2016-07 NOCO Wellness

July 2016

Solve Puzzle Rooms

Defending Against Diabetes

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s t y le me d ia a n d de s i g n , i n c .

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w w w. s t y l e m a g a z i n e c o l o r a d o . c o m PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR Lydia Dody lydia@stylemedia.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Scott Prosser scott@stylemedia.com SENIOR DESIGNER Lisa Gould lisa@stylemedia.com DIGITAL DIRECTOR / BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Austin Lamb | austin@stylemedia.com ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVES Jon Ainslie (970) 219-9226 Debra Davis (917) 334-6912 Lydia Dody (970) 227-6400 Ann Kool (970) 412-8855 OFFICE MANAGER/ABOUT TOWN EDITOR Ina Szwec | ina@stylemedia.com ACCOUNTING MANAGER Karla Vigil CIRCULATION MANAGER Trisha Milton PHOTOGRAPHER Marcus Edwards Photography CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Eliott Foust, W.E. Foust Photography Petra Lansky, Fawntail Photography CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Malini Bartels, Lynette Chilcoat, Kyle Eustice, Angeline Grenz, Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer, Kay Rios, Brad Shannon, Elissa Tivona, Michelle Venus AFFILIATIONS Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Loveland Chamber of Commerce Greeley Chamber of Commerce 2016 STYLE MAGAZINES January-NOCO Wellness February-Style March-NOCO Wellness April-Style May-Style June-Style July-NOCO Wellness August-Style September-Women’s Health & Breast Cancer Style October-NOCO Wellness November-Holiday Style December-Best Of & Winter Activities Style Style Media and Design, Inc. magazines are free monthly publications directmailed to homes and businesses in Northern Colorado. Elsewhere, a one-year subscription is $25/year and a two-year subscription is $45. Free magazines are available at more than 300 locations throughout Northern Colorado.

For ad rates, subscription information, change of address, or correspondence, contact Style Media and Design Inc., 211 W. Myrtle St., Suite 200, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521. Phone (970) 226-6400, ext. 208. Fax (970) 2266427. Email ina@stylemedia.com. ©2016 Style Media and Design Inc. All rights reserved. The entire contents of Style Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Style Media and Design Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material. All manuscripts, artwork, and photography must be accompanied by a SASE. The views and opinions of any contributing writers are not necessarily those of Style Media & Design, Inc.

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NOCO Wellness 2016

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JULY 2016

CONTENTS

features

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Staycation Tours: Local tours right here in NOCO

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Escape Rooms: A social gaming experience

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WeeCasa: Colorado’s First Tiny Home Hotel

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JULY 2016

CONTENTS 36

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54

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14 Publisher’s Letter

Spicing Up Your Health 40 Health:

Town 62 About BBB Torch Awards

Photos courtesy of Rosalie Winard

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16 In the News Spotlight: 18 Business Colorado Christian University Temple Grandin 20 The You Never Knew

NOCO Personality:

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Prevention: Defending against Diabetes

36 Fitness: Get in the Swim 12

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Nutrition: Food Insecurity Grant Helps Feed Colorado

Let’s Bring Sexy Bok 46 Nutrition: Pets: Is Pet Rescue For You? 54 Healthy Pets: Lost & Found 58 Healthy

Respite Care Perennial Luncheon Celebration of Philanthropy Kentucky Derby Gala OpenStage Casino Night UCHealth North Volunteer Appreciation Hope Lives! Pink Boa

Have you voted yet? www.bos2016.com

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

PREVENTION IS KEY

Wellness is an important attitude to many in Northern Colorado and to the residents of our state. Colorado boasts placing within the top ten states every year in the Gallup-Healthways WellBeing index measuring how residents feel about their physical health, social connections, finances, community and sense of purpose. Last year Colorado ranked 4th.

Healthcare is an important component to ones well-being and it is trending, rightfully, to emphasizing wellness and prevention rather then focusing merely on the cure of disease. For example,

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prevention is the critical component to avoid being diagnosed with diabetes. Exercise, diet, and maintaining a normal weight are the key components to not developing diabetes. However, unfortunately, nationally nearly half of U.S. adults have diabetes or pre-diabetes and many are undiagnosed. Learn more about preventing this diagnosis and learn how to manage the disease if diagnosed in “Defending Against Diabetes.”

We all know how important exercise is to maintaining good health. A form of exercise that is effective and fun is swimming. Not only is it easier on joints, and a wonderful stress reliever, it is effective to achieve or maintain fitness and burns calories equal to jogging. I must admit that I am embarrassed to be in the 37 percent nationally of adults who don’t know how to swim and I would like to learn.

Read, “Get in the Swim” to learn about swimming for fitness and where you can take lessons to learn how to swim and to attend water fitness classes in Northern Colorado.

Every nutrition book or article I read talks about the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables.

This past year I discovered kale and am now growing it in a patio container. But I have not known anything about bok choy. After a little research, I learned that it is a particularly healthy vegetable with many nutritional benefits. Read “Let’s Bring Sexy Bok,” to learn about this healthy vegetable and a couple of nutritious and delicious recipes to try.

It is hard to believe that food insecurity is an issue facing thousands of children in Colorado who go to bed hungry each night. This unfortunate problem has prompted Kaiser Permanente Colorado to help this

cause by establishing a $1 million grant to help Colorado nonprofits to improve access to food to those in need.

Read “Food Insecurity Grant Helps Feed Colorado” to learn more about this important partnership.

When speaking about wellness we can’t overlook the need to safeguard our pets. Just recently while my puppy, Lulu, was getting spayed, I had her microchipped. Along with her collar and tags, this is one more way to ensure that she is returned if she happens to get lost. Lulu loves to chase rabbits, squirrels and neighborhood cats so she could disappear quickly if she tugs on her leash unexpectedly.

Read, “Lost and Found” for more information about the importance of this protection.

Colorado in the summer is a popular destination for vacationing to visit family, and friends. Read “Staycation Tours” for some ideas on things to do and places to visit within close driving distance to entertain your visitors. And, even if you don’t have visitors this summer, schedule one of these fun activities for you and your family.

A relatively new activity recently opened in Fort Collins is the Escape Room. It challenges your mind to solve the puzzle to escape the room within a time limit. It is fun for a family activity, a party event or with work colleagues. Read “Escape, It’s Always the Small Pieces that Make the Big Picture” for fun details on this Victorian steampunk timetravel entertainment above Life of the Party store.

I hope you enjoy browsing this NOCO Wellness issue.

Wishing you a healthy summer! lydia@stylemedia.com

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NOCO Wellness 2016

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What’s trending

World News

Marijuana Use Linked to Gene Mutation, Disease Risk

Colon Cancer On the Rise in People Under 50

Acupuncture can reduce hot flashes during menopause

A University of Western Australia study suggests that cannabis can alter DNA and lead to genetic mutations that may increase the user’s risk of serious disease and pass that risk on to future generations.

Despite an overall decline in colon cancer rates, Americans under 50 have seen an 11 percent increase in colon cancer occurrence in the past decade.

A new study says acupuncture treatments may be able to reduce hot flashes and night sweats caused by menopause. The Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center study says acupuncture reduced these symptoms by over a third in menopausal women—and the effects lasted for at least six months.

Furthermore, occurrence of hot flashes and night sweats decreased even after acupuncture was discontinued.

The study’s authors conducted in-depth analysis of previous studies to find that THC and other chemicals present in marijuana can lead to gene mutations that can slow the growth of cells, which may in turn have severe consequences for fetal growth and even spur childhood cancers.

The study suggests that healthcare providers may need to be more vigilant in detecting colon cancer symptoms in younger patients and should consider lowering the suggested colonoscopy screening age. The study found that over the same decade, colon cancer occurrence in those 50 and older decreased 3 percent.

Read more: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_159004.html

Read more about the study at www.wakehealth.edu/NewsReleases/2016/Acupuncture_Used_ in_Clinical_Settings_Reduced_Symptoms_of_Menopause.htm.

Yoga in the Gardens

2016 Run for Hope

Family Nature Club

The Gardens on Spring Creek is continuing their Yoga in the Gardens summer series. Set on the North Patio lawn, the classes are led by a Miramont Lifestyle Fitness yoga instructor and are suitable for all skill levels.

Dates include July 9, August 13, and September 10, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

The 12th Annual Run for Hope will be held on August 13, 2016 at City Park in Fort Collins this year. The annual 5K run/walk, which begins at 8 a.m., benefits the Conquer Cancer Foundation, Cancer Education and Wellness Fund and RamStrength, and its goal is to raise funds for cancer research and education.

Looking for a way to get your kids outdoors and engaged in nature? The City of Fort Collins is offering outdoor fun and learning for the entire family on Saturday, July 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Soapstone Prairie Natural Area.

Read more: www.news.uwa. edu.au/201605248687/ cannabis-linked-gene-mutation

Local Events

Participants pay $10 per session and should bring their own water and mat.

Walk-ins are welcome. Available for ages 12+. Visit www.fcgov.com/gardens for more details.

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The race begins and finishes at City Park Lake. To register, visit www.runforhope.net/raceinfo.html.

Families with children 12 and under are invited to get familiar with the great outdoors. The group meets at the north parking lot. The event is free, but registration is required. Visit www. naturetracker.fcgov.com or call (970) 416-2815 for more information.

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NOCO Wellness 2016

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

BY KYLE EUSTICE

Colorado Christian University College of Adult and Graduate Studies Loveland Campus team: Julianne Atwood, Enrollment Counselor; Darris Stauffer, Regional Enrollment Director; Sara Scott, Enrollment Counselor

ON THE JOB

With seven locations across the Rocky Mountain region, including Denver, Loveland, Lakewood, and Grand Junction, Colorado Christian University (CCU) strives to provide a quality education to students seeking a spiritual element to their curriculum. CCU is the premier interdenominational Christian college in the area, servicing thousands of students every year.

Regional Enrollment Director Darris Stauffer oversees the College of Adult and Graduate Studies (CAGS), which is designed for the working adult who wants to go back to school to finish a bachelor’s degree, complete a master’s degree or earn a certificate. CCU’s

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College of Adult and Graduate Studies offers more than 50 degree programs for adults.

Business development is also another crucial component to Stauffer’s position. He leads six enrollment counselors, who are on the frontlines helping adults enroll and start their first classes. As a team, they reach out to businesses, organizations and community colleges to educate them about CCU’s programs. With a handful of organizations, they are establishing a Professional Education Program, which gives the employees of the organization a discount on tuition and CCU some marketing opportunities.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Founded in 1914, CCU is a private, interdenominational Christian liberal arts university that offers traditional undergraduate and adult education options. As a member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, CCU is listed among the top universities nationwide, and has been named a top Colorado University and one of the top Christian colleges in the nation.

CCU’s traditional undergraduate campus is located in Lakewood, but CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies offers classes online or at any of its seven locations across the state of Colorado. CCU’s College of Adult STYLEMAGAZINECOLORADO.COM

and Graduate Studies offers over 50 certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs, including Nursing, Counseling, Education, Organizational Management, Public Administration, and Criminal Justice.

CLAIM TO FAME

Aside from preparing students for a long lasting career, CCU prepares them to change lives and make a positive difference in the world. All of their classes are taught from a biblical worldview by expert professors with real life experience in their unique field of study.

The integration of faith and learning is something each student finds extremely valuable.

In addition, CCU’s flexible class options help adults juggle family, work and other commitments. Most classes are only five weeks long, so taking one class at a time is common. CCU also accepts most transfer credits and credit is offered for life experience, as well.

“We have a generous transfer policy,” Stauffer explains. “If you have attended a regionally accredited school and got a ‘C’ or better, we will do our best to find a place to put those credits. There are a few courses that we can't accept if it's been more than five years, but most courses we will accept even if it's been 10, 20 or 30 years.”

REASONS TO GO

Assistant Vice President of Strategic Marketing for the College of Adult and Graduate Studies Tia Anderson believes CCU is unlike any other university in the area. “Adults should choose to come to CCU because it’s not only an investment in their future, it’s also an investment in themselves,” Anderson says, “CCU is here to help you meet your goals on your schedule. We understand the challenges of balancing your life, family, career, and earning your degree. Our staff and faculty are trained to support and encourage you through that process.”

To the faculty members at CCU, students are much more than a number. “Each student has a unique story and reason for coming to CCU,” she says. “We aim to create a personalized education plan that will fit your specific needs and goals.”

“Working adults should consider CCU because of the care that each student receives,” Stauffer continues. “Our best assets are our staff and our faculty. They really care for the individual and desire for them to have a meaningful NOCO Wellness 2016

education experience.”

“Adults should consider CCU because of the faith component,” Stauffer adds. “I say that even if you are not a Christian or you don't have any faith background. I believe a CCU education will expose you to a spiritual dimension of life and enrich your learning. It will compel you to think through your stand on ethical issues, especially as it relates to your course of study.”

HOW TO FIND THEM:

Main CCU Campus: 8787 West Alameda Avenue Lakewood, CO Loveland Campus: 3553 Clydesdale Pkwy #300 Loveland, CO Phone: 303-963-3311 or 970-669-8700 www.adulted.ccu.edu

Allison Sievers, Vice President of CAGS Development and Enrollment

WHEN TO GO:

Monday thru Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Evening Classes (for students and faculty) 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday By Appointment Only Sunday CLOSED

Rick Carlson, Donald James CCU Students

WORDS OF WISDOM “CCU is unlike any job I’ve ever had before and I’m so grateful for the

opportunity I’ve had to grow here,” Anderson says. “Over the last four years, I’ve learned so much and it’s difficult to choose just one lesson because

they are all so valuable. Listening is key. You can learn a lot about a person,

company, or an opportunity just by taking the time to listen to what they have to say. I’ve learned that there’s no such thing as a bad idea. Not all ideas come to fruition, but they typically lead to ideas that do.”

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personality

Photos courtesy of Rosalie Winard

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The Temple Grandin You Never Knew

By Michelle Venus

Temple Grandin is perhaps one of the most iconic personalities in Fort Collins. With a community history filled with rich and colorful characters, Temple stands out as authentic, not only in her career as a dedicated animal scientist, but in her unflagging quest to raise awareness of the abilities of people on the autism spectrum. Author of 13 books and the subject of an award winning HBO movie, she travels the world teaching and lecturing about both topics, and is often stopped by parents of autistic children, giving testimonial of how her life has encouraged and inspired them.

But who is behind the public face of Temple Grandin? Taking a cue from Marcel Proust’s Questionnaire, Style asked her the questions you may have always wanted to ask, but didn’t.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Oh, I like country western. I especially like classical country western and I listen to Willie’s Roadhouse on Sirius, on the satellite radio. I really like that.

What is your favorite animal? Beef cattle.

Who are your influences in life? Well, my mother always kept pushing me to do more things. I had a wonderful science teacher when I was in high school, Mr. Carlock, who got me motivated to study science. Really, really important. Also my aunt, out at the ranch, is another person who really helped me out. Mentors can be so important for getting students on the right track.

What one important lesson did you learn in life that you still carry with you?

You always just have to keep persevering.

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That was told to me by the superintendent of the Swift Plant in the early 70’s.

What do you do when you’re not working? How do you relax? Oh, sometimes I like to go to the movies. I thought The Martian was an absolutely great movie.

Boy, I love the space program.

What are your views on being a celebrity? I feel it’s a responsibility. There are many young children who look up to me, and I’ve got to make sure I’m a good role model.

Is there one place that you’d like to travel to that you have not yet visited?

Well, one place I’ve visited a lot is Australia. That’s a really interesting place. I went to the Outback last year. You don’t understand its vastness until you go see the Outback. And the only way you can raise food on that land is livestock. There’s not enough water for crops.

Do you make your bed everyday?

Usually.

Have you ever been in love? No, I’ve just basically [been] involved in my career my whole life. My life gets meaning by my career. You know, I’ve done things to improve animal welfare and handling of animals. The other thing I’ve worked on— there are a lot of kids who are quirky and different, and I hope I’ve inspired them to be successful.

Do you have any pets? I’m traveling about 85 percent of the time, so there’s no way I can have pets.

What is your favorite food? Oh, I love chocolate with raspberries on it. DARK chocolate.

What’s on your bucket list? What are your hopes for your own future? I would love to go to the Space Station, but that’s probably not going to happen (laughs).

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Doing things that make a real difference.

What does your office look like? It’s not the neatest.

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When I have a mom call me up and say my kid went to college because of your book, that’s the sort of thing that makes me happy, because it made a real benefit.

What is your greatest fear? I don’t know.

Which living person do you most admire? Well, I’ve had a picture of Albert Einstein on my wall ever since college.

And he said, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” I admire Jane Goodall.

I admire Ron Kilgore, an animal behavior scientist in New Zealand who works with sheep. I read his papers and it made me happy that someone else is doing this work.

and it takes time to search the database. It’s like looking things up in Google Images.

I have to wait for the images to load and think about what kind of animal I’d like to be; what kind of structure; what person…I have to go through the whole data base of pictures and that’s not the kind of question I answer off the top of my head.

What concerns you? I want to see students go out and get good careers in agriculture. I think that’s really important. There are lots of kids that get labeled

What is your greatest extravagance?

Hhhhmmmm. Sometimes I like to eat nice things.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? I don’t know. I’d have to think about that one.

When and where were you happiest?

Some of the happiest times I had were when I was working with other designers and we were just figuring out mechanical problems with equipment. I was very, very happy doing that. Also, really really happy when working with cattle and everything is working really smoothly. Using my mind to solve problems.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Well, I have achievements in different things. In the livestock industry, one of my achievements was greatly improving the slaughter plants. Students ask me all the time, how do you achieve stuff ? I get asked this constantly. I had a student who wanted to do something with social justice and I said, “That’s so vague, you can’t even get your head around it.

You’ve got to pick out something that you can actually do.”

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be? Well, that’s a hard one…I don’t know. I’ve got to think about that. The reason why I can’t answer this off the top of my head is because I’m a visual thinker. So what I have to do is search my database for pictures

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Photos courtesy of Rosalie Winard

autistic, dyslexic, labeled with ADHD. I think they’re kind of getting sidelined by the educational system. I’m very concerned that they’re getting shunted aside and I want to see them get out and be successful.

Einstein didn’t speak until he was three and had lots of temper tantrums. I wonder how he would do in today’s schools. I’m concerned that a lot of creative minds are getting shunted aside—one of the worst things the schools did was take out skilled trades. In some states they’re putting them back in. They’re taking out art and music and theater. Those are all things that can turn into great careers. I was just reading the other day that Steven Spielberg, when he was applying to film schools, was rejected. So he had to become an English major. Fortunately, he was able to make movies anyway.

Where would you most like to live? I think Colorado is a really nice place to live.

What is your most treasured possession? Well, it would have to be some of the drawings I’ve done. I’d be really upset if those got destroyed. I like to show them during my talks. If you’re quirky and

different, the way you get ahead in life is to show off your portfolio. When I was young I was really weird. And then I’d show people my drawings and they’d say, “Wow! You did that, you weird thing?”

Which historical figure do you most identify with? I have to think about that. I have to go through the visual database.

Who are your heroes? When I was a child, I worshipped the astronauts. I loved the space program; it was so exciting. And my favorite book was about inventors.

Some of them were people who were kind of different like Edison, the inventor of the cotton gin, the steamboat, the telephone.

In fact, my grandfather was the co-inventor of the autopilot used in airplanes. And he worked on a compass design that no one said would work. And it did. And it was in every plane in World War II. What is your favorite scent? I love chocolate. I can smell that a mile away.

And I’ll tell you what my other vice is.

They took the Ben & Jerry’s store from Concourse B where United is and moved it to Concourse A. So now I have to make detours and stop in Concourse A on the way home to get Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food. I will not eat in ice cream stores on Concourse B. What are your goals? I want to do something that actually makes a positive, constructive difference in the world. Both in the livestock industry and with kids who are different. I want to see the kids that are like me, struggling in school, I want to help them be successful. I passed a guy on the escalator in O’Hare Airport—I was going up and he was going down—and he says to me, “Hey! My kid is in physics now, because you motivated me to get him into it. He’s on the spectrum and he’s doing great.”

Michelle Venus is a freelance writer and the Development Director at KRFC 88.9 fm. She shares a home office with a Basset hound, a mutt and a sweet little cat. Her two kids are brilliant and beautiful. In her limited spare time she sits on two boards of directors, is active in the Rotary Club of Fort Collins and attends as many art and cultural events as humanly possible.

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Fort Collins Tours: www.fortcollinstours.com (970) 372-1445 Bronze Services of Loveland: www.bronzeservicesofloveland (970) 667-2723 Art Castings of Colorado: www.artcastings.com (970) 667-2723 Anheiser-Busch Brewery: www.budweisertours.com (970) 490-4691 Shambhala Mountain Retreat: www.shambhalamountain.org (888) 788-7221 Greeley Historical Tours: www.greeleychamber.com (970) 350-9222 Celestial Seasonings: www.celestialseasonings.com (303) 581-1202

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Instead of European pub crawls, try one of the two major breweries found in our county, both distinctive from one another.

Or, switch gears from sampling coffee on a Brazilian plantation and substitute in the lovely tea factory nearby devoted to concoctions inspired from around the globe.

Does the bucket list include ghost hunting in old Southern cemeteries and buildings? Fort Collins conjures up some rather savvy spirit-worthy haunts of its own.

The possibility to find fun-filled adventures in one’s own backyard does exist.

Include one, or more, of the following six ideas into your staycation itinerary for local journeys worth every minute and penny saved.

Classic spectral & folkloric encounters Fort Collins Tours is a business run by Lori Juszak and her family.

“By far, the ghost tour is our most popular,” says Juszak of one of the offerings by the five-year-old business. “We go into so many underground areas no one else can get into that it just exploded when we started. People love going underground and often don’t realize how much Fort Collins history is there.”

In all, there are ten different options offered, but many specialize in paranormal phenomena in one shape or form. Several are geared toward adults only, such as the previously mentioned Ghost Tour, as well as the Haunted Pub and Old Town Brewery Tours.

“Speakeasies and Spirits, which is relatively new, is fast becoming popular,” adds Juszak. “It consists of telling stories and learning the history of Fort Collins, which can be very entertaining - a lot of interesting stories have gotten lost over the years. A little known fact in the region is that Fort Collins had prohibition laws from 1896 to 1969.

That could be a reason why there are so many underground spaces.”

Now no speakeasy worth its sass would be complete without alcohol, so, yes, the hard stuff ’s available.

Favorite family-friendly excursions are the Covered Wagon Historic Tour, in partnership with Colorado Carriage and Wagon, and Ghosts & Goodies.

For the latter, once again everyone involved gets to see what waits beneath the streets. “We go underground to tell ghost stories, then return to participating bistros above-ground for goodies. Depending on the season and location, participants are offered cupcakes, hot chocolate or cookies. Kids just love it,” says Juszak.

The exploratory jaunts last anywhere from 30 minutes to two-anda-half hours. Group sizes are kept relatively small, with up to 20 people led by two guides. If spooks give you the willies, then maybe the Old Town History, Covered Wagon Historic, Gourmet Ft. Collins, Flavors of Ft. Collins or Just Desserts tours will better fit your fancy.

Casting your vote for art In a town overflowing with bronze-cast sculptures, learning the process of how the durable monuments are made becomes an intriguing activity.

Loveland not only displays an amazing array of statuary, but creates many of the finished products right in town. Choose from Bronze Services of Loveland or Art Castings of Colorado to discover firsthand how these enduring art pieces are made.

Brewing tradition Known as the King of Beers since the 1800‘s, Anheuser-Busch serves up Belgian-style lager with a grand helping of brewing legends and lessons. In addition to the company’s iconic Budweiser and Bud Light brands, they’ve expanded over the years to include several dozen more ales in addition to a handful of novelty alcoholic items.

The Fort Collins-based brewery event begins in the Clydesdale NOCO Wellness 2016

Fort Collins Tours: www.fortcollinstours.com (970) 372-1445

Anheuser-Busch Brewery: www.budweisertours.com (970) 490-4691

Shambhala Mountain Retreat: www.shambhalamountain.org (888) 788-7221

Additional Staycation Tours

Bronze Casting Loveland: www.bronzeservicesofloveland (970) 667-2723 Art Castings of Colorado: www.artcastings.com (970) 667-1114 Greeley Historical Tours: www.greeleychamber.com (970) 350-9222 Celestial Seasonings: www.celestialseasonings.com (303) 581-1202

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stables, whenever the mighty equines are in residence. Indeed massive, they are both beautiful and awe-inspiring, exhibiting a gentleness that demonstrates their rich demeanor, yet belies their warhorse heritage. The team travels 330 days a year throughout the nation for festivals, so check the website for dates they’re in town.

From there, an easy jaunt across wellkept grounds reveals a corral, hops growing on the vine and a nature trail meandering away from the main path. The hourand-fifteen-minute tour then enters the brewery, an imposing affair from afar.

Inside, though, the pristine hallways are laid with carpet, the walls featuring colorful visual aids expounding upon beer history and lined with extensive displays. Quirky humor is infused by the guide to keep the group engaged.

The brewing process is explained as “a beautiful combo of art and science.” Plan to see brew kettles, a starting cellar, the can filler and similar stations through large plate windows. Row upon row of enormous holding tanks in a warehouse-type room cold enough to warrant a jacket impresses upon one exactly how much of the amber liquid is produced.

Bud is more than a best selling brew,

though. Socially and environmentally conscious as well, the company sends all of their waste water to local farms and the grain to dairy cows.

Deepening a sense of spirituality Sipping suds is one way to enjoy the summer, but seeking solace within spirituality is another.

Shambhala Mountain Center, located northwest of Fort Collins near Red Feather Lakes, is a Buddhist retreat amid pine and aspen forests. Whereas many areas of the sanctuary’s campus are closed to casual visitors, the peaceful self-guided trek to and from The Great Stupa of Dharmakova, as well as the religious structure itself, lends calm to guests searching for quietude of the soul. The Mountain Gift Store sells a wide variety of educational materials, spiritual aids and new age art.

Tea for two - or ten Celestial Seasonings, located on Boulder’s Sleepytime Drive, is the largest specialty tea factory in the country. Go for the tea sampling, yet stay awhile to peruse the gallery depicting original artwork from the company’s unique packaging, a gift shop and herb garden. An on-site cafe is a pleasant place to recharge energy stores while taking advantage of the relaxed ambience.

According to Ari Wolfe, a tour center manager, “the peppermint room is undoubtedly the most distinctive part for patrons. There are few experiences so sensory that you’ll never forget it. With at least 20 pallets of raw peppermint, that is one of them.”

“We have over 90 varieties to sample,” added Wolfe. “People also get to touch & smell the current ingredient we are milling.”

Historic homes & gardens For those looking for that regional cultural angle, Greeley Historic Tours is a nice way to go. The organization offers a trifecta of free summer walks, which includes the Arlington, the UNC Tree and the Cranford Homes & Gardens Walking Tours.

Lynette Chilcoat is a freelance writer living in Loveland. A native to Colorado, she takes advantage of the outdoor adventures the region offers as much as poosible, as well as enjoying the distictive artistic lifestyle within the community.

Maximizing Care Through Accurate Diagnosis Serving patients across the Rocky Mountain region for more than 35 years Providing unrivaled comprehensive diagnostic services to our community

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www.summitpathology.com 26

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WELLNESS {prevention}

DEFENDING AGAINST

DIABETES

BY BRAD SHANNON

More than two-thirds of U.S. adults are considered overweight, and more than one third are considered obese. You don’t have to be overweight to have type 2 diabetes, but more than 90% of those who do are overweight or obese. Last year, a Journal of the American Medical Association study found that nearly half of U.S. adults have diabetes or prediabetes, and many are undiagnosed.

Continued on page 30

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“People know how to eat, most of our patients know what’s good and bad. For exercise, they think they’re doing what they need to, but aren’t. People don’t have a good idea what exercise looks like.”

Michelle Glasgow, M.D., Family Medicine Kaiser Permanente Fort Collins Medical Offices Why? The number one reason is lack of exercise. What’s the cost? Quite simply, your health, quality of life, and lifespan.

Extra weight puts added pressure on the body’s ability to use insulin and control blood sugar. The result is increased reliance on healthcare, lost productivity, damage to blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, poor wound healing and infections, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. Kidney damage from type 2 diabetes is the number one reason people need kidney transplants. Direct and indirect costs of diabetes in the U.S. has been estimated to be a quarter of a trillion dollars annually.

What can you do? The first step, says Dr. Michelle Glasgow of Kaiser Permanente, is know your health, get regular screenings to know where you stand and how your body handles sugar. Next, she says, is exercise.

“And that means more than parking on the other side of the lot when you shop,” she stresses. The current recommended standard for exercise is 30 to 60 minutes (ideally, closer to 60) of cardio – getting your heart rate above 120 beats per minute – six days a week.

Glasgow regularly encounters people who say they eat well, and many do, but don’t exercise, and are pre-diabetic or diabetic “People know how to eat, most of our patients know what’s good and bad. For exercise, they think they’re doing what they need to, but aren’t. People don’t have a good idea what exercise looks like,” she observes.

“It’s a brisk walk – not a stroll with the dog – that gets your heart rate up for a while. It doesn’t have to be at the gym, or expensive.”

Shockingly Common Diagnosis “We see patients who are pre-diabetic or diabetic every day – it’s one of the top diagnoses amongst Americans,” notes Glasgow.

“The good news is pre-diabetes is more widely diagnosed, thanks to the hemoglobin a1c test, giving patients an early opportunity to respond.”

The standard used to be testing fasting blood sugar. “That looked at one point in

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time, a snapshot” she notes, “it didn’t show how the body handled sugar over time.”

Testing hemoglobin a1c had been used for some time as an indicator to control diabetes, but over the last few years, it began to be used as a screening tool for those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The a1c test looks back over three months at how red blood cells interact with sugar, giving an average blood sugar level over that time, which is the life of a red blood cell. The hemoglobin in each red blood cell carries sugar, and a1c looks at how much blood sugar is attached to the hemoglobin – how saturated your hemoglobin is with sugar.

Results fall into three ranges representing a percentile of saturation level, based on a calculation of that average blood sugar level: •

<5.6, is normal, with average blood sugar around 100, which is good (ideal is in the 100-120 range)

•

5.6 to 6.5 is pre-diabetic

•

6.5+ may indicate type 2 diabetes

When someone gets a pre-diabetic result it can be, Glasgow notes, “a wakeup call.”

This is a great predictor of a likely move toward diabetes if nothing changes and indicates, she says, “you need to exercise more, reduce the calories you’re consuming, and look at what you’re eating – adding fruits and veggies, reducing meats and carbs.”

Glasgow notes that the standard of care is, after two tests that indicate an a1c of 6.5 or above, a patient is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. “The good news is,” she says, “we can turn that around, after one or even two test results in the diabetic range.”

Whether you get an early warning, or are diagnosed with type 2, the keys to avoiding or managing diabetes are lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise. “We coach people to improve their overall health and a1c level,” Glasgow explains. “Our

Kaiser Permanente diabetes care team has dieticians on staff who work with patients, calling and visiting them to encourage their efforts to manage blood sugar levels by, among other things, adding fruits, veggies and lean meats to their diets while reducing carbohydrates and sugars.”

She cautions that lifestyle changes mean just that – changes for life, not temporarily.

“You can go back to old habits, and lose all progress,” she shares. “We see people who turn things around, do an awesome job, then backtrack. If you go back to sitting on the couch and eating the way you used to, a1c levels can jump, and type 2 can come back fast.”

When lifestyle changes don’t work, or patients don’t make or stick with them, the next is medication. Many have “controlled type 2,” with an a1c of around 7.0, who use medication to keep it there. Medicines have risks, notes Glasgow, and side effects, so she and her colleagues encourage lifestyle changes first and to go along with meds.

Patients who don’t control their condition risk numbness and pain in their extremities, infections that don’t clear, loss of limbs, and worse.

Oral medications are the first step, and the most common is metformin. It decreases insulin resistance, helps the body use sugar better, and helps avoid low blood sugar. Glipizide works like insulin, and attaches to sugar molecules to bring blood sugar levels down.

Once oral medications reach their limits, the next, last option is insulin. “Once we go to insulin for type 2, it is tough to get off it,” Glasgow notes. “We really push lifestyle changes, then oral medications. For some, the recent price jump of insulin can be an added motivating factor to make lifestyle changes based on a troubling a1c number and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.”

Brad Shannon is a freelance writer and owns Shannon Marketing Communications, a marketing and public relations consulting firm in Loveland.

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It’s Always the Small Pieces that Make the Big Picture

By Malini Bartels

Traveler George Graves is desperately trying to go back in time to save his wife Abigail from a terrible fate.

Unfortunately he has forgotten a vital component to the mission and will need your help to save her.

You have one hour to find the appropriate clues and solve the puzzle to go back in time and complete your assignment. Welcome to the newest trend in interactive entertainment – Escape Rooms.

An escape room, also known as a puzzle room, is a real-life adventure game where participants are placed in a room and have to look for clues and solve puzzles to escape the room within a time limit. Solutions to one puzzle might be required to solve additional puzzles or help find hidden objects within the room. Partakers must work together using communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and observational and mechanical problem solving skills to successfully escape from the room. Each room is a unique experience, providing a different theme and story, thus creating endless options of entertainment beyond the beloved bikes, beer and bands.

Chris Corman created an Escape Room NOCO Wellness 2016

in Fort Collins with rare antiques combined with mind-bending puzzles wrapped in a steampunk theme. You may know Corman as the owner of Life of the Party – Fort Collins’ favorite costume headquarters. Upstairs from the store’s location on Mason Street is his newest escapade. After months of researching, planning and staying obedient to the law, Escape From the Machine opened in October of last year to swarms of eager conundrum enthusiasts.

The games are designed to have multiple people working on a task, with teamwork being the essential key to solving all the puzzles and exiting the room. At first entrance, the room might seem perplexing as to where to begin and what to do. Not much information is given to the players before entering the room, adding to the mystery and excitement that awaits participants. Of course players are not literally locked in the rooms; security measures

are installed in rooms to prevent confinement, comply with fire codes, and ensure the safety of everyone.

Escape room players get to know each other in a whole new way finding everyone's hidden potential. Corman’s Escape from the Machine is full of locks, clocks and hidden passages.

“Our first escape room game, Escape from the Machine, is a story of lost love and time travel all set in a Victorian steampunk world,” mentions Corman. “My wife Katie and I have produced interactive entertainment in Fort Collins for over 23 years. The Fort Collins Escape Room is our latest endeavor.”

“We have been truly amazed how this works with different groups, be it date night, bachelorette parties, friends going out for the evening, families, corporate team-building and hardcore escape players. The physical adventure games connect with people and creating a team experience we find it interesting that groups

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of players that don't know each other become a very defined team within 60 minutes and work towards a common goal.

Corman reiterates that creating a rich story and game environment is essential to the entire experience.

“Much of our energy was put into getting the look and feel of the environment and authenticity to the theme and story,” he says.

Getting the game to work within the selected theme can be challenging, even for experienced gamers. The perplexing part is making the game not too difficult to solve, yet creating a stimulating experience for an array of ages.

Oddly enough, once a person solves the room, there is no reason to play that particular room again. On the bright side, this quandary encourages businesses and puzzle room enthusiasts to quickly develop new concepts to encourage repeat visitors. “As for the Fort Collins Escape Room, we are certainly planning to create more experiences and are currently finalizing plans for our second room, which we hope to open in the fall of this year.”

The ideas and concepts for escape rooms seem to start very small and take on a life of their own. Chris Corman finds it very exciting to create experiences for people. “I feel you have to be flexible and sometimes let the process unfold as you go,” he mentions.

According to him, conjuring up new ideas is the fun part; making those ideas a reality is when the work begins. Once Corman set the theme for his puzzle room, he began searching everywhere for the perfect furniture and accessories to make the experience memorable and realistic. He insists that this is unique time when being a “junk collector” is actually useful.

Concepts are constantly evolving and being developed at Fort Collins Escape Rooms.

Currently, they are designing a high-tech

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Kevin Dunnigan, CFP® FINANCIAL PLANNER

adventure set in a spacecraft that has been collecting alien life forms. We're really excited with this theme as it's going to bring hightech elements to the game.

“We’re really excited with this new theme and producing a laser maze. We think this will truly blow people's minds and look forward to offering it to Fort Collins,” exclaims Corman.

Interestingly escape rooms began as video games. The physical games have been going strong for over ten years in Asia and Europe.

While it took some momentum to get it started in the United States, the past few years have proven robust for gamers and business owners. Corman has even heard of “escape room vacations” where people will go into a city stay the weekend and play every escape room in that city. The range of people playing the games focuses on adults and teens, while problem solving skills are not fully developed for children age 10 and under. Nevertheless, Corman has witnessed younger players playing with families and having wonderful experiences in a collaborative environment.

Corman predicts a bright, sustainable future for puzzle room enthusiasts, “I think we are witnessing the birth of a whole new entertainment genre and will grow and become mainstream entertainment that can be enjoyed by all ages and demographics.”

In the 32 years since beginning his career, Kevin has helped thousands of clients with their financial planning and investment needs.

Whether it’s retirement income planning, strategies to lower taxes or maximize social security… Kevin takes the time to understand the unique needs of each client.

Kevin and his office staff have over 80 years combined experience in Investments, Financial and Retirement planning. Kevin was named as one of the top 50 Investment Reps in the nation

by Bank Investment Representative magazine numerous times. Their office is located in the Home State Bank building at 300 E. 29th Street, Loveland, Colorado. ICA offers mutual funds, life insurance, stocks, bonds, IRA/401K rollovers, fixed income products, long-term care and disability insurance—all with the financial planning advice tailored to the individual.

The ICA office in Loveland won the ReporterHerald Reader’s choice award for “Best Financial Services” in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

For investment and financial planning questions, please email at

kevin.dunnigan@investmentcenters.com or call the office at (970) 622-2366.

300 E. 29th Street, Loveland, Colorado helpwithmyinvestments.com Investment Centers of America, Inc. (ICA), member FINRA / SIPC and a Registered Investment Advisor, is not affiliated with Home State Bank. Securities, advisory services and insurance products offered through ICA and affiliated insurance agencies are *not insured by the FDIC or any other Federal Government agency, *not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by any bank or its affiliates, *subject to risks including the possible loss of principal amount invested. ICA does not provide tax or legal advice.

The Fort Collins Escape Room 4025 South Mason Street, above Life of the Party.

More information at www.fortcollinsescaperoom.com Malini Bartels is a freelance writer, chef, mother, radio host, and actress living the good life in Fort Collins.

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WELLNESS {fitness}

Avery Saxton, swim teacher at High Plains Scuba having fun with student, Owen Yokum.

Get in the swim

By Michelle Venus

Swimming. It conjures up memories of summer fun at pools, lakes, and at the beach. Just one whiff of chlorine can transport you back in time to lazy days filled with splashing about or competing in club team meets. But swimming is so much more than happy childhood memories. Stroke for stroke, it’s one of the most effective workouts there is.

For many, swimming is part of their ongoing fitness routines. Not only is it a sport that one can participate in for a lifetime, it’s a complete and total body workout. Swimming blasts fat while sculpting major muscles like the back and legs while toning the arms and shoulders. It’s a great core workout too, and because it’s a low impact sport, the shin splints, sore feet, or knee pain often associated with high impact sports like running are not a factor. Experts say that an hour of vigorous swimming burns up to 660 calories, as many as jogging six miles in the same time frame. This revs up your metabolism, continuing the burn well after you've stepped off the deck.

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Many swimmers remark on the zen-like quality of their practice; how swimming counters stress and craziness. The swimmer is removed from life’s tempo: no blaring train whistles, to-do lists or meetings. It’s just you and the water, a time for meditation and being present. Swimming requires the alternating stretch and relaxation of skeletal muscles while simultaneously deep-breathing in a rhythmic pattern, creating a built-in mantra of counting laps or letting the mind go—wherever. Just immersing oneself in water provides a buffer from the outside world.

Swimming benefits brain health, too. A study conducted by Howard Carter of the

University of Western Australia School of Sport Science found that being submerged in warm water to the level of the heart increased blood flow through the brain's cerebral arteries by 14 percent. While more research needs to be done, it suggests that swimming and other aquatic sports might have the potential to improve vascular health and cognitive function.

Swimming is a relatively low-cost sport, as well. Aside from pool fees—which can be pricey, depending on where you swim, but there are low-cost options in Northern Colorado—the only equipment necessary is a swimsuit, cap, and goggles. Even if you do decide to add more equipment such as a kick STYLEMAGAZINECOLORADO.COM

board or fins, they are rather inexpensive, and chances are your local pool has a few handy.

Now you’re convinced. It’s time to get back into a pool. But what if it’s been years or even decades since you’ve taken the plunge? How do you get your little ones started in the sport? What if you’ve never, ever learned to swim? Is it too late?

No, says Robyn Still, Swim School Manager with High Plains Scuba in Fort Collins. It’s never too late to start or reset your swim clock. An estimated 37 percent of U.S. adults can't swim 24 yards, the length of a typical recreation-center pool, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adults may miss out on learning to swim if they come from a culture where swimming isn't widely popular, or they grow up in metropolitan areas without easy pool access. Others are simply afraid—a fear sometimes fostered by overanxious parents or a terrifying incident early in life. Teaching late learners tends to take longer and requires different techniques than those used with children. A growing number of swim clinics are specializing in adult lessons, partly because learning to swim later in life can be a little embarrassing.

In addition to very basic and beginner classes, the staff at High Plains Scuba helps swimmers with breath timing and stroke refinement that make them more efficient.

And once adult learners have mastered their strokes or overcome any trepidations, swimming is often their go-to sport.

Kiddos take to the water like, well, fish.

Starting babies as young as two months old is not too early for swim lessons. At that age, classes acclimate infants to the water while introducing water safety skills. Infants learn to balance and are introduced to back floating, a life-saving skill in the unthinkable event that a baby falls into the water.

Lessons progress as skills are developed.

These early swim classes are often the gateway drug to competitive swimming. Private club teams and health club teams build upon those skills and develop serious life-long swimmers.

Devon Seymour started swimming as an infant and continued to take lessons in her childhood. She became more involved in the sport during her freshman year at Poudre High School when she joined the swim team. For this busy Syracuse University graduate student, swimming provides not only fitness (she’s training for her first triathlon), but necessary work-play balance. “Once you get past the stage of ‘I can’t believe I’m in the water at six in the morning: this is hard and my entire body hurts,’ you start to get the endorphin rush and you feel better. You NOCO Wellness 2016

Robyn Still, Swim School Manager at High Plains Scuba, instructs Ashley Fenno for her Level II teaching certification.

Avery Saxton, swim teacher at High Plains Scuba teaching Owen Yokum how to swim.

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look better and you sleep better,” she says.

For Devon, the benefits go beyond the physical. She finds that swimming gives her a mental boost. She recalls a recent workout with her Masters team. On that day, the team was working on distance swimming, Devon’s strong point. “I loved that workout, because I had to think but I also had the chance to let my mind wander a little bit. With distance swimming, you don’t have to be so much in the moment and I really like that. After the first hundred yards, I can feel all the tension melting from my body. It’s like it’s leached out by the water.”

Water fitness isn’t limited to swimming.

Fitness centers throughout the region offer aerobic classes that tone the body and get the heart pumping, while taking advantage of the water’s buoyancy, which is gentle on the joints. But don’t think these classes just take the participants through the motions. “Oh, no,” laughs Karrie Brown, Aquatics Manager at Miramont Lifestyle and Fitness’ south location. “They kick your butt.”

Low to non-impact water workouts focus on strength, cardio, endurance, and range of motion. The use of tools like water weights and noodles increase resistance. While some equate water aerobics classes as more suited to an older crowd, Karrie is quick to point out that rehabbing elite athletes find them challenging. “Like anything else, you get out what you put into them,” explains Karrie.

Check with your doc before engaging in any exercise classes after injury.

Swimming and water fitness classes are also beneficial during pregnancy says Karrie, who had twins last year. Getting into the pool helped to take pressure off her back and made her feel almost weightless. And since body temperature raises during pregnancy, the cool water feels delightful.

Consider getting into the swim of things when looking for a new sport. It’s one that you can do as a nonagenarian, at home, or while traveling. For overall fitness, it can’t be beat. So grab some fins and find your inner porpoise.

Michelle Venus is a freelance writer and the Development Director at KRFC 88.9 fm. She shares a home office with a Basset hound, a mutt and a sweet little cat. Her two kids are brilliant and beautiful. In her limited spare time she sits on two boards of directors, is active in the Rotary Club of Fort Collins and attends as many art and cultural events as humanly possible.

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NORTHERN COLORADO SWIMMING POOLS AND CLASSES Fort Collins SwimLabs Offers individual and group lessons for children and adults in small, continuousmotion pools outfitted with mirrors on the bottom of each pool and 360-degree video feedback technology.

4630 Royal Vista Circle #9 970-682-1692 Mountain Kids Swim classes for little ones starting as early as six months old. Age- and abilities-appropriate classes for all level swimmers.

419 East Stuart Street 970-482-3118 Miramont (South) Lifestyle and Fitness Indoor and outdoor saltwater pools for lap and recreational swimming, group and private lessons for all ages, Masters’ swim programs and water fitness classes.

The outdoor pool is heated and open year-round.

901 Oakridge Drive 970-282-1000 High Plains Scuba Offers year-round group and private swim lessons for ages 6 months to adults.

Private adult classes are specifically designed to help non-swimmers feel comfortable and competent in the water, and work with each swimmer’s personal needs.

115 West Harvard Street 970-493-8562 Raintree Athletic Club 25-meter indoor pool with four lap lanes.

Offers group and private youth lessons, adult swim lessons and stroke clinics, Masters’ Swim and video stroke analysis.

2555 South Shields Street 970-490-1300 City of Fort Collins Aquatics Programs Provides all ages with group and private swim and safety lessons, as well as water fitness classes. Choose from a variety of classes for beginners to advanced swimmers, including parent participation classes, preschool and level classes, springboard diving, and lifeguard training.

Edora Pool Ice Center 1801 Riverside Avenue 970-221-6683 City Park Pool 1599 City Park Drive 970-221-6363 (weather line)

Mulberry Pool 424 West Mulberry Street 970-221-6657 Senior Center 1200 Raintree Drive 970-221-6644 Fort Collins Club Indoor and outdoor pools—outdoor pool is open May through October. Group and private swim lessons for youth and adults, as well as water aerobics, Masters’ Swim, and youth swim team.

1307 East Prospect Road 970-224-2582 24 Hour Fitness Indoor lap pool and water fitness classes, including Aqua Zumba.

2208 East Harmony Road 970-797-3036

Loveland Chilson Recreation Center Two indoor pools—the leisure pool features a Lazy River with currents, geysers, and vortex area. The 25-yard, eight lane lap pool offers open swim times as well as aqua fitness classes and all-ages swim lessons.

700 East Fourth Street 970-962-2386 Winona Outdoor Pool Heated pool is open annually from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Parent/Infant, Parent/Toddler, Preschool, and Levels 1 - 6 swim lessons and CARA (Colorado Association of Recreational Athletics) swim team.

1615 Fourth Street SE (Adjacent to Osborn Park) 970-962-2435 Thompson School District Aquatic Centers Recreational swimming, aqua fitness classes, American Red Cross swimming lessons and other advanced training courses such as the Lifeguard Training and Water Safety Instructor course. The aquatic facilities also provide pool time for many community groups such as the Loveland Swim Club, Loveland Masters Swim Club, local emergency services dive rescue teams and many others.

Dick Hewson Aquatic Center (DHAC) Thompson Valley High School 1669 Eagle Drive 970-613-7935

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Loveland High School Pool Loveland High School 920 W. 29th Street 970-613-5886 Mountain View Aquatic Center (MVAC) Mountain View High School 3500 Mountain Lion Drive 970-613-7880

Windsor Chimney Park Pool Outdoor pool open from Memorial Day weekend through mid-August has lap lanes as well as water slide and separate kiddie pool. 30-minute swim classes for ages 6 months - 4 years, Parent-Tot; Ages 3+ (Polliwog, Tadpole, Froggie); Levels 1-6 421 Chimney Park Drive 970-674-0826

Greeley Greeley Center for Independence Warm water pool open to the public. Features adult open swim, arthritis aquatic, water power sculpt, and water workout.

Group, semi-private and private swim lessons for all ages and abilities, starting at six months.

2780 28th Avenue 970-339-2444 Family FunPlex Adventure Island Swim Park â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Swimmersâ&#x20AC;? pool features zero depth, Lazy River and activity pool. For ages 16+ lap swim, adult water walking in the Lazy River, lifeguard training and all-ages swim classes.

1501 65th Avenue 970-350-9401 Hillside Pool Members-only private pool club, however swim lessons are open to non-members.

All level, group or private swim classes, diving instruction, water aerobics, and swim team.

1414 27th Street 970-352-1692 Greeley Recreation Center Pool Open swim, laps, all-ages swim classes (group and private), diving instruction, Masters Swim, and recreational swim club, teaching all four strokes and preparing swimmers for competitive swimming.

651 10th Avenue 970-350-9400

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WELLNESS {health}

Spicing Up Your Health

By Kay Rios

“Wars were fought over them, kingdoms were lost because of them, and new lands were discovered in search of them. In ancient times and for centuries to follow, spices were often more precious than gold.”

Healing Spices ~ Bharat B. Aggarwal, Ph.D Origin of spices can be traced back for thousands of years. Reports date their use as far back as 2600 BC to records of Egyptians who fed spices from Asia to laborers building the great pyramid of Cheops to give them strength. Confucius advocated the use of ginger, and Europe imported them before Rome was founded.

Over the years, spices and herbs were used for medicinal purposes, for masking unpleasant tastes and odors of food and, in the 17th century before refrigeration, to keep food

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fresh. Today’s broad spread use may seem a little more mundane but, says Susan Kirkpatrick, Savory Spice Shop owner, “You can definitely spice up your life and add flavor to your cooking with spices. Using flavor from plants has very few downsides.”

And there are health benefits, Kirkpatrick says. “Older adults sometimes experience a loss of enjoyment of food because their ability to detect flavor diminishes. Just like reduced hearing or sight, our taste may become tired. And for older adults good

nutrition is very important and putting a flavorful meal in front of them helps with health and also quality of life. You can use spices and herbs in a number of ways. Put cinnamon on oatmeal, sprinkle turmeric on your salad with a little oil and vinegar. It’s easy if you look for ways to spice up food.”

Herbs and spices are often linked together, but there are several distinctions. Herbs come from leafy plants that do not have a woody stem and are not always edible. Spices can come from plants with or without woody STYLEMAGAZINECOLORADO.COM

stems and are taken from a plant’s root, bark, stem, bud, leaves, flower, fruit or seed and dried before use. A plant may fall into both categories. As an example, cilantro, an herb, is the fresh leaves of a plant while coriander, a spice, is the dried seed of the same plant. And, when leaves are dried, they become a spice.

Confusing? No matter: both are commonly used for cooking and recent research also indicates health benefits.

Laura Cascardi botanical herbalist at Golden Poppy and director and founder of Equinox Center of Herbal Studies gives several examples of health benefits. “Many herbs such as thyme, fennel and oregano are antimicrobial.” An antimicrobial kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms but causes little or no damage to the host which explains the use for preserving meats and fish before refrigeration.

Cascardi points to other options in the antimicrobial arena.

“Lemongrass is not only a wonderful antimicrobial, it’s good for diarrhea because it slows down the peristaltic movement and slows down dehydration. And it’s safe for kids.”

Cinnamon is an antimicrobial that’s also a great digestive aid, she says. “It can be used as a powder to stop bleeding. Cayenne pepper is a styptic and can also be used to stop bleeding.

“A lot of things used in the kitchen have health benefits,” says Diana Sproul, nutritionist, herbalist and lifestyle coach, Transform Health. “We see them as common herbs but they were adopted by people because they have function. For example, sage and rosemary are stimulants so they can increase vitality. I’ve used rosemary in tea and it can raise your energy level without being a caffeine-like stimulant.”

Many spices are anti-inflammatory, Cascardi says. “Turmeric is a wonderful anti-inflammatory and so is black pepper. You can combine turmeric with black pepper or cayenne pepper for an extra boost.”

Ginger is at the top of the health aids list. Its root contains gingerols and shaogals both powerful antioxidants that can increase the proliferation of immune cells. It also contains sesquiterpenes which kills rhinoviruses, agents that cause colds.

Several cups of fresh ginger root tea can help reduce the severity and duration of a cold and can relieve a sore throat.

The list goes on. But there are cautions as well. “All herbal medicines are not harmless,” Sproul says. “St. John’s Wort, often used for depression, can have side effects and is known for interfering with medications. So not all herbs and spices are safe in every case.” She advises consulting an herbalist or other health care professional.

Cascardi agrees and adds, “Cinnamon can interact with blood pressure medicine, and there are others, so ask questions. At Golden Poppy, we consider ourselves a resource and we’re always open to questions.”

Other cautions involve harvesting wild plants. “Some of our best spices grow wild in this area,” Cascardi says. “You can harvest and use wild oregano, caraway, wild thyme and wild tarragon. But know what you are picking and where you are picking.

No guesswork. Make sure you harvest from a clean place that has not been sprayed. And don’t harvest on public lands.”

Susan Kirkpatrick, Owner Savory Spice Shop

Kay Rios, Ph.D., is a freelance writer based in Fort Collins.

She’s learning to cook all over again and using friends and family as guinea pigs as she searches for the perfect spice/herb combinations. Be cautious if she invites you to dinner.

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WELLNESS {nutrition}

FOOD INSECURITY GRANT HELPS FEED COLORADO

BY ANGELINE GRENZ

In Colorado, we bike, hike, run, and walk our way to fitness, making us one of the healthiest states. But Colorado might also be one of the worst for feeding its underserved populations, including thousands of children who go to bed hungry each night.

Hunger Free Colorado estimates that Colorado ranks 46th in the nation when it comes to getting food to the needy. This contrast between Colorado’s healthy and its hungry populations has prompted Kaiser Permanente Colorado to help promote solutions through a $1 million grant to combat food insecurity, announced in March.

Food insecurity can have far-reaching impacts on the health of both children and adults. The term can apply to those who are forced into poor nutrition because of limited financial circumstance (or even lack of time

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to spend making good food choices) to those who are going to sleep at night chronically hungry.

Kaiser Permanente Fort Collins Medical Offices pediatrician, Dr. Hector de Leon, says, “Food insecurity is a situation or circumstance that keeps a person from having the nutritious food essential for health—the right kind of food.”

Dr. de Leon regularly screens his small patients and their parents to make sure that food insecurity is not an issue. His concerns can generally be answered in two questions:

Are you getting the right kind of food? And, do you feel you are getting enough food?

Food insecurity can lead to a host of challenges for children, from development delays to disease. “On a low level, kids with food insecurity may get sick more often, and be in the hospital more frequently,” says Dr. de Leon. Risk increases with severity, from interruptions in children’s ability to learn at school to contributing to diabetes and heart disease.

Adults are not immune to food insecurity and its risks. “Adult food insecurity is more STYLEMAGAZINECOLORADO.COM

"Food insecurity is a situation or circumstance that keeps a person from having the nutritious food essential for health—the right kind of food."

Hector de Leon, M.D. FAAP Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Medical Office Chief Kaiser Permanente Fort Collins Medical Offices common than you think,” says Dr. Michelle Glasgow, with Kaiser Permanente Fort Collins Medical Offices. “We believe that up to 10 percent of people in the U.S. live in food insecure households.” This is a self-reported number and actual numbers could be higher due to embarrassment of reporting food insecurities, she adds.

For adults, food insecurity can lead to depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, obesity, memory concerns, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, chronic pain, chronic illness, and other health concerns, says Dr. Glasgow.

“It is very important that both myself and my team screen for food insecurities and know the community resources available to assist food insecure patients to get the food they need,” says Dr. Glasgow. For adults, screening for food insecurity involves these two questions: Within the past 12 months, have you worried whether your food would run out before you get money to buy more?

Within in the past 12 months, has the food you bought ran out before you had the money to buy more?

Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s grant serves to help Colorado nonprofits to increase access to food. The $1 million grant was split among 13 Colorado entities that have a focus on providing food to those in need. Among the recipients are: Eagle

River Youth Coalition, Mountain Resource Center, Northern Colorado Food Cluster, SET Family Clinic, TESSA, TriLakes Cares, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Commerce City Community Enterprise, Doctors Care, Friends of Longmont Youth Center, GoFarm, Metro Caring and Re:Vision.

The grant is designed to increase enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and increase access to nutritious foods for low-income children during the summer months through the Summer Food Service Programs.

Nonprofits were invited to apply for a portion of the grant last fall. To qualify, nonprofit organizations had to demonstrate how they would use the grant to increase access to food and nutrition through SNAP or the Summer Food Service programs.

For local recipient, Northern Colorado Food Cluster, the grant represents the power to help more people. “This is monumental for us,” says Sandra Greenway, Northern Colorado Food Cluster executive director.

“It helps us establish and then maintain a program that addresses food insecurity—an issue that is important to a number of our members.”

The Northern Colorado Food Cluster’s mission is to create a resilient, local food system and to support and promote local

food production and consumption—and to increase healthy food access by connecting residents directly with affordable, fresh food.

They received $75,000 over two years from Kaiser Permanente, which they will use to increase enrollment into the SNAP program, increase redemption of SNAP benefits, and establish an education program to reduce the stigma of getting food assistance. The funds will also help them to obtain the equipment to allow many small and mid-size farmers to accept food stamps.

Kaiser Permanente Colorado’s efforts to assist those with food securities are not new.

In addition to this year’s grant, they partnered with The Denver Foundation in 2010 to create Hunger Free Colorado, the state’s largest organization working to end hunger.

They have also supported other programs to end hunger throughout Colorado.

“We know first-hand how access to nutritious food is important to leading a healthy lifestyle,” says Nancy Wollen, Kaiser Permanente Colorado interim president. “We’re proud to work with these various local nonprofits to increase access to nutritional food for Coloradans in need.”

Angeline Grenz is a freelance writer based in Loveland, CO.

"For adults, food insecurity can lead to depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, obesity, memory concerns, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, chronic pain, chronic illness, and other health concerns."

Michelle Glasgow, M.D., Family Medicine Kaiser Permanente Fort Collins Medical Offices 44

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WELLNESS {nutrition}

LET’S BRING

SEXY BOK Also called Chinese cabbage, bok choy is a versatile and often overlooked burst of crispness. It pairs perfectly with a spectrum of flavors; particularly Asian inspired dishes, and provides a refreshing alternative for summer gatherings. Although it might look similar to celery, it’s actually a member of the cabbage family and is easily found in supermarkets and notable local farms.

Locally, Happy Heart Farm in Fort Collins grows bok choy for their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Owner/ operator Bailey Stenson adds the vegetable to boxes when she can. “Our CSA members have both reactions of surprise and joy when they receive it,” she mentions. This semisophisticated plant is extremely easy to cook and enjoy. According to Stenson, she mostly

knows of people using it in stir-fries and soups. The planting season is quite brief for bok choy.

“The plant is very heat sensitive and will bolt (go to seed) when the weather turns hot,” notes the farmer. “We have early plantings in April and late summer.”

What do I do with this?

While much used in Asian cuisine, bok choy can be a nice alternative to celery or cabbage in a variety of dishes. The brassica is crunchy like celery; the green and leafy parts can be cooked longer to develop a deliciously creamy, soft texture unique among greens.

Often used in soups and stir-fry recipes, bok choy is adaptable and can be shredded and enjoyed raw for slaw, steamed, sautéed,

By Malini Bartels The cruciferous vegetable with the funny name – bok choy, is making its way to a plate near you.

grilled and even braised. Varieties noted as “baby bok choy” is the same great vegetable, only smaller and still a great source of nutrients with minimal calories.

More information about Happy Heart Farm can be found at: www.happyheartfarmcsa.com. They offer CSA shares of vegetables, fruit, honey, bread; monthly food tastings open to the public, farm to table dinners and seasonal celebrations.

Malini Bartels is a freelance writer, chef, mother, radio host, and actress living the good life in Fort Collins.

BOK CHOY FUN FACTS 1. The Chinese have been cultivating the vegetable for thousands of years.

2. The veggie is packed with vitamins A and C. One cup of cooked bok choy provides more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of A, and close to two-thirds the RDA of C. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin K, calcium, folate, and zinc.

3. The high water content of bok choy makes it easy to juice.

Each 8-ounce serving of fresh bok choy juice contains just 32 calories!

4. The veggie takes about 2 months from planting to harvest and thrives best in milder weather.

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BOK CHOY, CARROT,

AND APPLE SLAW Ingredients 1 pound baby bok choy (4 to 6 heads) 1 tsp. coarse salt 1 peeled apple, cut into matchsticks 2 large shredded carrots 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 Tbs. vegetable oil 1 tsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions Halve bok choy lengthwise; rinse under cold water to remove grit.

Cut crosswise into thin strips; place in a large colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Top with a plate that fits inside colander; weight with a heavy object (such as a skillet or canned goods). Set aside in sink to drain.

In a large bowl, mix apple, carrots, lemon juice, vegetable oil, and peeled fresh ginger. Add bok choy; season with salt and pepper. Toss, chill and serve cold.

Source: www.everydayfood.com

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Back row from left to right is: Barb Allan, Michele Munsil, Wendy Meyer, Cathy Wilson Woody, Barbara Feller. Dogs left to right are Weston, Duke. On the ball is Paula Nickel holding the black dog named Pongo.

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SESAME SOY BRAISED BOK CHOY New Strategies You Need To Know

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Ingredients 1 head bok choy 2 Tbs. soy sauce 2 Tbs. peanut oil 2 tsp. rice vinegar 1 Tbs. grated ginger 1 tsp. sugar 1 Tbs. minced garlic salt & pepper to taste 1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil 2 Tbs. sesame seeds 1/2-cup chicken stock Directions Trim the root end off the bok choy head.

Slice the leafy portions of the plant from the stalks. Cut both the leaves and the stalks into huge match-stick-size pieces (julienne), keeping the two piles separate. Heat a very large heavy skillet or wok until it looks hazy over the surface, 2-4 minutes. Add peanut oil and swirl it to coat the pan. Add bok choy stems, and sauté about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry briefly. Add bok choy greens, chicken stock, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, cook until bok choy is tender and glazed with sauce, about 5-8 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle with sesame seeds increase heat to medium high and cook until excess liquid evaporates, roughly 2-3 minutes.

Adjust seasonings to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe provided by Bailey Stenson of Happy Heart Farm CSA Source: "From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Produce"

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Colorado’s First Tiny Home Hotel

BY HEIDI KERR-SCHLAEFER

Nestled on the banks of the St.Vrain River in Lyons, Colorado is WeeCasa, the state’s first tiny home hotel. The seventeen colorful tiny homes sit on 10 treed acres and are within easy walking distance of downtown Lyons.

It started with the flood of 2013. During that event, the mobile homes on the property that is now home to WeeCasa were washed down river. The homes were a complete and total loss.

“After that, the owners were looking for something to do with this property,” says Kenyon Waugh, Wee-EO at WeeCasa.

Located entirely in a floodplain, development of the property was going to require some creative thinking. Within weeks, a group of locals came together and WeeCasa was born.

Five families are invested in the property which is also home to a wedding/events venue called River Bend.

WeeCasa solved two issues. First, lodging

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is scarce in Lyons. Prior to WeeCasa coming on the scene, there was only one small motel in town. With multiple wedding venues in Lyons, most wedding guests were staying in surrounding towns, meaning a lot of potential revenue was driving straight out of Lyons each and every weekend. Second, the land posed problems for development because of its floodplain location.

Putting a tiny home hotel on the property made sense. Each WeeCasa tiny home is on wheels and can be quickly removed from the property if any flooding occurs, and in fact, there is an emergency evacuation plan in place at WeeCasa.

Waugh has been interested in tiny homes for a number of years, and was aware of a tiny home hotel in Portland, Oregon and he liked the concept. Waugh joined the property investors in 2014, and they opened in May 2015 with 10 tiny homes.

The Tiny Home Hotel Guest As a frequent location for weddings, the tiny homes stayed relatively busy last summer, but with recent publicity by many media outlets, including Denver news stations, WeeCasa has a record number of bookings already this summer.

In addition to wedding guests, WeeCasa sees visitors from around the United States.

In many instances, people who make this trek are interested in the tiny home movement.

This is a social movement where individuals and families choose to downsize their living space. Whereas a typical American home is around 2,600 square feet, a tiny home is typically 100 to 400 square feet.

There’s also a strong environmental component to the tiny home movement, as well as financial considerations. The total price of a tiny home is often equivalent to the down payment necessary for a standard house.

The type of people interested in the tiny

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home movement come from every walk of life.

Some are empty nesters looking to downsize, while others are Millennials interested in the tiny home lifestyle. And they come from across the world. WeeCasa has welcomed guests from as far away as Switzerland.

Last year, WeeCasa had guests from Minnesota who came specifically to experience what life would be like in a tiny home. They hadn’t researched the area they’d be staying in and when they arrived at WeeCasa they asked, “Is there anything interesting to see nearby?”

Lyons is 40 minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park and mere minutes from world class mountain biking trails and top-notch kayaking areas. In fact, kayakers can get on the St. Vrain River from WeeCasa’s property, not to mention, the town of Lyons is charming.

There’s a bit of shopping, several nice eateries, a beautiful market where WeeCasa guests can buy foodstuff and there’s also a brewery and distillery. Lyons is a true escape that’s only an hour from both Denver and Fort Collins.

A Tiny Home for Two to Six Tiny house building really took off in 2012, and WeeCasa features homes built by a variety of builders. Each house is distinctive and sleeps

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anywhere from two to six adults. WeeCasa has homes from Sprout Tiny Homes, a company out of La Junta, Colorado, EcoCabins from Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Tiny Homes from Durango, F9 Productions in Longmont and Tiny Heirloom in Portland, Oregon.

The smallest home at WeeCasa is 120 square feet plus a loft and the largest is 225 square feet plus a loft. Some of the hotel’s tiny homes are more rustic than others, but all include comfy beds and bathrooms, and one even features a washing machine. No one “roughs it” at WeeCasa.

The environment at WeeCasa is a bit like summer camp, but with fancier cabins (and it’s open year round). There’s a fire pit and yard games available, and guests often get to know one another. Home to Planet Blue Grass, a popular and active music venue, Lyons is a musical town, and it’s not unusual for a guitar or two to come out around the WeeCasa fire pit in the evening.

With lots of recent media, WeeCasa was forced to put a fence up to keep people from driving through the property at all times of the day. However, they understand that many are intrigued by their venture, so they decided

to offer formal tours. For $10 per person, the public can tour the property on special Saturdays. Reservations must be made in advance at WeeCasa.com.

Only time will tell how long the tiny home trend will continue, but there’s little doubt that WeeCasa fills a need for lodging in Lyons, and while anecdotal, locals are already noticing an increase in business since the hotel opened.

“I’ve been at the Lyons Fork when three out of five tables were full of WeeCasa guests,” says Jason Malito, an investor in WeeCasa and a resident of Lyons. “When WeeCasa is sold out, that’s a lot of extra revenue for this town.”

With tourism as a stable and ever growing economic segment of Colorado, Malito sees Lyons’ ability to accommodate travelers as a way to help create a more financially sustainable future for the town.

WeeCasa is located on the western end of Lyons, at 501 West Main Street. More details about this tiny home hotel can be found at WeeCasa.com.

Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a freelance writer & founder of HeidiTown.com, the place for Colorado travel and festival stories.

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Photo courtesy of Animal House Rescue and Grooming.

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HEALTHY {pets}

Is Pet Rescue for You?

BY ELISSA J. TIVONA

Missy didn’t begin life as a member of our family, but lucky for this 11-month-old pound puppy, she squirmed and licked her way into our hearts. But, that was several months after she chewed up a new couch pillow, a flip-flop belonging to my daughter’s bff, and her souvenir Disney watch.

If your family has decided to open your home to a furry or feathered friend, three animal shelters in Northern Colorado — Larimer Humane Society, Fort Collins Cat Rescue and Spay/Neuter Clinic, and Animal House Rescue and Grooming – offer useful guidelines to increase the odds of a happy outcome.

Adopt from a Bona Fide Rescue Facility The ASPCA estimates that more than 7.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters annually. However, no national organization monitors all facilities. Fortunately, the State of Colorado maintains a licensing and inspection program, called PACFA, to protect the wellbeing of animals in Colorado facilities. Before rescuing, visit the PACFA website and determine if the shelter you choose is licensed by the state and in compliance with guidelines. Be wary of online adoption programs that claim to offer rescued animals. A 2012 study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare found that 62% of the dogs advertised as rescues came from puppy mills, Ali Eccleston, Co-founder and Director of Animal House Rescue and Grooming stresses, “Every reputable shelter should provide services to guarantee the health of the animal: all animals should be spayed or neutered prior to adoption, fully vaccinated for whatever age they are, and micro-chipped.”

Select the Animal that Best Fits your Lifestyle Eccleston goes on, “In the beginning of the process we recommend that people look into what [animal] they’re willing to adopt.

If you’re deciding between a dog, or a cat, or a pocket pet (e.g. hamster, rabbit, parakeet), NOCO Wellness 2016

it’s important to … understand their specific needs.” Successful adoption depends on making the best fit between an animal’s needs and the family’s lifestyle.

“Families should consider…whether they have the time and resources to provide the daily care and grooming, veterinary checkups, enrichment and exercise that the animal needs,” advises Ashley Boothe, Marketing Manager for Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/ Neuter Clinic.

Staffers at Larimer Humane Society suggest questions to consider: Do you want a running/ hiking buddy or a pet to curl up with you on the couch? What is each member of your family looking for since their desires may differ from yours? How much time are you able to spend with your new pet? Is your household busy and active or calm and quiet? If you have existing pets, consider their needs; what type of pets would they best interact with?

Accounting for these factors before you adopt helps you narrow down options and select a companion that fits happily into your home.

One additional note for dog lovers: Larimer Humane Society recommends initial breed research before choosing a dog. “While many dogs at the humane society are mixed breeds, having an idea of breed tendencies will help you know what to expect.”

However, Ali Eccleston adds, “While some people are attracted to a particular breed, it’s also important to know the dog’s personality as an individual.” For the happiest outcome, ask lots of questions of adoption counselors to learn as much as you can about the animal’s history and behavior. And, of course, visit and interact with several individual animals at the shelter before deciding which “Fluffy” or “Fido" to bring home.

Prepare your Home for a New Arrival “Create a plan for transitioning your new pet into your home as peacefully as possible.

Allow new pets time to explore and acclimate to new surroundings at their own pace,” advise pet adoption counselors.

For example, you want to introduce a new cat to one room at a time and help your cat feel safe with access to vertical space and hiding spots. Be sure you place a litter box in a convenient location, a feeding area with food and water, and a scratching surface such as carpeted post or scratching pad.

For your new dogs, provide a space that they can retreat to when feeling overwhelmed or over-stimulated.

If you have pets at home already, be sure to follow appropriate measures for introducing the new arrival to existing cats and dogs. Also, take your time exposing the pet to multiple family members. Carefully timed introductions help guarantee a smooth transition for all.

Prepare for Monetary Costs of Adoption Shelters require adopters to fill out a screening form to begin the process. At that time, inquire about fees associated with rescuing your four-legged friend. Adoption fees vary from organization to organization, but as a rule they run higher for younger animals than for older animals. In some cases, discounted rates are available for senior animals or animals with special needs.

At Fort Collins Cat Rescue, regular adoption fees are $50 for adult cats 6 months and older and $125-$175 for kittens ages 2-5 months.

“At Animal House,” says Eccleston, “fees to adopt a dog vary from $50 to $275 depending on the animal’s age.” Understanding the fee

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structure helps you limit options to animals you can accommodate.

Also, beyond the initial expense, take into consideration ongoing costs of pet ownership.

According to Eccleston, the total first year cost for owning a cat runs about $1000 and for a dog about $1300, which includes average costs of medical expenses, supplies, care and feeding.

Explore Options in Addition to Permanent Adoption If money or time is a limiting factor, most shelters offer option to “foster” pets until they can be adopted into permanent homes. Foster Programs allow shelters to extend care to a greater number of rescued animals.

“We rely on foster families,” says Eccleston.

“We provide all supplies and medical care for the animals, while the family takes the animal into their home temporarily.” Most puppies go directly into foster families for about a week or two.

Fort Collins Cat Rescue has a "Foster-toAdoption" program for some cats with special behavioral or medical needs. “This gives the cat the opportunity to truly blossom in the home and show the adopter what a great pet the cat can be outside of the shelter environment,” says Boothe,

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If Providing a “Forever Home” for a Needy Pet is a Priority…

You are fortunate to live in this region. Northern Colorado rescue shelters have established the Northern Colorado Regional Animal Welfare Coalition and work collaboratively to guarantee all homeless pets receive the compassion and care they deserve. You can extend their good work with your good heart. Become familiar with these basic guidelines and adopt a loving companion from a PACFA approved rescue shelter.

Elissa J. Tivona is a busy journalist and academic. She has had the great privilege to travel internationally to present her work in peace and conflict studies but is always grateful to return home to beautiful Northern Colorado where she lives, writes, and teaches at CSU.

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WELLNESS {nutrition}

Sarah Nelson, D.V.M. scans the Papillon to determine if it has a microchip.

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HEALTHY {pets}

LOST & FOUND

BY KYLE EUSTICE

The moment a pet goes missing is one of the most traumatic and nerve racking realizations a pet owner can have. For most, a pet is an extension of his or her family and losing one is like losing a limb. Thankfully, there are several steps one can take to ensure—if the unthinkable indeed does happen—pets are given the best possible chance to find their way home. Larimer Humane Society Executive Director Judy Calhoun has mastered the art of pet retrieval and believes starting with the basics is the best route to go.

“The first thing to remember is to always have a collar and tags,” Calhoun says. “They are absolutely the best way to get a lost pet back home. The nice thing about a tag that has a phone number is if someone finds it they can call you directly. License or rabies tags are also great, but to get the owner’s phone number, they have to call us to track the license number. We encourage owners to have all three tags: rabies, identification and license. That ID tag, however, makes the biggest difference.”

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Sarah Nelson, D.V.M., who works at Moore Animal Hospital, couldn’t agree more. If a person who has found a pet cannot make it to the Larimer Humane Society, often times, they will go to a veterinary clinic. Most are equipped to help track down the owners. It’s important that identification tags are as detailed as possible.

“You always want a primary form of ID on your pet,” Dr. Nelson says. “Usually that comes in the form of a tag with your pet’s

name, your name and at least your phone number, if not your address, and some more identifying information that will be on your pet if your pet has any access at all to the outdoors or the tendency to rush the door and get out. The best way to get your animal back quickly is to have that identifying information on them.”

Microchipping is also one of the most useful tools to protect a pet once they are missing. Microchips carry a unique identification number and are a permanent

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"If the collar and tag fall off or get lost, the microchip is our backup form of ID." Sarah Nelson, D.V.M. Moore Animal Hospital form of identification. If a pet gets lost and is taken to a vet clinic or animal shelter, the pet is scanned for a microchip to reveal the ID number. Most vet clinics and all animal shelters are equipped with a scanning device.

“If the collar and tag fall off or get lost, the microchip is our backup form of ID,” Dr. Nelson explains. “It’s implanted under the skin, so if your pet is lost and found by a shelter or someone brings it in and they have the microchip in it, that pet has a good chance of making it home to you.”

Implanting the microchip doesn’t cause much discomfort for the animal. The pain level is similar to a routine vaccination. The chip is inserted between the dog or cat’s shoulder blades and it takes a mere few seconds to complete the procedure.

“It definitely is a large needle,” Dr. Nelson admits. “The area where we inject it has relatively few nerve endings compared to skin on other parts of the body, like the paws or the face. Usually we can get it in ok, especially if we have a nice can of food and someone feeding them. It’s a real quick poke and back out once we’ve implanted the chip.”

It’s crucial to make sure the owner’s contact information is updated in the microchip company’s database, otherwise it’s essentially useless. Often times, a person will adopt a pet and forget to update their new contact information.

“Always keep your information updated with the microchip company,” Calhoun says. “In our case, we update the company and register the new owners with the company when they’re adopted. If somebody moves or changes their cell phone number, it’s really important to make sure they update their contact info with the microchip company. If the company has your email address, they will remind you, but not all of them do.”

Microchipping is usually a one time thing. It’s a life saver when pets come into the Larimer Humane Society without a tag and/or collar, something Calhoun is STYLEMAGAZINECOLORADO.COM

adamant about always having.

“The challenge for a microchip is that it has to be scanned,” she says. “A neighbor or whoever has found the animal has to bring them to Larimer Humane Society or to a vet to scan it and then the microchip company has to be called to get the owner’s contact information. It is a great form of permanent ID and terrific backup, but it shouldn’t be considered a substitute for a collar and tag.”

Calhoun sees an increasing number of pet owners using microchips. Many animal shelters and rescue groups, including the Larimer Humane Society, microchip their animals prior to adoption. It’s often included in the adoption fee. It works when a stray pet is found, as well.

“When we get a stray that is returned to owner, we do scan when that stray animal comes in to see if they have a microchip,” Calhoun says. “That’s something we do routinely.”

If a pet is found and it’s unclear what to do with it, taking the animal to the Larimer Humane Society is an ideal start.

The Larimer Humane Society attempts to match found reports with lost reports on a daily basis.

“If a person has lost a pet, it’s important to file a report,” she says. “Come in to see if your pet is here. We’re a good place to look. Also, file a report. That way, our client service staff will try to match up found animals with a lost report.”

If all else fails, put up flyers, notify neighbors and turn to the internet for help.

One particular website, www.nextdoor.com, allows members of a particular neighborhood to communicate with one another and people will post information about missing or found pets on the forum. Everything helps.

According to Dr. Nelson, 30-50 percent of lost dogs and 70-80 percent of lost cats will never make it home again. Those are startling statistics. Ensuring each animal is protected is the most logical—and loving— thing to do.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Kyle Eustice moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico to pursue her love of hiking, biking, music, and journalism. After five years of living in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, she wanted a change of scenery and opted for a move to the beautiful Rocky Mountain region in 2014. Since then, she’s embraced the incredible Fort Collins community as she hones her writing skills and embraces her passion for the outdoors.

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about town BBB TORCH AWARDS FOR ETHICS April 26 Embassy Suites | Loveland

Three businesses and one nonprofit from Northern Colorado were named recipients of the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics at the 18th annual event presented by the Better Business Bureau Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming. The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics promote the six TRUST! principles: Transformation at the Top, Reinforce and Build, Unite the Team, Steer Performance, Treasure People and !Enthusiastically Reinvest. The event also presented UNC Monfort College of Business a traveling trophy for the Best Written Student Nomination Papers. Photos courtesy of Tres Photography.

Back-Ken Weaver, Ryan Walker, Bob Walker, Dean Walker, Ted Walker. Front- Connie Reifschneider, Don Brown, Bruce Tailman

Pam King, Jeannine Truswell

RESPITE CARE PERENNIAL LUNCHEON April 27 Embassy Suites | Loveland

Brad Inhulsen, Laurie Macomber, Chalice Springfield

Back- Tyler Hoerner, Casey Thomas, Ryan Conover, Matthew Gutierrez, Jessica Long, Philip Barley. Front- Chad Bryant, Patricia Sodetz, Jolene Dolan, Shane Hunsinger, Cliff Buchholz, Hayley Ramers, Linda Smith. Miramont Lifestyle Fitness-Large Business Award Recipient

Nearly 460 community members attended Respite Care’s inspiring Perennial Luncheon.

The event’s theme “Exploring New Worlds” highlighted the stories of three program parents and featured a special video about Respite Care programs and services and the life-changing impact on those they serve. Including gifts, five-year pledges, and a generous matching gift, the event netted more than $448,000 and will benefit Respite Care and their programs for children with developmental disabilities in Larimer County while providing respite to the entire family. Photos courtesy of Aspen Photo & Design.

Brandee Eide, Aaron Eide

John Houska, Jen Houska, Steve Furhman, Shai Nowlan, Jennifer Hofmeister

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Amy Laner

Karen Ramirez, Monica Salvador, Marcie Kay

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NOCO Wellness 2016

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about town

CELEBRATE PHILANTHROPY May 5 Embassy Suites | Loveland Nearly 700 community members gathered for the Community Foundation’s Annual Celebration of Philanthropy to celebrate the generosity of Northern Colorado citizens, the work of area nonprofits, and the impact of local philanthropy. Keynote speaker Tim Terrentine, Managing Director of C2 Consulting, reflected on the importance of community engagement and philanthropy. The Markley Family was honored as the recipient of the Community Legacy Award, and Bob Everitt’s important contributions to Northern Colorado were recognized.

Photos courtesy of Craig Vollmer Photography.

KENTUCKY DERBY GALA May 7 The Barn at Lilly’s Pond | Greeley

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Cindy Bragdon, Ann Hanson, Doug Markley The Markley Family – Community Legacy Award

Bob Billings, Tim Terrentine, Susan Walker Tim Terrentine – Keynote Speaker

Standing: Sarah & Stan Everitt, Lane & Molly Everitt, Claudia Gillum, David & Ann Everitt.

Seated: Joyce Everitt

More than 300 guests watched the Kentucky Derby “Run for the Roses” and pre-race events live from Louisville on two giant TV screens, and relished signature mint juleps, hors d’oeuvres and a full buffet while enjoying live music. Guests, many dressed in true Derby hat fashion, took home win, place and show prizes for selecting the winning horses.

More than $20,000 was raised to benefit Greeley Philharmonic (the oldest continuously performing orchestra west of the Mississippi) and the Weld Food Bank, providing food and services to people in need.

Jacqueline Arguello, James Bjorkman

Dori Workman, Laura Kensinger

Yvonne & Anthony Gonzales

Danyell McPhee, Tara Petersen

Amy Silva, Katy Burack

Pamela Jones, Phyllis Nelson

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about town

OPENSTAGE THEATRE CASINO NIGHT May 7 Lincoln Center | Fort Collins

Kenna Freestone, Todd Hoven, Katie Sturn, Jessica Freestone

UCHEALTH NORTH VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

Flapper dresses, headbands and pearls were at center stage at the Casino Night fundraiser, this year’s theme The Great Gatsby. Guests, many in 1920's era costumes, enjoyed specially made cocktails, a live performance of 1920's era choreographed dancing, live Jazz music, a photo booth, a silent auction and lots of Jitterbug dancing. The event provided a social, artistic and fun evening for guests and raised more than $31,000 to benefit OpenStage Theatre and their mission to provide exceptional live theatre that captivates the heart and mind. Photos courtesy of Craig Vollmer Photography.

Kate Austin-Groen, Brooke McQueen

Karl & Heather Olsen, Carol & Ken Severson, Denise & Mark McFann

Fred Sauer, Teresa Sauer

Jack Rohs, Lori Dykstra

John Rinne, Carolyn Andrews, Rudi Rinne, Joy Plooster

Kevin Unger

May 16 Embassy Suites | Loveland Team spirit was indeed at the forefront of this UCHealth North Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner as volunteers from both Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies were honored and thanked for their service.

The festivities included a “tailgate” party, performance by the Fort Collins High School Marching Band, a “halftime” pep talk by Coach Ryun Williams from the CSU Women’s Basketball team and concluded with nationally known keynote speaker Craig Zablocki, delivering an inspirational and humorous message. In 2015, 875 UCHealth North volunteers provided more than 127,500 hours of service. Photos courtesy of Heidi Muller Photography.

NOCO Wellness 2016

Karen Lind, Carole Lake

Liv Peterson, Betty Asmus, Kitty Stevens, Louise Seeger

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about town

HOPE LIVES! PINK BOA 5K June 4 Front Range Village | Fort Collins Nearly 350 survivors, thrivers, supporters and volunteers came to honor those touched by breast cancer and celebrate life and survivorship. Names in chalk of those remembered, filled the street as participants sporting bright pink t-shirts and pink boas awaited the start. Festivities included a Prettiest Pup in Pink contest, a Kids Fun Run, a Marketplace and awards to top finishers. Proceeds raised will benefit The Lydia Dody Breast Cancer Support Center and their programs to support, strengthen and empower those touched by breast cancer in northern Colorado. Photos courtesy of Tumbleweed Photography.

Lydia Dody, Travis Willey, Mary Vivo, Ellen Toomey-Hale

Back: Rick DeHart, Ella Campana, Alexandra Campana. Front: Marquita Romero, Survivor Lina Campana, Survivor Fran Campana, Dante Campana, Ray Martinez, Michele Campana, Maurizio Campana, Max Hand, Gino Campana

Benjamin & Bleny George

Survivor Laine Connolly hugs Muriel Connolly

Simon Thomsen, David Vann and Gavin in the stroller, Clorisa Van Matre, Ron Pacella, Kyle Leto, Lauren Meyer, Dan Overton. Team Engineering Analytics of Fort Collins, ran in memory of co-worker Sarah Catlin who passed away from breast cancer in May 2016.

Rebecca de La Torre

Laura Gippert, Laura Brewer, Dawn Duncan, Ann Schofield, Survivor Katarina White

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Mandy Garcia - Pink Rock Award Winner Top fundraiser raising more than $6,000 in pledges.

Sonia Senesac, Heather Mills, Amy Griffin with Lady, Shaun Pritchard, Shelly Berry

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5610 Baseline Rd, Boulder 25+/- Acres of Vacant Land $2,750,000 | Listed By: Eric Thompson | 970.232.4364

2402 Logan Dr, Loveland $1,100,000 | Listed By: Natalie Davis | 970.281.5321

nataliedavis@windermere.com

3722 Taliesin Way, Fort Collins $1,395,000 | Listed By: Chris Guillan | 970.310.9357 chrisg@windermere.com

Eric.thompson@windermere.com

Windermere Real Estate is proud to represent these fine, luxury homes in Northern Colorado. To see a full property detail report for any of these properties text LUXURY TO 41411.

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In the report you will discover the answers to the frequently asked questions about the luxury market, the fun details of the latest Northern Colorado million-dollar sales, and the future predictions for high-end home prices.

TO GET YOUR COPY, CALL (970)460-3033 OR TEXT LUXURYREPORT TO 41411.

WE WILL SEND IT TO YOU RIGHT AWAY.

400 E. Horsetooth Rd Suite 100

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Fort Collins, CO 80525

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970-460-3033