Clovis Trail Fest 2022

Making Time For Your Health

How are you spending your time?

Of all the health advice we are exposed to, it can sometimes be all for naught if our schedules don’t concur.

You see, we all have 24 hours a day to spend on whatever we freely choose. Your time is valuable – actually the most valuable of all possessions because it is what we all have the least of. It is inevitable that our time must be spent on something as this great planet spins around and around. So, how and where we spend our time can have a great impact on our health. It can very well mean the difference between sickness and wellness.

They say if you want to know a man’s priorities take a look at his schedule.

These days the vast majority of us have demanding careers to go along with spouses, children, family commitments, classes, errands, friends, chores and worship all requiring their share of our precious time. We also have a great desire to take steps to improve our health.

Surely we are tough enough and able to balance all these demands in our lives, right? Well

The city’s sixth annual Trail Fest is coming up May 7 and although the event skipped a couple years it promises not to skip out on fun.

In addition to enjoying some snacks along the trail, residents and visitors who take the time to walk, run, or bike along the three-mile stretch of the trail from Old Town’s Treasure Ingmire Park to Dry Creek Park will be able to stop and enjoy a variety of fun, interactive activities.

“The goal is to get people out by having booths for them to check out along the trail,” said Shonna Halterman, the General Services Director for the City of Clovis. “Everyone wanders around and we find that people end up going much farther than they planned because the whole event spans six miles. So, by the time they go around and get back to their starting point, they’ve done that six miles.”

While Trail Fest certainly promotes health and wellness in the community and is a great motivator to get people out there moving, Halterman said for the

city it’s all about making people aware of the great trail system Clovis has and encouraging people to use it.

“I think Trail Fest promotes our trail system and our parks,” Halterman said. “It lets people know what is out there. Plus, if we have a healthy community, that benefits everyone.”

General Services Manager Amy Hance said the trail is one of the best amenities the city has.

“We just want to highlight the trail and what a great amenity it is,” Hance said. “Tons of people use the trail. They do these counts on them and it is tens of thou-

sands of people who are out there monthly and I’m one of those, but this community is big, it’s over 100,000 people so that means not everyone is out there. One of the best parts of our city is that trail [system] so we want more people out there using it.”

Halterman said Trail Fest attendees are welcome to start walking or biking from any point on the trail and can show up anytime within the four-hour window and browse booths and do activities at their leisure during that time. She encourages participants to bring a backpack or some kind of bag as many vendors will be

CLOVIS ROUNDUP PHOTO Clovis Trail Fest, a free event for all ages, will feature activities, demonstrations, snacks and entertainment at over 20 locations along the Old Town and Dry Creek trails between Fifth Street and Dry Creek Park.

VALERIE SHELTON info@clovisroundup.com

GERMAIN GALVEZ Certified Health Coach, Contributed

Sleep to Energize Your Day

be getting the sleep your body needs to jumpstart your morning.

We can manage with less sleep, right?

When our energy levels are low we often look to consume products that can help propel us through our day. Whether it is coffee, tea, energy drinks or even natural energy boosting foods, we look for something to provide a spark to ignite our energy. But, what if we could help energize ourselves by simply improving the quality of our sleep?

How are you sleeping?

Sleep is an important factor that is often overlooked in relation to lack of energy. The truth is, there is simply no substitute for restful sleep and most Americans aren’t sleeping. In fact, statistics say 70 million Americans are sleep deprived and are not getting the adequate sleep necessary for their health and well-being. Without restful sleep we are prone to losing the ability to focus as well as the energy we need during the day. Could consistent restful sleep be the catalyst you’re missing to energize your day?

The battle of the snooze.

We all have been there; the encounter with the snooze button. It provides us with momentary relief from the struggle to achieve wakefulness. The struggle to get out of bed stems from our bodies being heavy with fatigue. We hit the snooze button hoping that a couple more minutes of snoozing will somehow usher us into wakefulness. Many are doing this because we are lacking the restful sleep necessary to wake up with energy. So, if you find yourself hitting the snooze button often, you may not

Health

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I’m going to make you aware of a little secret: You Can’t. Yet, the majority of us find ourselves in a perpetual race against time in efforts to balance all the demands we carry in our lives. Unfortunately, we simply were not designed to handle that amount of stress for such a long period of time.

Many demands + Lack of time = Stress

In our attempt to show we are worthy to balance so many demands, we often forget to give time to the most important person – ourselves. The truth is if we don’t find ways to make time for our health, then we will find ourselves on the road toward chronic stress.

Chronic stress can impact our health in a multitude of ways and can also affect those around us. Statistics show chronic stress can manifest into mood disorders, chronic diseases, weight gain, and a decreased quality of life.

So why do we choose to balance so many demands?

In my experience as a health coach, I’ve noticed many people who are excited to try new diet and lifestyle options find it challenging to incorporate them into their busy lives. Although they may learn what to do, they find it difficult to do because of a lack of time. Do you find yourself saying, “I don’t have enough time?” If you find yourself grabbing for another coffee or energy drink to push you to the next thing you have to do, allow me to bring you some good news – there is a better way.

Feel like making a change?

If you find yourself exhausted from running the perpetual race against time, then may I encourage you to pursue and

In our fast-paced society of high stress and little time, sleep tends to take a backseat to the other activities that are priority in our day. Consequently, individuals have become accustomed to the notion that we can function properly on minimal sleep. People in this mindset tend to sleep less than 7 hours a day and use countermeasures such as caffeine to combat the negative effects.

The negative effects of sleep deprivation include mood imbalances, impaired cognitive ability, poor memory and low energy levels. Stimulants used to combat these effects can fail after just a few days, and the end result can be a state of chronic fatigue and stress. Have you ever had the feeling of drinking lots of caffeine but still feeling tired and fatigued? This could be caused by sleep deprivation.

Want to improve your sleep?

There is no substitute for restful sleep and improving your sleep can greatly impact your energy levels.

How can we improve our sleep? Here are a few tips that may help:

First ask yourself a couple questions: What’s preventing you from sleeping? What is on your mind that is keeping you awake at night?

Identify these things and address them in your life. Removing these stressors will enable you to sleep more peacefully and help reduce stress. Additionally, include a healthy diet to provide your body with the

nutrients needed to balance bodily functions, such as sleep. Avoid computers and bright lights at bedtime as this can cause imbalances in circadian rhythm and interfere with your brain’s melatonin (sleep hormone) production. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule can help you to fall asleep and wake up more easily. Supplements such as Magnesium, Valerian, Holy Basil, Skullcap and Passionflower may also be beneficial

to help the body relax for a restful night’s sleep. Incorporating these elements into your day may enable your body to find the sleep that it needs.

So before you go looking for products to stimulate your day, I encourage you to first look to find healthy ways to experience a good night’s sleep. In doing this you may find the restful sleep you need, and your body just might reward you with the energy you’ve been missing.

discover the clarity of knowing exactly what you desire out of life? It will assist you in identifying how you want to spend your time. Not sure where to start? Let me suggest a few steps that may help you on that journey. Now these steps may sound simple but it actually takes strong willpower to execute.

Ready? Here we go…

Ask yourself what isn’t benefiting you. What doesn’t need to be in your life?

What is bringing you excessive stress?

Keeping you awake at night?

Once you identify these things, fix them or get rid of them. Now.

Think of where you want to spend your time and ask yourself: What do you truly want in your life? What can benefit your health? Who do you want to be with? What is your purpose? Focus your energy on incorporating these things. Anything that doesn’t comply within this

larger picture – let it go. And yes, learn to say “no”.

Making time for what you want to do rather than what you need to do can go a long way in improving your health. Some circumstances may be more challenging than others, but I assure you, we have the power within us to make changes. Give these tips a try and discover how much more harmonious your life can be. No balance required.

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GERMAIN GALVEZ Certified Health Coach, Contributed

Common Workout Mistakes People Make

Those already a few months into their New Year’s resolution to get fit may find that all the effort at the gym is not paying off as they had expected. Although exercise results vary, certain behaviors could impact just how much weight a person can lose and how efficient their workouts may be.

For those who want to increase the measurable results of their workouts, try to avoid these common mistakes.

Not giving it enough time. Many people want to see immediate results when they begin a new exercise regimen. While such instant gratification is possible, it’s foolish to expect to wake up and look in the mirror after a week’s time and see a complete body transformation. Many health experts say a safe weight loss goal is one to two pounds each week. For each pound of fat to burn, you need to shed 3,500 calories weekly. Do this by exercising and reducing caloric intake. Don’t give up prematurely. After a few months your clothes may fit better and you can see a change in muscle tone and overall fitness.

Sticking with the same routine. Routines can make it easier to manage everyday life. For example, waking up and going to bed at the same time each day helps many people maintain the energy they need to live life to the fullest. But routine

is not always a friend with regard to exercise. When you do the same exercise routine over and over, your body becomes acclimated to that routine and your muscles recognize the motion. As a result, your body doesn’t have to work as hard to do the workout. Altering your routine means you’re essentially keeping your body on its proverbial toes. This will help you to burn more calories and even prevent you from getting bored with your workout.

Skipping strength training. Cardiovascular activities like running on the treadmill can certainly burn calories, but cardiovascular exercise alone is not enough to achieve optimal health. Strength training helps build lean muscle and strengthen bones, so it’s important to make both cardiovascular and strength-training exercises a part of your workout routine.

Maintaining a moderate pace. Much like doing the same exercises over and over, sticking to the same pace will lull your body into complacency. Vary the pace of your workout so that you move through intense, moderate and slow movements. Higher-intensity parts of the workout will get your heart pumping and burn calories. Making unnatural body movements. Movements that mimic the body’s natural movements will be more effective at toning muscles. These movements include bending, stepping, jumping, and running. Unnatural movements may not be practical, and they may increase your risk of

injury. Working out alone. When you workout alone, you do not have the benefit of friendly competition to motivate you as you exercise. With no one to egg you on, you may be content to stick to a certain number of repetitions instead of trying a little harder. A partner can provide camaraderie and help you make the most of your exercise regimen.

Ignoring possible injury. No one is immune to injury, which can result from lifting weights that are too heavy or using improper form. If you feel you are hurt, don’t make things worse by ignoring an injury. The body needs time to recover from injury, and ignoring an injury can lead to additional problems that will only extend that recovery time.

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How to prevent injury when exercising outdoors

Many people take advantage of nice weather by exercising in the great outdoors. Some might skip the treadmill at the gym in favor of running at the park, while others join recreational sports leagues for some exercise and fun in the sun.

But exercising outdoors carries its share of risk. Unlike gyms where machinery clearly advises members about proper form and warns against lifting excessive weight, Mother Nature comes with no such warning labels. As a result, it’s up to men and women to make injury prevention a priority when taking their exercise routine outside. The following are a handful of preventative measures that can help exercise enthusiasts avoid injury as they attempt to get or stay fit in the great outdoors.

Study the terrain. Part of the danger of exercising outdoors is that, unlike a gym fitted with machines designed for the sole purpose of exercise, nature’s terrain is unpredictable. Safety features you take for granted at the gym, such as padded floors, are nonexistent outdoors. In addition, certain areas in nature might not be suitable to all athletes. For example, mountain biking is a popular sport, but not all mountain biking trails are the same. Some trails are ideal for beginners, while others are best ridden by more seasoned riders. When your outdoor exercise regimen will be taking you off the beaten path, be sure you know the terrain before you start your workout. Speak with

fellow outdoor enthusiasts about which trails or courses are best for someone of your skill level and adhere to their recommendations. When exercising on a trail for the first time, bring a friend along so someone can go get help should an accident happen.

Stay hydrated. Dehydration is another cause of injury when athletes exercise

in the great outdoors. Gyms have water fountains that allow members to take a drink of water when they’re thirsty. That water can help prevent dehydration, which can be painful and greatly increase your risk of injury. When exercising outdoors, be sure to bring along enough water so you can stay hydrated regardless of how far away from civilization you may find yourself.

Honestly assess your abilities. When exercising outdoors, it’s easy to overdo it. Warm air and sunshine have a way of encouraging athletes to prolong their workout routines or push themselves a little harder. But pushing yourself past your limits can considerably increase your risk of injury. While it’s easy to stay within your limits when exercising indoors, where the environment may encourage you to cut a workout short rather than extend it, it’s easy to overextend yourself outdoors when the weather is nice. So it’s important for men and women to make an honest assessment of their abilities before beginning an outdoor exercise regimen. Once you know what your body can and can’t handle, you can tailor your outdoor workout to one that makes the most of nice weather without putting your health at risk.

Don’t challenge Mother Nature. One of the biggest risks with regard to exercising outdoors is the tendency some athletes have to ignore the elements. Avoid working out in especially cold or hot weather, as such conditions are not conducive to exercise. Extreme weather also reduces the number of people outside, which means there won’t be as many people around to help you if you suffer an injury, lose your way or need help with your gear. Exercising outdoors is a great way to enjoy nice weather, but limit such workouts to those times of year when temperatures are most conducive to outdoor activity.

Working out in the great outdoors is a great way to make the most of a beautiful day. But athletes must still take certain

Tips for Gardening with Kids

After months of cool weather, the first hint of spring will likely have the whole family eager to dive into outdoor activities. This year, as you begin tackling the garden, find ways to get the youngest family members in on the action, too.

Not only is gardening an activity you can enjoy together, there are numerous ways to incorporate age-appropriate, teachable moments from counting and colors to responsible care of living things.

Creating a positive first experience with gardening can start with this simple advice:

• Dedicate a spot for a junior garden, which allows you to instill a sense of pride and ownership in the little gardener while protecting your own garden areas from ambitious young hands.

• Provide appropriate tools in child sizes. Just as you would teach a child the finer points of baseball using a bat and glove, demonstrate the joys of gardening with tools such as a rake, hoe and trowel, all of which can be found in sizes more manageable for little helpers.

• Let the kids choose what to plant. Whether flowers or food plants, allow children to make their own decisions (within reason) about what they would like to grow. This can help them engage in the magic of

watching items they selected emerge from the ground and grow into their finished forms.

• Encourage exposure to unfamiliar plants that entice the senses with appealing smells and flavors. Herbs such as chives, mint and basil are good choices, or consider edible flowers such as pansies or violets.

• Set an example for your child to imitate by giving regular and proper care to your own garden.

Remember to bring the lesson full circle by enjoying the bounty of your garden together, whether it’s a small hand-cut bouquet or a meal featuring your child’s fresh-grown produce. Find more tips for gardening with your kids at eLivingtoday. com.

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5 Cooking Swaps to Help Manage Cholesterol

FAMILY FEATURES

When cooking, keep in mind small changes that can make a big impact on heart health.

High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for heart disease and stroke, with about 38% of American adults diagnosed with high cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. It can be managed by getting levels regularly tested and making lifestyle changes like eating a heart-healthy diet.

n Reduce saturated fat – Select lean cuts of meat or opt for plant protein, limit processed meats, broil or bake rather than pan-fry meats and remove skin from poultry before cooking. n Eat more fish – Fish can be fatty or lean, but it’s still low in saturated fat. Choose oily fish like salmon or trout, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

n Use liquid oils in place of solid fats – For roasting, sauteing and more, use non-tropical liquid vegetable oils like canola, safflower, soybean or olive instead of butter, lard or shortening.

n Lower dairy fats – Low-fat, fat-free or nondairy milk can be used in many recipes instead of whole milk or half-and-half.

n Increase fiber and whole grains – Add highfiber vegetables to meals, serve fruit instead of juice and try brown rice instead of white.

These simple tips and better-for-you recipes like Chicken Tortilla Soup and Air Fryer Crispy (Un) Fried Chicken can help you eat healthy without sacrificing taste. Find tips for managing cholesterol and other risk factors at heart.org/cholesterol.

Air Fryer Crispy (Un) Fried Chicken

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association

4

Servings:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2-1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/2 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (optional)

1/3 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 ounces each), visible fat discarded, flattened to 1/4-inch thickness, patted dry with paper towels nonstick cooking spray

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe is reprinted with permission from “Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, 2nd Edition.” Copyright 2018 by the American Heart Association. Published by Harmony Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Servings: 4

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, visible fat discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

2 cups fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added, diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ancho powder

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 corn tortillas (6 inches each), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

1 corn tortilla (6 inches), torn into pieces

2-4 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped avocado

1/4 medium red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips

In slow cooker, stir chicken, corn, broth, tomatoes, onion, sugar, ancho powder, garlic and salt. Cook, covered, on low, 6-8 hours, or on high, 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

On baking sheet, arrange tortilla strips in single layer. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until crisp. Transfer baking sheet to cooling rack. Let strips stand 15 minutes, or until cool. Transfer to airtight container and set aside.

When soup is ready, transfer 1 cup to food processor or blender. Stir in tortilla pieces. Let mixture stand 1 minute. Process until smooth. Stir mixture into soup. Stir in cilantro.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with avocado, bell pepper and reserved tortilla strips.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Preheat air fryer to 390 F.

In shallow dish or pie pan, whisk flour, parsley, oregano, pepper and cayenne.

In separate shallow dish or pie pan, whisk buttermilk and hot sauce. In third shallow dish or pie pan, stir panko and Parmesan.

Place dishes and large plate in row. Dip chicken in flour mixture then buttermilk mixture then panko mixture, turning to coat at each step and gently shaking off excess. Using fingertips, gently press panko mixture so it adheres. Place chicken on plate. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Lightly spray chicken with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange chicken in single layer in air fryer basket, working in batches if needed. Cook 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and coating is golden brown, turning once halfway through and lightly spraying with nonstick cooking spray.

Add Variety to Your Running

Have you been running for a while?

Have you switched up your training?

The body can become accustomed to training and begin to plateau when the same training is executed day after day.

Consider adding some variety to your training. You could add:

Tempo runs are steady paced runs that you can do for 8 to 16 weeks, which could be done at a little less than 5K pace.

Suggestion: Start by running or even walking the distance you decide on. You can start with 3.1 miles (5K).

Don’t add distance but keep track of your time. Pick some landmarks along the way if you are running on the street, and note the time as you pass each one.

Each week try to arrive at each landmark a little sooner than last, but avoid straining to do it. Try to keep your heart rate at 75 to 80 percent of the max.

If you are training for a 10K you could do tempo runs of 4 to 6 miles.

Remember to train moderately and keep an even pace throughout on these runs. This will help your endurance in 5Ks or whatever distance you are training for.

Fartlek is a Swedish term for speed play or unstructured speed work.

You start with a warm up and go for a run of a specified length. Within the run you add short bursts of higher speed running, perhaps to the next telephone pole, or you could decide how many short bursts you will put into your run and add them in randomly when you feel like it.

Recover will happen between bursts with slower running or even walking.

Remember to keep it fun. This will help when you suddenly want to pick up the pace in a race.

Hill training is a form of strength training for runners. Pick a hill and run repeats. If you are not used to hills just do repeats at any pace.

If you really want to build strength and technique on hills pick a set number of repeats and run them aggressively. You can

jog slowly down the hill or walk down. Intervals on the track. You set the rules. You could decide to run 400 meters twice with a recovery time equal to the time it takes you to run the lap.

Over a couple of months, you could add laps until you are doing 400 meters 8 time, at faster than race pace.

Start with your slowest 400 meters time and run each one a little faster. You could also experiment with 200 meters and 800 meters.

There are many other types of workouts that you could incorporate when you are running. A very, very important point is to just try one of these for a few weeks. Do not try adding several of these to your weekly schedule at once.

Keep up the steady base training you have been doing, have fun and remember to recover fully before you attempt the next workout. Always listen to your body. And have fun!

THE BEST & WORST Foods for Heart Health

No one wants to hear from their doctors that they have joined the millions of people across the globe to be diagnosed with heart disease. The Heart Foundation reports that heart disease, which includes diseases of the heart and cardiovascular system and stroke, is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, affecting both men and women and most racial/ethnic groups. Heart disease also is one of the leading causes of death in Canada, claiming more than 33,000 lives per year.

Many factors contribute to the development of heart disease, including smoking, lack of exercise and stress. Diet and whether a person is overweight or obese also can have a direct link to heart health. Diet, particularly for those with diabetes and poorly controlled blood sugar levels, is a major concern.

A variety of foods are considered helpful for maintaining a strong and healthy heart and cardiovascular system, while others can contribute to conditions that

may eventually lead to cardiovascular disease or cardiac arrest. Moderation enables a person to sample a little of everything, but not to make any one food a habit. The following are some foods to promote heart health and some foods you might want to avoid.

GOOD

• Tree nuts: Tree nuts contain unsaturated fats that can help lower LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) and improve HDL (the good stuff). Nuts also are a filling source of protein and other healthy nutrients.

• Whole grains: Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates for energy, as well as protein and fiber. Fiber can help scrub cholesterol from the blood, lowering bad cholesterol levels.

• Fatty fish: Many cold-water, fatty fish, such as halibut, herring and salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are hearthealthy. Omega-3s also can be found in walnuts, flaxseed and some soy products.

• Beans: Beans and other legumes are an excellent source of protein and can be a stand-in for meats that are high in saturated fat. Beans also contain cholesterollowering soluble fiber and folate, which

can reduce blood homocystein levels. The Bean Institute reports that consuming beans may reduce cholesterol levels by roughly six to 10 percent.

• Yogurt: Researchers in Japan found yogurt may protect against gum disease. Left untreated, gum disease may elevate a person’s risk for heart disease. Yogurt contains good bacteria that can counteract bad bacteria and boost immunity.

• Raisins: Raisins contain antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation. Inflammation is often linked to heart disease and other debilitating conditions. Fresh produce also is a good source of antioxidants.

POOR

• Fried foods: Many fried foods have little nutritional value, as they tend to be high in saturated and trans fats. French fries are particularly bad because they are carbohydrates fried and then doused in salt.

• Sausage: Processed meats have frequently earned a bad reputation among cardiologists, but sausage can be a big offender, due in large part to its high saturated fat content.

• Red meats: Enjoying a steak is probably not as bad as eating a deep-fried brownie, but it’s best to limit red meat consumption to about 10 percent or less of your diet. Red meats can have a considerable amount of cholesterol, saturated fat and calories.

• Added sugars: Sugar can increase blood pressure and triglyceride levels. Sugar often hides out in foods that you would not associate with the sweetener. Plus, many people unwittingly consume too much sugar simply through sugarsweetened beverages and ready-to-eat cereals.

• Salty foods: Leave the salt shaker in the spice cabinet and opt for herbs for flavoring, advises the American Heart Association. High-sodium diets often are to blame for hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease.

• Dairy: Artery-clogging saturated fat also can be found in dairy products, particularly the full-fat versions. Butter, sour cream and milk can be problematic when people overindulge. Opt for low-fat dairy when possible.

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