Utah Valley Health & Wellness November/December 2015

INSIDE: Fit Tips for the Holidays Savoring Tasty Traditions Majestic Wings: Restoring Mind and Body

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

UTValleyWellness.com

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uvhw | Nutrition When Life Gives You Lemon Bars Savoring Tasty Traditions 14

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Financial How to be Generous to Family and Yourself

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Outdoor Living Majestic Wings: Restoring Mind and Body

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Family Wellness

One Holiday, Many Traditions 24 Assisted Living or Memory Care? 26 Rediscovering Holiday Magic 28 3 Reasons Why Reflective Listening is Awesome 29

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 On The Cover: Beautiful Eastern View of Mount Timpanogos.

Fitness Fit Tips for the Holidays For Body & Soul 12

Culture Health

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Tissue Growth vs. Injury: The Delicate Balance of Stress Adaptation 16

To Everything There is a Season Improve Your Life: Think Like a Soldier 32

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Departments

Meet Our Staff 4 Letter from the Editor 5 UVU President’s Letter 8 Community Focus 9 Calendar of Events 34

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M E E T O U R S TA F F

Utah Valley Health & Wellness is pleased to introduce the individuals listed below as part of our staff.

As members of our staff, each of the authors will regularly contribute to our magazine.

We look forward to reading their articles and learning from them.

Triston Morgan Author, Family Wellness

Erica Hansen Author, Nutrition

Travis Lott Author, Fitness

Jennifer Roth Associate Editor

Clint Wood Executive Editor

Would you like to see your photography included in the next issue of Utah Valley Health & Wellness?

If so, please contact our staff at utahvalleywellnessmagazine@gmail.com or 801-718-3794.

For more information on advertising or other inquiries, including career information, visit our website at www.utvalleywellness.com, email utahvalleywellnessmagazine@gmail.com or call us at 801-718-3794.

The publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the articles in Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine. The information contained within has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable.

Neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on this material. Appropriate professional advice should be sought before making decisions.

Outside of our staff authors, articles written by providers or professionals are invited authors and represent the opinions of that particular individual, business, group or organization.

If an article is a paid advertisement, we will place the word “Advertisement” or “Advertorial” to identify it as such. ©Copyright 2015.

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FROM THE EDITOR

We are excited to introduce the Utah Valley Health & Wellness magazine to your area. We have enjoyed working with other areas in the past including St. George, UT, Cedar City, UT, and Houston, TX, to name a few as we help communities embrace a magazine focused on health and wellness. We have noticed that when we collaborate with a community to bring voice to health and wellness providers and educate the community on how to be healthy and well, the whole area benefits.

Our vision is to help communities improve their health and wellness by supporting local resources and providing quality information on the areas of fitness, nutrition, health, spirituality, relationships, financial wellness, life balance and outdoor living.

We believe that our health is one of our greatest assets along with our families. As we support local providers and enhance our knowledge of wellness, we take care of those areas that are important to us even more. The St. George Health & Wellness magazine, for example, has become the largest publication in southern Utah because people love the articles, providers love to educate the community on what they do, locals love the beautiful photography, and we add to the economy. We have formed great partnerships with the hospitals, medical clinics, colleges, schools, non-profits and wellness providers. We hope to form similar relationships here in Utah Valley and collaborate on a magazine that is yours. We look forward to many years of health and wellness!

Happy Trails.

Dr. Jared DuPree Executive Editor

The inspiration behind a locally provided health and wellness magazine can be attributed to a few key people. Namely, Dr. Jared DuPree, who originated this idea, and with the assistance of a quality team in St. George, UT, they together produce St. George Health & Wellness. This publication has been widely accepted as the premier resource for health and wellness information in Utah’s Dixie.

After working closely with Jared and his team in St. George, we are excited to introduce Utah Valley Health & Wellness to the community members of the Utah Valley.

We believe that good health is equitable to a good life, and we look forward to bringing to you, the reader, information that is positive, encouraging and enriching. The articles found within our publication are written by some of our area’s top professionals, who will draw upon years of research and practice to provide good information that can help impact our community positively. We hope that you will enjoy reading this publication and take something of value from each article presented.

You are the author of your life and you deserve to be happy. We look forward to getting to know many of you as we start out on this new journey to happy and healthier lives!

All our best,

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Staff Clint Wood

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Utah Valley University is positioned stronger than ever to provide our students an outstanding university experience, preparing them for a successful career and fulfilling life. Today, roughly 74 percent of Utah County residents attending college at one of the schools in the Utah System of Higher Education make UVU their destination school. This past spring we awarded diplomas and certificates to more than 5,000 graduates, of which, 80 percent will live and work in our state generating tremendous economic and social value. According to a recent report by the Utah Foundation, our graduates earned more than the average graduates of any other university in the state system of higher education. We could achieve neither the quality nor scale of this impact without the energetic support and effective collaboration of the people and government officials of Utah County.

One of the most exciting announcements of this summer was that of our plans to build an autism facility on campus, facilitating the growth of one of the most dynamic and needed programs in our valley. Thanks to the generosity of private and business donors, UVU will elevate its commitment to provide comprehensive services to families and educators, as well as individuals on the autism spectrum.

Matthew S. Holland, President Utah Valley University Matthew S. Holland is the president of Utah Valley University, where he has been serving since June of 2009.

Before assuming his current position, President Holland was an associate professor of political science at Brigham Young University, where he taught courses in political philosophy and American political thought, including BYU’s large general education sections of American Heritage. A popular teacher, his commitment to applied learning concepts led to his selection as BYU’s “Civically Engaged Scholar of the Year” in 2008 by Utah Campus Compact. His scholarly research on how ideals of Christian charity influenced the development of American political life garnered national attention. In 2005, he won Princeton University’s James Madison Fellowship. In 2007, his book, Bonds of Affection: Civic Charity and the Making of America, was published by Georgetown University Press.

He graduated from Brigham Young University with honors in 1991, and was valedictorian for the political science department. That same year he was awarded the Raoul Wallenberg Scholarship for a year of graduate study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Before going on to earn his master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science at Duke University, President Holland served as chief of staff for the top executive of the international consulting firm Monitor Group and, later, as special assistant to then-Governor Michael O. Leavitt.

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We have stayed busy planning and preparing for growth. In October, the Utah System of Higher Education announced UVU was now the largest public institution in the state with a fall enrollment of 33,211 – an increase of 1,879 more students compared to last fall. To accommodate this growth we remain focused on several ambitious development projects. In addition to our autism facility, we continue to press for public and private support for a muchneeded facility for the performing and visual arts. We now house programs of true distinction in theater, music, dance and art. For instance, in the last three years, our theater program has won more awards at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival than any other single university. This is to note just one of the dozens of national and international honors that have come to our programs. Yet, we are the only institution of higher education in the state without a building, and dedicated spaces, for the performing and visual arts.

We are also in the process of soliciting input from all UVU stakeholders regarding the development of a master plan that will incorporate 225 acres of undeveloped land across I-15 in Vineyard on the old Geneva Steel site.

The revised physical master plan will align with our academic master plan, which is being revised in concert with this physical master planning process.

Together, these plans will serve as a guide for growth for UVU over the next several decades.

Again, none of this growth or success would be possible without the support and involvement of our Utah Valley community. Furthermore, our engaged-learning philosophy is rooted in the deep belief that our most effective way forward as an institution is in partnership with local and regional organizations. Since our beginnings in 1941, UVU has been – and will always be – an integral part of the growth and development of Utah Valley itself. We cannot imagine a more rewarding and dynamic way to build a university.

Community

Throughout the Utah Valley, we are greatly blessed to have quality communities that focus on serving one another, to help enrich the lives of those who call this valley home. Utah Valley Health and Wellness magazine understands the importance of community and therefore we are excited to introduce our Community Focus page, which, beginning in our January/February 2016 issue, will feature a “Mayor’s Message” from one of our many cities within the Utah Valley. This community focus page will allow for a city to be spotlighted; to share with us news, events and other programs taking place within their respective community. Our goal within this message is to help inform our readers, all across the Utah Valley, of the many opportunities and goodness that each individual community is pursuing.

For a community to be whole and healthy, it must be based on people’s love and concern for each other.

Whether it be a 5K fun-run fundraiser for a particular cause in Lehi, or an economic development project in Orem that will bring new opportunities for family fun nights, we look forward to the messages and information that will be shared in this section of the magazine.

If your family is like mine, then you will not only enjoy hearing about news from Alpine all the way down to Santaquin, but you will be willing to travel that same distance to stay involved in the variety of fun activities that each unique community offers!

We hope that you enjoy learning about the various communities that help make the Utah Valley a wonderful place to call home.

Sincerely,

Millard Fuller, Founder of Habitat for Humanity

Clint Wood Executive Editor Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 9

S P S I Y T A t i F ID

L O e H h t r o

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uvhw | We all know how the holidays can throw a wrench in our healthy habits or, worse, prolong our unhealthy habits. Luckily, most of you reading this don’t have a lot of unhealthy habits: According to a 2014 Gallup poll, Provo-Orem, Utah, has the highest rate of wellbeing among U.S. communities. The poll considered factors including physical health and healthy behaviors, among other categories.

While we may lead the nation in wellbeing, we aren’t perfect here in Utah Valley. Having been in the fitness industry for the past decade here, I can tell you that there is plenty of room for improvement. Sometimes a few helpful hints go a long way toward conquering our shortcomings, especially during the holidays. Here are a few tips to help make sure you get in your workouts during this crazy time of year:

1. Traveling? If so, have a workout you can do on the go. Plan for the worst-case scenario – no gym access – and assume that you’ll only be able to perform body-weight exercises. Always pack your workout clothes (and don’t forget your shoes!) so you’ll have one less excuse not to exercise.

2. Beat the rush with a morning workout. It’s much easier to squeeze in a workout early in the day before you get busy with holiday craziness – cooking, hosting, shopping, and more. Plus, you won’t have to deal with crowds at the gym when most people are still sleeping. Just make sure to get a good night’s rest beforehand!

3. Need some accountability? Having a workout partner makes it that much easier to ensure that you don’t skip out on fitness during the holidays. Make sure your partner will be in town and plan ahead. And if they bail on you? Grab a sibling, another friend, or – dare I say it – go it alone. Going to the gym alone isn’t as effective for some people (including me), but it’s better than not going at all.

4. G et the family involved. Plan a family activity that involves something physical. As much as we all love relaxing on the couch after a nice piece of pie, try to make time for fitness. Plan ahead – make sure to pick a time when there’s no football on! – and choose an activity the majority of your family would enjoy doing. Head outdoors or to your local city rec center. Utah is full of great places, so there’s something for even the pickiest members of your family to enjoy.

FITNESS

About the Author Travis Lott is a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, certified nutritionist, and certified weight-loss specialist at Leantrition. He has trained many diverse individuals and groups over the years including people of all ages, weight classes, and medical histories. Many of his clients have seen very successful results that have changed their lives. Travis is passionate about the health industry and takes pride in helping others achieve a new, healthy way of living.

5. A te too much? If you happen to have a day during the holidays that was full of treats, increase the intensity of your next workout. Don’t think about it being harder – just do it. Go to a class that offers intense workouts so you can maximize your caloric burn in as little time as possible.

One piece of pie can easily be around 300 calories, so get your burn on!

If the idea of staying fit over the holidays still feels overwhelming, you may want to consult a personal trainer or nutritionist. They can develop personalized plans to keep you healthy through the holidays and beyond.

YOU'RE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK.

Leantrition.com

Fitness & Nutrition Experts

801.473.1887

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 11

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FITNESS

For Body &

By Cherisa Jorgensen When someone asks me, “Why yoga?” I say to them, “Why not yoga?” Everyone, at any age, can benefit from yoga.

Yoga is a practice of combining mind and body to promote health and relaxation. There are two things you need to know about yoga to get started: asanas and pranayama. Asanas are poses practiced in yoga that are done in unison with breath control, which is called pranayama.

Working in unison, asanas and pranayama create a connection between the breath, the mind, and the emotions.

One of the most important things to remember while practicing yoga is to listen to your body. Yoga is supposed to feel good, even though some poses can be challenging. If you are new to yoga, start with a beginner’s class. You may want to try several different styles of yoga until you find the right one for you.

While some of the most notable benefits of yoga are lower stress levels, strength, and flexibility, there are other benefits you may notice as well. Since beginning my yoga practice more than eight years ago, I’ve found that I’m more at peace with myself and others. I’ve been able to bounce back more easily after most physical injuries, and I’ve been able to maintain a healthy weight. Other benefits you may notice are increased focus and balance. You learn to listen to your body, what it needs and what it doesn’t need. When you become more mindful of your body, you will want to treat it with respect.

One of my favorite quotes about yoga is from K. Pattabhi Jois. He says, “Practice and all is coming.” At first I didn’t understand fully what this would mean for me. When I first started practicing yoga, I wanted to be perfect at it. I wanted to be able to do every pose, even before my body was ready. I’ve since learned that yoga takes not only practice, but patience. Yoga is not a competition or a race. It’s meant to be done with control, mindfulness, and awareness of oneself.

I love what I’ve gained personally from practicing yoga. Even more than that, I’ve found such fulfillment from teaching yoga and watching my students realize their own potentials. Whenever I hear one of my students say, “I will never be able to do that,” I remind them: “Practice and all is coming.”

So if you’ve never tried yoga, give it a try, and see for yourself what it does for you. Who wouldn’t want to be a little stronger, more flexible, and – best of all – less stressed?

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About the Author Cherisa is from Provo, Utah.

She and her husband are the parents of six amazing kids.

She has been practicing yoga for over ten years and enjoys sharing her love of yoga with others. She enjoys the outdoors, hiking, mountain biking, and wake boarding. She believes yoga has helped her to feel young and stay active.

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NUTRITION

About the Author April Judd of Healthy Express has over 20 years experience as a weight loss counselor & lifestyle coach. She has created a healthy weight management system utilizing the diabetic exchange program, focusing on nutrition, exercise and behavior modification. What makes her program unique is her 52-week curriculum, complete with weekly lifestyle assignments. April has extensive experience in helping people keep their weight off for life.

When Life Gives You Lemon Bars

By April Judd Do you ever feel like life sabotages you? For example, let’s say you’ve been trying to lose weight. You have been making healthy choices, exercising, and staying away from your “trigger foods,” when suddenly... BAM! Something comes up. You are invited to your friend’s for dinner. The family is making plans to go to the cabin for the weekend. Your neighbor brings over goodie plates for the holidays. You’re looking forward to hanging out with the guys for Monday night football. Now what? How can you stay on target when you are taken outside of your controlled environment?

Here are some surefire tips to keep you on your path towards success: Be confident. Believe in yourself and know you can do it! You can.

Life goes on, unexpected events come up and we just need to learn how to handle it. In fact, it’s best to expect the unexpected. Be ready to take on anything that comes your way. Stay focused!

Check your priorities. A social event is NOT all about the food. It’s about spending time with people you like and care about. Make it about developing and maintaining relationships.

Decide in advance. Before you go to an event, restaurant or party, make up your mind about how you are going to deal with all that extra temptation. Role-play the situation in your head. Go prepared!

Take away your excuses before they come up, by setting yourself up to be successful.

Don’t go hungry. Most social events involve food and or drinks.

Fill up on water and have a healthy snack before you go. Or, bring a healthy dish as an offering to the hostess.

Be picky. Make healthy choices. You have the right to choose what you put in your mouth and body. And always remember, what you eat in private, shows in public.

Treat yourself. Keep in mind that if your plan is to have pie on Thanksgiving, that’s okay. Have some dessert, and don’t feel guilty.

But decide beforehand what you will allow yourself, and then stick to it!

I also recommend one reset meal each week. That means one meal (during a 60-minute time frame) to indulge a little. Notice I did not say three reset meals followed by an unhealthy weekend!

A planned reset meal is healthy (physically, and psychologically) and it’s something to look forward to. Forbidding or depriving yourself may end up in binging or closet eating that can send you into a downward spiral.

Remember, you’re not on a “diet,” you’re choosing a healthier lifestyle. With the holidays coming up, you will probably attend several events loaded with fat laden foods that may divert you from your healthy eating plan. Stay strong and focused throughout the rest of this year! Remind yourself that this is YOUR decision to stay healthy through the holidays by planning ahead.

Just think…. while your friends are planning their New Year’s resolutions to start losing weight, you will be starting the new year at your healthiest and well on your way to your prime!

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Savoring TASTY

People all over the world, Americans especially, cherish food and its role in holiday traditions. As a result, holiday merrymaking and weight gain often go hand-in-hand. When food abounds, our waistlines expand.

Why is this, and how can it be helped?

When I talk with people about holidays, special food dishes are often listed as their favorite parts of celebrations. In my family we love

Traditions

By Erica Hansen MS, RD, CD

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uvhw | to make homemade chocolates and English toffee at Christmastime.

Sometimes these goodies make it to the friends and family members for whom they are intended, but all too often we end up needing to make a second batch (oops!). We love this tradition not just for the delectable delights we devour, but for the memories we make with grandparents in the kitchen as we dutifully stir candies over the hot stove, and the joy we feel as we share something we love with the people we love most.

Don’t despair; we don’t need to discard rich holiday food traditions to keep our health on track. The trick is deciding what truly makes your celebrations special, and keeping those things special – distinct, enjoyable, and infrequent.

Depending on your religious affiliation, the fall holiday season spans two to three months, or about 20% of each year. During those months, it’s easy to let those “special” foods bleed into our daily habits and routines. Christmas chocolates are delicious and a loaded bag of Halloween candy is exciting – but when a cookie jar is stocked with them for a full month, these treats lose their specialness and our physical wellbeing suffers. With higher-calorie delights piled high on kitchen counters and in well-stocked refrigerators, we find ourselves eating mindlessly.

Use these helpful holiday hints to keep you on track to eating healthy year round – and reserving special traditions for truly special moments: • Avoid purchasing and making treats too far in advance. When they are in the house, keep them out of sight and out of reach.

NUTRITION

• Eat before attending holiday parties and events so that you don’t arrive ravenous, with only high-calorie appetizers and desserts available.

• Make only one trip to buffet tables and load up on healthy options first.

• If you feel like you need something in your hand while socializing, try a glass of water.

About the Author Erica Hansen is a registered • Choose to indulge in just your dietitian and the owner of favorites. Not a cake fan? Skip it Foods That Fit, a nutrition and wait for the gooey brownies to consulting company. She come around. specializes in working with individuals and organizations • Always use dishes for snacking to make their health and instead of eating out of containers. lifestyle goals fit into real life.

If you put your foods into a bowl or She believes that getting back to the basics – preparing good, on a plate, you’re more likely to eat wholesome foods at home – is less frequently and eat in smaller the first step to improving quantities. health.

• Most importantly: focus on the meaning of your celebrations and the people you love. Spend time socializing to strengthen relationships instead of focusing the fare.

Above all, remember to enjoy the holidays – but don’t let an occasional treat become an everyday indulgence. Otherwise, you risk losing some of what makes this time of year so uniquely wonderful.

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Tissue Growth vs. Injury:

The Delicate Balance of Stress Adaptation

By Dr. Ty Hopkins

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H E A LT H

About the Author Every year between March and August, I have many very similar then the athlete is at a greater risk of Ty Hopkins is an associate conversations with my physically active friends and colleagues. The injury. Similarly, if the frequency of the professor at Brigham Young conversation usually starts with them discussing their ambitions for stress is high, then there is also a greater University and director of the upcoming race season, and then quickly drifts to the aches, pains, risk of injury. To stay in the “safe” zone, graduate programs in Athletic Training and Physical and injuries they are experiencing from trying to carry out their lofty you want to limit the magnitude of the Medicine & Rehabilitation. training goals. These setbacks are common, as our bodies often do stress, the frequency of the stress, or He received a PhD from not respond to training or increased activity the way we hope they both.

Indiana State University, will. While there is no pill or magic formula for these aches and In addition to these two factors, we and he publishes frequently on sports injury and pains, there is a solution to be found by gaining an understanding must also consider the level of tissue rehabilitation. Dr. Hopkins of how your body, or more specifically the tissues within your body, adaptation. If the tissues have adapted to races regularly in various adapts to physical stress. a specific stress, then they will be able to cycling events. He loves the Stress, as it relates to human tissue, is a force that acts on a specific bear greater magnitudes and frequencies. outdoors and spending time with his family. location in the body. Tissue stresses come in many forms, from the This explains why a trained marathoner normal forces exerted on the body by the ground during running to or ultramarathoner can log many miles the forces that disrupt or injure tissues, like stepping on someone’s without experiencing injury. In some cases, however, even trained foot and spraining an ankle. athletes experience overuse injury.

Stress can work for us or against us. In 1892, a German Why would a trained endurance athlete experience overuse injury? anatomist and surgeon named Julius Wolff suggested that bone First, while adaption enables you to withstand greater stresses more remodels and becomes more dense when an appropriate amount frequently, there are still limits. When it comes to mileage, resistance, of stress is consistently placed on it. This adaptation is very and intensity, more is not always better. If you train too much without specific and is isolated to the point or points where the stress is appropriate progression and recovery, then the tissue will break focused. Conversely, he argued that bone will atrophy, weaken, or down. Also, if you go through a period without training, your body become injured when the stress becomes too much or too little. will adapt to the new pattern and you must take a step back in your These ideas are now known as Wolff ’s Law, and they apply to all training progression. You cannot take time off and expect to pick up tissues in the body. your training where you left off.

Wolff ’s Law is at work when we consistently increase our Second, tissue stresses are very specific. Anything resistance or intensity over time to build muscle, bone, that slightly changes the direction or magnitude and connective tissue and, of the force will cause repetitive stress to an area ultimately, to get stronger where adaptation hasn’t previously occurred. A rce internal fo l area e th and faster. However, it equally perfect example is a change in footwear. When – .) n stress ( s-sectiona e s o r c applies when we increase shoes start to break down or when a new pair of e th y h the forc divided b ic h w the resistance or intensity shoes is incorporated into training, the loads from n o face ed or s a e of the sur r c in too much, too soon. This can the ground are sometimes applied to the tissue e s can b mount a e th acts. Stres n o cause shin splints, tendonitis, at a slightly different angle, essentially stressing epending rce d fo d e e c th u d d e e r plantar fasciitis, or a number of a new location on the tissue. If this is repeated cus nd how fo other overuse injuries. Wolff ’s day after day with high mileage, then the tissue of force a ssue.

Law also applies when we cannot recover, and it breaks down. is on the ti consistently become inactive, Another example is a sudden change in running surface. which results in a reduction in the When I worked with athletes at a Midwestern university, one of the size and strength of tissues. While stress is absolutely essential for teams did offseason conditioning on a cushioned track. Prior to the increased strength, speed, and endurance, the same stress can also be preseason, they moved to hard court surfaces while maintaining high responsible for atrophy and injury. intensities and short recoveries. I treated a lot overuse injuries during that preseason.

Mechanism of Overuse Injury From these examples it is easy to conclude that recovery plays a A single event of high stress can easily cause injury. We see this large role in how the body handles stress. In fact, recovery time can all the time with sprained ankles, broken bones, and muscle strains. make all the difference in whether a stress causes growth or injury.

These are considered acute injuries, and they are difficult or impossible When a tissue is stressed, it needs time to heal. If that stress is applied to predict. Injuries that occur over time through repeated stress are again without an appropriate recovery time, then the stress must be considered chronic or overuse injuries. These are common among absorbed by an already damaged tissue. As this cycle is repeated, the endurance athletes. Unlike acute injuries, chronic injuries can often be tissue starts to break down on a larger scale. predicted or prevented by understanding how stress affects tissues.

One of the first signs of this process is pain, followed by changes Three factors play a very large role in overuse injuries: magnitude in movement to compensate for the pain, and finally performance of the stress, frequency of the stress, and recovery from stress. The deficits. Eventually, the body is “tricked” into perpetuating the relationship between the first two factors can help determine if an breakdown of the tissue, which is known as chronic inflammation. overuse injury will occur. If the magnitude of the stress is very high, continued on page 18 Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 17

continued from page 17 Unfortunately, this process is difficult to detect early, as variable pain is usually the first and only indication.

How to Avoid Overuse Injuries While patience is often considered a virtue, it should be considered absolutely essential for endurance athletes. Tissues will adapt, but that adaptation takes time. Plan for a slow progression. While it is important to be consistent, athletes should pay attention to their bodies and be willing to modify their plans depending on how they feel.

Pay close attention to pain. We all have stiffness and soreness, but any pain that is consistent or present during movement should be considered, even if the pain goes away as the workout progresses. If you notice pain, apply ice to the affected tissue for approximately 20 minutes as soon as possible following the workout. Ice helps to reduce the extent of the tissue damage. If pain persists, consider consulting an orthopedist.

To set realistic training goals, you must consider intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors include your general levels of strength, endurance, flexibility, weight, and diet, as well as your medical history. All of these factors play a role in how well your body can handle the stress of repetitive training sessions. Extrinsic factors include the running surface (road, track, trail, etc.), footwear, level of participation, and the type of activity. Each of these factors is complex, and it is important to understand that the body adapts very specifically. Be careful to not make any sudden changes in these

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extrinsic factors without reducing the intensity or the frequency of your training. When changes are made, incorporate them gradually or allow for additional recovery.

Finally, recovery needs to be a priority. Recovery is the most poorly understood and followed principle of training. It is also one of the most important principles. There is an extremely large range of how a person will respond to stress, so it is difficult to provide a concrete recommendation for recovery time. As an athlete pays attention to his body, he will start to understand his personal recovery needs.

With that caveat, a general recovery period might be a single rest day for a normal training session, and two days when the intensity or frequency is increased. This depends, of course, on the type of activity and loads that the body must absorb. A higher-stress activity like running may require more recovery time than a low-stress activity like swimming or cycling.

Additionally, recovery does not need to be passive. Cross training can be a very useful tool to enhance overall fitness while allowing the tissues a chance to recover. Swimming and cycling are two great recovery activities that prompt high endurance adaptations and minimal stress.

While this information will likely not prevent all overuse injuries, it will help you to develop good training habits that will reduce the risk. Every person is different. Many will never experience an overuse injury despite their habits, and some will experience injury despite their best efforts. Stress can be great, and stress can be devastating.

During this race season, be patient and make the stress work for you.

We are still the independent healthcare providers you know and trust–just easier to identify and more unified in our efforts.

reverehealth.com Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 19

By Dustin Schofield Graduations, holidays, birthdays, and weddings are just some of the life events that can make us think about large gifts for children and grandchildren. “Often, we want the next and future generations to have a better and easier life than we’ve had,” explains Deborah Lauer, Vice President in Wells Fargo Advisors’ Life Event Services team.

It is important, though, to make sure your generosity does not jeopardize your own financial security. After all, you have planned carefully for your own retirement.

Financial gifts you make now can reduce the assets you have to rely on later in life.

How can you manage these competing priorities? With open communication and an awareness of tax implications, you may be able to provide the help you want to give in a way that works for the recipient and you.

How to be Generous to Family and Yourself

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Assess Your Situation “Secure your own oxygen mask first before assisting other passengers” is an instruction every frequent flier knows by heart. It also applies to your finances.

Have you reviewed your estate plans recently? Are you seeing the opportunity for assets you had earmarked for transfer later to instead be given today?

Your financial advisor can help you explore how parting with certain assets now might affect your future financial independence.

Together, you can discuss options for minimizing the impact of removing those assets from your nest egg now.

“It’s critical for individuals to prioritize their own financial security before making gifts to family members,” Lauer says.

“Nobody wants to become a burden to their family, which can happen if you give away the assets you’ve acquired to support yourself.”

Keep Talking Communication about money is critical within families. Once you have established limits for yourself on your ability to give, share with your family members the help you’d like to offer. Invite them to also talk with you about their needs.

uvhw | If the conversation has not come up yet, but you have seen a need or simply want to share wealth during your lifetime, prepare for a longer discussion. It may take a few conversations with family to figure out exactly how they are comfortable being assisted and how you can appropriately supply that assistance.

Consider the Tax Implications As tax rules change, it is important to work closely with both your financial advisor and tax professional to make sure any gifts you make do not trigger an unexpected tax bill. For 2014, you can give individuals up to $14,000 and married couples can make gifts of up to $28,000 to individuals, according to the IRS.* These gifts are called annual exclusion gifts. In addition to the annual exclusion gift, an individual may gift all or a portion of his or her $5.34 million* gift tax exclusion without triggering a federal gift tax (although this may require additional tax reporting).

Noncash gifts such as securities or real estate could also be given instead of cash.

Medical expenses and tuition bills paid directly to the institution or service provider are tax-free and do not count toward your annual or gift tax exclusions, according to IRS rules.

With the right planning, you and your team of professionals can develop a gifting strategy that is likely to achieve your desired goals without putting your finances in jeopardy.

Don’t forget that your gifts do not need to be monetary. After talking with your family, you may discover that offering your time is what is really needed. Regular child care for working parents or lending your time and expertise to helping a grandchild apply for college scholarships can be invaluable. These do not cost money but can buy your family real peace of mind.

FINANCIAL

This article was written by Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Dustin Schofield / Vice President of The Schofield Group Investment Management in St. George at 435-674-3601 or www.theschofieldgroup.com

Disclosures: Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANKGUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. [The Schofield Group Investment Management] is a separate entity from WFAFN. ©2014 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0614-02242 [94109-v1] 07/14

Dustin Schofield, Vice President of The Schofield Group Investment Management in St. George.

Talk With Your Financial Advisor About: • Reviewing your current and long-term financial picture and estate plans, focusing on assets • Communicating effectively with family members about the wealth you would like to share • Working with a tax professional to make sure financial gifts do not trigger additional taxes *Wells Fargo 2014 Tax Planning Tables. Wells Fargo Advisors do not render tax or legal advice.

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 21

Majestic Wings Restoring Mind and Body

By Erin Ruy

When Wyatt Davis of Cedar Hills walked out his door one fall morning, he paused. He paused to enjoy the majesty of his beautiful surroundings and, in this moment of reflection, noticed a tiny pygmy owl in his driveway. Moving closer, he saw that the owl appeared to be injured and unable to fly. Davis scooped the owl into a cardboard box and set out to try to save this delicate and rare creature.

His search led him to Patti Richards, executive director of Great Basin Wildlife Rescue. Based in Mapleton, Richards and her group of volunteers rescue, on average, 200 birds each year. Of these birds the majority of which are birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, vultures, and owls 85% are rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

After witnessing the care and rehabilitation efforts that the volunteers provided for his wounded owl, Davis had the desire to contribute to this unique organization and its mission of restoring such magnificent animals back to their natural habitats. A partnership between Great Basin Wildlife Rescue and Davis’ company, Stewart Mountain Lodging, was born.

Stewart Mountain Lodging provides luxury accommodations at Sundance. The company began offering opportunities for guests to experience the majesty of Utah’s native birds of prey up close and personal. Stewart Mountain Lodging coordinates educational opportunities that incorporate birds from Great Basin Wildlife Rescue - including a golden eagle and a variety of hawks, vultures, and owls that have permanently compromised hunting instincts and cannot be released back into nature. These animals are also part of an education

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uvhw | program available to school groups, for Boy Scout Courts of Honor, and for private events.

The serenity and beauty of Sundance provides the perfect backdrop for guests of Stewart Mountain Lodging to learn about and witness the release of rehabilitated birds back into the wild. Of the impact this experience has had on their guests, Davis thinks his association with Great Basin Wildlife Rescue “has been more rewarding than we ever imagined it would be.” Davis explained that, “experiencing the release of a rehabilitated bird back into nature during a guest’s vacation has created some of the most memorable experiences they’ve had with us. We have repeat guests who have made it a family tradition to participate in a bird release during their stay at Sundance each year.” Thanks to this partnership between two local, environmentally-aware companies, the mountains of Sundance have five more great-horned owls and two red tailed hawks.

Another way these birds of prey have touched lives is through Great Basin Wildlife Rescue’s Wings of Valor program. Years ago, while working with the Wounded Warrior Project, Richards recognized that her organization could aid in the recovery and rehabilitation of disabled veterans by teaching the disciplined skill of falconry - caring for and training a bird of prey.

In partnership with the Utah Falconry Association, Great Basin Wildlife Rescue launched Wings of Valor, which pairs veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan with a General or Master Class Falconer.

Veterans in the program are provided at no cost with the materials and training necessary to pass the falconry test and then to trap and train their own birds for hunting. Local Boy Scouts have dedicated their service projects to building pens at the veterans’ homes to ensure the constant care and training of the animals.

According to retired Sergeant Tyler Miller, the Wings of Valor program also includes a psycho-social support to help “rebuild reintegration skills and other challenges veterans face [upon] returning home.” Sergeant Miller served in Afghanistan and upon discharge from the Army began suffering from social anxiety and depression.

His work and family relationships suffered, until his participation in the Wings of Valor program restored his confidence in relationship building. Miller added, “Just being outdoors and learning how to

OUTDOOR LIVING

build a strong, trusting relationship with a very uncaring, unfeeling bird of prey has done a lot for my capacities as a person.”

Graduates of the program are encouraged to pass along the discipline of falconry and their appreciation for the outdoors by mentoring other veterans through the program.

As Wyatt Davis learned, sometimes a small act of kindness can spur you to do something larger, sending a ripple effect throughout your community.

We hope you will be inspired to look at the world around you in a new way this winter, and see what opportunities present themselves.

About the Author Erin is the editor of Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine and is a third generation graduate from Brigham Young University.

She is an educator, writer and enjoys all outdoor activities, including tennis, golf, snow shoeing, mountain biking, and horseback riding. She is an active mother of two beautiful daughters and resides with her family in Cedar Hills.

Great Basin Wildlife Rescue is a notfor-profit organization and is supported solely through the donations of time, food, vaccines, and materials from individuals and businesses in the community. Visit www.greatbasinwildlife.net or call 801-310-0186 to donate, to schedule an educational or bird release event, to apply for the Wings of Valor program, or for more information. For information about Stewart Mountain Lodging, visit www.stewartmountainlodging.com.

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 23

One Holiday, Many Traditions

By Triston Morgan, PhD, LMFT

Traditions bring us together as families and communities. This is true not only in the United States, but in cultures around the world.

Even as we share common religious and secular traditions, each country puts its own unique spin on the Christmas spirit.

When I lived in South Korea, I experienced unique and interesting traditions during the holidays. Many of them were similar to what I was used to – Christmas trees, lights, and nativity scenes – but some of them were different in surprising ways. For example, Santa Claus – whose suit may be red or blue! – is often called Santa Grandfather, and there is much less focus on him than we give to Santa Claus in the United States.

I found that Koreans tend to focus on the quality of gifts rather than the quantity – giving one special gift instead of backing up a 24 www.utvalleywellness.com

flatbed truck with all the latest and greatest toys and gadgets. (Moms and dads, imagine how much easier your holiday shopping would be!)

Interestingly, the bigger holiday during this time for most Koreans is the New Year celebration. This is when they spend more time with their family, whereas Christmas is more often a time to go out and socialize with friends.

A few years ago, my wife spent Christmas in France. Special meals in that country – known for being a food connoisseur’s heaven – can last for hours, sometimes starting early in the evening and going until way past bedtime. Christmas is no different. Depending on where you live in France, you might eat goose, turkey, oysters, or buckwheat cakes with sour cream. No matter the region in which you reside, you’ll most likely eat a bûche de Noël. This traditional treat is a

It doesn’t matter what part of the world you live in – tradition matters. Here are a few pointers to help you make your holidays rich with meaningful tradition: 1. Be deliberate. I often tell couples in my office, “Love is deliberate – you have to purposefully make it work. You grow in love; you don’t just fall in love.” The same can be said for creating and maintaining family traditions. Be deliberate in creating and participating in traditions.

2. Center traditions on family and friends. Choose or create traditions based on the people you love rather than on checklists or tasks to finish. Hockey worked for my family because we were all young and full of energy – and I’m sure it gave our parents a break during a busy day!

3. Use traditions to teach our kids. Our children learn best when they do something rather than just hearing about how important something is. Sign up to volunteer at a soup kitchen as a family or participate in secret Santa activities in your neighborhood.

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About the Author Dr. Morgan is the director and owner of the Center for Couples and Families, a counseling center in Utah Valley. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist as well as a PhD, and is originally from Oregon.

sponge cake rolled with jelly or chocolate and decorated to look like a yule log – complete with candy grasses and meringue mushrooms.

My wife brought one of these back home, and I loved it!

Many French people decorate their homes with a crèche, similar to a nativity manger scene, using santons (terracotta figures). At the center of the crèche lies baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph standing beside Him. In addition to traditional Nativity figures, different townspeople also appear, such as a butcher, a policeman, a baker, a mayor, a farmer, or a priest. People will also decorate the crèche with branches and rocks to make it seem more realistic. It’s interesting to see how familiar traditions are made unique to different cultures.

I have a friend from New Zealand, where December is a summer month, who tells me stories about Santa Claus wearing shorts and

sunglasses. How great would it be to see Santa on the beach getting a tan? For some New Zealanders, Christmas dinner can even be a barbeque outside. Although different than my experience, these traditions make Christmas special to my friend.

One tradition my family had when I was growing up in Oregon was to play hockey on Christmas Day. In the afternoon, we would play floor hockey at our local elementary school with all of our family friends. There would be 30 of us running around, chasing down that hockey puck and blasting shots away. It was one of the best times I had during the holidays, and I’ll never forget those memories.

Here’s to meaningful traditions this holiday season. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 25

Assisted Living or Memory Care?

By Greg Nield This is a question that many people ask themselves when trying to determine where their parent, grandparent, or other loved one will receive the best care. While many assisted living communities commonly deal with some types of mild dementia, these facilities may not be equipped to manage more serious symptoms.

If your loved one is no longer able to use a call light appropriately to make his or her needs known, you may want to consider memory care. In addition to difficulties communicating with care providers, a resident may need memory care in place of assisted living if they are at a high risk of falling. Some people with dementia cannot remember that they need to use a walker or wheelchair to move around.

So what does memory care provide that assisted living cannot? Memory-care communities typically have a much higher staff-to-resident ratio than assisted living facilities, so your loved one can receive more attention. Most memory-care residents don’t know to use a call light, so the staff are expected to act as their eyes and ears. Memory-care communities are secured so that residents can’t exit the building without a code, which helps to keep them safe from wandering outside and being a danger to themselves. If your loved one has severe dementia, the staff can tailor activities to his or her needs. The different types of dementia typically seen in memory care are Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia.

Assisted living is more appropriate for someone who, regardless of their other challenges, knows how to make his or her needs known. For example, an elderly person who needs assistance getting in and out of bed, taking medications, bathing and dressing, and even dealing with incontinence can still be in assisted living as long as they can recognize when they need to push their call light for help.

Many elderly people choose assisted living as they enter their eighties or nineties and begin to need help with meals and housekeeping. By starting assisted living while they are still relatively independent, they ensure that they won’t have to move again to receive additional services as they age and develop additional needs.

Deciding what type of community is the best fit for your loved one is a difficult task, and one that should not be taken lightly. However, with the right information, you can feel confident that you’re making the right choice for their health and wellbeing.

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About the Author Greg has worked as a skilled nursing facility administrator and assisted living administrator for the past 10 years. He is currently an owner and the administrator of Ashford Assisted Living & Memory Care in Highland, Utah.

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 27

Rediscovering Holiday Magic

By K. Nathan Meng, PhD, LMFT

I can still remember the excitement and joy, the wonder and magic of the holidays as a child. Unfortunately, as an adult, I have been awakened to the stress and work that accompanies that magic.

The flip side of hope and anticipation is anxiety, stress, and unmet expectations. I have often heard people talk about how they need to fix things in their lives—just as soon as the holidays are through.

The expectation is that, during this activity- and hope-filled time of year, things will resolve themselves. These people then make elaborate holiday plans, thinking things will be better if they keep busy. This is often a mistake, and can lead to more difficulties and even depression.

Here are a few tips that may help you alleviate stress and rediscover the magic of the season.

Stick to the simple things. If you think back to the some of the happier times in your life, they typically occurred when you were laid back and relaxed. Spending meals together, baking cookies, or going for a drive take little planning or effort, yet bring much joy.

This holiday season, plan things to do as a family that are simple and require little work to execute. Going for a drive to see the lights was a tradition for my family growing up, and something that I have continued with my children. Leaving behind any electronic support, we pile our children into the van and go around town looking for the best display. Although the older children may grumble at first, they all become more cheery as we drive. The teenagers sometimes even make a positive comment or two!

Take time and give time. Don’t try to put too much into one day.

Allow yourself time to relax and take care of the things that you need to. Setting a tight schedule or trying to get to every work, religious, 28 www.utvalleywellness.com

and family event can make the holidays About the Author stressful.

Dr. Meng is a therapist and clinic manager at the You may also need to set some limits American Fork Center for on the amount of time that you spend at Couples and Families. He a get-together. Come to an agreement has a doctorate in marriage and family therapy and is an with your family and friends ahead of adjunct faculty member at time about how long you’ll be staying, various universities. so that no one is checking their watch every five minutes or is surprised when it’s time to go. If you’re not worrying about when to leave, you’ll feel more relaxed while you’re there.

Remember—it’s not personal. There are so many ways to be offended, so many ways to fail, and so many ways to criticize ourselves. If you place too-high expectations on how people will respond to your actions, you may end up very disappointed. You may put a lot of thought into a gift only for it to be underappreciated by its recipient.

People may comment about the amount of food that you are eating, or they may not buy you the gift that you’ve been hinting at.

Don’t worry about what you can’t control. You need to recognize that everyone is responsible for their own thoughts and actions. To quote a recent popular movie, “Let it go.” Move forward; choose to be happy anyway. This may feel uncomfortable, but it can help you to stop focusing on the negative. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, spend some time talking about what you enjoyed or liked about an event or celebration.

The holidays can be a wonderful and rewarding time, filled with peace and caring. Allow the magic of the coming months to help you gain the strength to deal with the other issues that you may face.

3 Reasons Why Reflective Listening is Awesome

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By Joan Landes, MA, ACMHC Listening sounds easy. But it’s not. Real listening takes effort and skill.

Listening isn’t passing the time until the speaker runs out of things to say. Or mentally finding fault with the speaker’s argument so you can shoot down their logic. Or waiting for the speaker to take a breath so you can interrupt. These kinds of listening patterns can create a small war!

Therapists use a technique called “reflective listening” that can be useful for everyone. Reflective listening is different from the communication styles you grew up with (unless you are the child of psychotherapists), and is built on four main principles: 1. Reflective listening is present in the moment.

When listening, you don’t let your mind wander. You stay present with the speaker and give her your full attention.

2. Reflective listening uses aligned body language. A reflective listener takes approx­ imately the same body posture and position as the speaker. If they are sitting, you sit. If they are standing, you can start out standing, and then possibly take a sitting position once you are aligned. It is much better to position yourself beside the person or at an angle instead of facing them directly, which can appear confrontational.

3. Reflective listening mirrors back. In other words, the listener reflects back to the speaker what the speaker has just said. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should “parrot back” the identical words the speaker uses; instead,

try to mirror the meaning that the speaker has just shared.

For example: Imagine someone says to you, “I really hate About the Author it when you are late for everything!” Instead of going on the Joan Landes is a defensive, a reflective listener just volleys the meaning back to the Psychotherapist at the Spanish speaker’s court. You might respond, “So, it’s really upsetting when Fork Center for Couples and I show up late for things,” or, “It sounds like it my lateness makes Families. your life difficult.”

4. Reflective listening is attuned. A reflective listener tries to be attuned to the emotion that the speaker is sharing, and respond to that emotion with respect. Don’t discount the speaker’s emotions or patronize them. Instead of saying, “Calm down! It’s not that big of a deal!,” a good listener might validate the speaker’s feelings with a reflection. With statements like “I can see you’re really frustrated right now,” or, “I can hear in your voice how difficult this is,” you are simply reflecting to the speaker what they are communicating to you.

Reflective listening is a skill that therapists spend years perfecting – but anyone can benefit from practicing the technique. Here are 3 reasons to try reflective listening: 1. Reflective listening increases the speaker’s sense of security and safety. The speaker knows that they have your attention and that you are really trying to understand their perspective. This feeling helps the speaker to feel seen and heard, which makes them feel less alone and distressed.

2. Reflective listening increases the listener’s understanding of the speaker. When you are listening with this technique, you are focused on what the speaker really means – not on whether the speaker is right or wrong. You are giving the speaker space to express all her thoughts and feelings without fearing that she will be interrupted or ignored. By listening to these thoughts and feelings, you’ll learn more about the speaker.

3. Reflective listening builds trust. When the speaker knows that she can trust you to simply be present and hear her out in an attuned way, she will increase her trust in you and in your relationship. This will pay big dividends over time.

If, after trying reflective listening, you find you are still having difficulty communicating with a friend or family member, you may want to consult a therapist. Counselors can help you to develop this and other com­munication skills.

Good communication – speaking and listening – makes all the difference in any relationship.

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 29

Season

To Everything There is a

By Terrin Parker

My family and I recently moved. We went to church on Sunday, and a “getting to know you” form was passed out for new congregants to fill out. I inked in my replies, then paused when I got to the line which read: “Talents, hobbies, and interests.” Hmm. Well, I used to play the guitar and write songs. I used to surf. I used to travel. I used to do triathlons and hike and scuba dive and rock climb. But now? I make sandwiches... build Lego castles... and match socks.

As I sat there staring at the blank space, I began missing the old me. The cool, fun, adventurous me that I used to know.

Somewhere along the way, that me had been overshadowed by this all consuming role of motherhood. And then the guilt set in. How could I be feeling so melancholy when these little people bring me so much joy? But shouldn’t there be some kind of balance? Equal amounts of time and energy to divide between my spouse, my children, my job, my friends, my hobbies, my talents, my church, and my self? The time/energy scale seemed to be bottoming out on the “rearing small children” side of life.

The only monitor that uses hospital technology to alert you if your baby stops breathing.

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Then I remembered a recent conversation I’d had with my sisterin-law. We were talking about the challenges of motherhood, and I mentioned wishing I had more balance in my life, to which she wisely replied, “Life has seasons, and sometimes balance happens over time, not on a day-to-day basis. Right now you are in the season of raising little people that take up all of your time and energy, but it won’t always be like that.” This made a lot of sense to me. And, as life so often does, a learning moment was presented to me to further illustrate this principle of balance and seasons.

It had been one of those difficult days that come often with small children. The hits came hard that day, and had broken down every stronghold I had. Finally, it was time to get the kids bathed and to bed. I didn’t even have the energy to tell them to stop splashing as I sat there on the tile floor, shoulders slumped, getting soaked, tears welling up in my eyes. I used my last ounce of reserve energy to summon my guardian angels to bear me up. Suddenly, in my mind’s eye, I saw myself somewhere in the future, sitting in a clean, quiet home. No splashes. No giggles. No Play-Doh in the carpet or syrup in the hair or bubblegum on the keyboard. And guess what?

The future me was yearning for one more splash from her giggling bathtub babies. One more wet hug and kiss. One more chance to see her two little boys chase each other around the room in their superhero towels. She longed for one more moment like the one I was bitterly enduring, and I felt a shift happen as I faded back into reality. I wrapped my babies in their towels, letting my heart fully absorb their wet kisses and hugs, and then I turned on some music, and we danced.

Just like the Ecclesiastes verses made famous by The Byrds say, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” Each season of our life brings with it good things, and not so good things. Easy things, and difficult things. Happy things, and sad things. And we relish the beauty, and endure the pain. We cherish the blessings, and work through the trials. And through each season, we grow into the person we were meant to become. We are molded by time and experience into something magnificent.

Just as swiftly as spring turns to summer, which fades into fall, and slips into winter, soon my season of being a mother to young children will be gone, and I will enter a new season full of new joys and new challenges. The key to happiness is learning to embrace the season you are in, taking full advantage of the landscape of your life in that season, so you can look back knowing you made the most of each moment. To everything there is a season. A time to plant, a time to reap. A time to laugh, a time to weep. A time to be born, and a time to die. But now is the time, your time, to live.

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About the Author Terrin Parker is from Cedar City, Utah. She attended Southern Utah University and Weber State University before going on to earn her master’s degree in physical therapy at Loma Linda University in California.

Terrin is the associate editor for St. George Health and Wellness magazine. She is the mother of two young boys and the wife of a busy grad student. They live in Redlands, California.

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 31

Improve Your Life: Think Like a Soldier

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By Lee Kelley Veteran’s Day is a day of remembrance for all of us, but for the two percent of Americans who have served in the U.S. military, this holiday bears significant reflection. During my eleven years in the Army, I worked my way up from Private to Captain and Company Commander.

I also spent a year in Iraq with an incredible military organization known in Southern Utah as the “Triple Deuce.” Like many of my brothers and sisters in arms, I came home to a different world – both physically and emotionally - than the one I left behind.

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Since embarking on a new path as a full-time writer and career coach back in 2008, I have had time to “process” and apply the many lessons I learned in the military. I have also had the privilege of helping hundreds of other veterans make the transition back into “normal” life.

This may surprise you, but I’ve found that military culture can actually help us all to open our hearts and minds, and improve the overall quality of our lives. Whether during peacetime or war, common themes arise in the military that we can “repurpose” and apply to every day life. In my opinion, these are ancient truths and threads of wisdom that have been passed down through time and manifested in modern military training and culture.

Consider this list of themes and beliefs that I was taught either through someone’s words, or through their actions, or both: Mind over Matter You can use the power of your mind to master your body and make it do things you never dreamed you could. Even in your darkest hour, you can push through incredible physical and emotional pain and survive blinking and breathless and smiling - on the other side.

After Action Review (AAR) You can and should take a few moments at the end of each day, or after any activity you choose, and reflect on how you performed. What did you do that worked for you? What did not work? What would you do the same next time and what would you do differently?

You are capable of greatness, and through practice and selfreflection, you will improve in the areas of your choosing.

Positivity You will encounter things that scare you, unthinkable adversities. When that happens, you can use your experience and training as emotional armor, and keep pushing until you achieve your goal. Every moment, every mission, every day is a new opportunity to start anew, seek out the best potential course of action and follow it through to overcome your obstacles.

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About the Author Lee Kelley is a former Army Captain and Iraq war veteran who has been running his own writing and executive coaching company since 2008 (leekelley4.com).

He has also written several books, including Inside Marine One, Fire in the Night, and Roadmap to the Senior Executive Service. He lives with his wife and three children in southern Utah.

Vulnerability You will grow personally and professionally if you can be vulnerable enough to take constructive criticism, and not take it too personally.

You become stronger when you are willing to see and learn from your own weakness. Feeling fear doesn’t mean you are weak, it means you are just like everyone else. But if you are willing to face your fear, be it physical, emotional, or both, you will develop self-mastery.

Even if you have never served in the military, you can think like a soldier and apply these truths to your own life, to your own work, and in the chasing and making of your own dreams. Simply re-read or even write down the beliefs and themes above, and turn them into personal affirmations by replacing words like “you” and “yours” with “I” and “my.”

By doing so, you can promote personal growth, decrease stress, and more clearly recognize the life path that’s been guiding you all along.

Service You have inherent value, and your work is part of a larger effort. You can use your value and actions to serve and support others in a very powerful way.

Mindfulness You will do everything better if you pay attention to the details, get into “the flow” of the moment, and focus all of your concentration on the task at hand.

Discipline You can learn to be disciplined in the way you think and act, so that you are always re-aligning yourself with your core values.

If you want something badly enough, you will do the work required to achieve a high standard of excellence.

Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 33

CALENDAR OF November November 1-30 Lehi City’s Slim to Win Contest Applications for the city’s 6 month-long contest, aimed at improving the overall health of the participant, are accepted throughout November. Participants must have a BMI greater than 30 and be more than 50 pounds overweight and will receive nutritional training and weekly group workouts with a personal trainer. $250 For an application and more information visit www. lehi-ut.gov November 14, 6:00 pm Tree Lighting Ceremony Outlets at Traverse Mountain 3700 North Cabelas Blvd Lehi, Ut 84043 FREE Come listen to local music and Teen Choice Award winners, Megan and Liz. Tree lighting ceremony begins with Santa at 7PM November 19-21, 7:30 pm Ignite: Contemporary Dance Ensemble Sorenson Center Ragan Theater Utah Valley University 800 West University Parkway Orem, UT 84058 General Admission $12, Students $8 Artistic Director Monica Campbell and the Utah Valley University Contemporary Dance Ensemble present a night of contemporary modern dance, featuring pieces by renowned choreographers: Bradley Michaud, Daniel Charon and Stephen Koester.

November 19-December 10, 7:30 pm, with 2:00 Saturday matinees Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Pardoe Drama Theater Franklin S. Harris Fine Arts Center Campus Drive & Heritage Drive Provo, UT 84604 $20-$25 This musical favorite comes to life on stage in a nontraditional staging of this beloved “tale as old as time”.

November 19-February 13, 2016, Mondays-Saturdays from 10 am American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell Brigham Young University Museum of Art North Campus Drive Provo, UT 84602 FREE This limited time exhibit chronicles the storytelling of human nature through the art of one of the past century’s most popular artists.

November 20, 6-9:00 pm Lighting of Riverwoods The Shops at Riverwoods 4601 University Avenue Provo, Ut 84604 FREE Enjoy live music, free carriage rides, face painting, and giveaways as Santa Claus and his guests ring in the holiday season.

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E VENTS

November 20, 21, 23, 6:00 pm Eat Like a Pilgrim Thanksgiving Point Show Barn 3003 Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, Ut 84043 Adult/child advance tickets $28/$22, Adult/child dayof $28/$35 Enjoy an authentic harvest dinner and meet historical characters at this reenactment of the first Thanksgiving.

December 8-9, 7:30 pm The Fat Lady Sings Utah Valley University Ragan Theater 800 West University Parkway Orem, UT 84058 Students/Faculty $5, General Admission $10 Artistic Director, Marc Reynolds, presents an evening of fully staged scenes from popular musical theater productions, operas and operettas.

November 26, 8:00 am Pilgrim 5K Thanksgiving Point Gardens 3900 Garden Drive Lehi, Ut 84043 $30 advanced, $45 day-of registration Registration includes hat with a (historically inaccurate) giant buckle or bonnet and long-sleeved t-shirt, designed to look like a jacket or dress.

December 12-21, 7:30 pm, with 2:00 Saturday matinees The Nutcracker Ballet The Covey Center 425 West Center Street Provo, UT 84601 $18-$32 The Utah Regional Ballet, under the direction of Jacqueline Colledge, presents the traditional holiday story of Clara who is whisked away onto a magical journey with battling toy soldiers, dancing snowflakes and sugar plum fairies, when her Nutcracker toy comes to life!

November 26-December 31, nightly from 6-10:00 pm Spanish Fork City’s Festival of Lights Canyon View Park, 3300 E. Powerhouse Rd. $7 per car; $20 per large passenger van or any vehicle towing a trailer ($20 per trailer); $30 per bus Cash or check only Listen to holiday music on 99.9 FM while you drive through the displays.

November 27-December 28th Holiday Lights at Electric Park Monday-Saturday 6-10:00, Open until 9:00 Christmas Eve and closed Christmas Day .

3003 Thanksgiving Way Lehi, Ut 84043 $10 per car, $20 per large vehicle with 13+ Drive through or take a carriage or wagon ride through the display of more than one million lights.

December December 4-19, 7:30 pm It’s a Wonderful Life: The Musical Scera Center for the Arts 745 South State Street Orem, UT 84058 $12/adults, $10 children This musical rendition of the classic 1946 Frank Capra holiday film, incorporates the warmth and humor of the original film as George Bailey learns despite his challenges and disappointments that his truly is “a wonderful life”.

December 5, 4:00 pm (runners arrive by 2:45 pm) 2015 Utah Santa Run-Provo The Shops at Riverwoods 4801 North University Avenue Provo, UT 84604 Pre-registered runners $35, day-of registration $45 Runners receive a Santa suit to race in and enjoy milk and cookie stations along the 5K course. A Christmas concert in the Riverwoods follows.

December 5, 4-8:00 pm Christmas Market/Lights On Ceremony 351 W. Center Provo UT 84606 Enjoy handmade crafts, live music, and delicious food at Provo’s third annual Weihnachts Market (Christmas Market). Stay to watch Santa illuminate Center Street at the Lights on Ceremony.

December 14, 7:30 pm Timp Symphony Thanksgiving Point Show Barn 3003 Thanksgiving Way Lehi, Ut 84043 $12, $15 day-of The Timpanogos Symphony presents their Merrily On High concert with special guest, Jenny Oaks Baker.

December 16, 7:00 pm Voice Male in Concert Thanksgiving Point Show Barn 3003 Thanksgiving Way Lehi, Ut 84043 $18, $22 day-of This a cappella concert featuring classic and original holiday tunes is a sold out show every year!

December 19, 11-1:00 pm Santa Visits Thanksgiving Point Thanksgiving Point Water Tower 3003 Thanksgiving Way Lehi, Ut 84043 FREE Photography is not included. Bring your camera!

December 31, 8:30 pm-12:30 am Night Bright! A New Year’s Eve Party Thanksgiving Point Museum of Natural Curiosity 3605 Garden Drive Lehi, Ut 84043 $18 for children 3-12 and seniors, $22 for adults A family friendly New Year’s Eve party featuring all the magic the museum has to offer, plus a DJ, food trucks and lots of family fun!

December 31 New Year’s Eve Party Provo Towne Center Mall 1200 Towne Center Blvd Provo, Ut 84601 FREE Ring in the New Year with activities and dances for all ages and two fireworks displays, at 9:00 pm and 12:00 am.

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Call for Rooms, Golf and Group Packages 877.438.2929 Utah Valley Health & Wellness Magazine | November/December 2015 35

LIVE LIFE AGAIN. PROVO CLINIC OPENS JANUARY 2016!

Learn About Southwest Spine & Pain Care Centers at SouthwestSpineandPain.com

Derek Frieden, 36 www.utvalleywellness.com

MD

Rick Obray, MD

Jon Obray, MD