Thrive Oklahoma Magazine, May/June 2014

801 N. Hudson Ave. OKC • 405.702.4333 5800 N. Classen Blvd. OKC • 405.463.3343 1189 E. 15th Street, Ste. 124 Edmond • 405.513.6393

barre3.com/okc • facebook.com/barre3okc 3419 S. Peoria Ave. Tulsa • facebook.com/barre3tulsa

barre3.com/tulsa

Publisher / CEO Angela C. Slovak, Ph.D. Creative Director Barbara Kardokus Creative Design Staff Krystal Harlow Editorial Manager Jan Collymore Staff Writer Paul Fairchild Lindsay Welchel

Contributing Authors Jimmy Conway, MD Mary Schrick, N.D., Ph.D. Erik Dalton, Ph.D. Michael Briscoe, DC Krystal Harlow Able and Debra Blakley Brooke Cayot Jessica Sanchez Molly Gordon Rob Houston Focus Federal Credit Union Kate Collins, MS, RD/LD Natausha Spears, R.N. Christine Clayton

VISIT

www.thriveok.com

to view the digital issues of Thrive like us on facebook for details on FREE 1 yr. gym passes

www.facebook.com/okchealthandwellnessgroup Subscribe today online at www.thriveok.com

TM

Only $18.00 a year to your door

On the Cover.... Andrea and Desmond Mason (and Ollie) stand inside their first barre3 studio location at Classen Curve, in Oklahoma City. The Masons met while attending OSU on athletic scholarships and have been building a meaningful life ever since. Desmond is known for his slam dunking abilities during his 10-year career in the NBA. While based in the Portland – Seattle area, Andrea discovered barre3 while pregnant with the couples’ second child. Andrea loved the challenge of the barre3 workout as well as the restorative aspects of taking classes with the barre3 founder, Sadie Lincoln. June 2014, will mark the grand opening of barre3 Tulsa – Oklahoma’s fourth studio location.

Photo Support Georgia R. Reed Thrive Staff

For advertising info call Thrive Magazine at 405.210.8205 or e-mail thriveokinfo@gmail.com Copyright © 2014 by Thrive Oklahoma, Health and Well Being 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.

From the Publisher’s Desk

It was 2009 when the OKC Health and Wellness Group was founded as a nonprofit organization to help people gain access and awareness to all things great in Oklahoma. In the beginning of this health mission, I didn’t really have any long range goals – it was more like putting one foot in front of the other.

Over time, our healthy green apple logo was becoming associated with our assembly of dedicated clinicians and practitioners that volunteered their time to provide educational seminars. Topics included preventative health care, pain management alternatives, healthy lifestyle choices, nutrition, fitness, and integrative whole body approaches to wellness. That was great, but were we really helping those folks who happened by our Expo booths or attended the seminars? There was no real follow-up to know for sure.

We are still, and always have been committed to education on a broad range of healthy lifestyle ideas for Oklahoma. All these efforts have evolved into a forum for healthy living strategies that are becoming easily accessible. Local health expos can’t always offer the level of quality information like Thrive Oklahoma magazine does. We made that shift a couple of years ago and put all of our efforts into making a fabulous – locally inspired – free health publication for you to keep and refer back to. We are here to answer questions and point you in a better direction.

ThriveOK Health recently participated with the NFL’s Fuel Up to Play 60 program to help young students in OKC Public Schools get started everyday with a good breakfast. Programs like, “It Starts with School Breakfast,” helps jump start the children’s morning by kicking-off their day with a quality breakfast at school and emphasizing healthy habits that last a lifetime.

We met with Larry Brown, former Dallas Cowboys Cornerback who spoke to the kids at Oakridge Elementary about reaching their full potential. Larry sat with students enjoying the new breakfast tacos created by Chef Robin Obert for OKC Public Schools. Oakridge Principal Ycedra Daughty reports, 90 percent of her students participate in the breakfast program daily.

Research shows that healthy students are better students. Yet, too many kids are showing up to school hungry. OKCPS will have a brand new Superintendent next year. The OKCPS Board has just hired Robert Nue as the new superintendent. Nue was the Superintendent at Federal Way Public Schools in Washington with an enrollment of about 22,000 students (about half the size of Oklahoma City’s district). Hopefully he will help foster an environment that promotes good health as well as good education.

Re-districting and self-op lunches will be among more changes for next year and ThriveOK Health will examine those changes and more in the July issue.

Stay up-to-date with the changes that affect our kids with a free copy of ThriveOK Health. This is your resource for health and wellness in Oklahoma. Share it among friends and family and have a great spring!

Be Well...

15 34

20

24

Features

24

12

20

22

24

40

The Story Behind the Jesus Shot

by Mary Schrick What’s Eating Our Kids

by Paul Fairchild Blood Facial – Is it right for you?

Natausha Spears barre3 Tree Grows Into Tulsa

by Jessica Sanchez 6.3 Trillion Calories Less

by Christine Clayton

Destinations

20 6

Thrive Oklahoma

30 Stake Your Claim On Fun in Enid

by Rob Houston 32 Off the Beaten Path

17

28

14 32

44 28

43

34 30

Living Well 10 5 Tips to Improve Metabolism by Kate Collins 16 FDA Approved Hearing Aid Alternative by Brooke Cayot

Community Corner

28 Do A 360 with Your Fitness by Jessica Sanchez

15 19 26 27

36 Rethink Food: 100 + Doctors Can’t Be Wrong 38 Blending Science with Natural Healing by Michael Briscoe 43 OKC Jr. Kayaker ‘s Olympic Dreams by Molly Gordon 44 $tretching Your Vacation Dollar

Mind / Body Connection 37 Calling All Manual Therapists by Erik Dalton

Urban Neighbors’ Downtown Garden Introducing Pinnacle Dental The Spice of Life by Lindsay Whelchel Leonard Egli – A Wood Sculptor

by Angela C. Slovak

Recipes 34 Spring Fling on Food

by Savory Spice Shop Thrive Oklahoma

7

8

Thrive Oklahoma

Thrive Oklahoma

9

by Kate Collins, MA, RD/LD

ost of us have heard this before: She can eat that whole cake and not gain a pound. She was blessed with a fast metabolism. Not everyone is born with such luck, so the following tips are for the rest of us who may need a little help to speed up the metabolism.

2. Eating meals and snacks. Eating regularly helps

Metabolism is influenced by several factors, some modifiable, others not. These factors come into play for everyone, regardless of what lifestyle changes you make:

3. Power-eat with protein. The body burns many more

maintain a balanced sugar level and prevents hunger.

Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day. It revs up metabolism by breaking the fast your body has been in overnight. Not skipping meals also helps us avoid overeating and binging. calories digesting protein than what it uses for digesting fats or carbs. Although you want to eat a balanced diet, and carbohydrates provide extremely important nutrients for activity, replacing some carbohydrates with lean, protein-rich foods can boost the metabolism at mealtime.

#1 Age. Metabolism naturally slows down about 5% after age 40. #2 Gender. In general, men burn more calories than women.

Fortunately, there are several other areas where you do have control to modify your metabolism.

The factors listed here can help dramatically boost your metabolism.

For example, instead of two pieces of bread and chips at lunch, replace the chips with some string cheese or nuts. Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.

4. Double up on your fruits and veggies. Research

shows only 12 percent of people in the US eat the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables a day and 40 percent eat no fruit. Even worse, about 10-20 percent of Americans don’t eat vegetables at all.

Fruits and vegetables have vitamins and minerals that are required in virtually every function of our body.

From better immunity and night vision to muscle and nerve function, these foods provide nutrients that no other food source can provide. Fruits and vegetables have been proven to reduce risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

1. Exercise to increase your proportion of lean body mass. Since men naturally develop more lean body mass, this is one of the reasons why they have a faster metabolism. However, women too can improve upon their lean body mass. The most efficient way is to work those large muscle groups.

Every pound of muscle uses about six calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only about two calories per day. That small difference can add up over time. Use resistance training.

Muscles will become activated, which increases your average daily metabolic rate. Some exercise is better than no exercise and any exercise will put your muscles into action.

10

Thrive Oklahoma

Folks who don’t eat enough friuts and veggies are missing out on crucial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Fiber is a metabolism super food.

Fiber helps with weight loss, improved blood sugar levels and in lowering cholesterol.

5. Try some metabolism Super Foods. It’s true,

there are actually some foods that can help boost metabolism. Most research shows that this increase is very small (possibly 10% for 30 minutes after intake), but it can’t hurt.

• Coffee: If you’re a coffee drinker, you probably enjoy the increased energy and concentration that follows your morning ritual. Taken in moderation, one of coffee’s benefits may be a short-term increase in your metabolic rate.

• Three Spicy foods: Meals with spicy ingredients (i.e. hot peppers) may have the capability to increase your body’s metabolic rate by as much as 20 percent. But, watch out for heartburn and indigestion! It may not be worth the extra 20 calories.

Ultimately, it is possible to assist your body in increasing your metabolism. Don’t skip meals, eat more fruits and vegetables, get moving, and feel those calories burn!

• Tea: Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple of hours. Research suggests that drinking two to four cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17 percent more calories than normal during moderately intense exercise for a short period of time.

Contact Kate directly at kate.collins@personalizedprevention.com

Thrive Oklahoma

11

by Mary Schrick, ND, Ph.D., Full Circle Integrated Health Clinic A couple of months ago, Oklahoma City’s News 9 and other media outlets ran unwarranted, sensationalistic and incomplete reports about Full Circle Integrated Health Clinic’s Dr. Mike Lonergan and one of his many pain management practices, a common anti-inflammatory injection. To make matters worse, they perpetuated the use of the name “Jesus Shot” for the injection. It is a portrayal that, to say the least, has not gone over well with our Christian clients.

Full Circle Health’s mission is – and always has been – the provision of the best integrated health care available. We treat illness by treating the entire patient. We also specialize in finding naturopathic remedies for our patients. This means we help patients find alternatives to surgeries and synthetic drugs that promote natural healing processes. Sometimes surgery is not the only option.

Conventional medications might have adverse side effects. The human body’s ability to heal is always an option worth looking at, and using it has no side effects. The only miracle patients see in my clinic is the miracle of the human body.

I am uncomfortable with the picture that newspapers and television stations painted of Dr. Lonergan’s anti-inflammatory injection. They claimed that both he and I were unwilling to disclose its ingredients, as if it were some super-secret pharmaceutical cocktail with ingredients that we would not disclose to our patients. There is an unsettling implication that we were worried that we would lose money if other clinics started offering the injection. In short, they suggested that we sell snake oil.

Nothing is further from the truth.

Let me be clear: patients – not money – come first. Most recommendations for boosting the body’s immune system, such as vitamins, herbs, supplements, prolotherapy, laser treatments and chiropractics are commonly available. Our patients come to us because of the excellence we have achieved with the application of these treatments. They also appreciate the low cost relative to surgery and expensive medicines. The injection is no exception.

The ingredients are: Dexamethasone, Kenalog and vitamin B12. All three are FDA-approved and offered in different combinations by conventional health care providers. The dosages differ depending on the patient’s general health, age, weight, medical history and so on. The doctor performs a thorough one hour review with each patient to rule out allergies and possible interactions with any medications they may be taking.

The name “Jesus Shot” is a term of endearment coined by Dr. Lonergan. He credits Jesus with the idea to combine the ingredients in one injection. Full Circle Integrated Health Clinic does not market or advertise it as a “Jesus Shot.” Doing so would be insensitive to many of our patients. If you overhear people referring to a “Jesus Shot,” blame them – or the media.

We do not use the term, “Jesus Shot”. We refer to it by its clinical name, which is, “Inflammation Protocol”.

Let me be open and clear about this, as well: there is no claim that the injection cures pain for life. No medicine does.

Anybody with an expectation that high will always be disappointed. The success of Full Circle Integrated Health Clinic’s business model depends on thoughtful, informed patients because their participation in their own healing is essential. Selling a “cure for life” treatment would not fly with our patients because, thankfully they are so knowledgeable.

Dr. Lonergan was convicted of tax evasion and mail fraud in Ohio. He served time for these offenses, repaying his debt to society. A gifted doctor, he wants nothing more than to provide exceptional health care to patients in his home state of Oklahoma. He has nothing to hide and his convictions were no secret to the Oklahoma Medical Board, which certified him as a medical doctor. He’s a member in good standing with the Oklahoma medical community and his patients are grateful for his care. I hear repeatedly how he has improved the quality of continued on page page 14

12

Thrive Oklahoma

Thrive Oklahoma

13

Jesus Shot Continued from page 12 their lives with his treatments. Some of his patients travel from around the nation to see him because Full Circle Health offers healthy, innovative solutions not available near their homes.

Here is what two patients had to say after receiving the injection: “In November 2013 I made an appointment to see Dr. Mike Lonergan to receive the shot for inflammation. Getting this shot has changed my life. I was having trouble walking in the morning due to extreme stiffness and pain in my joints.

Since getting the shot, I’m able to get out of bed and walk with no pain. I’m very thankful for Dr. Lonergan and I feel that getting the shot was the best decision I’ve ever made.

I’m so glad that Dr. Lonergan is a member of your team.”

The mother of an adolescent who received the injection wrote: “Thank you so much for the relief you have provided for my daughter and family. She has suffered from debilitating asthma most of her life. Now for the first time in years she is able to sleep through the night and has not had one asthma attack since receiving the injection from Dr. Lonergan.

What a tremendous blessing!”

When I hear grateful patients like this, I know the only real story here is that my staff is doing everything right. Thank you to all of Full Circle Integrated Health’s patients. We look forward to helping you meet and maintain your health goals well into the future.

Dr. Mary Schrick is on the radio six days a week to bring you the latest in natural health news and to answer questions regarding the health concerns of you or your loved ones.

See ad on back cover.

14

Thrive Oklahoma

rban Neighbors is a downtown neighborhood association that is proud to announce a newly installed community garden space. The plot is located near Midtown at 421 Park Place, just west of Hudson and was generously donated by Midtown Renaissance.

Shelley Pruitt, Urban Neighbors garden organizer, moved into Downtown OKC in 2007. Pruitt knows what it takes to start a community garden and she’s recruited plenty of volunteers, including the OU Big Event team. Everyone rolled up their sleeves to make short work of the measuring, lifting, hauling and planting required to establish a dozen raised organic beds.

“My husband John, my son Luke and I were so committed to this that we donated the starting $1500 and my wonder-

fully talented dad, Roger Evans designed and built the raised beds,” says Pruitt.

Operations coordinator for Downtown OKC, Joe Hudson says, “Community gardens create a sense of place among urban landscapes. There are individual, social, environmental and economical befits to community gardens.”

Hudson, was among the neighborhood volunteers and shared his expertise in planning raised bed gardens by-the-foot and planting vegetables. “By far my favorite thing about community gardening is that it creates a tangible connection between people and their food source. Once they realize the benefits of local produce, grocery store tomatoes from hot houses in Florida or Texas will never satisfy,” says Hudson.

We look forward to sharing sustainably grown food in a community space. Visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/UrbanNeighbors we’ll be planning work days – so be sure to sign up and volunteer! Soon enough there will be bountiful harvest days too.

Thrive Oklahoma

15

A First of Its Kind: Cochlear Nucleus Hybrid Implant System

by Brooke Cayot

he FDA has recently approved the Cochlear Nucleus® Hybrid Implant System for patients suffering from hearing loss and may have traditionally been fitted for hearing aids. The Hybrid system is a groundbreaking advancement in the United States and expands the scope of implantable hearing technology to a whole new level. Hearing loss that leads to deafness is often called the “silent hurt” because people will ultimately lose their ability to communicate with others.

Dr. R. Kent Dyer Jr., at the Otologic Medical Clinic in Oklahoma City is a surgeon and board certified in otolaryngology says, “This is an exciting new development for the rehabilitation in patients with hearing loss. They no longer have to be almost completely deaf to have this type of procedure,” he says.

The Cochlear Hybrid is a combination of the cochlear implant and a hearing aid. Here in Oklahoma, INTEGRIS Cochlear Implant Clinic and the Hough Ear Institute will be some of the first in the nation to fit this device.

“I am excited that Cochlear Americas has received FDA approval for their Nucleus Hybrid Implant System because it will enable us to help hearing impaired individuals who are struggling significantly even with the best of hearing instruments and who previously did not 16

Thrive Oklahoma

qualify for a cochlear implant,” says Sandra Over, AuD., CCC-A, an audiologist with INTEGRIS. “I think it will also be comforting for individuals to know they will continue to hear using their natural low-frequency hearing.

The Nucleus Hybrid Implant System really offers the very best of both worlds.”

“This issue with this new hybrid system is that it’s a technologically challenging surgery to save residual hearing because we have to invade the inner ear in the process,” says Dr. Dyer.

“A certain percentage of patients may have continued hearing loss for 6-12 months after the surgery due to the disruption of the inner ear during implant,” continued Dr. Dyer.

An entire population of patients currently lives their day to day lives struggling to hear with and without hearing aids. Many of those patients get some benefit from low frequency amplification but struggle to hear sounds of nature, understand their grandchildren and simply avoid noisy environments where speech can be difficult to understand. The system gives these patients a new and highly effective treatment option.

The Nucleus Hybrid System is comprised of the Nucleus Hybrid L24 Implant and the Cochlear Nucleus 6 Sound Processor with Cochlear Hybrid Hearing (Figure 2). This system is designed to effectively restore access to high

frequencies. This translates into improved speech understanding that is twice that of using a hearing aid alone.

to the inner ear to stimulate healing and repair that will further help restore hearing,” says Dr. Dyer.

The Hybrid L24 electrode is not only thin, but shorter in length to specifically allow for a shallower insertion depth that will accommodate high frequency stimulation of spiral ganglion cells and acoustic low frequency stimulation of hair cells. This is the essence of hybrid; electric and acoustic stimulation combined to deliver patients a full spectrum of hearing through a single device.

This integration of two technologies has shown significant improvement when compared to hearing aids alone and resulted in a tenfold increase in patient satisfaction.

Only Cochlear Nucleus Hybrid Implants can provide the option to stimulate low frequency hearing and simultaneously restore access to high frequencies through electric stimulation.

“As this new hybrid implant technique develops in the future we will be able to deliver regenerative growth factors

R. Kent Dyer, Jr., M.D., has been with the Hough Ear Institute and on staff at the Otologic Medical Clinic as a neurotologist since 1994. He presently serves as Medical Director of the INTEGRIS Hearing Enrichment Language Program (HELP) and Director of the Balance Center and Vestibular Rehabilitation Program. Dr. Dyer has participated in multiple medical mission trips around the world including lecture tours in the Ukraine, Moldova and Vietnam in association with the Christian Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgeons.

INTEGRIS Health is Oklahoma’s largest health system with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, physician clinics, mental health facilities, independent living centers and home health agencies located throughout much of the state. For more information, visit www.integrisok.com.

Thrive Oklahoma

17

The New Standard in Family Health Care There’s a new approach to routine and preventive health care which dramatically reduces the cost for individuals, families and businesses. One Focus Medical is offering membership-based, insurance-free, direct-to-patient primary care and is now open in Edmond. Jeffrey C. Davenport, MD, owner of One Focus Medical will offer family healthcare that is thorough, comprehensive, and affordable, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with same-day or next-day appointments.

How Does It Work?

Patients pay one low monthly fee directly to One Focus Medical for all of their everyday health needs.

Like a health club membership, this gives patients unrestricted access to Dr. Davenport for visits and care, so patients can use the services as much or as little as they want. The monthly membership fees are as follows: Ages 0-20 years - $10/month, Ages 20-50 years - $50/month, Ages 50-65 years - $75/month, Ages 66+ years - $100/month. The first visit is always free.

There is none of the paperwork and expense required by insurance reimbursement - no procedure or billing approval, deductibles or co-payments. With a lower business overhead and dramatically less paperwork, the doctor is no longer forced to squeeze in 25 to 35 patients a day for 5 and 10 minute appointments (national average for insurance-based practices), and can instead take the time necessary with each patient to deliver high-quality, personalized care. For patients with chronic illnesses, the unrestricted access to a primary care physician can have dramatic, often life-changing, positive effects on the individual’s health.

Lower Costs With traditional insurance-paid primary care, reimbursement costs consume more than 40 cents of every dollar. Eliminating insurance from primary care makes that 40 cents available for actual health care more time with each patient, more extensive office hours, and more on-site services and diagnostics at One Focus Medical such as lab work and prescriptions offered direct to patients at wholesale prices.

Accidents and the unexpected do happen, so patients of One Focus Medical are advised to keep a catastrophic insurance plan for life-threatening emergencies and serious illnesses with a higher deductible and much lower premium. The combined cost of One Focus Medical’s monthly fee and a lower-premium insurance plan is significantly lower than paying for health insurance that covers even basic primary care needs. This is important when the annual income from a full-time, minimum wage job is only a few hundred dollars more than the cost of an average family insurance plan. With direct primary care, families’ costs can drop by as much as 50%, saving hundreds or even thousands annually.

Most Americans have never experienced this level of care or even know that it exists. There are currently about 5,000 physicians practicing direct care in the United States. One Focus Medical has been modeled after Wichita, Kansas-based Atlas MD created by Josh Umbehr, MD and Doug Nunamaker, MD who have been featured in online news stories on CNN, Fox and appeared on nationally syndicated programming like Huckabee.

Jeffrey C. Davenport MD specializes in family medicine and is a local graduate of the University of Oklahoma, College of Medicine, 2003. Dr. Davenport’s residency was completed at the Wesley Family Residency Program in2006. He is Board Certified from the American Board of Family Medicine. One Focus Medical is located at 3815 S. Boulevard in Edmond, OK.

See full page ad on inside front cover of this issue

Dr. Mark Kelly doesn’t settle for second-best – not for Pinnacle Dental and definitely not for its clients.

Doctor Mark Kelly is celebrating the first anniversary of his second Pinnacle Dental location in Crescent. His Oklahoma City location is well-known to patients looking for the latest and greatest. Computerized X-rays expose patients to the least amount of radiation. Laser whitening is faster and easier than conventional techniques. Digital technology even makes dentures a walk in the park.

While state-of-the-art toys are fun, Kelly keeps Pinnacle Dental on the cutting edge to improve his patients’ experiences.

“We run a boutique dental office. It’s a smaller office and I love that because it’s got a family feel. There are a lot of corporations with big, huge, national names coming into town. We’re not one of them. It’s nice for patients to know the staff. It’s nice to have that personal relationship,” he says.

When he’s not at the office or spending time with his family at home, he’s probably participating in a triathlon.

With two locations, Kelly delivers serious continuity of care. Weekend appointments are available for emergencies.

Pinnacle also offers an unusually wide range of procedures.

Sedation is available, as well, not just for long procedures, but also for patients that just aren’t that comfortable in the dentist’s chair.

Pinnacle is an insurance-based practice, and all major dental insurance is accepted. “At the end of the day, we just like to take care of patients as best we can,” says Kelly.

Botox fans can also get that taken care of at Pinnacle. Kelly chuckles at patients that can’t stand getting shots for fillings but don’t mind botox injections. It’s an unusual combination of services, he agrees, but clients love it.

Pinnacle Dental is the realization of Kelly’s longstanding interest in dentistry. He’s a general practitioner who’s equally at home with kids and adults.

A native of Edmond, Kelly takes every opportunity to give back to his community. “I’m lucky. There are a lot of different ways to help out in the Oklahoma City area. We do sponsorships with Crest in public schools. We go into classes and offer oral hygiene instruction. We do free screenings for kids in the schools and at community events. That’s a way to find kids that don’t have access to dental care and we can spot problems before they get crazy bad.”

Kelly graduated from Edmond Memorial High School before attending the University of Oklahoma, where he studied zoology. He then went on to the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. He’s a member of the Oklahoma Dental Association and the American Dental Association.

Thrive Oklahoma

19

by Paul Fairchild Cathy Cummings, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, runs a highly

unconventional campaign. Child nutrition is a big deal for her and she

adopted an offbeat approach for answering this question: What are kids eating in public schools? Partly inspired by Naked Chef Jamie Oliver

and partly inspired by James Bond, she went undercover for six weeks as an Oklahoma City Public Schools lunch lady.

“I know for a fact that if you want to know something about a school, you should ask the janitor or the lunch lady,” said Cummings.

A restaurant owner, Cummings has nutrition dialed in. With five kids of her own, Cummings knew how critical it is for children and adolescents to eat nutritiously.

Over the last few years, a lot of people made a lot of noise about the quality of the meals in Oklahoma City’s public schools.

The district responded with changes - and Cummings wanted to see how things were going.

“One out of four of our children in the state of Oklahoma doesn’t know where their next meal’s coming from. If their main meal is coming from that school lunch, don’t you think we need to make sure that it’s nutritious? That it’s good for them?” she asked.

At 7 a.m. on a warm September day, Cummings started her first day of work at Taft Middle School. In the fluorescent glow of industrial lighting, she and her fellow crew members prepared and served breakfast and lunch to a hungry crowd of students.

The first thing she looked at was sanitation practices. Taft’s kitchen and its staff easily passed her spot inspection. Gloves and hairnets were de rigueur. Nobody wore fingernail polish. Utensils were washed immediately after use. Everybody scrubbed counters before leaving them. Food temperatures were checked regularly by Cummings’s supervisor.

ed that about 9 out of 10 students qualified for reduced-cost or free lunches, meaning tight budgetary restrictions.

Salads – a good way to satisfy the U.S.D.A.’s requirement for fresh vegetables – were rough, said Cummings. With only one produce delivery to the kitchen each week, fresh veggies were hard for the staff to come by.

“My biggest pet peeve was the bad produce,” said Cummings. “They only got in one delivery per week. All they have to do is get one or two additional deliveries each week. They won’t get charged for extra deliveries. There was stuff they wanted me to use that was two weeks old. I threw it away. I could not in good conscience give it to any child.”

Parents, take note: the best meal served at Taft is the Chicken Parmesan.

“Out of all of the dishes, it tasted the best. They used a canned spaghetti sauce, but they let me doctor it a little bit with some basil and pepper – anything but salt. They had really good grated parmesan cheese and it worked. I thought it was the best meal and all the kids said the same thing,” she said.

The U.S.D.A.’s low-salt mandate is definitely a step in the right direction, but it backfires in unintended ways. Serving kids vegetables is one thing. Getting them to eat them is another. A little – not a lot – of salt, Cummings believes, would make the vegetables more appealing. During her time at Taft, she saw a lot of vegetables hit the bottoms of trash cans.

All good, but Cummings was there, well, for the food. Everything served at Taft – and every other school in the distric – must Cummings also introduced a concern from the schools-can’tcomply with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines. The meals on a kid’s lunch tray are the end win category by pointing out that new studies suggest too result of a lot of federal dos and don’ts. Cummings also estimat- little salt is a bad thing, depriving students of iodine and 20

Thrive Oklahoma

contributing to thyroid problems. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University claims students can lose up to 13 I.Q. points if deprived of iodine for a long period. Before being hired, kitchen staffers sign a document pledging that they won’t add salt to any meal.

To provide more nutritious food and make it more attractive to kids, Cummings suggests cooking more food from scratch.

Public school meals are well outside the duties and responsibilities of a lieutenant governor, but Cummings hopes to use the pulpit to call attention to school lunches.

To offset cafeteria costs, Taft offers snacks such as Teddy Grahams and Doritos. The snacks are not provided free. Students pay for them and they can’t be bought on a student’s first trip through the lunch line. And if there’s a Bond villain in this story, it has to be Cummings’s nemesis, the Slushee machine.

“Maybe if I win this campaign, I’ll have little bit more credence and I can do a lot more as Lieutenant Governor Cathy Cummings versus Vito’s Restaurant owner Cathy Cummings,” she mused. “I’m crazy about kids. They’re my passion. I love them. If we don’t take care of our kids, what is our future here going to be like? If they don’t have that proper nutrition, how can they perform well in school?”

“Why would you have a slushee machine for grade-school kids? It’s because the school makes money off of it. They do slushee machines. They do chips, like Doritos and cookies. No sodas. That’s how the school makes extra money. That’s pure sugar in that slushee machine. It was popular with the kids. Red or blue, either one,” she said.

Kids, it seems, are a little more bipartisan than their parents.

The slushee machine may just be the cost of doing business in a school cafeteria, though. With so many free and reduced-cost lunches to provide, the district’s cafeterias need to offset costs wherever possible.

Cummings compiled her experiences into a 30-minute documentary entitled, “What’s Eating Our Kids?”

It’s available on her campaign web site at www.vote4cathy.com.

Thrive Oklahoma

21

by Natausha Spears, R.N. Organic living and herbal remedies have become increasingly popular in the last decade as many Americans are become more aware of the benefits of healthy living. Increased awareness of healthy living has also increased the appeal of letting the body heal the body. ue to the rise in lifestyle education and wider availability, the platelet rich plasma or PRP facial has become very popular lately. Kim Kardashian tweeted the above photo folowing her PRP treatment in March.

The platelet rich plasma / PRP facial uses patients own blood platelets to help tissues heal and regenerate cells. Platelet rich plasma, when injected into specific areas of the skin, acts as a cellular matrix that promotes collagen growth, tissue repair, and acts to naturally change skin texture. PRP can also help with redness, acne scarring, pore size, brown spots, and overall skin health.

The time involved for this procedure is minimal, and there’s virtually no downtime. First, a small amount of blood is drawn from the arm and the different components of the blood sample are separated by centrifugation. The platelets and the fluid plasma are isolated. This process yields platelet rich plasma, PRP. This plasma now contains a higher than normal concentration of platelets.

Platelet rich plasma is applied to the face after using a derma roller on the skin, which causes tiny punctures that allow the platelet rich plasma to seep into the skin through the puncture sites. Once the rolling process is complete, the remaining PRP is injected into the skin at a deeper level, helping to enhance the results even more.

Because PRP is a naturally occurring substance in the body, the risk of allergic reaction and adverse events associated with the procedure is minimal. However, PRP is not for everyone.

People who take anti-inflammatory drugs on a regular basis or have platelet disorders are not good candidates for the procedure. Anti-inflammatory medications reduce platelet counts, and will limit the visible results. Some redness and mild bruising can occur.

22

Thrive Oklahoma

Results typically can be seen three to four weeks following treatment. However, most people require two to three sessions, spaced 6 weeks apart to achieve the full results. PRP is not a procedure that takes the place of dermal fillers. PRP directly affects the skin’s texture, whereas dermal filler replaces volume where it has been lost due to age. Although some people may experience a reduction in fine lines with PRP, its primary use is correcting skin texture and related issues.

Injectable Aesthetics offers free consultations, and can discuss whether this procedure is right for you.

(405) 285-0625.

Natausha Spears is an aesthetic nurse, who has been in the cosmetic industry for over 13 years. She’s had the opportunity to work with several physicians and medical spas, learning from some of the leading aesthetic physicians in the industry Natausha is currently an ACE certified speaker and trainer for Allergan and she is also a national educator and trainer for DentaSpa Seminars, as well as other nationally recognized cosmetic companies.

Natausha travels all over the country, training multiple-specialty physicians and dentists, as well as physician assistants and nurses.

She herself has performed more than 10,000 Botox procedures during her career in non-surgical aesthetics. She is a Board Member for the International Academy of Aesthetic Facial Academics (IAAFA), as well as a member of the Association of the Medical Esthetic Nurse, and the American Aesthetic Nursing Association

ADVERTORIAL

Sta-Natural, founded in 1999 and located in Oklahoma City, has taken a giant step in the natural weight-loss industry by making a natural Oklahoma product. Founders wanted to create a natural meal replacement that would be easy to make, affordable and effective in achieving significant weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.

Industry experts say that Sta-Natural is the best tasting and healthiest meal replacement on the market. Dan Solloway, host of the Health and Fitness radio show (1520 AM - KOKC) says, “TMR is a great tasting, natural meal replacement with all the right ingredients, and it’s diabetic-friendly!” Customers who had once struggled with losing the weight and keeping it off are now seeing success with TMR. “Obesity is a huge epidemic in today’s world,” Laura Dennison, Holistic Health Practitioner, Master Herbalist and co-founder of Sta-Natural, explained. “We started looking at some of the other meal replacements on the market. Most of them had artificial sugars and only one or two types of protein.

We wanted to create a product that would actually work by having more proteins and keeping the consumer full longer, achieving the weight loss goal.”

Sta-Natural’s TMR uses natural ingredients like chia seed, LuoHan Guo fruit and stevia to achieve its flavor and only needs eight ounces of cold water. It comes in two delicious flavors: chocolate and vanilla. This shake is loaded with 24 grams of protein per serving and uses six different types of protein. Sta-Natural’s TMR has no artificial sweeteners, no fructose corn syrup, no sucralose, and no MSG or gluten.

Losing weight has never been so simple. TMR is now available across the Oklahoma City Metro at the Health Food Center, Meridian Nutrition, Omega Health Products and Vibrant Life Center.

Thrive Oklahoma

23

by Jessica Sanchez Starting a new gym or fitness studio can be stressful in Oklahoma, a state not historically known for its status in overall wellness. But Andrea and Desmond Mason have successfully introduced a small fitness business in the heart of Oklahoma City and are currently expanding into their fourth location in less than four years. klahoma City is currently the bearer of three barre3 studios, and the Masons have their sights set on Tulsa for the fourth. The new studio grand opening is set for sometime in June.

The 3 in barre3 symbolizes balance, not only in business, but in life. “Our workouts are designed to transform the body to one of equal balance, strength and flexibility,” says Andrea Mason.

Last year Forbes ranked Oklahoma City as one of the fasted growing cities in the U.S. In fact, Oklahoma City ranked 12th with a growth rate 60 percent above the national average. Also in 2013, The Business Journal ranked Oklahoma City No. 2 for small business in America. Several factors were considered, like the fact that Oklahoma City had 4.02 percent job growth and has 26.9 small businesses per 1,000 people. The Wall Street Journal names Oklahoma City, One of the Best Cities for Business.

“I believe the OKC fitness market is making huge strides and everyone is becoming healthier and more health conscious overall. There are more and more people walking, running, biking and taking to their own individual form of exercise, whatever it may be,” says Mason.

When it comes to the Tulsa venture, location was key. “We knew instantly where we wanted to be in Tulsa and couldn’t be happier with our first location being in Brookside. Although, barre3 will be brand new to Tulsa, there will be some familiar faces from our seasoned studios that will be teaching classes and will have a prominent role with this studio to ensure we are set for the most success upon opening our doors in Tulsa,” says Mason.

The Masons are partnering with Brenda and Kris Oakes, husband and wife team based in Tulsa. “They are just as passionate about barre3 as we are,” says Mason. Oakes started taking classes about a year ago as an on-line client with fitness pal, Sarah Vanse who will be one of the new instructors once the Brookside location opens.

24

Thrive Oklahoma

“When you find something so special that changes your life, you feel compelled to share it. This is a lovely opportunity to share what barre3 has done for my body with others. Barre3 is a community of encouragers and I can’t wait for Tulsans to experience this,” explains Tulsa co-owner Brenda Oakes.

“Working with Andrea has been a dream. She’s not only an amazing instructor who has guided our entire team in Tulsa, she authentically lives barre3 every day. She connects with people on a deep level, gives of herself generously and shines light inside and outside the studio,” Oakes says and adds, “She has made this great journey even better, not only as my business partner, but as my mentor and friend.”

Making the leap from student to instructor in one year is not for everyone either. But the infrastructure and training is definitely there for those who want to have an impact on others in their community.

This is true for Oakes’ fitness partner Vanse. Vanse will be one of the new instructors once the Brookside location opens.

“I decided to challenge myself to become an instructor so that I can share my love of barre3 with others. I look forward to teaching and being part of motivating people to take time for themselves, to go deep and see change,” says Vanse.

Barre3 exercises are different than anything most people have ever tried before.

“Barre3 is different from traditional gyms because our type of workout can be customized to each client,” says Mason. “Even though barre3 workouts are in a group setting, clients soon realize their own truth levels and are able to make it their own.”

Barre3 features low-impact fitness routines that can literally be done anywhere – but a healthy lifestyle is what resonates most with their clients.

“The Masons are so near and dear to my heart for coming into this community and opening up a whole new world of fitness to me – I am 46 years old. I have been practicing now for over 3 years and call it my safe place because, when I walk into that studio I leave the world behind and

finally focus on myself,” says founding client Daye Virostek of Oklahoma City.

“Barre3 works so well because every class is a total body workout compared to targeting specific muscle groups that you might do in a traditional gym workout. This type of workout is great for everyone including super athletes, dancers, doctors, postpartum clients and anyone who wants to see changes in their body,” says Mason, who adds, “We also offer injury modifications.”

For Mason, barre3 goes beyond the exercise. “Barre3 is not a one size fits all for every client who steps through our door, but what barre3 offers is a healthy lifestyle, not just a one hour workout.

Barre3 believes in whole body health which combines daily exercise, nutritious whole foods that nourish our body and connection in all that you do - be present in the moment. If you combine these three elements on a daily basis, you will see a change in your overall health,” she says.

When asked about the future, the Masons agree “Our primary goal is to blanket the state of Oklahoma with barre3 studios. We believe there is the potential for another 2-4 studios in the state.

By growing barre3, we believe that we are making a large impact to many lives in a healthy way. People feel better about their bodies, their weight, their sleep, their diet, their relationships and ultimately, how they carry themselves on a daily basis. They live more upright, more confident and more balanced lives because of barre3,” says Mason.

The Masons with their two young children, Jada, 8 and Elijah, 4, live a balanced fulfilling life that allows them to pursue dreams while maintaining a close family bond. They’re able to create a work-life balance that most dream of. “My dream goal is to open a barre3 studio internationally and be able to travel more at some point with my family,” admits Mason.

Mason explains that being a barre3 owner is rewarding job. It’s a job where you can find balance in your day while giving to others. We will be offering community free classes prior to our opening in June and upon our Grand Opening week, we’ll offer a free week of classes to our Tulsa community.

New studio address is 3419 S. Peoria Ave. Tulsa, OK 74105, Visit our website www.barre3.com/tulsa and stay connected by following our facebook page at www.facebook.com/barre3tulsa.

Thrive Oklahoma

25

by Lindsay Whelchel

In ancient civilizations, the spice-trade was not only what made the world go around, but what grew it. New places were discovered in the pursuit of natural treasures like cinnamon and pepper. They made life richer...

... Today, they still do, if you know what you’re looking for.

In the Savory Spice Shop, located at 4400 N. Western Ave., you’ll find the purest form of organic spices, as well as creative blends that aim to enhance the flavor of foods while ensuring an opportunity to gain the many health benefits.

In the shop, you’ll also find owner Able Blakley.

Blakley is not just knowledgeable about the spices his shop carries; he is passionate.

“Spice is the world’s second oldest profession depending on whom you ask, so it’s a time-tested industry,” Blakley says as he shows you around his shop pointing out the island displays, which contain the many varieties. “Another neat thing about spices in general is that the history of civilization can be told on this island,” he says.

Blakely grew up outside of Enid on a ranch his great-grandfather claimed in the land run of 1893 – September 16, 1893 to be exact. On the exact same day, 119 years later, Blakley, a pioneer in his own right, opened Savory Spice Shop in Oklahoma City.

The idea for the shop came to Blakley after he graduated from OU and moved to Denver. There, the first Savory Spice Shop had opened, and Blakley was introduced to the purity and freshness a spice could really offer.

“A shop like this is long-since needed in OKC. I can’t imagine that people don’t want to be here tasting and cooking and experimenting,” says Blakely.

Beyond the flavor, the health benefits are hard to deny. Cinnamon is said to be effective in regulating blood sugar.

“Most of the cinnamon in this country that you’re familiar with is not actually cinnamon. It’s cassia, which is a completely different plant, so if you’re looking for the health benefits you want to make sure you get the true cinnamon,” Blakley says and adds, “the undisputed heavy weight champion of healthy spices is turmeric, it’s good for everything.”

After the death of his father brought him back to Oklahoma, Blakley was compelled to open his own business with his mother and bring the same spice options to OKC as an independent part of the franchise.

“It’s just a matter of getting the word out to people that this is an option, and you don’t have to buy spices filled with MSG that have been sitting around in a grocery store for God knows how long,” he says.

Because of the freshness of the shop’s hand-ground spices, the flavor is also richer, he says. “Spices begin to lose their potency as soon as they’re ground. When they’re whole their essential oils are all encapsulated, and once they’re ground they start to release flavor. Well, nine months to a year, you’ve lost a fair portion of a spice’s flavor. Once you start cooking with these spices you’ll notice.”

One customer in the shop has definitely noticed: A self-described “foodie” is convinced of the magic that the spices hold – Sean F. of OKC. The list could go on and on for individual spices, but it’s important not to forget the exotic blends and flavors the shop also offers. These are options like Peruvian Chile Lime and Pepper Butter and something unexpected in Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, which Blakley describes as the purest salt, coming from an ancient ocean under the Himalayas and potent enough you can use much less to flavor your food.

The shop boasts about 250 individual spices and 200 blends, so the world quite literally awaits you at the Savory Spice Shop, and Blakley will give you the adventurous tour.

See recipe ideas from the Savory Spice Shop on pages 34 - 35 26

Thrive Oklahoma

by Angela C. Slovak, Ph.D. Lou Shirey is no stranger to art. But it took a mission trip to West Africa’s Ghana to bring him face to face with the work of wood sculptor, Leonard Egli. By the time he left Ghana, Shirey knew he hadn’t just stumbled across an incredible art find. He’d stumbled across a lifelong friendship, a powerful connection that would shape his life – and his faith for years to come. gli’s bold but soft pieces blend a formal art background with traditional African wood sculpting techniques. As a student he trained at Togo’s College d’Enseignement Artistique. But the real learning took place at home in Ghana, where he worked with master craftsmen from childhood on to master the delicate methods of wood sculpting. His early work garnered him the awards and accolades that made it possible for him to attend art school. Egli’s contemporary style transfixed Shirey at first sight.

“I quickly recognized the quality of Leonard’s work and asked him to carve a Noah’s Ark set for my wife. We exchanged several emails during the time that he was carving.

I always finished my emails with the words, ‘God Bless You,’” says Shirey. “Leonard came to know faith in Christ through my messages. Before my emails, Leonard believed that God only cursed and did not bless.”

naturally crept into his work. As he watched it happen, Shirey decided it was time for Egli to find a bigger audience.

His Creator’s hand is strong in every carved piece. My wife and I decided to help him financially,” he says. “I wired him money and asked him to carve small Nativity sets and Noah’s Ark sets so that we could sell them here in the States.”

Shirey makes Egli’s work available through Oklahoma City’s Kanon Gallery near Automobile Alley. For more information, contact the gallery at303.946.4870 or visit www.kanonart.com.

On the surface, hand-carving is simple and cloaks Egli’s work in refreshing innocence, though his subject matter might be complicate and multi-faceted. He uses no power tools. He utilizes only West African woods—mahogany, cedar, walnut, rosewood, teak, ebony and a handful of other hard woods. Wax polish preserves the wood’s natural beauty. Every piece evokes the aesthetics of the mountain lands of Togo, where the 42-year-old artist was born.

As Shirey and Egli went back and forth by email about Noah’s Ark, their friendship grew and Shirey became a long-distance mentor for the artist. With Shirey’s encouragement, Egli decided to explore his newfound Christianity at a small bible college in Ghana. He’s now a pastor in his hometown church. While he loves West Africa and plans to stay put, his art continues to find its way around the world.

It can be found everywhere from Toulouse, France to Seneca, South Carolina—and now Oklahoma City, as well.

Egli’s spiritual journey is an extension of his art. Just as he does with discarded wood, Egli’s remade himself as a Christian. Unsurprisingly, evangelical themes and tropes Thrive Oklahoma

27

by Jessica Sanchez One of Oklahoma’s best kept secrets is Basheerah Ahmad, co-creator and face of 360 Transformation Fitness. Ahmad is a celebrity fitness trainer who has worked with stars like Carrie Underwood, Vivica Fox, Fantasia Barrino, and others. Ahmad was also a part of Jillian Michaels’ fitness team. The best part, she is right here in OKC and has been hosting boot camps and dance classes for both the metro and Edmond areas for years.

“I originally created 360 Transformation with Aquilah Ahmad and Kelvin Helms of Norman to help address the obesity epidemic in Oklahoma communities,” says Ahmad. She admits that most of her career was spent in the entertainment industry, working in television-based media and training celebrities. “While I appreciate and do enjoy that lifestyle, I still felt it was time to bring health and fitness classes back to the city that had raised me,” says Ahmad.

The very first 5-week boot camp here in OKC had about 30 students. “When classes began, some students were obese, some overweight, but most were extremely outof-shape and lacked energy and vitality to get through their day. By the end of the five week session, most of our 30 students had reached their weight-loss and or body fat goals; and every person felt more energetic, toned, and stronger,” reports Ahmad.

“Basheerah has been a part of my life since last year. I enrolled in her pre-holiday boot camp last November, and I’m proud to say that today, I am 30 pounds lighter,” says Lydia Shirley of Oklahoma City. “Her nutrition plan, her support and her commitment and love of all things healthy, helped me reach my goals.”

Ahmad has adopted a philosophy in life that reminds her everyday to love yourself enough to be healthy. She has the inner strength to recognize her own self-sabotaging ways and builds a positive environment in her personal and business life.

“My favorite self-help author is Louise Hay. I would repeat to myself Hay’s positive affirmations over and over, until they became imbedded in my memory bank. I began to re-build my confidence, determination, and will to help others again,” says Ahmad. “That was when I became ready to love myself enough to be healthy and knew my own value.”

“It brings tears to my eyes to think of the phenomenal men and women in this world, who give up on their dreams and ambitions, because they never learned how to put self-love first. I wish every elementary program in this country alone started each day out with an 28

Thrive Oklahoma

Donna Dorr

‘I am worthy of Love’ mantra, imagine how high children from all racial and socio-economic backgrounds could hold their heads.”

Ahmad feels privileged to have grown up in a home filled with love and spirituality that has always given her a sense of community responsibility. Her knowledge and ambition today are thriving because of her strong family roots.

Lydia Shirley

Class Schedule ZUMBA, 360 STYLE is off da hook at Motivational Moves Dance Studio, 2501 NE 23rd St., Suite B, Oklahoma City (Monday & Saturday only) Thursday ZUMBA is held at Foster Recreational Center, 614 NE 4th St., OKC, OK Times: Mon | Thur | from 6 - 7 p.m.

Saturdays | 9:30 -10:30 a.m.

Cost: $5 per class PLEASE BRING TOWEL & WATER Try Booty Lift with Basheerah on Wednesdays from 6 - 7 p.m. at Motivational Moves Dance Studio 2501 NE 23rd, Suite B, in OKC, Cost is $10 per class:

Thrive Oklahoma

29

by Rob Houston There are water falls, gardens and even Reba McIntire to be seen and heard this spring in Enid, Oklahoma. Only about a 90 minute drive and 100 miles from the Metro or Tulsa area, Enid displays many aspects of American history that are specific to Oklahoma and how this land was settled.

•

•

The beautiful Dillingham Gardens are located inside Government Springs Park and are maintained by the Garfield County Master Gardeners Association. A spring-fed waterfall has returned to Enid’s historic site. It’s been more than 100 years since the natural springs that feed the small lake have been flowing like this. Government Springs Park is also home to “Holding the Claim,” one of artist, H. Holden’s life sculptures which commemorates the largest land run in U. S. history – the Cherokee Strip of 1893.

•

Downtown Enid is just northwest of Government Springs park and usually bustling with local life and retail, especially on Friday nights.

•

Enjoy Enid’s First Friday event on Main Street. The downtown square buzzes with excitement the first Friday night of each month. Retail stores stay open late and attendees are entertained by several of the regions’ top musicians.

Many First Friday’s have a specific theme and May’s First Friday event is a Jazz Stroll - Tri-State Event.

Participating retail include: 2nd Story Downtown Gift Store, Angel Delight Catering & Tea Room, B Hip Kids, Broadway Exchange, Cafe Garcia, Callahan’s Irish Pub & Grille, Downtown Kitchen Store, Enid Live Well Chiropractic and Spa, Felt Bird, For You Boutique, Garfield Furniture, Gaslight Theatre, Panevino Wine & Tapas Bar, Pearl Junkie, Soapweeds & Cactus, Turquoise Boutique and Five80 Coffee House. Many locations will have live music, refreshments and kid friendly activities. Open til 9 p.m.

•

legend of John Wilkes Booth, stand on the spot where settlers Staked Their Claim for free land in the Cherokee Strip Land Run, and feel like your stepping back into U.S. history.

April through October, visitors can catch a tour on the third Saturday of each month.

Take a walking tour along historic downtown . The colorful yet controversial history of downtown Enid comes to life with Cactus Jack as your tour guide. You’ll learn about the

30 Thrive Oklahoma

The Enid Trail System is a work in progress for improved access to recreation, transportation and ADA compliance in dozens of areas over the next 15 years. The Enid Trail System provides safe and convenient facilities for walkers, joggers, bicyclists, inline skaters and wheelchair users.

Currently the trail runs east and west between Van Buren and Oakwood south of Owen K. Garriott Rd. Enid is filled with international cuisine and if you spell Enid backwards it spells Dine. There are over 100 restaurants for visitors to get their grub-on, including more than 50 locally-owned eateries.

Enid has everything from Mexican to Italian, and there’s Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Puerto Rican and Irish in between Octavio Taqueria,Costello’s Continental Cuisine, Wooden Nickel (try the Filet Oscar, yum!), Abuela’s Mexican Grill and the Chen Garden are just to name a few. Many dining experiences await along Owen K Garriott Road.

•

Tour the Kenwood and Waverley Historic Districts of Enid.

These were the first two housing additions in Enid. The District has 275 buildings built between 1895 and 1935. Architectural styles in the district include Queen Anne cottages, Folk Victorian houses, Colonial Revival houses, Craftsman Bungalow and Prairie School Foursquare Houses. There are also a few Tudor Revival, Neoclassical, Italian Renaissance, and Spanish Eclectic homes. Many of these structures are still inhabited by Enid families.

•

One of Enid’s largest parks, Meadowlake has something for everyone. Take a ride around Meadowlake Park on a train.

The Kiwanis Club of Enid operates several rides on the grounds which typically run from Memorial Day through

Labor Day. This includes the famous Meadowlake train and a carousel, which (according to the National Carousel Association) was built in 1925. This year, the carousel is expected to be open for the first time in years after being closed down for construction.

AND . . .

Reba McEntire will perform at Enid Event Center, June 21st.

The concert coincides with the first anniversary of the event center’s grand opening. General Manager Keller Taylor said it’s no coincidence. “With the one-year anniversary, we wanted to do something special that people would remember.”

McEntire has a long career in country music and deep ties to Oklahoma. McEntire has multiple Grammy Awards, American

Music Awards and an American Country Music Career Achievement Honor. She is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. She’s sold more than 56 million albums, but McEntire’s not just a country music artist. McEntire earned her 64th top 10 hit and her 35th No. 1 with “Turn On The Radio,” a single from her most recent album, “All the Women I Am.”

Thrive Oklahoma

31

There are many health benefits associated with biking outdoors. Many of these can be found along Oklahoma’s beautiful bike trails. Going for a ride outdoors not only connects you to nature, but also gives your brain time to think clearly without distractions. Cycling for exercise is one of the easiest ways to get started on a fitness routine, because it builds strength, stamina and muscle tone while burning calories.

Jeff Waldmuller of OKC rides Turkey Mountain

ccording to the British Medical Association, cycling just four miles a day can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50 percent over a person’s lifetime. Along with improved heart health from an activity that engages the entire body, cycling can improve coordination and reduce stress.

Enter Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness at 67th and South Elwood where visitors will find landscaped parking, including an area for horse trailers, a restroom, climbing boulders, and flagstone walkways leading to the main trailhead.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Kaiser Foundation, Turkey Mountain has an all-new restroom facility and parking lot.

One beautiful natural setting for biking in Oklahoma is the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness. This 300-acre open area awaits biking enthusiasts just outside Tulsa. It stretches from I-44 to 71st Street on the west bank of the Arkansas river. These trails offer something for everybody including beginner to technical trails.

The summit of Turkey Mountain rises 300 feet above the Arkansas River and offers a panoramic view of Tulsa. Turkey Mountain is a hidden place, especially considering that the main trailhead is only 7 miles from downtown Tulsa.

Trails are marked with color designations for distance and difficulty. If beginning or biking with children, the Red Trail is a paved loop just under a mile long and is smooth, flat terrain. Turkey Mountain is heavily wooded with a rural feeling and miles and miles of winding dirt trails and two large water features.

This trail-lover’s paradise is situated on a quiet, secluded area with a variety of elevation changes. Riders will find steep hillsides combined with thick vegetation and several challenging trails with switchbacks and gorgeous scenery along the way. In addition to the marked trails listed below, Turkey Mountain offers 25 miles of unmarked trails for the more adventurous riders.

32

Thrive Oklahoma

Contact Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness 6850 S. Elwood Ave. | Tulsa, | 74132 Saturdays 5:00 am - 11:00 pm Phone 918. 596.2001 Email staff@ riverparks.org Volunteers and bike enthusiast need to work together to help keep trash out of the wilderness area.

Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship is a statewide organization dedicated to the enhancement of off-road cycling through trail advocacy, maintenance and cooperation with land managers and users.

Trail Guide courtesy of Travel OK

Ginger Ketcherside-Renshaw, Cyndi Ballard, Melanie Biskup and LaDonna Baroni set out on their bikes and hit the trails, but also take time to clear the Bomb Cellar Trail of debris.

Trail Guide: Red Trail: This 0.8-mile loop is the shortest of the marked trails.

It is paved and the ground is fairly even, so it’s perfect for beginners. This route begins at the trailhead, then loops around, almost in a figure eight shape.

Blue Trail: From the trailhead, you’ll go north on the trail to the left. This challenging

trail goes up steep hills, making its way up to the top of Turkey Mountain for a total of 1.5 miles. You’ll pass by a small pond about one-third of the way around, and soon after that you will get out of the trees and start making your way downhill, back to the trailhead.

Yellow Trail: This 4.4-mile trail heads north from the trailhead and then runs along the

east side of Turkey Mountain toward the Arkansas River. It then turns again to run parallel with the river. The route is mostly straight at this point, and runs north. You will come across a hairpin turn; this is where the trail heads back south towards the trailhead.

Pink Trail: At 5.7 miles, the Pink Trail is the longest. This trail can be accessed from the Blue Trail, and explores the western side of Turkey Mountain, providing great sunset views.

Wind your way through this route, which includes zig-zag paths and interesting switchbacks.

Thrive Oklahoma

33

We handcraft this delicate blend from shallots, salt, pepper, dill weed, parsley and chives.

Ingredients: 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 4� pieces 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1/2 C raw cashews 2 Tbsp. Capitol Hill Seasoning 1/2 lemon, juiced 2 cups cooked brown rice Directions: In a large sautÊ pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add asparagus and cook until tender (2-4 minutes depending on width). Remove from pan, set aside. Reduce heat to low and add cashews. Cook golden brown (about 2 minutes) and add Capitol Hill. Add asparagus and lemon juice.

Serving Suggestions: Serve over cooked brown rice.

Yields: 4 servings

These recipes have been tested for accuracy and approved for wonderul taste by the Savory Spice Shop Test Kitchen, which offers all these fresh spices.

See article on page 26.

Ingredients: For the scones:

For the glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen

1 to 3 Tbsp. milk or water

1 1/2 cups (about 6 oz.) dried cherries, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp. pure almond extract

1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 tsp. pure almond extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. fresh grated orange or lemon zest 1 tsp. Mahlab seeds, ground* 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking soda 2 Tbsp. butter, melted 1 Tbsp. Lavender Vanilla Bean Sugar

34

Thrive Oklahoma

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

The pepper factor is amplified in this twist on a traditional Mayan-style puerco (or cochinita) pebil, a flavorful, slow-roasted pork dish.

Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. Four Corners Peppercorn Blend 1 tsp. Szechwan peppercorns 1 tsp. allspice berries 1 tsp. cumin seeds 3 1/2 oz. achiote paste 8 cloves garlic 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 2 lemons, juiced 1 orange, zest grated, juiced 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt 1/4 cup tequila, optional 1 to 2 habanero chiles*, optional 4 lbs. pork shoulder/butt banana leaves*, optional * Notes: Seed and devein habanero chiles for less heat. Banana leaves are not completely necessary, but they are very cool and add to the presentation of the dish.

Directions: Place Four Corners, Szechwan, allspice and cumin in a coffee/spice grinder and grind to a very fine powder. Place powder, achiote paste, garlic, vinegar lemon juice, orange zest and juice, salt, tequila, and habanero chiles in a blender and blend thoroughly. Cut pork into

Scone Directions: Freeze butter one day in advance or a few hours before starting. Using a cheese grater, grate frozen butter into a small bowl and set in freezer. Whisk milk, sour cream and almond extract together in a medium bowl and set in refrigerator. In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, zest, ground mahlab, salt and baking soda. Add frozen, grated butter and toss until coated. Fold in cold milk mixture just until combined; do not overmix. Turn dough onto well-floured surface and gently knead with floured hands 6 to 8 times. Dough will be raggedy, soft and wet. Roll dough into a 12-inch square. Fold top and bottom of dough over the center, like a business letter. Fold sides over middle to form a square. Chill dough in the freezer for about 5 min. Roll chilled dough again on floured surface into a 12-inch square. Sprinkle cherries evenly over surface. Loosen dough with a bench scraper and roll into a log, jelly roll style. Turn the seam side down and press down on the log to form a 12 x 4 inch rectangle. With a floured knife, cut the dough into 4 small

2-inch cubes and place in a large zip top bag. Pour contents of blender into bag, seal and refrigerate overnight. Line a baking dish with banana leaves, if using, leaving enough overhang to cover top. Pour pork and marinade into the dish along with 1/2 cup water. Wrap banana leaves over pork to cover completely. Cover dish with aluminum foil and/or lid.

Slow roast in a 325-degree oven for 3 hours, or until pork pieces are so tender they’re falling apart.

Serving Suggestions: Serve on banana leaves over rice with garnishes like cilantro, pickled onions or a crumbled Latin cheese, such as queso seco. If you are saving any pork for later, remove it from the banana leaf wrapping first.

Yields: 4 to 8 servings

rectangles. Cut each rectangle into two triangles. Place scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each with melted butter and sprinkle Lavender Vanilla Bean Sugar. (Note: If you want your scones to hold their shape better, refrigerate for about 20 minutes prior to baking.)

Bake for 18 to 25 min. in a 425-degree oven or until light golden brown. Cool 10 min. before glazing. For glaze: Mix powdered sugar, milk or water (1 to 3 Tbsp. depending on desired consistency) and almond extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled scones and sprinkle with almonds. * Notes: Grind the Mahlab seeds in a spice or coffee grinder. For added flavor, toast the seeds lightly in a skillet before grinding.

Thrive Oklahoma

35

Confirms the connection between diet and today’s chronic health problems and diseases

Co-authors Shushana Castle and Amy-Lee Goodman recently published, Rethink Food: 100+ Doctors Can’t be Wrong . This new book features doctors, experts and athletes from around the world who provide a simple solution to prevent and reverse diseases through significant diet change.

Oklahoma City’s own Jimmy Conway, MD contributed a chapter to this new insightful book on how food can be your best medicine. Doctor Conway is part of the OSSO Health care system and has donated his time and expertise to contribution to this project.

Rethink Food features contributions from more than 100 leading authorities that explain how a whole food, plant-based diet can prevent and even reverse today’s chronic conditions, including heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, type-2 diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and others. These wellness authorities also address the associated myths about calcium, too much protein, the dangers of dairy and the links to obesity.

“The science is clear. While we have been led to believe animal protein is good for us, Rethink Food’s prominent cardiologists, weight-loss experts, orthopedic surgeons, and diabetic experts conclusively prove that a diet based on whole, plant-based foods is most directly linked to excellent health, wellness, fitness, and longevity,” stated Castle.

“The misinformation regarding our health is one of today’s greatest injustices,” added Goodman. According to Philip Tuso, MD at Kaiser Permanente in California,“Every doctor, medical student, and patient should read this book because plant-based nutrition is the future of medicine. This medicine saves lives and prevents diseases. Today our villain is the healthcare crisis and the hero is plant nutrition.”

“It is unconscionable for physicians not to inform patients of this powerful option. A seismic revolution in health is possible for the United States. This revolution will not come about from the invention of another drug, another procedure or another operation; it will come about when those of us in the healing profession share with the public the lifestyle, which empowers them to be the focus of control and eliminate common chronic killing diseases,” stated Caldwell B. Esselstyn, MD and author of the bestselling book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

Shushana Castle worked in the finance sector for 25 years and sits on numerous environmental boards. A self-proclaimed super foodie, she loves hiking and splits her time between Houston and Telluride. Amy-Lee Goodman is a Wellesly College graduate and co-founded the plant-based food company Zibble Inc. that partners with non-profits to foster a better future. She loves to travel and lives in New York.

The seasoned co-author team is passionate about helping others change their diet, to change their life. The authors have appeared on numerous television and radio shows interviewing leading doctors and scientists in their respective fields about how food choices are intimately connected to health and the environmental crisis.

Castle and Goodman’s next book, “The Meaty Truth: The Stinking Facts About Our Food” will be released in the Fall of 2014.

36

Thrive Oklahoma

Oklahoma City’s Cox Convention Center welcomes back international author and manual therapy educator Erik Dalton, Ph.D. for the 2nd annual “Posture, Pain & Performance” June workshop. n Oklahoma University graduate, Dalton is the founder of the Freedom From Pain Institute and originator of a very popular bodywork modality called Myoskeletal Alignment Technique. After spending years working as a certified Rolfer® and studying under legendary figures such as Vladimir Janda, M.D., and Phillip Greenman, D.O., Dalton realized that a much broader approach was needed to better help his clients in pain. Erik’s fascination with Janda’s muscle-balancing research challenged him to develop a way to incorporate and teach this elegant posturofunctional model to the bodywork community.

Erik Dalton’s Freedom From Pain Institute workshops are licensed for continuing education credits through the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, Florida Board of Health, Texas Board of Health, and most other state and national licensing agencies.

Attendees will be flying in from around the globe, so get ready for a stimulating, interactive and entertaining learning experience.

Visit www.erikdalton.com/workshop to register

The Myoskeletal approach emphasizes the enhancement of function as an avenue to effective treatment of mechanical symptomatology. Designed for practicing “hands-on” therapists, this 3-day, 24 CE event features innovative soft tissue assessment and treatment strategies for helping clients experiencing chronic neck, back, shoulder, and leg pain.

The concept of the human body as an interconnected dynamic system will be stressed.

Special video animation, anatomy dissection and dozens of head-to-toe connective tissue techniques stimulate the visual learner, while relaxed practice sessions delight kinesthetically attuned therapists. The Myoskeletal Method focuses on unusual, interesting and fresh approaches that expand technique repertoire and inspire creativity and innovation. These immediately useful deep tissue and myofascial mobilization routines offer participants a variety of healing tools that set them apart in the eyes of clients and referral sources.

Topics include “hot-off-the-press” corrective exercise tips gleaned from this year’s Stanford Sports Medicine Conference. Functional movement assessments from Erik Dalton’s Dynamic Body textbook will help hone participant’s skills in identifying and correcting ‘weak-links’ and common compensatory patterns that lead to injury in our athletic population.

Thrive Oklahoma

37

by Michael Briscoe, DC The best way to treat any condition – prevent it! The thyroid gland is the Master Hormone Vontroller. Forty percent of the population is at risk for iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism (hypo meaning slow). Our bodies require the proper nutrients for a healthy thyroid in order to avoid a slow metabolism. Since the body does not make iodine, it relies on the diet to get enough. We can easily maintain adequate iodine through our diets by using foods or supplements that contain iodine. The adult recommendation for daily iodine is 150 micrograms.

But, let’s say, you’ve been having cold hands and feet, dry skin, extreme fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, hair loss including the outer 1/3 of your eyebrows, brittle nails and hair, puffiness around the eyes and a swollen tongue with teeth marks around edges. All of those symptoms are also accompanied by high cholesterol, constipation, low libido, depression, and cravings for starchy or sweet carbohydrate laden foods throughout the day.

There are at least six different patterns of hypothyroidism that can show up on lab results. The above example is the only scenario that can be effectively managed with thyroid replacement hormones, such as Synthroid or Armour. If primary hypothyroidism is detected early enough this can be managed nutritionally and without all the side effects.

These are great sources of iodine that will enhance thyroid function: • • • •

Low fat cheese Cow’s milk Eggs Low fat ice cream

• • • • •

Low fat yogurt Saltwater fish Seaweed ( kelp, dulce and nori ) Shellfish Soy sauce

If some of these symptoms sound familiar, your thyroid gland could very well be slowing down. To get a handle on where your body is at, you must insist on sensitive thyroid blood work that gives more detailed results than the standard thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test.

Demand a full thyroid panel. This includes TSH, free T3 and T4 levels, reverse T3, and a TPO test. A thyroid peroxidase antibody test or TPO is the most sensitive for detecting autoimmune thyroid disease. Ask your doctor to compare these results to healthy ranges, not just the lab’s reference indexes.

This will be a more precise interpretation and give a more detailed picture of your condition.

•

Typical lab reference range for TSH is 0.27-4.20 However, the functional or healthy range is much more strict at 1.8-3.0

•

Free T4 is 0.93-1.7, but the functional range is 1.0-1.5.

If your TSH level is 3.5 and your free T4 is 0.96 both are within the normal ranges, your report will indicate there’s nothing wrong. This is far from the truth. When your results are compared to the healthy functional ranges, the true picture of the condition is revealed.

Example: The pituitary gland is producing elevated amounts of TSH due to the thyroid gland making insufficient amounts of free T4. This is referred to as primary hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid.

38

Thrive Oklahoma

Make sure the underlying causes of a sluggish thyroid aren’t being overlooked. The following are the six patterns and some supportive nutritional recommendations to help with functional hypothyroidism:

1. Primary Hypothyroidism:

Support thyroid function and T4 conversion to T3 with, Withania, Vitamin A and D, Selenium, Zinc, and antioxidants like Glutathione, which are within each cell naturally.

For optimal thyroid function, you must exercise at least three days a week for at least 40 minutes. Walking will do it, plus you can get some sunshine on your skin to stimulate natural vitamin D production.

2. Hypothyroidism with Decreased Pituitary Function:

Support the pituitary-thyroid connection (axis) using the thyroid function-enhancing foods listed as well as: Magnesium (Mg2+), Manganese (Mn2+), Zinc, and L-arginine.

A cortisol hormone saliva test can be done to assess your adrenal glands. Support them by using essential fatty acids and adaptogens to help balance, restore and protect the body from stress. Plant-based adaptogen sources include Ginseng, Rhodiola or Withania. Also include vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid).

3. Over-Conversion of T4 into T3 with Decreased Thyroid-binding Globulins (TBG). This is a condition most often found in women with insulin resis-

tance and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Address the insulin resistance by eating a low glycemic diet which includes emphasis on vegetables, high quality protein sources and real fats. Eat fruits sparingly. Green apples and strawberries are examples of lower glycemic index sources. Supplement with Chromium, alpha-Lipoic Acid, Inositol, Mg2+, and Gymnema to help lower glucose spikes.

4. Decreased Conversion of T4 to T3

The key here is to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Support the process of T4 to T3 conversion by using Curcumin found in Turmeric, also known as the golden spice of life! Glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD) to boost your natural anti-oxidant enzymes, Selenium, and Zinc may help as well.

5. Elevated thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) due to estrogen dominance. Support Phase I (oxidation) and II (conjugation) liver detoxification, methylation pathways, and bile production, secretion, and flow.

6. Thyroid Hormone Resistance. Cells become resistant when cortisol is constantly being released in response to chronic stress, presence of homocysteine, or if thyroid hormone replacement therapy isn’t monitored properly. Nutritional support is focused on addressing adrenal malfunction.

One very important thing that must be addressed is improving your gut function and reducing dysbiosis, which causes malabsorption of nutrients and other GI problems, by restoring proper gut flora to assist in the conversion of T4 to T3 over time.

Remember, thyroid hormone replacement doesn’t address what caused the thyroid to fail in the first place, such as an altered immune function, blood sugar dysregulation, mal absorption from the gut or infections, adrenal problems, a toxic liver, and other hormone imbalances. Taking a holistic approach gives your body what it needs to heal itself.

Michael Briscoe, DC of Full Circle Health Thrive Oklahoma

39

by Christine Clayton Every day, Americans take in an average of 100 calories than they need. If just that amount got reduced, the country would see an end to the epidemic rise of obesity in America by 2020.

In May 2010, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) partnered with First Lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America to reduce 1.5 trillion calories from store shelves by the end of 2015. On January 9, 2014, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), an independent evaluator, confirmed that 6.4 trillion calories had in fact been removed from the marketplace - exceeding the promise by 400 percent.

Partnership for a Healthier America is an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing the goals of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative by working with the private sector to end childhood obesity.

The term “energy gap” was coined in order to estimate the change in energy intake and energy expenditure behaviors required to achieve different body weight outcomes in individuals and populations.1 The 6.4 trillion calorie goal represents a reduction of 78 calories per person per day, for both adults and children. A study by Claire Wang, MD, ScD, Tracy Orleans, Ph.D. and Steven Gortmaker, Ph.D. appeared in the May 2012 issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, finding that in order to close the “energy gap” for children, a reduction of 41 calories per child and adolescent per day would halt rising obesity levels in the United States. Additionally, James O. Hill, Ph.D. has documented that reducing an average of 100 calories per adult per day will close the adult energy gap.

Most people tend to gain weight gradually over time. The average American adult gains 0.5-1 kg/year (2.2 lbs/Kg). The population distribution for rate of accumulation of excess body energy was assessed by assuming that one pound of added body weight represents an extra 3500 kcal of body energy.

It may surprise you to know that whole-wheat breads, homemade soups or even chopped apples can qualify as a processed food. While some processed foods should be consumed with caution, some actually have a place in a balanced diet. The power is in being able to sort the nutritious from the not-so-nutritious convenience foods.

What Is Processed Food?

“We have to determine what processed really means when we’re talking about processed food,” says Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD. She says, for example, that she considers white bread refined since most of the healthy fiber has been removed during the processing. “It’s also processed, but keep in mind, that as a cook you’re doing processing yourself.”

Everyone’s used or at least heard of a kitchen appliance called a food processor.

“I think we get really caught up in the word processed without realizing what it truly means.”

40

Thrive Oklahoma

Minimally processed foods include

bagged spinach, cut vegetables and roasted nuts. These are often just pre-prepped for convenience. Foods processed at their peak to lock in nutritional quality and freshness include beans, tomatoes, frozen fruits and vegetables, and tuna.

•

Foods with ingredients added for flavor and texture (sweeteners, spices, oils, colors and preservatives) include jarred pasta sauce, salad dressing, yogurt and cake mixes.

•

Ready-to-eat foods, like crackers, granola, and deli meats, are more heavily processed.

•

The most heavily processed foods often are frozen or pre-made meals like frozen pizza and microwaveable dinners.

“You have to look at the big picture,” says Giancoli. “Be a detective – read the ingredients list and review the nutrition facts panel.

Food is complex and we need to get to know it.” Look for hidden sugar, sodium and fat Eating processed food in moderation is fine, but consumers should be on the lookout for hidden sugar, sodium and fat. Food and beverage companies sold 60.4 trillion calories in 2007, the year defined as the baseline measurement for the pledge. In 2012, they sold 54 trillion calories. This 6.4 trillion calorie decline translates into a reduction of 78 calories per person in the United States per day. This is the first effort to track all the calories sold by such major companies in the American marketplace.

“It’s extremely encouraging to hear that these leading companies appear to have substantially exceeded their calorie-reduction pledge,” said James S. Marks, MD, senior vice president and director of the Health Group at RWJF. “They must sustain that reduction, as they’ve pledged to do, and other food companies should follow their lead to give Americans the lower-calorie foods and beverages they want.”

More than 40 of the nation’s largest retailers, non-profit organizations, food and beverage manufacturers and trade associations launched HWCF in 2009 with the goal of helping to reduce obesity, especially childhood obesity, by 2015.

Sixteen companies participated in the calorie-reduction pledge. These 16 food and beverage companies produce about a third of all the calories found in packaged foods sold every year.

Hardest hit are cereals, snack foods, canned soups, and bottled beverages. In order to maintain the pledge and projections for reduction, these companies will likely have to develop new lower-calorie options, change existing products so that they had fewer calories, and change portion sizes in packaged items.

The 16 companies committed to the HWCF calorie-reduction pledge include: • • • • • • • • •

Bumble Bee Foods, LLC Campbell Soup Company ConAgra Foods (includes Ralston Foods) General Mills, Inc. Hillshire Brands (previously Sara Lee Corporation) Kellogg Company Kraft Foods Group/Mondelez Mars, Inc. McCormick & Company, Inc. Continuted on page 42 Thrive Oklahoma

41

6.4 Trillion Calories Less Continued from page 41 • • • • • • •

Nestlé USA PepsiCo, Inc. Post Foods The Coca-Cola Company The Hershey Company The J.M. Smucker Company Unilever

Research has also shown that, between 2007 and 2011, better-for-you, lower-calorie foods and beverages also drove financial performance for many of these participating companies. Companies with a higher percentage of their sales coming from better-for-you products recorded stronger sales growth, higher operating profits, superior shareholder returns, and better company reputations.

“Making the shift from traditional items to lower-calorie ones is not just the right thing for customers, it’s the right thing for these companies’ bottom lines,” said C. Tracy Orleans, PhD, senior scientist at RWJF. “The next big question is how these changes to what’s available on store shelves actually impact the health of children and families.”

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve the health and health care of all Americans. We are striving to build a national culture of health that will enable all Americans to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www. rwjf.org/facebook. Direct inquiries to media@rwjf.org (609) 627-5937 Reference: 1. Hill, J.O., Wyatt, H.R., Reed, G.W. and Peters, J.C. 2003. Science. Feb 7; 299(5608):853-5.

42

Thrive Oklahoma

by Molly Gordon A rush of exhilaration and relief sweeps over Oklahoma City’s Bria Cornforth each time she crosses a finish line in her sprint kayak. She knows she has completed another race and is inching closer towards her ultimate goal: the Olympic games.

Cornforth, 14, began kayaking on the Oklahoma River when she was just seven years old and is currently a national champion in her age group.

“My dad read about the spring break Adventure Camps in the newspaper,” Cornforth said. “It was cool because the camps let you try every single thing that goes on in the Boathouse District.

After the camps were over they asked if I wanted to join the Junior Canoe/Kayak Team.”

Cornforth is optimistic about her chances. “The OKC Boathouse District is an excellent place to train because it has world-class facilities and a great river,” Cornforth said.

“Shaun is the best coach in the world and I love working closely with all of the coaches on the team. They help me get closer to my ultimate goal, which is to go to the Olympics in either 2020 or 2024.”

A member of the OKC RIVERSPORT Junior Canoe/Kayak Team for nearly seven years, Cornforth has enjoyed the relationships that she’s made through the sport.

“I began online K-12 school a few years ago to dedicate more time to training,” she said.

“Through canoe/kayak I’ve found a close-knit group of friends that I wouldn’t have had in public school. I’ve gotten a new family from this, a kayaking family.”

Cornforth loved kayaking the minute she got on the water and it was soon apparent she excelled at it as well. In 2010 Olympic aspirations Bria Cornforth, 14, races in the 2013 USA Canoe/Kayak motivated Cornforth to begin Sprint National Championships on the Oklahoma River.

Photo by Georgia Read training twice a day, six days a week at the Oklahoma Caven agrees the sense City National High Performance Center, a U.S. Olympic & of camaraderie on the team creates a strong bond between Paralympic Training Site for canoe/kayak. members and emphasizes that you don’t have to be an athlete to get involved.

The move to step up her training helped Cornforth achieve her national championship title, as well as medals from the Lake Placid International Regatta, an event that attracts 350 of the best canoe/kayak athletes from Canada, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil and Austrialia to compete against Team USA.

“OKC RIVERSPORT offers great programs for anyone interested in canoe/kayak,” said Caven. “We have programs for ages eight and up, and our Junior Canoe/Kayak Team provides an exciting opportunity for kids ages 11 through 18 to compete on a team.”

“Bria has shown amazing potential from the day she joined the OKC RIVERSPORT Junior Canoe/Kayak Team,” said Shaun Caven, Oklahoma City National High Performance Center Canoe/Kayak Head Coach. “She has grown into an impressive athlete who dedicates her life to the sport. She is one of the best in the country in her age category and with continued improvement I believe she can reach her longterm goals.”

Canoe/Kayak lessons are the first step to get involved, or sign your kids up for a summer Adventure Camps. The sport will also be featured at the Stars & Stripes River Festival, Saturday, June 28 in the Boathouse District.To learn more about the Junior Canoe/Kayak Team, lessons, camps, and upcoming events, check online at boathousedistrict.org or call (405) 552-4040.

Thrive Oklahoma

43

by Focus Federal Credit Union Nothing beats a vacation, but many people struggle to travel on a budget. Without sticking to a budget, it’s easy for vacation spending to spiral out of control. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable, but coming back to a mountain of credit card debt is stressful and can tarnish the memories you’ve worked so hard to create.

Set a Budget - Before you book a destination, establish your

vacation budget and stick to it! Besides transportation and hotel costs, you’ll need to determine a daily budget for food, drink, activities and souvenirs/shopping.

Lighten Up - Baggage fees can significantly increase the cost of your vacation. Many airlines used to check at least the first bag for free, but many of them don’t even offer that anymore.

These days most carriers charge you for checked bags. At $50 plus per bag, the fees can really add up and eat into your budget. Plus, checking a bag is risky. Your luggage could be lost, stolen or damaged. Traveling with carry-on luggage is best.

You’ll not only save time and money, you’ll also spend less time waiting around the luggage carousel for your bags.

Save on Food – Restaurant meals can eat up a big chunk of

your budget. If you are staying at a hotel that offers complimentary breakfast, make sure to take advantage of it. If you don’t have access to free breakfast, make sure to stock the mini fridge with foods from the local grocery. Fruit, cheese, bread, 44

Thrive Oklahoma

soup and other lunch staples are healthy and economical alternatives to restaurant food.

Another great way to save on vacation and still go out to eat is to sign up for Groupon and Living Social coupons for the city you will be visiting. Sign up a few months in advance of your travel and you’ll have a selection of new places to try. Usually you can get 1/2 off or buy one meal and get one free with these restaurant discounts.

Dine Early - Go out for lunch, rather than dinner. Lunch is

almost always less expensive than dinner, and you’ll get the same quality ingredients and service you’d expect during dinner. Portions might be smaller but so is the bill. If you’re traveling without children, be sure to look for happy hour specials at hotels and upscale restaurants. For the price of a drink you can usually sample the heavy hors d’oeuvres. If you do have kids, some places have kids eat free nights.

Book Activities in Advance - By booking ahead, you not

only guarantee that you’ll get to do what you want to do when you want to do it, but you’ll also often save money.

Most attractions and tour companies offer a discount, often between 10-20% for booking online. Plus it’s always more fun to spend your vacation vacationing than planning.

Discounts and Freebies- Lots of discounts are available

for hotels, airfare and car rentals. It never hurts to ask. Use

your AAA or AARP membership to receive discounts on hotels, rental cars and activities. Military and government employees also take advantage of many great deals. Bundle your hotel and flight together on a travel website to realize even higher savings! In addition, hotels often stock pamphlets and travel guides full of coupons or discounts to local attractions and restaurants.

Cash is King- If you’re worried about overspending, try

using a Prepaid Travel/Debit Card for expenses while on your trip. Prepaid Travel/Debit Cards offer security as well as convenience and can be replaced if lost or stolen. Traveler’s checks are another option. Prepaid Travel Cards and Traveler’s Checks guarantee that you have a certain amount of cash to spend, and when it’s gone, you’ll have to stop spending. Ask any Focus Federal Credit Union Teller about Pre-Paid Travel Cards. Try to avoid using your credit card on vacation. Having your credit card readily available can cause unnecessary splurges. Be sure to take one credit card with you and only use it in the case of emergencies!

Looking for more ways to save? Ask the locals.

They’ll often be able to recommend free or inexpensive attractions and offer suggestions for great local food. With a little planning and research, you’ll be able to stretch your travel dollars. With the money you’ll save, you might even be able to plan another getaway later in the year!

Thrive Oklahoma

45

ADVERTORIAL

Paul Sullivan is an IDLife Formulator, Pharmacist and Clinical Nutritionist Our bones are continually recycling, the medical term is remodeling, where our skeleton replaces itself approximately every 10 years or at about 10% a year. Our bodies have osteoclasts (little pac-men) that tear down the older bone and osteoblasts (little brick-layers) that build up new bone. Failure to give the osteoblasts the “critical” materials needed to build up new bone will lead to various bone mineral deciencies and longterm bone density problems such as osteopenia and osteoporosis.

In order to preserve our frame as perfectly as possible for the long hall and even overtime we need to dedicate our selves to a lower acidity diet, vigorous exercise and of course a proper balance of the proper nutrients.

ID Nutrition, with its Osteo Advance and complimentary arsenal of nutrients, provides that balance of “critical materials” to help your osteoblastic bricklayers get their job done.

The brick and mortar needed to build new bone are of course Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D3 and of lesser importance but still required are trace minerals Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Boron. Most bone supplements have the first three, but rarely do they include the trace minerals.

Another almost forgotten vitamin in bone health is Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2 that are “critical” for proper Calcium metabolism to take the Calcium and bind it into the bone matrix. The significance of the Vitamin K is even beyond bone health as this nutrient helps protect the heart by keeping the Calcium out of the soft tissues and arteries where it can be deposited on the vessel walls, hence hardening the arteries.

By taking the complete ID Nutrition program you are receiving other nutrients that recent science shows improves bone health. Studies show that probiotics and Omega-3 improve the removal of old porous bone and help replace it with new bone that raises bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar and femur bone. Another study shows flavonoids promote osteoblast (brick-layer) formation.

Exercise, and particularly weight bearing exercise, can help build healthy bone. It is also prudent to avoid or minimize those factors that can cause bone loss such as high dietary acidity. According to WebMD, women who regularly drink cola based sodas had almost a 4% lower BMD in the hip.

Speaking of sodas, it is disturbing that adolescents, that are right at the height of their bone building years, are averaging four cans of soda in the summer.

46

Thrive Oklahoma