SUMMER 2015
GROWN
IN THE 209
HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES
BOXING WORKOUTS Fighting your way to fitness
WALKING THE WALK
GET IN SHAPE, IMPROVE HEALTH
WEIGHT
LOSS
SURGERY
Is it the right option for you?
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Summer 2015 Manteca Bulletin Ripon Bulletin • Escalon Times Oakdale Leader • Riverbank News Turlock Journal • Ceres Courier
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209 Healthy Living is published 6 times a year Comments: dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com ©Copyright 2014. 209 Healthy Living All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher of 209 Healthy Living is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed in 209 Healthy Living are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of 209 Healthy Living managament or owner. 209 Healthy Living assumes no responsibility and makes no recommendation for claims made by advertisers and shall not be liable for any damages incurred.
FITNESS
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CONTENTS
Walking the walk Duking it out for health Boutique fitness
HEALTH
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15 17 18
Is weight loss surgery right for you? Healthy food grown in 209 In a pickle: Summer diets Protecting your skin
SENIORS
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Getting in line (dancing)
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FITNESS
By JAMES BURNS 209 staff reporter
Walking your way to a healthier you
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f you’re tired of sitting on the couch or feeling overweight and lethargic, Tom Canales isn’t going to tell you anything you don’t already know. Stand up and walk … anywhere. “Most people know the benefits of any kind of exercise. They
know the disadvantages of a sedentary lifestyle,” he said. “I don’t have to do a lot of pitching. They mostly know that walking, especially for older folks, is good for the heart, the cardiovascular system, exercising the legs and strengthening the whole body.”
Canales is the president of the Delta Tule Trekkers, a walking club with the American Volkssport Association who champions the motto: “Walk for the health of it.” Volkssporting, which has roots in Germany and about 200 active
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FITNESS clubs in the United States, is an umbrella term to encompass all sanctioned and noncompetitive hikes, bike rides, swims and cross-country skiing events. About 6 million people have participated in volkssporting since 1990. The following continues to grow in small increments close to home. The Delta Tule Trekkers were formed in 1987 and cover a large swath of the Central Valley, ranging from Mariposa and Fresno to Ione and Galt. They coordinate and host several walking events throughout the year, introducing their members to the history and nuances of each town they visit. The Trekkers sponsor and maintain 10 to 12 year-round walks and those walks are available to anybody at any time. They also support surrounding clubs and their walking events. “You do get turned onto these other locales and walk areas that you may know about but really didn’t know about it,” said Canales, a first-term president who has used volkssporting to unlock walking routes through the West Coast. “You get to see areas the way the locals get to see it. Usually the walks highlight the nicest parts of a town or a wilderness area.” Canales encourages all those interested
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IONE: Walking in Ione along the Mariposa Creek Parkway.
in walking to attend a Delta Tule Trekkers’ event or meeting. The more the merrier, he says. For those stepping into a healthier lifestyle and becoming active for the first time in a long time, the Trekkers offer a comfortable stress-free start. The walks vary in distance, ranging from
5 to 10 kilometers, and they’re non-competitive. Walkers are encouraged to move at their own pace. Sometimes, slower is better, especially when the event takes place at Calaveras Big Trees State Park. It affords you an opportunity to appreciate your surroundings, soaking in the culture, community and natural
FITNESS
“Y
ou get to see areas the way the locals get to see it. Usually the walks highlight the nicest parts of a town or a wilderness area.” — Tom Canales, president of the Delta Tule Trekkers
u WHO: Delta Tule Trekkers, a non-competitive walking group associated with the American Volkssport Association and California Volksport Association. u WHAT: Trekkers meet once a month at Lathrop’s CK Grill and host 10 year-round walks in Manteca, Modesto, Oakdale, Merced, Fresno, Mariposa, Stockton, Lodi, Galt and Ione. Walks are 5- to 10-kilometers in length. u WEB: www.deltatuletrekkers.org
a big reason he and his wife became fullfledged members of the club. The club even offers check points during its long walks and requires each member to sign in and out. “I had no problem turning back with him and making sure he got to his car OK,” Canales said. “We really do try to take care of our own.” If you’re interested in learning more about the Delta Tule Trekkers and its calendar, or would like to receive email notifications of its next event, visit the website. You can also attend their monthly meetings at the CK Grill in Lathrop. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 11,
MEET THE TULE TREKKERS
beauty that surrounds you. These aren’t meant to be road or trail races, Canales says. These are meant to be experiences. Many of his walks have been immortalized in pictures contained on the Delta Tule Trekker’s website: www.deltatuletrekkers.org. “We’re not out here to see who can walk the fastest. People walk at their own pace,” he added. “The 5Ks are really easy to do and great for beginners just starting off. It really is something you can do at your own pace and you know what? You can turn around and go back as soon as you want to.” Each organized walk is safe, too. Canales said that can be comforting for those looking to complete their first 5- or 10-kilometer walk or for those that become injured or fatigued. He offers a recent experience as testimony. Canales says an older club member injured his foot early on during an organized walk and was unable to finish. Instead of leaving the club member to limp back to the parking lot by himself, Canales gave him an escort. That kind of camaraderie exists at every sanctioned event, he said, adding that it was
AT A GLANCE
LANDS END: Members of the Delta Tule Trekkers are joined by family members, big and small, on the dirt path of the Lands End walk in San Francisco. u The Delta Tule Trekkers will hold its monthly meeting on May 11 at CK Grill, 14725 S. Harlan Road in Lathrop. Dinner/ social hour begins at 6 p.m. and the meeting is at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in walking for fitness, fun and friendship is invited to attend. For further information, call 209.825.0204 or visit www.deltatuletrekkers.org.
and will begin with a dinner and social hour at 6 p.m. Walk their way or walk that way. It doesn’t matter much to Canales, who doesn’t need a doctorate to tell you that you’ll find a healthier version of yourself in either direction. “It’s a relatively low-impact activity. Any doctor will tell you, if you’re sitting on the couch and getting too heavy and out of breath the first thing you need to do is get up and start walking around,” he said. “Even if it’s to the corner of the park, get up and starting moving around. “You can work your way up to doing 10Ks with us.” n
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FITNESS
more people turn to boxing for better lives By J AS ON CAMPBELL
ing is one of the best full-body workouts that there is. He puts his new students on the most rudimentary of boxing tools – the heavy bag – after setting them up with a pair of handwraps and hen Richard Perez opened his boxing gym on Man- gloves, and sits near the front of the gym keeping a watchful eye teca’s North Main Street almost a year ago he had over everything that’s going on inside. He can tell when somebody ideas of what it would be. isn’t using the correct form even when they can’t see him – “I’m Up-and-coming teenagers and young amateurs and looking between the bags” – and he makes sure that each one of his driven men would be his customers – the kinds of guys that you students gets into the ring with him and goes through technique with expect to find in sweaty, dimly-lit rooms lined with old boxing post- the tools of any good trainer, padded mitts. ers of guys that were always one punch away from Madison Square No, Richard Perez is no spring chicken anymore. But make no Garden stardom. mistake – he can still move. He didn’t expect 5-year-olds and overweight females and men “Sometimes we’ll have 15, 16, 17 people – I’ll have them all with their diabetic sugar so far out of whack that their doctors told go through with me,” he said, motioning towards the ring. “I don’t them if they didn’t do something different then they were going to know what it is. I don’t get tired in there. I feel it a little bit when I get die. home and I get into bed but I love this. This is everything to me and But to hear Perez, who speaks almost as fast as the mitts that he working with a lot of these kids and people that wouldn’t normally throws when he climbs into the gym’s window-facing ring, tell it, box has brought a lot of that out.” there isn’t anything that he’d change about the way that things have And the gym is growing. unfolded over the course of the last 11 months. With an affiliation with USA Boxing – which will give young “You see the improvement that these people make in their aspiring amateurs the chance to travel throughout Northern Calilives and that’s really been the best part,” Perez said. fornia to find competitive fights – the gym will be able to tap into “People are coming down here and they’re an entirely new market. And within the next two doing it for themselves – whether it’s to lose months, Perez plans on expanding weight or to improve their diabetic health into the adjacent space – going or just do something that from six heavy bags from when he they haven’t done before. first opened up to nearly 20. That’s not something that The added room will allow for I thought about when those interested in the sport to find we started this and out whether they like it. seeing them build Currently the gym has 209 their confidence members, and prices is helping me vary. Plans are availbecome confident able depending on in myself. the number of fam“Somebody that ily members and walks in here that start out at less than Boxing trainer was shy and reserved $100-a-month per Richard Perez and sticks with it person. works in the ring becomes a different perR i c h a r d with amateur son and it’s great to see.” Perez Boxing Thomas Reeves. In the age of fancy newis located at Perez, who has age workout techniques worked with pro212 N. Main with an emphasis on doing fessional fightStreet. Classes as much as you can as ers for decades are offered for fast you can, Perez is old is known for adults Monday school – sticking to the helping develop through Friday traditional basics. Hitting Stockton MMA at 3:30 and 6:30 a heavy bag. Jumping fighters Nick and p.m. and at Nate Diaz. rope. Shadow boxing. 5 p.m. for Using your entire body, kids. For JASON CAMPBELL/209 he said, gives you the more inforHealthy Living best workout, and boxmation call 209.647.4330. n 2 0 9 s t a f f r e p or t e r
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FITNESS
Strength training tips for women
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trength training might once have been the realm of hulking males aiming to build as much muscle as possible, but active adults now recognize that strength training is beneficial to men and women alike. In fact, strength training can be especially beneficial to women, helping them develop and maintain strong bones and thereby reducing their risk for osteoporosis, a medical condition that afflicts more women than men and is characterized by weak or brittle bones. Though women over 50 are most susceptible to osteoporosis, women of all ages can benefit from strength training. Those who are unfamiliar with such exercise may be hesitant to dive right in for fear of injury or due to the sometimes intimidating nature of strength training sections at fitness centers. But the following tips should help women overcome any such fears as they adapt to fitness regimens that include regular strength training. uWork with a trainer initially. Strength training is great for the body, but women who have never before lifted a weight might
want to employ the services of a personal trainer until they are comfortable enough to go it alone. Personal trainers can ensure you are performing exercises correctly and not in a way that can cause injury. In addition, trainers can answer any questions you might have and help you establish strength training goals. uBegin with light weights. When starting a strength training regimen, use lighter weights, only increasing the weight once you are confident you have the motion of an exercise down pat and need a greater challenge. If you donﾃ付 want to add too much weight, you can increase the number of reps so your workout stays challenging. uExpect some soreness, but take stock of any aches and pains. You should expect to feel some moderate soreness after your first few strength training sessions. That soreness likely stems from your body never before engaging its muscles in the way strength training does. But any persistent aches and pains should be taken seriously. Itﾃ不 important to take note of where the pain is coming from, which can indicate whether or
not you are performing exercises correctly. For example, your shoulders should not be inflamed or aching during or after a biceps workout. If they are, your form is probably off and you should consult a trainer to help ensure your form is correct and you are not risking injury. u Work the entire body. Adequate strength training targets various muscles in the body, not just the arms. Women should make sure their strength training regimens include exercises for their shoulders, back, chest, arms, and legs. Focus on one or two muscle groups each workout. uSpice things up from time to time. Many people eventually grow bored with their strength training regimens. Women can spice up their regimens by adding repetitions and lowering weights every four to six weeks or routinely looking for new musclespecific exercises to replace exercises that have grown boring. Strength training might be most often associated with men, but women can benefit from lifting weights in the immediate future and for years to come. n
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Ripon resident, Rebecca, has lost over 100 pounds with the help of Doctors Hospital of Manteca.
You’ve run the gamut of diet and exercise programs, right? You lose a few pounds and then you put on a few more. Lose and gain. Lose and gain. It’s a frustrating cycle that is harmful to your health - and your self-esteem. Imagine weight loss surgery at Doctors Hospital of Manteca finally ending the cycle. Are you ready to begin your journey to lasting weight loss? Doctors Hospital of Manteca may be the long-term answer you are looking for.
1205 E. North St. | Manteca | ImagineWeightLoss.com
Each case is different and must be independently evaluated and managed, actual weight loss will vary. This surgery is designed for those with a body mass index equal to or greater than 40, or equal to or greater than 35 with serious co-morbidbities. | Facility meets all criteria as a Level 2 Center according to quality standards established by American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network Program.
A Fall 2014
HOSPITAL SAFETY SCORE SM
facebook.com/dhmhospital twitter.com/doctorsmanteca
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Doctors Hospital of Manteca claims highest quality care in bariatric surgeries By GLENN KAHL 209 s t a f f r e p o r t e r
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Rebecca Rich of Ripon is among those that have lost 100 or more pounds from bariatric surgery. GLENN KAHL/209 Healthy Living
octors Hospital of Manteca has changed the lives of more than 200 patients with bariatric surgery, reducing the weight of men and women by an average of more than 100 pounds through an arthroscopic procedure that takes some 30 to 60 minutes to perform. Bariatric coordinator Melissa Tilford said most patients are back to work in about two weeks as long as no heavy lifting is involved in their work day. Tilford is herself a supporter of the surgery having lost her own obesity to the procedure. The medical director is Dr. Dat Nguyen and he’s joined by a father-and-son team of Dr. Patrick Coats and Dr. Matthew Coates. The DHM accreditation for the hospital’s comprehensive center came last year and cited the high quality of care in Manteca through the national Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program Network and Cigna Healthcare as a certified Bariatric Center. The accreditations demonstrate the surgery center’s commitment to delivering the highest quality care for its bariatric surgery patients, according to a hospital spokesman. Rebecca Rich of Ripon tells her story of losing her dangerously excessive weight at Doctors Hospital of Manteca: “Before surgery I had chronic pain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and low self-esteem. Now, I am perfect,” she said. “I can move around without any pain, play with my children and I actually enjoy shopping now. I have absolutely no regrets after my surgery. The staff and support team have been wonderful and have been by my side every step of the way.” Tilford said patients from as far as Waterford and Turlock to Lodi have gone to the Manteca hospital. “Right now we have more women than men
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HEALTH undergoing the surgery but I do see more men than you would think,” Tilford said. She added that there are several more men who are presently considering the surgery today, with the rationale they want to have a better quality of life. They say they want to be able to play with their children, which they can’t do now because of their weight. “I have a couple of dads right now and one’s main objective is to be able to play with his kids; to enjoy sports with them,” she said. There is another group of patients that has applied for the surgery with the hope to decrease their morbidities, such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, joint disease, asthma and infertility that will be accomplished by their planned weight loss. Candidates for weight-loss surgery include patients with long standing obesity or a high
body mass index of more than 40. “I don’t want patients or family members to become alarmed if their surgery takes longer than an hour, because it doesn’t necessarily mean there are complications. Dr. Nguyen does both double and small single incisions for some patients. Young girls really like that because when they lose weight the incision is near the belly button and can’t readily be seen,” she added. The only hesitation with offering single incision surgery comes from any scar tissue that is found from former surgeries. The surgery coordinator noted these surgery patients are followed by the staff for a lifetime after their surgery and data is collected on their successes in the resolution of their diabetes – probably the No. 1 threat where great successes are recorded. “People remark how great
“It is my sincere pleasure to introduce myself as your new dental health care provider. I have officially purchased the dental practice of the late Dr. Michael Gerber and I am looking forward to meeting and caring for established patients as well as new patients. My staff and I are excited and ready to provide you and your family with compassionate, quality dental care. I grew up in Oakdale, CA and recently graduated from the UOP Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. I accepted a position in a one year general practice residency in Stony Brook, NY and spent this year training in emergency dentistry, extensive implant restorations, crown and bridge, fillings and treatment planning. I have used these skills in providing care for our patients here in Modesto since July. I am continuing to provide the same dental services that Dr. Gerber offered and have additional experience with dental implant restorations and emergency dental services. All of our beloved hygienists, assistants and office staff are staying here in the office and will continue to provide you with the same care and attention to detail as you have come to expect here in this office.” Always accepting new patients!
1213 Coffee Road, Ste. C • Modesto, CA 95355 209.571.3006 12
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they feel after their surgery, Tilford said. A second morbidity suffered by overweight men and women is that of hypertension where the surgery provides a decrease in the amount of medications they take regularly. “Over the course of the year, postoperatively, we find that the patients can be completely off all their hypertensive meds as well as the diabetic medications,” Tillford said. Most medical insurance covers the entire medical procedure of weight loss surgery that entails reducing the size of the stomach. Those without insurance are provided with a cash schedule for the cost of surgery. “We are going to be participating in our weight loss support group meetings once a month helping people to incorporate and get support about components after weight loss surgery,” Tilford. “The weight loss surgery is just a tool to help with appetite and demonstrating how to lose weight by incorporating healthy eating habits as
well as activity that is just as important,” she said. Tilford noted that the DHM weight loss support group is participating in the 5-Kilometer race in Ripon as part of Rina’s Run in early May with proceeds going to the Ripon High athletic stadium restoration effort. “During the [pre-surgery sessions] I get kinda excited when I see the parents of kids, because I realize they are going to be able to teach their family how to eat healthier. Prior to the surgery they know they are not going to be able to drink soda for the rest of their lives,” she said. Weight loss surgery seminars are held at Doctors Hospital in its conference center on the third Saturday every month from 10 a.m. until noon. To register for a free seminar or for more information call 1.877.629.8893. The weight loss surgery support group meets the third Tuesday every month in the evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call 209.823.3111, extension, 8951. n
Free line dancing classes for seniors Are you a senior and want to step up your fitness routine without joining a gym? Try line dancing offered through Modesto Parks and Recreation. It’s easy, fun and free. This summer, free classes are held once a week at the Senior Citizens Center (211 Bodem Street in Modesto) on Fridays from 9:30 to10:30 a.m. Friday classes for seniors are free, thanks to a sponsorship by Central Valley Medical Group. Seniors will learn basic line dance steps and combinations to a variety of music and rhythms: from jazz to hip hop, rhythm and blues, soul and Latin dance styles. No partner or dance experience is necessary. You’ll get a great workout while having a really great time. No registration is necessary, just show up. For more information on line dancing or any of the other recreation programs offered through the Modesto Parks and Recreation department, call 209.577.5344 or send an email to recreation@modestogov.com. Line dancing is sponsored year round by Central Valley Medical Group, an independent physician association of more than 250 physicians committed to healthy living, which includes exercise. Get moving with Line Dancing…you’ll be glad you did! n
FITNESS
BOUTIQUE FITNESS
More personal attention than traditional health clubs offer B y DE NNIS WY A TT 209 H e a l t hy L i v i n g
W HIME ROMERO/209 Healthy Living
Fitness trainer Wendy Deulus works with her students.
endy Deulus is part of a growing movement. She owns a “boutique” fitness gym. WF Studio on Parallel Avenue in Ripon is cozy by the standards of a typical gym or even a CrossFit venue. You won’t find machines here. There are some light weights, TRX straps made famous by Navy Seals that use the resistance of one’s body and some other exercise paraphernalia but that’s about it. What you will find is personal attention to make sure you have proper form as you sweat your way to personal fitness and health goals. “The programs I offer are geared toward the average person and not athletes,” Deulus said. After working as a group class instructor and personal trainer in gyms starting at Brenda Athletic Club in Modesto and also having nine years on her own as a fitness trainer using her garage and parks and workout centers, Deulus has
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Wendy Deulus has opened WF Studio in Ripon. HIME ROMERO/209 Healthy Living
taken the next step — the opening of her own fitness gym. It is a cross of two worlds. One-on-one personal training may be too intense or expensive for some. At the same time group exercise classes in gyms don’t provide much one-on-one attention. She specializes in small group instruction typically with up to eight people, although some groups will have as many as 12. The cost per person depends upon the size of the group. One-on-one training is also available. “Smaller groups give you a chance to help correct form as you go,” Deulus said.
Proper form, Deulus noted, is critical to obtaining the maximum results form a workout. Besides her own classes, WF Studio has other instructors that offer RIPPED, MUVZ, martial arts, and circuit classes. While many start exercise programs to lose weight, Deulus said it is best to focus on improved health and fitness. “A lot of people seem to think you have to lose weight before you can go to a gym,” Deulus said. She noted that programs are tailored toward individuals, especially in one-onone and small group settings. Deulus noted her clients range from
woman in their early 60s — including one individual who has had a double hip replacement — to those just a few years out of high school. There is also a liberal sprinkling of men. “The goal is to find an exercise program that you like and stick to it,” she said. Her location makes it possible to sometimes incorporate a run down to the Stanislaus River riparian woods to break up the routine. The gym has sessions Mondays through Fridays with easy and close access to Highway 99 via the Ripon Main Street exit. For more information call 209.595.1340. n
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HEALTH
EATING WELL IN THE 209 Fresh fruits, vegetables & nuts aplenty in our own backyard
The ‘FRESH’ sign is draws customers to a table showing onions, eggplants, tomatoes, cabbages and strawberries. The fruit stand in front of a strawberry and vegetable field on West Yosemite Avenue is owned by Sai Saelee and his wife Fahm Saechao.
B y RO SE AL BANO R IS S O 2 0 9 Heath y Liv ing
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ROSE ALBANO RISSO/209 Healthy Living
labors, that trick allows them to harvest only the amount that they need for a day or two by simply “harvesting” a pot-full of fresh potatoes at a time. The most visual demonstration of the Central Valley’s moniker as a bread basket comes with the start of spring in March when the familiar fruit stands along major thoroughfares such as Yosemite Avenue/Highway 120 begin popping up. A perennial presence up through late fall or just the beginning of frost in the valley, these stands help deliver just-picked fresh fruits and vegetables, not to mention almonds and walnuts, to residents’ dining tables. In some cases, you can watch as your fresh strawberries are being picked in the strawberry fields just behind the fruit stands, delivering ripened-on-the-vine desserts. Although strawberry fields abound everywhere, you don’t have to search far and wide for one nearest you. There’s
Tomorrow’s Medicine for Today’s Lifestyle
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Specialists Work Wellness
1801 Colorado Ave. • Turlock, CA • (209) 216-3400
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he Golden State is known as the bread basket not just of the country but of the world. Even bigger news is the fact Central California is right in the heart of this natural cornucopia. Snip a branch from a mature grape, stick it in the ground, and even with the least bit of TLC, it will grow and thrive and fill your dining table for generations to come. As one farmer was heard saying, “Grapes are the easiest thing to grow!” While grapes may be the easiest crop to grow, the Central Valley’s rich alluvial soil makes vegetable gardening at home a cinch – be it planting by pot or by plot. Several homeowners whose gardens have been featured in the annual Manteca Garden Tour have shown perfect examples of successful container vegetable gardening. One couple in the Woodbridge at Del Webb age-restricted community in northeast Manteca have taken to planting potatoes in five- to 10-gallon planters rather than planting them in rows on the ground. Not only did that end their worries about gophers feasting on the fruits of their
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HEALTH one on West Yosemite Avenue toward Interstate 5 near the corner at McKinley Avenue, or go east on Highway 120, a route that is dotted by strawberry fields and fruit stands from Manteca on to Oakdale. By now, it’s no secret to shoppers that grocery stores in their neighborhoods are offering even more fruits and vegetables fresh from local farmers. Eliminating the process of storing the fresh produce for days in refrigerated containers, then having them transported from the warehouses to the grocery stores result in more fresh vegetables and fruits at the produce department. Even Manteca Unified has started relying on fresh vegetables and fruits grown by farmers in the local area through AgLink, an online marketplace that connect local producers with customers such as the school district. Manteca Unified has taken that even a step further by utilizing the School Farm to that advantage. Fresh fruits and vegetables that feed the school district’s 23,000-plus students during lunch come, for the most part, from the School Farm’s row crops planted on the acreage
behind the district office building. High school FFA students help grow the wide variety of vegetables and fruits that are harvested regularly and distributed to various school sites in the district. The fresh produce crops range – which vary from season to season – include lettuce, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and arugula. Soon, the students’ menu will include apples – some two-dozen apples were planted in early spring Increasing healthy eating habits and its attendant consciousness about the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables are not just being demonstrated at the district ag farm. Manteca Unified has also partnered with at least two community non-profit organizations that help promote these goals – the Manteca Garden Club and the Give Every Child a Chance, the latter an after-school all-volunteer student tutoring program. It’s through GECAC’s student-run community garden at Sequoia Elementary School that this partnership was forged, with the gardening expertise and volunteer services thrown in by the garden club members. The result of the above is not just
feeding students with fresh food. Even more so, it’s helping the young people of today increase their understanding of what good food can do to their bodies and to their overall health. That, besides the fact it’s helping them learn and increase their understanding of agriculture and environment and the ramifications of their current stewardship of the world they live in for future generations. They see on a first-hand basis how the ingredients of omelet on their plates got there – that the eggs did not come from a carton at the store but from the hens in an egg farm, or that the tomatoes and spinach and mushrooms were planted, grown, and harvested at a farm which, in many cases, is just located in their back yard. Healthy living with fresh fruits and vegetables coming from farms in the neighborhood is not the only big news for residents in the Central Valley. In the bigger picture, farmers and ranchers in the Golden State pump more than $30 billion a year into California’s economy and employ more than a million people, plus export billions of dollars of goods to markets all over the world. n
ay 1st!
M Opening
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8am-4pm Closed Sundays 1678 Albers Rd., Modesto, CA
209-614-8307
Come visitfarm, run our family licious pick de ies, blueberr the and enjoyy. countr
VanderHelmFarms@att.net Farm Fresh Blueberries You Pick for Family Fun. We Pick for your Convenience.
Research shows that there are many Health Benefits of Blueberries:
VanderHelm Farms is a family run blueberry farm just east of Modesto. We grow thirteen types of blueberries. We are open from May to Middle July with new varieties ripening throughout that time.
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• Blueberries are the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruit • Blueberries aid in Reducing Belly Fat • Blueberries are Cancer Fighters • Blueberries keep your Eyes Healthy • Blueberries are Brain Booster • Blueberries are Heart Healthy
major
HEALTH
Baseball season throws Year of You participants Balmut, Messersmith curve with food choices
HIME ROMERO/209 Healthy Living
Year of Year contestant Jeanette Balmut, left, in the stands at a Manteca High baseball game. By JAMES BUR NS T h e Bu ll e t i n
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he winter coats have come off, but before Joshua Messersmith and Jeanette Balmut can rock their summer bodies they’ve got to overcome some spring struggles first. Baseball season has put the Manteca Bulletin’s Year of You Season 2 participants in quite the pickle. With altered diets have come sacrifices; amongst those sacrifices are tasty stadium food and snacks. Messersmith and Balmut are 13 weeks into their physical and emotional transformations. Together, they’ve shed more than 53 pounds and 29 inches, proving that with motivation, information and dedication change is possible. Still, they never thought the ripples of this lifestyle change would shake up so many of their experiences. Baseball is still a game played with nine players in the field, a bat and a ball, and four bases, but in the stands it’s become a test of will power.
YEAR Of YOU
At least for two. “I never went to a baseball game without a bag full of sunflower seeds,” said Balmut, who has been cheering on her son, Mitch Balmut, since he was 6. “I always had seeds – and junk food. If you go to a game, everyone has their munchies – chips, crackers and nuts.” ••• Fever Pitch: Baseball a family tradition Both Messersmith and Balmut have a deep love for the national pastime and rooting interests on local diamonds. Messersmith’s sister, Kendelle, is a slugging middle infielder on the Sierra High softball team. The junior is batting .703 with five doubles and a home run in her third varsity campaign. While she’s responsible for driving in a bulk of the Timberwolves’ runs, the slugger’s older brother is responsible for
driving her. Messersmith is often the chauffeur for his kid sis, bussing the 16-year-old and her equipment back and forth between home and practices and games. Not that he minds. “It’s my favorite sport,” Messersmith said. “It’s a family thing. It was what I grew up playing from the time I started as a 4 year old. I’ve been a fan of multiple teams, but my biggest is the A’s. I just grew up around the sport.” Balmut has raised one of her own between the painted lines. Her son Mitch is a junior at Manteca High, home of the reigning Valley Oak League and Sac-Joaquin Section champions. The Buffaloes captured a mythical state championship last spring, thanks to a lethal starting staff that included seniors Jacob Corn and Lucas Vaughn. Mitch is part of the new herd, a firstyear junior outfielder making an immediate impact. He’s batting .268 and ranks third on the team in runs scored (13) and RBI (10).
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SUN, SKIN & LIVING IN 209 Good weather can equal bad results By V I NC E REMBULAT 2 0 9 Healthy L i vi ng
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efore she exposes herself to sun, Karen Wise dabs on her sunscreen. On this day, the longtime Stockton preschool instructor along with her assistant Sarah take the children out on the playground for recess. The weather on this mid April day is 76 degree but with plenty of sunshine. The fair-skinned Wise applies, as recommended by her doctor in Modesto, a SPF 30 or above. “I always look for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide,” she said, adding that she also looks for avobenzone or mexoryl as an active ingredient when shopping around for a good sunscreen. Even though it’s just watching children on the playground, Wise applies generous amounts on sunscreen about every hour or two while outdoors. She indicated that it’s about the same as if she were doing a five-mile morning run or pedaling her road bike from her north Stockton home to the vineyards in Lodi’s wine appellation. “It takes a lot of work just to try and preserve (the skin) from sun damage,” she said. Once upon time, Wise was un-wise on
His mom is his No. 1 fan – and to the point, she’ll go to great lengths to be in the stands for each game, home or away. Her calendar is built around his baseball schedule. On game days, typically Wednesdays and Fridays, Balmut rises before the sun for 4:45 workouts. On his off days, she’s in the gym at 3:30 p.m. It’s been this way for years, except, of course, this newfound commitment to the gym. “I was the head scorekeeper for the Manteca Little League. We were on the board. We coached for several years,” said Balmut, who famously admitted to having a membership to CalFit for about a decade without ever complet-
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the dangers of direct sun exposure. After all, she was in her 20s and 30s and the sun’s rays were not only comforting but looked good. “Like most people, I liked having a good tan,” she said. That nice skin tone came at a price. According to www.webmd.com, “we often associate a glowing complexion with good health, but skin color obtained from being in the sun – or in a tanning booth – actually accelerates the effects of aging and increases your risk for developing skin cancer.” Wise also worked on a ranch, did her fair share of water skiing and snow skiing, and spent years as a rower on the Delta. She knew all that led to some early signs of aging just before turning 50. “Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. When these fibers break down, the skin begin to sag, stretch, and lose its ability to go back into place after stretching… so while sun damage to the skin may not be apparent when you’re young, it will definitely show later in life,” said webmd.com. Exposure to the sun can cause: • Pre-cancerous (actinic keratosis) and cancerous (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma) skin lesions. • Benin tumors.
ing one workout. “So, of course, we couldn’t wait for him to make the varsity team and to play. I make such an effort to get up and go to the gym before work, so I won’t have to worry about it at night while he’s playing.” ••• Avoiding ‘slippery slope’ of stadium drink, food Instead, she frets over the food she’s trying to wean herself off of. Sunflower seeds. Tri-tip sandwiches. Nachos. Fresh-baked brownies. Balmut counters those cravings with fruit, a protein shake and water, and occasionally, a protein bar. She says the desire to cheat or overindulge is stymied by the very public nature
• Wrinkles (fine or coarse). • Discolored areas of the skin otherwise known as mottled pigmentation. • A yellow discoloration of the skin called sallowness. • Dilation of small blood vessels under the skin or telangiectasias. • Elastosis or the destruction of the elastic and collagen tissue, causing lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. Wise can’t reverse the aging process caused by Earth’s sun. Rather, she’s opted to go the costly route of Fraxel, which is the first fractional laser skin resurfacing device on the market, nearly two years ago. For Wise, this procedure has been ongoing and, at times, uncomfortable and painful. Tiny injuries to the skin are done using laser – each about one-tenth the diameter of a hair shaft – leaving tiny areas of skin between these injuries undamaged. In turn, the treated sections will regenerate new collagen. She’s beginning to see some positive changes. But if she had to do it all over again, Wise, like many of us, would have taken the precaution – sunscreen and hat – prior to engaging in outdoor activities. “It’s too bad that information (on the dangers of sun exposure) wasn’t available to us back then,” she said. n
of this contest. “Everyone is following my story, so I’m not going to eat in the stands. There’s just no way,” she added. “I would feel like I’m cheating and everyone would be watching me.” Messersmith fights his own battle with ballpark grub. He loves garlic fries and the ovenbaked pizzas he discovered at O.co Coliseum last season. A cold one goes down nicely, too. For years, he celebrated the Oakland A’s Opening Day with a ceremonial beer. He’s not a big drinker, but it had become a tradition he shared with his father. They’d buy a beer – cheers! – and then take the cups home as keepsakes.
Thirteen weeks into his journey, Messersmith now understands the trouble with having just “one” beer at a game. So on Opening Day at the Coliseum, he passed on the beer, pizza and garlic fries. Instead, he snacked on chicken and shrimp before the game. “It’s a slippery slope,” he said of having a beer. “One turns into two and I didn’t want that to happen.” Like Balmut, Messersmith feels a responsibility to himself, his family and the fans of the Year of You contest to make wise food and drink decisions. “I feel better about myself,” he said. “I still have a long ways to go, but I’m feeling good about where I am right now.” n
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