Thrive Oklahoma Magazine by Green Apple Publishing Co., LLC

Health & Wellness Magazine

photos by Robert Larch

Publisher / CEO Angela C. Slovak, Ph.D. Creative Director Barbara Kardokus Creative Design Staff Kristen McEuen Lauren Rust Editor Paul Fairchild Editorial Staff Jan Collymore Contributing Authors: Sue Tarr Jessica Sanchez Kelsie Guthrie Robin Fernandez, NCC Stan Marker Bryant Welbourne Alyson Dykstra RD, ND Megan Brown-Ellis, Ed.M Nathan Linden Jessica Sanchez Rod Jones Julie Myers, JD, MPH Nan Bertone, MS, RN Jill M. White, PharmD Timothy Trujillo Shelley Mitchell

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Photo Support: Shevaun Williams Georgia Read Larch Photography Funnel Design Group Jennifer Dunnigton Chris Hewitt Sue Tarr

For advertising or Health Expo information please call us at 405.210.8205 or e-mail thriveokinfo@gmail.com Copyright ÂŠ 2012 by Thrive Oklahoma Nurturing Body & Mind and Green Apple Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Thrive Oklahoma Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements, in that the views expressed therein may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any magazine employee or contributor. Content in this publication should not replace the advice or your physician. This publication and all its contents are copyrighted.

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From the Publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Desk

Here Comes the Sun! I love it when the weather starts to warm up around here. Being outdoors, soaking up the sun is by far one of my favorite pastimes. The spring-cleaning, planting and other outdoor chores and activities give me and my family new found energy and excitement for life. As busy as we all get this time of year, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so rewarding to make the extra effort and be mindful of helping others. As I continue my personal mission to expand on health and wellness education in Oklahoma, there will be new associations, partnerships and friendships made along the way. Helping others and having an altruistic mind set is something we teach by example to children. As founder of the non-profit organization OKC Health and Wellness Group, Ltd. my volunteer based organization has already successfully organized and hosted two free community health expos this year. The March expo was held in South OKC and another much larger event at UCO in Edmond. We showcase fresh healthy foods at these events, thanks to Homeland and Sunflower Farmers Markets, along with dozens of natural wellness practitioners giving presentations on a variety of health topics. Long before the concept of Thrive magazine, there were free community health expos. Back in 2009 myself and a handful of helpful alternative health practitioners partnered with me to make the idea of free health and wellness forums and education for everyone a reality. We worked hard to raise awareness, offer new options and invite local medical specialists to explain the scientific details of human wellness. The OKC Health and Wellness Group, Ltd was established in February 2010 for just this purpose - education. Together these two business entities strive to bring the best clinical experts with knowledge in complementary and integrative medicine along with the best nutritional awareness. Enjoy, Publisher, Thrive Magazine Founder of OKC Health and Wellness Group

OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thriving 39 17

10 Features

14 Learning Beyond the School Day by Megan Brown-Ellis, Ed.M 22 Healthy Apps for Your iPhone by Paul Fairchild 26 Matthew Kenney Academy: Teaching Cutting Edge Living Cuisine by Stan Marker 36 Laboratory Tests Can Be Valuable Tools In Cancer Care by Nan Bertone, MS, RN

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40 20

Living Well

Recipes

8 12 17 18 29 31 32 34 39

19 Tasty Summer Treats by Alyson Dykstra RD, ND

Grow Your Life Like A Garden by Robin Fernandez, NCC Eat Local at Local by Jessica Sanchez ECO Pass: Helping Conserve Oklahoma’s Natural Resources by Kelsie Guthrie Healthy Snacks On the Go by Alyson Dykstra RD, ND Give Me Libert´e by Kelsie Guthrie Sports Performance At OCU by Rod Jones Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance by Julie Myers, JD, MPH Cholesterol Drugs Increase Diabetes Risk by Jill M. White, PharmD Boathouse District: Stars & Stripes River Festival by Bryant Welbourne

41 Stone Soup

Destinations 25 Urban Eco Living by Nathan Linden

Thriving In the Garden 10 Plant it . . .Grow it . . . Try it. . . by Sue Tarr 20 Plant A Garden Theme by Shelley Mitchell

Mind / Body Connection 40 Cup of Tea? The Healing Powers of Herbs by Timothy Trujillo Thrive Oklahoma

The UCO Fit for Life Expo Hosted by the OKC Health and Wellness Group Is an annual event offered every spring Thank You Sponsors... for keeping this event totally FREE to the Community Cool Greens of Edmond KIA of EDMOND gave away a $25 gas card vouchers to everyone who stopped by the KIA Soul display (redeem when you test drive) AAA Car seat Inspections Personal Health Partners of Edmond for full service health screening Sunflower Farmers Market Earth Day Activities: Recycled Art Displays by Mrs. Cheneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3rd Grade Class at Kaiser Elementary Total Environment donated 100 saplings to children and their families Drinking Water & Recycling stations OKC Health and Wellness Group & UCO Fitness: Red Coyote running shoes for the lap winners OKC RIVERSPORT rowing and erg machine demos Dawn to Dusk Inflatables Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club Basketball Team Wellness:

Humana Insurance Dr. Brandon Mills At Elledge Chiropractic South OKC Tina Shelley at Balanced Life Clinic in Edmond Active Care Chiropractic & Massage of Edmond Advocare James Callins Umo Callins at Camp Gladiator NW OKC Energy Wise on May Ave. Hearing Life of Edmond Advanced Body Scans at Memorial and Portland Maggie and Kim Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge StretchU Avondale in Nichols Hills Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Kristie Croisant at Zeal Beyond Organic with Dr. Mary Schrick Spectracell Nutrient Testing with Doug Sloan Tan & Tone America Innovative Rx of Edmond barre3 of Edmond It Works Heather Parsons Beyond Your Nutrition NW Expressway

Thank you Guest Speakers Amy Petty Mason Harvey Dan & Don Evans

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GROW YOUR LIFE LIKE A GARDEN

by Robin Fernandez, Leadership Personal Coach at natureofbeing.com

Just like a beautiful summer garden, successful Life Design takes vision, planning, preparation, tending, pruning, attention, examination, and lots of continuous weeding out what you don’t want! How do you assess if your life design is on the right path for you - by listening to your inner guidance system. How much peace, joy, gratitude, and enthusiasm do you experience in your daily life? And what do you do if your life’s scales are tipped in the “wrong” direction for you? Bob Dunham, master coach and founder of the Institute for Generative Leadership encourages, “create your future on purpose, you are creating it anyway.” Whether you are aware of it or not – everything you do, every action that you take or don’t take, within the very state of your being at every moment – you are creating your future. Just like a lovely garden, you help determine what is possible and what is not possible. You can create your life’s garden. What are you longing to plant? Relating your life to nature is a bountiful way to excel and grow. Using steps from WikiHow.com, “How to Start a Flower Garden,” here’s one way to design your garden aka your life – On Purpose!

“Start small.” Enthusiasm for life design is great;

however, start with small steps so you are continually encouraged to keep going. Keep tweaking your vision and plans as you go along. “You can always increase your plantings as your experience grows.”

“Make a detailed landscaping plan and dig a flower bed to fit that scheme.” Visually plan by writing in a journal about what your life is going to look like, and set a time frame to guide and motivate you. Create a vision board – download or clip from magazines photos, images, and words that exemplify the vision of your life.

“Choose a site.” Just as you would select the best

possible location for your flower garden and determine the best type of plants depending on sun, shade, drainage, soil quality, and distance from buildings and impeding factors, go through this same exercise with your life design plan. For example, if you are embarking on a new career – are you living in the best suitable location for your dream? If you want to be a mountain forest ranger, and you are living in the middle of a city surrounded by flat plains, you need to visit some suitable locations and learn what feels right to you!

“Check for good soil and start digging.” Once

you narrow down the possible sites, start digging to check for fertile “soil” and obstacles that need to be removed, worked around, or even become part of your plan. Something that at first appears to be an impediment might actually complement or redirect your life according to your true life purpose.

“Level the bed and break up any clods with a rake.” Smooth out the rough patches, add compost,

dispel blockages, and improve your capacity to retain and expand the good flowing into your life.

“Buy the plants or seeds then plant according to their directions.” You, perhaps with a coach or

consultant, will be determining the directions and the order in which to carry them out. If a career change requires new schooling, then choose a site with good soil, start digging, and buy the learning as needed. There are many resources for job placement, so take a look at the direction you would take after the schooling before you purchase and complete the training. Plants require space to spread out, so don’t limit yourself or fail to select something that does not allow for growth. Plant a variety of “flowers” because they bloom at different times, but don’t get so many that you can’t keep up with them.

“Water thoroughly.” Continuously hydrate and

fertilize a new profession with additional learning, ongoing networking, a related side-business, and periodic reconnection to your passion of the selected “flowers”! Nurturing and continued passion are particularly important in creating great relationships in your life design.

“Cut spent blooms periodically.” To keep your

life garden blooming, support, prune what no longer serves you, and reevaluate what you are planting each year to make sure it’s what you really want in your life. “Many plants will re-bloom, but only if the old blooms are cut.” Allow time and opportunity to rest and rejuvenate.

And finally, Enjoy Your Garden!

Acknowledge and express gratitude to loved ones, colleagues, nature, yourself, and the universe for assisting you in growing your beautiful life!

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by Sue Tarr Students and teachers at Del City Elementary school – or “Del El,” as it’s locally known – are blazing a horticultural and agricultural trail with an ongoing gardening program for their students and community. Working with the community at large, Del El forged critical alliances to support their effort with local agencies such as the OSU Extension Ag in the Classroom program, the Regional Food Bank’s Urban Harvest and the OSU County Extension 4-H Green Friends Gardening Club, which provides Master Gardener volunteers to help guide these young gardeners. Master Gardener from OSU-OKC volunteers to help Del El Students

“If a child plants and grows it, weeds, waters and picks it, cleans it and cooks it, they will at least try a vegetable they might have snubbed before.” - Sue Tarr

Del El’s after school Pride Club

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Del El is passionate about including gardening in their curriculum to support science, art, reading, and math. And a nice bonus is having kids eating healthy food from their own garden. Del El knows firsthand that the key to successful school gardening is the shared interest and support of parents, teachers and community groups. Gardening, after all, is labor-intensive at times. Del El’s PTA president, Amanda Konopinski, and Teresa Bell, a grandmother of two Del El students, happen to be Master Gardeners that are eager to pitch in. Many of the teachers at Del El are avid gardeners or grew up on farms. The collective talent at the school provides much of the support and infrastructure required for a project of this scale. The principal at Del El, Ruth Kizer, actively participates in the garden project, as well. The school’s mission statement

includes a commitment to all foods being prepared using ovens or steamers. All deep fat fryers have been eliminated and they continue to limit high-fat and high-sugar items offered at school. “The challenge is great! With the issues of obesity among children and the need to educate our students to make wise and healthy choices, we must step forward and set higher goals. We desire to continue to provide foods that our students will enjoy and yet offer healthy options of more fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Kizer. “We believe that good nutrition is a vital link to enhancing the student’s ability to learn.” The 4-H Green Friends Gardening Club kicks in support with an after school forum for kids to plant the raised beds and container gardens. In Oklahoma gardening is a year round activity and these students are staying busy transplanting Aloe Vera plants provided by 4-H Green Friends. This summer, Del El students will enjoy a month-long gardening program with an emphasis on earning a 4-H Junior Master Gardener Certificate. Plans have been proposed to tear up a section of a parking lot at Del El to create even more garden space for this project.

Ag in the Classroom presented a program allowing teachers, students and the community as a whole to participate in growing fresh, healthy foods. This work has its rewards. As part of the program, students proved many hands make light work when they shoveled soil to fill 30 giant tubs and constructed two brick garden beds last December. Support runs deep for gardening at Del El, starting with its enthusiastic principal, Kizer, who turned teacher Susan Allen loose to renovate Del EL’s library courtyard into a garden space. Besides a place to grow food, it also became a work of art, with children painting almost everything in sight! Del El is situated just three blocks from another major source of support. The Del City Church of Christ and Elder Melvin Thompson manage a community garden devoted to helping families in the church’s neighborhood. Del City community garden volunteers recently helped at a “Grow your Soil Composting” workshop for fourth and fifth graders at Del El. They also host students at their community garden for a variety of other activities. Thompson even put an opening in the garden’s back fence so students would have easier access to it. Del El students planted radishes, turnips and carrots there this year. continued on page 42

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by Jessica Sanchez Sisters Heather Steele, Abby Carter and Melissa Scaramucci, owners of Norman restaurant, Local, hate empty tables. They like to see them filled, preferably with families enjoying the tastiest, freshest food available. They’ve spun together all of the best practices of their favorite family-friendly restaurants and created a truly unique dining experience. Local stands head and shoulders above their inspirations, though, because it embodies the sisters’ shared culinary philosophy: straight from the farm to the fork. “We’ve created the restaurant of our dreams,” says Scaramucci. The sisters’ experience with launching the restaurant shows that it takes a family to build out a fully family-friendly enterprise. Their father, Kelly Barker, handled site management and construction, while each of the sisters contributed in other areas. Between all of them, no detail was overlooked, from their environmentally sustainable choices and the interior designs all the way down to the take-out containers. Local’s unusually creative American food menu is supported largely by Walnut Creek Farms of Waynoka, Oklahoma. The sisters’ uncle, Kim Barker, owns and manages this classic family farm, which has been in the family since Oklahoma’s Land Run. Among other items, it provides fresh meat and free-range eggs, two pillars of the diverse and tasty seasonal menu.

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Adopted brother and Head Chef, Ryan Parrot, excels at combining the sweet and the savory. He strives for unexpected textures and off-the-beaten-path flavor profiles made possible with local foods. He hails from Oklahoma City’s Iguana’s, and is taking his culinary goals to the next level at Local. Regardless of a diner’s selection, Parrot makes American foods from the freshest possible ingredients the order of the day. Any of its patrons will warn diners not to skip to the main course immediately. Linger a bit on the appetizers. The sisters serve to-die-for B.L.T. Deviled Eggs with arugula, house-cured bacon and heirloom tomatoes. Another favorite, the Risotto Meatballs, are made with grass-fed beef and arborio rice in a balsamic marinara sauce. And Parrot’s gift for combining the sweet and the savory? Try the prosciutto-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese and judge his gift for yourself.

Kelly Barker, with Local owners Melissa Scaramucci Heather Steele, and Abby Carter

Prosciutto wrapped dates with goat cheese.

Main courses range from fish tacos and sweet potato ravioli to turkey lasagna and meatloaf cupcakes. A beef carpaccio with an Asian flair that blends julienne green papaya, red bell peppers, onions, sesame, cilantro and spice peanuts is a house specialty. More traditional selections include roasted chicken, salmon, burgers, pork sandwiches and an enormous Reuben made with house-cured corned beef, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on Rye Bread. “Chef Parrot knows how to create the perfect bite,” says Dana Moffer, Local’s Assistant General Manager. Local takes good food seriously, but its playful approach to the menu is also reflected in its ambience. Parents won’t be distracted by keeping up with the younger continued on page 38 Thrive Oklahoma

By Megan Brown Ellis, the Unit Director of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma City. The time that children spend out of school is critically important to not only their education but also to the health of their family and community. Classroom learning is not enough. Children need help with homework, stimulating experiences outside the school walls, and quality time with adults who can mentor and guide their interests. Families benefit from opportunities to be physically active together. And children need time to play and explore their environment. Parents are expected to provide all of these out of school opportunities in addition to providing transportation, earning money, cleaning their houses, and feeding their youngsters. After school programs can make a meaningful contribution to the community by helping families through providing learning opportunities outside of school hours. Successful after school programs meet children’s physical, educational, and social needs, while providing an important service to working parents. It’s hard to learn when you’re hungry. After the school day children need a nutritious snack and well-balanced evening meal. Kids of all ages need time to move around and be outside after sitting at their desks for the majority of the day. The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma City, at SE 44th Street and Bryant Avenue, allows members to play in the gym and on the playground, football field, and baseball diamond. Time to play in a relaxed atmosphere is essential to member’s social development and gives them a much needed break before they begin educational activities later in the afternoon. Learning about proper nutrition and developing healthy eating habits is important to preventing obesity and other health issues. After school programs are a platform to educate Oklahoma City’s children about the benefits of being active and making healthy food choices. The importance of academic success should be emphasized at every opportunity. From Kindergarten through high school children need to be encouraged to create plans for their future. Whether those plans include a university, a community college, technical school, or the military depend on the interests of the child and their family. Creating a love of learning and desire to do well in school begins with homework help, but it doesn’t stop there. At The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club members can participate in photography, drawing, digital arts, and music classes. While public schools suffer from 14

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Homework time is an essential part of any after school program

a lack of arts funding, after school programs fill those educational gaps providing creative outlets and opportunities for the young people of Oklahoma City. It could be an art class that captures a child’s imagination and propels them onto a career as an architect, engineer, or software designer. After school programs both compliment and supplement the school day, opening children’s eyes to wider ranges of learning. Organized sports encourage habits that lead to academic success and help to develop children’s social awareness. The cost of participating in sports programs can be out of the reach of many families in Oklahoma City, especially single parent families with multiple children. The Salvation Army believes that no child should miss out on playing sports because their parents can’t afford fees or equipment, offering sports at drastically reduced fees and providing all the equipment necessary for children to participate

Outdoor activities are a kid favorite after school. Yoga Maggie from M+Yoga was part of the Spring Health Expo demonstrating yoga.

safely. On the court or on the field, sports develop children physically as well as prepare them to work in teams, to be dedicated, and to create a plan for today that prepares them for a future challenge. One of the most important ingredients in a successful after school program is caring adults who can mentor children through lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lessons. Some neighborhoods can be a daunting place for children. Drugs and gang violence can make streets and parks unsafe places to ride bikes and hangout with friends. After school programs provide safe environments free from the pressures to do drugs or become involved in gang activity. There are many programs available through The Boys & Girls Club of America that help children deal with peer pressure and build healthy relationships.

vironments. Participation in programs like the one at The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma City keeps children off the streets and off the couch. They encourage academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good character and citizenship. Community support of these programs is crucial to their success. To learn more about The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma City visit www. facebook.com/TheClubOKC. Megan Brown Ellis is the Unit Director of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma City. She earned her Ed.M. from The Harvard Graduate School of Education and has worked with school age children for 11 years. Contact megan_ brown_ellis@uss.salvationarmy.org

Out of school learning opportunities like after school programs provide an important community service and support families by creating safe enriching en-

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20 Thrive Oklahoma 16 Thrive Oklahoma

by Kelsie Guthrie Ozone alert season kicks-off in May, so now is a good time to start thinking about what you can do to help improve Oklahoma’s environment. The ECOpass program is an effort by the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts that allows individuals and businesses to offset their negative impact on the environment by supporting local farmers and ranchers who are conserving the state’s natural resources. Supporting local conservation efforts benefits everyone in Oklahoma by keeping water clean, reducing pollutants in the air and sustaining environments for wildlife to flourish. “We should all think about what we can do to make sure that our natural resources are here for future generations,” said Joe Parker, president of OACD. “In Oklahoma, we have a one of a kind program called ECOpass that allows individuals who want to offset the impact of their day-to-day lives to do so by helping farmers and ranchers undertake best management practices on their land that conserve our soil, protect our water, take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and improve our wildlife habitats, and it’s something anyone who is interested in the environment can do.” ECOpasses are sold in $5 denominations with each pass paying for one acre of conservation in Oklahoma per year. The money generated from the sale of ECOpasses will be paid to participating agriculture producers through the OACD’s Oklahoma Carbon Initiative. Farmers and ranchers use the funds from ECOpass to implement conservation practices such as no-till and strip-till farming, grass plantings, tree plantings and improved pasture management.

“A good illustration is in 2009, the Oklahoma River in downtown Oklahoma City was contaminated causing athletes to become ill during an international triathlon – the result of water runoff upstream,” said Parker. “The ECOpass program makes sure farmers aren’t contributing to that problem by helping them invest in fences and offsite watering systems for livestock so that cattle don’t eliminate waste in streams and add to contamination issues. Since the water is cleaner upstream, it costs municipalities less to clean the water for use downstream, and it helps keep the overall ecosystem clean and healthy.” Thanks to voluntary efforts like this, Oklahoma was recently named #2 in the nation for improvement in water quality by the Environmental Protection Agency. According to OACD, research shows that these improvements to the land can store or sequester anywhere from .5 to 1.2 metric tons of carbon in soil per acre, per year, helping reduce overall carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere while addressing other natural resource concerns like soil conservation or non-point source pollution control. ECOpass is a way to support conservation without taxes or more federal regulations. It’s a market-based solution that is completely voluntary and allows Oklahoma businesses and citizens to invest in the protection of Oklahoma’s natural resources with no government funding or taxpayer dollars. continued on page 38

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In order to make sure that kids remain on a regular meal routine even when school is out for summer, engage them and empower them by letting them help in the kitchen and with the shopping. Try to maintain three squares and two small snacks in between meals everyday regardless of summertime schedules. Even young children can help prepare meals in the kitchen, and assist parents in picking out great tasting, nutritious foods at the local grocer.

to help themselves to food and snacks, it may be better to keep junk food out of the house. For example, go out for an ice cream treat once in a while, but don’t keep a large tub of ice cream in the freezer. Another idea is to keep a nonperishable “snack box” in the car. Fill it with high-fiber trail mix, dried fruit, raisins, nuts, and healthy granola bars. Don’t forget the water. Each morning, take at least one piece of fresh fruit along to eat with the snack-box items.

Try not to let summer vacation lead to sedentary habits. Instead, let summertime provide you and your family a healthful time with more physical activity, amazing fresh produce and the opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest. Start by making a game plan to ensure your kids have a healthy happy summer vacation.

Healthy Travel Snack ideas

Snacks can be just as important as meals in ensuring healthy kids. Remember to make sure your child has some protein or fat in their snack, so that they stay full longer. High-fiber carbohydrates are the best bet to pair with protein or fat, helping you get the most nutrition from the snack food.

▪ String cheese and crackers

Bulk snacks can be made into smaller portions using reusable plastic containers. These will make convenient healthy choices that are ready to go when you are. When children that are old enough

▪ Dried fruit, seeds, nuts ▪ Greek yogurt with granola ▪ Hummus with vegetables ▪ Graham crackers with peanut butter ▪ Popcorn and peanut mix ▪ Trail mix ▪ High-fiber cereal bar with a piece of fruit ▪ Half a sandwich and a piece of fruit Family vacations can be a fun time to stay physically active with the kids. Try swimming, canoeing, bicycling, hiking, golfing without the cart, skating, or playing ball. Set limits on TV screen time this summer. This includes time playing video games and sitting at the computer. Set the limit to no more than two hours each day. Using a Wii™ station is a great indoor option for days when it is just too hot to play outside. It’s important to drink plenty of water on a daily basis to help maintain general health and hydration. In most cases, water is the best drink for an active child. The role of sports drinks is to replenish the salts (electrolytes) lost due to sweating.

75,000 sq. ft. Facility • Personal Trainers Group Exercise Classes • Pool • Weight Room 2 Basketball courts

752-1233

located at 14701 N. Kelly Edmond,OK 18

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Before leaving on that road trip, plan snacks, breakfast, lunch and even dinners. One week prior to traveling pack a “nutrition kit” that includes water, sandwiches, fresh or dried fruits, crackers or bagels. The single most important step in eating well when traveling is to take control of your food choices. Do not skip meals while on vacation and avoid eating anything that is fried.

Alyson Dykstra R.D. L.D

Homeland Dietitian

by Alyson Dykstra R.D. L.D

Pineapple Mango Smoothie ¼ C Fresh Pineapple cut into ½” cubes ¼ C Fresh Orange, Peeled ¼ C Fresh Mango, peeled, cut into ½” cubes ½ Frozen Banana, peeled 1 C fat free plain Greek yogurt 1 Leaf kale torn into several pieces ½ C Ice 1 tsp honey as needed

Vacation Trail Mix 2 C Animal Crackers ¾ C dried blueberries ¾ Cup roasted pecan halves 2 ½ cups air-popped popcorn (unseasoned and unbuttered)

1. Add pineapple, orange, mango, banana, yogurt, and ice to a blender.

Fruited Salmon Salad 1 C Fresh baby spinach 1 C Chopped romaine 4 oz salmon fillet grilled and flaked ½ C Fresh Blueberries ¼ Yellow pepper cut into strips 1 Tbsp light raspberry vinaigrette 1 Tbsp light lime salad dressing 1/8 C Sliced almonds

2. Blend until smooth. Add honey as needed for individual taste.

1. In a large bowl toss together spinach and romaine. 2. Top with salmon, blueberries, and pepper. 3. Drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette and lime salad dressing. Toss to coat 4. Sprinkle with almonds

Guacamole Chicken Wraps 1 Whole-Wheat Tortilla Wrap 2 Tbsp Roasted red pepper hummus ½ C Red and Green Peppers, seeded and sliced ¼ C Spinach, chopped 2 Tbsp Salsa 3 oz cooked chicken diced 2 Tbsp Guacamole 1. Spread hummus around tortilla 2. Lay sliced peppers and spinach around equally. 3. Add Chicken, guacamole, and salsa 4. Roll into a wrap

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PRIZES

• $25 Gift Cards to Sunflower Market Name these fruits and veggies correctly and be put in a drawing to WIN!!! Enter your answers at...

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2 Be Specific

4 OR... clip and send this form to Thrive Magazine 8600 Lakeaire Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73132 20

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Global Gardens, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering students and communities through hands onscience education, recently teamed up with Tulsa’s Eugene Fields Elementary School to plant seeds of change. With the support of the school’s staff and a vigorous proponent of good nutrition for kids, Principal Cindi Hemm, the greening program was introduced in 2007. Its humble origins: an open space behind the school that was first tilled in April of that year. With Global Gardens’ “themed gardens,” five years of students have learned about eating healthier while also gobbling up information about other subjects. Every grade level enjoys its own themed garden, learning about everything from science to values of other cultures as they plant, harvest and enjoy their own food. This year, PreK and kindergarten classes are growing fruit gardens. First graders settled on the Color Wheel Garden, Love Garden, Habitat Garden and, just for good measure, miscellaneous bulbs. The second graders are working on a Native American fruit garden and a Three Sisters Garden. Third graders manage their own salad and salsa gardens. One class of fourth graders are cultivating a berry garden and fruit trees, while the other two classes cultivate a nighttime-themed garden and a Mexican Garden. The three different fifth grade classes are raising a Hollywood Garden, an OU Garden and a flower garden. Students and teachers work with a Global Gardens Educator that facilitates weekly gardening education. “Global Gardens has made a tremendous impact on our school and our community,” Hemm explains. “Our test scores have soared as well as our population and participation. The community guards our garden even though it is open 24/7. It is truly a site to behold. During the growing season you can see kids and families in the garden late on every day as well as Saturdays and Sundays. Our students make 100% on the science section of the Oklahoma Core Curriculum Test (OCCT) and all children at our school are being taught to ‘guard our earth’ through organic gardening, composting and cooking classes

by Shelley Mitchell using produce they have grown. It is an amazing program. All schools need to invest in a community school garden.”

Garden Themes To Try At Home:

A sustainable program depends on a community that takes ownership of the organization because it sees the heart and the value of that organization. Global Gardens is one such organization, and it believes that helping students create a garden is a way to not only assist them in learning about science, health and the environment, but also challenge them to become caring, forward-thinking and confident individuals. It’s only been five years for Eugene Fields students, but teachers, parents and students are already seeing those seeds of change blossom.

Bird garden – sunflowers, blueberries, snapdragons, cosmos

Circus garden – peanuts, popcorn, ‘elephant ears’, monkey grass Butterfly garden – marigold, zinnia, salvia, butterfly weed, yarrow, purple coneflower, cosmos, lantana Pizza garden – tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, oregano, basil Native American garden – corn, beans, squash Touching garden – lamb’s ears, succulents, ferns, grasses, geraniums, mosses Scented garden – carnations, scented geraniums, alyssum, four o-clocks, herbs Adapted from the Junior Master Gardener Program

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Healthy Apps for Your iPhone by Paul Fairchild

iPhones are a great way to keep up with the accelerated pace of modern life. They help us get things done quicker and more efficiently. They do it so well they’ve practically become electronic leashes. But many users overlook iPhone apps that can help them improve their health, slow down and relax, and make other healthy adjustments to their lives. And these apps do it with the same ease of use they help us accomplish our work with. Easy health for mind, body and spirit. Who’d have thunk it. Thrive trolled through dozens of apps that do exactly that. Here’s our list of the top ten apps that health-conscious users should keep (and use) on their iPhones. MYQuit Coach By LIVESTRONG, free. Nobody gets healthy in mind, body or spirit until they quit smoking because it’s an addiction that chips away at all of the big three. There are plenty of quit smoking apps out there, but MyQuit Coach is the most comprehensive and offers the coolest feature – community support. The app supports cold turkey quitting, using smoking cessation aids (such as the patch) and weaning. Put yourself on the right quitting schedule, follow the instructions, and stay strong. When you start craving, reach out to your MyQuit Coach community or Facebook friends for motivation. Earn badges and awards for sticking tight to your program. This practical app makes quitting smoking as easy and fun as it’s ever going to be. RECIPEBUILDER PRO Wombat Apps, $1.99. There are thousands of recipe apps out there, but RecipeBuilder Pro is built for more than just the average gourmet. Whether you download or create your own recipes, RecipeBuilder Pro gives you a complete breakdown of each meal’s nutritional info, including carbs, fat, protein and more. It does require some initial work on the user’s part, but the payoff is worth it. It’s one thing to eat great food, but knowing what it’s putting into your body is gold. In a nutshell: have your (nutritional) cake and eat it, too.

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MYPLATE LIVESTRONG, free. MyPlate is for the connoisseur that eats out often or doesn’t have the time to input their own recipes into an app’s database. LIVESTRONG is a company committed to promoting good health, and they’ve scored another spot on our list with MyPlate. With over 11million entries already in their database, a user can walk into virtually any restaurant (or choose from thousands of generic meals), select their meal and get an instant breakdown of carbs, fat and protein consumed, along with a calorie breakdown on a daily basis. With the companion web site, users can see a daily breakdown of their nutritional intake down to the last vitamin and mineral. PERSONALTRAINER Brainware, 99¢ Tired of paying for a personal trainer? Sick of matching up your schedule with your personal trainer’s? Don’t know how to workout on your own? Brainware’s iPersonalTrainer takes the guesswork out of working out. A database of hundreds of exercises available at any gym allows users to get all the workouts they want and need. Crafted with the advice of professional trainers, iPersonalTrainer even automatically customizes workouts – for beginning, intermediate and advanced users. Even better, users can target specific body areas for their workouts. The app keeps track of progress and adjusts workout difficulty as users ramp up their exercising.

POCKET YOGA Rainfrog, $2.99. Pumping iron not your style? Yoga is the exercise of choice for millions of Americans and Pocket Yoga makes it easy to make sure users get their daily fix when they can’t make it to the studio. The app sports three different practice sessions, three difficulty levels and three different durations. Voice and video instruction guide users through the poses – over 145 of them. The app tracks user progress and adjusts sessions accordingly as the user advances. MINDFULNESS MEDITATION Mental Workout, Inc., $1.99. So far this list is heavy on apps for improving the body. But there are apps out there for the mind and spirit, as well, and this qualifies as one of the best. With an iPhone in hand, there’s no excuse for not giving your soul a relaxing break when you have a spare moment. No previous experience with meditation is necessary, but the app has surprises for veteran meditators, as well. Meditation is a proven technique for improving health and wellness, and Mindfulness Meditation puts it, literally, in the palm of your hand. MOODTRACKER Cheryl T. Herman Foundation, $6.99. There’s no shortage of doctors that believe that what happens in the mind deeply affects the health of the body. MoodTracker helps users, especially those prone to depression, to isolate mood triggers and track mood cycles. Using it regularly, users will spot low moods before they happen and can take action to get their heads back in the game. The tracking and statistics are sophisticated but the app’s usability is unparalleled for its category.

WELLSCAPES The University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing, $1.99. The kids at the University of Minnesota put this app together with a deep understanding of the healing power of nature. Wellscapes provides an excellent iPhone escape. Getting close to nature reduces stress, elevates the mood and improves overall health and well-being. Watch stunning nature videos in silence or with music and nature sounds. It’s no substitute for a trip to Hawaii, but it’s pretty good if you give it your undivided attention for five minutes. Best viewed in landscape mode, by the way. SLEEP MACHINE SleepSoft LLC, $1.99. Good sleep is essential for good health, but knowing it and getting it are two different things. When was the last time you fell asleep to the sounds of waves on a beach? Is the sound of light rain a lullaby for you? Sleep Machine offers a variety of natural sounds, studio-engineered to put users down for the count at night. Have two or three favorite sounds? No problem. Sleep machine lets users mix and match until they find the perfect lullaby that brings a solid night of good sleep.

GORILLA WORKOUT Hecker LLC, $1.99.Gorilla Workout deserves a mention because it’s the only workout app available for the iPhone that requires no gym and no equipment. All of the exercises are bodyweight only and presented in a fun, video game format. As one user says, “Kicking your own butt has never been so much fun.” With over 40 exercises, it features routines for beginning, intermediate and advanced workout enthusiasts. Spend a small amount of money and save a chunk on that expensive gym membership. To get the links to these and other healthy apps click on this QR code. or go to www.thriveokwellness.com Thrive Oklahoma

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Urban Eco Living by Nathan Linden

or years, powering houses with geothermal energy has been on the radars of Oklahoma City homebuilders. With recent advances in technology, they’re now seeing their geothermal pipe dreams come true. They know that smaller energy bills translate into happier homeowners, and happy customers are what every business wants to see. Geothermal energy relies on the constant temperature of the earth to regulate the cooling and heating of homes. Unobtrusive pumps send water underground via pipes leading from and back to the home. In the winter, the ground warms the water and in the summer it cools the water. The new temperature difference appropriately cools or heats water and air in the home. And since the ground doesn’t charge for energy, it’s free to the homeowner. They only need is to supply the water. “It’s a great energy-efficient product, says Bob Willis of Sunrise Alternative Energy, one of Oklahoma’s leading geothermal installers. “It can reduce heating and cooling costs as much as 50 percent.” With geothermal capabilities becoming more and more unobtrusive and less and less expensive, homes sporting the new energy source are cropping up all over Oklahoma City developments. Many of them sit near the city’s downtown area. Block 42, the Central Avenue Villas and the Homeless Alliance’s amazing WestTown Campus are three additions to the new bandwagon. Block42, located at the corner of N.E. 4th and Central Avenue, is the first officially “green” project in downtown Oklahoma City. Geothermal energy helped them secure LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, and it meets the rigorous standards of the U.S. Green Building Council. Central Villas resident Chris Hewitt saw his energy costs cut in half by going geothermal. “It’s kind of hard to show energy efficiency in a picture, but I’ve never had an electric bill over $80 and they are usually around $45-50 for a 1,200 square foot condo.” Geothermal energy isn’t a pipe dream for homeowners outside of these developments, either. Several qualified, locally owned businesses can convert conventional homes to geothermal energy. The only requirement is that the house be located on a plot large enough for a well. The most common obstacle to conversion for homeowners, however, is cost. It’s not cheap to make the switch, but over time the savings in energy costs will pay for the newer system. “A geothermal system can cost 25 to 35 percent more than a conventional system,” says Willis. “It may take three to five years to recover that investment.” A 30 percent federal tax cut, however, helps cut down the initial investment cost. This incentive is available to homeowners through 2016. Additionally, several utility rebates are available to geothermal homeowners through various Oklahoma energy providers. Geothermal energy may be new, but it’s proven and here to stay. The city’s commitment to it shows that wherever it goes, Oklahoma City won’t be left behind. Indeed, it’ll be out front and leading the way for other communities to follow.

Top photo: Patio View from Central Villas by Owner Chris Hewitt Interior photos: Hadden Hall Thrive Oklahoma

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TEACHING CUTTING EDGE LIVING CUISINE by Stan Marker The Matthew Kenney Academy situated in Oklahoma City’s innovative Classen Curve is the nation’s first and only classically structured Raw and Living Foods educational center. The academy is associated with the restaurant formerly known as 105 degrees, but is now named after its founder, Matthew Kenney. Built from the ground up with sustainability and raw food preparation in mind, Matthew Kenney OKC, provides a modern setting with clean lines in which to savor the unique and highly innovative menu created by renowned Raw Food Chef and author Matthew Kenney. The entirely plant-based gourmet cuisine utilizes the finest ingredients, prepared by hand with low temperature techniques which maximize the nutrient content and preserves the natural enzyme activity found in raw foods. “Along with our goal to educate our students and to offer healthy, flavorful fare to our guests, we make every effort to support local and organic agriculture” says Kenney. An open kitchen design is where raw food chefs in-training work. The Matthew Kenney Academy attracts aspiring chefs from around the world. Students of the Matthew Kenney Academy undergo a rigorous culinary education that lasts four weeks at a time. International students live here in Oklahoma City, take public transportation and absorb our urban culture. Training programs are broken up into Fundamentals and Advanced Raw Cuisine which provide120 student contact hours. Classes are intentionally kept small with personalized attention from the masters. This setting allows for hands-on experience within a custom designed, state-of-the-art commercial living foods kitchen. The faculty and staff are all trained in the latest culinary and educational techniques. Many of these busy students photograph their finished dishes in order to share them with friends and colleagues back their home country. This Oklahoma state-licensed educational institution was created in response to the increasing demand for chefs skilled in the art of raw and living food preparation. The curriculum emphasizes the use of whole, organic, unprocessed plant-based foods to achieve healthy, aesthetically refined and flavorful cuisine.

Matthew Kenney is an entrepreneur specializing in the raw lifestyle and the world’s leading raw food chef. He has authored several best-selling cookbooks available at The Shop inside the restaurant area. Kenney graduated from the French Culinary Institute and has opened a number of his own highly regarded restaurants in New York and along the East Coast. He’s been named one of America’s Best New Chefs by Food and Wine Magazine and was twice been nominated as a Rising Star Chef in America by the James Beard Foundation.

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ADVERTORIAL Koko Fit Club gives its members all the wisdom, guidance and motivation of a personal trainer -on a flash drive that fits on a keychain. New club members undergo an initial strength training assessment. With that information, Chris Lucas and his Koko Fit Club team develop a personalized workout program for each member. Armed with their flash drives, members hit the gym knowing they’ll use the right machines the right way for the right length of time -- to achieve the right fitness goals. And it gives them the benefits of an hour-long session in only thirty minutes. Lucas is all about the latest and greatest technology andgadgets. For years Lucas wasn’t so great about adopting an exercise program. But when he saw fitness and cutting edge technology come together in a unique combination offered by Koko Fit Clubs, he jumped all over it. The high-tech solution to his workout speed bumps has put him back in the gym for good. And he’s hoping it’ll put you back there, too.

Koko Fit uses Health Tracks based on the latest medical and exercise science research. These progressive, full-year plans will take you safely through 2-3 customized sessions each week. “We all know we need to exercise. But we don’t have time. That’s the biggest roadblock people have to getting in shape. Koko Fit Club’s 30-minute, efficient, full-body workout is very attractive. Busy people can make that work. I love that I don’t have to think about what I’m going to do if I do go to the gym. Time, not knowing what to do, and not seeing the results I wanted -- if those were roadblocks for me, then they would be issues for other people, too,” says Lucas.

In the last two years Lucas, a natural-born entrepreneur, opened two Koko Fit Club locations in Oklahoma City. There’s a Koko Fit Club at 309 S. Bryant in Edmond and 7316 N. Western Ave. in Oklahoma City. Call (405) 285-2FIT (2348) or visit www.kokofitclub.com for membership information.

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Local Entrepreneur Brings High-End Fashions to Oklahoma City Women by Kelsie Guthrie Oklahoma native Danielle Keogh made a point of dressing the part as she worked her way toward becoming a successful executive who now operates several multimillion-dollar financial and contracting service firms. Serving in roles such as president, CFO and CEO within these different firms, her latest business venture may seem out of the ordinary: opening a specialty woman’s boutique that is shaking up the fashion scene in Oklahoma City. Through these high-level positions, Keogh was constantly traveling to major cities in the U.S. and overseas. On business trips, she discovered a wide variety of styles and selection for younger women; however, finding stylish garments targeting those same women in their thirties and forties in Oklahoma was extremely difficult. It occurred to her that other executive women in Oklahoma probably had the same problem. And with that, the entrepreneur began a unique journey that in May will open its doors as an Oklahoma exclusive retailer representing more than 20 of the world’s leading and emerging fashion designers. Keogh’s new retail store on Classen Curve is called Liberté, a nod to her family’s French heritage and a call to Oklahoma consumers who seek, as she puts it, “to express their continually evolving style identity or their freedom of style.” Liberté will cater to professional women who need an enhanced selection of stylish business attire, sophisticated weekend wear, classy cocktail and formal dresses and unique accessories to finish out those looks.

“Living in Oklahoma doesn’t mean that a woman shouldn’t have the ability to create her own sense of upscale style, one that defines her above the clutter of mass-market shopping mall brands,” said Keogh, who at 30 has already earned an MBA, a number of financial certifications, and helped launch a top research and development institution. “Liberté is a place that we hope will transcend the act of buying clothes into an experience that enhances the unique spirit of the women who live and work in Oklahoma. These are the exclusive fashions you find on the runways of Milan and the best boutiques in New York.” continued on page 30

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Libert´e continued from page 29 Keogh also wanted the architectural features to resemble that of a chic store you might see in high fashion districts in Paris. She sought a designer who could materialize her vision of relaxed elegance for the interior of Liberté. She found the perfect fit with HSE Architects, who incorporated distinctive custom designs in the 2,500 square foot space using an open concept and monochromatic palette with darkly stained concrete floors, white walls and a floating ceiling “cloud.” The exposed, metallic silver ceiling showcases a custom chandelier with more than 15,000 crystal beads. “Liberté is timeless and sophisticated,” said Anh Weber, interior designer at HSE Architects. “Danielle had a vision to incorporate neoclassical details that ultimately inspired the store’s namesake. Our interior concept intertwines those classic and elegant subtleties with a high level of contemporary, creative design and finishes.”

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Sports Performance at OCU by Rod Jones A national leader in Sports Medicine, Oklahoma City University is adding a program to help Oklahoma City athletes reach their full potentials and the tops of their games. The new program will be offered through the school’s Department of Kinesiology and Exercise Studies. It will utilize bleeding-edge techniques and technologies to help athletes improve their games. “The OCU Sports Performance program has the equipment and experience to help individuals and teams reach their full athletic potential. It’s designed to assist those who have a strong desire to excel at their sport,” says Dr. Jason Miller, Chairman of the Kinesiology and Exercise Studies Department. “We look for athletes that are a little bit older than kids and have a focus on a particular sport or just their athletic performance in general. We’re looking for athletes that want to compete and are serious about getting better and that goes from 12 years up all the way to 95-year-olds. It’s all about people that have the motivation and desire to get better.” The program is open to athletes that are at least 12 years old. The department offers individual and group training sessions with programs

specifically designed to meet the needs of participants. The professionals at OCU Sports Performance are also available for team consultations and for implementing and leading team training sessions at OCU’s new Human Performance Center or at off-campus facilities. While the clinic was only recently officially launched, it’s been in operation on a small scale since last fall. It already boasts a few successes. Miller likes to tell the story of one of his first clients, a high school baseball player. Miller’s quick to attribute a big chunk of the athlete’s success to his own determination, but also maintains that the clinic’s program played a big part, as well. The player reports leading the team in runs and stolen bases, categories he’s never led in before. As a pitcher, he even got a no-hitter under his belt. Determination alone can’t account for that kind of success. The program uses the latest technology in testing and training techniques for athletes in virtually every sport and level of competition. continued on page 38

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Moving for Better Balance by Julie Myers, JD, MPH, Community Liaison Wellness Now Initiative Beverly Kirk extends her arms and inhales deeply. As she floats gracefully through a series of ancient postures she achieves a mind body connection that brings her both serenity and physical empowerment. Tai Chi, a repetition of movements in sequence, develops balance, strength, flexibility and mental acuity. Martial artists in ancient China practiced Tai Chi to help with focus and stamina in battle. Beverly Kirk practices Tai Chi in Oklahoma City to promote good health and wellness.

Carlos Thomas is one of the many patricipants in the OCCHD sponsored Tai Chi Class. Photos by Jamie Dunnington

Kirk is preparing to become an instructor in a program called “Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promotes the program as a means of helping seniors avoid falls. The Oklahoma City-County Health Department (OCCHD) and Wellness Now adopted “Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance” as part of an effort to improve senior health. “We have a lot of evidence that Tai Chi exercise helps seniors improve their strength and balance,” says Wellness Now Senior Health Workgroup Co-Chair Christi Jernigan, “and that leads directly to fewer falls.” Wellness Now involves a coalition of more than 100 organizations, businesses and agencies that are working collectively to improve community health. The Senior Health Workgroup chose fall prevention as a top priority because of the financial cost and physical suffering related to falls. According to the State Health Department, in 2009 acute care for fall related injuries among people 65 and older cost Oklahomans more than $223 million. And nationwide, the CDC estimates that every 30 minutes an older adult will die from injuries sustained in a fall. 32

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In “Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance,” participants slowly move through sequences, concentrating on performing each movement precisely and in the correct order. The program is a simplified version of traditional Tai Chi, tailored specifically for seniors who may have little experience with exercise programs. In addition to the physical benefits, researchers discovered that the practice also builds memory and focus. Participants not only experience fewer falls, they report improvements in their sense of well-being. For Kirk, the value of keeping her body strong and healthy is paramount. She and her husband care for an aging parent who has suffered health problems and several falls. She reminds us that in previous generations there was a lack of emphasis on the importance of exercise during the aging process. That’s beginning to change. Kirk says she has practiced yoga, walking, and aerobics, yet ultimately has found the most fulfillment in the Tai Chi program. While other activities were hard on her joints, Tai Chi is a low-impact activity. Kirk says the practice gives her a sense that she is more in control over the aging process. She believes that performing Tai Chi exercises regularly will help stave off many of the health problems associated with aging, such as diabetes and other chronic diseases. Wellness Now plans to make Tai Chi widely available to seniors throughout the Metro area through classes at public libraries and other venues. In an effort to expand access to the Tai Chi program, OCCHD and OU Medical Center are offering “Train-the-Trainer” classes to help place more Tai Chi instructors in the community. Kirk has completed the training and will be teaching her own class at the Bethany Library starting this spring. OCCHD Employee Wellness Coordinator Janet Irvin initiated the Tai Chi training program in 2011 and has trained more than 20 instructors. Laura Gamino, RN, MPH, of OU

Medical Center currently leads the “Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance” trainings. Tai Chi classes for seniors are offered at the Ralph Ellison Library, YMCA Lincoln Senior Center, Belle Isle Library, Bethany Library and Choctaw Library. For information on class times and dates, contact the Metropolitan Library System, http://www.mls.lib.ok.us/ A full schedule of “Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance” classes will also be offered at the new Northeast Regional Health and Wellness Campus after construction is complete in 2013. The Wellness Campus at N.E. 63rd Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue will provide a range of services for seniors, adults and children. The Tai Chi program is just one of the ways the Senior Health Workgroup is collaborating with partners to improve senior health. Led by Claire Dowers-Nichols, MHR, of the OK Healthy Aging Initiative, Christi Jernigan of Oklahoma County Social Services, and Tracy McKeown, MPH, of OCCHD, the workgroup also focuses on increasing support services, improving access to fresh nutritional foods for seniors, addressing access and transportation issues, and improving mental health.

Julie Myers, JD, MPH, is the Community Liaison for policy at OCCHD and Wellness Now Initiative

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Cholesterol drugs increase diabetes risk: by Jill M. White, PharmD

Cholesterol, a waxy, fat-like substance, is found in all cells of the human body. We get cholesterol from our diets and our bodies also make cholesterol for its own use. It is necessary to life; however, excess cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. There are currently 102 million American adults over age 20 who suffers from high cholesterol (> 200mg/dL). This epidemic of high cholesterol has led to big business for drug manufacturers who make medications to treat it. In fact, doctors write 255 million prescriptions each year for cholesterol-lowering medications1. One of these, the class known as “statins” is the number one class of medications prescribed in the U.S. Popular statins include Lipitor® (atorvastatin), Zocor® (simvastatin) and Crestor® (rosuvastatin) among others. Until recently, statins have had a casual relationship with the onset of type 2 diabetes. A new look by way of the Women’s Health Initiative study has concreted this relationship. This study included 154,000 postmenopausal women and followed them for 15 years. The findings were alarming, a nearly 50% increase in type 2 diabetes in long-time statin users1. Other studies as far back as 2008 have also suggested this relationship in men and women. A meta-analysis in 2009 concluded that the relationship was uncertain and more studies were needed2 (however, only one study out of the six swayed the findings away from a positive relationship). In March of 2011, a new metaanalysis of 5 statin studies concluded that intensivedose statin therapy was associated with an increased risk of new onset diabetes3. During this time sales of these medications have only increased. In fact, one in four Americans over age 45 are now at a higher risk for diabetes due to taking a statin. What should the 30 million Americans do who are now on statins? First, always consult with your physician, as some people have high cholesterol that can only be controlled by medications. If after this discussion you and your physician decide that instead of trading one devastating disease for another you would like to try another approach the following steps are nonpharmaceutical methods to lower your cholesterol levels. 34

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Image from:http://complicationsencyclopedia.com/konfuciy.asp?tda=dt&t=7704&fs=cholesterol

Foods to Incorporate 1. Oatmeal, beans, apples These foods contain soluble fiber which helps to lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein, aka “bad” cholesterol). Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the blood stream. Soluble fiber is not found in abundance in all fruits and vegetables. Besides the aforementioned, other good sources are citrus fruits, peas, carrots and barley. Aim to get 10 grams of soluble fiber daily.

2. Fish and Omega-3 fatty acids Fatty fish including salmon, mackerel and halibut are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids can help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and reduce the risk of sudden death in people who have already suffered a heart attack.

3. Almonds, Walnuts and other nuts Nuts can help reduce cholesterol levels. Walnuts, high in polyunsaturated fats, can also keep blood vessels healthy. According to the FDA, a handful of nuts daily can reduce your risk of heart disease. When selecting nuts, raw are best, however, just be sure your nuts are not salted or coated in sugar.

4. Olive oil An oil full of antioxidants, olive oil, can lower your LDL while leaving your HDL (high density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol) intact. The FDA recommends 2 tablespoons of olive oil in place of other fat in your diet to

Other ways to lower your numbers get these heart healthy benefits. Extra virgin olive oil does an even better job at lowering LDL (always look for cold pressed olive oil for a less processed product).

Supplements to add 1. Plant Sterols These are natural occurring substances that occur in small amounts in grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts. By blocking cholesterol from getting absorbed in the bloodstream, they have powerful cholesterol lowering benefits. They are now being added to many foods or available as a nutritional supplement. The key to plant sterols is you must get at least 2 grams of plant sterols in a single dose to be most effective.

2. Omega-3 fatty acids If you are unable to eat fish or have an aversion to eating fish, it is necessary that you take a good omega-3 supplement for total overall health including lower cholesterol levels. Aim for 1g of DHA and 2g of EPA daily (do not just look at total fish oil content). Also, be wary of the source of omega-3’s steering clear of sources that may contain mercury. Be wary of the pharmaceutical Lovaza®, an omega-3 medication, as it comes from self-proclaimed “crude fish oil which may contain mercury and other pollutants.”

acids, nuts and olive oil to your diet and cutting saturated and trans fats can help lower your cholesterol naturally. Stop smoking and exercise most days of the week and you will be well on your way to lower cholesterol without the risk. References: 1. Heart drugs tied to diabetes. (2012 January 10). Retrieved from http://www.pharmacynewsflash.com 2. Rajpathak, S. N., Kumbhani, D. J., Crandall, J., Barzilai, N., Alderman, N., & Ridker, P. M. (2009). Statin therapy and risk of developing type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis. Diabetes Care, 32(10), 1924-1929. 3. Preiss, D., Kondapally- Seshasai, S., Welsh, P., Murphy, S. A., Ho, J. E., Waters, D. D., Ray, K. K. (2011). Risk of incident diabetes with intensive-dose compared with moderate-dose statin therapy: A meta-analysis. JAMA: Journal of The American Medical Association, 305(24), 2556-2564. Cholesterol: Top 5 foods to lower your numbers. (2010 May 10). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com Lovaza® Retrieved from http://www.lovaza.com/frequently-asked-questions/index.html

Jill White, PharmD is a Nutripharmacist with NutriPharmx info@nutripharmx.com Nutrition-based Healthcare

Other ways to lower cholestorol 1. Cut back on dietary intake of cholesterol and decrease saturated and trans-fat intake. Saturated fat and cholesterol are found in full fat animal products such as meat, butter and full fat dairy. Trans fat is found in margarine and many snack foods including snack crackers, store bought cookies and cakes. 2. Exercise 30 minutes at moderate intensity most days of the week. You can lower LDL levels by losing as little as 5-10 pounds; exercise also increases HDL. 3. Quit smoking. Besides being one of the best things you can do for your overall health and those around you, quitting smoking can increase HDL levels. Statin medications are the most prescribed drug class in the U.S., unfortunately, they have recently been linked to an increased risk of new onset type 2 diabetes. To avoid this risk, there are other ways to lower cholesterol levels without taking prescription medications. Adding soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty Thrive Oklahoma

Laboratory Tests Can Be Valuable Tools in Cancer Care

by Nan Bertone RN,

Clinical Director at Personal Health Partners â&#x20AC;&#x153;providing laboratory and other health screenings for optimum healthâ&#x20AC;? Being diagnosed with cancer can be devastating. Fear of the unknown and lack of controlcause tremendous stress that can be detrimental to the success of treatment. Taking back control through education and information is critical for the patient, their caregivers, and the providers who treat them. Understanding what laboratory tests mean helps the patient make rational, controlled decisions about fighting the disease. Laboratory tests can be helpful tools for your health care provider, as well as a personal measure related to cancer. There are two types of laboratory tests that, used together, tell an oncologist how cancer and its treatment are affecting the individual. Tumor Markers are specific tests for different types of cancer that indicate presence of cancer cells or components linked to cancer. Basic tests, such as CBC (Compete Blood Count) and CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel) can indicate how well your body is tolerating treatment for cancer or reacting to the cancer itself.

gation and their value as routine tests is, as yet, undetermined. These tests are also used for different reasons. Some examples of the reasons to test for tumor markers include:

Tumor Markers Tumor markers, usually proteins, are produced by the body in response to cancer cells or cancer tissue. They can be measured from samples of blood, urine or tissue. Some are specific to one cancer type and some are seen in multiple types of cancer. There are several tumor markers that are used more than others because of their relative reliability or specificity, such as the PSA and CEA. There are others that are still under investi36

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Determining Recurrence of Disease may be the single most important indicator for testing tumor markers. In those persons who have been diagnosed with and treated for cancer, these tests can be an invaluable tool for maintaining good health for the rest of their lives. In particular, the CEA & PSA are tests customarily used to determine if cancer has recurred.

PSA (Prostate- Specific Antigen) Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood. It is normal for men to have a low level of PSA in their blood; however, prostate cancer or non-cancerous conditions such as prostate inflammation or an enlarged prostate can increase a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PSA level. The PSA level alone should not be used to determine the presence of cancer but be used as one indicator in a work-up. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of the PSA test along with a digital rectal exam to help detect prostate cancer in men 50 years of age or older, however, the PSA test is frequently done on men over the age of 34. Together, these tests can help doctors detect prostate cancer in men who have no symptoms of the disease. The FDA has also approved the use of the PSA test to monitor patients who have a history of prostate cancer to see if the cancer has recurred (come back). However, a single elevated PSA measurement in a patient with a history of prostate cancer does not always mean the cancer has come back. A man who has been treated for prostate cancer should discuss an elevated PSA level with his doctor. The doctor may recommend repeating the PSA test or performing other tests to check for evidence of a recurrence. The doctor may look for a trend of rising PSA measurements over time rather than a single elevated PSA level. Men receiving hormone therapy for treatment of prostate cancer can also have a low PSA for a time, even though they may have a recurrence.

CEA (Carcino-Embryonic Antigen) The CEA test is collected by drawing blood. The test does not require preparation, such as fasting. In adults, CEA is customarily present in very low levels in blood. While an increase in CEA may indicate the presence of cancer, it can also be increased in those with non-cancer conditions such as Crohnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease, cirrhosis, ulcerative colitis, rectal polyps, ulcers, benign breast lumps and emphysema. Smokers also tend to have a higher CEA level than non-smokers. Not all cancers produce CEA therefore a person with normal CEA results can still have some other form of cancer. Smaller or early stage cancerous tumors will primarily result in a slight elevation of CEA while more advanced tumors will produce a high level of CEA. Consequently, if CEA levels decrease during or after treatment it is a good indication of treatment success. The CEA test is indicated for people experiencing symptoms suggesting the presence of cancer, as a baseline before beginning cancer treatment and as a measure during and after treatment to determine effectiveness. For more information, or to get tested, call 405-330-5755 For a full listing of various tumor markers go to: www.labtestsonline.org Thrive Oklahoma

Ecopass

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“This ECOpass initiative is a great way to promote conservation of our natural resources, reward good stewardship of the land and highlight the good work that is going on in Oklahoma,” said Parker. “Oklahoma producers are striving to address natural resource concerns as they feed and clothe the world and ECOpass gives everyone a chance to be part of the effort to protect our resources for the future.” For more information about ECOpass and conservation efforts in Oklahoma, visit www.ecopassok.com.

Local at Local

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members of the family while enjoying a meal here. Kids are encouraged to play while the adults graze. A supervised children’s area, “Localville Happy Valley,” holds play, infant, art and media rooms where kids frolic while adults struggle with choosing the best foods from an outstanding menu. Older children can select their meals from seasonal menu items including fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins. Six-year-old patron, Gracie Slovak, after trying the almond crusted chicken, fresh grapes and roasted sweet potato wedges, offered the restaurant the highest possible praise: “This is the bomb, Mom! We should eat here everyday!” Healthy food and a happy kid? Music to any parent’s ears.

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Sports Performance at OCU

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Evaluation services include body composition, lactate threshold, lower body power, movement screenings, gait analysis, general fitness and strength testing. Evaluations also include a full explanation of testing results and how the results can be used to set training programs and goals. The science and research behind the program are complex, but the process for the athlete is simple. It begins with a basic assessment where a clinician such as Miller sits down with an athlete, discusses his or her goals and collects a performance history. This is the first step in the construction of the athlete’s personalized training program. Will the focus be strength? Skill development? It’s different for everybody. The clinician then walks the athlete through a light workout. The goal here is to start educating the athlete about how they should be moving their body. A follow-up workout helps gauge an athlete’s deficiencies in strength, neurological responses, reactive strength and other areas. It also gives the clinician a sense of how the athlete moves and a chance to look for asymmetries that could hamper performance or lead to injuries. This allows the clinician to incorporate a corrective aspect into the athlete’s training program. Miller underscores the importance of this, stressing that keeping the athlete healthy is job number one. All of the information is then distilled and rolled into a highly personalized workout program aimed at helping an athlete reach specific, particular goals.

Boathouse District Stars & Stripes River Festival by Bryant Welbourne

OKC Riversport’s inaugural Stars and Stripes River Festival will be Oklahoma City’s biggest summer party, with a full day of fun activities for the entire family. Its focus is celebrating America’s Olympic Spirit as our athletes prepare to leave for the 2012 Summer Games in London. Admission is free for the event, taking place on Saturday, June 30. The fun takes place in the Boathouse District at S.E. 6th St. and Lincoln Boulevard. Kids will enjoy a chance to learn about cycling, running, rowing, canoeing or kayaking from elite athletes through free, interactive demonstrations. Participants will have the chance to learn the basics of rowing and participate in the “Row to London” challenge. More than 40 corporate rowing crews and dragon boat teams will cap their spring season with friendly competition for medals and office bragging rights. The races begin at 9 a.m. Spectators can watch them, the “Riversport Challenge” multisport race for youth and adults, and a sailing demonstration during the day. When they’re done watching, families can get wet and participate themselves. OKC Riversport will also offer kayaking, biking, stand-up paddleboarding, rowing, and dragon

boating activities for the whole family. Later in the afternoon, the “Paddle Now” event will encourage everyone to get on the water in a canoe, kayak, dragon boat or stand-up paddleboard for a group paddle. Participants in the “Riversport Challenge” can test their endurance with a 5K run and 500 meter kayak race, or a shorter kayak-run race for kids. Registration for the “Riversport Challenge” is still open – register online for the adult race or sign up the kids for the youth event at oklahomariverevents.org. Racing will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude around noon. The Oklahoma City Boat Club will be hosting a sailing exhibition starting at 3 p.m. There will be watermelon seed spitting contests, sack races, volleyball, horseshoe competitions and additional children’s attractions to round out the fun during the day. Evening events include a free concert followed by fireworks at dusk. Adventure passes will be available all day, priced at $40 for adults and $20 for youth ages 8 - 12. They’re a great way to experience all the fun activities on the Oklahoma River. The Adventure pass gives owners access to kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, rowing, dragon boating, and pedal boats on the river, long boards plus bikes to use on the trails. There will also be instructional classes in kayaking and rowing. Adventure passes are also available on Saturdays starting May 19 through October 27. The pass also includes activities at the Route 66 Boathouse at Lake Overholser. Hourly bike rentals are available for $12. Visit www.riversportokc.org to learn more about Adventure Saturdays and other programs and activities offered at the Boathouse District and Lake Overholser throughout the summer months.

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Cup of Tea? The Healing Power of Herbs by Timothy L. Trujillo

There is a familiar weed growing along the local walking paths. It has delicate white flowers sprouting out in every direction. Below the flowers, little seed pods stand sentinel in a similar array. This is Shepherd’s Purse, the noble European herb that has planted itself throughout the world. More than just a passing blossom, it is a medicine that can be used to treat internal bleeding, inflammation, hypertension, ulcer, and even cancer. It is a veritable medicine cabinet sprouting and saluting from the roadside. While the term “herb” applies to a tender plant, herbal medicines include root, stem, leaf, flower, bark, and seeds of a myriad of plants and trees. Many common plants are, indeed, medicines. Our culinary herbs of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and others are powerful immune stimulants, anti-microbials, and anti-septics. The ubiquitous and pesky dandelion is a very good medicine that supports liver function, and the greens make a delicious addition to a salad. It is not advisable, however, to consume weeds from lawns or roadways, unless it can be determined that they are free from herbicides, pesticides, and other toxins. Fortunately, this ‘wild crafting” is not necessary to benefit from herbal medicines. Herbs are prepared and sold in many different forms, from dried bulk and bagged, to capsules and tablets, to concentrated tincture solutions, to multi-component formulas touted to cure every ill. Herbal remedies need not be purchased at pharmacies or health food centers. They are commonly available at supermarkets and even at fillingstation marts as stimulants and aphrodisiacs. However, for

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safety and benefit, it is best to use herbs grown organically and processed without “adulteration.” Perhaps the most common and longstanding method of taking herbal medicines is as a tea. Chamomile tea is a familiar relaxant, peppermint tea is a mild stimulant and digestive aid, and licorice tea is excellent for soothing a sore throat. Fresh or dried materials are either boiled in the case of dense and woody textures, or steeped in the case of tender leaves and flowers. The extraction of vital elements into solution allows them to be absorbed and utilized by our bodies in a rapid, direct, and wholesome way. Taking medicine as tea also engages many of our healing mechanisms. Taking tea is not just a process but an act, the sole purpose of which is our enhanced well being. While selecting and blending herbs, we contemplate the actions we desire. While watching the kettle come to a boil, we build anticipation and send signals to every cell in our body, preparing for the changes to come. While “cooking” the tea, we release aromatics that lift our mood and stimulate pleasure centers in the brain. With patience we dip the teabag or stir the loose herbs, saturating our senses and increasing our anticipation, until, at last, we may enjoy the precious brew. Taking tea is not something to be done on the go. The hot beverage demands respect; it forces us to slow down, to take it easy, to act with intention. Sitting, we let the busy day drift by as our timeless attendance to cooling solemnizes our thoughts of wellness. We cradle the cup between our palms, warming and activating acu-points on the hand that invigorate our entire system and strengthen our heart and mind. We bring the steaming vessel to our lips and blowing our silent prayer across the surface, send our desires upward with the rising vapors. We sip the concoction and feel its flavor and warmth refresh our palate and warm us to our core. We may find that holding the warm cup to our chest or lower abdomen also soothes and invigorates our entire being. All the while, we are still. Our thoughts may drift or remain fixed on our healing mission, and the swirling world is set free from our concerns and us from its demands. During such a time, our own essence is distilled, our purpose clarified. When completed, we may savor the last lingering remnants of flavor in our mouth or on our lips. We may gaze down into the emptied cup to spy some remaining material and, considering its array, contemplate our own future of robust health.

Originally published as Stone Soup in Simple & Delicious March/April 2007 This spring the children working on their theme gardens will be harvesting produce for use in a school wide Stone Soup lunch during the last week of school. The MidDel nutrition director Kevin Ponce has been a strong supporter of the students’ gardening efforts. The vegetables grown provide the students and staff of Del City Elementary their “garden-fresh” ingredients for their Stone Soup lunch menu. This Old European Fable describes how a stranger comes to town and “tricks” the towns-folk into adding a variety of vegetables to a pot, which only contains hot water and a stone. Through a community effort, cooperation and team work amid scarcity, the resulting soup becomes a nourishing, delicious dish that’s plentiful enough to feed the masses.

Recipe for Stone Soup:

Mid Del Elementary school principal will supply the stone and the students supply the veggies from the class gardens like potatoes, onions, broccoli, rainbow chard, kohlrabi, cabbage, peas and rosemary. Just cook in chicken broth, and spices and other veggies to taste.

4 cartons (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth 4 medium red potatoes, cut into eighths 1 yellow summer squash, chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon pepper 4 cups cubed cooked chicken 1 cup fresh cut green beans 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley 1 cup diced tomatoes, 4 cups salad croutons The 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Book

Feeds a village

Prep: 15 min. Cook: 40 min.

Directions

In a Dutch oven, combine the first eight ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the chicken, beans and barley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables and barley are tender. Add tomatoes; heat through. Serve with croutons and cheese. Thrive Oklahoma

Plant It... Grow It... Try It

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Urban Harvest presented an exciting program to Del El this year about worm composting. Each fourth and fifth grade class now grows red wigglers for compost castings. The classes are excited to see that their worms are reproducing quickly and providing compost for their gardens. They’ve realized, in the words of one student, that the “worm’s purpose in life seems to be to eat and poop minerals and vitamins plants gobble up!”

CONGRATULATIONS to the March April Winners of the Contest who correctly guessed the above veggies. Lauren McManus of OKC Kaley Warren of Yukon Rebekah Ingraham of OKC Nina Hollandworth of OKC Jena Hagen of OKC Sarah Naylor of Guthrie Liz Ross of OKC They each won $25 gift cards to either Sunflower Market or Horn Seed company. See page 20 for the new Contest or click on this QR Code with your smart phone to enter online... Good Luck!

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Visit a Local Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Market This Spring

Organic and locally grown produce can be found at your Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market: asparagus, beets, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, fennel, garlic, greens, herbs, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peas, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, summer squash, Swiss chard, turnips. You can also find plants, herbs,cage free eggs and grass fed meats. http://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/ oklahoma-farmers-markets

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Helping you find restaurants with healthy and delicious menu choices in Oklahoma

Green & Grilled

8547 N. Rockwell Ave. Oklahoma City 405-563-2605 www.greenandgrilled.com

In Classen Curve • brunch/lunch/dinner Sustainable Raw Cuisine 5820 North Classen Oklahoma City, www.matthewkenneycuisine.com

Uptown Grocery Co.

Produce, Butcher Block, Gourmet Grille, Great Grains Bakery, Sushi at the Grille 1230 W, Covell Road, Edmond 405-509-2700 With 5 Locations in OKC, Norman & Now in Edmond Vegan and gluten free options Pizza, wraps, soup, salads. Frozen yogurt and smoothies

For info on catering call 405-250-9637 www.mycoolgreens.com/locations

Ludivine

Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse

Utilizes the best ingredients from local farmers

Offers an unparalleled dining experience!

805 N. Hudson, Oklahoma City 405-792-2300 www.ludivineokc.com

Explore chef-driven creations by Daniel Nemec. Gluten Free Menu Opens Daily at 5 pm 405-272-0777

Health Food Center 7301 S. Penn. Avenue Oklahoma City 405-681-6060

Fruit Smoothies/ Veggie Juice, Hot Paninis, Buffalo Burgers, Espresso, Iced Coffee and Daily Specials

www.thehealthfoodcenter.com

5840 N. Classen Blvd in Classen Curve • 405-842-2288 M-Th 10 am – 8:00pm • Fri-Sat 10-9 pm

El Pollo Chulo

5800 Northwest 40th Oklahoma City, 405-792-2300 www.elpollochulo.com

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Seasonal Menu featuring locally sourced, sustainable, creative American food Now Serving Sunday Brunch 2262 W. Main St. • Norman, OK • 405-928-5600

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