Better Living Summer 2017

Better Living

Lea Hanson

Make life a festival

Colorado is known for many things including the summertime quintessential: sunny weather, food trucks, local breweries, and good music. This summer, plan your camping trips around the many local festivals and events and experience your hometown through a new lens. To the right is a list of the better-known festivals involving local bands and performers. Go online to learn more specifics about who’s playing and other logistics.

a Poudre River Fest, Fort Collins, June 3 a Greeley Blues Jam, June 9-10 a Taste of Fort Collins, June 9-11 a Greeley Stampede, June 23 – July 4 a Colorado Brewers’ Festival, Fort Collins, June 24-25 a Weld County Fair, July 22-31 a Arise Music Festival, Loveland, August 4-6 a Larimer County Fair, August 4-8 a Bohemian Nights at New West Fest, Fort Collins, August 11-13

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Fifty&Better

Take the bike and walk challenge SUMMER IN NORTHERN COLORADO is beautiful and warm weather brings us outside and out of our vehicles. Take advantage of what our pedestrian-friendly communities have to offer by choosing to walk and bicycle over driving. A nationally recognized walk-friendly community, northern Colorado communities offer safe routes to access schools, community services, and entertainment.

With almost 50 miles of paved pedestrian trails, access to good-weather activities isn’t always a direct, straight shot, but is easily accessible from most places in the community. Challenge yourself to walk or bike to work one day each week and to bike to your local music or dining event instead of driving or calling a ride service. Fitness experts recommend a 10,000-step-per-day goal which for most adds to about five miles or 30 minutes of daily, moderate exercise. Why not make a travel time a time for wellness, as well?

Garden strong LIFTING, TURNING, BENDING, weeding, and pruning feels like a great workout because it is. In a study of 3,300 women aged 50 and older, researchers at the University of Arkansas found subjects who gardened at least once per week had higher bone density than those who did other types of exercise.

In fact, the research team found only one other activity to be a significant indicator of maintaining a healthy bone mass with age: weight training. A range of motions including pushing a lawn mower, carrying soil and digging holes use muscle groups in the entire body. And, it challenges the body by elevating the heart rate and increases both oxygen intake and energy expenditure. Whether you’re poking around outside for as few as 10 or as much as 30 hours per week, gardening provides the body benefits. And, for many aging adults, it’s an activity that you might be more likely to stick with long term.

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