The Village Journal

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Vol. 13 No. 1

The Ultimate Community Lifestyle Magazine

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2017 | Vol. 13 No. 1

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Footstone Photography

What's Inside

32 FITNESS FOR A LIFETIME

24 43

CO V ER S TO RIES

Carving out a Living at the Farmers Market

Embracing a Plant Based Diet

38 52

The Healing Power of K-9 Therapy

Golfing for Good Health

TheVillageJournal.com | 55


CON TE NTS

38 Footstone Photography

66

52

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 #VJConnect 14 Haile Village Center Directory 18 Haile Market Square Directory 28 Real Estate Market Watch 29 Community Map 72 Calendar of Events 75 Snapshots 79 Register of Advertisers 80 From the Kitchen of Dean Cacciatore

38 Dogs and Your Health: How K-9 Therapy is Helping People Live Better Lives

taste 43 Embracing a Plant Based Diet 47 Top 10 Vegan Friendly Restaurants

wellness local 20 Spotlight on Neighbors: Meet the Macons

24 Carving Out A Living at the Farmers Market

life 32 Fitness for a Lifetime: 3 Generations of Inspiring Women

6 | CONTENTS

52 Learn from a Pro: Golfing for Good Health

58 Women & Heart Health 62 From Your Couch to a 5K in No Time Flat

explore 66 A Romantic Getaway: Henderson Park Inn, Destin



E DITOR’ S NO TE This February’s edition of The Village Journal is a thoughtful compilation of stories and images that strike a balance between good life and good health. After all, our community offers year-round access to an active lifestyle, great food, perpetual adventure and so many colorful characters. Active living is just what we do in Gainesville.

Channing Williams editor@thevillagejournal.com

There were so many ideas from which to choose to feature on this topic but ultimately we chose to feature the precepts of health we found to be most relevant to you, right here right now: choosing an active life at every age, welcoming the soothing touch of a four-legged friend, eating for personal health and global sustainability, swinging clubs for fun, fitness and friends, working and shopping in an open-air marketplace, embarking on a romantic retreat, learning more about women and heart health and finally, getting off the couch and onto the trail. We hope you find 2017 to be a thriving year! And whatever your idea of health and wellness might be, embrace it, live it and be the very best version of yourself.

Warmly,

8 | EDITORS NOTE

On location in Westside Park photographing the women featured in "Fitness for a Lifetime," Billie Bob Howell Sykes, Patricia Massimillo and Meagan Massimillo.



@thevillagejournal

#VJCONNECT

@villagejournal

INSIDE SCOOP Hear from the people featured in this issue.

@villagejournal

@VillageJournal

Favorite Rainy Day Activities According to VJ Staffers

hailesangelsrescue First of the year. First official photo shoot of Mini's girls. Three weeks old and enjoying a few rays of sunshine. #goldengirls #chihuahua #savethechi #hailesangels #adoptdontshop #gainesville

Baking with the kids Movie marathon Spa day Play outside!

Vegan2Go Gainesville One of the favorite soups here Vegan2Go is the wonton noodle soup :-) It also happens to be my wife's favorite soup :-)

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Team Village Journal hard at work! Get an inside look at how this issue’s cover was made at thevillagejournal.com.

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thevillagejournal.com Head to the web for more stories, resources and updates, or drop us a line to share your thoughts.

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Henderson Park Inn Happy weekend everyone! We wish you were here!



CON TR I BU TO RS Trevor Leavitt

Trevor Leavitt is the Sports Performance Program Manager at UF Health Sports Performance Center. Trevor earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He has a keen knowledge of cycling biomechanics and bike fit. He is a Certified BikeFit Fitter, and a USA Cycling Coach. Trevor has also worked under Dr. Max Testa, who is the Chief Medical Officer for the BMC Professional Cycling Team. He has worked with all populations, from beginning cyclists to elite pros. When not riding his bike he can be found spending time with his family. Read Trevor's 'Couch to 5K' advice on page 62.

Dr. Anne Mathews, PhD, RDN

Dr. Mathews’ is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on nutritional, behavioral, and environmental strategies to enhance the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors and to accurately and objectively assess the physiological outcomes of these behaviors. Her previous and current work targets populations that may most benefit from improvements in lifestyle, such as adults with a history of cancer and type 2 diabetes and older adolescents and young adults as they transition to adulthood. Dr. Matthews recommendations for those who adopt a plant based diet are on page 43.

PUBLISHER:

Ryan Frankel EDITOR:

Channing Williams DESIGN:

Jean Piot, Senior Graphic Designer Alexandra Villella, Graphic Designer Rene van Rensburg, Graphic Designer Nita Chester, Production Manager ADVERTISING:

Shannon Claunch, Account Executive SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS:

Dean Cacciatore Colleen DeGroff Erin Park, Intern

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Nancy Dohn Richard Jones T. Lavon Lawrence Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch PHOTOGRAPHY:

Paul Privette Kara Winslow DIGITAL MEDIA:

Mehgan McLendon, Webmaster Jillian Kirby, Social Media Strategist ACCOUNTING:

Diana Schwartz-Levine, Bookkeeper For advertising or licensing information call (352) 331-5560 or visit TheVillageJournal.com

John Reger John Reger is a 34-year member of the PGA of America. Based in Gainesville, John has coached thousands of golfers from beginner level to touring professionals, as well as with corporate partners including the PGA of America, NFL Alumni and the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. He was twice elected as President of the North Florida PGA and served for 25 years as a starter and announcer for the PGA TOUR Champions. John served as a working member of the golf media, with published articles in Golfweek, Golf Digest, Golf Magazine and PGA.com. Additionally, John served as a producer, host and reporter on Fox and ESPN affiliates across the U.S. covering PGA TOUR and major golf championships. Check out John's take on how playing golf can make life better on page 52.

12 | CONTRIBUTORS

105 SW 128th Street Suite 200 Newberry, FL 32669 TheVillageJournal.com The Village Journal is published quarterly in Gainesville, Florida. Copyright 2017, all rights reserved by Frankel Media Group. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. Frankel Media Group is an independent entity, and neither it, its agents, employees, nor its publication The Village Journal, have any associations with The Haile Village Center, Haile Plantation, its developers, employees or tenants. Printed in the USA. ©2016 Frankel Media Group.



SW 52nd Road

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PRESENTED BY

HAILE VI L L AG E C ENTER DIRE CTORY

ARCHITECTURE Jennifer Langford, AIA, CNU, PA . . . . . 371-7187 The Sustainable Design Group . . . . . . 327-3899

COMMUNITY Haile Equestrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665-7433

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EDUCATION Abacus Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 376-1492 La Escuela Spanish Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514-4409

EVENT SERVICES

Haile Farmers Market . . . . . . . . . . . 904-524-9705

Cacciatore Catering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-0701

The Creek-River Cross Church . . . . . . . 378-9793

Plantation Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371-1600

DANCE Cameron Dancenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-7785

FINANCIAL American Optimal Advisors . . . . . . . . . . 505-5632 Holloway Wealth Management . . . . . . 337-8177

DINING

Markey Wealth Management . . . . . . . . 338-1560

Haile Village Bistro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378-0721

New York Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379-8171

Limerock Road

SunTrust Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375-6868

Neighborhood Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240-6228 Patticakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376-1332 Queens Arms Pub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378-0721 Volcanic Sushi & Sake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-6226 14 | DIRECTORY

Tillman Hartley, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-9015


FURNISHINGS & GIFTS The Perfect Gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375-8000

HEALTH & BEAUTY Cj's Plantation Salon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-0400 Haile Barber Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374-2005 Haile Village Spa & Salon . . . . . . . . . . . 335-5025 Hang Ten Nail Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-5545 Salon PhD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338-1011 Sarah’s Hair Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226-6909

JEWELRY Sander’s Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-6100

LEGAL Law Offices of Allan H. Kaye, P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375-0816 Law Offices of Steven Kalishman . . . . 376-8600 Mark J. Fraser, Attorney at Law . . . . . . 367-0444 Mowitz Law & Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533-5035 Niesen, Price, Worthy, Campo, Frasier & Blakey, P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373-9031 Warner, Sechrest & Butts, P.A. . . . . . . . 373-5922 White & Crouch, P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372-1011

MEDICAL Alix L. Baxter, M.D., P.A. Psychiatry and Psychotherapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373-2525 Benet Clinical Assessment . . . . . . . . . . 375-2545 CFK Cardiac Tech, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332-3760 Fetal Flix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358-1168 Galvan Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327-3561 Haile Endodontics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374-2999 Haile Medical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367-9602 Haile Plantation Family Dental . . . . . . . 375-6116 Haile Plantation Family Medicine (UF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265-0944 Infectious Disease Consultants . . . . . . 375-0008 Kids Only Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-7777 Lori Libert Physical Therapy . . . . . . . . . 222-1583

TheVillageJournal.com | 15 15


H AIL E V I LLAGE C E NT E R D I R E C T OR Y

PLATFORM

Linda Goodwin, PhD, LMHC, Counselor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .373-0030 Options Medical, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317-6379 Sappington Orthodontics . . . . . . . . . . . . 376-7846 Speech & Language Center at Haile Plantation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284-3323 The Haile Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337-0551 William E. Beaty PhD, Psychologist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-5520

PET CARE Haile’s Angels Pet Rescue . . . . . . . . . . 262-4232 Haile Plantation Animal Clinic . . . . . . . . 377-6003 Shampoodles by Jan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336-7236 Sweet Paws Bakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264-8995

REAL ESTATE Bosshardt Realty Services . . . . . . . . . . . 371-6100 Coldwell Banker, M.M. Parrish Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-4999 Haile Plantation Sales & Information Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335-4999 Management Specialists Services . . . . 335-7848 Premier Management Associates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379-4641 Henderson Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339-3478 Rabell Realty Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559-8820

Pure Barre Platform is a new fast-paced class designed to optimize cardiovascular results and increase total body strength. It is the perfect cardio complement to your Pure Barre class to help you achieve even greater results, while still holding onto the traditional pieces and parts of a Pure Barre class that we all know and love.

Thomas Group Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226-8228

TITLE & INSURANCE AmeriLife Insurance Marketing . . . . . . . . . 371-8213 Brightway Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519-1900 New York Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379-8171 Homestead Insurance, Agent Ann Toms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-6565

TECHNOLOGY Advanced Turbine Support, LLC . . . . . . 302-2364 E-Tech Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-785-5993 Neptuno Data Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514-4215

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Pure Barre Gainesville | 4201 NW 16th Blvd. | Gainesville, FL 32605 purebarre.com/fl-gainesville | gainesville@purebarre.com | 352-672-6414


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HAI L E MA R KE T SQ UARE DI RE CT O R Y

BEAUTY Great Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-1005 Venus Nail Spa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-3878 Salon 119. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-3819

DINING

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INSURANCE Bo Greene Insurance Agency. . . . . . . . 333-1123

MEDICAL Archer Dental. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 1 - 4 7 3 1 Haile Market Therapy &

Bamboos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-1522

Behavioral Medicine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-0020

I Love NY Pizza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-6185

Kinetix Physical Therapy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-6665

Loosey’s Bar & Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-6620

UF Health PRC at Haile . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265-0944

Subway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332-1707 Sweet Cup Frozen Yogurt. . . . . . . . . . . 240-6828

DRY CLEANING On the Spot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332-9494

FINANCIAL Florida Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 7 - 4 1 4 1 Wells Fargo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-8239

FITNESS Sweat Life Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-4926

GROCERY Publix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 1 - 1 0 3 7

18 | DIRECTORY

PHARMACY Publix Pharmacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-1086

SHOPPING Haile Jewelry & Loans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-1905 Haile Kitchen & Bath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 745-3456

SPIRITS The Spirit Shoppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-7274

REAL ESTATE Tommy Williams Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . 331-8180 Viking Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-9333



S PO T L I GH T ON N EI GH B O R S

ROD & SUSIE MACON Epitomizing Active Retirement By Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch | Footstone Photography

20 | LOCAL


LOCAL

TheVillageJournal.com | 21


W

hen Rod and Susie Macon discovered Haile Plantation Village they were intrigued by the architecture, quaint shops and easy access to golf and tennis. But once they moved to Haile in 2012 they soon realized that the best part about their community was the people. The Macons are long time Gator fans — Rod went to UF on a baseball scholarship — traveling from their homes to visit the Swamp from Miami, Sarasota and most recently Jupiter, over the past 20 years. The couple’s three sons followed in Rod’s footsteps and all graduated from UF too. When the time for retirement grew near, Gainesville and more specifically, Haile Plantation became the couple’s perfect fit for their next stage in life. Both Susie and Rod had long careers at Florida Power & Light Company. They met at a work retirement function after hours in 1986. “I was working the front desk while everyone else was mingling,” says Susie. “I barely knew Rod at the time but he came up to me and the other woman at the front desk and asked if he could bring us something to drink.” That gesture was the start of something special and the couple has been inseparable ever since, bound by a deep appreciation of family and friends and enjoying all the pleasures life has to offer.

"EVEN BEFORE OUR HOUSE WAS FINISHED BEING BUILT WE HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS. THERE ARE SO MANY GENUINELY KIND PEOPLE HERE AND WE LIKE THAT SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY."

Susie is an avid tennis player and a member of Haile’s Angels. She and Rod play doubles once a week and Rod plays golf with his friends as often as he can. Susie golfs as well and actually made a hole-in-one on the 13th hole near their house shortly after they moved to Haile in 2012.

men’s basketball team and takes full advantage of the Haile running trails and fitness center.

Fully immersed in the Haile Plantation lifestyle, and happy to give back to their community, Rod is on the board of directors of the men’s golf association at the Haile Plantation Country Club. He is also a member of the Gainesville Quarterback Club and the treasurer of the Haile Village Center Board of Directors. Susie is Secretary of the Gator Tip-Off Club for the UF

Susie prides herself on cooking delicious and healthy meals and says her sons and grandkids all request, of all things, her roasted vegetables when they come to visit. “We get all our fish at Northwest Seafood on Saturdays at the Haile Farmers Market but I really am a fan of Trader Joes for their produce,” she says. Rod applauds his wife’s

22 | LOCAL

Rod Macon


efforts in the kitchen and says that before he ate Susie’s food he didn’t know how delicious eating healthy could be. Their biggest indulgence: ice-cream, reserved for special occasions. She prefers chocolate…he, vanilla. Rod is a classic car enthusiast and has a 1965 AC Cobra replica in the garage. He also recently bought a Maserati, that Susie laughingly complains is too loud. The couple enjoys attending and participating in car shows. Avid travelers, they have three cruises planned in the upcoming months, plus their annual family trip to the beach on Palm Coast in June with their three sons, their wives’ and all six grandchildren. They look forward to their week at the beach throughout the year but Rod says their favorite time of year is Christmas because they make it a point to spend quality time with their children and grandchildren during the holidays. Gainesville is centrally located, making travelling accessible between their sons’ families who reside in Palm City, Jupiter and Atlanta. The Macons decided to add a dog to the fold in 2015 and named him Oliver. Although they were really enjoying having fewer responsibilities they made an exception after discovering the LhasoPoo breed. While visiting neighbors Lilliam and Sal Pancorbo, the Macon’s both fell in love with their Lhasa-Poo and decided to go to the same breeder in Morriston to buy Oliver. Susie says, “Now Miko and Oliver have scheduled play-dates and the dogs have actually brought us closer together with our neighbors.” “Even before our house was finished being built we had the chance to meet some of our neighbors. There are so many genuinely kind people here and we like that Southern hospitality,” says Rod. The couple says that South Florida was much more of a rat race and that Haile Plantation is the perfect place for an active retirement. Susie says, “We walk through the Village and know all the owners of the businesses. People say ‘hello’ and we make friends wherever we go. Drivers wave at you and let you into traffic instead of honking their horn at you. It’s just a very special community.” TheVillageJournal.com | 23


Carving Out a Living + at the ? Farmers Market By Richard Jones | Footstone Photography

24 | LOCAL


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o many people dream of owning their own business. A brave few with a bold idea actually do strike out on their own, but few remain in business past their first anniversary. Entrepreneurism has its risks but for those with and itch to start their own business the ultimate reward is realized when the change in mindset happens. Going from being someone’s employee to becoming your own boss is worth it in the end.

The Haile Farmers Market has been providing a venue for entrepreneurs to sell their wares and meet and interact with customers since 1999. Patrons of the market can find locally sourced fruits and vegetables, meats, cheese, eggs bread, soap, as well as other hand crafted, one-of-a-kind treasures. The Haile Farmers Market welcomes buyers and vendors every Saturday from 8:30 to noon, rain or shine. Buyers at the market get access to fresh, local food and enjoy interacting with the farmers who oftentimes plant and harvest the food themselves. By cutting out the middleman, organic food grown with sustainable practices can be profitable for vendors and affordable for consumers. Vendor Cody Galligan of Siembra Farms says, “Farmers markets keep local small farmers in business. Without them, we couldn’t compete with large grocery chains.” Galligan says it is rewarding to able to make a living without having to deal with corporate bureaucracy and to be able to deal directly with his customers. Galligan, along with many others, have found owning their own business and leveraging the Haile Village Farmers’ Marketing to be both financially fruitful and intrinsically rewarding.

Kuma’s Playpen Ranch Ruth Macheski had a full and rewarding career as a nurse in the health care industry.

Throughout her career, Macheski learned that good nutrition is the foundation of health. This sparked a strong interest in growing organic food, which further lead to the purchase of a 40-acre farm near Williston, which she named Kuma’s Playpen Ranch. Macheski says she loves the farm because it allows her to experiment with organic vegetables and raise swine, cattle, horses, goats and chickens.

Before the Haile Farmers Market was founded, Macheski says she enjoyed working the farm in her spare time, but only sold her goods to a few friends and neighbors. “They were thankful for what they could get from me, but complained there were no markets for fresh, home grown food in the Southern Alachua County area. There was definitely an unfulfilled niche,” says Macheski. It wasn’t long before she and few other farmers approached Haile Village Center to establish the Haile Farmers Market. TheVillageJournal.com | 25


That was 18 years ago. Kuma’s Playpen Ranch is still earning new customers on a weekly basis, and over the years, the market improved the farm’s cash flow so much that Macheski decided to transition from being a fulltime professional health care provider to fulltime farmer.

operation, which includes planning the annual crop, preparing and tilling the land, seeding, irrigation, crop maintenance, harvesting, sales and marketing, accounting duties and ensuring government compliance. Galligan says he prefers working directly with consumers and explained the benefits. First, he gets a much better understanding of his customers’ desires. Secondly, by cutting out the middleman, Siembra Farm can be competitive with corporate grocery chains. And lastly, selling directly provides him the opportunity to market the organic foods concept by word of mouth without incurring additional costs.

Sara’s Seasonings

Siembra Farm Cody Galligan was raised in South Florida and made his living as a finish carpenter. After his children were born, he worried about the nutritional quality and safety of the massproduced food available. Finding organically grown local food was challenging, so Galligan decided to experiment with large gardens to supplement his family’s consumption. He later worked on a fully operational farm for a season and eventually bought his own land. Galligan has now transitioned completely to farming as his primary source of income. Siembra Farm is certified organic by the Florida Organic Growers and currently employs five workers. Galligan oversees the

26 | LOCAL

Shalini Rao was born and raised in India. She earned her degree in accounting before immigrating to the United States. Rao enjoyed her career in the accounting field, but found that balancing her responsibilities between family and work to be a challenge. With the full support of her husband, a professor at the University of Florida, and their two children, Rao decided to start her own business in 2006. Always an advocate for nutrition, she says, “I never liked cooking with manufactured seasonings or using food with artificial additives.” Years of experience working with only natural seasonings led her to leave her accounting job and establish Sara’s Seasonings. In 2009, Rao opened her booth at the Haile Farmers Market. Like many of the vendors at the market, Rao enjoys having direct access to her clientele. In the past, Rao says she


tried marketing her seasonings to cafeterias, restaurants and even the local school lunch programs. “But,” she says, “I found much more success when I could speak directly to the end consumer.” Rao interacts with her customers, establishing relationships with them and listening to their needs. These conversations recently lead her to offering cooking classes. All of Rao’s classes incorporate her organic spice mixes, allowing current and potential customers to fully experience her hand-crafted spices.

Fehrenbacher Artisan Sausage Adam and Tatania Fehrenbacher specialize in making gourmet sausages. Over the past 20 years Adam has worked and studied the culinary arts in the United States, London, Vienna, Paris and Munich. Tatania, whom he met while they were both were working on the island of St. Thomas, assists him with most other aspects of the business. Until recently, Adam was a fulltime Chef de Cuisine at Mildred’s Big City Foods and the New Deal Café. His sausage company sprang up from customers’ requests wanting to buy his unique links in flavors like ginger and sage breakfast sausage, Mexican chorizo and hot garlic in bulk to take home. Adam rose to the occasion, and at his boss’ prompting, opened a booth at the Farmers Market.

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Adam recently resigned as a chef and has set out on his own, vastly expanding his product line and establishing a presence at other area markets. The couple aspires to open a hand made gourmet sausage store in downtown Gainesville later this year.

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TheVillageJournal.com | 27


MARKET WATCH A selection of single-family and attached homes sold in Haile Plantation, Nov. 1, 2016 through Jan. 1, 2017. Provided by Coleen DeGroff of RE/MAX Professionals.

Plantation Villas | SW 97th Drive

Laural Park | SW 54th Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1994

Plantation Villas | SW 97th Way

Founders Hill | SW 84th Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1,486

Sold Price

1981 1,084 2/2 $99,300

3/2

$175,000 Sold Price

1984 1,400 2/2 $130,000

1993 1,358 3/2 $178,000

The Links | SW 52nd Avenue

Katelyn Lane | SW 98th Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1990

1,250

2/2

Sold Price

$130,000

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2008 1,890

Sold Price

3/2 $215,000

The Links | SW 52nd Avenue 22

Village Center | SW 91st Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1983 1,134

Sold Price

2/2 $134,000

1990

1,637

3/2

Sold Price

$220,000

Village Center | SW 91st Terrace B

Grahams Mill | SW 91st Terrace

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1989 1,021

Sold Price

2/2 $141,000

1998 2,111

Sold Price

3/2 $222,500

Haile Market Square | Oakington Place

Lexington Farms | SW 56th Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

Sold Price

1984 1,472 3/2 $205,000

1996 1,756 4/2 $230,000

Heritage Green | SW 86th Terrace

Chickasaw Way | 5128 SW 103rd Way

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2003 1,212

Sold Price

2/2 $112,500

Founders Hill | SW 85th Drive Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1997 968

1996 1,651

Sold Price

3/2 $232,000

Hickory Walk | SW 52nd Road Sold Price

2/2 $133,500

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1999 1,650 3/2 $234,000

Indigo Square | SW 94th St Street

Camden Court | 5020 SW 88 Terrace

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

Sold Price

1991 1,207 2/2 $143,000

1989 1,592 3/2 $235,000

Heritage Green | SW 86th Terrace

Carlton Court | SW 31st Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1992

Founders Hill | SW 85th Drive

Lexington Farms | SW 54th Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1996 1,196

Sold Price

2/2 $167,000

1,846

3/2

Sold Price

1991 1,320 3/2 $144,500

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

$248,000 Sold Price

1995 2,140 3/2 $268,000 CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

28 | LOCAL


Publix Market Square

SW 24th Ave

Chiles Elementary Storeys School Round Retreat Bedford Victoria Square Place Circle

Sable Pointe

Mills Glen

Matheson Woods

Benjamins Grove

Millington Hampstead Park

Albury Round

Matthews Grant Madison Square Colsons Corner Stratford Ridge Annadale Round William Kent Court Charleston Park

Whitaker Oaks

School The Thomas Evans Haile Preserve

Oakmont

4th

Amelia Gardens

Av e

India Station

Bennets Garden

Butterfly Garden

Spalding Place

Kestrel Point The Links Condominiums

Middleton Green Chickasaw way

Haile

Sutherland Crossing

Blvd

Indigo Square

Chestnut Hill

Planters Grove

Kanapaha * Middle School

Quail Heritage Court Green

Evans Hollow Grahams Mill

HAILE PLANTATION COMMUNITY MAP

Evans Hollow

Laurel Park

er

rch

Southgate

SW 91st ST

PRESENTED BY

haileplantationrealestate.com

Founders Hill

The Haile VIllage Center Camden Court Magnolia Walk

Lexington Farms

Coleen DeGroff, MBA, REALTOR, Broker Associate 352.359.2797

Haile Equestrian Center

Tower Rd

Hickory Walk

The Hamptons

Plantation Villas

Wiles * Kimball Elementary

vd

Westfield Commons

Cameron Park

Hail e Bl

Buellers Way

Fairhaven

Tower Rd

Ashleigh Circle Lenox Gardens

Prestonwood

Carlton Court

Branton Court

SW 91st ST

Katelyn Lane

SW 24th Ave

*

SW

A

Historic Haile Homestead

Shopping

Eloise *Gardens

Trails

Lugano

Parks Schools

*

Outside of Haile Plantation TheVillageJournal.com | 29

Rd


MARKET WATCH Hampstead Park | SW 97th Drive

Southgate | SW 89th Terrace

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2005

1,646

3/2

Sold Price

$275,000

Sold Price

1998 2,488 4/2 $359,000

Middleton Green | SW 49th Lane

Hampstead Park | SW 35th Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

2000 1,996

Sold Price

3/2 $280,000

Sold Price

1998 2,407 4/2 $365,000

Amelia Gardens | SW 102nd Drive

Hampstead Park | SW 94th Way

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

2001 2,454 3/2 $284,900

2001

Village Center | SW 49th Place

Southgate | SW 89th Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

2,540

2004 2,522 4/4 $287,000

1993

The Preserve | SW 44th Ln Lane

Oakmont | SW 43rd Lane

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

3,055

4/3

4/3

Sold Price

$378,500 Sold Price

$380,000 Sold Price

2001 2,202 3/3 $298,000

1995 2,862 4/3 $384,000

Lexington Farms | SW 55th Lane

Village Center | SW 91st Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1996 2,183 4/2 $300,000

1999

2,781

4/4

Sold Price

$399,900

Hickory Walk | SW 52nd Road

The Hamptons | SW 52nd Avenue

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

Sold Price

1999 2,134 3/2 $305,000

1998 2,582 3/2 $427,000

Retreat Place | SW 91st Terrace

Hampstead Park | SW 96th Street

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

2001 2,326 4/2 $315,000 Hampstead Park | SW 35th Lane

Spalding Place | SW 95th

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

Sold Price

1994 2,556 5/3 $431,000 Sold Price

1996 2,185 4/3 $316,000

1998 3,403 4/3 $480,000

Village Center | SW 49th Place

Mills Glen | SW 32nd Place

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1992

2,761

4/3

Sold Price

$319,900

Colson Corner | SW 91st Drive

2001 3,214

Sold Price

4/3 $498,000

Whitaker Oaks | SW 96th Drive

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

1996

$320,00

1993 3,162 4/3 $509,000

2,576

4/3

Rosemond Way | SW 97th Way

India Station | SW 46th Place

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Year Built Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath

Sold Price

1996 2,396 3/3 $344,000

30 | LOCAL

Sold Price

Sold Price

1995 3,699 4/3 $605,000



32 | LOCAL


s s e n t i F for a e m i t e f i L Billie Bob Howell Sykes, Patricia Massimillo and Meagan Massimillo span three generations of active, healthy living. By Linda Homewood | Footstone Photography

T

heir family story begins like a 1940s classic movie starring the family matriarch: Billie Bob Howell, a southern girl who loves the great outdoors, leaves her small hometown behind for a preparatory school in Philadelphia and college in Atlanta, unexpectedly becoming a society debutante. Not waiting around to find her prince, she returns home for flying lessons instead. Billie Bob Howell Sykes, her daughter Patricia (Pat) Howell Massimillo and grand-daughter,

Meagan Howell Massimillo, illustrate the power of families who support healthy lifestyles and aren’t afraid to push boundaries. “My parents had a love of adventure and travel,” says Billie Bob today. “As a young girl, I was always active and we spent a lot of time outdoors.” While some of us struggle to put New Year’s resolutions into practice for healthier lifestyles, this Gainesville family appears to have already unlocked the secret of health,

TheVillageJournal.com | 33


fitness and longevity over generations. Their secret formula for success is pretty simple: Follow your passion, keep active, enjoy family adventures and eat sensibly. In January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services listed its top-10 dietary guidelines. The report encourages developing healthy eating habits that fit your own lifestyle and includes a reminder that physical activity is one thing that everyone can do to improve their health. Turning 92 in March, Billie Bob is a gym regular who attends fitness classes several times a week, and then stays on during the day to greet and encourage other seniors to reach their fitness goals. A name tag identifies her as ‘Hostess’ at Gainesville Health & Fitness Center, where she rotates between its three facilities. Born in the tiny town of Bainbridge, Georgia, about 35 miles northwest of Tallahassee, Billy Bob’s parents owned the threestory Bond-Aire hotel, where the family lived on the top floor. It was the family’s cook, whom they called Granny, that suggested a name for

34 | LIFE

the couple’s new infant daughter. “Granny’s suggestion was to name me Billie, after my mother, Willie Mae, who was also called Billie by her mother,” explains Billy Bob. “She added Bob after my father Robert Sykes — or Mr. Bob as she called him.” Besides her family activities of camping, swimming and boating, Billie Bob loved playing tennis, which she continued through college and beyond. She attended a private girls’ college preparatory boarding school outside of Philadelphia, then went to Washington Seminary, a two-year women’s college in Atlanta (Westminster School today). At the seminary, she began her studies with an interest in physical education and soon became president of the athletic association, scheduling sports events such as basketball and golf. But, her interest also turned to early childhood studies, which later led her to a fulfilling career. Embraced by her schoolmates at the Atlanta college, Billie Bob was quite surprised when she received a formal invitation to join them as an official


Atlanta debutante. When her parents saw how much it meant to her, they agreed to support her. The prestige was not without cost, however, and she would have to choose between becoming a debutant or finishing her last year of college. “It was such an honor. I was the first girl ever from outside of Atlanta to be invited, and I just couldn’t turn it down,” Billie Bob explained. “And, I’ll never forget my mother’s advice: She told me to remember that I was from a small town that I represented and I had to always be myself no matter where I went in life.” When she later returned home to help with her family’s hotel, Billie Bob began flying lessons at her father’s prompting. He traveled around the state and thought it would be a good idea if his daughter could fly him rather than driving. She mastered 40-hours of training in a single-engine Ercoupe two-seater and received her pilot’s license in in 1946. She also met her husband, Lucien Sykes who received a purple heart serving in the army in World War II during the invasion of Normandy. He had begun staying at the family hotel while she was away for college and her parents liked him. Her mother, breaking dating protocol of the time, encouraged a reluctant Billie Bob to invite him out to a movie. They married eight months later and made Gainesville their new home when Lucien took a job with Florida Rock Industries. As their family grew, their daughter, Pat recalled how she and her siblings were active in sports throughout their school years. In high school, her older brother played baseball and she joined gymnastics and participated in a summer track and field camp sponsored by the University of Florida. Pat also discovered her love of jazz and ballet at

Gainesville’s June Green dance studio. With her children engaged in school and sports activities, Billy Bob pursued her love and interest in early childhood education, taking a teaching position at First Presbyterian Preschool. She continued working there for the next 25 years preparing 4-year-olds for kindergarten. After high school, Pat began her 40-year career in finance, working her way up from a savings and loan by attending Santa Fe College at night and completing banking certificate programs through the Institute of Financial Education. She worked for 17 years at Barnett Bank which later became Bank of America. Today she manages the TD Bank Tower Road branch as the assistant vice president. Pat passed along her family’s fitness tradition, encouraging her own son and daughter to discover their favorite sports activities. As a single mom, she taught her children that whatever you decide to do, you should give 100 percent. She also instilled upon them another important value of being selfsufficient. Meagan’s older brother pursued basketball, soccer and tennis. At her brother’s birthday party held at the YMCA when Meagan was only three years old, she climbed on the gymnastics bars and one of the trainers noticed her exceptional talent and agility. She began formal gymnastics training at age four, which became rigorous over the next 10 years with practices from 5 to 7 a.m. before school, and sometimes as late as 9 p.m. after school. Pat recalls the family’s constant support during those years. “We all took turns getting Meagan from school to practices, and I really relied on my mother and father’s help while I was at work.”

TheVillageJournal.com | 35


Pat said. “The family travelled everywhere with Meagan as she competed and trained for Junior Olympics.” Along with her gymnastics training, Meagan also took ballet classes to help with grace and performance. Like her mother, she discovered a passion for dance. By the time she turned 14, Meagan felt that gymnastics was taking too much of a toll on her and she was losing the joy that it once held for her. Resilience was another key passed down through the generations. It led Billy Bob to becoming active at the gym after Lucien passed away in 2000. For Meagan, it was deciding it was time to move on from gymnastics. Her decision presented a challenge for not only her, but also for her family who had long supported and championed her years of work and dedication to gymnastics. With her family behind her, she was ready to shift her focus more to ballet and contemporary dance at Cameron Dance Center in Haile Village Center. As she became more active in dance classes and performances, Meagan realized that she was coming into dance much later than other girls who had been training from age four. The physical and mental challenges in training and learning complicated routines, though, were very similar to the training she had in gymnastics. Since middle school she has performed in “Cinderella” and even danced the part of Dorothy in the studio’s production of “The Wiz” in 2009. Every year, she also joins the company to dance in “Thriller” at the Haile Village Oktoberfest celebration. By the end of high school, Meagan decided it was time to explore dance at a professional

36 | LIFE

level and traveled to New York City for workshops and dance clinics at the Joffrey Ballet School and Parsons Dance Company for modern dance. Pat accompanied her on the trips early on as she learned to navigate the city, and even went to some auditions for parts as a movie extra. Meagan, now 27, kept her mother’s advice of giving 100 percent and becoming selfsufficient close to heart. She graduated from the Cardiovascular Technology


Program at Santa Fe College and works in cardiovascular ultrasound for UF Health Shands Hospital. She sees her career path in health care and she is content to keep her joy of dancing for recreation and fitness. She still goes to the gym three days a week for light cardio work out and sauna, and goes to a barre and dance studio three days a week. It’s Meagan’s turn now to support her mom’s interest in running. The two completed the

Gator Gallup last fall during UF’s homecoming celebration, and Pat placed 12th in last year’s St. Augustine Bridge of Lions 5K race, where she had her family cheering her on. Over the generations, the family also has enjoyed recreational watersports in St. Augustine, where Pat grew up surfing and her children learned to water ski with their grandparents on the Intracoastal Waterway. And according to Billie Bob, slalom is the only way to ski.

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Mindy Miller / UF Health Rackley, a pet therapy dog, visits patients at UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital

Dogs and Your Health How K-9 Therapy is Helping People Live Better Lives by Nancy Dohn

Pet owners know how uplifting it can be to come home after a long day to a wagging tail or a warm purr. A few furry strokes and your mood lightens and stress seems to ease away. This warm interaction with our pets may have greater benefits than making us feel good when we walk in the door. Increasing evidence demonstrates that our furry friends – and sometimes those with scales or feathers – can help make us healthier and happier in a variety of ways.

38 | LIFE


“Who else comes running up when you enter the door like you are the greatest person ever? It’s great to experience such unconditional love,” says Linda McCollough, DVM. Her love for animals led her to a career as a veterinarian and now owner of the Haile Animal Clinic, and to the establishment of the non-profit organization Haile's Angels Pet Rescue. Since 1995, the rescue program has been committed to matching abandoned pets with their forever family. Haile's Angels also provides a novel opportunity for pets and humans to help heal each other before adoption occurs. “Many rescue dogs need to be retrained and they need people to spend time with them daily,” McCollough says. “Using people experiencing PTSD or depression to help retrain them provides something else for them focus on.

A variety of organizations nationwide focus on pets and the various ways they can help humans. For example, there’s Planned Parrothood, the National Association of Certified Professionals of Equine Therapy and Therapy Dogs International to name a few. Through her autistic son and her mother’s need for companionship, McCollough experienced the therapeutic benefits of owning a pet first-hand. “I have seen a number of ways dogs can have a positive impact physically and mentally,” she says. “My son, for example, has autism and when he was young he connected with our dogs, which helped bring him out of his autistic world.”

"WHO ELSE COMES RUNNING UP WHEN YOU ENTER THE DOOR LIKE YOU ARE THE GREATEST PERSON EVER? IT’S GREAT TO EXPERIENCE SUCH UNCONDITIONAL LOVE." Linda McCollough, DVM By working with the dog, they experience a feeling of worth and a sense of accomplishment by helping the animal.” Our interactions with animals began more than 500,000 years ago, primarily as a prey versus prey relationship. But the domestication of animals some 15,000 years ago led to the use of animals in a variety of ways such as for transportation, to help plow the fields and to protect us from threats. Now, it is estimated more than 86 million households have some type of pet and many are registered to meet special needs for their human companions. A service animal, for example, is trained to perform a task that assists people with a disability or a medical condition while a registered therapy pet provides emotional and psychological support.

McCollough’s mother has also benefitted from having a pet. She says her mother protested at first when she was given a rescue dog but now the pet provides important social connections and companionship. “The dog goes everywhere with her. For 10 years, she never walked the neighborhood she lives in and now she is out with the dog all of the time. In general, pets can have a very positive effect in many ways,” McCollough says. Seeing-eye dogs for example, have long been recognized for the type of service they provide. However, dogs are now being trained to help with medical conditions such as detecting seizures in advance and warning people who have diabetes that their blood sugar level is becoming dangerously low.

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In addition, there is evidence that pets can have a positive impact on reducing blood pressure and helping to regulate a person’s heart rate. Since the 1980s, research has suggested that heart attack patients who owned pets might live longer than those who don’t and there is correlation between touching a pet and the reduction of blood pressure. The positive effects pets might have on human health and well-being go back further than three decades. In the 1800s, Florence

Freud and his beloved chow, Jofi, one of the first therapy dogs.

Nightingale, who considered the founder of modern nursing, wrote in her book “Notes on Nursing” that small pets helped reduce anxiety in children and adults living in psychiatric institutions. In the 1930s, Sigmund Freud, the founding father of psychoanalysis, would have his chow Jofi accompany him during patient sessions because the dog’s presence seemed to have a calming effect on Freud’s patients. “The human, canine bond is a real thing and can affect a person’s healing process,” says Pat Bellis, a Gainesville pet therapy tester and observer with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. “They can help reduce anxiety and calm patients and their loved ones, as well as the staff who work with the people in crisis.” Bellis has two therapy dogs, Milo and Guy Noir. She and her canine companions are a common site at Shands at UF Health, bringing smiles to patients receiving treatment there.

40 | LIFE

Both dogs are part of the Shands at UF Health Pet Visitation program, which has been generating patient smiles since the 90s. Currently, about 20 dogs are enrolled in the program. Director Lindsay Krieg sees the positive impact the program has daily. “We often have patients here for extended periods of time who are missing their dogs back home,” she says. “A visit from a pet therapy dog allows for a change in their daily routine and makes them feel closer to their own pet back home. Even if the patient doesn’t have a pet at home, a visit from a pet therapy dog may help them recall a fond memory of a time when they did have a pet or a time when they weren’t ill,” she says. “Just seeing a dog in a hospital is unexpected helps elevate the mood of everyone, even staff and visitors.” All dogs are registered with national pet therapy program and have been approved to come into the hospital setting, Krieg says. Owners are registered hospital volunteers. “A pet therapy dog provides a friendly face and some love, no matter what else the patient has to deal with during their hospital stay,” she says. Visits can last from a minute to 15 minutes or more. “I think there are some visits that you can tell for the patient that it means an incredible amount to them,” says Krieg. Dogs, the only pet species currently allowed, make visits throughout the facility including the children’s hospital, the pediatric and cardiac units and according to Krieg they really go just about anywhere, stopping along the way to visit staff and people in the waiting room. Patients can even call and request a visit. So what physically happens when we pet Fido or cuddle with Fifi that makes us smile? Studies show that after a few minutes of compassionate pet interaction, endorphins and other feel good hormones are produced. Interestingly, these are the same hormones present during childbirth and lactation. Medical experts agree these substances are critical in the formation of the bond between mother to child, and in this


Footstone Photography Dr. Linda McCollough of Haile Animal Clinic with daughter Lydia, 18, and son Mitchell, 19.

instance, in forging a therapeutic relationship between pets and their human companions. A University of Missouri-Columbia study suggests that this hormonal change, which involves surges in serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin helps people cope with depression and certain stress-related disorders. In this study, researchers checked blood samples of both dog owners with their pets and non-dog owners during a specific time span, monitoring blood pressure every five minutes. The dog’s blood pressure dropped as soon as they were petted. Blood pressure in the human study participants dropped by 10 percent about 15 to 30 minutes after they began petting their dog. However, the study reports, this worked only when pet owner’s interacted with their own pet versus an unfamiliar animal. The bond between humans and animals is more than half a million years old. Throughout time, the relationship has evolved and is likely to continue to change as research continues. McCollough, however, needs no proof that pets have a therapeutic effect on humans. “Being in the medical field, I like to help fix things,” she says. “I am a total believer that pet therapy, even just owning a pet, can make a big difference with depression and help older or lonely people feel they are connected.”

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42 | LIFE


TASTE

Embracing a

Plant Based Diet by Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch

Like any American city, food in Gainesville is available in vast variety. Restaurants abound that offer convenient fast food, opulent gourmet fare, a wide array of ethnic choices, frozen yogurt and ice-cream and so much more. With all the variety of temptations offered, most compromise to attain a healthy balance. The health conscious avoid high fat, empty carbs and sugar laden food. But according to a recent study by Wakefield Research, the biggest modern food trend is limiting animal protein. In fact, 55 percent of Americans plan to eat more plant-based foods this year to achieve their health goals, and many choose one form of vegetarianism.

TheVillageJournal.com | 43


Vegans go a step further, however, and claim hyperawareness in their food choice consumption by eliminating animal protein altogether. Vegans give up all meat, dairy, eggs, gelatin and sometimes even honey for reasons that usually go beyond personal health. They find balance by adding legumes, grains, a variety of vegetables and fruits and use unique preparation methods at home to control their diet. Ask any vegan why they choose a plant based diet and the reasons they express generally include personal health, the ethical treatment of animals and global sustainability. Mother of three, Liberty Phoenix, has been a vegan since she was 17 months old. “My siblings saw a fish being killed and convinced my parents that they would never eat meat again. Thankfully my parents were open to the idea and my whole family became and remains vegan.”

LIFE 44 | TASTE

She and her entire family are active members of the community and advocates for veganism and its principles. “My main motif action is not hurting another being for any reason. Humans can thrive on a vegan diet.” Phoenix cooks most of her family’s meals at home and utilizes protein rich sources such as tempeh, tofu, lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts, rice, grains and greens, such as spinach and broccoli.

ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS University of Florida Health experts on vegetarian and vegan diets say a plant based diet can be a healthy alternative to a traditional American diet, but limiting all animal protein sources can make it harder to get certain vital nutrients essential to good health. So it is important to do it right. Anne Mathews, PhD, RDN, Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, says that


following vegetarian or vegan eating pattern is associated with lower rates of many chronic diseases like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer and obesity. “Vegetarianism can be appropriate for all stages of life, including during pregnancy and for competitive athletes,” she says. Dr. Mathews says that raising young children on a vegetarian diet can help kids establish healthful eating habits that they will carry forward throughout their lives. “Raising children in a vegan home is also healthful, but particular attention needs to be given to ensuring adequate vitamin B-12, iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin D, as clinical or subclinical deficiencies can occur, impairing optimal growth and development.” Vitamin B-12 is not present in plant foods, so vegans must consume fortified food products or take regular supplements containing B-12. She goes on to caution that it is just as easy to be vegetarian and consume junky, nutrient poor foods common in the U.S., like chips, processed grains and sugar sweetened beverages, so even vegetarians need to plan meals, shop, cook and order wisely.

EATING OUT AS A VEGAN The trend away from the traditional five food groups is indeed growing, but vegans are still the minority, which makes finding vegan friendly restaurants and menus challenging. However, in Gainesville, plant based protein has found its way into plenty of Gainesville’s sandwiches, burritos, stir-fries and as main course gourmet staples, turning compromise into jubilation for vegans. Many local restaurants have discovered the financial rewards of creating an atmosphere of all-inclusiveness. And while it is true that vegans — who primarily eat vegetables — could just order the house salad with oil

and vinegar, most would prefer a meal of sustenance, and potentially a choice of one or two options that comprise a filling meal. Juli Denney, owner of One Love Café, says that even though vegetarian and vegan options can be challenging to create, it is important for her to have options for customers who embrace a healthy HEALTH PRECAUTIONS lifestyle, whatever • Watch for products with that may mean to high salt content. them as individuals. • Teens and pregnant Denney explains women should work with a registered dietitian that, to her, catering to make sure they are to vegan customers getting enough protein is all about cooking and other key nutrients. what’s fun and • When following a vegetarian diet, keep in mind you unique and making should eat different kinds of all her customers foods, including vegetables, happy. Denney says fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and low-fat that One Love’s or fat-free dairy and eggs. made-from-scratch • Choose fortified foods, black bean burger such as cereals, breads, is by far their most soy or almond milk, and popular vegan menu fruits juices to get a full range of nutrients. item, but the Good • Limit foods that are high Love Salad, which in sugar, salt and fat. also qualifies as a • Do not make up for complete protein a missing nutrient by food, with quinoa, overeating another. For beans, pecans, kale example, do not eat a lot of high-fat cheese to replace and dried fruit is also meat. Instead, choose very popular among protein sources that are all her customers. low in fat, such as beans. • If needed, take supplements if your diet lacks certain Reggae Shack Café vitamins and minerals. occupies one of • Learn to read the the most diverse Nutrition Facts Label spaces for veganism on food packages. in the Gainesville community. CEO and Chef Omar Oselimo says, “We have probably introduced vegan food to more people than any organization in Gainesville. We have even

TheVillageJournal.com | 45


ONE LOVE CAFÉ’S BLACK BEAN BURGER INGREDIENTS 1/2 lb dried beans soaked and cooked or 1 can organic black beans 1/4 red pepper, finely chopped 1/4 yellow pepper, finely chopped 1/4 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1/4 red onion finely chopped 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley 1 tablespoon anjou chili powder 1 tablespoon cumin

PREPARATION Smash beans to the consistency of a chunky paste, add veggies and parsley, add spice, mix thoroughly. Form into patties and cook in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Top with cheese (or vegan cheese) to melt. Remove from heat and add sliced avocado, arugula, sliced tomato and your choice of condiment.

"PEOPLE ALWAYS THANK US FOR OCCUPYING THE UNIQUE POSITION OF BEING A SEGUE AND GATEWAY TO VEGANISM." Chef Omar Oselimo

had hard core meat-eaters get curious about our vegan options, eventually try it, and then slowly convert.”

palm hearts, callaloo and ackee, Jamaica’s national fruit, give plant based eaters reasons to keep coming back.

Chef Omar says he and his staff strive to create a space for people of all eating habits to dine, and is proud to have created unique and authentic platform for people to share and educate one another about their culture and lifestyle. “People always thank us for occupying the unique position of being a segue and gateway to veganism.” Alternatives such as tofu, seitan, tempeh and texturized vegetable protein, as well as curry

Another primary reason vegans find solace in Gainesville is the sheer numbers of those who ascribe to the lifestyle. Sally Breedlove is a 31-year-old librarian who stopped eating meat in her second year attending the University of Florida. “I accidentally killed a bird and watching it die, it was heartbreaking. It made me realize that I participate in the killing of animals all the time, though not directly. I felt unable to

46 | TASTE


- TOP 10 VEGAN RESTAURANTS + In The Gainesville Area

Based on vegan choices, creativity in preparation, and overall taste and reputation among vegans, these local establishments are our top 10 vegan friendly restaurants in Gainesville.

1 ^ 2 ^ 3 ^ 4 ^ 5 ^ 6 ^ 7 ^ 8 ^ 9 ^ 10 ^

VEGAN2GO Menu is 100% vegan 7625 W Newberry Road

THE TOP Vegan eats with other options 30 N Main Street

REGGAE SHACK CAFÉ Jamaican with many choices 619 W University Avenue

CURIA ON THE DRAG Plant-based menu 3600 SW 13th Street

CHOPSTIX BISTRO Pan-Asian Vegetarian menu 3600 SW 13th Street

BOCA FIESTA Tex-Mex selections with tempeh 232 SE 1st Street

CIVILIZATION World food, locally sourced 1511 NW 2nd Street

ONE LOVE CAFÉ Using organic local produce 4989 NW 40th Place

ROOT AND PECKER Chill atmosphere and real good food 5408 NW 8th Avenue

SATCHELS PIZZA Salads, tempeh & many unique toppings 1800 NE 23rd Avenue TheVillageJournal.com | 47


eat other living beings since then.” She says that since giving up meat she has gained more energy, better sleep, a smaller waist line, lower cholesterol levels and an appreciation for preparing diverse meals at home. Breedlove’s sister, who is a nutritionist, helped her calculate how many grams of protein she needs each day. She incorporates a diversity of vegetables, wheat, rice, legumes and vegan protein powder into her diet and says, “A vegan diet has plenty of protein to keep a person healthy whether people realize it or not.”

"A VEGAN DIET HAS PLENTY OF PROTEIN TO KEEP A PERSON HEALTHY WHETHER PEOPLE REALIZE IT OR NOT." Sally Breedlove

Breedlove says that initially she stopped eating meat out of compassion for animals. When she started eating a plant based diet, however she began to consider how her choices effected the planet overall. “I want to have less of an environmental impact on our planet. We are capable of producing so much more food on land used for plants than on land used for animals, and I don’t want animals to suffer and they do, even if you just take their milk or eggs.” Breedlove shares the environmental fears of Jane Goodall, the 81-year-old environmentalist and world-renowned chimpanzee expert. On April 15, 2016, Goodall summarized why she believes meat is a such a danger to the environment. She told a New York City agribusinesses audience that animal agriculture and deforestation of the Amazon rainforests is to blame for the rapidly shifting weather patterns. Goodall has dedicated her life to animal welfare, environmental preservation


SOUTHWESTERN TEMPEH AND BLACK BEAN CAKES INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

One 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the diced tempeh and black beans to a thick, chunky paste. Add in the vegenaise, hot sauce, cumin, cilantro, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, and mix well. Using lightly floured hands, form the tempeh and bean mixture into four equal sized patties. Heat a wide skillet or griddle on medium heat. Brush well with olive oil. Add the cakes and cook until browned and crisp on the bottom. Turn the cakes over and cook for another three minutes longer. Serve over shredded lettuce with pico de gallo, or use as filling for a burrito or wrap.

1/4 lb. Artomoro soy bean tempeh, diced 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil vegenaise 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons fresh, unseasoned bread crumbs 1 teaspoon habanero hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

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and peace.“Without rainforests, the lungs of the earth,” she says, “the planet’s ability to convert carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, into oxygen is compromised.” “The average person doesn’t have a clue that the meat they’re eating is causing all this havoc,” she told Gary Null in 2009. “They don’t understand about the effects on the environment or on human cells. The suffering of the animals, they might try to turn away from. So how to make them listen and understand is difficult, but it’s happening.”

TEMPEH: PROTEIN BEYOND MEAT Tempeh is a meat substitute that is popular on local menus. This humble fermented bean cake has a dense structure and nutty flavor that holds up well to frying and grilling. Made from soy beans, black eyed peas or black beans, tempeh has been made in Indonesia for over 5,000 years. Gainesville father and son team, Sam and Art Guy opened the first licensed tempeh shop in the state of Florida in 2006. Their tempeh is now used at 35 restaurants across North

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Central Florida and available for purchase at Ward’s Supermarket for consumers. Artomoro tempeh is tan in color, oftentimes with black spots, which resemble the veins in blue cheese, coating the outside of the cake. Tempeh is a living food that can withstand high cooking temperatures and still retain living enzymes that are beneficial to digestion. Art says that many chefs claim his black speckled tempeh has a more mushroom-like flavor because of the sporulation it contains. The accessibility of tempeh is one of the primary contributing factors veganism is so popular in Gainesville. Art says that early on, he found the process of making tempeh extremely peaceful. “Making a product by hand and peddling it in my community is something that has always satisfied me.” He enjoys the symbiotic interaction he has shared with his customers over the past eleven years. “So much of the food industry is a big truck and a long invoice with an anonymous, faceless soul. I feel honored that people buy my hand made tempeh.”



Golfing for

GOOD HEALTH By John Reger | Footstone Photography

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s a PGA Golf Professional, I have always been a cheerleader of playing golf with nearly 40 years of coaching and teaching the game to thousands of people from beginners to touring professionals. Golf is not only a fun and challenging game, it is good for your health too. In fact, there are so many health benefits to playing the game of a lifetime that would fill the pages of a book versus the limits of this magazine article. In a combination of commissioned studies and my anecdotal experiences from the world of golf, I have put together some of the health benefits based on the game of a lifetime. Also, meet one of my new golf students that is not only enjoying the game of golf, but is also benefitting from some of the health benefits from our experience together at the golf course. Golfers Live Longer According to a new research study by Edinburgh University, scientists now claim the game of golf is likely to increase your life span, counter chronic diseases and improve your mental outlook. This research was based on approximately 5,000 studies on golf throughout the world and concluded that the game of golf has physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages and abilities. In fact, the physical gains with people as they age resulted in better balance and muscle endurance and was likely to improve cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic health. According to Dr. Andrew Murray, Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at Edinburgh University, “We know that the moderate physical activity that golf provides increases life expectancy, has mental health benefits and can help prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer. Evidence suggests golfers live longer than non-golfers, enjoying improvements in cholesterol levels,

body composition, wellness, self-esteem and self-worth. Given that the sport can be played by the very young to the very old, this demonstrates a wide variety of health benefits for people of all ages.� This study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and is part of the Golf and Health Project, which is led by the World Golf Foundation. Health Benefits and Feeling Better The game of golf is generally not recognized as a demanding physical sport, but talk to any golfer or even some of the world’s top athletes, they all will agree that of golf presents some of the greatest mental and physical challenges of any sport known to mankind. Top athletes understand the benefits of playing golf, they also know the health benefits verified by the Walker Research Group which is commissioned by the World Golf Foundation. Calorie Burner Typically the length of a golf course averages between five to seven miles and the total caloric expenditure swinging a golf club for an 18-hole round is approximately 2,000 calories for walking while carrying clubs and 1,300 calories when riding in a cart. Plus, all of this activity of TheVillageJournal.com | 53


Ron Cain and Freddie Wehbe at Haile Plantation Golf & Country Club.

hitting tee shots, playing from the fairways and putting on the greens will increase your heart rate and lower your risks for heart disease and decrease your levels of bad cholesterol. Blood glucose levels fall by up to 20% for the young, 10% for the middle-aged, and 30% for the elderly players and body weight is slightly reduced for all groups. Regardless of handicap, gender or course played, golfers exceed 10,000 steps during a typical round of golf, which meets the guideline for exercise recommended by most medical and clinical physicians.

control and confidence than non-golfing older, healthy adults.

Improves Your Mental and Physical Coordination Anytime you can increase heart rate, you improve blood flow to the brain which stimulates and improves nerve connections, and thus your ability to concentrate. Golf intrinsically is a game that pits the individual against the golf course and the limits of their own potential. Therefore, the mental benefits of golf is to foster hand-eye coordination, improve balance and build confidence and consistent motion. Repeated golf practice enhances balance control and confidence among all age ranges, especially with older golfers that tend to have better static and dynamic balance

Connect with People Golf is a social game and is a great way to meet new people or reconnect with old friends. It is a game that brings together people of all ages and abilities. Unlike other intense sports such as basketball or tennis, golf is a game that fosters conversation between golf shots and your day on the course can conclude in the clubhouse 19th hole. It has been said that you can learn more about a person’s character in one round on the course versus off the course, which explains why many business deals have been made by playing a round of golf.

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Enjoy the Great Outdoors We spend too much time inside sitting on the couch watching TV or playing with our technology. The game of golf is played on courses that are spread out over several hundred acres that exposes us to green grass, sunlight, fresh air and even a few critters that cross our paths. Studies have shown that consistent interaction with green areas relaxes the body and relieves stress and anxiety.


Learn to Play the Game at Any Age: Meet Freddie Wehbe During the past 20 years, longtime Gainesville resident Freddie Wehbe developed and operated a restaurant franchise in the Gainesville area. Long hours and time dedicated to work versus recreation was the sacrifice made by Freddie in effort to operate a business and also to give back to the community. Freddie was a frequent participant in local charity golf tournaments, but he was there to provide great food to the participants and sponsors, as well as provide maximum support to the charities that benefitted. Recently, he sold his successful business and is making the time to get out to learn, play, and enjoy the game of golf. According to Wehbe, “Learning how to play golf is a welcomed challenge both physically and mentally. When I am out at the course working

with my golf coach, John, I get away from reality and enjoy not only how to play, but the green grass and the fresh air!� One of the benefits for a new golfer, such as Freddie, is the opportunity to improve flexibility. Everyone is built differently which means that no two golf swings are alike. Based on physical stature, age and athletic ability, there are varied degrees of flexibility that can be improved through the game of golf. Freddie has not only improved his ability to gain a wider range of motion through swinging a golf club, his stability and balance has also improved. Freddie has also discovered that the game of golf can be contagious and a way not only to make new friends, but an excellent way to spend time with your family members.

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WOMEN AND HEART HEALTH

How to save your life through education and empowerment By Nancy Dohn

"THE SYMPTOMS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ARE SO DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT THAT WHAT WOMEN BELIEVE IS HEART DISEASE IS REALLY MEN’S HEART DISEASE." Dr. Kathy Magliato

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ctress Carrie Fisher became a modern legend as the feisty Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies, creating an “I-can-do-anything” role model for young girls. Hopefully her shocking death at the age of 60 due to a cardiac incident while quietly sleeping on a plane will influence women to be more mindful of the importance of maintaining a healthy heart and heeding the symptoms that signal when something might be wrong. “The most common way women present with heart disease is dead, dead on arrival,” says Dr. Kathy Magliato, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Saint John’s Health Center in Los Angeles during a recent ABC News interview. “Women tend to downplay their symptoms and they tend to wait longer to come to the hospital and that’s why they die at home.” Cardiac vascular disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, responsible for about 400,000 deaths per year. That’s about one death per minute, according to the American Heart Association. “We have to think of this disease as a woman’s disease, it’s not a man’s disease,” Magliato says. “The symptoms between

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men and women are so drastically different that what women believe is heart disease is really men’s heart disease.” When most people think of a cardiac episode they often picture this stereotypical scene: a man walks down the street, suddenly clutches his chest, doubles over in pain and collapses to the ground. Most of the time, however, women have symptoms unrelated to chest pain, which are much more subtle. Gainesville resident Ingmarie Peck knows this all too well. “I had some weird pains in my right arm,” she says. “They were very painful and came and went so I didn’t think too much about it.” So, she continued with her daily life of work, exercise and family. Then one day she started to feel dizzy and actually passed out. “It happened at home and my daughter happened to be there. She called 911, but they couldn’t find anything wrong,” she says. “So I went on with my merry life the way I used to.” The symptoms persisted, eventually creating a life-threatening situation. She was driving home from work and was just beyond the Oaks Mall when she passed out and drifted down the road. Peck was taken immediately to the hospital and evaluated. Physicians found a blockage and placed a stent to correct it. That was in 2002, at the age of 52. Now, at 66, Peck still has the stent and is symptom free. “It just crept up on me,” Peck says. “You know, I never correlated the pain with something that could actually be wrong with my heart. It was the wrong kind of pain. I mean the right arm? That was weird. It was more like in my wrist and elbow.” The human body is comprised of intricate systems that are adept at giving signals

when something is going wrong. The challenge is interpreting them. “The press tends to cover the atypical cardiac events that can happen, especially in women and they do happen,” says Steven Yucht, MD with Emergency Physicians Medical Center of Gainesville. “But the most common symptom of a heart issue is chest pain. “The challenge is that everybody has a different perception of chest pain,” Yucht says. “A little bit of pressure in one person may be a huge deal in another. It is subjective. If you are having crushing chest pain, that‘s easy.” What can be confusing, however, is when the pain manifests in another part of the body aside from the chest, which happens frequently in women. Nerves can be

affected creating discomfort that can manifest in the jaw or – instead of the traditional left arm – experiencing pain in the right arm, as in Peck’s case. Why these atypical symptoms occur in females isn’t well documented, but what research has shown that women’s cardiac disease tends to develop in small micro vessels that supply blood to the heart. Charles Klodell, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon with the Florida Heath and Lung Institute agrees.

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HEART HEALTH LIVE LIFE

“From an anatomic standpoint, women are often smaller in stature and have smallersized coronary arteries, leading to more significant disease at similar levels of disease burden, he says. Klodell says the most common symptoms of CVD in women are the typical shortness of breath, chest heaviness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and tiredness with exertion, but there is a big difference. “Many times women can present in an identical fashion, although presentations can be atypical in women. Women are more often thought to have noncardiac related chest pain and often their symptoms are trivialized,” he says.

in research, prevention and treatment of heart disease, providing knowledge-based solutions for people of all ages. The good news: increasing your heart health is in your control. “Making changes to your lifestyle, like eating healthier and exercising more, can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 80 percent,” says Jimmy Clarity who is the current Communications Director for the American Heart Association, Greater Southeast Affiliate.

Wherever the feeling of discomfort may be, both physicians urge that action be taken. “You should get any chest pain checked out at an acute care center or the emergency room,” Yucht says. “Don’t wait to see your doctor in a week and don’t do rationalizing like it’s no big deal.” Especially new pain that is unfamiliar to you. “Number one, if it is something you have never had before, you should probably get it checked out. You are going to get value in getting it checked out, especially if it turns out that there is something wrong,” Yucht says. “Especially nagging discomfort that’s been being on for a day or more.”

Of course, the type of food consumed plays a critical role in the development and in the prevention of heart disease. A diet low in saturated fats, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of developing heart disease more than 70%. To help make choosing heart healthy foods easier, the AHA created a program called, Life’s Simple 7. “This is an easy-to-embrace way to significantly lower the risk of heart disease and improve our health,” Clarity says. The seven areas to focus on collectively help prevent CDV and stroke. The AHA program focuses on blood pressure, cholesterol, physical activity, healthy diet, weight and the importance of not smoking.

Klodell agrees. “It is imperative that a cardiac etiology for all chest pain be the initial assumption and remains the assumption until proven otherwise. Perhaps the best tactic, however, is to prevent developing heart disease in the first place. The American Heart Association (AHA) has lead efforts

Modifying and changing lifestyles can reap major health benefits, but isn’t always easy. A sedentary lifestyle starts early, according to AHA statistics. The physical activity level in girls, for example, declines starting at the age of thirteen. This decline is probably why weight issues happen at a young age.

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The AHA estimates that 30 percent of girls ages two to 19 are overweight or obese, and almost 64 percent of the women 20 years of age and older are as well. Almost 80 percent of both African-American and MexicanAmerican women are overweight or obese. Again, the AHA is trying to make change as easy as possible. An easy and delicious way to improve heart health is to learn to cook healthy meals at home. “Our recipe website, recipes.heart.org, has a ton of great ideas and even a budget-friendly category. It’s easier than most people think to eat healthy,” Clarity says. “Yet sometimes,” he says, “you can follow all of these suggestions and it isn’t enough [to prevent heart disease] due to a person’s genetic make-up and heritage.” “I have always been a very physical person,” Peck says. “I was running 5Ks until a foot problem developed. I am on medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I go to the doctor once a year.” Peck went onto say that her overall apparent health was why she didn’t take a more aggressive approach when she experienced excruciating pain in her right elbow and wrist. “I should probably have gone to the doctor and complained about the pain,” she says, “but a heart problem was so far from my mind.”

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Klodell says a lack of action to seek answers is not uncommon. “From a societal standpoint, women are often less likely to seek medical attention, or their symptoms are misdiagnosed as other problems,” he says. “This is a societal stereotype that we must all work to assiduously ameliorate.”

Learn more. Go to heart.org for the American Heart Association’s guide, Life’s Simple 7.

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The UF Health Sports Performance Center can customize an attainable goal, create a strategy and help you go from sedentary to extraordinary in just a few short months. By Trevor Leavitt

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ccording to The Nielson Company, last year 69% of people said they planned to set New Year’s resolution to lose weight and get fit. Many of us have that extra ring, tire, muffin top or a little bit of excess around the mid-section they would like to remove, and one-in-three Americans is considered obese as defined by the Center for Disease Control. Running has always been an easy way to start getting into shape. All you need is a pair of shoes and a road or trail. Running and walking are two of the top ten ways to lose weight, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Thanks to wearable tracking devices that keep us accountable and makes exercise more fun, a couch to 5K program is easier than ever. Armed with your trusty fitness tracker, discipline and a little help from the UF Health Sports Performance Center, succeeding in 2017 is a sure bet.

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Intensity is defined by how hard the workout is perceived to be. Many times a scale of perceived exertion is used. These scales range from 0-10 or 6-20, or by heart rate, which is also a good indicator of how hard the body is working. Duration is simply a measure of how long the workouts are, either in total exercise time, or total miles completed. The ACSM recommends 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise per session, which will vary based on exercise per session, which will vary based on exercise intensity and experience. Frequency is the number of times exercise takes place per week. The ACSM recommends three to five sessions per week to stay active and healthy.

Don’t Over Do It

We have assembled a specialized team of physicians, exercise physiologists, physical therapists and certified coaches to help you achieve your goals. Our experts have years of experience coaching and training. No experience is necessary, all you need to do is sign up and be willing to run. The performance center staff works with the Florida Track Club to help them reach their goals and we can utilize the latest technology to help you too. Fine tune your running form, track your body composition, calculate your resting metabolic rate, and test you maximal oxygen consumption with a VO2 max test.

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Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail.” Having the right program is vital and at the UF Health Sports Performance Center, we have been working with the Florida Track Club to build an effective system that evaluates all body types and lifestyles helps individuals set realistic goals and moves people forward into racing…or simply on their way to healthier life. In order to give yourself the best chance of success ask the experts at the UF Health Sports Performance Center to customize a plan for you.

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When starting any exercise plan, make sure you’re not too quick out of the gate. Start with lower intensity exercise for shorter durations and frequencies, and gradually increase these over time. It is important to only adjust one factor at a time and only by about 10 percent

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While there are many types of training plans available, they all take in to account the same basic factors: intensity, duration and frequency.

When it comes to exercise intensity, don’t be afraid to take walking breaks during the workouts. Set intervals of walking-to-running and stick to them throughout the entire exercise period. Over time, gradually adjust the ratios of walk-to-run to incorporate more running with less rest.

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When starting any new fitness plan or workout, it is always good to check with your doctor to make sure your body is healthy for exercise. Going from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active lifestyle has many benefits, but there are also risks from going too hard too fast that could cause harm.

of the previous week’s training load. This is to keep you from feeling overworked and reduce the risk of injury.

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Get moving today! Go to ufsportsperformance.com


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Destin’s

HENDERSON PARK INN your next romantic getaway By T. Lavon Lawrence | Photos provided by Henderson Park Inn


EXPLORE

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ove over Hawaii and step aside, U.S. Virgin Islands because the most romantic place for couples is the Florida Panhandle. The top romantic destination for couples, according to TripAdvisor, is only a half day’s drive from our front door. Nothing sparks romance like time alone with the one you love, sitting on tropical beaches, basking in scenic views, balmy ocean breezes, and stunning sunsets, all of which are available in abundance as on Florida’s Emerald Coast, a stretch of seaside area along the Gulf of Mexico that runs for roughly 100 miles through five counties on the Florida Panhandle and lies within just over four hours from Gainesville, making it an easy choice as an extended weekend getaway. Four and a half million people visit the Emerald Coast each year, and Destin is far and away the most popular destination. Over 80 percent of all the vacationers on the Emerald Coast come to Destin during their escape. With nearly endless combinations of romantic ingredients to spice up a love life, Destin is an all-you-can-eat passion buffet for those with an appetite for amore’ and gaining massive global attention as a top choice for couples who want an exotic adventure. At the top of the list of romantic hot spots in Destin is The Henderson Park Inn, a luxury boutique hotel rated the number one ranked Most Romantic Hotel in the U.S. and the fifteenth ranked Most Romantic Hotel in the world by reviewers on TripAdvisor. com who track millions of hotel ratings. Henderson is the most sought after venue in the area for beach weddings, honeymoons, and anniversary celebrations with its close proximity to the best intimate and fun activities that Destin has to offer.

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The Henderson Park Inn is for lovers Located adjacent to the Henderson Beach State Park, perched on a quiet stretch of beach, Henderson is an adults-only, NewEngland-styled bed and breakfast with its own fine dining restaurant, Victorian-inspired furnishings and a large veranda where beach weddings can be performed, offering impressive views of the Gulf of Mexico to ignite the romantic mood. While the bulk of tourism to the area comes from families, the very same tropical beaches, exciting shopping, elegant dining, arts, culture, golf, tennis, scuba diving, snorkeling, and other entertainment options serve as the reasons why thousands of couples, old and young, flock to the region to stoke the fires of romance and passion. Henderson Park Inn guests are at the heart of it all.

A romantic getaway that feeds an appetite for love The Henderson Resort is a centerpiece of romantic solitude, nestled on a quiet culde-sac sitting atop some of the most prized shorefront on earth offering convenient, exclusive access to your own piece of paradise. Built on pristine, sugar-white, powdery-soft sand beaches with more than 6,000 feet of natural scenic shoreline border the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Natural features of the park include sand pines, scrub oaks, and dune rosemary. Boardwalks provide access to the beach for swimming, sunbathing, and fishing. Four large and two small pavilions allow for picnicking and grilling. Guests have immediate access to a stunning nature trail providing visitors a rare glimpse of the coastal dune ecosystem and abundant wildlife. The hotel features spacious rooms and suites with ocean-front views and immediate beach access from anywhere on-site. Perfect TheVillageJournal.com | 69


for lovers, the Inn offers options featuring breakfast, lunch, wine, grapes, or flowers on arrival, complimentary happy hour, beach chairs, beach bikes, snacks and refreshments so that guest can focus more on romance and less on finding places to express it. Henderson’s rooms are equipped with private baths and terraces overlooking the beach and some include fireplaces and whirlpool tubs to inspire a relaxing, romantic adventure. Henderson earns the title of ‘resort’ being situated next to 208 acres of beachside state park and environmental preserve, the Henderson Beach State Park. Camping at Henderson Beach State Park provides 60 campsites, include water and electric hookups and access to air-conditioned and heated bathhouse facilities. A separate beach access boardwalk with outdoor showers and a playground are included. Guests can lounge on the private beach on complimentary beach chairs with umbrellas, enjoy a picnic on the beach with a gourmet boxed lunch served complimentary to the inn’s guests each day or bicycle or jog along Destin’s popular Scenic Highway 98, with its quaint cottages and million dollar beach homes beside the beautiful emerald waters and crystal sands.

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Destin beaches - white sugar sand, soft as cotton A couple of interesting characteristics differentiate the beaches of Destin from many other shorelines. One is the fine sugar white, powder-textured sand that is so soft between your toes that it actually squeaks. This pure white sand is actually made from ground quartz crystal from the Appalachian Mountains. Residue from the mountains is carried to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Apalachicola River. This incredible natural phenomenon has blessed Destin with some of the whitest beaches on Earth. Another unique characteristic of the beaches of Destin is the heightened water clarity and warmer water temperature indicative to this region of the Gulf of Mexico. The water shimmers with so many astonishingly beautiful shades of green and blue, that guests often remark that they feel as if they have arrived on a Caribbean island.


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Seafood, fresh and delicious, is the favorite selection in Destin which features scores of highly-rated restaurants, but the highlight of Destin dining just happens to be one of the

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top reasons Henderson Park Inn holds the top spot in the heart for vacationing lovers. The Beach Walk at Henderson is the only fine dining restaurant directly on the beach, spoiling its guests with elegance and peerless sunset dinners. Even as a bed and breakfast, Beach Walk outperforms the many dinner options available in the area as a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Winner and Traveler’s Choice Winner. Beach Walk offers guests the option to enjoy a wonderful meal on the beach itself with their ‘Toes in the Sand’ Veranda dining or gazing out at an awe-inspiring sunset with a glass of wine from the Sky View Deck.

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Everywhere lovers stroll within walking distance of Henderson Park Inn lifts the heart and inspires dreams of returning. Guests are privileged to enjoy palm-lined walking paths leading through the beachy neighborhood, marveling at Gulf front mansions, peoplewatching, and a relaxed walk to convenient beach accesses, picnic areas, and local eateries. Street legal golf carts, scooters, beach cruiser bicycles and other fun rentals are available for getting around the immediate area.

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To learn more, go to cityofdestin.com or hendersonparkinn.com

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E VEN TS C OM M UNI T Y E V E N T S For a full listing of community events or to post one of your own, visit TheVillageJournal.com/Events

ON-GOING » Bridge Every Monday, 1 p.m. Haile Plantation Hall Call Marj Crago at 352-336-1055 or Suzie Taylor at 352-337-9956 » Haile Village Farmer’s Market Every Saturday, rain or shine, 8:30 a.m. - noon Haile Plantation Village Center 352-363-2233 » Museum Nights 2nd Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Harn Museum of Art www.harn.ufl.edu

FEBRUARY » UF Symphony Orchestra Concert Thursday, February 9, 7:30 p.m. University Auditorium performingarts.ufl.edu

A Valentine’s Night at the Museum Tuesday, February 14, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Florida Museum of Natural History flmnh.ufl.edu

» Cops Against Cancer Trail Ride Saturday, February 18, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. San Felasco State Park cfc-foundation.org » Tour of Kitchens Saturday, February 25, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. gainesvillejrleague.org

» McElwain Scramble for Kids Golf Tournament » Community Partner Night: Becky's New Car Dates vary by community partner guest Thursday, February 9 – Saturday, February 11 February 24 - March 19 Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida Hippodrome Theater girlsplace.net thehipp.org/community-partner-nights » American Heart Association Heart Ball Friday, February 10, 6:30 p.m. - midnight MARCH Hilton UF Conference Center » Wild Game Feast heart.org/Gainesville Thursday, March 2, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. » Gainesville Civic Chorus Rotary Conservation Area at Hatchet Creek Roots Slavery’s Unchained Melodies rotarygainesville.org Friday, February 10, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. » Dudley Farm Plowing Up the Past The Historic Thomas Center gcchorus.org Friday, March 3 – Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Dudley Farm Historic State Park » Paws for a Cause 5K friendsofdudleyfarm.org Saturday, February 11, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tioga Town Center avspethospitals.com

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» Winter Fine Arts Fair Friday, March 3, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, March 5, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com » 8th Annual Run for Haven Saturday, March 11, 4:30 p.m. Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com » 4th Annual O2B Kids Pirate and Princess Fun Run Saturday, March 11, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. O2B Kids, Newberry Road O2Bkids.com » 30th Annual Puttin’ on the Ritz at the Moulin Rouge Saturday, March 11, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. UF Hilton Conference Center chsfl.org

» Spring Garden Festival Saturday, March 18, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday, March 19, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Kanapaha Botanical Gardens kanapaha.org » UF Symphony Orchestra Concert Thursday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. University Auditorium performingarts.ufl.edu » Spring Plant Sale Saturday, March 25, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Florida Museum of Natural History flmnh.ufl.edu

APRIL » Family Day at the Dairy Farm Saturday, April 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. UF Dairy Farm facebook.com/FamilyDayattheDairyFarm

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E VEN TS »

Santa Fe College Spring Arts Festival Saturday, April 1, 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 2, noon - 5 p.m. NE 1st Street, Gainesville sfspringarts.org

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Walk MS: Gainesville Saturday, April 1, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Kanapaha Veterans Memorial Park walkfln.nationalmssociety.org

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Spotlight on Youth Sunday, April 2, 2 p.m. Fine Arts Hall at Santa Fe College cdsfl.org

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ViVA! 2017 Hollywood Saturday, April 8, 5:30 pm Rembert Farm, Alachua havenhospice.org

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UF Symphony Orchestra Concert Saturday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. Curtis M. Phillips, M.D. Center for the Performing Arts performingarts.ufl.edu

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100th Anniversary Presentation Friday, April 21, All Day Phillips Center for the Performing Arts flmnh.ufl.edu

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Relay for Life of Gainesville Friday, April 21, 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. Santa Fe College Relayforlife.org/gainesvillefl

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Hogtown Craft Beer Festival Saturday, April 22, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m Tioga Town Center tiogatowncenter.com

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Friends of the Library Book Sale Saturday, April 22, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, April 23, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Monday, April 24, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. Friends of the Library Alachua County folacld.org

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Bob Rose Gold Scramble Date/Time TBD-left msg. on Mark’s voicemail Haile Plantation Golf & Country Club arcalachua.org/golf

Easter Egg Hunt Sunday, April 9, 11 a.m. Kanapaha Botanical Gardens kanapaha.org »

19th Annual Bradford County Strawberry Festival Saturday, April 8, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday, April 9, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Historic Downtown Starke bradfordcountystrawberryfestival.com

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Haile Village Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 15, 9 a.m. - noon Haile Village Center Square facebook.com/the.haile.village.center

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2017 Bob Rose Golf Scramble Friday, April 21, 11:45 a.m. - 6:45 p.m. Haile Plantation Golf & Country Club arcalachua.org

74 | EVENTS

MAY »

Hats, Hearts & Handbags Friday, May 5, 10 a.m. UF Hilton Conference Center girlsplace.net

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4th Annual Jazz on the Green Festival Friday, May 5, 7 p.m. Bo Diddley Plaza Saturday, May 6, 3 p.m. Ocala Golf Club 1-888-822-JAZZ JazzOnTheGreenTour.com

Follow us on facebook.com/thevillagejournal for more event information and photos.


SNAPSHOTS

Woofstock

November 10, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

Keith Watson Holiday Shop November 10, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

TheVillageJournal.com | 75


SN AP SH OT S Tioga Tree Lighting

November 27, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

Koss Olinger Christmas Party

December 7, 2016 Photos by Shannon J. Winslow-Claunch

76 | SNAPSHOTS


SNAPSHOTS Junior League of Gainesville Holiday Party December 11, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

TheVillageJournal.com | 77


SN AP SH OT S Dance Alive A Holiday Affair

December 17, 2016 Photos by Kara Winslow

Pure Barre 1 Year Anniversary

January 12, 2017 Photos by Kara Winslow

78 | SNAPSHOTS


REG IS T ER OF ADVERTISERS

A Personal Elf (p. 77)........................................271-1111

Koss Olinger (BC)........................................373-3337

All About Women (p. 61) ........................... 331-3332

Lugano (p. 15)................................................ 374-4910

Altschuler Periodontics and Implant Center (p. 19)............................371-4141 Backstreet Blues Chop House (p. 1).....363-6792 Cloud 9 Spa (p. 13).................................... 335-9920 Coleen DeGroff, Realtor (p. 29).............359-2797 Comfort Temp (IFC)..................................332-COOL Footstone Photography (p. 56,57)....... 562-3066 Frankel Media Group (p. 65) ..................331-5558 Gainesville Gone Austin (p. 55)............... 376-9161 Hippodrome Theatre (p. 71)......................375-HIPP Kara Winslow, Makeup Artist (p. 31)........356-3116 Kinetix Physical Therapy (p. 42)............505-6665 Koontz Furniture (p. 23).............................622-3241

Medi-Weight Loss (IBC)............................... 224-1177 Pavlik Orthodontics (p. 27)..................... 376-5055 Pinch A Penny (p. 79)................................332-2933 Pink Narcissus (p. 11)...................................373-4874 Pure Aesthetics (p. 9)................................ 332-7873 Pure Barre (p. 16, 17).................................... 627-6414 Saboré (p. 4)................................................. 332-2727 Dr. Storoe (p. 41)...............................................371-4111 Sun Country Sports Center (p. 65 )........331-8773 Tioga Town Center (p. 2,3)...................... 331-4000 Tour of Kitchens (p. 51)................................ 372-1710 TradePMR (p. 47).........................................332-8723 UF Health (p. 7)........................................... 265-2222

TheVillageJournal.com | 79


F R OM T H E KIT CH EN O F D EAN CACC IATORE

CARAMELIZED HONEY FLAN (PALEO) The paleo flan is a derivative of a savory Italian flan recipe that my grandmother use to make with parmigiano reggiano cheese. She served it as a appetizer prior to dinner. I revamped the recipe to serve as a dessert with wholesome dairy free ingredients.

Buon Appetito! INGREDIENTS • 3/4 cup of raw honey • 4 large eggs, cage free • 14 oz of coconut milk • 1 1/8 teaspoon sea salt • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract • Dash nutmeg • Zest from 1 medium lemon Check to see which berries are in season, as they are an excellent complement to this dessert.

PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 350F. 2. Melt 1/2 cup raw honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat until light brown (be careful not to burn) and pour evenly into 4 - 6oz ramekins. The caramel honey will begin to harden. 3. Whisk the eggs and set aside. 4. Return the medium sized saucepan to the stove over medium heat. Add the coconut milk, remaining 1/4 cup honey, salt, vanilla, dash of nutmeg and lemon zest. Bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Take the pan off the heat and turn off your stove. 5. Very slowly pour in the egg mixture into the coconut milk mixture. Use a whisk and stir in about 2 oz at a time to avoid cooking the eggs. 6. Once fully combined, and the honey has hardened in the ramekins, pour the mixture into the ramekins. Fill a glass baking dish about halfway full with water and place the ramekins in the glass dish. 7. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top of the flan should be a light brown. 8. Remove the ramekins from the glass baking dish and allow to return to room temperature. Let cool for 10 minutes and place in refrigeration for 3 hours prior to serving. Can sit overnight, just wrapped individually once cooled. 9. Gently run a rubber spatula around the rim of the ramekin and place a small plate upside-down on top and carefully pop out.

80 | TheVillageJournal.com




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