Optimum Wellness Fall 2014

NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER: ARE YOUR KIDS AT RISK?

P. 37

eat | think | move

How ’Bout Them

APPLES? Fresh ideas for an old autumn favorite

Pedal Powe r RIDE

LIVE

A BI LON KE. GER.

49 WAYS TO

Build a taco

POP CULTURE Tips for making perfect popcorn

CHILDREN’S VITAMINS Experts weigh in on what your kids need

Compliments of

FALL 2014

SMART EATING. FOR BACK TO SCHOOL.

Real fruit, Farm-fresh milk. No artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. VOSKOS® Greek Yogurt keeps it simple. And with 2X protein, it’ll keep your kids going all day long at school...until they come home and ask for more.

voskos.com, facebook.com/voskosgreekyogurt

from the editor

Better Blanched

Take Care of You I always feel a twinge of dysphoria this time of year knowing we’ve rounded the late-summer bend. Don’t get me wrong, I love autumn and winter in Colorado. There are few things I enjoy more than roasted root-vegetable recipes and a snowy ski season (Ullr willing!). But summer motivates me toward impeccable self-care in a way the other seasons do not, and I worry my tenacity will wither like the autumn leaves.

This summer, especially, I took full advantage of the long days, temperate weather and Denver’s myriad art fairs, film festivals and concerts in the park to soak up vitamin D and to expend every ounce of my energy on pursuits that I’m proud of. I rode my bike to work, I walked to the grocery store, I started training for my first 5K, I prepared wholesome meals for my family even on nights when it would have been easier to call for delivery, and I engaged with my husband and beautiful 1-year-old son on a deep and If people in meaningful level every day.

I worry that previous sentence sounds boastful. But Washington and I just wrapped up an inspiring phone conversation with Wisconsin can com- Dr. James Rouse (page 48), who encouraged me to mute on two wheels own my successes, “Catch yourself doing good and for heaven’s sake, suspend that moment. Give yourself an ‘atta girl’; you’ll I certainly have no be amazed how it leads you to the next good thing.”

Rather than fear a fall from this self-care grace as excuse to store my summer comes to an end, I’ll take Dr. James’ words— bike this winter. and my momentum—into the cooler months. Should I need an extra nudge, this issue’s story lineup will certainly bolster my stick-to-itiveness.

On page 29, Patrick Doyle examines America’s off-again, on-again relationship with bike commuting. If people in Washington and Wisconsin, can commute on two wheels for heaven’s sake, I certainly have no excuse to store my bike when the temperature dips, and neither do you.

I am thrilled to announce a new relationship with the faculty and students at Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts. They will develop and share their recipes with OW readers in every issue. On page 14, they highlight the variety available in your grocer’s apple baskets this fall with recipes that feature sweet Fujis, tart Granny Smiths and bold Jonagolds. I make you—and myself—this promise: After I devour the last bits of that apple clafouti, I’ll hop on my bike and go for a spin. I hope you’ll do the same. Then give yourself an ‘ata girl’!

Better Taste Better Texture

Better Butter!

Because blanched almonds just make better almond butter!

THINKSTOCK

Enjoy the issue. Do good things.

Deborah Williams editor@optimumwellness.com

Available in select stores.

OptimumWellness.com

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volume 02, issue 03: fall 2014

contents departments

29

begin

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK, DAN PAGE, SHUTTERSTOCK, AARON COLUSSI (3), SHUTTERSTOCK, COURTESY JOHNSON & WALES, SHUTTERSTOCK (CENTER)

07 “The things that have concerned the

25 10

natural foods consumer for the past 20 years are now starting to concern the mainstream consumer...Everybody is starting to ask, ‘What the heck is in my food?’”

PLUS: The nuts and bolts of nut butters, from almond to soy nut, and everything in between. And, your back-to-school reading list.

eat 13 AN APPLE A DAY? At that rate, it would take you 20 years to sample all 7,500 known varieties. In the U.S., about 100 are commercially available on a rotating basis throughout the year.

14 DISH IT UP The top chefs at Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts show you how to turn the simplest of ingredients into a show-stopping autumn feast.

14

8

13

16 FIT KITCHEN Hectic school-night schedules conspire against sitdown family dinners. But they don’t have to. Build-your-own taco bars please even the busiest, pickiest broods.

19 B UY IT. MAKE IT. Happiness is a bowl—or bag—of perfectly seasoned, light and fluffy popcorn.

think 25 DON’T BE FOOLED

37

16

19

Health halos can dupe even the most discerning label-reader into a false sense of healthfulness.

move 37 G ET OUT! Do your kids spend hours glued to a glowing screen? Are they disinterested in traditional sports? Show them the front door. It’s for their own good.

thrive 48 DR. JAMES SAYS...“You’re alive to

feature 29

E ASY RIDER

Is your commute killing you? If you’re doing it by car, it very well might be. Driving correlates heavily with myriad personal health risks, plus the obvious economic and environmental burdens. Imagine the good you could do—for yourself and the world— if you downsized from four wheels to two. BY PATRICK DOYLE

the degree that you serve. When you serve yourself well...your ability to be a beneficial presence on the planet will go up exponentially.”

boost 42 SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH CARE What you need to know about children’s vitamins and supplements.

OptimumWellness.com

5

Goodness Knows

THE THINGS THAT CONCERNED THE NATURAL FOOD CONSUMER FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS ARE NOW STARTING TO CONCERN THE MAINSTREAM CONSUMER. EVERYBODY IS STARTING TO ASK, ‘WHAT THE HECK IS IN MY FOOD?’

begin

Ahead of the Food Curve STEPHEN HUGHES IS ON A MISSION TO HELP YOU EAT HEALTHIER. BY LU SNYDER

CHRISTOPHER D. THOMPSON

Even if you’ve never heard of Boulder Brands, you’ve likely heard of its products: Smart Balance, Udi’s and EVOL, to name a few. The man behind them and at the front of the natural foods movement is Stephen Hughes, Boulder Brands cofounder and CEO. He has an ambitious goal: to change the way Americans eat.

Optimum Wellness: Tell us about Boulder Brands’ goals and game plan.

Stephen Hughes: We wanted to create—from the culture to the products to the brands—a company that reflects the values of the natural food industry.

To do that, we’ve tackled some major consumer concerns: trans fats in spreads, gluten in wheat-based products, and the lack of pure and simple products.

Our brands really resonate with consumers.

Why is that?

The things that have concerned the natural foods consumer for the past 20 years are now starting to concern the mainstream consumer. That is:

Everybody is starting to ask, “What the heck is in my food?” For a long time, consumers were just reading the nutrient statement. Now they’re scrutinizing the ingredient list.

Some people think gluten-free eating will be a short-lived trend. Do you agree?

The industry hybridized wheat to make it more glutinous, so it could make bread faster, cheaper, better.

It worked. But, it created something that is very hard to digest, and it’s an inflammatory to boot, so it has created unintended consequences. So many people tell us how much better they feel after eliminating gluten from their diets. So, we don’t really have any concerns that this is a fad. We feel confident we’re on the early stages of something very big.

What is the most beneficial dietary change a consumer can make?

Move away from processed foods. Of all of our platform strategies, the “pure and simple” strategy may have the longest legs. Our EVOL brand, for example,

provides an almost-from-scratch product. If you look at the ingredient label and you can’t pronounce the words, you shouldn’t buy that product.

Eating healthy can be expensive. Will this prevent natural foods from becoming mainstream?

The bigger the trend gets, the economy of scale comes into play, and pricing will come down. Over time, the more expensive health care becomes, the more people will have to be proactive about what they eat. It won’t happen overnight, but I think we’re going to see a broader reach of this trend.

What are Boulder Brands’ biggest accomplishments to date? And what’s next?

We’ve developed gluten-free products comparable in taste and texture to gluten-full ones. We also had a hand in driving trans fats out of the spreads category.

Now we’re taking Smart Balance non-GMO. It’s a very provocative move. We like to be in front of all these issues consumers are concerned about.

OptimumWellness.com

7

begin

COMPARE

The Butter Battle

LABEL-ESE

Whichever flavor and texture nut butter you choose, check the label carefully and avoid any that are high in saturated fat, added sugar, added salt or partially hydrogenated oil.

EVERY KID’S FAVORITE CONDIMENT IS GROWING UP.

BY DEBORAH WILLIAMS

TIME WAS, you had two choices: creamy or crunchy. Whichever you chose, the ooey-gooey buttery goodness that accompanied your jelly or held your ants on their log came in one flavor—peanut—and was loaded with hydrogenated oil and tons of sugar. Today, flavor options and healthier alternatives abound. Here’s how nut butters compare.

The Nut:

ALMOND

CASHEW

PEANUT

SUNFLOWER SEED

COCONUT

SOY NUT

The Pros:

Almond is a tree nut, so people allergic to peanuts can eat it. It’s higher in calcium, potassium, manganese and monounsaturated fat than peanut butter, with half the saturated fat.

Cashew butter is high in copper and magnesium, good for heart and bone health. A raw cashew butter with no added sugar is a good thickener for fruit smoothies.

High in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, natural raw or lightly roasted peanut butter is a safe bet. You’ll know it’s natural because the oil will separate from the paste and will have to be stirred before use.

It’s a seed that tastes like a nut, so it’s one of the better flavor stand-ins for peanut butter purists. With nearly 90 percent of its fat from unsaturated fats, it’s a cholesterol- and inflammation-fighter.

Easily the most buttery and decadent flavor of all the nut butters, it’s a superversatile addition to sauces, dressings and baked treats.

Because it’s not technically a nut—but rather a soybean that’s soaked in water, drained and then roasted—you can safely send this to the nut-allergy table at school or serve it to allergic guests.

The Cons:

Almond skin can’t be removed before processing, so almond butter often has a grainy or gritty texture.

Also, to impart more flavor, some brands roast the almonds in oil before processing, so read labels carefully.

Lower in healthy fats and protein than peanut and almond butter. Unlike a lot of other nuts, cashews don’t contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Because it has long been the most popular, peanut butter is also the most variable. Many brands contain partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats as well as added sugar, so read labels carefully.

To give the mild seeds extra flavor, some brands add salt, so if you’re concerned about sodium, read the label carefully.

Beware the health halo (see page 25) of coconut. Although it is a popular choice for Paleo dieters, coconut butter is extremely high in saturated fat. Just two tablespoons deliver 95 percent of your RDA.

Because they are often roasted in oil, their fat content might be higher than nut butters made from raw nuts. When possible, choose a variety that says “dry roasted” on the label.

Almonds’ mild-earthy flavor blends well with fall root vegetables.

Stir it into pureed soups as a thickener and a protein boost.

Tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds and used in Middle Eastern cuisine, isn’t a typical kitchen staple.

Use cashew or any other nut butter as a substitute when making hummus or baba ghanoush.

Who knew? Peanut butter can repair scratches in your wood furniture. Apply a dab of it (smooth, not crunchy) on the scratch and let it sit for 30 minutes. Wipe it with a dry cloth, and voila!

Mix 2 tablespoons sunflower seed butter with 2 teaspoons tamari and 5 tablespoons water to make a healthy salad dressing.

Add a spoonful to warm bath water or a foot soak to soften winter-weary skin.

The oil is also a good hair conditioner for damaged or split ends.

Spoon a small amount of soy nut butter into the bottom of an ice cream cone to stop the melty treat from dripping all over your hands.

OW Ah-Ha Use:

Calories:

101

95

100

93

110

95

Calories from Fat:

79

66

72

64

90

60

Fat Grams:

9

8

8

8

10

7

Saturated Fat Grams:

1

2

2

1

9.5

1.25

Sodium Milligrams: Fullness Factor*: Caloric Ratio:

2

2

3

0

5

50

0.9

1.1

1.8

1.3

1.6

n/a

14/78/8

20/70/10

8/72/20

19/69/12

14/82/4

n/a

OW Picks:

JUSTIN’S MAPLE ALMOND BUTTER

SIMPLE TRUTH SMOOTH CASHEW BUTTER

SANTA CRUZ DARK ROASTED CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER

*Fullness Factor Developed by Self Magazine’s nutritiondata.com, this 1-5 scale predicts the satiety of a food. The higher the number, the more filling it is per calorie.

8 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

SUNBUTTER NATURAL SUNFLOWER SPREAD

MARANATHA ALL NATURAL COCONUT BUTTER

I.M. HEALTHY CREAMY SOYNUT BUTTER

Caloric Ratio The percentage of a food’s calories that are derived from carbohydrates, fats and protein.

SHUTTERSTOCK (6)

(%carb / %fat / %protein)

Enjoy Hand-Crafted, Melt -in -Your -Mouth Nut Butters

Like Us on Facebook facebook.com/maranathanutbutters

www.maranathafoods.com Š2014 The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BTD0714

begin What We’re Reading

SUMMER MIGHT BE COMING TO AN END, BUT EARLY AUTUMN IS PRIME BIKING SEASON. MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR EQUIPMENT ARE UP TO THE TASK. BY BERNE BROUDY Whether you’ve been in the saddle all summer or your best intentions faded after your first ride back in May, your bike needs a little TLC this time of year to keep it spinning through the fall. Most seasonal tune-ups and basic bike maintenance are DIY jobs, says Ryan Schutz, executive director of the Bike Depot, a nonprofit community bike center in Denver. “First you need to know what’s wrong. It’s often cheap and easy to fix basic problems yourself.” Here’s what to look for: 1. IF YOUR TIRE IS FLAT: It could be worn out, or you may have a puncture in the inner tube. If you see cracks in tire sidewalls, bald spots where rubber has worn off or missing tread, you need to replace your tire ($15 and up).

If the tire looks good, inflate it with a hand pump to about 80 percent of the recommended max—indicated on the sidewall.

Underinflation can cause premature wear and flats. Overinflation can give you a rough ride.

Tire won’t inflate? You have a puncture or pinch flat. Repair or replace the inner tube.

2. IF YOUR BIKE WON’T SHIFT OR DOESN’T BRAKE WELL: Dust, dirt and grime can gum up shifters and brakes. “Give your bike a warm-water sponge bath,” advises Schutz. Use a gentle degreaser, like Simple Green, to wipe the chain. Rinse it with fresh water—don’t blast it with a hose. Pressure washing can remove

10 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

lube in sealed bearings and ruin your ride.

Finally, shine it with a clean, dry cloth.

Check your brake pads. If they’re cracked, hockey puck–hard or you’ve worn through the grooves, replace them.

Check brake and shift cables and the “housing” they run through. If you see frayed cables or split housing, it is time to replace them.

3. IF YOUR CHAIN IS SQUEAKING: Grit and grime can accumulate in the chain links, causing the irritating squeaks that foretell rust damage. Lightly lube the chain using a wet or dry lubricant. Don’t use motor oil or WD-40—they’ll cause more harm than good. Follow instructions on the bottle, and be sure to wipe away any excess lube that can gum up the drivetrain.

Drs. James and Debra Rouse subscribe to a very simple philosophy: Think better to be better. In their new book ($18, available at King Soopers and City Market stores this September) they present their three-pronged formula for comprehensive wellness: mindfulness, eating with intention and interval-based movement. To learn more about the Rouses’ philosophy turn to page 48, and visit DrJamesRouse.com.

GREEN CHEFS: THE CULINARY CREATIVES CHANGING HOW WE EAT Conscious consumerism is hardly a new

4. IF YOUR WHEELS ARE WOBBLY: Check that all bolts and nuts are tight and that quick-releases on brakes and wheels are properly closed. A basic Allen wrench is a good tool to keep in your kit for these adjustments. If the wheel is still wobbly or not riding true (staying aligned between the brake pads), you might need to adjust the spokes, which is a more complicated repair best left to a pro.

concept, but it has only recently gained a foothold among mainstream Americans, thanks in large part to visionary chefs like Alice Waters and Jamie Oliver.

Giving credit where credit is due, Natural Vitality Publishing has created a beautiful—and free—eBook profiling the chefs responsible for bringing the farm-to-table movement into urban American homes. Volume I of Green Chefs: The Culinary Creatives Changing How We Eat features 88 pages of personal stories and favorite

Visit optimumwellness.com for basic repair instruction videos from the Spin Doctors at performancebike.com.

recipes from six sustainable chefs from various walks of life. Download the book for free at naturalvitalityliving.com.

SHUTTERSTOCK (TOP LEFT), COURTESTY DR. JAMES ROUSE, COURTESY NATURAL VITALITY LIVING

Get Back Out There

THINK EAT MOVE THRIVE: THE PRACTICE FOR AN AWESOME LIFE

How to:

Conduct a Walking Meeting

GROUP SIZE: Six or fewer. Walk two or three abreast so everyone can hear.

FREQUENCY: Once a week—preferably the same day and time—to establish consistency.

REMINDERS: Send text messages the night before, so everyone comes ready with proper clothes and shoes.

RECORD: Notepads are so passé. Use the voice-recorder on your smartphone to document the discussion and actionitems.

BLOOD FLOW FEEDS CREATIVITY. CREATIVITY YIELDS RESULTS. RESULTS GENERATE PROFITS. TRADE THE STUFFY CONFERENCE ROOM FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS.

MARK LESH

ROUTE: Determine the route ahead of time to avoid confusion or delays, but change it now and then to keep things interesting.

Savor The Fresh Taste!

Our salsa is made with fresh tomatoes, fire-roasted on an open grill, plus

onions, garlic and peppers. Cooking

with Arriba! salsa is a healthy choice for your favorite recipe —

Where flavor is a family tradition.

Find our $1 off coupon in the back and be sure to visit ribafoods.com/recipes for delicious ideas!

© Riba Foods, Inc.

eat

Apple A-Peel

THE QUESTION ISN’T, ‘WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH APPLES THIS SEASON?’ THE QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN’T YOU?’ ITS LONGEVITY, ubiquity and popularity are proof enough that the apple is one of nature’s finest foods. Thanks to evolution and creative breeding, there are now more than 7,500 known varieties worldwide. In the U.S., about 100 are grown and sold commercially. Here are some of the most common varieties you’re likely to find year-round in your grocer’s produce section, but keep an eye out this time of year for more exotic ones, such as SweeTango, Junami, Green Dragon and Ambrosia.

3

5

6

1

2

AARON COLUSSI

4

1. HONEYCRISP Bred by researchers at the University of Minnesota, it’s a cross between the Macoun and Honeygold varieties.

Highly prized and often more expensive than other varieties.

SKIN: mottled red on yellow FLAVOR/TEXTURE: mildly sweet, tart/crisp and juicy BEST FOR: salads, sauce, pies, snacking

2. GRANNY SMITH Originally from Australia and named for Maria Ann (Granny) Smith, who first cultivated the variety thought to be descended from French crab apples.

SKIN: shiny, brightgreen FLAVOR/TEXTURE: tart/crisp BEST FOR: salads, pies, snacking

3. GALA One of the more popular varieties in the U.S., it originated in New Zealand. Available almost all year.

SKIN: reddish-orange and yellow FLAVOR/TEXTURE: sweet with a hint of vanilla/crisp BEST FOR: salads and snacking, freezing

4. BRAEBURN Hailing from New Zealand and known as the all-purpose apple, it’s commercially available in the U.S. from September through June.

SKIN: red streaks on yellow FLAVOR/TEXTURE: spicy-sweet/firm BEST FOR: pies, salads, sauces, baking, freezing, snacking

5. GOLDEN DELICIOUS First “discovered” on a family farm in West Virginia, these grow year-round in a variety of climates.

SKIN: yellow FLAVOR/TEXTURE: sweet, mild/smooth, dry BEST FOR: pies, thanks to their thin skin

6. RED DELICIOUS Easily the most recognized variety, it has a shape that’s been likened to a Coca-Cola bottle.

SKIN: waxy, deep red FLAVOR/TEXTURE: mild/slightly gritty, firm BEST FOR: salads, snacking, giving to teacher on the first day of class

OptimumWellness.com

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eat

DISH IT UP

Happy Apple Meal WAS EVER A FOOD MORE UNDERESTIMATED THAN THE APPLE? IT'S CAPABLE OF SO MUCH MORE THAN JUICE, CIDER, SAUCE AND 4THOF-JULY PIE. FOR EXAMPLE...

Chicken a la NormandĂŠ Step aside Kentucky Fried. A few OW tweaks make this finger-licking-good French classic waistline friendly.

1 3 1/2 pound chicken, cut into 8 bone-in pieces 5 tablespoons butter, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, diced 2 carrots, diced 3 sprigs thyme 1 bay leaf 1/2 cup Calvados 1 cup apple cider 1 cup chicken stock 30 pearl onions, soaked and peeled 3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges 1 cup Greek yogurt

CHIMAYO COCKTAIL

Combine 1/4 ounce lemon juice, 1 1/4 ounces premium tequila, 1 1/2 ounces fresh apple cider, 1/4 ounce crème de cassis, 1/4 cup ice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously.

Strain into a rocks glass.

Garnish with Rome apple wedge.

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down. Brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

2. Pour off most of the fat from the pan. Add the diced onions, carrots, thyme and bay leaf, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the Calvados, warm slightly, and then remove the pan from the heat, stand back and ignite it with a kitchen torch to burn off the alcohol. Once the flames die, return it to the stove, add the cider, scraping up any brown bits. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the stock and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Transfer the breast pieces to a bowl. Cook the legs and thighs for 10 more minutes and add to the bowl. Keep warm.

3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add the pearl onions and a pinch of salt, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, add 1 tablespoon butter, and increase heat to medium-high. Place the apples in the center of the pan. Sear on each side for 10 to 15 minutes, until caramelized.

4. Strain the Calvados sauce and return it to the pan.

Add the juices from the chicken. Whisk in the yogurt.

Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Season. Add the chicken pieces and warm through.

Makes 4 servings. 748 calories, 32g fat, 17g protein, 53g carbs, 6g fiber, 77mg cholesterol, 1,100mg sodium

Optimum Wellness is excited to partner with the culinary masters at Johnson & Wales University. Dean of Culinary Education at the Denver Campus, Jorge de la Torre, developed these recipes specifically for OW. Look for more recipes and cooking tips from de la Torre and his students in the coming issues of OW, and visit jwu.edu/denver for information on Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts.

14 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

Cooking the chicken with the skin on seals in flavor and moisture. To cut fat and calories, remove the skin before serving.

AARON COLUSSI

JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY

Granny Smith Clafouti Swap the traditional black cherries for tart apples and serve this as a breakfast or dessert.

3 eggs 1 cup low-fat milk 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced 2–3 tablespoons brandy Ground cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 400°. Put eggs, milk, 6 tablespoons of butter, vanilla, flour, sugar and salt into a blender; blend until smooth, and set aside. Set a greased, 10-inch pie plate in the oven to heat.

2. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples, ½ cup of sugar and brandy, and cook until apples are glazed and warm, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove pie plate from oven and immediately pour in half the batter. Arrange warm apple slices over batter, reserving juices; then pour remaining batter over apples. Sprinkle remaining sugar and a little cinnamon over batter and bake until clafouti is golden and set in the center, 25–30 minutes.

Drizzle with warmed reserved apple juices.

Makes 12 servings. 233 calories, 11g fat, 3g protein, 30g carbs, 1g fiber, 70mg cholesterol, 110mg sodium

Curried Apple Soup For those days when the mercury drops, this hearty soup will keep you warm and cozy.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 shallots, minced 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder 2 Jonagold apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning 3 3/4 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock 1/2 cup milk Freshly ground pepper Yogurt, for garnish 1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add ginger and curry powder;

cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add apples, potato, salt and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook until potato is tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly.

2. Use an immersion blender, or transfer mixture to the jar of a blender, working in batches if necessary so as not to fill more than halfway; puree just until smooth.

Return soup to pan; stir in milk, and season with salt and pepper. Place over medium heat until soup is just heated through; do not let it boil. Divide soup among serving bowls, and garnish with a dollop of yogurt.

Makes 4 servings. 230 calories, 7g fat, 10g protein, 34g carbs, 4g fiber, 15mg cholesterol, 1,310mg sodium

OptimumWellness.com

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eat

FIT KITCHEN

THE TACO BAR IS OPE N

Your family may suddenly have time to sit down for dinner with these quick and easy tacos. They take the “boring” out of school-night meals by borrowing flavors from ethnic recipes and your favorite restaurants.

By Kimberly Lord Stewart

BUILD YOUR OWN 1. Pick Your Protein mild white fish, such as catfish, cod or tilapia

browned ground bison or beef

boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cooked as desired and diced

grilled, thinly sliced flank steak

precooked medium shrimp, tails removed

shredded Simple Truth rotisserie chicken

Kroger-brand precooked pork carnitas

2. Pick Your Persuasion Buffalo For each pound of

For each pound of cooked protein, add 1/4 cup mole sauce. Heat through. Recommended shredded pork carnitas or shredded chicken

Stir 3 tablespoons of Jamaican jerk spice-rub into 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Coat 1 pound of protein with the rub.

Let sit for 10 minutes. Grill or sauté in a cast-iron skillet until cooked through.

Recommended cubed boneless/ skinless chicken, fish, shrimp

In a bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon rum (optional), 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, hefty pinch of sugar and salt.

Recommended fish (marinate in sauce for 15 minutes; then grill), shrimp (quickly heat in a hot, oiled skillet, add marinade, and bring to a fierce boil)

cooked protein, add 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce. Recommended browned ground bison or beef, shredded or cubed chicken

Jamaican

3. Top It Off Fruits and Veggies:

finely shredded cabbage, spinach or carrots chopped cucumbers, jicama, green apples, roasted green chiles, mangoes, pineapple, avocado whole black beans, pan-roasted corn char-grilled lime, grapefruit or orange wedges

Mole

Mojito

dry Monterey Jack aged Gouda cotija queso fresco añejo crumbled feta pepper jack melted fontina

Mix 1 packet of taco seasoning with juice from 1 lime and 1 tablespoon canola oil.

Marinate protein for 15 to 30 minutes. Grill. Recommended fish, shrimp, cubed chicken

Baja

The deli section is ripe with just about every salsa flavor you can imagine. We’re loving

Sauce:

Or make one of these:

arriba chipotle, muir glen medium garlic cilantro and white girl salsa cranberry-mango.

Fish taco sauce: Mix 1 cup Mexican crema, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar.

Smoky chipotle sauce: Mix 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 small chipotle in adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon lime juice.

Avocado lime sauce: Mix 1 avocado, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon lime juice, pinch of salt.

A taco tip from Ree Drummond at thepioneerwoman.com is to make a flavored slaw:

Slaw:

For Asian flavor, mix equal parts rice wine vinegar and sugar.

16 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

Korean Gochujang

Think above and beyond shredded lettuce, cheddar and tomato salsa.

Cheese:

1.

For each pound of cooked protein, add a few tablespoons each of Korean red chile paste and chicken or beef broth. Heat through.

Recommended cooked pulled pork, shredded chicken, shredded beef

2. For

Southern-style pulled pork, use a mustard-vinegar barbecue sauce as a dressing.

For fish or chicken tacos, dress up 1 cup of a basic coleslaw dressing with 1 diced jalapeno and 2 tablespoons salsa.

3.

COPY CAT At a loss for creativity? Here are two ideas from our test kitchen and a couple from our favorite taquerias in Denver and Seattle.

Buffalo Chicken Buffalo chicken: Mix 1/4 cup buffalo sauce with 1 cup shredded Simple Truth rotisserie chicken.

shredded lettuce avocado chopped green onion shredded cheese Greek yogurt or Mexican crema

Tequila-Lime Shrimp with Peach, Mango, Red Pepper Salsa Grilled or sauteed shrimp:

Marinate 1 pound uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp in 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons tequila, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Cook through in sautĂŠ pan or over a grill, about 7 minutes.

chopped red pepper chopped mango chopped ripe peach chopped avocado chopped cilantro drizzle of lime juice

Chorizo and Garlic Mash Tacos Inspired by Denver’s Comida taco restaurant Garlic potato mash:

Boil 2 peeled russet potatoes with 2 cloves of peeled garlic until tender.

Mash up with a little butter, milk, salt and pepper.

browned chorizo (mild or hot, whatever you like) salsa verde cotija cheese

Flank Steak Adobada and Grilled Pineapple Tacos Inspired by Tacos Chukis in Seattle In a blender combine 1 can adobo chiles in sauce, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 cup Mexican beer. Puree until smooth. Refrigerate half of the sauce in a jar. Marinate 1 pound flank steak in the other half for at least an hour or overnight. Remove steak from the marinade and brush with the jarred sauce. Grill steak.

AARON COLUSSI

Sliced flank steak:

precut pineapple spears, grilled 2 minutes on each side and chopped salsa guacamole

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MAKE IT

eat

Pop Culture IT’S NOT NEW, AND IT’S NOT A SUPERFOOD, BUT WHEN PREPARED WITH WHOLESOME AND INVENTIVE INGREDIENTS, POPCORN IS A HEALTHY SNACK THAT’S AS FUN TO MAKE AS IT IS TO EAT. BY DEBORAH WILLIAMS OVERSHADOWED by of-the-moment snacks like sprouted grains and guilty by association to the fat-laden movie-theater stuff, popcorn gets no respect. But considering it is a whole grain that’s low in calories, high in fiber and a vehicle for both sweet and savory flavors, it’s a hard snack to beat.

Each kernel of popping corn has roughly 15 percent moisture content. When the kernel is heated to a high enough temperature— between 400 and 450 degrees—the moisture turns to steam, creating internal pressure until...POP!

MAKE IT Countertop air poppers have come a long way since their heyday in the early ’80s, but you really don’t need fancy equipment.

A heavy, non-enameled pot with a lid will work just fine on the stovetop.

1. Heat the pot over high heat, and then add just enough oil (see Oil About It) to coat the bottom.

2. Pour a single layer of raw kernels into the pot, and shake it gently to coat the kernels with oil.

3. Cover the pot, and let the magic happen. When the popping begins, turn the heat down to medium-high to prevent burning. Every minute or so, gently shake the pot so all the kernels hit the heat.

The popcorn is ready when there are two seconds between pops.

Oil About It

Almost any medium- to high-smoke-point vegetable oil will work, but some impart a stronger flavor on the finished product than others. Here’s how the most common ones stack up (smoke point, flavor, calories/fat grams/saturated fat grams per tablespoon).

Canola oil 468 ++

124/13.8/0.9

Olive oil 468 ++

119/14/2

Refined peanut oil 450 +++ 119/14/2 Refined coconut oil 450 +++ 117/13.6/11.8 Refined sunflower 440 + 119/14/1

AARON COLUSSI

For extra kick, use oil infused with herbs or fruit, such as rosemary, basil, mint or lemon, or spices, such as curry, mustard, cumin, cinnamon or paprika.

Fun with Flavors Empty your popcorn into a large bowl, and toss it with a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil and any of the following:

• • • •

cinnamon sea salt paprika dry mustard

• • • •

chili powder garlic powder cumin cardamom

• • • •

cayenne pepper brewer’s yeast curry powder grated Parmesan cheese

• ranch salad dressing mix • herbes de Provence

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eat

BUY IT

479 White Cheddar + Black Truffle 479degrees.com

Developed by a Le Cordon Bleu– trained chef who discovered that 479 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal temperature for the perfectly popped kernel of organic popping corn, 479 features flavors such as Toasted Sesame + Seaweed and Creamery Butter. The company’s guiding pillars: sustainable, organic, local and ethical.

20 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

SkinnyPop Black Pepper skinnypop.com

“No artificial anything” is the SkinnyPop mantra. Popcorn, sunflower oil and salt are the basic ingredients. A dash of black pepper is all that’s added, so it remains cholesterol-free, trans-fat-free, preservative-free and, of course, gluten-free. Ultra Lite White Cheddar, Naturally Sweet and Original round out the brand’s flavor offerings.

Angie’s Boomchickapop Sea Salt angiespopcorn.com

The founders of Angie’s—a nurse and a school teacher—started selling their homemade kettle corn at local outdoor events near their home in Minnesota in hopes of building a modest college fund for their two children. Today, the company produces 80,000 bags—and nine flavors—of popcorn and kettle corn a day.

Popcorn Indiana Movie Theater popcornindiana.com

Self-proclaimed whole-grainsnacking fanatics, the Popcorn Indiana team is as enamored with the taste and health benefits of popcorn as they are with the “fun and frivolity found in every bag.”

Toss a single kernel in the air and try to catch it in your mouth, they goad website visitors. Their Movie Theater flavor is ready-toeat, or you can warm it up for the full moviegoing experience.

eat

BUY IT

Rocky Mountain Popcorn White Cheddar

Simple Truth Kettle Popcorn

Smartfood White Cheddar

openroadsnacks.com

simpletruth.com

smartfood.com

High-moisture, certified non-GMO kernels are air popped to control fat content and create a larger, more uniform puff. Born 30 years ago as a small-batch popcorn maker, the brand has grown to include other “craft snacks” produced in a 100-percent wind-powered factory and shipped in locally made, recycledcardboard packaging.

Like all of Simple Truth’s products, its Kettle Popcorn is free from 101 artificial preservatives and fake ingredients. The slightly sweet, slightly salty flavor is perfect for snackers who can’t make up their minds.

If there’s a surefire way to make anything better, it’s to add cheese. Smartfood’s White Cheddar flavor is free of gluten— like all popcorn—as well as artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Also look for the Smartfood Delight White Cheddar and Sea Salt flavors, which are air popped and lower in calories.

22 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

think

Health Halos JUST BECAUSE EATING—OR ELIMINATING—A FOOD SOUNDS HEALTHY, DOESN’T MEAN IT IS. A COOKIE BY ANY OTHER NAME OR CLAIM IS STILL A COOKIE.

DAN PAGE

BY NANCY COULTER-PARKER

MAKING SMART FOOD CHOICES ISN’T EASY, especially with so many labels and fad diets claiming to be panaceas. The Don Drapers of the world prey on credulous consumers who are all-too-quick to believe the hype. Our gullibility paired with their clever marketing gimmicks has created a phenomenon called the health-halo effect.

Essentially, believing that we’re choosing “healthy”—or “healthier”— options actually dupes us into exceedingly poor eating behavior.

Brian Wansink, author of Slim By Design and director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, has conducted numerous studies examining health halos. The so-called healthy eating trend is growing, Wansink notes, but our waistlines aren’t shrinking. In one series of studies, Wansink and a colleague observed consumers’ interactions with fast food. Repeatedly, subjects who ate a meal that they perceived to be healthy ate more of it.

This same pattern plays out in the grocery store. It’s as if we rationalize eating or buying more as a reward for selecting the “healthy” option. Unfortunately, that behavior offsets the benefits.

Whatever drives your purchasing decisions—food allergies, fat content and calorie counts, sustainability, cost savings or personal preference— do your homework and scrutinize labels to avoid these halo-driven missteps.

THE LOW-FAT CONUNDRUM A good example of a health halo, says Wansink, is the low-fat or no-fat claim. He found through his research that the average consumer estimates low-fat items to have about half the calories of their full-fat versions. “In reality,” says Wansink, “‘low-fat’ items usually only have 11 percent fewer calories.” A person who rationalizes eating three low-fat cookies as a better choice than eating two full-fat cookies will actually consume 25 percent more calories than they would otherwise, he explains.

THE SODIUM SUCKER PUNCH Soups, beans, rice and veggies are naturally low in fat and calories.

However, when they’re processed and canned, they’re also loaded with sodium and preservatives, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, nutrition expert and author of Read It Before You Eat It. A low-fat, low-calorie can of soup, says Taub-Dix, can contain 480 mg of sodium per serving. And even though a can might look like just one serving, it likely contains two servings. This means you’re eating a whopping 960 mg of sodium in one meal if you eat the whole thing. The Institute of Medicine’s recommended daily allowance of sodium is 1,500 mg.

PUBLIC ENEMY #2 By now, you know the health industry’s most wanted: sugary soda. But “fruit juices, flavored waters, sports drinks and bottled teas all carry a ‘health halo,’” says food and nutrition consultant, Rachel Begun, R.D. “They often have added sugars—as much as or more than sodas.”

Be sure to look for the words “100 percent fruit juice,” or else you may be drinking something that has some fruit juice in it but not the equivalent of eating a piece of fruit.

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think NOT-SO-FREE FOOD Gluten-free, soy-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, fat-free, the list goes on and on. But just because a food carries one of these claims does not necessarily mean it’s a health food, says Begun. When one villainous ingredient is removed from a product, there’s a good chance an equally unhealthy filler is added in an effort to mimic the taste and characteristics of the original. In other words, says Taub-Dix, “the word ‘free’ can be costly if you’re not careful.” Fat-free, she explains, means it has less than half a gram of fat per serving. The same is true for “sugar-free.” “If you’re eating 10 servings,” she says, “those numbers start to add up.”

THE MERIT MASQUERADE Then there are the “healthy-aura” labels such as “organic,” “non-GMO” and even “natural.” Think of these as marketing terms, not assurances of nutritional value. Even words like “multigrain” are dubious. Multigrain simply means a product may contain many grains. “For a food that has more nutritional value, look for ‘whole grains’ or ‘whole wheat,’” says Taub-Dix. “Wheat flour doesn’t count if it’s not whole.” While organic has not proven to be “more nutritious,” it does mean a food is made without pesticides, asserts Taub-Dix. “It’s not so much a word about health, as it plays into a philosophy and a feeling of security that the food is safer.” In this case, she says to be more wary of companies who simply use a few organic ingredients but aren’t actually certified organic.

Dos and Don’ts HOW DO WE GET OUT FROM UNDER THESE “HEALTH HALOS”? BRIAN WANSINK, AUTHOR OF SLIM BY DESIGN, OFFERS THESE TRICKS. DON’T SHOP WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY. Not because you’ll buy too much, says Wansink, but because you’ll buy worse. “You buy for convenience and things that can satisfy you in an instant,” he says. This seldom means fruits and vegetables.

CHEW GUM. Seriously. Chewing gum distracts us from our cravings.

“Cravings happen when we imagine what a food is going to be like to eat,” Wansink says. We imagine the crunch or salty taste of a chip, and we think, ‘I need it.’ But if you chew gum, it’s hard for you to imagine simulation. It’s inconsistent with gum chewing.

SHOP HEALTHY FOODS FIRST. As the cart fills, we get more selective.

If it’s three-quarters full of chips and

crackers, you’re less likely to add healthy foods. Fill it first with produce, meat and dairy, and you’ll be more discerning in the cookie aisle.

LEAVE THE LIST AT HOME. Think lists make you less impulsive?

“To the contrary,” says Wansink. If you’re writing a list, you’re making a deliberate visit to the grocery store, which means you’re likely to spend more time shopping and have a higher number of impulse purchases.

SLOW DOWN IN THE PRODUCE AISLE. How many fruits and veggies you buy correlates directly to how much time you spend, on average, in that aisle. For every minute you spend, says Wansink, you spend roughly $1.50 more on fruits and vegetables.

Between the Lines FOOD LABELS CAN BE HARD TO DECIPHER. FOR THIS REASON, FEW OF US READ THEM, AND WHEN WE DO, WE DO SO QUICKLY AND WITHOUT MUCH SCRUTINY. NUTRITION CONSULTANT RACHEL BEGUN, R.D., SUGGESTS FOCUSING ON THESE NUMBERS:

CALORIES & SERVING SIZE. Read the numbers of calories and the number of servings per container. Many packaged foods that appear to be a single serving are actually multiple servings and, therefore, contain more calories than we think.

TRANS FAT. “Contrary to what we used to think, it’s not the quantity of fat (the top number) that’s so much the issue, it’s the quality,” says Begun. Trans fats raise LDL or “bad” cholesterol, while lowering HDL or “good” cholesterol. This, says Begun, creates a double whammy when it comes to elevating risk for heart disease. She recommends minimizing animal fats as much as possible in your diet and instead opting for plant-based fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados and healthy vegetable oils. And look for labels that have 0 trans fats.

SODIUM. Three-quarters of the sodium we consume is from restaurant and packaged foods. The Institute for Medicine recommends 1,500 mg of sodium per day as its Adequate Intake level (2,300 mg per day is the limit of what we can consume before posing a risk to our health). Easy to do? The Centers for Disease Control says the average daily sodium intake for Americans age 2 years and older is 3,436 mg.

FIBER. Adequate fiber intake is essential for both a healthy digestive system and cardiovascular health, explains Begun.

Yet, typically, we don’t eat enough of it. Aim for 25–35 grams per day.

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Wheels of Fortune

THE ANSWER TO AMERICA'S HEALTH CARE CRISIS MIGHT BE THE HUMBLE BICYCLE. WHO KNOWS? IT MIGHT SOLVE OUR FOREIGN OIL DEPENDENCE, URBAN CONGESTION AND ECONOMIC WOES AT THE SAME TIME.

BY PATRICK DOYLE

wildly popular with the middle and upper classes. As The Bookman chronicled in 1901: “The great avenues of our larger cities were made extremely picturesque in the dusk of evening by the endless line of bicyclists whose lanterns in the darkness produced the vivid effect of a river of coloured fire.”

SHUTTERSTOCK

There was a brief period, from around 1880 to 1908, when bicycles were ascendant in American cities. By 1896, around 2.5 million bicycles were on the streets, and bicycle clubs were forming to advocate for safer roads. After the horse, the bike was the first real form of private transportation, and it became

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29

T

And then something puzzling happened in 2006: Americans drove fewer miles than they did in 2005. The same thing happened in 2007, and every year since.

By 2013, Americans were driving 7 percent fewer miles than they had in 2005. What happened?

A number of factors are behind the drop, including the economy-decimating repercussions of the Great Recession and higher oil prices. The economic free fall, though, didn’t begin until 2008, while the mileage started dropping two years before. Beyond the economy, there is a broader shift taking place: Americans, especially Millennials, are moving to cities and leaving the car behind. Instead, they’re taking public transportation, walking and—almost unbelievably—bicycling.

30 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

SINCE 2001, THE U.S. HAS BUILT 50,000 NEW MILES OF BIKE TRAILS AND LANES, ENOUGH TO CIRCLE THE GLOBE TWICE.

Consider: Over the past 13 years, the number of Americans regularly biking to work has increased a stunning 62 percent. During that same time period, the United States has invested somewhere between $11 billion and $12 billion in bike infrastructure, including 50,000 new miles of bike trails, protected paths and lanes— enough to circle the globe twice. Just since 2011, there has been a 10 percent increase in Americans biking to work.

“Populations in cities are growing, and people are more interested in easier and more active modes of transport,” says Sarah Kaufman, an assistant professor of planning at New York University’s Rudin Center for Transportation.

“Bike commuting is a great way to get around.”

DONALD BOWERS PHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

hat all changed when Henry Ford started cranking out the Model T in 1908, stoking Americans’ almost inexorable passion to drive—to work, to the grocery store, to their kids’ soccer practice. In 1971, the average American traveled around 5,600 miles annually by car. By 2005, that number had nearly doubled, to 10,100 miles. There were a handful of dips, like the 1970s oil embargo, but the trend was steady for the 20th century: Each year, the national odometer climbed higher. Our communities and streets, once designed for pedestrians—and briefly, for the bike—became focused on accommodating the automobile.

Bicyclists, joggers and walkers enjoy Car Free Streets on Park Avenue as part of New York City's annual Summer Streets event.

Why Ride?

The advantages of commuting by bicycle are plentiful. The most obvious benefit is health: Unlike drivers, bikers are actively exercising on their commutes to work. Not surprisingly, several recent studies have shown that longer car commutes are directly correlated with increased levels of obesity, larger waistlines and higher body-mass indexes. One 2009 study at Brown University, in fact, found that every minute spent driving to and from the office resulted in reduced time on essential health habits—sleeping, exercising and cooking food. A 10-mile round-trip commute in the city would likely take around 45 minutes, which means that a biker would reduce or eliminate the need for a trip to the gym after work.

One 2010 study out of the Netherlands found that replacing a daily car commute with a bicycle would result in a life that is 3 to 14 months longer.

Conversely, several studies have found that long car rides to the office are highly correlated with obesity and higher blood pressure.

Next up: cost savings. According to AAA, the average car owner will spend $8,876 on owning, fueling, insuring and maintaining a car over a single year. The average annual cost to own and

maintain a bike? Just $308. You can reduce your costs even more if you participate in a bikesharing program, which now exist in more than 40 American cities (see “Take a Bike, Leave a Bike” on page 34).

Then there’s speed. Yes, that’s right: Biking to work can often be faster than driving. Bike lanes and trails don’t experience the type of congestion that urban streets and highways do—the average urban American car commuter sat in a total of 38 hours of congestion over a year in 2011. One study from Lyon, France, found that bike commutes during rush hour were faster than driving, which supports anecdotal evidence across many American urban areas.

All these benefits don’t accrue just to individual commuters. The environment sees lower amounts of carbon emissions and lower air pollution. Transportation departments will spend less on road maintenance, because bikes cause much less damage to streets than automobiles. And with people on two wheels instead of four, car traffic will go down.

Businesses benefit, too: A recent study in Portland, Ore., showed that bicyclists spend more money over a month than motorists at restaurants, bars and convenience stores.

ASK NOT WHAT YOUR CITY CAN DO FOR YOUR BICYCLE COMMUTE... » BikeDenver was established in 2001 by a group of cyclists looking to improve access and conditions for twowheeled commuters.

The grassroots nonprofit organization advocates on behalf of city cyclists for improved policies and infrastructure. Learn more about BikeDenver's efforts and how you can become an advocate at bikedenver.org.

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BIKES: SETTING THE WHEELS IN MOTION WEATHER OR NOT MANY CITIES KNOWN FOR BAD WEATHER HAVE THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES OF REGULAR BIKE COMMUTERS. SO, WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?

Seattle 4.1%

TOP 10 LARGE CITIES ABOVE 250,000 PEOPLE

Portland 6.1%

TOP 10 SMALL CITIES BELOW 250,000 PEOPLE

Eugene 8.7%

Missoula 6.2% Minneapolis 4.5%

Davis 19.1% Sacramento Berkeley 2.6% 7.6% San Francisco Oakland 3.8% Palo Alto 2.7% 9.5%

Madison 6.3%

Fort Collins 7.9% Boulder 12.1%

Denver 2.9%

Santa Barbara 6.9% Tucson 2.8%

SINCE 2001: 50,000 NEW MILES OF BIKE LANES AND TRAILS HAVE BEEN BUILT

G KIN S BI N A C ERI % AM OF SED 62 R E MB CREA NU IN THE ORK THE U.S. W TO HAS INVESTED $11 BILLION TO $12 BILLION IN BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE

“Everyone driving doesn’t make sense—using a 1,500-pound machine to move a 150-pound person,” says Peter Furth, a traffic engineer at Northeastern University in Boston. “Cities that go that route just get flooded with cars. And public transportation is really expensive to provide.” The answer: the humble bicycle.

Wheels and Woes Challenges to bike commuting, of course, remain. Education is essential for bikers and drivers. Cyclists far too often run red lights and stop signs, or engage in dangerous behaviors like “salmoning” (riding the wrong way up a one-way street) or riding on the sidewalk (which is illegal in most cities and dangerous to pedestrians). Motorists, meanwhile, make the streets perilous for bicyclists by either not paying enough attention (making right turns in front of cyclists; parking 32 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

New Orleans 2.4%

TOTAL AMERICAN BIKE COMMUTERS:

864,883 in bike lanes; opening doors into the path of cyclists) or by acting downright aggressively.

The largest problem facing bike commuters, though, is the lack of a strong bike infrastructure. In many communities, bikers have to ride on streets loaded with automobiles; at best, a street may have a painted share-the-road “sharrow” or a bike lane. Unfortunately, says Furth: “The number of people willing to ride where you have to compete with cars in heavy traffic is very limited. Bikes have to be given a place where they are protected from heavy traffic.” Tim Blumenthal, the president of People for Bikes, a bicycle advocacy group, agrees: “If the only thing separating high-speed cars and bikes is a white line, the majority of people will not feel comfortable. If we want biking to really grow and thrive, we need more than white lanes on pavement.”

To entice a more diverse group of people to bike—especially

Spin Cities

Cambridge 8.5%

AVERAGE ANNUAL COST FOR CAR OWNERSHIP: Washington, D.C. 4.1%

$8,876 AVERAGE ANNUAL COST FOR A BICYCLE:

$308

AMERICANS ARE DRIVING 7 PERCENT FEWER MILES PER PERSON SINCE 2005.

SEPARATED BIKE LANES INCREASE RIDERSHIP BY: 21% TO 171 %

7%

2005 women, older people and children—bike routes must be physically separated from cars. Trails along rivers or on the former beds of railroad tracks are widely popular for that reason. Another option is to separate bike paths from street traffic by placing parking spaces between the two; bikers can then ride between parked cars and the sidewalk. Other cities have seen success with a small concrete median, or even placing flex-posts on the street. Experts advise joining bicycling advocacy groups, especially those on the local levels, which can push for bike-friendly road improvements.

A study from University of Portland showed that separated lanes in Portland, San Francisco, Austin, Chicago and Washington, increased ridership in those cities between 21 percent and 171 percent. The same study found that two in three residents say they would be more likely to bike if lanes were separated from traffic.

In the 1960s, Davis, Calif., made a remarkable decision: It was going to start investing transportation money on bicycle infrastructure and began to experiment with bike lanes. That initial investment paved the way for the city of 75,000 to become the bicycling capital of America: Today, 95 percent of streets in the city have bike lanes, and nearly 20 percent of all residents commute by bike.

Almost unbelievably, there are now more bikes than cars in the community. Other cities have followed Davis’ lead: Boulder, with roughly 100,000, boasts 12 percent of commutes by bike, followed by Palo Alto, Calif.; Eugene, Ore.; and Cambridge, Mass.

Larger American cities are beginning to get in on the act. Portland, Ore., decided in the early 1990s to improve bicycle infrastructure, and today, 6 percent of the Portland workforce commutes by bike, which is the highest share for any large city. Closely trailing it are Minneapolis, Seattle, Washington and San Francisco.

Bicycle infrastructure takes a bit of money, but not an unearthly sum. According to Furth, the American government, on the whole, spends around $1.50 per person on biking infrastructure, compared to $400 per person on highway infrastructure annually. No one is calling for equalizing those spending levels. Says Furth: “Spending about $20 a person a year [in a city], over a 10- to 20-year period, could create a great bike network.” Consider the example of Portland, which has spent around $60 million building its bicycle network. That’s a good amount of money, but as former Portland Mayor Sam Adams pointed out in 2011, that entire bicycle network costs around the same as one mile of a four-lane urban highway.

Many local governments are starting to realize the exponential benefits of bicycles—not just for improving traffic, health and the environment, but as a competitive edge. “People in their 20s and 30s are not buying cars and driving at the same rate as their predecessors,” says Blumenthal. “They want to live, work, shop, party, and do everything in a convenient, close-by space.” And college-educated young people working in technology, business and medicine are the exact type of people who can help create a thriving city. “Cities want to attract dynamic businesses that depend on highly educated and motivated workers,” says Blumenthal. “They want to be able to ride to work and to go out to lunch and to recreate. These workers want a bikefriendly place.”

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Take a Bike, Leave a Bike IN THE SPRING OF 2010, an innovative program called B-cycle popped up in Denver, featuring 400 short-term rental bikes spread across the city.

Members could borrow the bikes from self-service kiosks for free 30-minute rides, and return them to any other available kiosk. The goal: to get city residents to replace their short car drives—two- or three-mile trips for errands or to the office—with a bike ride. Users, meanwhile, got to avoid the hassles of maintenance and storage.

Many critics doubted that such a program, which was first created in Europe, could succeed in the driving-focused United States. Denver, though, proved them wrong, notching 102,000 rides and more than 200,000 miles that first year. In 2011, the program expanded the number of bikes and kiosks, and ridership nearly doubled. Since then, bike-share programs have spread across the country. Today, around 40 American cities, including New York, Chicago and Boston, have a system, while another 40 cities are in the process of building their own bike-shares. New York, alone, notches 42,000 rides daily.

The newest bike-share program to launch is in Seattle, which already boasts one of the highest rates of bike-commuting in the country. Starting in September, 500 bikes will be available as part 34 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

SHARING IS CARING

How it works: Enroll online or at any B-cycle kiosk. Passes are issued on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis. Using your membership or credit card, unlock a bike from any kiosk, adjust the seat, and go.

Fees and Rates Tiered access rates means the more you ride, the less you pay. At press time, a 24-hour pass cost $8 and an annual pass cost $80. The first 30 minutes of every ride is free. The next 30 minutes are $1, and each additional 30 minutes are $4.

TOUR DE B-CYCLE More than 400 people have completed the "Tour de B": visiting all 83 stations in a single day.

Think you're up to the challenge? Visit denver.bcycle.com to give it a shot or enroll in the program.

of the Pronto! Emerald City Cycle Share. The 50 stations will be concentrated in the denser neighborhoods in the city’s core, including downtown, U District, South Lake Union, Capitol Hill and Eastlake. A yearly membership will cost $85, while a day pass will be $8.

Seattle has been considering such a system for about six years but had to manage several situations that not all other cities have to deal with, says Holly Hauser, the executive director of Pronto. To deal with the city’s mandatory, all-ages helmet law, Pronto has partnered with a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology students who created a helmet vending machine that cleans and sanitizes the headgear upon its return.

As for Seattle’s notoriously wet weather? “The bikes all have fenders that make it easy to ride in the rain,” says Hauser.

Biking advocates across the country are thrilled at bike-share’s rapid spread and popularity.

“One of the great things about bike sharing is the percentage who have never ridden a bike or people who haven’t ridden in years [trying them],” says Tim Blumenthal, the president of People for Bikes. “A lot of people are using bike share and really getting into it—saving money, getting exercise and getting around.”

SHUTTERSTOCK

Bike-share programs are changing the concept of ownership.

Q&A

Fueling Station Even if you're not a regular bike commuter or Spandex-clad road warrior, you can witness the most exciting bike race this side of the Alps and learn a thing or two from the pros when the USA Pro Challenge rolls through Colorado every August.

Robby Ketchell, team Garmin-Sharp's director of sports science, relies on the latest science to keep his team in peak condition for their grueling race schedule. As it turns out, the strategies employed for these superhuman racers can also boost performance for the rest of us. Optimum Wellness checked in with Ketchell as he prepared his team for the weeklong, 524-mile race.

BY REBECCA L. OLGEIRSON During the USA Pro Challenge, your riders expend 6,000–8,000 calories per day. How do you manage their nutrition during a tour?

Recovery is a strong aspect of the sport, because some races go for as long as three weeks. We give the riders a recovery meal on the bus immediately after the race to replace their glycogen stores. Usually the post-race meal contains carbs, like rice, along with eggs or some other lean protein. Then they’ll use a sauce of their choice, like a hot sauce or other dressings. Variety matters; they can’t eat the same thing for 21 days.

Is the timing of that meal important?

Definitely. There’s a two-hour window after exercise.

And that’s important for recreational athletes too.

Although, we start as soon as the racer is finished.

First, we hydrate with an electrolyte drink—we are sponsored by Skratch Labs for all our hydration products—and then we have the lean protein/carb meal on the bus. During that window you can replace glycogen stores and begin muscle recovery.

Sophisticated bike-mounted computers help Ketchell track the riders’ vitals and nutrition needs.

Team Garmin-Sharp went gluten-free a few years ago. Is that still a part of your philosophy?

Today we are definitely gluten-moderate, which means mostly rice and gluten-free pasta. But unless a person is gluten intolerant, we aren’t 100 percent.

Gluten-free really can help with recovery and limiting inflammation in both the skeletal muscles and the endurance muscles used repeatedly in cycling.

Limiting gluten also helps riders’ digestive tracts absorb all the nutrients they need.

ring nitrates found in spinach, beets and pickles. You shouldn’t overload on nitrates, but the research shows if you consume them regularly it can help.

Is eliminating gluten necessary just for the professionals?

No, I think it can help anyone manage inflammation in terms of muscle recovery and absorbing nutrients.

The key is: Don’t get wrapped up in gluten-free.

Gluten moderation is usually OK.

Your riders are on a highly specialized training and meal plan. But what about the rest of us? What can we learn from the pros?

One thing I’m always thinking about is the riders’ immune systems. They all take probiotics, which help in two ways. One, they help with digestion and absorbing nutrients. But they also bolster your immune system and general health. When you don’t feel well and can’t eat well, you can’t perform well.

Any other nutritional trends on your radar?

Nitrates have become a new thing in the last four years. Nitrates limit the amount of oxygen required to produce a certain workload. Basically it means your cells don’t require as much oxygen.

Coming from the European summer tours to Colorado for the USA Pro Challenge, how will you prepare your riders for the altitude change?

We’ve found that loading up on carbs can really help acclimatization at altitude. That and hydration are key in Colorado.

Nitrates? As in bacon?

Sorry, no it’s not the added chemical nitrates in bacon and hot dogs; we’re talking about the naturally occur-

MARK ZALEWSKI

Takeaways for the Mortal Man and Woman

1

Consume a recovery meal of complex carbs and lean protein within two hours postworkout.

2

When it comes to gluten, moderation—not necessarily elimination—can keep inflammation in check.

3

Natural, vegetable sources of nitrates can increase your athletic efficiency. Avoid chemically added nitrates like those you find in bacon and sandwich meat.

TO WARD OFF ALTITUDE SICKNESS, try going heavy on carbs. Some studies suggest that carb ingestion increases carbon dioxide production, which in turn raises breathing rates and oxygen levels. Take your carbs with a grain of salt, however: Other studies found they had no effect.

OptimumWellness.com

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Don’t Take Your Kids’ Health Sitting Down

SHUTTERSTOCK

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION, BUT THAT’S NO EXCUSE FOR KIDS TO SIT AROUND. BY LU SNYDER THE RETURN TO SCHOOL is an exciting time for kids: new “Some people are more motivated by social activities, some prefer teachers, new schedules, reuniting with old friends. But it also means competitive, and some rhythmic, like dancing, for example,” says Jackie extended hours sitting—behind desks, doing homework, commuting Epping, health scientist for CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity in the car or bus. Add to that substantially less recess and physical and Obesity. “The important thing is to find what rings their bell.” education than previous generations, plus the lure of technology, and Some might attribute the popularity of sports like snowboarding many of today’s kids aren’t moving nearly enough. and BMX to today’s obsession with extreme sports, but Josh As of 2012, more than one-third of children and adolescents in the Underwood, head coach at Woodward at Copper, an indoor United States were overweight or obese, increasing their risk for what facility at Colorado’s Copper Mountain Resort offering year-round were once considered health problems relegated to adults, such as opportunities for ski, snowboard, skateboard and BMX enthusiasts, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and osteoarthritis. sees it differently. An avid snowboarder and skateboarder, he believes But it’s more than their physical health creativity and freedom of expression are the Children and teens with weight main draw. at stake. Children and teens with weight problems are more likely to problems are more likely to struggle with low In structured sports, like baseball or soccer, struggle with low self-esteem, the emphasis is on uniformity and beating the self-esteem, anxiety and depression. And the anxiety and depression. benefits of physical activity extend beyond other team, says Underwood. “With sports like physical and mental health. skateboarding and BMX, two people can look “Physical activity is so connected to learning,” says Carol Muller, at the same feature and use it in two totally different ways. There’s still with Colorado Action for Healthy Kids. “In fact, physical activity [helps that competitive side, but you can express yourself.” you] learn at your optimum level. Movement increases learning ability THE OTHER DEFICIT DISORDER and attentiveness, improves the level of engagement and focus in a Not only are our kids less active in general, they’re spending dramatically classroom, and decreases behavioral issues and absenteeism.” less time outside, leading to what’s been dubbed Nature Deficit Disorder.

But what if your kid isn’t interested in organized sports or you don’t Getting outdoors and beyond the concrete might be especially good have the flexibility in your work schedule or budget to facilitate them? for the kid who prefers individual pursuits to team sports or is more Sports don’t have to be structured, experts insist. And for many interested in exploration than competition, but it’s beneficial for kids, it’s better when they’re not.

OptimumWellness.com

37

move everyone. Our bodies weren’t wired for today’s overstimulating and stressful environment. Unstructured time outdoors allows children the chance for spontaneous play, which helps them develop creativity, leadership and conflict-resolution skills.

Time outdoors also helps build the immune system, develop a sense of place and provide time for families to unwind, relax and recharge. It’s also been linked to improved academic success.

“Being outdoors and in nature confers additional benefits to being active,” says Epping. “Whenever it’s possible to have those experiences, that’s exceedingly important.”

State parks are an often-overlooked amenity, especially during the slower fall and winter months, despite the wide array of family and kids programs.

“There’s a sense of adventure” to an excursion at a state park, says Virginia Painter, communications director for Washington State Parks and Recreation. Begin with a stop at the park’s interpretive center, learn about the park’s history and wildlife, and then “get out, touch it, feel it, experience it.”

Capture your teen’s interest by having him or her journal about the experience, perhaps, or take photos of the adventure to post on Facebook or Instagram later.

Helping your children find a sport or activity that excites them increases the chance they’ll stay active and healthy, but experts agree the most important component for success is leading by example.

“You don’t have to run a marathon,” says Epping. “But designate time to be physically active. Create expectations.

Be an exercise buddy.”

Whatever you do, turn off the TV and the iPad. Put down the phone.

“Kids today spend an average of over 20 hours per week in front of a screen— some over 50,” says Muller. “That’s not including what they’re doing at school. Some of them are spending 7.5 hours a day in front of a screen. It’s an enormous amount of time. Just turning off the screen will promote more movement.”

38 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

“Kids don’t need to be driven everywhere.”

COMMUTE SMARTER PARK THE CAR AND TRAVEL BY BIKE LET’S FACE IT: It’s becoming increasingly difficult for parents and kids to carve out time from their hectic schedules for physical activity. Which is why experts stress the value of walking or biking to and from school.

Suburban sprawl may have made it more challenging, but with a little creativity, it’s still possible.

“Kids don’t need to be driven everywhere,” says Muller, pointing to the creation of walking school buses and bicycle trains, where, like a carpool, parents take turns walking or riding kids to school.

Erica Lighthiser was one of two moms who organized a bike train for their young children in Fort Collins, Colo. last year—even on cold winter days. Typically, they had six to eight kids riding with them, but on their best day, parents dropped their kids off from all over town and about 100 kids participated.

“On the few days we would drive, my kids would comment, ‘Oh man, I hate driving. It’s so boring,’” Lighthiser says. “They loved their time riding to school.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER, STAYS FIT TOGETHER. Family playtime is as important as family dinner time. You don’t have to do it every night or even every other night, but scheduling weekly active pursuits and setting goals as a family will make you a stronger, closer team.

Sign up for a family 5K run/walk together. It’s a goal that when completed gives kids bragging rights, says Muller. “In most cases, that’s what kids are looking for: recognition and accomplishment without material rewards. Doing it together with friends is always a little more powerful.”

If that sounds too grueling or too mainstream for your brood, find an indoor park that offers classes and play sessions for the whole family.

Jump on trampolines, dive into foam pits and play trampoline basketball at one of Jumpstreet’s 13 locations in five states. gotjump.com With mats, trampolines, jumps, foam pits, and terrain and skate features, four Woodward parks in Colorado, California and Pennsylvania are designed for snowboarders, skiers, skaters and BMXers of all abilities and ages and offers open sessions, classes and summer camps. campwoodward.com or woodwardatcopper.com.

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SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH CARE

Get KidSupplement Savvy STAY A STEP AHEAD OF YOUR KIDS’ CHANGING NUTRITION NEEDS WITH THE RIGHT VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS. —ANNA SOREF, EDITOR OF NATURALVITALITYLIVING.COM

VITAMIN D

ZINC

Vitamin D is another fat-soluble vitamin found in fish, eggs, fortified milk and cod liver oil. Vitamin D is actually a hormone, not a vitamin, and it acts on more than 2,000 human genes (about 10 percent of the human genome). Vitamin D has gotten a lot of press lately, because research shows how vital it is for the immune system and bone health.

During puberty and the teen years, zinc could be considered an essential mineral for kids. If they have asthma or allergies, get frequent colds and flu, and their cuts and scrapes seem to take too long to heal, it’s likely they are getting too little zinc.

Zinc is required for sexual development and often becomes deficient at puberty, making zinc supplements necessary. White spots on the nails and a poor sense of taste are signs of a zinc deficiency.

42 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

VITAMIN B COMPLEX

Omega-3 EFAs, specifically EPA and DHA, are necessary for physical, emotional and mental health. All the cells in the body have a cell membrane that’s partly made up of EFAs. They create flexible and naturally permeable cells that receive nutrients easily. EFAs can prevent and treat allergies and asthma and promote healthy brain function.

The B vitamins are important as cofactors for thousands of metabolic functions in the body, including complex brain functions.

They also control mood swings at puberty. Methylated (partially metabolized) forms of the B vitamins are important in autism and ADHD to overcome specific enzyme blocks. And because they are the most bioavailable form, they are good for everyone.

SHUTTERSTOCK

FOR OUR CHILDREN, the excitement (and stress) of the first day of school quickly winds down into routine. But as parents we continue to worry if they’re getting the nutrients they need.

Parents often wonder if dietary supplements are a good thing for their children; many experts believe the answer is a firm “yes.”

The next question is: Which nutrients does my kid need?

We asked children’s health expert and author of more than 15 books, Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., for advice on what children’s growing bodies need that they aren’t likely to get enough of through food alone. Here’s the scoop:

FAQs MAKING SENSE OF KID SUPPLEMENTS CAN BE TRICKY. GET ANSWERS HERE FROM EXPERTS LAURIE STEELSMITH, N.D., AND CAROLYN DEAN, M.D., N.D. WHEN SHOULD I BEGIN OFFERING MY CHILD SUPPLEMENTS? Moms can actually begin giving their babies supplements when they are still in the womb by taking omega-3 fats like fish oil when pregnant. “Babies and children need the right omega-3 fats for their developing nervous systems.

After children have been weaned, they should continue to take fish oils,” Steelsmith says. Kids as young as 3 can start taking a daily multivitamin, according to Dean.

HOW ARE KIDS SUPPLEMENTS DIFFERENT THAN THOSE FOR ADULTS? They are much lower doses and often come in forms that are easier to ingest, like liquids, Steelsmith says.

I LIVE IN A PLACE THAT IS ALWAYS CLOUDY; DO I NEED TO SUPPLEMENT FOR THAT? If you live in a cloudy northern climate, you should get your child tested to ensure his or her vitamin D levels are right; you may need to supplement, Steelsmith says. Dean suggests fermented cod liver oil as one option for vitamin D supplementation.

VITAMIN A Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin found in meat, liver, eggs, milk and cheese. It’s essential for the formation of healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes and skin. It’s also called retinol because it produces the natural coloration in the retina of the eye. It enhances good vision, especially in dim light.

TRACE MINERALS Our bodies use up to 80 different minerals, including potassium, sodium, manganese, zinc, iron, copper, iodine, selenium, molybdenum and chromium. When we just focus on one mineral like calcium, we are throwing the whole body off balance. Trace minerals can be obtained from vegetables grown in enriched soil and from sea salt or Himalayan salt.

VITAMIN E Vitamin E protects the body from free-radical damage.

It defends the heart, lungs and brain. It also helps form red blood cells and process vitamin K, which is necessary for proper clot formation.

Vitamin E is very low in the standard American diet, so it’s important to supplement. But make sure it’s a natural form.

On a supplement label, natural vitamin E is listed as d-alpha tocopherol, whereas synthetic forms of vitamin E are labeled with a dl- prefix.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MULTIVITAMIN AND A SUPPLEMENT? According to Steelsmith, they are the same but not all supplements are multivitamins; they could just be one nutrient like vitamin A or vitamin E. WHAT DELIVERY METHOD IS BEST FOR MY KID: GUMMY, TABLET, CAPSULE OR LIQUID? “Taking a supplement should be a positive experience for a child, not one that causes them to gag on a pill,” Steelsmith says. Dean believes that the body absorbs liquids best.

OptimumWellness.com

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thrive “THE MORE WE LOOK OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES—I CALL IT LIVING OUTSIDEIN—THE MORE WE BLAME GOVERNMENT OR TECHNOLOGY OR SOCIETY FOR OUR UNHEALTHINESS AND THE MORE WE FEEL OPPRESSED.”

DR. JAMES ROUSE ON…

Self-Care vs. Health Care

The more we look outside of ourselves—I call it living outsidein—the more we blame government or technology or society for our unhealthiness and the more we feel oppressed. The more we say, “I can’t ride my bike to work until someone builds a bike lane for me”—just like we look to health care and managed care to be the solution to our health problems—the more we’ll be mismanaged and disappointed.

Living inside-out means deciding to be the catalyst, the dissenter, the one who’s going to be uncomfortable first. Leaning into what is uncomfortable is a great source of inspiration and happiness.

When someone courageously steps into that place of self-care—they go to bed earlier, they get up in the morning to work out, they make eye contact with their spouse, they hug their kids a little longer before school, and they do all these things with more presence—it really is a form of social activism.

You’re alive to the degree that you serve. When you serve yourself well and remember you have tiny wellness windows all day long, your ability to be a beneficial presence on the planet will go up exponentially.

I gave up watching the news 27 years ago. It’s one of my ways of controlling the playing field. I realized maybe that wasn’t my best source of nourishment at night.

I once had a mentor who said: ‘If you ever find yourself in a dark room and you feel like your light is being dimmed, you have the choice and the responsibility to excuse yourself from that room immediately.’

Choose something else. Because you can.

I’m fascinated by the field of epigenetics—how your environment, the people you’re exposed to and how you spend your time effects your genes express themselves. They’re starting to understand how your telomeres—these little shock absorbers on your DNA—are susceptible to who you hang out with. Hanging out with cool people can improve and regulate your vitality. People your life well.

Doctor James Rouse, N.D., is a naturopath with more than 20 years of experience inspiring others through public speaking, personal coaching and eight books, including his most recent: Think Eat Move Thrive: The Practice for an Awesome Life. He is the founder of and resident expert for Optimum Wellness. Get to know more about Dr. James at drjamesrouse.com.

48 Fall 2014 / Optimum Wellness

KATY MOSES

All too often in life, we live event to event. We look forward to the vacation, to the weekend, to losing 10 pounds. But when we practice self-care, we also find happiness in the interstitial spaces between those events.

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