CORPORATE WELLNESS Why investment in employee health matters
CHART YOUR SUCCESS Tracking tools & tips to help you achieve your wellness goals
FITNESS WITH YOUR 4-LEGGED FRIEND The health benefits of owning a pet
RECIPES FOR SUCCESS You’ll feel like your cheating with these delicious “healthy” tried and true recipes
HEALTH & WELLNESS BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Dear Friends, Fitness isn’t a goal you achieve; it’s a life style. In our goal driven lives we strive to lose 10 pounds to fit that new swimsuit or tone up for that vacation. But, what then? Does our fitness level really not matter unless we want to look good for that wedding or on the beach? Each day we should be actively involved in our own fitness. Be it mental, emotional or physical, fitness should be our way of life, not a short-term goal. This guide was designed to provide resources to help you incorporate wellness into your daily life. On the back cover, the weekly planner was developed to help you do just that… to make fitness a priority daily by providing you with a specific focus and offer tips to help you along the way. By using this system consistently for one month, you will be well on your way to creating a new healthy lifestyle “habit”. When it’s your habit to be physically healthy, your mental and emotional self will become more positive as well. Here’s to your health! The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce Health & Wellness Members
Major Contributors Danielle Kulick - Max Fitness Nikki Lian - CKO Kickboxing Tom Saulnier - Hand ‘N Hand Mobile Massage Michelle Foster - Simi Valley Hospital
Uniting Health and Wellness business professionals within Simi Valley to help improve the quality of life of every citizen
Use the resources in this guide to help you be the BEST YOU CAN BE! Why A Healthy Workplace Makes Sense Healthy Recipes Beauty Salons Chiropractors Counseling Dentists/Orthodontics Fitness With A Four-Legged Friend Golf Clubs/Courses Gymnastics Health & Fitness Centers/Personal Trainers Health & Wellness Health Care Home Care/Health Care Services Hospice Care Hospitals/Medical Centers Hypnosis Massage Therapy/Spas Medical - Services/ Equipment/Supplies Recreation & Sports Physicians/Surgeons Senior Retirement Living Best Apps For Getting In Shape Wellness Wednesday Info The Health Triangle Your Weekly Tracker 12 Foods That Give You ENERGY
2 3,12,15 4 4 4 5 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 11 13 14 16 16
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce - Health & Wellness Resource Guide
1
PLUS Key Findings Show… A Healthy Workplace Helps the Economy Healthier Employees: Healthier communities help to cultivate a healthy, more productive workforce fueling future economic growth. A More Educated, Prepared Potential Workforce Pool: Healthier communities are associated with higher rates of education, which can benefit both workers and employers. A Stronger Local Economy: Healthier communities attract more talented employees and a healthier customer base, which can strengthen their economies. Sources: Snacknation.com and RWJF.org 2
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce - Health & Wellness Resource Guide
Recipes that are made SO RIGHT, but taste SO WRONG
Peach and Blueberry Cobbler with Ginger and Cinnamon This is a gorgeous dessert and naturally low in calories, as long as you don’t add a ton of sugar and don’t serve it with whipped cream. It just doesn’t need it. In the heat of the oven, as they steam under the topping, the peaches and blueberries meld into a magical, flavorful filling that needs little help from sugar or fat. The spices are really all the fruit requires. SERVES 8 Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray 4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced 1 cup fresh blueberries ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated Splenda or Stevia ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon Bisquick Heart Smart baking mix 1 teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup skim milk 2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar, such as Sugar In The Raw 1. Preheat oven to 425*F. Spray a 7 x 11-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, mix together the peaches, blueberries, the ¼ cup Splenda or Stevia and the 1 tablespoon baking mix. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons Splenda or Stevia, the remaining ¾ cup Bisquick and the ginger, cinnamon and milk. Stir until the mixture forms a soft dough. Drop spoonfuls of the dough evenly over the fruit mixture. Sprinkle the sugar over the dough. 4. Bake the cobbler until the fruit is tender and the biscuit topping is golden brown – about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Nutrition: Per Serving: 1g Fat, 96 Calories, 2g Protein, 22g Carbohydrates, 0mg Cholesterol, 2g Fiber, 158mg Sodium WeightWatchers Members: ONLY 3 points! This is from the book, “Now Eat This! 150 of America’s Favorite Comfort Foods All Under 350 Calories” by Rocco Dispirito. Copyright 2010.
www.simivalleychamber.org
www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays
Beauty-Salons/Services/Supplies
Chiropractors
Best Little Hair House The 2780 Tapo Canyon Road, #B1 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 584-3600 www.thebestlittlehairhouse.com
Angela Spagna D.C. 1445 E. Los Angeles Avenue, #204 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 520-0311
Hair Unlimited West 540 Los Angeles Avenue #B Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 298-4776
Dvora Family Chiropractic 2072 Tapo Street Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 584-1114 dvorafamilychiro.com/
Oasis Salon 2340 Tapo Street Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 582-1218 www.SimiOasisSalon.com
Superior Physical Medicine 2780 Tapo Canyon Road, Suite A3 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 520-2929 www.gladback.com
Permatech Makeup Ink 1350 E. Los Angeles Avenue, Suite 203 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 578-9137 www.permatechmakeup.com
Thrive Chiropractic 40 W. Cochran Street #104 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-4767 www.thrivechriosimi.com
Supercuts - Erringer 2345 Erringer Road, #101 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 522-8701 www.supercuts.com
Wayne Press Chiropractic, Inc. 495 E. Los Angeles Avenue, #106 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-7246 www.DrWaynePress.com
Supercuts- Madera 2091 Madera Road Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-1054 www.supercuts.com
Counseling/Support
Supercuts– Tapo Canyon 2691 Tapo Canyon Road Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 955-9394 www.supercuts.com
4
Cancer Support Community Valley/ Ventura/Santa Barbara 530 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, CA 91361 (805) 379-4777 www.cancersupportvvsb.org Coalition for Family Harmony 980 Enchanted Way, #207 Simi Valley, CA 93065 805-983-6014 www.thecoaliton.org
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce - Health & Wellness Resource Guide
Families Counseling Center 1633 Erringer Road, #204 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 583-3976 www.simi-therapy.com
Jon C. Ellison, D.D.S., Inc. 1939 Erringer Road Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-6100 www.joncellisondds.com
Harrison Hugs, Inc. (661) 360-6944 www.harrisonhugs.org
Meir Keller DDS Dental Corp 2489 Tapo Street Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 527-2266 www.drkellerdds.com
Life After Brain Injury 1791 Erringer Road Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 490-8211 www.LifeAfterBrainInjury.org Not One More 225 Simi Village Drive, #940876 Simi Valley, CA 93094 (805) 428-5953 www.notonemore.net Recoveryas.com 7131 Darby Avenue Reseda, CA 91335 (818) 479-7229 www.recoveras.com
Dentists Casey Patterson DDS Inc. 2925 Sycamore Drive, #107 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 526-9043 simidentalgroup.com Family Dental Care 495 E. Los Angeles Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 584-2228 www.ralphjmaiellodds.com First Street Dental Group 1197 E. Los Angeles Avenue, #E Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 583-5700 www.firststreetdental.com
www.simivalleychamber.org
Oak Park Dentistry for Children Wood Ranch 1188 Roadrunner Way Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 526-1188 www.oakparkdentistryforchildren.com Robert D. Bankhardt, DDS, Inc. 2720 Cochran Street, #2-B Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 584-1194 www.simi4smiles.com Rothman, Joel E. D.D.S. 2796 Sycamore Drive, #203 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 522-8330 Royal Family Dental 1975 Royal Avenue, #1 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 526-3636 www.royalfamilydental.com Simi Childrens Dental Group 1755 Erringer Road, #20 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 522-2164 www.simivalley@spaceshipdentist.com Simi Valley Dental Group 2410 Sycamore Drive, Suite A Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 522-2600 www.simivalleydental.com
www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays
5
Many pet owners would agree that a pet can fill your heart with love. So maybe it's only fitting that the presence of a pet can help improve the overall health of that organ, too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have both conducted heart-related studies on people who have pets. The findings showed that pet owners exhibit decreased blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels -- all of which can ultimately minimize their risk for having a heart attack down the road. For those who have already experienced a heart attack, research also indicates that patients with a dog or a cat tend to have better recovery rates. These benefits are thought to be connected with pets' tendency to help reduce or at least control their owners' overall stress levels.
Fun Ways to Stay Fit with Fido: If you're a dog owner who needs more of a workout than walking can provide, here are a few ideas: Jogging or running Biking Hiking Doga (i.e. Yoga for Dogs) Agility Training (Obstacle course-based dog sport) Need a little motivation in the exercise department? Dogs can act as the perfect personal trainer, if only because most of them need to be walked several times a day. According to studies like those conducted by the Wellness Institute at Northwest Memorial Hospital, as long as you're the one holding the leash, you'll reap the rewards, which can include losing -- or at least maintaining -- weight. Research conducted by the National Institute of Health also supports this claim -- including one study of more than 2,000 adults, which found that dog owners responsible for walking their pups are less likely to be obese than dog owners who pass the duty off to someone else or those who don't own dogs at all.
source: www.animalplanet.com/pets/no-3-stay-heart-healthy/
Dentists - Orthodontics Nagel Orthodontics 3695 Alamo Street, #301 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 581-2480 www.nagelorthodontics.com Sisodia Orthodontics for Children and Adults 1720 E. Los Angeles Avenue, #210 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-6755
Golf - Clubs/Courses Moorpark Country Club 11800 Championship Drive Moorpark, CA 93021 (805)532-2834 www.moorparkgolf.com
Gymnastics CheerForce Simi Valley 671 Cochran Street Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 582-2211 www.cheerforce.com/simivalley Imagymnation Gymnastics Center 4685 Industrial Street, #3-G Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 581-4496 www.imagymnationgymnastics.com Platinum Sports Center 160 W. Cochran Street Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-6662 platinumsportscenterus.com We Rock The Spectrum-Simi Valley 2888 Cochran Street, Unit B Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 387-6444 www.werockthespectrumsimivalley.com
www.simivalleychamber.org
Health/Fitness Centers/Trainers CKO Kickboxing 2955 Cochran Street, Unit A-1 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 210-5880 Crunch Fitness 2655 Erringer Road Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 522-5454 www.crunch.com Epic Fitness 671 Cochran Street Simi Valley, CA 93065 (818) 606-9032 www.epicfitnessnow.com LiveWell Fitness 2818 E. Los Angeles Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 231-9803 MAX Fitness 1716 Erringer Road, #106 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 210-5800 www.maxfitnesssv.com Simi Valley Family YMCA 3200 Cochran Street Simi Valley, CA 93065 805-586-5338 www.simiymca.org
Health & Wellness Ascent Hearing Center 1717 Simi Town Center Way, #3 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 579-9324 www.ascenthearingsimivalley.com Community Pregnancy Clinic 2045 Royal Avenue, #208 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 583-3598 www.cpcsimi.org
www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays
7
Core Health 2870 Cochran Street Simi Valley, CA 93065 (818) 207-4276 Derma e Natural Body Care 2160 Ward Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 582-2710 www.dermae.com FMD Coach Carol 5138 HIdden Vista Court, #104 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (818) 497-3673 fmdcoachcarol.com Lindora Medical Clinic 1717 Simi Town Center Way, #2 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 832-8774 www.lindora.com Nutrishop 1197 E. Los Angeles Avenue, #A2 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 583-5100 www.nutrishopusa.com Simi Spine and Wellness 3200 E. Los Angeles Avenue, #28 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 581-2310 www.simivalleywellness.com
HearUSA 2941 Cochran Street, #3 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 842-4453 www.hearusa.com Regal Medical Group 2755 Alamo Street, #100 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 764-2273 www.regalmed.com UCLA Health 19950 Rinaldi Street, #300 Porter Ranch, CA 91326 (818) 271-2400 www.uclahealth.org/porterranch
Home Care/Health Care-Services Adventist Home Care 2975 N. Sycamore Drive Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 955-8190 www.simivalleyhospital.com Divine Care Home Health 1985 Yosemite Avenue, #250/260 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 578-9481 www.divinecarehh@yahoo.com
Health Care
Liv-Ability Independant Living Consultants 762 Twin Peaks Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93065 (800) 936-6251 www.liv-ability.com
Facey Medical Group 15451 San Fernando Mission Boulevard, #200 Mission Hills, CA 91345 (805) 206-2000 www.facey.com
Summit Home Health, Inc. 2139 Tapo Street, #210 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 584-3000 www.summithomehealthinc.com
Free Clinic of Simi Valley 2060 Tapo Street Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805)522-3733 www.freeclinicsv.com
Hospice Tender Loving Care Home Hospice 5400 Atlantis Court Moorpark, CA 93021 (805) 517-1620 www.tlchomehospice.com
8 Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce - Health & Wellness Resource Guide
Hospitals/Medical Centers
Massage Therapy/Spa's
Advanced Pain Medical Group 2876 N. Sycamore Drive, #203 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (310) 621-2696 www.advancedpainmedical.com
Elements Massage 2845 Cochran Street, Suite A Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 416-2502 elementsmassage.com/simivalley
Alta California Medical Group, Inc. 2925 N. Sycamore Drive, #204 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 578-9620 altacaliforniamedicalgroup.com
Hand & Hand - Mobile Massage 1464 Madera Road, #N-251 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 501-2011 www.mobilehands.biz
Aspen Surgery Center 2750 Sycamore Drive Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 955-8100 www.aspensurgery.com
Massage as Art 1633 Erringer Road, #202 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 206-6084 www.massageasart.com
Lakeside Community Healthcare 3605 Alamo Street, #101 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 522-6577 www.lakesidecommunityhealthcare.com
Medical - Services/ Supplies
Sierra Vista Family Medical Clinic 1227 E. Los Angeles Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 582-4000 www.vchca.org Simi Pediatric Partners 2950 N. Sycamore Drive, #200 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-9400 Simi Valley Hospital 2975 N. Sycamore Drive Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 955-6000 www.simivalleyhospital.com
Hypnosis Jackie Spencer Hypnotherapy 3655 Alamo Street, #200 Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 796-5780 www.hypnoticinspiration.com
www.simivalleychamber.org
Clinicas Del Camino Real Inc. 1424 Madera Road Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 522-5722 www.clinicas.org Glycominds, LLC 4685 Runway Street, Suite K Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 577-6742 www.glycominds.com Pacific Health Medical Management Group Inc. 990 Enchanted Way Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 522-9274
Recreation/Sports AYSO Simi Valley (805) 328-4875 www.aysosimi.org i9 Sports (805) 719-1166 www.i9sports.com
www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays
9
Iceoplex-Ice Arena 131 W. Easy Street Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 520-7465 www.iceoplexsimivalley.com NFL Flag VC (805) 433-3100 www.nflflagvc.com Rancho Simi Recreation & Park District 1692 Sycamore Drive Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805)584-4400 www.rsrpd.org
Senior Retirement Living Las Serenas Senior Apts 2090 Yosemite Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805)520-9542 www.usapropfund.com
The Foothills at Simi Valley 5300 E. Los Angeles Ave. Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 583-3500 www.vintagesenior.com
Simi Valley Aquatics 1263 Simi Town Center Way, H4 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 915-7730 www.svaquatics.com Simi Valley Youth Soccer (805) 526-3755 www.simiyouthsoccer.org Skatelab Skatepark 4226 Valley Fair Street Simi Valley, CA 93063 (805) 578-0040 www.skatelab.com
Physicians/Surgeons Angela Singh MD, Adventist Health 2876 Sycamore Drive, #101 Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 527-6424 www.adventisthealth.org/central-valley/ provider/angela-singh-md-family-medicine David B. Rosenfeld MD, Inc. 341 South Moorpark Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91361 (805) 579-8972 www.davidrosenfeldmd.com
10
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce - Health & Wellness Resource Guide
If you're looking to get in shape, load your phone with these apps that can motivate you, coach you, help you track your progress, or just power your exercise with great music--but how do you know which one is best? Here are a few of the Health & Wellness Team’s faves!
Fit Bit Use the Fitbit app and dashboard to track activity, record workouts, log food, connect with friends and family & more.
Strava Run If you’re a serious runner or cyclist, you need one place to keep track of your most recent runs and rides, and no app comes close to the capabilities offered by Strava.
Map My Walk This fitness tracking application enables you to use the built-in GPS of your mobile device to track all of your fitness activities. Record your workout details, including duration, distance, pace, speed, elevation, calories burned, and route traveled on an interactive map.
Beach Body Want to lose weight? Get totally ripped? Burn serious calories? Target any goal with instant streaming access to the programs that have made Beachbody a household name in at-home fitness.
Couch to 5K If you've wanted to try running but don’t know where to start, Couch to 5K should be the next app you download.
Zombies, Run! Running becomes way more fun when each step gets you closer to carrying out your mission, collecting materials for your base camp, and keeping humans safe from the zombie apocalypse.
My Fitness Pal MyFitnessPal is the most popular health and fitness app in the world, and it’s easy to see why. The app’s database of more than 6 million foods makes it easy to track your diet, no matter what you eat.
What’s your favorite app? Share it on www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays.
www.simivalleychamber.org
www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays
11
Not-So-Fried Chicken
Nikki Lian - CKO Kickboxing Simi Valley Here’s a recipe I stole from my mom. Actually, the majority of recipes have come from the creativity of my mother, who was a single, working-mother with two hungry kids. It’s an alternative to fried chicken cutlets, with a significant decrease in the amount of fat ordinary breaded cutlets would have. Ingredients: 4- 5oz. Boneless, Skinless, chicken breasts 1 cup Non fat peach Yogurt (or flavor of your choice) ¼ cup Bread crumbs, or flax seed granola 1. Preheat oven at 325 degrees. 2. Slice whole chicken breasts in half the long way, and the short way. The thinner they are the better they cook. 3. Cover each cutlet with yogurt. 4. Lightly bread the chicken with the bread crumbs. Sometimes I like to use Flax Seed Granola, which you can find at Sprouts or Costco, to add the omega fats and a little bit more flavor. Get creative!! 5. Place the breaded cutlets in a greased pan. Cook at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. The slower you cook your meat the juicier it becomes. I like to cook everything at about 325 degrees except for my vegetables. In a “balanced meal,” which consists of protein, carbohydrates and fats, this would be considered your protein. Your body nerves, tissues and bones are all made up of protein. You need proper protein intake to repair these parts of your body, and to especially build muscle. Protein intake for an adult who doesn’t get much physical activity is 0.5-0.7 grams per pound of body weight. For adults who follow a fitness plan should intake around 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Makes 4 Servings, Serving Size: 5oz., Calories: 220, Fat: 2g, Protein: 32g, Carbohydrates: 5g
Moroccan Sweet & Spicy Carrots 2 tsps. olive oil 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. paprika 3 Tbsp. honey, divided 1 can (14.5oz.) Del Monte® No Salt Added Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes, drained
1 can (14.5oz.) Del Monte® Sliced Carrots, well drained 2 tsps. grated fresh ginger 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar Salt and black pepper, optional 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin, paprika and 2 Tbsp. honey to oil and stir until well blended. Quickly add tomatoes and carrots. Cook until heated and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Gently stir in ginger and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. honey and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately. Makes 4 Servings, Calories: 110; Fat: 0g,
12
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce - Health & Wellness Resource Guide
Each and every Wednesday is a time to:
Remind yourself daily that you have the right to be, and are worth being healthy
Make healthy and nutritious food choices
Take a few moments of quiet time each day. Unplug all devices and relax. Start with five minutes a day
Take a walk with friends, join a gym and go
Share your successes and applaud the accomplishments of others on the Wellness Wednesdays Facebook page.
Share tips that you find helpful in your journey to be healthy. Use tips and tools shared by others to help you “over the hump"
Adopt the mission of "Wellness Wednesdays" in your workplace and encourage employees to get involved
Provide a “Wellness Wednesdays” Special for your customers. Post your special on the Wellness Wednesdays Facebook page, and share it on your page.
Lead by example. People will follow.
www.simivalleychamber.org
www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays
13
maintaining balance for ultimate health
When we hear the word “healthy,” most of the time we think about getting exercise and eating the right foods. But what about the other aspects of our health? Social/emotional health as well as mental health are just as important as your cholesterol levels and making sure you get up and moving every day. We can make sure we have a balance of the three aspects of our overall health by taking a look at the health triangle. Physical. The first aspect of the triangle is our physical health. Making sure we are eating a balanced diet, getting in at least 20-30 minutes of exercise daily and getting enough sleep are a good way to start. Maintaining our dental health, going for annual physicals, and keeping open communication with your doctor is a great way to stay on top of your physical health. Social. Our social aspect can be kept strong by volunteering in the community or planning some social time with your friends and family. With so much stress at our jobs and in the world in general, we need to make time to have
healthy interaction with other people in a happy environment. Mental & Emotional. Taking some time for yourself, reading a book, meditation, etc. can help with your mental health. Keeping open communication to your loved ones also helps with this aspect. If you feel you are depressed or have anxiety, therapy may be a good way for coping with your mental-health imbalance. It’s a great idea once in a while to really think about how you’re keeping yourself happy and healthy by asking yourself—which part of the triangle do I need to work on? Which is my strongest? Always take time to take care of yourself so you can have the best quality of life possible. Nikki Lian is the owner of CKO Kickboxing in Simi Valley.
Tortilla Soup with Avocado and Cilantro Originally from Mexico, Tortilla Soup has been Americanized over the years. In Mexico City, this soup is made simply with roasted tomatoes, chiles, chicken broth, and corn tortillas. This version is true to the original, with a few additions. Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 1/5 sprouted-corn tortillas, such as Food for Life 2/3 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup diced fire-roasted tomatoes, such as Hunt’s 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped fine 2/3 cup store-bought hot fresh salsa, such as Santa Barbara ½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 1 cup shredded skinless breast meat from a rotisserie or roast chicken Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/3 ripe Hass avocado, sliced 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1. Preheat oven to 375*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Cut the tortillas into ¼-inch-wide strips. Place the strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and back until golden and crisp – about 9 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, combine the chicken broth, tomatoes and chipotle chiles, salsa and corn in a medium saucepan. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes. Stir the chicken into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. 4. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with avocado slices, chopped cilantro and tortilla strips and serve. Nutrition: Per Serving: 3.1g Fat, 142 Calories, 12g Protein, 20g Carbohydrates, 22mg Cholesterol, 3g Fiber, 706mg Sodium
Healthy Tip Eat more chiles! The fire in fresh jalapenos and cayenne pepper alike comes from the substance called capsaicin. The more capsaicin in a pepper, the hotter it is. Research has shown that capsaicin lowers cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, as well as (counterintuitively) protecting against stomach ulcers. It has also been shown to increase metabolism for about 20 minutes after consumption. More flavor, more calories burned. www.simivalleychamber.org
www.facebook.com/wellnesswednesdays
15
Following these simple daily rules and logging your progress on the chart on the back, a healthier YOU is in reach! CARDIO Try working 30 minutes of cardio into your day. This can be in any form you like, and the more varied you make it, the better. Try something new. You never know what fun thing you could be missing out on. Write in the number of minutes of cardio you did each day.
FOOD Consider eating 5-6 small meals per day, with your largest meal earlier in the day. This method helps keep the body systems running smoothly and increases the chance of ridding the body of toxins and fat. Place a check in the box for each meal you eat. This keeps you accountable and on track. When you stop logging, that's when you lose control.
WEIGHT TRAINING Weight bearing exercise is highly beneficial for our bodies. Even 2-3 times per week can help bones remain strong and offset osteoporosis and increasing muscle tone. Check off the weight on training days.
STRETCHING Increased flexibility, decreased risk of injury and increased blood flow are just a few of the benefits of Stretching. Try a beginners yoga or Tai Chi class if you are new to stretching. Or if that's not your style try to setting aside 5-10 minutes just before bed time, in bed if necessary, to give your entire body a long slow stretch. This can greatly improve your sleep.
WAT E R Studies show two thirds of Americans don't drink enough water. The most common method of water tracking is the 8X8 rule— Eight, eight ounce glasses of water per day. Try drinking the first one within the first few minutes of waking to get the body systems moving.
EXTRA CREDIT We intentionally left this space blank to encourage you to find a new adventure. Climb a rock, paddle a canoe, play disc golf, do a good deed. Anything is fair here. Get outside of your comfort zone. Change your perspective. Try something new. You will be amazed at how it makes you feel. Enter your accomplishments as they arise.