Every second is critical after stroke symptoms first appear. Receiving the right treatment quickly could save your life and minimize brain damage. That’s why you should immediately get to Baptist Medical Center South. As the area’s only Nationally Certified Stroke Center, Baptist South has a specialized Stroke Team on site 24/7, with the expertise to provide the fastest, most effective treatment. So in case of symptoms such as facial drooping, weakness in one arm, slurred speech, blurry vision, or sudden severe headache, think fast…call 911 and get to Baptist MedicalCenter South.
334.273.4444 I baptistfirst.org
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W I N T E R 2 014
Brace yourselves. I’m about to get real. This year has easily been one of the most difficult years of my life. I’m going to spare you the specifics (especially since every person on the planet has his or her own set of challenges), but last spring my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. And let me tell you, it’s been ugly. At the beginning of the year, I halfjokingly said my new year’s resolution would be to survive the year 2013. Either way you look at it, I’m left with zero guilt! Score! But the reality is we have enough on our “plates” already, wondering what you’re going to wear or what you’ll be doing this weekend seem mighty insignificant compared to those who worry about putting food on the table or (big, deep breath) potentially losing a battle to cancer. That’s why appreciating what you have, where you are and what you are doing is so vitally important. Otherwise, what will you have when you look back? You don’t want (or need) guilt. You want to embrace who you are and the glorious potential you have moving forward. So be present. Be cognizant. Be grateful. Be kind. Give yourself pep talks. And have a long-term perspective. Please forgive me if I sound preachy. I’m exhausted, exasperated and so dang tired of feeling down. So let’s me and you start today really living life. Start today shedding yourself of unnecessary guilt. Do your best to stay positive and help others stay positive too. Live your life enjoying the moments, even if you have to take it one teeny, tiny moment at a time. Now, turn the page and let’s get started.
PUBLISHER JTL Publishing EDITOR Jenny Enslen Stubbs WEB EDITOR
Features
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Jennifer Stewart Kornegay ART DIRECTION Karla Merritt, Design Director, Stamp Brooke Johnson, Graphic Designer, Stamp
WINTER
ADVERTISING
ISSUE 5
Tamara Byal, Senior Sales Representative tamara.byal@readlean.org
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334-284-5433 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brenda Robertson Dennis Joanna Dolgoff, MD Jennifer Stewart Kornegay Cheyenne Martin Michele Olson, PhD, FACSM, CSCS Jenny Enslen Stubbs Melissa Tate Witt CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Big Dreamz Creative Stephen Poff, Stamp
Bring more health, happiness and joy to life.
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26 CONTENT 10 WHOLE LIVING Keeping Alabama Evergreen
12 WHOLE LIVING
So Fresh and So Clean LEAN is published quarterly by JTL Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission from the publisher. LEAN reserves the right to determine the suitability of all materials submitted for publication and to edit all submitted materials for clarity and space. LEAN is not responsible for damage, loss or any other injury to unsolicited manuscripts and/or unsolicited artwork. This includes, but is not limited to, drawings, photography, transparencies or any other unsolicited material. LEAN does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial. The publishers do not assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. LEAN is a news magazine with information on health, fitness, leisure activities and sports. Readers are advised to consult their physicians before participating in any sport or fitness activity or starting any exercise, dietary or nutritional program published in LEAN.
14 TO LIFE
Breast Cancer: A Portrait
18 THE DISH
Alabama Belle
22 FORWARD MOTION Be Kind to Your Spine
24 ON THE MOVE Geocaching
30 LEAN LOVES Products & Gear
34 FIT FOR KIDS Hidden Veggies
38 SKIN DEEP Spider Veins
40 FISCAL FITNESS
Portfolio Architecture
42 GO & DO
LEAN’S Calendar of Events
48 LEANEST LOSER
Looking Forward to 2014
Joy-
Full
…
From simple, natural décor and healthy yet yummy appetizers to ideas for family bonding, we’re sharing several ways to add even more joy to this happy season.
…
The dictionary defines joy as “the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation.” Serving these delicious dishes created by Montgomery’s Chef Preston Williams at your holiday party or taking them to your family get-together will definitely bring on “great delight” and maybe a little elation too.
WALNUT & BLUE CHEESE WAFERS
They’re soft and crumbly with just a hint of blue cheese’s salty sharpness. Throw in the crunch and healthy goodness of walnuts, and you’ve got a fantastic savory snack. 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temp 2 cups flour 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 1/3 cup chopped walnuts In a mixer, add all ingredients and mix until just combined. Turn out onto cling wrap and form into a disk, wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour or until very chilled. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a disk of dough to 1/4inch thick. Cut into desired shape and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on edges.
CR AB-STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Crab meat is low in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids, while mushrooms provide important nutrients like selenium and potassium. These perfectly pop-able little packages put the two together in one nutritious, convenient bite. 36 white button mushrooms 3/4 lb. crab meat 1 stick butter 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 cups milk 5 spring onions, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced red salmon roe (optional for garnish)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, melt butter. Whisk in flour to make a light roux. Add salt, pepper, garlic and Worcestershire sauce. While constantly stirring, slowly add in the milk. Continue stirring until thick. Add mixture to crab and onions. Remove stems from the mushrooms and place cap-side down in a baking dish. Stuff the crab mixture inside each mushroom and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Top with salmon roe if desired.
Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. 6
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.
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TRY THIS Grab those plain white or creamcolored candles you have in a closet somewhere and dress them up with cinnamon sticks, some greenery and some ribbon (any color you choose). Use a hot glue gun or drop of wood glue to hold two cinnamon sticks crossed over each other. Once they dry, affix the sticks to the side of your candle with more glue. Once that dries, place your greenery to sit on top of the sticks and tie it all up in a bow with your ribbon. Set them on candle coasters made from cutting 2-inch-thick cross-sections of a branch. The mossier, the better!
PRESTON’S QUICK
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… y t r a P
TIPS
“Add extra panache to any party spread with easy additions like dried fruits dipped in dark chocolate or a bowl of roasted nuts. They add color and textural interest, taste great and are good for you!”
CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES WITH HONEY DRIZZLE SUPER NATUR AL A surefire way to add joy to your holiday experience is to cut out some of the stress. Don’t race around town to find and buy decorations. Chances are your backyard and the grocery store have everything you need for some stunning displays of seasonal spirit.
The tart of citrus and cranberry combined with the sweetness of honey all wrapped up in a scone? Yes, please! The dried cranberries are full of anti-oxidants, and if you use local raw honey (you do, don’t you?), you’re benefiting your body in a multitude of ways. 4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling 2 tablespoons baking powder 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup cold heavy cream 1 cup dried cranberries 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk for egg wash Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Chef Preston Williams is the owner of
FLEUR DE LIS CATERING
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture.
TRY THIS Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended. Dump the dough onto a well-f loured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps, roll them out, and cut more circles. Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then drizzle with your favorite raw, local honey.
Place a sma l ler va se or even a drinking glass in the center of a glass trifle dish. Arrange limes in a ring around the bottom of the vase. Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries on top of the limes. Add another ring of limes on top, and then finish with more cranberries. Fill the vase with sprigs of holly or boxwood, magnolia branches or even cuttings from the Christmas tree you just brought home. Accent with any flower you like.
FA MILY NATURE WALK WREATH Get the family together for some quality time with Mother Nature and make your own one-ofa-kind holiday decoration. Little hands will love finding and collecting items to use for creating a homemade wreath.
1. Gather objects while on your walk such as dried leaves, pinecones, acorns, stems, pebbles and twigs.
QUICK CR AFT
2. On a large grapevine wreath, have everyone arrange their objects.
Need a place to display those beautiful Christmas cards from loved ones? Use pine cones!
3. Larger items can be fastened to the wreath by weaving it through or using floral wire. Adults can affix smaller items with a glue gun.
Contact him at
334-414-1271 8
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Usually
G WHOLE LIVIN
when we hear the phrase “buy fresh, buy local,” our mouths water as we think of colorful and deliciously sweet and sumptuous summertime fruits and veggies (or is it just me?). But what about during the frosty winters when the produce isn’t quite so plentiful? Keeping it green and buying locally grown harvests is still an option in December as well, all in the form of Christmas trees.
BY JENNY ENSLEN STUBBS
g n i p Kee a m a b Al a
N E E R G R E V E
Buying from an independent, locally owned Christmas tree farm allows you to invest in the local economy but also benefits the local ecosystem. For example, Christmas tree farms help soil stabilize, provide refuge for wildlife and protect water supplies.
FOR A LIST OF CHRISTMAS TREE FARMS IN ALABAMA, VISIT READLEAN.ORG.
When talking about his farm’s eco-friendly practices, Frank Wadsworth of Wadsworth Christmas Tree Farm in Wetumpka points out that using certain types of pesticides can upset the ecosystem of beneficial insects that feed on the destructive insects. “We try not to spray pesticides if possible. We are constantly walking our field, and if we see any damaged or diseased trees, we will remove them from the plantation. We limit our herbicide applications by doing a lot of grass mowing during the summer.” Today ’s a r tif icia l trees a re t y pica lly manufactured with metal and PVC, which is a non-biodegradable, petroleum-based plastic. But even more harmf ul is the fact that these artificial trees will sit in a landfill for hundreds of years after they are discarded. And this is going to upset you, but
R
E
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85 percent of artificial trees sold in the U.S. are imported from China, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. (Just think about the energy it takes to get them here! Yikes!) But I’d like to talk about why, personally, it is incredibly important for me to buy locally grown Christmas trees: It helps my family make memories. Smelling the Christmas trees always evokes memories of smiling little faces over steaming cups of cocoa, or being the last woman standing when it comes to putting up all the decorations, or watching my husband break a sweat because he’s the only one who can actually cut the tree down using a handsaw—but I’m getting sidetracked. Wadsworth understands memories are made during these treasured family experiences. “We like to think our trees become the centerpiece of a family's holiday tradition. As you gather around your tree to open gifts, our fondest hope is that someone says, ‘This is the best tree ever!’ And then all our effort becomes worthwhile.”
R E U
S
E
,
TREECYCLE Recycling a Christmas tree (also known as “treecycling”) is one of the main reasons many experts agree they are more environmentally-friendly than their plastic counterparts. It’s a simple way to return a natural, renewable resource back to the environment. Some ways to repurpose them are to recycle the tree into mulch (for landscaping or gardening) or chips (for walkways, paths and playgrounds). Or if you want to create habitat for fish and other wildlife, just throw it into the nearest pond.
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For other eco-friendly Christmas tree tips, or to let your kids find out about the story and science of real tree farming, visit wadsworthchristmastrees.com.
G WHOLE LIVIN
M
ost of us probably have the same idea of what is considered a fresh,
clean smell—one that reeks of bleach and ammonia. Unfortunately, experts continue to tell of the profound effects these conventional household cleaners have on us as well as the environment. Plus, these products often
we love these homemade household cleaner recipes
don’t list what is in them, creating a risk of mixing chemicals together while cleaning that can potentially have a toxic effect on your family.
GL ASS CLE ANER
Mix two tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water and pour into a spray bottle. Squirt on glass and wipe with newspaper to prevent streaking.
Keeping your home clean doesn't require mass disinfection, and conventional products don't work any better than their natural or non-toxic counterparts. Science has proven we don’t need to use antibacterial soap to clean our hands, and many believe the risks from various chemicals used in soaps and other cleaners outweigh any potential benefits. This is true for most areas in our house that we clean; they will be cleaner and even safer with natural cleaners. There are many “green” cleaners out there for just about every household cleaning task. While most of these “green” products are indeed safer, look for cleaners that list all the ingredients in them. Avoid cleaners and soaps that contain chlorine, alcohols, triclosan, triclocarbon, lye, glycol ethers or ammonia; instead, choose products that say petroleum-free, 90 percent biodegradable in three days or phosphate-free.
Even better? Make your own natural cleaners on the cheap. For just about any job, you can do a quick web search and find all kinds of different concoctions from which to choose. Most are simple variations using the same basic ingredients—many of which you probably already have at home. It may take a tweak or two to find the exact recipes that work best for you, but overall, you will be amazed at how effective these cleaners are right away. So what about that fresh, clean smell we all love after a good day of cleaning? How about a light, fresh and clean smell that is actually safe? After you start to use the natural cleaners in your home, smelling the harsh chemicals in conventional cleaners will probably surprise you—and most likely won’t seem as clean as your fumefree household.
Vinegar is a main ingredient in many homemade cleaners. Can't stand its smell? Although the aroma fades pretty quickly, you can add a few drops of essential oils to almost any recipe to create a citrus or lavender scent. Buy essential oils at most health food stores or online. And remember, a little drop goes a long way! Find more easy, natural DIY cleaner recipes at readlean.org.
BY MELISSA TATE WITT
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OVEN CLE ANER
Create a paste with baking soda and water to coat the inside of your oven and let stand overnight. Scrub off and buff with a moist cloth.
HARDWOOD FLOORS
Mix one gallon of hot water with ½ cup white vinegar.
ALL PURPOSE CLE ANER
Mix ¼ cup of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and ¼ gallon of hot water in a spray bottle.
BATHROOM CLE ANER
Mix ¾ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup white vinegar and 3 tablespoons of liquid dishwashing soap to form a paste. If you need some extra scrub on safe surfaces, add 3 tablespoons of salt.
FURNITURE POLISH
Mix ¾ cup olive oil, cup of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Dip a damp rag into furniture polish and wipe surface of furniture. Buff off with an old, dry towel. You can also use this mixture on stainless steel!
Breast
Cancer
A
Portrait
project
“ABCCEDP provides a way for underserved women to access needed breast and cervical health care. It is a lifeline for women; more than 90,000 wouldn't have gotten needed screening if it weren't for this program. Further, 3,124 lives would never have been saved without early detection of breast and cervical cancer. They would never have been diagnosed and given the opportunity to fight. ABCCEDP provides an avenue for individuals, communities and organizations to come together in a concerted effort to provide screening and treatment to those in need to ultimately end breast and cervical cancer in our state.”
The
-ADPH Director of Cancer Prevention and Control Division, Nancy Wright
PORTRAIT
Portrait of
j j PATRICIA WHATLEY 61 years old Had routine annual physicals and mammograms No family history of cancer “I went to the appointment by myself. They asked, ‘Do you have anyone with you?’ I said, ‘Yes, the Lord is beside me.’ They said, ‘You have breast cancer.’ “I went to surgery by myself. They asked, ‘Is anyone with you?’ I said, ‘The Lord.’ “After the surgery, he said, ‘You are a cancer survivor.’”
Patricia’s Message:
( Miracles come in many shapes and sizes. But let’s be honest: Sometimes miracles need a little help too. The following women are miracles, otherwise known as breast cancer survivors, who were given a helping hand from the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ABCCEDP). Alabama women, many like you, have worked hard to support themselves and their families, but for whatever reason have found themselves down and out, especially in this uncertain economic climate. These four distinct women have been diagnosed with cancer, kicked it to the curb, and then regained hold of their everyday lives. They all have their own story to tell but equally recognize ABCCEDP as being a true lifesaver!
BY JENNY ENSLEN STUBBS
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In order to bring a “face” to the stark reality of this disheartening situation, the Joy to Life Foundation, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the Susan G. Komen Foundation have pulled together to support a one-time project encouraging you, the reader, to work as a vessel to implore your legislator to increase state funding in the next legislative session beginning January 14. Our representatives need to know lives are saved by this program, and many more could be saved with increased funding.
Breast cancer has no age limit. Legislators and the public have misconceptions about cancer. Misconceptions like you are lazy or don’t want to work. They are not true. I was a working citizen and made good money. I paid into society. I like to tell my story of what happened so people can realize it can also happen to you or your family. We are normal people. Not asking for a handout. Breast cancer is part of me. People don’t like to talk about it. I’m not ashamed or afraid to talk about it.
“The Joy to Life Foundation was the first organization to provide private funds to support the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, and since 2001, our commitment has never waivered. Our focus is to keep ABCCEDP thriving. But more women need to be served! More money needs to be raised! More lives need to be saved! Our legislators need to increase funding for this life saving program, and together we can give all the women in Alabama the services they need and deserve.”
Don’t think this could happen to you? The reality is these women didn’t either. Read their stories and ask yourself: What would you do?
”
-Joy Blondheim, Founder of the Joy to Life Foundation
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m HELP WANTED!
project The
PORTRAIT j
Portrait of
LORI HOOD j
47 years old Started mammograms at age of 25 Significant family history of cancer
“Increased funding is essential, both now and in the future, to give underserved women the opportunity to receive vital screening services. Without proper funding, the women who could benefit from the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program would have to skip potentially lifesaving tests and treatment. For all of those women, in this community and across the state, who will one day be fighting this dreaded disease, we ask lawmakers to make funding for cancer prevention a top priority.”
Inform your governor, senators and representatives about the need for increased funding for ABCCEDP. We're making that easy by providing a pre-written email message you can send! Simply visit
http://tiny.cc/beat-cancer and fill in your information and send your message today!
-Ginny Campbell, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
“I am a single mother of two teenagers, and I worked up until the day of diagnosis. Breast cancer is something I was always aware of, my great aunt and my aunt died of this disease. I was doing a routine self-breast exam and found a lump in my right breast. I was scared, terrified. I had no way of paying for a mammogram. I was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 2. The program saved my life. I caught the cancer early. I am alive today because of the program and many angels around me.”
Lori’s Message:
j
Portrait of
LEAH PRICE j
21 years old No self-breast exams or mammograms No family history of cancer
Early detection is our only cure. We have to be proactive—have to be, with mammograms and self-breast exams. Breast cancer has taught me so much: how important relationships are and how a lot of things are spilled milk. It changed my perspective. People don’t talk about it and they should. We need to break the taboo. I am alive because of this program.
“What was going through my head at the time? I was in major denial. I didn't believe them. I knew people were diagnosed with breast cancer every day but not at my age. I finally started believing it was real when I had my first chemo. I was hoping so bad someone would tell me they made a mistake, it wasn't cancer. But indeed it was. But now I'm two years cancer-free and stronger than I ever imagined.”
Leah’s Message: Portrait of
j RAQUEL SMITH 30 years old Conducted self-breast exams No family history of cancer
Without that insurance I honestly don't know where I would be. It paid for my surgeries. Without that insurance I would still have just one breast. When I was on my father’s insurance, I had my right mastectomy. He lost his job and no other insurance would take me because of pre-existing conditions. My doctors told me I had to have a left mastectomy as well or I would have a high chance of getting cancer in my left breast. I didn't want to go through that again.
j
Any person who went through cancer went through a lot. It's a very scary experience. For two years cancer tried to rule my life. I experienced things I have never even heard of before. Breast cancer is hard, but sometimes you have to smile through the pain. That's what I did. I beat breast cancer, and I'm proud of it. I'm happy and healthy now.
“When I found the lump, my mom cried. I took care of her. I am strong, and we did what we had to do to move forward. It’s easy to hide scars. I fought for my life, my children. Breast cancer is part of me—part of what made me what I am to help others. But I am not breast cancer.”
Raquel’s Message: “Susan G. Komen supports the ABCCEDP because the ABCCEDP saves lives. We have chosen to contribute the majority of our funding dollars to this program because it is, quite simply, the best mechanism Alabama has to screen and detect breast cancer for women in need. Without this program and the financial support it receives from organizations like Joy to Life and Susan G. Komen, thousands of women in Alabama would not receive the basic, live-saving screening services they need to be alive, healthy and providing for their families.”
When I had my lumpectomy, everyone said, “It’s not breast cancer; you are too young.” I am triple negative and have had a double mastectomy. I was pregnant with my son when I was diagnosed. My son was born while I was taking radiation. I am a single mom; my husband abandoned me after diagnosis. I had my husband’s insurance, but after the divorce, I was removed from his insurance. I now have no insurance. I want to help young women—I admire older women—I believe this happened to me so I can help younger women.
-Ellen Zahariadis, Susan G. Komen Foundation
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BY JENNIFER STEWART KORNEGAY
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Belle Chevre is now scooping out several flavors of chevre-based ice cream at its shop and cafe in Elkmont.
Belle Chevre’s products had already racked up plenty of awards in the gourmet world and garnered the attention of foodies in big cities from Beverly Hills to New York, yet hardly any Alabamians knew anything about it. “I decided to take things in a little different direction,” Tasia said.
The old railroad track running behind Belle Chevre’s new creamery has been converted into a trail, and the creamery rents bikes to folks who’d like to explore it. The company is also partnering with Alabama’s HERO Bike in Greensboro to create a special bamboo bike especially for the creamery and shop.
This variety of cheese has been made for centuries, and the really good stuff has usually come from France. (Chevre is the French word for goat.) But not today. Now, Alabama’s own Belle Chevre Creamery in Elkmont is creating artisan cheeses the old-fashioned way and winning prestigious awards as well as earning legions of devoted Belle fans. Owner Tasia Malakasis proudly rattled off a few recent honors. “In Switzerland, at the Dairy Innovation Awards, our goat cheese cheesecake won best dessert,” she said. “And at The Fancy Food Show, held in New York City each summer and including specialty food producers f rom a ll over the world, our cheesecake won best dessert too. That was really exciting; it is kinda like the Oscars of food.” At the show, Belle Chevre’s honey chevre also won best diet and lifestyle food. “It is really good for you,” Tasia said.
Success has led to growth, and in April, Belle Chevre opened its first retail shop in a 100-year-old general store in downtown Elkmont. Right behind the shop, Belle Chevre partnered with the city to open its new creamery in October, bringing life and the renewal of industry to an 8,000-squarefoot abandoned cotton warehouse. Visitors can tour the creamery and see the cheese being made, then head to the shop to sample and finally buy what they like. There’s also a café, where the shop’s previous incarnation drove one of the more interesting sandwich choices. “ W h en w e w er e fixing it up, we had several old timers come in and tell us that this is where they used to buy t hei r b olog n a ,” Tasia said. “So we decided we had t o put a bologna sandwich on the menu.” 20
But not just any ole bologna pairs with goat cheese. “We have this fabulous veal bologna that is made special for us,” Tasia said. Other selections include fondue pots and cheese plates. Several ingredients have gone into Belle Chevre’s success story, one being Tasia’s passion for her home state and the products she makes here. The North Alabama native, who learned that food equals love from her grandmother, was working in Manhattan when she happened upon a box of Belle Chevre cheese in a high-end food store. After noticing it was made in Elmont, Alabama, very close to where she grew up, she couldn’t resist, so she bought it, ate it and thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that she contacted the owner. “We talked for a few months, and then one day I told her, ‘I’ve quit my job. I’m coming home to work there with you.’ It worked perfectly because she was ready to retire,” Tasia said. Tasia worked at Belle Chevre for free for six months to learn the business, and then, she bought it.
She rebranded the products to make them more accessible. “I just didn’t want people to see goat cheese as fancy or intimidating like I think some did,” she said. “It is really the perfect cheese for almost anything,” she said. Plus, it is good for you, boasting less fat and calories, less lactose, more protein and more probiotics than other cheeses.
Highlighting goat cheese’s versatility, the cookbook “Tasia’s Table” was published last fall. In its pages, Tasia offers original recipes using goat cheese for breakfast, entrees, appetizers, sides and desserts. The book also shares how to make your own goat cheese as well as a list of other products you probably often use for which goat cheese can easily substitute. Tasia’s dedication and drive are integral parts of the mix that makes Belle Chevre cheeses so special, but Belle herself is the real key. This carefree little goat, who’s the stylized star of the cheese’s packaging, represents all of the Alabama goats who give their milk to create the cheese, while the grass they feed on and the North Alabama soil it springs from lend Belle Chevre products a truly distinct flavor that can’t be replicated anywhere else. It is a uniquely Alabama product.
With the shop and creamery now open, Belle Chevre is buzzing with activity; the company currently produces around 2,000 pounds of goat cheese a week, and Tasia is working on a second cookbook scheduled for release this spring. Whether you’re a goat cheese fanatic or not even sure you like it, you’re invited to visit Belle Chevre; Tasia’s confident a few bites from the tasting bar will convert almost anyone. Or, if you just can’t wait to get your hands on some Belle Chevre cheese, you can order any of the company’s products, including DIY cheese-making kits, at bellechevre.com.
Forward Motion
FORWARD MOTION
:
BY MICHELE OLSON, PHD, FACSM, CSCS MicheleOlsonPhd.com
We know bending over or twisting to pick up our brief cases, grocery bags, purses or children can strain the back and even damage the spine’s shockabsorbing machinery, and the same can be true when you are lying on an exercise mat bending and twisting your trunk doing abs exercises.
Spine Be kind to your
Thanks to spine experts who study these exercises, we now know all of this flexing, crunching and twisting is not completely necessary.
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Can you prop up on your forearms and toes (similar to the “up” position for a push-up) and hold your body in a straight line for about 90 seconds? In other words, can you do a plank and hold it? If so, you will make many spine researchers happy. All of the crunching, flexing and twisting common to most abdominal exercises many of us use to make our trunks strong to support our spines can stress and compromise our backs.
Teach your abdominal muscles and back muscles to work cooperatively, and you will have a much better chance of improving the function of your back while protecting it from injury. Perform exercises where your spine stays long and in its natural position by doing planks, modified curls such as the Pilates’ Hundred and the Bird Dog Exercise. These exercises work your abdominals and trunk as well as the muscles that support your spine on the backside. 23
ON THE MOVE
GEOCACHING GEOCACHING MAKES EVERYONE A MODERN-DAY TREASURE HUNTER!
For 30 years in the early 1800s, the pirate Captain Billy Bowlegs terrorized the Gulf Coast, laying in wait to prey on the Spanish fleets that frequented the crystal blue waters. Bowlegs amassed a small fortune and hid his loot in three different locations. Perdido Bay was a popular hideout for pirates, and it’s rumored that a cache of Bowlegs’ coins is still hidden on the Alabama side of the ferry on the Perdido River. Bowlegs’ own recovery of the larger portion of his scuttled treasure was plagued with death, and he lived the rest of his life within sight of it, never touching it.
BY CHEYENNE MARTIN
24
MODERN-DAY TREASURE HUNTING, OR GEOCACHING, ISN’T QUITE AS PERILOUS AS IT WAS IN CAPTAIN BOWLEGS’ TIME. IN FACT, GEOCACHING COMES WITH MANY PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS. Geocaching is an online-based game which first appeared in 2000, after new technology vastly improved the accuracy of GPS. Players register at Geocaching.com, which is the official website for geocaching. Then, using a GPS-enabled device, such as a cell phone, they choose a coordinate from the site’s extensive list. These coordinates show the location of hidden caches (or containers) that house all kinds of items. The first geocache buried in 2000 contained videos, books, software and a slingshot. The rule is if you take something out, you have to put something back of greater or equal value for the next player to find. The geocache also contains a logbook for the player to log his find, making it a fun bit of history for that particular treasure. You can also hide caches of your own. Most geocachers hide items that tell a little bit about who they are in a place that has special meaning. Be sure to include a log book for others to document the find as well. Then, once it’s hidden, use your GPS device to make a note of the coordinates and submit them to Geocaching.com so other players can find what you’ve hidden. In this modern era, where technology is king, and eyes are glued to screens of various sizes, geocaching is a breath of fresh air. The game uses an online base, electronic devices and gaming to invite players to step away from the computer and into the world. It introduces real-life outdoor adventure to a generation of gamers and allows them to interact with others in a tangible, healthy way. It’s also a way for parents to bridge the gap with their tech-savvy children and spend quality time together.
Geocaching teaches players about history, nature, topography, geography, group problem-solving and how to read a compass and map. The feelings of achievement that come after finding a cache greatly enhance self-esteem, making it an ideal hobby for families and children. Individuals don’t even need to register with the online site to play privately. Parents and children can take turns hiding caches and noting the longitude and latitude coordinates and play the game as a group. As far as physical health, players can have as much exercise as they like. Geocaches are hidden all over the world in areas that are easy to get to or hard to find. Some caches are hidden in parks, others can be found after a long hike or even underwater. The player can choose what to find based on his fitness level. Geocaching can be used as a self-paced race or a race between individuals. A family, for example, can work together to find as many caches as they can in a certain amount of time or divide into teams to see who finds the most. Looking for caches in urban areas or wild areas doesn’t just keep it new and exciting—it also introduces different physical challenges. So pack a lunch, load up the kids and spend a day hunting treasure. You can visit geocaching.com for straight-forward and detailed tips on getting started. You never know what you might find when you take this online game mobile. A little pirate’s gold perhaps? One can only hope.
25
Alabama State Parks are joining in on the fun! VISIT
ALAPARK.COM/ GEOCACHING to learn more about the challenge!
Happy
Self 2014
It seems so perfect... so doable. There’s absolutely no way we can possibly fail. The first day of a fresh New Year holds all of the magical possibilities in the world. This will be the year we overhaul our diet and lose the extra pounds, save more money, complete a marathon and finally find our six-pack abs. It’s a piece of gluten-free, paleo-friendly cake, right? Not so fast. A 2007 study by Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed “88 percent of those who set New Year’s resolutions fail, despite the fact 52 percent of the study’s participants were confident of success at the beginning.” Raise your hand if you’ve ever found yourself among the poor remaining 48 percent who resolved without confidence. So why do we even bother?
“I was beyond unhappy,” she said. “I knew I had to make a change. So I created a Life List and began living by the quote by George Bernard Shaw, ‘Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.’ I was on a mission to create the ‘me’ I wanted to be. Seven years later I have lost 126 pounds and maintained the weight. I’ve run two half-marathons, countless 5Ks. I parasailed, traveled, went to counseling, read books, wrote in journals, prayed, increased boundaries, entered a second marriage that is healthy, and eliminated negative people and negative self-talk from my life. Today, my passion is to help others create the life they want to live.”
Well it turns out making New Year’s resolutions is actually a well-heeled practice dating back centuries. On the first day of each year, for example, the ancient Babylonians promised their gods they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts. In Medieval times, knights welcomed the New Year by taking the “peacock vow” of chivalry. Many religions all over the world have developed some type of tradition relating to the practices of reflection, forgiveness, fasting and self-improvement to mark the beginning of a new calendar year. So there must be something to it. But why do so many of us fall by the wayside, finding ourselves right back where we were by February?
R ESOL UTIONS ? GET REAL!
IF YOU’RE TIRED OF THE ANNUAL “SET, TRY, FAIL, GUILT” MERRY-GO-ROUND THAT OFTEN COMES WITH MAKING UNREALISTIC NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS, TRY A DIFFERENT, HEALTHIER APPROACH THIS TIME: GET REAL, GET REWARDED AND REACH OUT FOR SUPPORT.
BY BRENDA ROBERTSON DENNIS
26
Driver-Coley has some practical advice for those about to make some 2014 resolutions. “First, if you have had the same new year’s resolutions for multiple years, it’s time to stop the insanity,” she said. She also points out when individuals make the choice to stop smoking, work out five days a week and drastically change their diet all in one day, it’s a recipe for failure. “These are your goals. Make [them] achievable, tangible and try to have more short-term goals than long-term goals.”
“Many of us simply fall victim to our own negative self-talk and self-sabotage behaviors,” said River Region area Life Coach Holli DriverColey, director and counselor at Life Happens Counseling & Wellness. Driver-Coley knows a thing or two about making major resolutions. In 2007, she found herself weighing 267 pounds, stuck in an unhealthy marriage and generally miserable with her life.
27
create
HOLLI DRIVER-COLEY'S LIFE LIST
Long-Lasting
LOST 126 POUNDS AND MAINTAINED THE WEIGHT.
Lifestyle change
RAN TWO HALF-MARATHONS AND COUNTLESS 5KS.
1. ELIMINATE negative
PARASAILED AND TRAVELED.
self-talk!
WENT TO COUNSELING.
2. ALWAYS reward yourself.
READ BOOKS AND WROTE IN JOURNALS. PRAYED AND INCREASED BOUNDARIES.
3. BE YOUR BIGGEST
cheerleader and biggest supporter.
ENTERED A SECOND MARRIAGE THAT IS HEALTHY.
4. REACH OUT for assistance
ELIMINATED NEGATIVE PEOPLE AND NEGATIVE SELF-TALK FROM MY LIFE.
and support (support groups, counseling, friends and family).
She also stresses the importance of having supportive and encouraging people in your life. “Regarding lifestyle goals, individuals need to seek like-minded friends who will assist them in being accountable, like a walking buddy, a 5K friend or even a support group.”
Finally, Driver-Coley recommends developing a plan for rewarding yourself during the process of making large changes in your life. “Don’t reward yourself with what you are trying to eliminate or decrease in your life,” she said. “A smoker doesn’t reward themself with a cigarette. Someone trying to get out of debt doesn’t reward himself or herself with a shopping spree. And an overeater or emotional eater doesn’t reward himself or herself with food. Instead, try rewarding yourself in increments of your goal.” She suggests if you lose five pounds or go five days without a cigarette, you reward yourself with a pedicure date with a friend, a new pair of shoes, a Sunday afternoon at a book store or a movie. With each successful milestone, reward yourself in larger increments such as buying a new outfit, taking a weekend trip or getting a makeover. “The process of choosing realistic goals and attacking them seriously lies within each person’s commitment level to themselves,” said Driver-Coley. “Change is not always easy and generally becomes harder before it becomes easier. I remind individuals this is a personal choice you have made and that you get to decide if you want to honor yourself or not. We honor our jobs, our families, our friends and even our loyalties to brands. Why would we not honor ourselves?” That’s a very good question. Perhaps the best New Year’s resolution any of us can make is the one where we stop being so hard on ourselves and begin to enjoy the process. 28
Don’t let cough & flu tackle you.
5. UNDERSTAND life happens, and you’re going to have difficult days. It’s okay.
Stay in the game. “Today, my passion is to help others create the life they want to live.”
Get your flu and Tdap shots today. Flu can sideline you for up to a month. And pertussis (whooping cough) is highly contagious. Adults and teens often pass it on to younger children who can become
Holli Driver-Coley, MS, LPC, NCC, CRC, CBIS Director & Counselor Life Happens Counseling & Wellness lifehappenscounseling.com
seriously ill. Getting protected is quick and inexpensive. Talk to your healthcare provider, and for more information visit download the ADPH app.
or
GET AN EYEFUL OF THESE PRODUCTS AND PLACES WE LOVE.
WICKEDLY DELICIOUS
Gear
Wickles Pickles’ tangy, and often spicy, pickled products are so good, you might eat them all yourself instead of sharing them as gifts. That kind of selfish behavior could land your name in the “naughty” column, but you won’t even care. Using a secret, 70-year-old family recipe, Wickles Pickles are made in Dadeville and have evolved beyond the traditional pickle to include pickled okra, pickled pepper strips, relishes and more.
PRODUCTS &
AVAILABLE IN PUBLIX STORES STATEWIDE AND AT WICKLESPICKLES.COM.
Making your holiday gift list and checking it twice? Put any (or all!) of these Alabama-made items in the stockings you stuff, and you’re guaranteed to receive a heartfelt and thrilled “Thank You!”
UP-CYCLED CHIC For that fashionista that ’s tough to please, try a necklace or pair of earrings created by Montgomery designer Jenny Joh nson. She re-uses a nd re-purposes discarded and forgotten lockets, charms and other trinkets, combining them and transforming them into beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces that have both vintage appeal and contemporary style. We especially love her line that includes the classic and iconic Chanel logo. Prices vary. AVAILABLE AT HUE STUDIO, INC. IN MONTGOMERY.
30
HEART & SOUL David Belser, owner of The Barnyard Furniture, began by making a coffee table for a special someone. Folks who saw it liked it so much, he was encouraged to start his business. Using reclaimed and salvaged lumber, he gives old wood new life as tables, benches, chairs and more, and his favorite wood to work with is heart of longleaf pine, the tree that once covered most of the Deep South. Almost every piece he builds is customdesigned and embraces the qualities of the wood being used. “I love to create beautiful things out of a less-than-perfect material,” he said. “It’s perfectly imperfect.” Prices vary. CONTACT THE BARNYARD FURNITURE AT BARNYARDFURNITURE.COM OR 334-649-1530.
31
SMILE!
Know someone who could use a little laugh with their morning coffee or an additional pick-me-up with their afternoon tea? We suggest the addition of an Ug Chug Mug to their kitchen cabinet. These gloriously goofy face mugs are the work of Nelson Studio in Cullman and are inspired by the light-hearted sense of humor of the married couple who own and run the pottery company, Chad and Meghan Nelson. “They are really our funny take on traditional Southern face jugs,” Meghan said. Chad makes every eye, tooth, lip and other feature by hand and attaches them to each mug. If you look closely, you can actually see his fingerprints in some of the teeth. Prices vary. AVAILABLE ONLINE AT ETSY.COM/SHOP/NELSONSTUDIO OR AT SHOPS AROUND THE STATE INCLUDING THE ALABAMA GIFT COMPANY IN GADSDEN, ALABAMA GOODS (HOMEWOOD AND TUSCALOOSA), THE SHOPS AT THIRD STREET PROMENADE IN CULLMAN, THE SWITCH HOUSE IN HUNTSVILLE AND GOATHILL MUSEUM STORE IN MONTGOMERY.
SOUTHERN SUDS Based in Enterprise, Boll Weevil Soap Company hand-makes its wide range of soaps and lotions fresh each week using pure, all-natural ingredients like goat’s milk, jojoba oil, organic shea butter, oatmeal and plant-based aromatherapy oils that are light and skin soothing. The Pink Cotton Blossom soap is a fruity, floral favorite.
EAT AL ABAMA
AVAILABLE IN SHOPS AROUND THE STATE INCLUDING THE SHOP AT UNION STATION IN MONTGOMERY AND THE ALABAMA GIFT COMPANY IN GADSDEN.
AVAILABLE AT THE COMPANY STORE IN WETUMPKA, FANCI FREE IN PRATTVILLE AND COOL BEANS IN MONTGOMERY OR ONLINE AT ETSY.COM.
Ü
In Prattville, Naturally Rad creates hand-cut soaps, beeswax lotions and scrubs with no added chemicals or preservatives. Grab up a few bars of Achilles Last Shave, a specially formulated “shave soap” containing organic coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, Roman chamomile essential oil, lavender essential oil and either bentonite clay or Moroccan clay. The clay gives it "slip" feel, making it great for a close shave, but it has actually become as popular with women as with men.
“Alabama Food: Classic Dishes, Restaurants & Chefs” is a perfect pick for that food lover on your list. The official book of The Year of Alabama Food, its 128 pages are full of mouth-watering photos, plus the stories behind Alabama’s signature flavors, many based on the state tourism department’s “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die List.” Culinary institutions and personalities such as Chris Hastings, Frank Stitt, Chris Lilly, Lucy Buffett and Patricia “Sister” Schubert are among those featured. “Alabama Food” also has sections showcasing farmers markets, food festivals, vineyards and Alabama craft beer. $20. AVAILABLE AT BOOKS-A-MILLION STORES ACROSS THE STATE, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION GIFT SHOP AND THE GOATHILL MUSEUM STORE IN MONTGOMERY OR ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM.
S F IT F O R K ID
N TTE HY W
L HEA
AYS
VEGGIES IN YOUR TO HIDE ' favorite kids
f o od s
1
SMOOTHIES .
Sometimes it’s difficult to get your kids to eat their veggies, and after a long day of work, you’re more likely to give in than force them to clean their plates. When this happens, it’s time to get creative! Here are 10 healthy (and sneaky!) ways to hide veggies in your kids’ favorite foods!
Try blending in a cup or two of spinach and/
or kale for a hefty serving of vegetables that boost brain power, bone power and immune function. The sweetness of the
fruit will mask the flavor of the spinach and kale. The only evidence of vegetables inside is the funny green hue of your smoothie.
2
MEATLOAF, BURGERS AND MEATBALLS. When it comes to
ground beef, it’s easy to incorporate veggies without your kids having the slightest idea. Your two options are to shred squash and mix it in with your beef mixture, or finely chop onions, carrots, squash and other veggies and sauté until translucent. Combine your veggie mixture in with your beef, form burgers, meatballs and meatloaf and cook as usual. Enjoy seeing the looks on your kids’ faces after they clear their plates and find out veggies were on the inside!
3
Tac o Meat
When it comes to taco toppings, be sure to include a variety of colorful veggies like sautéed peppers and onions as well as scallions, purple cabbage, corn kernels, avocado (or guacamole) and romaine lettuce (instead of iceberg). If that doesn’t work, sneak in some squash by shredding it and cooking it into the taco meat. It will take on the color and flavor of the taco seasoning and your kids will never know!
BY JOANNA DOLGOFF, MD
34
35
4
TOMATO SAUCE. Use the technique listed
above for burgers, meatloaf and meatballs (sauté finely chopped veggies and mix them into your sauce). The veggies will almost disappear into the sauce but will add another layer of hearty flavors.
5
L ASAGNA.
Where’s the rule that says
lasagna has to be made with noodles? Try slicing zucchini long ways like lasagna noodles. Replace all or half of the noodles with zucchini and layer as usual with sauce
and cheese. Take things a step further and layer in things like peas, spinach, zucchini, carrots, broccoli and onions. The veggies will take on the flavors of the sauce and the stringy cheese will distract your kids
6
9
PANCAKE BATTER. Hiding veggies in pancakes is as
simple as hiding veggies in muffins and bread loaves. Shred some zucchini and mix it in with the batter. Cook on the griddle as usual, and watch the zucchini melt right in. Your kids will have trouble finding the veggies in this one! Top with sliced bananas and all-natural maple syrup for a yummy breakfast treat!
10
“Empowering every woman in Alabama to engage in Healthy Living” - Alabama Healthy Women
SOUPS. A hearty vegetable soup is perfect for any season.
But if your kids are the type who drink the broth and leave the veggies, try shredding some squash, mix it in with the broth and watch it disappear. Even if you find veggies left in your little one’s soup bowls, you’ll still smile because you know they’ve had a serving of veggies anyway.
from the fact that there are veggies in the lasagna!
lt h
MASHED POTATOES. Kids love mashed
you. Making them at home is always your best
is a “sometimes” food, but adding in some hidden veggies can make it an “all-the-time” type of food! Try finely chopping steamed broccoli and cauliflower and tossing them in with the noodles before adding the cheese. Your kids will have trouble saying no to this treat.
DR. DOLGOFF’S STORY
ys
Ph
MACARONI AND CHEESE. This kid favorite
t•
can do the same with a banana loaf or carrot cake.
igh
kids will be surprised to find out what’s inside. You
Even though Dr. Joanna Dolgoff can be seen putting her childhood obesity specialist skills to good use on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” she also utilizes her revolutionary Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right child and adolescent weight-loss program when working with children and their parents all over the country. In an effort to help educate LEAN’s readers here in Alabama, Dr. Dolgoff contributes helpful articles filled with compelling information to empower Alabama’s children to stop the vicious cycle of obesity.
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batch of muffins, and you’ll see just how good they
8
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the f o y n a t por p u s e s a en m Ple o W y h t al $50 listed He a g n i k a ym b s e v i t a tion a n Initi o d e l ctib u d e d x a EE t R F a e v i and rece g. a t r a c d ize personal ebsite for w r u o t i s i V tails. e d e r o m
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37
alabamahealthywomen.com
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BY MELISSA TATE WITT
M
It may be winter, but many of us are already thinking about warmer weather. And warmer weather brings with it shorts and swimsuits. Losing those extra pounds you gained over the holidays may not be the only thing on your mind at this point. You may also be worried about those unsightly spider veins!
ost of the time, spider veins are not dangerous but more of an issue of appearance. They most commonly occur on the legs or the face but can also be found around other parts of the body. Sometimes, they can be painful, with dull aching and cramping sensations. Although medical attention is sometimes needed to eliminate complications, spider veins may simply be an indicator of a lifestyle change that needs to take place.
SIMPLE REMEDIES: Purchase compression stockings. Available at many pharmacies and medical supply stores, compression stock ings come in various styles including belowthe-knee, above- the-knee and full-length pantyhose styles. They also come in different compressions varying from 8 to 10 mmHg up to 40 to 50 mmHg. It is best to talk to your doctor about what may be right for you.
Practice healthy skin habits. Wear sunscreen to help prevent spider veins f r om app e a r i ng on t he fac e. T h i s i s especially important for those of us that are fair-skinned. Lose the excess weight. More weight equals more pressure on those veins. And where does most of that pressure go? You guessed it! To our legs. Those veins in our legs work the hardest, so keep your weight within its healthy range.
Eat a low salt, high-fiber diet. Too much sodium brings on swelling that will only irritate those veins. Eating high-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, keeps things in flow.
Exercise regularly. Improve your leg strength and blood circulation through those veins by focusing on exercises that work your legs such as walking or running.
Avoid long periods of sitting or standing. Take breaks during those times you are stuck sitting or standing for a long time. Take a quick walk or do a few jumps to keep your blood moving.
Elevate your legs while sitting and sleeping. When you can, prop up those legs a little higher than your heart.
BRINGING IN THE BIG GUNS: Although there are many medical treatments available from lasers to stripping of the veins, Sclerotherapy is the most common and effective treatment for both spider veins and varicose veins. A needle is used to inject a liquid chemical into the vein that causes the vein walls to swell, stick together and seal shut. This stops the flow of blood, and the vein turns into scar tissue. Within a few weeks, the vein should fade. This treatment does not require anesthesia, can be done in a doctor's office and is fairly inexpensive. If additional treatments are needed, they can be done every four to six weeks. Possible side effects of Sclerotherapy may include some swelling and irritation around the injection point, but this normally goes away shortly after treatment.
39
Smaller than varicose veins that are usually swollen and coiled above the skin, spider veins are capillaries that appear red or blue near the surface of the skin in a clustered spiderweb type fashion. Spider veins affect around half of all Americans, and while the true cause for them is unknown, many factors may contribute to the development of this back up of blood including genetics, excess weight, age, injuries, sun exposure, pregnancy and hormones.
Want to learn more? Check out womenshealth.gov for more information about the causes and treatment of spider veins.
When designing a house, an architect accounts for your lifestyle and needs. Whether you’re raising a family, becoming an empty nester or entertaining big crowds, the structure is often designed around your goals and needs. Your portfolio of investments should be created with the same idea in mind.
primary question is whether you are in the growing stage or the income stage. In the growing stage (while you are building up your assets), you’re typically not concerned about taking money out. With that being the case, your portfolio can handle more changes in value. While none of us like years when the markets fall, additions to our portfolios during this time allow you to take advantage of those pullbacks — sort of like a blue light special at Kmart.
Architecture Portfolio
40
As you near retirement though, your needs begin to shift. Refer back to the housing analogy. At the point when your children leave the home for good, your housing needs change. Maybe you should remodel or move. Likewise, your portfolio may need remodeling or to be switched to a more appropriate allocation. In retirement, you start living off your investments and therefore require distributions from your portfolio. Because of this, preserving your portfolio from significant declines in value becomes much more important. It also may mean looking at more incomeoriented investments. There’s a rule of thumb that says, if properly invested, you should be able to withdraw 4 percent of your account value and still allow your portfolio to keep up with inflation over time. This assumes your portfolio grows by 7 percent per year, and if you take off 4 percent, the remaining investments would still be rising by 3 percent to keep up with inflation.
While we believe this rule of thumb is generally true, there are some other variables that should be considered when enacting such a plan. Even so, let’s consider someone with a $1 million portfolio who takes out $40,000/year or 4 percent. Now, let’s say the market falls, and the portfolio value drops in half to $500,000. Unfortunately for most people, they can’t reduce their spending by half, so $40,000 still has to come out. That means now they’re taking 8 percent off the portfolio. This shows the importance of building a portfolio to help preserve better on the downside in retirement.
At Wells Fargo Advisors, we have the financial tools necessary to build a portfolio around your life. Please feel free to call us for help. For more information, contact Laura Sikes, Registered Client Associate, at 334.273.3473. Dickie Blondheim—First Vice President—Investment Officer
Many people require help in this area, and that’s okay. It’s not a subject most people focus on daily. With that being t he c a se, we recom mend you f i nd someone knowledgeable about portfolio architecture and see how it applies to your situation. Whether you’re growing your nest egg, changing jobs, selling a business, in her iting f rom fa mily, eva luating retirement or are currently retired, your portfolio’s design should first start with you.
Hart Johnson, CFA – Financial Advisor Paul Johnson—Vice President—Investment Officer Nolen Lamberth – Financial Advisor The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of Wells Fargo Advisors or its affiliates. The material has been prepared or is distributed solely for information purposes only.
*The example provided is hypothetical and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to represent any specific return, yield, or investment, nor is it indicative of future results. Investment and insurance products: NOT FDIC-Insured
NO Bank Guarantee
MAY Lose Value
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. CAR#1013-06564 2660 EastChase Lane, Suite 301 Montgomery, AL 36117 41
GET AN EARLY START MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE
2014 WALK OF LIFE WALKOFLIFE2014.ORG
Y Y
2013-2014
Y
MAKE YOUR WINTER A WONDERLAND BY VISITING ENCHANTINGLY ENJOYABLE EVENTS LIKE THESE THROUGHOUT THE STATE!
Y Y Y
HUNTSVILLE
GUNTERSVILLE
Nov 15-Dec 31
Nov 18-Jan 2
Galaxy of Lights
Annual Festival of Trees
hsvbg.org
guntersvillemuseum.org
Named one of the top 20 events for the entire Southeast, this marvelous holiday light festival (which stretches for an entire mile) features over-the-top animated light displays, a charming winter village as well as dancing and singing nursery rhyme characters. Certain to be fun and delightful for the whole family!
Over 25 decorated trees from around the area are featured at this year’s Annual Festival of Trees held at the Guntersville Museum.
MONTGOMERY
ORANGE BEACH
BIRMINGHAM
Jan 1-31
Jan 1
Feb 14-16
Winter Warmth Tour, Old Alabama Town
Polar Bear Dip
Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend
oldalabamatown.com Have any idea how early Alabamians kept warm in the winter months? Take a tour and find out for yourself in the beautiful and historic Old Alabama Town.
42
CHECK OUT SOME OF LEAN’S FAVORITE EVENTS THIS SEASON
florabama.com/events Celebrations of all kinds are found at the Flora-Bama, including an annual dip in the Gulf of Mexico followed by a traditional New Year’s meal (with some black-eyed peas to warm you back up!).
43
mercedesmarathon.com What started as an event to raise funds for The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs has now raised more than $4 million for local charities throughout its 12 year history. The weekend includes a marathon, half-marathon, relay, 5K and kids marathon.
SHELTER g
THE SOUL AUBURN UNIVERSITY’S RURAL STUDIO IS CELEBRATING ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR, AND FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND BUILDING UP COMMUNITIES WHILE TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GREAT ARCHITECTS.
I’ll admit that in the beginning, hav ing my byline published in the Mobile Press-Register was an infinitely more exciting prospect than whatever I was actually going to write the article about. But as I listened to professor Samuel Mockbee explain the basics of the Rural Studio he’d founded over the splatter of an early autumn drizzle, I soon stopped scribbling on my reporters’ notebook and just watched him, transfixed by the words dropping slowly from his mouth.
l ACCOLADES ABOUND For his work at the Rural Studio, Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee received the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" in 2000, and he was posthumously awarded the American Institute of Architecture’s Gold Medal in 2004. Current Rural St udio Director A ndrew Freea r ha s been honored w it h Aubu r n Universit y ’s Presidentia l Award for Excellence, and the Studio and Freear together received the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture from the Cite de l’ Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris.
BY JENNIFER STEWART KORNEGAY
To a journalism student with no real interest in architecture beyond an affinity for wrap-around porches, Mockbee was intriguing. As he talked about his vision of a “shelter for the soul,” I realized that mere feet before me, in mud-caked boots and wearing a thick beard, stood a melding of elevated aesthetics and elevated conscience. That was 17 years ago, just three years after Rural Studio was started. Today, the program is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Mockbee began the Rural Studio at Auburn University in 1993 with fellow professor D.K. Ruth as part of the university’s school of architecture and based on the philosophy that everyone, regardless of social or economic status, “deserves the benefit of good design.”
Two decades later, the innovative off-campus designbuild program has changed the face of architectural education by offering third-year and fifth-year architecture students truly hands-on, experiential learning. It’s also changed countless lives in West Alabama’s Black Belt region, one of the poorest areas of our state. Third-year students are currently working on a redesign of Rural Studio’s Hale County campus and facilities, while fifth-year students work on a charity project in the area, overseeing every aspect from start to finish. They define problems or needs and then design structures to solve the problem or fit the need. Next, drawing from funds they’ve often raised themselves, they build the structures they designed from the ground up, at no cost to the city or organization that will use or occupy them. The student teams working on both the Newburn Town Hall and theGreensboro Boys and Girls Club projects raised $100,000 in materials donations for their structures. Explaining the motivation behind Rural Studio Mockbee once said, “I wanted to create an education this real unto itself, not just a representation of reality.”
LEND
HAND
As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, Rural Studio is designing and building eight 20K Houses for the Hale County community. The 20K House project is an almost perfect representation of what Rural Studio is all about. It recognizes and is attempting to meet the need for affordable housing by designing and building model homes that can be reproduced on a large scale by a contractor and built for only $20,000, the highest mortgage a person receiving median Social Security checks can qualify for and afford. So far, Rural Studio has designed 12 versions of the 20K House and is hard at work on a plan to move the idea from research to reality. You’re invited and encouraged to get involved by donating to the 20K House project. The goal is to raise $160,000 for the next eight houses. Check out w w w.rur alstudio.com to learn more.
And he certainly did that. Rural Studio director Andrew Freear admitted he’d have been willing to sacrifice quite a bit to get the level of education his students receive through Rural Studio. “Frankly, I would have given an arm and a leg to have this kind of education; it is an extraordinary opportunity,” he said. “There are certainly easier ways to get an architecture degree, but the experience is remarkable. To be between 18 and 24 years old and have the chance to build a house or fire station or public park, what a privilege and honor that is.” A nd he stressed the aspect of R S that raises it a few steps above more traditional architecture education. “A s mor e e duc at ion i s b e c om i ng increasingly abstract, Rural Studio students understand every line they draw because they have to make what they draw,” he said. “Something is really at stake with this education; they are putting real roofs over people’s heads and are therefore challenged to understand the responsibility of being an architect.” Freear estimated that RS students learn in 18 months what it would take them six to 10 years of experience to gain. “The program is intense and rigorous,” he said. But well worth it, for all involved. “Everyone wins here. The locals helped are proud to be a
part of the great education the students are given, and it is an amazing opportunity for me as a teacher and architect as well.” In addition to the idea that good design should not be reserved only for the elite, Rural Studio has always operated inline with another founding principle: the re-use and re-purposing of local materials to maintain sustainability and affordability in its designs. Structures have been built from old tires, windows made from the bottoms of trashed glass bottles; even hay bales have been used for walls. “Sustainability is so key. We are constantly asking, ‘How can we ensure that what we build will last and can be easily fixed and maintained?’” he said. “So we demand design of the highest order, but the durability and longevity of what we build is equally important.” But Rural Studio is about much more than teaching students how to design a functional space and execute its construction in an eco-friendly way. From its inception, Rural Studio has been as devoted to helping those in our state’s most underserved counties as it has been to training the next generation of architects. A nd this underly ing philosophy of giving back is teaching them something too, something no textbook or classroom lecture ever could.
After Mockbee died in 2001, Freear succeeded him as director. In the last decade, Rural Studio has expanded the scope and complexity of its projects, with more emphasis on community-oriented work, partnering with local municipalities to provide needed spaces, including multi-year, multi-phase projects like the recently completed Newbern Town Hall. “The death of our founder was unexpected and big shock,” Freear said. “At that point, we were just starting to be asked by local folks to be involved in more community projects. Before we had worked mainly on individual homes.” By establishing its Black Belt campus site, Rural Studio became a true neighbor and built trust in the area. Soon, community leaders were asking that the program’s expertise and resources be put to use on a larger scale. “We had them coming to us, asking for our help,” Freear said. “With some of the projects, we just thought ‘This simply needs to be done; no one else is doing it, so let’s do it, and if we’ve not done it before, let’s learn how to do it.’” Since that first class put their drafting pencils to paper, Rural Studio students have conceived and erected over 150 homes and other buildings for people and communities in the three counties of the Black Belt, and they’re not stopping any time soon; Mockbee’s legacy is obviously alive and well in today’s RS, as Freear explained. “Rural Studio is a moving target, as Mockbee wanted it to be,” he said. “We change with the times and needs. He founded Rural Studio demanding that the profession of architecture have a social conscience. We all still believe that, but we are expanding past that and on top of that, and our future is tied into an ethic of understanding what we consume and what we waste and always asking ourselves can we be better.”
47
the leanest Loser
Dear LEAN Reader,
greetings from
JENNIFER
Forward P LOOKING
JAN. 2013
NOW
WEIGHT 294 LBS
WEIGHT 276 LBS
BMI 49.8
BMI 48.7
WAIST 48 INCHES
WAIST 45 INCHES
HIPS 57.5 INCHES
HIPS 54 INCHES
S2014
B here's the deal Part of LEAN’s mission is to help educate our state on the dangers of not living a balanced life. But instead of just talking about it, we decided to do something about it! LEAN magazine, this past year, partnered with AUM’s Human Performance Laboratory to help two courageous individuals as they fight their own, personal battle with obesity. No doubt many of us following Jennifer and Reginald's journey have identified with these two brave souls who were both monitored and documented as they journeyed to healthier, happier, more joyful lives.
Thanks to each of you who saw me out and about, sent letters and called with encouragement throughout this year. I hope even with my lack of weight loss success that you have in some way been touched and encouraged with the past three articles. As someone who has struggled with my weight (for what seems like a lifetime), I can tell you with complete certainty: It takes complete focus, complete dedication and a real ability to have dealt with or let go of the past things that need to be released! This year I can truthfully say I am not where or who I was last October when I had to be put in the hospital. My weight is less and my self image has greatly improved, while my business and personal relationships are positive and successful. I sincerely apologize for not showing you big weight loss, but it remains one of my greatest desires to be at a weight that reflects a healthy, successful woman! I am hoping since I have deeply and strongly dealt with some big things in my life throughout this year that 2014 will find a healthier woman. With peace and creativity, Jennifer
Jennifer and Reginald (who you have come to know, love and applaud) have, in the past year, undergone assessments each week monitoring the following:
greetings from
REGINALD
Cardiovascular fitness using an EKG exercise stress test, with results reviewed by a physician
Dear LEAN Reader, OCT. 2012
NOW
WEIGHT 438.2 LBS
WEIGHT 381 LBS
Fasting blood chemistry profile
BMI 67.7
BMI 58.8
Pulmonary function evaluation
WAIST 72.5 INCHES
WAIST 60 INCHES
Muscular fitness
HIPS 73 INCHES
HIPS 67 INCHES
Aerobic fitness Resting and exercise blood pressures and heart rates
Body composition and bone mineral density Cardiovascular risk Flexibility Vital signs at rest while sitting, standing and during exercise
Thanks to all those who have helped me on this journey! How has this process changed me? I am able to do things for myself now. I’m more independent. I feel better, take less medicine, am more active than I was before, and am more involved with family (when on trips, I don’t have to sit in the car). I like being an example for others and helping other people to see they can do it too. I did not see myself getting to where I am today. Yes, I definitely feel like I’ve truly made a lifestyle change. Just start. Once you start, just don’t quit. Watch what you eat and drink. Focus on yourself and don’t worry about what others might say!
The next best thing to fruits and vegetables. For more info or to order visit joytolife.org.
Alabama Department of Public Health
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