2 January 2017 Good Health
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Good Health January 2017 3
January 2017 Features 6 Mentoring Memphis Youth 16 Tea in Memphis Departments 4 Editor’s letter 5 January is Blood Donation month 11 Memfit: Libby Shelton 12 Soup’s On! 14 Natural Beauty Homemade 18 Simple Winter Recipes COVER PHOTO BY TROY GLASGOW
8 Eat healthier in 2017
Dive into the new year with a plan to eat nutritious foods, and set goals for long term health, one step at a time. We’ll get you motivated, all you have to do is get started!
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4 January 2017 Good Health
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from the editor
HOLLI WEATHERINGTON
appy New Year, Good Health readers! It’s that time of year again, where we hit the “reset” button and set our intentions for the year ahead. We hope 2017 is your healthiest year yet, and we have the helpful tips to get you started! Our cover story is for the people reading this magazine. That’s right, it’s for you! We want our readers to know that you can start your journey toward great health right where you are, no matter where that is. Memphis is a city filled with helpful experts and caring mentors who want to help people lose weight, take control of their eating and get moving! As part one in a three-part series, registered dietitians talk to us about how to begin getting healthier food into your diet while moving out the excess sugar, salt and fat. Making a plan and taking small steps can add up quickly. Follow us over the next few months as we delve into choosing, preparing and consuming delicious food that is good for you, while maintaining a regular exercise schedule. After a couple of months of rushing around and celebrating with loved ones, January can be a time of year to slow down and focus on the community. Each new year shows an increased need for blood banks and our feature breaks down those needs and how you can help. Mentoring is another wonderful way to give back, and we focus in on local organizations that aim to help Memphis youth. Have you ever wondered about drinking tea or do you want to drink more? Cozy up to our Tea in Memphis feature and learn more about the rituals and health benefits of tea. We also take you on a tour of soups with a few recipes to keep you warm on the cold, winter nights. Taking care of your skin is vital all year long, and we feature a few locals who are taking skincare into their own hands by making homemade facial scrubs and soaps. As always we feature a local Memphian who keeps herself fit and strong and we round out the issue with a few recipes from local food blog, Stalking Celery. Here’s to a Happy, Healthy New Year. We look forward to the journey with you. To good health,
GOOD HEALTH EDITOR
Editor
Contributors
Design
Holli Weatherington
Robin Gallaher Branch Erinn Figg Emily Adams Keplinger
Design Studio Nashville
holli.weatherington@ commercialappeal.com 901-529-6513 Good Health Memphis magazine is a healthy lifestyle publication from The Commercial Appeal. Good Health is published monthly, with distribution in the newspaper as well as in strategic rack locations. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Copyright 2016.
Photographers Greg Campbell Troy Glasgow
Niche Executive Editor David Boyd (david.boyd@commercialappeal.com) For information on advertising, contact Amy Mills at 901-529-2213 or amy.mills@commercialappeal.com.
Good Health January 2017 5
January is Blood Donation Month ERINN FIGG
Pat Ruff of Germantown has been consistently donating blood every eight to 10 weeks for the past 20 years, except for the years when she was pregnant with her four children. You would think that someone with that level of dedication would have a powerful story to share, perhaps a family member who was saved by a blood transfusion or a past illness during which she herself desperately needed a stranger’s blood. But Ruff’s reason for being a blood donor is simple. “It’s just a good thing to do,” she said. “And I think, ‘Gosh, what if? What if one day, one of my kids or family members needs blood?’ I just hope there’s enough blood to give them. People need to donate blood.” Ruff says she’s not a hero. She just donates blood because there’s a need for it. But in the eyes of staff members at blood donation centers throughout West Tennessee, Ruff is a hero. And during this month, National Blood Donor Awareness Month, professionals at Lifeblood in the Mid-South and Lifeline Blood Services in Jackson want everyone to know that they can be heroes, too. “We estimate that in 2016, approximately 9,300 lives have been changed through Lifeline blood donations that made transfusions possible,” said John Miller, CEO of Lifeline Blood Services, a nonprofit community blood center that services 16 hospitals in 17 West Tennessee counties. “Heroes have rolled up their sleeves to give blood and save lives. That car wreck that happened out on the street – and it may have been your family member who was in that car wreck – the blood
that was transfused to save that individual’s life was from a unit that was donated at least three days before that wreck happened. Someone had the forethought to come in and donate that blood.” Miller is referencing the time it usually takes to process a blood donation. Sadly, we often see tragedies on the news, followed by footage of people lined up to donate blood in support of the surviving victims. And yes, these donations eventually do prove to be life-altering, but when a tragedy strikes, hospitals need to immediately rely on blood that’s already been donated, tested, processed and is transfusion-ready. “Whenever a tragedy happens, it’s the blood on the shelves that has been donated a couple of days before that is actually saving lives,” said Mitzi Breaux, marketing and communications manager for Lifeblood, a Blood Systems company and a nonprofit, volunteer blood center that serves a 22-county area. “When people come out in droves like that, it’s a beautiful thing because they’re seeing the need, but the need is year-round. It never stops, so we try to encourage people to donate blood at least three times a year.” There are a few strong reasons for designating January as National Blood Donor Awareness Month. One, it’s the time when people make New Year’s resolutions, and Breaux and Miller hope that one of those resolutions will be to donate blood regularly in the coming year. Two, blood donations tend to drop drastically during the holiday and winter months, but meanwhile, more car accidents occur because people are traveling, and more surgeries are scheduled because new insurance policies are starting. So
while donors drop, the need for blood increases. “We need all blood types. Many people have the misconception that their blood type isn’t important. That’s not true,” Breaux said. O negative, however, is in the highest demand. “O negative is a universal blood type. It can be transfused to anyone regardless of their blood type. If you’re rushed in as a trauma victim, the medical staff isn’t going to take the time to figure out what your blood type is – they’re just going to immediately transfuse O negative because it’s a safe alternative. But on the flip side of that, if you have O negative blood, you can only receive O negative blood.” Unfortunately, only about 7 percent of the U.S. population has O negative blood, according to The Red Cross. “So if anyone who has O negative blood has donated before, they never stop hearing from us. We need them so badly,” Breaux said. Some people can’t donate blood, due to medical restrictions, international travel history and other regulations designated by the FDA. These people can still help, however, Miller said. “If those people can donate monetarily, that option is there as well,” he said. “There’s more than one way to give the gift of life to the local community blood center, and it’s not just by donating blood.”
CONTACT: Lifeblood, 901-522-8585, lifeblood.org Lifeline Blood Services, 731-427-4431, lifelinebloodserv.org
Never donated before? Here’s what to expect If you’ve never donated blood before, the process is fairly simple: »
You must be at least 17 years old (or 16 with a guardian’s permission) and weigh at least 115 pounds. » Both Lifeline and Lifeblood have online donor registration forms, or donors can fill out the required paperwork at the donor centers or blood mobile locations. Both websites have schedules indicating where their blood mobiles will be daily. Bring a photo ID with you. » If you don’t know your blood type, don’t worry. Blood center medical professionals will test your blood with a quick finger prick and conduct an FDA-regulated interview. » A medical professional will also check your blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and other vital signs to ensure that you’re healthy enough to donate blood. » You’ll be directed to a donor bed, where a whole-blood draw (red cells, plasma and platelets) of one unit (roughly the equivalent of one pint) will take about 8 to 10 minutes. » Mitzi Breaux of Lifeblood advises that you eat a hearty meal and drink plenty of water before your blood donation to prevent dizziness. » Most blood centers will ask you to wait for about 10 minutes after donating blood before you leave. Snacks and drinks are usually available during this time. » After you donate blood, you must wait 56 days before donating again.
6 January 2017 Good Health
Mentoring Memphis Youth
PHOTOS BY TERRENCE CAIN
Angelica Martini, left, and Reginae Butler are both members of GIRL 24. The two Central High students also write for Hey GIRL! Online.
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This January marks the 15th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, and there are some great reasons why MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership strives to focus the nation’s attention on the need for mentors in every community. According to the organization’s statistics, mentoring makes a crucial impact on the lives of young people everywhere: » 52 percent of at-risk youth with a mentor are less likely than their peers to skip school. » 55 percent are more likely to enroll in college. » 78 percent are more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities. » 90 percent are more likely to later become a mentor themselves. The need for mentors extends beyond the realm of at-risk youth, however. Young people from all demographics and even accomplished
adults can benefit from a mentorship, and the Mid-South is fortunate to have a broad landscape of all types of mentoring programs. Two organizations in particular are thinking outside the box and creating more opportunities for youth and adults to give each other a helping hand.
Erika Cain’s GIRL initiatives A successful brand development and communications professional and founder of Erika Cain and Co. communications agency, Erika Cain is dedicated to providing young women with the guidance and direction she says she could have used in her youth. “In my teens, I was already thinking about being an entrepreneur, but I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do. I just knew I wanted to run my own company someday,” Cain said. “It took me 10 to 15 years to figure things out on my own, just because of the paths that I wasn’t able to take due to certain circumstances in my life. So I
wanted to be able to give young women the opportunity to have a lifeline to their purpose – discover what it is and know how to put it into action.” With this goal in mind, Cain created her GIRL (Gifted, Ingenious, Refined Leader) mentoring initiatives. In 2014, she started with GIRL 24, a quarterly workshop series that introduces small groups of girls, ages 12 to 17, to local business leaders. The 90-minute workshops take place onsite at area businesses, where the participating young women get plenty of face time with successful professionals, listening to their stories, learning from their trials and successes, watching them in action and asking plenty of questions along the way. Recent workshops have taken place at Frost Bake Shop and Pyro’s Fire Fresh Pizza, for example. Each workshop has a theme, and girls can choose to attend individual workshops or enroll in the entire intensive six-week program. “GIRL 24 has helped me find my
interest and has crafted who I am as a leader. Sometimes we have this idea that being a leader is always being the boss,” said Angelica Martini, 17, a senior at Central High School. “But through GIRL 24, I’ve learned that there’s much more to being a leader and being the pioneer of your interests
Erika Cain
Good Health January 2017 7
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The startup staff of the new magazine Hey GIRL! Online take a much-needed cupcake break after a photo shoot at Frost Bake Shop in Collierville.
than just doing it. Miss Erika shows us the steps and guides us on how plan for success instead of failure.” Martini also holds an editor position with Cain’s other mentorship initiative, Hey GIRL! Online, a magazine for aspiring journalists that kicked off in early 2016 and launched its premiere issue in December. Under the guidance of Cain, young women ages 14 to 24 direct, write and design the magazine’s content, and thus get hands-on experience with project management from concept to development while also having a platform for sharing their talents and perspectives. Cain’s current greatest need is to spread the word to Mid-South parents and get more girls involved in the programs, as well as develop more partnerships with local businesses. To learn more or to sponsor a girl’s participation in a workshop, visit girl24movement.com.
Bridges’ Mentor UP The nonprofit organization Bridges consistently strives to break down communication barriers and build stronger relationships within the community. To this end, Bridges’ Mentor UP program pairs groups of youth with groups of senior citizens so the two demographics can learn valuable lessons from each other. “The idea is both youth and seniors have so many skills and so much knowledge that isn’t often shared with each other,” said Mahal Burr, Bridge Builders community action coordinator and orchestrator of the Mentor UP program. “In Mentor UP, the youth mentor seniors in technology – like using Facebook and Skype, setting up
Interested in Becoming a Mentor? The National Mentoring Partnership maintains the only national database of youth mentorship opportunities throughout the country. To learn about other mentoring programs in the Mid-South or to download a National Mentoring Month toolkit, visit mentoring.org.
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,QWURGXFLQJ 2WLFRQ 2SQ ™ email, how to listen to Pandora, how to use Uber. And then the seniors mentor the youth in their life experiences.” Groups of about 30 young people in seventh through 12th grade participate in the three-hour curriculum, which also includes a discussion about stereotypes each group may have about the other one. Bridges partners with several senior living facilities throughout the Mid-South for the ongoing program. Shawna White, former activities director at Trezevant Manor retirement community in Memphis, has seen the positive effects of the program firsthand. “We had a lady named Molly who was in her 90s and she had this flip phone. The Bridges youth taught her how to use it to take photos, so she and her grandson started swapping photos – it was really wonderful,” White said. “And then the seniors shared advice on developing positive relationships, along with insights on how the choices you make as a youth can impact you as an adult, even when you’re 80 years old. I think for the youth it was just a neat time to get a unique perspective.” For more information on Bridges or Mentor UP, visit bridgesusa.org.
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8 January 2017 Good Health HOLLI WEATHERINGTON
Eat Healthy in
2017
Part 1 in a 3 -Part series
“Vegetables have become my best friend.” WILLIE HURST
PHOTO BY TROY GLASGOW
Willie Hurst, 62, has come to Church Health cooking classes for two years. He's completely changed his diet, lost 50 pounds and now loves vegetables.
Editor’s note: In this feature, we are presenting you with some tools and advice from local experts on how to approach eating healthier, with simple strategies you can start right now. This is part one in a three-part series on Getting Healthy in 2017. In a community cooking class held at Church Health Wellness just before Thanksgiving, participants were preparing a dish with a particular food that no one in the class had ever tried before – acorn squash. Trying new foods is a requirement of the class, at least in the sense that participants are encouraged to try everything, even if they think they won’t like it. “They taught us that we don’t say ‘I don’t eat that,’” said Alene Henderson, 56, of Frayser, a class participant for six years who has lost about 50 pounds in her health journey. “I’m eating things I never thought I would eat.” For instance, Henderson said she was never interested in eggplant, going so far as to say it “looked nasty,” but when she tried it, she was surprised that she actually liked it. “Until I got in here and tasted it, I didn’t know it was this good,” she said. “I’m eating a whole lot of stuff I’ve never ate before.” That’s the point, says Carolyn Nichols, nutrition education coordinator for Church Health. As explained on their website, Church Health Wellness is a certified Medical Fitness Facility equipped to provide programs for people with health conditions like diabetes, hypertension and obesity. The need is real. As of 2015, Tennessee ranks ninth in the country for adult obesity at 33.8 percent of the population. Diabetes and hypertension are overweight and obesity related conditions. Tennessee ranks fifth in diabetes with 12.7 percent of the population and seventh in hypertension with 38.5 percent of the population. Programs like Church Health Wellness, among others, help educate the public on how to choose and eat foods that will help them get on a healthier path. Using a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen with six cooking stations, Church Health Wellness participants can learn how to prepare healthy meals and enjoy healthier eating. In their regular, weekly cooking demonstrations and nutrition classes, participants are taught how to modify recipes and try new foods to expand their palate. Sampling is a big part of nutrition classes, and students happily comply.
Good Health January 2017 9
“You are going to learn how to cook healthy meals in under an hour from foods that are easily accessible,” said Nichols. “We do dishes that are familiar but every now and again I’ll add something in, like red curry paste or try something with a new vegetable.” For instance, one time a class made rutabaga fries. Nichols often comes across participants who tell her they are only cooking for one so they are “retired from cooking,” and typically eat “TV dinners” or canned soups. To move them in the direction of cooking again, she encourages them to cook stews and dishes that can be eaten for days and stored in the freezer. Obesity and diabetes rates in Memphis are high, in accordance with the state numbers. Lack of access to education and fresh produce is still a barrier for many people, but programs do exist to help those take steps even with limited access. Registered dietitians and nutrition counselors agree, those who approach changing their habits in small, manageable steps with a clear action plan, do markedly better in achieving their long term health goals. So how can you do things differently this time to help you gain real momentum? Start with knowledge.
Build Your Plate “In general, with weight management, people do better when they prepare the food at home,” said Megan Murphy, registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at Southwest Tennessee Community College. “It doesn’t have to be complicated. Throw something in the oven, do frozen veggies if you don’t have fresh. Throw together a salad. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount of time.” Murphy also counsels bariatric surgery patients. When she’s working with clients who are struggling, she helps them find ways to make simple adjustments that have lasting effects. “Make your plate like a peace sign – three compartments but with the smaller triangle, there is no line down the middle,” she explained. She said that the two bigger portions should be lean protein and nonstarchy vegetables like salad, zucchini and kale, then the smaller triangle is for a starchier veggie like corn or potatoes or a grain like rice. Also, adding a fruit or a small portion of dairy to the side of the plate is not a bad choice. “Eat your lean protein and nonstarchy veggies first and if you have room, then eat (the food in the smaller
triangle),” she said. “If you save that for last then you won’t get as much or you may be too full and skip it.” Fiber from non-starchy vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and leafy greens along with lean proteins like chicken, fish and even pork loin are more filling. “Bite for bite there is more nutrition in the non-starchy vegetables and lean proteins,” said Murphy, adding that protein doesn’t have to be meat, it could be beans. “If you’re getting fuller with fewer calories, then it helps you lose weight.” At Church Health, they follow the ChooseMyPlate.gov guidelines and plate building. ChooseMyPlate.gov was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a tool for citizens to develop and maintain healthy eating habits that focus on getting the daily allowances of nutrients from the five food groups: fruit, vegetables, grains, protein foods and dairy. It’s a little different than a peace sign, but the guidance is the same – highest emphasis is on non-starchy vegetables, then lean protein, after that is fruit, then grains, and ChooseMyPlate.gov includes a small allowance for dairy. Every recipe Church Health develops and teaches, shows how it fits on
GREG CAMPBELL
Stuffed acorn squash with mixed greens.
the ChooseMyPlate.gov plate diagram, correlating a serving size for each food group and indicating how much sodium, fat, calories, carbohydrates, fiber and protein is in each meal. “The main thing we want people to learn is not only cooking the right meal, but eating the right portion,” said Nichols. “Our portions and serving sizes are out of whack.” Healthy food is good but it’s important not to overeat. One of the strategies taught at Church Health cooking classes is how to stretch out meat and not use so much of it in each meal. Like with chicken salad, Nichols said, use more celery and grapes to fill Continued on Next Page
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10 January 2017 Good Health
Church Health cooking classes and nutrition programs
Tips and Shortcuts »
Use canned beans to stretch out dishes, rinse and drain. For creamy soups, add puréed white beans. » For salad dressings, put 1-2 tablespoons of dressing in the bottom of your salad bowl, then add all the greens. Cover and shake it up. » Eggs whites are protein packed. Make omelets with veggies in them. » Frozen veggies in steamer bags are quick, easy, if fresh is not an option. » Apples are portable and keep a long time. Slice them up for salads, snacks. » When making a big pot of soup or spaghetti sauce, freeze some in meal sized amounts and save for later.
out the salad. Use yogurt instead of mayo to reduce fat and slice the chicken as thinly as possible to make it go further. Even add other veggies and some walnuts to give it crunch. “Another way to stretch your meat is with stir fries and soups,” said Nichols. Be sure to add a lot of veggies!
Take a Look at Your Habits In today’s busy society, people are overwhelmed and, on top of that, are constantly barraged with temptations for quick and non-nutritious foods that abound at every intersection. The thought of having to come home after a long day at work and cook a full meal is unappealing. But being a gourmet chef is not required to get more healthful foods in your diet on a regular basis. Focus on creating a new routine rather than the ultimate outcome of losing weight. “Take a critical look at what you’re bringing into the house,” said Amy Brewer, senior research nutritionist at UTHSC Office of Clinical Research, housed at Methodist Hospital. “If the pantry is full of high fat and salty and sweet things, consider having a purge of the pantry and get rid of those things that aren’t providing you nutrition. Those are the things that tip the scale toward weight gain.” Murphy recommends this strategy: H.A.L.T. “Don’t get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired,” said Murphy. “Those are triggers and danger times. A lot of people cope with things by eating. If eating is your coping mechanism, you
By Emily Adams Keplinger When Church Health opens its Nutrition Kitchen in its new facility in the Crosstown Concourse, they will have a number of classes and programs devoted to helping people achieve and maintain better health through a new way of looking at food — Culinary Medicine.
GREG CAMPBELL
Derrick Cofield, from left, Alene Henderson and Rosie Wirt work together on their dish at the Church Health Wellness teaching kitchen.
need to work on that.” Brewer encourages people who are unable to access a lot of fresh produce not to cut out the idea of frozen entrees, as there are many more options available today beyond the “Hungry Man” meat and potato dinners of yesteryear, such as Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine and Weight Watchers, to name a few. Just watch the sodium, content, which tends to be higher in prepared entrees. “There are much healthier, leaner, lighter portion controls,” said Brewer. “Not a lot of people are into spending time in the kitchen these days. You can eat internationally these days. For those who are not thrilled about spending more time in the kitchen, this is an alternative that is easy to store and share.” She tells people to pair a frozen meal with an extra serving of cooked vegetables and a salad. “It’s definitely a better alternative to fast food,” said Brewer. A new habit to try is to double up on leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables, like green beans and broccoli. “It won’t harm you in terms of calories but if you double up on the mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese versus doubling up on tomatoes, (weight) really climbs,” said Brewer. “I think people forget that that’s ok. Stack up the tomatoes. If your eyes are telling you it doesn’t look like enough, fill up on the veggies. It’s more food but it doesn’t add up to more calories.” Willie Hurst, 62, is a prime example of someone who has come to embrace
vegetables in his life. Hurst has participated in Church Health nutrition and cooking classes for two years. “It gives me knowledge about how to eat well,” he said. “It showed me how to cut fat from my diet and reduce my sodium intake. Vegetables have become my best friend.” Hurst said he keeps a folder for all the recipes he gets from class and he gave up the sodas and sweet tea for water and lemon. He also works out at the gym at Church Health Wellness. “My diet (before) was strictly fast food,” said Hurst. “Now stuff that I hadn’t touched before, I eat all that stuff now.” In the past two years, Hurst has lost 50 pounds and reduced his cholesterol and blood pressure. Another member, Sherilyn Johnson, 61, said she was able to reduce her diabetes medication by half since she started eating better and working out at Church Health. “My doctor told me to keep doing what I’m doing,” Johnson said, whose been a member at the Wellness facility since February 2016. She began taking cooking classes and walking at the gym. Now she takes exercise classes several times per week and attends as many cooking demos as she can. “This class has helped me a lot,” said Johnson. “I took two diabetes pills a day, and now I only take one. The goal is to get down to zero.” Stay tuned to our February issue where we’ll go into how to navigate the grocery store, read nutrition labels and discover inventive ways to use more vegetables in your favorite dishes.
Sharon Moore, manager of wellness education and nutrition at Church Health, will use a newly developed curriculum in her kitchen. Some of the many programs will include: • Culinary Medicine Community Cooking Classes - adults in the community will be able to sign up on the Church Health website for a cooking class, offered daytime or night, that will meet once a week for six weeks. The weekly classes will last two hours and participants will cook together and then share a family style meal together. • Culinary Medicine Continuing Medical Education - Church Health will teach two Culinary Medicine Continuing Medical Education classes on April 22. The morning session will be an Introduction to Culinary Medicine which will be taught 9 a.m. noon. The afternoon session will be Hypertension and Nutrition, 1 - 4 p.m. In both sessions providers will cook together, discuss patient cases and the role nutrition would play in their care plan, and share a family style meal. • Church Health's Commercial Kitchen will be available for rent by culinary entreprenuers and others seeking a commercial kitchen to prepare their foods for sale at farmer's markets, food trucks, etc. • Church Health’s partner in the commercial kitchen and the gardens at Crosstown is Memphis Tilth. Memphis Tilth will host class opportunities in the Teaching Kitchen as well. Visit the churchhealth.org website for updates on those offerings. • Church Health will also be hosting special events in our kitchen. Listings and registration will be posted on churchhealth.org.
Good Health January 2017 11
memfit
hike the world
Libby Shelton Retired Controller
Name: Libby Shelton Age: 64 Occupation: Retired Controller, University of Memphis Sport or physical activity: Running, cycling, hiking, swimming and weight training. Support: My husband, who has been running for over 40 years, encourages me to have a daily exercise routine and praises my fitness accomplishments. Why I Work Out: To maintain a healthy lifestyle and to keep my body in shape for hiking in all parts of the world. Why did you choose this type of workout? Weight training has been proven to increase bone density, which is key in reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Cardio exercise helps keep my heart young and improve my balance – an absolute necessity when I am hiking! What keeps you motivated to stay on track? Running and weight training have always been a part of my workout regiment, just not on a daily basis. Before I retired, I would see people running and cycling on my way to work. I made a commitment to myself that when I retired, I would be out there exercising with them. Who/What Inspires You? Lindsay Boggan, who has been my trainer for more than 6 years at the JCC (Jewish Community Center). Bragging rights: Hiked several trails in Patagonia, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Canadian Rockies and many National Parks, including Hawaii and the Virgin Islands. I also have placed in the top three finishers of my age group in 5K and 10 K races in Memphis and Phoenix, Arizona. Ran a half- marathon at age 50 in 2:10. Power song: The song’s tempo in, “Can’t Stop this Feeling,” by Justin Timberlake helps keep my cadence up. When I hear the lyrics, “Dance, dance, dance,” I think, “run, run, run!” Fitness goal: Place in the top three finishers in my age group at the Phoenix 10K in February 2017. Favorite gear: Powerbeats wireless earbud headphones, Garmin Forerunner 235, Brooks Glycerin 13 running shoes, Lululemon and Lucy workout clothes. Nobody knows: I have visited 47 National Parks that were located in Alaska, Hawaii, Virgin Islands and the lower 48 states. I only have three more to reach my goal to visit all National Parks in the lower 48. Fit Tip: Workout Buddy System – a buddy helps keep you accountable to meet your workout goals. Also, scheduling your workouts on your calendar is one way to prioritize your weekly workout goals along with your meetings, doctor appointments, etc. Guilty pleasure: Pizza! Next up: National Geographic hiking adventure in the Slovenia Alps in Summer 2017.
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12 January 2017 Good Health
Soupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On! AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Hearty soups for homey nights
Good Health January 2017 13
ROBIN GALLAHER BRANCH
A cup of soup warms the hands and heart, beckons neighbors, and somehow always leaves one feeling, well, wholesome. Generation to generation, soup means home. Two professional culinary artists who cook daily for hundreds offer their tips on soups for families. Johnathon Hixon, executive chef at Christian Brothers University, and Monta Skinner, a cook at Second Presbyterian Church that prepares food for Presbyterian Day School, a school for boys on the same campus, know what pleases all ages in a dark, cold, rainy and icy season. “Soups are basic,” Hixon said. What’s the difference between cooking for hundreds and cooking for a few? “Cooking for a family leaves room for experimentation to try new things. On the other hand, cooking for 500 leads you to do more traditional soups to please everyone,” Hixon said. The PDS boys “like soups,” Skinner smiled. They especially like soups that go well with “spicy hot wings. The boys tell me, “‘Make ‘em as hot as possible!’” Boys represent a good beacon for what works. “Boys like chicken noodle and kids in general like meat in the soup rather than roasted asparagus soup,” Skinner said, a soup their older sisters might prefer. Corn Chowder is “one of the soups that the pot is pretty much dry after we’re done serving them,” Skinner said. Soup is a good way to get protein, health benefits, and vegetables in the winter. For example, broccoli cheese gives calcium. A popular combination at PDS is tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Another favorite is chicken ravioli and cornbread. “Any basic soup can be frozen,” Skinner said. “If you freeze it, the flavors jell together.” He recommended chicken Florentine and split pea soups as freezing well. Good cooks at home know that chicken stock makes good soup. Simply boil chicken bones for three hours. “Vegetables are good for making stock as well,” Skinner said. Hixon added that “bones are used in soups because when heated with liquid, the marrow releases from the bone.” This gives soups that meaty taste. Good soup stock is not only easy to make but also yields a lot of flavor. Soups easily accommodate themselves as leftovers. Hixon suggested using leftover rice in a soup. “Rice is simple and it can make a whole new
PDS Corn Chowder CBU Chickpea, Vegetable, and Pesto Soup
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced carrot
4 ounces cured chorizo, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
3 cups corn
1 onion, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf crushed
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
kosher salt and black pepper
5 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups split peas
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 teaspoons regular salt
kosher salt and black pepper
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
1/2 pound green beans, halved
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Brown the chorizo in the oil in a large pot over medium heat, 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-6 minutes.
1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 strip of bacon or 1 teaspoon bacon fat
Add the chicken broth, split peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Heat the oil in in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened, 1 minute.
CBU Split Pea Soup with Chorizo
dish,” he said. Soups are not just standbys for homey family dinners. “Soups are a good idea for a party meal because they can serve large numbers and leave plenty of leftovers,” Hixon said; He added with a smile that he prefers his party soup with “a French baguette and some Pinot Noir.”
1/4 cup pesto Directions
Add the vegetable broth, green beans, chickpeas, and frozen peas. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes. Top with pesto.
1 cup chopped yellow onion 1/3 cup bell pepper
Directions Cook the bacon with the butter for 3-4 minutes Add onions, bell pepper, celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Add corn, milk, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover pot and cook 20 minutes. Add potatoes, salt, thyme. Cook 10 minutes. Add black pepper and cook until potatoes are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
14 January 2017 Good Health
COURTESY OF PARADIGM MARKETING AND CREATIVE
Buff City Soap founders Brad Kellum and Jennifer Ziemianin create simple, homegrown soaps and skincare products in their Bartlett soap bakery, where customers can watch and even help out.
Natural Beauty
Homemade
ERINN FIGG
There’s an entire subculture of people out there who are making their own natural skin care products rather than subject their bodies to a litany of ingredients they can’t pronounce. Meredith Cooper of Memphis and Brad Kellum of Bartlett are just two of them. What’s more, their homemade creations are such a hit, customers are now clamoring to buy them. Cooper started making her own products after she lost her job. In an effort to save money, she pulled out some of her grandmother’s old soapmaking recipes and began experimenting with them. “My family, we all have sensitive skin with eczema and contact dermatitis and things like that, so I started out just making things for us,” Cooper
said. “Then Christmas came along, and I didn’t really have any extra money so I started making products as gifts. Everybody liked them and said, ‘You should sell this!’” She didn’t take those people seriously until she started “playing around,” as she describes it, with hair cream. An African-American woman, Cooper likes to keep her hair natural, but she thought it was looking a little dull. After researching recipes online, she finally created her own shea butter-based hair cream. She got compliments on her hair. People asked for samples. Then they wanted more. “That’s when I started talking to people at farmer’s markets who were selling homemade products,” Cooper said. Armed with advice from those sellers, she opened her own Etsy store,
FancyModernSoaps, and corresponding website, fancymodern.com, to rave reviews. She now sells everything from soaps to facial masks to body butter to hair cream and more. She also sells creamed, unrefined shea butter for people who want to use it as a base for making their own products. “My main motivation is to make products that are going to help and heal,” Cooper said. “I want to provide quality products for people who have skin problems and can’t find affordable retail products without all those harsh chemicals in them.” Kellum also started out experimenting with soap recipes in his garage once he discovered that the soap he was using – “whatever was on sale at the grocery store” – was basically made of cow fat and laundry detergent.
A former Memphis firefighter, Kellum had switched careers and started law school. Once neighbors began smelling his soap experiments, they wanted some. When demand began to grow, he realized he had a way to make some extra cash. Once that demand grew even further, he discovered he suddenly had an unexpected new career on his hands, literally. Like Cooper, his success took a lot of trial and error, combined with tons of internet research. “The first few months were a mess, but I ended up with a recipe that has coconut, olive and palm – just those three oils – and it made a really good bar that was really moisturizing,” he said. “It’s a whole different experience than what you get with soaps from the grocery store.”
Good Health January 2017 15
Also like Cooper, Kellum started with a website and expanded his product line. Soon, his customer base grew so much, he and his girlfriend and business partner, Jennifer Ziemianin, opened a brick-and-mortar store, The Bartlett Soap Co., in Bartlett in 2014. Word spread until people were driving all the way from Olive Branch just to buy his soaps, skin care products, pet products, laundry detergent and more. Flash forward to now: Kellum and Ziemianin have rebranded as Buff City Soap and opened an additional location in Olive Branch in early 2016. Their products are also sold at retail locations throughout the Mid-South, as well as online at buffcitysoap.com. Instead of a garage, Kellum and Ziemianin now make their products in an in-store soap bakery and a 2,000square-foot factory in Bartlett. Amid all the growth, Kellum still keeps his customer’s skin in mind. “One of our biggest client bases is people who have eczema and rosacea and other skin irritations,” he said. “They send us before and after pictures. The feedback is fantastic.”
MAKE YOUR OWN Entrepreneurs Meredith Cooper and Brad Kellum built their own suc-
Buff City Soap’s best-seller is Narcissist, a blend of peach, raspberry, and patchouli sandalwood scents.
cessful natural skin care and grooming lines after joining Facebook groups, watching YouTube videos and tweaking recipes they found online. You can, too. Here are a few basic ingredients to get you started: Butters: Cocoa butter, shea butter and mango butter all make excellent bases for DIY body butters. Try this one: Melt 1 cup of shea butter and 1/2 cup of coconut oil in a double boiler; cool for 30 minutes; stir in 1/2 cup of almond oil and several drops of your choice of essential oil for scent; place
the mixture in a freezer to chill (about 20 minutes) until partially solidified; then whip into a butter-like consistency and store in a jar. Source: rawmazing.com/recipe/homemade-bodybutter-recipe Sugar: A wonderful exfoliate to keep skin smooth and silky. Try mixing 1 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 cup of almond oil, 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin E oil and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for a heavenly vanilla brown sugar scrub. Source: wellnessmama.com/3628/sugar-scrub-recipe
Coconut oil: Can be used in a number of homemade skin and hair treatments. For a repairing hair mask, mix 1 tablespoon of coconut oil with 1 tablespoon of organic raw honey in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Apply to wet hair. Leave on for 30 to 40 minutes. Rinse. Source: theeverygirl.com/feature/coconut-oil-honey-hair-mask Raw honey: With anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, raw honey can be a great ingredient for face masks and washes. For a brightening face mask, mix 2 teaspoons of raw honey with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and apply to your face for 20 to 30 minutes. Use once or twice a week to lighten dark spots and fade scars. Source: livingthenourishedlife.com/4honey-face-masks Coffee: A caffeine-based scrub can reduce the appearance of cellulite over time. For a skin-tightening cellulite treatment, mix 1 cup of coffee grounds with 3 tablespoons of sea salt or brown sugar in a measuring cup. Melt 6 tablespoons of solid coconut oil in the microwave and add it to the dry mixture. Mix well and store in an airtight container. In the shower, massage the scrub thoroughly into your skin before rinsing. Source: elle.com/ beauty/news/a14975/diy-coffee-cellulite-scrub.
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16 January 2017 Good Health PHOTOS BY GREG CAMPBELL
Patti Lechman serves macha tea to her friend, Akemi Sommer, in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, performed at her home.
Tea in Memphis
Good Health January 2017 17
TREY CLARK
The Peabody Memphis is the only location in the Mid-South that serves a traditional English Afternoon Tea.
ERINN FIGG
Before you chug that tall latte, you might want to consider treating yourself to the occasional cup of tea. Whether you choose black, green or white tea, each has a number of health benefits. There’s also the positive social aspect. Throughout history, various cultures have transformed drinking tea into a ritual, fostering communication, etiquette skills and even mindfulness. If your experience with tea only extends as far as the aisle of big-brand tea bags in your local grocery store, the Mid-South offers some great opportunities to deepen your relationship.
The Way of Tea in Tennessee In previous years, the Japanese tea ceremony, called the Way of Tea, was regularly taught in classes at Memphis Botanic Garden, led by Tea Master Kentaro Ohkuni, who now resides in Baltimore, and Patti Lechman, a Japan enthusiast and retired associate professor of art at Southwest Tennessee Community College. The ceremony has a storied history that dates back to the ninth century in Japan and underwent several evolutions, from Buddhist ritual to status symbol to, ultimately, a more widely used spiritual practice throughout all levels of Japanese society. Today, the ceremony centers around the principles of harmony, respect, purity, tranquility and the philosophy that each meeting should be treasured, as it can never be reproduced. Lechman, who has been participating in the Way of Tea for about eight years, says class attendance at Mem-
phis Botanic Garden has dropped off, but she still expects it to be an occasional offering in 2017. During this simplified version of the ceremony, participants sit on tatami mats on the floor, and that’s where the concept of tranquility is introduced. “I try to explain that the tea room is a special place, that the outer edge of the tatami mat is ‘out there’ and the inner edge is ‘here,’ and when we come in ‘here,’ we leave everything else ‘out there,’ so we don’t talk and chatter in the tea room like you would in a Western setting,” Lechman said. “Instead, you concentrate on the person who is performing the ceremony and is working hard to make each guest feel comfortable, respected and cared for. It’s a form of meditation, where you put everything else aside.” Jackie Frain of Memphis, who has taken the classes for about five years, says she loves the meditative aspect and the ritual of mindfully passing the tea bowl and honoring each guest. “It’s such a nice way to show respect for another person, and it’s so fun for me to share it with other people because we don’t have a lot of that civility in our everyday lives anymore,” Frain said. “It’s just a wonderful way to invite someone in and show them how kind we can be to each other.” Frain says the biggest surprises for newcomers to the Way of Tea will most likely be the type of tea used, which is matcha, a finely ground powder of specially grown green tea. “People are used to black tea or herbal teas or even green tea, but it’s always steeped. They’re not used to the matcha powder and how bitter it can be,” she said. “The other thing that surprises them is we don’t serve every-
COURTESY OF THE PEABODY MEMPHIS
Peabody Afternoon Tea.
one at once. We serve people one at a time; it’s not about being rushed to get your tea.” Frain has created a Facebook page, The Way of Tea in Tennessee, where people can keep an eye out for upcoming events and meet likeminded enthusiasts.
Afternoon Tea at The Peabody For people who want to enjoy their tea in a more decadent setting, a longstanding tradition in Memphis has been Afternoon Tea at The Peabody – the only place in Memphis that offers traditional English tea. “It’s really special. There’s not another experience like it anywhere in the Mid-South, and we’ve been offering it for decades,” said Kelly Earnest, director of marketing and communications at The Peabody Memphis. “Being the ‘South’s Grand Hotel,’ our version of English tea is a slightly Southern take on the tradition. You still have the cucumber tea sandwiches, petit fours and warm scones, but our scones are a little lighter and fluffier like a biscuit than the hard scones you might find elsewhere.” The three-course tea starts with savories, followed by sweets and finished with scones. There are four flavors of tea, as well as a caffeine-free version for kids. Afternoon Tea is served from 1 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.
For More Information: Memphis Botanic Garden, 901-6364100, memphisbotanicgarden.com The Peabody Memphis, 901-5294000, peabodymemphis.com.
GREG CAMPBELL
Japanese garden at the Lechman home.
Health Benefits of Teas While many brews are labeled as “tea,” the diehards consider only the following five varieties to be the real thing. Following are some of their possible health benefits: Black tea: Studies have shown that black tea may reduce the risk of stroke and protect the lungs from cigarette smoke exposure. White tea: Some researchers believe that, compared to more processed teas, white tea has the most potent anti-cancer properties. Green tea: Green tea has the highest concentration of antioxidants and, as such, may slow the growth of cancers in the bladder, lungs, breast, pancreas, colon and stomach. The most widely studied tea, it may also reduce the risk of stroke and neurological disorders (Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s), improve cholesterol levels, prevent artery clogging and burn fat. Oolong tea: The Wuyi variety of this tea is marketed as a weight-loss supplement, but there’s very little scientific evidence to this claim. (You could still try it, though!) Some studies show potential in lowering bad cholesterol, however. Pu-erh tea: A less widely known tea made from aged and fermented leaves, one animal study showed it slowed weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol. Source: WebMD.com
18 January 2017 Good Health
RECIPES
Portabella Pizzas & Grits and Greens Casserole COURTESY OF CHURCH HEALTH, STALKING CELERY BLOG
Grits 'N Greens Casserole Total time: 45 minutes, Makes: 6 servings Ingredients » 4 slices Canadian bacon » 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil » 1 small onion, diced » 4 cloves garlic, minced » 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided » 16 cups chopped collard greens or kale, stems removed » 2 cups water, plus more as needed » 1 cup grits (not instant) » 3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided » 1/4 cup salsa » 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Portabella Pizzas Total time: 45 minutes, Makes: 4 servings Ingredients: » 4 portabella mushroom caps » 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips » 1⁄2 red onion, sliced » 1 tablespoon olive oil » 1⁄2 cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce » 1 1⁄2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and stir until soft. 2. Place the mushrooms gill-side up on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Divide the sauce between the mushrooms and top with the peppers, onions and cheese. 3. Place into the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms soften on the side. Serving size: 1 pizza Calories: 180 Total Fat: 12.1g Cholesterol: 23mg Sodium: 385mg Carbohydrates: 6.3g Fiber: 1.4g Protein: 11.8g
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. 2. Place Canadian bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning often, until slightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Cut into pieces and set aside. 3. Place a large pot over medium-low heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and starting to brown in spots, 2 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add greens; stir until wilted down to about one-third the volume and bright green. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Adjust heat during cooking to maintain a simmer, and add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the pan seems dry. 4. Meanwhile, cook the grits. Bring 2 cups water and the remaining 1 cup broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in grits in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until thick, about 5 minutes. 5. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup cheese, salsa and egg. Remove the grits from the heat and quickly stir in the cheese mixture until combined. 6. Working quickly, spread about half the grits in the prepared baking dish. Top with greens, spreading evenly. Spread the remaining grits over the greens. Sprinkle top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the Canadian bacon. 7. Bake the casserole until hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Serving Size: 1 cup Calories: 260 Total fat: 12.5g Sodium: 491mg Carbohydrates: 32g Fiber: 6g
Good Health January 2017 19
20 January 2017 Good Health
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