I happily added this product to my purse and enjoyed it. The one drawback is that it is easy to get overenthusiastic in application and end up with too much on your hands.

Once you are used to the consistency, however, this product is lovely.

EM: I like the lotion the best. This was my first time trying a solid moisturizer and it took me a couple of tries to get the hang of it — a little goes a long way — but I love that it wasn’t overly greasy.

I also liked that when I washed my hands after using it, they still felt moisturized without feeling slimy.

CW: This wasn’t quite for me (I have extremely oily hair), but my fiancé has a dry scalp and thought it did a great job for his hair and scalp. I do love the size of the bar, since the shower is always so cluttered.

HE: The shampoo bar was not a good match for my thick, persnickety hair, but it did make my daughter’s thinner hair softer and added volume to it.

KD: My long, brittle, fine hair tends to frizz easily, and it’s prone to excessive dryness and listlessness. I think this product will be a fabulous weekly addition to my routine to remove product buildup.

After the first use, my hair was soft with great body that stayed until the next day. But I don't think I could use it daily.

EM: After using it for a week, the texture of my fine hair does feel softer, and I’ve noticed that it has a great shine to it.

The scent is very subtle and I don’t even notice after my hair dries (unlike other, more aromatic shampoos). But I think my overly sensitive skin may be allergic to one of the essential oils as it left my scalp itchy.

get beautiful

Fort Collins company focuses on clean and healthy solutions for taking care of our skin and the planet

Lovely Lady Products out of Fort Collins manufactures waterless organic and gluten-free body-care products — from bath bars and conditioning shampoo bars to oils and lotions — for women and men. Its founder, former model Cheryl Caspi, talks about her business experience and what sets Lovely Lady Products apart: Tell us about Lovely Lady Products.

How did it get its start? “… What I place inside of my body has been a very personal journey in terms of seeking good health, which led me to found Lovely Lady Products.

Why? Within the gluten-intolerant community, many of us live a life committed to keeping wheat and gluten out of our bodies in an effort to stay healthy. However, over the years, I’ve learned that it’s not enough; we also must be aware of all the toxins and chemicals we are placing on our bodies as well. Whether a person is suffering from an autoimmune disease or not, up to 70 percent of what is placed on the body finds it way inside.”

What makes Lovely Lady Products unique among a crowded body-care market?

“Lovely Lady Products is the first body-care company to win a Conservation Award, recognized as Innovator and Entrepreneur of the Year for our bold stance on the development and marketing of organic, fair trade, gluten-free and ‘green’ products as well as our dedication to water conservation. The Earth, the air we breathe, and the

people we share the planet with; definitely worthy causes for such efforts. Water is essential to our way of life, and our economy, environment and day-to-day lifestyle requires water to flourish. Unfortunately, our water supplies are limited and we must learn how to use water wisely every day.

Water is not a necessary ingredient for producing body care, and we here at Lovely Lady Products make a conscious effort to eliminate the need for it in all our products except for the natural water that comes from the distillation of the plants that we use to formulate our hydrosol toner.

By doing so, we avoid the need to place harsh and dangerous chemicals in our products; and we are able to concentrate nutrients for maximum results, thus creating an exquisite line of plant-based organic products with effective and exceptional properties.”

Lovely Lady Products Website: lovelyladyproducts.com Phone number: (866) 453-4870 Mailing address: 1001 E. Harmony Road, Suite A-501, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 15

Banner Health

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SUNSHINE SAFETY Learn the signs of melanoma and how to protech yourself and your family.

As summer settles into the Northern Hemisphere, we may find ourselves relishing the lengthy, sun-drenched days.

Whether you enjoy hiking into the wilds or delight in lounging lakeside with your favorite novel, you’ll certainly encounter Colorado’s abundant sunshine.

And the sun has all kinds of great benefits, from helping our bodies convert vitamin D to brightening moods. But over-exposure can carry with it some profound risks, including melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. But what is it and how can you avoid it?

What is Melanoma?

There are three types of skin cancers, broken into two basic categories: melanomas and nonmelanomas. Non-melanomas, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous carcinoma, are the most common types of skin cancer. They are limited to the skin and generally remain non-invasive. Because they tend to be localized, they are fairly straightforward to remove.

Melanomas, however, are far more likely to metastasize, meaning they will spread throughout the body, including to the lymph nodes and other organs.

This tendency toward metastasis makes melanoma potentially fatal, and as such, it is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

16 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Banner Health

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Dectecting Melanoma Follow the ABCDE’s of melanoma as outlined by the Skin Cancer Foundation for a straightforward visual evaluation.

Abnormal Mole • Asymmetry • Border irregularity • Color variation • Diameter—anything over 6mm in diameter (the size of a pencil eraser) • Enlargement

Scott Schaffer, MD

Normal Mole • Symmetry • Even borders • Uniform color • Diameter—smaller than 6mm in diameter • No enlargement

specializes in family medicine at Banner Health Clinic, 303 Colland Drive in Fort Collins. To schedule an appointment call (970) 821-3031 or visit bannerhealth.com

According to Dr. Schaffer, “selfexams are helpful Like other cancers, melanoma is assessed in “stages” determined by the thickness of the cancerous area. The superficial or early stages of the disease are very thin, and removal of the affected area should suffice as a cure. However, as the growth thickens, consequences grow more serious. Cancers of two millimeters or greater in thickness are considered especially noteworthy and are associated with a higher chance of reaching the lymph nodes and higher rates of fatality.

How Common is Melanoma?

Though melanomas remain less common than non-melanoma skin cancers, their incidence is increasing in the US. According to Banner Health’s Dr. Scott Schaffer, 10,000 Americans died of melanoma in 2014 and we saw a total of 75,000 diagnoses. Melanoma is the 5th most common cause of death among men and the 7th most common in women.

One in 40 men and 1 in 60 women will get melanoma in their lifetimes. Incidence of the disease increases with age, with the vast majority of patients diagnosed after the age of 40.

Diagnosing Melanoma Early detection of melanoma is key for minimizing risk for the most severe consequences. But how can you catch this disease early?

to ensure a timely diagnosis.” Regularly check your moles and skin for changes. While incidences are higher in irregular moles, melanoma can occur on both skin and moles, as well as new moles and ones you’ve had all your life. evolution—watch for rapid changes Online photos of cancerous moles and skin areas can be used in self-diagnosis, but the best option is to see a doctor if

How Do I Avoid It? Due to its potentially grave consequences, the best approach to melanoma starts with prevention.

Sun exposure is the primary cause of melanoma and other skin cancers. In particular, tanning booths and childhood sun exposure have been closely associated with increased incidence of the disease. Approximately 10% of melanoma cases may be linked to genetic factors, but there is no test at the current time.

you notice any changes. “Use all of the resources you have out there, including self-exams and comparisons to images of known cancerous spots, but be sure to go to the doctor as soon as you suspect an issue,” says Dr. Schaffer. Including a skin exam as part of a routine physical is another simple way to avoid missing these important skin changes. Once a potential problem is identified, Dr. Schaeffer urges, “biopsy should be quick to follow.”

Treatment If a diagnosis of melanoma has been confirmed, treatment should occur as quickly as possible. The growth will be excised and depending on the growth’s thickness, a lymph biopsy may be performed to determine whether metastasis has occurred. Early stage growths are often treatable with excision alone, but if the melanoma has spread, treatment can be difficult, with the potential for poor outcomes.

Protect yourself While avoiding the sun in sunny states like Colorado can seem like a daunting challenge, Dr. Schaeffer has several tips.

• *Don’t forget your sunscreen! To date, wearing properly applied sunblock has been shown to be the most effective prevention against melanomas and other skin cancers.

• *In addition, wearing hats and long sleeved shirts or pants and seeking out shade can be helpful.

• *Remember that childhood exposure— especially blistering sunburns—is one of the greatest risks for developing melanoma later in life. Keep kids covered up!

get beautiful ask the beauty expert

Ali Crowley is a Fort Collins native. She is a hair stylist, makeup artist, and the owner of The Cutlery Salon.

She can be reached at ali@cutlerysalon.com.

Give your face some TLC Are foundation primers and/or makeup-setting sprays effective at improving makeup’s staying power? Are they worth it?

Yes! And yes! For the best results, use all of the above.

Primers help even out skin tone and your skin’s surface so that makeup has a chance at being applied evenly. This helps prevent creasing and product buildup around the nose, mouth, etc. If you can bear a second step before the setting spray, use a powder to set the foundation (for extra insurance). Then mist your face with a setting spray to lock it all in; it acts like a finishing hairspray to an up-do, so it’s a must!

What is one beauty item women should splurge on?

Foundation/BB cream/tinted moisturizer — whichever you prefer — because it’s the one product that sits on the majority of your face. Your skin is an organ and absorbs whatever is on it. Treat it right with a face product that is natural — free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, mineral oils, silicones, etc. Also, make sure it matches your skin. There are many tools available to make sure you don’t end up with the “clown mask” look, including Sephora’s Color IQ tool that digitally matches your skin tone to any product.

What are the best bronzers to make your face look sun-kissed, not orange?

I love stila’s Stay All Day Bronzer for face and body. It’s the perfect blend of sun-kissed brown and gold — without the orange undertone. Just apply to the hollows of the cheeks, sides of the nose, and underneath the chin. And feel free to add some color to your body — this color looks great on the chest, tops of shoulders, and shins.

What is the difference between BB cream and CC cream?

They’re both packed with helpful properties like evening out skin tone, moisturizing, SPF, light reflection, and priming.

The only thing CC cream adds is a bit more color-correcting for skin with extra redness or dark spots. With either one, you can’t lose.

From top to bottom, Ali recommends: Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray, tarte BB Tinted Treatment, Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream, stila Stay All Day® Bronzer, and Dior's Diorshow waterproof mascara.

18 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Is it really worth wearing waterproof mascara in the summer?

I’m not a fan of waterproof mascara because of the harsh drying effects and impossible removal at the end of the day. But if you must — wedding-day tears, swimming pool, camping — try one that won’t leave you with stringy, wilted lashes. My favorite is Diorshow Waterproof. Just make sure to be gentle when removing it; use coconut oil and let it sit for a few minutes before massaging with your fingers to loosen up the product.

Get fit without the gym

get fit

Inject some variation into your running, biking, and swimming workouts There are many things you can do to add variety to your running, biking, and swimming workouts to keep them fun, challenging, and still functional.

Here are some ideas you can try to take an ordinary workout and make it extraordinary: Running » Walk/run backward for 1 minute every mile. » Insert drills (like the Fartleks in the next bullet point) of your choice in the middle of a run. » Fartlek (speed play) run but instead of increases in speed, do exercises: pushups, squats, jumping jacks, skipping, etc. » Walk/run backward uphill. » Run a new route or find a new offroad trail. Visit Larimer County’s Natural Resources website for inspiration: www. co.larimer.co.us/parks/parkareas.htm » No watches, GPS, iPod, etc. — just run!

Biking » Do a normal training route in the opposite direction (good for runs, too). » On a flat to slightly rolling route, use only one gear (great for cadence work). » Bike to work or use your bike for errands instead of driving. » When it’s safe, see how long you can ride on the white line.

Swimming » Swim to the bottom of the pool and watch swimmers from underneath (it’s a great way to see technique from another view point). » Go for a lake swim (consider bringing a wetsuit). » Swim the IM (individual medley: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle) in reverse order. » Work with paddles, fins, and snorkels together or experiment with different combinations. » Breathe on your nondominant side during warmup and cooldown. » Have someone film you swimming for a look at your technique. » Take a private lesson to work on technique.

Eric Neilsen is a multisport coach and consultant helping athletes reach their full potential.

For more information visit coachericneilsen.com.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 19

Banner Health

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That's gonna leave a bump How to tell if its just a bump on the head or something more serious

Dr. Christy Young

Concussions are something that many of us know something about. As active outdoors people w know we are supposed to wear helmets when travelling at high speeds on our bikes, horses, or motorized vehicles, or when we are engaging in contact sporting activities.

Unfortunately many of us have also experienced concussions first hand or through those close to us, because try as we might, we are often not as careful as we should be with our heads.

We asked Dr. Chisty Young, Board Certified Neurologist with Banner Health in Greeley to share her insight about concussions, and what everyone should know to keep themselves and their loved ones as safe as possible.

What exactly is a concussion and what makes them concussions so dangerous?

“A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. It is a physical injury to the brain that disrupts normal functioning. A concussion can result from brain trauma caused by an impact or the sudden stopping of movement. A person does not need to lose consciousness, or pass out, to have a concussion.”

(American Academy of Neurology) Dangerous in terms of head injury is somewhat relative. Concussions or mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) can be dangerous if there is a head bleed, or other internal injuries. However, it is also “dangerous” because of the potential for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and dementia, as well as the possible increases Alzheimer’s, and the increased risk for seizures later in life.

A lesser known, but very severe possible immediate danger of Second-Impact Syndrome (SIS). SIS occurs when the brain swells rapidly, and catastrophically,

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Concussion symptoms according to the CDC: Physical symptoms: headache, nausea, vomit, balance problems, dizziness, visual problems, fatigue, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to noise, numbness & tingling Cognitive symptoms: mental fogginess, feeling slowed, difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering Emotional: Irritable, sadness, more emotional, nervousness Sleep: Drowsiness, sleeping less than usual, sleeping more than usual, trouble falling asleep

after a person suffers a second concussion before symptoms from an earlier one have subsided. This second blow may occur minutes, days or weeks after an initial concussion. It also puts you at higher risk for chronic issues discussed below.

Are concussions more dangerous for children than adults?

Childrens’ brains are still developing.

The white matter connections particularly in the frontal lobe that develops executive function and planning can be disrupted.

Behavioral issues can also develop with early concussion. There is ongoing research in this area to try to understand the implications.

We are hearing so much about concussions lately – with football players retiring due to risks associated with playing, and in youth sports. Are they more common now, or do we just know more about them?

We are developing American Academy of Neurology Guidelines for Concussion.

Assessment tools continue to be developed, as well. There is vast amount of research in the area, as well as state laws that have been put in place to help address the situation: The majority of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur in youth between the ages of five and 18. This age group is at an increased risk of experiencing a TBI and prolonged recovery (Gilchrist, Thomas, Xu, McGuire, & Corondo, 2011). In an effort to address this issue, Governor John Hickenlooper signed Senate Bill 11-040, also known as “The Jake

Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act,” into law on March 29, 2011. This law went into effect in Colorado on Jan. 1, 2012.The Colorado Department of Education developed “Concussion Management Guidelines” to educate school districts on S.B. 11-040 and to provide guidance to superintendents as they work to implement concussion management guidelines within their districts.

Visit www.cde.state.co.us to learn more about these initiatives.

What is the long-term effect of a concussion?

Long-term effects vary depending on the degree of concussion or mild traumatic brain damage, which exists on a spectrum of symptoms that also vary in chronicity.

Commonly patients report post-traumatic headache, post-concussive migraine, seizure management at times, chronic tinnitus, chronic pain, vestibular problems and complaints (dizziness), worsening depression, worsening chronic illness (especially autoimmune disorders), worsening anxiety symptoms, insomnia and other sleep disorders.

What are some of the symptoms of concussion?

Common symptoms usually occur in the first 1-2 weeks after a concussion incident are most severe with nausea, dizziness made worse with movement, light sensitivity, and headaches.

Sometimes patients continue to have a “post-concussive syndrome” after this initial time period. At Banner Health, we use the ACE concussion sheet (acute concussion assessment) developed by the CDC as part of our mission to work closely with our regional emergency rooms (Greeley, Fort Collins, and Loveland). Patients will be seen in our Concussion Clinic at Northern Colorado Medical Center within 2 weeks.

Banner PCP’s and therapists are part of the committee to coordinate Concussion care.

What should I do if I suspect I or my child may have received a concussion?

We usually see adult concussions after sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents,

or trauma. A sport related concussion to a child varies depending on initial symptoms, but regardless of these initial symptoms, they should stop the activity they are doing immediately. If they appear lethargic or complain of a “worst headache,” it would be conservative and cautious to have an emergency physician examine them and monitor with guidance.

Once the child or patient is release from ER they are given instructions to REST, avoid triggering factors (such as light for light sensitive concussive patients or movement for vestibular patients), increase fluids and nutrition then slowly with guidance from their PCP, neurologist, or surgeon to return to play, return to school, or return to work.

What is the best way to prevent concussions?

Prevention is difficult but certainly helmets are improving, rules are increasing safety, coaches are being trained in early recognition of concussion, and athletic trainers are quite effective in helping manage these acutely.

In order prevent further complications, it is so important is to not put oneself or others at risk for SIS. Players must be symptom free on all physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep symptom categories before returning to any play. Many college teams such as UNC have a fantastic program in their athletic department to recognize concussion and follow the student/athlete through the entire process to make sure they have resolved any symptoms before they return to a potentially risky situation.

Dr. Young is a neurologist with Banner Medical Group which operates neurology clinics in Greeley and Loveland. To schedule an appointment, please call (970) 350-5612 or visit the website at www.BannerHealth.com/NCMC

get fit fit in 20

Doing the leg work Get the most out of focusing on your lower body for 20 minutes

Training for any sport or fitness goal requires a time commitment. But it can be a difficult balancing act to get all of the physical training requirements and sleep in, while still having a functional work and personal life.

Given the limited amount of time one has to train some days, what can an athlete do to maximize that time?

Train in 20 minutes.

Strength There are plenty of exercises to choose from, but I have narrowed it down to these six: squats, single leg squats, side lunges, single leg roman lifts, step-ups and calf raises. Option No. 1: Two sets of 8-12 repetitions (reps) before moving on to the next exercise circuit. Option No. 2: One set of 8-12 reps of each exercise, then repeat.

When starting out, work with a weight you can manage comfortably as you learn the specific movements of each exercise.

Once you can comfortably complete sets of 12 reps, consider adding additional weight. Reduce the number of reps back to 8 and gradually build back up as you gain strength.

22 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Cardio Similar to strength work, there are lots of options for cardio for the legs. We’ll focus on walking, hiking, biking, running, and stair climbing. Most of these can be done in the gym or outside.

Option No. 1: Perform one cardio exercise for 20 minutes and progress your effort through the duration based on level of fitness and training objective for the day.

Option No. 2: Combine multiple cardio exercises. For example, ride 10 minutes on the bike, run for 5 minutes, and stairclimb for 5 minutes. With any of these, you can add hills to increase heart rate and build more strength going up. If outside, going slightly downhill will allow you to improve your ability to move your legs faster as gravity kicks in.

Mix it up Feel like fitting in both cardio and strength training in 20 minutes? Perform one cardio exercise for a 3- to 4-minute warmup, then do two sets of three strength exercises, or one set of all strength exercises, then finish with a different cardio choice. There are endless ways to combine pieces of a workout to meet your goals for the day and maximize what is available to you.

Exercise should be fun, so don’t be afraid to mix things up from time to time for more variety or to challenge yourself. Twenty minutes is better than nothing for the timecrunched athlete.

Eric Neilsen is a multisport coach and consultant helping athletes reach their full potential. For more information, visit coachericneilsen.com.

get fit project:purpose

Project:Purpose 2015

Overcoming stress and seeing results We’re four months in and the Project:Purpose teams are hard at work overhauling their lifestyles. A key component of that change is meetings with Miramont Lifestyle Fitness wellness coach Kim Crady. Team Moms on a Mission, Stacey and Jennifer, have identified many of their personal blocks with Kim’s help and are implementing her coping strategies to propel their Project:Purpose to the next level.

Team Moms on a Mission: M+B: What do you find most helpful about wellness coaching with Kim? Stacey: We get to dig deep and explore what is holding me back from succeeding in certain areas.

Then we figure out ways to break through. It’s like having a life coach who helps me work toward being my best self and living my best life. Plus, I really enjoy having one more person there to help hold me accountable. She’s one more teammate cheering me on and helping me reach my goals.

Top right: Stacey with a friend at her first halfmarathon. Above: Stacey performs at an ariel silks class.

M+B: Why do you feel wellness coaching with Kim helps your process?

Stacey: Working out, running half-marathons, losing weight … they are all simple within themselves. You want to work out? Go work out. You want to lose weight? Eat healthy, eat less, and move more. Want to start running? Start running. Oh, but if it were truly that simple, we’d all be walking around as the best versions of ourselves.

Unfortunately, it is hard! I get in my own way. I hold myself back. I think negative things. … Wellness coaching helps me learn and process why it’s hard and helps me work to change that. Wellness coaching helps me pick small goals that I can work toward that help me succeed in the long run.

M+B: Has your stress level decreased, increased, or stayed the same since Project: Purpose?

Stacey: My level of stress has decreased. Although I am busier, I find myself being happier when I do more and when I take care of myself. My mind and body feel better when I eat well, drink water, work out, and sleep well.

M+B: Has your stress level decreased, increased, or stayed the same since Project: Purpose?

Jennifer: Kim and I have talked a lot about stress.

She gave me a questionnaire that had scores tied to stressful life events and issues and showed what level of stress puts people in a danger zone for affecting physical health. My score was significantly in the danger zone. Of course I knew that. That’s why I decided to take on this challenge. I really didn’t have a choice not to if I wanted to be healthy. But focusing on that has helped me look at decisions I make and ask the question, “Is this going to cause more stress or relieve it?” Initially, fitting in all the meetings for wellness coaching, nutrition coaching, and personal training felt very stressful. But Kim helped me identify that the source of the stress was that I was trying to fit them in during the workday. Once we figured that out and I scheduled everything in the early morning,

Meet the Support Team Michelle Stout

Kim Crady

Michelle Stout was born and raised in Grand Junction and then followed her passion for health and wellness to Fort Collins and Colorado State University. As a personal trainer and wellness coach at Miramont Lifestyle Fitness, Michelle has had the opportunity to impact the lives of her clients on a daily basis. Michelle specializes in many areas of fitness and is always willing to pursue a training method that will inspire her clients to achieve their goals.

Kim Crady is a certified health and wellness coach through Real Balance Global Wellness Services LLC. In addition to 15+ years working in the education system with adults and children, Kim has experience as a Third Degree Reiki Practitioner. Kim's coaching specialties include a clientcentered, whole-person approach, balancing fitness, stress management, and strength in supporting life transitions and transformation in people working through injury, loss, or health challenges.

24 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

project:purpose get fit

Left: Jennifer and her daughter at a recent soccer tournament.

Below: Jennifer smiles at the completion of a race.

on Saturday, or in the evening, my stress went down and I found more benefit from every meeting. It seems simple, but I couldn’t see it at first.

M+B: What have you discovered about yourself through Kim’s coaching?

Jennifer: Kim has helped me discover that I often live in fear and make decisions out of fear. It’s a hard pill to swallow. It means I have to face fear of failure, fear of others perceiving me poorly, fear of letting someone down, and evaluate what’s really true and not true. I may have started this project out of fear of being sick, and that can be motivating, but fear of other people’s perceptions will keep me from reaching my goals. Tough stuff. But so important in a process of lifestyle change.

M+B: Have you had an “a-ha” moment? Would you mind telling us about it?

Jennifer: My “a-ha” moment came when I saw the stress numbers. I knew I was feeling stress. I knew my health was suffering because of it. But seeing what contributed to stress was very enlightening. Now I can work to reduce specific stress factors. Most of them involved stress coming from change. While there is change I can’t control, I realized that changing too many things at one time was a huge contributor to stress in my life. Now I am focusing on making one change at a time. In this season, I’m focusing on my health. Other life changes can wait for another season.

Be sure to pick up September’s Mind+Body to catch up with Team LaRusso, and follow both teams online at coloradoan. com/mind-body.

Chelsea Hart

Kris Ball

Chelsea Hart has been with Miramont as a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor since 2007.

Originally from Woodland Park, she made her way to the University of Colorado at Boulder to study psychology, integrative physiology, and French. She has a passion for running, cookies, and for helping others discover their true potential through exercise and wellness.

Kris Ball is a Fort Collins native and has loved settling here with her husband, Mike, and three active boys. She has been a Registered Dietitian for 15 years and has been working with Miramont for 12 years, doing everything from personal training and nutrition counseling to teaching group fitness classes. Kris understands that in this fast-paced, fast-food world we live in, moderation is the key to finding a balanced, healthy lifestyle. She enjoys working out, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 25

get healthy

CAMPFIRE Hot days, cool nights, fishing poles at the ready — sounds like camping season to us! Just because you lack a stove doesn’t mean you're relegated to eating burgers and dogs. With a little bit of planning, you can enjoy a campside feast.

CUISINE

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get healthy

Trout tacos with lime-cilantro crema and fresh pico de gallo Serves 4

Fresh fish can sometimes be hard to come by in Northern Colorado, but the Poudre River is one of the places you find some. Get your fishing pole out and haul in your own daily catch for these tasty tacos. Or buy some pre-cooked shrimp to fill them, if that's more your speed.

Lime-cilantro crema Ingredients 1 cup crema 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 lime, juiced Salt and pepper to taste

Pico de gallo

Directions

Ingredients

Place crema, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and combine thoroughly.

4-6 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced 1/4 of a cucumber, seeded and diced 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1/2 jalapeĂąo, seeded and de-veined, chopped 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes Salt and pepper to taste

Directions Place tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, chives, garlic, jalapeĂąo, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl and combine thoroughly.

Place in refrigerator or cooler until ready to serve.

Trout filling Ingredients 1 or 2 Rainbow or Brook Trout (total weight of approximately 1 pound) 2 fresh limes, sliced 1/4 cup butter, sliced 2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Fresh dill Salt and pepper to taste 8 6-inch white corn tortillas 6 tablespoons queso fresco or jack cheese, grated

Directions

TIP: Any of the sauces will

keep from 4 days to a week so make them in the comfort of your kitchen and enjoy more time relaxing fireside with a good book.

Clean fish leaving head and tail intact. Pat dry inside and out. Place fish on a double thickness of aluminum foil. Sprinkle cavity with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lay lime slices evenly along cavity of fish. Place pats of butter in cavity of fish and sprinkle with chopped chives. Form a packet with foil and seal by folding all edges Place fish on a hot grill and cook for approximately 10 minutes.* Carefully remove packet of fish from grill and let rest 5-10 minutes before opening packet. Fold the foil back, carefully lift skin from fish and flake along the center line of fish, then lift the bone beginning at the tail and you have exposed the opposite side of the fish. Place in 2 white corn tortillas and top with cheese, cilantro, crema, and pico de gallo to taste. *Cooking time may vary depending on fish size. If you’re fortunate enough to land that lunker, 15 minutes may be needed. If you have several pan size fish, lay them side by side 2 per foil packet and cook the recommended 10 minutes.

get healthy

Grilled elote Serves 4

Olathe sweet corn is almost in season and this grilled corn recipe is a great way to serve it when you get tired of butter and salt.

Ingredients 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup crema 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped finely 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon lime juice 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 4 ears of corn 6 tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled or grated Additional chili powder to taste

Directions: Place mayonnaise, crema, cilantro, cumin, lime juice and chili powder in a small bowl and combine thoroughly. Set to side.

Pull the husk down and away from the corn cob without removing them (this can be used later as a handle when eating). Remove as much of the silk as you can and place on the grill or wrap in foil and place in coals. Cook until the kernels turn a nice golden brown and remove from heat.

Brush ears with the crema/mayonnaise mixture, sprinkle with cheese and chili power and serve.

No-bake s'mores cheesecake

Grilled elote

No-bake s’mores cheesecake Serves 12

The base of this sweet dessert needs to be made ahead of time and frozen to withstand the trip to the campsite. But roasting the marshmallows can be done over the campfire and is a great way to get the kids involved.

Ingredients 1/4 cup plus 1 cup heavy cream 2 ounces dark chocolate chips 8 graham crackers 1 stick of butter, melted 2 tablespoons of sugar 1 cup heavy cream whipped 16 ounces cream cheese

1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar 2 tablespoon cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla Pinch of salt 1 bag large marshmallows

Directions: For the chocolate ganache, in a small sauce pot, bring 1/4 cup of heavy cream to a boil.

Remove from heat, add chocolate chips, and let sit 5 minutes. Whisk cream and chocolate mixture until combined and smooth and set to side to cool In a food processor, blend graham crackers into coarse crumbles. Slowly add the unsalted butter until the mixture is wet and sticks together. Place the graham cracker mixture in a pie tin and spread with your fingers or the back of a fork until the mixture lines the bottom and sides of the pan evenly. Spread the chocolate ganache on the bottom and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat 1 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form and set to side.

Now prepare the filling. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in confectioner's sugar and vanilla, scraping down the sides as necessary.

Add the cocoa powder and cinnamon and beat until thoroughly combined. Fold in the whipped cream and spoon the mixture onto the graham cracker crust and smooth the top.

Place the pie in the freezer until you're ready to put it in the cooler. Toast and top with marshmallows campside.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 29

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Causes of infertility The decision to have children is often one of the most impactful decisions a woman will make in her life. While it often is a decision and execution which proceeds smoothly, sometimes there are issues which prevent success, and sometimes these issues are somewhat mysterious in origins.

As discussed in the previous issue of Mind+Body, there are many potential issues that women experience with fertility as they age. The causes may be a part of the normal course of aging, or they may be caused by something less typical.

Regardless, modern medicine provides potential solutions to many of the issues facing women attempting to successfully conceive and deliver a baby.

Dr. Antonio Barbera

Mind+Body spoke with Dr. Antonio Barbera, OB/ GYN about one of his areas of professional passion: female fertility and successful conception. Dr. Barbera has moved his successful practice in Greeley to the brand new Banner Health Fort Collins Medical Center, where he will continue to serve the Northern Colorado community with his unparalleled expertise.

When fertility issues are encountered, there are many potential causes. As outlined in the previous installment of this article, it is possible that these issues are simply the normal progression of fertility and the aging female reproductive system. While the “normal” process of aging was discussed in the last installment, there are also underlying causes that may be contributing to the overall issues.

Family History A great deal of how long and how easily women are able to conceive is dependent on their genetic background, though there is no direct correlation or perfect predictor. Usually women are able to conceive naturally up until 10 years before menopause, with 30 Mind+Body/Spring 2015

an average age of conception ending at 41. However, averages are by no means the rule for all women, and each case is truly unique.

The first step in determining the origins of conception problems is to get an extensive gynecological history, says Dr. Barbera. Depending on some of the things that have occurred with the patient in the past, clues to addressing the fertility issues may be discerned. Dr. Barbera also points out that whenever possible, it is helpful to know the family history. As previously mentioned, fertility is often heavily influenced by hereditary factors. For example, if a woman’s mother and grandmother were both able to have successful pregnancies later in life, it is likely that she will also be able to carry a pregnancy to term in her later years of fertility.

Further, the therapies that a mother may have undergone in her own pursuit of pregnancies may lend some clues as to what is affecting a woman’s attempts to conceive and what might be effective as therapy. If her mother was prescribed diethylstilbestrol (DES) during

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her pregnancy to prevent miscarriage and pregnancy complications, for example, it may have created complications linked to a woman’s issues with successfully carrying a child.

Personal History Knowledge of the time of menarche, what kinds of birth control have been used, any previous miscarriages, irregular periods, the number and nature of sexual partners, past fertility, STD/STI history, and episodes of PID may all give indications of the origins of the specific complications. The interplay of many different factors are often at the root of fertility problems, emphasized Dr. Barbera, which makes taking all possible factors into account very important. Some symptoms may seem trivial at the time, but may be indicating a larger problem that will not become evident until a woman is attempting to conceive.

For example, irregular or missed periods may be linked to eating disorders, athletes who maintain a very low level of body fat, a hormonal imbalance, or simply to an unknown cause. These symptoms may affect the reproductive system and the ability of a woman to conceive, not affect fertility at all, or be indicative of a larger problem. Reporting any missed or irregular periods is essential to diagnosing potential issues, says Dr. Barbera.

“Being attentive to the body and what is going on is essential to health in general, but I like to tell all of my patients to treat themselves as if they are always thinking about having children. Taking care of yourself shouldn’t be just for when you want to have a baby,” says Dr. Barbera.

Infections The lack of prompt, effective treatment of STI/STDs or other infections in the history of a patient may also affect ability to conceive later in life. These various infections are often linked, and STD/STIs can lead directly to PID when left untreated, allowing the infection to travel farther into the reproductive system.

PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) may compromise the various structures of the reproductive system, creating blockages in the fallopian tubes or damaging the cervix.

If the case is mild and treated quickly, the chances of normal conception are high, though with all of the above instances the

longer the condition remains untreated and the more severe the episode(s), the more likely it is to affect conception.

In addition to the above factors, there are several more acute conditions that may contribute to infertility. Some of these conditions are outlined below. By putting together the symptoms, often based on the history and experiences of the patient, says Dr. Barbera, one of the many possible causes of fertility difficulties can be diagnosed and effectively treated. Dr. Barbera highlighted some of the common conditions he sees in his practice that may be contributors to infertility.

Endometriosis Endometriosis is essentially the growth of uterine tissue outside of the uterus. The growth can occur in other organs, on the outside of the uterus, or in other areas of the abdomen, and the tissue responds to the menstrual cycles in the same way

the ability to conceive or carry a baby to term. Some conditions preclude fertility, while some make conception more difficult, and still others do not present any difficulty.

Cervical Mucus In order for the sperm to fertilize the egg it must be able to physically access the egg. This is where the mucus secreted by the cervix comes in, enabling the sperm to travel to the egg and remain nourished and protected. Poor quality or inadequate mucus can create complications for conception.

Uterine fibroids Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that grow in or just outside the uterus. Usually the fibroids do not affect fertility, but it may interfere with sperm movement by changing the shape of the cervix or uterus, or creating a blockage of the fallopian tubes.

While the above list does not include all of the potential causes of infertility, it does

“Whenever possible I like to tell my patients to relax, be healthy, keep trying, and let nature take its course. Sometimes you have to be patient, but the most natural way we can begin a life the better.” that the uterine tissue inside the uterus does. This is to say that the tissue builds up and sloughs off in the same way, causing severe pain, internal bleeding, scar tissue, and potentially other more serious complications. This often very painful condition may affect the chances of a successful pregnancy, but is not always a guarantee of infertility.

PCOS Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance. The body produces hormones that are out of the normal proportion, and this can trigger a cascade effect of hormonal changes, possibly causing cysts on the ovaries, a cessation of ovulation, and more obvious physical signs like acne, and the growth of extra hair.

The disruption of ovulation often leads to infertility, though this is not always the case.

Uterine or Vaginal Malformation There are many specific uterine or vaginal conditions where malformation may affect

highlight several of the causes Dr. Barbera sees in his practice as contributing factors to infertility. Mind+Body will continue the series on female fertility in future issues.

Fertility and female reproductive health are overwhelmingly large topics. Mind+Body has partnered with Banner Health to examine women’s health and fertility issues in depth in the magazine, in print, and on the Mind+Body website. Look for our future related topics, where we delve into more detail and depth on many women’s health and fertility issues in the coming months. Look for a follow-up articles on fertility in future issues of Mind+Body.

Dr. Barbera specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at the Banner Health Center at Banner Fort Collins Medical Center, 4700 Lady Moon To schedule an appointment, please call (970) 821-4500 or visit the website at www.BannerHealth.com/NCMC

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To market, to market 5 booths you need to visit at the Larimer County Farmers’ Market Blue Mountain Vineyard

Happy Leaf Kombucha Happy Leaf Kombucha uses fresh, handselected ingredients to give its kombucha interesting flavors.

One of the favorites is Cranberry Lavender, with has a burst of cranberry and subtle but noticeable hint of lavender to help offset the sourness of the cranberry. Happy Leaf Kombucha, out of Denver, even has its own refillable bottles.

One of the best parts about Saturday mornings — besides a delicious breakfast out, of course — is the Larimer County Farmers’ Market in Fort Collins. When many think of a farmers market, they think of produce. But this market has so much more. It features everything from homemade foods and treats — even for the pup — to crafts such as wood cutting boards perfect for those locally found breads and cheeses. Bakedgood breakfast options abound, and the market sometimes includes local entertainment.

Blue Mountain Vineyard out of Berthoud is a family-owned winery with 11 delicious wines to choose from, including favorites pinot noir, Gewurztraminer, and a sweet riesling — perfect for pairing with any dessert. Its pinot noir is one of the best found in Colorado.

32 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

MouCo Cheese Fort Collins’ own MouCo Cheese Company is as local as you can get. All ingredients are purchased in the Fort Collins area and used to make its spectacular cheese. One favorite is the ColoRouge, which has some spicy tones and a buttery flavor.

The Coffee Registry The Coffee Registry is always a top spot when hitting the farmers market. In addition to fresh, amazing whole beans, you can purchase a bottle of cold brew to enjoy while strolling through the market.

Coffee Registry coffee is brewed right here in Fort Collins.

Ingrained Bakery Ingrained Bakery has some of the best homemade butter and pizza dough in town.

The owner of Ingrained Bakery is a Fort Collins native and makes other amazing baked goods including breads, muffins, and chocolate chip cookies.

Larimer County Farmers’ Market When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays from now until Oct. 24 Where: 200 S. Oak St., Fort Collins Information: larimercounty farmersmarket.org

Claire Whitworth is the digital editor for Mind+Body magazine. She can be reached at cwhitworth@ coloradoan.com.

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Default Default to Open is a phrase I first heard while working in Silicon Valley for an Open Source Software company. My interpretation of “Default to Open” is transparency, honesty, open-mindedness, willingness and full-disclosure as my default starting position in the world as it relates to money or anything else.

It may seem like a bit of a leap to say that openmindedness is a critical component to financial success. But I know just how critical it is Susan Larson based on what I see every day. Here’s what my observations tell me.

Be open to receiving new information and to other people’s knowledge. Be willing to accept that some of the things you have been taught may not be 100% right, and may be 100% wrong.

Be open to sharing your financial successes, failures, questions and concerns with a trusted advisor. Don’t hold back.

Push through the shame, fear or anxiety that keep some of us stuck in our old money habits.

Be willing to fully disclose and accept the financial reality of your loved ones. You may not like what you hear. But if you are willing to listen, accept, and be open to finding ways to move forward productively you’ll be much more successful.

I try to always be open to learning. I learn a ton from the women I work with and turn to them frequenly to help my clients at times when their needs are beyond my scope of expertise. I have the privilege to be able to share some of their wisdom with you. I think you’ll see that there are some trends here about being brave in the face of fear and

approaching money matters with an open mind and an open heart.

These are principles I try to follow, and recommend to clients and friends alike.

Taxes Jaime Heveron, CPA shares her top five tips where openness can improve a situation.

Be open to that hard conversation.

Are you Jaime Heveron, CPA remarried, do you have a mixed family, is there a grown child who you are still supporting, or maybe you have a mother-in-law who will need extra help? Be open to these conversations early on to gain clarity and ensure everyone knows what the priorities are.

Be mindful of your business income. Too many people say “wow I made a lot of money last year, but where did it go?” Be intentional about where you are spending your money and never buy something to reduce your business taxes. Only buy things because you need them for your business.

Be open with yourself about your financial situation and don’t be afraid to ask questions. There are many resources available to help you learn more about things such as retirement, credit, taxes, and budgeting.

Be open to having other people help you. They are experts in their field. You can’t know everything.

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to Open Asking for help is not a reflection of your self-worth.

Share your experiences, share your knowledge and share your mistakes. You will help someone else avoid making mistakes and you will learn along the way.

Aging and downsizing Patty Wachter, Relocation specialist and Real Estate Agent has some good tips for folks dealing with relocating aging family Patty Wachter members or managing a loved one’s estate, including: Be open with family about what is most important. The clearer we are about our wishes, the more likely our legacy will be about love and memories rather than family fighting and divisiveness.

Remember that your behavior is your legacy. How we behave toward each other during difficult

stuff we accumulate.

Good advice for everyone I’ll leave you with one last little bit of advice from my grandmother. I find that when I have trouble maintaining my open mind and willingness to do better — whether my struggle is with money matters or anything else — thinking about her advice helps me get grounded and refocused.

When I was six, I came home from school and bombarded my grandmother with the story of how mean a girl at school was to me, what a terrible person she was and that I needed to get even with her. Without missing a beat, my grandmother stopped stirring whatever she was cooking, looked directly at me and said, “I’m so sorry your feelings were hurt.

Maybe you would feel better if you knew she wasn’t really a terrible person. Maybe she’s just having a very bad day and didn’t mean to take it out on you. Maybe she feels really bad about what she did.

Maybe she doesn’t have a grandma to talk to.”

Remember that your behavior is your legacy. How we behave toward each other during difficult times sets the tone for future generations. times sets the tone for future generations. Do you want your kids to remember you fighting over their grandmother’s stuff or celebrating her life with dignity and love?

Remain mindful about the fact that life is short and that it is our connections to other people that make a life, not the

In that moment, my grandmother taught me the value of an open mind and the value of being willing to see things from someone else’s perspective. To this day, that lesson informs the way I live and work.

I hope her advice works for you, too.

You can reach Susan at slarson@jbawealth.com or follow her on Facebook www.facebook.com/SusanLarsonFinancialAdviserNorthernColorado

get to work

Redefining your career path Changing course can be scary, but some deep thinking ahead of time can set you up for success Today, people rarely stay in one career; they jump at new opportunities to be more fulfilled or sometimes just to keep up with changing industries.

So what should you do when the time comes to embark on a new career adventure? The first step is to give yourself permission to change course.

Even if you envisioned spending your career life in the same field, realize that you are not stuck there. Possibilities are all around you.

Think outside the box

Identify what you don’t like about your current career

Are there certain tasks you don’t enjoy or don’t feel good at, like customer service, balancing numbers, or organizing meetings? Is it the work environment — i.e. are you happier sitting at a desk or on your feet; do you prefer interacting with people or working independently; do you like traveling or staying close to home? Make a list of “must-haves” for your new career.

NEW CAREER?

Focus on your strengths Think big, but try to set realistic goals that incorporate your skills. A couple of strategies may help you here.

First, talk to someone in the career you are thinking about — what will it take to succeed? Consider seeking out a parttime internship to see if your skills are a good fit. Next, start small and keep a safety net. Maybe you want to become a fashion designer — not a job where many people make it. So start working on designs on weekends and keep your current job for a steady income.

Get help to prepare Many people find it helpful to start with a career coach or an employment agency, but that’s not the only kind of help out there. Often, a new career means going back to school where you would meet with an adviser who can help. Or, if you are opening a small business, there are classes, consultants, and incubators to help you get started.

36 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

OLD JOB? BACK TO SCHOOL? ENTREPRENEUR?

You may feel completely fed up with your current career, but that doesn’t always mean you have to jump ship. Make a proposal to your boss to change what you don’t like or to cut back to part time in order to explore other opportunities. Their flexibility might surprise you!

Take a risk Sometimes a career change means a life change, such as moving to a new city for the opportunity.

Or you want to open your own business, which will require long hours, sleepless nights, and tight budgeting. And what if it doesn’t work? Change is scary — especially big change. But if you spend eight hours a day, five days a week in a career that you don’t love, how will that begin to affect your life?

Now is the time. Take the risk.

No matter where you are in life, how old you are, how long you’ve worked for the company, whether you are fully vested in your 401(k), there will always be an excuse. But even if you fail, even if the next career isn’t the right one, it might get you one step closer to doing something you love.

Rachel Metzgar is a freelance writer and Colorado transplant who has found a home living, working and playing in our vibrant community. She can be reached at rachelmae2@hotmail.com.

get to work

Don’t be that person at work With technology in mind, brush up on your business etiquette.

There’s no doubt that the workplace is an everevolving machine and that business etiquette is constantly in need of tweaks.

In a 2010 Pew Research Center study, when asked what makes them unique, millennials cited their use of technology. It is this distinction that can bring about myriad faux pas on the part of the millennial entering the work force and friction with coworkers and superiors from different generations.

Professional identity Those in their 20s and early 30s grew up in an era of prized individuality. However, on the clock, there are certain conventions of behavior that have to be considered in the name of professionalism, networking, and advancement — this is your professional identity.

Adjust your behavior to suit your circumstances.

Since the 1979 debut of the Walkman, we have had the ability to put on headphones and retreat into a private bubble of music. At the office, those earbuds belong in your drawer or your purse. Wearing headphones sends a clear signal that you are not open for business. Whether it’s a chance to chit-chat with a higher-up or overhearing something useful, you’re blocking yourself from opportunities if you have your blinders on.

Another way people express their individualism is how they keep their desk or office. Maybe you feel cozy among clutter, but it sends the wrong message. You might be able to find anything in your office in seconds, but if it doesn’t look that way from the outside, people will assume you are a less-productive person.

Personal phones Put it away. No matter what you’re doing on it, when your boss walks by, it might as well be Candy Crush. This is especially true during meetings. Looking at your phone while someone is talking is the same as putting your ear buds in and wandering out of the room. Also, avoid the urge to use those handy note-taking apps on your phone. Take notes with a pen and paper; it shows you’re paying attention and helps you remember what you’ve heard.

Any work text that takes more than a moment 38 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

to compose should either be an email or a phone call, and you should send business emails from your computer.

This does not stand up in the workplace. One should always listen to the voicemail before returning the call. Reply to voicemails within 24 hours.

Email

Social networking

Proofread your emails. Whether you’re applying for a job or just shooting a message to your boss, you will look unprofessional if your email is full of errors. Compose your emails in a word-processing program first, then spellcheck and proofread before pasting the message into an email.

Although email is less formal than a mailed letter, the same rules of composition apply.

Begin with a salutation (Dear, To Whom It May Concern, etc.) and end with a closing (Sincerely, Best). Do not use any Web abbreviations such as “u,” “pls,”“k,” or “lol.

Take advantage of searchable email interfaces by using specific phrasing in your subject lines.

That will make each conversation easier to find if you need them down the road.

Don’t let CC, Reply, and Reply All mess you up. Generally, if there is someone CC’d on an email you receive, they should also be CC’d in the response unless it is clear that they should not be. Only use Reply All if your response needs to be seen by everyone.

Your business-related email contacts should never be a part of your email-forwarding list. If you have a mailing list (your blog, your band, your farmers-market stand), do not include anyone in your business life who has not explicitly opted in.

Don’t initiate work-related communication on social-networking platforms like Facebook or Twitter. If you work in marketing or public relations, you may likely use these platforms every day, but your standard office communication should be in the form of emails or phone calls.

Your personal social-networking accounts have no place on your office computer.

Inter-office messaging IM is less formal, but you should still read your messages carefully before clicking send. As far as abbreviations like “brb” or “k,” don’t use them, even over IM, until a higher-up has used them first. After that, it’s fine; just don’t let the informality of the medium lull you out of professional conduct. If it is a complex or lengthy issue, set a time to talk face to face.

Voicemail Millennials hate voicemails. They don’t like to leave them, and they don’t want to check them.

Facebook Remember, you are always making an impression. You know that friend — the girl who you sort of knew in high school so you accepted her friend request, only to see your newsfeed fill up with overshares, tirades, and like-and-share-forluck posts? Nobody likes an over-sharer. Don’t be that girl.

It’s a long-standing rule of business never to say anything in the elevator that you wouldn’t say in front of your boss. Susan Adams of Forbes Magazine explains how that extends to social networking: “Don’t post anything on a social media site that you wouldn’t tack up on the office bulletin board for anyone to read.” If it’s posted on a socialnetworking site, it’s out there in the world.

When it comes to turning work friends into Facebook friends, don’t friend your boss right away. Friend those with whom you feel good about being associated, then see if they are friends with the boss. If they’re not, leave it alone.

Whether you’re a baby boomer, a Gen-Xer, or a millennial, your best bet is to keep your eyes open to how things are done around you.

Workplace norms help you figure out what is appropriate, and when in doubt, lean toward the most respectful and professional option — that way, the worst-case scenario is that you come off as an overachiever and that is absolutely OK. Honor Tarpenning is a writer from Annapolis, MD, who is also an equestrian and sailor. Reach her at htarpenning@gmail.com.

section get to work

Morning ritual Start your day with a routine; your body and mind will thank you When sleeping, our body cools itself by nearly 2 degrees in order for repairs to take place. As we wake up, our brain works to slowly bring the body out of this cooled state of 96.8 degrees to its typical operating temperature of 98.6 degrees. This allows our body to be ready to function for daily activities.

But waking up the body, mind, and energy systems is not as easy as it seems.

Creating a routine helps the body to become rhythmic during the process of waking and daily function.

The more we can do to create a routine to support our lives, the more we can reduce stress and handle what is to come each day.

You can begin to incorporate some of the following activities into your routine to better serve your body and its needs: Set fairly firm windows for falling asleep and waking up. Use of habitual sleeping/waking cycles will regulate the melatonin cycle and help overall energy levels.

Drink a glass of warm water to hydrate and use the bathroom to stimulate your metabolism. Your bowels, kidneys, and stomach will gain similar stimulation results when you make this a part of your daily routine Our body accumulates, processes, and releases waste in various ways. To help this process, brush your teeth and scrape your tongue to get rid of all of the bacteria and what’s known as “ama,” a film that accumulates on the tongue, each day. Stimulating the mouth is another way to stimulate your metabolism and cause that “wake-up” feeling in your body A second practice to consider in your oral health routine is oil pulling. This is the practice of swishing oil (I suggest coconut) around in your mouth for five or more minutes each day. This is said to condition the soft tissues, act as an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, reduce inflammation of the surface tissues, and wake up the muscles of the mouth and jaw.

Move. Moving first thing in the morning — whether

it’s a few stretches, a run, a gentle walk with the dog, etc. — is vital for the nervous system. It gives your mind time to connect to and experience your body as you prepare for the day ahead.

Practice both meditation and intention-setting together. Setting your intention for the day can be as simple as creating a mantra and repeating it. Meditation and focused thought change our brain structure, giving us a more connected, relaxed, and adaptable brain.

Shower and practice self-massage. Cold showers are the best, as they wake up our nervous system while soothing and reducing inflammation. If you can’t get on the cold-shower wagon, turning the water a bit cooler a few times can help act as a physical alarm system, too. Then in the shower or after your shower, give yourself a head-to-toe massage. This helps to soothe the nervous system, activate the lymphatic (immune) system, and protect the skin throughout the day. Use coconut, sesame or jojoba oils.

Breakfast is vital in getting our fat-burning hormones and metabolism operating at full force. Breakfasts higher in protein and fat tend to be the best regulators for leptin, a chemical in charge of fat usage. Add in fruits and vegetables to get your range of vitamins and minerals for the day. This will help you handle the physical stresses of the day and still have plenty of natural sugars to fuel the brain.

Make other stimulating activities a ritual. Include things like getting your kids off to school, taking time to read the local paper or articles related to your career or personal interests, paying your bills, going through and creating your schedule and to-do lists, and having sex for all of its natural health benefits, too.

If many of these routine activities are new to you, choose one or two to incorporate first. Get comfortable with the routines and start observing the difference in the rest of your day. Most likely you’ll experience increased energy, balanced mood, increased productivity, and a greater sense of overall health and wellness.

The more we can do to create a routine to support our lives, the more we can reduce stress and handle what is to come each day.

Kate Wrightson is the founder and owner of Live Beyond Limit, (www.livebeyondlimit.com) a yoga and wellness studio designed to help the community physically, mentally, and emotionally through experts in yoga, aerial dance, massage, nutrition, and corrective- or fitness-based exercise. In her free time, you’ll find her on a SUP, hanging upside down, and hiking with her two pups in the sunshine.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 39

get centered

Knocking down stress These techniques can help you thrive when stressors are trying to get the best of you.

When you feel like everything is happening all at once, good or bad, how do you get through it all with a sense of ease instead of feeling overwhelmed? What does it take to truly thrive amid stress?

The answer: mindfulness and awareness.

First, there are many forms of stress. Stress can be perceived from positive circumstances, eustress, or negative circumstances, distress. Both of these can be environmental, emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual in nature.

Physiologically these stressors have almost identical responses via the sympathetic branch of the nervous system, which prepares the body to act, protect, or flee, instead of the opposing response generated by the parasympathetic branch of your nervous system.

The root brain does not know the difference between a hungry, angry bear protecting its cub and your presentation in two hours, for example. Even though we can mentally grasp that the bear is more likely to harm us, our bodies don’t necessarily discern this key difference on a chemical or metabolic level. Both events raise physiological stress indicators not limited to our cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate.

In order to thrive amid stress, we can use easy-to-apply thoughts, actions, and habits that return us to equilibrium.

First, become familiar with your daily, weekly, and yearly stressors, plus your reactions to those stressors. Recall how you’ve perceived and reacted to the stressors in your life in the past and evaluate what worked well for you and what didn’t work.

Next, evaluate how much time you spend doing the things you actually like to do, the things that make you feel at ease.

These activities, such as sleeping, cooking, reading, yoga, painting, dancing, walking, conversing with a friend, etc., allow your physical and energetic states to come back into balance.

They allow you to react in a more objective and favorable way since you are no longer reacting from heightened sensitivity due to prolonged stress exposure. Do more of them.

Regardless of the source of your stressors (driving in traffic, making a big purchase, handling a crisis at work, receiving upsetting news), try the following techniques to manage your stress: Kate Wrightson is the founder and owner of Live Beyond Limit, (www.livebeyondlimit.com) a yoga and wellness studio designed to help the community physically, mentally, and emotionally through experts in yoga, aerial dance, massage, nutrition, and corrective- or fitness-based exercise. In her free time, you’ll find her on a SUP, hanging upside down, and hiking with her two pups in the sunshine.

40 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

om Create a mantra ...

or a statement that makes you feel at ease. For example, “Let it go, let it flow” or “I can do this.”

Don’t take things personally

People rarely ever act on your account, as they are too busy worrying about their own lives.

Breathe deeply

Mentor yourself

Say no more often

Delegate

Meditate

Eat well and exercise

Take longer exhales than your inhales while you breathe in and out through your nose. If you’re really worked up, exhale heavily through the mouth using the Lion’s Breath technique (stick your tongue out and look up while exhaling).

If you overtax yourself, you’re likely to burn out, get sick, or screw up. The more balanced you are, the more of an asset you are to all.

Meditate daily to regulate and shrink the area in the brain responsible for feelings of anger and stress while increasing brain matter in areas that foster feelings of well-being, memory, and problem-solving.

Focus on guiding yourself like you might a young child or eager employee via realistic and positive reinforcement. Instead of being hard on yourself or instilling fear, focus on what you did well and what you learned for the next round.

Delegating tasks that get you worked up or destroy your time will be the biggest gift you can give yourself. Face it, the Web design person can fix your site in an hour, whereas it’ll take you five hours of tedious work.

A good, nutrient-dense diet combined with moderate exercise will help reduce inflammation, increase immune system function, and fuel a healthy nervous system. These benefits enable you to be more physically and mentally capable to thrive during times of stress.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 41

get home

Eat your greens ... and yellows ... and reds ...

Wow your guests at your next dinner party by adding edible flowers to your dishes. Many flowers are edible and grow well in Colorado, allowing you to add all the colors of the rainbow to your next salad, soup or dessert.

Here are five varieties to get you started.

Nasturtiums

Pansies

Growing: Nasturtiums grow best in full sun, bloom in the summer and fall, and produce red, orange and yellow flowers.

Eating: Nasturtiums go well in salads and have a peppery or watercress-like flavor.

Growing: Pansies grow well in full sun, bloom in the spring summer, and fall, and run a full gamut of colors from purple to white.

Eating: Pansies have a slightly winter green flavor and are a beautiful garnish for cakes and other sweet items.

Scented Geraniums Growing: Geraniums grow best in full sun and sandier soil. The colors run the gamut.

Eating: The flavor of scented geraniums varies and usually corresponds to the flower aroma, so plant the one that smells the best to you and garnish away.

Sweet William Growing: Sweet William grows well in full sun or partial shade and features a white and pink bloom.

Eating: Sweet William has a clovelike flavor and looks beautiful atop a salad or dessert. It also pairs well with seafood and can be used to flavor sauces, sorbets, or ice cream.

Marigolds Growing: Marigolds grow well in full sun and bloom spring, summer, and fall.

Their flowers come in orange and yellow.

Eating: Don't be put off by their pungent odor. Also known as poor man’s saffron, marigold petals can be subbed in for the expensive spice to add zest to salads, stir-fries, and Asianinspired dishes.

Tips to using edible flowers safely » Eat only flowers you know are consumable. If in doubt consult, a reference book or plant expert (like the folks at the CSU extension department). » Don’t use flowers that have been treated with pesticides or chemical fertilizers. » Don’t use flowers picked from the roadside or purchased from a florist (see bullet no. 1 for the why). » Eat the petals only, removing them from the stem and remove pistils and stamens before eating. » If you suffer from allergies introduce edible flowers slowly to gauge whether they will affect you.

42 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

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www.hartfordco.com

get out

Meet Mama Lenny and The Remedy A family in every sense of the word Walking up to the house, tucked into an Old Town Fort Collins neighborhood, we are greeted by a sign that says, “Mama Lenny and the Remedys are inside. Come on in. The stairs are the back porch.”

The rain pelts us as we head around the side of the house and open the door. We shout “hello” as we proceed down the dark, concrete stairwell.

Introductions abound, intentions are set, and we get into the purpose of our visit to meet the band.

The band includes Laniece Schliecher on lead vocals, Kelly Keeler on backing vocals, Thalia Stevenson on keyboard and backing vocals, Ben Prytherch on bass, Ken Monk on guitar, Greta Cornett on trumpet, and Crip Erickson on drums.

Mama Lenny and The Remedy was formed

by Laniece, Ken and Ben, who put out their first album in 2012.

While their sound can’t be pinned down to a specific genre, audience members of all types will enjoy their energetic, unique, and bold performances.

We make our way onto the plaid couch reminiscent of garage bands and dorm rooms everywhere and begin talking.

Lenny, or Laniece, has a warm and inviting presence. She smiles a lot. She makes you feel welcome.

“We’ve got seven kids and seven members,” Laniece says while giggling. Feet shuffle overhead — people preparing drinks and stealing some private time before the band starts.

We’re observing rehearsal before the band, minus Kelly, who just brought kid No. 7 into the world, heads to its Walnut Room performance in Denver the following night.

We cover a range of topics.

Technology While we wait for everyone to arrive, Laniece goes through some emotions: confusion, elation, and, finally, clarity. She’s figured out the mail on her phone and what time they all need to be at the next night’s sound check.

She laughs, again — that comforting laugh.

The group members all have full-time jobs, children, families, and relationships, and they don’t all live in Colorado. Google Drive serves as the band’s creative epicenter as well as its fashion guide.

44 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

get out It’s amazing that a band of seven has such equal creative execution, but they do. Whenever someone has an idea for a song, it goes out to the group and the work begins.

For Laniece, this is extremely important now that she lives in Wyoming.

The group does what it can to work on a song while keeping the intentions of the original author intact. On the fashion front, Kelly sends costume guidelines before each show. Extensive research and effort is put into the theme the members present onstage. I’m talking about sequins here.

Parenting and rock ‘n’ rolling If it wasn’t clear, there are a lot of parents in the group. While the kids don’t attend most of the shows, they adore their parents’ work. One of the kids even claims he’s in the band.

What’s key about balancing being a parent and being a member of the band is that this

group is their thing. They are in this band to have something for themselves, and this makes them better parents.

Laniece says that during her battle with postpartum depression, having her own music helped save her.

There’s consensus that having something for themselves, outside of the home, is so important to being an effective parent.

Supporting a musician The group echoes “yes, yes, yes” when Laniece says how important a supportive partner is.

Crip adds that it’s hard to explain that the band isn’t just fun time, that when the members get together, it’s work. To a nonmusician partner, that can be hard to understand, and it’s the job of the bandmates to understand this about their partners. They’ve built a family around this music job, and it wouldn’t work without their loved

ones behind them.

Greta mentions how lucky she is to have a husband in a band: He gets it, and their 2-year-old gets to grow up with fantastic musical influences.

Women in the band When asked about working with women at the forefront, Crip jumps up with excitement.

“This is so much better!” he says, referring to past experiences.

As the newest member, and a former member of a male group, Crip — alluding to organization and getting things done — says having women lead the group is a big part of their success.

Ben, Ken, and Laniece started the band, and it’s always had a commitment to the female agenda, but, as Laniece says, “There’s just a relationship between women.” They really do have a secret language and commitment to each other. It’s one of those women-building-each-other-up moments.

We wrap up our conversation, and Mama Lenny and The Remedy settles into its rehearsal.

Laniece and Thalia warm up their vocals and start in. There’s several of those magic moments of connection between them, and then it grows to include each member of the band. You see them make eye contact, give each other the “you got this” look, and laugh when someone makes a mistake.

Decisions are made about cutting a song because “it’s empty without Kelly,” and the respect they hold for each other warrants it.

What’s next?

Mama Lenny and The Remedy heads to Alaska (sans kids) this summer as part of a series that brings acts from around the country to downtown Anchorage. Check mamalennyandtheremedy.com for future Colorado and Wyoming tour dates.

Diana Walton is a Coloradoan marketing consultant. She can be reached at dwalton@coloradoan.com.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 45

get out

Body movin’ Whether you’ve spent time in the yoga studio, on your bike, in a CrossFit class, or running the trails, chances are it’s feeling stale. Adding a new type of movement such as dance to your routine can not only keep you excited about being active, but the change in how your muscles are used can lead to a boost in your personal fitness goals.

The International Association for Dance Medicine and Science stresses the importance of being aware of the types of activities you do coupled with hormone levels and the effect they have on your bone density. Incorporating dance, in the correct ways, can lead to higher bone density and help prevent ailments later in life.

Here are some tips on how to get started:

Dress You’ve got a lot of options for attire with the influx of active wear as casual wear. But while there are lots of affordable ways to dress for a class, keep in mind that there is a reason traditional dancers wear a leotard and tights. The key to appropriate clothing for any type of dance class is that it allows the instructor to see how your 46 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

body is moving. Your instructor needs to be able to see if you’re moving your knees or hips the wrong way. This will help to stave off potential injury and make your movements more effective.

Tight-fitting attire with clean lines can help.

Quality instructors Knowing what to look for in an instructor is important.

A well-informed instructor should make you feel comfortable and welcome.

They should ask about your personal history, skill level, injury history, and comfort level with the course.

Ask them to give you some tips on alignment and form before you start. A trained instructor will emphasize proper technique

get out

Northern Colorado has a variety of places to help incorporate dance into your active routine and form for the protection of your joints and major muscle groups.

The instructor should encourage you to take things at your own pace, with enough push to get you to the next step but enough wisdom to prevent injury.

Starting your first class Feeling intimidated is normal for both seasoned and green dancers. Help ease these feelings by arriving early to meet the instructor and spend some time in the space. Walking around the room, seeing yourself in the mirrors, and connecting to this new space can give you a sense of peace before you get into the class.

Don’t stretch beforehand. Your muscles are not warmed up and are not ready yet. If you need to move to help yourself feel comfortable, try some light cardio — something that gets your entire body warm and ready to engage.

Find your class Northern Colorado has a variety of dance venues, and most offer drop-in classes or a free trial. Among them:

» Canyon Concert Ballet’s adult ballet class, comfortable for beginners » Club Tico at City Park Fort Collins for contra and waltz dances, half-hour lesson beforehand » Rio Grande Agave Room salsa lessons, halfhour lesson before open dance » LimeLight Fitness’s pole dancing class » Other types of dance classes to try include barre, Zumba, burlesque, hip hop, Bollywood, and swing. These classes can be found at most gyms

Post-class After class, be sure to care for your muscles.

Rituals of professional dancers include Epsom salt baths, legs up the wall (sit against a wall and stick your feet in the air; it’ll keep the swelling down), Tiger balm, foam rollers, and a hot bath.

It’s normal to feel pain in strange places after a dance class. You’ve activated muscle groups that may have never been moved before; pay attention to feelings of pain vs. feeling sore and take care accordingly.

Diana Walton is a Coloradoan marketing consultant. She has a B.A. in dance studies and performance from Alma College and is a certified 200-hr, Level I Yoga Instructor by the American Yoga Association and urges you to not just take her word for it but to talk to a doctor before starting any new routine.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 47

get out

Make it a movie night under the stars Fort Collins options cater to those who enjoy a classic outdoor movie experience and those looking to roll a little brewery culture into their film-watching outing Summers in Fort Collins call for sitting under the stars, tucking into a blanket with a loved one, and settling in for some adventure on the big screen. Whether you prefer lounging in the front seat of your car or spreading a blanket on the grass beside your bike, this town has an outdoor movie scene for you.

The classic

The new

One of only six drive-ins still operating in Colorado — and the only one in Larimer County — the Holiday Twin Drive-In has been in business for more than 30 years. An evening here takes Fort Collins back to a simpler time, when having a car was something to be celebrated, to be excited about. The Holiday Twin Drive-In takes dinnerand-a-movie back outside, enjoying new releases in the fresh air, with the foothills silhouetted behind.

The Holiday Twin Drive-In boasts two screens, each with a nightly double feature throughout the summer. A snack bar is available on-site featuring an assortment of summertime fare — think funnel cakes, bratwurst, and snow cones.

Holiday Twin Drive-In: The details When: Box office (cash only) opens at 6 p.m.

Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Shows start at dark.

Where: 2206 S. Overland Trail Cost: Adults 10 and older: $7; children 6-9 and seniors 65 and older: $5 More information: holidaytwindrivein.com/ holiday

Those looking for a different take on the allAmerican classic will appreciate New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Bike-In Cinema.

In 2004, New Belgium decided it wanted to give the classic drive-in a facelift, one without the car. Ever since, it has hosted an annual movie event on its front lawn. And each year, movie enthusiasts join 500 of their closest friends, biking in to sip beer, sprawl on picnic blankets, and watch movies under the stars.

The movies range from uber-classics to contemporary indie flicks and cult masterpieces.

The event is typically held each Thursday night throughout the months of August and September, featuring a different movie each week. Beer is for sale, and all proceeds go to local nonprofits.

Details for the 2015 season haven’t been ironed out yet, but keep checking the website for more information.

New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Bike-In Cinema: The details Visit www.newbelgium.com/events/bike-incinema.aspx for more information.

Stacey McKenna is a freelance writer and yoga instructor in Fort Collins. You can follow her on twitter at @mckenna_stacey or email her at stacey.mckenna@gmail.com.

48 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

pursuit

PURSUIT: Inside BUSINESS MINDED...50 GOOD TIMES...54 BEAUTIFUL LIVING...56

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 49

PURSUIT: Business Minded

Plan — don't hope— for the future Retirement planning. A phrase to strike fear into the heart of even the most responsible and well-prepared individuals.

The unknowns are universal in the modern age. What does our future hold? Have we taken all of the necessary steps to prepare?

Gone are the days when every working person could expect to enjoy the autumn of their lives in comfort provided by a pension from a company where they had worked their entire career. Gone are the days of the stress-free vacation that starts when you turn 65. The modern model is more along the lines of hope.

Hope that when the time comes, you have prepared adequately.

While planning for retirement is a daunting task for anyone, the burden for women is arguably a much heavier one. Women in the US have a life expectancy of about 2 years longer than men, and historically have many more obstacles to overcome in their lifetime to achieve adequate savings. Many women either have periods of time where they are unemployed or working only part time, often as a product of their choice to have children.

Counting these two factors together means that women should be even more attentive to their retirement planning.

An ideal situation would dictate that everyone start saving with their first job for their eventual retirement — putting away at least a small sum with every paycheck, without interruption and without taking any withdrawals from this fund before retirement — but it is unlikely that the stars align over the course of a lifetime with the good fortune to allow this scenario to happen.

Life tends to get in the way of this ideal, especially for women who have children. While it may be discouraging to look at what might

50 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

While paying your retirement savings first may seem like a foreign concept, treating retirement as one of the most important bills you pay every month is essential.

have been if life had gone more according to plan, simply giving up or doing nothing is not the alternative that should be accepted.

No matter which source is consulted for advice or help planning for retirement, there seem to be a few commonalities. First, start saving now, regardless of your circumstances. If you don’t have an employment-based retirement plan, begin looking into other options and start paying into these accounts now. While paying your retirement savings first may seem like a foreign concept, treating retirement as one of the most important bills you pay every month is essential. About 52% of working adults in the US say they always make sure they are saving, but this means there are at least 48% of adults who are not putting enough away. The bottom line: put money aside, and preferably put it into an account that will work for you, making you more money on your initial investment.

Second, create a formal plan for retirement. While putting away money every month is a great start, looking at the hard numbers of what you’ve got, where you need to be, and what needs to happen for you to get there is the end goal. Only about 21% of working adults in the US have a formal plan for how they are going to get to retirement.

Looking at the stark numbers can be intimidating, but it opens the door to a path that leads where you want to be.

In the case of retirement planning, the clichés “never too late” and “every little bit counts” are very true and always applicable. Even if your ideal scenario has not played out over the years, anything you do in the now will pay off in the future, and should be embraced with open arms. Professionals in this field are plentiful, and consulting one might be a great option to help plan the exact steps that need to be taken to ensure a comfortable retirement in the future.

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PURSUIT: Good Times

Avoid the sting Red. Itchy. Irritating. Unsightly. Did we mention itchy?

Nobody likes to spend their summer scratching and uncomfortable, but the bigger concern isn’t the bite itself, it is the possibility of infection with a disease. West Nile Virus has become a yearly presence in Colorado, and unfortunately there is at least one human casualty from the disease every year.

The City of Fort Collins has implemented a multi-faceted plan to combat the spread of the disease and monitor the levels of infection in the local mosquito populations. Early in the spring, bodies of water are tested and treated to combat the mosquitos in their larval

stage, before they take to the air. To monitor the adult populations later in the season, traps have been set up all over the city. These traps are checked on a regular basis to determine the portion of mosquitos throughout the city who are carriers of the disease.

While the West Nile infection rates generally remain low, if they reach a certain level the City will implement their spraying program to kill the adult population of mosquitos. This program is designed to protect the city residents from disease, but business owners who wish to opt out of the program

are invited to do so on the City of Fort Collins’ website (http://www.fcgov. com/westnile/).

The biggest thing that everyone can do to combat West Nile Virus in their own everyday life is prevent the development of more mosquitos, and protect themselves from being infected. The City provides a free backyard inspection to help homeowners keep their properties mosquito-free. Additionally, the City of Fort Collins recommends 4 easy steps to minimize the risk for each individual, and in turn reduce the risk for the population as a whole.

Drain

Dusk thru Dawn

DEET

Dress

Don’t leave standing water around outdoor areas. Whenever possible, drain away standing water, since this is where mosquitos breed and lay eggs. Any small puddle, flower pot full of rainwater, clogged rain gutter, or kiddie pool sitting in the backyard is like a mosquito Club Med. Keep those frisky bugs at bay by keeping things dry.

Half-light times are the most active for the little biters. While dusk especially is a popular time for outdoor activities in the summer, try to limit this time whenever possible.

Bug spray is your friend! Any repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency will be safe and effective when used according to the label. There are many mosquito specific solutions, as well as organic options to try. Search out an approved repellent, and don’t be afraid to use it!

Even in the summer, long sleeves and pants are a good idea. Keeping your skin covered in light colored and loose fitting clothing is one of the best ways to prevent mosquito bites. Unfortunately lightweight and tight fitting clothes allow the little buggers to bite right through, so try to choose something that covers and does not fit too snugly.

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PURSUIT: Beautiful Living

Walk your way to fitness, fun Front Range Village’s new walking club is a great new workout opportunity in Fort Collins. Read on for all the reasons you need to join in every Tuesday and Thursday starting August 4.

The Buddy System Getting into the routine is sometimes the hardest part of establishing a workout habit. One of the best ways to get going is by using the buddy system.

A set time, place, and activity makes getting out and moving so much easier, and having a supportive group to push you, cheer you on, and miss you when you aren’t there is fantastic motivation to help you reach your goals.

What are you doing tomorrow morning?

IDK. What’s up?

Wanna go to walking club?

Ummm....

C’mon. You know you’ll feel great afterwards.

Ok! Meet you there at 8:30.

Joining a Walking Club is like a gateway exercise. This is a great way to ease into more strenuous working out, or to just enjoy a few hours a week of movement and ease out of a couch potato rut.

Beginning with this low impact, easy workout allows your body to feel good while you get back into shape.

Healthy and Feeling Good!

Getting yourself moving is one of the keys to a healthy life. And a healthy life is a happy life. Do your body a favor and get out into the sunshine for an easy, fun, low-key workout with the Walking Club.

Your body will thank you.

Free, Easy, Fun The Front Range Village Walking Club is free for everyone, and encourages people from all ages and fitness levels to come have fun! The on-site fitness instructors will help you to get the most out of your walking club, all while you enjoy your weekly dose of vitamin D. The best part? The low-impact workout doesn’t take much pre-existing training or special skills, and all it really requires is comfortable shoes to enjoy your walking club.

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Things you need to succeed

Ease into…

Socializing Getting out and walking feels even better when you get to do it with a group of like-minded people who enjoy socializing while you work out. Walking to improve your health might be what brings you out to the club, but the fun will keep you coming back. In addition to the encouraging instructors, and awesome fellow walkers, the Front Range Village community adds to the fun by contributing store gift cards you are eligible to win every time you come out to walk with the club.

You don’t need specialized gear for the Front Range Village Walking Club, but if you find yourself in need of any of these suggested items, there are convenient shopping options right on your walking route. Check out www. shopfrontrangevillage.com to see where you might pick up items to make your walking club experience the best it can be. » Comfortable walking shoes: Proper fitting shoes are essential to help prevent injury and make walking more comfortable. » Breathable clothes: Workout gear with wicking fabrics allow your body to regulate temperature and prevent chafing. » Water bottle: Hydrating as you go will help you stave off fatigue and get the most out of your workout. » Towel: Beyond keeping sweat out of your eyes, a towel can be used as leverage to help deepen post-workout stretches . » Sunglasses: Wearing a good pair of sunglasses helps protects your eyes from harmful rays and prevent wrinkles that can come from squinting. » Fanny pack/hands-free bag: A hands-free bag allows you to carry phone and identification without impeding your movement.

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Northern Colorado

Super

Women

— 2015 Edition

Meet this year’s Northern Colorado Super Women — women who work to make our community a better place. Read on to learn more about them in their nominator’s words. These bios have been edited for clarity and space.

Seeing Things Differently Denny Moyer, a true Northern Colorado Super Woman Amid the morning rush, a woman enters a coffee shop in Midtown Fort Collins.

Fit and attractive, she carries the quiet confidence similar to so many Northern Colorado women. She looks you in the eye, shakes your hand firmly, and glides into a soft chair, awaiting a cup of chai.

If it weren’t for Lance, her tranquil yellow Lab sporting the familiar harness of working dogs, you would have no clue this woman has no idea what you look like.

Denny Moyer doesn’t wear sunglasses indoors, use a white cane, or grab for counter edges. But like many of the nearly 300,000 Coloradans living with uncorrectable vision loss, her sensory world is restricted.

Diagnosed at age 25 with Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy, a juvenile form of macular degeneration, Moyer hasn’t seen much more than a fuzzy periphery since adolescence. Yet after nearly four decades of blindness, her view of life is clear.

“Vision loss is part of me, and it is a disability,” Moyer says. “You don’t necessarily have to give anything up, you just have to give up the way you used to do it.

“So you have to ask for rides or learn a new skill, so what? I think it says more about a person who’s willing to do those things than it does about the person who’s afraid to ask,” she says.

Over the years, owing to her visual impairment, Moyer has dealt with her share of indignities. In college she was assigned a person to take notes for her; by 29 she had given up driving; she feared being taken advantage of at night. She says it took a decade of denial and deflection before finally recognizing that she needed to do something about her condition. One incident in particular stands out.

“One day I was taking my daughter Melody to preschool in the seat on the back of my bike,” Moyer says. “It was raining, and I felt her leaning her head against my back to avoid getting wet, and I started to cry. I got to the school and all the other parents were taking their kids out of their cars, and that was when I realized I needed to do something. That was when I went back to school.”

Two years after completing occupational therapy school in Chicago (while running a cleaning business and raising two daughters), she moved to Northern Colorado in 1995. Once she discovered the field of vision rehabilitation and training, Moyer says, “I immediately knew that was what I was supposed to do with my life.”

She started a low vision clinic in Longmont and eventually landed in Columbine Health Systems in Fort Collins. But it wasn’t until after she got laid off in 1999 that she found her ultimate mission.

“It was a godsend,” she says. “I started working on how to provide services and wondering, ‘What’s this going to look like?’”

In 2001 Moyer, along with another OT, received $5,000 from the Fort Collins Lions Club and procured donated office space. Fourteen years later, Ensight Skills Center is the only nationally accredited low vision center in Colorado, having provided services to more than 2,100 people throughout the state.

Ensight focuses on providing opportunities to enhance visually impaired people’s life skills, independence, and self-confidence with training and the use of adaptive technology.

“When I first went blind, my mom and my grandparents were like, ‘You can’t work! What are you going to do?’ And I was like, ‘Where does it say that?’ If you say I can’t do it, I’m going to try and do it,” she says. “I still had children to raise; I still wanted to get my education.

I wasn’t going to let things stop me.”

That same zeal carries over to other aspects of Moyer’s life. From climbing fourteeners (“It practically killed me,” she says), to navigating foreign airports (“I can do DIA in my sleep”) to scuba diving with Dan, her husband of five years, the 56-year-old does not believe in restrictions.

“We cause our own barriers,” she says. “I really believe that if I can imagine it, I can do it.”

Moyer can’t discern your eye color, but she can spot sympathy from a mile away, and she wants no part of it.

Even worse than sympathy, though, is ignorance.

“People say to my face: I would rather be dead than lose my vision,” she says. “Really? Do I look like I’d be better off dead?!”

She is more saddened than offended by the notion that independence is directly proportional to ocular clarity and says, “It’s really just lack of understanding and awareness.”

In a world inherently geared toward the visual, and often unkind to the disabled, Moyer still has her share of struggles. She jokes about things like getting into the wrong car and tripping over her own dog, as well as unique parental challenges that she’s faced.

“Both my daughters can tell you about piercings that I said no to that they got anyway, and that I never knew about,” she says.

But she has ultimately benefited from a sharpened perception of what truly matters.

Swimming? She does a mile at 5:30 a.m. most days. Cycling? You bet — with a slight modification. “A few years ago I got run over by a car and I thought, OK, let’s move on to tandem cycling,” she says, rather nonchalantly.

“If you say I can’t do it, I’m going to try and do it. I still had children to raise; I still wanted to get my education. I wasn’t going to let things stop me.”

And family? After a divorce from her first husband of 30 years, she is now happily married and remains close with her two grown daughters, Harmonie and Melody.

For the fiercely independent Moyer, blindness is merely one distinguishing feature of the life she’s worked hard to create. Instead of wallowing in selfpity that she can’t read magazines or drive a car, she embraces the need for change. Everyone needs to adapt to something, she points out, and for her it just happens to be a black spot straight ahead. So perhaps, to truly understand the super achiever that is Denny Moyer, one needs to see things her way.

“Reading print is very difficult for me, and seeing obstacles on sidewalks,” she says. “I don’t have central vision, so if I look directly at something, it’s gone.”

Facial features and mannerisms, the stuff most of us unconsciously depend on to gauge social situations, elude her. “I can tell a person by their body shape and hairstyle.

And I have become much better at recognizing people’s voices,” she says.

She needs Lance with her so she doesn’t fall, or an occasional helping hand in the grocery store, or a seat close to the stage for her granddaughter’s ballet recital.

But to hear her tell it, Moyer faces greater challenges

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that beg her attention, like her nonprofit’s constant battle to stay afloat financially.

“It costs us somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,100 to serve one person, and we get about $300 for reimbursement,” Moyer says.

Moyer seems oblivious to the number of times she uses visual metaphors in casual conversation. I see; looks like; things became clear. Whether it’s that her impairment has simply woven itself into the fabric of her being, or that she simply chooses to focus on other things, going blind has become simultaneously the most influential event of Moyer’s 56 years and a nonissue.

“If getting my vision back meant changing my life, then I wouldn’t want it. I think I’m good at what I do because of it. I live it.”

Still, the question begs to be asked: Surely her life would be better with sight, right?

“Why? I got to design my own career and help others, and I get to work with people all over the world that I never would have met before,” she says. “It might be different, but it certainly wouldn’t be better. Would that have happened if I hadn’t lost my vision?”

So if you could get your sight back right now, you wouldn’t take it?

“To not have limitations, I think, would be fine,” she says. “If getting my vision back meant changing my life, then I wouldn’t want it. I think I’m good at what I do because of it. I live it.”

Ensight runs the Curtis Strong Center in Greeley and its own satellite offices across the Front Range, including Denver and Longmont, in addition to managing onsite visits in rural areas like Grand Junction and La Junta. Moyer also sits on the board of a number of organizations, including the national accreditation council for agencies that serve the blind, which requires 62 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

her to travel the country to perform onsite reviews of facilities. She remains actively involved with the Lions Club, having helped create the Inspiration Playground at Spring Canyon Park in Fort Collins, and supported her community after the High Park fire and the Big Thompson flood.

So is there anything Moyer would change?

Mostly, she wishes she could afford to support her staff with more education and conferences. But the reality is, the more patients Ensight sees, the more resources Moyer must come up with. Being a nonprofit also means infrequent raises and minimal benefits (eye exams included, of course) for her staff, so she recruits only those who she knows will be fully invested in Ensight’s mission.

“My employees are not there to make big money; they’re there because of the people we serve, and because they love the field, and making sure people have what they need,” she says.

Moyer and her staff are driven to reduce the stigma associated with being visually impaired, and the isolation, embarrassment and fear, she says, that are all too common.

“Very few (visually impaired people) actually look like they’re visually impaired, yet they’re struggling every single day,” she says. “They stop interacting in their communities because they are afraid they’ll lose their independence, be put in a nursing home, or lose the ability to control their own finances. I have an opportunity to educate people that just because I’m blind doesn’t mean you can take things away from me.”

Melody, Denny’s eldest daughter who works as Ensight’s development coordinator and the one who nominated her as a Northern Colorado Super Woman, wants everyone else to glimpse the inspiring lady she’s known her whole life.

“Denny’s creative thinking and implementation has allowed herself, co-workers, and fellow community members to focus on their abilities and on being awesome,” Melody wrote in Denny’s nomination form.

“No obstacle is too big for Denny, and she shares her strengths with all of us. She is a super community member, employer, volunteer, mom, and grandmother. Each day I am inspired by her and her outlook on life.”

Andrew Kensley is a freelance writer, novelist, and blogger from Fort Collins. Reach him at www.andrewkensley.com.

Sarah Swanty

Rita Williams

“Even with her insane schedule, running the cat rescue, being a mother and wife, and constantly fundraising, she drove to Wyoming recently and personally helped to trap and save hundreds of sick and starving cats from a hoarding situation. She then worked diligently to get them spayed, neutered and re-homed.

“Sarah is boundless in her efforts to not only support the rescue that she started, but she even strives, with the help of her organization, to take on cats from other institutions that might otherwise have to be euthanized. They’ve even gotten cats from other states. She cares deeply about working with the other animal rescues in the area.

“In addition to founding the Fort Collins Cat Rescue, she now works with a board to ensure that the rescue runs at the highest standards. She continues to get training from national rescue organizations even when these trainings don’t fit well into her extremely busy schedule. She just makes it happen.

“I know that there are times when Sarah felt unappreciated. She literally juggles her entire life around her family and the cat rescue, and she can be quite worn out at times, and yet she just keeps on going. This is because she knows that she is saving lives. Can you imagine running the rescue, the budget, fundraising, planning events and galas, all while saving innocent animals and making sure her kids and husband have the attention they need to thrive?”

Since its inception nine years ago, FCCRSNC has taken in and adopted out more than 8,500 cats and kittens and performed almost 35,000 spay/ neuter procedures on community cats and dogs.

“Rita is amazing in how she leads our teams at three medical offices in NoCo. She creatively manages our staffing to support the three separate operations, yet is still conscious of the bottom line. She ensures that our patients receive the best quality of care and excellent service regardless of which clinic they arrive at. One noteworthy point of innovation: She championed iPad virtual interpretation at our Greeley Medical Offices. This endeavor has had a huge impact on above-andbeyond service for our patients since 30 percent of our population in Greeley is non-Englishspeaking. It was also a cost-savings versus on-site interpretation, which is a plus.

“This project was recognized within our organization and has been adopted as a standard throughout our Colorado region (32 medical offices from Pueblo to Fort Collins).

“Rita has served on projects with the United Way, Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, OUR Center, and other various Kaiser Permanentesponsored events like the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. She has also been on the Pathways Hospice board of directors for a little over a year.

“Her extended family lost a home in Lyons during the 2013 floods; she helped with the cleanup of her family’s property and with housing for those who were displaced ... all while successfully supporting our organization with the opening of our third medical office in NoCo (Greeley) and running the other two. It was amazing watching her handle all that — she really is a Super Woman!

“As mentioned, Rita’s exuberant. She remains positive in any situation. Kind and empathetic, she’s been a nurse for over 25 years, with nursing management for over 10. It’s clear that caring for others is innate for her. She’s an awesome leader, motivator, and mentor. She’s extremely supportive and genuinely wants to see her people be successful and recognized for the great works they do."

Age: 34 Founder of Fort Collins Cat Rescue and Spay and Neuter Clinic

Age: 50 Kaiser Permanente medical office director for Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley

Krista Covell-Pierson

Age: 37 Covell Care and Rehabilitation LLC owner and OTR

“She started her own health care business with just one employee: herself. Covell Care and Rehabilitation LLC stands out as a leader in our Northern Colorado community because they do therapy differently. Their talented team travels through Weld, Larimer, and Boulder counties to deliver outpatient speech, physical, occupational, and massage therapies; geriatric care management; and senior fitness programming to clients dealing with disability, disease, or recovering from surgery.

“They offer specialized and certified treatments in areas that other agencies often pass off, like dementia and incontinence. Their outpatient clinic ‘on wheels’ allows them to provide these exceptional services where people live, work, and play, which helps them reach therapy goals faster than expecting clients to take what they learn in a clinic and implement it at home. Their mobile occupational and physical therapy practice travels door-to-door to the clients in Northern Colorado.

They offer expert services in fall prevention, incontinence treatment with computer-assisted technology, cognitive rehabilitation and training, driving retirement and driving assessments, home safety and modification, caregiver training, guidance through dementia care, and more.

In addition to caring for causes ranging from animal welfare, to arts and culture, to poverty alleviation, Krista’s community service and philanthropy involvement includes support group facilitator at the Alzheimer’s Association; Elder Care Network of Northern Colorado member; fieldwork educator for the CSU OT graduate program; member of American Occupational Therapy Association; and member of Occupational Therapy Association of Colorado.

“In addition to working and growing her own business, she finds time to travel the world, keep in touch with her many friends, help support her niece to get into college in Northern Colorado, take an annual mother-daughter vacation, keep fit and run 5K’s, support and give her time to friends in fun and in need. She is super woman.”

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Kerrie Flanagan

Age: 46 Northern Colorado Writers director and freelance writer

“As a freelancer, Kerrie’s always striving to meet her writing goals and has become accomplished in her career both as an article and essay writer, and as an author. As the director of Northern Colorado Writers, which she began in 2006 because she saw a need to bring writers together, Kerrie empowers writers of all levels and genres.

In the literary world, there’s often a sense of hierarchy, but Kerrie is inclusive, warmly welcoming all writers to take part in the group’s offerings.

Her annual conference is top notch and includes resources for poets, short-story writers, novelists, and everyone in between, providing a range of resources that target everything from creativity to traditional publishing to self-publishing.

“She listens to her members’ needs and is always looking for new ways to boost resources for writers, asking community professionals to lead workshops, coordinating classes and critique groups, and sometimes simply organizing a gathering to socialize and build camaraderie, which is important in the isolated life of a writer.

Kerrie celebrates the essence of writing and is nonjudgmental in her approach, and this makes her special.

“Kerrie is also an accomplished fly fisherwoman!”

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Leslie Cunningham-Sabo

Age: 57 Colorado State University associate professor

“Leslie is an associate professor in the College of Health and Human Sciences at CSU. She is an awardwinning teacher, mentor and advisor. She has spent the last 25 years dedicating herself to the issue of childhood obesity. In the field of nutrition, she works with undergraduate and graduate students. She recently received a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the program Fuel for Fun. This program works with eight schools — four from Poudre and four from Thompson school districts.

“As an associate professor in nutrition, she cares deeply about the kids in our community both young and old and knows that change only happens when you involve all stakeholders. She added a servicelearning component to the undergraduate community nutrition course. She modified the course content to allow time for students to spend 15 hours of service learning with one of 15 local nonprofit agencies.

Additionally, in small groups, they design and deliver a brief nutrition education lesson or other activity to agency clients. Combined, these two components introduce students to the realities of working with community agencies and their specific clients, provide opportunities to assess the strengths and needs of the target population, and apply nutrition education theories and approaches they discuss in class.

“Her grant work with Fuel for Fun 0 keeps her connected to the heart of our community, and her passion and vision for a healthier community is what drives her. Her work with helping graduate students move on to pursue their professional goals brings her great joy. She served on CSU’s diversity committee for four years. She also serves on two local school districts’ wellness committees, in addition to other local and state committees and boards.

“Leslie is a dedicated mother of two young men and wife of one sweet old man. She has always known that God had something special in mind for her. As a twin born prematurely, she has always been a fighter. When she met her husband 39 years ago, she made it clear she would be an equal partner in life and would never stop pursuing her dreams.”

Jesse Sullivan

Age: 33 Freckle Photography owner and West Inc. marketing coordinator

“In addition to her marketing role, she established a photography company, Freckle Photography, aimed at providing quality children’s photography to Northern Colorado families for an affordable price.

“Jesse was the chairperson of Art for the Cure, an organization dedicated to creating awareness about breast cancer through art. She successfully led the event for several years and rebuilt the development program to significantly increase fundraising dollars. In addition, she is an active volunteer at her children’s school and frequently donates her photography to deserving organizations.

“As a work-at-home mother of three, Jesse has cultivated a creative environment for her kids with endless craft projects, focuses on healthy living and exercise, and balances a social and philanthropic life on top of all that!”

Amanda King

Age: 36 Marketing and branding manager at Odell Brewing Company

“Amanda is the marketing team leader at Odell Brewing Co. She has grown her team over the past five years and together they tackle all of the brewery’s marketing initiatives including package design, advertising, PR, sales support, event logistics, Point-of-Sale merchandise, website and social media. She also sits on the brewery’s product development team, which investigates and selects future products and packages the brewery will release. Amanda is also on the Executive Committee for the Visit Fort Collins board of directors and will graduate from the Leadership Fort Collins program this May. “Amanda has been volunteering as a children’s small group mentor and storyteller at her church for several years. She is also a volunteer project leader for Odell Brewing as a United Way Business Cares member. She has led several volunteer projects for National Volunteer Month and Make a Difference Day through the Odell Outreach program. Amanda is also a member of Generation United and Women Give.

“Over her 13+ years at Odell Brewing, Amanda has worn many hats. She started out as an office administrator, then moved into accounting, before finally landing in her dream role. Her incredible work ethic is an example for everyone. In addition to her ability to excel at her profession and give back to the community, she somehow always has found time to take her four children to choir, soccer, football, lacrosse, and tennis as well as attend almost all of their events.

She somehow still has time to make delicious, healthy meals for all six of us every night. Her husband should really help out more.

“Amanda is beautiful, caring, professional, smart, funny, empathetic to others, a great friend and did I mention beautiful? I’m not just saying this because I’m lucky enough to be her husband.

Ask anyone.”

Jennifer Amaral-Kunze

Olivea Borden

“Jennifer has built her business from the ground up. Starting in a small office that she shared to expanding to a three-floor counseling and wellness center that provides numerous services and groups to the Northern Colorado community as a whole. She has single-handedly built a network of referrals and community resources that her team and clients find priceless. While she specializes in eating disorders and has aided in the recovery of countless clients, she continues to expand her expertise to include numerous areas of issues.

“She has organized several community service projects including gift card drives so kids can have back-to-school clothes. She has also worked with CSU, the city of Fort Collins, Larimer County, and the Poudre School District to provide workshops on body image and eating disorder awareness.

“Jennifer has built an amazing center and team of professionals from the ground up. She continues to find areas that she can give back to her community. She does all this without a thought of self. She does it with grace and simplicity that all women can be proud of.

“Jennifer is also a wife and a mother of three beautiful children. She enjoys trail running, hiking, camping, and really anything else that puts her in the beautiful Colorado outdoors.”

“Olivea is a 17-year-old international business woman. … For every doll she sells, she gives one away to a girl in need. Last year she hired seven women in Nicaragua to help her make her give-away dolls, empowering women and paying them a dignified wage.

“Olivea has been volunteering in Fort Collins since kindergarten! In middle school, she received an award from the United Way for having the most logged volunteer hours. Canyon Concert Ballet, Council Tree Covenant Church, Polaris ELS, Covenant Heights Camp, Sustainable Living Fair, 4-H, trash pickup along the Poudre, Sylvan Dale Ranch, Hearts & Horses, flood cleanup, MLK Day City-Wide Gospel Choir, and SART (via SAVA) are just some of the places she has volunteered her time locally. Globally she’s volunteered in Peru, Ecuador, and Nicaragua.

“As a high school junior, she is taking advantage of Poudre School District’s Concurrent Enrollment opportunity and is taking classes at Front Range Community College alongside her high school classes. Some of the recent awards she has won include Beta Sigma Phi’s 1st Lady of the Year, Coloradoan’s Leadership & Academic All-Stars and Global Community Service Award.

“Dancer, entrepreneur, girl with a heart of gold!”

Age: 41 Beyond the Mirror Counseling and Wellness owner

Age: 17 Founder and CEO of Oli-Bo-Bolly

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Jane Sullivan

Age: 64 Teaches aerobics at Raintree Athletic Club; community volunteer; principal, Two Sisters Mosaics

“Jane has taught exercise classes for 43 years!

Currently, Jane serves on the board of Fort Collins Opera and is capital campaign chair for the Larimer Humane Society. She has served as president of the board of the Northern Colorado Chapter of the American Red Cross, president of the Canyon Concert Ballet Foundation board, past board member of the Larimer Humane Society, member of the Fort Collins Symphony Guild, past member of the Finance Committee for the Fort Collins Country Club, past president of the Women’s Golf Association of the Fort Collins Country Club, and member of the Founder’s Society for the Museum of Art. “Jane’s involvement with fundraising for charity is quite commendable, but to me her most endearing characteristic is that she is my friend.

She is generous, caring and present for me.

“In addition to Jane’s community volunteer work, she is a talented mosaic artist. She and her sister Jean make up Two Sisters Mosaics. They have made and donated many items to nonprofits. The largest was the conception, coordination, and installation of a wall of butterflies made for Crossroads SafeHouse called ‘On a Wing and a Prayer.’ The wall consists of over 140 butterflies and dragon flies made by Jane, her sister, and many local and regional artists. … “… Jane is one of the most warm-hearted, charming and considerate people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. When I was new to Fort Collins, she welcomed me into her home as a new friend. She is one of the busiest people I know, but she always has time for her friends, and always has time to make new friends. That is a rare talent in itself!”

66 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Deidre Peak

Age: 27 Corrections deputy with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office

“Deidre is not only a deputy, but also a field training officer and one of the top Special Emergency Response Team leaders (the jail’s version of SWAT) — aka badass! She demands excellence in her performance, coworkers, and trainees. She also organizes lunches to improve the morale of the employees at the jail and is actively recruiting to gain more quality employees for the county.

“Deidre loves animals, specifically pit bulls. She has spent many long hours over the years volunteering, advocating, and educating the public about the breed and animal care in general. Deidre is also committed to fitness and encouraging others to live a healthy lifestyle. She participates in events and organizes challenge groups in the community to improve eating and lifestyles to end the trend of obesity.

“Deidre recently filmed a recruiting video with a CSU group to spread the word about the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. With so much discontent around law enforcement lately, Deidre strives to demonstrate the professionalism and excellence that the sheriff ’s office portrays on a regular basis.

“Deidre’s husband is a firefighter in Colorado Springs. She is essentially a single, hardworking mother of two young girls. Her selflessness never ends — at work and at home. Their family is committed to the betterment of the community and they serve with pride.”

Danielle Allen

Age: 33 Full-time stay-at-home mom of four kids, volunteer firefighter with the Wellington Fire Department, and high school rugby coach

“As a mother, Danielle is the coordinator of all things in her household. We call her the chief operating officer for her family. She coordinates schedules, finances, health and wellness, and teaches her children to be kind and have fun.

In addition to her full-time role, she volunteers as a firefighter and is actively involved with community awareness related to fire safety. She is also partnering with FireWomen of Colorado to mentor and develop young leaders. As a rugby coach, Danielle leads young women through their personal development of team and character through the game of rugby. She leads them with a coaching approach to find their own leader and followership skills. She leads them from zero experience to championship sportsmanship and toward regional tournaments.

“Danielle has been serving the fire service for four years as a wildland and volunteer structural firefighter. From 2007-2009 she volunteered as a mentor for LAMBDA. For five years she has contributed to the growth and development of young women through Fort Collins youth rugby.

Recently she has partnered with TRY Rugby to help grow a new league that is for children.

“Danielle is extraordinary because all of her work is unpaid. She does completely authentic soul work that doesn’t have a monetary recognition and she gives it freely and wholeheartedly.

Danielle is a fully present, fully engaged mother raising her children on a full-time basis. She has had a primary priority focus on their development while she’s continued to develop and take care of herself, too. She completed her bachelor’s degree, graduated fire academy at the top of her class as well as wilderness first responder training, and is currently obtaining her EMT. Danielle is determined to empower others through empathy, loyalty, and strong contribution and role modeling.”

Eleanor Van Deusen

Age: 56 Director of religious exploration for Foothills Unitarian Church; she also teaches dance and co-leads dance companies at Mountain Kids in Fort Collins

“Over the last 15 years, Eleanor has created a community of children and families centered around values of peace, justice, and love through her work at the Foothills Unitarian Church.

Drawing on her dance and theatre background, she consistently creates incredible and highly original worship and ritual experiences accessible to all ages. She is doing as innovative work as anyone I know of in the country in terms of ritual, art integration, music and movement.

“She also empowers 60+ volunteers to grow in their own spiritual path while leading children along theirs. She integrates service and social justice into every opportunity, as well as meditation and incredible artistic expression. Her deep Northern Colorado connections ensure that she is always bringing in new collaborators and helping our community reach out. She has done this all based in her own initiative, drive and vision, constantly innovating and creating to keep the program and our community thriving. Along the way, she has regularly directed and/or choreographed local theatre productions, as well as taught and led the dance companies at Mountain Kids. Her energy and enthusiasm seem to be endless, and she is both inspiring and inspired in all she does.

“On top of all of her gifts, she is relentlessly optimistic and positive, a joy to work with. She is flexible and a great collaborator, always working to say ‘yes’ whenever an idea is presented. We are blessed to have her at Foothills, and the wider Northern Colorado community is blessed to have her as a leader and community member!!”

Dr. Elise Rigney

Libby Colbert

“At the age of 27, two years into practice, having seen what she had already accomplished, she was asked to be a mentor (coach) in one of the largest chiropractic coaching companies in the world. She is a speaker, having spoken on platforms for more than 500 chiropractors. She is one of the top prenatal and pediatric chiropractors not only in Colorado but worldwide. She has been interviewed by some of the top chiropractors in the world. Not only has she opened two businesses, but she hired her first associate doctor one year into practice. Not only has she accomplished all of this in only three years of practice, she just became a mom in November, and she is only 28!

“Impact Chiropractic and Dr. Elise Rigney have given to the community by financially sponsoring Fort Collins Eagles youth hockey, Grit Athletics (wrestling), SCL (Spartan Combat League) MMA fighter Jerrod Hardy, Loveland girls youth softball, and Alzheimer’s Association. …

“She is the most committed, caring, loving, and authentic person I have met. She truly cares about the well-being of all of her patients and her fellow chiropractors. She is incredibly selfless, putting others ahead of her always. She is not only a Northern Colorado Super Woman, she is an American Super Woman.”

“Libby creates tremendous community through her work raising money for cystic fibrosis awareness and a cure. Her family brings community together in honor of her son, Noah, each year and raises tens of thousands of dollars for the CF foundation. She helps organize the regional CF Great Strides walk and coordinates the art for the annual Breath of Life Gala in Denver. She volunteers endless hours at Tavelli Elementary.

She is the definition of strength and grace.

“She is magic. She creates memories for her community while doing the work that she is passionate about. It is incredibly effective. She always surpasses her goals, and she will be the last to tell you of her successes. Her head and heart are already busy on her next goal, taking care of her family and friends. She is a gem to our community.

“She works so hard to do what is right, improve the lives of everyone around her, and she never expects anything in return. I’d live to see her be honored for all she does for the arts community, the CF community and everyone lucky enough to benefit from her intelligence, big heart, hard work and unwavering determination to make the world a better place.”

Age: 28 Chiropractic doctor, owner and operator of Impact Chiropractic and Authentic Chiropractic Products

Age: 45 Mother, CF fundraiser and advocate for a cure, volunteer, community organizer, art advocate

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 67

Nancy Richardson

Lyndsey Lewis

Dale Jackson

“With a background in interior design, Nancy serves as a design adviser on Blue Ocean’s commercial real estate and redevelopment projects, directing the vision for Blue Ocean’s interior spaces. She was a member of the team that developed the award-winning design for the OtterBox headquarters and Canyon Place in Fort Collins, renowned as state-of-the-art corporate offices.

“Nancy has been widely recognized for her service to the Northern Colorado community.

She received the Women of Distinction Award in 2012 from BizWest (formerly Northern Colorado Business Report) and, with her husband, has been honored with the 2014 Hope Award by the MS Society/Colorado/Wyoming Chapter, the 2012 Lamplighter Award from Team Fort Collins, the Collins Award from the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, and the Values-Aligned Leadership Summit Award from Colorado Christian University.

“In addition to these roles, Nancy focuses her time and efforts on giving back to the community through the initiatives of the Richardson Foundation, the private philanthropic organization of the Richardson family. In 2010, she founded the OtterCares Foundation, the charitable arm of OtterBox, a Fort Collins company founded by her husband. Nancy also serves as a board member for CURE International and Rescue:Freedom International and serves on the Northern Regional Council for the El Pomar Foundation.”

“Lyndsey founded and built a thriving photography business, focused on newborns and families. She taught herself photography and has grown her business over the last seven years. “(She’s done) international outreach to Haiti and Peru through Group Publishing’s nonprofit division Group Cares. Lyndsey traveled to Haiti and Peru as a part of international development efforts coordinated by local partners on the ground. The outreach in Peru was to help the Shipibo villagers in the Amazon. The work in Haiti was to empower and educate women and orphans. In addition to the service she’s done there, she donated her photography services for the week.

“Each year, Lyndsey donates time and photo shoots to the Alpha Center, creating a calendar for their annual gala that features newborn babies from the program.

“Lyndsey gives tirelessly to her clients. She puts her personal touch on everything she does, and many of her clients come back year after year. It’s her ‘others-mindedness’ that people love.

She’s also a certified CrossFit trainer and works to help people achieve their fitness and nutrition goals, all while raising four boys ages 11, 9, 7, and 5. “ … The way she’s driven to excellence is what has made LyndseyLew Photography a known name in Northern Colorado. She’s a wonderful wife and mom, and her impact on the community goes far beyond business and into the lives of those she comes in contact with.”

“Mrs. Jackson is a fantastic middle school math teacher who is passionate and caring about her kids. She gets to know each one on a personal level, thus creating a relationship of trust and respect. She also spends her time as an assistant tennis coach at school.

“Dale is a member of the Overland Mountain Bike Patrol. She is an avid mountain biker and turned her passion into helping local land agencies as well as fellow cyclists on the trail. As a patroller, she documents trail usage for the land agencies as well as assists with any injuries or mechanical malfunctions trail users may have.

“Dale earned her National Boards Certification while teaching in North Carolina. This is an extremely prestigious certification there. She uses the qualities and skills she has learned to better the education of all of her students.

“Dale is a positive role model for her middle school students, both male and female. She commutes on her bicycle and parks her bike in the classroom, which her kids find to be a very good conversation piece. Whenever she runs into a student’s parent in public, they rave about how much she has helped their child in math. She is a great teacher and a great example of what we should all strive to be. She is a good person.”

Age: 55 Co-founder and board member of Blue Ocean Enterprises Inc. and Blue Ocean Holdings LLC

68 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Age: 37 Founder and CEO at LyndseyLew Photography

Age: 34 Middle school math teacher

Ashley Ponsolle

Age: 31 Owner and founder of Smashed Ink Marketing and Design

“Ashley ran in-house creative for a popular restaurant chain in Fort Collins. After being laid off, she took a class on starting a small business through the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. She decided to use her experience, skill set, and degree to start a business of her own and so Smashed Ink was born. Realizing the importance of small businesses to the local economy, Smashed Ink aimed the vision and mission of the company to provide agency-quality work, knowledge, and expertise to small businesses.

“Ashley set up a T-shirt charity program through her business to help support local businesses, all while raising money for a local charity.

Every month Smashed Ink teams up with a Smashed Ink client to raise money for a local charity. The client gets to pick a charity that is near and dear to their heart, and Smashed Ink simply facilitates the fundraising, design, and logistics. After a charity is chosen, Smashed Ink designs a T-shirt to sell. Profit from the T-shirt sales are donated to the local charity. … Some charities that have benefited from these T-shirt designs: Colorado Ovarian Cancer Center and the Larimer County Humane Society.

“Ashley’s creativity never stops. She has an excellent sense of design and a playful spirit. Her ideas are fun! I have seen many of her marketing products and am always excited and impressed.

Ashley has been involved in design since her college years. She has a background in many other aspects of design, which enhances her marketing skills. Since I have known Ashley, she has been involved in journalism, interior design, signage, and fabric design. She is a great communicator and has a knack for understanding the customer’s needs.”

Betsy Craig

Age: 50 MenuTrinfo LLC founder and CEO

“Betsy is an innovator in menu nutrition and labeling. She travels incessantly to speak/teach, share, and learn (about) her business … When at home in FoCo, Betsy works constantly with other women from all walks to empower them through service and self- awareness to improve their lives and grow as she models with action. She is a women’s community grass-roots leader who insists on hard work, having fun, and living a big life.”

Betsy’s community service/philanthropy involvement includes: national food nutrition speaker, food allergen awareness advocate, flood relief activities, college food allergen training classes, mentoring women in business locally and nationally weekly, board member of Scleroderma Foundation in Denver, and board member of National Food Service Council for Women.

“Betsy is a phenomenal woman who lives to give and shows others through honesty, integrity, and action how to create fulfilling and purposeful lives beyond their wildest dreams. and every project.”

Lindsay Roselle

Age: 32 Founder and owner of Mindstream Yoga Inc., Candescence Group Inc. and Women& Inc

“In 2011, Lindsay designed and created the business plan for Mindstream Yoga Inc. in southeast Fort Collins while working a full-time corporate job that required extensive overseas travel. A Fort Collins native, she’d watched as southeast Fort Collins went from hayfields to homes and knew that the rapidly growing community would benefit from what Mindstream Yoga endeavored to create. Bringing the studio to life as a female entrepreneur required more grit, inventiveness, and serendipity than she could have ever imagined, and now it’s a thriving wellness community of hundreds of healthy, active Northern Colorado residents.

“Lindsay has since left her corporate job and now works with other female entrepreneurs through her consulting company Candescence Group and has recently created an organization called Women& Inc that hosts connection events for entrepreneurial women staged over a taster flight of craft spirits.

“Through Mindstream Yoga, Lindsay supports dozens of local organizations with donations, sponsorships, and volunteer yoga classes including the SAVA Center, UCH Cancer Center, and Poudre School District. She also recently joined the Respite Care Giving Society. As the Women & Inc organization continues to grow, Lindsay is also working on plans to create an outreach program for girls and young women with entrepreneurial ambitions that matches them up with a female mentor from the community for business planning help.

“Lindsay is a Fort Collins native and she couldn’t imagine calling anywhere else home.

She loves that she can have breakfast at Silver Grill or attend a charity luncheon and run into her elementary school teachers and have them recognize her! She’s the consummate creator, full of ideas and vision and fire for what is possible.

She brings that energy and radiance to her relationships and gives a ton of herself to support the success of small business in Fort Collins.”

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 69

Melissa Venable

Age: 44 Executive director for Hope Lives Breast Cancer Support Center

“For over five years now, Melissa has been the executive director for Hope Lives and in that time the organization has experienced more growth than in the previous 10 years combined. During her time as executive director, annual fundraising revenue has more than doubled, which has allowed Hope Lives to provide more beneficial support services to more women who are battling breast cancer.

Additionally, Hope Lives has been able to expand its service area into Weld and Boulder counties thanks to the increased fundraising. Melissa’s vast fund development experience coupled with her creative event planning and tremendous passion have helped to ensure that Hope not only lives, but also thrives in Northern Colorado for those who are facing a breast cancer diagnosis.

“As the head of a nonprofit organization, Melissa is all about service. Her commitment to the women of Northern Colorado is evidenced by her tireless work to ensure that all breast cancer patients in the region are able to receive valuable holistic wellness and lifestyle support services free of charge. She is also a member of the Larimer County Women’s Health Consortium and Colorado Women of Influence and has her Mental Health First Aid certification.

“Not only is Melissa committed to her clients at Hope Lives, she is also committed to her family. She is a loving wife to her husband, Dave, and a devoted mother to her two teenage sons, Walker and Creighton, and 20-year-old stepdaughter, Becca. In her (very limited) free time, she enjoys playing softball, knitting, reading, and writing her own personal development blog www.fabYOUlouslife.com, where she encourages women to embrace their ‘fabYOUlously’ uniquequalities and share those qualities with the world.”

70 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Madison Hughes

Rebecca Teeples

“Madison is a 7-year-old second-grader whose classmate Jackson has been diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis and is undergoing chemotherapy. She … told her teacher she wanted to do something. She organized a bake sale in which she baked and sold treats to raise $1,440.50 for the family and selflessly gave (the money) to the family to help her friend. She gave up her spring break and sat for eight hours two days to raise money. When they ran out (of baked items), she helped bake that night to raise more (money).

She thoughtfully explained why she was (raising money) to each person who stopped by. She truly is a compassionate leader in our community.

(We) need more young people like this.

“She’s a great student, soccer player, role model to her younger brother, mature for her young age, and a great friend.”

“Rebecca started her educational career just eight years ago. After teaching at the elementary level, she pursued her master’s degree in educational leadership and now serves as executive director of Windsor Charter Academy. In her two years there, the K-8 school has doubled its enrollment and has increased its state performance test scores by 20 percent. In addition to managing a staff of 50 and oversight of 500 students, Rebecca is at the helm of the construction of an additional building to house the Windsor Charter Academy Early College High School. She works tirelessly toward this effort, as charter schools must finance and facilitate capital projects.

“Rebecca is committed to her students, her staff, and the entire community of Windsor.

Charter schools offer an important alternative in the educational system, and under Rebecca’s leadership, the school is thriving. She has joined, and forged relationships with, the Windsor Chamber of Commerce, hosted a communitywide panel discussion featuring state education leaders, and has pioneered a collaboration with Aims Community College to provide college instruction to high school students. Rebecca is a visionary and through the early college high school will offer students the opportunity to graduate with a twoyear associate degree — a huge cost savings to families in Northern Colorado. While maintaining this professional excellence, Rebecca is a person of deep faith who serves continuously in leadership roles for her church. She is the mother of three college-age children.”

“I don’t know where she gets her energy. For as many hours as she puts in, she likely doesn’t make the money she deserves. That means she has a passion that drives her. She’s selfless with her time and is completely devoted to our school.

She is often at school late into the night for special-session board meetings, at district meetings, or at school holding info nights so that we all have enough kids in our new school. She goes beyond each and every day.”

Age: 7 Second-grader at Coyote Ridge Elementary School

Age: 46 Executive director of Windsor Charter Academy

Laura Knudsen

Age: 39 Officer with the city of Fort Collins Police Services

“Laura offers an undying determination to better her community one person at a time.

She approaches each contact and problem with compassion and hope. She has played a vital role in initiating multiple training programs and seminars helping to educate the community on her role in helping provide solutions for ongoing community issues. She has held several community events, offering job fairs in troubled sections of town, and often provides assistance to those she comes in contact with out of her own pocket.

“Laura volunteers at her son’s (Deacon) school and other schools looking to have students meet a police officer; the family hosts foster dogs from five local no-kill shelters; she participates in Santa Cops; and she is involved with Timberline Church and an anti-trafficking coalition known as CTOCC, among many others. She is stricken with the inability to say no to a good cause.

“Laura began her career as a teacher. She found great satisfaction in educating middle and high schoolers in the city. She achieved her master’s degree in education and continued to promote unique, personally crafted lesson plans day in and day out for the Pioneer (now Polaris) ELOB (Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound) School.

After roughly six years of being an educator, Laura felt police work pulling her. At 5’3” and 112 pounds, she is unwilling to believe that her size would hold her back.

“She completed the police academy training and was a patrol officer for three years and has since found a home with the NET (Neighborhood Enforcement Task Force) team, which has allowed her flexibility to attack persistent issues within the city that would traditionally fall outside the attention of the detective bureau and patrol. She has gained considerable knowledge in human trafficking and has been a vital part of the NET team in accomplishing its goals.

“Laura is a driven woman, loving mother, and amazing wife. She keeps herself in near Olympic shape, dances with an African dance troupe called “Fale”, runs, bikes, plays and exudes awesome.”

Lisa Falsetto

Age: 45 University of Colorado Health-North radiation oncology registered nurse

“Lisa has a way of making every single person she connects with on a daily basis feel like they are the only one that matters at that moment.

She not only treats her patients with cancer this way, but her co-workers, too. She is an angel on Earth. She undoubtedly stays late every shift to tie up loose ends, her work is never finished, and then she goes home to her family of seven to put on her super-woman cape and finish her daily mom duties: soccer games, dinner, cleaning, homework.

“She leads a Thursday night group called ‘Sharing the Cancer Journey’ for loved ones and patients going through treatment. She never stops. And she does it all with a calm and happy spirit. It’s incredible to watch her in action. She’s the most humble person I’ve ever met.

“Lisa has a quiet way about her but for some reason everyone in her community knows her.

She is there for anyone in need. People reach out to her, because she's always willing to find the time for anyone. I’m not sure how she does it with her busy family life, but she makes it all work and is so graceful about it. She never complains. She is very involved with her church and does a lot in the community, yet she always has an interest in other people’s needs even if not affiliated with her church. She is truly ‘walking a walk’ I’ve never seen anyone else do ... in my life.”

Peggy Steele-Olson

Age: 68 Managing director of Steeleworks Inc.; entrepreneur who has founded four Colorado businesses; currently on the board, consultant, and investor to her third business, The Regis Company, located in Golden.

“After founding International Learning Systems in 1987, she sold it in 1998 to Teach.com.

ILS won numerous awards and grew to over 100 employees. It was eventually acquired by Xerox.

Her software company, Wisdom Link, developed one of the first learning management systems and was purchased by Thompson Publishing. Regis University enlisted her to help them go to the corporate market and Regis Learning Solutions, now The Regis Company, was founded in 2002.

She served as CEO and president until 2008, when her husband was killed in an accident. At that time she took a sabbatical and returned to serve on the board and as the executive consultant. Regis has won numerous awards for developing online simulations for Fortune 100 clients such as McDonald’s, Hyatt, and UPS. Steele has mentored numerous individuals, both men and women, who now lead companies. She has served on a variety of boards and received awards from both the public and private sectors. “(Personal achievements include) overcoming numerous obstacles to create amazing, profitable, and valuable companies that have been recognized for innovative technology and high-performance work environments. …

“She quickly established a reputation for getting things done and breaking glass ceilings without collateral damage. In her early years as a teacher, she quickly rose to the top of her field by being selected by the West German government to direct students at The Berlin Theatre Festival, for winning first place in the State Thespian Society Awards, and doubling enrollment in the theatre program she managed, all in two years!”

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 71

Lee Porter

Katie Portacci Quatrano

Lee’s professional leadership efforts include: 1 Million Cups organizer, Larimer County Small Business Development Corporation counselor, (Larimer County) instructor, certified NXLevel instructor, Currow Weeks national newspaper consulting, organizer of NoCo Health and Wellness Summit 2002-2006, among others.

Lee’s community service/philanthropy work includes: past president (three years as), board of directors for Boys and Girls Clubs of Larimer County; past president, Fort Collins Rotary After Work; CanDo board member (Obesity Prevention); and Fort Collins Startup Week volunteer.

Among her personal achievements: InnovatioNews won five awards from the 2014 Society of Professional Journalists’ “Top of the Rockies” competition including first place for General Website Excellence; Manager of the Year, Northern Colorado Business Report, 2003; and Salesperson of the Year, Fort Collins Coloradoan, 1995.

“Lee is a great candidate for the Super Women of NoCo feature. Not only is she a super-motivated, successful entrepreneur, she helps others achieve their dreams through her career and through her extensive community service. In addition to her phenomenal business acumen and her years of giving back in so many ways, I believe she lives her life in a way that appeals to the purpose and mission of Mind+Body. For example, she’s an avid outdoors woman, a vegetarian, and she regularly practices meditation and yoga. Additionally, she’s a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, and friend. I seriously don’t know how she accomplishes all that she does.

She is a NoCo Super Woman!”

“Katie is a public health veterinarian who investigates animal diseases at the population level. She looks to improve the health of animal and human populations. Besides this, Katie helped Northern Colorado horse owners during the 2014 vesicular stomatitis virus outbreak by examining sick horses and educating owners on disease care and prevention methods to limit the spread of disease. She also trains international veterinarians on risk assessment for animal health. By learning how a disease spreads, she can identify ways to prevent it or stop its spread.

“Katie has volunteered for the Fort Collins Running Club board since 2009. She has always played an important role in the Tortoise and Hare races, the Holiday Lights Run and Party, the member breakfasts, and all the other club events.

Most importantly, Katie was the architect of and has been the driving force behind the Running U sessions. Running U is a program for runners of all abilities to motivate, educate, and communicate with each other, regardless of skill level or goal. … Overall, Running U has recruited over 200 people to join, start, or improve their running. Through Running U, Katie has created an encouraging environment for our community to get and stay healthy.

“She considers herself a new runner, but when I first met Katie, she was 6 months pregnant and still running one half marathon per month. Now with two amazing children, she still gracefully balances friendships, her family, working full time, volunteering in her field, and playing on her kickball team. … She is not only a role model in the running community but for her own two little future athletes. ”

Age: 60 InnovatioNews CEO and publisher

72 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Age: 36 USDA veterinary epidemiologist

Michele Marquitz

Age: 50 Senior supply chain planning manager, LSI Corporation, January 2002-2015 (Michele’s position was down-sized as a result of the merger with Avago)

“(Michele led a) diverse international team of 10 planners from diverse countries and cultures.

Leader in driving $475 million worth of revenue to LSI. Integrated new business processes, conducted training, ensured departmental metrics were met. Negotiated and renegotiated multiple international vendor inventory contracts.

Her community service and philanthropic efforts include: board of directors, Book Trust — helped put over 300,000 new books into the hands of Colorado school children whose families cannot afford to buy books; co-chair, WomenGive, also a member of the membership committee, events committee, connections committee, and leadership committee. WomenGive is a nonprofit organization of more than 350 members who use their financial resources to help women in Larimer County achieve economic self-sufficiency.

“Michele brings enthusiasm and a ‘get it done’ attitude to her professional career and her community service pursuits. She is relentlessly positive. She is a compassionate, grounded leader. She actively pursues problem-solving and leads others to common goals. Volunteer leaders and friends seek her level-headed, clear-sighted advice and insight. Her smile is contagious! She loves her Labradoodle Gracie and her precious Missouri nieces who emulate their Aunt Michele.

She proactively maintains close friendships. Her home is often the gathering place. She loves golf!

Michele is a Super Woman in every way.”

Suzanne Miller Age: 61 Community volunteer

“Suzanne is a cheerleader for individuals and teams to go above and beyond. A recent example of her leadership is #doalizthing. A monthlong celebration of her daughter Liz’s life encourages people to do a random act of kindness for someone else. Established just a year ago, Do A Liz Thing has inspired people all around the world to do something considerate and generous for another.

“It seems like Suzanne is always doing a bunch of different things in service of the community at any given time. In the last few months, she stepped up to help keep Salt and Pepper Lunch going while Mike Pierce was battling cancer. She is highly involved at Timberline Church, serves on the Editorial Board of the Coloradoan and volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club.

“I have personally been very moved and inspired by Suzanne. As a new mother, I feel ever more deeply for the loss of her daughter, Liz, a few years ago. I find hope in how courageously and gracefully Suzanne has grieved her own loss. And she shares her story with others to help people do things that are meaningful and supportive of others. In addition to organizing and promoting Do A Liz Thing, Suzanne leads workshops to help friends, family, and colleagues be more empathetic toward loved ones that are grieving loss, sickness, divorce ... “… What I have learned from #doalizthing is that to build a healthy community, we need to be pushed to step outside of our own comfort zone to do something in service of others.”

Patti Smith

Age: 65 RN; health education consultant; business owner/sole proprietor, www.Success4StudentsNHealthcare.org and Pioneer Spirit Marketing

“Patti created a medical office assisting program, a nurse refresher course, and medical terminology course for adult students the first three years of her teaching career in the 1980s, then was hired to teach high school students at Front Range Community College/Larimer Campus for 12 years, introducing them to the health care professions.

Over the past 17 years, Patti has helped school districts all over Colorado complete their federal grants and provided curriculum to initiate the Health Science Technology Education programs in their high schools. These programs afford high school students the ability to gain knowledge and hands-on skills training in health care. …

“Patti, as a previous 20-year member of Trinity Lutheran Church, was on church council, taught Sunday school several years and Confirmation classes for over seven years. Patti is currently a member of Faith E Free, where she can walk to church with her grandchildren as she did with her grandmother, when visiting her in Montana as a young child. …

“Patti has been a member of the Zonta Club of Fort Collins five years, supporting the organization as vice president two years, membership chair three years, and the main fundraiser, “Meet the Author,’ event chair three years. Patti is currently the membership chair and the co-chair of the ‘Women’s Legacy Mural’ project.

“Patti has unlimited energy and constantly comes from her heart, her innate courage to do what is right, to give, to leave a daily courage legacy. She has unbounded passion to enhance others’ lives and the courageous will to go above and beyond to make a difference. Patti loves education and especially supporting women of all ages. She donates her time to constantly stop and focus on benefiting others; many times forgetting about herself and all that she does for community, family, friends, and colleagues. …”

Audra Brickner

Age: 37 Executive director of gift planning, Colorado State University

“Audra absolutely excels in her work as executive director of gift planning at Colorado State University. She is a leader who demonstrates excellence every day. Throughout her nine-year tenure at CSU, she has played a direct and personal role in raising over $50 million for the university.

Her dedication and leadership has impacted the lives of countless CSU students and alumni. Beyond that, her contributions will positively affect the CSU community for generations to come.

“Audra’s in a position that allows her to make a difference for our Northern Colorado community every day through her professional work at CSU. Somehow she manages to do much more, even beyond that, in her free time. She is an active and committed member of the PTO at her children’s school, Riffenburgh Elementary.

For the last three years she has been in charge of Riffenburgh’s “Family Fun Night,” a carnival/ fun night for kids and their families. She also volunteers on the Stewardship Committee at First United Methodist Church. In this role she helps to create ways to engage church members with their time, talent, gifts, and service.

“Audra is a tremendous role model and mother to five beautiful children. I am truly inspired by Audra’s commitment to teaching her children the importance of giving back to the community. As a family of seven, with children ages 2-11, they volunteer together with Faith Family Hospitality and Salvation Army as bell ringers. Audra makes sure the whole family gets involved in important community events.

“Audra is beyond worthy for this recognition for any one of her many accomplishments, and somehow she does it all with genuine positivity, kindness, humility, and grace. …”

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 73

Heather Beckman

Ronita Yvette Blok

“After Heather became a Silver Grill managing partner and the Grill’s chef in 2011, customer numbers at the 83-year-old restaurant jumped 41 percent — even with 84+ other restaurants just blocks away. Without compromising the restaurant’s historic charm and down-home cooking, Heather has combined adventurous recipes with inventive marketing programs to keep Silver Grill top of mind. This 20-year industry veteran introduced the popular ‘Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar’ and played a key role in doubling the patio size to accommodate more guests (a fire pit and blankets keep wintertime customers warm).

Among her community service and philanthropic efforts, “At no cost, Heather opened up the Silver Grill for the annual RamStrength Valentine’s Day Dinner & Auction fundraiser to provide financial support to cancer survivors in the area. For several years Heather and her team catered the popular event. To help fight hunger and assist low-income members of our community, she creates and donates a rare Chef Heather soup for the Empty Bowls Fundraiser that supports the Food Bank for Larimer County.

“Staff knows that with Heather, they are developing a career, not just working a job. She has instituted advancement/promotion opportunities.

Individual Retirement Accounts are available to staff, along with bonuses, flexible work schedules, customer relations training, incentive programs, and days off when nearly all other restaurants remain open (Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day). “… She manages her life’s demanding pace through fitness, healthy eating, and, most importantly, family. An avid volleyball player through college, Heather combines treadmill workouts with grueling push-ups and sit-ups each day, along with regular arduous hikes. She’s choosy about what she eats. The most effective stress reducer is her family: ‘Spending time doing anything, anywhere together takes precedence and is so serene.’ ”

“The basis for my nomination of Ronita is the fact that she has long been a ‘Super Woman,’ quietly touching the lives of countless others for decades. After setting up a new home in Northern Colorado, she wasted no time in recognizing a critical need in Fort Collins and setting herself the task of meeting it.

“It was my initial accidental discovery of the picketing and protesting outside of a local women's clinic that helped identify the need for a kind and understanding supporter. I was very upset and angry.

I wanted to lash out at the attackers and shared my feelings with Ronita. She listened with patience, kindness, and understanding. Without criticizing me or my anger, Ronita suggested that our task was not to duplicate the picketers’ bad behavior by attacking them. Rather, we needed to quell our anger and find positive ways to support the clinic staff and help protect each vulnerable woman who had made the difficult and often heart-rending decision to end her pregnancy. Ronita helped me compose myself and see what really needed to be done.

“It’s exhausting and sometimes bruising work, but Ronita always does it with a smile and without complaint. Ronita doesn’t dwell on the safety risks, even though our self-imposed rules of ‘don’t talk to and don’t touch the picketers’ hasn’t kept her from being frequently verbally harassed and physically attacked twice, forcing us to call on police intervention.

“Ronita is (also) committed to natural beauty as a Master Gardener, to healing as a Reiki practitioner, and to good health as a self-taught herbalist and medicine woman.

“Ronita … is a quiet, unassuming, even humble activist whose work in support of so many others is typically done anonymously or where there is no public fanfare or recognition. Ronita’s decades-long history of generosity with her time, strength, energy, skills, knowledge, unconditional love and her always available, though limited ,financial resources made her arrival in Colorado an unassuming gift to all.

Age: 37 Silver Grill Cafe managing partner, head chef

74 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

Age: 55 Retired

Blanche Hughes, Ph.D.

Age: 59 Vice president for Student Affairs, Colorado State University

“As VP for Student Affairs, Dr. Blanche Hughes manages a budget of $130 million and a staff of 800 with responsibility for 21 departments with such important functions as housing and dining, campus recreation, Lory Student Center, and academic and student success programs. While providing administrative oversight to this massive division, Dr. Hughes never fails to act as an extraordinary champion for students.

“She recognizes the capacity of students to lead and drive change, asking always that they be treated with respect, dignity, and fairness while expecting that they take responsibility for their choices."

During her 30 years on campus, Dr. Hughes has contributed enormously to a campus culture that values collegiality, candor, and accountability. She has nurtured a team of leaders that is student-focused, academically engaged, and constantly assessing their performance to see how they can better serve students.

“In addition to her professional focus on the improvement of the on-campus community, Dr. Hughes also serves the Fort Collins community as a whole. She is a member of the Fort Collins High School Improvement Team, and has served on the Parents Advisory Boards for Fort Collins High School and Boltz Middle School as well.

“Dr. Hughes is sincere in every interaction, whether with students, staff, faculty, parent and families, alumni, community members, and other administrators. Dr. Hughes takes the time out of her very busy schedule to arrange for lunches with colleagues and she never misses an opportunity to show support and encouragement.

She approaches all challenges without judgment and with the sole purpose to resolve any situation with collaboration, trust and respect. Her job takes super-human stamina and commitment. …”

Carri Weller Age: 56 Customer support representative for Woodward Governor

“Carri is a customer support representative and has had a career with Woodward Governor for over 35 years (and counting). She is a leader and role model for her group, and provides superior customer service to both the departments and the customers she supports.

She uses her years of experience and knowledge, as well as the rapport that she has developed with individuals both within and outside of Woodward, to find creative solutions to meeting customer needs on a daily basis. At trade shows, many customers specifically ask for her by name because she is the voice of wisdom on the phone who finds solutions to the challenges.

“Although much of Carri’s giving in the community isn’t through formalized organizations, she is one of the most selfless and giving women I have ever met. She shovels snow for neighbors who cannot, she provides meals and care to those on the mend, she cares for pets when their owners are away, and she would come to the aid of anyone who called at any time of day or night. As a member of Ram Club, Carri supports the endeavors of both students at CSU and the community. She also contributes to and attends every fundraising event she can while supporting the needs of others. Although she doesn’t hold formalized positions of leadership in a specific organization, her contribution to others is immeasurable.

“One of Carri’s biggest achievements is having graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree at the age of 55. At a young age, Carri married, raised two children, and had a career that made it somewhat challenging to find time to go to school. Once her children were both grown and had completed their college educations, Carri decided at the age of 49 that she needed to go back to school to get the degree that she never finished. After six years of school while working full time, Carri celebrated her graduation in the company of the many friends and family who supported her during that journey. The most amazing thing about it all is that she continued to do all the other things while going to school (helping friends and neighbors, camping, hiking, golfing, fundraisers, community events, etc.). She is the person I aspire to be.”

Rebecca Klinger

Age: 48 VP Client Services, Collection Center

“Rebecca leads by example, inspiring others to be exceptional parents, unparalleled workers, empowering leaders, tireless volunteers, and empathetic and caring human beings. Her enthusiasm is contagious, her humor is engaging.

Very few can compete with the sheer quantity or the quality of the barrage of ideas she brings to a brainstorming session on virtually any topic.

“Rebecca is a leader in the community in many ways. Active in the Chamber of Commerce, she also works in leadership positions in sports team and youth programs.

“She volunteers as a chaperone on school outings despite a demanding corporate leadership position. She also spearheads a company drive to support the local Toys for Tots campaign. She champions a wellness program for the employees in her company and initiated a weight loss contest that garnered 65 percent employee participation. As a direct result of her efforts, her company and its 65 employees have donated over $10,000 and over 300 hours to nonprofit charities in just the last 12 months.

“Rebecca began in an entry-level position as a single mother at 16. Tenaciously working and growing while raising her children, she earned her GED. Since then she has earned a meteoric rise through the corporate ranks, each step earned by obvious merit and dedicated effort. From team lead to manager, to vice president and finally to Senior VP Production, ably overseeing 35 employees for many years.

Most recently, she was promoted to Senior VP Client Services where her division is directly responsible for care and retention of over 1,000 clients. Rebecca also now sits on the Core Leadership Team and the board of directors of her company.

“Rebecca was recently nominated by Gov. John Hickenlooper to serve on the Colorado Collection Agency Board, the most prestigious, influential, and burdensome position available to anyone working in the collection industry in Colorado. She also serves as the PAC chairperson for her multistate trade association (Associated Collection Agencies) with aspirations toward national and international association leadership.

She is a recognized expert in Colorado laws, rules and regulations regarding her industry and has testified frequently in Colorado Courts in that capacity.”

Tracy Thomas

Elder Pet Care — Thomas Veterinary Care founder

“Dr. Thomas started her clinic to help animals and people. She doesn’t do it for the money, she does it solely for the animals and people that need her. She knows how owning a pet improves the lives of many people, and she helps those who don’t have the money to afford expensive vet care keep their animals healthy.

“Elder Pet Care is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing extremely low-cost veterinary services to senior citizens with pets. Services are available for nonseniors at affordable prices as well.

“Dr. Thomas and her staff are amazing people.

They work so hard to help low-income families keep their pets healthy and happy. She’s not much of a people person, but she is amazing with the animals!”

Editor's note: Carri, Rebecca and Tracy did not have photos taken.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 75

Banner Health

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Just a pinch Protect your family and your community with immunization Some of the greatest gains in human health came from some of the most basic improvements: sanitation, nutrition and vaccinations. In 1796, the first ever vaccine was developed for smallpox, and this disease with a mortality rate of about 30-35% was slowed and eventually eradicated. Over the next two centuries, vaccines were developed for a number of diseases plaguing human societies.

Amanda Harding, MD specializes in pediatrics at Banner Health Clinic, 6801 W. 20th St., Suite 201 in Greeley. To schedule an appointment call (970) 810-5828 or visit bannerhealth.com.

76 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

From tetanus and typhoid fever in the 1890s to measles and mumps in the 1960s to the controversial human papilloma virus (HPV) in 2006, vaccinations have greatly reduced the overall impact of infectious diseases. But they haven’t come without controversy. Though research has thoroughly debunked claims linking vaccines to autism, doubts linger in the public consciousness and despite abundant support for the safety of vaccines, many still refuse to have their children vaccinated.

Banner Health encourages vaccination to promote healthy individuals and a healthy public. However, patients and parents should

speak with their primary care physicians to identify the best vaccination schedules for them and their families. Dr. Amanda Harding, pediatrician working at Banner Health’s Greeley Health Clinic, and the new Fort Collins Medical Center, has contributed her expertise to our inquiry into vaccinations.

How Do Vaccines Work?

Vaccines help our bodies develop immunity by imitating infections. While vaccines don’t cause the actual illness, they do stimulate an immune response. After the imitation infection leaves, the body retains a storage of immune cells that

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will “remember” how to fight that disease in the future. While there may be minor side effects, such as fever, after getting a vaccine, this is a normal part of the body building immunity.

Vaccine Safety “Modern vaccines are safe. The historical study linking autism and immunizations has been demonstrated to be false, ultimately leading to the loss of the publishing physician’s license,” says Dr.Harding. “Not only has no connection been found between thimerosal and autism, today’s vaccines are free of the mercury-related co mpound.” There are a number of different types of vaccines, all of which have been developed to best prevent the particular types of germs. Because each kind works differently in the body, talk to your doctor about the most appropriate for you or your child.

When to Vaccinate Childhood vaccinations should follow the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), though all decisions should be made in consultation with the child’s pediatrician. When outbreaks occur, the CDC has outlined guidelines for the immunization of at-risk populations. These should be followed.

those who are unable to be vaccinated due to age or health from exposure,” points out Dr. Harding. “Thinking bigger picture than just the individual is crucial to keeping the population free of these diseases.”

For example, all parents and grandparents (especially of newborns), childcare providers, and healthcare workers in close contact with infants and children should receive the Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis) vaccine. This vaccine prevents pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. In infants 6 to 8 weeks old—too young for vaccinations—whooping cough has a significant chance of leading to death.

Therefore, the best protection for these

“Thinking bigger picture than just the individual is crucial to keeping the population free of these diseases.”

Who is “At Risk”?

Groups at greatest risk during outbreaks are children, the elderly and those who are immunocompromised. At-risk populations should be vaccinated according to standard CDC recommendations, except for the immunocompromised. Those who are immunocompromised should consult with their doctors to decide which vaccines can be safely administered and which cannot.

Aren’t Vaccines Just for Kids?

In addition to immunizing children and the elderly, certain other populations should be vaccinated regularly. “The idea is to protect

babies is to make sure those around them are immunized.

Older adults are at particular risk for certain diseases and should consider vaccinations accordingly. In particular, those over 60 years of age should talk to their doctors about shingles and pneumococcal vaccines.

The Impact of Vaccination Vaccines have played an important role in reducing infectious diseases worldwide.

Following a World Health Organization-led global immunization campaign, smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980. While polio still affects some of the world’s poorest

populations, it was once a disease that was feared worldwide. However, health partnerships such as the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have reduced polio by 99%, with a goal of eradicating it completely through vaccination.

Rotavirus causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration; it can be very dangerous, especially for children under five. Before the rotavirus vaccine became available in the US, each year the virus caused 200,000 children to visit the emergency room, 70,000 children to be hospitalized, and between 20 and 60 children died. However, thanks to its excellent efficacy rates (85-98%), the rotavirus vaccine has dramatically reduced hospitalizations and emergency visits.

What Happens if Some People Opt Not to Vaccinate?

“When subsets of a population opt out of vaccination, we see a reduction in herd immunity which places at-risk individuals in danger and potentially leads to outbreaks of old diseases. Immunocompromised children who have illnesses such as leukemia, for example, cannot be vaccinated are suddenly at risk for exposure to diseases that could kill them,” says Dr. Harding.

Dr. Harding and the entire Banner Health network are staunchly pro-vaccination, following the historical efficacy, scientific studies, and population-scale demonstration of safety and protection against severely detrimental diseases.

Climbing toward confidence A variety of dynamics can make women struggle with confidence in the workplace.

Some past Mind+Body Super Women provide advice on embracing your self-worth.

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Climbing has taught me a special form of resilience, one that is characterized by action.

When I’m a few feet above my last bolt and every ounce of my afraid-of-heights being says, “Don’t make that next move,” I have learned to draw on a newfound confidence. I exhale and I make the move. More often than not, I succeed, boosting my self-assurance as I make my clip and move on.

Sometimes I fall, but instead of killing my confidence, falls just force me to try again.

And again. And again. It’s when I don’t make the move at all that I suffer, when I let myself down-climb and sit in my harness, utterly defeated by my own hesitation.

I’m not sure how to package this strength of self. In fact, I’m only just learning to call upon it at will. But it increasingly weaves throughout my life. I recently took a pitching class with veteran travel writer Amanda Castleman. As we learned to sell our stories with the gusto of the irreverent honey badger, it became clear that confidence and perseverance were just as important to success as competence.

It’s this inability to build, exude, even fake confidence that causes some women to struggle in their careers. Studies show qualified women are less likely to apply for promotions than men and that women often report feeling they don’t deserve their success.

Despite filling the ranks in universities and graduate schools, women still make around 77 cents on the dollar compared to men.

Part of the conversation around the disparate successes of men and women in the workplace has been the recognition that employers prefer, and differentially reward, outspoken, competitive risk-takers. These traits bring attention to employees and suggest a resilience in the face of failure. They are also associated with maleness.

Data suggest that as women hold themselves up to these traditionally masculine traits, their belief in themselves often waivers. In their recent study of South African women in leadership positions, Jessica Conradie and her colleagues at Management College of Southern Africa found that women “saw themselves as less effective” when self-assessing against the male archetype. Researchers concluded that this was not only the result of poor self-confidence, but the cause of it as well.

Interestingly, although we tend to hold a social predilection for traditionally male leadership styles, research indicates it might be worth re-thinking this preference.

Ann Clarke, course founder of Colorado Women of Influence, a Loveland membership organization that works to be the gathering place for high-level women in business, notes that the “old notion of ‘masculine and feminine’ doesn’t work anymore. As women,” she

“we can be forceful and strong, but we also must listen carefully and know that each person’s contributions have value.” says, “we can be forceful and strong, but we also must listen carefully and know that each person’s contributions have value.”

Today’s leaders must increasingly be chameleons, blending leadership styles and lifting employees up, all while exuding self-assurance.

It’s no easy task, but it might be one wellsuited to women, who have historically been the ones to encourage collaboration and foster nonhierarchical leadership.

Now, if only women could figure out that confidence part. Because in the workplace, despite demonstrating just as much competence, women remain insecure compared to their male counterparts.

I chatted with some of last year’s Mind+Body Super Women to learn how they’ve come to embrace their self-worth. Together, we explored how it looks and feels to find, have, and convey confidence as a professional woman. It turns out it leaves a lot of space for all kinds of personalities. Rather than extolling the virtues of assertiveness, a need to take up space, or encouraging women to “lean in,” these successful women spoke to the importance of finding, respecting, and developing oneself.

Across the board, our Super Women endorsed the importance of confidence but recognized that the specifics likely manifest differently for different women. Here is some of their wisdom:

Find and choose work that’s a good fit Clarke observes that “people want to feel they have something in common with their peers.”

And the importance of fitting in applies across the hierarchical continuum.

Kristin Candella, executive director of Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity, says that a sense of belonging and shared goals can go a long way toward feeling secure in the workplace.

“There was a part of my career when I felt like I had a lack of confidence, being out of my element and in a job that was the wrong fit,” she says. “I felt like my world view and my values 80 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

were just out of alignment with the organization I was working with at the time. That kind of chipped away at my self-confidence. I think the confidence issue there was an internal flag to move on and find the right place.”

Finding this fit might not always be easy, but Clarke, 71, who is a Fort Collins native and lifelong entrepreneur, says that’s OK. Life might be filled with many beginnings; some will evolve “into amazing accomplishments” while others might not turn out as expected.

“Every day you are faced with choices in your personal and professional life that will affect you over the long term,” she says. “These choices will result in your looking back with pride — or regret — when you are my age.”

Work on yourself For many, success and confidence in the workplace aren’t final, static destinations so much as active processes. One of the common threads Clarke has seen running through female entrepreneurs’ presentations over the years is the importance of skill development. Building a goalrelated toolkit improves competence, but it can also boost confidence.

“When I first started my career, I was not a great public speaker,” says Tiffany Helton, coowner of Stuft Burger Bar. “I found it challenging to lead my company meetings and have my staff be engaged in my presentation. …. I spend a lot of time improving my weaknesses and myself to become the best businesswoman and leader I can be. I really took note on who I thought were great public speakers.”

Abandon the idea of perfection While Helton, Clarke and Candella agree self-improvement is important, they add that selfimprovement will likely be ongoing and should be free of judgment.

After all, as Helton says, every last one of us is a “work in progress.”

“I kind of think this idea that feminism should be being a career woman or a stay-at-home mom doesn’t work. It can look different for everyone. ” Studies show women are far more likely than men to hold themselves up to unattainable standards. While men are likely to apply for a promotion or new job once they meet slightly more than half of the requirements, women often insist upon meeting and even exceeding 100 percent of expectations.

Candella and Clarke suggest dropping this attitude in favor of personal acceptance and inner work.

“I started thinking about how confidence for me has grown as my faith has grown and as my belief in grace has gotten deeper. And I don’t necessarily mean grace in the religious sense.

I mean grace in forgiveness and acceptance and extending that to myself and other people; believing everyone is flawed and to extend that grace to each other and to fill each other’s gaps,” Candella said.

Appreciate that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ ’Despite the memes about confident women acting a certain, typically masculine, way, self-confidence can be diverse. Sure, building self-confidence may require some rigorous selfassessment and education. But effective leaders must also draw upon their strengths. And this means that neither confidence nor leadership are “one size fits all.”

Candella urges the importance of embracing our unique traits. “It puts me off a little bit to think that someone could teach me to act confident, or that confidence should look a certain way that is masculine. I grew up with a single mom and a grandma who were always essentially who they were in every setting. That couldn’t be genderized. I kind of think this idea that feminism should be being a career woman or a stay-at-home mom doesn’t work. I hope that I can make that look different. It can look different for everyone. We should bring whoever we are to every interaction.”

Fake it until you make it A very real phenomenon keeps many people from recognizing and embracing our own successes: imposter syndrome. It abounds among educated people and, it seems, women.

As artist and New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon describes it, imposter syndrome “means that you feel like a phony, like you’re just winging it, that you don’t really have any idea what you’re doing,” But, he continues, successful artists learn to push past this false sense of insecurity. They might be scared, but they “just show up to do their thing. Every day.”

Such advice is indispensable not just for creative types, but for anyone putting herself out there. And just as Kleon suggests showing up and creating art every day, our Super Women say that dressing and acting the part can go a long way toward building confidence. As the adage goes, “Fake it ’til you make it!”

Always be tenacious Tenacity is a quality I have always associated with confident people. But over the years, I’ve found that the more willing I am to fail, the more chances I get to try. And somehow, over time, my confidence grows.

When I first learned to climb, I was always scared to “commit” to scary moves. This meant that over and over again, I missed and fell. As I’ve learned to “fake it” even when I have my doubts, I’ve become tenacious on the wall. Each time I fall while trying, I find that I’m unhurt (except for my ego) and ready to try again. Alternatively, each time I quit, I succumbed, not to the miss itself, but to my own failure to give it my all.

It turns out that, scary as it is, failing while trying is a good learning experience and a great way to build resilience. And resilience, scholars tell us, cultivates confidence.

Stacey McKenna is a freelance writer and yoga instructor in Fort Collins. You can follow her on twitter at @mckenna_stacey or email her at stacey.mckenna@gmail.com.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 81

Don’t let fear, funds, or feelings hold you back from trying something new.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 83

“Trying new things challenges who we are, what we can do, and we don’t always feel ready for change — whether it is a good change or an uncomfortable change in life.”

There are a ton of great reasons to learn something new — hobbies can give us a sense of enjoyment, pride, and fulfillment. So why does it seem so hard to get started?

“There are a variety of reasons why people avoid new things,” mental health therapist Jaime Peterson says. “Change can be very hard or anxiety-provoking for people — whether you are a child or an adult. Trying new things challenges who we are, what we can do, and we don’t always feel ready for change — whether it is a good change or an uncomfortable change in life.”

There’s no better time than now to say goodbye to your comfort zone. If you can overcome that first obstacle to starting something new, you’ll be well on your way to a hobby that could provide a lifetime of pleasure.

What’s holding you back and how should you face it?

Money. Many hobbies are expensive. You have to invest in an instrument, a horse, sports equipment, or gear, for example.

Make an educated investment by taking a few lessons and/ or renting the needed equipment ahead of time. Then you’ll know whether the hobby is for you, and you’ll know what you need to buy when you have enough money saved. For an ongoing expense such as membership fees to a gym, lake, club, or golf course, take advantage of a trial period and then put together a monthly budget — you can even consult a financial planner for help.

Time. So maybe the hobby you chose doesn’t affect your bank account, but you are facing a different sort of expense — time. Time has to be budgeted just like money. Perhaps a simple change to your schedule will do the trick: wake up a bit earlier or shift your work day by an hour. Often, there is something you can take out of your schedule altogether, such as that nightly Netflix binge. Just make sure you don’t overdo it — you have to sleep sometime!

Intimidation. Have you ever met someone who was entrenched in their hobby, like a CrossFit junkie or a devoted musician? It is easy to feel intimidated but look at it from their perspective. They were the “newbie” at some point. Plus, someone who is that enthusiastic is usually thrilled to bring in a newcomer. They might even feel a little jealous of all the exciting “firsts” you still have ahead of you. Catch their enthusiasm instead of feeling threatened.

Fear of embarrassment. If you feel embarrassed at the thought of a certain hobby, try going about it differently than you have before. Take private lessons to build your confidence, or go with a close friend who can encourage you. If your self-consciousness persists in other areas of your life, consider seeking counseling.

Fear of failure. Ultimately, everyone wants to be successful at what they do. But the prospect of failure shouldn’t keep you from trying in the first place. Failure isn’t always a bad thing; in fact, it might lead you to exactly the right hobby in the end.

Face your fears.

Jaime Peterson, licensed clinical social worker and mental health therapist, gives some helpful advice for anyone taking the first step toward overcoming fear when trying something new: Think about these two questions: What is driving you to try something new? What does this mean to you?

Remember that small steps count; take your time and be patient with yourself. Every accomplishment, like baking a cake, publishing a book, or learning to drive, is made up of small steps made over and over again.

Know that action builds confidence. For instance, deciding to take action to overcome your fear of learning to drive not only means gaining a new skill, it can also bring confidence in your own abilities to learn new things, handle mistakes, and work toward and achieve a goal.

Failure is OK. Try and try again. If you don’t succeed the first time, it’s OK. As humans, we all make mistakes, and acknowledging that failure is an option can be freeing.

Start with something manageable. Take your time learning a new activity/task or even getting over a long-standing fear.

Visualize success. Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a place of safety and calm. It could be a picture of you walking on a beautiful beach or hiking in the mountains. Visualize whatever puts your mind at ease and in a calm space.

Summer is the perfect time to take on a new hobby. The days are long and everyone is full of energy to try new things. Take a look at what’s been holding you back and overcome that first obstacle. You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish.

Rachel Metzgar is a freelance writer and Colorado transplant who has found a home living, working and playing in our vibrant community. She can be reached at rachelmae2@hotmail.com.

Remember that small steps count; take your time and be patient with yourself.

Mind+Body/Summer 2015 85

the end the yang

What makes a woman strong and powerful?

By Sebasian Romah

Strong, powerful women are as numerous and diverse as hot-sauce choices at a tourist trap in Dallas. I’m sure there is a common thread to help us identify, or hashtag, them successfully. I just couldn’t figure it out, so I turned to the Internet for help.

I Googled “powerful woman” and a quote from the Queen Bey came screaming to the fore: “Power is not given to you. You have to take it.” – Beyoncé I have no idea if she actually said this, but it sounds good and she is powerful for an entertainer and singer. But I’m not ready to settle on Beyoncé as the harbinger of a powerful woman.

Next, I consulted Google image search to see what a “powerful woman” looks like. After a few images of unbelievably jacked female bodybuilders, the following images of women I recognized popped up in the following order: Rosie the Riveter Michelle Obama Beyoncé Dilma Rousseff Christine Lagarde Sheryl Sandberg Hillary Clinton Meryl Streep (as the devil wearing Prada) Angela Merkel I guess there can be some arguments here. Rosie the Riveter is or was a powerful image from a time when women were supposed to be meek, dinner-

86 Mind+Body/Summer 2015

making, marrying, child-bearing machines. I think everyone knew that notion was a fallacy at the time but needed Rosie as a reminder that women could be strong, productive, and independent. Note how the image is only of Rosie and no one else — no husband to prop her up or children to define her.

The rest of the women on the list are highly accomplished, highly respected individuals. They tend to be political or business titans who wield an incredible amount of earned influence for their own reasons. And then there’s Beyoncé again — clearly powerful as an entertainer and in the Google algorithm.

As I look at this more closely, I think I can finally articulate what I’ve been feeling about the strong, powerful women in my life. The women in the above list and those who I interact with every day have a clear vision of who they are and how they affect their world. These strong, powerful women are not ashamed to be the best professor, politician, company president, partner, wife, mother, etc. They are willing to suffer the mistakes and accept the consequences as a step forward. They are willing to suffer the indignity of sometimes not getting credit for all of their efforts.

As we encounter these strong women every day, maybe we should all get better at recognizing their strengths. Maybe we should also recognize that Beyoncé is powerful, too. I seriously cannot help but dance when I hear, “All the Single Ladies.”

Meet Dave, Morgan and Mat...

Dave, Morgan and Mat are just a few members of the passionate team that makes Wilbur’s Total Beverage THE place to go for wine, beer and spirits. With the largest selection in Northern Colorado and a customer-centric approach to business, Wilbur’s has the perfect pairing for your next get together.

Stop in today and see how the whole team makes Wilbur’s Total Beverage more than just a liquor store.

2201 South College • (970) 226-8662

So much more than a liquor store.

www.WilbursTotalBeverage.com

Open M-Sat 9-10 • Sun 10-6