OF MIND AND BODY

HEALTH: OF MIND AND BODY Improving Home Environments by Kelly Bailey

Did you know there are more than 80,000 man-made chemicals on the market today? What is scarier: only a handful of them have been tested for human safety. The average human is exposed to more than 700 chemicals every day.

Man-made toxins are in water, air, food, and products we slather on our skin. We are being exposed to chemicals before birth and for our entire lives.

The government sets regulations on allowable exposure for a very few chemicals, but these regulations are based on one-time exposure. We are being exposed over and over again.

Constant exposure to toxins like BPA, phthalates, pesticides, and heavy metals are known to cause hormone disruption, weight gain, increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, and cognitive problems.

Avoiding exposure entirely is not possible. Airborne toxins have been detected even in remote Siberia.

Minimizing exposure is the name of the game, especially for children. There are four ways to accomplish that goal: filter water, avoid plastic, increase fresh or filtered air, and remove shoes within a home.

Hydration is so important, and we need to drink a lot of water to stay healthy. But the unfortunate truth is that municipal water can be full of chemicals that include chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, and medications (https:// bit.ly/2WpQEAVand https://bit.ly/3c4ZQRS). Using a reverse osmosis filter or a pitcher filter will help to minimize contaminants.

Another way to reduce contaminants is to stop consuming food and beverages that touch plastic. Even BPA-free plastics are loaded with other chemicals that can leach into food and water (https://bit.ly/2SzSuy0). Never heat food in plastic containers, switch to glass ones instead.

In-home air quality can be improved by opening windows or by using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. The air in a home is two to five times more polluted than the air outside. Furniture, rugs, shower curtains, and more are loaded with chemicals like flame retardants and volatile organic compounds.

Take shoes off in the house. Imagine all the places you walk in a day. Now imagine what is on the bottom of your shoes: bacteria, viruses and pesticides. Establish a “no shoes beyond the front door” policy to keep these invaders at the door.

Kelly Bailey is a certified personal trainer and certified holistic nutrition coach. She owns and operates Kelly Bailey Wellness. Read her blog and contact her at https://www.kellybailey.fit/

HEALTH: HEALTHY TRAILS Touring Medina Trails by Robert Soroky

With the current desire to get outside, exercise and stay healthy, riding a bike can be an awesome option.

In Medina County, there is a plethora of bike trails from which to choose.

For the mountain bike folks, there are the Reagan/Huffman trails constructed by the Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association. Located at the intersection of Reagan Parkway and Weymouth Road, this close to 17-mile trail system caters to every mountain bike skill level.

For rookies or for those who want to take the kids on a fun and easy off-road adventure, there are the Cabbage Patch or Yukon trails. The Huffman Trail is for the intermediate rider looking for more twists and turns, with the more advanced River and Reagan trails for serious thrill-seekers.

If rumbling over rocks and tree roots is not your cup of tea, how about some light gravel?

The Lester Rail Trail, which runs from Abbeyville Road to Lester Road in York Township, is a 3.2-mile crushed-stone path that traverses 164 acres of Medina farmland. If lake views are desired, then check out the Chippewa Rail Trail, a 2.7-mile paved path that runs from Wycliffe Drive in Lafayette Township to the outskirts of Chippewa Lake.

This trail provides sprawling lake views while riders pedal through the little town of Chippewa. From there, hop on Chippewa Road and head to the 4-mile Chippewa Inlet Trail in the Chippewa Nature Area to enjoy various bird species.

The Inlet Trail ends at Buckeye Woods, the largest park in Medina County. This park has 4 miles of paved and crushedstone paths looping around Buckeye Lake.

More lakeside views are available at the Lake Medina trail where there are 2.5 miles of looping trails.

Finally, there is the Roscoe Ewing Park Loop trail, which has 1.6 scenic miles of paved trail over several bridges, a river and through an active disc golf course.

So, whether out to tackle rough terrain on mountain trails or to enjoy a fun, casual day with the family on paved paths, there are great ways to see Medina by bike!

Robert Soroky is a lifelong cyclist regularly participating in long distance charity rides and manager of the Century Cycles Medina location. Contact Soroky at robert@centurycycles.com to suggest column topics, for further information or to chat about bikes. G