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Eat Well, Move More, Be Well
seven simple tips that can improve the Chippewa Valley’s health words by Janessa VandenBerge | photo by Andrea Paulseth
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right red tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, warm corn on the cob means fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables. Despite all the fresh produce grown in Wisconsin during the summer months, 83% of adults in Eau Claire County report not eating the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables each day for good health according to the Wisconsin Behavior Risk Factor Surveys in 2015, 2017, and 2019. Additionally, obesity and physically inactivity are local health concerns. Based on self-reported height and weight, an estimated two out of every three Eau Claire County adults are either overweight or obese (Wisconsin Behavior Risk Factor Survey, 20172019). Additionally, almost two of every five adults aged 20 and over report no physical activity (2021 County Health Rankings, 2017). Whether it’s starting the day off right with a healthy breakfast, enjoying dinner with your family, or walking the dog, the foods and activity you choose can make a real difference. Healthy eating and getting active doesn’t need to be complicated. Stick with a few simple and sustainable changes that most health professionals agree will promote a long, happy, and healthy life.
Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market
Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. Choose a variety of colorful fresh,
frozen, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables. Pack it as a snack for long car rides or even at work. Add fruit to your breakfast oatmeal. Add a vegetable to your stew, soup, or pasta dish. Check what’s in season to help save money.
Balance the other half of your plate with whole grains and lean protein. Make at least
half of your grains whole grains by adding brown rice to your stir-fry dishes. Go lean with your protein such as fish, skinless chicken breast, or beans.
Add a serving of low-fat Wisconsin dairy to your meal. Enjoy a yogurt parfait for breakfast. Add cheese to your sandwich or make a smoothie with low-fat milk. Make or order your next coffee, latte, or cappuccino with low-fat milk.
Sip healthy drinks. Sweet coffee drinks, juice drinks, energy drinks, or soda are a major source
of added sugars. Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages like unsweetened tea. You don’t have to force down plain water. Try adding fresh fruit to your ice cold water or even sparkling water.
Cook at home. Many processed foods contain
high amounts of sodium (salt). Sodium is often hidden in breads and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, sandwiches, pizza, soup, and chicken.
Enjoy your food, but eat less. Avoid oversized
portions by reading and following the serving size on the food label. Eating food off a plate instead of straight out of the box or bag will also help limit your portions. Another great tip is to turn off the electronics during mealtime to help you focus on what you are eating and fully enjoy the smell and taste of your food.
Move more, sit less. Eating a healthy diet is not the only key to lifelong health. Being active for 30 minutes, five days per week is also important. Move your body more – whether that is walking at the mall, cleaning the house, or dancing to music! Any physical activity is better than none, so find something that you enjoy and can do often.
By making small changes in your diet and your activity level, you can lower your risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Take control of your health today! It’s up to you: Pay the farmer now or the doctor later. Janessa VandenBerge, MPH, CHES, is a community health educator at the Eau Claire City-County Health Department.
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Beet a Path to These Eats check out our reader’s favorite vegetarian and vegan options words by Volume One staff
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octors, nutritionists, and even your mom will tell you that a diet rich in vegetables and fruits is ideal. Even those of us devoted to burgers and brats enjoy a change of pace sometimes, and a number of Chippewa Valley restaurants are here to help with menus rich in plant-based options. Here are the our reader’s favorite vegan and vegetarian eateries, as determined by Volume One’s most recent Best of the Chippewa Valley Poll.
BEST VEGETARIAN MENU The Informalist (205 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire) snatches up first place for
vegetarian dining with animal product-free locally grown eats, such as breakfast nachos, lemony corn cakes, brioche french toast, and granola parfaits. Egg Roll Plus (1611 Bellinger St., Eau Claire) rolls into second place with pad thai, stir fries, and delectable egg rolls. The Raw Deal (603 Broadway St. S., Menomonie) takes third with its organic, raw, and vegan eats.
BEST VEGAN MENU
PHOTO BY TYLER MICHALETZ
Though the Raw Deal (603 Broadway St. S, Menomonie) took third for its vegetarian menu, it leads the poll for its vegan menu, featuring juices, smoothies, and vegan snacks that are raw and organic. The Informalist (205 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire) wins second with its vegan granola parfait, hash browns, salads, and toast. Getting hungry? Head over to Egg Roll Plus (1611 Bellinger St., Eau Claire), which takes third place among our readers.
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The Raw Deal
At the Heart of Heart Care
proper food and lifestyle choices pivotal in overall health words by Marshfield Medical Center-Eau Claire
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o better your odds of having a long, heart-healthy life, eating the right foods is an overlooked but critical component. “Nutrition is one of the most powerful tools we have to take care of our health,” said Marshfield Medical Center-Eau Claire Dietician Ashley Short. “Finding your inner motivation to make healthy lifestyle changes is very important, because if we don’t have a valuable reason to make change happen, it is easy to not follow through. For example, your personal motivation to eat healthy and exercise may be to improve your overall health and longevity or to be more active with your children or grandchildren. It is important to find your ‘why’ in life.” Making lifestyle changes may seem overwhelming at first, but even making small changes can ultimately make a positive impact on your health. Small changes often lead to big changes and positive outcomes over time.
Nutrition’s effect on the heart Nutrition and physical activity play a critical role in the prevention or management of heart disease. “Some things are out of our control, but we can make conscious, healthy choices about what goes in our body,” said Dr. Pramod Kariyanna, cardiologist at Marshfield Medical Center-Eau Claire. “Eating heathy and regular exercise have a significant effect on heart health.”
in your blood. Don’t use oatmeal packets, though, since they contain higher amounts of sugar. Use old-fashioned, quick-cooking, or steel-cut oats instead.
Berries: all berries, like blueberries and strawberries, are high in antioxidants that help decrease blood pressure.
body. Greek physician Hippocrates had a saying that has stood the test of time. ‘Food is medicine and medicine is the food.’ Our diet and what we eat is at the heart of heart care.”
What foods should we eat? Heart healthy eating includes a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, leaner meats such as skinless poultry, fish, nuts, healthy oils such as olive or canola oil, and limiting our intake of saturated fats like whole milk, cheese, butter, and higher fat meats such as bacon and hot dogs.
Dr. Kariyanna also noted the importance moderation with portions and quantity in our diets.
“Try to think of food as fuel,” Short said. “If you are active and not fueling your body properly, this can affect your energy levels and ultimately prevent you from achieving your personal fitness goals or even make it more difficult performing tasks at your job or focusing in school.”
“Everything is big in the U.S., which, when it comes to food is not so healthy,” he said. “But in moderation it won’t have that effect on the
Having healthy carbohydrates and protein before exercise, such as whole wheat toast with peanut butter and low fat milk, will provide PARTNER
you with more sustainable energy than having a doughnut for breakfast, Short said. If you don’t have much time before your workout, having some easily digestible carbohydrates that are nutrient dense such as a banana 30-60 minutes prior is good. A minimum of five cups of fruits and veggies each day is important in heart health. Here are some suggestions to add to your grocery list for the next time you’re at the store:
Fish: those high in omega 3-fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and trout. The American Heart Association suggests two servings of fish a week. Again, choose a healthy method of cooking. Nuts: almonds and walnuts are high in mono-unsaturated fats, or healthy fats, but ¼ cup of nuts is 200 calories. Oats: oatmeal is high in soluble
fiber, which acts like a digestive sponge to soak up cholesterol so you excrete it rather than carry it
Beans and legumes: they’re high in fiber, a good protein alternative without unhealthy fat. Tomatoes: they are very high in potassium and antioxidants. Dark leafy greens. Avocados: these add great heart-
healthy fats to a diet – but watch the guacamole ingredients.
Extra-virgin olive oil: substitute EVOO for butter, since olive oil is the “Mediterranean butter.” This oil contains the healthier mono-unsaturated fat. Garlic and onions: these are said to reduce inflammation in the body. Dairy: it’s great for calcium but choose low- or no-fat options. “Healthy eating definitely matters,” Dr. Kariyanna said. “Healthy eating is a great option for people equally whether they have heart problems or just want to prevent future heart problems. For some things, our genetics or family history is out of our control, but conscious choices when it comes to eating, exercise or lifestyle choices can have a huge impact on your heart health and your overall health.” Don’t know where to start? Check out some recipes from the American Heart Association at recipes.heart. org to help get you started on your path to a healthier lifestyle.
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Nutritious Listings words by James Johonnott
Pick Your Own Produce Farms Augusta Blueberries E27020 E Branch Rd., Fairchild • augustablueberries.com Pick your own Blueberries.
Blueberry Ridge Orchard E2795 Ha-
geness Rd., Eleva • facebook.com/blueberryridgeorchard Blueberries, apples, plums.
Bushel and a Peck Market 18444 County Hwy OO, Chippewa Falls • BushelAndaPeckMarket.com Apples, raspberries, plums and onsite bakery with honey, jams, jellies and syrups.
Connell’s Family Orchard 19372 Co.
Hwy OO, Chippewa Falls • connellsfamilyorchard.com Cherries, blueberries, and apples. Store features pies, ice cream, caramel apples, jams, honeys, and salsa.
Foster Farms Strawberries W. Robin
Rd., Foster • facebook.com/FosterFarmsStrawberries Srawberries.
Govin’s Meats & Berries N6134 670th St,
Menomonie • govinsmeatsandberries.com Strawberries and naturally raised beef, free-range chicken, and lamb.
Grampa Glenn’s Organic Strawberries W11280 Cty Rd. B, Humbird • facebook.com/ GrampaGlennsCertifiedOrganicStrawberries Certified organic strawberries.
Little Berry Farm W1832 Maple Rd., Eau
Claire • littleberryfarmec.com Strawberries and raspberries grown without chemicals or sprays.
Mac’s Berries 10439 130th Ave., Bloomer • (715) 568-1672 Strawberries and pea pods.
Local CSAs
Breezy Knoll Farm N14014 Fairview
Road, Fairchild • (715) 206-0517 • localharvest. org Receive a bountiful harvest of fresh, seasonal, locally grown produce and herbs every week. Also available is a weekly share of 1 dozen large eggs.
Chippewa Valley Produce (715) 797-
2719 • cvproduce.com This 17-week CSA offers weekly free home delivery of eggs, meats, a wide variety of produce including broccoli, peppers, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, watermelon, corn, pumpkins, squash, herbs, heirloom tomatoes, and more.
MoonRise Farm W2161 County Rd. KK,
Nelson • Facebook.com/MoonRiseFarmCSA Providing weekly deliveries of a diverse group of produce sustainably grown for a reasonable price. MoonRise Farm offers a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fresh-cut flowers that are naturally and sustainably grown for CSA members.
Solheim Market Garden • solheimwi.
com A Solheim Market Share costs $420/season and gets you a box of produce every week of the growing season. A full share is enough to help feed 2-3 people weekly. Pick up is Saturday morning or Thursday evening at The Coffee Grounds.
Square Roots Farm E9985 W. Mallard Rd., Fall Creek • squarerootsfarm.com Chemical-free vegetables are delivered from their farm directly to your door every week. The summer share is 6-12 different vegetables for 18 weeks. Each fall box contains roughly 30 pounds of root vegetables.
Sunbow Farm W4620 Langdell Rd, Eau
Claire • sunbowfarm.com Serving the Chippewa Valley with fresh, local, green-grown produce, chicken, lamb, and certified organic herbs since 2003. Sunbow believes in connecting people to the land so all of their shares require an agreement to help at the farm. Members can help with planting, weeding, maintenance, and picking.
Thornfield 330th Ave., Menomonie • thorn-
fieldgarden.com Twenty five acres of garden, field and woods where fruit, vegetables, honey and hops are produced as sustainably as possible. A source of very fresh, organically grown produce that tastes better than almost anything you can find at a store.
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Together Farms W93 Norden Rd., Mondovi
• togetherfarms.com Striving to raise the healthiest, happiest animals with lots of minerals and pasture, 100% grass-fed/finished beef, lamb, pasture pork, chicken, turkey, and duck. GMO-free and no MSG, nitrates, or other unpronounceable ingredients.
Winnowburrow Farm N9396 County Rd
G, Colfax • winnowburrow.com Winnowburrow is unique in that it strives too produce exclusively heirloom produce. CSA boxes include flowers, herbs, mushrooms, eggs from heritage breed chickens, and a wide assortment of nutrient-dense heirloom produce.
Nutrition
3D Fitness 405 Graham Ave, Eau Claire •
(715) 514-3110 • 3DFitnessEC@gmail.com • 3dfitness.fit Personal training, free group fitness, nutrition, tanning, and full range of free weights plus selectorized and cardio sports.
Burn Boot Camp 3529 Gateway Dr, Eau
Claire • eauclaire@burnbootcamp.com • burnbootcamp.com Burn Boot Camp wants women to feel the burn. Their programs are a well-rounded and include training, emotional-well being, nutritional guidance, fitness education, and more. A positive community of people looking to get fit together.
Mission Accomplished S4530 Porter-
ville Rd., Eau Claire • (715) 831-0909 • kim@ kimayres.com • missionaccomplishedstudio. com Mission Accomplished offers counseling, classes in yoga and a crossbreed called yogilates. Plus, personal training, nutritional counseling, boot camps, boxing, and more.
Mother Nature’s Food 2434 London Rd.,
Eau Claire • (715) 834-2341 • mothernaturesfood. net Mother Nature’s Food is provides quality fresh, natural, organic and whole foods, nutritional products, body care products and health information in a fun comfortable clean, safe environment.
Overeater Wellness Coaching
iamanovereater.com Overeater Wellness Coaching specializes in helping people lose weight, maintain weight loss and live a healthy lifestyle. Offers virtual wellness coaching, personal training, customized exercise programs, professional meal planning and more. Services are tailored to fit your needs and help you reach your goal(s).
Physician’s Weight Loss Center
3040 Meadowlark Lane #1, Eau Claire • pwlc. com PWLC have nearly a quarter century of experience working to help people lose excess weight. They feature effective weight loss systems, personalized consultations and reviews, and have developed 150 specialized food, nutrition and weight loss products.
Rejuv Women’s Boot Camp (715)
559-9175 • RejuvCamp@yahoo.com • eauclairewomensbootcamp.com Women’s only boot camps, personal training, nutritional guidance and weight loss/lifestyle coaching. Rejuv empowers women to be strong, healthy, confident, and beautiful and to find their inner beauty and power within themselves.
Wholesome Endeavors wholesomeen-
deavors.com Registered dietician and nutritionist Hannah Koschak aims to cater to each individual’s specific needs whether it’s weight management, dietary restrictions or conditions, or developing a healthy relationship with food.
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