Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
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physically, mentally, spiritually
Issue 8 Fall 2015
LiveWell food waste
longevity pets ski prep
seasonal eating to go
mom fitness
kombucha
toothpaste
music
food allergies spokesman.com/health
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
Calendar of Events Nov. 6
Here are some upcoming health and wellness events in the area. For additional info or to submit your free listing, please visit please visit www.spokesman.com/health.
Nov. 27-30
Epicurean Delight Spokane Convention Center
The Blood Center Foundation of the Inland Northwest present an elegant evening of fine food and drink from 30-plus regional breweries and restaurants. Proceeds benefit ongoing regional health education programs in the area, including technology, www.bloodcenterfoundation.com/epicurean-delight/
Nov. 7
Kootenai Health Foundation raises money to help local health programs with an elegant auction of custom-designed Christmas trees, plus music, fashion shows and other community entertainment. thefestivaloftrees.com
Sugar Rush Spokane, Gonzaga University
Inland NW Baby presents the third-annual 5K/10K fun run or walk. Finishers receive hot cocoa and access to a tasty reception that includes truffles, fruit and a chocolate fountain. inlandnwbaby.webconnex.com/sugarrushspo15
Nov. 14
National Veterans Day Run Spokane, Riverfront Park
Show your support for those who have served while improving your fitness by taking part in this third-annual run, which includes a 11K, 5K or 1-mile route. Participants can also make extra donations to veterans programs during registration. veteransdayrun.com/register/spokane.
Table of Contents 3 6 8 11 13 16 18
Dec. 5
Jingle Bell Run/Walk Riverfront Park
This chilly near-winter themed run is a favorite, especially since you can compete for best holiday costume while you try a 5K for adults and a 1K for kids. Proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation. www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1138313&_ga=1.75074577.286345796.1436999934
Jan. 1
Hangover Handicap Coeur d’Alene
Ring in 2016 and start your year by being fit and running 5 miles alongside the chilly but lovely lake, and also benefit TESH, a program that offers opportunities to people with disabilities. www.teshinc.com/
For editorial suggestions contact Joe Butler at (509) 459-5059 or joebu@spokesman.com For advertising opportunities contact Bill Davidson at (509) 459-5272 or billd@spokesman.com.
Have It Your Way: Restaurants Respond To Special Requests Teaching Nutrition: School Kitchen Staffs Updating Menus Healthy Homebrew: Why Kombucha Is Becoming Bigger And Better Culinary Connections: Second Harvest Improving Outreach Magical Music: How Healthy Sounds Can Soothe, Stimulate Making Memories: Area Seniors Continue To Give Back The Parenting Workout: New Moms Find Ways To Bring Back Fitness
Festival of Trees Coeur d’Alene
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28 32 34
It Takes All Types: Pet Owners Discuss Benefits Of Non-Mammals Eating In Season: What Fall Means To Your Dietary Needs Ski Well: Why Pre-Season Conditioning Works Wonders Make Your Own: Seeking Healthier Alternatives To Toothpaste Seasonal Sneezing: Why Winter Can Be Miserable To Allergy Sufferers Taking It To-Go: Restaurants Look For Reasons To Forget The Foam
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
Food Allergies
Have it your way Restaurants Responding To Dietary Requests, Restrictions
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hen LiveWell photographer Shallan Knowles first learned she had CELIAC DISEASE, she wondered if she would ever feel safe dining out again.
She asked the server, just to be sure, how the chef avoided gluten contamination. The server said she wasn’t sure — in fact, she didn’t know if they even had any gluten-free crusts at all.
Just a small dose of gluten contamination — stray crumbs on her plate or food prepared on a surface with traces of flour — would nearly instantly result in flu-like symptoms, stomach problems and a foggy brain, which could last for days.
This was just the start of high hopes for promised gluten-free options at local restaurants, followed by disappointment.
“I was so frustrated, I was in tears,” Knowles said.
Though many restaurants now offer gluten-free options, when she was diagnosed a decade ago, hardly anyone even knew what gluten meant, let alone how to NOT include it. So when a local pizzeria advertised gluten-free crust, she couldn’t wait to visit.
A few years later, Knowles decided to create what she saw was missing: a local guide to what food establishments are — and aren’t — safe for people with celiac disease. Her creation was Gluten Free Spokane, an easy-to-navigate site detailing options at restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops and nightspots, plus plenty of warnings.
“My mom and I went in there, and I was so excited,” she said.
“I wanted to feel like I had a voice in it and not so alone,” she said.
BY ERIKA PRINS | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
Over time, she found out she wasn’t alone; the Gluten Free Spokane Facebook page now has more than 1,000 followers who share experiences, news and suggestions. Many local restaurants are taking substantial steps to be sensitive to patrons with alternative diets and food allergies. But interestingly, the trendier “gluten free” becomes, Knowles sees some restaurants becoming more lax with their standards. For people with true food allergies, or who avoid certain foods for health or ethical reasons, dining out still can be like a game of Russian roulette. Crystal Clark, founder of Spokane Vegans, struggled to find restaurants that offered vegan options—or even knew what “vegan” meant a decade ago.
“I didn’t know anyone who was vegan, so I started a Meet up group,” she said. Though the group was slow to grow, veganism has gained traction nationally and locally. The group—which has migrated to Facebook— now boasts over 500 members. Members of the local vegan organization Inland Northwest Vegans receive 10 percent off at local vegan-friendly businesses. It’s website, inveg.com, features a list of Spokane-area and North Idaho restaurants with acceptable vegan menu items. Clark, who is also allergic to corn, contacts restaurants ahead of time to make sure they offer safe menu items. “If I know that I’m going someplace for the first time and not familiar with their menu, I’ll email and see what’s vegan and what might not have corn on it. I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback.”
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
Food Allergies
“If I know that I’m going some place for the first time and not familiar with their menu, I’ll shoot them an email and see what’s vegan and what might not have corn on it. I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback.” – Crystal Clark, Spokane Vegans
Much of that positive response, she says, is owed to a growing awareness nationally and locally about food allergies and alternative diets. “I think in general we’re talking about our food more and we’re questioning what’s in our food,” Clark said. Sandpoint
nutritional
therapist
Ammi Midstokke helps patients with celiac
autoimmune disease,
to
issues,
like
supplement
their regular care with dietary changes. Modifying one’s diet can show benefits. For her own health, she avoids chemical additives, grains and dairy.
Yet, eating clean doesn’t mean she never wants to eat out. For her clients, a lack of readily available options can be a challenge while following the diet she recommends. “People do want to eat out. One of the biggest deterrents to people wanting to stick to a nutritional protocol is convenience,” she said. Her advice for eating out? Keep it simple. “If you’re on a strict plan and want to avoid contamination, stick with super simple meals,” she said. “Pretty much anywhere, I can order just meat and vegetables and leave the starch aside.” Local chef Tony Brown, who owns Stella’s Cafe and Ruins in downtown Spokane, says the demand for gluten-free options has
increased markedly in the last three or four years. His restaurants always feature options for vegan and glutenfree patrons, even if only one or two. The staff will do its best to modify any dish to accommodate a customer’s request. If a server isn’t sure, he says, she’ll head into the kitchen and ask if it can be modified. He doesn’t want to have a “little box on the menu,” limiting vegan or gluten-free customers to only a few fixed options. Local attitudes toward alternative diets have shifted since he began as a chef, which allows him to improvise and ensure his customers can enjoy a meal even with dietary restrictions. “I think people are a lot more vocal about it, which is good,” Brown said.
PHOTOS BY SHALLAN KNOWLES/PHOTO CORRESPONDENT Boosts Bakery and Lounge in downtown Spokane has a good reputation among people with food allergies or sensitivities. Cole’s Fine Food, preceding page, also is known for gluten-free pizza.
Recommended Restaurants
We asked Shallan Knowles, Gluten Free Spokane founder; Spokane Vegans founder Crystal Clark; Inland Northwest Vegans founder Josh Meckel; and nutritional therapist Ammi Midstokke where they love to eat locally that’s generally safe -- and good.
100% VEGAN ALLIE’S VEGAN PIZZERIA N. Spokane Offers vegan-friendly pizza, sides and desserts, including gluten-free crusts and beer.
BOOTS BAKERY & LOUNGE Downtown Spokane Part cafe, part bakery, part cocktail lounge, Boots is mostly gluten free (some pastries contain gluten) and completely vegan.
METHOD JUICE CAFE Downtown Spokane The vegan and gluten-free organic juice cafe also offers lunch bowls, soups, oatmeal and salads. Though it doesn’t have gluten-containing items on the menu, some ingredients in the items may not be certified gluten free.
100% GLUTEN FREE COLE’S FINE FOODS N. Spokane Committed to providing gluten free foods safe for people with celiac disease, Cole’s primarily offers prepared meals for take-out, but has dine-in seating as well.
METHOD JUICE CAFE Downtown Spokane Their juices are made with nutrient-rich and naturally gluten-free vegetables and fruits.
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE AND FOOD ALLERGY FRIENDLY Many local restaurants — and chain restaurants — offer vegan and gluten-free options. These following establishments are recommended as being diligent in avoiding contamination and accommodating to customers with dietary restrictions.
TWIGS Downtown Spokane Valley N. Spokane South Hill PICABU NEIGHBORHOOD BISTRO South Hill NUDO RAMEN HOUSE Downtown Spokane WILD SAGE BISTRO Downtown Spokane RUINS N. Spokane STELLA’S CAFÉ N. Spokane SARANAC PUBLIC HOUSE Downtown Spokane
MANITO TAP HOUSE South Hill TOP OF INDIA Spokane Valley MIZUNA Downtown Spokane GORDY’S SICHUAN CAFÉ South Hill CASPER FRY South Hill PACIFIC AVE PIZZA Browne’s Addition QUEEN OF SHEBA N. Spokane
VISIT PHOTOS BY ERIKA PRINS Salads, cookies, drinks and even cupcakes can be found in glutenfree versions.
INVEG.ORG AND GLUTENFREESPOKANE.COM for listings and reviews of local restaurants that offer gluten free and vegan options, including celiac-safe pizza.
CENTRAL FOOD Kendall Yards IVANO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT Sandpoint CAFE CARAMBOLA Coeur d’Alene NORTHWEST PIZZA COMPANY Hayden
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erika Prins lives and writes in downtown Spokane. She stays healthy by running, playing Ultimate Frisbee and eating her vegetables. Find more of her writing at erikaprins.com.
Our Community’s #1 Choice in Hospice Care “I have always been so impressed with the team at Hospice of Spokane. Clinically they are excellent; they provide great care for patients. But it’s that extra element, their deep compassion for the patients and for their mission that really makes a difference.” – Dr. Joni Nichols, community oncologist
Serving patients and families since 1977 Comfort. Dignity. Peace of Mind. 509.456.0438 hospiceofspokane.org
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
Food Waste
Scratch Cooking Schools Create Healthier Food Choices, Less Waste
BY RENÉE SANDE | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
PHOTO COURTESY LYNETTE HAGEL/CAMEO PHOTOGRAPHY Spokane School District’s Power Up with Scratch Cooking encourages and trains kitchen staff to prepare healthier selections.
W
hile kale chips, lentil salad and roasted red potatoes may sound like menu choices at a favorite bistro, walk into one of many area schools this fall and you’ll see students piling these choices onto their lunch trays — and gobbling them up. “Some of the students’ trays are gorgeous,” said Kim Elkins, nutrition director for Mead School District. “They’ll have huge piles of salad, next to fruits and more veggies.” The key, says Elkins, is offering variety but setting boundaries, as well.
“Forcing kids to take something is against all behavior psychology,” said Elkins. “Yes, they need to take a half-cup of fruits or vegetables, but they also have a choice between, say, kiwi, bell pepper slices and plums.”
Programs include “Farm-to-School” in which they learn where their food comes from, and “Harvest of the Month,” which provides handson education about the fruits or vegetables currently being served.
Mead School District has been providing school meals that meet the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act” national standards since 2012, offering fare lower in sodium and saturated fat, along with locally-sourced (when possible) whole grains, plus a variety of fruits and vegetables.
“The kids get to shuck their own corn or plant tomato seeds and watch them grow,” said Elkins. Word choices focusing on encouragement is also important and is part of the training that kitchen staff goes through each year
in some of the area’s school districts, including Mead, Cheney, Spokane, Othello and East Valley. “Phrases like ‘I love how colorful your tray is!’ are part of the training -- it’s important to help [students] feel comfortable about the food in front of them,” said Laura Martin, wellness coordinator for Empire Health Foundation, a local private organization. EHF works to improve health in Eastern Washington by providing grants to schools through its Obesity Prevention Initiative.
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
PHOTO COURTESY LYNETTE HAGEL/CAMEO PHOTOGRAPHY Spokane School District’s updated food program includes an abundance of vegetables.
In addition, kids are encouraged to put certain items, if not eaten at the end of their meal, in the “Goodie Box,” for other students to grab. Other schools, such as Westwood Elementary in Mead have started compost piles in their community gardens. “There’s always that adjustment period,” said Martin. “What we found in Cheney is that the kids are pretty savvy, they now understand and take only what they’re going to eat.” Elkins agrees. “As long as we’re finding creative ways to introduce new foods, it’s a temporary problem. I already see much less food waste than two years ago.” PHOTO COURTESY MEAD SCHOOL DISTRICT A Mead School District meal offers students a blend of meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Martin was brought on by EHF to help other schools get “back to scratch,” after a successful three years as wellness coordinator for the Cheney School District—one of two positions first funded by an EHF grant. Martin’s impressive transformation of the district’s nutrition and exercise programs included converting all kitchens back from ‘warming only’ to ‘full cooking.’ She also began to cultivate relationships with area farmers and chefs, adding to teachers’ curriculum food education and more “wiggle time,” and increasing the availability of exercise equipment in high schools.
Martin is now working with Spokane School District, where just helped launch “Power Up Scratch Cooking” throughout elementary schools. EHF funded
the she with 10 the
“The kitchen staff was great; every day they flew through it, saying ‘We want more, more,’” said Martin. In addition to the training involved with actual cooking, the staff learned best ways to market the new choices to kids in order to create a positive, encouraging atmosphere. “For kids, trying new foods can be scary. They might not recognize the food and say, ‘That’s not my thing.’ That’s why making it fun with taste tests and educating and encouraging them are so important.” Phrases such as “Take what you eat and eat what you take” and “Taste it, Don’t’ Waste it” will soon become familiar to kids at Spokane-area schools, if they aren’t already, and will hopefully help to encourage portion control and alleviate food waste, a concern of some schools looking to revamp their programs.
W 5th Ave
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S Washington St
“The results we’ve seen in Cheney— that’s what other districts will look to, it’s so encouraging,” said Erika Hallock, director of government relations and communications at EHF.
She said the program also taste-tested 15-20 new recipes on kids and adults over the past year and during a week’s training in August.
S Stevens St
At the end of two years, the district’s program was turning a profit and the students’ mean BMI (Body Mass Index) and percentage of overweight students had dropped.
(Spokane School District Nutrition Director) Doug Wordell and his team have taken this super-smart approach…over the past nine months we built a whole culinary academy made up of local chefs Peter Tobin and Joshua Martin from Spokane Community Colleges, and L.J. Klink, from Klink’s on the Lake,” said Martin.
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Martin also started family programs like “Snack Attack,” where the kitchen staff learns to replace unhealthy treats with fun healthy snacks, and “Nutrition Night” which teaches parents and kids how to prepare typically processed meals, like Hamburger Helper, but with scratch ingredients.
pilot program at the district’s Community School in 2012.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A Spokane native, Renee Sande has spent 15 years in communications, from PR to publishing, and is currently a freelance writer and designer who enjoys traveling and the greener side of things. Reneesandecom.com
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
Kombucha
Kombucha:
THE EVERLASTING WONDER DRINK
BY S. MICHAL BENNETT | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES While kombucha has traditionally been a home-brewed drink, in the last decade some companies have begun bottling it.
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
The first time I saw a kombucha brew, I was completely disgusted.
I don’t do slimy well. However, since health and wellness are integral to my work, life and play, it was hard to ignore this mysterious drink that many tout for its health, longevity and immune-boosting properties.
Kombucha
begins
with
a
brew
Every
SCOBY
also
includes
containing sugar and cooled black tea,
Gluconacetobacter xylinus, a bacteria
such as Assam or Ceylon. Throw in a
that oxidizes the alcohol produced by
special item called a “SCOBY,” and wait
the fermenting yeast into a variety of
for fermentation to occur. SCOBY is
organic acids, vitamins, amino acids
Kombucha has also been gaining widespread popularity recently, thanks to commercial production companies like GT’s Kombucha, Brew Dr.’s Kombucha and Coeur d’Alene’s Bare Culture.
short for Symbiotic Cultures Of Bacteria
and enzymes.
contain
top of the tea, and a fizzy, sweet, tart
Here’s what you need to know about this ancient yet modern beverage:
Saccharomyces yeast, also used by
drink, which many claim has great
beer brewers.
health benefits.
and Yeast, and despite appearances, it’s not a mushroom or any fungus. Most
SCOBY
colonies
This
symbiosis
creates
a
pale,
rubbery… and slimy …pancake on
A HISTORY OF HEALTH T
he first known use of this sort of “Divine Che” was recorded in 221 BC during China’s Qin Dynasty. There is also a legend of a Korean physician named Kombu, who treated Japanese Emperor Inkyo’s digestive issues in 414 AD. Kombucha later spread to Russia, then to Europe and the Americas, but almost became extinct during World War II, due to tea and sugar shortages. Descriptions of ancient kombucha sound like something biologically lichenous that was said to grow on bodies of water.
market, GT still dominates shelves in natural food stores and mainstream grocery stores.
In 2010, Whole Foods Market pulled all kombucha after discovering elevated levels of alcohol in some drinks.
History books and kombucha brewers and drinkers laud its benefits -- everything from digestive health, immunity boosts to detoxing to hair and skin repair.
Samples of at least four brands tested at the University of Maine displayed alcohol levels ranging from .5% to over 2.5% ABV (alcohol by volume).
Sacha Laurin, a fashion designer with Kombucha Couture, has even made jewelry and clothing from dried SCOBYs.
Almost immediately, bottled kombucha disappeared from natural food stores nationwide.
Still, vague research and limited oversight have stirred up questions and concerns about its safety.
This move sparked consternation among kombucha lovers, but also created awareness in the general population, which led to increased sales once the ingredients were reformulated.
Kombucha may also be related to the Chaga mushroom, a lichen that grows on birch trees and was historically brewed by Russians and American Indians as a tea.
During the 1940s and 1950s, Russian scientists studied kombucha, but the secrecy of the Cold War seemed to have buried any research, much of which is still largely inaccessible today.
However, the current term “kombucha” has only been in use since 1991.
In 2003, Edzard Ernst reviewed all positive and negative known data and concluded that the known risks of kombucha outweighed the asserted benefits, including possible links to liver toxicity and metabolic acidosis – excess acid in the body.
Today, growth rates in conventional grocery stores exceed 50 percent, and Kombucha Kamp, a California group that sells home and commercial brewing equipment and ingredients, projects 2015 retail kombucha sales at $500 million.
A closer look at his study, however, shows that these ailments appear contradictory and poorly documented.
Today, small, local brewers have begun popping up around the country, following in the footsteps of craft brewery and cidery booms.
This style of tea has been a popular homebrew that was spread through the sharing of SCOBY cuttings, but modern kombucha was introduced into commercial production in the late 1990s by GT’s Kombucha. Although other companies have since successfully entered the commercial
Another concern is quality.
According to SPINScan, the sales of the “Fermented Tea with a Funny Name” grew by nearly 40 percent from 2011 to 2012.
PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES While some consider the kombucha SCOBY a fungus, it’s actually a blend of cultures and bacteria.
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
Brew your own
Kombucha
As of this summer, I have brewed my way through three different SCOBYs, experienced a myriad of kombucha teas, thrown out moldy “mothers� and shared healthy SCOBY “babies� and sweet tart brews with skeptics and fans alike.
In the Inland Northwest, Bare Culture Kombucha distributes their brews in kegs to local restaurants, tap houses and grocery stores, in addition to serving pints from a tap room on Spruce Street in Coeur d’Alene.
I have grown to love home-brewed kombucha, and I now have my own share of stories to contribute to the ever-growing kombucha legends.
In 2014, Kombucha Brewers International hosted its ďŹ rst-ever KombuchaKon in California, hosting more than 40 kombucha companies representing over 90 percent of the commercial kombucha industry. At this year’s KKon, William Organ, BSc, MSc and Ph.D. candidate researching kombucha microbial diversity at Ireland’s University College Cork, presented on the “Science of Kombucha.â€? According to Renetta Seeley of Bare Culture Kombucha, Organ offered to test the composition and nutrient value of any kombucha samples from any company, free of charge. Unfortunately, due to ďŹ erce commercial competition, he didn’t receive enough samples to conduct research. Still, Seeley considers Organ’s offer a sign of a growing movement hoping to establish the efficacy and substantiate the claims of their proclaimed tonic.
If you would like to jump into this singular and enigmatic world of fermentation, try my recipe for starting your own brew.
PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES A Kombucha ‘SCOBY’ delivers the nutrients that gives the drink its unique avor and possible health beneďŹ ts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michal Bennett is a freelance writer, editor, poet and blogger. She and her husband live in Coeur d’Alene, where she often succumbs to the allure of the outdoors, local living, and fresh, delicious food and drink adventures. To read about some of her foodie endeavors, check out www.shortandtasty.blogspot.com.
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Michal’s Basic Kombucha Start Ingredients: 4 ďŹ nely-woven organic black tea bags (not Earl Grey - choose a tea without any additives) ½ cup organic cane sugar 1-quart glass jar Cheesecloth or cotton kitchen towel Rubber band
1 SCOBY (ask around at your local natural food store), or 1 Cultures for Health Kombucha Tea Starter Kit or 1 bottle of GT’s Original Unavored Organic Raw Kombucha
Directions: Boil 1 cup of ďŹ ltered water and steep the tea bags for 4-6 minutes. Remove bags and cool to room temperature. If using a SCOBY or the Starter Kit, ďŹ ll the jar with room-temperature ďŹ ltered water, to where the jar begins to curve in at the top. Add the sugar and stir with a clean metal spoon or whisk until it is dissolved. Carefully place the SCOBY in the tea. Cover the jar with the cloth or towel and secure with a rubber band. With a new start, your SCOBY may need a few 3- to 5-week batches to adapt to its new environment. After that, brew-time should be 2 or 3 weeks for a solid drink. It should be slightly effervescent, mildly sweet and somewhat tart. If using the bottle of raw kombucha, add as much of the bottle to the cooled tea as you can to reach the same level in the jar as described above. Make sure to get any “bitsâ€? oating at the bottom of the bottle. Cover and store in the same manner. This method takes longer to create a SCOBY, which will grow on the surface of your tea in the size of the jar’s circumference. Changing your brew: When pulling your kombucha and making a new tea, clean/ sterilize your hands and any utensils. Rinse the jar well with hot water, but don’t wash with soap, unless it is biodegradable, before brewing your new batch. Handle your SCOBY as little as possible.
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
Second Harvest Kitchen
PHOTOS COURTESY SECOND HARVEST Drew Meuer, Director of Kitchen Programs, works with Summer of Service AmeriCorps members Hannah Donnelly and Duane Barnes to prepare a healthy snack with dates, nuts, coconut, and chia seeds.
T
he kitchen is probably the most used room in our homes. We socialize there; the sink gets good use when we wash our hands and dishes. We use microwaves…a lot; we heat prepackaged meals, and pop popcorn that used to be made on the stovetop. But what’s isn’t taking place in many home kitchens is much real cooking. “We’ve lost the art of cooking. People don’t want to find the time,” said Jandyl Doak, nutrition education coordinator at The Kitchen at Second Harvest. “They are afraid and think it’s hard - but it’s not. There are so many simple recipes that don’t take any time.” Second Harvest, the nonprofit hub for charitable food distribution for the Inland Northwest, is leading the charge to get people into the kitchen cooking healthy, simple meals on a budget. The Kitchen, inside Second Harvest’s Spokane distribution center, includes an education center where up to 24 people can participate in handson cooking projects. There’s also a nearby production kitchen. Food banks are perfect places for this type of community education. Consider that Second Harvest distributes two million pounds of food every month and feeds 55,000 hungry people weekly. Then consider that more than half that food is fresh fruits and vegetables. Add dairy items like milk and yogurt, plus protein-rich meats and chicken, and almost 70 percent of all food distributed by Second Harvest is fresh and perishable.
The Power Of Food
It’s not your grandma’s ‘boxed mac and cheese’ food bank any more.
Second Harvest Expanding Services To Include Cooking Classes
Society’s trend toward fresh and whole foods, and away from highly processed, refined, and fast food, extends to food banks. But that healthy eating movement often hits a wall once the food is in the hands of clients.
BY JULIE HUMPHREYS | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
“Many people don’t know what to do with a butternut squash or a bag of lentils,” said Drew Meuer, director of Kitchen programs at Second Harvest. But they can learn through cooking classes and nutrition education at The Kitchen.
“Our goal is to improve the nutritional quality of the donated food we provide for people using the emergency food system. While doing so, to get people excited about healthy food, cooking from scratch, and eating well,” Meuer said. “We want to teach and model diet diversity, cooking competency, improved food environments, food literacy, cooking enthusiasm, self-sufficiency, and ultimately, food security. Everyone should
have access to good, nutritious food and recipes, whether they are low income or not.” Teaching cooking skills and nutrition to thousands who pick up food and eat meals and snacks at 250 partner food pantries and meal sites throughout the region was not an unforeseen challenge to Second Harvest. That’s why The Kitchen adopted a “train the trainer” model.
Nutrition ambassadors from schools and health care entities, plus agency leaders who work directly with the people receiving free food, are equipped to teach through classes at The Kitchen (1234 E. Front Ave). Mobile nutrition vans equipped with cooktops and tools take the cooking show on the road, where ambassadors show people how to prepare the foods they receive that day.
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Second Harvest Kitchen The Kitchen also has the capacity to produce sample meals that can be packaged and used at Mobile Food Bank distributions to promote healthy eating. Some food prepared at the production side of The Kitchen provides meals for people in crisis, including those impacted by fires or other disasters. Jason Clark, Second Harvest CEO, said food banks can play a role in creating change in the health and wellness of our community. “There is no shortage of need for nutrition education and cooking skills. We are in a unique position to get an abundance of healthy donated food into the hands of hungry people and to be part of the movement toward creating healthier families and communities,” he said. Union Gospel Mission, a non-profit serving homeless and addicted men and women, now runs four kitchens at four sites and served 380,000 meals last year. At the UGM men’s shelter, more than 500 hot meals are prepared and served daily. The Mission’s kitchen has a teaching component for the men at the shelter who work in the kitchen. “We have a structured job skills training program. It fulfills one of our core values to help people become self-sufficient and get jobs,” said Russell MacKenzie, Director of Food Services.
PHOTOS COURTESY SECOND HARVEST Children from the YMCA youth program learn about different fruits and their nutritional value in a hands-on class at The Kitchen at Second Harvest.
“We offer tasty soup, 24 salad toppings and meats smoked here. The salad bar is as good, or better, than a restaurant,” MacKenzie said. “People do care about their health. We try to make homeless people exceptionally good food, and in doing so we reflect UGM’s core value of excellence.” He said food is a great beginning. “All I’m doing is making lunch and dinner, but what I’m really doing is helping a dad get his kids back. The full recovery of a homeless person to wellness and employment almost always starts with feeding him.” That philosophy also holds true at Second Harvest where feeding someone in need allows the person to focus on improving other parts of their lives; their jobs, their parenting, their education. The organization has been feeding hungry people in our community for 44 years. Now, with the opening of The Kitchen, the nonprofit can help people take those first steps from hunger to health.
MacKenzie says the mission works hard to provide healthy meals, not just food for hungry stomachs. Residents and the public can visit a robust salad bar stocked with fresh, healthy ingredients.
Second Harvest executives researched and worked closely with other organizations in Spokane before building The Kitchen. Other nonprofits offer kitchens although most of them are production, not teaching kitchens.
FOR MORE INFO VISIT
WWW.2-HARVEST.ORG/ OR THE KITCHEN SITE AT
WWW.SECONDHARVESTKITCHEN.ORG
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Julie Humphreys is a longtime Spokane news anchor, reporter and writer. She covers healthy living and works with Second Harvest to fight hunger and feed hope in our community.
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Music and Health
Soothing Sounds Music Can Create Healthy Connections BY JEAN ARTHUR | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Emily Dodd, a student at Bryan Elementary, performs on a contrabass marimba.
T
he velvety, rich sounds of the marimba echo off the walls at Coeur d’Alene’s Bryan Elementary where music teacher Julie Powell encourages children to experiment with the ancient wooden instrument. “We have four marimba bands in our grade schools including the one here, plus another community marimba band,” said Powell, who has taught music for 25 years. “The marimba really engages all the students. I used to see kids who were shy or not engaged in singing or learning an instrument, but when
we introduced the marimbas, I saw how music really connected, especially to the self-conscious kids.” The traditional instrument, about the size of a tall coffee table, is similar to the xylophone although the pitch is an octave lower when struck with a mallet. Researchers believe that marimbas came to North and Central America with African slaves as early as the 16th century. It’s not just Powell’s observations about music’s power -- other researchers have found that music helps
children excel far beyond education by facilitating learning in other subjects and enhancing skills in nonacademic areas. In a recent interview with National Public Radio, Mary Luehrisen, executive director of the non-profit National Association of Music Merchants Foundation, which promotes the benefits of making music, said, “A music-rich experience for children of singing, listening and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning.”
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Music and Health According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 25,000 secondary school teachers found that students who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show “significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.” Additionally, The College Board, which administers SAT college entrance exams found that students involved in public school music programs scored 107 points higher on the SATs than students with no participation. Plus, it’s fun. “Banging on a wood instrument is therapeutic, and the physical component is something that especially the boys love,” Powell says. “Music engages every part of the brain, uses body and high-brain function.” There has also been plenty of research into the value of good and bad tones. Researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center’s Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine explored noises typically experienced by a preterm baby in the hospital NICUs: infusion pumps, oxygen machines, ventilators and hushed voices. The study, published in 2013 in the journal Pediatrics, found that parents singing lullabies and playing a drum-like instrument simulating heartbeat rhythms could slow the breathing of babies and the heart rate of the preemies. Singing was the most effective, according to Joanne Loewy, director of the Armstrong Center and the study’s lead author, who found that music, particularly when performed live, can excite and activate the body. Her work joins a growing movement of music therapists and psychologists investigating the link between medicine and music to help patients deal with pain, depression and possibly Alzheimer’s disease. In Bozeman, Mont., the Spring Creek Inn Memory Care Community introduced the Music and Memory program this summer. The non-profit organization provided iPods for each memory care resident loaded with music each person enjoyed on a customized playlist.
“The familiar music helps with our residents’ memory. It reminds them of some important time in their past,” says Cindy Morris, director of community relations. Morris referred to a 2014 film, “Alive Inside, A Story of Music and Memory” which reveals the Music and Memory program’s early attempts and successes with music and dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. In the film, elderly patients who were mostly unresponsive to their surroundings received an iPod and headphones. The patients suddenly engaged with the music, and in some cases, their caregivers and families.
Two dozen memory care facilities in Washington have recently become Music and Memory-certified, including Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake and the Park Manor Rehabilitation Center in Walla Walla, where staff completed training and began offering iPods to patients in spring 2014.
implement the program. We now have 30 to 40 iPods in use with great outcomes for patients.”
“Almost everyone knows someone with dementia,” said Merilee Richardson, Park Manor’s Director of Social Services and clinical social worker. “The beauty of the Music and Memory program is that it doesn’t take a lot of specialized skill to
“We were skeptical, so we began with our more challenging patients with tough mood issues,” she said. “We instantly saw the music as a better management tool of patients’ mood than psychotropic drugs — certainly the drugs are necessary in some cases although our facility
Richardson explained that she and her staff completed training then started on a trial basis with just a few patients.
Music & Memory Certified Nursing Homes currently seek donations of iPod Shuffles for patients with special needs. The nonprofit organization, based in Mineola, N.Y., accepts gently-used iPods or donations of $49 to purchase new ones. “We like the iPods with full headphones, not the earbuds because the larger headphones work better for our patients and don’t get lost or tangled. We also accept donations of iTunes cards to purchase music,” said Morris.
PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES. Emma Marks plays the marimba.
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tries to not rely heavily on pharmaceutical interventions when possible. The music created a better connection with loved ones too.” “Country music is very popular among our patients,” says Richardson. “Typically, the musical favorites are by generation. Walla Walla has a large Adventist community so spiritual music is a favorite. We have some younger patients with traumatic brain injuries, one who loves 1990s music, the Beastie Boys and Weezer!”
we put headphones on him with patriotic music, he snapped to attention and his troublesome behaviors drastically diminished.”
Every individual has a set of favorite songs like a fingerprint, and every person’s playlist is unique, says Dan Cohen, Music and Memory’s executive director. The organization has 1,600 certified facilities in the U.S. and Canada, and he says that in 2014, its New York office received 2,200 donated devices and many more were shared with facilities across North America. Most importantly, says Cohen, is recognizing the power of music. “There are many inspiring moments but a particular one stands out,” he said. “When a nursing home resident was disruptive, cursing, hitting others. We knew nothing about him except he was a veteran. When
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jean Arthur writes from Bozeman, Mont., where here latest book on hiking and culturally significant areas in Northwest Montana, “Top Trails: Glacier National Park,” was published in 2014 by Wilderness Press. PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Julie Powell, a music educator in the Coeur d’Alene School District, works with Michaela Orr and Candence Greenbank on the marimbas at Bryan Elementary. Powell sees great value when students participate in music.
For More Information: Music & Memory www.musicandmemory.org
Spring Creek Inn Memory Care Community in Bozeman, MT (406) 272-7509 www.koelschseniorcommunities.com/memory_care/ Bozeman_MT/zip_59718/koelsch_senior_ communities/10011
Park Manor Rehabilitation Center in Walla Walla parkmanorcare.com (509) 529-4218
Northwest Autism Center has Expanded! We are proud to announce the opening of a northside, early intensive ABA treatment clinic serving children ages 2 thru 5 located on Whitworth University Campus in Tacoma Hall. Please contact us at 509-328-1582 for more information.
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Formed in 2003, Northwest Autism Center exists to support, facilitate and build accessible and comprehensive, communitybased approaches to helping children and adults with autism spectrum disorders in the Inland Northwest.
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Longevity
Lessons in Longevity Nature, Nurture Can Both Contribute to a Long Life
BY MARIESA STOKES | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
they had anything to share that would be helpful.
Over the years he’s been involved in many missions.
Their life stories, however, tell us otherwise.
“Being in Rotary, I worked on a lot of projects. For years we did quite a bit of work with polio. Then we got involved with Habitat for Humanity and I was able to be more hands-on. We built houses, did electrical work, pounded siding. Being a part of something that helped others out… you felt good when you did it.”
Each has had different experiences but their core values remain strikingly similar: each made a lifelong commitment to giving time, talent or treasure to something greater than themselves.
Edward “Ted” Morse Ted attributes his longevity to good genes. The 100-year-old is remarkably healthy. He stays active alongside his 88-year-old wife. Together they work out three times a week and take balance classes. He still votes, and still drives, even if it’s just to the store. “I do everything in moderation,” he said. “Over the years, my wife has always cooked the right kinds of foods for me. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, and I drink milk just about every day.” Family matters to Morse. He had three children with his first wife before her death. He now has six grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren, and all but one live in Spokane. “That makes it nice that I don’t have to travel to see them, and they don’t have to travel to see me.” He’s been married to his second wife for 31 years. For decades, Morse worked as an executive at Jensen Distribution Services in Spokane. He retired from the family business at 65, not realizing he’d have 35 or more years ahead of him.
PHOTOS BY MARIESA STOKES Kenneth “Mike” Olmestead, top, 96, Edward “Ted” Morse, bottom left, 100, Alice Niemeier, 92
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hat do a 100-yearold retired executive, a 96-yearold veteran and a 92-year-old housewife share? They come from different backgrounds, lifestyles, education and careers – but they’ve all found possible keys to longevity.
However, even with more than 90 years of memories and experiences apiece, coming up with one definitive piece of advice to younger generations seemed to stump them all. In fact, each said they didn’t think
He’s still sharp and business savvy – he even does all of his banking online. “So I don’t have to write checks!” What also carried over from his career were his connections. A longtime member of Rotary 21, Ted has found camaraderie and ways to serve the community through the group. He was part of the Rotary bowling league until age 98. “I bowled in that league for 60 or 70 years. I miss it some, I always enjoyed the company. We always had fun – whether you win or lose, when you’re bowling you always have fun.”
Kenneth “Mike” Olmstead Mike says he’s always had good people around to take care of him. He married his high school sweetheart, had two children, and was working as a logger in Idaho when he was drafted at age 26. His infantry unit during World War II was one of the first in our nation’s history to be racially integrated. Unlike some of the other soldiers, race wasn’t an issue. “I figured we were in a war zone. White or black didn’t matter – the more people who had my back, the better.” On his ninth day in combat, he was shot in the leg. “It didn’t hurt at all, but I got an infection that lasted about 70 years,” he laughed. He never went back to the front lines or World War II. He spent the rest of his tour of duty – and much of his life over the next seven decades – in VA hospitals. “I once wore a body cast for 18 months. It interfered with my life a lot.” Despite his injury, Olmstead worked hard all his life. He never thought about his circumstances being different. “I didn’t have time for wishes,” he said. “I was too busy making a living.” During the 60s and 70s, he was a custodian in the Medical Lake School District and at Fairchild. “Those years were some of the best times in my life,” he said. “There was a lot of camaraderie with the teachers. We’d go fishing and hunting and camping together.” Even well into his 90s, Olmstead takes his civic responsibilities seriously. When asked if he still votes, he instantly snapped, “You bet I do!” When asked about religion, he said he has deep faith. He declined to go into detail. Mike has always had a deep commitment to family. He and his wife had three more children. The couple spent 62 years together before she passed.
“We loved each other. She was my best friend. We were each committed to our marriage. And she was quite a lady,” he said with a sparkle in his eyes. He married again, and lost his second wife after two years. Now 96, the patriarch has “oodles of grandchildren” and 15 greatgrandchildren. Many of them visit regularly at the Community Living Center at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane where he’s known to everyone as “Uncle Mike.” There, he spends time in the Healing Garden enjoying the sunshine, the peacefulness and watching herbs and vegetables grow. Despite using a wheelchair, he stays active. “This place is ideal for me,” he said. “They take me out to eat, to ball games, hockey games, to the Torchlight Parade. The Gonzaga basketball team came out to meet me!” This World War II vet’s lifelong involvement with the service has had other highlights as well. Many years ago when he was hospitalized at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, General Eisenhower visited him. “He shook my hand and thanked me for my service,” he recalled. Just 10 years ago, Olmstead was honored to receive the Purple Heart. It was unexpected, but not unappreciated. “It’s never too late to thank a vet.” Alice Niemeier Alice says she comes from good stock. Her parents and great-grandfather all lived into their 80s, and her brother lived to 94. The 92-year-old stays busy and says she lives a simple, happy life. “I never had material goals. I was taught to be happy with what you have.” A housewife for decades, Alice didn’t spend her days eating bonbons and watching soaps. In addition to raising two daughters, she taught herself to refinish furniture, do repairs and lay linoleum in their South Hill home. She routinely took craft supplies to jail for incarcerated women.
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Today she makes quilts – mostly for babies and children – for local charities like Volunteers of America and the Salvation Army. She creates and donates intricate handmade jewelry for charitable silent auctions and fundraisers. Alice is a life member of VFW 51. She spent decades with an Air Force Wives Club, and is a YWCA Ambassador – a longtime legacy ladies group. Since the 1950s she’s been involved with the Lutheran Women’s Mission League. Alice has deep faith, and stays connected through her church. She’s proud to say she’s the oldest woman member there. In 1985 Alice lost her husband. An avid photographer, he drowned in the Spokane River while taking pictures. It’s important to her to stay in touch with other widows. She has one friend she touches base with every day. “We give each other support, share meals, and keep track of each other. We call every day to make sure everything’s okay, and to keep us from getting too lonely.”
Alice has five grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. “I would like for them to go to church, but I can’t make them do that. I can share my faith and that’s how I live. Actions speak louder than words.” She feels the same way about politics. Alice isn’t afraid to share her views on the current state of the government, and says the only way to affect change is to vote. Alice says she’s tried to instill three things in her entire family. “Number one, don’t pass up the opportunity to go to school. Second, be willing to serve each other. And lastly, contribute something, somewhere.” Some time ago, she told her family she didn’t want Christmas gifts that year. “I said, you choose a cause then volunteer, give money, do something. Come back and tell me about your experience. That will be your gift to me.” Years later, some of them still do it.
For three people who didn’t think they had much to teach, there is a lot to be learned from their lives. Some common lessons: Stay active. Practice moderation. Do for others. Find faith in something, even if privately. Making friends matters. Marry the one who lights up your life. Voting is not only a right, but also a responsibility. Spend time with family. And of course, eat your vegetables.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Living the dream and loving the view, Mariesa Stokes is a Spokane transplant, health and wellness writer and obsessive beagle mom. Explore more of her work at mariesastokes.com.
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Parent Fitness
O
n a cloudy, windy but warm Saturday morning earlier this summer, a group of moms and their little ones gathered outside of Central Foods in Kendall Yards. After parking their strollers, the moms begin a unique workout. Welcome to Stroller Strides – a new fitness program intended especially for moms with young children. But don’t be fooled by the cute name: it’s no walk in the park. Well, except for the occasional run through the park.
Combining Family, Fitness Parenting Can Truly Be A Good Work-Out BY NICOLE SKINNER LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
Work-outs can be challenging, according to instructor JoAnn Farnsworth, who starts the session off with squats and then toe touches. In nice weather, the class meets downtown, usually near Riverfront Park. During winter or bad weather, it moves indoors. On this day, Farnsworth takes the strollerladen moms for a run down the Centennial Trail underneath the Monroe Street Bridge. After reaching their next destination, strollers are parked and moms are encouraged to sing to their kids while using the railings and resistance bands for different arm workouts. A few leg lifts and calf-raises later, it’s time to keep moving. The group makes its way over to Riverfront Park, stopping by the gondolas for more highintensity exercise. The kids watch as their moms do mountain climbers, up and down planks and then partner up for see-saw squats with resistance bands. The moms take a breather, hydrate, then grab the strollers and start rolling again. The pace back to the trail is a nice fast walk. Then it’s time for walking lunges up the last hill before they are back to where they started. It’s about this time that people start feeling that satisfying ‘good-for-you’ burn often discovered after a hard workout. After a cooldown, the group parts ways. So why are moms bringing along their kids to their work-out? Plenty of reasons -- improving fitness has likely been on most every parent’s annual resolution list year after year, most
PHOTO BY BRITNEY FIJALKA / COURTESY OF BARRE AT THE STUDIO Baby Barre helps new moms resume exercise routines but still have their little ones nearby.
likely even before they became parents. Plus, exercise relieves stress, improves sleep and increases energy – all things that parents crave. Many modern parents trying to reestablish exercise programs also face challenges like busy schedules and childcare. “I have to work out at 5 a.m. so I can get home before my husband leaves for work. Otherwise, I have to search desperately for a sitter,” said Laura Branning of Spokane Valley, who says her biggest fitness obstacle is childcare.
A class full of other busy moms can also be a great resource for support and motivation. The sense of community can create a perfect environment for easier workouts.
“I needed the social support of other moms and a workout program that was no walk in the park. Now I get both. My clients are genuinely my friends and my son has grown up with their kids,” she said.
Busy parents can try several Stroller Strides classes each week through Fit4Mom Spokane, which also offers pregnancy classes and ‘body back’ classes.
Hopkins loves that Stroller Strides exposes children to fitness and helps them see their mom working out.
Gina Hopkins, owner of Fit4Mom Spokane, decided to open the business when she couldn’t find any fitness center in Spokane that allowed moms to bring kids along.
“Our kids know how to do squats, lunges and push-ups, and I truly believe that they think we are the strongest moms in the world. The kids that we raise in Stroller Strides see the benefit of happy and healthy moms that care
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PHOTOS BRITNEY FIJALKA / COURTESY OF BARRE AT THE STUDIO Participants in Baby Barre classes also are able to bond with their children.
If classes like Stroller Strides and Baby Barre don’t align with your schedule, children’s ages or location, there are also many fitness apps or online programs that can be done at home or work.
a whole lot about being fit for motherhood,” she said. Megan Walsh, participant, agrees.
a
Stroller
DAILY BURN
Stride
“As a mom, there are never enough hours,” she said. “One of the things I love about Stroller Strides is not having to choose between spending quality time with my child and exercising while working full time. My daughter is ecstatic about attending. We can’t go on a walk with the stroller without her begging ‘go faster, momma.’” Stroller Strides isn’t the only mother-and-child workout around. Lori Ullman of Barre at the Studio recently launched a Baby Barre class. Baby Barre is an 8-week low-impact workshop that combines fitness and bonding time. It was designed to provide new moms the opportunity to get moving again without leaving babies behind. PHOTO BY NATALIE GIESA, COURTESY OF FIT4MOM SPOKANE. Part of the Fit4Mom class includes outdoor exercises.
This program is available online or as an app. Choose from elite trainers offering cardio, yoga, strength training, beginner workouts and more. Baby Barre is similar to a regular Barre class but you wear your baby securely in a baby carrier. This post-natal class helps restore core strength, strengthens back and arms for carrying and nursing, and helps correct any muscle imbalance from pregnancy. If you are past the baby-bearing days but still want social interaction, Barre at the Studio also offers a date-night class. Couples can
7-MINUTE WORKOUT Work out with no equipment for just minutes each day. This app has fun achievements and rewards to help keep you motivated. This app is based on the 7-Minute Workout featured in NY Times Magazine.
TABATA TIMER Increase your stamina, boost aerobic benefits, and amp up fat burning in as little as four minutes daily. Each app workout takes you through eight sequences of 20 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest.
BEACHBODY ON DEMAND Offering the same workouts as the popular DVDs, Beachbody on Demand lets you take your workout anywhere. You get unlimited streaming access to hundreds of workouts that you can do from your phone, tablet or laptop.
RUNKEEPER This app turns your phone into a GPS tracker dedicated to bringing you the motivation and enjoyment of a workout routine. Find training plans, set goals and track pace and distance.
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Beat the Holiday Bulge!
Parent Fitness
PHOTOS BRITNEY FIJALKA / COURTESY OF BARRE AT THE STUDIO Baby Barre is an option for busy moms who want to keep fit.
literally go from the Barre to a bar, combining a workout and together time. This class runs every other month depending on size.
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“One of the best things we can teach our children is how important self-care is and that it is not selfish. If you take care of yourself, you can take better care of others around you.”
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Whether that means Stroller Stride, Baby Barre, hitting the gym or working out at home, it is entirely up to you. Try something new and keep moving.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: As a freelance writer, content director and busy mom, Nicole Skinner’s days are full from dawn until dusk. She enjoys blogging about saving money, pursing a debt-free lifestyle, eating natural and organic, and loving life on her personal blog saveliveeatlove.com.
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Pets
All Creatures Great and Scaly
Pet Ownership Can Go Beyond Four-Legged Varieties BY ERIKA PRINS | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT PHOTOS BY ERIKA PRINS Spokane pet owner and businessman Nathan Huston lives with a variety of non-mammal pets, including a ball python, various lizards, and Emmett, a parrot whose has learned to play dead. He also has a variety of Death’s head cockroaches sometimes named Steve.
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he majority of pet owners in the United States own dogs and cats. But owning any kind of domesticated animal—if it’s the right fit—can benefit both human and animal. Interacting positively with a dog has been shown to release oxytocin — a natural hormone which spikes when mothers breastfeed, when we fall in
love and other bonding moments. It can lessen depression and anxiety and facilitate social behavior.
bunnies, rats, some reptiles and llamas — can also benefit the people they interact with as well.
Most studies about the physical and psychological benefits of owning a pet have focused on dogs and cats. But in recent years, researchers and animalassisted therapy practitioners have found that other types of animals — most commonly horses,
“I have always believed in what I would call the Baskin-Robbins philosophy to interacting with animals,” said Dr. Aubrey Fine, licensed psychologist, professor at Cal Poly State University and board member at Bellevue-based pet therapy
organization Pet Partners. “For different people, their love and joy of interacting with different species of animals can be tremendously diverse.” Just ask Nathan Huston, a towering man with a shaved head, tattoos covering both arms, and smartly-framed glasses. He owns Giant Nerd Books, a Spokane bookstore that specializes
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Dr. Fine incorporates trained animals into his therapy for children with ADHD, learning disabilities, developmental disorders, or whose parents are struggling to relate to them. He has always had a variety of pets at home, too, to whom he gives credit for instilling his now-adult sons with compassion.
Pets
“I HAVE A COCKATOO THAT YOU CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE THE EMOTIONAL JOY THAT SHE’S GIVEN US OVER THE YEARS. [SHE] SNUGGLES AND COMMUNICATES IN ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAN A DOG,” SAID FINE.
in rare, weird used books but where you can also buy tiny rodent skulls or commune with a taxidermied alligator. Huston’s steadfast past two decades named Emmett.
companion for the has been a parrot
Researchers began to focus on animal-human connection in the late 1970s and found benefits beyond emotional support.
“I got him when he was a toddler bird,” Huston said. “Initially, he was a birthday present for an ex. She’s long gone, but I have the bird.”
“When you pet an animal, it changes your cardiovascular system. You seem to have a better heart rate and your blood pressure goes down,” says Fine. “Your cortisol level goes down so that you become less stressed— and not only in the human does the cortisol level go down. It goes down in the animal as well.
It’s clear he thinks he came out ahead in that deal. Huston and Emmett share their home with a menagerie of turtles, lizards, snakes and about 4,000 (well-contained) cockroaches—all named Steve—but not all are considered pets.
Many people he’s worked with know this intuitively, he says, but it’s helpful to have scientific proof. “When we talk about puppy love, in some many ways—I like the magical thing, but there’s a biochemical change as a consequence of these interactions. Having a pet in your life is almost like having a biological spa treatment.”
“The reptiles are more like research associates,” he said. He rarely names the roaches individually, and keeps them primarily for breeding and observation. When he lived in Seattle a decade ago, Huston was president of the Pacific Northwest Herpetological Society and visited schools with various scaly companions to help children overcome their fear of—and possibly cultivate an interest in—reptiles.
Pet Partners, the pet therapy organization where Fine is a board member, chooses animals for therapy work based on their receptiveness and responsiveness to humans, and if their behavior is predictable and safe.
Though he doesn’t consider the reptiles pets either, Huston acknowledges feeling a bond with them. He’s pretty sure the feeling isn’t mutual.
Similarly, said Fine, spend time with the animal you are considering adopting to ensure it can meet your needs and you are equipped to care for it. He stresses the importance of considering the responsibility of pet ownership prior to adopting.
“You get attached. I don’t think they get attached. I think they begin to recognize that I’m not a threat,” he said. That’s about where the reptile-human affection ends.
“Puppies grow up to be dogs. Kittens grow up to be full adult cats,” said Fine. “If you have a small apartment without a backyard, does it make sense to have a large dog?”
Nonetheless, he is fascinated by the creatures and feels closer to nature when he’s around them. “I like the simplicity,” he said. “I’ve always been fascinated by reptiles. Family legend has it that I taught myself to read really, really, really early in the library, reading about reptiles and snakes.” However, he does feel a bond with Emmett the parrot. “If I’m away for a week or so, I miss the bird. I miss the bird more than I miss most of the people that are up here,” he said.
HE RARELY NAMES THE ROACHES, AND KEEPS THEM PRIMARILY FOR BREEDING AND OBSERVATION.
Fine suggests learning about the species of animal and its needs prior to adopting —including the time and money required to care for it and how long it will live. His cockatoo has been in his family for 32 years and may outlive him, he says, which he knew when he adopted her. He hopes the rate at which pet owners forfeit their pets can be reduced by better pre-adoption education.
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ENRICHED LIVING. LASTING VALUE.
THE
Still, he confesses to once having fallen in love with a golden retriever that he spotted in a store window. It wasn’t a pet store—the puppy’s original adopter had backed out, and the shop owner had hoped someone would spot it and inquire. “I remember looking at the puppy and I looked at my wife. I was like a 5-year-old again, and I said, ‘Can we get a puppy?”
lifestyle
YOU WANT
THE
After all the practical considerations of pet ownership have been accounted for, he says, there’s an unquantifiable consideration as well: connection. “Some things that need to be counted can’t be counted because we can’t understand them. You can have a perfect map of what you want to do but at the end of the day, it’s really about that connection and, are you able to open your heart to that animal?”
THE
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greenstonehomes.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erika Prins lives and writes in downtown Spokane. She stays healthy by running, playing Ultimate Frisbee and eating her vegetables. Find more of her writing at erikaprins.com.
Whitworth University Aquatic Center
Fine suggests learning about the species of animal and its needs prior to adopting — including the time and money required to care for it and how long it will live.
Aquatic Programs for all ages Water Aerobics A great way to build strength and cardio with little or no impact on your joints. All ages and activity levels are welcome.
Lap Swim Excellent for cross training, basic exercise, and general fitness. Shallow water walking or deep water jogging is also available.
Contact: Gary Kessie – 509.777.4246 www.whitworth.edu/aquaticscenter
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Seasonal Eating
The Seasonal Plate Fall Comfort Food Can Benefit Your Health
O
ne of the most satisfying and connective experiences can be growing, or at least picking the food you put on your table. Luckily, anyone can do this: if you have a basil plant on your windowsill or shop at a farmers’
Practical Practices The Assorted Menu – Instead of defaulting to meat and potatoes or consistently shopping frozen-food aisles, add variety by asking your local grocer for directions to the freshest fruits and vegetables in the produce area. The ever-evolving selection and color at the local farmers’ markets are also fantastic indicators of what is in season now.
Something Old, Something New – Fall and winter are the seasons for comfort foods. Why not throw some celery root or broccoli raabe into your grandma’s stew recipe and experience the rich flavors of this season?
BY S. MICHAL BENNETT | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT market, you’re a part of this national shift towards seeking out the freshest foods close to home. A component of this push to source local and grow your own produce is your diet may be whatever is being grown and harvested right now.
Eating seasonally can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, but it can also make your menu more exciting – and help you stay vibrant and energized throughout the year.
Here are some practical ways that eating what’s in season can make your life better. Build Community – Michael Pollan, renowned author and advocate for slow and local food, calls this approach, “Shake the hand that feeds you.” When you seek to know where your food is coming from, you create a connection and inspire conversation, especially around the dinner table.
Save – Whether you are eating Idaho summer squash in August or a Florida navel orange in December, buying what’s in season is definitely cheaper and fresher than buying a pint of tiny exotic strawberries in the dead of winter.
Nutrient and Flavor Density – The farther fruit or vegetables travel, or they sit in a warehouse, the more nutrients and flavors are lost to oxidation. If you believe in food as medicine – the more nutrition from food, the more vitality you should savor.
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The Vitality Aspect Philosophers tell us life is a series of cycles – physically, mentally, socially, economically. The most primal examples of cyclic life appear in nature, where every living thing, from bugs to elephants, reects life’s rhythms in its own unique way. This idea can be applied to the human body too, in a functional philosophy which has been passed down in history through the medicinal art of Ayurveda. Ayurveda, the ancient natural medicine of India, views the body and life in three seasons: Vata (fall/winter or November-February), Kapha (spring or March-June) and Pitta (summer or July-October). Each season is characterized by the earth’s changes, different fruits and cycles, and is reected in our own bodies. Here’s a quick overview of how Ayurveda can relate to your diet and what how your bodies may indicate what you should be eating. Dry. Autumn is a drying season, where nature lets go of its fruitfulness and turns inward in anticipation of winter. Just as the cold winds descend and dry up leaves and grasses, our bodies also experience dryness and depletion. We are more susceptible to illness, and we seek out warming and comforting foods. It is no wonder thee holidays have become synonymous with rich foods and heavy tables. Flavorful. During this time of Vata, Ayurvedic practice advocates eating more foods that are
sweet, sour, salty, heavy, oily, moist and hot. Some examples would be soups, stews, steamed vegetables or a vaporous cup of hot herbal tea. Sound delightful? Our bodies are and seeking relief abrasive weather.
craving moisture from stress and
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Fall Eating Apples and pears Artichokes Winter greens Beets and carrots Broccoli raabe Brussels sprouts
Here’s a short list of what’s currently fresh, nutrient-dense and blooming: Cabbage Chicories Cranberries Eggplant Sunchokes
Winter squash and pumpkins Pomegranates Quince Potatoes Grapes Figs
S. Michal Bennett is a freelance writer, editor, poet and blogger. She and her husband live in Coeur d’Alene, where she often succumbs to the allure of the outdoors, local living, and fresh, delicious food and drink adventures. To read about some of her foodie endeavors, check out www.shortandtasty. blogspot.com.
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For more information regarding seasonal foods, ask local produce staff or visit localfoods.about.com
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Ski Training
Pre-Season Ski Conditioning Fitness Pros Recommend Preparation Classes BY JEAN ARTHUR | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
W
e here in the West love our rites of fall, especially ones that get us ready for the coming ski and snowboard season. Think Warren Miller movies, new gear showing up at sports shops, and conditioning classes at favorite gyms and fitness centers. Experts say that a fall fitness routine not only prepares powderhounds for November and December resort openings, but helps make a day on the slopes safer and more rewarding. “Skiing and snowboarding are dynamic sports,” says Geoff Gibb, professional fitness manager at The Whitefish Wave in Montana. “It’s important to first have a physical evaluation, a movement assessment, then work with a trainer to build core muscle strength in the lower back, hips and abs. Additionally, it’s important to also work on balance, stability and strength in the lower extremities to avoid injury and get the most out of your ski pass.” Gibb, who has a master’s degree in exercise science, suggests that starting now on a strength-and-cardio program will result in a fantastic and hopefully injury-free season. His favorite exercises include lunges, planks, wall sits and sessions in cardio training that are “interval in nature so you can do a five-minute run down from the top of the mountain all the way to the bottom without stopping.” In his fall pre-ski season classes, trainers work with clients doing suicide drills— sprints from the gym’s painted lines back and forth —
The U.S. Ski Team’s official YouTube videos offer five essential ski training exercises including overhead medicine ball toss, lateral box jumps, back extensions, weighted squats and working out with stretchy bands.
PHOTO BY JEAN ARTHUR Whether you’re planning to hit Mt. Spokane, Whitefish, pictured, or any of the region’s ski resorts, fitness pros recommend conditioning classes.
and in the cardio room on fitness machines. The facility also uses elliptical machines or treadmills set for interval training. Gibb’s favorite outdoor training is snowshoeing from the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort up to the Summit House on the Tony Matt ski run.
“I can get to the top on snowshoes in less than an hour,” he said of the 2,353-foot vertical climb over 1.48 miles.”
snowshoers on two routes, Toni Matt and the East Route, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily during ski season.
The resort is one of only a handful of alpine areas that allows fitness fans to climb to the summit—some days, 100 or more people will climb the mountain and schuss down. The uphill travel policy allows uphill skiers and
To track those miles, several apps provide trail-tracking data such as Trace Snow, which records metrics like speed, distance and calories burned as well as jumps and airtime. Ski Tracks uses a smart phone’s GPS to collect data such
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Common slopeside injuries range from sprains to more serious knee ligament damage like a torn ACL. as a maximum and average speed, distance and slope angle. Both apps can plot runs and routes on a map. Whitefish Mountain Resort has its own Ski Whitefish app that offers snow reports, weather, webcams and maps. Fit folks generally stay out of the emergency rooms according to physical therapist and backcountry skier Joel Shehan of Professional Therapy Associates in Whitefish. “The best prevention from injury is appropriately doing exercises that work on higher-impact loading of muscles so that your muscles react before an injuryproducing fall,” said Shehan, who likes to do “a lot of uphill hiking and running in combination with free weights and plyometrics plus a good core exercise.”
Equipment is also a factor in winter sport health. Ski shops gladly check bindings and sell helmets, which both can help reduce injury. According to researcher Jasper Shealy, professor emeritus of the Rochester Institute of According to Dr. Shealy’s 10-Year Interval Injury Study, released in 2011, the rate of skier problems has dropped steadily since 1980.
Common slopeside injuries range from sprains to more serious knee ligaments damage like a torn ACL.
The study found that the rate of incidents for skiing (suspected injuries responded to by ski patrols) dropped from 3.1 incidents per 1,000 skier visits in 1980 to 2.63 incidents in 2000. By the 2010-2011 season, the rate of skiing incidents dropped to 2.5 incidents per 1,000 skier visits -- a 20 percent decline in suspected skiing injuries since 1980.
“There is now a program developed to lessen the number of ACL injuries,” he says. “The research finds that relatively back, and in place works on that higher impact loading. You learn to react to changing conditions.”
One of the most important factors in reducing injury, according to the National Ski Areas Association, is a helmet. Increased helmet usage has proven to reduce all head injuries, especially potentially serious head
injuries. Currently, 73 percent of skiers and boarders wear helmets, up 180 percent from NSAA’s first study in 2002-03 when only 25 percent of skiers and riders wore helmets. The age group least likely to sport “skid lids” is the 18-24 year-olds, with 62 percent wearing helmets last season. “As an industry, we are deservedly proud of our commitment to safety, and the efforts to promote helmet use by both ski areas and parents alike should be applauded,” Berry stated. “At the same time, though, we want to stress that skiing and riding safely and responsibly – and not simply donning one piece of equipment – is the best way to prevent incidents and injuries out on the mountain.” Ultimately, said Gibb, “You want to be able to ski the steep and deep powder and groomers all day long and have lots of fun doing it. Increasing power, endurance, agility and balance before ski season in a group is a good social workout and beneficial for a positive experience on the slopes.”
For More Information The Wave in Whitefish www.whitefishwave.com (406) 862-2444
Whitefish Mountain Resort www.skiwhitefish.com (877) SKI-FISH
Lids on Kids helmet program www.lidsonkids.org
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jean Arthur writes from Bozeman, Mont., where here latest book on hiking and culturally significant areas in Northwest Montana, “Top Trails: Glacier National Park,” was published in 2014 by Wilderness Press. PHOTOS BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Physical Therapy Associates of Spokane offers a ski conditioning class each fall.
Megan Miller
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Toothpaste
DIY Dental Care
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PHOTOS BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Coeur d’Alene resident Susan Glasgow prefers to mix her own toothpaste, using a variety of natural flavorings.
Some Health-Seekers Prefer All-Natural Or Homemade Oral Care Products
The all-natural/organic movement has now invaded our dental products.
BY NICOLE SKINNER | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT Her patients are becoming more interested in more natural alternatives to common commercial dental
Today’s ingredient-conscious consumers are looking closely at what’s in – or not in – their favorite commercial mouthwashes and toothpastes. And in some cases, they’re making their own.
brands, which interestingly, all started out that way.
“People are wanting to put fewer chemicals into their bodies and stick to less manufactured ingredients,” said Dr. Rheanna Burnham, D.M.D., from 7 Day Dental Smiles in Post Falls.
in the basement of a Viennese museum listed rock
Ancient Egyptians were believed to have practiced dental care, and an early oral care recipe uncovered salt, mint, dried iris flower and pepper all crushed and
mixed
together.
This
abrasive-sounding
mixture formed a paste when combined in the mouth with saliva. Today there are so many standard and all-natural brands of dental products that they can take up an entire grocery aisle. Beyond this, DIY fans and healthy living advocates who want to mix their own routinely swap tips and recipes on Pinterest and online forums. With so many choices and so many ingredients, what makes one product better for you than others?
The Answer Is Actually A Little Complicated Since there are no strict guidelines or regulations to use the term “all-natural” on product packaging, it can sometimes be confusing. “Just because a product is sold in a natural foods department or natural store does not necessarily mean that all of the ingredients will be ‘all natural,’” Burnham said. “Read the ingredients carefully.”
If toothpaste and mouthwash is truly allnatural, they should be free of ingredients like artificial sweeteners, artificial dyes and synthetic or man-made preservatives.
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Here are other key differences Feel.
Burnham said many natural toothpastes may look, feel or taste different than conventional brands. For instance, if you love the way your toothpaste foams up when you brush, you’ll not see this reaction in all-natural brands.
Saccharin.
One common chemical in many commercial toothpaste brands that some like to avoid is saccharin, an artificial sweetener. It’s about 300–400 times as sweet as table sugar, but has a bitter, metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. Besides toothpastes, it’s used in drinks, candies, cookies and medicines. Spokane resident Mary Molan doesn’t want saccharin anywhere close to her toothpaste.
“I don’t like saccharin and dyes in my food, so I didn’t want these products in my toothpaste considering you use it two to three times a day,” she said. Instead, natural toothpastes may use xylitol or stevia. Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol and can inhibit the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities. Stevia is another natural sweetener derived from an herb.
Dyes/colors.
Artificial dyes
can give toothpaste or mouthwash brands a signature color, often blue or green. In conventional brands, these artificial dyes are petroleum-based.
In addition to potential health concerns, some believe that dyes may contribute to tooth stains after repeated use. Natural toothpaste formulas try to avoid the use of any artificial colorings and instead use natural sources or no coloring at all.
Fluoride.
One misconception about all-natural toothpastes is that they all must lack fluoride, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Some natural formulas do include this mineral, which naturally is found in water, soil, air and food. While controversial, fluoride is the only ingredient recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA) as a cavity fighter. If decay has already started to occur, fluoride can remineralize your teeth, reversing the decay.
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Cows make more than you think. Washington’s dairy cows are the proud producers of nature’s best fertilizer, which helps to grow crops and vineyards, restore soil and even generate electricity for farms and homes. To learn more about our state’s dairy cows and the families who st raise them, visit akeyingredient.com. rai
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She researched and tested several brands before finding one by essential oil distributor doTERRA.
Toothpaste Some are concerned about the possible effect of fluoride on their health. The American Dental Association has noted that there is presently no connection between the fluoride found in toothpaste and brain development. If you are concerned, or have sensitivities or allergies to fluoride, there are fluoride-free formulas. Sharon Rohrenbach of Rathdrum, Idaho, prefers all-natural oral care products and looks for fluoride-free formulas. “Two of my three kids have an allergy to fluoride that causes huge ulcers to develop all over their mouth when they are exposed to it,” she said.
Fluoride can also be listed as sodium fluoride, although some brands have switched to stannous fluoride. Some dental professionals have discovered an increase in reports of tooth stains from patients that use this type of fluoride; it could be thwarting the claims of some brands of toothpaste or mouthwash which promote whitening effects.
“Some oral health conditions such as periodontal disease can possibly worsen without proper maintenance and care from a dental professional,” Dr. Burnham said. “Some medications and health conditions can be affected or interact poorly with certain herbal remedies.”
PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Grant Wyatt watches his mom Susan Glasgow make toothpaste.
Swapping out your oral health care products from conventional to all-natural is easy. You can shop online, visit the natural section of your favorite store, seek out a health food store or even try making your own homemade toothpaste. If you have any oral health conditions or use prescription oral health care products, it’s always important to consult with your dental professional before making a switch.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: As a freelance writer, content director and busy mom, Nicole Skinner’s days are full from dawn until dusk. She enjoys blogging about saving money, pursing a debt-free lifestyle, eating natural and organic, and loving life on her personal blog saveliveeatlove.com.
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Winter Allergies
‘Tis The Season For
Sniffling Sneezing Sinus Problems
PHOTOS BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Spokane resident Malin Orcutt suffers from winter allergies, such as dust, mold, and wood smoke.
Could ‘Common Colds’ Actually Be Winter Allergies? BY MARIESA STOKES | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT
I
n the Inland Northwest, our colder temperatures, snow reports and the welcome arrival of fresh powder as winter approaches can bring a sense of childlike delight to many of us.
out their sinuses. We see a lot of people in colder months with symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny noses, sneezing, itchy eyes, plugged ears, sinus pressure and postnasal drainage.”
The holidays draw shoppers downtown in search of perfect gifts and lure families to Riverfront Park for ice skating. Winter sports enthusiasts flock to our mountain ski resorts. And there’s little better than spending cozy nights by the fire or snuggling up with a dog or two to stave off the chill.
Malin Orcutt, who suffers from various allergies year round, said wintertime is particularly hard.
But imagine if you couldn’t enjoy much a typical winter – because you’re suffering from allergies.
Orcutt is allergic to molds, cat and dog dander, dust, dust mites, most trees, smoke and more.
Though it may seem hard to believe, the Inland Northwest is not necessarily a winter wonderland for everyone. Those magical months of sparkling snow, icicles and early nightfall can be a nightmare for those with seasonal allergies.
“I think the only things I’m not allergic to are horses, mouse poop and pine trees,” he laughed.
“The air in the winter is dry and cold,” said Dr. Steven Kernerman, an allergist at Spokane Allergy and Asthma. “For many people, that dryness translates to drawing
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“I end up with so many sinus infections and severe headaches that I use more sick days than I normally would. It’s hard for people to understand how crummy it is to feel bad all the time.”
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He’s even allergic to Christmas – at least Christmas trees. (He has an artificial one.) “The dust and dirt that comes into the house on live Christmas trees really bothers me,” said Orcutt. “Last year I bought a teeny tiny one for my wife, and every night I was congested and every
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Kernerman. “Even pet allergies can get worse because the animals are spending more time in the house, and their coats are much thicker in the colder months.”
How do you know if your symptoms are an allergy or a normal winter cold? Kernerman says the keys are persistence and severity.
There are several ways to find some relief if you’re suffering in the winter season. First, try to get away from the trigger. Kernerman also suggests trying a Neti Pot, but he admits those aren’t for everyone.
“Most colds will be gone in a few days,” he said, “If the symptoms hang on for a couple of weeks and include a low-grade fever, check with your primary care doctor to make sure it’s not something bacterial. If symptoms are severe and last longer than two weeks, you should probably have an allergy evaluation.”
“For some people, a Neti Pot may feel like you’re pouring water into your head, and sometimes that makes users nervous about drowning or aspirating water. I tend to recommend devices where you lean forward and pump or spray into the nose and the rinse runs out the other nostril. There’s more acceptance of that – patients have a little more control.” Kernerman says whichever method you choose, always follow label instructions, and ask your doctor or pharmacist any specific questions.
morning I was plugged up. We had to get rid of it after a few days.” Jean Judah says she started suffering from winter allergies in the 1970s. “I knew at the outset that a real Christmas tree was out of the question, so it’s been artificial since,” she said.
Another relief method is a humidifier. If you’re concerned about getting too much moisture in the air, Kernerman says if there’s condensation on the window when the humidifier is running, the air is too wet. Those who just can’t find relief and can’t get away from triggers may end up on daily medication.
Judah said she’s happy she went for allergy testing years ago. “Allergies have been a problem for half my life,” Judah said. “I gave myself shots for 15 years. Now I just take medication all year long and I’ve been symptom-free in the winter for years. I don’t suffer with allergies now nearly as much as I did way back then.” Today, there’s a less scary alternative to the shots that were around when she needed them. A new treatment option is sublingual immunotherapy – or allergy drops. A drop is placed under the tongue daily for three years. The estimated yearly cost after insurance is about $600 to $700, which is comparable to the out-of-pocket cost of allergy shots.
Dr. Kernerman said even the smell of Christmas trees can be bothersome for a lot of people. “Just about everyone associates the aromatic smell of a fresh-cut tree with the holidays, but it can be a big respiratory irritant,” he said. “Bringing a live tree into the house, or using fresh wreaths or even scented potpourri can make some people downright sick.”
Dr. Steven Kernerman of Spokane Allergy and Asthma says that along with environmental allergy triggers, people should also be careful what they’re eating this time of year. “Food allergies are always a struggle in winter,” he explained. “People have to be extra vigilant. With parties and potlucks and people dropping by – ingredients in dishes aren’t always what they seem. Cookies and brownies can contain nuts, some people put peanut butter in chili or meat rubs, or you might find pine nuts in something like a green bean casserole. ” If you do eat something and start to get itchy in your lips, mouth or throat, or feel nauseous, break out in hives, or begin to have trouble breathing, ask what ingredients are in that particular dish. If you aren’t sure about something, just don’t eat it.
Add a wood-burning fireplace to that traditional holiday ensemble and it’s a double whammy. “Depending on the design of the fireplace, smoke can get into the home and become very irritating,” said Kernerman. “Fine particulates of smoke, in an already dry indoor environment, will make matters worse, especially for people who already have asthma.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nasal allergies can frequently be worse in the winter. “Everything is closed up and there’s a higher concentration of allergens in the air,” said Dr.
PHOTOS BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Burning wood and pets inside more than usual in the winter can also aggravate environmental allergies.
Living the dream and loving the view, Mariesa Stokes is a Spokane transplant, health and wellness writer and obsessive beagle mom. Explore more of her work at mariesastokes.com.
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
TO GO Containers
F
End Of The Doggie Bag?
ans of AMC’s “Mad Men” won’t easily forget a shocking moment from the second season. It wasn’t yet another extramarital affair, nor more vintage drunken office shenanigans. It was the unapologetic littering during an otherwise bucolic family picnic.
taught society never to be litterbugs, so most of us can no longer imagine such blatant disregard for our planet and its inhabitants.
When the Draper family outdoor meal ended with Betty casually shaking “disposable” food containers and trash onto the grass while Don tossed his beer can aside, those of us raised in a post-‘Give-a-Hoot-Don’t-Pollute’ era were fascinated yet repulsed.
The concept of disposable containers for our outings and easy dinners at home is not a new one. The first patent for a paper plate was awarded over 100 years ago, and the first expanded polystyrene foam products were introduced by Dow Chemical before World War II.
“Did people really behave this way back then?” fans in online forums around the world asked incredulously. Environmental campaigns in the 1970s with chipper owls and crying American Indians
When we take food for a family picnic, not only do we (hopefully) dispose of the trash responsibly, many lean toward recycling.
Until the early 1980s many restaurants preferred foil and paper “doggy bags” for leftovers. But when the cheap, insulating and leak-proof Styrofoam clamshell container grew in popularity, it soon became the king of take-out – even replacing plastic lunchroom trays in public schools. In 2015, options for to-go containers are finally to the point where businesses and consumers now include everything from foam clamshells to compostable sugar cane paper boxes and plastic tubs. In July 2014, the National Research Council upheld the National Toxicology Program’s 2011 designation of styrene as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” so the list of cities implementing bans on its use rapidly accelerated.
To-Go Critics Concerned About Health, Waste BY ANGIE DIERDORFF | LIVEWELL CORRESPONDENT Two years ago, New York City’s thenMayor Michael Bloomberg proposed banning take-out containers along with extra-large drink cups. About 100 other municipalities nationwide followed suit, hoping to reduce waste at cafeterias, restaurants and food carts, and also citing the slow rate that foam biodegrades. New York’s ban was thrown out in early October, however, with the state court saying that it was too arbitrary, and suggested that the city should first consider proposals by the American Chemical Council and the Restaurant Alliance to improve foam recycling methods, especially if these groups helped pay. City officials planned to appeal the ruling. Spokane might not be too far behind on the green bandwagon to reduce the amount of styrene in our waste stream. Seattle and Portland banned styrene foam for food in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Our awareness of how we treat singleuse packaging has grown since the 1960s, especially in the past decade. With more young people growing up learning the “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” mantra, our tendency to mindlessly add to the trash bin is waning. With this in mind, what options do businesses have for take-out containers besides ones that
PHOTOS BY SHALLAN KNOWLES Rocket Market in Spokane carries environmentally sound to-go containers, right, that are compostable and recyclable. The containers at the left show that establishments have several options.
contribute to waste streams and potentially release harmful chemicals in our hot food and beverages? Current Washington State Retail Food code does not allow customers to bring their own containers for anything except “nonhazardous foods” like beverages. So you can bring an insulated coffee cup to the drivethrough, but you can’t offer up your own Tupperware for your breakfast burrito. Winter Ridge Natural Foods in Sandpoint, Idaho, recently began an innovative exchange program using Eco-Takeouts that eliminates the one-use-and-toss method. Customers pay a refundable deposit of $5 for a dishwashersafe and microwavable polypropylene soup or clamshell container. They can fill it up and bring it back on their next visit and exchange it for a sanitized container. Many local establishments seem to prefer to use foam containers purely for price. The up to 50 percent increase from foam to compostable plant fiber containers would impact many bottom lines. At around 7 cents a pop, foam clamshells are cheap, lightweight, and leak-proof.
Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
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Questions about Medicare? Free, non-biased SHIBA volunteers are here to help! Medicare Open Enrollment PHOTO BY SHALLAN KNOWLES More companies are looking into options to Styrafoam, which still has an appealingly low price point.
Pam Gassaway, owner of Coffee Cup Café in downtown Spokane, said she would be open to moving to an alternative to foam take-out containers she uses for salads, soups and sandwiches – especially if it made monetary sense. “I try to keep prices as low as possible while still using really high-quality ingredients, so changing to a compostable product could mean a slight increase,” said Gassaway. Other delis in Spokane, such as Main Market Co-op and the South Hill’s Rocket Market have used compostable or recyclable to-go products since they opened. Their customer base tends to swing progressive and embraces the idea of reducing impact whenever possible.
Alan and Shanda Shepherd, operate Rocket Market on 43rd Avenue. They not only provide recyclable containers for to-go orders, they also recycle as much as possible. “We work hard to run a sustainable operation by choosing products that can be used again or composted,” said Alan Shepherd. “Even our excess produce goes to feed local livestock.” Customer demand has a serious effect. If your favorite restaurant uses styrene containers and you would like this changed, suggest other options. As demand grows for alternatives to foam, prices will begin dropping.
If you want to change your Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan this year, you must do it from October 15 – December 7. •Reviewing your plan options can save you money •For FREE, NON-BIASED, advice bring your list of medications, with dosages, and your Medicare card to:
Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington 1222 N Post St., Spokane, WA 99201
Any Tuesday Oct. 13 thru Dec. 1, 2015 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers will also be available at other locations in Spokane and Whitman Counties. For more information call: 509-458-2509 Or visit our website at www.altcew.org
Looking to reduce food waste and keep to-go containers to a minimum?
SHIBA is a free service of the
Try these strategies:
Reduce:
Your access point to in-home care and community based services to support healthy living and aging in place
Order smaller portions when dining – no leftovers, no container! Split a meal with your dining partners – less waste, fewer calories. Eat in rather than going out.
Reuse:
Bring your re-usable beverage containers. Gently wash plastic tubs with lukewarm water and mild detergent, and use them again - great for chopped fresh herbs and salads. Small plastic containers with lids are great for salad dressing.
Recycle:
Check with your local municipal recycling service for accepted paper and plastic. Composting is recycling - many plant fiber and corn plastic containers are compostable. Smaller pieces break down faster, so rip and tear before adding to your compost pile and watering well.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Angie Dierdorff is a Spokane writer and environmental justice advocate living and gardening with a chaotic bunch of boys and animals.
1222 N. Post St Spokane WA 99201
(509) 458-2509
www.altcew.org
Whitman County- Rural Resources Community Action (509) 332-0365 Stevens, Pend Oreille, Northern Ferry counties Rural Resources Community Action (877) 219-5542 We listen ... to our community • We adapt ... to our changing world . We provide solutions...to improve quality of life
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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review an S−R Media Company • spokesman.com/health • Sunday, November 1, 2015
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